Smithfield Nocturne - the results!
 

Well, just got back and had a great evening out - left before the pro-race, my little boy was up WAY past his bedtime, but really fun. Weather was great too, unlike the previous year. The 70 or so riders were split up into two heats - I went in Race 1 of 2 to start. Bromptons were by far the most prolific, followed by Dahons of various nature and quite a few other bikes. Format was a brief sprint, unfold the bikes and 4 laps of a 1km course. Initial downhill, sharpish right followed by a very sharp right followed by a slow left and a slow right up hill, then an uphill straight into two wide rights and back down the downhill homestraight. Came third in my heat (managed to try and get underway without clipping the main frame latch), which was dominated by Richard, last year's winner on a very nice Xootr Swift. I think I want one, although I suspect he has done a fair bit of modding to it! Watched the second heat which was a very close race with a guy on a MUSL and a guy on an airnimal pacing each other all the way (was on the back straight, but didn't see who won). Couple of hours off and then the final - slightly different, 5 laps and we left our bikes unfolded (!) about 20 metres up the track and raced to them. Front 3 were the Swift/Airnimal/MU and I was behind in a group of 5 watching the very good race that they had until I had a pedal strike :( and my legs went to jelly! Crawled in 10, but kudos to the top 3 who had a terrific battle with the MU eventually winning.

Very, very good fun - slightly patronising commentary (that I probably shouldn't have been listening to as I cycled round), really nice people (nice to meet Richard and Stuaff from on here) - and really fun to see all the "modded" bikes. There was a great Moulton, some properly "blinged" up Bromptons (including a chrome one!) and I think Bike Hut were advertising their new shop in St Pauls by riding a team of MUP8s.

Some thoughts:

Think the "folding" element needs some work - for it to be a test of folders, there should be a "carry" section and there should be a "proper" unfold part - too many bikes were left seat/handlebars up and that seemed to go against the grain a little. Could have had the Hammerhead down there in the end!

It was great that there was a real atmosphere of fun about it (even though the race for first was a real proper race). Top Marks to the lady on the Orange folder (that I've never seen before) who was cheerfully "revving" it down the back straight!

A little more organisation would have been good, but everyone found their way to things eventually.

Felt very sorry for the guy on the Brompton who got a flat just before the start of the final and Stuaff whose chain popped off during his race.

Haven't raced before (first ever!) and it is amazing how in a race, your head just goes. Can't believe that I didn't do the frame fold in the first race and can't believe how my body reacted to the strike - legs just got really heavy and got all out of shape and lost all speed. Guess that is something that you learn to deal with with experience.

Proper cyclists on proper bikes ride proper fast. Proper athletes!

Surprised by how little presence there was from the folding companies - Brompton/Dahon/Xootr/Airnimal could have sold some product I reckon on the back of some of the guys riding their very practical bikes pretty quick!

Ta all - see you next year!

Sweet report - I did see Stuaff in the final then -I saw him cursing as his chain came off. Sorry I didn't meet you but well done - sounds like you got some real racing done there; I just wrote my own version of the days events in the other thread... (link here http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.p...0&postcount=98)

What was it with the lax folding rules? Bit strange if you ask me!
Much fun though. Big smiles to the folding massive.
We are nothing compared to those criterion dudes though eh?

Yeah - absolutely nothing. Something I noticed - they all seemed tall (6ft plus) and all seemed very lean. No barrel-chested thick legged types!

Here here Mark- as I've said on the other thread, it was a pleasure to meet you & so many others. I'd think I'd have Wes's Moulton on balance- can't quite stretch to a Double Pylon :) As I've just posted in the other thread- I think they should have a race for stick-thin/overweight/indolent folder riders. Much more comedy value, and I might just win it....:) Either that or the fast guys have to swap bikes with the slow ones!! How would Keith the winner done with that Strida?
And f*** me, that was hard work.....Satisfying, though, despite my pratfall.
I shall return. Aiming for midfield mediocrity instead of back of the field. With some arrangment to sort that blasted chain problem (utterly unpredictable, utterly infuriating).
Those commentators...Robert Elms is a nice enough bloke, but whichever one said 'they've got to spin their legs really fast because of those little wheels' (or some such bs) ought to be ashamed of himself. Me and the guys on Speed Pros have top ends of 125+ inches (not that I can use that except downhill....). I'm faster on my XP than my hybrid, full stop.
I know...slowcoaches v commentators, 'Amateur-Celebrity Folding Race'. That'll shut 'em up.

They aren't from this planet...

I found out more info about the new 'Bigfish' bikes (the orange one you mention).
Slovenian outfit - nice people. Seems they have a blog about the run-up to the race which is a fun read, and a full site with more on the fold etc...

Website
Blog

And a wink for the camera- great shot this!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3266/...7d6caa2592.jpg

That's the girl! She was cool - good attitude and great photo! Bigfish eh - thought I didn't recognise them, hope they do well as they were nice people. Not sure how the bike will go though, not particularly light, not particularly cheap, but an interesting flat fold and it was nice to see another "different" folder out there!

Wondered what that was... it definitely has nice lines.
(the bike...)