MIVA had no less than fourteen riders at last weekend's Transfer Beach Cyclo-cross. part of the successful Cross on the Rock series.  In the Beginner men event, Corey Friesen was second and  Brodie Hay fifth. In the Men's Intermediate, Shawn Boyd placed third and Bryan Rehill eighteenth. The Women's Intermediate saw MIVA's best placings with Vicki Boyd and Cheryl Morch placing first and second, and Charlene Hay and Rose Houle eighth and ninth In the Master men race, Rob Russell placed third in a sprint for the line (he would have won if the finish had been where he thought it was!),associate member Bill McMillan placed fifth overall and second in the 50plus category, Ron Hewitson was sixteenth,  Shepherd Stewart eighteenth, ass.  member Derek Steele twenty-fourth, and Ian Hay forty-first. Finally, In the expert women's race, Janna Gillick in her first ride in this category, managed a creditable eighth place. Well done everyone. Full results are here.

Here on Vancouver Island, we are already into the rainy season and over half of our rides, whether they be for training or recreation will be in wet weather. Mudguards or fenders are de riguer in this kind of weather. First of all, they will keep your naughty parts dry and direct most of the spray away from those expensive Sidis. Secondly, they will keep that annoying and so-hard-to-remove dirty stripe off the back of your jersey or jacket. If you are riding in a group, then those mudguards are a must. It's downright inconsiderate to turn up for a wet weather clubrun or group training ride without them! If you have ever ridden behind a fenderless rider, you will know just how soaked you get from the crap coming off his back wheel (I say "his" because the women are invariably more considerate than we men). You will also remember getting a good dose of the spray in your eyes and, even with glasses, being unable to see where the heck you are going.

Your LBS will have mudguards suitable for road bikes and, for those hot carbon numbers with minimal clearance and no fender eyes, here is  a way to fit fenders on them too.

HOW TO ATTACH MUDGUARDS TO A BIKE WITH LITTLE TIRE CLEARANCE

FRONT WHEEL

1. 1. Make four right angle brackets from aluminum strip 1/16^th.thick and 1/2inch across and two straight pieces as shown in picture (A.)
   2. Drill 3/16th” holes centred 3/8th” from each end of angle bracket and a 5/16^th. Inch hole at one end of straight bracket, and a 3/16^th.” hole at other end of bracket
   3. Remove front wheel and place mudguard in correct position.
   4. Mark where mudguard crosses back of fork crown.
   5. Cut mudguard and sand any sharp edges.
   6. Drill 3/16^th. Inch holes on centre line of mudguard 1/2 inch from each cut edge.
   7. Attach brackets to each piece of mudguard with 2mm. screws and Nylok nuts.
   8. Replace brake axle bolts with longer ones.
   9. Secure two sections of mudguard to fork crown by passing brake bolt through the brackets and tightening.
   10. Attach straight brackets to mudguard stays as shown in photo.

       

REAR WHEEL

1.   If clearance is very small, repeat process. If clearance is sufficient, mudguard will fit beneath   brake.bridge. If clearance between mudguard and sea tube is too small to allow wheel to rotate freely, cut an elliptical hole in mudguard where it presses on seat tube. Place duct tape over this hole.

(To enlarge a photo, tap the cursor on it several times.)

With a little ingenuity, you can fit fenders onto almost any bike.

MIVA is in the process of setting up a weekly home trainer series for members and non-members alike.  These sessions will start on Thursday evenings in mid to late November in a north Nanaimo location and continue until mid February. Along with the great music and video, there will be advice available on bike set up and interval training. Watch for more details.

Cyclo-cross courses have been getting faster and more technical for a few years. However, the courses in the 1950's were designed for spectators and if you finished at all, it was a real achievement. Here is a great video from the North of England in the mid 1950"s. Your editor competed against some of these riders, as did MIVA founder member Dave Kenny.

The Three Peaks Cyclo-cross, as it's name suggests, traverses three mountain peaks in the Yorkshire dales and has been run yearly since the early 1950's. It is about 42 km from start to finish. Here is a video of the 2010 event.

Beban Park, Nanaimo October 27^th.

Tonight's clinic was on running with the bike, and uphill and downhill cross camber riding plus uphill turning. Nine people showed up, with a mix of experienced and green riders. All showed considerable improvement inboth skills and a couple of squeamish riders got much braver during both the clinic and the race.

At the conclusion ofthe clinic, there was ahalf hour race which included the cross camber section, a flight of steps, and dismounts of two barriers sixty metres apart with the option of riding or running between them.

All started together and John Lam took n early lead, powering away from the rest of the riders in the first fewhundred meters. He had a twenty second lead by the end of the first lap on a a group of four men that included Kirby Villeneuve, Shawn Boyd, Ron Hewitson (who had joined the race just after the start) and Justin Mark. Simon Weber was near the tail of the field, followed by Tim Stokes ring a mountain bike – not an advantage on the fast course.

By the end of lap two, Lam had increased his lead to twentu-three seconds and the chasing quartette had started to spread out, with Kirby moving into second place, Justin speeding up into third, Shawn staying in fourth and Ron down into fifth. Simon and Tim were both dropping back

With three laps completed, Lam still hung onto the lead,but was now only fifteen seconds ahead of Mark, who had passed Villeneuve and was moving faster with every lap. Boyd had also moved up - to third – with Hewitson and Villeneuve, who was feeling the effects of a leg injury, hangin on about ten seconds back. Weber was now almost af ull lap down and Stokes had just been lapped by al the other men.

As the riders cross the line on lap four, Lam was holding ontohis lead but was now only eight seconds up on Mark who was riding stronger with every lap. Hewitson had now moved into third with Boyd close behind. Villeneuve was now definitely in trouble and elected to ride around the barriers, a move which favoured his leg burt resulted in his eventual disqualification. Weber was now also lapped but was half a lap up on Stokes, who soldiered on on his slow machine.

At the conclusion of lap five, the race was well nto its second half and Justin Mark had finallcaught John Lam, passing him as they started lap six. Ron Hewitson had ridden into third place, about twenty seconds down on the lead duo, with Shawn Boyd now in fourth and looking set to move up further Kirby Villeneuve was still hanging on tofifth place but was dropping back. The two tail-enders were now both lapped and continued onat their own pace.

In the last three laps, Justin increased his lead steadily, completing each lap faster than the previous one and finishing injust under thirty-one and a half minutes. Shawn moved into second place and managed to limit the leader's advantage to just over twenty seconds. John held on to third place, a further 11 seconds down and Kirby crossed the line a further minute down. Ron had faded consideably and rolled in tofinish over two minutes behind Justin. Simon and Tim completed seven and six laps respectively.

In the women's category, Vicki Boyd took an early lead by the end of lap one, with Rose Houle just behind and Judy Villeneuve bringing up the rear. By the end of lap two, however, Judy was still in the lead but Judy had moved into second spot with Rose close on her tail.

As they crossed the line next lap Vicki and Judy were togetherbut thenVicki stopped to take of multitudinous layers of clothing (I bet she won't overdress next time!) and Judy moved into the lead. Rose was now about fifteen seconds back.

Going into lap five, Boyd had regained the lead and, for the balance of therace, pulled steadily ahead of the other two girls, eventually completing the eight laps almost two minutes ahead of Villeneuve and over two and a half minutes in advance of Houle.

Thanks to Dave Kenny for helping set up the course and to all for a very quick take down.

The final clinic next Thursday will start at 4.30pm with a quick review of the three previous weeks and the race will start at 5pm so we can finish in daylight.