Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

BBC Breakfast does CX @ HH

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7370993.stm

I can see me in that, but I doubt anyone else will be able to pick me out.

Ha, the course has now also turned muddy and acquired puddles. :)

Only just seen this.

You should have given me a shout, Andy. That venue is just off from my usual 2 hour loop.

I'm down in your neck of the woods tomorrow Sam, at the Penshurst Off Road Centre for London X League round 8. I reckon it'll be proper cross weather!

How did it go then, Andy?

There were 130 riders on the start line so getting a good starting position was almost impossible

There's been a lot of talk in the Wessex League of spliting out the main event to Women and Vets then Juniors and Seniors. A lot of courses that could handle 60-80 riders are getting too overloaded and a little dangerous with 120+ entrants. It means starting races even earlier in the day but should mean that more riders get a proper race going on.

My main gripe (as the team pit bitch) is that their still providing the same size pits. Lots more riders and a higher percentage bringing spare bikes means that it gets pretty crowded in there. Of course it doesn't help that some people treat the pits as the family viewing area either.

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/5684963/

All you need to know about CX... ;-)

Found a photo, by Phil (philatlondon), of me in full flow.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30401683@N06/4023243769/in/set-72157622488901043/

Memo to self, remember to take a short sleeve jersey next time, regardless of how cold it is at home in the morning.

thats dry and flat!!

@pip

Photo courtesy of Londoncyclesport.

Released by Raleigh one month ago, the 50 special edition frames are now almost gone. :(

Limited Edition Raleigh SSCXWC - Its lovely.

Lightweight Scandium, for weekend warriors - Kona Major One 2010

In fact, this deserves its own list........

Just came over from fixedgear.se where CX is really growing. Usually there are weekly events but I guess the weather doesnt really allow it anymore..

A little something as inspiration until spring:

Signal Cycles Cyclocross on Vimeo

What's the difference between cyclocross and XC MTB?

That's a serious question, by the way, I'm not trying to be funny.

Cyclocross courses tend to be shorter, about 6-7 minute laps are normal, and much less technical than XC MTB courses, i.e. they are normally created in school playing fields, parks and the like with the only obstacles being man made, like hurdles or ramps. A cyclocross bike is lighter and more manouverable than a MTB too, so if two cyclists of equal ability raced the same course with one on each bike, the rider on the cyclocross bike would be faster.

Gotcha. Thanks.

Its obviously not all mud. Its not just some skill involved, but on ocassion, big cahunas also.

that is the fella that own that awesome all titanium bike featured in the porn thread, Terminaut.

How is a cyclocross bike more manouverable than an XC MTB? Again, serious question.

This is my opinion rather than scientific fact so please challenge me if you think it sounds daft, but the geometry of a cyclocross bike is different to that of a XC MTB. The former has a geometry similar to road bikes so the weight of the rider is distributed differently to that of the latter, especially with the ubiquity of suspension forks on XC MTBs these days. It also means that cross bikes have faster handling than MTBs because of the head tube angle and rigid fork,

Most cyclocross circuits tend to involve lots of dead turns and fast straight sections. These suit quicker handling bikes, hence my statement.

Does that make sense?

Compete in the majority of the West Mids league for winter fitness. I'm a Youth (U16) and have got about as quick as I can without having two bikes which is a bit of a pain, but it's good winter fitness for TT'in next year and also breaks on crits so I'll keep on doing it for the rest of the season, then might drop it for next year, not quite sure yet.

Peace Out

Seems a bit unfair to allow people to have two bike within one race IMO, I read somewhere that people do this a lot on the three peaks cyclo cross challenge.

Yeah, but it's all part fo the sport - if you want to take it seriously you get two bikes, if you just view it as a laugh you stick with one. Yes it seems unfair, but then, I got my one bike for 250 quid. The guy that wins has probably got about £2500 worth of bikes, but he only beets me by 5 or 6 minutes!

The caption at the end made me smile. :)
YouTube- Cyclo Cross 1961

That's good but the music is out of place, it's 1961 not 1931!

looks like it could be a pretty testing weekend in the national champs, thats if they happen .......
http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/cyclocross

Back when cyclocross was REALLY hard. :)
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/cx/
Some great tips too...
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/cx/christopheoncx.html
Nice shots...
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/cx/images/1921_mureaux.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/cx/images/1932_critintl.jpg
http://www.blackbirdsf.org/cx/images/1931_critintl.jpg

Good pics. It seems like CX has changed a lot since then!