It seems like cyclocross is the new in thing at the moment, loads of people seem to be talking about it and trying it, why the sudden upturn, or has it always been this popular and I’ve only just noticed?
It does seem to be gathering some momentum, however now is prime season for the sport so that’ll probably be the main reason why your hearing more about it.
I’d like to think it’s because people have discovered just what an ace sport it is, you can take cross as seriously as you like, you don’t need a special bike, it’s cheap to enter (compared to other bike events)and most areas have a cross league reasonably local.
I think the other reason is that the yanks have woken up to cross so there are far more mainstream manufactures producing cross bikes. When I first started riding cross there wasn’t the choice of cross bikes that there is now.
My first cx bike in 96 was built for me by Isla Rowntree, and it is still in the loft waiting for a gruppo transplant, at that time unless you went Alan the only other option was custom.
There’s loads of them around now from different manufacturers which makes it easy to get one – particularly at the all important sub £1k price for b2w.
I remember not that long ago turning up at Ashton Court with just three others…………and one of them was Clive T.
I’d still be racing if it wasn’t for the boys discovering Football..:)Not retired yet though
It is getting more popular, especially among the new to cycling. As mentioned above the C2W scheme has played a big part. People have bought cross bikes as a supposedly tougher bike to commute on than a road bike and then ended up giving racing a bash.
I’m organising a race this sunday and helping organise muddy hell and there will be journos from non-cycling publications at each event to see what the score is as cyclocross has crept on to their radars.
It’s not rad or gnarly but it’s fun and it’s accessible. As above, several people are getting cross bikes for B2W and that’s leading to them giving it a go.
Plus many mtbers have realised that all the local bridalways/etc locally that are dull on an mtb can be brilliant fun on a silly bike with crap brakes and poor position for technical riding 🙂
There seems to be a big explosion in the USA, where it seems to have found its niche in replicating the atmosphere of European races, not taking itself overly seriously, and allowing all sorts of people to enter their first bike race.
Road racing is hard to get into, and a bad day means being dropped and limping home. there’s very little track racing TBH, and MTB racing feels like it’s much more focussed on enduros than short XC blasts.
I’ve been to a Superprestige race in Belgium (won by Sven Nys, natch) and the atmosphere was extraordinary. 13,000 people, in a field between some houses in a small village, huge ber tents and thick snow. Genius.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/59714726@N00/3061867012/]Super Prestige Cross (Zogge Belgium Nov 08)[/url]
I’ve done a few races. I’m hopeless, hampered by an MTB I can’t shoulder and not fit enough to be any more than mid-pack. But I love the idea more and more, so next year I shall buy a CX bike and do a full season. For now, however, I’m up to my eyes in nappies….
Cyclocross is also a very easy way for youngsters to get into competitive cycling, as it’s away from roads and requires no equipment beyond a helmet and whatever bike they’ve got already.
At the Notts and Derby league event the other week there were 61 finishers in the under-10s race, 34 in the under-12s and 38 in the under-16s (not to mention 165 in the main race).
Anybody at Leeds in 92 when Roger Hammond won the junior worlds?.
No, but I was 10th to his 1st at a race in in Gloucester back in January. Still the highlight of my year. Nice to chat with and he posed for pics with us mortals afterwards. Top bloke.
I went to a midweek evening ‘cross race in Bend OR last year. there were over 100 riders. Its really popular over there. Nae mud though. Just pooder JoJo
I was cross riding round there a few weeks ago, shame there are no races there anymore, the london champs was always ace!
Shirley Hills used to be a regular riding spot for me when I lived in S London, the only downside was the 8 mile ride on busy roads to get to it. I helped organise one of the London League/London Champs races there once. 🙂
Shirley Hills and The Nower; both lost to cross racing as some dogs walkers put up a stink about losing access to their park ONE day a year!
Shirley Hills was great especially the big dipper.
Shirley Hills and The Nower; both lost to cross racing as some dogs walkers put up a stink about losing access to their park ONE day a year!
There was some dog walker kicked up a fuss about the Todmorden CX back in Jan this year. He insisted on walking down the middle of the course because he always walked there and he was threatening to sue anyone who hit him. Unfortunately no-one did hit him but what he failed to realise was that he was the one who would have been at fault!
Posted 13 years ago
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