The 2010 SXC Five-inch-radical-cross-country-Underdog-Racing award
Most bike companies sponsor an event and build the hype from the get go. This isn’t the Orange Mountain Bikes way, oh no, we give away a frame and miss the first race, doh!
Anyway, for this particular prize it really doesn’t matter, if we’d done it deliberately it could even be called a ‘strategy’. This is about promoting XC racing, not for those who have been on the protein shakes since Christmas, but for those who just fancy a go. It’s a prize for the underdogs, the people who don’t have a Sunday race bike, the people who just want to take part. Racing should be about having fun, and we want the average trail rider to get in on the action too. We firmly believe you don’t need a snaptastic, plastic, Euro, fluro rocketship to have fun on the race track. In fact, you’re only eligible if you have a go on your five inch travel full suspension trail bike, it’s about the riding. A strange format for racing? Definitely, it’s not even based on results.
The FIRCUR events
The SXC race series forms the perfect platform for the FIRCUR theme. A national cross-country race series with some of the UK’s best trail riding locations: plenty of technical and fast flowing singletrack. Yes, this is totally an XC race series, but we want to prove you don’t need to be packing plastic to win big. Lots of people only have one bike and we want to encourage you to use it in a variety of ways. You can be fast and competitive, or you can just enjoy the occasion and give it your best shot. Whether you want to win, or just be in with a shot on the FIRCUR prize, it’s all about pinning a number to your back and being part of the scene. Five inch bikes might get marketed as ‘all-mountain’ machines, but if you’re a FIRCUR the chances are it’s just your bike. It’s not a tag or a label, it might even be your ticket to XC racing success, I’m sure it doesn’t say that in the catalogue spiel. Be a FIRCUR, break the mould, and most importantly, have fun on your bike.
The FIRCUR roll call?
If you fancy a shot at racing and ride a five inch travel bike, you’re a FIRCUR. The rules are pretty easy to follow, when you register at the race present your steed of choice. If this meets the FIRCUR requirements you’re entry will be recorded. Enter two or more races in the FIRCUR category and you’ll be in with a chance of winning one of our trail slaying Five frames. You don’t have to win to be in the running, that’s too complicated, just enter two events and we’ll put your name in a very small hat. Have fun and be in the running for a posh new frame, a simple formula for riders who want to race for fun. Not a bad prize for the have-a-go hero huh?
Rules:
1. To be entered into the prize draw you must enter two or more rounds of the SXC series.
2. Bikes must have 130mm or more of front and rear suspension travel.
3. There is no rule 3.
Erm, that’s it…now go join the FIRCURS!
Where, When?
Round 1 Kirroughtree: 21 Mar
Round 2 Contin: 25 Apr
Round 3 Aberfoyle: 23 May
Round 4 Fort William (Scottish Championship): 13 June
Round 5 Perth: 08 Aug
Round 6 Laggan: 29 Aug
Round 7 Drumlanrig Castle: 19 Sept
For more info pop along to www.sxc.org.uk
Comments (7)
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So does the 130mm rule mean that my 5″ (127mm) trail bike is actually ineligible? Seems slightly odd to only have two rules, and one of them makes the series title incorrect…
so if you own a 5″ full sus, you have the chance of winning another?
what about those of us who just don’t have a race bike, and are similarly uncompetitive? my main bike fills the same riding role as a 5″ FS (130mm steel HT, running a 2×9) pretty much…
nice idea, but seems a bit odd imo.
Great idea – if you live in Scotland, would be fun to have a go but too far to travel for me
thats the exact thing i though mttm.
if its an XC race, 5″ isnt ideal surely, thats like turning up to a race in the mud on a road bike with knobbly tyres surely?…. oh wait, hang on.
” you’re only eligible if you have a go on your five inch travel full suspension trail bike”
“Bikes must have 130mm or more of front and rear suspension travel”
Erm, 5″ is less than 130mm. So despite all the spiel being about 5″ travel bikes, this is actually for bikes with more than 5″ travel then?
for eg
A 5″ travel Giant Trance X (with a 130mm fork up front) is too shorter travel to enter?
Also:
If they must have 130mm travel at both ends, will lock out, pro pedal, pumping the shock up a bit more, a brain, putting the shock into a shorter travel hole, winding down the forks, etc ‘void’ the bikes entry? I suspect not
certainly doesn’t encourage me to go race anyway… (i’ve done some SCXs in the past… but their entry prices put me off enough as it is)