All us of here at Pedal Progression love riding our bikes. Notice the full stop after that sentence, I put it there for good reason.
We live in an age where the sport surrounding the activity we love has blown up to share blurred lines with fashion, ego and perhaps even status. You can’t get out of the car park at a trail centre without hearing people boast about the gnarly black trail they rode last week, someone complaining about how expensive that new 14 speed drivetrain is, or simply the mention of wheel size like a ruler to a penis.
Is any of that a problem? Well, I’m sure we could argue either side of the fence but luckily that’s not what this post is about. It’s about the Renegade Slalom, an event that takes mountain biking back to grassroots (literally) regardless of kit, grade of trail or confidence. Something we can all get involved in!
What Is This ‘Slalom’ You Speak Of?
Not too long ago, things were very different. The UCI Downhill World Cup ran on the same weekend as the Cross Country event and riders took part in both races. The excuse “I only ride Enduro” meant for nothing and neither did “I’ve not got enough travel” as suspension could hardly be considered decent by todays standards. These early days were a proving ground for would be heroes like Steve Pete and Rob Warner, who were perhaps known as much for their sense of fun as their riding prowess. Even for these guys, mountain biking was more about having a good time than it was training for race results, or maybe equivalently, stressing over Strava times.
In the UK, Dual Slalom became a fun addition to these weekends where (often) half-cut riders would race head to head down a grass hill between gates. Perfect for spectators as there was usually calamity as the track got looser with every run. Races were held in a knockout format with the last man standing getting bragging rights.
Dual Slalom later went on to become a recognised event dominated by the likes of Brian Lopes, Eric Carter and Shaun Palmer and later made way for 4x racing.
Why ‘Renegade’?
Our goal is to organise a free, pop up ‘mates race’ where egos are left behind and fun takes centre stage. We’ll never disclose the location of an event until the day before it takes place. With the right attitude, this is the most fun you can have on a bike and it’ll test your skills too!
The format is simple. Names are put into a hat and two are picked randomly for a head to head. Racers have a run on both sides of the track to determine who goes through to the next round. This process continues until an overall winner is found. Before and after the timed runs there’s always chance to practice or race friends.
No matter how you get your kicks, keep enjoying being on your bike. Love the company of those you ride with and make new friendships through the adventures you have. Kit is never the answer, although I’m sure we can all be thankful for the technical advances we’ve made since the 90’s!
We’d love to see you all at the next Renegade Slalom for flat out fun, laughs, friendship and grass stained pants! Keep an eye on our Facebook page for details of our next event and check out the some action in the video below, shot courtesy of Drone Exposure.
Peace, love and happy trails!
Photo credit: Nick Bartley & Paddy@Creative Media
