Cyclo Cross Is Coming! (Or It Is Gone)

Cannondale cyclo cross bike. (Image courtesy of Cannondale)

 Fall is nearly upon us. You might remember a time when this meant cyclo cross season was about to take over the consciousness of the cycling community. 

Well, as you may have also noted, this seems not to be such a big deal anymore. Sure.....there are obvious hotspots of cyclo cross action. The Pacific Northwest, New England to a degree, maybe a few other smaller scenes. But I don't think there is any argument to be made if I state that cyclo cross ain't what it used to be in the USA. Not in 2026. 

I thought about this for a while and wondered why this decline in cyclo cross happened over the past several years. In my opinion, cyclo cross was still fairly popular and in many cyclist's mindsets up until COVID. Then after that it seemed to never really regain its former status and has not seen growth since those days. 

Image courtesy of Quality Bicycle Products

What Happened?

Obviously it doesn't take much of a leap to think gravel cycling has carved out a big section of what used to be cyclo cross events on the calendar. In fact, you don't have to look hard to find some events which were long-standing cyclo cross or 'monster-cross' events which have turned their marketing jargon to describe themselves as "gravel events" now. 

But I feel these examples are reactions to what really was motivating change in the bicycle industry. First - and in my opinion foremost - is that cyclo cross was too strict in its rules and "traditions". 

Limited tire sizes, gear which was not really friendly for anything but a cyclo cross course, and the entire culture of cyclo cross changed. It used to be loose, fun, and in many ways, "punk" to be at a cyclo cross race, or to engage in a cyclo cross event. But let's be honest here - USAC and the UCI pretty much stamped out the culture of chaos at cyclo cross events. One can argue this culture was out of control, and that it needed to be reined in, but the cost of doing so helped kill attendance at events. 

I would also argue that cyclo cross forgot its roots. In the beginnings of the sport, cyclo cross was more of an adventure race. Held on true cross country rural courses, these events would pit participants not only against each other, but against the difficult terrain. Often times in difficult conditions as well. These old events were not very spectator friendly though, and there was no "venue", so making money at such events was difficult. But back then, this wasn't the point. 

Sound familiar? 

Gravel Cycling Followed Its Own Path 

I feel many of the same restrictions have occurred in gravel events at the pointy-end of the sport. The saving grace here is that governmental sanctioning bodies, (UCI, and to a lesser extent, USAC), never got their mitts on the formative years of gravel. So, the sanctioning bodies of cycling sport here in the USA haven't had the stranglehold on the sport as it has had in cyclo cross or other disciplines of cycling. You can still do a gravel event any ol' way you want to and see a fair turnout with the focus on the experience, not on making money. And even the events which do need to turn a profit can still have complete event production control without a pesky "sanctioning body" looking over their shoulders making sure your tires aren't too wide or that your socks are not too long. 

Gravel cycling chose its own adventure path

Limited Access:

I mentioned how early cyclo cross events were cross country and in rural areas. But eventually the sport was pigeon-holed into holding their events at manicured, almost 100% created courses. This limitation to venues created a paucity of opportunities for anyone to use their cyclo cross bikes on actual cyclo cross courses. Because, well, cyclo cross courses were a specifically defined thing. You couldn't just go across ravines, stalk up steeps, or use the muddiest farm roads for a cyclo cross event. This wasn't "proper" cyclo cross anymore! 

So marketers tried the ruse that one could buy a cyclo cross bike and enjoy its "versatility" as a commuter, an urban errand bike, or even a part time roadie bike. When gravel became popular the marketers latched on to that idea trying to say cyclo cross bikes were "perfect for gravel" and "no one really needs a gravel specific bike". Taking a look back at the 2010's from a 2026 perspective, it is so obvious how preposterous this notion was then. 

In fact, the irony does not stop there. Look at any new "endurance road bike" which is being introduced now and the stated tire clearances are 38mm -40mm in many cases. That is a full five to seven millimeters wider than a standard cyclo cross bike is limited to in competition. 

Does any of this make any sense? 

In my opinion, it is no wonder cyclo cross has fallen on hard times. 

Given the choice, I'd rather discover a new minimum maintenance road, see what's over the next gravelly hill, and stop to take in the views  rather than go around in circles, jumping on and off my bike, and blowing a gasket for an hour and then going home. 

I'm not saying cyclo cross is going away, but I don't think it can ever quite be what it was at its peak here in the USA again either. There are just too many unrestricted, easy to get to places to ride all-roads than there are places to ride a manicured cyclo-cross course.