E-Bike Racing: 2011 World Challenge

Tiberius

10 kW
Joined
Jan 14, 2008
Messages
871
Location
Rural England
OK Guys, I'm impressed with the things that have gone on with the Spooky Tooth Death Race and the Ohio race. It seems that e-bike racing may be catching on. And what better way to keep the momentum up than an international challenge. So here it is:

I've been speaking to some airline pilot friends and it looks as if it would be quite easy to get an e-bike across the Atlantic, as long as you don't try taking the batteries. So, if you guys in the USA can set up a decent race meeting, then I will come over, beat the lot of you and allow myself to be crowned World Champion.

I expect there will be a few others from Europe interested too, so that takes care of the 2nd and 3rd places.

Obviously we need a few more details. The first is that its about e-bikes rather than electric motorbikes. So I suggest a couple of simple rules to ensure that.
Must have working pedals, demonstrated by the rider pedalling it a certain distance up a small gradient.
Maximum weight, in race condition, with batteries, of eg 70 lbs / 32 kg.

The sort of race I'm interested in is on a hard surface, not dirt, and a track with corners. A kart track would be good.
The race should be long enough to make a good race, but not so long to require massive amounts of batteries. Say 12.5 miles / 20 km.

Its worth making a bigger event out of it; it should be at least a weekend rather a single race. There could be more than one heat, with points accumulated. There are other things that can be included such as a hill climb, a mountain bike race, an endurance competition, a speed trial, etc. We could probably beat you at those too. In due course, we could look at classes based on power or something, but I suggest we just start with one simple class and a weight limit.

So there it is. We will need to come to arrangements on batteries and charging, but what I'm saying is that if you guys in the USA put on a decent event in 2011, then I will come. And to make sure its a contest of engineering and riding skill rather than a spending competition, I will only get a one way ticket for the bike and after the event we can auction it for charity.

Bring it on,

Nick

PS. Of course, if you don't want to do this, just let us know right away and we can start on organising one over here.
 
Tiberius said:
then I will come over, beat the lot of you and allow myself to be crowned World Champion.

I expect there will be a few others from Europe interested too, so that takes care of the 2nd and 3rd places.

We could probably beat you at those too.

I think your rules are PERFECT!

You knew exactly what to say to call me out!

I am loving the challenge!

You're going to find yourself up against some more solid competition than special folks you're used to competing against over there in the socialist republic of Euro-I-stan. ;)

sara-special-olympics.jpg


052908_specialolympics.jpg



**Luke franticly scrambling to put together a controller that won't quit on me when the going gets tough like a french man.**
 
PS: If it's going to be in the Pacific Northwest area, I gotta give you a ride in the racecar so you can feel a 10second quarter-mile, and then someday you gotta give me a flight in your plane and try to kill me with G-force. :) :) :)
 
liveforphysics said:
I think you're rules are PERFECT!

It's a good thing we're talking about an ebike race and not a grammar contest, because I don't think LFP's ready to graduate from the "special" spelling bee! :lol:

All in good fun :mrgreen: go kick his Sussexian kiester!
 
dequinox said:
liveforphysics said:
I think you're rules are PERFECT!

It's a good thing we're talking about an ebike race and not a grammar contest, because I don't think LFP's ready to graduate from the "special" spelling bee! :lol:

All in good fun :mrgreen: go kick his Sussexian kiester!


D'oh!!! I never got a good handle on spelling or grammer. :(
Good thing they wont be needed to kick some euro-ass! :twisted: :twisted:
 
It all sounds like a great plan, and it would be really good if it could be pulled off ( I will be up for it finance's permitting (cant look that far ahead)), Agreed a 2 day event with some different bike racing discipline's thrown in for good measure would make it a very good spectator event also. The rules sound good to me.
 
I know the perfect spot to do a hill-climb challenge, and its local to an area with a kart track. Its about 1.5miles of continous curvy switchbacks at a grade of >20%.


If we wana do it in the seattle/PNW area, I've got 3 extra cars and 3 extra street licenced motorcycles to loan out free for folks comming in from afar (domestic or foreign) that need transportation for sight-seeing around the area.

Also, anyone that needs a place is welcome to stay at my pad provided they don't mind a place with no furniture other than a couch and my bed (which is not up for grabs, unless you're beautiful, 18-30yo, wang-less, durable, and adventuresome.) Still, its a place to shower, eat, relax/rebuild bikes, and a warm dry place to sleep.

If anyone needs more complex assembly or repairs, my dads welding/steel fabrication shop will be available free for anyone.

Also, my parents have 5 acres of land, with a half-assed motorcycle track/jumps/obsticles that would be available to hold any events that don't need pavement (or a giant hill, but a hill-climb spot is just a few miles away).

Kick-ass BBQ there too. :)
 
Seattle/PNW is good for me. I hear Hobby King are already setting up a LiPo warehouse in anticipation.

Sounds like Luke is on the organising committee. Lots of podium girls, please, and someone really famous to present the prizes.

Nick
 
Sounds great... if you're partial to a soggy climate.

I suggest someplace near Thud, who also has a good shop and is more centrally located (on the continent).

Luke can drive the lipo over in the civic.
 
Do you melt in rain Tyler? ;) :)

In all honesty, of course we should host the location at whatever area makes the most sense. That may or may not be my area of course.

I'm just throwing what I have available to give out there for the group because I like and trust you guys. :)

So, for the record, in Tacoma/Puyallup WA have a spot on private property that is bigger than a football field, well lit at night, food, extremely good selection of tools, transporation, local to a perfect hill-climb spot, 2 kart tracks (1 indoor, 1 outdoor) inside of a 10mile radius, and its just outside the city limits, so no rules on noise/parties at night etc. And the neighbors (which are all 100+yds away) are also gear-heads, so burn-out contests till tires explode at 1am etc etc is not a problem. They generally just join-in.

Very relaxed area, never have to worry about police saying a thing to us. There is also a roughly 2mile paved loop (public road though) around the block we could race... it has 1 major up-hill and 1 major down-hill, and the low country traffic is bike friendly.

TylerDurden said:
Sounds great... if you're partial to a soggy climate.

I suggest someplace near Thud, who also has a good shop and is more centrally located (on the continent).

Luke can drive the lipo over in the civic.
 
Anywhere I can get to....I am there!
I will ride a flat tired kick bike if I have to, but count me IN!

Tiberious,
How generous of you to allow yourself to be World Champion. :lol:
& to fill the podium...what can we say but, Thank you. ( :twisted: )
I recall another English (3 time) World Champion, David Thorp.(the last champ from the isle IIRC) He was embarrased teribly at the 86' motocross Des'Nations by Johny O'Mara.
Upon his tiddler(125cc), Young Johnny came through the pack & chased down the mighty Champion, passed him cleanly & rode away....gapping him by several seconds. (they were both way behind race winner, USA's David Bailey who was also 500cc mounted) Thorp was Panned in the european press!

Some Dirt tracker from the states what was his name? They gave him no chance at top 5 finishes in his 1st year of GP racing.......oh yes! Kenny Roberts. He showed up for 3 years & embarrased the elite riders of europe....

But seriously, This needs to happen before I get too old & turn to dust. I have it on good athority that the bull ring 1/10mile oval in carrothers Ohio is available every other weekend all summer long.
can you say ELECTRIC SPEEDWAY ACTION. (I am more than comfortable on dirt)

If nothing else presents then its PK1 Kart track in Tuscon....next Aprillish.
I am certian we can host our brothers from the continent.
(& if we have to pedal... I am betting on Nick to kick some AZZZ!)
Thud.
 
Luke said:
Will you melt in the rain?
I'm made of sugar.

I like the Seattle area and the resources there sound exceptional.

A central location might help make the event more accessible... free camping and lots of juice are big pluses.
 
I think if this is gonna happen then it should be all above board with media coverage/publicity and lots of fun to make people want to come and watch the whole event, ok some locals may get a little upset to see that the all the euro guys taking all the prizes (wins) But what all the locals need to remember is its the taking part that is important and not the winning :mrgreen: A graded Hill climb would be a very good spectator sport but make it a little more interesting say the hill would start off with a 10% grade then progress into a 50%+ grade and points would be awarded for how far you managed to climb the hill, these hill climb sections are always a laugh at trials venues and great fun to watch, I think I may be getting a bit ahead of myself :oops: . If this world challenged could not be organised for next year I would hope it could for maybe the year after or maybe some sort of world league thing where each country could have 3 or 4 teams ( members for each discipline ) and then some sort of world cup thing once every 4 years.
 
This E-Bike event is a great concept.
I wonder what it would take to get a real promoter(someone who knows all the details to organize such an event) to look into this? Or how hard it would be to get the event piggy backed onto another E-vehicle event that happens around the country?
Any event organizers around here up for free consulting? :?:
serching the e-vents registry now for a club to aproach.
 
Tiberius said:
...then I will come over, beat the lot of you...

I seem to recall our last king saying the same kind of thing almost 250 years ago and it didn't turn out so well. Unless you're the member of a great band the 2012 British invasion is sure to meet the same fate. :mrgreen:

Luke's family place sounds like a great spot. As part of the e-bike revolution we should be making ours all-weather anyway. I might even have to come home to the land of the never ending rat race for this event. I'll throw Costa Rica in the hat to host the 2013 Ebike World Championships. I just made a new ebiking friend who owns a property with cabins and over 1km of beachfront.
 
I will get some video of the property/facilities I can make available if we happen to decide the Tacoma/Seattle area suits our needs.

I will get some footage of the local outdoor kart track and ideal hill-climb hill as well.


Hmm... just got an idea... :)

How about each perspective area make a little 2 minute you-tube film on what the location would offer for the event, and then we do a poll thread, only for folks who are intending to participate, and each person votes on the area that they feel best suits their individual needs (location etc), as well as suiting the needs of the event (tracks, amenities, copious amounts of large breasted young women, etc.)
 
John in CR said:
Tiberius said:
...then I will come over, beat the lot of you...

I seem to recall our last king saying the same kind of thing almost 250 years ago and it didn't turn out so well. Unless you're the member of a great band the 2012 British invasion is sure to meet the same fate. :mrgreen:

Luke's family place sounds like a great spot. As part of the e-bike revolution we should be making ours all-weather anyway. I might even have to come home to the land of the never ending rat race for this event. I'll throw Costa Rica in the hat to host the 2013 Ebike World Championships. I just made a new ebiking friend who owns a property with cabins and over 1km of beachfront.


You've of course got a spot to stay anytime you like up here John. :) I will even borrow an extra bed and throw it in my spare bedroom for you (which you will have to share with a CNC machine, but it only takes up 1 corner of the spare room. :)
 
Luke,
I think it's down to who ever can organize & host the event.
I Intend to make the Journey to Tucson next spring.
(there is a Little 1000 watt "throw down" I intend to CRUSH If anyone else shows up LOL)

But really, it comes down to some one investing the time in aranging a venue & getting the word out.
A little corperate sponcership wouldn't hurt. (to cover insurnce isses & advertizing costs. & the Huge trophy) Red Bull & Monster Energy seem willing to be associated with any sporting events happening around the globe.

As I see it, It would need to be a philanthropic endevour at this stage of development. I suspect no one is going to be able to make any money from an event like this coming out of the gate.

I just hope there is someone willing to share the info on:
(in no specific order)
A) How it's done (so it can happen)
B) How to promote it (so there is participation)
C) How to market it ( so it can perpetuate)
I am just a lowly wood worker....this kind of thing is out of my skill set.
 
Thud said:
As I see it, It would need to be a philanthropic endevour at this stage of development. I suspect no one is going to be able to make any money from an event like this coming out of the gate.


I would never want to make money from an event like this. I'm actually willing to feed everyone good food on my dime, like BBQ steaks and ribs and chicken etc, and pay logistics costs of shuttling around anyone willing to fly into SeaTac international airport (just 5mins from my pad, and 25mins from my parents house), and take the group out some where fun at night on my dime as well. The only cost I would like to share is whatever kart-track rental fee we choose, because many tracks are 500-800per/hr, and that would be kinda a burden for 1 person to shoulder alone. BUT! I will gladly pay the track-fee-share of anyone who make the effort to make it here, but is on a tight-budget. :)


As far as promoting goes, social networking media and blogs is an effective grass-roots way to go. You can target the EV focused groups with free advertising that works this way. This is a job for somebody else though... because I hate social networks...

Also, getting a few EV retailers to include a quick snip-it about the event in their next sales newsletter they send every couple months to their email lists of clients would also be pretty effective.

And of course a quickly little internet webpage explaining the rules and location, and showing pictures of various e-bikes and laying out the various challenges and courses etc.

That would be a total promotion cost of about $0, and I think it would be as, or more effective than a professional paid promoter could do.
 
Thud said:
(& if we have to pedal... I am betting on Nick to kick some AZZZ!)

That's very kind of you, but I am the same age as Dogman.

But that means 50 something European years, so yeah, you're right.

Seriously, though, the question is bound to arise as to whether pedalling is allowed, or whether there should be a pedalling and a non pedalling class. We could have both, but if its only one, then pedalling ought to be allowed.

Nick
 
These are true Hybred vehicles.....Pedaling should be encouraged.

I will be 48 years myself in a week or so....& Its not the years, its the mileage. I have enough scar tissue to elliminate most training regiems as practical.
(slowy, I watch my youth atrophy away.... :mrgreen: )
I really hope something like this happens & I can be part of it.
 
liveforphysics said:
Tiberius said:
then I will come over, beat the lot of you and allow myself to be crowned World Champion.

I expect there will be a few others from Europe interested too, so that takes care of the 2nd and 3rd places.

We could probably beat you at those too.

I think your rules are PERFECT!

You knew exactly what to say to call me out!

I am loving the challenge!

You're going to find yourself up against some more solid competition than special folks you're used to competing against over there in the socialist republic of Euro-I-stan. ;)

sara-special-olympics.jpg


052908_specialolympics.jpg



**Luke franticly scrambling to put together a controller that won't quit on me when the going gets tough like a french man.**

How about a get-together in bicycle friendly Amsterdam where we can all be equally retarded? 8)
 
I dunno that setting it in Amsterdam would make it fairer (tolerance differences) but watching someone fall over before they leave the line could be funny! :lol:
 
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