Alleycat Race
 

Disclaimer: Yes, I know this is not the road racing forum. If the moderators feel it should be moved, then so be it. I posted here because this race seems to be about nontraditional "race" bikes (i.e. not plastic). Also, there seems to be a lot of Floridians in the C&V Forum.

Has anybody here ever entered their vintage bikes into an Alleycat Race? There is one coming up next month in St Pete, and I'm seriously considering riding in it. Looks like a lot of fun!!!

I can't imagine a thread like this would go well here or in the road racing forum. Might work in SSFG?

Anyway, I've raced vintage road bikes and vintage fixed conversions with a few races in Florida. It's a lot of fun! If there's any type of racing where equipment doesn't matter, it's alley cat racing.

Last race I went to the winner was on a fixed-gear freestyle frame with around 60-65 inch gearing. He won because he didn't get lost like everyone else and because he knew the city better than everyone else. At any given race there's generally a decent selection of vintage bikes, both road bikes and conversions so you'll def fit right in.

What bike are you planning on riding?

This year's theme is "(NOT) Fixed Fight"... derailleurs are allowed. So I'll be on my trusty Raleigh Competition.

I see no problem. There will probably be more lugged steel there than most other group rides.

This year and last year the race was called (NOT) Fixed fight because the folks who started the Fixed Fight series of alleycat races are (NOT) involved with the current incarnation. They moved...but the current organizers are friends and have their blessing to continue the series. Fixed Fight was Florida first alleycat 7 years ago and was/is the biggest of its kind in the Southeast. All bikes, fixed geared or not have always been welcomed. Its an all-inclusive race. See ya there! :-)

There's also separate prize categories for first placed fixed gear and first place geared. The biggest prize and overall winner is considered the first to finish on a fixed gear. Even if the first to finish is on a geared bike...its an alleycat after all ;-)

I've done a couple. I wasn't last.
I didn't ride through anyone's yard.
I didn't ride against traffic.
I tried not to blow any lights with any cars anywhere remotely around.
I did not drink a 40 afterwards.
I donated the 2nd prize, a Felt frame.
They moved it up to first, because someone stole the cash.
Some of the guys were nice, most liked my geared bike.
Everyone seemed to have a short attention span.

My first race ever is coming up, and it's an alley cat. Not sure what I'll be racing on, but the 3 choices seem to be my heavy Schwinn SS MTB, my Cannondale, or my Nashbar cross bike. Probably should just ask the organizer, but would a single speed fall into the fixed or geared category?

^ in my experience a single speed falls into the fixed category, sometimes actually labeled "fixed/SS" also i would use your 'cross bike

i've done a few alley cats, won some, got creamed in others. i always use a geared road bike. i am not pretentious enough to feel the need to ride one of my fixed gears, even though there are usually separate categories.

they are fun, i recommend them, but emphasize riding the way YOU want to ride. don't get caught up in the hype of the reckless guy in front of you.

I don't think riding a fixed gear during an alley cat would be something one could call pretentious. Although there are a few organized events, alley cat racing is pretty much the only venue where road racing a fixed gear can be done. Which is a shame, because it's great fun and different enough from a geared bike to be worthwhile.

SS/FG usually go together in the same category, unless someone on a SS wins that category, then they're either relegated to the geared category or 2nd place fixed, whichever is higher. Kind of weird but that's how I've usually seen it.

Didn't know what an alley cat race was so I looked it up on wikipedia. Then I looked for photos on images.google.ca and found this, cool name!!
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=306106