News Youse Can Use

Not a lot of blogging for me tonight.

I spent most of the evening cobbling together a powerpoint explaining how to build a cross bike pit (and a wash pit) out of baling wire, stakes and PVC for under $200. Face it: a race is a lot classier when they don't ask you to drop your carbon fiber Crossvagen in the dirt and weeds with a lot of other nice shit that shouldn't be piled up like that. Anyhow, I have a pretty cheap scheme that lets you look PRO, even if you're actually AMATEUR. If you aren't on the MABRA cross promoters list and want a copy of the powerpoint to check it out, hit me up on email and james underscore M1 at verizon daht net.

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I also have been working out the details of having a SINGLE SPEED CROSS CONFABULATION at the Tacchino. It was approved today by the Powers That Be. Sweeet!

Here's the deal. There's a lot of room in the M 3/4 race most of the time - ours is usually less than a half full field. And most guys who race single speed, or who would race cross single speed, will either be Cat 3 or Cat 4 racers, or if they are just trying cross out will need a one day license that effectively treats them as a Cat 4 for-a-day.

We aren't treating it as a whole new class - it's a legit 3/4 race and if you are in it, you are racing for the 3/4 prize list and MABRAcross series points.

Buuuuttt... and it's a big butt... single speeders will also be racing for a generous single speed prize list, a double dip of sweet swag.

It's like a race within the race, mano-a-mano, two cogs enter, one cog leaves. Any single speeder will tell this is always the deal, whether you're on the MTB, in a cross race, or doing some Drunken Hipster Street Drags at 1:00 AM, post-beers. Let the boys with complicated toys have their fun, you want to be the ace of those who think One is Enough.

So if you ever wanted to try racing cross single speed, flip around that flip-flop hub on your Cross Check or Chili Con Crosso. Put your skinniest, fastest tires on your Niner (yes, disc brakes are now legal in cross!) Then get ready to roll on November 7th.

Thing is, it's an uphill battle to win acceptance for single speeds in cross. They've been around MTB long enough for folks to know that a mono cog can be a serious weapon when handled properly. Many of us who ride a single know that prejudices remain, and we've knocked on the door long enough. It's time to kick that door in and show what we got, and I don't mean wear a dress and get hammered, SSCXWC style. Let's bring a crowd, go hard, and earn some respect.

I've heard a lot of rumbling about people wanting to do single speed cross over the years, and a lot of people sit around hoping for an SS class, an in-season race, not a side show, to strut their stuff. I'm one of those people who has been hoping for it, and all the wishing in the world hasn't made it happen yet.

So this time I've bent over backwards, or at least a little sideways, to make it happen, and the MABRAcross series promoters have very graciously agreed to let me alter the normal race day schedule and prize lists to accommodate single speeders. It's a good chance for us to advance the Gospel of One's Enough.

So let's see what you got.