by Dean Woods with Rupert Guiness
Cycling Alternatives
There's much more to cycling than road and track racing. Although they are the traditional competitive outlets to the sport, there's still a variety of cycling alternatives.
Mountain biking is the foremost amongst these choices today. Cycle touring has long been a favourite of passionate cycling enthusiasts. And there are even more adventurous forms of cycling such as cyclo-cross and triathlon, not to mention cyclo-ball and artistic cycling!
Mountain Biking [back to top]
Of all the cycling possibilities, mountain biking is growing fastest in popularity, participation and on the commercial front.
Mountain biking originated in the United States in the 1980s, and mountain bikes are now seen and ridden throughout the world, both recreationally and competitively. This wave of interest has seen the sport become a manufacturer's and advertiser's paradise.
Competitively, it's a taxing sport, needing strong endurance and a high anaerobic threshold. Mountain biking is also a popular form of off-season or alternative training for athletes in other fields.
Recreationally, mountain biking is popular because of the simple fact that the bicycle itself is easier to balance and has a wider range of facilitating gears. As a result, for the beginner, mountain biking is a safer and more accessible form of cycle sport for a wider cross-section of ages.
Mountain bikes are practical bicycles for the inner-city as well, as they can not only weave through traffic jams, but also alleviate the need for the parking space which cars need.
Commuters who live on the outskirts of major cities or congested business districts often find them an ideal form of transport to and from work. And even within the city, mountain-bike courier services are becoming increasingly more popular as -unlike cars or vans -they can negotiate city traffic much more quickly and more directly. And there's the attraction of mountain biking's adventuristic off-road nature. No longer do people have to equate cycling with dangerous traffic hazards and bitumen roads. With a mountain bike, one can ride on dirt trails, across grass and almost anywhere.
When mountain bikes first hit the market, they appeared cumbersome objects. Many purists laughed at them until bicycle manufacturers refined design, weight and the attached components. Today a mountain bike is a relatively slick racing machine and a product of as much technological development as are road or track bicycles.
However, there are still enough differences to make the mountain bike unique.
Anatomy
Frames [back to top]
Mountain-bike frames are generally oversized, or fatter, than road and track frames. And they come in all types of material- carbon-fibre, kevlar, titanium, aluminium and steel. Because of the sport's nature, a mountain-bike frame needs to be strong and durable.
Top professionals can afford to sacrifice durability for added lightness but, as a first-time buyer, it's advisable to attend to durability first - you'll get better value for your money.
Wheels [back to top]
Mountain-bike wheels are also different. You can buy lightweight rims and tyres which are not much heavier than those used on the road and track, with the added advantage that they are wider and sturdier. And the tyres will have a raised design on them to grip the often rocky terrain a mountain bike is ridden over.
Lightweight wheels are expensive. So if you're starting out mountain biking, it's best to save your money by avoiding high-tech material for now, and concentrate on buying less expensive wheels which are still good-quality; some examples of these are Araya, Ritchey and Mavic.
Forks and Suspension [back to top]
Most forks are made of aluminium, though many mountain bikes come equipped (or can be supplied) with a front suspension system which absorbs the shock from riding over rough terrain. Recently, read-end suspension systems have also been developed. One of the most popular brands - and the first to appear - is Rock Shox, from the US.
Gears [back to top]
An obvious difference in a mountain bike is that there are more gears. Mountain bikes generally come equipped with 21 gears, with three front chain-rings of 26, 36 and 48 teeth, or sprockets, and a rear 'block', or cluster, with a gear ratio of 12 to 30 sprockets.
Brakes [back to top]
Brake systems are cantilever-designed - that is, the brake blocks are pulled by a cable attached to the brake lever. The greater clearance between wheel and brake helps to prevent the brakes becoming blocked up with mud and dirt as might be the case with more modern dual side-pull brake systems which are now common with road bikes.
Handlebars [back to top]
One of the most obvious differences between mountain bikes and road or track bikes is the handlebars. These are T-shaped and wider than those on a road bike in order to absorb the shock from uneven surfaces and to provide the rider with greater control and more effective leverage for uphill sections. An average width is 52 centimetres (20.5 inches) with the stem being a touch longer too. An assortment of handlebar extensions are available which facilitate climbing.
Pedals and Cranks [back to top]
The pedal and crank system of a mountain bike seems at first glance to be the same as a road bicycle. However, there are subtle differences. Cranks are longer to provide more leverage on steep hills. An average mountain-bike crank is about 175 millimettes (6.8 inches) long.
And while they can come equipped with standard pedals, a special clipless design has been created just for mountain bikes. Clipless pedals are used on road bikes too, but the mountain-bike version is designed to fit a special mountain shoe. Like a road-cycling shoe, it has a stiff inner sole to enhance pedalling efficiency. It also has a relatively thick rubber outer sole to help the rider to walk or run with the bike.
Racing [back to top]
Competitively, mountain biking has rocketed in stature since its origins. In 1996 it will even be an official sport in the Olympic Games at Atlanta! Now affiliated with the Union Cycliste Internationale, mountain biking has a full international racing calendar leading up to that Olympic target.
Nearly every UCI-registered country has mountain-bike racing. On a global front, the key circuits are the Grundig World Cup and annual World Championships. In Europe there are also annual European titles. And there are many domestic national series like those which exist in Australia, the United States and Great Britain.
There are two main types of mountain-bike-racing - the individual cross-country event, which usually lasts about two hours and is held on a circuit (it is this event which has been included in the Olympic Games programme), and the downhill time trial, where riders are timed over the distance, the winner being the rider with the fastest time.
As with road and track racing, mountain-bike competition is open to a variety of categories from beginners to elite professionals who can earn up to A$500 000 a year!
Tactics [back to top]
Because mountain biking takes place off the road, both cross-country and downhill racing can be dangerous - unlike recreational mountain biking. It is a discipline which requires incredible bike-handling skills. If you don't have them, don't worry - you'll develop them after several races.
In mountain biking, sprinting is not a vital element. So much relies on climbing and descending that a mountain-bike race very rarely climaxes with the sprint finishes you see in road racing. If ever there is a sprint, it is usually between two or three riders at the most. And while there is a sprinting acceleration, it is more a surge of pure power than the tactical cunning and bike-handling skill you find in road racing.
Climbing and Descending [back to top]
These are the two main skills behind mountain biking.
When climbing you generally spend more time in the saddle than you would on a standard road bike, although this can vary depending on your own preferences and ability.
You might find yourself standing up on the pedals in steeper sections. But remember that by staying seated and pedalling with a low gear on longer climbs (and thus saving energy), you stand more chance of making it to the top.
If you feel you are not going to make the climb without stopping, it's best to dismount earlier rather than later. If you wait until you can't pedal any more and you are on a steep section, there is the chance you will topple over. By halting earlier, on a flatter section, you may be able to dismount and continue running with the bike until you find an easier gradient.
If ascending is a question of endurance and basic skill, descending requires raw courage and an ice-cool attitude to the task ahead. The speed factor and unpredictable ground ahead of you require quick thinking. Although beginners should take any descent cautiously, experienced racers learn to rely on instinct. For both beginners and more experienced racers, there are several key skills to descending.
Firstly, one should remain relaxed, even though this may seem a tough task to begin with! A tense position and grip on the handlebars not only creates added fatigue and minimises your recovery from a climb, it can also limit your agility and potential to adapt to the varying terrain ahead of you.
The best thing to do on any descent is to keep your body weight as far back as possible, yet without hanging over the back wheel. Sit at the back of the saddle or out of it, standing on the pedals only. This helps to spread the vibration from your legs, lower back and hips to your arms, hands and upper torso. Your entire body becomes a veritable shock absorber! Always keep a finger on the brake lever. But never brake too suddenly or too hard. Try to be subtle with the brakes and squeeze them, rather than pull on them. And try not to use the front brake too much because this will hinder manoeuvrability, and will very likely increase the odds of you projecting yourself from the bike like a rocket missile!
Cyclo-cross [back to top]
Cyclo-cross is another off-road alternative, though it has a longer heritage than mountain biking.
Its origin was in Belgium as a form of off-season training for road racers. As training spins became harder and harder, they turned into races. In 1910 Belgium staged its first national cyclo-cross championship which was won by Philippe Thijs, the Tour de France champion in 1913,1914 and 1920.
It took 40 years for cyclo-cross to become a world-championship event. When it did, in 1950, the first title-holder was 1947 Tour champion, Frenchman Jean Robic. Cyclo-cross was still very much dominated by the road racers.
Today, however, cyclo-cross is more specialised. It is no longer a source of off- season training, but a form of cycle-sport in itself which requires a composite make-up of road racing and running endurance skills.
Not only are there world championships, but now there are also two international series in the European Super Prestige and World Cup circuits and an official world-ranking system. What's more, there are national championship and domestic circuits in Belgium, France, Holland, Italy, Spain, Luxemburg, Great Britain and the United States. Sadly, in Australia the sport does not exist. Up until 1966 the World Championship was 'open' for amateurs and professionals. From 1967 to 1993 there were separate championship races for both categories. In 1994 the championship was once more contested as an open race.
Cyclo-cross races last about an hour and cover specially selected circuits which vary in terrain and challenge. Racing involves a mix of both cycling and running. Like mountain biking, the variety of obstacles means you need good bike-handling skills and a daring opportunistic streak to take advantage of attacks.
Some courses are slow and either extremely wet, muddy or sandy. Here cyclo- cross racers can often find themselves running with the bike on their shoulder. Other circuits can be dry, hard and fast and require very little running. Yet almost all courses include deliberately placed rises and descents and a variety of obstacles ranging from wooden metre-high hurdles to a series of steps constructed from wooden logs.
Anatomy
Frames [back to top]
At first glance the cyclo-cross bicycle looks similar to a road bicycle. There are distinct differences, though, the main one being that a cyclo-cross frame is longer and has greater clearance around the various joins. This stops mud from getting blocked in between wheel and frame.
Wheels [back to top]
Cyclo-cross tyres have knobbled treads which help traction over mud or dirt. Hubs are generally small flange and rims come equipped with 36 spokes for greater strength.
Gears [back to top]
Speed is necessarily much slower than in a road race so cyclo-cross bikes are equipped with lower gears. In cases where a section of the circuit includes bitumen, riders might add a 14-tooth gear to provide added acceleration and speed.
Gear levers are normally placed at the end of the handlebar drops -and not on the down tube, as on a road bike.
Brakes [back to top]
As in mountain bikes, cyclo-cross bikes have centre-pull cantilever brake systems. These are light, strong and, most importantly - unlike the dual side-pull system - are unlikely to clog up with mud because of the larger spacing they have between the brake and wheel.
Saddles and Handlebars [back to top]
The only real difference in riding position from a road bike is that the cyclo-cross saddle may be slightly lower and the handlebars slightly raised.
Pedals [back to top]
Most cyclo-cross riders use double-strapped systems. Single straps can break, whereas the now common clipless system in road and mountain bikes can easily see feet slip out if used in a cyclo-cross race. However, mountain bike shoes with rubber/plastic outer soles are popular as they are good for running.
Other Alternatives
Randonnees [back to top]
Europe is the heartland of the randonnee. The aim of a randonnee is pleasure, and along a route you might see riders stopping off at roadside beer tents, wine-tastings or barbecues.
You can also ride competitively in a randonnee. In France, there is even an official circuit of randonnees, where regular participants are awarded points according to their performances.
Cyclists pay to ride a marked route, which can include sections of some of the most famous races in the world, giving the cycling aficionado a first-hand experience of the terrain their idols compete on.
Randonnees are often named after former champions or historic events. Examples include Le Bernard Hinault, after the five-times French Tour de France winner who retired in 1986; Le Louison Bobet, after a three-times Tour winner from France; Le Flechette, after the hilly Belgian one-day classic, the Fleche- Wallonne; and l'Etape du Tour, which covers a chosen stage of each year's Tour de France the day before the actual race tackles it.
Before starting a randonnee, each rider is given a card which must be stamped and signed at each checkpoint on the route. Entrants are allowed to start whenever they like, within a certain time block. Their starting time is written on the card and, as long as every checkpoint has been passed, a time for completing the distance is recorded.
Competitive riders normally start first and organisers present an official winner's trophy to the first finisher of the day. It is not uncommon for amateur clubs, or competitive triathletes and mountain bikers to use randonnees as a form of extra competitive training. It has even been known for some regular winners to become professional road racers.
Audax [back to top]
The Audax is a world-wide cycling association whose members endeavour to ride certain distances which are officially recorded and timed.
An Audax ride is different from a randonnee or community fun ride in that it is made independently, although officially recorded. To register a distance attempt, the cyclist must have the route planned and a certain number of Audax- approved authorities on hand to witness and register their passage through various checkpoints.
Touring [back to top]
The 1987 Tour de France winner, Stephen Roche of Ireland, aptly summed up the role cyclo-tourism has to play in the sport when he said, 'You haven't experienced cycling until you have done cyclo-tourism.' Such words were surprising, considering they came immediately after his victory in the world's toughest and most prestigious race. But in every way what he says is true. For cyclo-touring is a sport designed simply for pleasure and with no relationship to the world of recorded times and distances.
Cyclo-tourism is what it says it is - a way of discovering the surrounding country side by bicycle. Its origins come from a time in many people's childhood when they would meet up with friends, take a back-pack with food and pedal off for the day. It was this fond memory Roche was talking about when he spoke in 1987.
There are now many holidays designed especially for cyclo-tourists, with rides to vineyards and farms, for example.
Other trips, particularly in Europe, include bike tours to some of the great cycle races like the Tour de France. These groups ride on or close to the route, see the event go past and cycle on to a pre-booked hotel or guest house for the night. They are usually followed by back-up cars and/or vans in case anyone feels they've had enough and would prefer a lift.
Anyone can organise their own cyclo-tour. It's a good idea to contact a local cycling association for advice, though, on how to be best prepared.
Community Fun Rides [back to top]
The spirit of a community fun ride is similar to a randonnee, although far less competitive. It's similar to a fun run, although on wheels. In most cases all proceeds from the entries are given to charity.
The main difference between a community ride and a randonnee is that the community ride start is en masse and the number of participants can be greater than in a randonnee, with up to 80,000 entrants! There are many great community rides around the world. In Australia there is the Great Victorian Bike Ride and in Great Britain the most famous is London-Brighton.
You don't need to be registered with a club to join these events, which are usually widely publicised in the local print and electronic media.
However, most events require that entrants wear helmets.
Triathlon [back to top]
This competition - where a cycling leg is sandwiched between swimming and running - is a rapidly developing event in Europe, America and Australasia. Although it's not affiliated with the UCI, triathlon competitions have had an enormous impact on the growing interest in cycling It is a form of competition which boasts a feast of international competition and there are national series in most countries. For the top professionals there are various international circuits like the International Triathlon Union's (ITU) World Cup and the World Ironman Circuit where races cover 3.8 kilometres (2.4 miles) of swimming, a 180-kilometre (112-mile) bike ride and 42.2 kilometres (26.2 miles) of running. The circuit climaxes in Hawaii every October with the Hawaii Ironman.
An international winter indoor circuit is also being planned. And in 1994 it was ratified as an official Olympic sport for the 2000 Games in Sydney after its exhibition staging at Atlanta in the United States in 1996.
Duathlon [back to top]
Called by some a triathlon for those who can't swim, the duathlon is a cycle time trial sandwiched between two running legs. Distances vary from the sprint course of 40 kilometres {made up of 5 kilometres' running, 30 kilometres' cycling, and 5 kilometres' running), to the 13, 150 and 30-kilometre course of the Zofingen Powerman Duathlon held in Switzerland. Popular amongst triathletes during the winter months, duathlon also has a professional International series under the control of the ITU, culminating in an annual World Championship event.
A second international circuit emerged in 1994 - the Powerman series - with events in 11 countries world wide acting as qualification races for the tough Zofingen Duathlon.
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