Anyone Race Cyclocross ???

Yeah - I have done 3 this past week! - it is the hardest training you will ever do combined with the most fun you can have on a bike. Bikereg.com will get you going. Good sites are cxmagazine.com, cyclocrossworld.com and crossresults.com. I race an old rigid mtb so if you have one of them no need to get a CX bike. Winding Trails has 2 of their Wed night CX training races left - go to easternbloc.net to get the flyer. Looks like you might be closer to NY/NJ races. 

The Cheshire race looks like it is doable, i should be able to get a bike together for that. Are either of you racing that weekend up there?? What kind of training should i be looking to do?? Is it fun and friendly like a Tri??

thanx

Rudy

Unless you've done some mtb'ing, CX might feel like a baptism of fire. It's a short event and consequently most people go hard, which is good for the fitness but a little offputting for the first timer. Plus there's a lot of fast Cat 4 roadies who've been doing crits all year, so prepare to be humbled. There's a good chance you might be lapped because it's a short lap, as I was at my first race this year, but I think once you give it a whirl you'll like it.

For training, I go out on the road and find some windy roads in a lcoal quiet neighbourhood or a short loop (2 miles max) with some short sharp hills - :15-:20 efforts. Warm up a bit and then ride some laps concentrating on getting in some hard cornering and work the short uphills hard. You don't have to do it for long. just enough to give your body a wake up call for when you do it in the race. Also, due to the nature of 'cross you will have to get off your bike once or twice per lap, either to run over 12-18" high barriers, thru a sandy area or up steps or a slope.

I can't make this weekend but have a good time. Be sure to ride a couple of laps to get the feel for the lap. You shouldn't ride laps when there's a race on but once a race finishes there's usually 5-10 minutes to hop on the course and ride it - you'll see others doing the same. Be sure to warm-up before your actual event and include a coupleof hard efforts.

Bikes are like road bikes with shorter top tube with MTB brakes and road wheels with different tires. A bit different gearing on some bikes. Mine has 105 parts with ultegra derailuer.

I bought a cross bike this year and race cross and then will use it as my winter, bad weather bike after adding some fenders.

 Really tough to do on road bike unless you get a dry day and change your tires. If you have a MTB that would be the best option of bikes to use guessing you don't have cross bike.

It is really fun and and exciting but hard. I find the challenge and danger involved makes it all quite challenging. It is mentally really refreshing and super hard workout. Don't be surprised to fall a time or two or three as you are riding mostly off road unless you are a good MTB rider. I love it.

If you use your mtb you'll need to take your bar ends off. Be sure to plug your bar ends before racing. That's a requirement to use an mtb.

Strip your bike down as much as possible - no seat pack, no cages, no pump - as little extra weight as possible. If you can get some 1.25 or 1.5" tires with small nubbies (something like http://www.bicycletires.com/zzri/Ritchey_Products/bicycle_tires.htm# although these knobbies are a bit large) then that would help espesh if they are lighter than your current tires.

Then, enjoy.

Cannondale CX geometry sizes you one frame size down, so the 52 would be good for someone who rides a 54 on the road. Don;t ask me why.

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/09/cusa/model-9XR2C.html

The "smaller" sizing needed for CX is due to the fact that the bottom bracket is higher to give you more clearance. So to get you the same stand over height etc, the seat tube is shorter relative to a frame with a lower BB. The frame is less tall rather than being smaller if that makes it more understandable. Fork trail might be a little longer to help the bike track. My new CX bike is built and it is dreamy.

I normally ride 51 or 52 but my cross bike custom is equal to 48.

Cross rocks!

Off to NJ for the USGP of Cross Sat and Sun and then Cheshire on the 22nd. Then maybe 1 or 2 more races with hopefully one getting me into December. 5 races now and moving up in the field, which actually just makes it harder as the racing element really comes in. I'm not sure which is harder: the concentration or the exercise!

It struck me that CX is the one form of cycling that no matter what your level you will always feel like you are racing due to other riders always being around you. Plus with the short laps you don't have to wait until next year's race to see if you can do one part of the course better, wait 8 minutes or so and you get to ride it again and get better each lap.