I participated in last weekend’s Brompton U.S. Championship in Philadelphia’s Fairmont Park. The race was only six miles long, but it was brutally hilly and unseasonably warm.
In a tongue-in-cheek nod to the Brompton as a commuter bike, all participants are required to wear business attire during the ride (coat, tie, collared shirt, and helmet). The event begins with a Le Mans Start where each racer runs to his/her bike, unfolds it, and pedals across the start line. My buddy Ted was first out of the gate and I was four riders behind him much of the time. He finished 10th overall and I came in 12th (in a field of approximately 60).
Tons of photos are available here.
If you own a Brompton and this event is offered in 2011, it comes highly recommended. The event went smoothly and was a lot of fun.