OB415 at Mclaren CX 7-24

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Summer Cross at Mclaren Park, SF, Wednesday 7-17: Enclosed are some details of racing all categories at sunset. thanks for organizing Jimmy!

RESISTANCE RACING TRACKLOCROSS NATIONALS #2 – Oakland to Sacramento group ride

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For the second race of the Northern California Tracklocross series we made our way to the state capital – Sacramento – for some clean dirty fun. Eight of us met up early (some later than others) Saturday morning and began our journey through the 75mi of vineyards and byways with the Sacramento river always at our side. Track Bikes, strawberrys, and Dave Yoha – What more could you ask for? The pace was quick, but not to quick for a few road sodas and jammer breaks. I mean you gotta take in all the scenery don’tcha know. When we finally landed in sactown, we were greeted by our friends over at Squid Bikes who took us for a lovely sunset cruise of their extensive riverside hobo trails and showed us the best corner store in all the land – Ed’s. After many laughs, buncha’ miles, and a few crashes – it was time to get some shut eye for the big day. Thank you Squid crew for your warm welcome and letting us camp at the compound! It was a beautiful night to sleep outside.  -Sean

RESISTANCE RACING TRACKLOCROSS NATIONALS #1 2018

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On a warm Saturday racers met at the Berkeley Marina to race track bikes in the mud with friends. This format of racing is self regulated on an open corse with the energy of DFL or an Alleycat race. Not many rules, but one was to podium you needed to be racing a brakeless fixed gear drivetrain. Enclosed are photographs from a day of racing bikes with friends. Thank you to Nick and Jean for making these races happen. Congratulations to Chas for the first win of the series, and looking forward to Sacramento next!

DFL 12-23-2017

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The best way to see friends, race bikes, and say goodbye to 2017. Thanks for helping keep SF fun DFL!

CX NATION CUP 2017

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Bay Area racers woke up to rain on November 26th and that is a special treat for this part of California. The CX Nation Cup was a new race course in Sonoma and it was ripping fun. It had the standard long straight grass sections expected at these events but over half of the route was more technical and as the day went on, became a proper mess. Enclosed are some details from a day of racing the CX Nation Cup.AdvertisingChelsea changed her program mid-season this year, and is starting to see those results. It was a blast to see her dig in.The new Santa Cruz Stigmata team bikes are ripping. The carbon is built up to create a more forgiving ride, with this same ripping geo. File tread is a common tire pattern for our dry race season. Skinny mud tires with tons of clearance worked on this day. Always fun to race with the Vive La Tarte team here in the Bay.Red on the racers rightChelsea took 2nd for the Elite Women.Pit bikes would be nice for these conditions, as mud added weight and resistance quickly to all the racers.OakThe team is racing on our new X-Grid tape. Rubberized, so it is super grippy in all conditions.Dylan finding his own way of staying warm and dry. Time to get out of the van and race bikes.Bike Monkey supported the event and ran the timing for all the races. Thank you.Chas coming out of a wet rooted section that was ran more then ridden.This section was made up of a series of rollers both up and down before heading back into the trees.Crihs was in town for the holiday, so was nice seeing him in nature, where there are bugs and poison oak.Lots of this all day.This was the first time Chas raced CX with disc brakes and he was so hyped at the end of the race with no mechanicals and brakes that worked in the wet and mud. Three years ago it was death before…Sometimes the best line was on the grassy edge. The faster line often put you in the bushes.When one racer would bobble a technical section, it was a chain reaction slowing the next line of racers until the gap.Found object.Down + outOut + backChas is always so positive in races and his energy is contagious. Fully muddy tongue for an hour of racing.The oak leaves on top of the wet earth made for some very slippery sections.Glasses did not help on this day, but once racers eyes filled with mud, it took tears to continuously flush them.Kell smashes but found a flat with only a lap or two to go.As a photographer I love these course tape drawings in nature.Brue is 40 and putting in some of his best racing of his carier.Ryan fully coated.Cantis did not stop at all. You could tell the fixed gear riders by hearing the foot jam brakes coming into a corner on a descent.Not recommended.Thank for making this race happen. The proceeds go to help Junior development teams and their campaign to race at cx nats in Reno. Such an awesome reason to come out and race and support the kids.WinnerLoserMakeshift laundry rack.Dylan is new to racing geared bikes but is learning what all the cogs and levers do. This day may have been better suited for a single speed.That’s a wrap. Thank you CX Nation and Bike Monkey for making it happen and helping support the Junior program.

MM

RESISTANCE RACING TRACK-X 2017 FINAL

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Jean and Nick organized a series of fixed CX races last season, and came back this year motivated to get friends together to race track bikes in the dirt. Golden Gate Park was the last stop for the season, and it did not disappoint. Sharing part of a DFL course, women and men lines up to race in some dry loose conditions. Enclosed are some details from Friday night.

Stigmata Prototype

DFL 3 2017

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DFL is a longstanding tradition in San Francisco. This group of friends have organized underground cyclocross races in the Bay for 23 years and have helped shape the community here, no question. As members grow and have families of their own, the turnout is a mix of new racers learning about these traditions, racing side-by-side with the founding members of the hush-hush race series. It is perfect.
The following moments capture the energy and spirit of the series, found by word-of-mouth, on a week night in an empty park, Hunters Point, SF CA.

Drag race

Cubby
Gerry
Ride the snake
Christina
HDTV
Ryan
Chas
Broken barrier

Sean

Pro

The next generation

Wild fennel often dominates this dry landscape

East side of the course

Chas

Brad

This part of the city was human made by filling the bay to create more land.

Fergus

Kelly

Covered in burs

Kel

Albert

Custom Low SS

Thank you to the DFL family for keeping SF fun.

MM

TRACK-X #3 2017 OAKLAND

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Resistance Racing gathered up the crew and headed to the Port of Oakland for stop three of their Track-X series. Racers met on a warm Sunday afternoon, ate tacos, enjoyed a coffee or beer, registered, and lined up to race mostly brakeless track bikes in the sandy landfill that is the port. Enclosed are some photo details for the day. Massive cargo ships unload fidget spinners and whatever else as a backdrop for some bike racing.Tacos and coffee reg was so nice. Thank you!53 for the dirtUCI testing some road disc options for the 2018 road seasonQuick negotiation GO!stopGO!Jeff made a good showing having not been on a track bike in the dirt maybe ever.Chas so was hungry to get out front eary and hold it. He won, and is in the lead for the series.Kel is a beast. He chased Chas on this day, but there is always tomorrow. 2nd for the day.Drez was the only kid out there, and did the entire race. You inspire us!Wild lifeHand up recipient 40 minutes of brakeless ripping in the loose sand and dirt3Ferda BoysNick and Jean counted laps, and placed the podiumPodiumWet PodiumRolling cargo keg stands. Why notThanks for organizing, and look for Golden Gate Park next!

MM

Rainier Schaefer on Hawk Hill

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This edit was featured in our bonus video shorts included with the book, and 2015 video release. We met up with Rainier Schaefer as he was training for CX season on his single speed.

SSCXWCPDX 2016

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The Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships returned home to Portland, OR for 2016. Last weekend, racers with a sense of humor met at Sauvie Island farm to see what these diabolical organizers had in store for this year’s event. This is a bike race with variables you cannot predict. A traditional racer could easily get frustrated at many steps along the way, and that is the entire point. Fun is the focus and with the season winding down, this group gets it. We drove some San Franciscans up to get in on the action. Enclosed are some photographic details and notes from the 2016 SSCXWC PDX edition.

Portland is a natural fit for cross to thrive. An active, creative community who live in a wet, coldish climate during the traditional race calender. Oh, and they love food, beer, and good times. This all cooks up to create a super-host for this format of “racing”.
The Cross Crusader is an iconic heckler at the local CX series of the same name.This set up looked strange at first, until you realize just how sticky the mud is up here. Fat clearance, with little tires. Slicks would have even held less mud.

Cantis and fat tires did not play well out here.
Saturday was the qualifier, with up to three formats to make it to the main race. Fastest lap, holeshot shootout, and a proper dual slalom corse. With Saturday’s qualifiers settled, Sunday was the main event. The morning hosted more traditional geared races, and the afternoon ran a last chance, men’s and women’s events.
Portland still has that creative/weird magic. SF is losing it due to the cost of living. Oakland inherited a portion of that family, but Portland is a bird of a different color, and for that we love you.
This is a shot of a section of the course where mud-covered yoga balls get kicked at your face at full speed. Mud-covered wood ramps lead you out to a continuous mud slide, with vendors offering up free drinks and snacks the entire length of the race course.
The handups are done on an elevated level.
Chelsea running one of the grades.
OBRA trying to wrap their heads around how to officiate a shit show.
The farm location was a beautiful property to race bikes at. Corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and no shortage animal feces all mixed up.
Rain flooded a field, and the organizers knew how to make it work to their advantage.
One section routed through the pond where a jump ramp was installed, because. The muddy run-up guaranteed not many would have speed to correctly jump the shark.

Walton is from Portland, so it was nice to get to visit with him. He has been navigating some health concerns this season and is finding a path to healing. We love this guy, and cheer for him always.
Chelsea, Derek, and Rainier felt they had worn costumes all season, so it was only fitting to do the same at a costume race.

Heckling at the day’s race was preformed at the level you would expect from seasoned professionals.

Portland is excellent at mud

The weather has changed in the Bay Area, with years of low rainfall, so a chance to race in these conditions was exciting for the out-of-towners.

Nature would surface from the mud in hopes of escaping and rescuers would then help re-route.
Money handups could later be used to pay to take short cuts on course.




The men’s field being lead into the corn maze to leave bikes for a Le Mans-style start. Bikes were then rearranged and tampered with before the race gun.

Contributors
A short foot race led to a bike search and start.
Chas, being versed in alleycat starts, found his bike quick and was on course early.
Eddy and a clown.
Sven Nys is a cyclocross legend and cult figure in the sport. He wanted to come and not FOMO another year of SSCXWC. Spectators loved it and he clearly took his share from the hecklers. He looked like a 250 2-stroke, spinning at a comedic cadence, and just RIPPING.
Two racers coming out of the dual slalom section.
Rainier running the beaver dam, consisting of half-round plastic tubes.

This punk martching band brought powerful energy to the race, hammering out a series of driving rhythms.
#notmypresident

Sven rode every obstacle, including the pond. He was off the front early but eased up mid-race.
The vibe was a mix of this and bike racing.
No shortage of crashes for the day, making it exciting for spectators, and nearly unbearable for racers.






The yoga ball mosh pit was very raw.



Some people won, all won spiritually. Some lost, and most lost dignity, while making it up in smiles.







We brought a ton of mud home. I’m sure most of us did. Thanks again for the good times Portland. You always know how to share the stoke.

MM