Cyclocross Dismounts – step though or not?

October 2013

Dismounting your bike is something we all do, just not usually whilst still going along at 20 mph! But that’s what you need to be able to do in cyclocross if you want to be competitive. So just how should you dismount at almost a sprint? In the next of our series on cyclcocross training and technique videos here’s the tricky area of cyclocross dismounts.

Of course its not really that tricky; riders do it without issue on a regular basis, but there is some dispute as to how you should do it. The important thing is to establish your technique and practice, practice, practice. The more you do it the better you’ll get. Practising at slow speed regularly will make doing it at high speed much easier as well.

Here’s a good intro video from our favourite video making, Canadian crosser, Kris Westwood, who as usual imparts a lot of useful information that should give you the confidence to master the basics…

And here’s a nice video from CrossJunkie showing just how you can master your technique by practising at slow speed and gradually building up to race pace…

You’ll notice that both the videos above describe two dismounts but it’s interesting to hear US pro, Jeremy Powers of Behind the Barriers fame describe why he and many others at the top level no longer do the step through dismount in this next clip.

Obviously once you have got off the bike there is the issue of getting on safely as well… Plenty to think about and more to go away and practice. Good luck.