Mud, cowbells, beer, more mud… It’s cyclocross season and it’s time for you to get amongst it. Here’s how....
Our man Jo Burt or as he's know in these parts, Vecchiojo, is a cyclocross old hand. He’s been at it years, man and boy. A dedicated mud-plugger.
Our man Mat, on the other hand: never been on a cyclocross bike in his life. Well, that’s not quite true. He did once. In 1997. On some bone-dry bridleways. But that doesn’t count. We thought it would be funny, sorry, instructive for Jo to show him how it’s done.
So we waited for a rainy day – these things are best done on rainy days – and sent the pair of them off to the top of the biggest hill in Bath to run through the basic skills. And, of course, we filmed it so that you can learn ’em too.
Getting off your bike is easy. Getting off quickly and smoothly and not falling on your face in the process – that’s a bit more tricky. Watch the vid and Jo will you how it’s done… the getting off quicly and smoothly that is.
Getting your bike up on your shoulder and running with it… well, they didn’t teach you that when you were doing your Cycling Proficiency Test, did they? Fear not. That's covered here too.
Jumping over obstacles while you’re carrying your bike? Getting back in the saddle without slipping in the mud or losing any speed? Hmm! Those are quite difficult techniques… But not if you follow Jo’s advice. That boy is so fluid it’s a delight to behold.
So sit back, put your feet up and enjoy the show.
Tony has been editing cycling magazines and websites since 1997 starting out as production editor and then deputy editor of Total Bike, acting editor of Total Mountain Bike and then seven years as editor of Cycling Plus. He launched his first cycling website - the Cycling Plus Forum at the turn of the century. In 2006 he left C+ to head up the launch team for Bike Radar which he edited until 2008, when he co-launched the multi-award winning road.cc - which he continues to edit today. His favourite ride is his ‘commute’ - which he does most days inc weekends and he’s been cycle-commuting since 1994. His favourite bikes are titanium and have disc brakes.