Unacceptable Racing

Unacceptable Racing, a homage to cyclo-cross.

Unacceptable Racing is a YouTube video from Matt Bristow. It tries to uncover just why so many cyclists spend their winter riding the wrong bike! When I say wrong bike I am of course talking about cyclo-cross. Cyclo-cross is a sport that grew from road riders looking for something to satisfy their competitive urge during the winter off-season. As this was pre-MTB riders just used their road bikes despite the skinny tyres and terrible brakes!

While cyclo-cross is starting to spread into the summer and blur with gravel, winter is prime ‘cross season. Early season races may be like grass criteriums, but as the season moves into winter proper, the mud arrives. This is what the photographers love, cue gritty pictures of struggle against sullen skies and sodden courses; perfect! Matt’s video records some of the London X League’s 24-25 season. He then sits down and talks to some of the riders and ask the question, why?

Why spend the winter racing the wrong bike on the wrong terrain? Why obsess over tyre tread and pressures? And why spend hours cleaning bike, clothing and rider? Unacceptable Racing tries to answer some of these questions, while showing the riders in action.

Matt can often be found recording the suffering of many a ‘crosser, whatever the weather. Like many riders I will eagerly wait for his uploads after a race. I’ll scan through them looking for that perfect image of me. Something suitably mucky, but showing my athletic prowess, perhaps mid-air over the hurdles. And it’s not just me, my sons have recently caught the ‘cross bug and now they too head straight for Matt’s site!