Tracklocross! Oakland, 2019
By Francis Tatem
Editors Note: Francis Tatem is an original Great Eskape member and former racer on Great Eskapes cyclocross team, now living in NorCal. Francis is a video shooter and editor by trade, see more at francistatem.com
The official tagline of Tracklocross, “Bleeding is Believing,” sums it up perfectly. Do you love fixed gear riding but wish it was spicier? Then try racing your track bike on pump tracks, fire roads, and cutty trails in the Oakland Hills. The folks behind @resistanceracing organized an amazing weekend of events attracting racers from the Bay, LA, Denver, Chicago, New York, and Orlando.
While this seems like something hardcore for the sake hardcore, the race was super inviting no matter what your skill level (all events besides the main race were open to any style of bike) . There was an alley cat though streets of San Francisco, skills challenges at the Port of Oakland, and a bandit cross race (where I rode a proper cx bike and got smoked by some hella fast people on track bikes). These people have some serious skills, bombing trails fixed, while I with hydro discs was pausing to think twice about dropping in. My new theory, track bike = traction, if your putting power to the pedals you're good to go! Or finesse the downhill with some skid skills.
The best part of the weekend was the atmosphere of inclusion and DIY awesomness. Opportunities for non cis-dudes were a priority. There was a badass WTFNB field. West Oakland Punks with Lunch provided harm reduction training. The whole weekend culminated with a Drag Show and self-described pop-crust-punk concert at a classic car garage/art gallery, turned beer garden. What more can you ask for? I’m a believer.
