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As the organizer of the Brompton US Championship (BUSC) 2012 & 2013 I can tell you that Brompton Riders and racers are extremely good natured individuals able to go with the flow.

This year's event was truly spectacular in every way. The representation of participants created a map with dots from throughout the country. Thanks for that!

Multi-Modal Ride: Saturdays 30 mile spin led us through a wide variety of obstacles due to a major storm, but we all wore smiles throughout the cyclo-cross-like obstacles. Lunch alongside the great Mississippi with a group of Brompton riders was a lovely experience followed by a ride to the Northstar commuter train that easily held out folded Brommies and brought us back to Minneapolis just in time for the next ride.

Urban Explorer Ride: This 10 mile urban loop was designed to give the out-of-towners a chance to ride a wide variety of paths and shared roads with a few sights fit into the mix. Thanks to being shut out at the Guthrie (touristy stop) due to an anniversary party we had enough time to ride to one of Beez Kneez urban hive's and being that Kristy (the Queen Bee @ Beez Kneez) was on our ride she gave a tour of the hive and had some Q & A about bees.

We headed back to the shop for a powerless party (power got knocked out for the entire weekend due to Friday's storm) and being that the sandwiches were to arrive from a place that also was without power, we had to come up with a plan B. Pizza is the answer!

Dewi Sant is a fabulous band that we had scheduled for a show. Being that they knew we were without power, Michael Morris (the lead of the band) decided to come up alone and give an unplugged performance for us. Without light in the shop, we had the entire party and Michael's performance out back. He put on an awesome acoustic show for us.

Thank You Michael!

Sunday's Race Day was filled with huge smiles, great looking people wearing their very best, fast folds and an amazingly spirited bike race. The competition was fiercely battled and in the end there were no fewer smiles than at the start.

This event and all of the BUSC participants have touched my heart in a very special way and I am sure to never forget BUSC • 2013! Thank You fabulous employees, sponsors and especially to those of you who came out and participated in this wonderful event.
Here are a few pics of the events:

Radical Design is a dutch manufacturer that design products from the ground up. Hubert Van Ham owns and operates Radical Design and it is his specialty to design for simplicity, functionality and durability.
Rather than modify existing ideas, Hubert's designs are created from a blank slate.

Radical Racer Pannier:

In Hubert's own words:
"I try to make my designs basic, functional and well-fitting, while repairable with common tools. By using proven materials and rounded shapes, I am dedicated to make our bags last a very long time."

Radical Solo Racer:

From Luke @ Perennial Cycle:
"Importing products from overseas adds challenges that are difficult to justify, but our relationship with Radical is going on 20 years and Hubert's products always make the challenge worth overcoming!"

Radical Side Pannier:

Radical Design Pannier Summary:

Racer Pannier: Big enough to carry a serious amount of gear. If you're commuting or doing some *credit card touring these will work out beautifully for you. The Racers Panniers fit onto the seat of the bike and do not require a rack. The NARROW model will fit your recumbent's hardshell or euromesh seat while the WIDE will fit a standard US style seat like a Bacchetta Recurve, RANS Standard Mesh, Easy Racers Cobra, ICE Trike Mesh, Catrike plus others. The Racer Panniers can be mounted nicely using a rack as an alternative to the seat mount (click here to see).

Side Panniers (med & lg): Radical Design Side Panniers are for those looking for no limits to their options. A rear rack is required for these bags to fit your recumbent. The idea behind these bags is to keep the weight low and forward. This way you can carry large and heavy loads, yet the weight is placed to have the least effect on your 'bent's handling. Add a racktop bag and a seat bag and you are set to camp your way across the continent(s) of your choice. The NARROW model will fit your recumbent's hardshell or euromesh seat while the WIDE will fit a standard US style seat like a Bacchetta Recurve, RANS Standard Mesh, Easy Racers Cobra, ICE Trike Mesh, Catrike plus others.

Banana Racer Panniers: Same bags as the Racer Panniers (above), but with a more versatile mounting system that can be modified to fit either wide seats, or the narrow seats. If you have a couple of recumbents in the garage and they use a mix of wide and narrow seats, then the Banana Racers will suit you well. The Banana Racer Panniers can be mounted nicely using a rack as an alternative to the seat mount (click here to see).

*Credit card touring: a type of touring that isn't restricted in distance, but would typically not need a large volume of carrying capacity because camping and cook gear are left at home.

Here are some videos with Radical Racer Panniers:

Here are some videos with Radical Side Panniers:

Here is a video with the Solo Racer:

As many of you already know, we're hosting the Pre-Race Sign-in for the Almanzo 100 this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the shop, 3342 Hennepin Avenue South in Minneapolis. Weather permitting, packet pickup will be held outside behind the shop. Riders for the Almanzo 100 & the Royal 162 must exchange a signed release form in order to receive a packet. Ride over on two wheels if you can. A limited amount of parking is available in our lot, and there's ample on-street parking in the surrounding neighborhood.
There'll even be a special for Almanzo participants looking to stock up on last-minute supplies. Don't miss it! Speaking of last-minute supplies... here's a list we've put together combining Mr. Skogen's recommendations and a few of our own. See you on the Spring Valley, folks.

A supportive saddle, preferably one you've spent some miles breaking-in before race day

Remember, as Chris Skogen himself has said, "Anything can happen over the course of 100 miles." We might also add: On gravel. In Minnesota. In May. If you're a fan of CO₂ cartridges, bring them along.

At least one spare tube.

Don't forget your tire levers.

You'll need somewhere to put it all, especially if you're carrying more than a jersey pocket's worth of items. New for 2013, Banjo Brothers Frame Packs, available in two sizes (medium and small), are the perfect companion on a gravel ride. If you're hunting a bag that is easy to access while riding, Banjo's Top Tube Bag, Phone Pack, and Bar Top Bag are all excellent, compact ways to go as well.

A solid pair of shoes.

At least one of us is bringing along an extra pair of socks. ANYTHING can happen. Keep that in mind.

Hydration. We carry a number of unique solutions for helping you find places for your favorite water bottles. Minoura's dual-cage mount for saddles is a favorite of Almanzo riders. Not just for Brompton owners, the Two Fish Quick Cage is another great, temporary solution for squeezing in an extra bottle.

A patch kit: lighter and smaller than packing multiple spares.

Your multitool of choice. If it doesn't include a chain tool, consider bringing along a separate one just in case.

Tires that play well with gravel. For every Challenge Almanzo tire sold through race day, we're making a $10 donation towards keeping the Almanzo 100 free for everyone.

Sunscreen. Hopefully you figured this out on your training rides.

Carrying a pump — possibly even better flat protection than your tire.

Calories. Try your at co-op for the good stuff.

Roomier than a frame pack but still compact enough for a minimalist rider, Carradice's Zipped Roll and slightly larger Junior are both great options for the items you'll need to access when stopping along the way.

Blinky lights. One red, one white. Bookman has you covered.

A jersey with plenty of pockets, preferably dark in color.

p.s. If you cannot make it to Perennial Cycle on Saturday the 11th to pick up your packet, Chris has asked us to remind you that you'll be fine. You will be able to pick it up the night before the race in Spring Valley, or the morning of the race near the start/finish.

p.p.s. It'll be more fun if you pick it up on Saturday, though.

Registration for the Brompton US Championship • 2013 has been open almost a month now, and—as you can see above—the competition is all over the map. We are glad to see that many of the Minnesota-based competitors who took part in last year's race have chosen to return and that so many others from across the country have decided to make the trip to join us here in Minneapolis.

Many of you have told us you've already begun your training programs: ranging from getting out on your Brompton to practicing your Windsor.

If you don't yet see your home city city on the map, we have good news for you... there are still a handful of FREE T-shirts remaining when you use the special coupon code available at bromptonuschampionship.com.

We can't wait to see all of you at the starting line on June 23!

p.s. If you're not yet a Brompton owner, you might be interested to know that the wait time for special orders is just 5 weeks as of April 29, 2013. So, not only will your Brommie be here in time for race day, you'll even have time to get a bit of training in ahead of time.