Cross bikes combine two bicycle types. Cyclocross or "cross" bicycles are lightweight and designed for cyclocross racing. Original cyclocross bicycles, the other type, were designed with road-racing frames and are obsolete. Some hybrid bikes that are a combination of road and mountain bikes are referred to as cross bikes. Modern cross bikes and the associated racing sport have evolved significantly through the history of cross bikes.
Cross Bicycle
Cyclocross or cross bikes are made for racing with drop handlebars and handlebar-end shifters as well as plump traction tires. They are light for lifting because riders must carry them while running during cyclocross events. Cantilever brakes are included on cross bikes to help with negotiation of muddy terrain. Modern cyclocross participants ride purpose-built cross frames or mountain bikes, according to Harris Cyclery. Although cross bikes resemble them, they are not road bikes. And hybrid bikes referred to as cross bikes aren't the same as cross bikes used in cyclocross racing because they're a hybrid between road bikes and mountain bikes.
Cyclocross Racing
Cyclocross began as winter training exercise, and road racers used modified old road bicycles for the training. Eventually, these bikes were replaced with "purpose built cross bikes" as the winter training developed into a sport. Cyclocross racing competitors ride on challenging courses with muddy and rough terrain. These courses are specifically designed this way, and athletes are expected to dismount often and run holding their bikes during laps.
Where Cyclocross Began
Cyclocross riding began in France at the end of the 19th century. Its originator was Daniel Gousseu, a French soldier who frequented coarse and difficult trails during his winter road bike training. Soon the French army adopted the training for their troops on bicycles. Eventually, this lead to the birth of an official sport in France and by 1902, the first national cyclocross championships were held there. Belgium followed eight years later with its own championship in 1910, and championships continued to pop up in other European countries. These competitions were similar to modern mountain bike rallies and involved traveling from one point to another through rough fields, hills, rivers and forests.
Bike Lifting
1910 Tour de France winner and French native Octave Lapize was the first to carry a bike on his shoulders while effectively running during cyclocross racing. Lapize died during World War I, but his racing style lived on and was adopted by other racers such as Eugene Chistophe, who also used the bike-carrying technique in the 1913 Tour de France.
International Significance
The Criterium International was the first significant international cyclocross event, which was held in a forest near Paris in 1924. The race attracted an enthusiastic crowd and became more popular each year the event was held thereafter. A crowd-pleaser was the challenging Trou du diable, which translates to "the hole of the devil," and this setting continually drew large groups of spectators each year. This part of the race course is now known as the drop of death.
Modern Development
Cyclocross grew in the 20th century into a well-liked sport, and cross bikes evolved along with the race itself with designs changing to meet the demands of the sport. Courses began to include city settings, and in 1950, the Criterium International de Cyclo-Cross became the World Professional Cyclo-Cross Championships. The 1947, Tour de France winner Jean Robic of France was the first official Cyclo-Cross world champion in the new event.
Modern Cross Bikes
Cross bikes in the 21st century are designed specifically for regulated cyclocross races, and riders are dedicated athletes who train all year for the sport. Cross bikes are built around a cross frame design and to withstand the rigors of intense cyclocross trails. Three significant races are held during the fall and winter months each year and include the World Cyclocross Championships, the World Cup and the Super Prestige Cup.
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