Cyclocross season is short. When the leaves start to change colors (here in Houston they go from green to insta-dead brown) many bicycle racers put on their 3/4 length knickers and race their knobby shodden road bikes through muddy, mucky slop and get insanely dirty, much to the amusement of spectators.
There’s beer too. Did I mention that?
West End Bicycle Gallery, close to the mountain biking trails at memorial park, has been taking a few of the dedicated dirt lovers on a periodic ride which embodies the spirit of cross. The “Crappy Road Ride” rolls onto some of the rockiest roads inside the city, with plenty of quick 90 degree turns and curb hopping, and even an included stair run-up. If you wanted to try your hand at cross, but aren’t quite ready to throw down and pin numbers on your jersey (or to your skin, cos ‘crossers are TOUGH. Rawr!) this ride should give you a taste of the flavor, hold the puking please (race cross just once and you’ll know what I mean. No pre-race burritos.)
If you’re going to come along, bring a mountain bike, or cyclocross bike preferably. I just finished riding the course on my GIANT XTC 29′er and had an absolute blast. I kept the FOX fork on full lock for that nice bumpy gravel massage.
Follow the ride on facebook.
-Photos by Blaine Grove
Today two members of HighFlange are preparing for the DirrrtySXSW ride. Essentially an unsupported ride, we will be taking off from the city of Houston on our bicycles and heading for Austin.
This is an unsupported Randonneur ride, and to be the testing grounds for future rides.
Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to see if we make it through it alive.
Updatesxpics will be posted throughout the day.
And then you do this:
I can’t say I don’t want one now. In fact it’s now on my to-do list right after full suspension 29er but before touring through Mexico on a tandem.
The cyclocross season in TX is coming to a sad close. No more 30 minute dry heaving running jumping sliding and getting lapped by the actually fast guys.
A broken chain during the warmup lap knocked me out of the cross race in the Woodlands last week, but the 26 inch rig is back with a new BMX style half link chain from Bicycle World and Fitness and I finally am going to be lacking an excuse for my poor performance this weekend!
The lone star cx festival is coming with collegiate races on Saturday, and the rest of us on Sunday. I’ll be racing with the rest of the cross noobs in Cat 4. They have taken mercy and made the Cat 4 race only 30 minutes instead of the usual punishing 60 minutes. Picture this: You were probably going to waste those 30 minutes of your life watching television, surfing the web, and scratching yourself anyway, so why not come out and race?
Time to stretch those muscles and get those few cool down rides in before the subjecting myself to the last muddy lycra of the season.
If you’re in Austin, catch us out there! I’ll be in the fluorescent pink blue and black Tarckbike.com jersey and shorts…
more to come post race…