Hopkins Park is the Chi Cross Cup 2018 season opener

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Comrade Cycles Racing is excited to host this year’s Chicago Cyclocross Cup season opener on September 9th!

Register to race here.

Volunteer to help out on race day here.

Whether you’re out for your first race ever, or you’re a cyclocross veteran, come out September 9th for the 11th annual Hopkins Park CX race in DeKalb! Racing starts at 8:30 am, we’ve got a great course in store, and we’ll have food from Dave’s Slow Food. Hopkins Park is located at 1599 Sycamore Road in Dekalb, IL 60015. Full race preview and other information will be updated on the Chicago Cyclocross Cup as it becomes available.

Ten Thousand

Link

Shop is closed tomorrow (May 27th) for Ten Thousand! Come out and ride in the driftless with us. We are also closed Monday for the holiday. Enjoy the weekend and we will see you Tuesday at 10 AM.

Comrade’s turning 6! And we’re back to regular season hours.

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Seven years ago, Comrade Cycles was little more than a twinkle in the eyes of three scraggly Chicago guys furtively discussing our grand plans in cafés and bars around town. Now, seven years later, spring is in the air, and tomorrow is Comrade’s 6 year anniversary. It doesn’t exactly feel like it was only yesterday that we were patching up the last holes in the drywall before our first day open six years ago, but it’s hard to believe that we’ve been here as long as we have. When we first opened up, Jesse, Bailey and Steve were Comrade’s only staff. We quickly realized we would need more hands if we were going to keep up with the fantastic response we immediately received. Over the years we’ve grown to a staff of seven full timers, and the hustle and bustle in season is difficult to miss.

 

We have grown a lot in the last six years, but our mission has stayed the same since we opened up. Our commitment to every cyclist, from the newbie to the racer, has brought out the best in our staff and shows in our customers’ satisfaction.  It’s hard to believe we just hugged our goodbyes to Bailey as he makes his way out west to train for another go at the Tour Divide this year, and eventually, to a new home at a new shop that he will pioneer out west. Earlier this winter, we also bid farewell to Aaron, our longtime friend and comrade, who made his way out west with his partner, Cauleen, to L.A. for their new adventures after six seasons lending a hand at the shop. And, finally, we bid farewell to Jason, who made his way back to Grand Rapids, MI after two seasons in Chicago.

 

You will undoubtedly recognize the same faces of Jesse, Steve, and Scott from seasons past. Scott has been a Comrade for four years now, and is now full time year round at the shop. In addition, we have some new arrivals, and we’re beyond stoked with the new Comrades on board for the 2018 season. We look forward to introducing you to Beth, Lauren, Max and José. You’ll likely recognize them from the other shops where they’ve worked around town, or from the races and rides where you’ve seen them, but please introduce yourself and get to know them the next time you’re in.

 

Farewell, and Godspeed Comrades!
  
Speaking of the next time you’re in, we’re officially back to regular season hours and open seven days a week.
Monday 10 – 7
Tuesday  10 – 7
Wednesday 10 – 7
Thursday 10 – 7
Friday 10 – 6
Saturday 10 – 6
Sunday 11 – 5
Special thanks to Tony Favarula for taking these amazing photos for us this winter! <3

Fat Pursuit 200 mile setup

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On January 5th I (Bailey) undertook a race that scared the heck outta me. A 200 mile race on fatbikes (defined as a bicycle with a minimum tire width of 3.8″) throughout the greater Yellowstone National Park ecosystem.

For those of you who know me, a 200 mile bike ride or race isn’t terribly out of the ordinary. But those of you who know me well also know that my previous attempt at a winter ultra distance race, the Tuscobia 160 in early 2016, went terribly. I ended frostbitten and defeated, pulling the plug a mere 30 miles to the finish. This is one of very few ultra races I’ve pulled out of and it left a sore spot. I was determined to make it through this time.

Rather than blabber on about the details of the race, I’d rather use this post to go over the gear that got me through to a seventh place finish. If you’d like to hear, in exhaustive detail, my story of the race please stop by for a coffee and a chat. I’d love to share! Until then, here is the bike and gear setup for 200 backcountry miles in the mountains.

The bike:

My trusty Salsa Cycles Beargrease. Other than rebuilding tubeless compatible Surly Other Brother Darryl rims this thing is bone stock.

J Paks GravelPak:

and unpacked:

Here we have; the seat bag, a Patagonia UltraLight down jacket, 2 pairs of knee high 45NRTH socks, 1 pair of DeFeet Woolie Boolie knee high socks, a 45NRTH Greazy Cap, a 45NRTH Toasterfork balaclava, a 45NRTH wool t-shirt, 2 Smartwool long sleeve lightweight base layers, DeFeet wool duraglove, a lighter, a Vargo titanium multi-fuel stove and windscreen, and a small Optimus pot set.

Revelate Designs Gas Tank:

Unpacked:

Just electronics. Battery pack, Spot Tracker, charging cables and a wall plug.

Muststache bags/Comrade Cycles feedbag:

It held my thermos:

Salsa/Revelate Designs framebag:

Unpacked:

Denatured alcohol for my stove, inner tube, 2x batteries for Nite Rider headlight, spare AAA batteries, Crank Bros. multi tool, patch kit, tire lever, Lezyne pump, derailleur hanger.

Revelate Designs Sweetroll handlebar roll:

Unpacked:

Black Diamond Twilight bivy, Big Agnes Pomer Hoit UL sleeping bag, Thermarest Z Lite sleeping pad, small.

Additionally I wore the Podiumwear Arrowhead jacket, a Smartwool light long sleeve base layer, Gore Alp-X bib tights, Gore Fusion 2.0 Gore-Tex pants, DeFeet Woolie Boolie knee high socks, Rab vapor barrier socks, 45NRTH Wulfgar boots, a 45NRTH Lung Cookie balaclava, Smartwool mittens inside Revelate Designs Expedition Pogies, and a Giro Air Attack helmet with a Black Diamond ReVolt headlamp mounted to the front. I also wore the Revelate Designs Wampak, a hydration pack specifically designed to keep water from freezing, between my base layer and jacket. It’s worth noting that most all my gear was used and swapped for dry layers at different points in the race.

Again, if ya got any questions I’d love to chat! Come on by the shop anytime.