We ride, we love it and it shows. That’s the Chainwheel Advantage.
Little Rock’s award winning Chainwheel bike shop sponsored an afternoon of Bikes, Beer, Music, Art and Fun on Sunday October 13th. Other area bike related businesses like Ron King’s fantastic Recycle Bikes for Kids program were on hand to support the afternoon’s activities as well.
Recycle Bikes for Kids has been providing people in need with bikes to use for fun and transportation since 2008. This year alone Ron and his team of volunteer bike mechanics have given away more than 1,000 bikes. That number could double with the Holidays coming up, increasing the total number of bikes given away well past the current mark of about 4,500. Ron’s shop was also the work site for many of the competitors in the Rat Rod Build Off competition. Builders were encouraged to find old outmoded bike frames and parts that could be restored and reconstructed as a Rat Rod, a modernized custom version of a fast, hip, bicycle that would make bike enthusiasts applaud. Each of the builds was out on display and attendees could vote on their favorite build.
Some of the bikes would be donated for a silent auction with the proceeds returning to Recycle Bikes for Kids. As part of the day’s festivities, the three rat rod builds with the most votes were awarded Crank Trophies from Chainwheel and a growler of Vino’s Arkansas Outside Amber Beer, donated by Arkansas Outside.
Recycle Bike for Kids also donated a few tricycles from the shop for kids to ride inside the River Market Pavilion and for use in a tricycle race. Adults, and a few kids, lined up to take part in three heats of races from one end of the pavilion to the other. The competition was fierce; a flip flop may have gone astray as a result of the furious pedaling by Simplex Q team racer Derek Berry who was the eventual overall race winner and recipient of a prized growler of AO Amber.
Another local bike affiliate, Little Rock Bike Polo, was also on hand to demonstrate their numerous bike handling skills on a court set up on the east end of the pavilion. They make it look easy and they will be the first to tell you that if you can ride a bike, you can play bike polo. Beginners and interested parties are encouraged to check the facebook page for game times. If you’d like to play, or if you’d just like to go watch, they play on many Tuesday nights and Sunday afternoons; watch their page for times.
More entertainment was provided by the Southern BMX Stuntshow team which is also based in Arkansas. High flying tricks, stunts and crowd pleasing aerobatics wowed the crowds that gathered to watch the team’s two shows. Southern BMX provides a family friendly show; they specialize in sharing a positive living message at school assemblies and outdoor festivals around the area.
At the close of the fest, there were drawings for prizes from Chainwheel including a platinum bike tune up and the grand prize of the day, the Trek Pure rat rod bike which was taken home by Edward Hoyt. The crowd watched with envy as Ed rode his new aluminum steed away, many of them dreaming that next year, it would be them pedaling off into the sunset on a new rat rod.
More photos can be found on our Facebook Page.
