Red Hook Crit 2016

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Thank you Renè!
Who ever of you guys would like to join can also register here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/red-hook-criterium-london-no2-volunteer-registration-registration-25997207347

🙏🏽many thanks

Na he's just shit.

Dani King has entered, apparently.

Marius Petrache for team Cinelli just won the Romanian national road championship too.

It's still an underground fixie thing right?

Any one popping down on saturday to watch and drink beers?

Stopped @ j/w Borough Road / Newington Causeway. 2 riders in Red Hook Crit skin suits and shinny gold cycling shoes breeze past and RLJ. Tutt tutt

I'll be there tomorrow, last year was pretty good so hoping for the same this year as well

peckham pre party wuuut!

So Dani King ...

Crazy wasn't it!

She cleaned up pretty fast. Mustve been shocking to those that got lap'd

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So like, everyone.

Yeap pretty much. She is a beast.

Smashed all but two behind her out the crit by lap 15. Now thats mental.

Crit report:
http://redhookcrit.com/history/london-no-2/

Detailed stats:
http://www.theresultslive.co.uk/red-hook-crit/red-hook-crit-2016/womens-crit

This makes me wonder, would it put people who are considering rhc off when theyre up against a herculian olympian. Personally I like this as its gonna up the standards, especially if she did he whole championship rather than just one crit. Hmm

I think it's wicked - makes for fantastic viewing when there's an absolute beast wrecking the rest of the field

Go back to boards I say

As much as I admire her, I think it's a shame to allow riders of her level to compete, considering the background of RHC being based on being an all-inclusive race, entered by riders of so different backgrounds. If pro riders dominate, RHC will lost its attraction (for me, IMVHO).

I think the whole idea was to peg pro riders level with amateurs (hence one gear only)(and thanks google search)

The main differing factor for the riders are fitness and tactics. Which can still be considered unfair because pros are pros for a reason, its their job to be super fit. Contrast that to people entering the race whose got day jobs. But some might see it as an amazing opportunity for average joes to smash the pros. As did Trimble whos the originator of it. But then a pro won in the first rhc. Also if an amateur is that good, you might think, why is this dude/tte not a pro.

Such a catch 22 me thinks.

Piccies below. What a sweet vig. Going to this event is making think twice about selling my frame 😭

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Wait, the Northern Irish First Minister rides a sweet fixeh?

The series is undoubtably at a crossroads. It either chooses to remain a race series that 'the rest of us' can participate in, or it goes the other way and you end up in a situation whereby Specialized fly Sagan in to lap everyone in two laps and he wheelies the remainder of the race (to be fair, I'd probably go watch that!).

It's easy/hard [delete as applicable] to make a case for both scenarios. As a spectator, do you want to see Olympians and pro riders? or Freg Bloggs from your local bakery?

On the flipside; if you're an amateur fixie rider, do you want pro riders entering 'your' event as nothing more than a piss about in an off week to crush you out of something you've worked really hard for a year to be a part of?

And not forgetting; This is now firmly Trimble's business and means of making a living. No one wants to hold a brother back. And certainly not one who has a love and passion for fixed gear racing.

So the question is; does RHC now follow a path that makes it bigger and more successful, but not necessarily something that you or I stand a chance in? Or does it choose to keep it smaller and more accessible for the average joes and accept the limitations - in terms of facilities, infrastructure and prizes - that inevitably means?

As is usual in these cases, it's probably $$$ that will decide.

It's not like Red Hook is the only crit series now - multiple events in the UK alone so far this year.

Red Hook is obviously the pinnacle and that's what it should be. There were amateur UK riders in the final, so it's not beyond the reach of everyone. Was anyone from NLTCBMBG or East London Fixed expecting to win? Or even feature in the final?

😆😭!

And

+Bamster true

True. And it is nice to know that if youre motivated enough, you could train like a super saiyen for a year and actually be able to race in a rhc, because all you need is a drop bar track bike. Same as the olden days.

I think it can be frustrating for those involved if you end up getting lapped by an olympian, but the fact that level of rider is involved should help legit-ify the whole thing, showing it's a proper sport not just some idiots riding track bikes on streets. The Red Hook has already inspired more related events and people wanting to enter them and as it becomes more and more established that will only increase. In some countries in Europe there is weekly fixed criterium leagues, we're lucky if we have a handful a year in the UK.