Crossus Maximus!

Before you read this blog, grab a beer and watch these two videos.

I think Joey is going to be OK!

Sunday night I hopped on my bike for a quick spin and was hit with a sudden realization. Instead of the carefree cycle through town with nothing more than flip flops and a T-shirt that we have come to embrace these last 2 months, I scrambled back to the gear closet to pull out with dismay a pair of gloves and a hat. Well, we all knew the time would come sooner than later to say goodbye Summer and sleeveless shirts and hello to Fall and full finger gloves. Although my initial reaction was 100% bah-hum-bug, a small flicker of enthusiasm grew into full excitement when I remembered my Cyclocross bike waiting patiently in the garage. Like an old dog who knows his master has returned home when he hears the car pull in the driveway, my Cyclocross bike must surely recognize the good times to come by hearing the rustle of the crisp leaves.

Most people have heard some mention of Cyclocross bikes, aka Cross Bikes, but are still confused about their genetic makeup. A Cross bike is very literally the result of cross breeding a road bike with a mountain bike and giving birth to a bike that looks and smells like a road bike, but retains a few of its essential mountain roots. First off, Cross bikes like to roll fatties on the trail and have frames and forks that can accommodate a much larger tire than a standard road bike. Next, stronger brakes than a road bike save the day when the going gets burly. Finally, the frame geometry (all the angles and dimensions that make up a bike) are slightly more aggressive than a mountain bike but slightly more relaxed than a road bike. Make sense? Doesn’t matter - all you need to know is Cross bikes are great for Teton Valley and perfect for the Fall!

Scott CX Team

Since Jackson Hole and Teton Valley is a spiderweb of dirt and gravel roads, the versatility of a Cross bike is a no brain-er. Enjoy the speed of a road bike but when the pavement ends, keep going. But there are a few reasons that make Cross riding ideal for the crisp Fall days. To begin with, the temperature really caters to this kind of riding. Unlike Fall mountain biking, which has you changing clothes more than the torture of back to school shopping, Cross riding gives you that perfect steady pace to cruise along in just the right layers (like the pair of Osh-Koshes you tried to wear everyday in the fourth grade). Maybe you’re a road bike rider who doesn’t really need a Cross bike. Of course you do! Mix it up and live a little on a Cross bike and just think about all the new dirty mountain bike friends you’ll meet.

Of course layering dilemmas are the least of your worries when you have shrinking daylight hours to stress you out. Enter Cross riding. Don’t worry about getting off work in time to race to the trail head and still get your adventure fix. Pull out of the driveway on a Cross bike and turn down that dirt road you’ve driven past a million times wondering where it went. You’ll discover neighborhoods, streams, beautiful farm land, and views you never knew about. The Cross bike is your ticket to exploring Jackson Hole and Teton Valley like never before and I guarantee you’ll learn something new about your own backyard.

Now keep in mind these bikes have their own heritage to pay attention to. Cross bikes were originally born out of the precursor to ancient Chariot racing - Cyclocross racing. Usually held in a centralized venue like Crossus Maxmius in Rome, Cross racers would ride their heavy wooden bikes in a large oval while a bacchanalia of fans cheered wildly on the side lines and threw burning spears at the riders. Modern Cyclocross races maintain this family friendly atmosphere by bringing the events to City parks and forgoing the burning spears for other obstacles such as steep hills and wooden barriers that force riders to dismount and run with their light weight carbon and aluminum rocket ships. Over the last five years there has been an explosion of Cross racing popularity across the Country. The typical short duration of a Cross race (45 minutes average) appeals to both racers and non-racers alike. Obsessed bike racers find it to be a great way to wind up their long arduous season with a low commitment event in their back yard while non bike racers love the quick and action packed taste of high speed bike racing that doesn’t completely crush them. Everyone loves how spectator friendly and kid friendly it is - no need to get a baby sitter, Mom races while Dad watches the kid and vise versa because there are multiple “heats” to fit your gender and ability level.

Even though this local form of casual racing should really be the straw that broke the camels back for deciding to get a Cross bike, you don’t need a specific bike to race Cross. Any form of Mountain bike and many Road bikes can Cross race well enough to get the taste of it. The first of three local Cross races in Pioneer Park, Victor is this Saturday so come out to see what it’s all about.

Kross Kickoff Saturday September 24th
MooseCross / OktoberFest - Saturday & Sunday October 8th & 9th
Spooky Cross - Saturday October 22nd

Cross bikes are the second all terrain cross-breed that has taken the West by storm (the first of course being the Liger). Time to see Fall riding in a whole new way by opening up endless possibilities you never knew existed!

Liger