Cyclocross
Author
Discussion

snotrag

Original Poster:

15,261 posts

229 months

Thursday 18th August 2016
quotequote all
Cyclocross then, who's done it?

It seems there's a thriving CX series right on my doorstep, Winter series begins September.

I have a *vaguely* suitable bike and I fancy some competition without the cost and time required to enter far flung MTB races.

Its cheap, enter on the day type, 1 hour racing for seniors.

The only real insight I've gained so far is to spend a few hours riding round the rugby field practicing dismount>run a bit>remount - I'll give that a go this week.

I've been doing a weekly very high intensity spin class for the past year which has massively improved by MTB riding overall (sprinting, climbing) hopefully this might help. Its like an hour in your own personal pain cave...

What could possibly go wrong!

tuffer

8,914 posts

285 months

Thursday 18th August 2016
quotequote all
I had a go at one round in the Wessex league year before last as it was right on my doorstep in Tidworth. I finished pretty much near the back of the field with a few stragglers behind me. I would like to say it was fun but I like my lungs on the inside of my body, not hanging over the handlebars where I can see them. It will certainly give you a better perspective on how fit you are, I only beat a few people as my bike handling "skillz" were probably better (managed the steps without getting off, I knew my BMX youth would come in handy one day). It is fast and furious, can be very muddy and a bit of a slug fest but also great fun.......If you are that way inclined. To watch some of the performances in the higher categories was impressive, guy who won my race (Vets) by a Country mile also raced in the Seniors (or Elite) and won that but apparently he is a National level rider.
Inspired I went to watch the UCI event in Milton Keynes that year, I reckon I might have just about got round one lap in the time the race winner did 6.

JEA1K

2,637 posts

241 months

Thursday 18th August 2016
quotequote all
Lots of lads I ride with do CX and love it ... they train one night a week, pissing around in the local wooded areas (ooerrr). A few of them race CX too. Personally I CBA with driving for hours to smash myself in for an hour, get clarted up with ste, get the car filthy with mucky kit and bike, drive home hours to have to clean kit and bike etc etc. Its exactly why I stopped mountain biking! smile

Bobley

730 posts

167 months

Thursday 18th August 2016
quotequote all
Yeah, just do it. I'm just getting all our bikes ready for the impending start in september. It's a great environment, always a good banter going on. If you start early and get a few dry races in sept / oct then you'll be a bit more prepared for when it gets claggy in November when the jet wash comes out to play....

neenaw

1,212 posts

207 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
I've done a few Central League races in the past and will probably do a couple this winter as well.
It's perversely enjoyable killing yourself racing around a muddy field for an hour and still coming near the back of the pack, as I found. If you're racing Seniors then it's pretty much everyone from beginners through to national level racers in the category so don't expect to be bothering the top 10 was my experience. Once you get used to that idea it becomes much more fun as you'll find people who are at the same level as you so you end up in your own little battles further down the field.

Usually it's a fairly friendly affair but as with anything there's a few folk who take it all too seriously.

Practicing dismounting and remounting the bike makes a big difference, I watched a few of the skills videos on cxmagazine.com and watched a few of the In The CX Hairs videos on Vimeo to get an idea of how you're supposed to do it.

It's good fun but bloody hard work biggrin

pembo

1,228 posts

211 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
Ooooo I get so excited this time of year, finished rebuilding my bike last week and I've ridden it to work a couple of times to make sure I've put it together properly this year (silly me messed up the gears last year).

I started 3 years ago, just doing a couple that season to test the water on what has become my commuter bike. After that I bought a cheap frame and a load of bits from Ebay and built up a 1x10 that suits me well and I don't mind smashing it about. Last year I think I managed 10 races between Sept and Feb, I just wish the season lasted a bit longer, just as the propper muddy weather kicks in it all seems to end.

It's hard work, you will possibly feel sick and probably crash but I love the atmosphere and friendly banter between the riders. We all know we're mad for doing it but wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Yes, it gets muddy, last year I had a supersoaker to spray down the bike before putting it on the back of the car, this year I've gone a bit far and got a portable jetwash and a van to make it all a bit easier.

A couple of the things I had to get used to when I first started (I'd only got my first drop bar, spd pedal, sti gears bike a month before) for you to practice:
-getting on and off is very handy, you will probably miss at some point and smack your nuts on your seat but you get over it.
-cornering quickly of flat suggy grass, if you can find some I'm sure you will end up doing a tight corner on a football/rugby pitch at some point and you want to be able to take it quickly and confidently.
-shouldering the bike, it will be quicker to run some bits that some people are trying to ride, get used to bruising your collarbone.
-ride down steeper slopes than you would usually think would be safe, at some point you will end up doing it and you want to be confident enough so you don't go over the handlebars.
-follow some of the fast seniors as much as you can on their warm up laps (maybe speak to them first), seeing where they find grip and attack obsticles is very handy.
-Enjoy!!

snotrag

Original Poster:

15,261 posts

229 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
Smashing, all sounds dreadfully painful and fun! Any tyre reccomednations, I have plenty of clearance so can go big. Cheap and spikey?

pembo

1,228 posts

211 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
snotrag said:
Smashing, all sounds dreadfully painful and fun! Any tyre reccomednations, I have plenty of clearance so can go big. Cheap and spikey?
Schwalbe Rocket Ron

Most people swap around according to the conditions, I'm doing it on a budget so I just stick with them for the whole season, they might be a bit slower on the flat bits but they are great for grip.

gazza285

10,584 posts

226 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
Yorkshire eh? See you in Skipton.

The first few round tend to be dry and grippy, but once you get into October then the real fun begins. The dry rounds are fun, but expect mechanicals and lots of wear and tear in the mud, most people have two bikes and some pit bhes to keep them clean, there were a couple of rounds last year where I was changing bikes every lap.

Become familiar with your rear mech and hanger supplier, other than that, I love it...

snotrag

Original Poster:

15,261 posts

229 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
Thanks Gazza. I can't make Skipton but I'll get one of the rounds in September (Calendar timing ia a bit weird, all bunched up at the start!).

Ref Mud - I'm a mountain bike rider, not a roadie. So the mud, slipping about, steepness I'm comfortable-ish with.

My bike is an old Kona Dr Dew commuter thing - its got a Tiagra 2x10 groupset on it and I'm wondering about changing to 1x alike the MTB. But really for the first go it just wants some good 35mm mud tyres.

It weight a tonne but has masses of mud clearance and BB7 brakes so should be half suited.

gazza285

10,584 posts

226 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
I've got a single chainring on the "serious" cross bike and a double on the three peaks bike, but that gets used for lots of other events as well. You don't need a double for Yorkshire Cross, I run a 38t front with a 12/25 cassette, although I do have an 11/32 option on my mud wheels.

Where abouts are you based? I usually nip over to the dark side as well, Steve VRS from on here rides in the NWCCA, so I go and give him a race occasionally.

anonymous-user

72 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
As a slight aside to the topic, I was descending down a tricky little single track section on the Purbecks on Wednesday night, about 2 or 3 minutes from top to bottom.

About half way down I heard a freewheel coming up fast behind me, I was on my very expensive full-sus bike and I assumed it was one of the better riders from the faster group that left before us.

Imagine my embarrassment at the bottom when we pulled up and he was on a CX bike, those bikes when ridden well are something else. paperbag

I really do quite fancy a CX as a commuter and leave the MTB at home, I think it would help build up a different kind of fitness too.

SoliD

1,292 posts

235 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
Great fun, but tough! Keeps you going in the winter! Variety of tyres will help for the various conditions.

tuffer said:
I had a go at one round in the Wessex league year before last as it was right on my doorstep in Tidworth. I finished pretty much near the back of the field with a few stragglers behind me. I would like to say it was fun but I like my lungs on the inside of my body, not hanging over the handlebars where I can see them. It will certainly give you a better perspective on how fit you are, I only beat a few people as my bike handling "skillz" were probably better (managed the steps without getting off, I knew my BMX youth would come in handy one day). It is fast and furious, can be very muddy and a bit of a slug fest but also great fun.......If you are that way inclined. To watch some of the performances in the higher categories was impressive, guy who won my race (Vets) by a Country mile also raced in the Seniors (or Elite) and won that but apparently he is a National level rider.
Inspired I went to watch the UCI event in Milton Keynes that year, I reckon I might have just about got round one lap in the time the race winner did 6.
Wessex CX League actually has two ex world champs in it in the older categories.

oddman

3,409 posts

270 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
Just crack on

The great thing is you will not be left at the back as there is such a variety of abilities. Middle pack riders are soon lapped by the top riders and nobody feels left behind. You'll find you get into a personal race with people of similar ability.

People turn up with all sorts of bikes. You'll be fine on the Dr Dew with suitable tyres

I was a seasoned MTBer before cyclocross racing but narrow tyres, high speeds, wet grass and forced dismounts/remounts really tested my skills

A complete lactic acid bath but so much fun. I expect it will do more for your fitness than spin classes. If your local cycling club do evening cross training sessions they are worth getting along to.




Steve vRS

5,251 posts

259 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
I'm doing the first proper race of the season this Saturday in Whitehaven. By proper, I mean it will be muddy and is the correct side of the Pennines wink

The thing I like about CX is that the field quickly spreads out and you always find a group of riders who are a similar level to you so you can have a race, unlike road racing where if you are dropped from the pack, it turns into a 40 mile TT.

Just remember to let all the air out of your tyres, take off your bottle cage and not to wear white and you'll have a great afternoon out!

Steve

gazza285

10,584 posts

226 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
Here's a picture of Steve vRS, wishing he'd stopped on his side of the Pennines and stuck to TTs.



Meanwhile over the hurdles at York Races...


Steve vRS

5,251 posts

259 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
Caught my best side!

SoliD

1,292 posts

235 months

Saturday 20th August 2016
quotequote all
Riding the Winchester CX race in June felt like cheating when it wasn't wet, muddy and cold! biggrin

sir humphrey appleby

1,786 posts

240 months

Thread revival or what!!!
Instead of starting another one I thought it would be more simple to add to this.
I ride mountain bikes, race XC races, local Enduro events, my ego writes cheques that my body can't cash, but that's half the fun. I am pretty bike fit and can race pretty hard I think.
A good friend of mine is a seasoned cyclocross racer, part of the local cycling club, coach and all sorts.
He has dragged me to the local evening cyclocross training on a thursday night, and it is a killer, but great for fitness, and a different perspective to MTB. However, I participate on my carbon Scott XC bike, obvs I can't keep up, but at least it gives the fitter riders something to aim for and improve their overtaking skills!

A few of the riders are really welcoming and have suggested I should participate in a race or two. However, I would be on my MTB, and judging by the fitness of the others, it could possibly be a step too far at this time. I'm not quite in the 50 + category yet, but will be in a couple of weeks time.

My question to the cyclocross riders here, honestly and genuinely, is what is your thoughts when you see someone on a MTB participating in these races? Obviously if I get the bug then I will invest in a lower level bike to blend in, but I don't want to be that bloke that holds people up, stands out like a sore thumb to riders and spectators because I am on an MTB wider tyres.
I race XC and it seems to be a bit more easy going than cyclocross (just my observation, I'm most likely wrong).

So be honest with me - would it be a good idea for a race or two, or should I buy a cheaper cyclocross bike to blend in, and bite the bullet and wear some lycra? Honest thoughts please, thanks!

Edited by sir humphrey appleby on Friday 10th October 09:26

Castrol for a knave

6,406 posts

109 months

said:
If I see a MTB on the start line I usually think "bloody hell, that thing is going to be hard work".

To be honest, if there are any mountain bikes they tend to be super lightweight hardtails, like Scott Scalpels or similar, always ridden by someone in lycra. One of the local lads here is pretty handy on his, even takes it early season reliability rides!

It's a bit of fact and degree. A slippery Euro style XC racer bikeis one thing but a more enduro style rig, with wider bars would be frowned upon, like a breaststroker at a triathlon. The wide bars would be a bit of a red flag, especially on some of the tighter downhill courses.

You'll feel a lot more comfortable on a XC or even gravel bike.As for lycra, again, given the mud, wet, st and everything thorny, I would be wearing it - just more comfortable.