Cirque du Cyclisme-Greensboro

LouDeeter · #1 05-21-2018, 06:10 AM

I'm back from a long weekend of fun with old bikes and old people. Dale Brown's Cirque du Cyclisme has run its course, at least according to him. During the 20 years of existence, it was held in Greensboro most often, with a few years in Leesburg VA when Wayne Bingham and his wife M.J. picked up the flame. Chip Duckett in High Point VA hosted a couple of cycling events too, which filled the gap in years we didn't have a Cirque. I've attended most of them. Over the years, I've met wonderful people, from all over the world. That is the lasting memory I will have of the event. I've made lifelong friends, gotten to know just how little I really know about vintage bicycles, and had a lot of fun doing it. This year's event was wet, but not miserable. Much of the activity occurred at Dale's shop in Greensboro, Cycles deOro. The seminar's were educational and entertaining, with Dale Brown, Wayne Bingham, Alexander Van Tutschek, Peter Weigle, and Ken Wallace providing the lectures. Sunday's swap meet and bike show showed me that there is still a passion for vintage bikes and parts, but that the older we get, the less people are willing to spend on them unless rare. I was glad I didn't have my vehicle with me (I flew this time), as I was tempted to buy a LOT of stuff. The rain curtailed a lot of people's riding plans, but, that didn't seem to dampen the mood. A lasting memory will be the four times I ate barbecue and the great hot dogs on Saturday night and at the bike show. Hats off to everyone who attended and a big thanks to Dale and all the folks who made this such a great event, this year and in the past. I don't know whether I'll ever see many of them again, but the memory is lasting, at least for now.....

weisan · #2 05-21-2018, 06:19 AM

thanks for the report, Lou pal. Any pictures?

paredown · #3 05-21-2018, 08:02 AM

Good bunch, those guys--and I am ashamed to admit this too--for the past 15 years or so, I have thought about going, and didn't. Last year I met Wayne at his shop the day after

LouDeeter · #4 05-21-2018, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weisan

thanks for the report, Lou pal. Any pictures?

All of the pictures I took were not that great and were taken with my iPhone and too large for the forum. I don't use a hosting site. I'll share any links I see that are posted on Classic Rendezvous.

LouDeeter · #5 05-21-2018, 10:56 PM

Pictures from David Beck:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/681231...57669239138348

FlashUNC · #6 05-21-2018, 11:09 PM

Dale's good people. Sold me my first road bike. He's one of the big reasons I love this dumb sport.

Ralph · #7 05-22-2018, 06:22 AM

Good report.

LouDeeter · #8 05-23-2018, 01:48 AM

https://www.flickr.com/photos/161890...7697128066335/

These are pictures from Andy Bauer

unterhausen · #9 05-23-2018, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

Dale's good people. Sold me my first road bike. He's one of the big reasons I love this dumb sport.

he promoted a lot of great races.

RobbieTunes · #10 05-23-2018, 05:14 PM

It was a very hot trading weekend. Medici, Masi, Wilier, a lot of very nice bikes/parts for very nice prices. Dave Beck's 1925 Frejus was ace, as was Scott Grune's NOS 1985 Ochsner.

Sorry to see Peter Weigle go down on Saturday, but it was a relatively minor fall and it didn't look like his brand new custom build was damaged that much. I didn't get too close to it.

Perhaps someone will pick up the event. It was nice to have a lot of the folks at the same hotel. The weather really didn't cooperate until Saturday afternoon.

Better people are hard to find, better bike geeks, maybe nowhere until Italy's L'Eroica.

Tons of classic bikes. I went on to Lynchburg after that and rode Thunder Ridge.

LouDeeter · #11 05-28-2018, 05:38 AM

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kurtsj...57669282908968

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kurtsj00/42372572031/in/album-72157669282908968/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kurtsj...7669282908968/

There are supposed to be links to video of the seminar, embedded in the pictures of the presenters J.P. Weigle and Alexander von Tutschek. The link is in the description of the first picture of the presenter, although it asked me to verify my google account information. Not sure everyone can see the video.

More pictures, these from Steve Kurt

fiamme red · #12 05-28-2018, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouDeeter

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kurtsj...57669282908968

I've been looking through those and really enjoying them. I'm sorry that I never went to Cirque.

ultraman6970 · #13 05-28-2018, 10:59 AM

I was talking with Wayne 2 days ago and he was telling me that Cirque du Cyclisme is done, this one at NC was the last one ever.

witcombusa · #14 05-28-2018, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

I was talking with Wayne 2 days ago and he was telling me that Cirque du Cyclisme is done, this one at NC was the last one ever.

Technically the event that just happened was a Classic Rendezvous Weekend.
The name of 'Cirque du Cyclisme' was taken over by Wayne from Dale some years back now. When no Cirque was planned for a given year Wayne would sometimes host a CR Weekend to keep the ole group together and moving forward.

We'll see what happens in the future. Great bunch of folks who just happen to all love old bikes too