Cycling: RSVP Dates for 2007
It's just getting too dangerous out there on the pavement these days isn't it? Time to head for the hills.
Mountain biking is a grass-roots sport that is only about one bake sale above your local group ride in terms of publicity and prestige, but it is an exciting sport that requires intense fitness, training, and dedication. At SFist, we understand the sport and the culture around it. We also understand what makes a good mountain bike race. To that end, we've reviewed the 2007 MTB racing season in order to provide our readers with a summary of this year's most interesting Northern California events.
So grab your bike, sharpen your elbows, and strap on a number plate for some challenging dirt action, or pack up the camp chairs, the cooler, and the kids, and head out to the races for a cheap day of fun and entertainment. Even if you aren't interested in competing, check out some of these events. You will see amazing feats of cycling prowess, discover the latest in space-age materials and designs, and probably pick up an armful of free posters, stickers, and other industry schwag.
It's time to make room for the 2007 mountain bike season on your garage wall -- and on your calendar. Image from SFist Chris.
Bookmark this page for the season, and we'll see you out there.
Festivals
Sea Otter Classic, April 12 - 15, 2007-- The granddaddy of them all. The Sea Otter has everything: international cycling stars, a variety of cycling disciplines and events, games and activities for the kids, food, live entertainment, and lots and lots of industry vendors. If you've never been to the bike races before, this event should be your introduction.
Infineon Cougar Mountain Classic, July 6 - July 8, 2007 -- Sigh. This event has all the marketing, sponsors, and Cycling USA support necessary to be a huge cycling event. Unfortunately, it lacks the terrain and the trails to truly walk the walk. Until they move this event to Mt. Tam or Skeggs, this will remain a poor man's Sea Otter.
Downieville Classic Mountain Bike Festival, July 13 - July 15, 2007 -- Instead of miners, drifters, and ladies of the evening lounging on the wooden boardwalks and hitching posts of this former mining town, during race weekend, you'll find mountain bikers of every age, size, color, and ability in town looking to strike it rich on the legendary Downieville trails. But riches don't come easy. The Downieville races are the Mountain Dew commercials of the local racing calendar -- extreme to the extreme -- and it's worth every grimace, groan, and agonizing hamstring cramp. Trust us, you need to experience this race.
Bigfoot Classic, July 20 - 21, 2007 -- What's not to love about riding in Humboldt County under a Redwood canopy in a cloud of THC vapors -- eh, did we just say that out loud? Ahem. Race conditions for the Bigfoot are awesome; the courses are very challenging with an emphasis on hills. You'll get all you can handle on the bike, but don't expect the Sea Otter. There are very few bells and whistles, not much schwag, and access to race results can be problematic. The atmosphere is first class though, and there's usually a pretty good post-race feast.
One-Day Classics
Buck Ridge MTB Race, February 10, 2007 -- A decidedly grass roots affair, this race out on the shores of Hensley Lake near Madera in the Central Valley is a nice little tester. Featuring a five-mile circuit course with short climbs and short downhills on mostly singletrack, this race doesn't offer much in terms of technical challenges, but think fast.
Glory Hole MTB Race, March 3, 2007 -- Honestly, we don't know too much about this NORBA-sanctioned race other than what we found online, but we love the name.
Cool MTB Race, March 11, 2007 -- One thing you need to know about this race: be prepared. The weather is notoriously finicky and the muddy, sometimes snowy course on the Olmstead Loop is often an exercise in persistence. Despite the inclement conditions, the race is in its 15th year and has quite a following among local racing diehards. The course is a ten-mile circuit comprising mostly fire roads. Bring your booties and arm warmers!
Napa Valley Dirt Classic, April 22, 2007 -- Our all-time favorite, the Dirt Classic is a low-key affair on a top-notch course. Primarily on private land, the course is so luscious, it even attracted the attention of the mountain-biker-in chief. As a bonus, it's one of the few remaining cycling events that still includes a free t-shirt with the entrance fee.
The Lemurian, April 28, 2007-- Racing in the Lemurian requires a unique mentality. Through either reputation or personal experience, competitors are fully aware that they're signing up for two to three to four hours of pain, sometimes very intense pain. There is no avoiding it, no matter how fast or slow they go, them hills is gonna hurt. The harder they push, the more it's gonna hurt. Throw in some chainsuck, a sprinkling of flats, a highlight reel of spectacular wipeouts, and some shit-eatin' grins, and you've got a pretty good portrait of the Lemurian experience.
Howell Mountain Challenge, August 12, 2007 -- The summer bookend to spring's Napa Valley Dirt Classic, this race uses a 10-mile circuit made up of sections from the Dirt Classic course. With smaller fields and hotter temperatures than its spring cousin, this NORBA race is a great low-stress, late-season tester. Pre-rides are not allowed, but if you get there early enough on race day, you can get a crack at the course.
Racing Series
TBF MTB Challenge series, February 3 - March 18, 2007 -- TBF Racing, based out of Sacramento, organizes several different race series in the greater Sacto area. Their MTB Challenge races skirt Folsom Lake and many riders consider these races the kickoff to the northern California MTB racing season. The fields are small (150-200 riders), but the events are well organized.
CCCX Mountain Bike Race Series, February 11 - June 30, 2007 -- If schlepping out to Sacto doesn't sound good, consider a drive down to the Monterrey peninsula to partake in the annual CCCX race series. This nine-race series tackles circuit courses in Salinas and Fort Ord, and offers a great warmup for the Sea Otter Classic. You can ride all nine events or cherrypick just a couple. Either way, this series offers a low-stress way to work on your racing techniques and learn the local terrain, which should give you an extra advantage when you tackle those 200-racer Sea Otter fields.
Prarie City Race Series, April 4 - June 27, 2007 -- The Prarie City series, also set in the Sacto area, is the epitome of grass roots cycling. Weeks and weeks of races for kids, teams -- even week night racing. And at $25 for the first race and only $10 for each subsequent race, it really is mountain bike racing for everyone.
Corral Hollow Downhill (CHDH) Series, April 20 - September 9, 2007 -- This is the first year for the three-race CHDH Series, which has been a one-day, one-race event for the last five years. Formerly the Groovy Gravity Games run by Team Wrong Way, the event was reincarnated last year as the CHDH and is now run by rideSFO. And if mind-jamming downhill action isn't enough to get you out to the Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Areas, how's this sound, "Apple Wood Smoked Tri-tip Sandwich"? That's what we thought.
Endurance Events
Boggs II, March 31, 2007 -- Formerly known as Boggs for Africa, this NORBA-sanctioned 8-hour solo and team relay scares up the dust of the Boggs State Demonstration Forest, a wonderful outdoor playground for cyclists and a great setting for MTB racing. Organizers have set a racer limit of 200, so the fields will be relatively small, but the race is for a good cause. Money raised by racers in lieu of entrance fees goes to benefit the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition and the Sonoma County Trails Council.
24 Hours of Laguna Seca, June 2/3, 2007 -- An excellent entry-level endurance event, the 24LS is all about pace. And by pace, we mean speed. Race organizers 24 Hours of Adrenalin are known for courses that favor fast times over technical challenges and the Laguna Seca tracks are hard-packed earthen adrenaline. If you can stomach the hefty entrance fees and convince a big group of friends to camp out with you, this is a great event. Watch out for that early morning breeze off the ocean though, it's bitter. In case you miss this race, they're reprising the event in September.
Other Competitions and Events
Brews, Bikes, Bucks, February 11, 2007 -- A fundraising event to support the organization Trips for Kids, this is a chance to rub elbows with the pioneers of mountain biking. Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze, Tom Ritchey. Otis Guy, and Charles Kelly are among the dirt legends who regularly attend this event and regale guests with tales of the sport's early days. Some cool prizes and good beer too.
Amgen Tour of California, February 18 - February 25, 2007-- Our own little taste of Europe, the Tour of California brings the world's greatest road cyclists and their teams to the Bay Area for four days of intense racing. The 1.9-mile prologue time trial from the Ferry Building to Coit Tower is a City spectacle not to be missed.