2012-05-06 - Tokyo Fixed & Chipotle Present "The Hunt" - Fixed Gear Criterium Race

Fixed brakeless only, surely thats the whole point! race track bikes on something thats not a banked oval. Check out the other crits like Red Hook.

Racers

1. Butters
   
2. Poots
   
3. Slurd
   
   

Marshals

1. Sally
   

I'd just like to say that just because this features my picture it is in no way an endorsement.

brakeless track bikes on a "hilly" course is quite possibly going to be carnage.

even experienced brakeless riders will find slowing down while holding a line with people racing close either side a challenge.

good luck to everyone racing.

I think I'll hold back on entering until they reveal how many burritos are on offer. Could be damned hilarious to go and watch though.

LOL... what a joke.
When did crits become fashionable?

LOL... what a joke.
When did crits become fashionable?

It's very easy to be negative about this, and I'm seriously contemplating going to watch as the culture clash between the "competitors" and hillingdon's users will be fascinating.

I do think there will certainly be accidents if you have 30odd inexperienced (in racing) riders on a road circuit without a working front brake, and I'm surprised the facility will be allowing it. Perhaps as old school racing organisers they assume a front brake will be mandatory as it is for hill climbs and TTs.

However, if it encourages more people to race bikes "properly" then it's got to be a good thing, they have some decent sponsors and I'm sure the organisers will have appropriate insurance in place for the racing.

What's a chipotle? I thought it was a kind of sauce

it's a smoked habanero chillie isn't it.....? sauce named after it as is a US fast food chain that used to sponsor a bike team.

It's named after Mario Chipotle, the famous Mexican sprinter who also held several competitive eating records for consuming the world's hottest chilli.

I'm surprised there is so much vocal negativity, and that Tiswas can't think of anything funnier.

I wont be around to race but I hope the format works, it's a success and everyone has fun.

brakeless track bikes on a "hilly" course is quite possibly going to be carnage.

London Bridge has more of a hill than Hillingdon.
I think it sounds mental and amazing. Only the brave!

I'm with stelle on this one, just waiting for a bit more info. Silly fun, why not?

It's Thursday, and I'm all out of lols for the week.

You may, however, peruse a back catalogue of my more successful insouciant bon mots here.

Thanks for custom, and do come again.

The link takes me to my rep given page.

You're (surprisingly) not on it.

;-P

I'm surprised there is so much vocal negativity, and that Tiswas can't think of anything funnier.

I wont be around to race but I hope the format works, it's a success and everyone has fun.

Cycle racing has evolved down certain paths for a reason. Riding on a fixed gear bike, without any brakes, is best suited to a velodrome where the course is free of corners and allows competitors to focus on the racing.

Riding on fixed gear bikes, without brakes on a course which, whilst it's flat, still has some sections where brakes are essential seems to me to be a retrograde step and, frankly, dangerous.

:D
Don't worry, racing in any form is beyond me so I clearly won't actually do anything about this.

I haven't been to Hillingdon but surely this just isn't going to work if it has corners that need brakes. Could make tactics quite interesting as staying upright isn't a given.

London Bridge has more of a hill than Hillingdon.
I think it sounds mental and amazing. Only the brave!
in which case, looks like it could be fun! I have never been to Hillingdon but was under the impression it had a bit of a hill...

Will you be having a go?

it's a smoked habanero chillie isn't it.....? sauce named after it as is a US fast food chain that used to sponsor a bike team.

Smoked jalapeno.

I did not know Chipotle had opened in London near my office. I am now going to go and weep tears of joy.

In for watching.

6m elevation over a mile according to a Garmin 705.

Should be fine so long as people know how to ride in a group.

I went to the Chipotle on Charing Cross Road on the day it opened. True story.

hmm, why not..

Sounds like fun. £20 to enter. Are there some drinks with that or what?

Cycle racing has evolved down certain paths for a reason. Riding on a fixed gear bike, without any brakes, is best suited to a velodrome where the course is free of corners and allows competitors to focus on the racing.

Riding on fixed gear bikes, without brakes on a course which, whilst it's flat, still has some sections where brakes are essential seems to me to be a retrograde step and, frankly, dangerous.

I'm sure if every rider was of similar ability, it wouldn't be a problem. However with a wide range of abilities in both fitness and group riding skills, I expect it's going to be hilarious.

^^ This. It's going to be a total ragbag of hipster fixy skidders, the slightly more affluent end of messenger who thinks they could be in with a chance of winning the prize therefore £20 less on cheap polish lager is an investment and utterly deluded but excitable idiots like me.

It'll be a fucking shambles. Bring it on.

Oh, and the £20 gets you food and drink from the sponsors I belive.

This looks like it will be hilarious!

Having ridden on Hillingdon quite a few times (not racing but used to do a bit of weekend training on there) - I would love to have a go at racing fixed on there. No brakes would be too scary for me though.

It'll be a must watch though; depending on the direction there's either a loooong slog up a hill which starts to burn after a handful of laps, followed two short down hills with sharp corners at the bottom or the opposite way which might actually be worse with the long decent! It's going to be like watching destruction derby!

I'm suddenly a bit afeared of riding brakless after all my bluster. I can kinda skid but the thought of doing it on my actual track bike seems wierd!

Also, skidding on my track slicks isn't the best of ideas, is it?