10 Essential Cyclocross Skills

[@leefds7042]

more cx videos pls

[@umbertomasoero367]

seconded

[@toddert7697]

When are we getting GCXN? (Global Cyclocross Network)

[@umbertomasoero367]

this!

[@mrmetd7585]

Good idea men

[@ewanlivlingstone1759]

Fair play to Tom, that is the best bit of presenting he has done yet and is looking comfortable infront of the camera. some great tips too.

[@mediumrick7667]

"Look where you want to go" And equally important, DON"T look where you don't want to go.

[@christophh.1246]

Very helpful video for an novice like me. Thanks a lot and well done Lasty!

[@panzerveps]

Tom nailed this video. We need more from him.

[@mikeg2939]

Good stuff Tom. True about boring mountain bike trails, been riding my cross bike on one the past couple of years. You get some funny looks because most people think it's a road bike, but it's great fun and it's interesting how it makes you look at the trail in a different way.

[@Malandirix]

Great video Tom! (and all else involved)

[@joshuaburgoyne34]

tom is never happier when he is talking about cyclo-cross

[@shaneruddock5852]

I used to fall off my first road bike sometimes in the corners sometimes in the wet or showing off etc. The tires i barely upgraded. But now i own countless road and touring tires. In my days of fast racier riding i bought a cyclocross for the thrill of the danger of it. Its ridiculously tough. So if i could handle a cyclocross i could ride almost any road bike. Sure enough it worked. I learned PSI, centre of gravity and balance, picking my line and I just never crash anymore. But i almost never ride pure road race or carbon bikes either anymore. My cyclocross is stainless steel reynolds 931 and a genesis Croix De fer. I went on to do lands end to john o groats where i became addicted to daily centurions and double centuries and made it almost law where possible to do at least a hundred a day. I am so addicted to cycling i just hate day rides. Im now used to riding 24 hour rides, I'm close to a double century I've also cycled round Britain and a north coast 500 and more. All thanks to owning a cyclocross and growing a love for steel.

[@SlowBoyAthlete]

Well done Tom Last on getting your dialogue straight in one take before the daylight vanished! ... bloody outdoor filming hazards!

[@koko-lores]

Can we get a GCN vs GMBN / cyclocross vs crosscountry comparison? Maybe Tom vs Scott, in this kind of terrain (upper end for CX, lower end for XC). And then, for our fun, with bikes swapped ;)

[@FirstOverEverything]

Great advice. I went to watch a big race in Japan last week and I'll be racing my first cross race in a couple of weeks. Thanks GCN.

[@gcn]

Good luck!

[@pahouseholder]

Last, excellent as always. Now, to go buy that CX bike so I can have this sort off fun too...

[@PimplePB]

"Essential Cyclocross Skills" - I was hoping actually for a tutorial from Matt. Something like "How to survive on the cyclocross". ;)

[@pahouseholder]

Or "10 Things not to do on your CX bike" by Matt Stephens. ;-) We tease him, but he's such a good-natured guy.

[@Ethan-yz2nq]

Love it keep it up bro

[@planespeaking]

Great vid

[@redjustin97]

Tom Last's presentation skill has really improved. More eyebrow motions. More hand gestures. Congrats!

[@cyclejockey4397]

Great tips guys !

[@Ncky]

At 00:38 someone shaked camera when recording him talking, 3rd 1/3 of video at right side, also bad weather, at cycling there is no wind and when he is talking there is wind...Bad :P :D

[@obalaresque]

Could you do a GCN presenter bike review of your Canyon Inflite?

[@gcn]

We'll see what we can do.

[@frodo5882]

It would be nice if you explain if the Canyon Inflite can compete with other CX bikes (from Ridley, Focus, Stevens, ...). On the website it says it is an allround bike but does that affect the CX ability negatively?

[@JasLeGoff]

Good video, cheers Tom. Nice bike too, when do we get a closer look?

[@BPlus-oz7cm]

Thanks for the CX vids chaps, they're timely... I just picked up a GT Grade Alloy X and am loving it! Now, do I still have to shave my legs?

[@sp7urby]

MORE CX Videos Please!

[@planespeaking]

CX tyres and pressures would be good too and same for gravel bike type use. Ta

[@dansawyer1199]

To practise bunny hopping, "find a small log... not too big... not going to knock you off your bike". Tom, have you not met Matt Stephens???

[@inigoh]

lovely bike lasty! Would love to know the technology behind the "hole" in that seatpost!

[@natgeoba7377]

Ini takes pix if you still want to know it’s a carbon post that’s separated in two so the post flexes a little bit to make it more comfortable

[@SwedishHouseFifa]

4:35 Are you sure a small log isn't enough to fall off your bike? :P

[@p44doyle44]

Hey tom. Did you design that paint job yourself on this bike too?

[@oscarlaight6493]

Pete Doyle did you know he designed the paint job on his project one madone?

[@p44doyle44]

Whaaaaat! They should hire him for trek's paint crew then.

[@oscarlaight6493]

Pete Doyle yeh, crazy right!?? Dan Lloyd also used to ride for the cervelo test team. It's amazing!!!! Learn something new everyday...

I have found that bunny hopping is quite easy because of the light weight when compared to trail bike.

[@carljansevanrensburg2440]

I'm buying a new bike next week. Commute to work quite often and love going out into the mountains. The road surface here in Taiwan, especially in the mountains, are often not very good. I am thinking of getting the Giant Anyroad Comax. I would really appreciate your professional opinion. Is it a good choice?

[@razcohen5590]

I think a little MTBing can also sharpen technical skills needed for CX. I think that for good strong technical MTBers a lot of these tips are like second nature

[@caseyporter8613]

Why do you guys ride aluminum cross bikes instead on carbon ones? ex. the Trek Crocket instead of the Trek Boone #torqueback #askgcnything

[@FirstOverEverything]

Who knew Lasty loved a quick dab? Explains a lot...

[@davidrozgonyi3968]

I was expecting the clip of Matt falling over the log to be inserted during the bunny hop section of this video.

[@yoshyoka]

Coming from enduro I have no issue bunny hopping obstacles up to about 45cm with the dropper post down. BUT, when I try it on a cyclocross bike the saddle get's in the way and I feel handicapped just to get up a curb, let alone go over barriers! How do you change your technique to allow for decent bunny hops without busting your nuts on the seat?

[@gcn]

We've got a couple of videos that could help. Try this one first - Tom Meeusen (Belgian 'cross pro) can bunnyhop 75cm on his cx bike: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYS0hI2Xppt8jbM

[@yoshyoka]

Global Cycling Network Thanks!

[@carmenplacido9479]

What kind of seat post is that??

[@markonikolic1386]

I am sure that cx bike would be perfect for the roads in my country. But i don't know why would you buy one(if you are not racing cx ) if you have good roads. MTB is much better for going off road as you don't need to worry about trail geting to hard for your bike to handle.

[@umbertomasoero367]

Well many buy handrails or even full suspension MTBs with fat wheels and then they only ride fire roads, river banks, or even country roads, and don't even tackle steep off-road trails. How boring is that? I know because I see many around the trails where I live, and I don't quite get it. I find that for the type of terrain in my area (mostly flat, easy trails, muddy riverbanks and white roads) a CX ride is the best kind of ride. It's an on/off road compromise that spices things up and allows you to have reasonably fun offroad without throwing your bike on a van and heading for the mountains, and yet the ride on the road doesn't feel sluggish or dumbed down.

[@markonikolic1386]

Umberto Masoero Well i ride xc bike. I ride it on road to get to the off road section that almost always has a climb and the downhill. Any downhill is fun with enought speed and in terms of climbing a lot of the climbs in my area are steep. Maybe i don't understand the purpose of the cx bike because i don't have many flat off road sections to ride and because i have to explore new trails. The most of new easy looking trails get hard at some point so it is a big risk to go and find them on cx bike. Some of the time i can't get up and down them on my xc bike.

[@umbertomasoero367]

+Marko Nikolic Yeah I get that, infact I sometime up stuck myself many times, having to shoulder the bike for a bit longer than I planned to. I do however take it a challenge to my fitness in a way (plus it's a useful skill to practice for CX events) but nonetheless it's pretty apparent that the gears that most CX bikes come with are not really optimal for venturing into the unknown. However I think that a light CX bike with MTB gearing can be plenty fun almost everywhere. A 10-42 cassette in the rear would be a great place to start. I have a 12-32 and I still get stuck when least expected at times...

[@umbertomasoero367]

+Marko Nikolic sorry for the typos I can't see half what I type on this phone's screen

[@markonikolic1386]

Umberto Masoero I guess that the way of thinking is different depending on where you live. Thanks for taking time to reply to my coments.

[@MK-ng6vb]

Hello Tom. Thank you for your cx video. I have two very nooooby question. I noticed you use pedals with platforms. What is advantage of platforms for cx / other disciplines? Another question - why do you prefer Cr pedals over Sh? Thank you in advance.

[@gcn]

Hey Mikhail, I've been using crankbrothers for a while now and I really like them. The platforms have a benefit if you can't get your foot in first time, I'd say. Cheers, Tom

[@MK-ng6vb]

Thank a lot Tom. Still wait for GCN video comparing speed of CX and road bike in the same condition (road, rider, tyres, watts and etc., you know how you do it :) ). What is the diffrence 1 km/h, 0.5 km/h. Just idea for new video. Cheers.

[@mrnait5169]

your sound is a bit low compared to other channels. Some times i hard to hear on my smartphone

[@etobiCRACKscorpions]

#askGCnything I only have a road bike and sometimes my friends go cycling with their mountain bikes around the neighbourhood on the city streets. Can I go out with them if I am not wearing my cycling kit? and what about my butt?

[@Toastybear1]

yes! wear chamois shorts under your shorts, and drop your saddle slightly- watch road bike party!! :)

[@CharlieBennici]

I go a lot without shorts. But usually restricted to one hour or less.

[@strokenumber3]

No shorts, eh? Well shaved then.....

[@monpacada119]

etobiCRACKscorpions use a mountain bike saddle then.

[@velo1337]

what cyclocross bike should i buy below 2000 euro, should have 11 speed, and fender mounts, so i can use it for commuting too

[@umbertomasoero367]

Canyon Inflite AL as seen here should be a pretty good option. It's priced below 2000 and has great componentry. Other than that you could consider a Specialized Crux E5 which is also a decent bargain imho, or a Ridley X-Trail.

[@velo1337]

do the have fender mounts?

[@umbertomasoero367]

+velo1337 The ones I mentioned all have hidden fender mounts on the forks. Not sure wether you can fit other than the proprietary ones though. I use a Specialized Diverge as a do all-cross bike which has those but I haven't ventured into that because with 33c tyres I'm left with just enough clearance to shed some mud. However I could still comfortably fit a fender on the front and an ass saver under the seat, but I don't really care for that right now

[@paddyorooney87]

No cut to Matt being felled by that log when talking about bunny hopping? Disappointing, it never gets old.

[@deepfocus_01]

Well, certainly Tom has mastered the epic ride skills too... if only he dropped the excess gears.

[@huh714]

my shoulder hurts when shouldering, anyone got any tips

[@mrwhale897]

when i put my bike on my shoulder it always hurts quite a lot any tips on that?

[@perrymeister898]

mr whale check the cyclocross with sven nys, dating back about 2mnths

[@NHGJLK]

If you shoulder your bike on your right shoulder, use your right hand and grab the down tube with it, it sure helps.

[@gcn]

@mr whale. It's always been something that my shoulder has kind of got used to after a couple of training sessions. The Sven Nys video that the others have suggested is right here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXvCqnubg9-pqM0

[@dariomanfron7585]

Looking ahead also helps you to avoid obstacles in front of you... Isn't it Matt?

[@rollo6292]

What bike is that?

[@razcohen5590]

Zodiac Canyon Inflite

[@jesuisFORTIO]

road riders dont slide? now i know why i got called crazy a few times

[@helmutbreuer2228]

you should have done this video earlyer, so neil donoghue could watch it before his first race,hehe.

[@yesdesu3045]

funny thing happened yesterday an xc rider hit me on my hardtail .his bike broke and my bike got scratched and the back rim bent.and he was claiming it was my fault even tho it's s red light.

[@lekhapratap1652]

2:55 Oxymoron

[@ZeroSeriesMMX]

When you don't realize that cyclocross skills are learnt not only by sporting riders, but by rescue workers too, at times.

[@GordonMoat]

I would enjoy trying cyclocross, but I would need some body armor.

[@satiic]

is the sound only for me so muffled?

[@oscarlaight6493]

Satiic yes, I think so. Stop covering your ears.

[@scottmcdougall3667]

did lasty design that bike himself

[@ackedahlblom7550]

1

[@bradybsb02]

You DO NOT use the pedals when bunny hopping,only the bars!!!

[@P01N7]

Of course you can/do use the pedals whilst bunny hopping. You can gain a valuable and extra amount of height by hooking your feet over and pulling your pedals back and up.

[@bradybsb02]

I'm Point You only use the pedals to land,unless you have straps or clips.

[@P01N7]

Beeman02 - So let me get this straight, you think if you're not strapped/clipped in you can't use the pedals in helping with bunny hopping? In which case you should re-read my previous comment. In a bunny hop pedals work intrinsically with the movement of the handlebars. As the bars are pulled up you point your toes down, as you push the bars forward you 'scoop' the pedals backwards and up.

[@bradybsb02]

I'm Point 1: I never said the pedals weren't used for that. 2: I'm deleting my comment because I don't want any idiots arguing with me. 3: I want to end our "dispute," yes pedals are used used for your stated points...I meant that you don't use the pedals themselves to pull the rear up.

[@bennettgrothusen6306]

First

[@twatts4436]

Why does Lasty always seem to do videos on his own? You'd have though Simon be the one to smell after his pink t-shirt incident...

[@willhoskins1311]

Does anyone else not get cx?

[@lazarnedeljkovic5615]

Will ' Me, it looks like road bike off-roading wich seems pointless, but what do I know

[@peter_smyth]

That seatpost looks so fragile.

[@strokenumber3]

Never understood cyclocross, why not just ride a mountain bike?

[@umbertomasoero367]

Because they're slow and boring compared to a CX bike, if all you have at hand are fire roads, easy trails and muddy/sandy riverbanks. This plus the fact that with a different set of wheels they're basically road bikes, so you get 1.5 bikes out of one so to speak. Also the ability to run fattier tires is a blessing for your arse and wrists if you roads aren't that smooth...

[@lazarnedeljkovic5615]

Am I dumb or is cyclocross just road bike off-roading?

[@yesdesu3045]

Lazar Nedeljkovic it is

[@kyleegeep]

Lazar Nedeljkovic the bikes arent entirly the same as road bike but they are very similar