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Are we still allowed to race CX?

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Cyclocross and Gravelbiking (Recreational) This has to be the most physically intense sport ever invented. It's high speed bicycle racing on a short off road course or riding the off pavement rides on gravel like : "Unbound Gravel". We also have a dedicated Racing forum for the Cyclocross Hard Core Racers.

Are we still allowed to race CX?

Old 10-26-21, 03:48 PM
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chas58
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Are we still allowed to race CX?

I know that gravel is the latest thing. Still, its fun to "underbike" and take drop bar bike on a race that would be better on a mountain bike (with crazy steep climbs, off camber turns, tight switchbacks, dismount points, and 1/2 a lap at a velodrome). Nothing quite like it.

Cross is dead, long live cross!

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Old 10-26-21, 06:13 PM
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Allowed? Heck yeah, even has its own forum section! https://www.bikeforums.net/cyclocross-racing/
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Old 10-27-21, 01:39 AM
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Long live CX!

It's essentially short track gravel racing on grass. Are you non CX gravel riders crossing over and riding CX? For me they are the same thing. Love them both and they really go hand in hand.
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Old 10-27-21, 06:46 AM
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Allowed? Heck yeah, even has its own forum section! https://www.bikeforums.net/cyclocross-racing/
Awe, no one goes to that forum since they split it off from here (where it originally was)

Covid did pretty much kill cross for 2020 (and all racing for that matter). Its been 2 years since I did a CX race - and obviously gravel events keeps gowning.
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Old 10-27-21, 06:56 AM
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Originally Posted by Hmmm
Long live CX!

It's essentially short track gravel racing on grass. Are you non CX gravel riders crossing over and riding CX? For me they are the same thing. Love them both and they really go hand in hand.
The funny thing is, our race last year ran through our old velodrome. No one, apparently, knows how to do a flying lap on a velodrome. I'm not the strongest guy out there, but I was about 3mph faster than most other people just in technique.
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Old 10-27-21, 07:34 AM
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In Fort Worth, we have a weekly CX series (also includes a short track MB race before the CX races). I'm having the time of my life on my "gravel" bike which is actually a CX bike. I can't believe I waited so long to give CX racing a try. I definitely would not have if I hadn't purchased my bike for a few gravel events. I also did a time trial series (well... 2 of the 6 races) put on by our local MB association that included a section on a smooth gravel trail, a single track loop of ~4 miles, and a race back to the start. Lots of us did it on our drop bar bikes. So much fun.
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Old 10-27-21, 08:32 AM
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Originally Posted by ericcox
In Fort Worth, we have a weekly CX series (also includes a short track MB race before the CX races). I'm having the time of my life on my "gravel" bike which is actually a CX bike. I can't believe I waited so long to give CX racing a try. I definitely would not have if I hadn't purchased my bike for a few gravel events. I also did a time trial series (well... 2 of the 6 races) put on by our local MB association that included a section on a smooth gravel trail, a single track loop of ~4 miles, and a race back to the start. Lots of us did it on our drop bar bikes. So much fun.
Good to hear it!

I've been doing some MTB cross country race training rides on my CX bike. We just have to be careful not to take off on MTBs on the fast sections. My bike weighs 17lbs, so it climbs much faster, and with the aero and gearing, it has a much higher top end than a MTB. Some of those guys look like they are already in their tallest gear at 20mph (well that type of rider does like the slow burning torque method of pedaling).
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Old 10-27-21, 09:36 AM
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I'll be doing my 4th CX race of the season this weekend. I still need to finalize my costume.
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Old 10-27-21, 09:40 AM
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Originally Posted by msu2001la
I still need to finalize my costume.
Go as Lance. Itd be both topical and scary.
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Old 10-27-21, 09:58 AM
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr
Go as Lance. Itd be both topical and scary.
Ellen Noble stole my original idea, which was to dress up as a gravel racer while simultaneously mocking gravel racing.



"I am the spirit of gravel and my boyfriend is here to pace me". The cardboard aero bars are not UCI compliant.
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Old 11-01-21, 02:41 PM
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I saw a few good CX costumes while racing yesterday, but this one might've been the best:


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Old 11-01-21, 02:47 PM
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Also how long is it OK to leave a mud caked CX bike unwashed?
With all the Halloween madness I basically just hung it up wet, and now I'm realizing there's tons of dried mud caked all over everything. lol
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Old 11-01-21, 05:27 PM
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Around here, I just worry about chloride on gravel rides this time of year (nasty stuff).

that and of course, high iron stuff (chains and discount bikes) will rust if you run it hard and put it away wet over winter.
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Old 11-02-21, 10:38 AM
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I have mud on my painted mud:

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Old 11-04-21, 03:57 PM
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That is how I like to see them look!
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Old 11-05-21, 07:17 AM
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I hope we have Christmas Cross this year again. Always a blast. Beer, cocoa, hot dog handouts mid lap......costumes.......etc....

I have a time trial skinsuit I got super cheap from Nopinz that was a Christmas photo prank they did one year on the CEO. It's a full Santa getup, shoe covers even. I was hoping to sport that with a Santa hat on my helmet.
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Old 11-05-21, 08:28 AM
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Back when our Chicago series was running full speed, the last race of the season was in a lakefront park/beach in Chicago in early December. This race would often double as state or regional championships.

The course features lots of sand:


Lots of sand:


Sand with handup surprises buried in it:


Sometimes the handups get problematic:



And a hot tub - which doubled as a charity/food drive fund raiser:

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Old 11-05-21, 04:44 PM
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Wimps! If you had Jan Heine's tires you would ride right through that sand! They are an "unfair advantage in Cyclocross"

https://www.renehersecycles.com/ultr...tage-in-cross/



Love the hot tub on the snow course. We'll have to do that.

The photo in the OP was right next to our club's whiskey shot handout hill climb. I had cropped the handout out of the photo, lol

on closer look, he was only handing out cookies on the early laps. The whiskey and tequila shots came later...


Last edited by chas58; 11-05-21 at 04:48 PM.
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Old 11-05-21, 05:21 PM
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Originally Posted by chas58
Wimps! If you had Jan Heine's tires you would ride right through that sand! They are an "unfair advantage in Cyclocross"

https://www.renehersecycles.com/ultr...tage-in-cross/
Lol I love RH tires but Jan is such a sandbagger.

Guess my tires must be ultra wide at 35mm



Here's my friend riding the same sand pit(volleyball court) on 33mm MXPs in literally her first race ever



Also the section he mentions was too deep to ride even with his ultrawide tires? Guess he just needs better technique like my buddy

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Old 11-06-21, 07:47 AM
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Hot off the press- 54mm tire provides more comfort on bumpy unpaved route when compared to 33mm tire.

In other news- cakes made with sugar taste better than cakes made without.
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Old 11-08-21, 09:50 AM
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I am intrigued by the RH Steilacoom, which is 38mm with knobs. I have been racing CX on 33mm tires for years but like the idea of running a wider knobby (but not MTB wide). My only hesitation is that RH tires are really expensive and we see a fair amount of mud in my series (see post above), so I think I'd still need a 33mm mud tire as well, and that PDX happens to make a really good all-around tire. I don't really want to be switching out tires all the time during the season.

I see guys running MTB's, fat gravel tires and even fat bikes at all of our races. Most of the time these guys are just messing around and not competitive, but some are really fast. I don't think the wider tires are really providing a significant advantage - in some areas sure, but they're probably slowing them down in other areas. I think it mostly comes down to the motor.
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Old 11-08-21, 03:10 PM
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Yeah, I've seen people get fastest time of the day on a cross country mountain bike. Not sure why a CX bike would be any faster in a race where 10mph+ is probably my speed on grass. My CX bike can corner tighter than my MTB, but other than that, I can't see how it would be faster on our CX courses (with appropriate tires at least). It is significantly faster on gravel though.

I have put a 50mm tire on the front - mostly so I can easily run very low pressure. On a really muddy course, a 33mm tire could be better (some CX mud tires are even narrower).
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Old 11-11-21, 03:26 PM
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Love all the CX photos! Let's keep them coming! To those that ride gravel, but not CX, it's the same! Go race!
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Old 11-11-21, 03:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Hmmm
Love all the CX photos! Let's keep them coming! To those that ride gravel, but not CX, it's the same! Go race!
I dont remember the last time I ran during a gravel ride. Running is the manifestation of Hell on Earth.
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Old 11-12-21, 03:22 AM
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr
I dont remember the last time I ran during a gravel ride. Running is the manifestation of Hell on Earth.
I too, hate running. Think of it as a light trot.
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