Want to start your weekend off right?  Get to Bellingham for the North-est West Sprints in the whole damn country.  Traitor Cycles, in conjunction with Mount Bakery, Kulshan Cycles, Fairhaven Bike and Ski, Earl’s Bike Shop and Wright Bros. Cycle Works. Last time we were in Bellingham we packed the house at the Cabin Tavern, and this time the stakes are higher.

Bellingham has some fast folks- and we are excited to be there!  Come one, come all- race a grudge match for bragging rights or race for a chance to qualify for the Regional Championships that will take place in Seattle on September 10th.  The overall winner will be flying to Las Vegas to compete in the World Championships!

Check out the FACEBOOK EVENT.

If you are in LA- you are insane if you’re even thinking of missing the Bicycle Film Festival.  There are other film festivals that show bike films- but over the last 10 years the BFF has become the largest and in my opinion- the best (bicycle-centric) film festival in the world.  It’s got something for everyone and through the diversity of films, exposes people to a side of cycling that they might not be as familiar with.  I wish I was in LA this weekend!

Matt Hoffman is going to be at “The Birth of Big Air.”  There’s going to be a race, the art show is off the hook, and the screening of “To Live and Ride in LA” is already sold out.  You know what to do.

And for the folks in the Pacific Northwest- Seattle’s BFF will be screening October 7-10 so get pumped!  We are looking for volunteers for the event, as well as people throughout the Northwest that want to help distribute fliers and posters.  Tacoma, Bellingham, Portland, Spokane, Bellevue– that mean’s you!  Contact r...@bicyclefilmfestival.com if you want to be a part of BFF Seattle!

CMWC is this weekend.  If you needed any other reason to wish you were there- La Ocho.

What is it you may ask?  A thing of beauty.  Even the model looks amazing.  It will be a 200m figure 8 track inspired by the Canadian Human Powered Rollercoaster of the late nineties.  It looks like they really put some thought into it as well.  I would love to ride this thing!

Click on the image for a slideshow

Vuelo Velo is based in Sydney Australia and have a few bikes that look pretty wild, made of titanium…

The “1″ is their fixed gear/track/single speed offering. How about that seat tube?!?  The double chain stays are intended to increase stiffness.  It’s definitely different- that’s for sure. I would be a little nervous with my heavy body sitting on a seat post at that angle.

And then there is the “Copenhagen”- a BELT DRIVE titanium town bike! (in the background) Nice!

Check out more images in their Photo Gallery

Vuelo Velo from Vuelo Velo on Vimeo.

Well if that doesn’t sell you on cyclocross, I don’t know what will.

And afterwards- you have to make time for this:

Seen HERE

I may need to head down to Tacoma real soon for one of these rides-

Hey Seattle!  Think your summer is all but lost- there is an alleycat on September 4th where all who mourn it’s passing can come out, race bikes, and revel in the fact that we have a long wet winter ahead of us…

Meet at Volunteer Park (I assume by the donut statue) at 2pm on 9/4

Race at 3pm.  $5 entry.

If you’re in town, get down!  Glad to see people throwing races!

Meet at 5pm to hang out and enjoy tunes by DJ NLJB

Music by Concours d’Elegance and Sap’N at 7pm

Short films followed by Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure at dusk (around 9pm)

And on Sunday…

Come down to the Boxcar Alehouse in Magnolia (3407 Gilman Avenue West) for Emerald Sprints!  Lots of bike parking and good times to be had.  Register at 6pm race from 7-9.  Don’t be a stick in the mud spokes, come out and support!  There is even a FACEBOOK page for it!

Bike racing isn’t cheap.  In fact it may be one of the most expensive sports that a person can take part in.  Pound for pound… add up the broken parts, upgrades, spandex, race entry fees, travel to races…. it makes frisbee golf sound much more appealing (not really.)  For those of us that aren’t flush with dollars or don’t get hookups, but still can’t shake the bug- we watch from the sidelines, or race alleycats.  Fret not.  There is a lesser known side of bike racing- the single speed category.  The singlespeed category lends more of a blue collar feel to the whole approach, often the requirements for a bike are slightly less stringent- encouraging participation more than a strict adhesion to the rulebook..  Single Speeding is bike racing for people that don’t make six figure incomes- (by six figures I don’t mean the numbers to the right of the decimal, silly.)

As you likely know, Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships will be taking Seattle by storm this October, and it’s time that you get that bike built up.  Single speed cyclocross may be one of the most affordable forms of bike racing one can get involved in.  Single speeds; whether they be track bikes, mountain bikes, or cyclocross bikes- are much more affordable, simpler and therefore easier to maintain than their geared counterparts.

Below are just a few offerings that are out there- some are current models, while others like the Bianchi Roger and the Tricross don’t seem to be in production anymore.  Of course you can find bargains on Craigslist and Ebay, as well as at swaps and garage sales.  Buying used will reduce your carbon footprint too- so go buy that Big Mac at McDonalds without any guilt.

Complete Bikes

All- City Nature Boy Complete MSRP $899

This bike looks great and seems thoughtfully built.  All-City has been doing wonderful stuff whether it be on the fixed gear, polo, and now CX front.  At $899 complete it looks to be a pretty good deal.

Felt Bicycles Breed Complete MSRP $999

Aluminum frame and a carbon fork- the Breed has not seen any changes from 2010 to 2011.  Very classy looking-  Black and Belgian Blue…

Motobecane Fantom Cross UNO complete MSRP $895 ($399 delivered)

Raleigh One Way complete MSRP $770

Something like the “little old lady from Pasadena,” don’t underestimate this bike.  The One Way has the same geometry as the Raleigh RX (their cross bike.) With a Reynolds steel frame and a 4130 cross fork it comes with some great accessories to make it good looking commuter as well.  (You get serious style points if you race it as pictured)

Swobo Crosby Single Speed complete MSRP $999

An alloy frame and carbon fork, more of an “all-purpose” bike than either a road or cross frame.  Another multipurpose bike for those that don’t have space, or cash for a whole stable of bikes.

Framesets

Raleigh SSCXWC frameset MSRP $700

This aluminum frame and carbon fork was the limited edition SSCXWC paint scheme for their 2009 offering.  I can say matter of factly that this year there will be something new coming out for SSCXWC and it will be available to purchase soon- and it’s going to be very different from what you’ve seen before.

Traitor Cycles Crusade SS frameset MSRP $699

This bike looks really clean as well and I love the blue.  Columbus tubing and a Columbus fork which is great- it shows good attention to detail when it comes to cable routing as well.

Discontinued?

Bianchi Roger Complete MSRP $1099

This seems to be a 2007 model, which Bianchi discontinued?  Oddly enough, disc brakes were made legal by the UCI this year- maybe they’ll bring it back?

2010 Kona Majorone Complete MSRP $1099- Kona Race Light Scandium frame and a carbon fork.

Specialized Tricross Single Complete MSRP $910

Looks to be from 2008…

Anybody have any other recommendations for SS Cross bikes under $1100?  What are you going to be riding this year?

SUNDAY AUGUST 29TH AT THE BOXCAR ALEHOUSE

EMERALD SPRINTS

REGISTER AT 6PM, RACING 7-9PM

Emerald Sprints.  If you haven’t been to an event yet, they are really coming to a head.  There are four more events planned (one in Bellingham) and they will all come down to the Regional Finals on September 10th.

If you haven’t been in a while- you should know a couple things.

1. Our gearing has changed. Some folks didn’t like the fact that we were running freewheels.  Well we FIXED that.  We are now running 53×14- Fixed gear- with 165mm crank arms.  This matched with a 23c trainer tire and no resistance on the rollers, make speeds of over 50mph possible…
2. We are using clips and cages.  If you run clipless pedals, I would suggest you bring or borrow a pair of street shoes- clipless shoes have been known to pop out.
3. DO NOT ROLL BACKWARDS.  People do.  I don’t know why, but even after they are told time and time again, they roll backwards.  What happens is the rear wheel falls off the roller in less an one second.  This can damage the cable that the magic runs through to make the image on the screen move.  You don’t want to mess with the magic do you?
4. The distance has increased.  We are now doing sprints of 500m.  Finals are 1000m.  Ouch.
5. You don’t have to plan to win to race.. Sprints are fun- grudge matches are races that involve you and a friend- winner gets bragging rights.  Do a beer sprint- see who’s fastest at beers AND bikes.
6. It’s about fun.  Bikes are about fun.  If you aren’t having fun, then you are doing it wrong.

Thanks to Robert at Bunnyhawk put together this flier for the final four.