First Season of Riding ... Thanks for all the help!

[Hunter2727]

Okay. So I am back home now after another tough day.

Bike is washed, oil is changed and my filter out and ready to be cleaned.

Today was Porcupine Hills XC. I was planning to go out Sunday morning. But since I had no idea where I was going and I thought the map was a bit high level, I got nervous and decided to head out around 10 pm Saturday night, just to make sure I would not miss the race. I found it, amazingly, and I slept in my truck. I rolled in about 1 a.m.

Back in December, I enrolled in the 30B class when I registered for CMRC. So, I ran the 30B class again.

I did okay on the start. That is until I crashed just a few hundred feet in. Thankfully, someone was right behind me and ran over me. So, that was fun. But, no harm no foul. I was able to bounce back up and keep on racing. Too bad I lost so many places.

Oh, well. It would not have really mattered much, because my pace was very different from everyone else's. What was cool during the race, was that a lot of the time, I was just riding alone. And that was nice when it came to those nasty uphills and not have to deal with anyone else's mistakes, just my own. I am amazed when I am stuck on a hill and guys just breeze by me. When someone is stuck, it is usually best for me to just wait for them to get "unstuck" and out of the way.

Tool wise I wasn't missing anything today. I just installed the bullet proof rad guards. And that was good because I piled into a tree on my right side. Pretty nasty crash and when I was washing the bike and fair size stick was poking through the rad guard, but the rad guard kept it from getting all the way in and it did not damage the rad fins.

On one of the difficult hills, I boiled over the radiator. I thought that I had put a hole in the rad so I pulled over thinking my day was done. After some inspection, I thought that the rad fluid was coming from the overflow tube and then thought there is no way anyone could tow this bike out of here. It has to be ridden! So I jumped back on hoping that the airflow would cool the rad if I took it easy. That seemed to work.

Again I found the uphills and downhills extremely tough. But I didn't come in last, and me and the bike are in one piece.

Oh...I was not fast enough to be able to do the second loop. Which was disappointing, but I was tired enough. Some people told me the second loop was significantly easier than the first. What do you guys think? Also, I thought they said we had 2 1/2 hours to finish the first loop. I came in at 2:20 and they would not let me continue. I didn't ask why, but I am wondering about it now.

[Hunter2727]

What type of rad fluid do you guys run in your bikes. Is it normal for them to boil over like that?

[350scott]

Hunter-Congrats on finishing your second race. Both loops took about the same amount of time. The first loop was shorter (41.8km by my gps) but more technical. The second loop was (47.3km) and a little more open with a couple road sections. Rad fluid-some of the common ones are Engine Ice, Maxima Coolanol, Water Wetter.

[MtnBlue]

Evans

[steve-o]

2:20 may have been your time but the 2:30 cut off is based on the start time of the race, when the pro's started about 12 minutes prior to you getting off the line.

[dirtyboy]

I finished my 3 litres 1/2 way through the second loop. I wish I had a 4 litre bladder in my drink system, except for the carrying part.

Congrats on your race. Good effort to finish the loop. The bike will only boil over if you get stuck or if you use the clutch too much (kinda the same thing). The clutch makes the most heat. As your skill improves you will carry more speed, be in the correct gear and slip the clutch less and your bike won't over heat.

I use the Motul racing line coolant (it's red) and it seems to work well. Evans will not boil so IMO it may allow you to over heat your engine. At least when it boils over you know! It's good feedback on your riding whether or not you boil over.

[MtnBlue]

Yes I should have mentioned that. Evans has a higher boiling point, but is not a cure (just saves you sometimes in the nasty stuff, and yes I have boiled it ) What DB said, is really the main reason,and the skill to work on. Less clutch. Sometimes your jetting will be a factor as to how you ride and how much clutch you use. You could also try a fan kit

[Hunter2727]

Okay. I boiled it over on a hill. I was not using my clutch really. I got stuck in between two roots. I could not get the front tire up and the back tire was slipping on a rock or root. Not sure. But the only way out way to gas it and lift the front tire. But I was there for a minute or so.

So... I am unclear. Should I change the rad fluid or keep it stock?

[Hunter2727]

Also, I have realized that I am not good enough to drink water and ride.

I packed 3 litres and drank about half a swallow. I almost bailed while trying to take a drink. So I gave up on that.

I will try practicing drinking while riding. But, as of right now, there is no benefit for me to carry water.

[Hunter2727]

What about chain maintenance? I spray my chain at the pressure washer and then spray on the chain wax stuff I bought from blackfoot.
Do you guys do the same?

[Hunter2727]

One more thing. Thank you to everyone who has helped so far. The information and support has been great. I have enjoyed both races and I think by the end of the year, I will be comfortable with racing (having the gear and tools and knowledge). Then I can just work on my riding.

Thanks again!

[primerib72]

What about chain maintenance? I spray my chain at the pressure washer and then spray on the chain wax stuff I bought from blackfoot.
Do you guys do the same?

I have had bad luck with the wax for some reason....chain would get gummed up after a couple of rides out in Mclean. I use the Motul offroad chain lube, spray on and let it set-up for about 15minutes after a quick 2 minute ride to heat the chain up. There is a bunch of products out there and they all perform about the same.

[cedric]

What about chain maintenance? I spray my chain at the pressure washer and then spray on the chain wax stuff I bought from blackfoot.

Assuming you have an o-ring chain, be careful with the pressure washer. If you point it directly at the o-rings, you can get water inside of the sealed area and this will shorten the life of your chain. Same goes for wheel bearings, and other areas that you don't want to force water into.

[axel99]

Also, I have realized that I am not good enough to drink water and ride.

I packed 3 litres and drank about half a swallow. I almost bailed while trying to take a drink. So I gave up on that.

I will try practicing drinking while riding. But, as of right now, there is no benefit for me to carry water.

Carry at least 1.5 litres, preferably 2 of water. The benifts are:
- drink when you stop for a short break, when I get lost and a planned 3hr ride turns into 8hrs of "I am in way over my head" a sip of water is so nice.
- fill your rads after you boil over or put a hole in one(let them cool down and patch the hole first ).
- get used to carrying water and figure out how much water you need to carry.

Carry a energy bar, Cliff energy bars are tasty and still etitable at colder temps.

For coolant I run the Propylene Glycol premix you can by at canadian tire, its cheap, compatable with water from my pack and has worked well for me. If you prefer to mix your own, use distilled water to minimize corrosion. Make coolant changes part of your over the winter maintiance.

If you look at the physics, water is a very efficient liquid for heat transfer and the boiling of a liquid releases a significant amount of heat which is a good thing. So if you are on a nast hill and the bike boils, coast back down to the bottom turn around, let it cool down a few minutes and try again

I am not putting down any of the other coolant products mentioned, I just like the feed back of when my bike boils I know I am pushing it near its limits and need to regroup and change my approach or have Zeal ride my bike up the hill .

Porkys 2012 XC was a awesome, kept waiting for the killer rooted, rocky, rutted hill climb but it never came

[Bark]

I'm not as seasoned as the rest of the crew but you should carry as much water as possible. Its just my opinion but if dehydrated, you're toast. If you're hydrated at the end of the race, thats half the battle. I stop, allot, to conserve energy and take a swig. I'm not going to win but am not trying to win. I'm trying to finish and look forward to the next round. I'm hoping to join the next CMRC in early June.

As for bringing no water, I heard about some guy filling his empty hydro pack with water from a static, dirty bog at Crowsnest last September. I wonder how the Beaver Fever went down? He must have been thirsty! I'd rather carry & bring 3.5 litres back to camp than to take that risk.

Cheers,
Aaron