OWMTBC takes place this weekend in North Wales. See a few of you there hopefully, just off to the garage to try and sort a bike to ride.

A global celebration of classic mountain bikes in action at OWMTBC 2010. In its second year, the Old World MTB Championship is a weekend dedicated to showing and riding classic mountain bikes with fellow enthusiasts, re-living the spirit of those free spirited early MTB weekends. The OWMTBC was designed to give an outlet to the growing fascination with the birth and early years of mountain biking – with the Retrobike forum in the UK having over 9,000 registered members, it looks like it is more than a minority interest group!
The OWMTBC weekend, over 3rd, 4th & 5th September, is all about original bikes, clothes, riders and attitude with points and prizes to be won over the weekend – so dig out your old MTB and head for the hills once more!

Full details and entry forms at: www.owmtbc.org

This just in from the MTB Hall of Fame (or mtbhof). Sadly it looks like Geoff Apps was over looked once again. Still some very deserving inductees nonetheless. Click here to discuss in the forum.

The inductees selected for placement into the 2010 Mountain Bike Hall of Fame are; John Ker, the legendary photographer for Mountain Bike Action, Jim Wannamaker, a knowledgeable, likeable, hard working ambassador for mountain biking and rider/racer support, Alan Bonds, an integral part of the early Marin County fat-tire scene and “The Fro Riders”, Wade Simmons, Richey Schley and Brett Tippie, pioneers of the movement known as free-riding.

To read full biographies about these deserving gentlemen, go to our website www.mtnbikehalloffame.com and click on the 2010 Inductees link.

Elected by a vote of past Hall of Fame Inductees and current Hall of Fame members, these folks will be welcomed into the Hall on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010. The Induction Ceremony will take place at 6:00 p.m. during the Interbike Show in Las Vegas. The event is held at the Sand’s Expo and Convention Center, Rooms 106/107, immediately following the first day of the indoor show. All Interbike attendees as well as the public are welcome. Mark your calenders!

New Belgium Brewing Company, the makers of Fat Tire Ale, will provide the libations.
The 2010 inductees are:
• Alan Bonds, Pioneers
• “The Fro Riders” Wade Simmons, Richey Schley and Brett Tippie in Industry
• John Ker, Journalism
• Jim Wannamaker , Promotion

The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame & Museum was founded in 1988 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Ten mountain biking pioneers were inducted that first year; between three to seven mountain bike legends have been selected annually since then. The 2010 selections bring the number of Hall of Fame inductees to 112 individuals plus seven groups. The history of the sport of mountain biking, many of the early fat-tire bikes and the stories of Hall of Fame inductees are presented at the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame Museum, which is located in lovely downtown Crested Butte.

For more information about the MTB Hall of Fame & Museum, MTB History, interesting stories and pictures check out our new and improved website! www.mtnbikehalloffame.com

The July 2010 Photo of The Month (P.o.T.M.) contest was won by Onza100’s ‘Blue Sky’.

Click here to see Onza100’s shot in all it’s glory (more…)

6-7-8 AUGUST 2010, Pickering Moor, North Yorkshire Moors National Park

So here it is – North East &Yorkshire Area Groups flagship event. Our second year promises to big bigger and better in 2010. There are a few innovations and tweaks to make your weekend one to remember this year. Now with RetroBike Classic Event Status we are going to be pulling out all the stops to make this one of the highlights of your year. Click here for more details!

The July 2010 Road Bike of The Month contest was won by Slotcar55’s Masi Prestige – another win for Slotcar55 who looks likely to dominate this contest for a while.

The full results are as follows

1. Slotcar55’s 1975 Masi Prestige
2. Spokesmann’s 1958 Carlton Constellation
3. Powxxl’s 1991 Kestrel 4000

Now taking nominations for the August 2010 rBoTM here.

Click here for more details and full results (more…)

The July 2010 Bike of The Month ‘Riders Special’ contest was taken by LeGrandeFromage’s 1989 Overbury’s Pioneer. Bristol’s finest will be featured in next month’s mbr magazine and LeGrandeFromage will receive a year’s subscription to the magazine.

The full results are as follows

1. LeGrandeFromage’s 1989 Overbury’s Pioneer
2. Danpiero’s Dave Yates DONKIS NOB
3=. Dr S’ 1987 Fat Chance Wicked
3=. Supremate’s 1994 Yeti ARC

Now taking nominations for the August 2010 BoTM here. Don’t forget winner will receive a years mbr magazine subscription so get polishing those bikes!

Click here for more details and full results (more…)

For those who missed it BBC4’s Ride of My Life program is well worth checking out. Author Rob Penn travels around the world collecting handbuilt parts for his dream bicycle and charts the social history of one of mankind’s greatest inventions. On his travels he visits Brian Rourke, Brooks, Campagnolo and Chris King amongst others and even take in a run of the Repack with Charlie Kelly and Joe Breeze.
The program is available on the BBC iPlayer, click here to watch. Unsure if this will work for those outside the UK, perhaps someone could advise.
The book on which the program was based, ‘It’s All About the Bike: The Pursuit of Happiness On Two Wheels’ is available here. Have bought a copy so will let you know what it’s like. If the infectuous enthusiam Rob Penn displays on the TV is translated to the written word it’s sure to be a good read!
The program is currently being discussed in the forum, click here to join in.
Many have also noted Rob was wearing one of our retrobike t-shirts for a good portion of the show, these are of course available from the retrobike shop. Click here to order one.

This just in from the nice people at the Brighton Big Dog. For more details of retrobike involvment please click here.

It’s less than a month away and despite the event selling out in double quick time, they haven’t been taking it easy. From fine-tuning the already popular course to getting the youth racing (Little Dog) off the ground, here’s a round up of what’s been going on over in the Big Dog kennel.

Little Dog

After last years successful event the Big Dog team wanted to make sure the whole family could get involved in the big day out. Working with the very highly regarded VC Jubilee (http://www.vcjubilee.co.uk) they are putting on The Little Dog in the morning prior to The Big Dog and all Little Dog racers will get the same cotton musette goody bag as those in the adult race too. There are categories for all boys and girls from 8 to 18. Enter online right here.

OneDer Dog

Many people have been caught out by the rapid sell out of the 2010 Brighton Big Dog and none so than the Big Dog team themselves. They have been taken aback by the demand for places and so have now opened online entries to the ever popular OneDer Dog category. This is a one lap “race” of the course which you can do at any time of the day. Whether you just want to see what all the fuss is about or you want to have a pop at The Hot Dog prize (that for the fastest lap of the race) your lap will be accurately timed by TimeLaps, so you can now really tell which one of your mates is the fastest (or slowest!). Free with each entry is the musette goody bag and also free tea and coffee. Enter online right here.
(more…)

Bike of The Month (BoTM) poll for July 2010 is now up, this month is a ‘Riders Special’ Click here to get your votes in now! .
Ensure you use your vote wisely this month, the winning bike will be featured in MBR magazine and the winner will receive a years subscription to the magazine.
Due to me being late getting the poll up the vote will end 23:59 on the 2nd August.

A great ride was had by all on Saturday’s Herefordshire Road Ride AKA The Welsh Borders Grimpeur. The full aftermath can be found here.

A few highlights

- Top selection of old steel (and it was only old steel) with The Guvnor on an early 90s EM Corsa Extra, Del on an early 80s Colnago Master, Dave on a mid 80s Colnago Master, the Alex’s on an 81 Bianchi and a 1990 Harry Quinn respectively and Ed on a relatively modern on a 1991 Zullo.

- Bike of the day has to go to Alex’s stunning Bianchi with just the right amount of pantographed kit and to top it off he was riding tubs. Chapeau, mon ami.

- Sandwich of the day goes to The Guvnor’s ‘pound of cheese in a loaf sawn in half’ lunchtime snack

- Del riding a classic Italian bike in a pair of Specialized mountain bike boots

- “three socks for a pound”. You had to be there.

Road Bike of The Month (rBoTM) poll for July 2010 is now up. Click here to get your votes in now! .

Top ride yesterday in the Forest of Dean last weekend, click here for the full aftermath thread. Some of the best natural singletrack out there if you have a good guide…