This had to be one of the best times of my life last year and I can not wait to be back in SF for this event next week. This is the biggest race/competition for fixed gear riding in the world that will showcase the best riders in the world. Be sure to make it out for this event and if you are interested in competing in then be sure to read below for how to make that possible. GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE RIDERS !

Red Bull has announced the riders for the 2012 Ride + Style Fixed Freestyle competition. Check out the list below.

San Francisco, CA (April 11, 2012) — On April 28, Red Bull Ride + Style will put the world’s fastest and most stylish fixed gear riders on center stage in Justin Herman Plaza for the second year in a row. Red Bull Ride + Style, a collision of fixed gear biking and urban contemporary art, features riders facing off in both track and freestyle competitions with the obstacles designed and decorated by local San Francisco artists. A fixed-gear bicycle is a bicycle that has no freewheel, meaning it cannot coast — the pedals are always in motion when the bicycle is moving. This allows a cyclist to stop without using a brake and also to ride in reverse. In 2011 the event brought together more than 50 invited riders from both coasts, including riders from fixed gear meccas San Francisco, Portland, New York, and Japan. This year non-invited riders will have a chance to qualify for the track portion of the event at the Red Bull Minidrome.

The 2012 event boasts a redesigned course for both racers and fixed freestyle riders, featuring artwork from the area’s top artists: Chor Boogie, APEX, Max Ehrman and Jet Martinez. The artists will be collaborating to bring the ramps to life by adding their own style to each feature, utilizing their fine art, graffiti and mural styles to give the course a new look. Each artist is individually established – such as Jet Martinez, the first “artist in residence” at Facebook – but for Red Bull Ride + Style, they will be collaborating to create something that represents their collective creativity. More information about both the artists and the riders can be found at:
www.redbullusa.com/ridenstyle

Riders interested in participating in the track portion of the Red Bull Ride + Style will have an opportunity to qualify on Thursday, April 26th at Mezzanine (444 Jessie Street) on the Red Bull Minidrome. The fastest 15 times will be invited to face off in Saturday’s event against the top ten racers from 2011. The Red Bull Minidrome is a shrunken version of a velodrome, a traditional arena for track cycling. Consisting of a steeply banked oval track with two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straight sections, the Red Bull Minidrome delivers velodrome racing conditions in the smallest possible dimensions.

Due to the expected volume of qualifying riders, a pre-registration sheet will be available at the Chrome retail store (580 4th Street). Riders will be able to sign up for a qualifying time slot and fill out the appropriate paperwork starting on April 20. There is no entry fee for the qualifier (or Red Bull Ride + Style).

Invited riders for the freestyle category for Red Bull Ride + Style are as follows:

Fixed Freestyle: Invited Riders
Alex Blanco
Anthony Combs
Antonyo Wothe
Christian Hamrick
Corey Sanagustin
Devon Lawson
Ed “Wonka” Laforte
Elliott Millner
Gus Molina
Hiro Nakajima
Jakob Santos
Jamil Gray
Jeff Dempler
Joe McKeag
Johnathan Davis
Jonah Kessel
Josh Boothby
Justin “Congo” Mitchell
Kenny Arimoto
Marco
Matt Montoya
Matt Reyes
Matt Spencer
Michael Chacon
Mike Schmitt
Miles Mathia
Nick Ramirez
Oscar Kahn
Simon “Gomok” Andraca
Steven Jensen
Tyler Johnson