Four Cross
WHAT IS FOUR CROSS?
FOUR CROSS & DUAL SLALOM
Four cross is a predominantly a competition discipline that involves four riders racing down a 30-45 second course simultaneously, with the fastest two of the four progressing to the next heat. Four cross courses are vaguely similar to a BMX track though they are located on a downhill slope and generally feature a variety of natural terrain features such as rocks and logs. Four cross is the current head-to-head racing format contested at National and World Cup level competition.
Dual slalom is an older riding format than four cross and involves two parallel, identical courses where a pair of riders race head to head down each course once. The largest combined time deficit is the loser, with the winner advancing to the next round. These courses generally involve much smaller, simpler trail features than a four cross track.
Four cross and dual slalom bikes are generally very similar and feature a compact bicycle with short travel suspension, which may be the front and rear, or just at the front. These bicycles are often lightweight and feature three to ten gears with a single gear at the front. Four cross and dual slalom bicycles are also used commonly for dirt jump riding.
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Four cross is a discipline that relies solely on exacting trail design, proven by the high number of failed four cross facilities around the world. Dirt Art believes four cross must tie in closer with real-world recreational mountain biking to retain its relevance with every day riders. This means four cross must become less like a BMX race, and incorporate more natural terrain elements, rougher surfacing, and flat corners. By implementing these design changes four cross will become more accessible to everyday riders, thus increasing the competitive field in four cross events.
Dirt Art offer a full CAD (computer aided design) service that includes profile modeling and three-dimensional concepts. These concepts can be drawn onto site surveys or can be overlaid onto existing maps. All designs are scaled and finished including construction specifications and information.
All Dirt Art four cross designs meet current UCI racing standards for international level competition.
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