News & Views

Marathon Crash Report

Every Marathon Crash event comes with its own surprises, and this year had its own unexpected circumstance. From the very first one being an impromptu event, announced upon discovery that the longstanding bike tour was no more, to the false start of 2012 and the sudden cancellation of the 2014 race and last-minute reinstatement of the ride portion of the event.

Who knew that several hundred cyclists would show up to a guerilla street race at 3 am? Five years ago, that was the lesson to be learned. Five years later, and the Crash Race Ride continues to be educational. Perhaps the biggest lesson this year is that the passion to ride is a powerful force. That’s what the City of Los Angeles learned, when more than a thousand cyclists showed up to ride on the morning of March 9th.

Even though the race was cancelled, local and visiting cyclists who had marked their calendars for this night long ago weren’t willing to call off their plans just because they didn’t have the city’s support. After all the ground that race organizer Don Ward (aka Roadblock) had gained over the years, the City Attorney saw the the Crash Race as too big to continue existing without the requisite red tape throwing an event in Los Angeles requires.

Here’s how things went down the night of: There were no dog tags, but everyone won (unless you were gunning at a chance at earning a pair of dog tags for risking life and limb in the most chaotic street race —hundreds of riders of novice, amateur and pro status competing for space and speed on semi-closed streets—and couldn’t let go of your dream without bitterness). Competition junkies were able to get their fix on Saturday night, at Hernan Montenegro’s Plan B Alleycat, which provided all of the shenanigans a good race should.

The Crash Ride was easily half the size of the previous year’s, although the number still broke 1000 cyclists. The cops protected every intersection along the route, so riders never stopped once—although the course was somewhat abridged and skipped the section through the downtown area. The Santa Anas blew hot, so this early morning ride was surreal in its warmth—a warmth that describes more than just the weather, as the feeling was familial, with nothing at stake but Sunday agendas.

The ones who trained could still claim all the strength and skill and personal improvement they had gained, and those who feared the dangers of the racing clusterfuck could breathe a sigh of relief. Some of us stayed up all night, and got a hand up from Daylight Savings, which washed away 2 am in the blink of an eye. Others set alarms for the oddest hours, rolling up to the start still foggy-eyed. To train harder and eat healthier in preparation, or commit to making a marathon out of the night itself, with antecedent adventures and another round to kick off at the edge of the sea, as the sun rises and alcohol wears off.

“Thanks everyone for coming out!” announced Roadblock, sporting a grin big enough to swallow all the anguish of the days preceding. At the end of the line, where the land met the Pacific, he spoke through a megaphone, a high-rise human among a sea of cyclists who just came out to ride, “Who wants to go to the beach?”

And without a doubt, the sunrise was the sweetest reward, as if the ride itself wasn’t a boon enough. I can’t even tell you how many cyclists posted “Best life ever” in their statuses throughout the following day. –Krista Carlson

Getting Rad at Shopbike Shootout

When there is a party in the back alley of One on One Bicycle Studio, it is not to be missed. Over the years 117 N Washington St has become the hub of Minneapolis bike culture and beyond. I first met Gene and his right hand man Hurl as a teenager, and it was an eye opening experience that I look back on as one part of making it all click together for me. An early 2007 visit to One on One is truly what set the wheels in motion to making Urban Velo happen—we owe much of our inspiration to interactions with Gene Oberpriller over the years.

A frigid weekend in February was the the first Shopbike Shootout held in the alley behind One on One and Handsome Cycles. Put on by the big brains at Chrome, it was a cold weather party and short track race on the icy pavement. Think barrel fires, sidehack BMX, and brakeless freewheel bikes. Rip it over the snow bank and around the short course, winner takes all. The party ran late, the riding was treacherous, and Gene pulled off a wallride as his 53rd birthday approached (see page 6). Good times as always in the alleyway, with images all that remain. –Brad Quartuccio

Indianapolis Radder Day Rides

Organizer Nathaniel Tact has begun throwing monthly, casual bike rides around downtown Indianapolis called Radder Day Rides. Simply for the love of riding and communing with other cyclists, these rides are not billed as Critical Mass, alleycats or any other such association. They do, however, give you the chance to take home raffle prizes from local businesses—just for showing up! Maybe I’m getting soft in my old age, but I really like the idea of a no-stress bike ride that still gives everyone something to take home.

If you’re in the Indy area or just passing through, join in on the fun. Check out the Radder Day Rides Facebook page for all the updates and prize offerings. –Scott Spitz

Drive With Care Campaign

“Drive With Care.” That’s the message to drivers coming from this Bike Pittsburgh campaign. 2012 was a particularly harsh year for riders in Pittsburgh and this campaign was born out of a desire to humanize bike riders in the face of multiple hit and run incidents and open hostility. As the campaign states, “The people behind the windshield and under the helmet are our nurses, carpenters, children, and sports heroes, but the overwhelming perspective seems to be that bike riders are in-the-way nuisances who have no right to the road.” A successful but relatively short billboard and bus stop promotion was well received in town and around the web, and now an Indiegogo campaign has been launched in an effort to increase the reach further than before. Learn more at www.bikepgh.org. –Brad Quartuccio