Savage CX Race Report

The Savage CX is the first of 3 races in the Blue Ridge Monster Cross series.  These races take place on forest service roads within the Pisgah National Forest.  The distances are 50-70 miles with 7000-11000 feet of elevation gain.  The Savage is aptly named as this was a beast of a race in the wild and rugged wilderness that circumvented the Linville Gorge.

131 racers lined up at 9 am.  The gun went off and I was off on my adventure.  After some mashing through some deep grass in a field and then up a section of single track, which most of us had to walk due to the congestion, I was on gravel.  Although I had heard that this course was a toss up between a mountain bike and a cross bike, I opted for my Cysco CX.  If nothing more, it would help my skilz on the sketchy descents and test my quads on the climbs.

The first climb began at mile 1.5.  Called "The Wall,"  it rose 2000 feet in 7 miles.  And the gravel was loose, especially on the sections that approached 15% grade.  It was about all I could do just to keep the pedals moving forward while trying to maintain traction.  Standing up was not an option; I had to keep the rear wheel weighted.  Fortunately, Mother Nature treated me with a light rain.  Just enough to keep me cool, but not enough to cause the roads to deteriorate.

Just one of many views on this course.

Knowing who my competition was but not where they were on course, I just kept it pegged on the first half of the course.  This is where all the climbing was and I was hoping that it would be here that I could do the most damage.

One more heinous climb rounded out the 4000 feet of elevation gain within the first 17 miles.  I was pretty happy to see the descent that ended up at the first aid station.  My gluteus maximi were on fire from grinding up NC 105. ( NC 105, you tried to crush me, with your loose gravel, stutter bumps, and the short, slick pave' section at 20%, but you did not succeed.)  The aid stations were manned by the kids from the South Mountain foster community.  I must tell you, they were ON IT!  I was in and out of aid #1 in NASCAR fashion!

The third climb was on pavement at a more mellow grade, giving my legs a much needed reprieve.  And then the sun came out and began to heat things up.  The air was thick and the heat coming off the pavement was intense.  I was thankful that I had added additional electrolytes to my bottles, as I had a steady stream of sweat dripping off my nose.

Once off Hwy 181, there were a series of turns winding through some neighborhoods.  I was in a group of 3 at this point and one of the signs had been moved, misdirecting us onto another gravel road that went straight up.  Thankfully, one of the guys in the group had raced last year and did not recognize this.  After about a tenth of a mile, I stopped and pulled out my cue sheet.  Not seeing this road on the sheet, we turned around, and finally found the confirmatory tape that directed us straight on Valley Drive.  (In hindsight, I should have fixed the sign, but I was in racer mode and would have had to turn around and climbed back up.)

Table Rock Road was a fast and fun fire road that contoured around the mountain.  Mostly down at a gentle grade, I was able to motor.  Still, I had to be wary of several huge stutter bumps in the turns.  It was here that I joined forces with Brian and together we made short work of this section.

At mile 27 was the second aid station, where I grabbed my final bottle.  The next 7-8 miles were technically challenging as the road was unmaintained, rutted, washed out in a few spots, and covered in grass and sticks.  Thankfully, Paul and his crew had been out the week before and mowed it down to where the tread was a little more visible.  It was still a lessson in skill, speed control, and patience on my cross bike.  I was probably a bit more conservative here, as I saw a couple racers with flats.  Brian and another racer got a gap on me here.  I tried to keep them in my sights as I knew it would be beneficial for me to be in a group for the last 10 miles to the finish.

Finally the road became more civilized and I was able to close the gap up to Brian and the other racer.  Together, we motored the last bit of gravel to Hwy 126.  Once we hit the pavement, the other guy took off.  He must of smelled the barn.  The last 6 miles were just as hard as the first 6.  My gas tank was empty.  Thankfully the grade averaged about 3%, although it felt like 10.  That first climb of the day had caught up to me.  Brian and I rode together the remainder of the way, trying to help one another find shelter from the headwind.  Why is there ALWAYS a headwind at the end of a race?

Once back on the Southmountain Children's Home property, I retraced the path down the single track, through the field, and under the Finish arch, with a time of 3:49:12, first woman and 17th overall.  Even though the legs were not quite "sparkly," I'll take that time gratefully.

It was definitely a brutal course, but I expected that.  After all, it is Pisgah.  The course was very similar to the HardFord 50, but with the majority of the climbing in the first 1/3.  Cam and crew did a good job, all the way around.

A nice surprise at the finish ... and very cold!

I have got to say that I still have some mixed feelings about bike choice.  Yes, the cross bike was indeed faster on the pavement, and some of the descents.  And at least equal on the climbs.  I'm not sure how much time I would have saved on the unmaintained fire road descent.  Having said that, the Cysco was indeed a joy to ride.  I never felt beat up; the ti frame soaked up the small bumps beautifully.  Where it was smooth, it was fast!  I just need to work on technical descents with skinnies and drop bars.

Cysco Cycles CX Gravel Grinder Review

I have had this work of art built with love by Richie Moore, owner of Cysco Cycles and designed by Chris Williams for 4 months.  I have racked up several hundred miles, including one race.  I feel now that I can share my experiences with you about how well she rides.

Beautiful welds.

I wanted the frame as lightweight as possible, but still strong enough to minimize flex.  That being said, Richie ran with a 1 1/2" downtube and 1 3/8" top tube and seat tube.  Chainstays were 5/8".   Having PF bottom brackets on all my other bikes (and having no issues), I opted for the same.  It has an oversize tallish HT for comfort and I wanted thru axles front/rear so the rear is a Paragon Machine Works PolyDrop.

Paragon Machine Works eye candy!

3.6 pounds

I'll take the weight penalty for a real head badge.

I went with a Whiskey #9 Fork (475 grams), Cane Creek 110 headset, Stan's Ravens 700 x 35 mounted on Industry 9 UL CX wheels (1400 grams w/ tape and valve stems), SRAM Red 22 groupset (mechanicals now, but going back to hydraulics), Specialized CG-R seatpost, Specialized Toupe saddle, Thomson seat binder and stem, Specialized Women's carbon bar, King Ti bottle cages, and Xpedo M Force 8 Ti pedals.

As a basis for comparison, Lisa let me borrow her Cannondale Super X last fall.  In the two months that I had that amazing machine, I put a ton of miles and the Pisgah Monster Cross on it.  I loved how it handled and so based my Cysco off it.

With a wheelbase of 1013mm, HT angle of 69 degrees and a BB height of 270mm, she is stable!  I feel very at ease descending and cornering on the steepest of fire roads.  The only time I get a little rattled (both mind and body) is on stutter bumps.  Or descending Pisgah forest service road 2250 in fog so thick visibility is only 20-30 feet!

It is stiff enough for me.  Probably not as big an issue for me as a more heavily muscled, powerful rider, I don't feel any flex when hammering out of the saddle.

The compliance is unreal.  I was worried that the Whiskey fork might be too stiff being a thru axle, but I have been very comfortable on rides/races in the 4-5 hour range.  When I initially had the SRAM hydraulic brakes (pre-recall), I felt comfortable and in control descending on the hoods (unless I encountered long sections of deep stutter bumps).  During the HardFord 50, I descended mainly in the drops due to weather conditions and the mechanical brakes.  Couple the frame to the "cobble gobble" seat post and my tush was very happy ... no "jack-assage."  I also experienced no hand/finger numbness or shoulder/upper back achiness.

S-Bend Seatstays make for a forgiving ride.

Funky yet functional.

My only dislike is that on occasion, like when I am trying to manhandle her out of the saddle on 20% grades or turn around in a tight space, my foot will tap the front tire.  Not a fault of the creator, but due to how I run my cleats so far back on my shoes.  If I had to do it all over again, I would have had a slightly longer top tube.  But ... this has had no negative effects on my rides and race.

I am very pleased with my new steed.  Custom may not be for everyone, but I think everyone ought to try a titanium frame.  It's all about carbon right now, but everyone forgets how nice a ride titanium can be.  Richie has been building frames for 19 years, starting out with Litespeed and for the past 5 years via his own company.

Richie has standard geometry as well as custom.  Chris is the best and most patient person I know when it comes to the design.  He was always available to talk, no matter what hour of the day. And Cysco Cycles offers a lifetime warranty!

The big question is:  had I not been a sponsored racer, would I still purchase a Cysco?  The answer is undoubtedly YES!  I just would have had to wait a little longer while I worked some additional shifts.

New Bike Sponsor

19.1 pounds of fury (frame weight = 3.5 pounds)

Back in May, I received a phone call from Richie Moore, owner/builder of Cysco Cycles.  He offered me a deal I could not refuse.  The past couple years I had been noticing these Ti bikes popping up at races.  I have also known Richie for some time as we used to train and race together back in the day.  Bruce, my mechanic, had a Cysco steel hardtail and John, a local riding buddy, had a Cysco Ti SS.  Every Cysco owner that I talked to had nothing by good things to say about their bike. So when Richie offered to sponsor me for 2014, I jumped on board ... especially since he was cool with me continuing to ride my Niner geared bikes.

I worked with Chris, Richie's partner, in creating the frame.  Chris has an amazing wealth of knowledge about how angles and different tube measurements will affect the handling and compliance.  He was very patient with me in designing my SS frame.  I basically started with my Niner SS geometry and tweaked it a bit here and there.  After 3 weeks of talking back and forth and looking at ALOT of drafts, I settled on version 6.0.

From bits and pieces ...

From there it was all Richie.  Based on my weight and how I wanted the bike to "feel," he selected the tubing size and shape.  Once he had the materials in hand, it took him about 2 weeks to build it.  He would send me pics of the process and I would oogle over them, wanting the bike NOW.  But I patiently waited as I knew Richie treated each build like a piece of art.

The stars definitely "tried" Richie's patience, but turned out beautifully!

Instead of putting decals on his frames, he blasts the Cysco name on ... not as easy process!  With my frame he also went to extra lengths by blasting on stars on the seat tube to represent my SS National Championship.  There is also one more piece of  uniqueness about my frame that, should it ever be stolen, I can use to identify it.

After riding it several times and getting one race on her, I can definitely say this bike was built for me.  The first time I clipped in, it just felt right.  Like an Avatar, the frame is an extension of my body.  The build is the same as my Niner SS, save for the Industry 9 Wheels; I have Stan's Race Golds on my Niner.   It is more compliant than my Niner A9C SS.  I am really digging the Paragon rockers with the 142 x 12 rear.  With no CYB and quick release, my drive train is silent.  Mind you, my Niner CYB can be silenced, but it takes grease ... both the elbow and ProGold EPX kind!

Love the thru axle stiffness.

Just look at the welds and you will realize that Richie is a damn good welder.  He has been building Cyscos for 4 years now and prior to that he worked at both Litespeed and Lynskey for 10+ years.

The curved seat stays help to improve bump compliance.  That paired with a 27.2 mm Niner RDO seatpost make for a most comfortable ride.

Yes, custom frames can be expensive.  A Cysco starts at $3400.  But it is not "cookie cutter," it is handmade in the USA!  And you get the helpful expertise of Chris when designing your frame.  And yes, titanium can be light and lively.  I cannot wait to get to know mine even better over the next few months.

Bike # 273

Addendum:  Richie's bike come with a LIFETIME warranty on materials and workmanship ... to the original owner.

ChainBuster 6 Hour Race Report

Last weekend I was treated to perfect trail conditions for the JackRabbit 6 Hour Race in Hayesville, NC.  I was racing coed with the fast and furious Tyler Murch.  The whole SuperSport team, save for Mark Dee, was there.

Hanging out with the team.

Tyler elected to go first ... so thankfully I did not have to race down that looooong stretch of pavement on my SS, carrying a cadence of 160+!  Tyler said that he was gonna take it easy on the first lap and "feel out" the trail and competition.  Good idea, as he had never ridden these trails.

Tyler came out of the woods first, but it was not MY Tyler.  Our team had another duo racing, Tyler and Mary.  So as Mary went out on her first lap, I anxiously awaited my Tyler.  What a nail biter!  After several anxious minutes, Tyler arrived.  I had so much energy balled up, I fumbled around with the timing chip, losing precious seconds.

My first lap I was the greyhound chasing the rabbits.  Even though I went with a harder gear (32/18) this year as opposed to last year (32/19) when I raced solo, I still felt undergeared.  I also had not ridden JackRabbit since back in the winter, so I was pretty squirrelly in the turns.  I caught up to the 3rd place coed team about a 1/3 of the way through and the 2nd place coed team about 2/3 of the way through my lap.  I was really wanting to see Mary before I hit the pavement that would carry me back to the transition area, but Mary is one heck of an athlete (only 2nd year racing MTB's) and as I was spinning furiously on the pavement, I saw the other Tyler coming the other way.  I figured I had cut into their lead by at least 2 minutes.

The timing chip exchange went smoother this lap.  Tyler looked determined to amp it up this lap.  While he was racing, I headed over to the pits to do a little fueling.  As I grabbed my bottle to refill it, I realized I had not drank a drop.  So right then I decided that all further laps would be "bottle-less."  No need to carry an extra 2 pounds!  After a handful of dates and the bottle of Heed I had drug around on lap 1, I was ready to get back to business.

Tyler roared back in after his second lap.  I took off knowing Mary was just 2 minutes ahead.  Having got the flow of the course in my mind and legs, this lap was much smoother and more efficient than the first.  My Cysco, with its custom geometry and my Industry 9 wheels, with their instant engagement, allowed me carve the turns and hammer the short climbs, like a cheetah after a gazelle.  I finished the lap, yet again bringing the gap down to 30 seconds.

Tyler smelled blood and took off after Tyler like mad.  I knew that it was gonna be tight this lap, but when I saw both Tylers hammering down the pavement back to us, I could not believe it.  My Tyler had turned himself inside out and caught Mary's Tyler!  Game on!  As they rolled in to the transition, Tyler yelled out to Mary and I, "No pressure!"

I led Mary out.  I expected her to come around since she had gears, but she was content to let me lead.  She later told me that she wanted to learn my lines.  I was honored by this statement.  We were on fire and passing racer after racer after racer.  After a couple miles, Mary dropped off my wheel.  I later learned that a dude from behind ran into her and crashed.  She stopped to see if he was alright as he was screaming.  He was.  She was frustrated as his ineptitude cost her precious moments.  

I rolled into the transition with another hot lap:  funny, my lap times were within 25 seconds of each other.  I told Tyler to keep the rubber side down and don't get squirrelly.  His 4th and final lap was his fastest!  Talk about negative splits!  He smashed it!  So proud of him.  We ended up coming from behind to take the win.

Tyler and Mary finished second.  The rest of the SuperSport team had great finishes as well.

Proud to be a member.

Next up is the ChainBuster 6 Hour at Oak Mountain in a few weeks.  Once again, Tyler and I will have our work cut out for us.  Besides our teammates Mary and Tyler, we will also be up against Lisa Randall and her "secret weapon."  Let's just say this "beardy" fellow has a National Championship under his belt  and races for Jamis.  But I have confidence in Tyler and my abilities ... this will be an epic race!

Gotta love Randall!  He is the "Si" of the team!

Blessed

Marathon Nationals

During the Blankets 6 hour race last month, somebody who was holding onto my rear wheel, asked how I was always "so (insert expletive of choice) fast?"  At that moment, all I could say was that I was blessed.  I have been able to reflect back upon this moment and can now provide a little better explanation.

Blessed, in my case, is a culmination of lots of things:

1.  Hard work.  Rain or shine, hot or cold, I am out on the bike, focused on the session for the day.  No whining allowed.

2.  Proper nutrition.  Being celiac + intolerant to grains, legumes, and dairy kinda makes this one easy, at least on paper.  Nonetheless, meal planning is a constant, arduous task.  For road trips, I either have to find a place to cook my meals or bring along my travel kitchen (microwave, cooler, blender, steamer).  I can't press the easy button, i.e. restaurant.

3.  Rest.  This is perhaps the hardest to do.  I am like a shark ... if I stop moving, I fear I will die.  Judge Judy does give me 30-60 minutes of forced rest each weekday night, tho'.  I also try to get 8-9 hours of sleep each night.

4.  Family network.  Having a husband that allows me the opportunity to spend large chunks of time away from him and understands my need for the bike is wonderful.  Having a daughter who enjoys staying with Dadda or the grandparents while I am racing is nice, too.  I also have awesome parents that enjoy Carly's company.  Occasionally I will "drag" Carly to some of my events, but it usually involves a bribe of some sort.

5.  Coach.  Lynda is boss!   She has been coaching me for 5 years and at times I think she knows me better than I.  She loves her job and it shows.  And as an added bonus, she is pretty darn good at the nutrition thing, too.

6.  Zeke.  He has been my training partner for 8 years.  He got me into this mess and now I guess he figures he owes it to me to keep me safe on the trail.  He puts up with my doggedness and faithfully follows me along on my adventures.

7.  The Outdoor Store.  They have been my LBS for 14 years.  Bruce is an amazing mechanic and has never let me down in prepping my race bikes.  I buy 90% of my bike stuff from him ... the 10% I don't is because he tells me to get it elsewhere.  I do shop online quite a bit, but when it comes down to bikes, parts, and accessories, TOS gets my business!

8.  Sponsors.  Without these companies, racing would be exponentially harder.  At times, I don't feel like I am worthy as I probably gain more from them than vice versa.  But then, people tell me how I have influenced them in regards to certain products and I take that as a small victory.

Having said that, I am proud to announce some new sponsors for 2014.  Cysco Cycles, based right out of Ooltewah, Tennessee has created a work of art for my single speed campaign.  Industry 9 has crafted a set of stellar wheels.  And Cane Creek has sent me their exquisite 110 head set.  Endless Bikes has been on board for 3 years and will make it 4 for 2014.  All made in the good 'ol USA.

9.  Luck.  Be it chance or something more (higher), sometimes it takes a little bit of this to make all the pieces of the puzzle fit.  I seemed to have had my fill of the bad, but this year I think the tables have turned and I am in the black.  For instance, at Nationals my bike worked perfectly ... on race day.  And then 3 weeks later, at Blankets, I dropped a chain twice, cranks came loose, and I burped a tire.

So there may be an ingredient or two I have left out, but by and large, the above is what makes me FAST. Now, if I can just keep it up for another year ...