Cyclocross ~ What's the point?

Clark Kent · Oct 22, 2004

Ya dont have to make it fun...It already is. Its just different, and your in the woods on a bike so it cant be bad. SERIOUS speed.

s1ngletrack · Oct 22, 2004

CX is addictive - I bought a bike a few years ago to use as an excuse to ride later into the year, figured I'd do a race at the beginning of the season, and ended up only missing about 2 races the whole year - and taking the state championships (okay - I raced Cat 4, so what?) It is THE most painful, and beautiful thing I have done, you have to experience it firsthand to truly appreciate it.

s1ngletrack · Oct 22, 2004

DVNT said:
We are going to race our hard tail bikes.

Do CX bikes hold a big advantage or is it course dependent?

CX bikes help - but are not necessary. You can learn to hop (as in bunny hop) barriers with drop bars, but it can be sketchy at times - CX bikes are much quicker on roads and dry courses.

Heidi · Oct 22, 2004

I did a few races this year on my full suspension xc bike and felt I had a disadvantage because everytime I remounted my suspension would suck up my momentum. Plus, I had waaay bigger tires than all those on cx bikes and my speed would get sucked away in the grassy sections.

It's totally addictive, a great way to get a killer workout in less than an hour.

Ridemonkey · Oct 22, 2004

I don't find it fun. I DO find it a killer workout - so if fitness is your goal then it's a good thing.

Heidi · Oct 22, 2004

DVNT said:
I'll give it a shot if he wants to do it still.

I just got off the phone with him and he's still undecided. It's only the first race of the season.

Go for it, trying new things can be fun!

Hey Aaron, wanna try riding your bike? :devil:

Nate at RIT · Oct 22, 2004

Try it. It's something totally different. Not sure if you have a CX bike to race with, but all I have to say is: It's a lot easier to pull a 2 wheel drift on 35c tires than 2.4s. Tons o' fun to be had. Yeah, it's painful, but in a good kind of way. :thumb:

DÃR · Oct 22, 2004

the "point" is to train for the road racing season. Or to stroke your masochistic side.

Wingnut · Oct 22, 2004

I always thought it was so roadies could feel rough-and-tough!?!

Heidi · Oct 22, 2004

DßR said:
the "point" is to train for the road racing season. Or to stroke your masochistic side.

Not just road racing...a gazillion mountain bikers use it to stay in race shape during the winter.

BigMike · Oct 22, 2004

I jsut got a CX bike not to long ago, never planned on racing, just wanted somthing to train on and be able to ride through the winter.... but I am now contimplating racing, just to see what its like.

But on the bike, its awsome to be able to do some road miles, and then turn into the woods

PsychO!1 · Oct 22, 2004

I've puked EVERYTIME i've raced CX.....and loved it. I usually puke just after i finish, but I've puked mid race a few times.

very short, very intense racing. If you think it's fun like freeriding, your in for a rude awakening. It's fun, like a good hard hammerfest with your friends.

WhiteRavenKS · Oct 22, 2004

i never liked cx myself, i only did a few of them though. i can see why people love it though- i pretty much wanted to puke all over when i did those few cx events.

everything kind of sucks when you reduce it to its most basic description... skateboarding: "ride piece of board with wheels on stuff"... dirt jumping: "go up and down with varying distance outward".... dh: "ride your bike down a hill"...

what sucks are mainstream people who cant appreciate alternative sports cant see beyond that boiled down kind of description of the activity. these are also typically the people who dont see basketball as "put round ball in roung metal ring"

TN · Oct 23, 2004

The point is to make yourself hurt.....bad.

The only race scene we have here is CX. It is fun & but I like to hurt.

laura · Oct 23, 2004

i only wathced last year but this year i plan to race. i dig that kind of pain. i've had a cx bike that i've only ridden on the road. time to take it to the dirt i guess. cx races are also the only races that we have a whole series of here in the city so i dont have to travel to race.

BigMike · Oct 23, 2004

wow, I didnt know it was that bad

Skookum · Oct 23, 2004

The CX and XC racers started painting little roots and rocks in thier course on a local trail around here, with flourescent orange paint. Looks like crap. And they leave tape from their races all over the place all the time.
Racings lame. Just ride with racers from time to time and try to keep up with them, then you don't have to waste so much time and money. :dancing:

spoke80 · Oct 25, 2004

DVNT said:
This is pretty funny.... as I punch buttons with fingers, examine symbols on large box emitting light, and repeat....

I guess I could see the appeal for roadies and XC racer boys to keep in shape in their off-seasons, I know all that sprinting is hard.

Anyways, I'm happy to say I skipped the race to do a nice 25+ mile ride up in Tennesee. Maybe I'll check out a race when it gets further along into the winter.

I race DH and 4x but this year I am racing cross because I want to try something new and to not get fat during the winter. You mentioned that you ride in Tennessee and there is a great series that started in Johnson City that might be of some interest.

http://www.tcrc1.homestead.com/cyclocross/series_info.html

SkaredShtles · Oct 25, 2004

Skookum said:
<snip>
Racings lame.

Boiled it right down to the essence. Of course, I'm only speaking for myself, here.......

-S.S.-

Cyclocross ~ What's the point?

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Monkey

Monkey

Der hund ist laut und braun

This is not an active account

Turbo Monkey

Der hund ist laut und braun

Monkey

They saw my bloomers

Turbo Monkey

Der hund ist laut und braun

BrokenbikeMike

Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Hey baby, want a hot dog?

DH_Laura

BrokenbikeMike

bikey's is cool

Turbo Monkey

Turbo Monkey

Michael Bolton

Turbo Monkey