Cyclocross season is just round the corner and I wanted to share my tale of woe so it may inspire someone else to take it up.
2010 was the first year I picked up a cyclocross bike. I was just turned 30 and overweight. 5'8" and 93kg. I agreed to ride the tour of Flanders sportive with a friend and thought I better get some winter miles in and a cheap cross bike filled the gap perfectly. So 2 weeks later I rolled to the start line of my local cross race, lycra stretched to breaking point and I waited - I waited like the 12 year old I was when I first raced a MTB. I was already hooked. The race itself was awful, hard fast and I struggled to stay with people I should be with and I struggled fend off the old and infirm right at the back. I loved it, the cut and thrust of proper elbow to elbow racing. I rode all that season through the long dark evenings and raced on Sundays and rediscovered what I loved about riding a bike. By the time I hit the Koppenberg I was 81kg and enjoying it again.
A few seasons pass and I move up the field and I beat people one week and they beat me the next, all good fun. Cyclocross at this point is a way of staying fit through the winter. Or so I think, now as the summers roll past I feel the urge to focus on September rather than March and start looking at carbon cross bikes more and more. I realise I'm becoming a 'cross racer, and I like it.
That summer I race an XC race and I'm whipped - I think I roll in dead last, and it hits me square in the chest. All these years of racing coming last and 'not caring' about the performance had finally got to me. I sat with my wife and we decided that if I wanted to race I either had to do it properly or not at all. So I start riding, not like I had been, but properly and really racking up the mileage. Another cross season arrives, and all of a sudden i'm top10 rather than top25, Im now disappointed if i'm beaten by certain people, the races continue, i'm putting moves onto groups and getting shout ups to give me time gaps.
Its getting serious! Really serious, I find a coach and start using a power meter and focussing on 'A' and 'B' races. Results are now top5, and I'm mixing it in the group that would have lapped me only a couple of seasons before hand. That was last season.
Fast forward to now, 2weeks before the biggest race of my life and a week before my season kicks off. I have ridden all summer and worked hard for the last 12months on the bike. My focus has been a race just outside Boston MA called the GP of Gloucester and I have never been more excited about racing a bicycle.
22years ago I started a bike race that has lead me to a life of bike racing that I never imagined would make me so many friends and take me across the world. Just a few years ago, I got out of breath climbing the stairs and now I sit here 18kgs lighter. I'm not a talented bike rider, but I wanted to pretend to be one once in my life.
If you've got this far down, I salute you. And if I inspire you to try cyclocross once get it done, it might change your life too!
You should post this over on grit.cx
I do agree though, CX rocks (and I never race)
IRATS.
Good work, fella.
Yep, good work and agreed, they're great fun to ride and although I don't race I would like a go.
Salute' Sir.
Proper well done and the very best of luck in the Gloucester CX.
😀
yeah, folk talk about about a winter training alternative - at least with a CX you can still get off the frickin tarmac and do some interesting rides. dont need one tho, i just ride mtb always.
Well done and good luck. It is never to late to start racing. I started at 45 and am in my second season of road racing and now finishing top third in the bunch. Good luck in Boston.
Great Post OP. I feel inspired after reading that.
This year is going to my first racing CX and I'm really looking forward to it. It's a great sport and I'm equally looking forward to going to the Worlds (to spectate) at Milton Keynes in November.
Good luck in Boston!
Not reading all that.... I'm already struggling to resist the purchase of a CX race bike 🙂
Cross is addictive, and marmite at the same time, if it gets you, it gets you bad. Great post as well OP, nicely written. Love cross season, but have mixed it this year with some XC and endurance mountain biking to try and help my technical skills. It doesn't matter how you are riding there is someone to be racing with. Another spin you can put on it is singlespeed cross bikes, they are brilliant fun as well.
Excellent, I was just humming and hawing about whether to do any races this winter and I think you might have swayed me in favour.
😀
Nice one! For the riding, the racing, the journey and the writing. All good!
I entered my first CX "race" last night. Rapha thing at Ally Pally in November (?? I should check the date!) Fun class, inc. Tequila, apparently - should at least make the actual bike riding comparatively more pleasant!
Great post, ta.
Been thinking about having a go myself... but... Will I die, if I do it on a MTB?
Nice post.. enjoyed that.
Been thinking about having a go myself... but... Will I die, if I do it on a MTB?
Not if it's a 29er Ro5ey ,they are just like cross bikes 😀
[i]Runs away[/i]
Thanks for the kind responses.
Ro5ey - Not only will you not die, you'll be welcomed
nedrapier - I'm there too!
If anyone is local to the Western League, Bristol, Gloucester, Cheltenham ish - Come along and take a look. The friendliest bunch of racers I've ever met. Maybe the more stupid the sport, the smaller the egos? and cross is pretty stupid...
Great post may have just pushed me over the edge!
If anyone is local to the Western League, Bristol, Gloucester, Cheltenham ish - Come along and take a look. The friendliest bunch of racers I've ever met. Maybe the more stupid the sport, the smaller the egos? and cross is pretty stupid...
Got me wondering who you are now?.. Who do you race for?
I also love cross
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VC Montpellier.
Blue and White kit - I'm sure we've raced head to head...
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How fit do you have to be not to come last?
Just slightly curious..
Normally average about 17mph with typical road rides of 1000ft/ 10miles.
How much running is involved?
Does it suit certain types of rider?
Im small 5ft5 and 60kg.. so not carrying much excess.
Grappling hooks to get over the fences?
How fit do you have to be not to come last?
Just slightly curious..
Normally average about 17mph with typical road rides of 1000ft/ 10miles.
In the three I did last year I came 5th from back, 6th from back and 7th from the back. I'd say we'd be* pretty much similar in terms of speed and fitness - although I'm 8 inches taller and was at least 25kg heavier than you at that point.
*comparing to me this time last year.
edit: in all three there was someone there who knew they were going to be last going in but was having a go anyway.
[If anyone is local to the Western League, Bristol, Gloucester, Cheltenham ish - Come along and take a look. The friendliest bunch of racers I've ever met. Maybe the more stupid the sport, the smaller the egos? and cross is pretty stupid...]
Second that, I've not raced Western league for a while apart from some of the summer series a year or so ago. Terrific fun, when i started the fields were very small & it looked like Cross wouldn't survive, more popular than ever now. 🙂
Great post. Moved me.
@cloudnine it's just "racing" really - some courses / conditions suit some riders, and other ones suit others ... but the same lot are usually up there and there's not many places to hide like Road Racing
You'll be fine if you're that light!!
You will be a long way from last. Typically pointless little obstacles or short banks rather than lots of running. Here's a stupid movie to get you excited: [url=
Cloudnine - Once the race starts everyone spreads out over a shortish course - So apart from the winner, no one really knows whos who!
Cross doesn't really have any one type of body shape that suits, you'll probably be better than me in thick mud for example, but courses over the season really spread out the advantages.
For real inspiration check out [url= http://ernestgagnon.blogspot.co.uk/ ]Ernest Gagnon[/url]
Can you do it on an MTB?
Any bike.. just no bar ends
Nice post, looking to break my cx racing duck in a couple of weeks(as is mrs kilo)strangely excited which is odd as I am shockingly bad at mtb racing and am not really planning any of that this year
I just looked up the Welsh league. Looks like they have an under 8 category that's 9 mins long. Anyone know what the courses are like for them? Mostly flat and grass I'd expect?
I used to just like riding my bike. Then I did a cyclocross race. It's not been pretty since...
Get yourself over to [url= http://grit.cx/forum ]grit.cx[/url]... we need your enthusiasm. Oh and I need some advice about Hope bling 😉
Interested in this as just bought a kinesis crosslight to commute to work (old and a bit of a shed but I love it)
What kind of distance or time are the races over?
It's generally as many laps as you can in an hour ish - the Welsh ones I looked at were 50 mins.
First lap of the Ridley Western league filmed by the banjo rider
I make an appearance in the white and black check kit
Did you race today techsmechs?
Loving the chip timing. results up very quickly and you can compare lap times without faffing with garmins
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I got my new Cx bike last night and looking forward to a Halloween Cx race soon. I've only done one in came 6th from last so hopefully the new bike may get to 7th from last. Cx bikes are great but sadly mean you wont ride your mtb as much.
I marshalled my second CX race today. Bring from an MTB background and now having finally found my road legs, I'm being convinced to ride CX.
I'd need to sell my winter road bike & O-O 29er to fund it - what do roadies say about winter bikes with disks on? 😯
Just do it on your 29er?
Top two places in last weeks cx race were on 29ers...
Were they 32lb and single speed? Plus of course it trims down the number of bikes in the shed by one, my wife will be pleased.
There was a bloke at the London league today riding a turner with a set of 36's in......I'm not saying it's not hard work....
If it helps I used two gears today. Mainly because I'm fat and useless
Was that at Gunpowder park Flange?
The OP's post; nicely composed. Actually made me want to run around a field with a bike!
It was sir, and very good (hard) it was too. I can't do the next one (clashes with d2d) so you're welcome to borrow my bike
Ah! Then we probably saw each other; I was the lone marshal in the middle of the top field (The drag after the little short kick up ) eating sandwiches and coffee whilst you were all straining away 😀
I've woken up still ready to go an buy a Kinesis pro6 ffs!
very inspiring post OP. I enjoy riding mine &I've been tempted to do a traditional cx race for the past year(have done the offroad sportive type). What puts me off is when I see the fun race at Ally Pally being contested by racing snakes and everyone is a few good meals short of happy.... 😀
I'll probably be back at Ally pally with the cowbells.... 😐
Buy it! Or buy my mates! Seriously, despite not being able to walk properly today, still buzzing! It was awesome
Whats he selling, and in what size?
Riding around muddy fields on road bikes and occasionally getting off and running over small man made features.
It should have died out 20 years ago. I guess it's great for people who can't climb or descend for shit in XC races
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Looks like Raphas SuperCross thingy has sold out in certain catagories. The CycleClub in Ldn are also running some "welcome to Cross" rideouts, keep an eye on Twitter for dates/times. Last time I spoke to them (last week) they said the dates will be announced shortly.
Be good to get some tips and more trianing in before my thrash at Broughton Hall..
It's a niner rlt. Have a look in the classifieds. It's a large - I'm 6ft and it fits me
Riding around muddy fields on road bikes and occasionally getting off and running over small man made features.
Isn't that the point?
It should have died out 20 years ago. I guess it's great for people who can't climb or descend for shit in XC races
Ha ha, good one.
Stever, it's rubbish though isn't it?
The guys I know who are into it couldn't hack XC racing.
trickydisco - Yeah rode it and goddamn it was fast and hard! 8th place, I saw you chasing and rode my little legs off to stay away!
JCL - Funny, the guys I know who race cross usually do very well in XC races. And road races.
trickydisco - Yeah rode it and goddamn it was fast and hard! 8th place, I saw you chasing and rode my little legs off to stay away!
Ah.. I know who you are. I'm sure I spoke to you at one of the cheltenham races (not pitville) with loads of straights/corners.
Fair play on 8th! you were flying. Lovely bike too! Is it new?
Yes, I may have splurged this year. 😳 Oh well, it was time to move to discs....
What are you using? trp hy/rd's or full hydro's?
How are you finding the difference from canti's?
Full cable Shimano CX-77 - much finer control in the slow speed and the ability to hit the techy stuff faster and brake later. Bikes a little heavier because of it but I still think it's an advantage.
Over the season it'll be interesting to see how if my opinion changes.
Come over for a go on it at the next western....
molgrips - MemberI just looked up the Welsh league. Looks like they have an under 8 category that's 9 mins long. Anyone know what the courses are like for them? Mostly flat and grass I'd expect?
A mix in Welsh League. Some like Foxley, Pembrey and Melin Mynach are more XC whereas others are definitely grassy and faster; Brecon, Gilwern.
First race at Llantarnam just gone. I love it.
Great post OP- Thought I'd say my bit too! I started Cross at the age of ten when my school friend ( a girl called Annie Last) suggested I come to hers and go race.Well this is my 11th consecutive cross season, Cross has been the constant in my life when other riding has come and gone. I started on a £45 kids MTB from a car boot and Now I've got 5 Race bikes.. Things really have come on, My local league see's nearly 500 Competitors over all the categories and I still race with my friends that grew up with me,some who are now world champs some whom are Architects.What I'm trying to say is that cross is always worth a go, there will be fast guys and slow guys but we welcome all! Get involved, if I could tell my 14 year old self that I'd have raced Sven Nys,raced in China ,The States and Belgium then I wouldn't have believed it.I have on of the best father sun relationships I know of with my Dad because of it so if you have kids get them involved!
Long may cross continue! get involved and share the love!
Bruce Dalton - Kinesis Morvelo Project /GRIT.CX Columnist
After such a positive response to my opening post - I thought I would share with those who wished me well with Gloucester.
I arrived a few days before the race and took in the sights and surrounding of the area. Its a fantastic part of the America and one I would love to visit 'properly'. I also got to see the town and watch the racers arrive from all across the country to compete. Race weekend was very warm and as such meant the dust just was incredible. I'm still coughing it up now!
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[url= http://pelotonmagazine.com/shutter/in-images-gloucester-cx-day-two/ ]More Photos[/url]
I was gridded at the back as an international rider and had to fight my way through, sharp elbows and not being bullied really worked. No hollywood ending this time and I finished in the mid pack (125th to 47th/52nd in 45mins hectic minutes). The course was fantastic, really technical with a really high average speed, lots of elevation change and some proper cross sections.
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[url= http://www.bokanev.com/blog/2014/9/30/rapha-super-cross-gloucester ]Even More photos[/url]
I would love to go back and perhaps go for longer, and take in more racing. The USA CX scene is really buzzing and the atmosphere they create at the race is everything you expect. Commentators getting animated, beer drinking crowd and the heckling was all in good spirits -(tbh, it made me chuckle) I was really made to feel welcome and USAC went out of their way to help when things didn't go quite to plan!
I made sure I took a moment during both races to look up and soak in what I was doing and it was awesome. Racing along the seawall in 28degree heat on another continent really will stay with me forever and that will last waay longer than the VISA bill....