Yes, you’re a little slow. Because 45 people have already built up their Raleigh SSCXWC Special Edition frames, and everyone else assumed they were sold out immediately. But we still have a few left if you’re the right size. So pick up one of the last SSCXWC frames ON THE ENTIRE PLANET. Buy it and ride it. Or buy it and keep it in the basement, letting it appreciate like a fine wine before selling it on ebay to someone in the Midwest. Either way, you win. Here are the frames we have left.

3 - 50″

While finding a winner is the ultimate goal of any competition, the spectacle and zaniness of the event largely overpowered the actual race.  Held on the sloppy grounds of Portland International Raceway, with Audis and Porsches racing on the track 50 yards away, the SSCXWC showcased course furniture seen only in sci-fi movies.  Well, one movie in particular: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.  The promoters of the race acquired a to scale version of Mad Max’s thunder dome, about 1300 square feet worth, that racers passed through each lap.  Three acrobats suspended in harnesses taunted the racers as they snaked through the dome, raining marshmallows and heckles.  No one was spared.  Spectators climbed the dome to witness the madness and join the heckling.

Elsewhere on the course, racers had to contend with more “traditional” obstacles like barrier sets, muddy, off camber stretches, a football field sized mud bog, a school bus with dancing strippers as a short cut, and barriers with launch ramps.  Needless to say, this made for some extended lap times compared to early races run on the regular course.

The race started off with a Braveheart/Le Mans style introduction, complete with a kilted bag pipe player.  All 250 racers, men and women, placed their bikes along the center of a large field.  Half the racers went to the west side, the other half to east side.  After the countdown and the yelp of freedom, racers dashed to find their machines and vie for the all important hole shot.  As the racing began so too did Black Sabbath cover band Rat Salad fueling the energy around the Thunderdome.

Portland frame building icon Tony Pereira was the first to the top of the hill winning, somewhat ironically, a Raleigh SSCXWC frameset for his efforts.  Matthew Slaven made it around the first lap quickest netting the glory of being the first cross racer to ever ride through the Thunderdome.  Following him was a field of outrageously dressed racers; many in Mad Max style costumes, others in frighteningly uncomfortable looking “race kits.”  Drew MacKenzie came though donned in his golden speedo from last year’s victory.  Barry Wicks rolled around dressed in a sweater vest and what looked like wool britches (as well as a musette full of adult beverages that he happily dispersed to a willing crowd.)  Ryan Trebon ran most of the first lap with his dog on a leash.  Two racers dressed as though they just walked off the Mad Max movie set raced a single speed Madsen cargo bike, one person pedaling while the other person sat in the cargo bucket waiting to assist on the dismounts.

As more rain and darkness fell, the officials rang the final lap bell and the winners emerged.  How the judges could keep track of 250 people on the course at one time wearing all manner of outfits is beyond comprehension.  MacKenzie will add another SSCXWC tattoo to his skin.  Also, a custom built Pereira Cycles single speed cross bike will look nice next to his Vanilla Speed Wagon from last year.  Studley, too, will be graced with an SSCXWC tattoo and will be seen next season riding a custom rig from Spanner Bicycles.

Directly following the finish the second SSCXWC competition began.  The battle for race ownership for next year’s edition came down to two cities: Seattle and San Francisco.  Naturally, the battle took place in the Thunderdome.  Two people entered, one person left.  Seattle’s contestant: an energetic man poised for whatever lay in store for him.  San Francisco’s contender was an equally ready woman who will be forever known as St. SanFran as she toppled Seattle in a sumo style mud wrestling bout in front of a surly crowd.  The day before Seattle was victorious in part one of the hosting battle, a debate moderated by SSCXWC promoters.  With the score at one win for each city, the tie breaker came from the race results.  Since Kari Studley of Seattle won the women’s race, she also won ownership for Seattle next season.

Truly, Portland gave the race an unforgettable send off.  Racers and spectators couldn’t help but smile and laugh, and stories will be told for many weeks to follow.  When the race came to fruition three years ago it reminded participants that the essence of this sport is fun through competition.  Each year following that mantra has been clear and proud.  Seattle certainly has some big shoes to fill but if their performance and enthusiasm this last weekend is any indication, they’ll do just fine.

Full results are here.

Seattle Vs. Portland

Three Separate Battles, three scared challengers the weight of everything lies in their hands. Which city will rise from the ashes to become the new host for SSCXWC.

Each City must choose three individuals, a debater, a racer and a gladiator, to compete in three battles over the course of the weekend.

The Debate – Oregon Manifest/SSCXWC Party 8:30-9:00pm
The Race – you know the one
The Battle – Post Race Sunday

Each city will have to provide a debater, racer, and gladiator to compete in each respective arena: A2 + B2 = C2 Although you won’t be told which event is A, B or C. Bribes are of course, weighed in.

…. Two cities enter one city leaves.

When: Noon – 3pm

Where: All participants have been emailed the start location, if you are registered and did not receive this email please email sscxwc@gmail.com

Route: Top Secret

What:  Ride of Revelry, including feats of strength, daring, endurance, beauty and grandeur

Why:

Because Saturday we are comrades and Sunday we are combatants

Saturday we are lovers and Sunday we are fighters

Saturday we are pre Armageddon and Sunday we are post Armageddon

Saturday we are united and Sunday we are divided

Who: You

How:  Meet at top secret location (see your email), follow prescribed route, partake in prescribed feats, ingest prescribed substances repeat as necessary until pain subsides and voices in head are quieted

Notes: Common sense dictates that you are responsible for you in terms of clothing, food, mechanicals and alcohol consumption

Last Note: An OBRA license is required for Sunday’s event all hail OBRA and their wildly reasonable $5 day of license fee. You may purchase these Saturday night (Oregon Manifest Party) or Sunday at SSCXWC Registration

I know the secret sign now

At first they wouldn’t tell me

But somehow

I found out

That’s right, you just qualified for SSCXWC! You’re just as good as Ryan Trebon!

Instead of a qualifier on Saturday, we will hold a Portland Festivities Ride that you won’t want to miss.  But now that everyone qualifies, we’re going to be capping the field and spots are going fast. If you haven’t registered, you should act now. Before someone else steals your only opportunity to ride with Olympic athletes and naked people. At one time.

By qualifying everyone, we can focus our attention on Saturday to make it all about Portland.  Riders will meet at noon at a soon-to-be-disclosed location for the Portland Festivities Ride. After a few hours of bicycle revelry, racers will disband to complete their pre-party preparation and fancy themselves up for the SSCXWC/Manifest party at the Oregon Manifest Bike Union. Remember that the better you look, the more likely people will be to ignore it when you get drunk and embarrass yourself. But remember to have a tall glass of water and some ibuprofin ready.

Because Sunday is the main event.

- Dura Ace carbon tubeless wheels
- Dura Ace Di2 brake levers
- Dura Ace crankset
- Hutchinson cross tires
- PRO handlebar, stem and seatpost
- Chris King SS cog

This is what the randomly selected winner will get:

Just a reminder: even though the SSCXWC seems like the kind of party that only celebrities and socialites get invited to, it is still actually a race. A competitive one, full of people from all over the world that are probably faster than you. So as an incentive for you to do your very best, our super generous sponsors Pereira Cycles and Spanner Bicycles will be giving frames to the winners. The winner of the Men’s race will get a Pereira and the winner of the Women’s race will get a Spanner. So get training! You’ve only got a couple of weeks left. ]]> http://sscxwc09.com/?feed=rss2&p=93 http://sscxwc09.com/?p=59 http://sscxwc09.com/?p=59#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:45:16 +0000 editor http://sscxwc09.com/?p=59 Who owns SSCXWC?

PORTLAND DOES!… Who is ready to plan a takeover? The battle for SSCXWC begins November 7TH and 8TH … Is your city ready?

The red carpet has been rolled out and it is ready to be trampled. Will Sue Butler or Wendy Williams make the roll of leading lady again? Will Drew McKenzie or Barry Wicks take the leading roll for the men? Who will star in this year’s SSCXWC? Will it be you? Don’t forget the battle within the battle…. what city will take over sscxwc next year? There will be no shortage of battles. Bring you’re A game you are going to need it.

This is a battle for everything.

Here’s the truth of it all: CycloCrossing leads to single speeding, and single speeding leads to racing. And that was damn near the start of it all.  Look at us now, busted up and everyone talking about hard times.  But we’ve learned from the mud of it all.  SSCXWC has learned.  Portland’s learned.  Now when men get to racing it happens here…and it finishes here.  Hundreds of men enter, one man leaves.  And right now, we’ve got hundreds of men!  Hundreds of men with guts full of fear.  Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls… racing time is here.”

Welcome to another edition of Thunder Dome!

2009 marks the final season of Portland’s post nuclear fallout grip over single speed cyclocross.  It’s time for a new utopia to emerge, a new ‘CrossTown.’  In an effort to out perform previous years, the final Portland chapter redefines ‘championships.’  Using a similar format to 2008, racers will qualify for the main event following a time trial.  Men’s and Women’s categories will be separated.  In the end, hundreds enter, one leaves.  Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, a race within the race shall decide who hosts the 2010 SSCXWC.  This race will be less the traditional test of speed, endurance and technical prowess and more Thunder Dome.  Two teams enter, one team leaves.  A battle worthy of a song, nay an anthem, powerful enough to revive Tina Turner’s career, convince Mel Gibson to remake the Mad Max episodes, and ultimately propel single speed cyclocross through the apocalypse and into the other side.  Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls… racing time is here.

When: November 7th and 8th

Where: Portland, Oregon

More Information: www.sscxwc09.com