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
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!
I wish I was in Berlin for this. Go Means Go sent some goodies out for it. A cool concept for a race. Using rental/tourist bikes? Sounds like it could be a lot of fun!
Thursday at The Ballard Loft
Saturday at Cascade Bicycle Studio
Be there, or miss out.
It’s that time of year. You have probably been watching the Tour de France, riding your bike a lot- and enjoying another Seattle summer. If you didn’t race last year’s Tour de Watertower, you missed out on an epic race. It was a real challenge, to say the least. This year it’s going to be a little longer.
The same day that the riders in the Tour de France will be taking part in a 52km individual time trial from Bordeux to Pauillac, racers in Seattle will be riding a longer, and much hillier course.
Cascade Bicycle Studio will be the start and finish of the race this year- and we’ll be streaming the 19th stage of the tour from the projector starting at 10am. Even if you don’t plan on racing, come on down and watch the tour!
Sponsors this year include
Cascade Bicycle Studio - Dodici Cicli - Go Means Go
View 2010 Tour de Watertower in a larger map
We’ll enjoy post race beers as prizes are passed out at Cascade Bicycle Studio.
What to remember
When: Saturday July 24th. The TdF starts screening at 10am, registration starts at noon, and the first racer leaves at 1pm.
Where: Cascade Bicycle Studio: 115 N 36th St (in Fremont)
How much: $5
Why: Because you want your legs to burn. And you want to win prizes.
Who: People that like to ride hills. This isn’t a bike specific event- ride your road bike, cross bike, fixed gear, touring bike, mountain bike… heck- ride a bmx bike- they’re your legs.
A couple important things about this year’s Tour de Watertower
That’s right. The second year of quite possibly the toughest race that has gone through Go Means Go. Expect this year’s to be a little longer. The same 7 Water Towers, with a different start point, and a different order.
The same day that the riders in the Tour de France will be taking part in a 52km individual time trial from Bordeux to Pauillac, racers in Seattle will be riding a longer, and much hillier course.
Cascade Bicycle Studio will be hosting the race this year- and we’ll be streaming the 19th stage of the tour from the projector starting at 10am.
Registration starts at noon- and it’s $5.
The first rider leaves at 1pm.
The manifest will be posted online on July 14th (Bastille Day) You must visit the stops IN ORDER, though the route is up to you.
Wear a helmet. You won’t need to carry a bag, though you should carry essentials- like water.
There will be prizes and celebratory beers at Cascade Bicycle Studio after the race.
Another year, another West Side Invite. There have been 10 in total, nine of them taking place in Seattle’s dirty little secret…. Portland. If you didn’t make it this year, then you won’t be getting any more chances. The organizers put 2010 together because of their love for the Invite, the messenger community, and because they are a bunch of sickos that like to watch messengers and racers ride till they puke, then drink till they puke- for not one, but 3 days. But they’ve had it. Putting on events is difficult- and involving the messenger community can be something like herding cats. Rabid, angry, drunken cats. The forum on Saturday offered other cities an opportunity to put in a bid to host something next year (Something under a different name) Vancouver showed up and took it home (they wanted it this year, but PDX wanted to back after SEA hosted last year.)
Rob K picked me up on his way through town and down we went. It took an hour longer than usual to get to PDX, the foul weather making for poor visibility. Getting to town in the early evening, we made a trip to Hopworks Urban Brewery, one of my new favorite places in Portland. It was then off to a McMenamin’s (one of the more over rated brew pubs in the NW, in my opinion) to meet up with the Chicago and Philly crowd. Then the group ride to registration at the Ash St. Saloon. The D&D alleycat left from there- with an afterparty at B-Side.
My bike had a little too much to drink, so I was taking it back to the spot we were staying. I got a little too close to a car that was parked right in my trajectory. By a little too close I mean my bar end may have clipped it. Not a big deal really, and something that could have quite possibly been ridden out- except for the fact that my fork sheared off.
Some say Carbon Fiber fails “catastrophically.” My experience is that it’s more of a “Whoopsie Daisy.” Sure, I fell. But I didn’t hit my head, face or anything else important. It honestly couldn’t have happened at a more opportune time. A few weeks ago I was bombing down Roosevelt and bunnyhopped a pothole. I landed a little off and the bike felt really funny. I just kept riding and didn’t stop to look at what might be the problem. Saturday morning as I sat with my fork in three pieces, I sat looking at my broken bike and I remembered that soft landing. One of the fork blades was pulled clean out, while the carbon was torn on the other. My thought is that landing funny on that fateful day in May- my fork was compromised. I’ve got hindsight like British Petroleum- 20/80.
Well boys and girls- I would make a recommendation that if you have a feeling that your carbon fork is going to fail, take a look at it. Saturday morning I stopped by the City Bikes Co-op and Buggy took care of me by installing a used steel fork on my ride. Yeah, I could have got another carbon fork, and if I picked one up today- it would likely be carbon. But the day after was a little too soon- I just couldn’t get back on that horse.
Back in the saddle, but having missed the Coffee Cat, skid tricks and trick competition we met up with the group ride as they headed for Mt. Tabor and uphill sprints. Tyler Johnson took the hill sprints, surprising the hell out of anyone that hasn’t seen Tyler sprint. The sprints were short, about 200m- with a slight uphill grade. Tyler was likely written off as a “hipster trick kid” as they pulled up to the start line. (PS Tyler races BMX and isn’t too shabby either, from what I hear) His low gearing and hunger for the win brought him in at first place.
The evening festivities included roller sprints- and Ari took first place for the women! She has now won enough parts from sprints to almost build a complete bike (including her Raleigh track frame) After that- we made some rounds to some of the classiest places in PDX. I will say that Portland likely contains the most clear platform heels, per capita in all of the US.
Sunday was the main race- a four hour race ending at Rose City Park. I met up at the finish- and got to some of the riders heading in. Damien came in with first for the track- having pushed it so hard he was unable to stand. There was some serious athletes in PDX and at the awards ceremony at Someday Lounge, the prizes were awarded.
Of course I didn’t write anything down when it came to who won what. The best I can remember:
Omnium: Dave and Christina (CHI) tied for Omnium, and it was settled by thumb wrestling. Dave took it home.
King of Track: Damien (PDX)
Queen of Track: No women did ANY side events- therefore there was not a QoT. Bummer.
Uphill Sprints: Tyler Johnson (SEA)
Jack-Assery: Corndog was holding it down for Team Shit Show and blew everyone else out of the water when it came to Jack-assery
Roller Sprints: Ari (SEA) for the women, and…. uh…. I can’t remember who took it for the men’s race?
Monday was spent watching the polo tourney, but after a long weekend, we left before the finals took place. All in all, the West Side Invite was a hoot, but damn, I’m glad it only took place once a year.
I want to give a HUGE shout out to all the organizers for this year’s WSI. They really brought it together into something that became a staple in many people’s year. I’ve got lots of respect for all those involved. Also many thanks to the sponsors, the participants, and to the stripper that danced to “Sexy Sexy Bicycle” by Mad Rad.
Next year- be on the lookout for something from Vancouver. They know what’s up when it comes to races.
Get your passports now.
(If you were wondering if the t-shirt above has an image of two gentlemen shirt-cocking and sword fighting on it… the answer is yes)
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