After I got interesting in cycling again thanks to the anime Yowamushi Pedal, I initially gravitated to gravel bikes. It was something new, it was something that was basically an "all-around" bicycle because the bike had the components to ride on both tarmac and, well, gravel.
Then as I consumed more and more youtube videos I also started getting interested in the World Tours. I remember my dad used to watch the Tour de France when I was a young person. Of course without a television all my World Tour info came from youtube and online cycling news sites.
Then I discovered cyclocross and became interested in it. Here are some reasons why.
- Availability. UCI live streams their cyclocross events on youtube and even if I wasn't able to watch most of them live, I did have the opportunity to watch them on demand in UCI's youtube channel.
- Duration. Basically a cyclocross race takes around an hour, give or take a few minutes. This is because they take the average time it takes to complete a lap for one or two laps and then they set how many laps are needed in the race to last around one hour for men's elite and fifty minutes for women's elite. This means I don't need that much time to watch a race, I even listen to the race while I work and just switch to youtube when things get heated.
- Skill level. Cyclocross racers have an amazing level of bike handling skill. Ever since I got interested in cyclocross I've wanted to learn how to do bunny hops as well as the cyclocross mounting and dismounting of their bikes. Too bad there's no off road terrain I can practice here because I sure as heck don't want to practice on road surfaces just in case I fall.
- Pacing. I guess just like how I prefer the NBA over football/soccer because scores are fast paced, I also like cyclocross since there's almost never a dull moment because of how the course is designed.
- Also cyclocross bikes have been compared to gravel bikes and there are similarities to both, basically that the bikes can go on tarmac and off-road. Plus the bikes use drop bars.
Out.
