Justin Parke

Cruiser Crit 🚴 Competitive Costumed Bike Racing 👹 Salida, Colorado

Long before I met @Sreypov, I used to be pedicab driver and chef in Salida, Colorado, home to some very eccentric folks.

🤡 Competitive Costumed Racing ?!? 🎭🚴

Salida is not a big town my any means, only around 6,000 people when I used to live ther. It's full of tourism, from whitewater and rock climbing in the summer to skiing and snowboarding in the winter.

One of the weirdest annual events in Salida is the Cruiser Crit, a semi-competitive, but mostly goofy bicycle racing event.

This particular one was probably around 2007. At that time I was a pedicab driver, and was hired by the local bike shop to transport staff and dispense water to volunteers.

The Cruiser Crit has several classes for different age groups and categories, but the youths always steal the show. Each race snakes around the riverside of downtown Salida cutting through alleys, sidewalks and city parks.

I must admit many of the local adults take this race pretty seriously, albeit in costume on single-speed bikes with no handbrakes allowed.

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](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/justinparke/Dq58NQ9n-345.JPG)

An exception to the handbrake rule was made for the gentlemen riding the penny-farthing because it's already a suicide machine, even with one rear handbrake.

I guess it's clear a significant amount of racers are just in it to be goofy, and have no aim or chance at finishing first, but that's the beauty of this event. You can try to finish first, get the most laughs, do the craziest stunts, or even try to race with the most dignity and sophistication.

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](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/justinparke/V7JyzeKj-54321.JPG)

Everything from "Monsters, Inc." to "Gilligan's Island" and "The Muppets" were represented in the Cruiser Crit, and there was even a "chariot" race. The chariot is a child trailer if you were wondering.

There were many turns and shortcuts in the race, so many volunteers were required to keep the racers on course, and in some occasions, politically correct.

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](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/justinparke/gZt8MIUn-11.JPG)

There were plenty of pileups and injuries (none serious) that added to the excitement of the event, but the guys on the tandem did surprisingly well.

Many wipeouts occurred coming out of the alley to the left of the bar. As you can see, the alley was wet, so I knew it would be a good place for powerslide photos.

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](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/justinparke/TmFoIHhp-211.JPG)

Powerslides and pileups were to be found at a tight turn near the riverside too, where many racers without good coaster brake skills came in too fast, making for some hairy moments.

In the picture below you can just barely see a letter "S" on the mountain. There is also an annual foot race that starts at the bridge, races to the top and back to the bridge.

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](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/justinparke/3ViwNJ8w-22.JPG)

The Cruiser Crit is always the locals' favorite annual event, and I think it's obvious why. This crazy race is the perfect mix of adrenaline and hilarity.

Local bars and restaurants usually offer all Cruiser Crit participants a free drink or snack later on in the evening, and the winners are a local celebrity for about a week or so after the race is over.

I was quite happy to not enter my pedicab in the race and potentially destroy it. Taking photos and watching is way safer and more fun, especially when you lack health insurance in the USA.