Cyclocross

[billcoe]

Watched some dudes doing Cyclocross, wherein you try to fly across the grass and trails, jumping on and off your bike, running up hills carrying it then jumping on or off in a fluid moment, never slowing down.

 

It wasn't Mt Biking, but it was close, they looked like regular 10 speed racing bikes, but had to be beefier.

 

It was amazing. Looked like great training for climbing (esp Mt Climbing).

 

Anyone know of this sport and have recommendations for a good bike to get>?

[Camilo]

Super fun, I have a cyclocross bike. If you want to check out a race, you're free to borrow it. http://www.crosscrusade.com/ is the main cyclocross series in Portland, starts in a couple of weeks. Redline, Kona, and Surly make great bikes. Plus there are a bunch of other small makers.

[sketchfest]

By far the hardest 1/2 hour of racing known to man...get after it Bill!

[jon]

Cyclocross is a lot of fun and it's a much more laid back atmosphere then the road racing scene. There is a big race at the Marymoore Velodrome called StarCrossed, last year had an Olympic and several Pro riders, and more importantly a big beer garden in the infield where you get to see lots of crashes. You can use a Mt. Bike if you want to, don't need a cross bike.

[Greta]

I have a Kona- Jake the Snake. Its a great cyclocross bike for the price ~$1200. Plus, you can throw street tires on it in the offseason and you've got a good, durable commuter. Just get a good lock.

[ken4ord]

If you get into it Independent Fabrications make a beautiful cross bike. I have never raced on a cyclocross bike, but I have always wanted one for riding long distances on easy trails.

[Couloir]

I bought a Cannondale Cyclocross bike last March and am all over it! I have road tires on it now, but I'm about to put the knobbies back on and get out there. A cyclocross bike is great because its the best of both worlds. I have a really light bike, but it also has a very strong frame. I love it.

 

And as far as training...yes, it is very good training for climbing.

[Greta]

So what did the Cannondale set you back? The carbon fork is a nice upgrade that will most likely be my next. That and a lighter set of rims. Otherwise, I like my Kona- relatively light, but beefy enough to hop curbs and slip off the pavement for passing and whatnot without worrying about the components rattling off. The Cannondale looks good, but a little flashy and likely to rate high on the jack-meter . The Kona's are all pretty modest.

[rbw1966]

I got a Lemond cyclocross-the poprad--and I love it. Lighter than my bianchi road bike and much more durable.

[iain]

For a long time I have wanted a cyclocross bike for commuting. Unfortunately the low end seems to be about $1k these days. The Cannondales go for about $1200 retail. Disc brakes will set you back $1500. I've been eyeing the bianchis but they are pricey. The Cannondale looks like a moving commercial but it seems to be a good value (relatively). I find a carbon fork, seat post, and bars make an aluminum road ride much more pleasant if you are doing it every day. I put in 34 miles/day for my commute so I find it worth the expense. Basically I want a bombproof bike with a massive high gear and a mid-range gear for getting off the line at a traffic light. Right now I have put some slicks on my Klein Pulse Comp but I spin that thing out so fast. Frustrating!

[cj001f]

You can buy a nice Cyclocross frame on eBay for $3-$400. I bought a Vicious Slide earlier this year for that. Handmade steel, better ride than Cannondale, etc., and built up with 105/Ultegra it cost less than the Cannondale/Kona/etc. and definitely better. I may do a couple cross races down south but they are dryer/less technical than the PNW races from what I gather.

[Camilo]

iain, get a Surly.

http://www.surlybikes.com/

4130 steel. Heavy, but tough as nails. My commuter/cross bike is a cross check.

[iain]

Cool, thanks for the input. Yeah I will sacrifice a bit of weight for reliability. It pretty much can't break down. Craig's list might treat me right too, esp in Portland.

[Couloir]

Yeah, Iain's right, the Cannondale set me back $1080 (I got it on sale). I had the same thoughts about the walking commercial thing. All the decals are so huge. I got around that a little bit by not washing it so often so it kind of dulls down the flash. But I have to say I really like it. It's a tight, quick frame that responds nicely in climbs. It's also really steady going fast down trails. On the road, it's also very steady at high speeds.

 

No doubt, cross bikes are a bit more expensive. I was looking at Redlines too. Just a so-so ride for me. The Bianchi's are definitely sweet, but as you put it Greta, a little higher on the Jack-Meter than the Cannondale.

 

I considered used, but I'd heard a few horror stories from friends that bought used and they ended up either buying someone elses problem, or paying almost as much as new. Like everything, you take your chances I guess.

 

Either way, a cross bike is a great choice for around here. Truly the best of both worlds.