I want to learn!

[KnottedYet]

Who's cyclocrossing? 'fess up!

Is it like the old days of mountain biking, when we had NO suspension?

[Kitsune06]

I can only imagine. Great. Now I have to have THREE bikes. (Unless I can just use my imaginary Cyclocross bike as a roadie, too... well, it probably WOULD smoke the mtb on the road anyway, right?, so I only need to have a cyclocross bike and a mtb?)

...Best not tempt fate. If I say the B word at home one more time, I'm sleeping outside... with my bike.
Remarks I've made to this threat:
"Ride who/what for hours where now?"
"...but we spend all DAY together!"
"Wait. I'm confused. If I'm sleeping with the bike now, does that mean my to-do list includes swapping out your seat, packing your bearings, and lubing your derailleurs? Are you sure?"

Come to think about it, I think I'M the 'DPITA'... or just "PITA". :D

[madisongrrl]

I'm cross racing this season. I'm going to have my bike built up soon.....all in 10 speed 105!

[KnottedYet]

Darlin' lil' fox - You get the cyclocross, and have a 2nd set of tires (or wheels) for her. Voila! Instant awesome roadie.

That way you only have 2 bikes, but with 3 functions!

(SKnot tells me "kitsune" means "fox" in Japanese)

[velogirl]

I'm racing again this season. This will be my 4th season racing cross (although my 1st season consisted of one race where I skinned my shin down to the bone tripping on a barrier -- season over!).

My race rig is a Ritchey Titanium Break-Away. I had raced Shimano Dura Ace in past seasons, but my road bikes are Campy so I just made the switch on my cross bike too (allows me to get rid of a lot of duplicates, like wheels, etc). I'm also running a PowerTap on my cross rig this season to collect some real data (haven't done that in past seasons).

Kitsune06, you don't need multiple bikes. A cross bike does it all -- throw road wheels on it and it's a road bike, if you've got generous gearing it's a rigid mtn bike, get a frame with eyelets for racks and it's a commuter! Or, just try some cross races on your mtn bike. Beginners are allowed to race on mtn bikes.

[Kitsune06]

Hehehehehehe...
well if I can do 'cross races on my mtb as a n00b, what's holding me back?!
I love mud
I love the cold & wet
I love both of those on my bike...
Where do I sign up?

[velogirl]

Where do I sign up?

Where do you live?

[Kitsune06]

around Portland, OR, actually. It'll be a long ways off... I HAVE to have my asthma looked into before I even TRY to do anything active in the cold weather...

[spokewench]

Didn't know there was anyone else on this forum who had raced without suspension (front and rear). I look back and that and thank god that most of my racing without suspension was in California (not so rocky and rough)!

Cyclocross is similar to that, but usually the courses are not too technical as far as rocks, etc. Most promoters know that you will be riding a cyclocross bike and if it was as rocky as a mountain bike course, everyone would have a perpetual flat!

I don't always use my cyclocross bike to race up here in Flag, cause the boys that put on the races are a bunch of kamikazes and they like to make the courses as hard as they can. When they are hard courses, I ride my Klein mountain hard tail mountain bike. Besides, it is lighter than my cyclocross bike (hard to believe) and so it is easier to pick up than the cyclocross bike!

Those that haven't raced cyclocross before, remember to bring the PAM. Spray it on your cleats and your pedals escpecially when it is muddy or icy. Sometimes when it is really cold, I don't use clipless cause all you end up with is a big ball of ice on the bottom of your cleat and it won't engage anymore. For State Competition one year, we had about 1 1/2 feet of snow. That year, it was flat pedals and hiking boots! It worked great :)

[Kitsune06]

eeeehheheehhehe...
this sounds awesome. =D I've gotta look into this stuff... my hardtail is actually pretty light...

[limewave]

Knottedyet--
You can use your new Waterford for cyclocross racing. That's what it was originally used for. She used to race through the apple orchards with the best of 'em up here in MI.

[CorsairMac]

Iwant to - I want to sooo bad I can't stand it..........ooooo and I could use the vintage Trek for it cept....................don't know anyone that 'crosses here and - while they do hold cross races one night a week in the fall - they're races and they aren't meant for beginners (or in my case never-done-beforeres) but one of these days the winds will blow in My direction..........and I'll ride cross....one of these days.................

[velogirl]

around Portland, OR, actually. It'll be a long ways off... I HAVE to have my asthma looked into before I even TRY to do anything active in the cold weather...

Portland is the cross capital of the US. Seriously. If you don't race, at least go out and check out some races -- you can learn a lot just by being a spectator. Cross Crusade (http://www.crosscrusade.com/) is awesome (I may actually head up to do a couple Portland races just to get experience in the weather since CA cross is just dry and dusty).

[SheFly]

I'm trying cross for the first season. In fact, off to a women's cross clinic that my club is putting on this evening. I figure once I learn to "master" the on and off issue, I have it made :D .


I can only imagine. Great. Now I have to have THREE bikes.

Only three???? You should come to my house - 2 people, 14 bikes :eek: .

SheFly

[spokewench]

HEY CORSAIRMAC:

You said:

"they're races and they aren't meant for beginners (or in my case never-done-beforeres) but one of these days the winds will blow in My direction..........and I'll ride cross....one of these days................."

How do you think anyone gets started racing - you have to go out and do the first timer beginner race of your life. Cyclocross series are usually pretty low key and small and probably a good place to try your first race. Find out who puts on your Albuquerque cross races and contact them to find out if they have anyone getting together to practice or show how to do cyclocross, i.e. how to get on and off your bike and do the barriers. Most people that put on races usually have something like that, go try it, ask for help, ask for more help. It's amazing what people will do for you if you are just interested!

If you can't find that out before they start racing, go to the first race and ask,ask ask.! So you come in last! Who cares? You have no idea how many times I've come in last in a race. Too many to count! Have to admit the races were all fun even if I was last!

[Susan Otcenas]

Heck yeah, Portland IS the cross capitol of the US. The races are WAY fun to watch. I do own a cross bike, but I use it as my commuter. I'm definitely not coordinated to race cross! But I'll come cheer for all of you!

Susan

[spokewench]

Hi Susan:

I'm a lot of things but I wouldn't list coordinated in the list! And, I race cyclocross! I used to think there was no way I could race Cyclocross, especially when I used to watch my hubby race in Santa Cruz area when we lived in California.

Later, when we moved to Flagstaff, I just decided that cross looked like a fun thing to do and that coordinated or not, I was going to try. So, I'm pretty good at getting off, not so good at getting back on the bike, but I still have fun doing it and that is what it is all about!

All the more power to uncoordinated Cyclocrossers! We just have to work harder!

:)

[Sheesh]

My husband just ordered a cyclocross bike (purchased a frame and the shop is building up the rest of it). He is interested in getting into cross racing, and I have to admit: I'm somewhat intrigued.

Please keep the postings coming because I'm going to keep reading! Who knows, maybe I'll get a cross bike next year. :)