Results – Brompton World Challenge 2020

The first virtual #BromptonWorldChallenge was taken up and enjoyed by many riders from all over the globe. I hope some of our readers participated in the fun! There were some truly outstanding entries for the different challenges, not lease of which was the #FastestFold! Woooweeee! 4.392 seconds! Check it out here: https://twitter.com/BromptonBicycle/status/1298677606557061120?s=20

As for our local efforts, I’ve compiled the photos from Instagram and Facebook shared with the hashtags #mybwc and #bromptonsofmelbourne We have entries for:

Best Dressed
Definitely the hottest contested of all the challenges. As with all BWC events – whether that’s a Brompton World Championship or Challenge – the golden rule when it comes to attire is no Lycra allowed! (Well, none that anyone’s allowed to see without being immodest, anyway.)

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Best Scenery
Hot on the heels of Best Dressed for most entries submitted was Best Scenery.

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Fastest fold
There’s only one entry (thanks Cory!) and you’ll need to click on this link and swipe (R->L) to see the fastest fold.

Highest point
Compared to some from around the world, the Melbourne Exhibition Building (Carlton Gardens) is almost sea level. But when you can only travel 5km in any direction…

Punkiest pet
I had hoped that we’d see a few pooches – maybe even a kitty kat – taking part in this one, but it was just me and my Kiwi. I don’t think he minded being stuffed into the Game Bag because, let’s face it, he was already pretty stuffed.

“Faster! You’re getting left behind!” – front bag rider

Honorable Mentions
Cheering from the sidelines, and not *quite* taking part were a few extra Brompton riders. We hope you feel confident enough to step onto the field and join in all the fun next time. I’ve also included a couple of other photos that were shared but didn’t obviously link to a challenge.

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A big Thank You to everyone for your great contributions! Everyone clearly had fun being involved. Voting for your favourite photos is being conducted on our Facebook group page (click here); prizes will be sent out at the end of the week.

Stay safe and keep riding! 😀

Brompton World Challenge – BWC2020

***UPDATE: Prudential Ride London has extended the event period to be from Saturday 15 August to Sunday 23 August. If you wish to participate in our local competition please post your photos (see instructions below) by Monday 24 August.***

Are you ready for some fun this weekend?!

A Brompton World Championship has been held annual since 2008 (the first was in Barcelona in 2006). In its current form a BWC is a huge event, held in conjuction with Prudential Ride London’s massive weekend of cycling events in London. Brompton riders from around the world gather on the Mall, dressed in their finest, and ride (race) laps around St James’ park. If you’ve been, you’ll know it’s an absolute blast!

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In a year turned upside down, Brompton Bicycle were facing the cancellation of the iconic Brompton World Championship! To keep the spirit alive, it has been reinvented as as virtual event – the Brompton World Challenge. Best of all, everyone can join in the fun – even us here in Melbourne under Level 4 lockdown restrictions!

To register for the event (it’s free!) go to https://www.brompton.com/events/brompton-world-challenge There are additional ride options for people living outside Melbourne who aren’t limited by a 1hr daily exercise limit, but Melburnians will need to register for the Freecycle option for this reason.

Once you register, you’ll need to download the app which times your ride and has the selfie-frame for the various photo challenges.

Official prizes will be awarded for:

• Best Dressed
• Highest Point
• Beautiful Scenery
• A Good deed
• Fastest Fold

As the global pool of entrants is likely to be quite large (and thus our chances of winning a prize quite small), Brompton Junction Melbourne has kindly donated prizes for local riders. Due to local restrictions we will be judging submissions for:

• Longest distance – ridden in 1hr on a Brompton
• Best Mask/Best Dressed – Brompton should be included in photo
• Punkiest Pet – alive or stuffed (or at least very tired). Brompton must be included in photo.
• Fastest Fold – Start/Stop must be performed by the folder
• Beautiful Scenery
• A Good Deed 

Follow these steps to be included with our local group and for your chance to win:

1. Post your photos Instagram &/or Facebook &/or Twitter
2. Use the hashtages #myBWC #bromptonsofmelbourne
3. Tag Melbourne Brompton Club and Brompton Junction Melbourne (see below for details)
4. Photos must be posted by Monday 24th August (updated)
5. Location (suburb or landmark) must be shown in photo

	Melbourne Brompton Club	Brompton Junction Melbourne
Instagram	@melbourne_brompton	@bromptonjunctionmelb
Facebook	MBC FB group	BJM FB page
Twitter	@Brompton_MEL	@BromptonJnMelb

We are planning a zoom catchup on the following Friday/Saturday to recap the weekend, share our favourite photos, and announce the winners! If you wish to take part in the zoom meeting, please email me at melbournebromptonclub@gmail.com and I’ll send you a link in due course. I’ll also try to be organised and share the winning entries and honourable mentions in a follow-up blog.

We’re really looking forward to seeing everyone get out and have some fun! 😀

Who recognises the lapel pin Will BA is wearing?!  ;D

Tweed Ride – Monday 8 June (Queen’s birthday PH)

We’re resuming our social rides in style – with a Tweed Ride!

This time of year is fun to dress up in Tweed (and similar vintage outfits) as it’s definitely getting colder! It’s also World Bicycle Day this week (3 June) and we can reflect how far we’ve come (or not) in style and comfort whilst riding bikes, and how they’ve helped shape our lives over the last two centuries. And lastly, because we need a gentle ride to get back into the swing of things, so we’ll keep this one short and fun.

Gathering in front of the Royal Exhibition Building (opposite the Museum entrance) for some photos, we’ll pootle down Napier St to the Edinburgh Gardens. Then we’ll head west towards Melbourne Zoo. If anyone would like a photo outside of the house used for outside shots in Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries we’ll find it in Parkville before wending our way through the grounds of Melbourne Uni to return to Carlton. Before the end of the ride we may choose to stop for a coffee, icecream or other take away food/drink (depending on the queues) around the Lygon St cafe strip, before finishing back at the Carlton Gardens and Royal Exhibition Building.

Meeting time: 10am
Meeting place: Between the Royal Exhibition Building and Melbourne Museum
Ride distance: approx 10-12km
Ride duration: approx 2hr, depending on number of photo stops, queue at coffee stop etc

NEW RIDE RULES

1. You MUST keep at lease 1.5m apart at all times (unless you live in the same dwelling).
2. You MUST NOT attend if you are unwell in any way, or know or suspect you have been in contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19.
3. You MUST NOT handle anyone else’s possessions (unless you live in the same household). Yes, I know that it’ll be me who’ll be itching to line up or straighten bikes for a photo, but it’s hands off for the foreseeable future.
4. Everyone should bring their own
   • hand sanitizer
   • drink
   • snack/food (as required, although we will try to stop for take away)
5. Please RSVP for all rides. If your plans change and you need to cancel, please also let me know so we don’t wait unnecessarily. (This one hasn’t changed.)

What to wear?!
Don’t have Tweed in your wardrobe? Don’t panic; there are a lot of ways to get into the spirit of a Tweed Ride (aka Tweed Run) with modern clothes you might have.

Search for natural fabrics with interesting textures (corduroy wool, lace), clothes that you can layer, scarves, gloves, hats, stockings or thickish socks, leather shoes, suspenders, bowties, jewellery (real or fake) – all of this can pull otherwise separate articles of clothing together.

Hats can also really make a costume, but I would ask you to please be mindful of the law and wear a helmet when riding.

For more inspiration search Tweed Ride or Tweed Run on Google, Pintrest, Instagram etc.

Hope to see you then! : )