Magnificent day of cyclocross sport yesterday.

[PaulB]

I'd never seen a cyclocross race before but went to Skipton to see a terrific day of sport yesterday.

There were races for all age groups and it was encouraging to see all everyone from toddlers to crusties all involved.

It took place in the grounds of a grand hall on the outskirts of the town and being a convoluted loop type of course, there was literally always something going on with several races one after the other.

It was amazing to see the elite riders vault the barriers without losing momentum and re-mounting their bikes in the style of a cowboy jumping back on to a speeding horse in a western!

The fun race was excellent as well. The riders had to go through the beer tent on each lap and those that wanted to take a short cut were forced to drink a tequila, covered in foam from the machine set up on the course to coat them in soapy suds, before being admitted to the entrance of the shorter lap. By lap 4 or 5, there were some very funny collisions and slides on the slippery mud.

Those of us just spectating decided this was certainly a sport we wanted to get involved in so I envisage a trusty steed suitable for this in my immediate future.

 

[Paulus]

Is this the Rapha Cross series? I am going to Alexandra Palace next Sunday, the 27th to Watch the last event. It sounds great fun.

 

[PaulB]

Is this the Rapha Cross series? I am going to Alexandra Palace next Sunday, the 27th to Watch the last event. It sounds great fun.

Yes it is. You will love it, it's great.

 

[ScotiaLass]

Only found out there was an event a couple of miles from me today!
I would have gone along with my camera....

 

[Gareth C]

I had a go at the fun ride yesterday, after enjoying spectating at Ally Pally last year.

It's rather hard work! No place to rest, track churned up from the days racing, but surprisingly some of the parts I thought I'd be pushing on were ridden!

Great day out, and impressive to watch the Hope Factory team in fine form.

Bike is now sparkly clean again after removing a garden-ful of soil, grass and who-knows-what from everywhere!

 

[ColinJ]

I went to watch the UK 'cross championships in Todmorden Park a few years back and thought it looked a hard, but fun sport. They still hold an event there every year.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Used to ride 'cross inthe 90's, with another bout of it from 2007 -2010
Still got the bike hanging up in the garage
Sadly it started to get expensive (£10/race!!), so now I fell-race to get muddy & sometimes only pay a couple of pounds!!!

Never raced at Tod, but watched it there once
Heck!, even National (fell) Championship rounds can sometimes be as little as £5 to enter!!!


Quite fancy this race over at Tod, but logistically it's an awkward place to get to, especially for that time, given the usual state of the M62 at 'drive-time'

http://www.todharriers.co.uk/stoodley_pike.htm

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

You guys who get out and dirty might be able to tell me how many riders are using disks. The elite riders seem to still be happy with cantilevers, a few with callipers. The market, however, seems to have decided otherwise for new entrants. What's the ratio?

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

It might be okay for the top/sponsored riders, who may have 2, 3 or even 4 bikes in the pits, so can have a clean(unclogged) bike each lap, but for 'Joe Average' discs make it easier to ride for longer because
1. No clogging up, as there's more clearance
2. Buckled wheels, on rocky courses, don't matter as much (even Rob Jebb uses discs for the 3 Peaks CX)
3. Brakes last longer!!!!, especially oncourses that may have a sandy section (like Seacroft Wheelers race at Kippax High School, where they send you through the long-jump pit)