CX racing - What to carry?

streako

Being from a mountain biking background, I have noticed the CX racers dont seem to carry water bottles or even spares. I am usually dead thirsty after 5 minutes!

Can anyone shed a little light into the protocols of this discipline? Im hoping to have a go next week.

Thanks.

dodgy

When I've been to watch (never competed myself), they have helpers to hand water bottles at strategic locations on the circuit, they take a quick gulp and they're back around in 5 minutes for another

MikeWW

Races tend to be between 40 and 60 mins (depending on category)
They are too frantic to even think about drinking and most race CX bikes don't even have bottle cage bosses. Also they would get in the way for carrying
So no drinks, no tools but spares wheels or spare bikes in the tech area(if you have them)

SBezza

MikeWW wrote:

Races tend to be between 40 and 60 mins (depending on category)
They are too frantic to even think about drinking and most race CX bikes don't even have bottle cage bosses. Also they would get in the way for carrying
So no drinks, no tools but spares wheels or spare bikes in the tech area(if you have them)

+1 for this advice. Most of the guys drink right up to the start and then race without a bottle. You should be able to race for 60 mins without many issue if fully hydrated before the start. Some people take a bottle, though they won't be at the front of the race, and may not be racing as hectic as the front guys.

I have a bottle cgae on my CX bike at the moment, as I use it for training and commuting, but that will come off for races.

Pross

As said above, the racing at the front is too fast and furious. However, if you are just riding for fun then there's no reason not to take a bottle if you feel you will need one (just watch you don't lose it if you have to shoulder your bike). Cross is pretty informal for most, I saw one guy riding my local cross race yesterday with a mountain bike fitted with a rear pannier rack so not much in the way of protocol. IMHO it is the most fun type of racing and probably the easiest to get involved with.

celbianchi

I don't think you can take a drink from a helper in BC races any longer.

Mark Alexander

I don't take water in the race as it just too much hasstle. As said drink up to the start and afterwards.

Just have fun and watch your 6 as th leaders defy mud water and gravity.

Pross

Did you ride at Crickhowell on Sunday Mark? I was watching it, looked a really good course, especially the long jump pit which caught a few people out!

BG2000

Don't be put off from using a hydration back-pack. Some people think they're for MTB day-riders, but they're not.

Get a minimal one that takes up to 1.5 / 2 litre bladders, and a small zipped pocket for tools, car keys etc..

Put some nice electolytic energy drink in and keep sipping throughout the race.

jibberjim

BG2000 wrote:

Don't be put off from using a hydration back-pack. Some people think they're for MTB day-riders, but they're not.

Get a minimal one that takes up to 1.5 / 2 litre bladders, and a small zipped pocket for tools, car keys etc..

Put some nice electolytic energy drink in and keep sipping throughout the race.

I rode with a racebak for the first time yesterday, just a 1 hour threshold session, and found it much less convenient to drink from than a bottle when you're at threshold - like you would be in a cross race, with a bottle you can squirt in a big mouthful and gulp it down. Having to suck it from the racebak means you're getting very little and not breathing at all.

I actually bought it more for TT'ing but was going to use it doing CX too, but now I'm not so sure, I think a bottle would be better...

Retro1702

I've just done my CX commissaire course.
You're not allowed to hand up bottles in the pits unless the chief comm declares that warm weather (over 20 degrees) makes this acceptable.

I'll need to confirm if Camelbaks etc are allowed, guess it's a grey area like helmet cams etc.

I know for a fact that mudguards/panniers shouldn't be allowed and whoever let that go (as mentioned above) needs to rethink how they're officiating 'cross races.

celbianchi

You don't need a drink in an hour race anyway if you are hydrated to begin with..

Pross

Retro1702 wrote:

I've just done my CX commissaire course.
You're not allowed to hand up bottles in the pits unless the chief comm declares that warm weather (over 20 degrees) makes this acceptable.

I'll need to confirm if Camelbaks etc are allowed, guess it's a grey area like helmet cams etc.

I know for a fact that mudguards/panniers shouldn't be allowed and whoever let that go (as mentioned above) needs to rethink how they're officiating 'cross races.

I'd disagree with that, the beauty of cyclo cross is that it has always been so accessible and non-elitist, OK i wouldn't allow mudguards as they could catch on debris but a pannier rack isn't much of an issue. Local level races need to remain as accessible as possible to attract people into the sport, our club has dozens of kids that have turned up on all sorts of bikes and started racing in cross before moving into circuit races and hopefully on to road racing as they get older. Fair enough at national level then rules should be more vigorously enforced but at your local club events participation is the most important factor and I think discretion and judgement are the biggest attributes a commissaire can have (the comm at the race I saw someone riding with the pannier rack is hugely experienced).

Supernaut

Retro1702 wrote:

I've just done my CX commissaire course.
You're not allowed to hand up bottles in the pits unless the chief comm declares that warm weather (over 20 degrees) makes this acceptable.

I'll need to confirm if Camelbaks etc are allowed, guess it's a grey area like helmet cams etc.

I know for a fact that mudguards/panniers shouldn't be allowed and whoever let that go (as mentioned above) needs to rethink how they're officiating 'cross races.

Camelbaks are allowed, as are bottles at all times if you're carrying them yourself. As you'll know it's that 'the handing up of refreshment is forbidden'.
Mudguards - grey area, down to the Comm's discretion. They're not specifically banned but I'd ask anyone running full road guards with stays to remove them, but not the MTB mudguards which are well out of the way.

Retro1702

Pross wrote:

I'd disagree with that, the beauty of cyclo cross is that it has always been so accessible and non-elitist, OK i wouldn't allow mudguards as they could catch on debris but a pannier rack isn't much of an issue. Local level races need to remain as accessible as possible to attract people into the sport, our club has dozens of kids that have turned up on all sorts of bikes and started racing in cross before moving into circuit races and hopefully on to road racing as they get older. Fair enough at national level then rules should be more vigorously enforced but at your local club events participation is the most important factor and I think discretion and judgement are the biggest attributes a commissaire can have (the comm at the race I saw someone riding with the pannier rack is hugely experienced).

It's not the official line coming from BC on their training course, that's all I'm saying.

I understand CX is a great way of getting new riders into cycle sport and we need to be as encouraging as possible and make things accessible. If it was a Go-Ride cross then obviously fine but I'd say if it was the 4th or 5th time a rider had turned up to a cross league with the same setup then you would maybe have a quiet word.

Same as with any officiating I guess, you need to judge the exact rules and also apply a bit of common sense and discretion too.

Supernaut wrote:

Camelbaks are allowed, as are bottles at all times if you're carrying them yourself. As you'll know it's that 'the handing up of refreshment is forbidden'.
Mudguards - grey area, down to the Comm's discretion. They're not specifically banned but I'd ask anyone running full road guards with stays to remove them, but not the MTB mudguards which are well out of the way.

Thanks for the info & clarification

streako

I think I will try a small bottle and saddle pack with a spare tube, CO2 inflators, etc. I will see how it goes at he weekend and maybe adapt for the next race.

Thanks, guys.

celbianchi

streako wrote:

I think I will try a small bottle and saddle pack with a spare tube, CO2 inflators, etc. I will see how it goes at he weekend and maybe adapt for the next race.

Thanks, guys.

You don't need any of that. Honestly. The courses have to be of a certain distance, you are never more than about1/2 mile max from the start area and you won't need to drink in a 60 minute race.
Neither I, nor any of the chaps and chappesses who do the cross races up north have anything at all additonal on the bike.

BeaconRuth

celbianchi wrote:

You don't need any of that. Honestly. The courses have to be of a certain distance, you are never more than about1/2 mile max from the start area and you won't need to drink in a 60 minute race.
Neither I, nor any of the chaps and chappesses who do the cross races up north have anything at all additonal on the bike.

Most definitely +1. You really really don't need your spares in case of a puncture (not on you - maybe in your car or with a helper). You're not going out on an expedition - it's a race on a short circuit where you'll probably be in full sight of the start and finish for much of the time.

Ruth

Pross

streako wrote:

I think I will try a small bottle and saddle pack with a spare tube, CO2 inflators, etc. I will see how it goes at he weekend and maybe adapt for the next race.

Thanks, guys.

There should be a pit area, if you have spare wheels take those and leave them in the pit otherwise leave your repair kit there.

Sponging-Machine

There's never anything that'd give a mtb a puncture on cross courses, so don't worry about tubes and stuff.

streako

Okay, I finally got to the Clayton Vale round, in Manchester. Lovely day for it. Trails were reasonably dry apart from a handful of muddy bits, including a nasty long drag up to the finish line which sapped every bit of energy from your legs!
Also found the "Beach" section quite amusing, through the kiddies park!

Ditched the saddle bag, but kept a small drinks bottle on the bike. Was glad to have it and enjoyed a much-needed swally every lap. It didnt affect my carrying of the bike, apart from adding a few grams.

The pace was brutally fast. Had a bad start right at the back, and soon realised passing riders was quite a task due to the long single width of the course. Enjoyed it when I had recovered, and looking forward to the next race.