DFL 12-26-2015

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DFL is the best way to wind down the Cyclocross season, as well as burn off some holiday dinner. Celebrating their 21st year hosting these open corse cross races. One category, and if you wear a dress, you race for free. Enclosed are some details from a perfect morning in Golden Gate Park. 12-26-2015

BASPS 2015: Dylan Buffington

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Dylan was out with the CX team racing, and taking photographs this past weekend. Check his full set HERE.

Santa Rosa Cup 2015

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Last Friday night, some of the CX team headed north to race in the Santa Rosa Cup. A 3 day series that consisted of a night race, a reverse day race, and the third event on a fresh course, after some fresh rain. These moments where captured at the first night race. Bike Monkey has grown to support these fun races, and we are grateful for their efforts. Chelsea, Al, Eddy, Rainier, Dylan, and Walton came out, and put in work. Walton won the series for the Elite Men’s A’s. Chelsea took 3rd for the Elite Women’s A’s. Enclosed are some details from Friday night.



Cross weather is here.

The wide open sight lines meant no chase was ever really over.

These guys actually smacked racers in the head in an unpredictable way.
This corner was velcro at the beginning then got worked looser and looser, forcing riders to rethink their lines. Hops.

Empty kegs created a maze of confusion with smoke, laser beams and cranked up music.
Bike party.

Nearly all of the night’s races took place after dark and the hecklers were out in force in every corner.
Line it up.

Stay loose.
Send it.
Get after it.

The fast track let racers really cook the corners.

Bike Monkey organized an amazing event and positive vibes carried through the weekend.

Walton and Gavin battled lap after lap.Cameron J. Moose.Holeshot vibes.
Braaap-braaap-braaap.Solved the maze.

The Walt and Hoppin Haley. This format was a huge hit! Let’s do it again.

BAY AREA CX: KYLE EMERY PECK

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Cubby has been smashing in the SS B’s this season, and between races, he has been shooting some film for a CX zine. Enclosed are some highlights of our team racing that Northern California sand this season. Thanks for sharing!

Vallejo Race Report: Rainier Schaefer

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I started in the third row for the very wide and very steep uphill road start. I found a line on the very outside of forty-five racers, and got a good jump. Unfortunately, in the center of the first or second row, something happened and it looked like a wheel was exploding mid-sprint. The racer was flailing around as his bike jumped around under him like a crazed bull. This threw me off—but not as bad as I’m sure it did those behind him.

I came around quite a few dudes before we hit the dirt. After a couple of turns we rode a loose and sketchy dirt chute that was six inches wide. I think I was just inside the top ten at this point. The new Scott Chapin, Justin Abbott, was leading the way with Derek Yarra a few spots behind. Over the next couple laps I, maybe a little too furiously, tried to pass (my first cross race of the year, afterall). I was making moves on a couple leg-sapping grassy hills and definitely hit it hard on the pavement climb. These features helped me move up a few spots. However, a few technical spots on the course made me lose just as many.

First, I came around one sketchy ninety degree sidewalk corner and sprinted hard. In doing so I completely lost control of my rear wheel and my rear end flew in the air sideways toward a cliff. I lunged the other way at a chain link fence and bounced one-handed back on two wheels. It was a miracle! Second, I lost my front wheel in a u-turn off soft dirt, falling and losing a spot. This type of crash is very typical for me. The third crash, occurred in one of the many dark corners of the course. Digging deep into my pedals over rutted dirt and roots I skipped my rear wheel and again completely lost control of my rear end, sending me spinning off my bike into the dirt and losing a couple spots.

The good thing was that I learned from each of these. Thereafter, I played it safe exiting the sidewalk turn, ran the dirt u-turn, and soft pedaled rutted roots. The bad thing was in one of those incidences I landed on my rear derailleur. I discovered this when shifting into my largest sprocket and put my derailleur into my spokes.

Strong-man Swanson came around me after my last spill and I was grateful—his steady riding was a relief to the furious elbow bumping, wheel skidding, sprint/brake riding of the first few laps. Swanson and I picked off a few riders for a couple laps as he motored along, but Keith Hillier popped by both of us on a grassy rise and got a good gap. After a lap chasing with Swanson, I gave it all I had into one grass climb and came around Swanson just before the top. Now it was up to me to catch Hillier, who had a little less than twenty seconds on me, and I had a solid nine laps to do it.

Eight to go and it was still up to me to catch Hillier.
Seven to go and it was still up to me to catch Hillier.
Six to go and it was still up to me to catch Hillier.
Five to go and…you get the picture.

That is, until one to go. I closed ten seconds in the first half of the lap — at this point he was very close. I just needed one more solid effort — I had to get around him on the road climb. After the road climb, the latter half of the course was single track, single track sidewalk, single track run-up and a bunch of turns (for all intents and purposes also single track). I sprinted as hard as I could up that road and just as I was nearly coming around him near the crest he looks back and says “shit!”. He accelerates ten meters over the top and maintains his lead going into the single track to finish second.

Rainier Schaefer

Photos courtesy of Tim Westmore.

D.F.L. #3 2014

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With the Bay Area getting a few weeks of rain, friends of DFL knew it was prime for a DIY cross race. Sunday morning, a large group knew to meet in Golden Gate Park for the third installment of the 2014 series. As you will see in this series of photographs, the landscape is so incredibly scenic that it is easy to forget you are riding cyclocross in a city park. For those of us who live here, this is a special treat. Enclosed are some moments from 12-21-2014 in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California.

Making moto noises with your mouth.Cubby trying to get lost.Norcal takes cross seriously, even when it doesn’t.The field was deep for the Le Mans-style up-hill start.RJ is stoked on San Francisco. He has not worn pants since he arrived.Dylan on course, to go find chicken/waffles.Maurice pushing through the recent rains.RightThis out-and-back ran North-South, going across an East-West section of the race, causing many to call out before they blasted through the crossing.RightDropping in.Eddy was the only racer who did all the laps on a brakeless track bike. This lack of rules are what keep DFL fun.Gabe trying out Andrew Low’s new geared prototype cross frame. Will be rad to see more of these at the races next season.Chas was loving the perfect conditions in the park. DFL always helps open up and clean up a few trails in the park that will be later enjoyed by daily riders.For those who may not know, this underground race series has had the same policy since it’s inception twenty years ago. Dress in drag and race for free, or pay $5. It’s simple.Travis knew this wet root section was faster to run up. It finishes on a root system on a hard right turn.Derek riding the ridge along the golf course.This swim suit has more miles on it than most of the kits I own. Maybe the sixth time I have seen it modeled over the years.One of the best things about bike racing is racing with your friends. With an open format, it’s a chance for men and women to be on course together in a racing situation. Rubbing shoulders with friends we usually only see from the other side of the tape.Embracing the white beard.Always fun to be out with John Reiss at the races.A few years back, we started noticing bikes being stolen for the parts alone. Cutting the frame is easier than cutting the lock. Brue brought his Hunter CX to have Rick bring it back to life.

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WALTON’S CUSTOM CALIFORNIA STATE CYCLOCROSS CHAMPION CINELLI ZYDECO

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In the Golden State–California–sunsets are seldom drab and uninspiring. The color-palette rendered as the sun slips below the edge of the Pacific is the concept behind Walton’s hand-painted, California State Cyclocross Champion race rig. Sandwiched between walls of ink-black night sky lies the last sliver of daylight: the bike’s gold leafed front-end fades through orange to vermillion, then into violet, and finally, fuchsia… You’d almost believe this photo was shot last July, instead of during the calm before the ‘Storm of the Decade / Century / Millennium’ now upon us. Thank you, Walton! Alongside our sunsets, you are most golden. 

GC

B.A.S.P.S. #6 2014

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Coyote Point brings the Bay Area Super Prestige Series to a close for 2014, just as the Bay Area weather is starting to look like cyclocross season. This course is popular among the racers, with some climbing/descending in the woods, technical gravel and sand pits, and few long straights on the beach—all made faster by recent rains. This group of images includes a few route marker details. I have always liked what these strips of plastic look like in a natural environment. In addition, the simplicity of what a CX course needs to make for a fun race is very spartan and resourceful. I feel like a roll of course tape simply reminds me of good times.

Chelsea locked-on in the Elite Women’s As.Some fans tried to dress up the mid-climb with some Braaap, but the fire was quickly extinguished by the organizers.Kathleen is a new mother and a really fast racer. She is back smashing and getting incredible results.Coyote Point Park is on the bay, so the earth has a high sand content. Even with plenty of rain, some sections reminded racers we’re on the coast.Wood mulch made this straightforward-seeming climb a little slippy. With steady power it was an opportunity to make a last pass before turning toward the descent.Oxalis sprouts up everywhere after a good rain.Derek using his natural moto to transition from a descent, into a hard right.Rainier put in a strong effort in the Elite Men’s As, holding a top 3 spot for half of the race before giving up a few places in the end.Chas has had a shortened CX season, interrupted by several international adventures. When he is in town, he is racing, and he was happy with a top 10 finish on this day.The view from the top of the park looked over a washed-out bay, making for a nice level of contrast from the racers’ point of view.Concentration turns into shaved seconds. One lapse, and they’re given back.Tire options.Chas on the beach.Jeff had a chance to jump on the sketchy pile of wood while warming up for the Men’s Bs. Send it!Eucalyptus trees were heavily planted in the Bay Area as the advent of trains created a need for timber to create the cross beams of tracks. The tree generated a twisted railroad tie, so in turn this non-native tree is now overgrown in many parks to this day.Chelsea yelling at the guys to wrap it up. Fun day all around.Derek using the straightaway to get a last drink before the bell lap.Thanks again to the organizers of this series, as well as the promoters to the North and South for keeping Cyclocross fun in the Bay Area. Let’s hope we can bring a race back to the Presidio or Golden Gate Park for 2015. Sponsors: Please help return CX racing to the city of San Francisco in the new year!

MM

2014/2015 CX

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The CX team has been building their race bikes for the 2014/2015. We are grateful for the support from Cinelli, San Marco, Oakley, Giro, Continental, Castelli, Clif, and Sram. Look for updates all season long! Photo: Derek Yarra’s build.

BASP #1 PORTRAITS

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