Why Do we Love Cyclocross so Much?

Oh, Let Us Count the Ways we Heart Cyclocross

It's not fall yet, and far from winter, but we have a minor cool down to about 82 here over the next few days so naturally my thoughts have turned longingly to cyclocross. Make fun all you want, "It's the steeplechase of bike racing, ha ha" but I contend if one was to have just one bike for all riding, a 'cross bike...especially in the Boise area...is the one to have. You can do road rides on it, gravel grind, it makes any of the 8th street fed trails way more fun than on a mtn. bike, and as you can see here, you can even get super rad on some jumps if you have the skizzies like Yoann Barelli. 

#1: People dress like superheros, but unlike roadies and XC geeks, they do it in a playful, ironic way.  

                                                                                 

#2. We now have disc brakes. 

More versatility and more control; it just means you can get more rad.

#3. This kind of S**t

I've used this image before because it's just so good. That's a guy in a Darth Vader mask in Bend Oregon, launching with style, hot on the heels of another guy who has goth mascara running down his face. King Kong's got nothing on 'cross.

#4 Weather

Tailgating at football games is great for some, but it gets old. When it does, you'll find there's nothing better than 'cross on a cold weekend morning. The colder, the wetter, the icier, the better. What to do there? See #5 and #6.

#5 Heckling

You could make the case that Donger bells and yelling are encouraging, and some people actually use these tools in that way. I know, right? There's something wrong with those types.

'Cross is about being irreverent, competitor and spectator alike. You can only cheer on your spouse once per lap. You can mentally tear down their competitors literally the entire rest of the time.

#6 Alcohol

Before you get your panties all in bunch, take a step back and don't be so prude. Like it or not, cycling is riddled with drugs. It goes from Cytomax to recover, to Tylenol just to get out of bed in the morning, amphetamines to keep going, then HGH to keep from falling apart. EPO is just to be in contention....the next thing you know other people's blood is in your blood.

Not so much with 'cross. Sure, it hurts...so why not take a beer hand up? Or stronger, if you desire. If you're in the lead, you're a wussy if you don't. If you're trailing, there's nothing lost. "Win or lose, we're on the booze," as they say and alcohol is the drug of choice for CX. Given the alternatives, it's a healthy one.