Single Speed World Championships - 2014
This is a piece I wrote a few years back that I thought was a fun read.
"The Single Speeders are coming! The Single Speeders are coming!" The cries could be heard from Russia. "Hide your women and children!" Yes, the Single Speed World Championships 2014 descend upon Anchorage Alaska in the way a moth flutters to a flame. That flame being amazing singletrack, very hospitable people and beer. A lot of beer.
SSWC 2014 was not a race. It was a celebration. A celebration of the noblest of machines, the bicycle. This event as with other SSWC events was geared singly, pun intended, to take cycling back to it's roots, and have some fun. Our day started upon arrival after taking the red eye in to Anchorage. We quickly put our bikes together, had some food and were riding trails by early afternoon. Anchorage is littered with paved trails all over town and one can navigate to pretty much any part of the city.
The single track trails we found were buff and very fast. Perfect berms set you up for humps, bumps and kickers. It was like the best ride at an amusement park... You just don't want to get off! I'm sure my hoots and hollers echoed thru the forest. This was just a taste of the quality riding Anchorage has to offer.
Feeling satisfied we headed to the SSWC headquarters, once there, we were greeted by the "bouncer" who more or less shoved a beer in your hand. Next stop, the waiver after which we received our dog tag. This was an important accessory during the main event and had to be worn at all times just in case we received a trinket to hang from it. We were also given a punch card that listed a handful of bars that we needed to visit. That evening we found ourselves hanging out with locals and fellow riders alike, tossing the football around with the guys from Surly Bikes and well... Did I mention there was a lot of beer?
Group Ride Day... Getting out of bed was a struggle. Tired legs after a 40km ride and and a night out with the boys left us feeling not so spry. We had to get up, eat and ride 10km or so to where the ride starts. Single speeding can be a solitary pursuit as not many riders choose to dump their gears, so to ride with upwards of 40 SSers was a rare treat. The terrain at the Hillside Trails is technical,steep and rooty but had very good flow. Being in a train of 40 single speeders felt like being in an off road Tour de France. This freight train hurdled down the mountain in a cloud of dust leaving the weak behind with grit in their teeth. Since most run similar gear ratio, the pace was always perfect. Beer break!!!
That night was Dinner for all and the first decider round to determine who would be taking the race to their country. The event was being set up. Imagine riding down an alley of snow fence as wide as your bars... Now line that course with 500 people.. "Whoa this is crazy!" Then a guy blindfolds you, gives you a bike you've never ridden and says RIDE! Jordie was to yell instructions at me which were impossible to hear over the roar of the crowd. Reverting to some old school balancing techniques I was able to hop and ratchet my way to the finish! I'm pretty sure we won that round as I only dabbed twice. Well maybe the naked guy rode it a little more gracefully. "Hey this is a nice IPA..."
Saturday was a bit of a rest day. We got the bikes out to explore the city and visit the last establishment on our punch card. The people of Anchorage are very hospitable. It didn't matter where we were we would end up chatting with some local about this or that. Jordie and I made alterations to our costumes in preparation for the big day. Later it's off to the Carousel Lounge for the party and decider round 2. I'd really like to tell you what this decider was but I'm positive it wouldn't be printed. Let's say, it involves a level of intimacy with a bicycle that only a single speeder could understand. If you see us on the street and you really want to know don't hesitate to ask. You might not like the answer tho. I think we did quite well at this task however the results were blanketed in secrecy. Staying till closing time, 3am, was mandatory. At 3 we were given the first trinket to add to our dog chain. It was then decided by a coin flip that we wouldn't race now but wait till 7am. So it was off to bed for a couple of hours. Night cap?
You know that feeling after you've been hit by a bus? Neither do I but I bet it feels a lot like riding the 10km out to the trail head after a night like that. That's the great thing about a bike tho. You can just spin and sweat all the toxins out of your body just in time to start putting them back in.... The three loop course offered spectacular views, incredible single track and some hike-a-bike. Along each loop there were tasks that had to be completed in order to gain entry to the final decider for SSWC Champion and the tattoo. Upon completion of each loop you were faced with a very steep climb. Once to the top you'd ring a gong, have a beverage, and head out for another loop. The highlight loop for me included and very steep rooty descent into the ocean after which you'd ride thru hub deep water to a spit which led you along the beach to the hike-a-bike. I'm still smiling...
We all congregated back at the Chalet where everyone who completed the tasks were told to grab any bike other than your own and head down to the derby. A circle was formed around the group of us as we started to ride circles around one another. It was basically a last man or woman standing contest. Jordie and I posses a high level of balance however when it comes to people driving you off your bike it's a pretty random event. Neither of us won the tattoo which, for this inked up single speeder, was a bummer but both of us left with a smile on our face. The SSWC 2015 decider came down to a volleyball match between Slovenia and Japan after which Japan was crowned victorious. They have been trying to host for a number of years so this is great news for the small group of Japanese, appropriately dressed up as Ninjas.
For me, this event has changed the way I think about single speed mountain biking. There were some pretty sexy rides at this event but you don't need thousands of dollars, full suspension or a clutched derailleur to enjoy riding a bike in the woods. We made new friends with whom we shared our own joy of cycling with. People who cheered for team Canada. People who offered us rooms for when we return to Alaska. So turn off Strava, dump your gears and come for a ride.
