What better way to build up shop morale and team spirit in the middle of the season then to hold a bike race. This is exactly what a local retailer in Minnesota does every August with an event called "Erik's Three Hours." The idea is to emphasize the importance of riding and to build team spirit. The in-store event provides a midseason boost to morale, and gives bragging rights to the winning store.

The event tent loaded with the necessities; water, pop, potato and corn chips.

Teams are made up on the various shop locations. Only one rider per team is on the course at any one time. Teams could change bikes at the center of the course.

Some bike transitions were smoother than others.

The event was run on basically a cyclo-cross type course. There were barricades that required a dismount.

Erik-the-Bikeman, founder and president of Erik's Bike Shop, pulls through with a lap for the warehouse team.

Showing it is not good to take yourself too seriously (or does he?), the store dress code was relaxed.

There were several teams that were both fast and smooth.

The course was a figure 8, allowing easy control of the participants. The race officials handed each team one zip tie as they passed Start/Finish. The zip ties then had to be mounted to the bike. The system provided a simple lap counter.

Team stretch-lycra here was desperate to get this tie and get going.

The technical rules appear relaxed as well. Disc wheels were permitted, saving Emily Larson and her team valuable seconds.

There was a Rep's Team, or so I was told, to be composed of Raleigh, Specialized, Cannondale, and Park Tool. Turns out only Park Tool showed up....a team of one.

Taking his familiar place at the back of the pack, Calvin Jones carries the flag for the Rep's Team. Can you tell which one is Calvin? Here's a clue: Look for blue.

Race organizer Scott Hebel tabulates the results by counting zip ties.

Beside a poor poker hand, there are 9 zip ties on Calvin's bike. This placed the Rep's Team of Specialized-Raleigh-Cannondale-Park Tool (sans Specialized, Raleigh, and Specialized that is) dead last.

Rob Stepaniak (Burnsville) and his team are the winners, collecting 29 zip ties. His only comment; "So how do you drink beer from this thing?"

There is something to be learned from every bike ride, and this event proves the point.

This team got a lesson in the yield point of metal. It did provide easy access for a rear dismount; perhaps it was really a clever new design.

The Coon Rapids store gets a lesson in adequate torque. The saddle is simply missing, certainly a case of "JRA" if ever there was.