10th Annual Darkhorse 40 in the books!!!

so, the 10th annual Darkhorse 40 is over......

first of all thanks to everybody who signed up so early and came out to play in the wicked humidity! thanks for staying thru the monsoon! hey, at least we got the racing in before the skies opened up!!

thanks to all of our volunteers!

thanks to the EMT's who unfortunately had a very busy day... we never like to see them get any work at all. we would be happy to have them lay around with their feet up but sometimes it doesn't work out that way. a speedy recovery to all those that left a little something extra out there on the trail.

right about the time the hangover wears off from Singlespeed-apolooza, does it ever wear off.....we start prepping for the 40. lots of blood, sweat and tears go into putting out the best possible race experience we can. we hope that it shows. the 40 never goes off without a few hitches here or there. just the nature of the business i suppose... but overall we hope everybody had a good time!

a decade has passed...holy crap...since the Mayor and I cooked up a plan to throw a little race at Stewart. something a little different, something that we would want to race. we figured we would get a 100 people to show up and that would be that.....well after 10 years look at what it has become. never would we have expected our little race party to become this... THANK YOU!! who knew so many of you were just as twisted as we are!!! you are all as much to blame, i mean responsible for the growth and success of the 40! Thanks again!

what does the future hold? hard to believe that we are looking back at a decade of racing. i honestly don't know. as we do every year we will take some time off and reflect and see what we could have done differently, what we want to add, want we need to tweak.

so stay tuned!!!

again THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yours in a ugly orange shirt,
Hawaiian Mike

Darkhorse 40 updates

July is upon us! seems like we just finished up SSAP.
the waitlist has been closed now for a while. registrations are locked and loaded. numbers have been assigned and all the paperwork is in order. if you have to cancel at this point we can't do much for ya. sorry about that. again thanks for registering early and supporting our event!!

we have got a lot of cool stuff coming your way this year. same great stuff as in years past but with a little extra spin for the 10th annual! can't believe we are on number 10.

the course will most likely be the same as last year barring any kind of trail damage we need to avoid. the Darkhorse crew will be hard at work for the next month ensuring that the trails are clean and in excellent riding order come race day. if you see us out working stop and say hi.

i will post up a  map and GPS file soon.

thats all for now. more info soon!!

SSAP video evidence!

big thanks to our new pal Manny for putting this together!!!

SSAP 2012

the 4th annual Singlespeed-a-polooza is in the books!
many thanks to all who came out to play in the woods. after a couple of monsoon years the weather gods smiled on us and it was a gorgeous day. little chilly in the am, like at 4am, when we got up....but it got really nice later.
i am still decompressing. it takes a few days to get back to normal, or at least whatever normal is for me...
so many good people, good vibes, and good times!!

again we can't thank you enough for coming out and joining in our little race party!
now we turn out attention to the 40........the 10th 40....holy crap.....

SSAP map and gps file!

oh no! a map!! click to make big!

that's right folks. the DH crew has been sampling what the forest of stewart has to offer and come up with a course... much deliberation and beverage liberation was used to make sure that this course is sweeter than a jewel encrusted unicorn with a horn filled with PBR!

some details....
4 mile prolog.
11.75 mile laps

4 mile prolog + 11.75 mile lap + 11.75 mile lap = oh so much singlespeedy goodness!!

gps file located here....


so get out and check it!
race day is coming quick.
check back here for more details as they become available

2012!

holy crap! 2012...really...
so we have like 12 more months till the apocolypse! yikes, and bummer...i guess...
well looks like we better make some great bike race while we still can.
yeah its finally a little cold out and you probably aren't thinking about racing bikes yet but you should be. you slackers! get on the rollers and get some suffering in!
before you know it hardman season will be upon us. cobbled roads, rain, belguim, frites, and.......for those of us on this side of the pond Singlespeed-a-polooza! lose the gears, harden the F up and get ready... its coming soon.
4th annual, who would have thunk it. seemed like such a ridiculous idea and well, it still is a little ridiculous......

after that well its time to prepare for the real deal...... the 10th Annual Darkhorse 40!
holy smokes, yeah its been 10 years. we got some special stuff up our sleeve for this year. don't ask what cause we ain't telling! its gonna be super sweet uber awesomeness and all that and then some....trust me!

so check back often, call the shop and harass the boys, or search the interwebs, the answer is out there. when you find it you will know....or maybe you won't but either way it will kill some time till race season!

SSAP 2011!

SSAP 2011 is in the books!!

thanks for coming out despite the less than awesome conditions! it was an epic day for sure!!

i may write a report and post it up once i can wrap my brain around it all...

SSAP map

the 2011 course in all its glory!!

SSAP is coming up quick!!

SSAP will be here before we know it! are you ready?

here are a few things you should be aware of.....

1- SSAP is sold out. it sold out fast! if you are registered you rock, if not.....well...

2- there is a wait list. there are many on it. if you aren't you can email we will add you to it

3- the wait list is long. probability of getting in......well have you won the lotto lately?

4- the course is near finalization. we are working with the conditions etc... it will be awesome!

5- there will be sweet sweet kegs of beer from a very special brewery. top secret for now!

6- there will be hotdogs, chips, etc for post race feasting! if you are vegan, vegetarian, have an aversion to hot dogs etc....we apologize and ask that you plan accordingly. there will be plenty of beer!

7- cash for the elites, prizes for everyone else!

8- conditions at Stewart yesterday were sweet! but its snowing now...so use good judgment if you are out riding the trails!

9- whatever gear you have on your bike and whatever tires you have are the perfect choice!
if you don't think so stop into Darkhorse and let Mike and George sell you the perfect gear and tire choice!!


that's about all i can think of for now. let us know if you have any questions.

get those singlespeeds ready!!

Darkkhorse 2011!!!!

2011 is here!
so it's time to sign up for some awesome Darkhorse Racing events!!!
go to bikereg!

SSAP 2011

DH40 2011

event reg is live!!

remember that with the Mayan apocalypse coming in 2012 you better get your racing in now!!

check back often for updates and other shenanigans!!

Some things to keep in mind!

1- registration is full. THANKS!! we have started a wait list and riders will be added as room becomes available

2-the start location has changed!!!
new start area located at 400 ridge rd, Montgomery NY 12549
there will be no access from the Weed rd gate off rt 207!!!

3-course consists of 2 twenty mile laps! there will be 3 aid stations out on course and 1 of them you will see twice within 3 or so miles. there will be a neutral feed area available for you to drop bottles etc...

4-the race starts promptly at 9:00am!!!
packet pick up will close at 8:30!
plan accordingly!

5-the classes are pretty large. be considerate of your fellow racers. if you don't think you will finish in the top ten don't line up in the front row! let people pass! you will have 40 miles to race out there! be nice to one another and everyone will have a great race!

6-beer and bbq. if you are under 21 don't put us in a bad position! the rangers will be around and they can and will ask you for id! don't jeopardize everybody's good time and our future use of the park!! drink responsibly! eat like a pig! really eat up when your done! you deserve it!

7-results and awards will be posted in a timely fashion. remember there are a lot of racers out there and finish times can vary greatly. relax, chill out and have a beer and some chicken!!

8-have a fun time! that's what this is all about right! have fun out there and enjoy the day!

SSAP lends a helping hand to our furry friends!

If you signed up for SSAP not only do we thank you but lots of furry little friends say thanks too!
$5.00 from every entry plus the proceeds from the I9 hubset and the Thomson voucher went to 3 animal charities!

Mid-Hudson Animal Aid

Walden Humane Society

Hudson Valley ASPCA

so not only did you get to take part in one of the most epic singlespeed events in the history of racing bicycles with one gear, but you also helped to save a whole bunch of furry creatures who will likely be adopted and find loving homes!!

we thank you!
the doggies and cats thank you!

right about now you should feel all warm and fuzzy about yourself! the best thing to do with that feeling is go on over to bikereg and sign up for the Darkhorse 40!!

singlespeed-a-polooza 2010!

well folks SSAP 2010 is in the books!
after what seemed liked 2 straight weeks of beautiful weather mother nature decided to drop the temps and add a bit of moisture to the mix.
we spent Saturday afternoon prepping start/finish area, the beer stop, marshal locations, and putting the finishing touches on the course. it was a dust bowl!
well when we were wrapping up a little after 7 the temp started to drop and the skies looked a little ominous. i held out hope!

around 4:30 on sunday morning George turned on the basement light to let me know that it was raining and cold. we looked at weather.com just to confirm this. after a big cup of coffee it was time to get fired up! into the chilly morning rain we went.

george spent the pre-race hours shuttling racers from the upper parking area down to registration which was at the finish. logistically it seemed like a good idea but it turned out to be a bit far from the parking. sorry. lesson learned.

despite the conditions we were able to get the start off just about on time. little after 9. couple waves later and we had 250 racers in the woods! thankfully we only had one semi-serious injury for our dedicated team of emts to deal with. on weather days like this that is always a major concern!

the hotdogs went in and were being handled by our crack team of "dog boilers!!" the kegs got tapped and sampled! all was ready for when racers began to filter in. big thanks go to Koop, Joe and Richard for there work on the food!

in what seemed like the blink of an eye we had the top 2 racers come thru for their first lap! our man Monty and James Harmon were neck and neck!! it was on! not too far behind the top 2 women came thru and some awfully fast sport guys had gotten themselves into the mix.

little slower on the second lap as the condition "deteriorated". at least the rain stopped! apparently "major mike" was a "less than pleasant experience" on lap 2 for a number of riders!

1 hour fifty minutes and guess who comes across the finish line! Monty baby!! team darkhorse represent!!! awesome job. Harmon held on for second and Josh Wilcox rounded out the podium!
Nikki Theimann crushed in the open women with a time of 2:15 which would have put her solidly in the top 30 of the mens field!! awesome job!

in the sport ladies field Amanda Wisell showed that riding in the mud of Vermont can make you a fast little lady! she smoked the course despite the less the favorable conditions! Bike 29 representing on the big wheels!!

the most hotly contested battle has been the NY/NJ race for sport dominance! a little birdie told me that the NJ guys were pulling out all the stops and training like mad over the winter to keep the cup in Dirty Jersey! well they didn't disappoint! by just over a minute Ilya Cantor took the win! MTBNJ keeping the cup on Jersey soil!

also, the highly anticapated racing debut of "Thor the God of Thunder" was witnessed on sunday. some people believe his registration to be the reason that mother nature decided to provide such nasty conditions! conditions be damned thor donned cape and helmet and lined up with the elite men! apparently even the "nectar" of the gods, which was rumored to be a mixture of high grade tequila and cheap canned beer, couldn't help the "God of Thunder" in the stacked elite class! paced thru most of the race by team Darkhorse racer Sal "my sideburns beat up your honor student" Crochiola, Thor finished in a magnificent DFL in the elite open mens division. Thor could not be reached for coherent comment after the event.

all the results can be found here!!

pics can be found here

awards went off great with the pros taking home piles of cash. the custom trophies were a huge hit!! tons of schwag for the winners and non-winners alike!

SUPER SPECIAL THANK YOU SECTION!!!!!!

thanks to all our racers!!! we appreciate you guys coming out to our little race party! especially in less than stellar conditions!

THANKS TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS!!!!!
especially the lovely young ladies who do our scoring!!! we couldn't do it without you gals!!!!!
special thanks to the beer maven's Beth and Danelle!!!!!

THANKS TO ALL OUR SPONSERS!!!

NINER BIKES!
WTB
CANE CREEK
THOMSON
SWIFTWICK
STANS
INDUSTRY NINE
ERGON

TERREPIN BREWING!!!!!!!!!!!!

course map

check it peeps!
the course is official!
there is a gps file and it will be posted on mtbnj.com
there should be some arrows out on the course by this weekend

SS course made official

on a brisk spring morning, half past dawn, the Darkhorse Trail crew featuring Mike "the axe man" Rave, George the Mayor, and Hawaiian Mike made a final push to solidify the SS course. a few hours, couple gallons of 2 stroke chainsaw fuel, and some frozen toes and fingers later and the course has been set!!!

all i can say is that this is quality stewart riding. some old stuff, some new stuff and some redux stuff.

here is a little teaser. "major Mike" returns with a bad-ass new reroute, we created a new trail called "cedar knob" which utilizes a very unique "feature". an old trail that had fallen out of service comes back into the fray, and the course passes thru one of stewarts older and more unique "structures".

when all is said and done the course comes in at 12.75 miles. yeah its a little short of the 14 we had hoped for but we went quality over quantity. so consider it a gift or a curse or whatever. its what you get!!

we are stoked and hope you are as well.

more details to follow shortly and a gps file will be posted as well.

Closed!

registration for SS-apolooza is closed! we have reached the 250 field limit. if you missed it well you suck..........no ok you don't really. send us an email at darkhorsecycles@frontiernet.net or call the shop and get added to the waitlist.

see you all there!!

Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock

less than 50 spots left! get in now or be disappointed when all the cool kids are racing there singlespeeds!!

trails are shaping up and the course has been nearly finalized but is still top secret!!! some new trails will emerge as well as some re-conditioned old favorites!!

get signed up!!!!!!

SS gets famous!!

Singlespeed-a-polooza gets famous!
mentioned in the "download" section of this months mountain bike magazine!!
hoo-rah! no wonder it hasn't returned any of my calls!

get yourself signed up now. rumor has it they have added extra flights at Stewart Airport to accommodate all the big wigs flying in!!

Get your a** to SS-APOLOOZA!!!!

SIGN UP! DO IT! DO IT NOW!!!!!!!!

Happy 2010 suckas!!

happy belated new year! is it really 2010? yikes!
so both the darkhorse 40 and singlespeed-a-polooza are up on bikereg. if you haven't signed up do so now!!!
let's talk about Singlespeed-a-polooza for a minute....
apparently word is spreading like wild fire. these darn internets are a buzz with vibes on the race. a couple of singlespeed aficionados have called it out on their blogs as a must do event. looks like we will be seeing some out of state talent......
Niner bikes signed on as a sponsor. they did a little research and it seems that Chris may be making the trek east to witness it first hand!! so if you ride a niner, or plan on riding one and want to talk to THE MAN behind the brand you best sign up!!