What is Cyclo Cross?
Cyclo cross is some times described as a cross between mountain bike racing and road racing. The bikes used are a very similar to road bikes with drop bars and a similar seating postion with the exception of the use of cantilever or disk breaks brakes which have better mud clearance. The major difference to a road bike are the tires which are a tinner versions of a mountain bike tire being used for better grip on the off road surface.
A typical race will last anything from thirty minutes to an hour and will be a combination of racing over pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and obstacles requiring the rider to quickly dismount, carry the bike whilst navigating the obstruction and remount. The racing takes place once the mountain bike and road seasons ends at the start of October and runs until the middle to end of January.
The Irish season generally consists of 10-15 races which are generally split into two league with the Ulster league taking place in Northern Ireland and The Super Cross Cup taking place in the Irish Republic mainly based around Dublin the surrounding counties but competitors from the north and south compete in both leagues.
Do I have to have a specific Cyclo Cross bike?
The rules for what exactly a cyclo cross bike must be are determined by the UCI, the international governing body for cycling but many events will run a secondary event for mountain bikes or bikes that don’t fit the criteria of a Cyclo cross bike. If you want to race in a race but don’t have a specific cyclo cross bike its best to contact the organizers to see if they have a category that will enable you to race.
Where can I buy a Cyclo Cross bike?
There are not many shops in Ireland that specifically stock Cyclo Cross bikes but many will be able to order them in specially on request. Below are a list of online stores that sell cyclocross bikes and will ship to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland:-
- Cycle Inn (IE)
- Evans Cycles (UK)
- Chain Reaction Cycles (NI)
- Wiggle (UK)
- ZepNat (UK)