Cyclocross - whats the deal

[Snapcatcher]

So I dont really understand the deal with cyclocross, and why it's associated with MTBing.

I've only been back into MTB for about a year and never saw where cyclcoss originated. I recently joined a MTB Club, and since then all I've heard about from this club, is cyclocross, cyclocross and more cyclocross. Considering this club advertised itself as a MTB club, I'm slightly annoyed and already planned to change clubs. I also see MTBA sanctioned cyclocross events popping up on my facebook feed, where the promo shots are usually blokes in lycra carrying road bikes on their shoulder up a hill. I get that they are riding offroad, but it seems very far removed from what I think of as MTBing.

Now, I'm sure that these blokes have a fun time and most probably have better riding skills than me. Everyone is different and I'm not dissing the sport that they are into.........

However... can anyone explain to me how cyclocross is a MTBA sanctioned discipline when, ya know, they're not even riding Mountain Bikes ?

 

[Calvin27]

However... can anyone explain to me how cyclocross is a MTBA sanctioned discipline when, ya know, they're not even riding Mountain Bikes ?

You ride a bicycle on a mountain.

 

[pink poodle]

Don't over think it. Smile politely and back away.

 

[teK--]

Agree you should find a new club

 

[tkdbboy]

Is this the part where we ride DH rigs in the velodrome?

 

[Calvin27]

Is this the part where we ride DH rigs in the velodrome?

I rekon that would be very entertaining.

 

[johnny]

I don't understand the hate, if my body was up to it I reckon I'd be giving it a crack.

I can also see why it may involve MTB clubs, given the amount of dirt, mud and features the gig includes. I often see dudes on CX bikes bombing MTB trails and even entering endurance races on them.

 

[pink poodle]

Is this the part where we ride DH rigs in the velodrome?

I rekon that would be very entertaining.

I've done it (there's an outdoor one near my hq). It is fun, but not as fun as you think. They also have a cyclocross track there.

 

[pink poodle]

I don't understand the hate, if my body was up to it I reckon I'd be giving it a crack.

I don't hate the sport, it could even be viewed as the origin of mtb, it's the people (in my local) that it attracts. They seem to overwhelmingly be the entitled type of jerks that think all trails are their trails to ride however they wish. As a result I run into them riding up down ward (not down hill) focussed trails climbing over jumps etc, ripping cheese cutter skids last minute on launch ramps, and tearing trails up in the wet. I just think it is inconsiderate. I'm not off ripping mad runs down the climbing sections of xc trails and I'd like to see a similar level of courtesy in return.

It's like the ebike debacle. Ride it on appropriate trails...away from me.

 

[creaky]

My club (in SE Qld) - could be the same as yours - has run several CX events in recent times. They had a national round and another on the same weekend as they hosted the SEQ XC racing - same as they did last year.

The same club also runs interclub DH race days and SEQ DH racing. They don't seem to be a really 'social ride' kinda club but rather a race focus for a number of disciplines.

Good on them I say, bit more income for the club and more variety for club members and others.

That notwithstanding, different clubs have a different focus so do a bit of research, like going through their facebook pages, and choose one that suits what you are after. Once you have your MTBA licence for the year, the actual club signup costs are generally low so it's easy to sign up for a second club.

 

[Snapcatcher]

I dont have anything against CX, just to me if looks nothing like mountain biking as I know it, and it still puzzles me that it's run through the MTB scene when it seem much closer to regular cycling. Guess I just came onboard when the club was really focused on cyclocross, and I havent heard anything regarding gravity events which is where my interest lies. I thought I'd done the research and hadnt seen anything from them regarding CX. I have now though found other clubs that are a better fit for me and my mtbing interests.

 

[moorey]

You ride a bicycle on a mountain.

Not most of the races I've seen locally.

For me, it's a bit like Specialized. Their bikes aren't the problem, it's the people who ride their bikes.

 

[BLKFOZ]

Our club just finished its 3 race CX series, with one race being a state round as well. I'm mainly in the club for the XC racing, both the 6 round XCO series and the 3 round 4hr series. The club offers some DH race and social days and have done slalom and 4X in the past - they don't offer enduro/gravity other than the DH but there are not really any authorised gravity trails around here. I had a crack at 2 of the CX races on my mtb and it's good fun. I said to others afterwards that it's like the riding you did before footy training when you were 12 - trying to ride over stupid shit over and over, going as fast as possible around flat grassy corners, cutting between trees, going up and down any little hill around, jumping over logs and pipes etc.
The good thing for the club was that it attracted many people who don't come out to the XC races because they're a bit put off by racing on our club track.
At the end of the day riding a CX bike is just like riding any other bike.

 

[mekros]

Our club just finished its 3 race CX series, with one race being a state round as well.

What club are you in? I'm half tempted to race if I can maintain my fitness and skill.

 

[notime]

Our MTB club runs 3 CX races a year, 1 each of the winter months, 1 of those is a state round. As all clubs are not for profit and volunteer run, we run races the community wants and what our volunteers are prepared to do.

We can't run a gravity enduro simply because there is nowhere in Western Sydney feasible to run one but if that changes we will be on it like a rash.

Our core is cross country and downhill, downhill is generally run at a loss but as long as we have volunteers prepared to put there hand up to help we will continue to hold events.

Our Cyclocross races gets in a lot of grass roots riders that have never raced before and as we are trying to boost participation this really makes sense for people as it's not very technical compared to our home track.

We have some of the absolute best Gravity Enduro riders in the country come out and race CX each round and they have an rad time.

Some road clubs run CX like Bathurst, some go it alone like Newcastle CX. It's just about meeting the community needs.

 

[Dozer]

it could even be viewed as the origin of mtb

You're cooked. Cyclocross was being ridden a long time before a mountain bike came along and from memory (that being my year four science exam) a bunch of lads in America (Colorado maybe?) came up with the concept of a mountain bike with better brakes and fatter tyres in the late 1970's.

I get why cyclocross is seen as closer to mountain biking than road cycling. It's off road, it's usually dirty as and is pretty much a criterium race on dirt with funny looking bikes. I guess it's more mountain bikey than road bikey.

 

[johnny]

a bunch of lads in America (Colorado maybe?) came up with the concept of a mountain bike with better brakes and fatter tyres in the late 1970's.

California, wasn't it?

Just ask Repack Rider as he was one of them.

 

[Daniel Hale]

For me, it's a bit like Specialized. Their bikes aren't the problem, it's the people who ride their bikes.

never a truer word spoken around wombat / gisborne

the problem with Cross is that in Europe where its massive & many of the males get big appearance money is that it has its own setup. When it came to OZ about 2009 apparently CA (cycling Aus) who look after track & road [& probably should be the rightful body over Cx] said they wanted nothing to do with it -not enough tarmac i suppose. the only other body who are in a position at the time were mtba so they [to their credit] said yep well look after cross.

i am critical about MTBA but this is one time i am happy they were pro-active. in saying that nearly all the CX events are run by road clubs, & CA now has a license agreement whereby you can race on your road license. its good for me cos my $135 MTBA membership means i can race cross not have to fork out $350 for a CA race license

i should think in a couple of years CA will take it back off MTBA, but who knows. cycling VIC have been fairly pro-active hee in VIC about supporting cross, they are normally purely road/track

its the most fun racing ive had all of 3 bike disciplines..there is mud, people fall off, heckling is mandatory ..there are beer hand-ups & its usually visible from one viewpoint, you don't need to wander around heaps of places.

 

[Daniel Hale]

You're cooked. Cyclocross was being ridden a long time before a mountain bike came along .

cross sarted around 1900, the french & belgians used to have kermesse races, 5-8km loops in small towns -peeps apparently started cheating by taking short cuts on the edge of town in fields/dirt tracks, in mud etc to gain an advnatage

cross is also good for winter fitness & your mtb skilsl give you a good advnatage on wet slippery corners or off camber shit where some roadies have crashed [or don't undertsand hydro brakes & lock up their wheels & fall off]

 

[Calvin27]

its good for me cos my $135 MTBA membership means i can race cross not have to fork out $350 for a CA race license

i should think in a couple of years CA will take it back off MTBA, but who knows. cycling VIC have been fairly pro-active hee in VIC about supporting cross, they are normally purely road/track

I fell apart when I tried to take up track racing and baulked at the $350 CA license. This is about the licensing costs for all my hobbies which includes L2 CAMS (car racing), archery and MTBA.