39th Mostly Annual Longmont Criterium

The 39th Longmont Criterium Bicycle Race, officially known as the Andrea Koenig/High Plains Bank Longmont State Championship Criterium returned to Longmont's Thompson Park neighborhood today.  "Crits", as they are called, have faced recent difficulties in finding places to race on the Front Range.  The long-running and well-known Twilight Criterium in Littleton ended their Saturday night race last year and yesterday's August 22 Niwot Criterium was cancelled just a few days before the event.  Both towns cited disruption to their communities as the reason.  As a result, crits often get relegated to drab and empty office parks on evenings and weekends.

Thankfully, Old Town Longmont continues to embrace this event and many riders say it is their favorite course in Colorado, among the trees, wide streets, and crowds.  You can see the neighbors having watch parties along the course and many locals bring out their lawn chairs to see the action.

After a 25 minute lightning and rain delay, the women's top riders got underway:

 

The winner in a sprint:

 Start of top Men's race:

Surprise visit by UK Global Cycling Network personality, Daniel Lloyd on the left, chatting with race announcer Dave Towle on the right:

 

That's 18-year old Gregory DeBenedetti wearing the Stars and Stripes, as this year's USA Junior Men's Criterium Champion from June in Wheeling, West Virginia.  Unfortunately, he appeared to have been in a crash today and could not finish.  

Riders are doing a constant ~30 mph on this course:

Hope this event continues to return to Longmont.

North American Handmade Bicycle Show 2013

The North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) is in Denver this year, so I went down on opening day to check it out.  The show is at the Denver Convention Center and runs until Sunday afternoon.

  Commuters / all-rounders:

This builder (donkelope from Bellingham, WA) installed an old gas lamp retrofitted with an LED light.  Check out the curly brake cable shields, too:

The so-called "fat bikes" with monster 3 or 4 inch tires were everywhere. 

Built for a lumberjack, from Moots in Steamboat Springs:

 Full or partial wood frames, including bamboo:

This eye-catching frame is made of mahogony (base) and hickory (seat stay?):

Bamboo fat bike from boo in Ft. Collins:

Belt-drive (instead of traditional chain) drive trains continue to be featured at NAHBS.  Some say they are a solution without a problem, others think they will replace chains some day:

Belt drive requires a different frame (you can't re-purpose an older one) and you must use an internal hub:  no derailleurs.

And a few more:

I saw a number of frames that used stainless steel:

A bike from one of the deans of independent frame builders, Richard Sachs.  Buyers spend years on the waiting list to get a bike from him:
 

Nice detail on the frame painting:
 

Wooden wheel rims:
 

  

Tour de Fat Bike Parade in Ft. Collins

Back to the Tour de Fat (Tire) Bike parade in Ft. Collins, after I missed last year.  The new venue at City Park is a big improvement over the crowded, dusty, and confined field next to the brewery that was used in previous years.  

As usual, if you missed this today and are in the Front Range area, the show heads to Denver next Saturday (September 8, 2012).

This event continues to get bigger every year.
 

A look back to previous years at the TdF:

• 2007
• 2008
• 2009

US Pro Cycling Challenge near Longmont

The US Pro Cycling Challenge was in the neighborhood today so I rode out ten miles west of town to watch it go by, near the intersection of US 36 and St. Vrain Road.  At least 120 other people had the same idea!

The lead group of about fifteen riders came first:

The next group, containing the race leader, was next a few minutes later, followed by the convoy of support cars:

There was some wind from the east which is why the red BMC team at the front is in a slight "echelon" formation, to shield their race leader in yellow:

Neat to see these riders on the same roads we always use.

Speaking of roads, here's a close-up of "chip seal" on US36.  Looks rough!