“A cultural motion on wheels” is how organisers are describing Formulation Fastened, a brand new US-based bike racing sequence to be launched in early September 2025 with a pair of two-day qualifying occasions. The highest finishers will then compete in conference-structured competitions and a championship within the spring of 2026.
At first look it seems to resemble the casual and rowdy storage races which can be common in Arlington, Virginia throughout winter months in a parking deck, and even the Crimson Hook Crit fixed-gear races held open air from 2008-2018. Nonetheless, a brand new format has been designed particularly for fixed-gear racing, utilizing an indoor venue to create a observe that “resembles a online game, avenue racing or snowboardcross”. They need a definite departure from a highway race end with a avenue banner or the inflexibility of a velodrome.
Husband and spouse staff James and Clare Grady are the co-founders of Formulation Fastened, who had been behind the success of seven editions of the fixed-gear criterium in San Francisco, Mission Crit, final held in 2022. They’ve already examined the brand new quick observe sequence format with a ‘Showcase Occasion’ in October 2024 at an indoor K1 Velocity go-kart race facility in California, and rivals gave them optimistic suggestions.
“They’re onto one thing. I might see it working,” Lucas Bourgoyne, who took half within the Showcase Occasion final yr, informed Cyclingnews. Bourgoyne raced for a number of years on the highway in Europe and now’s a constant performer at USA CRITS and different US races for Group Cadence Cyclery p/b Encore Wire.
It is suggestions like that which the co-founders used to maneuver ahead with the launch of Formulation Fastened, which they are saying blends sports activities, gaming and leisure.
“This can be a format that’s broadcast-friendly, spectator-first, and constructed to create viral moments by way of a aggressive setup that by no means stands nonetheless,” mentioned Clare Grady, who additionally serves as the overall supervisor of the Bay Breakers professional ladies’s rugby staff. “Whether or not you are in-venue, watching on-screen, or in your cellphone, you are going to really feel the pace, the power, and the emotion of each nook and crash.”
First, two qualifying tournaments are being scheduled for early September, one close to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania September 6-7 and one on the west coast within the San Francisco, California space for September 13-14. Indoor venues will probably be secured within the coming weeks, which organisers say permits for “low-cost setup and breakdown with out the hassles of allowing, authorities approval and the crimson tape most out of doors avenue races face”.
Second, an indoor venue additionally gives a managed atmosphere for paid admission, merchandising and safety, in addition to comfort for broadcast protection.
“Venue flexibility and never being caught in a collective field is on the coronary heart of the Formulation Fastened plan,” mentioned Clare Grady. “We’ve been in discussions with a number of places about our Professional Collection Japanese Convention, Western Convention and Championship occasions, with occasion plans that vary from the intimate to the frilly.”
As for the rivals, organisers are in search of women and men from all backgrounds, highway cyclists to city athletes, and even life-style influencers. Every weekend will embrace ‘Quick Monitor and Stadium Crit’ races in addition to cargo bike races and youth races, in line with an organization press launch. Registration for Formulation Fastened begins on July 4, 2025.
“94% of individuals know learn how to experience a motorbike, however our capacity to transform them into followers or customers of biking as a sport is basically damaged,” mentioned co-founder James Grady. “We’re not right here to tweak the previous mannequin. We’re right here to tear it down and rebuild it from scratch with tradition, inclusivity, and power on the core.”
No particulars have been revealed on convention competitions in February 2026, which might have a sequence of qualifying occasions on each US coasts to find out finalists in a nationwide championship, anticipated to be held in March 2026.
The final biking league which promised to alter the world of sports activities was the National Cycling League, which lasted one full season in 2023 with three league-owned co-ed groups and US occasions. In 2024 the league folded, abruptly “pausing” operations and ending all athlete contracts; the NCL has not resurfaced.
“Like a Crimson Hook fashion occasion, I feel they’re making an attempt to key in off that, however with a wiser mannequin. From criterium racing all the way in which as much as WorldTour racing, the factor that is plagued biking is they do not have a stadium, a spot to cost followers on the door and a spot for followers to congregate.
“So I’d say that I actually consider that they do have an opportunity. It is made me and Luke [Fetzer, a teammate] assume twice. Like, ‘oh shit, we’d must discover ways to experience a fixed-gear bike’.
“I want them one of the best. James and Claire have what appears to be an excellent thoughts for these items. They’re placing a number of media push behind it. They’re getting the best individuals concerned. I consider all of the individuals who have been making an attempt to begin leagues and this and that, Fastened Formulation would possibly even have one of the best likelihood as a result of their mannequin is totally different, of their method to rider choice and media manufacturing.”
