cyclocross

Cleat Eastwood

just watching the women at it Here

Looks great+knackering, has anyone tried it?

Gizmodo

Cleat Eastwood wrote:

just watching the women at it Here
Looks great+knackering, has anyone tried it?

You haven't tried "it" with women Cleat? You're missing a real pleasure, and yes, if you do it ritght, it is knackering.

Oh cyclocross, sorry :oops:

Cleat Eastwood

hehe

eede

Heres a screen shot of what I got when I clicked your link:



Think I'll give cyclocross a miss

GiantMike

I got a video of a bridge being bulit!

Yep, I race Cyclocross every winter. It's brutal and great way to stay fit over the winter.

verylonglegs

It's the one sport I really wish I'd tried when I was young, fit and not too bothered about the cold and mud on a sunday morning. However, I don't regret my time on the football field during those weekends...I just wish there was enough time for both in a lifetime!

GiantMike

Age should be no barrier. I race in the 40-49 Vets and regularly get beaten by a guy in hos 60s!

Frank the tank

Been some years since I raced "cross", it's a brutal cycling discipline requiring so many different types of skills and judgements.

e999sam

I've competed in most types of cycle sport and I can say from my point of view it's by far the hardest.

mjclements

Just completed last race of the eastern cross league season. 54 at christmas never raced before finished 42nd out of 92 in league final standings, absolutely killed me whilst racing but brilliant, everyone should try it. Only the team event to go Saturday week. Great fun

garrynolan

I got a video of what looked like a Dutch Inspector Gadget lecturing in front of a Big Band...

BeaconRuth

I'm just coming to the end of my second season of 'cross having raced on the road (in TTs and road racing) and on the track (a long time ago!) and without a doubt cyclocross is the most fun and most accessible cycling discipline I've done. There are typically 300-400 participants at the West Midlands League events ranging from 8-year-olds to over 75-year-olds, complete beginners to national champions, cheap-MTB riders to those on the lightest, fastest, most expensive 'cross bikes - it doesn't matter in 'cross: everyone is there to enjoy throwing themselves into the challenge of getting round a tricky off-road circuit as fast as they possibly can. The circuits are very short so nobody is ever a long way from 'home', everyone is fully involved and trying their hardest for the whole race and everyone gets a great workout (and possibly very muddy).

If anyone is even half-tempted to have a go at cyclocross don't hesitate - you'll have a ball! Nobody need ever feel they're not good enough and everyone is very friendly. You don't even need to be in a club or a member of British Cycling. If you live in the West Midlands you're very lucky because our league is extremely well run and very popular. (We even have timing chips now so we have precise lap times for every race.) Everything you need to know is here: http://www.waldrons.wmccl.net/site/index.php See you next season!

Ruth

simon_e

Ruth has said it all.

Here she is doing it (and very well too!):


It's easy to get into, it's fun and everyone has a great time. You can take it very seriously or just ride your bike as fast as you can for 40 mins (vets, ladies, juniors) or an hour (seniors).

I take photos at the WMCCL events at Sundorne (and the recent National Trophy final) and often think I ought to have a go.... but taking photos is easier

Redhog14

Did my first proper Cross race in Oct, beautiful sunny day but was mud as thick as shit. Enjoyed it immensely but not had time to enter a follow up, was a wee bit concerned by the damage done to bikes. Great atmosphere woudl reccommend it.

BeaconRuth

Great photos, Simon. You haven't seen me at my best at Shrewsbury - that course and I really don't get on! I've started four races there and only finished two and those two were not my best performances by a long way. The course there plays to all my weaknesses and shows up all my inexperience - basically it's very technical. You should come and join in though - there will be other races apart from yours that you can photograph!

Anyway, that pic was taken at a summer event which isn't really proper 'cross because the conditions were warm and dry. This is a bit more like it: Muddy 'cross!

Ruth

simon_e

Yes, my photo was from one of the Friday evening events last August. It was warm, the course was bone dry and semi-slicks were the way to go. No need for a bike change or powerwasher that day. Everyone looked much slower last week, the thawing mud was really sticky, though again Liam Killeen looked super-classy and really smooth.