What's the deal with Alleycat races?

Ever been hanging around in downtown Boulder when suddenly, in a flash of twirled mustaches and cycling caps, you are passed by a large group of cyclists, most of them on seemingly single-speed bicycles, bumping ankles with no apparent regard for traffic—but clearly having the time of their lives? You may have witnessed an Alleycat bicycle race.

What is an Alleycat, you ask?

Alleycats are informal cycling races that were originally organized by groups of bicycle messengers in Toronto, Canada. In many of these races, points are awarded for participation rather than just competition. In some Alleycats prizes are awarded for last place, often called the “DFL” award, or the Dead Freaking Last prize. Alleycats almost always take place in cities, where crowds of pedestrians, traffic, and even police serve as appropriate obstacles for daredevil cyclists (often competing on fixed-gear bicycles, affectionately dubbed “Fixies” by their riders).

Most Alleycats do not have set rules, but courses often contain guidelines. In many such races, the first checkpoint is given at the starting line. Riders must arrive at this checkpoint in order to obtain the location of the next checkpoint, creating an exciting and unpredictable ride that must be skillfully navigated by racers. Some Alleycats include Task Checkpoints, in which a rider must complete some kind of trick before the next checkpoint is given. These tasks can be anything from physical tasks to bicycle tricks to the best “Yo Momma” joke that a rider is able to come up with—if it’s not good enough for the Checkpoint Master, too bad, keep trying! Racers are usually identified by their spoke cards, distributed at the beginning of a race, rather than traditional number chest-plate cards.

A popular Alleycat in Boulder is the BAC to the Future. Event dates and information can be found at BACtothefuture.blogspot.com.