Cyclocross: a Newbie's View
9 September 2024
Rob Clegg
So... what is Cyclocross?
According to Wikipedia, Cyclo-cross (CX) is a form of racing consisting of many laps of a short course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and obstacles requiring the rider to quickly dismount, carry the bike while navigating the obstruction and remount. Races are generally between 40 minutes and an hour long, with the distance varying depending on the ground conditions.
[Words: mostly Rob. Photos: mostly of James...]
According to the casual observer [eg me... Ed] it's a way of getting your bike and kit very muddy, while putting yourself through the wringer. But apparently it's great fun! Which is why more of our members have been giving it a try since a few blazed a trail 10 years ago (see slideshow at end). Here's a newbie's take after his first race.
Yesterday evening I ticked off one of my bucket list activities and raced in Cyclocross. Talking about it to friends and family I realise that many people don't really know what it is. So I made contact with Stewart about it and he recommended I spoke with members James and David Newland. With their help and the interweb I found myself winning a free entry to an event in Reigate on Friday evening - this was happening quicker than I expected. Better go out and buy a new bike! Realising this would probably end in divorce I opted to get my gravel bike sorted for the job. Unfortunately the knobbly tyres I needed didn't arrive in time so I dusted off my son’s mountain bike, chucked it in the car and set off straight after work on Friday.
I'd somehow managed to sell the idea of coming along to Kath my wife and along with my time trial buddy Wanda arrived at a very pretty Priory Park bathed in sunshine. The course and prep were very professionally done and the ladies’ race was underway, there was a great vibe to the event with music, decent coffee and a super little bar. The visible part of the course looked very benign and flat - almost like a very snaky park run. I couldn't see what was happening in the woods....
Once I'd filled Mrs C with chips and cup of tea it was my turn to head out for the 'practice lap'. Essentially a chance for you to experience the horrors that await. Once out of the grassy area of the park you had a deceptively challenging drag up into the woods, following this was a downhill section and for me, a road-conditioned biker, a technical element of tight turns on broken, sandy mud.
There was also a series of semi-buried logs which could be rode over, bunny hopped or crashed into as your saw fit. Once this had been negotiated, you were back on the grass and heading for the best bit. Quite literally a wall of mud, lord knows the gradient but even on my son’s mountain bike I was off and walking up this hill. Once done there were a couple of nice fast bends before winding back to the start to enjoy all over again :).
Before every race I've ever done I question my sanity for being there and this was the same as we lined up to start. There were more than 100 riders in the open category and much like the CX mountain biking at the Olympics overtaking isn't easy. So to stop well-meaning men who overestimate their ability clogging things up they operated an 'honesty grid'. I stayed at the very back and tried not to be too judgmental of some of the riders moving in behind the racing snakes. Looks can be deceiving, right?
Being a typical man in many ways I didn't read the manual but had some idea that the race would last about 40 mins. I figured I'd just keep riding and I'd know when it was over. The first lap was hectic, a bit like park run people go out faster than they can maintain but there’s a sense in getting past people early as it's pretty tricky on the technical areas. However I managed to make my way past quite of a few of the optimists.
As the laps went on my cornering improved as I got to grips with the better lines and speeds I was comfortable with. The support from the spectators was great and despite only James and myself riding in Horsham livery I heard lots of encouragement for our club. Whilst in it the race it seemed to be long, but I heard the bell as I went through and knew I had one lap to go. Despite being the shy and retiring type there was a chance to get some airtime on one of the drags and egged on by some spectators and being one of those guys whose confidence in their abilities forgets they're not 14 YO anymore on a BMX had to oblige. Thankfully I survived and didn't have to explain another easily avoidable accident to Kath.
So that was it, I have to mention how impressive some of the riders were on that terrain. James in particular did the club proud: he lapped me, and finished in a very impressive 5th place overall, 3rd in his age category. I was a pretty stodgy 65th and 21st in my old man category but happy with my efforts. The positive story being that my sluggishness avoided the necessity of another lap.
So....
All in all it was a great experience, and I'm going to try and take part in a few more over the season.
It would be great to see a few more Horsham tops taking part and to cheer on. If you're interested in taking part let me know.
- It's a very friendly sport and a great way of starting offroad.
- You don't need a cyclocross bike in the local league - a mountain or gravel bike will be fine.
- Tyre width doesn't matter.
- You don't need to have two bikes except for the really muddy events. (Someone will always powerwash you off afterwards!).
- Age doesn't matter - there's races for everyone!
A couple of links to BC and local league sites:
London & South-East Cyclocross League
British Cycling events list
East Kent Cyclocross Facebook page
Tim P, World Masters 2023 (Hamburg)
Could do with a drop of lube?
Your turn next!
Team HC, Barns Green CX 2015.
Tim in action...