Jumping on the cross bike bandwagon.

Back in the mists of time - it could have been February 2012, in preparation for a Coast To Coast route, me and The Pensioner decided we would purchase cycles more suited to long distance meanderings. Something more efficient than mountain bikes with skinny tyres, the cyclocross bandwagon was passing and we hopped on. (What the hell is a bandwagon) A wet afternoon was spent in a local bike shop and we emerged with matching Giant TCX bikes, complete with panniers and racks as befitted our newly minted touring cyclist status. And so it began, for me anyway, The Pensioner hated his, moaned about it non-stop, is still moaning about it now even though he never rides it.

It soon became obvious vast distances across our moorland tracks could be covered in the same time scale as a 15 mile mountain bike ride, churning out the miles on gravel, mud or tarmac. Rocky descents are still more suited to full suspension mountain bikes but almost everything else can be attempted with a bit of caution. Even in our industrialised area, singletrack can be found nestling in the shadow of chemical plants and oil refineries. Hard on the arms though, a few miles of stony track leaves the arms somewhat depleted, an evening trip to the indoor climbing wall is money wasted after a day out over the moors on the crosser.

Gears can be a problem particularly for those of us more suited to a granny ring and 36 tooth back cog to winch them upwards. Man up or buy a bike with a triple on the front. Disc brakes are becoming common over the past twelve months or so but mud-beating cantilevers are still common. If you are used to discs these may come as a shock, the cantilevers at times being of only cosmetic value, stopping distances measured in hours rather than metres.

Cross bikes conform to the modern stereotype - riding on tarmac, spot a nice looking track leading through the trees or across the moors and off you go and still home in time for tea. Those of a more competitive bent could always use one to spend an hour racing other like-minded cyclists around a muddy field; cyclocross racing is a very popular way to get covered in mud on a weekend.

For anyone a bit jaded with their regular cycling or regular routes, a cross bike gives a whole new perspective to rides. Give it a go, N+1 and all that.