INTERBIKE 2006: Day 1 Roundup

If you are here in NorCal (slaving away at your day job) instead of lollygagging around Las Vegas test riding all the new bikes at Interbike 2006, here is a round up of day 1 from around the Internet:

• UK's SingletrackWorld day 1
• PinkBike's writeup
• CyclingNews parts I & II
  
• Go Clipless is all about Interbike Porn. Check all 10 or 15 articles.

Looks like a lot of 29ers coming next year.

Holiday Clif Bar Flavors

Off topic ... but just barely. Just in time for the holidays, Clif Bar has introduced three new seasonal energy bar flavors.

I got a few of the Carmel Apple Cobbler and Iced Gingerbread bars, but passed on the Spiced Pumpkin Pie. Happy to report that the Carmel Apple Cobbler bars are delicious.

RACE REPORT: 2006 Whiskeytown Classic

I haven't seen any actual race reports or results yet, but it looks like some photos are up.

The course looked almost exactly as planned:

With a steep climb and descent on each lap (over 28 miles):

UPDATE (09/26): Results are posted.

Sand Hill Fall Series Update

The folks at P&R Sports (the owners of Sand Hill Racing) have added a date to their fall racing series:

We've added another Mountain-X race to our Fall Series to make four races total instead of three. (Added date is Oct 14.) We have a new sponsor for the November 11th final, Gravity Addix. They have donated a cash purse of $100, matched by us, SandHillRacing, for a total of $200 to be divided between the Women's Class and the 15 and Under Class (note: a minimum of 8 racers per class is required or the cash will roll over to another class). There will be a work day on the dual slalom course next Saturday, September 30. Feel free to come help (if only to pull weeds, no skill required!).

This should be a good series.

CX ROUNDUP: SEPT 16 - 27, 2006

This is the first in a weekly series of results, updates and previews of Northern California cyclocross (CX) races. Although there are many websites that focus on local series, I wanted to aggregate those results for the more casual MTB rider loking for some off-season racing.

Last weekend saw the kickoff of the Sac CX series at Folsom Rodeo and the second installment of Dfl's Urban Outlaw Cyclo-cross-dress series. I raced the Folsom Rodeo race (since its only a few miles from my house) and found a great race series. It appears to be organized by the same people behind the PCRS MTB series with some of the same racers. The course was a 1 mile loop with 4 barriers and 2 run ups. The racers ran a variety of bikes, from hardtail MTBs (about 1/3) to redline conquests and higher end Ridleys and Lightspeeds.
It began with a Le Mans style start, then hammering for 30 ("C" class) to 1 hour ("A" class). I was slow in the run (bad knees) and had a hell of a time picking my way through the pack. I eventually made it to the mid pack before the bell lap (last lap) to finish 14th. Photos have been posted here and the results are here.

Not to be outdone, the dfL Urban Outlaw races have posted their photos here.

This week's races:

• CCCX CX kickoff in Manzanita Park at Prunedale on Sunday, Sept 24
• Sac CX #2 in Vacaville on Sunday, Sept 24
  
• dfL Urban Outlaw #3 in Crocker Amazon Park (SF) on Wednesday, Sept 27

Good riding.

2007 UCI World Cup MTX/DH Schedule

Ace1Mail.com has brought us the tentative 2007 4X/DH/MTX UCI World Cup event schedule:

• UCI World Cup #1 May 12-13 Vigo (ESP)
• UCI World Cup #2 June 9-10 Champéry (SUI)
• UCI World Cup #3 June 23-24 Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN)
• UCI World Cup #4 June 30-July 1 Angel Fire Resort (USA)
• UCI World Cup #5 July 7-8 Europe Schladming (AUT)
• UCI World Cup #6 September 15-16 Europe Maribor (SLO)

No NorCal events (shocker), but at least their is one here in the Western US (Angel Fire resort in New Mexico).

RACE REPORT: PCRS Fall Flash 4

Last night was the final Prairie City Race Series event of the season (Fall Flash #4). Photos are posted here and series final results are here. Congratulations to series winners:

• Josh Carling (Expert Men 34-)
• Dave Hackett (Expert Men 35+)
• Renee Ridgley - Velo Bella (Expert Women)
• Kirk Ridgley (Sport Men 34-)
• Dean Bailey (Sport Men 35+)
• Jeanie VanVoris (Sport Women)
• Cathey Tedesco (Beginner Women)
• Steven Larsen (Beginner Men 34-)
• Ron Faulk (Beginner Men 35+)
• Jeremy Ferguson - Sharp Bikes (CX 34-)
• John Kretschmann (CX 35+)
• Troy Groves - Xtreme Outfitters (SS 34-)
• Jeff Barker - Folsom Breakouts (SS 35+)
  

RACE REPORT: 2006 Bidwell Bump

The good folks over at dhReno have posted their race report for last weekend's Bidwell Bump.

If I stumble across the official results, I post them here. XC results are posted here.

CCCX DH Series Standings

The series standings (after two races) for the CCCX Downhill (DH) series have been posted.

Sweet, I am still in 4th place in my division.

RACE REPORT: Billy Cross #11 (6 Hr Team)

I don't often write about the Billy Cross Racing Series, mainly due to the fact that they don't post their results online, but I saw a really good race report and thought it might be of interest:

MorganFletcher wrote a great race report for the Billy Cross #11, a 6 hour team XC relay race:

The race was really low-key, grass-roots. The course was tricky, lots of twisty narrow singletrack on wrinkly terrain - very up-and-down, through creekbeds, blind corners transitioning from flat to steep, that sort of thing.

He also posted his Motionbased track for this satellite map:
Read the entire race report over at MTBR.

Canada's ExpoCycle 2006

It's the start of the cycling trade show season here in North America and The Biking Hub has all the goods on Canada's ExpoCycle 2006. Highlights of their coverage include the new SRAM road grouppos, Crank Bros pedals (previewed here) and Scott's carbon all mountain Spark. Head on over to see the details.

Interbike, the top U.S. tradeshow, runs from September 25 - 29 in Las Vegas, NV.

2006 Parkfield Classic

So this is a little stretch to be called NorCal (I usually draw the southern border just below Fresno and Salinas) but I got an email and they are running a duel slalom competition...

The CalPoly Wheelmen are presenting the 2006 Parkfield Classic Mountain Bike Race on September 30th and October 1st. The race, held just north of San Luis Obispo in Parkfield, CA, features a full two days of racings:

• Cross Country (XC): One of the only point to point races still around. This course has it all: narrow single track, big lung busting fire road climbs and long screaming descents. Distances: Beginner: 9 miles, Sport: 15 miles, Pro/Expert: 24 miles
• Duel Slalom (DS): Two courses merge into one for an exciting head to head race on our improved dual slalom course with big berms and jumps. One qualifying run. The 16 fastest qualifiers in each category will go head to head in single elimination rounds. Fastest qualifier in each race gets lane choice. This picture is worth coming all by itself.
• Downhill (DH): Single Run format. Our downhill course is 100% single track and features tight turns, high speed G-outs, and exciting drops. New this year rock gardens will challenge your skills while taking you through the trees. Bypasses are given for most obstacles. Expert and Sport courses are different.
• Short Track Cross Country (STXC): Fast paced XC racing on a specator friendly short course.
  

Here's the schedule:

• Friday: registration opens onsite and camping
• Saturday: XC racing in the morning, DS racing in the afternoon
• Sunday: DH in the morning and STXC in the afternoon

This is one of the last full MTB races of the season.

Event: Parkfield Classic
Dates: September 30th - October 1, 2006
Location: Parkfield, CA [ MAP ]. Parkfield is about 2 hours south of San Jose.
Competition: XC, STXC, DS, DH
Cost: $40 (discounts for multiple events and collegiate racers)
URL: http://www.cpslowheelmen.org/parkfield/index.html
Registration: race day onsite
License: NORBA

RACE REPORT: CCCX DH #2

The race results for CCCX DH #2 have been posted. It looks like Mark Wier (WTB) showed up and won the Pro/Semi-Pro with the only sub 5 minute time (4:57:46), best for the day. Other notable sub 05:20:00 times were: Organizer Keith DeFiebre won the hardtail category (5:17:83) / expert 35+ (5:09:29), Nicholas Barton in Expert Men 34- (5:18:87), Pro/SemiPro Curtis Beavers (5:03:98), Bill Roussel (05:17:36) and Jeff Kendall-Weed (5:19:06). Team WTB had an especially strong showing (Wier, Beavers, Roussel).

Here is a view of the course:

And the elevation map:

Pictures have been posted here. And Rick posted his race and podium photos.

NorCal Racing This Weekend: Sept 15 - 17, 2006

There's a full schedule of racing on tap this weekend:

• Saturday and Sunday is Chico's Bidwell Bump XC and Super D race. Saturday's punishing XC race is a 13 mile point to point affair, while Sunday's Super D competition will race down from the top of the South Ridge.
  
• Sunday is the second installment of the CCCX DH (#2). The course has changed from last month, but the NorCal Singletrack DH is at stake. Head down to Monterey for the fun.
  
• Sunday brings 6 hour team racing back to the Billy Cross series at Sonoma Lake.

Hurry up and get out there, we're getting close to the end of the season.

RACE REPORT: PCRS Fall 3

Another Prairie City Fall Flash race is in the books. Last night's race was 2.6 miles with 245ft of climbing per lap and suprisingly clear air conditions (Folsom has been blanketed with fairly heavy smoke during the day due to the Ralston fire in Auburn).

Photos have been posted here and results should be here sometime tonight. Next Wednesday is the final race for the season.

Tentative 2007 NORBA Schedule

So I was going to hold this for later this week (when news gets a little slow. . . ), but after I saw TWO NorCal events I knew it needed to go up pronto. Now these are tentative, so they might (make that WILL change), but here is the 2007 NORBA Nationals schedule:

• NORBA 1: Phoenix, AZ on March 31 - April 1, 2007 (MA/TT/Super D)
• NORBA 2: Fontana, CA (SoCal "Fontucky") on May 5 - 6, 2007 (Everything)
• NORBA 3: San Jose, CA on May 20th, 2007 (XCO/Super D)
• NORBA 4: Park City, UT on June 16-17, 2007 (Everything)
• NORBA 5: Sonoma, CA (Cougar Mountain) on July 7 - 8, 2007 (Everything)
• NORBA 6: Sugar Mountain, NC on July 28 - 29, 2007 (Everything)
• NORBA FINALS: Snowmass Village, CO on August 11-12, 2007 (Everything)
  

So there are a few questions here (what the hell is TT and XCO ? Time Trial ?) but this looks promising for NorCal riders. The San Jose dates jive with this press release about the San Jose Cycling Classic, but so that looks pretty solid. I wonder where this will be held ? The press release makes it seem like it will be near downtown San Jose. I hope its not like the Dew Action Sports that was on this weekend (BTW it looked awesome in HD).

UPDATE (12/09/06): NMBS #3 in San Jose has been canceled.
UPDATE (2/14/06): Changed again. Go see this post for the new schedule. They changed three or four races.

2006 Whiskeytown Classic (Update 2)

It looks like Team Bigfoot has rerouted the course for next weekend's Whiskeytown Classic:

WE'VE CHANGED THE COURSE! Ignore the map that's on the entry form...that's last year's course. While that course was great, some folks didn't care for the loose sections of "Taco Stand," or the berry vines, or the poison oak (which was only a factor if you went off course...but hey.) Sooo, here's the new map of a more fun 9.7 mile per lap course. It's still one lap for beginners, two for sports, three for experts/semi-pros/pros.

The new course map is below (from the Team Bigfoot site):
Registration is open over at the active.com registration site. For more details on the race, see our previous update.

Off Season Used Bike Shopping ?

This is slightly off topic (but hey, its was a slow racing weekend), but the SFist had a great article on a new site to shop for used bicycles. Listpic's interface could use a little work, but its not too bad. The article is dead on about Craiglist, most people's preferred used bike shopping grounds.

SCOUTING REPORT: CCCX DH #2

The course for CCCX MTB Downhill #2 has been finalized:

The CCCX Race #2 is a 2 mile course that consists of 98% single track. This is a intense, tight, single-track course where fitness and trail riding consistency will play a factor in overall times. Most of the single-track is on a steady downhill grade, but not overly steep in any sections. There is lots of open, high speed sections, and there is also many super tight sections with tight turns and narrow trails. There are also a few water bars and water boards placed in the trail so keep alert! Be prepared to hop over, and drop off some wood boards in the trail that are there for erosion precautions. This 2 mile single track challenge is railing in some sections and slightly technical in others, and is a true test of DH skills and fitness.

The race will also be the "Northern California Single-Track DH Championship." Winners will receive a special award distinguishing them as NorCal champions in singletrack mountainbike DH racing. The rest of the info can be viewed over at CCCX DH website. If I can find a GPS track of the course, I'll post a map this week.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Roam (DVD)

Inspired by TheBikingHub's review of Off Road To Athens, I thought I would share my thoughts on Roam, the newest mountain biking DVD from The Collective. I picked up Roam a few months ago when I was grabbing a new pair of shoes (as I left my at home before my hour plus drive). I had heard a lot about it, but had missed the premeire at both Sea Otter and in Granite Bay. I figured with my travel schedule, it'd be better to have on DVD anyway.

Roam is a collection of eight vignettes, each highlighting a different venue and riding style, filmed in the most imaginative ways possible:

• Singletrack in Sun Valley, Idaho
• Whistler Bike Park
• Urban/Trials in Prague
• All Mountain in Morocco
• Dirt Jump in Jodie Lunn's backyard (British Columbia)
• Slickrock in Moab
• North Shore stunt riding in Vancouver
• Back country on Vancouver Island
  

From a cinematography point of view, this has to be the best mountain bike film ever made. The scenes are lush, the picture crisp and the angles imaginative. The filmers have done a great job of alternatively catching the up close intensity of the riders along with panoramic vista of the the terrain they are riding.

As each of the vignettes can more or less stand on their own, you can skip around the DVD catching the riding styles that you like the most. Being a trail / XC kinda of rider, I enjoyed the Sun Valley singletrack and Moab chapters the best. However, the Whistler downhill section should get anyone going. However, the trials/urban and moracco scenes can drag (even with the incredible views of Prague). There is also substantial bonus materials on the DVD: "making of", outtakes and crashes plus some vendor features.

Overall, this DVD is well worth the money. I have probably watched it four or five times all the way through, and pop it into my player to catch specific segment before many of my rides. I even bring it along on my business trips. You can see a preview of Roam here. Y0u can order Roam online or through your local bike store (I got mine up at Cambria Bicycle Emporium in Auburn, CA).

RACE REPORT: PCRS Fall 2

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to race out at Prairie City last night but it might have been for the best. Apparently, this was one of the more technical courses, leading to a few mishaps.

Results haven't been posted but they should be here tonight.

NorCal Racing This Weekend: Sept 6 - 10, 2006

After a few quiet weeks in August, we are back to weekday racing and some weekend action:

• Tonight (WEDNESDAY) is the second race of the 2006 Prairie City Fall Flash Racing Series near Folsom, CA [ MAP ]. Not to be confused with the PCRS Spring Series, the Fall Flash features shorter courses (less daylight), no swag and a new cyclocross class. If you haven't raced out here before, check out this race report from last week.
  
• With the movement of the Northstar race to Santa Barbara, the only race scheduled this weekend is the Caspar Challenge XC in Mendocino County. Details are a little sketchy, so you might want to call before you make the drive.

I'll see you out at PCRS tonight.

Sponsorshiphouse Alternatives Goes Free

ActionProfiles.com, a competitor to sponsor portal and USA Cycling partner sponsorhouse.com, has announced that went "totally free" on August 19th. ActionProfiles.com is described as "the leading online Action Sports Networking Community. Whether it be creating professional looking profiles, communicating with other members via private messaging, checking local competition dates on the event calendar or browsing through thousands of the site's member photos and videos".

Kinda like MySpace for the Mountain Dew crowd :>