Yes, but as fewer people race there are fewer and fewer elbows. With 25 people in that B field, it's really spread out.
Discussion: Is cyclocross dying?
- Thread starter Pearl
- Start date
Yes, but as fewer people race there are fewer and fewer elbows. With 25 people in that B field, it's really spread out.
The Heckler
You bring new meaning to the term SUCK
5 to Gloucester
4 to KMC
3.5 to CSI
4 to NBX
lol.
It was really great move for Supercross to get into that series.
The Squirrel
Well-Known Member
Can someone with a little more "inside" explain what NJ Bicycling Association does for the races/promoters?
lancerracer
Active Member
For cross, one of things they can offer the promoters is the use of course stakes. At HPCX, we used around 2000 stakes and having the ability to use the NJBA ones is very convenient.
That being said, between NJBA, USAC etc. there are a ton of fees.
The Squirrel
Well-Known Member
The reason I ask is that, it seems to me, each promoter is fending for themselves and there is no unifying force behind the local scene. NJbikeracing seems to be a place where you can check the calendar and your current standings in the cxcup only. I didn't even find the calendar that helpful. I spend more time on Bikereg and crossresults, which is a whole other thread, I'm sure.
So what you're saying is as a promoter you pay a lot of fees for...stakes? Do you get help from njba/usac with insurance and other line items as well?
So what you're saying is as a promoter you pay a lot of fees for...stakes? Do you get help from njba/usac with insurance and other line items as well?
hotsauce
Well-Known Member
Great podcast by @seanrunnette and @Norm this week where this topic was discussed in some detail.
Why does the NJCX Cup start so late? The first race was Hippo Cross on 10/1 but there were plenty of dates in September without much local competition for a NJ race to slip in. Starting the Cup so late could be a contributor to lower reg numbers at the later season races. If there were one or two races in September, it may entice people to chase series points which would then increase reg numbers for Bubble day 2, SCCX, and Westwood.
Low hanging fruit to me would have been the Sunday after Fair Hill (9/11) and the Sunday after Town Hall (9/25). Everyone is still hot on racing as much as possible and hasn't been beaten up by 3-4 double race weekends in a row. Could be due to venue availability but it seems like low hanging fruit to increase overall series turnout.
Why does the NJCX Cup start so late? The first race was Hippo Cross on 10/1 but there were plenty of dates in September without much local competition for a NJ race to slip in. Starting the Cup so late could be a contributor to lower reg numbers at the later season races. If there were one or two races in September, it may entice people to chase series points which would then increase reg numbers for Bubble day 2, SCCX, and Westwood.
Low hanging fruit to me would have been the Sunday after Fair Hill (9/11) and the Sunday after Town Hall (9/25). Everyone is still hot on racing as much as possible and hasn't been beaten up by 3-4 double race weekends in a row. Could be due to venue availability but it seems like low hanging fruit to increase overall series turnout.
Mountain Bike Mike
Well-Known Member
Apple Cider Doughnuts
When I raced First Stae Velo Mac race last year, the scene was really good and the fields seemed legit. On the first lap, if you led up to a specific spot on the course, you won a dozen apple cider doughnuts.... One other neat thing about the MAC series is if you're the point leader, you wear the leader Jersey... Does the Jersey Series do that?
Brandywine Roubaix in PA, towards the end of this ride after at the top of one of the venues featured climbs, they offered Apple Cider Doughnuts.. Again - another event with a solid before / after scene and solid turnout - this year was the first year...
After reflecting on this thread, I think NJ needs more doughnut incentives... Maybe more incentives... Leaders jerseys....
That is all.
When I raced First Stae Velo Mac race last year, the scene was really good and the fields seemed legit. On the first lap, if you led up to a specific spot on the course, you won a dozen apple cider doughnuts.... One other neat thing about the MAC series is if you're the point leader, you wear the leader Jersey... Does the Jersey Series do that?
Brandywine Roubaix in PA, towards the end of this ride after at the top of one of the venues featured climbs, they offered Apple Cider Doughnuts.. Again - another event with a solid before / after scene and solid turnout - this year was the first year...
After reflecting on this thread, I think NJ needs more doughnut incentives... Maybe more incentives... Leaders jerseys....
That is all.
hotsauce
Well-Known Member
As far as I can tell there's nothing on offer for NJCX Cup races. Heck, a single apple cider doughnut preme would make people go balls out for it, forget about the other 11 doughnuts. Great idea, @Mountain Bike Mike.
I don't mean to keep beating up on NJ but its just such low hanging fruit. Low turnout at late season races hits MAC and PA just as hard. I raced Kutztown today which was a total goose egg on turnout. Of 30 or so prereg for the mens 4/5 field, there were 20 starters and 3 of us didn't finish (a story for another thread). The "Killer Bs" only had 10 prereg. The Sunday PA series Kutztown race was so small they combined all of the fields into 3 races. The course isn't anything to write home about, lots of turns and pancake flat but there's a farmers market and antique/junk sale going on next door. Very hipster activities that should have good synergies with cyclocross.
Late season racing just doesn't get good turnout for no other reason than people don't want to deal with the cold or a 3.5-4 month season. It's a bummer. Maybe the real question should be: are cyclocrossers getting soft?
I don't mean to keep beating up on NJ but its just such low hanging fruit. Low turnout at late season races hits MAC and PA just as hard. I raced Kutztown today which was a total goose egg on turnout. Of 30 or so prereg for the mens 4/5 field, there were 20 starters and 3 of us didn't finish (a story for another thread). The "Killer Bs" only had 10 prereg. The Sunday PA series Kutztown race was so small they combined all of the fields into 3 races. The course isn't anything to write home about, lots of turns and pancake flat but there's a farmers market and antique/junk sale going on next door. Very hipster activities that should have good synergies with cyclocross.
Late season racing just doesn't get good turnout for no other reason than people don't want to deal with the cold or a 3.5-4 month season. It's a bummer. Maybe the real question should be: are cyclocrossers getting soft?
Superfly100guy
Well-Known Member
This weekend has 4 races going on within 70 miles of my home. With just shy of 800 entries on Bike Reg that seems pretty good to me. Sly Fox with 415 is pretty strong they must have a secret plan of attack.
hotsauce
Well-Known Member
BEER!!!!!
onetracker
Well-Known Member
Maybe Cross is destined to go back to starting in October when most of the races were a cold, wet snowy goof ball affair that attracted people interested in just having some fun and holding onto some late season fitness? That is the cross I miss vs the carbon wrapped dirt crit sport it has evolved or devolved into today. Cross Crusade in Oregon still embraces this ethos. We used to have this vibe in NJ back in the days of cross races in baseball stadiums, on private farms and in any park that did not mind a little ripped up grass. No sanctions, no points just pints and fun (plus maybe some donuts)!
Alright, someone get out their GIS skills and may all of the races by series. MAC and the NJCup. Isn't Kutztown too far north for the MAC peeps?
PRus
Active Member
My comment may not add anything to this discussion but brings back memories from my childhood.
Growing up in a small village in Switzerland, Hombrechtikon, there used to be a international CX race during the 70's with all the best of Europe.
Picture a Village of about 4000 people being invaded with close to 100.000 fans for the day.
The two best at the time where five time world champion Albert Zweifel and Peter Frischknecht (father of Thomas Frischknecht, grandfather of now racer Andri Frischknecht)
In regards to the races here being to late in the year,the race was always in December or January! Talking about "too cold"! I remember it to be at times on a frozen rutty surface or 3-4" deep slush and snow.
The track was about a 3 mile lap with a combination of everything from blacktop to grass, rooty single-track.
The pitt was along a streams with helpers brushing of the bikes in it.
Bikes with "modern" 1x...! drivetrain! Bar end shifter with likely 1x6 gearing !
Sadly CX has been struggling now there too mostly because of lack of sponsorship. I think the last race in my home town was around 2000.
That yearly event and the "Tour de Suisse" caravan riding past my house every few years brings back great memories.
Growing up in a small village in Switzerland, Hombrechtikon, there used to be a international CX race during the 70's with all the best of Europe.
Picture a Village of about 4000 people being invaded with close to 100.000 fans for the day.
The two best at the time where five time world champion Albert Zweifel and Peter Frischknecht (father of Thomas Frischknecht, grandfather of now racer Andri Frischknecht)
In regards to the races here being to late in the year,the race was always in December or January! Talking about "too cold"! I remember it to be at times on a frozen rutty surface or 3-4" deep slush and snow.
The track was about a 3 mile lap with a combination of everything from blacktop to grass, rooty single-track.
The pitt was along a streams with helpers brushing of the bikes in it.
Bikes with "modern" 1x...! drivetrain! Bar end shifter with likely 1x6 gearing !
Sadly CX has been struggling now there too mostly because of lack of sponsorship. I think the last race in my home town was around 2000.
That yearly event and the "Tour de Suisse" caravan riding past my house every few years brings back great memories.
