Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

I gave up on tubeless specific tyres after buying a pair of Bontragers that I couldn't get on at all.

Having never raced a bicycle, I've decided I'd like to give cross a go - I've got a bike to borrow, and hope I don't get in peoples way too much at Herne Hill.

I tested the concept out last night, and it turns out bunny hopping a CX bike is significantly more difficult than an MTB. Dismounting and Running seems reasonably straightforward... but remounting without total annihilation of future children less so... any good tutorials or guides out there I could study in the next week?! Anything thing I can to mitigate annoying those with loftier goals on course?

any good tutorials or guides out there I could study in the next week?!

Here's a good demo from Joe Peake https://www.instagram.com/p/BZbZQjLBxCq/?taken-by=joepeake0

I still haven't nailed this though, been 'racing' for years! What an idiot. You can use the 'step on the pedal' method too.

Thigh first by the looks of it, that makes a bit more sense - thank you! I better get matching socks to my shoes too...

Always thigh first. You get an excellent reminder every time you forget this.

These videos are pretty good - if you can ignore LvDH's package...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE4tWHXf6o8

I never got the hang of the "land on your thigh" thing, it always unbalanced me and was a struggle to find the pedals - much prefer a proper leap onto the saddle, each to their own.

He's lucky, he's got a lot of extra mass in his shorts that drags him over the saddle.

Start off slow. Find a log you can ride at over and over again till you can do it properly. It'll take time and all feel a bit alien at first. Get the motions right and build up the speed slowly. It'll be difficult to correct issues further down the line if you start with bad technique and ultimately you'll be slower.

Oh thank God it isn't just me. Thought tubeless tyres would be easy, far from it. In my case it was Tracers.

Oh thank God it isn't just me.

It's weird - there's no need for them to be so tight. Tubeless specific MTB tyres are not that tight. I reckon there are some shonky batches out there that are just too out of spec to go on a rim.

Thank you. So you run the Vittoria non tubeless tyres tubeless or with a tube?

Key thing to remember with remounts is to push your bike as far forward as you can before you leave the ground. Like you're trying to touch your chest to the saddle. Then your knee is going behind the saddle and around, rather than over the top. As a result, you don't need to jump nearly as high.

^ Extremely useful.

I thought that might be the case when playing around, did manage to miss spectacularly on one attempt though, which almost left me sans shorts...

Tubeless. I've successfully run XM, XN and XL like that.

Also when remounting, do not, under any circumstances look at the bike. It’s in your hands, it’s not got longer or shorter and the saddle is exactly where it’s always been. Look ahead, straight down the course.

Remember, rear wheel follows front wheel. Front wheel follows eyes. Looking underneath your groin at the bike means your front wheel has no idea where to go and you are far more likely to wobble and crash.

Remember, rear wheel follows front wheel

I knew I was doing something wrong

It’s also part of the look at the line you want to ride not the tree you want to avoid lesson.

I still look at the tree.

I think you crash on purpose so you can have a little lie down.

Honestly crashing is probably the best part of CX / messing around in the woods. Crashing on the road is 100% shit and suspension on mountain bikes let you get up to collarbone-cracking speeds, whereas if you're fucking around on a cx bike generally you end up in the bushes before you actually get going or get "rad" air.

Also crashing during a CX race means either you're a chopper or you're trying really really hard. Both of which will probably be true for a number of your first races.

Honestly crashing is probably the best part of CX / messing around in the woods.

Can't promise you anything, but I'll do my best.

Looks like it's going to be wet - buy my tubs :)

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/311218/newest/

/spam

Also crashing during a CX race means either you're a chopper or you're trying really really hard. Both of which will probably be true for a number of your first races...

.....and onwards of course.
There is also the other reason of failing brakes which resulted in me hurtling head first through a hedge onto the only rock in Tredegar.

I crashed in my first CX race, definitely a chopper.

I was and will always be a chopper #chopwithpride