all photography by Adam Gasson
Whether you grew up in the city or off a gravel road, if you had a bike as a kid, chances are you figured out a way to jump it. A mount of dirt, curb cut, or the classic 2x4 and plywood ramp served as many of our first introductions to engineering, physics, and even first-aid. (Shout out all the younger siblings/guinea pigs who got suckered into getting jumped.) As a kid, riding a bicycle was about one thing and one thing only—fun. In a world dominated by the next best thing, fancy lycra outfits and carbon frames, and whatever else we can find to spend rent on, that fun is easily forgotten. Though a few short weekends ago in the woody countryside of Somerset, UK, the sketchy DIY spirit of cycling was alive in the form of the Hack Bike Derby.
Hack Bike Derby is, as race organizer and proprietor of premier bicycle frame building school The Bicycle Academy Andrew Denham puts it, all about “racing home hacked bikes with friends for the heck of it.” The event is invite only, and not for the faint of heart—or those lacking a sense of humor. Each year’s theme is different, though the main concept never changes. Participants are required to hand-build a bike from scratch for under £300, and then race said bike through three courses over two days. There’s no time limit or the build, but most took less than a few days to accomplish the task.
“The word 'Hack' is key here,” explains Denham. “The idea is that the bikes are made quickly and cheaply without too much faffing. The builders involved are more used to making bikes that total around £3,000, so this kind of limit makes the event affordable, relatable, and prevents builders from getting carried away.” Though some did get carried away, nonetheless.
For the Hack Bike Derby 17 top frame builders were invited. The theme was Klunkers, inspired by the early mountain bike designs cobbled together (often from old Schwinns) in the 70s in California. These Klunkers are the stuff of legend—crazy designs, curved tubing, wide bars, fat tires, single speed. “Like an old Schwinn cruiser crossed with a motorbike,” says Denham.