Cyclocross Bike – All You Should Know About
Cycling disciple has a very wide scope, and you can not confine it to a single type of bike like a mountain bike or an electric bike because if you are a real enthusiast rider, you must know every term related to cycling. Most of you do not know the term cyclocross bike, a pure competitive cycling bike.
This bike is a perfect road or off-road ride. It is a beautiful mesh of traditional and modern bikes because it retains the shape of a conventional bike but has upgraded features that make it amazing. If you want to enjoy the ride with greater balance, then the stable geometry of this bike, along with the reliable braking system, helps you to get this.
Let’s move ahead to know more about what is a cyclocross bike!
What is the History of Cyclocross Bike?
Cyclocross Bike was first created in 1902 by a passionate French cyclist Daniel Gousseau. The main purpose of the popularity of this bike was its use both in summer and winter as it stays fit in both kinds of weather and is the most suitable for racing competitions. The cantilever brakes and 25 mm tire size of this bike make the performance exceptional, and that is why it is the reason for winning the cycling competitions by well-known cyclists like Octave Lapize.
What is a Cyclocross Bike Used for?
Cyclocross bikes are the real competitive bikes because they are specially designed to ride on the cycling discipline full of hurdles and a wide range of challenging terrains. These bikes are perfect for riding on the muddy, dirt, gravel, rocky, and natural trails. And many cycling competitions are held with this bike.
What are the Components of Cyclocross Bike?
Cyclocross bikes, also known as CX bikes, were first used for competitions, but with the emerging trends, the riders started searching for the exceptional features or components in the bike that give them enough speed on the loose surfaces sharp turns by crossing the obstacles. So here is a description of its main features.
Let’s move ahead without further ado!
- Tires and Wheels
A CX rider always wants to ride smoothly on the bumps and jumps, so the 32 spoke wheels that are the most common among all the CX bikes were introduced, and the performance will become 10 X efficient with the deep section carbon wheels, which are usually found in the high-end CX bikes as it crosses the terrain with less resistance with aerodynamic ability.
The tubular wheels are more common among the CX bikes, and the riders prefer them because they allow the rider to ride with lower tire pressure reducing the chances of puncture up to maximum. If you want to enjoy increased traction on the challenging racing course, 35 mm tires that sacrifice a small amount of speed would be the most suitable.
- Braking System
As their name indicates, Cyclocross bikes are used for cyclocross racing; that is why they have to face various types of terrains and have to cope with different obstacles. Earlier, the cyclist used the cantilever brakes but remembered these brakes are not very attractive in use as they are unreliable during bad weather conditions, but the major advantage of this type of brake is its responsive and fast braking system.
Now the riders mostly prefer the disc brakes system as it made the cantilever outdated because it copes with every type of weather and environmental conditions very efficiently. Fitting the brake level on the top of the handlebars would help the rider because the rider has to encounter different terrains at the technical cycling course.
- Fork and Frame
As the primary purpose of a cyclocross bike is to cross the muddy surfaces efficiently, the frame of a CX bike is designed a little higher than the normal bike to avoid clogging of the mud in the wheels that never affects the wheels the speed of the bike. And for the increased clearance of pedals, the bottom bracket shell of the bike is set higher, making the experience more amazing with a bottle holder.
Conventionally, the CX bikes were designed with steel because it was considered best for riding. But over time, manufacturers found a greater alternative for the frame, which was Aluminum which is a third of the weight of the steel, and this is why considered perfect for racing. The two other frame materials were introduced: titanium and carbon fiber frames, but they can not be available to all riders as they are primarily out of budget.
- Gears
The gear system decides the speed of the bike and ultimately the smoothness and the comfort a rider enjoys during the ride. If we talk about the classic setup of the CX bike, we know that it has a 42/36t double chainring with a 12-27t cassette. The riders always complain about the derailleur because it is always caught up in the mud, so as a solution, they prefer to use single chainrings that surpass all the muddy courses. It has overall less range of gears.
A Single Glance to Cyclocross Bikes
To know what is a cyclocross bike? In a minute, let’s have a glance at the basics of a CX bike!
- Cyclocross bikes are super responsive and perfect for all types of terrains.
- 33 mm maximum tire width makes it more stable during the ride of all trails.
- Requires less maintenance and clearance of the tires.
- High bottom bracket for the increased pedaling and clearance.
- Specially designed for enhanced speed and competitive racing.
Final ThoughtsÂ
Cyclocross bikes are the real meaning of competition as they are designed according to the needs of a cycling champion, and it is not perfect for the speed, but it keeps the cardiovascular activity of a rider advanced and has a greater resilience on the wide variety of terrains. Although these bikes are not much versatile but are suitable for all types of weather but remember if you are interested in buying one for yourself, then you must make your budget flexible first because cyclocross bikes are much more expensive to afford, especially if you are a beginner and want to purchase for the training purpose. The choice is yours!