Would we get away with this in Adelaide?

The  weekend of April 6-8 held the biggest Alleycat Asia bike race, The Shanghai Alleycat, organized by People's Bike Factory Five, 600 participants (!), 12 categories, around $15000 prizemoney and it is only the third edition ...

Anyone want to try to promote an Adelaide version?  Promoter to pay any fines incurred.


Small preview with cam onboard the fifth fastest:

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Permalink Reply by Michael Murray on April 25, 2012 at 17:59

I don't really see what is "PC" about expecting all road users to behave in a safe, legal and predictable fashion.  Public roads are not the place for deliberate risk taking.

Permalink Reply by Richard on April 25, 2012 at 19:30

Mental!  Do that in Adelaide and then the car/truck/non cyclists will have even more LEGITIMATE ammo. Absolutely stupid idea.

This is my concern as well. Im all for fun and some risk taking but the PC people out there will have a field day on cyclists if the behavior of what they do in other countries is ever shown here.

I don't really see what is "PC" about expecting all road users to behave in a safe, legal and predictable fashion.  Public roads are not the place for deliberate risk taking.


I hope you're including all the roadies who seem to regard the roads as a closed race track, riding in bunches and pace lines, often to the embarressment and danger of other road users as well as themselves. Then there are the commuters who ride every bit as poorly as the bloke in the first video just so they can get to work ... and the commuters who appear to be barely able to ride at all. Anyone been buzzed by an mtb bike while walking a trail recently? Or had to avoid a family group taking up an entire bike path, safe in the knowledge that they are 'doing a good thing with their kids'?

Nor can you say 'allycats are organised races and that makes a difference' because the behaviour I've described above is happening all the time and quite frankly, the tendency for some to treat our roads as a race or training track is every bit as repugnent as running an actual race.

I'm not defending illegal or dangerous riding, as you'll find I've said elsewhere in this thread, but there is no sub-set of cycling that does not have its fair share of people doing the wrong thing. I should also emphasise that you can not label all riders by the behaviour of some - I've ridden in roadie bunches I've enjoyed and have seen bunches I want nothing to do with - some fixie riders are a lot of fun and others are regarded with horror by other fixie riders - some commuters shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a push bike while others go to great lengths to enjoy a safe discipline.

Yes, the group shown above are a small sub-set of the cycling experience of this forum, but don't let that blind you to similar attitudes in others, particularly your own discipline.

Ride safe, enjoy the experience and don't cause concern for other road users - surely it's not that hard.

Permalink Reply by Richard on April 25, 2012 at 14:24

They'd be fun and given the opportunity, I'd be involved - couldn't get to the last one here in Adelaide. Basically, the organisers set up a series of controls and the riders have to get to all of them - the route and order being their own choice, so knowledge of the city is far more important than speed or suicidal riding (something I'm against anyway).

Incidentally, these are the origins of the cards stuck between the spokes of bikes - in the early days, you'd be given a card for each check point. Nowadays, you get cards for competing in an event, which is why my polo bike wears a card from last year's nationals here in Adelaide.

It's a fashion to stick cards in your wheels just to look 'cool' - that's a pure fashion statement and IMHO, utterly uncool - if you haven't earned it, you don't have a right to carry it.

Hey, and I'm an old phart ... who doen't really fit in very well with the fixie scene at all, I just love riding fixed gear and playing bike polo.

Permalink Reply by Peter Hill on April 25, 2012 at 20:34

this is about as obnoxious as setting up a beach-cricket match on a crowded beach or kicking a footy around in Rundle Mall at lunchtime.

If you want to be a smart-arse amateur dare devil, fine. Do it on a closed track and employ 'innocent bystanders' or invite several cars clubs for a chance to run over cyclists.

But by putting the game in the public sphere it forces the inclusion many people who wouldn't want to be included ad could injure them too.

Permalink Reply by Specialised Roubaix on April 25, 2012 at 20:56

Ambivalence reigns, love the anarchy of it, the thrills etc but agree with the rule of law, civil society etc.  Why not do downhill MTB racing, thrilling & legal, plus usually only the rider is hurt.

Now there is a thought, anti cyclists could play alley cat bowling & see how many cyclists they can trip up for riding illegally. 

Next Governemnt will declare cyclists as an outlaw organisation.

Permalink Reply by rossmg on April 25, 2012 at 22:14

Yeah, downhill single track on the MtBike .. hugh rush .. geat fun    \^.^/

Permalink Reply by Frank on April 25, 2012 at 22:44
Too many laws, too many shootings and way too many labor voting communists running this country into the ground to worry about some folk have some real fun whilst not wearing disgraceful green jerseys or bikes with bells!

Go live a little and don't sweat the little things as you will discover they all are just little things!

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