Cyclocross - I want to cross!

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mr,grumpy
11-26-10, 05:27 PM
BUT I can barely move. I'm hovering a the dozen miles a ride level right now but getting better. My question is thus:

Given the fact that I don NOT have a Cross bike right now am I better off:

Riding my roadbike alot to build stamina
Riding my hard-tail on "easy" trails to build stamina/skills


I'm riding a lot of road right now to try to drop some LBs but I like MTBing more than road riding. Given that I have a limited amount of time that I can dedicate to riding, which way would YOU go to achieve the goal of entering and winning at cyclocross next fall?

RacerOne
11-26-10, 05:45 PM
For the two races I've done so far, I was never wishing for more skills, but my lungs were screaming for more stamina.. take that for what it's worth.
M_S
11-26-10, 08:43 PM
If you can only ride 12 miles right now, build a base on the road bike, definitely. Depending on where you are you probably have a good 9 months until the next race anyways

droobieinop
11-26-10, 09:10 PM
my 2 cents

Fit your road bike with 25s or 28s ride it everywhere that you can during the winter in all the weather conditions that you can handle. Ride across and around play grounds and fields, down dirt and gravel roads. Find reasons to dismount for obstacles and run-ups/stairs.

Work on being smooth over being fast. Speed will come with the endurance base. All the same, cross is an anaerobic exersion. In the training races that we've been doing, my HR has been pegged the whole 45 mins, at 10 mph avg.

Lastly, save up for a CX bike or convert an old hybrid or touring frame
adam_mac84
11-26-10, 10:48 PM
i find that competing in and winning cross races are 2 very different worlds. Entered and won my 2nd 'C' race, moved up to the B's and i am mid pack and dying for 15 minutes longer...

That said, ride as much as you can as suggested above, and enter races next fall to see how you do. Cross is a blast!!!