Riding in your office and other tips for ‘cross season
The leaves are changing so that means it's time for CX
The leave are changing colours, kids back to school, which means one thing: It’s cyclocross time! If you haven’t jumped into a ‘cross race before, or feel a bit rusty, it’s a good idea to practise a little. Cyclocross is a great activity to keep fit outside when the weather gets lousy. It’s also a fantastic way to work on your technical skills, and even get a bit of running work in.
Since it’s a mix of riding, running, hopping and sliding, you’ll need to hone up on what you need to be a star ‘crosser. That means working on your dismounts, carving corners and working on your starts.
Here’s some handy videos to help you work on your skills and prep for the races.
1. Get better at your starts
Cyclocross starts can be pretty hairy, so you definitely want to work at getting off the line fast. Here, Aaron Schooler of Focus CX Team Canada shows you how it’s done.
2. Working on your sand cornering
Sure, not all races in Canada will be on the beach, but sand or thick mud can be tricky to find your line. Here, Schooler has some great tips on the tricky art of cornering on sand.
3. Mastering sand in general
Of course, some races will have sand or deep mud that make it a slog to get through. Here’s some tips on how to make it through and even pass others.
4. Ride in the office to…get better at…riding in the office
Okay, this is maybe not the best idea and to be fair, the big boss wasn’t there when this happened. But check out Canadian Cycling Magazine’s ‘Crosser-In-Chief put on a master class in indoor riding.
5. Learn how far you can go in the corners
The faster you go around the bends, the better, when it comes to ‘cross. You can gain or lose a few seconds per curve depending on how far you push the limits. But in order to do so, you need to determine what those limits are!
Pro Tips: Finding the limits of traction with Michael van den Ham