In The Event That...

You Have Hot Wheels

by Donny Sheldon

Summerslam SeriesSat., Aug. 18, and Sat., Aug. 25, 2 p.m., City Hall, Broad and Market streets, $7, www.phillyfixed.com

Buses never run on schedule; the El has been under construction for years now; and free parking isn't happening. The Summerslam Series proves what the messengers have been saying all along. The high-speed, 25-mile bike race breezes right through the city and is expected to attract riders from New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.

Sponsored by local bike shops such as Trophy, Firehouse and Bell's, Summerslam is a three-part race with a top-secret course revealed only after registering. Although the first race was Aug. 11 and there will be a cumulative winner, bikers are still encouraged to participate in the two remaining rounds. The winner of each will score prizes such as a new set of wheels, a customized frame and a handmade bag from NoLibs bike boutique R.E.Load.

While the majority of riders will be of the fixed-gear variety, organizer Max Knee urges anyone with a bike to join in. "Everyone should come out and race, since they get to see the city like they never have before — fast," he says.