Last month at the Global Biorhythms Knickerbocker 8 hour race in Cool, California, the organizer told us that he would sponsor an all-unicycle team in his 24 Hour Race next May by giving us free entry.
Can I get a show of hands of those who would be interesting in competing? We would need 5 racers, plus someone to do support for the team (I’d do it if no one else wants to).
To be clear, there are two races: 8 and 24 hours. Of course we’ll do the 24 hour one. Why go to all the trouble of going there for just 8 hours? We can triple our pleasure for the same cost.
I’ve got the same questions John has. What exactly does this entail? Each rider riding for 24 hours or five riders riding for 1/5 of 25 hours? I save 24 hour endurance feats for less dangerous activities like mountain climbing.
Geoff
Did someone say support? I’m a world-class unicycle race support person. My peanut-butter-and-jelly making skills are unparalleled! …or unperpendiculared. However that goes.
Do we get a minivan for the event? I’m a world-class unicycle race support minivan driver, too.
5 man team. Ride one 11 or 12 mile lap, then hand the baton to the next guy. Repeat for 24 hours. Big goal: beat some bike teams. To do that, we have to ride all night - no slacking. That means we need lighting systems and people without experience riding at night have to practice beforehand. It is really FUN!
I’m in, if being extremely competitive is not a requirement. I’m not fast, but am pretty determined.
I have lights. I’m planning to do a solo 24 in two weeks, though I’ll probably actually race about 12 of those hours–I just want to give the night racing a try, and I missed out on an annual 8-hour race last month. I’m in no shape to actually ride for 24 hours solo. :o
Hi Nathan,
It’s eight days after my wedding but count me in. I love riding the 36er and would like to branch out into offroading. I would assume you were riding 150’s. Is that true? Put me on the list. Sounds like a lot of fun. I love passing bikes on the uphills.
Yes, the 4 of us on 36ers were using 150mm cranks. 3 of us were geared up - that was very exciting riding those trails in the big gear! After the first lap you learn where you have to shift down in advance. There was a paved section about 1/2 mile long, first up, then down. On the down Corbin was hitting 22 and I was hitting 20. Who knows how fast Beau was going!
The course is nice, but there are sections (at least one section) that isn’t really rideable, or at least not profitable to ride. That’s the only bummer on the course. Long sections are great though - I was shifting back and forth between high and low gears. Might have to use low gear for the night laps.
Dust on the course was kind of a problem when we raced there in Oct but they say sometimes in May the problem is the opposite - mud. One thing that will be nice in the 24 hour race is doing only one lap at a time. We did two laps back to back and it is harder to race that long at a time.
AJ, it would be fantastic to have you on the team - I think you’ll really like it. Just practice up riding bumpy singletrack at speed.
Ok, based on the feedback here, I told the organizer that we are in for at least one 5-person (sorry I said ‘man’ above) team. The application process officially starts only in March which seems really late, but that’s what he says.
Normally we lose many interested people because of the approx $100/person entry fee, but this time we may well have more - it would be great to have two teams. I will try and find out how that would work (half off for everyone or free for everyone or what?)
If there are enough for a less competetive 2nd team I am in and it is a charity ride so I am good with paying an entry fee as well. I have raced in a dozen or so 24 hour team events on mtbs, it would be a blast to muni one.
Turns out I am going to be too busy to do this race. The organizer wrote me asking if we (an all unicycle team) are coming. Anyone else want to organize this? Post back here and I’ll send you the info you need.
