2021 Chicks in the Sticks. Singlespeeding Qld’s all-female 3 hr Enduro event.

Last week, I participated in Queensland’s premier all-female 3 hr Enduro (mountain bike) event – Chicks in the Sticks 2021.

…and I had a blast!

I was super excited this year to see for the first time, a new singlespeed-only category which I feel I had a small hand in encouraging over the years (see more below). So of course, I went to help populate the inaugural division and support the event.

This year I rode singlespeed as a solo 3-hr enduro.

And I rode it wearing a collaborative ‘Celebrating First Nations MTB’ outfit.

2021 Chicks in the Sticks.Singlespeeding Qld's all-female 3 hr Enduro event. Bicycles Create Change.com 5th October 2021. — L-R: Seb Mitaros, Michelle Woods, Nina & Michelle Sando

Event Highlights

It was great to see four other singlespeeders also doing solo 3hr. The singlespeed division was called ‘clipped wings’. While we were lined up at the start line, I turned on a mobile speaker I had attached to my bike and played a bike-themed, race-appropriate playlist – which was awesome! It got us all hyped and in the mood. Of course, I played Queen’s Bicycle Race while we were waiting for the starters gun. Then we were off!

My plan was to go out hard early for the first lap, then ease off and enjoy the rest. I was keen to see how I felt during the 3hrs as I hadn’t been riding a lot and it was a hot day – so I reminded myself I was riding, not racing.

At the start line, I shot out like a bat out of hell and gave the division a good run for their money. I pushed hard for the first lap and keep the tempo high. Just before the second lap, I was overtaken by a singlespeeder, which was my cue to ease off and get into a comfortable groove to cruise the rest of the event.

Having music keep my spirits high, and I made a point of chatting and encouraging other riders along the trail.

In time, Michelle from Pedal Inn (who is a friend) caught up to me. I asked her if she wanted to overtake, but she said no. Pedal Inn was sponsoring the event and she didn’t want to podium as it might look a little dodgy. Plus, like me, she was digging the tunes and just wanted to support the division!

So we ended up riding together for the rest of the event. Which was awesome!

By the fourth lap, I was getting a little tired from the heat and sugar overload, but I kept my head positive and legs moving. The track was made for singlespeed riding and although there were a few diversions around A lines I usually ride, I was happy with how it all unfolded.

I had a great time and completed five laps to finish 3rd.

A massive, big thanks to husband who was my event support and most especially to Michelle for her good company on track. What a superstar!

Congrats also to all the riders, friends and family who attended, as well as to the event organisers and volunteers.

Acknowledgment of country
race village
gearing up
friends with bike t-shirts
and we are off!
having too much fun
good trail times
Nina & Michelle pit stop
last lap
congrats all round

*Images by Nina Ginsberg and Official RATS Event Images by Element Photography.

Previous Chicks in the Sticks

I’ve been supporting this event for many years.

My first CITS event was in 2016 with a mate Corin and another friend Claire as support. We were Team Bicycles Create Change! Our approach was casual, relaxed and have fun. Corin rode her MTB and I was on my singlespeed. Completely unfazed by other riders in ‘full gear’, I rode in less than traditional MTB biking attire, including a flower-decorated bike, helmet, and stretch pants, with not a stitch of lycra or a camelback in sight – which raised quite a few eyebrows. Read more about the 2016 CITS here.

For my second CITS, in 2017, I went to support the event and cheer on the riders. Because I was not on the bike this time, I had more time to chat with riders, families, and event volunteers and get a whole new perspective on the event. Off the bike, I was able to help out and enjoy the color, costuming, and fun in a completely different way – like being able to ‘watch the start’ (which I videoed) as opposed to ‘be in the start’. Read more about the 2017 CITS here.

In 2018, I was back on the singlespeed doing the 3hr solo. It was quite a different experience doing the full 3hr by yourself: pacing, food, ride plan, and mindset played a big part in completing the ride well. As previously, I kept reminding myself that I was there to support the event and not race and so I made an effort to connect with others and enjoy the ride – and not get sucked into chasing and racing. It was a super hot day and that had a big impact on riders. But I drew on my experience, knowing these trails are built for singlespeeds -and (as usual) I had a blast! Read more about 2018 CITS here.

2019 saw a new singlespeed mate, Jen and I team as team and we were the only riders and team on singlespeeds. Somehow, I managed to talk Jen into team-theming as boogie boarders (feigning a sport event confusion, ‘but we are here now with our SS, so we might as well ride‘) dress-ups. Suffice to say, we had far too much fun! Bless you, Jen! We entered as a soft-boiled double yokers team called (again) Bicycles Create Change and even though we were cruising and ‘riding not racing’ we still ended up coming second in our division – wow! We also ended up receiving an on-the-spot award for being the only all-Singlespeed team of the day! A good way to promote singlespeeds at the event – as we saw in the 2021 reiteration in which the event had for the first time an official singlespeed division! Woohoo! And yes, I do feel like we had a small role to play in making this happen!! Read Jen’s guest post of how the 2019 CITS event went here.

The 2020 event was cancelled because of COVID.

So, 2021 was the event’s well-anticipated return! And it did not disappoint.

See you there for 2022!

Chicks in the Sticks 2018. Bicycles Create Change.com 27th October, 2018 — Image: Chicks in the Sticks

04/07/202124/08/2021

Riding the Indian Pacific Wheel Race for CycleAbility

Riding the Indian Pacific Wheel Ride for CycleAbility. Bicycles Create Change.com. 4th July 2021. — Image: The Seattle Times

Celebrating diversity in bike ridership is a key theme for this blog. This blog actively promotes a fuller range of rider experiences, alternative bike set ups, and projects and events that are inclusive of more-than-the-mainstream-norm kinds of bike riding. Sadly, many of these initiatives do not receive adequate attention and often remain invisible and un(der)recognised. Some examples are:

So I was delighted this year to see rider diversity being represented in one of my favorite annual bike events, the Indian Pacific Wheel Race.

The IndyPac (or IPWR) is an epic, unassisted 5, 550kms adventure ride going from Fremantle to the Sydney Opera House that few attempt. It is the most prestigious bike touring race in Australia. I got especially interested in IndyPac 2017 when my dear friend Jackie Bernardi rode it (only one of seven females). That was also the year the event was cut short after the tragic death of rider Mike Hall.

Each year since, I’ve kept my eye on the IndyPac.

This year, the story of Ed Birt (Chief Operating Officer for The Disability Trust) caught my eye as he was riding to raise funds and awareness for their CycleAbility program. Below is an article about Ed’s IPWR participation, which I found via The Disability Trust news.

There were many aspects of Ed’s approach to the IPWR that stood out for me (balls in just attempting the event itself, but also supporting a good cause, positive awareness raising for greater diversity in ridership, and more) was the terminology shift from Indian Pacific Wheel Race to Indian Pacific Wheel Ride employed in communicating his involvement. I appreciated the subtle vocab shift to focus more on participation as opposed to competition.

With tenacity, tailwinds and a passion for cycling Ed Birt, Chief Operating Officer of The Disability Trust, has successfully completed the Indian Pacific Wheel Ride, a solo unsupported, 5,500km ride ocean-to-ocean across Australia.

Ed, a keen cyclist who recently celebrated his 50th birthday decided to undertake the personal challenge whilst on annual leave and use the experience to raise money to purchase bicycles, tricycles, recumbent bikes and frames to support The Disability Trust’s new CycleAbility program and other existing programs such as Vacation Care and Getaway Saturday.

The course does not follow the most direct route from coast to coast making it a truly memorable adventure through deserts, wine districts, rolling hills, winding coastal roads and tough alpine regions riding through the heart of Australia’s major cities. Starting at Freemantle Lighthouse at 6.22am on Saturday 20 March 2021, nine riders dipped their wheel in the Indian Ocean with the goal of being able to do the same in the Pacific Ocean once reaching Sydney.

After 23 days on the road Ed arrived at the steps of the Sydney Opera House on the 11th of April, cheered on by family, friends and supporters. He was the second rider to complete the challenge with only four completing the race with other participants retiring due to injury or bike issues.

“It’s just empowering to get from A to B under your own steam,” Mr Birt said. “It’s a big country and lots can happen, but I was pretty well-prepared. The bike performed really well,” Mr Birt said.

The highlight for Ed, as well as enjoying the beautiful countryside he travelled through, was the support and generosity of the people he met along the way. Avid “dot watchers”, people tracking the riders online, will often join the cyclists on their own bikes as they head through their towns, providing riders with refreshments or a place to rest.

“There were people who put me up in their homes, or truck drivers who stopped and made me a peanut butter and banana sandwich in the middle of the desert,” Mr Birt said.

Fundraising has surpassed his goal of $10,000 and is over $11,000 with The Figtree Lions Club and Resin Brewing also set to bolster the fundraising with charity events.

The CycleAbility program will be supporting independence, fitness and social inclusion through the use of bicycles as active transport. The program will provide skills, knowledge and safety in using bicycles and Wollongong’s cycling infrastructure.

The empowering CycleAbility program will be facilitated through The Disability Trust’s Sport and Recreation team and will run on the last Saturday of every month commencing 29 May 2021. The program will be run from The Disability Trust’s head office car park in Wollongong (5 Edney Lane Spring Hill) with a focus on

Fun
Skills development
Safety while riding
Bicycle maintenance and repair and
Getting to know the Wollongong Cycle network

100% of funds raised will go towards purchase of equipment for CycleAbility and other The Disability Trust programs.

03/06/201924/08/2021

A/P Chelsea Bond BAM! on World Bicycle Day!

I hope you had a great time today celebrating life on two wheels!

It’s incredible to think this is only the second year this commemorative day has been recognised internationally.

For last year’s first official World Bicycle Day, BCC looked at what this day means to the UN. We also checked out some of the awesome WBD events happening glocally (globally/locally) in Adelaide (AU), India and Denmark.

This year, in my hometown of Brisbane, World Bicycle Day coincided with another important event, the biennial Mabo Oration*.

After a lovely day on bikes, husband and I headed into QPAC with 800 others to hear the Oration. This year the guest speaker was Luke Pearson from IndigenousX.

It was a very interesting talk. Luke raised many important issues as well as sharing his thoughts on activism, racism, leaving a legacy, truth-telling, being a father, next steps and self-determinacy – and this discussion has continued in the media.

This public speech comes at a perfect time given the traction that A/P Chelsea Bond’s recent contribution to the La Trobe racism discussion created.

(If you are not sure what I am talking about – prepare to have your mind blown).

The traction I’m referring to started with a speech given by Associate Professor Chelsea Bond, who was one of four speakers for a LaTrobe University panel discussion on the topic of:

Has racism in contemporary Australia entered the political mainstream?

If you have not seen it, you need to.

Why?

Because A/P Bond delivered the most powerful, intelligent, inspiring, uncompromising, kick-ass speech on racism in Australia heard in a very long time!

Make up your own mind.

Below is the full video. A/P Chelsea Bond is the last speaker, so go direct to: 1:01:05 and watch until 1:14:11.

There is no doubt that A/P Bond delivered a masterclass in Indigenous excellence!

Her speech hit so many high points on so many levels.

I’ve been walking around for days inspired by Nat Cromb and Luke Pearson’s overview of her speech saying things like Bam! Kapow! Boom! Pow!

Most impactful for me was how she powerfully called out those who fail to have truthful and confronting conversations.

This is what has stayed with me the most – and something that requires ongoing consideration – and action.

In her speech, A/P Bond said ‘In my being, I refuse to bear false witness to these lies.’ Such statements reminds us there is much work to do – and it is everyone’s responsibility to take action and call out racism.

So, imagine our delight when, on World Bicycle Day at the Mabo Oration, husband and I ran into A/P Chelsea Bond!

OMG!

Shameless academic fanning ensued.

The oration had just concluded and we were all leaving the auditorium when we passed her. Husband spotted her and I took the initative to introduce ourselves and have a chat.

A/P Bond was very accommodating. She was happy to have a good chat and take a photo. We told her how significant her speech had been for us and we talked about how different people have responded to it.

We can home – elated, thrilled, humbled and exhausted.

It had been a day full of culture, challenges, activism and insights.

Without a doubt, World Bicycle Day 2019 has been the most rewarding and motivating.

I hope you had an equally thought-provoking and stimulating day!

*The Mabo Oration is a biennial event organised by the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland and QPAC. It is the Commission’s public commitment to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Queensland. It celebrates and pays tribute to Eddie Mabo and the landmark High Court decision which legally recognised that Indigenous people had a special relationship to the land that existed prior to colonisation. The first Mabo Oration was on 3 June 2005 and this year, the guest speaker was Noel Pearson.

26/04/201907/05/2019

Six Day Brisbane Final

On the weekend I went to the Anna Mears Velodrome for the Six Day Series Final Brisbane.

OMG.

It was AWESOME!

I’ve never been to Six Day cycling event before. I was there at the invitation of World Bicycle Relief (Australia). It was my pleasure to help them out for the event. Not only was I supporting a good cause, but I got to watch some incredible racing, meet my favourite inter/national cyclists, chat with some big-wigs and mingle with cycling-mad punters all night! Horray!

The Anna Meares Velodrome is the perfect stadium for this kind of event. I was stoked to see some of the world’s best track cyclists in live action – especially how they whiz so confidently around the 48-degree velodrome banks – eck!

There are excellent views and seating all around the outside of the track as well as a walk tunnel that went under the velodrome and let you into the centre. Inside the velodrome, there was a bar, a few trade exhibitions, the DJ stage, the podium/race ramp, and activities on one side, and the athletes compound on the other.

As support of the riders and in the spirit of the event, I wore my recycled bicycle parts and inner-tube outfit. This outfit includes a cog steampunk-style hat, a bodice of inner tubes interwoven across the front, a bike chain chandelier belted skirt and a necklace of made of inner tubes and BMX parts. A genuine (be)spoke outfit! (*aw dad!*). It was the perfect thing to wear. Lots of people stopped to ask about it and see the details. It was lovely to see how much people appreciated the effort, materials and appropriacy of the outfit for the event.

The music and light show was an unexpected bonus. The DJ played a continuous stream of banging beats supported by impressive party-style lighting. The whole overall effect was like being in the ultimate sports-and-dance club = a very exciting party atmosphere. People were even dancing. Beers, Beats and Bikes!

The place was packed each day. There were families, couples, groups of friends and kids galore. I talked to people who had come diligently every day and others who had no idea what the event was but had been given a ticket so came along to check it out. Everyone agreed it was a wonderful format to experience cycling. The atmosphere as electric, the races were so close you couldn’t help but be affected by the environment, excitement and energy of the action.

I also had the chance to chat with a few of my favorite Aussie cyclists like Amy Cure and Olympian Shane Perkins. Considering they had just finished racing and had much to do (and lots of people to talk to), I was impressed that they still made time to come into the crowd and mingle, have a chat and hang out with some of their fans after racing. What true champs!

The race formats included various scratch and points races including Madison, Elimination, Derny Racing, Women’s Omnium, 200m Time Trials and Kirin. Some of the formats like the Madison were new to me, but after I understood what it entailed (see video below), the racing took on a whole new intensity.

Cyclists like Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins and Australian superstars Callum Scotson and nine-time World Champion Cameron Meyer (who won the Six Day London event in 2017) have competed at the European Six Day Series.

I had a brilliant time and will definitely go again.

A huge thank you to Dagmar, Ali, Scott and World Bicycle Relief for the opportunity to go to this event and for making my time there so enjoyable.

27/10/201808/03/2019

Chicks in the Sticks 2018

Last weekend was the 2018 Chicks in the Sticks 3 hr Enduro event.

Chicks in the Sticks (CITS) is Queensland’s premier all-women’s MTB event. It has been running now for 4 years and registrations have been gaining steadily. This year there were 233 entrants.

I won’t rehash here the finer details of the event as you can check out at this post on the CITS 2016 which I rode as a team event or this one from the 2017 event.

CITS is all-inclusive race experience catering for both elite riders and those new to MTB and there is a strong emphasis on fun, community and giving riding a go.

The original date set in late August at the Karingal site was cancelled due to thunderstorms.

As luck would have it, the rain cleared on Sunday and a beautiful steamy and sunny day burst forth for our race day at Scribbly Gums Conservation Park.

How was the event?

I got there early and set up a little area for my gear and bags. The junior race started soon after and it was inspiring to see the under-10 girls giving it their all.

I got my race plate, chatted to a few people I knew and visited a few of the stalls. After getting a sense of where the senior race track was, I moved my gear to a position that was quick and easy to have a pit shop to replenish supplies during the race.

Unlike previous years, this time I was riding the full 3-hour solo. As the morning got more humid and hot, I could see that this change in weather was going to be a factor during the race and I was glad I gave some good thought to my water and race supplies.

My approach was to ride steady and see how I felt. It’s been 2 years since I’ve officially raced – and I was at CITS to support the event, not to ride hard and total myself. There were some elite racers out to smash it and many were there to give it a go and a surprising number of seniors were doing their first ever race.

I was not in costume, just comfortable MTB gear – a decision I was very grateful for later when the sun was blaring down and I saw many people in costumes suffering more so. I could see the heat taking a toll on the less experienced riders. By lap 3 (2 hours in) the field had spread out considerably, with quite a few calling it quits early due to the heat.

I rode with a few people who were struggling on the uphill fire trail – just chatting and encouraging. One lady had not eaten, so I gave her some of my food and keep her company up the hill. It reminded me how hard it was when I first started riding and how much I valued the insights and advice of my more experienced MTB mates. Their input saved me a lot of needless suffering – for which I am eternally thankful.

What else happened?

Interestingly, I was the only singlespeed riding- and the trails were perfect for it. Really, there was bugger all elevation, but lots of windy single track. The consistently tight turns and gravel spread the field right out. Confident cornering technique played a massive role in conserving energy and holding speed. Perfect conditions!

I chugged along at my own speed and chatted to a few other riders. My goal was to keep my head positive and enjoy the day – everything else was a bonus. So without any race expectations, it meant I could relax and enjoy the ride.

I found my groove after lap two and was feeling surprisingly comfortable. I ended up doing 5 laps 9kms laps in total without destroying myself in the heat and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

It was good to be part of this event. It was lovely to see how hard people were working and how different people deal with their individual race day challenges.

I had a great time riding and was glad I pushed myself to ride further than I have previously without destroying myself. It was a great day for a ride and the event was super fun. I will definitely be back next year! See you there!

Congrats to the organisers!

Kudos to the organisers and all the wonderful people that helped make this such a fabulous event like the participants, the RATS Cycling Club, volunteers and heaps of partners/family/friends.

The Chicks in the Sticks committee did a great job. A big congratulations to Barbra Neal, Lisa Toia, Amanda Harrison, Seb Mitaros and Christine McKay for all their hard work behind the scenes.

Congrats to all the riders – especially those who were riding for the first time.

Race Day results are available here.

More info about this event can be found on the CITS Facebook page and event pics at Element Photo and Video Productions.

25/05/201814/06/2018

Mountain biking – Kampala, Uganda

To give balance to the last post (which was about the challenges facing cyclists in Kampala), this post focuses on some of the more positive aspects fo cycling in Kampala: its burgeoning local MTB scene.

This is a great story to share for a number of reasons.

It shows the increasing popularity of cycling in general, as well as the diversity in riding styles and codes.

It also serves to remind us that ‘Africa’ is not one single homogenous entity; that each region, country and city in Africa has its own unique culture, interests, practices and lifestyle differences, while also showing how multidimensional cycling is in Kampala.

Unsurprisingly, juxtaposed with some seriously dangerous areas for cyclists in Kampala, there are also equally amazing places to ride.

And finally, it is awesome to see strong support for more female riders.

Mountain biking is not usually the first thing most western people would associate with Kampala.

Nevertheless, it is becoming increasingly popular in the area, mainly due to the efforts of (the seemingly inexhaustible) Kampala Cycling Club.

Kampala Cycling Club

I really like the Kampala Cycling Club’s approach.

The KCC claim that bike messagers are “the fastest couriers in Africa” and offer a full day Kampala Experience for tourists.

As a club, they are proactive, inclusive and forward-thinking.

For example, here is their training schedule:

I really like their rules for joining the club (take heed other clubs!).

Kampala Cycling Club

The Kampala Cycling Club has been involved in a range of events have that have significantly raised the profile and participation of cycling.

Two such events are…

1. Tour de Feminine

This year, from 24-26^th January, was the first ever “Tour de Feminine”.
This tour was formatted so that females could participate in either a competitive and recreation capacity.

To date, there is not much information about this event. I could only find a few registration details and a few photos on the Kampala Cycling Club Facebook page (see below).

Despite being a small ride (well it is the first time!), I was still keen to find out more and see what the event format, experience and outcomes were.

So I contacted the organisers – and hope to get more details soon.

I will keep you posted!

2. Red Dirt MTB Festival

The Red Dirt Mountainbike Festival was held on May 4th, 5th and 6th 2018.

The event FB page states “Uganda has so much to offer for the off-road cyclists. There are a zillion unexplored virgin singletracks in unique locations surrounded by beautiful nature and wildlife. We think it’s the best-kept secret and the closest thing to heaven for the outdoor athlete.

This awesome weekend will be stuffed with bicycle-related activities and other outdoor events for both young and old, fit or unfit, beginner or expert, national or international. Activities that will be organized are: nightrides, mountain bike clinics, mechanical workshops, family rides, BBQ, quiz night, movies, bonfires.

However, our biggest event will be organized on Sunday and will be an official MTB race in collaboration with Uganda Cycling Association.

This all will take place just a 15-minute boat ride away from busy Kampala, right in the middle of nature where the air is till fresh and the grass still green.”

The Red Dirt Facebook page has more details and info.

Prize money was awarded to both women’s and men’s podiums:

1st – 300.000 SHX
2nd – 150.000 SHX
3rd – 50.000 SHX

It looked like they had a great turn out – and a great time!!

Yesterday a highlight recap video was released (see below).

I love that MTB and cycling are so universal.

Congratulations to all the organisers, supporters, riders and locals who made these (and many others we have yet to hear about) happen.

It makes me very happy to know that these kind of events are happening and that they are increasing in popularity and participation.

Great work all!

Images from Kampala Cycling Club Facebook Page, Red Dirt Mountainbike Festival and Shotz By My.

13/04/201819/04/2018

MTB – Commonwealth Games 2018

For the last fortnight (April 4-15th), the Commonwealth Games (GC2018) has been on at the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast is only 1 hour away from Brisbane, so it is an opportune time to go see some world class cycling!

Australia has 36 riders in various cycling events for the GC2018.

There were many cycling events for GC2018, but I was most interested in seeing the MTB on Thursday 12th at Nerang.

There are two Australian MTBers for GC2018, Rebecca McConnell (nee Henderson) and Daniel McConnell.

The MTB was a free event, so I headed down to cheer them on.

MTB – Commonwealth Games 2018

It was a beautiful, sunny day.

The facilities, track access and the central hub were very well organized. It was super easy to get in and out.

I went earlier so I could do a bit of scouting out for the best trackside spot. I decided on a spot where the track went up the hill on one side, and down over some jumps on the other. It was a great spot.

I ended up running into a few familiar faces, which was great. Always good to see some of the crew and catch up.

I was fully prepared for the day with food, drink and tambourine. I made good use of the tambourine as years of experience means I pace myself so I don’t lose my voice too early (rookie mistake!). It was also great to be able to let fly with my ‘outside whistle’. I only unleash it at certain open-air events due to volume – perfect for this event!

The crowd came out strong to show support and did a good job of cheering.

One particular group of women were such good cheerers that I went up to them after the race to congratulate them .. ‘best cheerers of the day award’. They didn’t move the whole time (most others were moving between two tracks) and they cheered equally hard for every single rider, no matter what country. It was very impressive. Their positivity added such great energy and camaraderie trackside.

But, I was surprised at how small both fields were, especially the women’s. Then again, my experience has predominately been with big international World Cup DH and MTB, Cranworkx and Enduro/EWS races, so I had to remind myself that only Commonwealth countries could complete.

It was awesome to see the riders out on the track… super inspiring to see them charging up the hills and overtaking on the tight technical sections.

Overall it was a really great day. Congrats to all those who rode and for those who made the effort to get out and support – Great job!!

Source: Roostville

Interestingly, Irish rider Marc Potts was the only rider to compete in all three disciplines of MTB, road and track. Epic!

There was an official website for updates on the GC2018 cycling events and news, but it had little MTB coverage.

Final MTB results for the GC2018:

Men
1st. Samuel Gaze (NZL)
2nd. Anton Cooper (NZL)
3rd. Alan Hatherly (RSA)
4th. Ben Oliver (NZL)
5th. Frazer Clacherty (ENG)

Women
1st. Annie Last (ENG)
2nd. Evie Richards (ENG)
3rd. Haley Smith (CAN)
4th. Emily Batty (CAN)
5th. Isla Short (SCO)

Here’s the info the GC2018 released for the MTB

GC2018 – Final Overall Medal Tally

12/11/201722/11/2017

Urban Cycling World Champs

The Urban Cycling World Championship is a relatively new format that blends a selection of biking and cycling events into one ‘festival of urban biking’ showcase. The UCWC is in held in major cities around the world so more people can get to see, and experience, the new and unique skills and thrills of urban biking.

The 2017 Urban Cycling World Championship was held this week in Chengdu, China.

This year the event included Mountain Bike Eliminator (XCE), Trials and BMX Free Style Park – each of which is sure to inspire even the most unimpressed general public be more interested in bikes!!

What are ‘Trials’?

Trials is the event where you see bikers hopping and jumping across, between and over boulders, planks and other obstacles. Bikes are 20″ and 26″ and riders need mad balancing, agility, strength, timing and track standing skills to be competitive. Essentially it is a time-based routine where riders are allowed a maximum of five dabs allowed in any section.

Why is Trials so interesting this year?

Trial events have been a UCI World Champs event since 2001. However 2017 is the first year that Trials is being run as part of the Urban Cycling World Champs, whereas previously Trials has been run in conjunction with other mountain-biking disciplines as part of the UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships.

Most importantly because J-Mean (Janine Jungfels), who is a local Brisbane rider and Australia’s Women’s Elite Trials entrant – is hoping to kick ass!

Go Janine, Go!

Janine was the 2015 UCI BIU World Champion and she is a great ambassador for the sport. If you don’t know much about J-Mean, check out her Facebook page.

No matter what the final results are for this event, I think Janine is already a champ, given her dedication to training and promoting the sport.

She is a great role model to encourage more women and girls to see and experience a wider range of biking styles outside of the ‘mainstream’ road riding and MTBing.

I was super pumped after I saw this interview (see below) with her earlier this month at the Trials Park at Underwood Park, Brisbane.

I wanted to post on Janine and Trials to acknowledge and promote the hard work and dedication of many unknown riders in less popular cycling disciplines.

There are a handful of cycling styles that when someone saying ‘cycling’ immediately spring to mind (like the Tour de France). As I have argued elsewhere, the hyperfocus on such events is parochial and highlights the inaccurate, limited and inadequate representation within society of what cycling is – and this kind of view that negates an appreciate and support for the diversity and range of other types of riders, styles, skills and bikes that make up our amazing cycling communities.

So regardless of who actually wins the event – Viva La Femme Trails!

I hope events like the Urban Champs will help more people who would otherwise not have seen events like trails have a greater appreciation of the unique skills needed – and hopefully get more people interested in bikes!

Best of luck to all the 2017 Urban Champ riders – it will be a great event!

Here is the event list for this year’s Urban Cycling World Champs.

30/10/201703/11/2017

Mala Bruja Alleycat

For this blog post, we are heading to the U.S. -not for Halloween, but the night before – Witch’s Eve! I’ve been keeping my eyes open for one event in particular. I’ve been waiting in earnest to see what happened this year for Mala Bruja NYC Alleycat Race. This is an all-female charity Alleycat Bike Race. But alas, it seems like it didn’t go ahead this year. I’m still posting about this awesome race as I think it is important more people recognise, appreciate and celebrate the wonderful diversity of urban riding culture – and nothing does that more than Alleycats. I’m sad it didn’t go ahead this year, but these events can be challenging to organise, so maybe next year. Either way, kudos to those who did make an effort to make it happen for the last couple of years. We salute you! We definitely need more events like this one- and most critically in Aust!! Enjoy! NG.

This weekend most Americans are celebrating Holloween.

The night before Halloween is Witch’s Eve.

For the last two years, an ultra-cool crew headed up by Caro and Kenya have put on an all-female charity Alleycat bike race in NYC on Witch’s Eve.

I have been following this event. I think it is a great initiative and I wish there were more like it! Reminds me of the good olde days when I helped out at Melbourne Alleycat races – what a blast!

Earlier this year, BCC reported on the Melburn Roobaix, which is an annual urban bike race through Melbourne’s cobbled laneways. Melbourne Roobaix is always a smash hit with local riders – and they had an impressively high number of female riders this year.

So , I got super excited for this year’s ride after seeing KymNonStop’s video of the NYC ride from last year (see below).

KymNonStop also has a solid Mala Bruja Alleycat Recap blog post that is worth the look to see what happens at such events.

What is an Alleycat bike race?

Alleycat bike races are something to behold. They are informal race bike held in cities where riders need to navigate local streets and traffic to make check points and get back the fastest. It is also a massive social get together, have some fun and ride bikes with your mates.

Alleycats are well known for having a strong participation and fun focus. Some ride to compete, others just to be part of the fun.

Race formats for Alleycats can vary – but usually, there is not official race course that riders must take, but there are check points that need to be met. Riders get a map of the check points just before heading off and are free to make their own way there and back.

The fastest rider to meet all check points and get over the finish line is the winner.

Image: KymNonStop

Alleycats races are unsanctioned and can be run during the day or night. Riders race through city streets and have to navigate normal traffic and vehicles while the race is going on. This is why Alleycat races are often perceived by many to be quite dangerous.

Meeting check points must be authenticated in some way. This varies depending on the race, but is often something like a stamp, badge, signature, or some other object that must be gathered at each check point as evidence.

Mala Bruja Alleycat- Bicycles Create Change — Source: Bike your City

Often there are activities and/or obstacles at each checkpoint. These can fun, entertaining, challenging and range from easy to hard. Activities could be beer-drinking, eating dry Weed-Bix, doing exercise (like 20 star jumps) or some bike skill – like track stands, monos or jumps. They are designed to add a little more variety and fun to the race – as you can see in Dave Gustafa’s video below, which was posted on the Alleycat Facebook page.

The map of race checkpoints is usually provided right before the race starts, so riders who know the city well have a hometown advantage – hence the attraction for bike couriers. Participants can pretty much ride anywhere they need to to make the checkpoints – on or off-road, through buildings, parks, uni campuses, between houses – where ever and however is needed.

Alleycat races can be ‘sticky’ (official vs. unregulated), dangerous and controversial. They are not for everyone, and it can be hard getting one organised.

What is the Mala Bruja Alleycat Bike Race?

It is an all-female dress-up charity bike race around New York City. The event has been running the last two years and has had a great turn out. It is well supported by entrants as well as spectators and support crews and family, friends and fans.

It costs $10 to enter the race, with the money going to charity.

All bikes are accepted (not just fixes) and costumes are highly encouraged.

Two years ago was the inaugural Mala Bruja ‘Hellcat’ race. With short notice and planning, the event still managed to pull over 70 female riders on the night. If you want to find out more details of this event, of which there were over 70+ women- lots of ace photos too!

See more pics from the 2015 Male Bruja Alleycat thanks to Bike Your City Photo Essay of the event.

Last year the event was held again and was also a spectacular success. It was called the Mala Bruja Alleycat Revenge.

Australia does not have a massive bike courier culture like NYC or San Franciso. However we do have a dedicated and cool crew in all major capital cities. Personally, I’d love to see some more events like this happening in Australia.

Races like this show the awesome diversity and variety in bikes, riders and lifestyles – and is a great way to bring people together.

Even if you are not up for riding in an Alleycat, helping out at one of the races (or checkpoints), or going to spectate is a brilliant way to support the event.

As the world heads more for mainstream and conservative conformity – events like the Mala Bruja Alleycat are so important.

Although these events are often secretive when unregulated (so you need to know the organisers, riders or bike messages who are part of it to know of the race) yet they still contribute much mystique, diversity and spice to our current urban cycling milieu.

Love them or hate them, Alleycat events like the Mala Bruja ticks many boxes: they are social, healthy, recognise bike skills , promote inclusion, have strong participation females urban rides, raise money for charity, bring community together and nurture our valuable, unique and much-needed sub-cultures.

General Public – Think outside the bike!!

Personally, I think there is incredible value in recognising and celebrating the uniqueness and variety in the biking community. It disturbs me that the vast majority of the general public view ‘cycling’ as being the lycra-clad road riders and that essentially this is the pervasive stereotype of what a rider or cyclist is.

Such views negate the massive diversity in styles and types of riding – both urban and track like: MTB, fixi, singlespeed, trials, Enduro, fat bikes, Tall bikes, Unicycles, tricycles, e-bikes, Cyclocross, Crits, bike packing, BMX, DH, Cruisers, Communters, cargos….and the list goes on and on. Each of these styles has their own rich and vibrant communities.

I think all these bike ‘sub-cultures’ need to be valued and recognised as being part of the awesome variety and character that form our current biking community. I can only hope people look beyond the the lycra to see how amazing, distinctive and fertile our biking and cycling communities are. Viva la Alleycats!

28/08/201728/08/2017

Chicks in the Sticks 2017

Yesterday was a very busy biking day! Early morning saw me visiting the Chicks in the Sticks 2017 (all-female MTB event) at Mt Cotton, followed by The Big Push for Road Safety social ride in Brisbane city in the afternoon. This post is a brief run down of the Chicks in the Sticks event – Big Push post will be next!

Chicks in the Sticks 2017.

This event is Australia’s largest “Women’s Only” 3hr Mountain Bike Endurance race. It is hosted by the Rats Cycling Club and was held at Karingal Scout Camp (Mt Cotton, QLD). Last year I rode in this event and had an awesome time, this year I went as support. This event is one of my favourite in the riding calendar, and I always make an effort to go.

Why? Because it is ALWAYS a good day!

It was a beautiful morning and there was a great turn out. When I arrived at the race village, it was full of colour and bustling with the movement of families, kids and riders milling about, people catching up, preparations being made and checking bikes over.

The race village has a few extra additions this year, like a designated kids pop-up nature play area that was filled with games and activities for the families and kids that had come along for the day.

It was a great opportunity to catch up with mates, take some photos and wish the riders well.

It was great to see so many riders. I was particularly excited to see the range of ages. When I used to ride Enduro, one aspect that was most lacking for me what the low female participation rates in general, but particularly for women over 35. So I was thrilled to be in an environment where, for one MTB event at least, that this category was well above the norm! Hooray!

There were also lots of random giveaways and some great podium prizes. I appreciate that this event encourages participants to dress up if they want to – which adds an extra flair, colour and enjoyment to the ride.

Here were a couple of my favourites:

The first event of the day was the Little Chicks in the Sticks ages 5-11 and 12-16 who had their own race before the main field took off at 9 am. As I was not riding this year, it was an opportunity to take some photos and videos, which was a new experience as I am usually in the ride, not watching from the sidelines! See my race start video at the end of this post.

Although I didn’t stay til the end, I had an awesome morning soaking up the colourful, happy vibe. I cheered on the riders, chatted to families who had ‘come to support mum’, checked out some of the new stock at the team tents and had a thoroughly lovely time.

A good day was had by all!

I was really inspired by the riders who participated ‘up the back’ of the pack – those who were being brave and gave MTB a go – some of them for the very first time. It was great to hear how many people had come after being ‘invited by a mate’ to come and try – people who would normally not have tried riding off-road being encouraged my a female rider-friend to give it a go. They were my favourite stories to hear. It takes a lot of guts!

This event is a wonderful example that it is possible to run a competitive MTB that caters for serious racers, as well as for those who are just starting out, want more off-road experience or who are there just to have fun.

If you are keen to give it a go for next year, or know of someone you think might be interested, there are many different categories to participate in..

I tip my hat to the organisers who worked incredibly hard to make this day such a success.

A big congrats to all the riders who participated – you all did so well!

All the families and supporters who came as well made the day even better!

It was a brilliant event and I can’t wait to do it all again next year!

See you there!