New to Zoobomb’s Mini-Bike Winter this year are the much-anticipated Chariot Wars (yes chariots, as in Ben Hur). To help ready the masses for this series of competitions a chariot building workshop was held over the weekend.
Attendees were given a handout that covered all the various design and welding issues one might face when constructing a chariot.
Notice the fairing enclosed frame, non-slip platform (chicken wire), and padded pulpit of Gabriel Amadeus’s chariot (it still awaits a paint job):
![](https://bikeportland.org/wp-content/chariot2.jpg)
I don’t think I’ll be able to build one from the ground up, but I have an old Burley, some hose clamps, duct tape, and an imagination…now I just need to find a gladiator.
I’m really looking forward to this. Check out the list of chariot events:
- Beauty pageant, make em cute or evil, will be celebrity judged on aesthetics only, functionality is determined later. wear bikinis , wash them with sudsy soap.
- Chariot whiplash! (Gladiators are tied together, strapped with harnesses and ride in opposite directions…ouch!).
- The blind / true steed race. Where the steed is blindfolded, and the gladiator has to steer with ropes on handlebars.
- Scavenger hunt. Chariot specific, who can bring back the most beer? rocks? hot babes/dudes?
- Relay race. Four laps, steed and gladiator switch places each lap.
- Death match (should be interesting).
Anybody interested in reading the handout or in need of tips, email Gabe at gabrielamadeus[at]gmail[dot]com. And mark your calendars for Mini Bike Winter, February 14-19th.
[Check out the Chariot Building Workshop photo gallery.]
Thanks for reading.
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I think you would need a charioteer, not a gladiator… while the gladiators were normally the muscle (wo)men withe the swords and the pike etc., the charioteers were slimmer fellows with well-developed arms and lower backs…
Oh, man – I am so bummed that I’m not going to be here for this.
The scavenger hunt should be fun!