Bike Messenger Olympics….yeah, no kidding.

This thing is for real.

The North American Cycle Courier Challenge, or NACCC (“The Knack” for short) has this amazing competition since 1989 throughout different cities across the United States.

Courses simulates the daily experience a bike messenger has, trying to replicate even the tiniest detail. Different from the Olympic bike races (of any kind), there are no jerseys/uniforms or doctors with masseuses.

It’s just bikes and messengers trying to have as much fun as they can.

This year The Knack was held in Bushwick neighborhood, New York City. Because there is no formal or full-time organization that manages the event, this race needs volunteers. Normally, they’re formal bike messengers or friends and family members of the participants.

After having an amazing winning streak in the NACCC, Austin Horse decided that it was time to give back to the organization. This year, it was him who managed and coordinated the event.

It all started in The Acheron (a bar founded by – guess – a former bike messenger). Horse decided that an industrial area would be the best venue to rock the place out without having any complaints from angry neighbors.

But don’t be fooled – this event is a formal thing once it begins. Roads are blocked off, cops deviate traffic, and volunteers organize. Still, some cars and trucks are kept in the way to make the course as realistic as possible.

For the race, all the bikes most be locked up before the start signal. Some of the volunteers attach little maps or instructions to the handle bars in order to know their pick-ups and drop-offs.

Each rider must get through four checkpoints, whilst trying his or her best not to make extra trips.

These Olympics begin in heat qualifying races from Thursday to Saturday, preparing everyone for Sunday’s big race.

Another event to watch out for: The Cargo Bike Race

The challenge: loading up the bike with an empty beer keg, a tire – including the hubcap! – and long plastic tubes.

Balance is key in one of the most difficult races in this Olympic event.

As there are no restrictions of regarding the bike model, some riders opt to build a chopper style bike with a long front where they can store all the cargo.

Different from regular Olympics, “The Knack” doesn’t make qualifiers to participate, this gives the event an amazing touch of humanity where you can encounter from all types of bike messengers, from Jim Morrisons to Usain Bolts.

 

 

Keep rolling till you find something you love…