Friday, 10/31/08 at 4:15 PM
by Sara Jarrell
by Sara Jarrell
Cyclocross 101
It is autumn which means my favorite time of the year is here. I love the fall, for all its beautiful colors, more moderate temperatures and the occasional brisk morning. I also love this time of year because it is the season of bike racing that I lust after all year long – cyclocross. Yes, the crazy race where you get off and on your bike, hop over barriers and run up super muddy hills. In this series of blogs I am not only going to go over some cyclocross basics but I am going to try my hardest to convince you to give it a try.
When most people think of cyclocross they thing of skinny tire mud slinging yahoos you think it is fun to go as hard as they can for 30 to 60 minutes at a time. It is true; I would fancy the lot as such, including myself of course. In more common terms it is a cross between road and mountain biking and is often likened to a criterium in the mud with barriers. Sound like fun yet? Being a Libra I strive to find the balance in things and cyclocross is just that, the playground where roadies and mountain bikers collide. Where bike handling skills, endurance, power, and speed all come into play.
When I was about 12 or 13 my older brother enlisted in the Marine Corp. I remember looking forward to visiting him on base and getting a chance to run through the obstacle courses, I just could not get enough. Well as an adult I am still fascinated with obstacle courses and doing them as fast as I can (enter cyclocross). A cyclocross course is usually around a mile or two long and a mix of pavement, mud, gravel, sand, and barriers ranging from 14-18 inches in height. The barriers can be solo or placed a little more than a bikes length apart in groups of two to four.
Races are timed, the length of time you race depends on the category you are racing. For example cat C women are usually cat four road races with an occasional cat three newbie or a beginner mountain biker with an occasional sport newbie. The cat C women race for 30 to 45 minutes usually depending on the race promoter’s decision. If you are unsure of which category to race ask your local bike shop for advice or get involved with your local riding club, someone there should be able to help you out. If you do end up racing in a category that is above or below your level you will know after your first race.
An important tool in being successful in your cyclocross endeavors is having a bike that is suited for the conditions you will encounter. There are bikes that are categorized as cyclccross bikes; the Giant TCX is an example. Most cyclocross bikes look very similar to road bikes with drop bars, and a more narrow appearance. Where cyclocross bikes differ from road bikes is in the braking systems most commonly used, the size and tread of tires used, and the gearing. Cyclocross bikes generally come equipped with cantilever brakes, or v brakes (linear pull) similar to some mountain and hybrid bikes on the market today. These types of brakes are used because they allow clearance for a larger tire, they don’t clog with mud as easily, and they tend to have better stopping power. The size of the tire on a cross bike tends to be wider than a typical road tire, usually ranging from 700 x 28 to 34c. Tires come in a variety of tread patterns chose the one that best suits the terrain you will be riding on. Gearing of cross bikes tends to be a double or single chain ring in front and a cassette of the mountain or road variety is fine. A double chain ring set up usually consists of a larger ring of 48 or 46 teeth and a smaller ring of 38 or 36 teeth, although other combinations abound. A single ring set up has more to do with what you feel comfortable with and the type of terrain you are riding, 39 and 42 tooth rings are popular. If this sounds fun but you are not quite ready to go out and invest in a cross bike you can race on your mountain bike as long as there are no handlebar extensions pointing forward of the handlebars. Now I encourage you to digest this information, go check out some cross bikes at your local bike shop and see if you can find a local cross club or clinic and sign up. And of course stay tuned for the next blog in the series covering tips for dismounting, mounting, and carrying the bike.
Keep the rubber side down!
Sara
When most people think of cyclocross they thing of skinny tire mud slinging yahoos you think it is fun to go as hard as they can for 30 to 60 minutes at a time. It is true; I would fancy the lot as such, including myself of course. In more common terms it is a cross between road and mountain biking and is often likened to a criterium in the mud with barriers. Sound like fun yet? Being a Libra I strive to find the balance in things and cyclocross is just that, the playground where roadies and mountain bikers collide. Where bike handling skills, endurance, power, and speed all come into play.
When I was about 12 or 13 my older brother enlisted in the Marine Corp. I remember looking forward to visiting him on base and getting a chance to run through the obstacle courses, I just could not get enough. Well as an adult I am still fascinated with obstacle courses and doing them as fast as I can (enter cyclocross). A cyclocross course is usually around a mile or two long and a mix of pavement, mud, gravel, sand, and barriers ranging from 14-18 inches in height. The barriers can be solo or placed a little more than a bikes length apart in groups of two to four.
Races are timed, the length of time you race depends on the category you are racing. For example cat C women are usually cat four road races with an occasional cat three newbie or a beginner mountain biker with an occasional sport newbie. The cat C women race for 30 to 45 minutes usually depending on the race promoter’s decision. If you are unsure of which category to race ask your local bike shop for advice or get involved with your local riding club, someone there should be able to help you out. If you do end up racing in a category that is above or below your level you will know after your first race.
An important tool in being successful in your cyclocross endeavors is having a bike that is suited for the conditions you will encounter. There are bikes that are categorized as cyclccross bikes; the Giant TCX is an example. Most cyclocross bikes look very similar to road bikes with drop bars, and a more narrow appearance. Where cyclocross bikes differ from road bikes is in the braking systems most commonly used, the size and tread of tires used, and the gearing. Cyclocross bikes generally come equipped with cantilever brakes, or v brakes (linear pull) similar to some mountain and hybrid bikes on the market today. These types of brakes are used because they allow clearance for a larger tire, they don’t clog with mud as easily, and they tend to have better stopping power. The size of the tire on a cross bike tends to be wider than a typical road tire, usually ranging from 700 x 28 to 34c. Tires come in a variety of tread patterns chose the one that best suits the terrain you will be riding on. Gearing of cross bikes tends to be a double or single chain ring in front and a cassette of the mountain or road variety is fine. A double chain ring set up usually consists of a larger ring of 48 or 46 teeth and a smaller ring of 38 or 36 teeth, although other combinations abound. A single ring set up has more to do with what you feel comfortable with and the type of terrain you are riding, 39 and 42 tooth rings are popular. If this sounds fun but you are not quite ready to go out and invest in a cross bike you can race on your mountain bike as long as there are no handlebar extensions pointing forward of the handlebars. Now I encourage you to digest this information, go check out some cross bikes at your local bike shop and see if you can find a local cross club or clinic and sign up. And of course stay tuned for the next blog in the series covering tips for dismounting, mounting, and carrying the bike.
Keep the rubber side down!
Sara
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Sara
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