cyclo-cross wannabes

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velocipedio

i've made my peace with you guys. if you want to believe that you're doing cyclo-cross on your morning commutes, that's fine. i'll leave the forum to you.

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Daily Commute

i've made my peace with you guys. if you want to believe that you're doing cyclo-cross on your morning commutes, that's fine. . . .
Wow. It shows you did not even read what I wrote. I wrote that cyclo-cross was riding a dropped handlebar bicycle off road. That does not include most commuting (although it does cover my rides across snow and ice). I showed about 10,000 examples of people who saw the need to add the word "race" when describing a cyclo-cross race. Even the UCI (which you cite) distinguishes between "cyclo-cross" and "cyclo-cross racing." You never responded to a single argument.

As I said in the other thread, an attitude like yours could turn people off of cyclo-cross. But, fortunately, you are isolated in your views. I am very impressed that no other cross racers have supported your view. That says something very good about the sport.

. . . i'll leave the forum to you.
Translation: "When challenged, I hide."

MrEWorm

How many angels on cyclo-cross bikes can balance on the head of a pin?

bac

i've made my peace with you guys. if you want to believe that you're doing cyclo-cross on your morning commutes, that's fine. i'll leave the forum to you.

ThanX! :)

dobber

i've made my peace with you guys. if you want to believe that you're doing cyclo-cross on your morning commutes, that's fine. i'll leave the forum to you.

When's your first race?

velocipedio

my problem is not with cyclo-cross bikes being used out of competition -- my race bike is my off-season road training bike. my problem is that some of you guys don't seem to understand the sport. rising a cyclo-cross bike equals cyclo-cross about as much as wearing surgical scrubs makes making a salad surgery -- even if you use a scalpel to cut up the tomatoes.

personally, i'm happy that you guys are all riding cyclo-cross bikes. i agree that they're great all-around bikes, and if you came out to races i think you'd have a lot of fun. but, in response to some of your posts:

As I said above, my definition of "cyclo-cross" is riding a bicycle with dropped handlebars off road (and off paved path).
the problems here are:

1. many people race cyclo-cross on flat-bar bikes and mountain bikes. thomas frischknecht raced two seasons with a flat bar. by your definition, this is not cyclo-cross.

2. cyclo-cross courses include some off-road sections. very often, they are almost entirely off-road, but the sport is frequently done on courses that involve a great deal of pavement. one race i did at williston vermont had no paved sections, while races at bromont and mirabel, quebec had rather lengthy paved sections. in the latter, if you count the gravel road section, was probably more than 50% road.

3. many people, including me, ride cyclo-cross bikes on the road from time to time, or even frequently.

while i agree that you can probably call a road-type bike with dropped handlebars which has been optimized for off road riding a "cyclo-cross bike" [and even that is not absolute, since i remember johnny tomac racing a dropped-handlebar mountain bike in the late-1980s], riding such a bike does not necessarily make what you're doing cyclo-cross, even if you're off-road.

for example, there are a number of techniques and practices that are pretty much unique to the sport: mounting and dismounting at speed to navigate onstacles; running; riding at extremely high intensity -- usually at or above anaerobic threshold for an hour; riding in the fall and winter. these are essential part of the sport. the running part, as i've said, is where the word "cross" comes from. it isn'yt [i]just riding a certain kind of bike, it is riding a bike in a certain kind of way.

i can see where the miusunderstanding comes from, but you really have to see beyond the technology to see the sport.

I suppose this definition was coined by some pompous cyclo-cross racer.
no. this is the description in the forum heading of the forum you are now reading. i suspect it was written by joe gardner who i don't believe has ever done cyclo-cross.

Velocipedio started a new thread to cast yet another empty insult on this subject.
i'm sorry you feel insulted. my point was not that there is any shame in rising a cyclo-cross bike in a non-cyclo-cross context, or that there is any shame in wahting to be a cylo-crosser. only that, if you're going to call what you do cyclo-cross, then it should be cyclo-cross.

i frequently ride quickly around the block, but i don't call that a criterium. and i often train alone on a measured courrse and check my times, but i don't call that time-trialling. and i don't see any shame in not being a time-trialist, since i am clearly not one.

As I said in the other thread, an attitude like yours could turn people off of cyclo-cross.
i'm sorry you misunderstand. the truth is that i really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really want all of you guys to come out and race. i think it's a great sport, and i have devoted a great deal of time in getting people to come out for it. the picture below is of the team [really more of a club] that i organized last season to get people into te sport. only four people in the picture had ever raced before and none [aside from me -- orange bandana] had ever raced more than one season. the kids were our "development team." all of them are already pumped for next season.

we organized clinics and training rides, with portable barriers, and practice races twice a week starting in september so people could acquire the necessary skills. this year, we plan to run a midweek series in a local park so people who have never raced before can take up the sport without feeling intimidated by the "race scene."

as i've said. cyclo-cross really isn;t about the bike. i've seen people at races on mountain bikes, road bikes, hybrids, bmxes and even unicycles. it's not about the handlebars. it's not about shaving your legs, oiling up and wearing lycra -- one of my teammates raced in cotton sweat pants and a windbreaker.

but it's also not about trekking through the singletrack on your own on a cyclo-cross bike or riding a cyclo-cross bike to work, no matter what the terrain and weather conditions. just as throwing a baseball around without a bat and a diamond is "catch," hockey with four guys and beer bottles set up for goalposts is "shinny," rugby with seven players a side is "sevens," and a one-on-one game with a basketball and one net is "one-on-one," riding a cyclo-cross bike without riding in a cyclo-cross race -- whether it's a pick-up race of sanctioned -- is something other than cyclo-cross.

cyclo-cross is a sport with a unique history, culture and rules, and i hope you try it someday. it's a blast. it's a sport that i've devoted a great deal of time and effort to, both as a participant and an organizer. i simply don't want the word "cyclo-cross" to mean nothing, and without the definition of the rules and practices, it really does mean nothing: it's just guys riding bikes with or without dropped handlebars, with or without knowbby tires, on or off the road.

velocipedio

When's your first race?
october, 2001. i finished two laps down and had a blast.

Red Baron

i've made my peace with you guys. if you want to believe that you're doing cyclo-cross on your morning commutes, that's fine. i'll leave the forum to you.
Wow, I don't even know you - but have an intersest in Cyclocross, bought a jake the snake, does that make me a cyclocross rider? or is it a worthless endevor & should I sell it?

Seriously, guess something 'got your goat' so to speak. I rarely read this forum, but I think most folks are intimidated by posts like yours.

Reminds me of a 'how' 'Do' 'Be' philosophy I often talk about to younger folks.

Lots of folks want to be a 'enter desire here - Cyclocross rider fits'

so they attempt to learn 'how' by associated with same, reading, learning, etc.

Then comes a 'do' state: Do the things a cyclocross rider does. Or mimic as much as possible the same.
Buy a cyclocross bike, read cyclocross forums, post in same, buy cyclocross clothes, but yet not a true 'cyclocross' rider. BTW- this is were marketing targets the public in retail sales through advertisement.

FINALLY IF WE ARE LUCKY, OR TALENTED, OR WORK-HARD we get to the 'Be' state. Even then some don't make it. To be in the 'Be' state, takes quite a while unless you have talent, but one can get there if they try hard. If not they often get frustrated, made fun of, or find other pursuits. to be in a 'BE' state requires total dedication.

many that DO think they are in the BE state, when in reality they are not.

Soooo- saying that, and not knowing you, I do seem to remember seeing you posts on other forums. Are you in a 'Be' state posting here or in the other forums. Or are you being hypocritical? Or are you just plain POed about something, someone?

Nothing personal meant, just an observation.

Daily Commute

velocipedio

the problem with how you understand cyclo-cross, daily commute, is that your defintion, "riding a bicycle with dropped handlebars off road (and off paved path)" both excludes a whole lot of what is cyclo-cross -- including thomas frischkneckt's 1997 and 1998 seasons -- while inclusing a whole lot of what is not cyclo-cross -- including long, leisurely, rides along a hiking path on a touring bike in midsummer.

it's not just what "cyclo-cross" means to me. if you define any word any way you please, then those words have no meaning and not use. i understand the concept of intertextuality of meaning, but in terms of the cultural conventions of communication, that only works to a point. i could say "i worship moloch, but i'm a christian because i worship in a church," or "i am playing rugby because i am throwing hoops with a rugby ball," but in both of those cases, the definitions of "christian" [one who worships in a church] and "rugby" [a game with a rugby ball] are broadened to absurdity. they become useless for communication because they have no distinct meaning or clear correspondence.

if you went to belgium or france -- where the sport of cyclo-cross began -- and said "i do cyclo-cross," you would be asked about the races you've done, and not about your bike.

and, let me ask you: how can i promote cyclo-cross [which is something that i do] if "cyclo-cross" means nothing and everything at the same time? this is not a rhetorical question.

Surferbruce

the only way to achieve the "BE" state is to believe it's true.
i think nowadays riding a cyclocross bike offroad is something other than mountain biking considering the difference in equipment. the fact that non racers call themselves cyclocrossers takes nothing away from serious racers.
don't live in fear.

Iffacus

To me Cyclo-Cross is racing

riding a cyclo-cross bike off-road as either part of a commute or a leisure ride, is roughstuff riding. In the UK we have had this as a part of cycling long before mountain bikes came into existance http://www.rsf.org.uk/

This is my take on this topic

velocipedio

whatever you believe, it's probably a good idea to read up a bit about the history of the sport. links below.

http://www.uci.ch/english/cyclo_cross/what_is.htm

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/disciplines/cyclocross/cyclo-cross_intro.shtml

http://www.londoncyclesport.com/news_2003/x_what.html

http://www.aabikes.com/club_pages/club_info.html

http://bicycling.about.com/library/weekly/aa022300a.htm

whether or not you race, you should know something about the sport.

KrisPistofferson

Does this mean Dr. Dre isn't a doctor? :p I agree with what you're saying, but I think you're freaking out about it too much. Plus some of these guys just figured out how to get your goat and are being obtuse on purpose. Delusions (http://www.zpub.com/sf/history/nort.html) are all some people have.

velocipedio

i'm not freaking out, and i'm sorry if that's the tone coming out. i enjoy taking my brain out for some exercise. it makes me a better writer and, sadly, i am writing today.

jfmckenna

For the sake of argument in symantics I have always considered the term cyclocross to refer to the sport itself too; that is, where you set up a course with obsticles and race it according to the rules. No the term cyclocross does not necessarily mean 'race' but it does mean hoping off the bike and jumping fences, run ups etc... Every year I train with the local college team where we set up a course and practice drills, that is considered cyclocross but not a race. But when I ride that same bike home after practice I am not cyclocrossing, I'm just riding home.

But whatever.

btw please don't think I am a prick because I am just offering my understanding of the terminology and quite frankly don't care :)

incedentelly I love cyclocross it really is my favourite kind of bike racing. It is gaining tremendously in popularity and I hope those of you with cross bikes will attend a local race some time. People of all skill levels race and the atmosphere is very friendly. I hope that does'nt change with it's popularity. Next year the races I do will all be UCI rules which requires a section of pavement and at least one dismount for obsticles and a potential run up. I say potential because for me they are run ups but some of the pros ride right up those things, some hop the barriers!

ultra-g

I Guess We Are Poseurs unless we have had racing experience?

I bought my Poprad because it is a nice bike. I don't plan on racing it. I'm posting on the cyclocross section because I'm sure you guys who post here know 1,000,000x more about cyclocross bikes than I do.

I am so ashamed! ;)

Daily Commute

Velocipedio, you still haven't explained how you can be right when the UCI doesn't even use the term the same way you do. If I can find 10,000 uses of the phrase "cyclo-cross race," that must mean that many, many people (including UCI) believe that the word "race" adds something to the meaning of the word "cyclo-cross."

You would like to narrow the definition, which is a fair argument. But you certainly can't honestly argue that using the term "cyclo-cross" to mean more than racing is objectively wrong.

velocipedio

this is from the uci website:

What is Cyclo-Cross?

The classic image of cyclo-cross is the high speed dismount-remount manoeuvre. This takes place when the bike is to be carried on the shoulder up a particularly steep or muddy incline, or else when an obstacle on the course cannot be ridden.

In terms of technique, cyclo-cross is one of the most difficult forms of cycle racing. The bicycle resembles the road machine, with its dropped handlebars, 700C size wheels and relatively narrow tyres. Yet the conditions for these two disciplines could hardly be more different. For a start cyclo-cross is a winter-time sport. Woodland trails, open meadows, and short, steep hills are the main features of a cyclo-cross course. Normally the circuit is in the region of 2.5-3km, and the race duration around one hour.

The sport had its first world championship in Paris in 1950. In the early years, cyclo-cross was thought of only as an accessory to road racing. The intense work of the one-hour race and the use of narrow tyres on muddy hills made a good combination to hone both fitness and handling skills.

Gradually cyclo-cross specialists emerged, and the sport became dominated by riders who were little known in road racing. Apart from some notable exceptions - led by Adri Van der Poel - this remains the case today. Yet cyclo-cross stars do feature prominently at the top level of mountain bike racing - a sport far closer related to cyclo-cross than to road.

Where cyclo-cross and mountain bike racing differ in ideology is in-race technical support. In mountain biking, the rider must be fully self-sufficient to carry out in-race repair work should his machine malfunction. In contrast, a cyclo-cross racer is allowed to use up to three bicycles in a race. Since this is a winter sport and the tracks are often very muddy, a clean cyclo-cross bike can weigh in excess of 10kg less than a muddy one!

The handicaps of excess weight and mud clogging have resulted in a highly organised pit stop system. Trained teams of mechanics work quickly throughout the race to ensure that the rider may have a clean, oiled bike once each lap. Normally two machines are in the use/cleaning cycle, while a third is kept in reserve in case of mechanical failure.

In 1998, trade teams have been replaced by national teams in the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup. This move is intended to increase interest in the sport from the mainstream audience.

pay close attention to: "In terms of technique, cyclo-cross is one of the most difficult forms of cycle racing."

But you certainly can't honestly argue that using the term "cyclo-cross" to mean more than racing is objectively wrong.

really? because you subjectively define it any way you wish?

from wikipedia:

Cyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing. Races take place off-road, typically in the autumn and winter, and consists of many laps of a short (2–3 km) course featuring wooded trails, grass, steep hills, and obstacles requiring the rider to dismount, jump the barrier and remount. The sport is administered by the Union Cycliste Internationale; it began in the 1940s and the first world championship was held in Paris in 1950.

you will notice the insistence on "racing," and the absence of any reference to commuting.

dobber

this is from the uci website:

Ya know what you remind me of. Those pedantic little clowns that sit around arguing about stereos and how old vinyl has more warmth. Give it a rest.

You wanna pedal around thinking you're somehow more the "cyclo-crosser" and we're a poseurs, so be it. It's gotta be lonely riding by yourself.

velocipedio

dobber... you don't need to read the thread if you don't want to. me? i'm having fun. i'm competitive that way. some people are competitive, and they enjoy the challenge of competition, whether it's on the bike, or with words. live with it.

for the record, i have not, and hove no desire to attack anyone personally. moreover, i don't believe that someone who rides a cyclo-cross bike but does not race is a poseur. my point is that, it's only cyclo-cross if it's a race. otherwise it's "riding a cyclo-cross bike" or "training for cyclo-cross."

ask yourself this [and i'm serious, try to think about it before replying]: what makes what you do cyclo-cross?

is it that you are rising off-road? riding off-road is mountain biking. is it that you are riding a cyclo-cross bike? the sport of cyclo-cross does not require a cyclo-cross bike [see reference to thomas frischknecht above].

as i've said, i would dearly love you guys to come out and race. i think you'd enjoy it.

ultra-g

I hear this is the topic on Monday's Crossfire, they have some constitutional law experts who are going to argue whether the term cyclocross refers generally to riding a cyclocross bike or specifically to cyclocross racing. I can't wait to hear Ann Coulter's take on this.

velocipedio

:)

don't you ever just take a stand on something? i usually do it on sundays, when i'm working.

this really is meant to be fun, and if anyone's not finding it fun, i'm sorry. but at least i'm having fun.

ultra-g

I'm having fun! But... it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. :(

Surferbruce

this thread got me inspired to put my cross bike thru the paces today. left my house in the Marina Del Rey and did a 35 mile loop, 10 miles on pavement up to the Santa Monica mountains where i hopped on the camp josepho fireroad to Mulholland, over and down the Westridge fireroad for about 15 miles of dirt(lots of little rock slides and trees down from the recent rain) then back down for another 10 miles on pavement home.
saw lots of riders out today. one favorite moment was at the top of almafi road i passed roadies turning around at the end of the pavement and mtn bikers unloading their trucks at the same spot. i just kept on going :)
anyway, thanks for the inspiration. it was an awesome day.

velocipedio

yeah... i rode today, too. it was -5C, with a -15C windchill. but when you gotta ride, you gotta ride. :)

dobber

velocipedio

dobber... chill... none of this is real, it's the internet. you're taking it too seriously.

the competition is that i've pointed out the flaws in the argument -- the "loose" definition of cyclo-cross leaves the term meaning nothing -- and daily commuter has pointed out that the "tight" definition is too restrictive to include the activities of most people who consider what they do cyclo-cross.

it's all there. you really should try reading it.

dobber

dobber... chill... none of this is real, it's the internet. you're taking it too seriously.

Ring, ring

Hello Pot

This is kettle

You're black

arctic hawk

My $0.02
Commuting: Don't care what bike I am on as long as you get from point A to point B without a car: home, work, shopping whether through good/bad weather, paved/gravel roads, & trails, if you are so fortunate or unfortunate depening on how you see it

Mountain biking: Any form of riding off-road (organized or for fun) usually with a mountain bike

Cyclocross: strictly racing.
I can't seem to see myself blasting down a street & then jumping off my bike for a quick dismount/run/remount. I have done it the odd times at traffic lights for practice of technique but definitely at very low speeds (toppling over on pavement is not the same as gravel, dirt or mud). Besides, it would be a tad dangerous as drivers would never predict the cyclocross move (dismount/remount) on the streets & that could be bad for me.

From my silly observation, most forms of racing are refered to with a proper noun whether it be down-hill. cross country, time-trial, duathlon/triathlon, & (this subject) cyclocross.
Other than this, riding is fun & the CX bike is the most versatile bike available out there for commuting, touring & racing too. I suppose many come to this forum to talk about their race experiences, the choice of equipment to suit one's needs/wants & to encourage others to try a race (great for beginners from personal experience) or buy the bike (for racing or just for the pleasure of riding)

Phiber

What a bunch of horse dung. I happen to own two bikes at the moment:

A hardtail Mountain Bike and a custom setup Cyclo-cross bike.
I bought the Mountain Bike to haul around to trails and the like or quick jaunts around the neighborhood and even sometimes to the store.

I bought the CX bike for longer treks and to be an all around bike. I feel just as comfortable on roads as I do in construction areas and along dirt paths. It is NOT a road bike. It is NOT a mountain bike. I did not buy either; I bought a CX bike.

When you get over your elitest-prick attitude perhaps you'll come to understand that cycling is not about the sport. Being a roadie is not about racing the tour de france. CX riding is SURE not about jumping over barriers or a hike-a-bike marathon.

;)

Daily Commute

You're wrong when you say that the broader definition means nothing. Off-road riding with dropped handlebars (with the need to dismount through some sections) and racing any kind of bike in a traditional cyclo-cross race is cyclo-cross. That excludes a lot.

But thanks for ackowledging that many people use the term differently than you. As I've noted, even the UCI doesn't use the term "cyclo-cross" to refer only to racing. When even the main sanctioning body isn't on your side, your have a problem.

I also don't think the definitions you provided prove your point. They only show that one aspect of cyclo-cross is racing. They don't prove that racing is the exclusive definition.

ncscott

I'm amazed by the complete uselessness of this post. With that said... I'll add one more post to it. I am a "cyclocross wannabee". I do not have the money to buy my own bike and therefore am a true "cyclocross wannabee". I read this forum because I want someday to be "a person who owns a touring bike but rides it onroad, offroad or combinations of the two". My creds to this point are being a "cyclist" since age 13 (27yrs old currently). I "raced" in my teens and have been in a few "cyclocross races". They were a blast.
Now to the uselessness aspect of this post... To fix the "problem", we need to develope a name for "recreational riders with cyclocross bikes", and add it to the title of this forum category. Therefore, people who are not "true" cyclocrossers can post on this forum and not feel guilty about it.
Continue forth with the uselessness...
"guy who rides a bike and enjoys it" (otherwise known as a "cyclist")

noisebeam

Since I ride a CX bike I thought I'd share some thoughts mainly to waste my own time, but wanted to point out up front I could care less about definitions.
I use it 80-90% for commuting on pavement with road tires. That is my commute, I don't consider myself to be 'cyclocrossing'. But I ride this 9mi commute very hard and actually think of the intervals and intensity as good training for a CX race.
Neither do I think of my coworkers who ride their racing bikes to work as 'road racing' or 'time-trialing' for their commute. One guy rides a touring bike, but it doesn't seem like he is touring very far. ;)
I ride the rest of the time on single track, where no pure road bike could go. I sometimes for major obsticals dismount and remout with CX technique (only for the practice really). My wife took her commuter hybrid on a similar trail, she wasn't mounting biking or road riding. Maybe she was hybriding ;)
(She passed a mtber up a hill which was funny.)

I ride a cyclocross bike.
I am a commuter and trail rider.
I am not a cyclocross racer. I watch racing videos, technique videos and practice technique in the park.
I do not even know what 'cyclocrossing' means. It sounds like some made up term.

Al

jnbacon

I am not a cyclocross racer. I watch racing videos, technique videos and practice technique in the park.

Noisebeam

Are you preparing for racing in AZ next season? If so, are you racing on a team or what? I would like to try racing next season, but I have no clue as to how to get into a race, or who organizes them.

gonesh9

ultra-g

Well, I ride my CX bike in NYC traffic, down Queens Boulevard regularly. That's an obtacle course in itself that's gotta be more hardcore than cyclocross racing :D

Well I'm glad I saw this thread. I have been planning on trying cross racing out this year, but now I realize I'd have to deal with even bigger egos and trivial B.S. than with mountain biking or road riding. I've also learned that my Cross Check is not really a cyclo cross bike, because it's not made to be raced. So basically I'll be the idiot wannabe commuting in the morning and then after work riding my local dirt fireroads on the same useless bike.

roadbuzz

Let's just confuse things a little more....

I rode my commuter, a dead-heavy cheap-o touring bike with moustache (not drop!) bars, in a couple of CX races this year. And any real CX-er would tell you, what I was doing was not CX!! ;)

velocipedio

siiiiiigh... guys... chill out... you're taking it all to seriously. while i do think that cyclo-cross is racing, i'm really not all that wedded to the concept. i just like stirring things up when i have to work on sundays. i did the same thing last sunday in the road forum [http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=89077]. mostly, i like to take a stand and give everyone else a chance to take a stand on something.

call it a troll. i prefer to think of it as an on-line debating society.

people get into the sport in different ways. for me, it was racing, pure and simple; a form of bike racing that allows me to keep my skin on my body and avoid broken bones. i hope you guys do try racing; it's the heart and soul of the sport, and i don't think there's a better way to appreciate the beauty of a cyclo-cross machine than putting it througth the paces in a well-designed course.

but, mostly, i'm just glad there are more people buying cyclo-cross bikes. and... i really enjoyed getting my dander up and getting yours up as well.

manboy

Gray areas, people! Have you all lost your minds??

jfmckenna

Well I'm glad I saw this thread. I have been planning on trying cross racing out this year, but now I realize I'd have to deal with even bigger egos and trivial B.S. than with mountain biking or road riding. I've also learned that my Cross Check is not really a cyclo cross bike, because it's not made to be raced. So basically I'll be the idiot wannabe commuting in the morning and then after work riding my local dirt fireroads on the same useless bike.

While I have never done a mtb race I have done lots of road races and even more cyclocross races. By far there are less ego problems in cyclocross than there are anywhere. I see lots of people out there that race what ever bike they can fit cross tires on and have nothing but a good time. Case in point: http://www.roanoke.com/outdoors%5C15535.html I got a good laugh out of this article but in some ways I think it makes the point. I hope you come out to see for your self wht these events are all about.

roadbuzz

http://www.roanoke.com/outdoors%5C15535.html
You're a celebrity! And then there's the guy that races on a single speed (it's not a fixie, is it?).

arctic hawk

While I have never done a mtb race I have done lots of road races and even more cyclocross races. By far there are less ego problems in cyclocross than there are anywhere. I see lots of people out there that race what ever bike they can fit cross tires on and have nothing but a good time. Case in point: http://www.roanoke.com/outdoors%5C15535.html I got a good laugh out of this article but in some ways I think it makes the point. I hope you come out to see for your self wht these events are all about.
Great article & nice race! In jeans! Just like we used to ride about when I was a kid... :)
You are right on about having a good time! I remember my first race, I finally DNFed when I pulled a muscle & was a few laps down already in any event. It was my first race on the bike ever & I think I crashed big at least twice. All this at the age of 35yrs old.
Heck! It made for some good story telling to my friends at home. Kind of like, "you did what???" "Are you crazy..."

dlbcx

Cool article! Hey, whatever it takes to race, even if it has to be jeans! At least, you didn't get stuck wearing a jockstrap and wrestling mask, like one of the local guys did at a Halloween race (El Matador) in NorCal.

Daily Commute

Velocipedio, I guess I'm glad you were just trolling. That said, defining "cyclocross" is an interesting and useful exercise. What I objected to most was your obnoxious tone (if you want an example, just look at the title of the thread). You clearly care about the sport. So it's ironic that your comments probably served to turn people off of cyclocross racing. And worse, you were insulting the very people who were most likely to become fans or participants.

If you want to increase respect for cyclocross, I strongly suggest that you hold your trolling impulses in check.

velocipedio

fair enough... the subject heading was really just intended to be inflamatory, to get people involved in the thread.

the real reason why i love cyclo-cross is because you see things like this at races:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2004/dec04/verge7/MM20.jpg
that's mike magur, president of verge sport. seems he lost a bet. the amazing thing is that he got third in his category. i think he won the overall in the men's b in the new england series.

velocipedio

I remember my first race, I finally DNFed when I pulled a muscle & was a few laps down already in any event. It was my first race on the bike ever & I think I crashed big at least twice. All this at the age of 35yrs old.
but you had fun, didn't you?

noisebeam

Noisebeam

Are you preparing for racing in AZ next season? If so, are you racing on a team or what? I would like to try racing next season, but I have no clue as to how to get into a race, or who organizes them.
I too want to try some racing. I know there is some stuff going on in Flag and Tuscon, but the phone numbers & email I have come across for contact didn't seem to work. Later I learned of some published races that can be found thru azcycling.com - of course they have passed though.
Al

arctic hawk

I too want to try some racing. I know there is some stuff going on in Flag and Tuscon, but the phone numbers & email I have come across for contact didn't seem to work. Later I learned of some published races that can be found thru azcycling.com - of course they have passed though.
Al
You guys are just going to love it! If you have never raced before in your life, you are going to have a blast no matter how you finish. The comeraderie before & after the race is just great!

I met Velocipedio at a race in Oct 2003 & he is quite the nice fellow actually!

Robert Bush

It is amazing to me how elitist people become when labeling for exclusivity or special status. I've lived in Europe & the US. Cyclocross originated as fall/early winter training. At first just throw on wider tires, occasionally different rims & go. End shifters, seats with holes, cantilever brakes, and heavier forks all came later. The same frames Reynolds 631, 853, and aluminum are used for both road & cyclocross, so what's the deal? You're not cyclocrossing ever, unless racing. Do you commute by going cross country, jumping rails, fording streams, running with your bike over your shoulder? If you are not, you are not cyclocrossing. If you're riding your mountain bike on anything but a single track, are you mountain biking? So, to make it simple, ride a cross bike, on trails, towpaths, roads, gravel, even commuting, you are cyclocrossing. Posseurs who wish to say you are not, throw the bike over your shoulder while climbing the steps at work or home, it's cyclocrossing to me. It's just nice to see people who know what it is. In the early 70's, spectators would line the courses in Europe, and when I mentioned cross to US friends in the mid 80's they thought I was nuts. We're all cyclists who own a bike. RGB

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