What is Cascade Cross?
Cascade Cross is a volunteer-led non-profit racing series based in Bellingham, Washington aimed at building cycling communities. If you’re new to the area and want to make friends who are equally casual or serious about bikes, come out and pedal around our twisty-turny course for a few laps. In true cyclocross fashion, races will feature an occasional obstacle that forces riders to dismount their bikes and carry them over. Races are timed. The person with the most laps wins.
What Category should I race in?
RETURNING FOR 2026! Junior categories race free! Any U18 youth racing in any of our Beginner or Elite Junior categories races for free in 2024, no string attached*!
Race categories are self-appointed, meaning that YOU choose the best race for YOU.
If you are sand-bagging (racing in too low of category), people will heckle you and you won’t do it again.
If you race in too high of category, people will feel your pain. However, you can downgrade at the next race if necessary.
Please note: Series points are not transferred between categories.
The Cascade Cross General Guide:
- C Racers are absolute beginners to cyclocross or other kinds of bike racing. Have a dedicated cyclocross bike? Great! But don’t be shy if you want to ride your gravel, mountain, or experimental klunker bike. Bring it on.
- B Racers are people with some cyclocross racing under their belt and are ready for a challenge by moving up from the C Racers. Cyclocross is about anaerobic conditioning, mental fortitude, focus, and pure bike handling. Do you have those things? If you don’t know, try Cs, then upgrade if you are seriously demolishing people out there.
- A Racers are fit, fast, and experienced. You’ve raced a season or two in the Bs and held your own. You train hard and your bike handling skills are on point. Racing As is not for the faint of heart, as the races run many, many laps.
- Singlespeeders (SS) have only one gear on their bicycle, and it’s fair to say they are a notoriously eclectic group of riders, as the popularity of this category grows. The tradeoff for having only one gear is a relatively problem-free drivetrain that survives the worst mud and guck a cyclocross course can dish out.
Remember, you can always race up! For example, if you are 50+ but should be racing As, race As! If you are a fast woman and want a longer, faster race, race with the A or B men! If you are fast junior and not feeling challenged in the Men C, race with the Men B!
*Junior racers must still check-in and register online. Not applicable to U18 racing in non-Junior categories.
What kind of bike can I ride?
All meat-powered bicycles (sorry, no e-bikes) are welcome on the race course: cyclocross bikes, all mountain bikes, all gravel bikes, all types of suspension, any size wheels or tires.
Transgender and Non-binary Racers
Cascade Cross supports the inclusion of all athletes; we strive to provide a space where all people can participate competitively and fairly in cyclocross. We are committed to continuing to support people who have been marginalized within cycling, including women, people of color, sexual minorities, transgender and non-binary athletes. Racers are encouraged to self-select the race category that best fits their gender identity.
Discrimination or harassment of any type based on race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin will not be tolerated at Cascade Cross events.
Who will I race against?
- During the free races in September, it’s everybody and anybody on the course at the same time. During the official season, October through January, people divide themselves into age and gender groups by experience. Category C riders are true beginners in the sport. Category B riders may consider themselves fairly skilled cyclists, either from mountain biking, gravel, or roadie backgrounds. Category A are absolute shredders and train hard to win.
- A friendly note on upgrading: Cascade Cross is all about fun, fair, and exciting racing. To keep the playing field level, any rider who took 1st place in a race during the 2025–26 season will automatically upgrade to the next category for 2026–27 (e.g., Category C winners move up to Category B). Category A winners are already at the top, so keep crushin’ it!
- Moving up clears the way for the next wave of riders to chase the podium, while giving you an exciting new challenge against racers at your level. Congrats on being fast—now come test your mettle in the next tier!
- Age groups are broken down into under 12, under 18, 18 to 49, and 50+. Men’s B and C groups are on the course together. All women’s groups race together. Men’s A group is on the course with trans, non-binary, elite male juniors, adaptive cyclists, tandems and singlespeeds. Here is the outline of our start times.
How much is it to race?
September races every Thursday night at Memorial Park are free!
Each official race during the 2026-27 season is $35
Season passes are available for $140. 5 races for the price of 4.
Race entries may be purchased online
Race entries may also be purchased before 8:25am the morning of the races.
Questions? Contact us here!