RIP Rollapaluza? Tell us your stories.

Seems like the end is nigh as Caspar concentrates on stopping the end becoming nigh:

https://www.cyclist.co.uk/news/6851/rollapaluza-likely-to-end-as-director-leaves-company-to-concentrate-on-extinction

I've had some wicked nights at their events, especially in the early years at their open races. Being their course designer for the Muddy Hell races was something I really enjoyed too. I'm sure they have got a lot of people into riding and racing including a fair few from here.

Had an afternoon with them in Sheffield. Russ Downing was at Sky at the time to give you an idea of how many years ago it was. Great fun. I tried to get them for a stag doo last year but the maths simply didn’t work.

Sad if the company closes but good on Caspar.

Pain and public humiliation.
Sums up each time I rollerpoluzed

06/07 I think ... @Rapsac suggested I come along to a room above a pub in Whitechapel , watched @BringMeMyFix win , I was introduced to a crowd of couriers as an estate agent which went down well , beat a courier in the first round but he went through instead of me, met @big_daddy_wayne, joined CS Grupetto and the rest as they say is history......

10 Mightily impressed by the caps @tika and @mashton were wearing on the train to Potters Bar for my first TNRC.

Lovely thread to read, thanks folks.

I will be sad to see this period end, ill especially miss working with @big_daddy_wayne's gear but there is a war effort calling.

Apparently I met @mickie_cricket and Rollapaluza and he still loves telling the story! We're not together any more, sadly.

Good luck to Caspar. Haven't been to an event in years but in ye olde good forum times of yore I had some memorable evenings. Kids always seemed to enjoy the events at schools too.

Me (very excited): Hey man, we have the same bike
Pastry Bot (shrugs): so?

Josh introduced me to Rollas. Used to love going so much. His gag was sit and hold the bars like they were cut down shoulder width. I used to try and imitate Hillbilly’s style of leaning far forward and having little weight on the rear wheel. I think it worked a lot better for him than it did me.

Good memories.

First Rollapaluza for me was at the Waterloo Action Centre, December 2007. Was 4 or 5 pints deep by the time my qualifier came round, felt desperately sick at the end, went outside and threw up while trying to hide behind a phone box. @BringMeMyFix won the event, beating a trackie in the final (Lee Povey?).

Best night was Kingspin 1 at Bloomsbury bowling lanes, summer 2008. Ended up missing my last train home and had to ride back to deepest darkest Kent while still pissed. Got home as the sun was starting to come up. Happy times.

Not the early years, but the Grand Prix de Peckham was one hell of a night. Culminated in drinking tinnies on Camberwell Green at 4am.

@Rapsac thanks for everything - Rollapaluza events were a great catalyst for a deeper relationship with cycling. I know it petered out, but thanks also for Rollapaluza CC. I rode round Rutland in my white summer jersey on Sunday. Still love the design by @big_daddy_wayne

An absolute pleasure.

Forgot to add - forza to Extinction Rebellion. You are doing a good thing.

I remember turning up at one of the Horseshoe events. It was a 1000m race as opposed to the usual 500. I rode and did not qualify. Sadly for me a number who had qualified buggered off and I was suddenly informed that I was racing. Bottom of the order, I was against Fast Eddie. The bastard toyed with me and as I result I raced as fast as I could until, around 200m out, I died.

Always enjoyed watching more than racing.

Viewed the racing a few times and took part once. Failed miserably. Loved the event at the science museum.

Think I took photos of people racing and some amazing facial expressions while racing at one of the events? Think it was one of the film festival events. Trying to think who ended up with the photos.

Hope it is not the end, but good on Rapsac for making a difference.

Many memories of Rollapaluzas, they were just unmissable. I think my favourites were one on Blackfriars Road (part of Brass Monkey?) where Alex Dowsett raced (but, being a tester, wasn't the fastest spinner), not because of him, and Brief Encounter. Kingspin 2 was also great. Totally lovely events.

I think I was too late to watch @BringMeMyFix win (just another mention so his notifications pile up), but I think Jimbilly mostly won when I attended. I was always rubbish at spinning, and I think the only time I qualified was at the 1000m event WornCleat mentions (but, like him, I promptly lost in the next round). There may have been one other 1000m event.

I nearly forgot the 'other' events like Muddy Hell, which was utterly superb. If I could choose one event to happen again, it would have to be MH. Unfortunately I only made it one Keirin, but I loved that. And the Urban Hill Climb, too.

Needless to say, the main reason why the planet is tipping over was the huge energy generated at Rollapaluzas, so Rapsac's only really tidying up what he and @winston caused in the first place. :) Hope someone else takes over RP and it doesn't go extinct! Thanks for all the good times, PaulCaspar and CasparPaul.

Remember jimbilly get drunker and faster.

Sad to hear. Thanks for visiting Coventry bitd @Rapsac I've painful memories of riding back to back races in the park there.

Yeah shit

That was a messy night for everyone who went

Somewhere I have some great photos of that night

@Sam was Waterloo action centre in December? I remember it being summer? Unless there were two of them and I was just drunk and confused..

My first cycle club. Lots of love for Rollapaluza. I have a great photo...

1 Attachment

The one in 2007 defo was, as sadly my Dad had passed away the week before.

@BringMeMyFix on the right persons wheel there, Ved.

There were two! July 2007, for the cmwc pre-event and again in December. Apparently I was at both of them..