Register before midnight tonight and get a BFC 2018 race tee with Trampoline’s cool new design. Go to BikeReg & register now! Check out this year’s tee…
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Staggered start for Cat2
In the interest of making the BFC start safer we may stagger the start in Inlet to see if that relieves congestion. It will only be 2 or 3 minutes max and no one’s time will be affected. Stay tuned for details…
BFC 2017 Champion Profiles
Last year’s BFC 2017 Champions included a first-time winner and a Champ who last won in 2010!
- Bryna Blanchard won her second BFC Championship
- Cory Kuhns won his first BFC Championship
Read the BFC Champion Profiles for Bryna and Cory and find profiles of past BFC champs under the ‘Results’ menu at BlackFlyChallenge.com
BFC 2018 Finish Line Parking & Shuttle Info
Morning & Afternoon Shuttles will line up on Crow Hill Road. All AM Shuttles will leave by 8am. All PM Shuttles will leave by 4pm.
AM Shuttle Parking will be in the West School lots off Crow Hill Road. There will be no parking allowed along either side of Crow Hill Road. Once the West School lots are full the overflow should go to another lot.
General Parking will be on the Indian Lake School Soccer Field and can be accessed by turing into the Community Bank driveway and following the signs.
Please Note: Indian Lake Library is open until 11:30am on race day. Do not park directly in front of the Library while they are open. Those spaces are reserved for Library patrons until 11:30am.
See the parking map below.
BFC 2018 Tee-Shirt Deadline is May 21
If you want a BFC 2018 race tee go to BikeReg and register NOW!
The cutoff for race tees is Monday May 21. If you register after May 21 you will not get a race tee.
May 4th Order Deadline for Race Day Pickup of BFC 2018 Jersey
The BFC 2018 jersey is currently Shift Cycle Wear’s #1 top seller and the order deadline for race day pickup of your jersey or tech tee is May 4th!
Click Here to Order Yours Now.
Order deadline for post-race home delivery is June 17.
< image from Shift Cycle Wear website on 5/2/18.
It’s finally Spring in the ADK
It may be hard for non-Adirondackers to believe but we finally had a Spring day – in fact two in a row! If this weather continues the Limekiln-to-Cedar River road through the Moose River Recreation Area should be rideable soon even though it won’t be open to vehicles until Memorial Day weekend.
If you’re up for a training ride stop in to Screamen Eagle, Pedals & Petals or Pine’s Country Store to say ‘hi’ and report on the road conditions. And don’t forget to make a reservation with one of our BFC Lodging Sponsors. See ya soon!
Is my bike CX or MTB? Here’s some clarification:
Check out the UPDATE to this post.
Bicycle manufacturers have recently released some models that look like a cyclocross bike but in reality are not. With the exception of tire width, Black Fly Challenge follows the UCI specifications for cyclocross bikes, the main distinctions being:
- A bicycle shall not measure more that 185 cm in length and 50 cm in width overall.
- Wheel diameter may vary between 70 cm maximum and 55 cm minimum, including the tire.
- Wheels shall have at least 12 spokes.
- Weight of the bicycle shall not be less than 6.8 kilograms (15 lbs).
- Disc brakes are allowed.
- UCI’s max tire width is 33 mm (1.3 in) but BFC allows fatter tires, up to 40mm.
If your bike does not fall within these parameters register in the MTB category. Don’t be fooled by drop-bar, rigid frame bikes that look like a cyclocross but have bigger, fatter tires. These bikes don’t meet the UCI specs for cyclocross. Download the full UCI specs here.
Some other Cyclocross commonalities:
- They all have dropbars
- They don’t have any front suspension
Mountain Bikes
- Generally have a tire size of 1.9” or wider
- Have flat handlebars
- Have front and/or rear suspension
BFC 2018 Lodging Sponsors
June 8-10, 2018 ~ Make it a BFC Weekend!
Stay with our Lodging Sponsors:
- Deer Meadows Motel (Inlet) ~ Provides transportation for guests racing the BFC!
- Garnet Hill Lodge (North River) ~ Provides transportation for guests racing the BFC!
- Great Camp Sagamore (Raquette Lake) ~ Provides transportation for guests racing the BFC along with an extensive Bike, Bed, Breakfast & BBQ package!
- Great Pines Resort (Old Forge)
- Marina Motel (Inlet)
- Rocky Point Properties (Inlet)
BFC Safety Update
Among the top concerns of Black Fly Challenge organizers is safety. Given the size of the starting field and the limited space of our starting facilities we have considered various strategies to improve safety and maintain fair competition.
The race committee has considered the observations of numerous people including race volunteers, police, Fire and EMS personnel and the racers that have taken the time to contact us. We sincerely appreciate all their input.
Decisions have already been made that:
- The 5-mile Wakely Golf Course water station will be eliminated on odd years (Indian Lake to Inlet, 2019, 2021, etc.).
- No one under the 9 year-old minimum age for Juniors will be allowed in the race.
- No tow-behind devices will be allowed in the race.
We are also considering a staggered start with Cat2 leaving a few minutes behind Cat1 to alleviate the congestion of the first several miles. This has not yet been finalized and may only apply to the Indian Lake start because the pack at the Inlet start seems to thin out much faster.
These decisions are and will be made solely in the interest of racer safety and fair competition. We want to make sure the Black Fly Challenge continues to be The Adirondacks’ Greatest Race.
BFC Registration Guidelines
When registering for the Black Fly Challenge follow these guidelines…
- What Skill Level do I enter? It’s up to you to decide your skill level:
CX Cat1 and MTB Cat1 categories are for very competitive racers.
CX Cat2 and MTB Cat2 categories are for competitive & recreational racers. - Women’s Cyclocross:
If you have previously finished or expect to finish in under 2:45, register CX Cat1.
If you have previously finished or expect to finish over 2:45, register in CX Cat2. - Men’s Cyclocross:
If you have previously finished or expect to finish in under 2:30, register CX Cat1.
If you have previously finished or expect to finish in over 2:30, register CX Cat2. - Women’s MTB:
If you have previously finished or expect to finish in under 3:15, register MTB Cat1.
If you have previously finished or expect to finish in over 3:15, register MTB Cat2. - Men’s MTB:
If you have previously finished or expect to finish in under 3:00, register MTB Cat1.
If you have previously finished or expect to finish in over 3:00, register MTB Cat2. - Juniors:
Junior racers register in the Junior CX or Junior MTB category. - Tandems:
Tandem competitors register in the Tandem category. - Tire Width: CX tire width must not exceed 40mm. MTB tire width must be at least 1.95″.
- All other bikes: Other bikes may be allowed at the discretion of the Race Director. Send your inquiries to [email protected]
If you need further info visit the FAQs & BFC Rules page.
BFC 2018 Registration Opens Tomorrow
Tomorrow is Groundhog Day – BFC 2018 opens at 12:01am Friday! Who’s gonna be the first to get registered?
BFC Gives Back to Community – 2017
On Saturday June 9, 2018, nearly 1,000 cyclists will line up at Inlet’s Arrowhead Park to race through the Moose River Plains to Indian Lake School as part of the Black Fly Challenge ~ Adirondack Mountain Bike Race. Entering its twenty-third year the Black Fly has grown into one of the biggest bicycle races in the Eastern U.S. and is an annual tradition for recreational and competitive cyclists throughout the Northeast.
While the Black Fly Challenge is now one of the premier ‘gravel grinder’ races in the U.S., it started as a small mountain bike race in 1996. The intent of BFC founders was simply to sell more beer and rent more bikes in the June shoulder season but the mission of the race has since evolved. As the race grew the focus changed to maintaining, developing and promoting local bike trails. Now, with years of sustained success and financial stability the Black Fly Challenge mission has expanded to include giving back to the communities that make the race possible. [Read more…]
Make it a BFC Christmas
Just in time for Christmas… get your BFC Gift Certificates here!
Find Your BFC Photos
The official BFC race photos by Pat Hendrick are posted here.
