The Copenhagenize.com RedRum team after the 2010 Danish Cargo Bike Races. We finished fourth in the team relay on my new red Bullitt. I loaned the old white Bullitt to some colleagues from the Velo-City conference and they won bronze. So... I have a bronze medal bike!
What a great day. Sunshine and bike racing. The Copenhagenize.com team dressed up for the occasion, donning clothes that the bike messengers back in the day used to wear. We won the first heat but finished fourth in the final.
One lap empty and then we had to load the bike with two tires and a bundle of newspapers. The three following laps, but three riders, had to carry the cargo. 1.3 km of headwind and cobblestones.
Once the rider was switched, we gave him a push to get him on his way.
Here's the start riders for the final, but they organisers ended up dividing us into two heats.
There was also a Brompton race for the first time ever. The Danish championships. Four participants took part. Not surprising considering that we have very few folding bikes in Denmark and nobody outside of the bicycle business has ever heard of the Brompton. But Fidelius, from Vienna, came to Velo-City and ended up wearing a bronze medal. Congrats!
The Museum of Copenhagen team in action, strapping the tires to their vintage Short John delivery bike.
Here are the proud medalists. Claus, one of the city's top bike mechanics, took gold this year. Hans, from Larry vs Harry at right, took bronze. The chap on the right won the three-wheeler gold. He's a bike designer for Winther.
Here's me and my friend Claus and me giving him a fashion/history lesson about how the old cargo bike messengers used to dress. He has promised to show up next year with a bit more style sense and respect for history. :-) But a warm congratulations to Claus for winning gold and becoming the reigning Svajer Champion until next year!
Here's me just having won the first heat by 20 seconds... and then me just having finished fourth. Body language says it all. :-)
Thanks to everyone who took part or came out to watch! Thanks to Eric from Firmacyklen.dk for his race organising genius and to Amager Cykel Ring for their massive help. See you next year!
9 comments:
I think folding bicycles are far more common in Netherlands than in Denmark; that might be another subtle difference in cycling cultures in the two world leaders. Probably due to population distribution? The folders seem to be used mostly by rail commuters, with the many small cities near one another. I also know people in Amsterdam who use them to commute due to the very high theft levels.
This does sound like a fun event. Is there any specific garb appropriate for Bromptons? Most clothes do fold, after all.
A vintage bicycle race could be fun - real vintage bicycles considerably older than their riders, and appropriate wardrobes.
Having fun on the old vacuum cleaner I see!
;-)
I have a green DeFietsfabriek just like the one on the starting line and am absolutely confident in won the day! What a great time that must have been.
Mikael,
I am an American high schooler who loves your blog. Fortunately, my family is moving from the suburbs (hiss-boo, hiss-boo) to a house downtown (huzzah), within cycling distance of my school. However, my mother refuses to allow me to bicycle unless I wear a helmet!!! Can you please give me some tips, stats or whatever else you have to help me in my discussion?
Thanks
Drew
I'm a bit concerned about the fluoro outfits that the Museum team are wearing ... you want to nip that in the bud, it has a nasty way of spreading and you'll all be wearing lycra soon!!!
Drew,
Here are some resources I found invaluable.
www.cyclehelmets.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_helmet
Curnow, W.J. Bicycle Helmets: A Scientific Evaluation. (2008)
gooooners!!
Lonely and envious solidarity race in the desert: http://www.cargobikecult.com/?p=353
;-) Matt
There is a rule for racing Bromptons - you have to wear a jacket and tie.
Maybe you should have a similar rule for racing cargo bikes a flat cloth cap and a shirt perhaps. Would ties be appropriate?
40% of the bikes leaving Waterloo Station in the rush hour are Bromptons - roughly 250/hour.
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