Fall is here, and that means the cycling world starts to talk about cyclocross. You know, that race through the dirt and mud where riders have to dismount and carry their bikes over obstacles? It would seem that during October, cyclocross racing is the only kind of riding you should do — everybody is doing it!
Well, everybody isn’t. I’m not, I can tell you that. I’m not knocking cyclocross. I’m sure it’s a lot of fun, if you like to race.
There are a number of cycling events that get a lot of play that I don’t take part in. Time trials, for instance. Oh, I’ve actually done a few of them, but when the company that put them on decided it wouldn’t anymore, I stopped. And when another company stepped in after a year and decided to revive our local time trial, I decided to opt out. I just don’t care anymore (And I know just how fast I can’t go, anyway).
Around here, everyone is talking about the Livestrong ride, which comes up this weekend. But I find myself doing only a few organized rides per year now, and the Livestrong isn’t going to be one of them.
Maybe I’m just an old stick-in-the-mud, but I still enjoy just good old road cycling. That’s what I’ll continue to do. I don’t particularly care how fast I go, and I’m not really yearning to slop through the mud and gasp for breath.
Have you taken a shot at a cyclocross race, or are you of the non-competitive bent as well?
Yeahhh we’re the opposites, there. I road race through the year, am building a ‘cross bike to start that soon and I do the Livestrong Philly ride every year ๐
Ah, to be young and foolish once again.
I ride for the sake of riding, If an event pops up that is for a cause I believe in I’ll do it, but wont go out of my way to find an organized event. As long as you are out there doing it, it really doesn’t matter how its done.
I’m with you, cyclo-cross fever is BIG in Colorado Springs, heck we had races in early September already. Not for me, LOL, I actually do my best to avoid the “dirt part” of the biggest MUP we have here, the Pikes Peak Greenway. I do have cyclo-cross treaded tires on my utilty bike as some times on a social club ride, the leaders just “have” to ride the dirt part of the Greenway, arrugh. My road hybrid NEVER see’s dirt unless they’ve jacked up the road way, (we have 3 seasons, Fall, Winter, Construction, LOL).
LOL, I’m a Colorado Native but DO NOT own a Mountain Bike, I’ve been called a “traitor”, Commie, etc. I just don’t care for dirt, arrugh!
I’m with you, Ray. I just finished the MS150 Jack-and-Back last weekend, so I’m winding down for the year…just getting in some rides for the sake of being on the bike.