Someone behind me shouted ‘Riding’on a section where nearly every racer dismounted and ran.
So whoever it was because he never passed me shouted this on the first lap. I just thought ‘you’re ****ing point is, you’re in a cross race numbskull’.
Right to think that aren’t I.

I’d have thought he was helping you out by letting others know that you were still on the bike and not running like everybody else much like “On your right/left” as the case may be.

When you shoulder the bike, you should make yourself as wide as possible….

I was running, the shoutee was riding. Running is a valid and tactical part of cross. Expecting to be let through because you’ve chosen to ride is dumb.
After lap 1 I never saw it being ridden again. In practice it was clear that such a section caused a massive peak in HR and carried with it a high risk of crashing.

In that case, he was trying to let you know he was coming through on his bike and not carrying it. Bit obvious?

on your left/right fine.
Riding = good for you. I think he wanted us to move over as if someone riding has right of way over someone running.

If he wanted you to move over because he was going to pass you it was a good call.
I would treat riders differently to runners as well as they have different needs. I would be more careful for an overtaking rider.

Well, in the old days of XC mtb racing riders used to get right of way for riding!
If he wants to waste his breath shouting then let him get on with it.

aP agree with it in XC.

But in cross, riding and running are equal. Calling left or right suggests intent and the rider will come through. So that’s all fine.
Shouting ‘riding’ suggests they want the way to be cleared as in XC.
If someone behind you shouted ‘running’ how would you take that?

Watch some of the #Svenness ‘cross videos. It’s a race, not a bike path.

To be honest, I’d be pretty miffed if someone blocked my path on something I was able to ride up, CX or MTB.
Depends very much on the circumstances though. As you said its first lap, I’d except there to be lots more traffic and perhaps less able to ride certain sections.

To be honest, I’d be pretty miffed if someone blocked my path on something I was able to ride up, CX or MTB.

But it’s a race.

Getting in someone’s way is a legitimate tactic; it’s up to him to pass you, not you to allow him to pass.

Getting in someone’s way is a legitimate tactic; it’s up to him to pass you, not you to allow him to pass.

and that’s why I hate (the idea of) racing

And there’s the ‘tactical stumble’. When you’re running and a rider is closing in on you, a well timed momentary stumble causing him to lose all momentum and have to dismount whilst you’re already running 😉

+1 for the svenness cross films for an education in tactics!

As long as you’re not lapped then within reason its far game to make yourself as wide as you can, pause at the top of hill, dismount when you like. If the person following runs into your mech then its your fault.

I’d be pretty miffed if someone blocked my path on something I was able to ride up,

Likewise I’d be pretty miffed if someone blocked my path on something I was running up.
It’s a race, the key is to get to the ‘problem’ areas first. You make the call to run or ride. In this case it was quicker to run as I proved, so you run. Calling for the way to be cleared so you can attempt to ride it is more akin to the Sunday mates ride.

Talking of circumstances. I was accidentally left off the gridding and started right at the back, but clawed my way up to 5th to be sure to get through this bit as quickly as poss.

Not everyone needs to carry their bike it seems 😉

Running is quicker lots of the time ,its not about who rides most of the course just who covers it quickest with a bike .Its up to the rider to pass .If he was lapping me fair enough but as Oldgit says this was the first lap that wont have been the case so he has to fight his way past as anyone else would

and that’s why I hate (the idea of) racing

I started off as a gentleman racer; ‘Please, go right ahead’, ‘Oh, excuse me’, then got wise.

It’s a race

and that’s why I hate (the idea of) racing

Think about that. If you’re racing it’s not up to you to allow the rider behind to win?
Look at F1, if you are in 1st you don’t pull over to let the others past.

That said if you get lapped by a better rider, then yes you clear the way.
But they’ll say left/right.

Did you win oldgit?

Not everyone needs to carry their bike it seems

Not everyone has to pay for their bikes it seems 😉

A couple of years back I saw some crossers carrying their bikes up the boxhill bridleway.
Never been able to figure out why. If its too steep why not push?

Practice for cx racing ?

They were just walking up having a chat.

Not everyone needs to carry their bike it seems

Not everyone has to pay for their bikes it seems 😉

Eh?
What does hopping up steps have to do with paying for bikes?!

Presumably if you balls up hopping up steps and break your carbon frame you wont care if your sponsor is picking up the tab?

I thought someone riding always had priority over someone walking?

That hopping up is cool as …. But he’s not actually any quicker.

Not cross, but in an xc race a few years back had a similar forthright exchange of views with another rider. I was on my ss, the start was a steady fire road downhill so I was pretty well at the back by the time it turned off the fire road, over a ditch and up a short incline. Not one I was going to manage without momentum, and because of the queue of riders waiting for a go at it, I hopped off, and tramped through the undergrowth, inside the tape, and remounted at the top. One bloke took great exception shouting and cursing. Odd race where you have to stay in the same place that you occupy after the start, I thought! Then I realised that’s basically F1

Sundays Superprestige was almost a masterclass in how running can get you ahead in cross.

Yeah that’s all I meant Matt, I just couldn’t afford to risk it.

A couple of years back I saw some crossers carrying their bikes up the boxhill bridleway.
Never been able to figure out why. If its too steep why not push?

Practicing for the 3 peaks, did the same on Ivinghoe Beacon as it’s all I had.

One bloke took great exception shouting and cursing.

Yeah I’d have grumbled. When there’s a traffic jam it really isn’t fair to queue jump like that.

Expecting to be let through on the first lap of the race… most amusing!

Interesting comment about the etiquette in XC being different. I’ve seen people come off and make it as difficult as possible for people to pass until they’re able to rejoin the race. If it’s for position it’s just part of the game I reckon.

I was a bit polite in one of my few forays into XC, thought I’d let the riders through in order at a bottleneck only to have my limbs virtually ripped from my body in the chaos. A four foot nothing lass gashed my back trying to throw her bike ahead.

I actually rode over someone who crashed in front of me .I had nowhere to go but over his leg and back wheel.I did say sorry though!

Definitely no politeness in international racing!

My Mrs did mtb worlds in 1995 (back when GB actually sent a team of riders). There were +150 women and it was like a battlefield on the first climb. She watched an Italian lady winching up the field grabbing seatposts to pull other riders off “her” line 🙂

It’s cross, blocking is fine. It is a race, don’t do anything dangerous but be “tactical”

I have attacked before a death spiral because I knew the guy behind was faster through it and I’d have to sprint to catch him afterwards. So I got in first and held him up.

I’ve run up stairs and walked 2 or three steps to let people past. Only when the next section was into a brutal headwind and there was no way I was going to ride on the front of a small group.

However, this is only for places around you. If you are being lapped then get off the line.

But remember when you cross the line it is over, shake hands be nice it is just a bit of fun.

I think in xc racing, there’s often an intimidation factor you can bring into play by riding sections that others are pushing- it makes you seem ‘stronger’ somehow.
However, I think you’re right Oldgit, racing is racing- if you wanna get past, be my guest but don’t shout about it 😀

Think a lot of this has put me right off trying cross racing.
Getting in the way on purpose should just earn you a