Q: What is cyclocross?
A: Cyclocross is the fastest growing segment in the bicycle-racing world, particularly in the U.S. It’s a cycling activity that started in Europe as a way for road cyclists to stay in shape during the off-season. The courses generally offer a mix of terrain including grass, pavement, hills, dirt, and barricade portions to force riders into a partial run each lap. The race is extremely viewer friendly, as competitors ride around a closed circuit exclusively on park property (no road closures are required).

Q: What category should I race?
A: If you are a new racer, then your CX category will start as a 4. Just as in road and track events, you can upgrade to a 3 by earning points in CX races.

If you had a 2005 USCF or NORBA license, then you were issued a 2006 CX category when you renewed. Here’s how the categories initially translated:

If you had both a USCF license and a NORBA license in 2005, and your USCF road and NORBA XC categories would lead to two different CX categories, the higher of those two was used for your 2006 CX category. This change was made to acknowledge the tremendous growth and specialization in cyclo-cross, and the fact that road categories are often not indicative of CX ability. Given this possible discrepancy, if you feel that your USCF road or NORBA XC category did not translate correctly to your best CX category, you may request a category change online or directly through your upgrade administrator.

Q: Is parking readily available?
A: Yes. We've selected parks with ample parking.

Q: Can I use a mountain bike?
A: Yes. Just leave your bar-ends at home.

Q: What is a typical race like?
A: Races last 30 to 75 minutes, depending on category. There are races for each level from first-timer to old pro. Expect to work hard and have fun. The best part about 'Cross races is probably the friendly atmosphere found at each park.