the ride leaders for april are proudly sponsored by WA Cyclocross (WACX). Cyclocross is a very specific type of bike racing. For the most part, the course is off-road but there are sometimes portions of pavement included in the course. You can expect to encounter grass, dirt, mud, gravel, sand, and a whole slew of other assortments and combinations. The races are based on a set time (measured by numbers of laps), not distance. Depending on your category, a race can be as quick as 30 minutes (for beginners), or as long as 60 minutes (for elite men).
Courses are twisty circuits and typically, but not always include barriers, as well as other ‘features’ that will necessitate hoping both off, and back onto, your bike. Those brave (and skilled) enough can bunnyhop their bikes over them. Often there are hills, sand pits and muddy sections that are too difficult or slow to ride, and thus a racer will shoulder their bike and run with it.
Cyclocross is traditionally an Autumn/Winter sport, with the first race at the start of April and the last held in August. This means that if you look outside and see rain, hail, or shine (we have had all of these on the same day), the show will still go on, and often, the more inhospitable the weather, the more fun the racing.
Technically, cyclocross is a form of bike racing, but we also think of it as a lifestyle that involves grabbing any bike, and navigating any type of terrain or obstacle, in the fastest and most efficient way possible. It’s also an adventuresome style of riding, with a versatile bike that allows you to explore any gravel or dirt road, park or trail that you stumble upon.
