"A cultural movement on wheels" is how organisers are describing Formula Fixed, a new US-based bike racing series to be launched in early September 2025 with a pair of two-day qualifying events. The top finishers will then compete in conference-structured competitions and a championship in the spring of 2026.
At first look it appears to resemble the informal and rowdy garage races that are popular in Arlington, Virginia during winter months in a parking deck, or even the Red Hook Crit fixed-gear races held outdoors from 2008-2018. However, a new format has been designed specifically for fixed-gear racing, using an indoor venue to create a track that "resembles a video game, street racing or snowboardcross". They want a distinct departure from a road race finish with a street banner or the inflexibility of a velodrome.
Husband and wife team James and Clare Grady are the co-founders of Formula Fixed, who were behind the success of seven editions of the fixed-gear criterium in San Francisco, Mission Crit, last held in 2022. They have already tested the new short track series format with a 'Showcase Event' in October 2024 at an indoor K1 Speed go-kart race facility in California, and competitors gave them positive feedback.
"They are onto something. I could see it working," Lucas Bourgoyne, who took part in the Showcase Event last year, told Cyclingnews. Bourgoyne raced for several years on the road in Europe and now is a consistent performer at USA CRITS and other US races for Team Cadence Cyclery p/b Encore Wire.
It's feedback like that which the co-founders used to move forward with the launch of Formula Fixed, which they say blends sports, gaming and entertainment.
"This is a format that is broadcast-friendly, spectator-first, and built to create viral moments through a competitive setup that never stands still," said Clare Grady, who also serves as the general manager of the Bay Breakers pro women’s rugby team. “Whether you're in-venue, watching on-screen, or on your phone, you're going to feel the speed, the energy, and the emotion of every corner and crash.”
First, two qualifying tournaments are being scheduled for early September, one near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania September 6-7 and one on the west coast in the San Francisco, California area for September 13-14. Indoor venues will be secured in the coming weeks, which organisers say allows for "low-cost setup and breakdown without the hassles of permitting, government approval and the red tape most outdoor street races face".
Second, an indoor venue also provides a controlled environment for paid admission, merchandising and security, as well as convenience for broadcast coverage.
"Venue flexibility and not being stuck in a collective box is at the heart of the Formula Fixed plan," said Clare Grady. "We’ve been in discussions with several locations about our Pro Series Eastern Conference, Western Conference and Championship events, with event plans that range from the intimate to the elaborate."
As for the competitors, organisers are looking for men and women from all backgrounds, road cyclists to urban athletes, and even lifestyle influencers. Each weekend will include 'Short Track and Stadium Crit' races as well as cargo bike races and youth races, according to a company press release. Registration for Formula Fixed begins on July 4, 2025.
"94% of people know how to ride a bike, but our ability to convert them into fans or consumers of cycling as a sport is fundamentally broken," said co-founder James Grady. "We're not here to tweak the old model. We're here to tear it down and rebuild it from scratch with culture, inclusivity, and energy at the core."
No details have been revealed on conference competitions in February 2026, which would have a series of qualifying events on both US coasts to determine finalists in a national championship, expected to be held in March 2026.
The last cycling league which promised to change the world of sports was the National Cycling League, which lasted one full season in 2023 with three league-owned co-ed teams and US events. In 2024 the league folded, abruptly "pausing" operations and ending all athlete contracts; the NCL has not resurfaced.
"Like a Red Hook style event, I think they're trying to key in off that, but with a smarter model. From criterium racing all the way up to WorldTour racing, the thing that's plagued cycling is they don't have a stadium, a place to charge fans at the door and a place for fans to congregate.
"So I would say that I truly believe that they do have a chance. It's made me and Luke [Fetzer, a teammate] think twice. Like, 'oh shit, we might have to learn how to ride a fixed-gear bike'.
"I wish them the best. James and Claire have what seems to be a very good mind for this stuff. They're putting a lot of media push behind it. They're getting the right people involved. I think of all the people who have been trying to start leagues and this and that, Fixed Formula might actually have the best chance because their model is different, in their approach to rider selection and media production."
