Here at Bicycle Heaven we have had the tradition of hosting night time Cyclocross races for the last few years. Basically what we do is invite our team as well as other racers and future racers looking to try out the sport. These races take place when the sun goes down meaning all racers have to be equipped with lights powerful enough to see where you are going in a pitch black park. This race is in the same (secret) location every Tuesday night starting at 8:00pm and we race for 45 minutes after a quick warmup.
Bandits Meeting Before Race In Parking lot
Gearing up for Bandit Cross
Starting line of Race Course
The course is set with a few obstacles to make it more similar to an actual cross race and give the riders a chance to practice their technical skills.
The Obstacles include 16 inch barriers just like real cross races have as well as some technical downhill and off camber sections.
Also there is a really nasty hill run up in which riders dismount off their bikes and carry them up a steep hill. This is a crucial skill for anyone looking to try Cyclocross because efficient dismounting and remounting are needed in any true cyclocross race.
The race is a timed race meaning we don’t count laps we will race until we have reached a certain time (45min) then its a race of who is in first when they finish that lap.
These races are for all levels of racers meaning anyone from Category 1 to category I’ve never raced before can try it out. We also get a good number of ladies and juniors who come out and race.
If you are a Cyclocross buff and are looking for some extra training time or looking to try out this kind of race for the first time feel free to contact the shop to ask questions. This is an event solely designed to make people better at Cyclocross and gain knowledge of the sport.