CYCLOCROSS just saying' . . .
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
CYCLOCROSS just saying' . . .
I've been a casual fan of pro cycling, mostly grand tour viewing, since LeMond beat Fignon in the time trial . . . always looking forward to the Tour and trying to watch as much as I can each summer, etc. Now with digital subscription packages and replays on-demand, in recent months I've watched cyclocross for the first time. WOW what a kickass spectacle this sport offers and I'm sorry to be so late to pick up on it!
I tip my hat to EVERYONE in this sport -- riders, fans, the event organizers, all of it. If I lived in Europe I would be all over the map trying to attend these races and see it all, up close. And if my fascination sticks I might even try to give it a shot, humbling as it is sure to be. . . better-late-than-never, I love this stuff!
I tip my hat to EVERYONE in this sport -- riders, fans, the event organizers, all of it. If I lived in Europe I would be all over the map trying to attend these races and see it all, up close. And if my fascination sticks I might even try to give it a shot, humbling as it is sure to be. . . better-late-than-never, I love this stuff!
Likes For jimmyodonnell:
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: South Shore of Long Island
Posts: 2,785
Bikes: 2010 Carrera Volans, 2015 C-Dale Trail 2sl, 2017 Raleigh Rush Hour, 2017 Blue Proseccio, 1992 Giant Perigee, 80s Gitane Rallye Tandem
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1079 Post(s)
Liked 1,017 Times
in
719 Posts
New England, CNY and good parts of NJ and PA have quite the scene available as does the Pacific NW. Don't know about a lot of other areas but these ones can have some really kick ass races and the wet weather later in the season to make the rides fairly intense and muddy. My first cross bike was my first road bike with knobby tires, had to clear out the brakes on a couple courses from the mud, had it modified to get rid of the brake bridge and add cantis, eventually got a dedicated cross that went when married college life was too poor. Used an old MTB with drop bars 2 other seasons, and last year used a gravel bike which also had some mud clogging issues. So you don't need a dedicated cross bike to show up and have fun. Though I was just told this evening my dedicated cross bike is off to the powder coater's and should be done in 3.5 weeks which still leaves me staring at a box of awesome parts and no cross bike.
As cool as watching the pros race, it is way more fun in person though you'll swear your legs are falling off and your lungs don't work any more.
As cool as watching the pros race, it is way more fun in person though you'll swear your legs are falling off and your lungs don't work any more.
Likes For Russ Roth:
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times
in
1,417 Posts
I've been a casual fan of pro cycling, mostly grand tour viewing, since LeMond beat Fignon in the time trial . . . always looking forward to the Tour and trying to watch as much as I can each summer, etc. Now with digital subscription packages and replays on-demand, in recent months I've watched cyclocross for the first time. WOW what a kickass spectacle this sport offers and I'm sorry to be so late to pick up on it!
I tip my hat to EVERYONE in this sport -- riders, fans, the event organizers, all of it. If I lived in Europe I would be all over the map trying to attend these races and see it all, up close. And if my fascination sticks I might even try to give it a shot, humbling as it is sure to be. . . better-late-than-never, I love this stuff!
I tip my hat to EVERYONE in this sport -- riders, fans, the event organizers, all of it. If I lived in Europe I would be all over the map trying to attend these races and see it all, up close. And if my fascination sticks I might even try to give it a shot, humbling as it is sure to be. . . better-late-than-never, I love this stuff!
And you don't have to have a hardcore dedicated CX race bike to try it out. I see people on MTBs and even road/gravel bikes (helps if you can fit a knobby tire). Definitely try it out.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times
in
1,417 Posts
New England, CNY and good parts of NJ and PA have quite the scene available as does the Pacific NW. Don't know about a lot of other areas but these ones can have some really kick ass races and the wet weather later in the season to make the rides fairly intense and muddy. My first cross bike was my first road bike with knobby tires, had to clear out the brakes on a couple courses from the mud, had it modified to get rid of the brake bridge and add cantis, eventually got a dedicated cross that went when married college life was too poor. Used an old MTB with drop bars 2 other seasons, and last year used a gravel bike which also had some mud clogging issues. So you don't need a dedicated cross bike to show up and have fun. Though I was just told this evening my dedicated cross bike is off to the powder coater's and should be done in 3.5 weeks which still leaves me staring at a box of awesome parts and no cross bike.
As cool as watching the pros race, it is way more fun in person though you'll swear your legs are falling off and your lungs don't work any more.
As cool as watching the pros race, it is way more fun in person though you'll swear your legs are falling off and your lungs don't work any more.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Posts: 2,873
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1455 Post(s)
Liked 1,477 Times
in
867 Posts
New England, CNY and good parts of NJ and PA have quite the scene available as does the Pacific NW. Don't know about a lot of other areas but these ones can have some really kick ass races and the wet weather later in the season to make the rides fairly intense and muddy. My first cross bike was my first road bike with knobby tires, had to clear out the brakes on a couple courses from the mud, had it modified to get rid of the brake bridge and add cantis, eventually got a dedicated cross that went when married college life was too poor. Used an old MTB with drop bars 2 other seasons, and last year used a gravel bike which also had some mud clogging issues. So you don't need a dedicated cross bike to show up and have fun. Though I was just told this evening my dedicated cross bike is off to the powder coater's and should be done in 3.5 weeks which still leaves me staring at a box of awesome parts and no cross bike.
As cool as watching the pros race, it is way more fun in person though you'll swear your legs are falling off and your lungs don't work any more.
As cool as watching the pros race, it is way more fun in person though you'll swear your legs are falling off and your lungs don't work any more.
Sven Nys showed up to our 2017 season opener, registered as "Stan Nice" for a Cat 5 race, and put on a show for everyone. He started dead last and passed the entire field about 15 seconds after the whistle.
Video in the link below:
https://www.cxmagazine.com/sven-nys-...-skills-clinic
Likes For msu2001la:
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,863
Bikes: too many of all kinds
Mentioned: 35 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1147 Post(s)
Liked 415 Times
in
335 Posts
Hey, any racing when they offer me a beer on every lap clearly doesn't take itself too seriously. There is room for everyone.
Likes For chas58: