# Cyclo Cross . Todmorden



## gb155 (12 Nov 2011)

I noticed the last couple of years there has been a CX Race in Todmorden around Dec/Jan time.

Does anyone know if there's one this year too?

Thanks 

Gaz


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## ColinJ (12 Nov 2011)

It's held on a bastard-hard circuit in Centre Vale park Todmorden every January. In 2012, it will be on Monday 2nd.

I went to see the Nationals there a few years back. I walked to the steep cobbled climb and stayed there for a few laps, then walked the rest of the circuit to watch the action elsewhere. On the first lap, about 75% of the riders got up the climb on their bikes. I think towards the end, only one guy was able to do it. It looked really full-on hard!

The top competitors had two bikes each and were swapping them by a stream every lap. Their helpers would wash the muddy gunk out of their bikes ready to swapped back next lap. The riders with only one bike were struggling with mud build-up later on.

Anyway, I found this video on YouTube. _Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough! _ 

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu5PkU2D-mo[/media]


Description here.


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## potsy (12 Nov 2011)

Ewwwww mud 

You'd need Fossy as a bike cleaner/polisher


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## Baggy (12 Nov 2011)

potsy said:


> Ewwwww mud


potsy, I agree with you


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## gb155 (12 Nov 2011)

ColinJ said:


> It's held on a bastard-hard circuit in Centre Vale park Todmorden every January. In 2012, it will be on Monday 2nd.
> 
> I went to see the Nationals there a few years back. I walked to the steep cobbled climb and stayed there for a few laps, then walked the rest of the circuit to watch the action elsewhere. On the first lap, about 75% of the riders got up the climb on their bikes. I think towards the end, only one guy was able to do it. It looked really full-on hard!
> 
> ...





Growing up round that park I know all about it's brutishness :0)

I think if it snows- ill do it- no mud then you see :0)


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## ColinJ (12 Nov 2011)

gb155 said:


> I think if it snows- ill do it- no mud then you see :0)


Hmm, but if it's icy then you are more likely to crash, and you could be falling onto frozen ground!


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## gb155 (13 Nov 2011)

ColinJ said:


> Hmm, but if it's icy then you are more likely to crash, and you could be falling onto frozen ground!




But at least there is no mud :0)


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## VamP (17 Nov 2011)

Hang on, the whole point of cyclocross is mud


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## gb155 (19 Nov 2011)

VamP said:


> Hang on, the whole point of cyclocross is mud




Stop ...right...there...

I don't ever want to hear such nonsense - now, where's the baby wipes ??? 

I have a road bike to polish !!!


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## Christopher (19 Nov 2011)

I think it was Helen Wyman who commentated on the different taste and textures of mud around these fine isles... if you lose a shoe in a mud pit it isn't half irritating. Then your pretty 2x10 speed jams up and becomes a grinding singlespeed as the mechs clog solid, then you slide all over the place 'cause of the mud, then you grind to a halt in it and have wrench your bike out of the mud before sqelching off and then mud and leaves and cut grass jams the wheels and and and... doesn't hurt when you fall off though!


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## DTD (27 Nov 2011)

Went last year – really enjoyable day out. Will certainly try to get there this year too.
Remember one chap covered in mud panting his way to the top of some steps, just managing to gasp "Good course" to the fella who organised it.


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## Svendo (27 Nov 2011)

ColinJ said:


> It's held on a bastard-hard circuit in Centre Vale park Todmorden every January. In 2012, it will be on Monday 2nd.
> 
> I went to see the Nationals there a few years back. I walked to the steep cobbled climb and stayed there for a few laps, then walked the rest of the circuit to watch the action elsewhere. On the first lap, about 75% of the riders got up the climb on their bikes. I think towards the end, only one guy was able to do it. It looked really full-on hard!


 
I walk past and along that cobbled path every now and then with the dog, and ride past the top of it occasionaly on DogHouse Lane. I have considered having a go on the road bike but think it's in the same category as The Buttress in Hebden Bridge, only do-able in perfect conditions (and most likely with a compact or triple.)

Think I'm working on the second otherwise I'd drag the family along to watch.


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## ColinJ (27 Nov 2011)

Svendo said:


> I have considered having a go on the road bike but think it's in the same category as The Buttress in Hebden Bridge, only do-able in perfect conditions (and most likely with a compact or triple.)


They had a hill climb race up there this summer but the organisers cheated and started it above the ultra-steep bottom section (for those who don't know it - see below)!


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## Svendo (27 Nov 2011)

ColinJ said:


> They had a hill climb race up there this summer but the organisers cheated and started it above the ultra-steep bottom section (for those who don't know it - see below)!


Lightweights, using Mountain bikes indeed... (not that I've made it on the road bike but did most of the top section and 2/3rds of the bottom bit.)


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## potsy (27 Nov 2011)

ColinJ said:


> They had a hill climb race up there this summer but the organisers cheated and started it above the ultra-steep bottom section (for those who don't know it - see below)!


Does that sign say 'unsuitable for motors'?
I'd have thought one would be essential


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## ColinJ (27 Nov 2011)

potsy said:


> Does that sign say 'unsuitable for motors'?


It does, but there is always some idiot whose brain is switched off but whose SatNav is switched on and _'orders'_ them to go where they shouldn't ...

















_D'oh! _

He got up as far as the collapsed wall, and then had to reverse all the way back down again. Even if the wall hadn't collapsed, the car still wouldn't have got through the narrow gap at the top where I was standing!


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## potsy (27 Nov 2011)

Colin- Was thinking more of a leccy motor fitted to my bike


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## psbr69 (1 Dec 2011)

Some weirdos have been wishing on the winter 'cross season for months, but there's no escaping that it starts in just 1 months time.

There's been plenty of action in the classifieds threads with 'cross frames changing hands, so hopefully plenty on people will be giving one of cycling's most accessible disciplines a go.


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## Globalti (4 Jan 2012)

I did a horrible MTB race back in about 1992 when people still raced mountain bikes; it was ten shortish circuits of a steep-sided little valley with two deep stream crossings. I was determined not to pack and by the end of my tenth lap everybody else had given up and people were going home. I think I was the last to finish.


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## trio25 (6 Jan 2012)

Did anyone go to this race? I was there, it was very very muddy! Great fun, I walked the cobbles!


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## DTD (16 Jan 2012)

I went to watch – here's a few of my photos:


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## VamP (16 Jan 2012)

Great pics. Having read crossjunkies's account of this year's event, it sounds like a must do  Shame it's so far!


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## ColinJ (16 Jan 2012)

Yeah, great photos. How did you tile them like that, or did the forum software do it automatically?


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## ColinJ (16 Jan 2012)

ColinJ said:


> Yeah, great photos. How did you tile them like that, or did the forum software do it automatically?


Ha - I've just realised that you've merged them all into one big photo!


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## dan_bo (16 Jan 2012)

Mick Style giving it the beans in the top left pic!


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## DTD (16 Jan 2012)

Thanks – it was a good day out and like many cycling events easy to get close to the action and get pictures.
I just got a selection and creating a big blank picture in PhotoShop and scaled the pictures to fit, each on a different layer (use a grid to align them).

Second year I've been – last year's (less muddy) photo selection is here:


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## gb155 (20 Jan 2012)

Mud

YUCK


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## palinurus (20 Jan 2012)

Nice photos. Tough day!


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