Islabikes and WMCCL announce One Bike ‘Cross

We love ‘cross, of course we do. One of the great things about ‘cross is the accessibility of the racing. Local leagues have next to no restrictions and virtually anyone can turn up on any bike and ride. If you are scrapping it out at the sharp end though, it tends to be a different story. At the very least you are likely to have a couple of bikes, maybe spare wheels ready glued with tubs for all conditions. There is also the pressure washer to hose down bikes between muddy laps and a willing pit helper to do all that for you.

While no one begrudges that, it can create an uneven playing field for those who just want to turn up and ride their (singular) ‘cross bike for an hour, as hard as they can. That’s why Islabikes and the WMCCL have introduced the #onebikecross subcategory. It’s pretty self-explanatory, but we’ll hand you over to them to explain the concept…
Islabikes and the West Midlands Cyclo Cross League (WMCCL) are excited to announce the introduction of One Bike ‘Cross. A subcategory within the league for those riding just one bike during races. 
How to get involved
One Bike ‘Cross riders will be issued a free ‘armband’ at their first sign on when they receive their race number, this is to signify to those watching the races and fellow riders that they are competing in One Bike ‘Cross. It is then the responsibility of the rider to look after that armband for seasons to come.
If a rider isn’t pre-registered with the league they can state their intention to ride One Bike ‘Cross at sign on by ticking the One Bike ‘Cross option. They can then request a free One Bike ‘Cross armband. Those partaking in One Bike ‘Crosswill also be highlighted in the official results sheets provided by Black Sheep Sports Timing.
It’s particularly easy to start cyclo-cross racing because there is a thriving network of races across the country. In fact, although the traditional cyclo-cross season runs from autumn to spring, the discipline is now so popular in some areas there are summer races too. For more information about Cyclo-cross click here
One Bike ‘Cross Rules

• Ride one bike for the duration of the race
• No washing of the bike for the duration of the race
• No technical assistance for the duration of the race
• All other rules as stated by WMCCL apply. These can be found here on their website

Why One Bike ‘Cross?
Cyclo cross is a great family sport with participation across a wide range of age groups. As a race format its appeal lies in its simplicity and accessibility. It is widely known as being the most accessible form of cycle racing for all ages. For more information about Cyclo-cross click here 
In recent years this simplicity and inclusivity has morphed into a sport that can now seem very intimidating to new riders who want to be competitive. A typical kit list for the average ‘cross rider now looks something like this:

• 2 bikes (at least)
• A petrol jet wash
• Several barrels or wheelie bins of water (roughly 150 Litres per rider)
• A trolley to carry the water and/or jet wash
• A stand to put the bike on whilst jet washing
• A van (at least, more commonplace now, a motorhome) to put it all in.

This means:

• At a muddy race the pit area can become a quagmire
• At an average race a rider can get through 150ltrs of water, plus pre and post race washing
• The increased size of vehicles (due to the amount of kit) means some venues have been lost because there is no longer enough parking space

Islabikes and the WMCCL extend an invite to all regional race organisers to incorporate One Bike ‘Cross into their league.