1950 Cyclocross Race.mp4

[AachenerRunde]

great



[alstark1]

Not sure if this film is from '64, but I rode this event in both 64 and 65 as a junior. Wes Clayton won on both occasions

[dudiusmaximus]

7:50 "these races were held in the early 60s, 1960 was this one"

[downfader2]

Good stuff. Muddy and cold, how it should be! :-)

[jimbonorth1]

Yes, Yes, yes this is it, proper cross, no stupid Health and safety rubbish just riders doing it under their own steam knowing the risks and accepting them. So who fancies organising one?

[dlcfuk]

At 3:55 the narrator sounds like he is saying "last year which would be 1993".

[asdfghjkfdsa]

@dlcfuk I think he is saying that; could easily have dubbed his narration/commentary in 1994 over the footage. Also soon after that, around 4:33, he mentions "the first of the mountain bikes" in "the early 60s" ... so my guess is that the commentary is from the 90s and title of this video should be something like 1960 Cyclocross Race.mp4

[texasshiznet]

It seems this sport would be easier just not have a bike to carry around.

[downfader2]

@texasshiznet Without the bike it would just be fell-running :-)

[dhvoorhees]

This is great. Cyclocross at it's best.

[asdfghjkfdsa]

this video rules, thanks for uploading! today's 'cross courses should have rivers to ford and 12-40 year olds in the field.

[MoutinhoNuno]

Risers detected at 2:59.

[syderwarp]

LMFOA!!!!!!! =)



[tucnasam]

lol not much riding going on

sweet though

[hondated]

Absolutely great thanks for posting.Theres me worried to take my Roberts Tourer off on to trails and perhaps seeing this I will not be now as worried about doing that given the terrain these fellas rode over.Being born in 1951 and living on a large council estate in the south east I have often wondered why cycling in the area at this level was more of a " middle class" sport and yet that was far from the case further north.

[hazel3540]

i road this cyclo cross 1959 at scots gap look at snow on hills BILL BATY COMMENTRY ADDED LATERi fintshed 5thstill got certificateMAYBE 1ST JUNIORi also invented the MOUNTAIN BIKE HA HA.cdidshould of had gears not free wheel might of won if BILL BATY haddnt moved course in river i coudnt swim 4 riders still missing MIGHT OF DROWNED.also road40MILE TO START AND BACK =80 like most riders did ROB ATKINSON EX TYNE VELO VERY EX get in touch for more info cheers

[getplaning]

This is real cyclo-cross! Thanks fpr posting this, it made my morning.

[YujiroFuma007]

ha ha. hardcore route. 1:43 to 2:12 lots of bike throwing.......

[mkcal17]

"That's not the proper riving crossing, someone had moved the arrows... your's truly" haha, best quote!

[hazel3540]

never knew i had a certificate from 1959 midleton cyclo cross i finnished 5th not bad ROB ATKINSON EX TYNE VELO

[hazel3540]

777777gary ox inn midleton morpeth 1958 mountain bike or etb inventor ROB EX TYNE VELO cheers rob

[hazel3540]

the cyclo cross was 1958/59at ox inn mitford near MORPETH.Iwas the rider with the mountain bike.BILL BATEY added commentry years later.HE asked if we could swim some of us coudnt.so BILL in his wisdom moved the markers to deeper water.(SOME OF US NEARLY DROWNED MAYBE SOME DID) cyclo cross was just a big joke them days to lots of the riders.i LIKE LOTS OF OTHERS ROAD30 MILE TO THE EVENT THEN 30 MILE BACK) idont think fixed wheel nobbly tyres etc were good for this event ROB EX VELO MOUNTAIN

[7777777gary]

ya that was halarious! does anyone no where this was?

[ChainLineCycle]

Love the video. For some reason we were laughing our heads off at the river crossing... the way they threw their bikes !!!

[ThePembrokeshireboy]

Cracking video, commentry is just brilliant! Love the quote "that's the referee from Stanley who used to train backwards until he got run over"!!!

[danieltheo]

I'm sitting with my father in law Noel Atkinson (Tyneside Vagabonds), who used to cycle in these events in 1950- 1965. He recognises many of these cyclist, and is really interested to see any others you may have? Regrads, Daniel

[hazel3540]

@danieltheo i am looking at old programmes i have looking at riders results etc ask NOEL IF HE REMEMBERS ANY OF THE RACESscales cross iwas 9th noel was 10th pitmens derby hills of wannie. N E championships plus others happy days.long ago.cheers ROB ATKINSON EX TYNE VELO.

[risenflame]

This is the best cycling video on youtube. hahaha

[pureradge]

ilanpi

that would make here 70 years old.

the race she won was the man verses horse verses bike

[LARC0]

Solid!  Thanks for posting!

[ilanpi]

I wonder if this is the race Jacquie Phelan won (in the men's division).

[vdubdes1]

And lots of straight handle bars............are these purists???

[gangstylecore]

whers the mustache??!

[bigwaters1]

Can I put the record straight!

The commentator was Bill Baty (Tyne Velo)

How do I know ? because he's my Dad! I have just watched this film again this afternoon with my Dad.

He has loads more classice film like this.

[popeye2cv]

@bigwaters1 and we are eager to see them I just wish we still had races like this, a real cross country course with bikes as Cyclocross was and should be 

[supermark3t]

@bigwaters1

Hello my Dad, Noel Atkinson (Tyneside Vagabonds) was in this race, you mention that your Dad was the commentator and you had more videos/ footage like this. Could you make them available somehow? I would be happy to cover costs of postage etc.

many thanks Gill Theo

[oldchewy]

If I am not mistaken the commentary is by Willy Thompson a well known cyclist , font of cycling knowledge and legend in his own time in the North East of England. You could not mistake the voice or style anywhere!

[brinham]

"He used to be the head of the cheese counter at the Co-op at Wallsend" - You couldn't make it up!

[neilwheel]

Priceless!

NB, commentary mentions film was shot in 'the early '60's'. (4:38)

[durgadas]

This video is freaking hilarious!

[sknnmalink]

The commentator is very probably the gent from the Taylor Brothers BBC Documentary who mentions that he took part in the World Championships before going into the forces at the start of the war and tells a funny story of how he first saw a Taylor bike although he wanted to buy a "Hobbs of Barbican".

[Tafodybleddyn]

This isn't 1950s with bikes like that or clothes like that.

[ezequielc11]

There's a reference at 4:17 of a Tyneside Vagabonds rider, which I used to be a member of but as I am in my early 40's now I don't recognise the guy andf wasn't born when this race took place. The race took place around Scots Gap and Bolam as the comentary suggests which is approximately 10 miles north of Newcastle in Northumberland. If anyone recognises anyone please let me know. Thanks Carl

[kixigvak]

Looks like cross in Portland Oregon in the 60s. Fixed gear bikes, unrideable terrain, and plenty of water. In fact, I remember swimming with my bike once. Wool shorts and jerseys, too.

[ccspir2]

No carbon, no lycra and ONE GEAR!  These guys were tough!

[Olson50]

To quote a friend who viewed this: "this was held in 1963 in Middleton (Northumberland). The race went over the river and came out at the bottom of Middleton Bank and then back into Middleton. I was there but not riding because I was a Junior."

[GermFreeFusion]

@Olson50 According to the commentary, this race was open to juniors...

[killdownie]

go to 3.50 he says about a transplant 'last year which would be 1993'

[twifosp]

@killdownie: Looks like an old 8 mm film which generally didn't have sound. The guy probably dug it out of his attic/basement and decided to add commentary. He's giving an update on how the guy's still racing and winning.

[velopoint1]

@killdownie Yes, but that only means that the giggling and commentary were added in 1994. There's a similar telling comment made about the "first mountain bike."

[TheSlomo2009]

@killdownie That is correct, which means the commentary was added to the old 8 mm in 1994. At one point toward the end of the video he says the race was in 1960. These are hard men and it really shows you how the mounting/dismount techniques have improved.

[theRLF]

Is this race in Connaught, Ireland?

[killdownie]

@theRLF No, somewhere near Newcastle, you can tell the comentator is a geordie and keeps mentioning Gateshead

[VersaceRIP]

I love the bike toss into the river!! Classic... we need to bring back the river crossing ASAP!

[tillytarbox]

@VersaceRIP Well they used to toss their bikes in the Lake at GP Mercer. But that was AFTER the race. I remember my hubby pulled a worm out of his derailleur one year at Mercer Mud Fest. I agree that the River Toss should be brought back in to the sport. Also Love the LeMond start!

[backhouseluke]

race was in 1960 not 1950, excellent coverage tho

[mewebdog]

Awesome.  Looks like late fifties early sixties to me.

[nickthebike]

In the days before sealed bearings!!!!

[rediryou]

Does anyone know what race this was or recognize any faces?

[rediryou]

Makes me laugh when I hear roadies today complain that courses are too technical hahahaha :)

[Kevin3NF]

greatness :)

[fulhamrobadob]

Superb in every way. Full of admiration for the competitors and a classic commentary e.g. as a cyclist falls face first into the stream...."I think he's thirsty!"

[johnboykfc]

Cross country running..with the 'added bonus' of having to carry a bike...amazing knowing all those folks names and occupations from 30 years previous...

[Syd1940]

Excellent stuff.

The commentary helps to make it more entertaining, particularly the potted biographies of the riders. I suspect that the commentary was added later but he seems to be very familiar with both riders and the event itself

[fahrradrasse]

this is fascinating and commentary is a bonus; throw bike in water and jump in after; one dude throws bike almost across; seniors...up to 40 (nice that we're pushing that senior mark out further and further); wonder how cheating was handled - shortcuts were taken it says

[quirpy]

Great piece of film, but did I see a '66 black Ford Anglia in there at 7:26 and a '62 Rover at 6:05 ?

[GaylordFocher]

Brilliant. This is what makes YouTube great! Thanks for putting this on.

BTW, this is later than 1950. In fact, commentary says 1960 at 7:52.

[singlespeeds]

Hard to the core!!!

[roadiesean]

The kidney transplant was mentioned as having happened in 1993, so they must have added the commentary later. According to Google, Wes Clayton died in 2009. RIP Wes, your ghost must be biking o'er t'moors !

[fietser1973]

Thanks for uploading this wonderful sh*t!

[patriciomeza]

Rock!!!!!!!!!!!

[duncr]

Rock Hard

[SiemEik]

I suggest we rip the asphalt off all cycle tracks !!! This is how cycling should be done ("most of it is runnin")

[Herera59]

Fantastic! Cycle Cross as it is mean to be.

[gusbus282828]

some of those look like fixed gears. look at the pedals at 6:30.

[bradtube1]

Awesome!

[Nowhistle]

The Barnsbury! I used to ride winter club runs with them, a cracking bunch, great lads.

[kelbytampa]

greatest bike race EVER!

[mhassey]

Thanks for that - great stuff...

[ZeeFrenchie]

Brilliant!

[artbomber1]

Wes is one tough dude. Classic commentary, especially the bits about the Refs running backwards, the Cheese Counter at Tesco and the kidney transplant.

[tillytarbox]

bad ass!

[Thumbshifter]

1950s? That looks like an early mountain bike at 3mins - and a couple of the guys have polystyrene helmets. He says 'Early 60s' at 4min30 or so.

Great footage though - bring back that course! :-)

[davidmam]

@Thumbshifter I think they are the old 'hairnet' type helmets. Definitely a long way pre polystyrene.

[AirborneBicycles]

Steel Bikes & Iron Men. No wonder the English called it "Rough Stuff." I can think of places here in the States where we could build a course like this.

[ricadus]

Nice frosty winter landscape in the background @ 4:25