The Berkeley Bicycle Club (BBC) traces its roots back to 1959 when America’s idea of racing bikes was kids on Schwinn beach cruisers with tassels in the handle-bars. Peter Rich (VeloSport owner) decided to bring European style bike racing to the U.S. The first thing the country needed was a good bike club, so Peter founded Velo Club Berkeley (in Peter’s mother’s kitchen, according to legend).
The current BBC was established in 1979, when the racing team of Velo Club Berkeley merged with the Berkeley Wheelmen, a recreational riding club looking for a new image and direction. From then on, the BBC emerged as the premiere amateur racing team in Northern California, with a long list of District and National champions, including Mark Brydon, Mark Caldwell, Dan Cvar, Dan Dole, Nick Farats, Robert Ford, Bob Muzzy, Alex Osborne, Francesca Saveri, Calvin Trampleasure, and Mark Walsh. Unlike the British media conglomerate with same initials, our BBC boasted many international stars, including Heidi Hopkins, George Mount, Cindy Olavarri, Mark Pringle, and Bob Roll.
As many BBC racers migrated to professional teams in the 80′s, the focus shifted towards developing new talent. Many of the old riders who didn’t move on are still around a quarter century later. In joining and racing for the BBC Racing Team, you’ll gain access to the unrivaled support from experienced racers.
Membership in the club is open to all interested persons. The club includes both riders and racers.
