We’ve been dealing with attacks of e-locust server robots, so we’ve been a little preoccupied. I’d like to think that we’re the target of a jealous international cartel, but the reality of it probably that someone is trying to sucker people into buying wiener medicine or perhaps help a wealthy fellow overseas with some banking complications.
So we’re just going to go ahead and steal a discussion from JT’s CRCA.net. It’s an homage, really. Did you know “homage” is latin for “lazy”?
What’s the best way for new riders to get introduced to racing? Should they have to take a skillz course? Are we too condescending to newer riders?
My advice to beginners: learn to ride with someone’s head in your armpit, and don’t wear underwear. Trust me on the underwear…
I take wind to slow down
and pass it to speed up
when I need to slow down. Seems reasonable to me.
It works. Great way to deal with blisters. Weird but true.
We urinate on one anothers asses to prevent chafing. But never the morning of a race – usually the night before.
It really works.
DHR gets it. Taking more wind to slow down fast is a good way to lose some teeth.
JFT’s view on brakes is schizophrenic. He doesn’t think you should brake except except when absolutely necessary. Yet he also says "I’m a big chicken and use my brakes a lot".
Love Mr. Anonymous. Look, I can take the criticism. But I don’t get paid to race. None of us do and it’s my goddamn royal prerogative as to when and where I race. I’ll be out there, but on my terms anon dudes.
Secondly, I knew some OCD motherf$cker would call me out on the Odometer/speedometer misunderstanding, but clearly dude you have issues. Btw. the "Speed" ometer was correct. 31mph at Tavern. No lie.
Lastly, I only got on a bike fairly regualarly starting in Aug. 03′ when I purchase my first road bike and so give me a break about not instantly not knowing the no underwear under the bike shorts rule. It’s twerps like you that most of the really good racers bitch about when asked by O’Malley what the worst part of our sport is. It’s the higher than thou elitist attitude. Get a life.
way inappropriate reference…
anonymous we let the disgruntled korean-american english majors win.
Faber Shmaber. If you’re mockable, you get mocked.
As Chris M said at the bottom, "and the occasional cattiness seen on the mess boards is just part of being competitive and having fun with the sport…all in good fun. I think most balanced individuals see that…"
Go ahead and mock me now. I can take it!!
You can either pin it to the ass, or tie it on with backhair. Really it is your choice.
I couldn’t make this stuff up. Any application to bike racing ?
In an interview with ESPN’s Gary Miller in 2004, Moises Alou disclosed that he urinates on his hands in order to toughen them up[1]. Alou’s claim that urinating on his hands prevents calluses and remedies blisters contradicts the common basis of urine therapy – that urine, on the contrary, softens the skin[2]. New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada urinates on his hands for the same reason, but only during spring training [3].
the mankini guys write their numbers on their backs with markers.
Does Mankini have a race number pinned on his ass? Glued to his back?
you’ll tend to use the brakes when you don’t need to
To all those demanding that lower category racers ride toys r us and nashbar bikes until cat 2 is reached, I demand that YOU ride bikes that are proportionately weaker than what the pros are on. I guess that means if you can’t generally hold 7 watts per kilo, you shouldn’t be on a Trek 5500 or an equivalent. It’s all about perspective, right?
thebroadbandracer.com
Next year Don Sasso and Ric Stagg cx with mankinis and merkins.
Just cause I don’t understand: what is wrong with having a hand position that includes a finger on the brake? If you need that extra finger to hold the bars more tight, you better be in a sprint, or your wasting your energy, and not relaxed enough up top.
Yeah, nearly everybody gets dropped in Cyclo-cross, especially without a mankini!
Rise up oh unwashed mankini and bear me to victory!
Is that Harlem that you speak of?
Registration should be open next week on bikereg. As always it will be on Father’s Day and it is the New York State Criterium Championship race for 2007.
Matt Howard is wrong. Pretty much everybody gets dropped in a cross race.
Is it happening this year? It is always a mystery if it is going to happen, right up to the race day, last year was the first time it was promoted beforehand…
I think this brake discussion is wacky.
It is nice to pay lip service to things like sitting up, moving up with momentum and all that. We all want to do it, but most of the time people tap on the brakes it is because there are not other options. Either you’ve been boxed in or there is not an out. If you are getting jammed up because the guy in front of you is hitting his brakes, generally neither of you is looking far enough ahead, or not anticipating enough. Quit complaining about others hitting their brakes, and be better about anticipating yourself, then you’ll only use them when necessary, like when you are taking on Schmalz for ladies sprint champion, and you don’t want to embarrass him too much.
Is it happening this year? It is always a mystery if it is going to happen, right up to the race day, last year was the first time it was promoted beforehand…
Is it happening this year? It is always a mystery if it is going to happen, right up to the race day, last year was the first time it was promoted beforehand…
MH is right. Cross skills definitely come in handy.
http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?shopperid=M02NTJ9G8R448HN9EUCR39R68FW2BPB8&userid=paiwacket&gallery_id=657800&tcount=518&scount=106
yeah, "no one knocked Faber" and then Mr. Anon goes on to insult him AGAIN in next para… Nice, ass.
Don’t believe everything Armstrong says
Since we’re talking about both bike handling and how beginners can get into racing, I’d like to put in a word for cyclocross. The races are short, no one gets dropped, there’s no snobbery, fancy equipment doesn’t matter so much, it’s great for your balance and handling skills, and it doesn’t hurt as much when you crash. Cross teaches you to stay calm and keep moving forward when you’re at your limit and crazy stuff is happening all around you, which is a skill that applies to staying upright in a crit or road race. Plus it’s fun and you get your picture taken a lot.
I got those tektro brakes for my TT bike a while back since they were cheap and I thought I wouldn’t need them too much. They really don’t do anything. I then lent that bike to Jaime for Fitchburg, and he got a nice surprise on the prologue.
whomever wrote "pedaling is for rookies" that is histerical!
I heard they are pretty ineffective 🙂
Chris M., no one knocked Faber for racing or not racing; they only asked him why he stopped. And, for the record, it’s "for Pete’s sake".
And doesn’t Faber kind of remind you of that "Bobby Granger" character who’s almost like an unofficial mascot of the NY Rangers?
Housatonic Hills Road Race is open on Bike Reg!
Those moves are fine if time permits. But the slowing effect is overstated other than at very high speeds. Feathering will slow you down more quickly if needed, and is more likely to avoid having to jam on the brakes at the last second.
I actually don’t disagree with much of what you say, but I think too many lower cat riders have gotten the impression that brakes are for Freds. As a result they don’t take the time to understand when to use them and how to use them correctly. In my opinion, that is why so many guys jam on the brakes last second, which is dangerous. The Lance quote I mentioned has always struck me as being an accurate description of a population of riders that has evolved as racers thinking that brakes are bad. His quote also indicates that riders in Europe don’t feel the same way about their brakes. It’s interesting.
Housatonic Hills Road Race is open on Bike Reg!
Housatonic Hills Road Race is open on Bike Reg!
Whoever slammed Faber is pathetic.
When you can just pass the problem in front of you, or sit more upright for a second to take wind and scrub off some speed?
There is a huge difference between tapping one’s brakes in the finale, which would cost you the top 10, and using one’s brakes in the middle of a race where it will cost you nothing and could avoid a pile up. The key is to feather them, not to jam on them. It is easy. It is followed by bike racers around the globe. It is even done a Palmer and Sturbridge, other than by the Cat 4s because they would rather crash. The problem isn’t the use of brakes. It’s the incorrect use of brakes. And a general mindset in the US against using them has resulted in more people not knowing how to use them and therefor more people who use them incorrectly.
Whoever told JT to shut up is pathetic.
shut the fu%k up already.
No
…wair for arst thow?
This whole long brake vs no brake discussion is so funny. I dont really like to brake myself, unless of course I need to in order to avoid running into something – funny how that works. I also have a thing for fingers on the brake levers. I like to fondle them. Call me twisted.
Speaking of twisted, whoever felt the need to jump on Faber needlessly (and of COURSE anon…) is a loser. What do you care if he races every week or not or exaggerates a speed est by a few MPH for dramatic effect? Hes a nice guy for peets sake!
yes I am is JFT
Sorry — mind, vision and computer issues
Depends on the rider, but there are guys even in local 1-2-3s that could brake half as often as they do now and be better riders for it. Brake to slow down for a corner if you can’t make it at speed. Often brake for a sudden Depends on the rider, but there are guys even in local 1-2-3s that could brake half as often as they do now and be better (and safer) riders for it. It’s fine to brake to slow down for a corner if you can’t make it at speed. Or to brake to avoid a sudden problem you can’t squeeze by.
But there are lots of time where there’s no need to brake. Just move up or pass the problem in front of you (conserving momentum and possition, as Molloy mentions). Or anticipate the problem and stop pedalling a second earlier. Or sit up or move the side a little so you take a little wind to scrub off some speed.
There’s a big difference between "most cases" and "never."
Depends on the rider, but there are guys even in local 1-2-3s that could brake half as often as they do now and be better riders for it. Brake to slow down for a corner if you can’t make it at speed. Often brake for a sudden problem you can’t squeeze by.
But there are lots of time where there’s no need to brake. Just more up or pass the problem in front of you (using momentum as Molloy mentions). Or anticipate the problem and stop pedalling a second earlier. Or sit up or move the side a little to take wind to scrub off some speed.
There’s a big difference between "most cases" and "never."
"Put your fingers on the brake levers when things are getting particularly hectic and you don’t have a way out. Otherwise, no"
That seems to imply that you are opposed to braking in most cases.
There’s another guy, from NJ I think, who is older but still strong. I think he represented his country in high-level international competition back in the day. But locally he’s hectic — at least twice he’s taken me across the road due to random swerving and one time. Scary. And I’ve yelled at him. I think he has no peripheral vision.
But get this — I think I’m so safe and smooth, but a couple years ago I just layed the bike down in a fast corner in a crit. I don’t know what happened, but it was totally my fault — we were single file. And guess what — I took this other guy down with me. Hahahaha. What a loser I was that day, sitting on the road next to this guy who is rightfully glaring at me.
if you keep tapping the brakes in a p12 race (especially crits) you are going to find yourself at the back of the field very fast.
in the majority of cases the right answer is to look for a way out and apply more speed instead of apply brakes. guys who win races are particularly good at finding seams and saving energy by avoiding unnecessary braking – especially in the finale
The best thing about racing out of town in a good fast pro 1,2 field is that if you stay at the front it is usually very safe. the bullshit happens at the back.
I have seen and had guys lean on me at 60 k in a sprint or a corner. but it is not dangerous. the difference you see in the park races is that just about anyone can get to the front.
I have , like everyone, seen some crazy shit in the park. we need good coaches but coaches that stress that park racing has very little to do with out of town racing.
Getting a top 10 in any catergory at Sommerville or Battankill, Bear , Jiminey, Palmer, Sturbridge, ect..is way harder than winning in the park
"(as they should be because people, including JFT, think it’s bad to use their brakes) "
When did I say this? Please, lame trolling is…lame.
And to follow up on Eugene’s comment about "what’s wrong with your bike", there’s a guy in CRCA who is well-known for being hectic. Pretty strong. He’s a 2. So one time in Prospect we’re going up the hill and he’s in front of Dave Jordan. Mr. Hectic does some typical swerve and Dave starts to yell at him, then stops and just starts chuckling. I asked DJ what was so funny and he says "Why am I even yelling at that guy — I should know better than to ride around behind him."
Seems the difference is abusing your brakes as opposed to using them. More experienced riders use them.
The handling skills of 1/2s are not that superior to 3s, even many 4s. What you don’t have in the upper fields are the miscellaneous wackadoos that can cause havoc, and tension throughout the rest of the field.
I would agree that 1/2 field is way more calm and has a higher percentage of competent riders who are more adept at responding to things. My view of the yellers is that they are either scared (as they should be because people, including JFT, think it’s bad to use their brakes) or observant (because they have a knack for predicting and avoiding crashes by understanding how things that happen in front of them will affect what’s going to happen behind them). US bike racers are more like lemings than a school of tuna. Tuna usually don’t swim into the mouth of a waiting shark the way a Leming will run right off a cliff following the dude in front of him.
But I agree with JFT and Eugene that the 1/2 field is the safest. I was just trying to make a point that people here are extremely misguided in terms of the value of a set of brakes. That’s why the concept of feathering brakes is so hard for lots of guys to grasp. They avoid braking until the point where they have to jam on them. That’s real safe.
and what’s with all the cat 5’s PEDALING so damn much?
one time i saw Pollo win a race without even pedaling. so pro.
..and since this thread is about advice to beginners, then I’ll offer an observation: Often the ones who yell and tell others how to ride are just displaying their own fears and insecurities (usually). But if they talk calmly and rationally about something that you’re doing , then it may be worth a listen.
BEHAVE, STAY CALM, THINK, LOOK PRO,
Alistair, you’re right that swerving and herky-jerky stuff can happen in any field. But, in my experience, teh 1/2s absorb it and move on. But if it’s repeated by the same person, he may hear a comment or two (I heard a guy say to the rider in front of him, "Hey man, what’s wrong with your bike?" It was priceless.) But i don’t hear "hold your line" or "watch where you’re going" nearly as much as I used to. The noisiest people are usually the most insecure, and they can exist anywhere– sure. But insecurity can also come from inexperience, hence less yelling in the 1/2 field. So when Coach L mentioned "’watch your line’…talk", I don’t think he was speaking from experiences in the 1/2 field. That’s what I was questioning.
I see too many people on their brakes in racers around here. I’m a big chicken, and use my brakes a lot. But too many guys ride around with their hands on the brake levers all the time. Not a good habit. Even when the field is single file. Really, there is no need for that. Put your fingers on the brake levers when things are getting particularly hectic and you don’t have a way out. Otherwise, no.
This is in response to Eugene’s comment that "These are not problems in 1/2 races".
Every field has guys who choose not to ride their bike in a straight line or who brakes too hard or who swerves or switches lines. A’s, B’s and C’s. 1s, 2s and 3s. Guys in this country seem to think that once you become a a cat whatever, you suddenly know how to ride your bike and you and your peers are the safe group.
Interestingly, on April 22, 2004 Lance Armstrong won a stage of the Tour de Georgia and had this to say about the race and field:
"This is a whole other art, here. It’s crazy," Armstrong said. "I’m glad I don’t do it for a living. You can tell these guys are used to racing this style of races. In these races you have no friends, you have no allies, and you have no brakes. In Europe it’s very different. There’s a different hierarchy in the European peloton, and most guys use their brakes over there a little more."
At the time, I thought it was a brilliant observation of a truly different mindset here in the US racing community. Guys in the US peleton think two things. One: once you become a cat 2 you are suddenly transformed into a world where guys know how to handle their bikes. Yet many of them ride exactly the same way they did as a cat 4. Two: it’s a sign of poor handling skills and inexperience to use your brakes. This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Crashing for no reason is dumb. Taking stupid risks is dumb. Using your brakes to slow down so you don’t cream into the guy in front of you who is avoiding a hole in the road is smart. Being ready to respond to the ebbs and flows of the peleton is smart. People love to make fun of the guy who screams "Slooowing" or "Braaaaaking". But they are the smart ones. They recognize that they are surrounded by guys who won’t think enough to slow down or take a little more room unless you scream at them to.
Lance, the dick that he is, was at least smart enough to see this. I’ve often wondered why I’m the only person to have picked up on his quote.
I hate to say it, but Coach L may be on to something.
NYVelocity Team.
You can get a used powertap for under $500. Go find another reason to whine.
Unfortunately, Faber, your NYCC kindred didn’t teach you how to calibrate your Cateye correctly. Maybe you set it to kilometers per hour, but there’s no way that, in a C clinic, you climbed the Tavern rise at 31 mph. Just couldn’t have happened.
And you needed the NYCC to teach you that underwear was a no-no? Ewwwwww.
Why aren’t you racing this year? And, come to think of it, you barely (double points for me for the pun on "barely"–triple for homophony regarding your big race of last year!) raced last year. You gonna grace the Bs with your presence this year?
Why aren’t you racing anymore?
NYCC is absolutely the place to start from scratch. For I think the $25.00 I paid to join I met up with volunteer cyclists and a hardy group of 40+ other riders in the A-19 Sig and over 13 weeks (Every Saturday mandatory) we all learned to ride in groups, ride out out of the city. Ride in a slipstream. We got our first lessons in bike skills. Learned not to wear underwear under my cycling shorts and most importantly made new friends that I still count as close friends to this day. At the urging of these friends I along with those guys did the 2004 clinic race. There were about 50 new racers at the start of the 3 lapper in CP and by the time we finished half the starters were dropped. I remember most, the sound of the spinning wheels all around me and going up that small rise at Tavern on the green and looking down at my cateye and did a double-take when I saw the odometer reading 31MPH!!! I was hooked. If it weren’t for the training and the teaching and the passion of the NYCC I would of never considered the idea of racing. Those volunteers of which there are too many to name have been instrumental in forging a passion for cycling and racing among many cyclists in the CRCA.
I think that if power meters were more affordable, we all would have them – end of story. Forget this how-wash about only select cat. level riders should have them. every athlete could benefit. I bet 15 years ago when hrm’s were costly, the same stupid debate took place. Most people dont know how to properly read and use hrm’s anyway.. I’m sure power meter patrons dont know EVERYTHING about reading and utilizing wattage either.
are where its at. I also agree with MH that Deirdre’s coaching sessions on leg speed were especially helpful.
I also found that being on the NYVelocity team has been a great introduction into the road racing scene- it helps to have the training as well as a team that’s (more or less) going through the same motions. Alex, Cisco, and Nobby have also been fantastic when it comes to coaching and guidance.
So where do you pin race numbers on the cyclocross mankini?
I think you want to kill yourself if you drive a Mercedes SL 500 and you can’t go faster than 65mph but if you have the money to afford the car, go for it. Same with bikes, if you want the Scott Addict Ltd with Lightweight wheels and an SRM but you’re only interested in riding to Nyack every second Saturday to show off your bike and you get dropped by ladies with flower baskets in the front of their bikes but you can afford it, go for it. Everybody will most probably think you’re an asshole but in the same breath they would really want your ride.
"…lower cats having power meters…"
It’s a good tool for anyone! It helps you track your progress, train in zones, etc. I don’t have one because I’m cheap. But I recognize the training benefits.
"If you’re in a 1/2 or A race, you need to be able to handle your bike well enough to deal with other riders not holding their line. And pulling through at the front? Its a free country."
These are not problems in 1/2 races. Swervy riders are few, and riders only pull through at the front if their team has missed out on the breakaway. I’m curious about your experience, Coach L.
forget about lower cats having power meters… That’s to ridiculous to even think about. i think You should kill yourself if you’re riding anything more expensive than a toys r us huffy if your a cat 5 and a nashbar bike for cat 4s.
Favorite move ever:
Last lap of a Prospect race, full field charging down the first bit of the downhill before it bends right, gets steeper. Pollo from Toga, right in front of me, gets squeezed to the side of the road, BUNNY HOPS the curb onto th grass, rides it out for 75-100 feet, then JUMPS OFF THE CURB back into the pack. Didn’t lose a single spot in the field.
civilian gun ownership is illegal in S. Korea.
Coach L – are you calling Henry Ford a wheel sucker?!?!?
I blame South Korea for all of this.
I really don’t understand what’s so bad about condensation.
Just wipe it off.
btw, i totally had gianni meersman picked for today’s TOG stage. obvious.
I think Coach L means that this country was built on opportunism.
No, wait, this CITY was. My bad.
Mandating the power meter? That’s like telling somebody they need a fanny pack to go on vacation.
Holla, me Amigos!
I’m back from vacation and have a few new idea that I think belong in this forum. I like to beta test them to see how they resonate with average riders before I incorporate them into my proprietary coaching program.
To do with power meters – There once was a time when I let riders choose between using a power meter and an HRM and that knowing wattage wasn’t crucial. But I realized on my vacation that it is important and am probably going to require that everyone in levels 2 and 3 of my service get one, and preferably an SRM. Its just soooo important to know where LT is with respect to both watts and HR and impossible to know if you’re improving without the trifecta. I’m sure there are some other opinions out there which I’d love to hear, but I’ve all but decided to mandate power meters.
As for bike handling and "risk" I think the gentlemanly side of bike racing is overrated. All of this "watching your line" and "pulling through at the front" talk is a little silly. When you enter a race, you enter it to win. If you’re in a 1/2 or A race, you need to be able to handle your bike well enough to deal with other riders not holding their line. And pulling through at the front? Its a free country. If you’d told Henry Ford to pull through at the front, he’d never have built the Model A. This country was built on not pulling through. Hiding behind maners in racing is no excuse for not winning. I’m planning on coaching my guys to be more ruthless in the peleton. So look out or get out! Of course I do not (disclaimer) condone risking the safety of others in racing, but if I didn’t condone some risk taking, I wouldn’t be in the racing and coaching business. This stuff is dangerous.
Coach L
I know nobody else besides CM commented on the photo for this argument, but the mankini cyclo-cross guy isn’t exactly a newbie. He’s got some serious farmer’s tan, and probably a distinct knowledge of the course he’s racing in. It might be cleaner to ride mankini-style, easier to wash yourself in the stream after the race when you’re already stripped down. Also gives a psychological advantage, since to minimize embarrassment, he would want to get off the course faster.
Next weeks argument: Cyclo-cross Mankini: Brilliant or Idiocy?
As harsh as that "go kill yourself" post was. I have to agree. The sport is NYC has gone crazy. Power meters are out of control. People seem more concerned about the output numbers than race results.
"oh my god… can you believe the wattage that guy put out that day he lost that race"
I think power meters should be for training only and not for cat 2 and below.
Unless you are a TRI GUY, then you look stupid already so go ahead and use a power meter in a cat 3 race.
I found the clinics very helpful, and fun. It was interesting that each coach emphasized different aspects of the sport. Some are more into the science of training, while others more into the art and technique of racing. All were good, especially for a beginner.
and own a power meter…go kill yourself
With the lights out it’s less dangerous.
Is it the power,
or the money which bothers?
class warfare on bikes!
Aside from being wrong, it’s just bad policy to be condescending. You never know which cat 5 is actually a monster.
The scene at the Kissena track is also very welcoming, and even has loaner bikes. In fact it’s a lot easier to figure out what is going on there for a newbie racer than showing up pre-dawn at a Spring Series race with questions about licensing, categories etc.
I did the NYCC A-Sig series they do every year in the spring. There you learn to ride with others in a paceline and you become confident in dealing with other cyclists around you without the added pressure of a race situation. I found that very helpful and it also helps you to discover your own strengs and weaknesses and how you compare with the average recreational cyclist. I would highly recommend joining a social ride to start off with and then as you grow into it, you can get into racing.
When I was starting out I did lots of the free CRCA coaching sessions. The ones that Deirdre Murphy does on sprinting and leg speed are very useful. People put a lot of emphasis these days on power and wattage and lactate threshold and all that stuff, but the vast majority of cat 4/5 races still end in field sprints, and sprinting is a skill you can learn and practice.
also a downer: your lame chafing joke.
what are the requierments to be a coach in any sport??
just wondering
For that, the main point of our training was not overstepping our knowledge, and also avoiding legal liability/conducting training safely. And we had to know CPR.
I think higher levels in USAC involve real cycling specific info.
And then there are people who have more rigorous certifications that involve real coursework and training. The low-level USAC thing was a one-day deal.
1. I wish NYVC was all log-in always. The anonymous meanies are just huge downers.
2. I don’t know Scott all that well, but my team hired him for two skills drill sessions a few months back. They were really helpful and very revealing in terms of pointing out weaknesses and imbalances. I would highly recommend taking one of these classes if you ever get the chance.
3. I don’t ever want to hear about Mecray’s chafing issues.
while it may be true that higher cat racing is smoother/quieter, I’m referring only to myself. On the occasions I’ve raced with lower cat riders (such as a in CRCA B race a few years ago and masters racing (which up to a few years ago included cat 5s) I’m saying I’m mellower/more confident now than in the past.
Most people are not too harsh on new riders since they were there at one point in their life. If more experienced riders were very condescending on newer ones, there would not be so many new participants at the races.
I find that dicks are dicks to everyone, old or new. Those are the same people who will only talk to riders that are stronger than them like weaker riding is contagious…
I think we would all rather ride in a non-squirrelly race. The question is how to get guys (and ladies too), up to speed in an appropriate way. You can pick up waterbottles and do drills all you want, yet you will not be comfortable in a pack until you sit in there and do it. So you have to start somewhere. I think the segregation of Cat 5 fields are good and bad, since it means the most squirrelly new riders are not in a faster and bigger field and they learn the necessary skills, but you can also learn bad habits, since there is almost never a more expereinced rider to yell at you.
As this sport grows there is going to be more demand for skills courses and skills training for new racers (that is if you believe in the premise of last week’s argument that cycling is the new golf).
Why is it that the guys who complain most about everyone elses lack of skill never seem to get results but happen to have been riding for while, so they can find something to take pride in.
Scott W’s rants on the CRCA yahoo board are thinly veiled ads for his coaching business.
experienced fields are much safer. Riders flow around hazards without grabbing brakes, yelling, etc. One reason why I would much rather ride a 1/2/3 race with no chance of placing, rather than a squirrely 3/4 and a chance at a top 10.
I’m now a happy coward, I don’t like the flaming but lets face it, it’s a small price to pay for the open expression of opinions that make this so intersting
I respect Scott W on and off the bike and I also think his clinics are valuable but the posts on CRCA get a bit preachy for me, you can still be a damn good bike rider without picking up waterbottles while riding backwards or what ever..
I think the club does a pretty decent job of providing opportunities for novice racers to learn through club races and the coaching sessions. I also think it has been helpful when some more experienced riders ride with the c field to give pointers. The one thing that doesn’t translate well to beginner racers is the whole sub-team structure as only NYVelocity seems to have any interest in beginners.
What about people who talk during races and yell later?
One club I was in had the new riders practice double pacelines every ride in the fall before we started racing in the spring. Another required members to be comfortably able to ride rollers before racing.
Now that I have more confidence in my ability to avoid crashes, I yell a lot less than I’d just been racing a couple years. Sorry if this sounds condescending, but it’s true.
CRCA’s beginning racing clinic, open to all women cyclists, is a great place to start. In 2007 it’ll be June 23.
Details, when available, will be here:
http://www.crca.net/coaching/
In the meantime you can get a sense of some of the event here
http://www.crca.net/coaching/2003womensclinicfaq.htm
http://www.crca.net/coaching/2005ridinginapack.htm
http://www.crca.net/news/200508.htm#4
BUT dont’ wait till then to get started if you’re determined — men and women can join the club now (or join another similar, welcoming club like Kissena) and then go to the clinic anyway for more pointers.
I bet most condescenders yell at people during races so they have something to talk about later – after they lose.
Inquiring minds want to know.
I think it was ninjas…
Dude, that pic is so wrong! haha
One of my early cycling experiences (in 2002) was my first century ride – it was 100+ deg and humid in Aug in the Hamptons and I rode it with cotton underwear under my lycra shorts. Only when I complained of chafing did my more experienced riding buddy tell me I wasn’t supposed to wear underwear with riding shorts. I prompty pulled over to the side and stripped them off, ditching them in the bushes, but the chafing remained – only eclipsed in another hour by a total bonk as I had drank one large bottle in 60 mi under the 100 deg sun…
I would add that Scott Willingham and others in CRCA were amazing early teachers and mentors as I started racing in late 2004, and the training programs they host are really great for new riders – nothing but good experiences so far with CRCA, and the occasional cattiness seen on the mess boards is just part of being competitive and having fun with the sport…all in good fun. I think most balanced individuals see that…
Anyone catch the NPR interview this AM about nasty behavior on internet blogs. Apparently even food blogs turn into death threats and incredible nastiness over subjects like kids in restaurants…and diners dont even crash into each other at 35 mph…