Riverside Cyclocross Festival weekend

Talk about rough race weekends... jeez.

Headed out to the Riverside Cyclocross festival Saturday morning for the single speed race. Right from the gun I remembered why although I only race single speed I don't race in the single speed class. Those dudes are FAST! I held my own for a bit... then I started to feel the pain and the guy in front of me started pulling away. Then the guy behind me, who was only behind me because he kept making bike handling mistakes, finally got it together and moved ahead. Going in to the last lap I realized that I was falling further and further behind. Harter was behind me and would have been the only one left to race against. But he flatted out and took a DNF. I just gave up at that point and soft pedaled the rest of the lap. I should have raced the 4's. Bigger field which means more people to race against. Lesson learned try again on Sunday.




Sunday I got to the event sight early again. Got out on the course to warm up and realized that it was running the opposite direction of Saturday... and it was better. Faster with better flow. I was racing in the 4's which was looking like a big field and I was excited and ready.

Crank arm fell off in the first lap!
One of the things I have neglected to remember about these cranks. They are prone to come loose. I knew that when I got them. I am normally pretty diligent about checking them. I didn't Saturday, didn't Sunday and I paid the price.
I was worried the crank set was ruined since it didn't seem to want to go back together properly at the race. They looked pretty bunged up. I was sure I had stripped out too many threads.
Hung out and watched the rest of the races.
Good times over all but was still bummed about my easily avoided bike problem.
I was riding good and feeling good too. I was right in the middle of the pack from the start and no one had come around.
Bugger.

!FIXED!
I dug in my bins of stuff and found my old 175 square taper XT cranks, a BB, and a CODA 38t 110 chain ring when I got home from the race.
I pulled the TruVatia carbons off the CRB and was preparing to pull the BB when I decided just for giggles to really clean out the threads and see what happens.
I scrubbed them out and pushed the arm back on and it treaded back on and fit nice and tight... off the bike.
I figured what the hell I can't make it any worse.
Pulled them back apart, packed the threads heavily with Park grease and put them back on the bike. They seem nice and tight.
I went out and put down some power on them up and down my street a few times.
I think it might just work.
I just need to make sure I do what I knew I was supposed to do and didn't today... CHECK THEM BEFORE EVERY RIDE!
Granted I would have loved to finish the race today.
I felt great and felt as if I was riding really well.
But oh well. Problem is solved, one less thing weighing on my mind going into a hectic busy week at the shop (its inventory time come a week from Monday)

I think to celebrate I am going to drink the big bottle of Chimay my buddy left here during his visit this week.