A hack bike or junk bike is something I hope all riders were lucky enough to have during their childhood. We used to go to the junkyard to find at least three bikes to build into one junk bike and ride it until it fell apart. No brakes, no problem. Break the frame hitting a jump, then get the frame welded back together and head out to do it all again.
The Hack Bike Derby is an annual event held over 2 days with a different type of bike and series of races proposed for each year. This year Klunkers is the theme. Original Mountain Bikes as raced from 1976 in California. Builders must race the bike they have built. Rules of stock car racing applies, and all bikes must conform to the event rules:
– Frame and forks must be made by the rider from steel, specifically for this event.
– The bike must be made cheaply (under £300, all in)
– Dropouts must be made (“hacked”) by the rider
– The bike mustn’t be painted but it can be clear-coated, raw or painted using pens, paint brushes or rattle can, by the rider (basically – no expensive paint jobs!)
– All bikes must use the same tyres (and hence wheel size) Bontrager have provided 26” x 2.35 XR4 Team Issue tires for every rider
– The bikes must also be built according to this year’s brief; 1 x gear, 2 x brakes (1 x front + 1 x rear, no hydraulic or disk, ideally not V brakes), and the bike must look like a klunker.
Created by The Bicycle Academy, sponsored by Bell Helmets, Bontrager and Break Fluid Coffee.
Frame Builders
Jumping the fire is always necessary.
Mad Max Klunker Bike Build complete with a dual crown fork.
Trail Dog
Share the Stoke!