I could hear their small, plaintive alloy, carbon and tubular voices calling from the back of garage."Remember us? How about a ride again sometime, big boy?"
It was cyclocross bikes begging for attention, flapping their wide canti-lips. Big babies. Hey, shut up, you're disturbing the hipster bike, he was up all night drinking.
But the lonely look of the 'crosser stuck in the back of the rack did remind of how much I missed riding them. And after reading a article on the Cyclocross Magazine site, by Tim Johnson, suggesting that we keep riding our crossers year round on gravel roads, and even single track, to keep your skills in good working order, I'm ready to break them out again for some more serious riding. And because I'm already sick of the road ... and what, it's only May?
In truth I do ride my 'cross bikes a few times a week, and have even taken one out for some single-track thrashing, which was a total gas. You'd be surprised how much these things can handle - not to mention the look on the mountain biker's face when you go flying by them. What I'm really missing though, and I think it's about time to revisit, is some good old fashioned Crazy Bastard rides out of Townsend. Anybody else up for it? Let's hear it if you have a day you might think works - like Tuesday or Thursday? Whatever, somebody call it.
And nobody answers, don't worry. I still have my 'cross bikes to talk to.
I could be up for a thursday ride this week, O Surly-one. Next Tuesday might work, too.... if you're not too gassed from the long weekend of galavanting on the Hipster SS!
ReplyDeleteTuesday or Thursday will work. I'll contact several of the Jeffs, too. I was so enthralled with my own post here that I took a cross bikes to the game area. After a loop on the mountain bike, I took it out for the full loop of all four sections. Usually I just do the first section and come back on via the gravel road and 4 mile to the road. While you can make the all four on a crosser, I was a little beat up by the end (but I'm pretty old!). The heavily rooted climbs, that the mtb can make fairly easily, were the toughest - I'd spin out on the roots. Though I have to say that the sand, and swing sections were a gas, and descents weren't really that bad. The biggest problem with the cyclocross bike on the single track: High Speed vs. Crappy Cross Brakes. LOOK OUT TREE, HERE I COME!
ReplyDeleteI'm in for a cross ride, but probably not till late June....
ReplyDeleteGiddy Up! Single track is a blast on the CX'r as well. I loves me some CX'n
ReplyDeleteBK, let's do it! Earl or late June will be the month to get the band back together and save the farm. Whatever. I'm getting some good response to having a CX ride. Maybe we can work in a single-track foray, as well.
ReplyDelete