Riding rollers isn’t new by any means.  It’s been a training tool and used for competition and amusement (roller racing) for many years.  The wooden drums of old have been put by the wayside, making room for steel, then the alloy and poly drums of today.

I have never had the opportunity to ride old wooden rollers.  I’m sure I wouldn’t be eager to get rid of my Kreitler 4.5 Alloy rollers if I did- but I appreciate history and would enjoy the experience.  I found a few little snippets of rollers of old- a photo of some women in a 4 person roller race (though it looks like it may have been a photo opp or movie still)- and a tutorial on how to ride rollers for your first time.

This Friday, February 26 in Fremont- come welcome Cascade Bicycle Studio to their new home. There will be a DJ, Emerald Sprints, and you can see some of the amazing stuff Zac will be carrying in house. The opening is free and will start at 7pm. A qualifying round of Sprints will start at 8pm- and we will start finals at 9pm.

DJ Home will be spinning- and good times will be had.

Please RSVP by emailing Zac

As I have mentioned before- Seattle is getting a jump on spring with an amazing number of bike events already starting. You have lots to do. I’ll break it down for you like this:

Running through this week at the NWFF- ending on 2/11?:

Friday 2/12: Future Tense

Meet at Cal Anderson at 6:30 for a group ride to a spot to do tricks and take part in a short race for fixed gear bikes- prizes, games, tomfoolery, fun.

Saturday February 13th

This race is a benefit for Counterbalance Racing and will raise money to help them pay for the events they do throughout the year. You will need a partner for your team (teams of 2). The cost is $15 per person, and it gets you 2 beer tickets (for good beer) that you redeem at the finish. There will be beer specials for racers. It will also gain you entry into the Emerald Sprints Roller Racing taking place at the Funhouse. If you just want to do sprints, the cost is $7 per person.

Kona and Traitor have both donated great stuff (like a bike and a frame!) to be raffled off, you can buy tickets at the Funhouse

Costumes are encouraged!

Meet at Counterbalance park at 12pm
Doors at FunHouse open at 3pm
Roller race starts at 4pm

Be there and bring your friends!

February 15th-President’s day

Of course next week will be amazing as well, and as always, check the calendar for updates.

1982 saw a 102mph top speed on rollers.

Here we see Dave Legrys beat it with a 126mph top speed- pushing a 232″ gear.

As TRACKO says- Now that’s a chainring.  Good find.

PS- you can come sprint with us on February 13th at the Counterbalance Benefit at Funhouse.  It takes place at the NOT QUITE  VALENTINES DAY SCAVENGER HUNT. There will be prizes, as well as a raffle for a bike and other great stuff.  Proceeds raise money for Team Counterbalance and their annual cross race.

This is a fundraiser for the events that the Counterbalance Team puts on.  It’s going to be a great time, with not only a scavenger hunt, but Emerald Sprints as well.  The proceeds will go to help put on races throughout the year.

It’s for a good cause, and it’s going to be a good time.  That’s a win-win!

So grab a team mate, and get on down to Counterbalance Park at noon on Feb. 13th.  Rain or Shine.  Then you can come to the Sprints at the Funhouse.  Woo Hoo!

Wednesday 12/13/09 brought Emerald Sprints to Brouwer’s Cafe through the help of Cazadores Tequila. It was “Heavy Metal Tequila Sprint” time, and people showed up ready to spin their legs to some melt your face of music.

A successful event, we had quite a few people show up for the later start time of 10pm. The first round, a qualifier, was a race of 400 meters against the clock:

• Patrick M 18.40
• Craig E 18.91
• Nat P 18.95
• Drew 18.98
• Brian M 19.22
• Trevor H 19.84
• Nick Krysinski 19.88
• Sally 19.92
• Andre R 20.05
• Eric S 20.18
• Mike B 20.25
• Charlie C 20.48
• Aaron D 20.58
• Stephen T 20.63
• Matt S 20.67
• Dan M 20.74
• Kenshi K 20.86
• Benny B 20.87
• Brian P 20.91
• Forrest T 20.92
• Sean M 21.03
• Doug H 21.46
• Clay D 22.78
• Edward M 22.81
• Ari S 22.98
• Jamie S 23.22
• Alex W 23.40
• Alex C 23.67
• Monica G 23.70
• Angelina C 24.70
• Cameron E 25.24
• Nick Klinke 25.28
• Professor Dave 25.32
• Dave G 25.68
• Caroline M 26.25
• Dennis L 29.98

In the second round, the top 8 times (those that were present)advanced. Head to Head- 400 meters.

• Patrick M 18.40 vs Craig E 18.91
• Drew 56.34 vs Sally 28.93 (don’t ask about the times…)
• Brian M 19.22 vs Andre R 20.05
• Nat P 18.95 vs Trevor H 19.84

The semi-finals brought the top 4 times up to bat. Head to Head- 400 meter single elimination.

Sally 20.18 vs. Patrick M 18.71

Brian M 19.45 vs Nat P 18.72

The final round was hot- 400 meters of pure spinning:

Sally 20.34 vs Brian M 20.94 (race for 3rd place)

Patrick M 18.97 vs Nat P 19.33

Ari S 22.63 vs Monica G 23.32

The final standings were as follows:

1st place- Patrick M

2nd place- Nat P

3rd place- Sally

4th place- Brian M

1st lady- Ari S

2nd lady- Monica G

A big thanks to the sponsors- Wright Brothers brought out 4 sets of cranks, anodized in such festive colors. Thanks to Beyond Clothing, and Raleigh Bicycles as well.

Also thanks to Cazadores Tequila and New Belgium Brewing for the drink specials and all around support of the bicycle community. Brouwer’s Cafe loves bikes, and they love to see their bike racks in front of the building full to the brim. Show some support to them as well.

Charlie C took some great pictures that you can see on his FLICKR

The Bicycle Film Festival just swept through Seattle in it’s first visit here, and was a great success. The diversity of those that attended speaks volumes as to the diversity of Seattle’s bicycle community. Commuters, messengers, racers, randonneurs, bmx riders, polo players, bicycle historians, and weekend warriors came out to share in movies made from these camps, as well as others. It was really great to see all the people there, and the valet bike racks were full of 75+ bikes most of the time.

Friday Night brought the much anticipated Seattle premiere of “Where are you go”, and all that attended left with a strong feeling to, as one moviegoer put it-

“Do something epic.”

After Friday’s programs, the crowd picked up their bikes from the valet bike parking attendants (Thanks to Cascade Bicycle Club for supplying the bike parking racks), went to Flowers and packed the house to take part in Goldsprints. Many people hadn’t seen this bar room roller coaster, and once we got the wheels rolling people that were hesitant before had grins from ear to ear, and signed up to spin their legs faster than they’ve gone before. $3 42BELOW vodka specials kept people refreshed, and the shouting from the crowd kept their legs spinning fast.

Saturday was packed with movies, the first program starting at 1pm (a repeat of “Where are you go”), and finishing up at 11pm. The “Urban Bike Shorts” program consists of 14 short films, and encompasses more of the gritty films of the festival. Films that had people on the edge of their seats watching an alley cat race, or laughing at news reporters, or bobbing their heads to the sounds of the “Scraper Bike King”. The BFF team alley cat wore out the racers, not only because it was a race of over 30 miles, but the weather was quite warm… maybe a little too warm. The winning team walked away with $100, so they were well rewarded for their efforts. After the movies, we went back to Flowers for more party time, where we closed the bar with some good music, and made some good memories.

Also a big thank you goes to the volunteers that helped make the BFF go well. Many volunteers are needed for an event like the BFF. Ticket takers, the box office, the merchandise table, alley cat checkpoints, A/V techs, BFF promotion/street team, and valet bike parking (9 years, and never a bike stolen!) The BFF is largely volunteer run, and through the help and support of the local cycling community, it will continue to bring this broad range of movies to cities around the world. It’s through the efforts of these folks that events like the BFF run smoothly, and next year, we’ll be doing it all again.

Thanks to Chris, and Ortlieb USA for taking care of the volunteers as well. I hope you liked Road to Roubaix Chris!

If you have any photos of the Film Festival, please put keywords such as “BFF Seattle”, and post a link in the comments section. Thanks!

9/11 Sprints Results

Men’s Bracket

1. Pavel C 23.443
2. Patrick M 24.799
3. Kevin K. 25.756

Women’s Bracket

1. Ali M 30.779
2. Monica G 32.021

9/12 BFF Race results:

1. Daniel V and Ponch
2. Tall Bryan and Felix
3. Pavel and Kevin K

This event concludes the final sprints that GO MEANS GO has been contracted to do with 42BELOW.  There are sprints scheduled for 9/11 at Flowers Bar, following the Bicycle Film Festival’s opening night.  Thank you for supporting these events, and stay tuned for information about the return of Emerald Sprints this fall and winter.

Qualifying Times

• Patrick M    24.627
• Brian G    25.977
• Chase W    26.817
• Eric C    26.905
• Matthew G    27.149
• Mike D    27.599
• Ponch    28.46
• Ryan L    28.474
• Ben B    28.893
• Kevin H    29.651
• Kerry D    29.942
• Hal    30.479
• Ali M    30.518
• Stickney    30.52
• Felix N    31.003
• Lee W    32.147
• Monica G    32.161
• Ryan W    32.175
• Kristen F    32.445
• Cody F    33.677
• Fallon S    33.977
• Anna L    34.155
• Professor Dave    34.476
• Elisa    35.368
• Melissa W    35.462
• Sylvie    37.102
• Dan    37.187
• Megan    37.343
• Sarina    41.784

Grudge Matches

Sylvie    37.102
v
Dan    37.187

Hal    30.479
v
Sylvie    33.811

Robin    27.867
v
Karl    27.795

Men’s Round Two

Patrick M    24.345
v
Chase W    26.554

Brian G    25.457
v
Eric C    27.337

Women’s Final

Kerry D    30.685
v
Ali M    30.182

Men’s Final

Patrick M    23.573
v
Brian G    25.131

Men’s Standings
1.  Patrick M
2. Brian G
3. Chase W
4. Eric C

Women’s Standings
1.  Ali M
2. Kerry D
3. Monica G
4. Kristen F