Race starts
- Thread starter J_Daniher
- Start date
The Duckmeister
Has a juicy midrange
There isn't really any hard & fast rule. It depends on if the start area is flat or sloping & how many riders there are as to how quickly you'll be able to get going. Generally speaking, the organisers aren't going to start with a wall climb, so you don't need to be in granny gear, but if it's a big event, even with a big start area, the bunch will take a while to get moving, so it's no good busting your knees in a mega gear.
Markymark188
Likes Dirt
Chocolate foot at 1pm.
Big chain ring.
Third or fourth gear from the top of your cassette - smash it.
Practise, practise, practise.
Anticipate the start signal..
Good luck.
Big chain ring.
Third or fourth gear from the top of your cassette - smash it.
Practise, practise, practise.
Anticipate the start signal..
Good luck.
Should I just practice sprints like bmx?
The Duckmeister
Has a juicy midrange
No, because unlike BMX, your average XC race lasts more than 30 seconds.
How you start is irrelevant, it's how you finish that matters.
How you start is irrelevant, it's how you finish that matters.
Markymark188
Likes Dirt
Which XC is XC...
Hang on...!
Are we talking XC as in XCO racing or XC as in XCM racing. Because the start strategy is hugely different for the two types of races.
XCO is won on the Start.. / Start loop.
XCM is not.
We should be careful to provide the right advice to the poor dude asking the question.
(Not that the internet isn't t a good place to offer poor, untrained advice... heck my favourite type of post on this forum is the one which starts something like this... "I've never ridden those trails... but I hear 2.5inch wide Tubeless, heavy knobbed tires are the go".. I've never raced a XC race, but for the start you need to ....I've never ridden a 29er but I think they handle much better.....).
Hang on...!
Are we talking XC as in XCO racing or XC as in XCM racing. Because the start strategy is hugely different for the two types of races.
XCO is won on the Start.. / Start loop.
XCM is not.
We should be careful to provide the right advice to the poor dude asking the question.
(Not that the internet isn't t a good place to offer poor, untrained advice... heck my favourite type of post on this forum is the one which starts something like this... "I've never ridden those trails... but I hear 2.5inch wide Tubeless, heavy knobbed tires are the go".. I've never raced a XC race, but for the start you need to ....I've never ridden a 29er but I think they handle much better.....).
Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Sorry, I've never raced XC:doh:, but from the trailbuilding point of view I am interested in what would constitute a good XCO start venue - how far to the singletrack, how wide, how hard does an elite rider have to go to hit that singletrack in a competitive position etc, plus of course, how you avoid blowing up as a racer.
cleeshoy
Eats Squid
I think it depends if you are an average punter or at the pointy end of the field - if the elite racer has a slow start and "misses the train" - I imagine they are going to have a hard time playing catch up weaving past the slower riders. Meanwhile the guys up front have clear road/singletrack ahead of them. If there is fireroad they can roll turns which is going to increase the gap even more.
If you are an average punter not too concerned with time but just want to finish its a matter of pacing yourself and not burning too may matches at the start. Of course you don't want to get caught behind any "conga line" entrance into the singletrack.
But for Xco races are won and lost as the start
What MarkyMark wrote is all you need to know. Starts for XCO and XCM are the same (if you want good position on the start loop, or to hit the single-track in a non conga-line formation/stay with the front group for XCM)
Dont worry about the first hill, just take off for 15-20 seconds, get a solid position in the group and then settle into YOUR tempo. If you are strong in single-track, you want to be in a good position coming into your strength.
Also at your different events, try to do a pre ride, to find out what the start is going to be like, and how far/long until the first single-track or climb. This will tell you (depending on your strengths) where you need to be on the start line, and how hard to go at the start.
Practise your gear selection on a flat road. If your gear is really easy to get going, but then you end up spinning in 10m - TOO EASY. If you are labouring to rotate your cranks from the get go - TOO HARD. Find that happy medium for you, its very personal.
I am sure that some others will get on here after me, and tell you "it doesn't matter", but if you want to do well, you dont want to be starting behind the eight ball from the gun.