Definition of a Cyclocross Bike
Cyclocross, according to the late bike-tech guru Sheldon Brown's website, is "a type of off-road race using bicycles that resemble road bikes." The terrain cyclocross racers must navigate rivals a mountain bike trail with rough and muddy conditions. Race-style road bikes do not perform well in such slop. If you were to use a mountain bike, well, it wouldn't be cyclocross. Thus the advent of another bicycle industry niche--the cyclocross bike.
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History
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As the Big Shark Bicycle Company in St. Louis explains, cyclocross was invented in Europe in the early 1900s. Road racers used the sport to stay in shape during the fall and winter off-season. Some road bike pros, as well as mountain bikers, still use cyclocross as a way to maintain fitness. Others focus solely on racing cyclocross. In the early days, Brown points out that cyclocross riders simply modified road bikes for the sport. As the bike industry grew more sophisticated, cyclocross-specific bikes became a force.
Function
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Cyclocross bikes must be able to handle tough terrain. Not only are conditions rough and muddy, but riders often traverse rocks, small bodies of water, swamps and other natural or man-made obstacles. Cyclocross courses, notes Brown, are designed to make riders get on and off their bicycles several times during a race. To allow for this, a cyclocross bike is light enough to carry over your shoulder.
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Features
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Several features separate cyclocross bikes from road bikes. While both use drop-style handlebars and other similar parts, cyclocross bikes, for instance, use a different type of brake than a road bike does. Cantilever brakes, which provide more room between the wheel and bicycle frame, allow mud to flow more freely between the tires and the frame. They also offer better clearance for the wide and knobby tires used for better traction on cyclocross bikes. Just as the brakes provide more space for mud, a cyclocross frame generally sits higher off the ground so a rider can clear obstacles better than he would on a road bike.
Other Applications
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Racers are not the only ones who use cyclocross bikes. Commuters often opt for cyclocross bikes for road riding. Cyclocross bikes tend to be able to take more of a beating than traditional road or commuter bikes. For example, you are less likely to damage a cyclocross bike than a road bike when you jump it from a curb. For similar reasons, individuals who ride their bikes long distances over days, weeks or months--known as bicycle touring--choose cyclocross bikes for the durability they provide. For instance, the wide and knobby tires handle all types of terrain and are less prone to punctures.
Considerations
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If you decide to use a cyclocross bike for a purpose other than cyclocross racing, you have versatility. You can change tires with relative ease. In some cases, you might want to use wide tires for greater comfort and durability. If at other times you prefer the speed that narrower tires provide, you can make the switch. Cyclocross bikes typically have the needed holes to accept fenders, racks and other accessories often used by casual cyclists and commuters.
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References
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- Photo Credit to walk in the mud image by Maxim Petrichuk from Fotolia.com
