Great to see bicycle derby is still in the flow.
It's rare to see derbies mentioned anymore, as if they ever were before. Not sure how the trail riding and racer pictures relate to a derby, but it is an evolving sport, and these other activities may preceded or follow a derby.
Classical bicycle derby may have reached it's highest popularity in the early '80's with the warmer season's monthly full moon derbies on the Blithdale Ridge of Mt. Tam, when up to 35 riders would assemble from around the Bay Area for a night of socializing and derby, followed sometimes by a trail ride until dawn. There are two annual derbies still held in Marin, the April Fools Derby on Angel Island, and the New Years Day Derby at the top of the Marin Headlands.
Occasional mention of bicycle derbies are still seen in Dirt Rag magazine, headquartered in Pennsylvania where derby caught on in the '80's.
The origin was in the early to mid-70's at the San Francisco Polo Field where riders would mill around "derbying" in a close circle, warming up before the weekend bicycle polo games played on cyclecross bikes.
Flat pedals are recommend to derby, and a bike you don't mind getting thrashed from accidental contact and a sometime towering bike pile. There are no rules, except periodic "cocktail rules" where you must have a drink in one hand while participating.
The objective of a derby is to not dab while trying to ride in the way of others to get them to dab. Riding in a closely limited area with many riders makes it difficult to avoid dabbing. A great way to increase skills at low speed balance and handling, trying to lean on and block other rider's progress, while avoiding yourself from being stopped and dabbing or falling. A hilarious event with frequent domino effect crashes.
Some of my first trail rides nearly 30 years ago were commuting to the full moon derbies. ...hence my mtbr handle.
