[Closed] Cyclocross yeay or ney ?

Yes!

Depends on what you find fun. I think it is my favourite cycling discipline but it isn't mountain biking. It combines the fitness requirement of road racing with the skills of mountain biking. Crammed into a short circuit so lots of close racing acion. Might not be so much fun if you are used to enduro and expect technical downhills on a full suss and don't want to ride at your limit for 60 minutes.

Your best bet is to give it a go if you are curious. Most events will have a catagory that will accept people on mountain bikes.

It's... [i]different[/i], not like MTBing or much like Road riding IMO.

Think of it as offroad cycling stripped back to the bare essentials, I found riding a CX bike initially reminded me of my early MTBing in the late 80's/early 90's, on bikes with skinnier, harder tyres without suspension etc...

It means that something which maybe wouldn't seem particularly interesting on a modern Dandy-horse becomes more challenging. I know for some people it would be a frustrating and unpleasant experience while for others it's tremendously fun... only you can decide really.

I'll let you know in a few months time 🙂

(TBH I'm more a roadie than a mountain biker these days, though I do still enjoy sliding about in the mud.)

Quite different and a lot more intense effort than MTB IME - it'll also test your bike handling skills more as there's a lot less margin for error. I've found MTB XC racing a bit boring as you're often just in a big, long line following the rider in front waiting for the next section of trail that's wide enough to pass. In CX you have to think a lot more about 'racing' where to go full-on, where to recover etc.

Yes, specially in winter time when its slippery and muddy, its actually quite a nice racing atmosphere too and great fun, cx bikes can take quite it bit of punishment too!

Get a cx bike, they are great for getting the mid week miles in too and hitting local tracks/woods/lanes...n maybe the odd cheeky unused public footpath (*ehem* I didn't say that).

Bike - Yes.
Competitive event - No.

🙂
ymmv

They exist only to make you realise there is worse than a rigid MTB.

They exist only to make you realise [s]there is worse than a rigid MTB.[/s] that you aren't really that fit are you? 😆

FTFY

They exist only to make you realise there is worse than a rigid MTB.

😆

Got mine to go racing but it is good fun to train on as well. Made some of the tame local trails a more engaging experience. And it's much better to ride on road to link trails together than an XC bike.

It might be depending on the course. Some are more mountainbikey than others.

Give it a stab. But you will also discover that you are really not fit.

I reckon you could do it with your eyes closed:

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Thanks for your feedback.

Is it worth it to buy a cx bike if im not going to race and just play around on my local fields and road ?

^^trying to convince my parents^^

Depends if you like racing round a leisure centre field in the rain.

jonas - Member
Thanks for your feedback.

Is it worth it to buy a cx bike if im not going to race and just play around on my local fields and road ?

I'd say yes.

You know those mtb rides with loads of road miles? Or those road rides where you see loads of tempting trails, tracks and crappy lanes just begging you to see where they go?

Ok, so now we're not strictly talking about cx bikes, as that's a specific race format, with peculiar specific geometry adaptations, so you'll have start using embarrassing words/phrases like 'adventure bike' or 'gravel', but it's worth it, they're great fun, and probably enough mountainbike for many "mountainbikers".

Running round a muddy field carrying your bike doesnt look much like fun to me.

It wasn't for me, but I'll start of as saying I was pretty gash at it anyway(best result was on a single speed mtb). I tried it over a few years but came to the conclusion I'd rather be out on my mountain bike. I'd taken time of work to try to race all the Scottish series and think I got three or four in and realised I was commiting a full day to riding(carrying) 60mins in a muddy field. Saying that I did really like the three peaks and do like the bike but the racing is a positive no for me.

Best discipline of bike racing, IMO.

It's fast, aggressive, and you're always in a battle with someone, no matter where you are in the field. I rarely buzz after any other race like I do after a cross race. my first race of the season this sunday, I'm so excited!

Got mine to go racing but it is good fun to train on as well. Made some of the tame local trails a more engaging experience. And it's much better to ride on road to link trails together than an XC bike.

I found it a crap road bike & a crap off road bike, but hey, we're all different.

That said, i'm going to give it a go over winter, locally, but on an MTB, as I struggle for motivation to train for the racing I actually want to do properly. The way my brain works is i'm committing to it, so i'll do it, and it will be a nasty interval session, so it will do me good.

Totally yeay.

CX racing is the best - way more numbers than XC so none of the 'might as well be a TT' feeling you sometimes get there, way more fun than the road with none of the en masse crash-anxiety at every pothole/corner/drain cover, naked aggression all taken in good grace, laughs, full gas all the way, ridiculousness and all over in an hour.

You [i]could[/i] get a CX bike and just ride it about, but the racing's the best bit about it all IMO.

I'm not surprised at the upsurge in interest for CX racing - it's everything MTB XC aimed to do and failed....it's accessible, fun and a really good event to watch. I stopped road racing because of the testosterone-fuelled 'antics' of wannabees, the state of the roads and continually trashing wheels.