Cross is here and it's on trend.

I'm sure like everyone else the ever increasing interest in cyclo-cross has amazed me. It's gone from a winter past time for a few roadies to a discipline people concentrate their whole seasons towards. We for one are really happy about this. 

CX offers something a bit different for racing. It's friendly, good nature is what brings so many people out. It's an easy access point for first time racers as well. Plus the cross specific kit you can get now is on another level with outstanding design. Here's a few of the trends we've noticed at VF.

Fluro

Fluro kit has been around for a good while but it seems this year it has really taken off. More notably it's more about the accessories being fluro than anything else. A little bit goes a long way as Nys shows below.

Photo: Tim De Waele

Discs brakes are here to stay

We thought disc brakes in cross were just a phase that was die off but with bike manufacturers moving away from buying bikes with cantilever brakes it seems that we will all be moving on to the discs eventually. on the other hand some of the pros are staying with canti's. I'm sure as more younger riders come in we'll see discs and nothing else fairly soon.

Single Chain-ring

Going for the single chain-ring option again has gone in and out of fashion and is back in again. The great thing is the option now comes without the need of a chain catcher with the new chainring options available from Sram, Hope, Raceface, and so on. The "narrow/wide" tooth designs mean that the chain stays on the front ring without an issue...most of the time I'm sure. The good thing is it takes away a good bit of weight but also cleans up the area around the front mech meaning less places for mud clogging.