CyclocrossBikes.org
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CyclocrossBikes.org
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Cyclocross is the sport of mountain biking in the winter and over obstacles. Cyclocross biking is more challenging, keeps you in shape for summer biking, and is far better than sitting indoors. This site intends to bring people together and provide information about the sport. Please send contributions to admin@cyclocross.com |
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The World of CyclocrossCyclocross is gaining in popularity. In fact, it is the most growing sport in the bicycle arena. What many people do not realize is that it has been around for over a hundred years.It happened like this. Some guy was sitting at home bored and decided to ride outside even though it was cold, wet, and muddy. He had so much fun that he turned it into a sport. I am not sure who invented the sport, but Daniel Gousseau of France organized the first cyclocross races in 1902. Maybe, we should give him the credit. Cyclocross made more gains in popularity when Octave Lapize attributed his win of the Tour de France to his off season training in cyclocross. This was way back in 1910. Excitement of the SportIt is extremely fun to challenge yourself. Cyclocross racers must often dismount and run with the bike over their shoulder. This makes the race more technical in handling and more fun to watch. Imagine being caked in mud, jumping out of your eggbeater pedals, and running up a steep slope with your bike over your shoulder. It feels like you are back to your primal days. Instinctively, the sport fuels the competitive raw fire within.Cyclocross RacesThere are races all over the country. Nearly every state has a race or two going on. There are also the National Championships every year (this year in Bend, Oregon) and the International World Championships. It is like the olympics. Each country or city can put in a bid to be the host.Good Cyclocross Bikes to HaveA cyclocross bike is often thought of as a racing bike, but it is so much more than that. Since the sport is so tough on the bikes, they are made with sturdier frames, stronger and lower gears to climb hills, and can wear slick tires, flat tread tires, or round knobby tires. That means you have more options of what terrain to ride on. The typical road bike isn't much use in the winter, but the cyclocross bike can be used year round. One reason that the cyclocross is preferred to a mountain bike is that it is much faster, lighter, and still built very sturdy.Picking out a bicycleThere are a lot of brands out there. Redline and Cannondale are two companies that have reputations for quality and make a cyclocross bike.The perfect bike should fit you well. You should be able to straddle the bike with your feet flat on the ground. The bike frame is important, but not as important to pick out as you might think. The tires make a larger impact. TiresI know what you are thinking. How is the cyclocross tire different from a mountain bike tire? The cyclocross tire is more narrow. Even though it has knobbies, it is still created to get more speed. Some tires give you greater control and others will give you higher top speed. Some tires throw off mud well and others are faster for dirt and sand (file tread tires). Picking the right tire will make a big difference for the race. Suppose you have a tire that sheds mud well and rolls better to gain more speed. Someone else with a tire that holds onto mud and is harder to accelerate with will slow a rider down a lot. The best riders will own lots of various tires and have experience with each to know what is best for each race.Many of the tires are also hand made. They are not as mass produced as other kinds of tires. There are subtle differences between brands that can only be experienced. Tufo is a quality brand of cyclocross tire that is speedy, very durable, but less control. AccessoriesThe cyclocross bike doesn't carry a bottle water cage, headlamps, or speedometer. The bike should be lean and light. However, the biker should have a way to change a tire. There are pits along the courses (just like in Nascar) where the racer can change into another bike and have the other one sprayed off or repaired. A common thing, in the pit, is for someone to have a pressure washer to get off the mud quickly.Like Nascar, the tires are a huge advantage or disadvantage. The pit crew should have spare wheels, perhaps another full bike (wouldn't that be nice in Nascar), a pressure washer, and parts to repair tires and brakes. If you are thinking of getting a gift for your fellow cyclocrosser, you might want to get a tiny fanny pack. The real small and light fanny packs are great to carry little things like an energy bar, patch kit, water, or anything else that they might need. Even if they don't use it for racing, it will certainly come in handy for training. Since cyclocross is a cold weather fall sport, it is also a good idea to get warm winter clothes. Riders prefer a skin tight “wet suit” that keeps them warm and isn't bulky. You can see most of the riders wearing these suits. Other clothing items are the cycling shoes, cycling shorts, helmets, and some regular warm clothes (like sweatshirts) for training. Don't confuse a cyclocross suit with a wet suit. The cyclocross suit is made with padding in the rear for biking. Cyclocross is FunIt is really a blast to bike over some challenging terrain. People do it all the time from all over the world. That is what you do as a kid. You go out and explore terrain just to see if you can do it. Why? It is fun.People tend to stay in their home when it gets even a little chilly. Just remember that the proper clothing can keep you toasty warm and you will have a lot more fun than watching television all fall and winter. The problem people face is that they may not realize they need a little bit of specialized gear to keep it toasty warm and fun. When you go skiing, you see that people have specialized equipment to keep them warm and to have fun. Cyclocross is the same concept. You need to think a little bit about what you want to accomplish and perhaps go to a specialty bike store to get you started. The sport is inexpensive, but you can't exactly find what you need at Wal-Mart. |
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