District XII

West Coast Uninvitational

2011-05-23T15:14:00.001-07:00

This blog hasn't been updated in ages, but if anyone still has these posts lurking in their RSS feed, make sure you check out the West Coast Uninvitational this coming weekend!

More info on facebook.

The Cycling Inquisition's Interview With A Legend

2010-02-07T23:51:00.001-08:00

Lucho over at The Cycling Inquisition just posted a really neat piece. he got a chance to conduct a phone interview with one of his childhood heroes, Columbian cycling legend Ramon Hoyos. Definitely an interesting read. Check it out.

St. Valentine's Day Massacre: An Alleycat Love Affair

2010-02-04T23:04:00.001-08:00

Details are still kind of hazy, but the perennial Vancouver tradition of having an alleycat on or near Valentine's Day appears to be continuing. On Saturday, February 13th, racers are to convene at MacLean Park at 4pm. Racing is supposed to be underway by 5pm. The standard $5 entry fee applies.

That's all the details that have emerged so far, but stay tuned for more details as they materialize.

-DXII

Housekeeping and Renovating

2010-02-01T23:18:00.000-08:00

So I just did some layout changes to make everything a bit easier on the eyes. I also updated the blogroll, which you will find somewhere near the bottom of the right-hand sidebar. I removed some stuff that isn't particularly relevant to this blog in it's current context, and added some stuff that is. If you have any sort of blog or site that is in any way related to Vancouver and/or cool bike shit, please let me know. You can get at me in the comments of this post, or at districtxii at gmail dot com

Thanks,
DXII

Monster Track 2010 Website Opens

2010-01-25T16:59:00.000-08:00

Looks like the "official" site for Monster Track 2010 is finally up. The date was announced last month at some point, but there was no mention of a site that would post updates closer to the day. Well, it's there now.

It would be cool to see a Vancouver team at MT this year. I'll almost definitely be too broke to fly out there, but someone should make it happen. If you do, please keep me updated on your escapades!

Reminder: Gastown Sprints Tonight!

2010-01-20T17:49:00.000-08:00

This month's iteration of Gastown Sprints begins in a scant two hours! There's a bunch of loot to be won this time 'round!

"London To Paris" Premiere: The Aftermath

2010-01-15T21:36:00.000-08:00

So the "London To Paris" movie premiere, and accompanying alleycat race, was held this evening.

On the race side of things, a grueling circuit of some of the steepest hills in Vancouver was on the menu. Starting outside the premises of legendary purveyor of track-related delicacies Super Champion Shop, racers threw themselves at the hills of North Main Street. Upon reaching 33rd Ave. (or thereabouts,) the valiant contestants had to mash their way up a steep, winding ascent to the top of Queen Elizabeth park. When this peak was reached, a challenge awaited!

Having been previously told to make sure they had a beer with them when they got to the park, racers were required to drink this beer through a beer bong when they arrived at the summit. Let me tell you this, friends: drinking beer through a beer bong whilst gasping for air is a challenging feat indeed.

Once the beer had been bonged, racers returned the way they had come, blasting down the serpentine decent all the way back to Super Champion. As far as anyone knew, this was to be the end of the race...but no! When the racers arrived, they were told there was yet another destination! Grandview Park, they were told, would be their next checkpoint.

Several rolling hills later, racers enter this second park, and had to hunt for the checkpoint marshalls. Eventually, they were located...on the polo courts, of course! No challenge to be had at this checkpoint, racers simply retraced their steps back to Super Champion, and then the race was at an end...for real this time!

Results:

First place went to cyclocross enthusiast and chronic sufferer of The Ginger, Morgan Taylor. Runner-up was the behooded Benoit, and third place was clinched by Nate and his handsome yellow road-conversion. First girl across the line was Haley, the brain behind the legendary Bridge Battle.

Post-race Shenanigans:

Once everyone was safely tucked back inside Super Champion, the film premiere began. I will leave film critiquing to those more qualified to do so, but I personally enjoyed it.

AHTBM's Interview with Spencer Canon

2010-01-14T13:17:00.000-08:00

A little bit over a week ago, Stevil from All Hail The Black Market did an interview with Spencer Canon, who's the owner and director of Ritte Van Vlaanderen bicycle company and race team.

Needless to say, I have a new favourite team. Highlights from the interview include such bangers as "Hell, cycling fans are so bored that Garmin looks exciting for incorporating plaid."

January 15th: Alleycat + Movie Screening!

2010-01-11T20:31:00.000-08:00

So, it seems there is to be some cycling-related goings-on this coming friday. First off, starting at 6pm, there's going to be a short alleycat; starting and finishing at Super Champion Shop, it promises to be an uproarious affair. Immediately after the conclusion of this race, the aforementioned Shop of Super Champions will be having an in-house screening of the much-talked-about London To Paris cycling adventure film.

So uhhh...yeah. Y'all should come out.

January 20th; Mo' Gastown Sprints!

2010-01-09T16:56:00.000-08:00

It's coming up on that time again...Gastown Sprints time! January 20th at the Astoria, y'all will once again get a chance to spin your little hearts out. Rumor has it that there's going to be some prizes this month, too.

Be there by 8:00 if you want to race, and bring a fiver to get in the door.

Vancouver Courier Christmas Party 2009

2009-12-21T00:23:00.000-08:00

I'll keep this brief, since this isn't really something most people will care about, but I just want to get this out. This evening was the Christmas party for Vancouver's bicycle messengers; the event included a potluck feast, a Pinata, and Messenger of the Year awards. All in all, a pretty solid party.

Think about this, though: How many Christmas parties can you think of that are held by/for an entire industry, rather than simply for employees of a single company? There are well over a dozen courier companies that employ bikers in Vancouver, and probably over a hundred people working as bicycle messengers. Come Christmas-time, all these people from all these different companies get together and have one big party, instead of the usual boring, hokey "office" party.

I guess I just think it's really damn cool. Solidarity, brothers.

-DXII

Bridge Battle 3: The Aftermath

2009-12-19T18:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I just got home from Bridge Battle 3 - or more accurately, from the party that ensued at the end of Bridge Battle 3 - and am now ensconced in my couch, unlikely to emerge again for the next several hours. I had a blast, and look forward to participating again next year.

In previous years, the weather for this race has been nothing but dismal, but this year mother nature decided to cooperate a bit more. It was a reasonable temperature, with virtually no precipitation of any sort. As far as I know, everyone who started made it to the end, and there were no significant crashes. Bravo, racers, you survived!

The Results:

First place overall went to Cody and his hilarious pink wheels. He won some cash and first pick from the swag pile. Second place was out-of-town wildcard Mander, and rounding out the podium was Tim Wyatt in third.

First girl was Sarah, and James gets honorable mention for managing to rescue someone's stolen bike from the DTES, escort it to safety, and still finish the race in a position other than DFL.

A big thank you to all the checkpoint volunteers, especially Lyle for making those awesome checkpoint signs for the elusive Second Narrows checkpoint. And of course, a huuuge thank you to Haley, for putting this whole affair together, for the third year in a row. Hoorah!

-DXII

3rd Annual Bridge Battle! Yeeeeeah!

2009-12-10T17:42:00.000-08:00

It's back, and it's as ball-busting as ever! All five bridges leaving the downtown core, all in one race! If it stays true to tradition, the weather will be horrendous! Wooooo!

Gastown Sprints: New Month, New Location!

2009-12-08T23:52:00.000-08:00

Treachery is afoot. The current Gastown Sprints location has been lost! This is because Pub 340 is undergoing some sort of renovation, and thus cannot host it. Fortunately, for the December edition of your favourite roller races, a new location has been obtained! Wednesday December 16th, Gastown Sprints will be back, but this time they're at the Astoria.

Show up! Bring your friends! Spin until your legs fall off!

Activate Winter Mode!

2009-11-11T02:15:00.001-08:00

Well, the forecast is calling for the first snow of the year here in Vancouver, and that means it's time to winterize! We're fortunate here on the west coast; our winter is temperate enough that you can pretty much ride straight through it. However, if you intend to do so, it's a good idea to make a couple quick upgrades to your ride before hittin' the slushy streets.

1. Fenders!
Both the most imperative and the easiest of winter upgrades, fenders are a life-saver when the streets get nasty. A variety of different types are available, and what you should choose depends on what kind of bike you ride, and how much coverage you desire. If you just want enough to keep the road gunk off your butt, and like something quick and easy to install, something like this will do you just fine. They're cheap, fit on any kind of bike, and keep your butt dry.

If you're looking for something with more coverage - to keep your legs and the person behind you dry - you're probably better off with something like this. A bit more money, and a bit more labour-intensive to get installed correctly, but they'll provide better road goo protection than a clip-on. A word of warning about full fenders, though: they're usually wheel-size-specific, so make sure you get ones that are intended for your wheels size!

2. Bearings
If you've got a bicycle that was made in the last few years, you probably don't need to worry about this - this point is more for those of you riding vintage road bikes, or other older bikes. If you have an older bike, it's likely that you have loose ball bearings in your bottom bracket, and maybe even in your hubs. Riding these in wet weather will destroy them, and it will do so rather quickly. If you plan on riding an older bike this winter, take it into your favourite bike shop, and get them to replace your bottom bracket with the more modern sealed-bearing type. You'll be able to ride a sealed bottom bracket in whatever weather you can find, without having to worry about your bearings getting mangled.

3. Tires
If you're planning on riding a mountain bike this winter, you can pretty much ignore this section; your bike will likely already be equipped with wide tires that will give you a good contact patch in slippery weather. If you're riding a road or track bike, though, it might be time for some different tires. Those 23c slicks are great for fast rides on dry pavement, but once things get slippery, a wider contact patch is a good idea. Many people are under the impression that slippery conditions call for a tire with a chunky tread, but this is not true. What you want is a tire with a large amount of rubber meeting the road, which means something wide and fairly slick is the way to go. Tires with blocks of tread are designed for loose terrain, not wet or icy pavement. A good bet for winter road tires is something like a Shwalbe Marathon; they're wide, they're relatively slick, and they're thick enough to offer some puncture protection against the road debris that inevitably builds up during the winter months.

4. Lights
This bit is mostly common sense, but I'll mention it anyways. It gets dark earlier in the winter! This means that your 5pm commute home will probably take place in low light conditions for the next couple months. Invest in a couple blinkies, at the very least. These can be had at almost any bike shop, for under $10, and will keep you visible during your twilight commutes. Some people opt for larger, more powerful (and of course, more expensive) lights, but it's my opinion that these aren't really necessary when riding in a well-lit urban environment.

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully this post will help at least a couple Vancouverites keep on commuting all year 'round. If you have any more winter preparation tips, we'd love to hear them! Drop us a line at districtxii at gmail dot com.

Ride safe,
DXII

Return of a Bad Idea! Alleycat + Movie Premiere!

2009-11-07T01:14:00.000-08:00

This coming sunday, there's all sorts of mayhem afoot!

First, starting at 6pm, there's an alleycat of stupendous riskiness. A "figure eight" course through the streets of Vancouver has been devised, and the race will be run in a "miss and out" format, which means the last place rider at the end of each lap gets eliminated, until only one remains! The risky part? No brakes allowed! Brakeless fixed-gears only!

Shortly after this, starting at 9:30pm, the premiere of Vancouver-centric bicycle film "The Revival" will be taking place at the Rickshaw Theatre.

Back for more! It's Gastown Sprints time again!

2009-11-01T00:59:00.001-07:00

This coming Wednesday is the next installment of the legendary Gastown Sprints. Same bat time, same bat channel. Be there!

(for the uninitiated, "same bat time, same bat channel" means 8:30pm at Pub 340.)

Halloween Hellstorm!

2009-10-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

There's an alleycat race brewin' this coming Hallow's Eve! Registration will begin at Crab Park at 5pm, and racing should be underway by 6. Ten bucks to enter...bring your hammerin' legs!

Gastown Sprints: October Edition

2009-10-04T23:46:00.000-07:00

Your favourite roller races are back for another round. Oct 7th at the usual spot, get there at 8pm to register.

Flow: An Art Exhibition About North Shore Mountain Biking

2009-07-05T14:19:00.000-07:00

Right now, up until August 2nd, there's an exhibition on at Presentation House Gallery revolving around mountain biking on the North Shore. Not only have they called in some fantastic photographers to show their goods, but they've also built some serious terrain...inside the gallery! The best part is, all the terrain is fully ride-able! It look like a great show, and I'll definitely be heading up there to check it out myself.

There's a ton of photos of the construction of the indoor terrain features on this here blog. Super cool stuff!

One Week Until Gastown Sprints 2!

2009-07-01T22:32:00.000-07:00

Seven days from now, on the 8th of July, it will be time to duke it out on the rollers again. The Gastown Sprints organizers have informed us that all the technical difficulties have been worked out, and that races will begin on time this time around.

Races will begin at 9:30pm, so be there by 9 if you want to race. As always, Gastown Sprints will take place at Pub 340. Be there!

Burrard Bridge Bikes Lanes: Open For Business July 13th

2009-06-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

The city has announced a date for the opening of the Burrard bridge trial bike lanes. After choosing the design of these bike lanes several weeks ago, the city has put the chosen plan into action. As of July 13th, bike lanes will be in full affect.

I encourage everyone to make use of these lanes if you do any north-south commuting over False Creek. Even if you would usually take Cambie bridge, make the slight detour for the three weeks of the trial period. The city will be monitoring bike traffic closely during this period, and it would benefit all of us if the numbers they count are high.

Thanks in advance,
-DXII

A Dispatch From This Weekend's "eatART" Festivities

2009-06-11T00:20:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, alternative energy activists eatART threw a big ol' party on the Vancouver Art Gallery's lawn. DXII was lucky enough to have a friend on-site for the event. Guest contributor and journalist extraordinaire Melissa Baril has shot a run-down our way. Without further ado, here it is!

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One thing I’ve noticed since moving to Vancouver just under two years ago is that where you find cycling events, you usually find hippies. This time, the “one less car” set pedaled stationary bikes attached to generators to demo an alternative energy source at the Vancouver Art Gallery on Sunday.

The event was organized by eatART, a group that makes really neat industrial art to promote energy awareness. Check out their giant solar-powered tricycle, which made an appearance on Sunday, and is apparently wheeled around Burning Man every year. What a trip.

Arranged across the VAG lawn, each of the energy-generating cycles’ back wheels was hooked up to a battery, which powered a couple of laptops, the water cooler, and the sound system (donated by the good folks at OCB), which in turn powered a pretty happening party.

From 7 o’c’ock in the a.m., teams of 4 took turns pedaling ghetto-rigged stationary bicycles to try to beat all the other teams’, not times, but kilowatt hour generation.

Pedaling with the fightin’ 36ers was alternative energy-producing heavyweight, and “eatART Powers the VAG” organizer, Adrian Sinclair, along with yours truly. Naturally, we came in… second? To the 37ers?! Man, they sure one-upped us. But to quote my teammate Tom Wynn, “Let's get something straight: the ONLY reason the 37ers did better than the 36ers was because, when we handed the bikes over to them, the wheels were still spinning so fast, it was like going down an hour-long hill.” Too true.

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Event photos can be found here. Thanks go to Melissa B for her journalistic endeavors, and photo credits belong to Leigh Christie.

Gastown Sprints: The Evidence

2009-06-08T00:08:00.000-07:00

Travis has kindly posted up some of his pictures from the festivities. The full Flickr album can be found here. Here's a few of my favourites:

Naked dudes galore!

-DXII

Gastown Sprints!

2009-06-04T03:19:00.001-07:00

So for those who haven't heard, some guys and gals have started up a racing series called Gastown Sprints. Once a month, they'll be running roller races inside Pub 340. The inaugural race was this very night!

Upon arriving, I was greeted by one of the most impressive examples of bike parking I've ever seen. Bikes were locked to every post, tree, parking meter and fence within a block of 340; the closest poles had bikes piled five deep, and up to three high. Taking this as a sign of a good turnout, I was not disappointed when I got inside.

The official racer tally was fifty-two. With all the spectators on top of this, there must have been well over a hundred people in attendance. Racing got started shortly before 10pm, and the first few heats were plagued by technical difficulties. Of the four bikes hooked up to the rollers, one was broken for a couple heats, and one worked intermittently. After three or four heats, however, all the kinks were worked out of the system, and the real racing began.

Everyone ran in groups of four, but how you did against the other three people in your heat was irrelevant to your placing, because qualification was based entirely on your 500m time. Top qualifiers came in under the 23 second mark (I ran a 23.83, netting myself the 5th spot).

Once everyone ran their qualifying heat, it was time for head-to-head, sudden death tournament racing! The top 8 qualifiers were paired up and pitted against each other, until only one remained. This one happened to be underage dynamo Travis aka. HustleJr, who walked away with some prize money and some champion status.

All in all it was a successful evening. I had a blast, and I think almost everyone else did, too. Thanks to all the dudes and ladies who threw this, with particular thanks to Moses, who seems to be the mastermind of the operation. Thanks also to Pub 340 for letting us fill their establishment with sweaty cyclists.

The next Gastown Sprint will be on July 8th. Same time same place. Be there!

ps: If anyone has pictures from tonight, send them to districtxii at gmail dot com. I will post them up for everyone's ogling pleasure.

-DXII