| Rediscover Your Youth with
CYCLOCROSS
By Mike Lyner
Back in 2000, two youngsters (25ish) from my office talked me into trying out some cyclocross races. Previously, I had only ridden one cyclocross race, 28 years ago in England, and one mountain bike race at Afton Alps ski area in Minnesota a couple of years ago. My focus had been on road races, time trials, duathlons and triathlons. I started by competing in some informal evening "training" cyclocross races, and
finished up that fall in the Minnesota State Cyclocross Championships at Bassett Creek Park in Crystal. It was really fun, making me feel like a big kid all over again.
I'm certainly not professing to be an expert, but for those of you who might be interested, here's some of what I learned.
The Sport
It's the fastest growing type of bicycle racing, both in the U.S. and abroad. It started in Europe early this century as a way for road racers to keep in shape during the off season. Some riders shifted to mountain biking, but cyclocross is coming back with a vengeance. Its growth has accelerated with 23–year–old Matt Kelly's recent gold medal at the World Cyclocross Championships in Paris. (By the way, Kelly is from Wisconsin.)
The Courses
They're short, fast and don't give you much time to catch your breath! They are typically 2K to 3K long and criterium–like, having a mixture of asphalt, gravel, grass, mud, streams, hills and artificial barriers. Bunny–hopping is often allowed, if you are good at it – uphill! The
barriers, about 10 feet wide and 16 inches tall, are purposely set up to try to force you on and off your bike often – probably similar to a steeplechase race for runners. Being able to run for short, steep, distances, sometimes up stairs, with your bike over your shoulder is a tremendous asset. However, more than being a good runner, the ability to get on and off your bike smoothly and quickly over the barriers will make or break the race for you.
The Events
Typically, the races start after most road and mountain bike races are over. It's a great way to extend the bicycle racing season, and keep fit until there is snow on the ground for cross country skiing. Beginners races are usually around 30 minutes, intermediates 45 minutes, and
experienced riders around 1 hour.
The Bike
I have read that if you are mainly a mountain biker, then compete on a mountain bike (with bar end extensions removed per USA Cycling rules); if you are mainly a road racer, then use a cyclocross bike. I
started by using my old Cannondale touring bike, with 35mm knobby tires, Weinmann center–pull brakes, and down–tube shifters. It took one race to realize that you don't want to let go of your bars – the first improvement was to get bar–end shifters, which have more recently given way to combined brake lever/shifters.
Cantilever brakes are also a great asset to stop mud clogging, even though I've yet to experience a really muddy event. I also started with
very cheap SPD–type pedals, and spent more time trying to reclip than concentrating on keeping up with the race – so they were quickly replaced with Time ATB pedals, which are tremendous.
Bottle cages are usually removed, as they get in the way when you want to carry your bike over your shoulder, which is one reason why mountain bikes are not as popular for the serious cyclocrossers as, with their sloping top tubes, they are a little more difficult to "shoulder." The
courses are also typically selected to be smooth enough so that shock–absorbing forks are not really a necessity, and the extra weight could be a liability.
By the way – a cyclocross bike also makes a great commuter and winter bike, having a wide gear range, a longer wheelbase (with room for fenders), slightly higher handlebars and knobby tires. I eventually ended up buying a friend's 14–year–old Bianchi Axis hybrid frame, which
worked out great. Many also race single–speed bikes which, not having gears, are very simple and inexpensive to put together. The courses are typically not hilly enough to really necessitate gears. The riders who use single–speed bikes claim that there's no real advantage to having gears and that it's just an equipment choice – which they prove by their consistent high–placed finishes in the races.
The Riders
We get anaerobic and muddy – quickly – but can't wait for the post–road and mountain–bike racing seasons, when everyone else is worn out and we're raring to go!
Minnesota Cycling Federation's Fall Cyclocross Rider of the
Year (CRY) Series
Over the past three years, a cyclocross bicycle race series in and around the Twin Cities, Cyclocross Rider of the Year, has added a lot of fun to what can be a fairly inactive season.
Why a series? Previous to the series, local bicycle racing clubs had individually promoted cyclocross races in the fall. This fall will be the
third year of pulling all of the individual races together into a "series." Having each race accumulate points towards a bigger goal has doubled the attendance at races; we hope to exceed 250 racers this year. Also, if you have a bad day at the races, you can make up for it in the next race or two. A series seems to make the whole more than the sum of the parts.
The CRY Series is planned for late September, October and November
in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. (See inset for schedule, or look at the events calendar at the back of the magazine for more details.) This year there are eight races, promoted by several local bike clubs, that take place each weekend from Sept. 22 through Nov. 3, with training races on Wednesday evenings, and a clinic for new and wanting–to–get–better racers.
Anyone who enjoys cycle racing is encouraged to give a cyclocross race
a try. The CRY series events all have a beginners race – only 30 minutes long – and if you eventually feel you are too good for these, you can move up a category. The race categories are self–placing, with the USCF/NORBA categories given only as a guideline for those riders who hold racing licenses, and have never ridden cyclocross. You don't need a fancy bike; an older road or touring bike, with single–speed gearing, works fine if there's enough clearance between the forks for 30mm wide
knobby tires.
If you don't want to race, come and spectate with the family or significant other. The courses are short, so the races come by you often. The venues are also very beautiful. Loon State Cyclist's event, for example, is held at Afton Alps ski area, just east of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The event is purposely held on the same weekend as the ski area's Fall Festival, which includes a ski swap, hay
rides, chair lift rides, etc. It is at the bottom of a valley, totally surrounded by phenomenal fall colors.
If you want a little extra reading, a great book is Simon Burney's Cyclocross (Velo Press). Also, a couple of Web sites you may want to visit are Cyclocross World, www.cyclocrossworld.com; and USA Cycling's Cyclocross Page, www.usacycling.org/cx/.
Join in the fun. Help yourself rediscover your youth. Give it a try!
CRY Series Schedule
Sun. 9–22: Rochester Active Sports Club at Rochester, Minn.
Sun. 9–29: Cyclists on Gitchee Gumee Shores at Superior, Wis.
Sun. 10–6: Loon State Cyclists at Afton Alps, Minn.
Sun. 10–13: St. Paul Bicycle Racing Club at Lake Rebecca, Minn.
Sun. 10–20: Mid–Minnesota Cycling Club at St. Cloud, Minn.
Sat. 10–26: Lanterne Rouge at Ham Lake, Minn.
Sun. 11–3: Kenwood Cycling Club at Crystal, Minn. (State CX championships)
Mike Lyner is a 49–year–old trying hard to stay young.
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