Highlights & Impressions: the first Trek E-Derny Race
Motors and cycling go way back – and we’re not talking about the discovery at the recent World Cyclocross Champs – but rather about Derny races, whose history dates back almost a century. Almost 80 years since the creation of the iconic Derny bike, Berlin played host to a rather different take on the traditional format last week but with the obligatory burning lungs, slipstreaming, team spirit, electric motor power and astute tactics! Amongst the high-class start field there was even one team of two who claimed to have the same number of Tour de France wins as Lance Armstrong.
What’s a Derny?
“But what even is a Derny?” was a question frequently overheard during the pre-race preparation for the Trek E-Derny Race powered by Diamant held at Tempelhof, a former airport known for its Cold War role. A Derny is essentially a generic term for a specialist motor pacer bike, and the actual Derny first went into production in 1938 by the former ex-racing cyclist Roger Derny and Sons in Paris. Originally built as a fixed gear bike with a 90 cc motor, you might wonder why they didn’t just use a regular motorbike for the job of pacing – and the answer’s pretty simple: the combination of motorized and pedal power is crucial for smooth acceleration and braking. The cyclist’s front wheel should basically keep glued to Derny’s back wheel to best exploit the aerodynamics.
But the idea of having pacers in a race goes back way further than motorized Dernys, with documented tales of their use in the legendary long-distance Bordeaux-Paris race first held in 1891. For a short period in the 1930s motorbikes were used, but the emergence of the 90cc Derny soon saw it become the official pacing mode and they’ve barely changed since, keeping standards of 7 hp and speeds of up to 80 km/h. You’ll recognize Dernys from track racing too, an essential part of the Keirin, playing a role at Six Day Races as well as a few road races and definitely for endurance training sessions.
This time around in Berlin there was a Diamant 825+ e-bike to serve the purpose of a Derny, with a Bosch motor capable of 45 km/h. The fact that there wasn’t a more powerful CX motor on the bike guaranteed a smooth wheel to follow for the riders, making it easier for the pacer and cyclist to keep together.
The cyclists could choose between the aerodynamic Trek Madone 9 or the ultra-lightweight Trek Émonda SLR.
The runway-turned-racetrack
Held at the now disused Tempelhof airport in Berlin, the traditional format and the age-old Derny got a revamp for the Trek E-Derny Race. The challenging circuit was actually more triangular upon inspection, littered with grassy ruts and potholes, so asked a lot in terms of technical skills.
The Teams
A total of seven teams of two riders competed in the hunt for victory, including well-known local riders from Goodtimesroll,Standert and 8bar Rookies. These were joined on the startline by ‘Die Frenchies’ (presumably from France), the virtually unpronounceable Polytoxyomanders (made up of two bike messengers), Team Bike Punk Racing and Kenjanvelocando (read: Ken & Jan Velo can do), a German-Australian duo.
The Race
Done in knock-out style, the two fastest teams in each qualifier made it through to the final, relying not only on power, but also bike handling skills and rapport between the rider and the Derny.
There were three tight corners so the riders had to make sure they maintained their speed. The real battle for victory was a spectacular head-to-head race on the runway, with the semi-final and final each lasting 20 minutes.
The pace picked up drastically for the final, with the riders covering 41 laps of the 700 m circuit, three more than in the qualifiers.
Words & Photos: Robin Schmitt
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