What do people who 'do' CX do?
ianwilliams
Posts: 257
Alright chaps
This is probably a daft question, so excuse me for that. But what do you do when you get a CX bike? 'm asking because I like my road bike but think CX races look great fun. But outside of the races I'm not sure what else you do.
Where do you ride? How do you mix it up? Do you ride MTB trails or just razz around public parks? How do you know what routes to ride?
And when it comes to public areas, how do you know if its OK to cycle there? I'm guessing the potential to churn up the ground is pretty big.
I ask because I saw Peel Park in Bradford has a good CX race. But I'm guessing I can't just turn up tomorrow and ride the course myself.
The majority of Strava and all of the clubs I've met/been involved with are geared almost exclusively to the road, so its easy to find routes. Plus, apart from dangerous roads, you can ride on any road.
With CX I just don't know how it works.
Thanks!
This is probably a daft question, so excuse me for that. But what do you do when you get a CX bike? 'm asking because I like my road bike but think CX races look great fun. But outside of the races I'm not sure what else you do.
Where do you ride? How do you mix it up? Do you ride MTB trails or just razz around public parks? How do you know what routes to ride?
And when it comes to public areas, how do you know if its OK to cycle there? I'm guessing the potential to churn up the ground is pretty big.
I ask because I saw Peel Park in Bradford has a good CX race. But I'm guessing I can't just turn up tomorrow and ride the course myself.
The majority of Strava and all of the clubs I've met/been involved with are geared almost exclusively to the road, so its easy to find routes. Plus, apart from dangerous roads, you can ride on any road.
With CX I just don't know how it works.
Thanks!
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Posts
Why don't you go out and practice/have fun on mtb trails etc?
I thought it was odd that no one at all was on a cx bike in Coed Y Brenin last time i was there when there must of being about 300 plus mtb's
Do cx people just not ride trails much or maybe theres just hardly anyone with cx bikes?
CX and also a great way for riding long-distance trails like the Southdowns Way in summer - way quicker than an MTB.
Put some road tyres on and it becomes a decent road training bike.
Finally, I usually take a CX bike and two sets of tyres on holiday - I get to choose between road and trail and do a bit of adventure riding.
use mine on crappy days
Ride along the cycle paths and old railway lines.
ride around the lake at keiler
the list goes on,
I only tend to race CX because there's no circuit racing on - most other times, I'm out on the road. If I was at CyB, or any other trail centre, I would probably use an MTB.
Same as above plus we have a decent amount of Forestry Commission land aswell (Bramshill, Warren Heath, Swinley Forest) also Pilgrims way, South Downs, The Devils Highway, North Downs.. etc,etc...
What about these Monty : http://www.cxsportive.com/
Did a loop around Ash Ranges not so long ago, next on the hit lists Pirbright and deepcut....
If you use your common sense, it's amazing how many places you can ride. For instance, we train on the side of an embankment carrying a main road past a playing field. Perfect for practicing run-ups, off camber turns etc, we have the edge of the playing field area for flat drills, and the whole area's perfectly adequately lit by the streetlights. You really don't need a lot of space...
Sounds a bit low-tech in these days of GPS, Strava, Bikely and all that, but a decent OS map ought to help plan some local routes without the risk of ending up on rights of way that aren't, or those tracks that bafflingly stop at a dead end in the middle of nowhere.
David
I can't be bothered with CX Sportives - I know enough routes and places to go that I don't need to pay someone £25 for the priviledge of riding somewhere that's free 364 days of the year...get a large scale OS map and hunt out bridleways, green roads etc. I can ride 50 miles to the southcoast barely touching any tarmac.
Yep, that's what I find too
OS maps are a great source of bridles and tracks, they also have an online tool that allow you to customise your own map centred around the area of interest, rather than buying a pre-made one that might not include all you need. I don't think GPS systems have caught up yet with the off-road stuff
In the south of the country is not rocky enough for MTBiking and deep bog, of which we have plenty, is not necessarily better with a MTB than a CX bike. The CX bike allow you to enjoy the tarmac and fast gravel sections in between more technical sections. MTBikes limit your range of action by several miles
Luckily most CX bikes are not sold that way as manufacturers appreciate they are the most versatile bike there is. Before you ride you have 2 choices - do you optimize tyres or use all rounders? Of course, once you've explored and found your preferences you can tweak the bike to suit.
Terrain wise they can handle anything. I used to bring mine (avec mud guards) to the Saturday Nirvana cycles ride in Dorking and mix it up with 5" travel Zesties (they murdered me on downhills).
If you're training for CX racing then you can make yourself an impromptu 1-2 min course and ride it until your times get faster.
If I was you, I would definitely go to a race, that's the best way to meet people who do cross. Speak to folks and tell them you want to get involved. It's much more inviting than road. Of course you can show up and race too, cross is smart and has organized day-race licences with the BCF for folks like you can take part.
Have a look at the BCF events calendar in your area: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/event ... &postcode= use the menu at left to tweak the location and discipline.
The cross bike is ideal, like others have said, for local riding along lanes and bridleways especially if there's road sections involved. It's a nice balance between road and MTB riding for me.
Having only been to one cross race I've got to say that it was a very friendly atmosphere and there was some good racing to be watched as well.
When I'm not racing it, I use my Cross bike for training on the roads on blasting around the local forests, I'm lucky enough to own a house backing onto a bridleway and have a bunch of CX appropriate trails available. In the summer I'm sure my MTB will come out a lot less than it used to and I'll switch off with the cross bike.
You do llandegla on a CX bike? I've only done one of the trails there (red I think) on a mtb but not sure the CX bike would've handled it.
I love my CX bike.
I have cross king conti's fitted to the CX bike so take it out in all weathers... So I ride outdoors in weather I would never dream of riding the road bike in. Its the sense of freedom to be able to ride anywhere that I most value. Yesterday I rode a few km on the road, dropped off onto a cycle route, then onto a muddly bridal way, then hopped onto open fields, footpaths before finding a steep incline banking to a observation mound. Then I set up a little race route on the banking to practice steep climbs and turns and twists. More bridal ways, more mud, road ride back home before more climbing and descending on wet grass / mud at the back of my house. Quick rinse off with the hose pipe, then the football!!! And if I'm not tearing about doing that sort of stuff then I race in the central CX league.
Not that I've not had plenty of laughs on my road bikes.
The above post may contain traces of sarcasm or/and bullsh*t.
Best ride I have done with it was a 70mile on/off road ride (say 50/50 split), great fun but tough, as riding off road is energy sapping, but it allows you to link the off road routes up with some road riding - something I would't fancy on the MTB.
In its current state it is sporting some studded winter/ice tyres, so its also the back up bike when my road bike with skinny slicks is not up to the job, in theory it keeps me going when I ought to stop
Strangely I also prefer my CX for commutes, and even some local road rides, just easier going in terms of pleasure/comfort.
If I had my time again buying road/cx, I would just get a very nice CX (with disc), 2 sets of wheels, and use it for Road and CX. Very versatile machines, ignored by many including me, but now very popular and replacing those Hybrids that nobody really liked!
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."
I wouldn't want to do this all the time but I race cross as much as I can so a weekend without a race is more of a rarity at this time of year so I like to take advantage of it. Likewise in the summer I'll use the cross bike for some off road commuting but put most of my training in on the road bike.
At the moment I'm a city dweller so a road bike is best for me, but when I move out of the city I can see myself investing in a decent CX bike.