Bring it...

Ah, cyclocross. Everyone needs to at least try it. Even just practicing for 'cross races, is dirty, hard, and incredibly fun. Its a sport centered around drilling it at redline for short amounts of time on sketchy, if not impossible to ride, surfaces. I have not raced cyclocross as of yet, but I have been training with a specific interest in racing lately. I am not extremely or even slightly good. My dismounts are smooth and my run-ups fairly fast, but my remounts are akin to watching a toddler trying to mount a moving tricycle. They are slow, awkward, and a few times have ended in painstakingly slow crashes. But never before has such a frustrating experience inspired such a desire/love for a sport.

Cyclocross is said to be a subculture within the mother of all subcultures. Bicycle racers are already crazy, but cyclocross seems to bring out the real loonies, and I am more than happy to count myself among them. I mountain bike for the beauty and technicality of trails, but road bike for the speed, and cyclocross is the glorious marriage of the best of both worlds. Riding modified road bikes with knobby tires, 'cross riders can tackle any type of terrain at ridiculously high speeds. Anything they can't ride, they run up...thats right, none of that hike a bike stuff. They just bolt right over whatever is in their path and keep going. Its the simplest, purest form of biking that I can think of. You dont think or worry about what kind of route you are heading out the door to ride. You simply go where you want to: trail or road, it just doesnt matter.

Now in all actuality this is the way biking should be, but as a mountain biker-turned-road biker I fell into that group that felt skinny tires and drop handlebars were merely a "road" modification. We treat our road bikes as if their tires would explode if we happened to ride them on a gravel road or through a grassy field. The only time we bunny hop was...oh wait...never. I had heard that riding 'cross would improve both your fitness and handling (on and off road) skills in a short amount of time. Plus I was just burnt out on long road rides or tough trail rides. I needed something different to keep me interested in progressing.

Enter my commuter-turned-cyclocross bike! From the myriad of parts I had in my basement I set about putting together a bike that I could race 'cross on AND use as a commuter during the winter. I pulled together an old steel fork and frame, a slightly out of true wheelset, and a mixture of MTB and road bike parts to build the most glorious CX bike ever (in my eyes)! My CX bike is not light, nor does it come with the newest or best components, however it gets the job done and I love it. I have found that I adore swooping through some of Marietta's tightest singletrack hanging on for dear life to the drop bars. I have gotten the hang of bunny hopping this skinny-wheeled machine of mayhem (after only a few mishaps...) and happen to like dismounting and throwing the frame over my shoulder as I run up the steeper parts of trail. There also is nothing like the feeling of scooting into an off-camber, muddy corner at 25mph praying that my tiny tires with their miniscule knobs don't roll off the rim and throw me into the trees.

However, I am lucky my cyclocross bike is a beater. Everyone needs a "beater" bike. We all need a bike that we can take out in the rain, try new skills on, and ride around town without feeling the need to lock it to a lightpost and pull the seat off each time you go into a store. I have crashed on dirt, grass, gravel, and even pavement and none are truly "soft". Last week I wrecked on a trail and somehow whacked my helmet hard enough to pop the "Securelock" head harness loose from the helmet body. But I always get up smiling. I am just enjoying the experience of learning this new sport and the freedom/breath of fresh air it has given me in one of my favorite past times: cycling. Had I purchased a new CX bike, I doubt I would be having as much fun. I would be a bit more timid or less aggressive as I wouldnt want to damage the new bike. But with my built CX bike, I can ride it like a 'crosser is supposed to be ridden. If I break something, I probably have a spare that will fit it and if not, it isnt going to cost me a fortune to replace it (one of the perks of using outdated equipment).

The benefits of riding 'cross are also starting to show already. Today I left the CX bike at home in lieu of my road bike. I was a bit sore from my 'cross workout yesterday (I have a few bruises to show for it) and thought that I should take the roadie out for a spin since I had been off of it for a couple weeks. As soon as I started out I knew I had improved. In just the short amount of time I had been riding 'cross, it made my road handling more confident and "tighter". I buzzed down the road not wavering an inch. I could ride the whiteline for miles, literally! In turns I was able to push through, holding a tight arc, rather than sweeping in or out slightly as I searched for a decent line. I was truly amazed at the improvement in handling, however I was even more amazed at the increase in power. When I hit the gas in the straights, I really took off! Its like I found another gear that my body never knew it had. On sections of road where I normally would barely break 21mph, I was able to AVERAGE 25mph...no drafting, just me turning the pedals. I found myself searching for more gears almost constantly as I hammered along, barely feeling the effort. My legs are definitely stronger, but my aerobic capacity is well beyond what my muscles could possibly propel me at. When I stopped, I was barely out of breath and recovered almost instantly. Whether it has been the time off of my "typical" training schedule or because I have been working at training for cyclocross (or both) I dont care. I just know that this diesel engine is adapting itself into a race car and challengers better watch out. It's time to bring it!