Spring Classics 2017: Who's In?

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    • March 14, 2017 at 1:28 pm #3489
      James Fedosov
      Keymaster

      Happy March everyone! We’re getting to the time of year where many of us emerge from our dimly-lit caves, extract ourselves from the couch or the trainer, and go… outside. This year we’re pretty lucky to have a host of awesome gravel races, or “Classics”, lining our OCA race calendar. Below is some info on them.

      First up on April 2nd is Tour of Pelham. Relatively short, but (from what I hear) more technical than the others, it’s a great primer to the season.

      April 9th brings us closer to home, with Steaming Nostril. Many of you have raced this before, so if you’ve got insight on how to do well (or at least better than somebody else) in the race, please share below!

      April 16th (two days after Good Friday RR) is Hell and Heck of the North. I’m excited for this one.

      Then, following a two week break, we face “Canada’s Spring Cycling Classic”, and the one that gets talked about all season: Paris to Ancaster.

      So, doing any? Doing them all like me? Let me hear your course thoughts, tire choices, etc.

    • March 23, 2017 at 9:45 am #3491
      Alex
      Participant

      HI JAMES!

      Ill be doing Tour of Pelham. They re-introduced this race last year and it was well done. Good mix of road, single-track, railtrail etc. There was a killer mud section through a farm that brought the HURT.

      P2A is on the sched as well; gunna be a party!

      Alex

      • April 2, 2017 at 6:08 am #3498
        Philip Harvey
        Participant

        Hey, wish I could do more of them, but between work schedule and family obligations, it’ll just be P2A this spring for me.
        I have a minivan and can carpool some people and bikes down if anyone is interested. email me at philip.j.harvey@gmail.com.

    • April 3, 2017 at 12:53 pm #3503
      Gord Drewitt
      Participant

      I’m signed up for the Steaming Nostril. Compared to last year it might be more like the “Sweaty Face”. Anyway, who’s up for carpooling?

      Gord

    • April 5, 2017 at 10:20 pm #3522
      James Fedosov
      Keymaster

      Glad to hear that we will have some turnout! Gord, I’m in a truck with Tim and Kelly from work, but I’m sure you won’t have a hard time finding others to go with. I know Mike D is racing as well.

    • April 7, 2017 at 9:57 am #3534
      Rich L
      Participant

      So I’ve jumped headlong into P2A this year. I’ll be the one hanging on for dear life, and then slowly falling off the back. Super Cat 5? Is there such a thing as Cat 6? Maybe Cat 7?

      Anyway, James (and those of you who have more experience with the Spring Classics than I): I have a question about tire choice for P2A. What are your thoughts? File treads? Something knobbier? Road slicks (if you’re a crazy person)?

      I’ve got Conti Cyclocross Speeds or Challenge Grifos. Help me decide, if you can!

      Cheers

    • April 7, 2017 at 10:29 am #3535
      James Fedosov
      Keymaster

      Hey Rich, glad to hear you will be joining the fun this year! What wave are you in? I like Super Cat 5, because the word “Super” is in it.

      The race course has been super, super dry the last two years, and I ran file treads (Vittoria Cross XN two years ago, and Clement LAS last year). Both tires were perfect for those races. They rolled mega fast, had bite in singletrack (which was dry), and shed mud really quickly. If it stays dry this year, file treads like your Contis will be the better choice than the Grifos.

      There really isn’t much technical riding in the course. A few “singletrack” sections and that’s it. But, if it is wet, riding it on file treads will be really hard as you will just spin out the rear wheel on any small rise. So, which tire is better? The Grifos will save your skin in technical stuff more than they will hold you back on the road, unless it is exceptionally dry. Again.

      For the record, I am on Bontrager CX0s and they are freaking awesome. Roll quickly but have enough bite to power through the crap. They’re also the only tubless “file tread” that I can find.

      I hope this somehow answered your questions. 🙂

    • April 7, 2017 at 10:47 am #3536
      Alex
      Participant

      Great to hear Rich! You are one of the many who will experience the painful journey which is P2A. It has truly become a race on its own within Ontario (and Canada for that matter!).

      James is spot on. The single-track is tamed and brief, and other rough sections that are more open are ride-able on file-treads if it isnt raining that day or very wet leading up to it.

      Road slicks are for the crazies lol

      Alex

      • This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Alex.
    • April 26, 2017 at 10:23 pm #3639
      Wilfred Ferwerda
      Participant

      Ron and I are doing P2A this Sunday on our SSCX bikes. Same gear–different year. This is all out war. Last year he beat me by a foot. This year he intends to make it significant. He’s got me on form, but we all know that P2A is about a lot more than form. No, I’m not talking about smarts. It’s luck. Shear luck. That’s what I’m counting on.

    • April 27, 2017 at 8:43 am #3642
      James Fedosov
      Keymaster

      I love this rivalry. And, in trying to beat one another, you likely work together pretty well and beat a ton of people you wouldn’t on your own!

      Everybody feeling good for this weekend? Bikes tuned and tire pressures carefully selected? Forecast is looking like proper classics weather….

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