Why are you at the Singlespeed World Champs?

2017 Singlespeed Mountain Bike World Championship competitors climb a hill in front of spectators. Photo / Ben Fraser

Yesterday the Rotorua Daily Post spoke to Singlespeed Mountain Bike World Championship participants about why they were there and what they thought of the event.

Chris Newson, Rotorua.

I am a BMXer by trade, I guess, and this BMX bike is the only singlespeed I've got. It was brutal, my gear's too big, my wheels are too small and the bike shrunk in the wash. It's probably one of the toughest races I'll ever do on a bike.

In BMX you usually ride for 350-400m at 100 miles an hour, then you stop for half an hour. This was over 30km and it took about three hours and 40 minutes - too long.

The event is great, I love it and I always try and get involved with it. I just probably should actually get a singlespeed that's a bit bigger than this. It's always good finishing an event and being involved in an event. People on bikes mate, it doesn't get any better.

CHRIS NEWSON
Rotorua

Brent MacKenzie, Auckland.

I'm here just for the fun of it and the camaraderie - you get to dress up and drink beer. This is just awesome, it's the best thing ever.

I come over from Auckland quite often and we were sitting in a bar in Rotorua with friends and I said 'I need a costume for the world singlespeeds' and my mate just said 'Colonel Sanders'. I went to the barber, had a shave, job done.

I've done other singlespeed events but this is my first world champs. Rotorua's trails are awesome, it's the best place, it just doesn't get any better.

BRENT MACKENZIE
Auckland

Bruce MacPherson, Canada.

I got married last Saturday and my bride and I were debating the things we could do for our honeymoon. The world singlespeeds seemed to be a fitting event and it was her suggestion, that's a keeper right?

Some people call this a race and some people call it an event. It is an event. There's one winner that gets a tattoo but everyone here is a winner, it's so much fun. Everyone is here for the love of bikes and the love of this community. This is the essence of the mountain bike community, these are the purists.

BRUCE MACPHERSON
Canada