Dream Team Argument

by Andy Shen

Where would you like to land?

As we approach silly season, which teams are the hot teams right now? Which team would you most like an invitation from? What’s the best team for a newly minted 2? Or a new 3?

 

What are you looking for? A team with lots o’ schwag? Teammates that race a lot? Easily cowed riders that will bend to your will?

 

Is the amount of flaming a team receives directly proportional to how much people want to be invited to join that team? (That’s my way of saying Adler is dreamy.) 

96 Comments

Wheelsucker

Popular CRCA teams down through the years:

2008 – Adler
2007 – Empire
2006 – Bandit
2005 – ML
2004 – VB
2003 – Sakonnet
2002 – Think Racing

Unpopular teams

2008 – Foundation
2007 – Foundation
2006 – Foundation
2005 – Foundation
2004 – Foundation
2003 – Foundation
2002 – whoever Inson rode for before Foundation

Mud and Cowbell

I guess if you are a 3 and want to do many out of town road races then it has to be the following:

Adler – races a ton out of town, works as a team and gets lots of swag;
WWV – ” ” (a bit intense however and that may not be for everyone)
Conn Coast Cycling
South Africa – cause they always have Wolfe and Gabele at the races representin

Cat 3s into the Track:
DC Racing
Sommerville
Kissena
BVF

Cat 3s Cross
Adler
WWV
Kissena
DC Racing

For the new 2s and 1s:
Dont know cause I aint one of you… but looks like:
Empire
Targetraining
Mengoni – if you do not plan on racing the hilly stuff
Adler – as many of the team will be up for a Cat 2 upgrade soon

Wheelsucker

If you are a 4 the teams to be on are:
NYVC – those guys race a ton in and out of the city and have fun
Razorfish “”
Organic “” – mostly park races
Metro “”

Women
Maria Qs team – ?
Conn Coast
Comedy Central
Razorfish

5s – you do not count just race and have fun…

Cat 5

I really want to be on that El Fuente team. It’s either them NYVC or that ugly CRCA team for the C races.

CRCA Vital

I am going to keep this as positive as I can becuase I think the hate after Mengoni was way out of control.

2008 Team overviews

Alder – Huge team. Will only take guys that are tryng to race and get better. Will probably lose some guys at the end of the year so spots will be open. Hand in resume if: you are a cat 3 who wants to upgrade

Empire – Made a huge jump this year. They will either to turn into a pro team or they will lose their best guys to pro teams. If that happens, they will have to reload with new guys. They picked out some real diamonds last year. I think Matt Johnson is the best rider on that team. I also wonder what is going to happen to the older more local guys. Local teams would be lucky to have those guys. Hand in resume if: you have 2008 NRC points

Foundation – They added a bunch of new guys but the reputation stayed the same. “Rude, aggresive, dangerous, sketchy”. The new guys added “strong and fast” to that list but didn’t cross any of the old list out. Sort of sad that they had their better guys racing CRCA instead of bigger races. Inson is a nightmare on the bike. Hand in resume if: you want a team to ride with. I think the point of the team is to let anyone join.

WS United – They are the most focused sprinting team in the city. Fast, strong and aggresive. I thought there were great at Harlem. I just wish they yelled at people in races less.
Hand in resume if: you are a good sprinter

Bandit – Small 1/2 team. Race well together and can win races. Don’t race out of town much becuase they all work too much and are married. Hand in resume if: Live on the UES and have a graduate degree in Finance or Law and are a cat 1 or 2

Sommerville Sports – What is the deal with these guys never waving at other cyclists? Their new kit looks good and they have some good riders. Hand in resume if: I don’t know enough about this team to comment on this

NYVeolocity – I love this team. I like the humor they bring and thay they have brought so many new people into our little sport. They need to keep doing what they are doing. Hand in resume if: you are new to the sport and want to meet beginning racers

I will take requests to overview any teams I missed.

I can’t comment on the Women’s teams because I don’t know them.

Wheelsucker

Lisban has turned in excellent results in many NRC races, especially crits. He, Alejandro , Marty have done lots of big out of town stuff, so the previous comment is not only unfair but wrong.

CRCA Vital

I accept that comment from 11.02am. I appoligize and retract my statement and replace it with this one.

“Lisban landed on his feet by joining Foundation. He is arguably the best racer in NYC and is a consistant threat in the NRC races”

Wheelsucker

Mengoni needs a big upgrade.
They were a local institution but not
good when your leader is a 40+ rider who couldn’t
win a top Master’s race.
Wilson and Pollo can still turn in an occasional
big sprint but there best days are past.
Friesen had a good year and was there best rider.
Doubt he’ll be back.
Of the good younger riders they had, Salon has moved up,
Lisban has moved on and Bunde has been moved out.

Wheelsucker

Adler is cool – they race out of town, parks and cross and they are all pretty cool at the start line. No yelling and as long as you race they are down with you (i am not on adler).

Mengoni – like the kits but have had some bad luck in the past… Still great history and good core of veterans

DC Racing – like them because they focus on Track, Mtn and Cross and are all about having fun. No one is that fast but they have nice new kits, train hard and have good attitudes.

Colavita and Toga – Cause they are big into devloping juniors. Thats way cool…

WWV – Cause they are flat out intense and get results

NYVC – cause they develop new riders and race pretty much everything

Wheelsucker

Targetraining using earpeices at Bethel and Johnny Cake while DS Wolfe yells orders… funny but also a bit lame.

However, they have some serious talent and Lindine should be heading on to a better team with his results this year. Maybe join his hometown boy Guptill at Colavita?

Wheelsucker

“Bandit – Small 1/2 team. Race well together and can win races. Don’t race out of town much becuase they all work too much and are married. Hand in resume if: Live on the UES and have a graduate degree in Finance or Law and are a cat 1 or 2”

Also, Big Kudos to NYVC for sending so many guys to GMSR this weekend. Good luck to all CRCA racers!

Wheelsucker

Atocha – kid is getting good at the sprint and has to be one of the most improved racers in the past 2 years. 6th at Mengoni and he is 21. I think he will improve more and more and will make the Cat2 by late next year…

Wheelsucker

Adler: UMass Amherst – A party school with a huge student body. People have a good time while they’re they’re but don’t end up with good team prospects after graduation. They also take, shall we say, non-traditional students.

Empire: MIT – Hard working and precise. They’re always there and engineer wins. If you ride for Empire, your pro team prospects are good. Best team in the city but not snobby about it like their cross town rivals.

Foundation: Penn – Try to act like they’re a good school because they have Wharton but have a bunch of rude and rowdy in-state kids there for the cheap tuition.

Bandit: Princeton – Small school with pedigree. Great team but not over intense about it. Most live UES and drink too much, even the night before the big final.

ML: University of Phoenix – Mostly older guys who commute in but know what they’re there for. But don’t let the headlines fool you – they’ve placed riders really well into other teams like Empire and Bandit.

Comedy Central – Smith College – Good timing girls who aren’t afraid to mix it up with the Amherst boys. And they keep you wondering – Are they or aren’t they? Band together and have each other’s backs.

Now if team’s were bands, who would be who?

Wheelsucker

someone on here might qualify. could be cool to have some hook-up between NYVC and CN

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Wheelsucker

They had those two good looking guys front the band and the two funny looking dudes in the rythem section. Some great albums with some shit in between. Always looked like they were having fun in concert.

Wheelsucker

Ken, did you really write that? That post is weak.

Why would you call yourself Duke? You need to explain it more to make it funny/interesting.

Wheelsucka

Adler: ‘N Sync
Bandit: a drunk suit butchering any Alice in Chains song at your local Karaoke Night
Empire: The Killers
Foundation: Live Aid (you love ’em) ~or~ Inson & the Chipmunks (you hate ’em, i.e. the ______ of Central Park)
Mengoni: Frankie Vasquez & The Four Seasons (cool band … or so my parents told me)
Metro-Sanchez: any McDonald’s jingle (over 5 billion served)
NYVeloCity: your high school glee club
Setanta: Fugazi
WSU: Bone Thugs-n-Harmony

Wheelsucker

don’t create if the shit ain’t even funny

teams that haven’t been discussed:

sid’s
think/die-hard
champion systems
affinity
sommerville

Wheelsucker

-Bono award for biggest philanthropist: Foundation! They don’t have to do the good work that do.

-Amy Winehouse award for most talented train wreck: Devin Flaherty!!! Not a junior anymore so he’s fair game. Couldn’t hack it on sakonnet; all ego and bravado, no legs.

-Beetles award for most #1 hits: Sakonnet!!! they are pumping out pro cyclist assembly line style. Keep it up!!!

-Best new “artist”: Empire by a land slide. They breath new life into NYC cycling. And all ego’s aside, they make all of CRCA look good when they go head to head with the best riders in the country. Elite National TT championship is evidence!

-Life time achievements: GS Mengoni; “in the end, you start to think about the beginning.”-Brad Pitt. Mengoni literally helped make U.S. racing what it is, but today this team is Diana Ross; it’s best days seem to be behind. Looking forward to next seasons roster!

Wheelsucker

Sommerville was discussed – guys take themselves way to serious and are not the most friendly. Good park racers and I like the white kit. Pink kit is trying too hard…

Sids – great shop and nice team. Great Mtn Bikers and Latanzi is a top masters guy.

Affinity – pretty quiet this year. Chaput should be a 2 soon as he tears up the crits and Cuttler is having a nice season making the 3s. No one else seems to race. Would not be suprised if that team dismantles this year. Too bad Karl R did not race more. He has some real talent on the track and sprints.

Diehard? – Not much to say. They have probably the skinniest racer in NYC on the team.

Proasshit – who is actually on this team?

Setanta – after Reed left they are pretty much a park and gimbels team…

Also – there is that yellow and black CRCA team – what is their name? Not BVF.

Haig M.

I vote for Deno’s Wonder Wheel for the Old man team, but I’m biased. Global & Axis kick it hard locally for old guys too. Get to know the Sommerville guys, they’re not as scary as you think.

Wheelsucker

Adler: Midnight Oil (With Ken) or Hanson (without Ken)

Foundation: New Kids on the Block (tough but, well, you know…)

Empire: Red Hot Chili Peppers (hip but disjointed)

Blue Ribbon: The Eagles (old and grumpy)

Proasshit: Roxette (Danish but sound American)

Bandit: Velvet Underground (All Tomorrow’s Parties…)

Comedy Central: The Bengals (I’d Suzanna her Hoff)

Wheelsucker

i thought it would be about assembling your very own dream team of NYC amateur cyclists–like fantasy sports

A

That would be cool too. I draft John Lohner. Cool guy, calm in races, helps teammates, wins when he makes a break.

I hope he is feeling better after his fall.

Wheelsucker

yellow & black CRCA is just the non-sub team club jersey (“bumblebee”)

fyi University of Pennsylvania is not a state school. You are thinking of Penn State.

Wheelsucker

Captns – Loehner Empire and Roger A – WWV
Sprinters – Lisbon (huge talent) and Prensky (young but has huge upside)
Climbers – Taylor, Alden, Hoag
Breakaway specialists – Bremer, Lloyd, Chodroff
TTs – Will O, Chodroff
Workers – Slokar (huge upside and a cheap draft pick), Harris, Lattanzi, Malloy.

WHO

If team were diseases:

Adler: – Syphilis – serious condition, but you probably had a lot of fun getting it.

Empire: – Ebola – Commands the utmost respect from others, competitive with the best diseases out there.

NYVC: – Heart Disease – Large numbers are affected by this disease – does not discriminate who it afflicts, common with financial professionals

Foundation: – Irritable bowel syndrome – A scratch in the arse that nobody has figured out how to itch

Setanta: – Incontinence – You must always stay close to home with this one, therefore always race in the park

Wheelsucker

Penn is too a state school. Its named after the state you moron. And even if it weren’t, its still in that god-forsaken state so they’d pretty much have to give out free cheerleaders to any dude who goes there.

Wheelsucker

Not the same as Penn U. Penn U is Ivey League. Penn State rocks out with its cock out… PSU v. Michigan = most fun you can have off a bike.

Wheelsucka

Ha! I love when people aren’t satisfied with being wrong, they want to be dead wrong and aggro about it. Nice.

Disease post was a winner.

Senior

Hey if I had to be on a team it would be one where everyone knows your name, and there is support.

WonderWheels!!!!!

Wheelsucker

H.I.M. (The lead singer, at the very least is, you know, and no one can convince me otherwise.)

Jane’s Addiction (Perry Farrell is too. Even if he’s not, he is.)

Morrissey

Pansy Division

Pet Shop Boys

Soft Cell

Wheelsucker

what is so new wave about adler? they seem to be more creed/nickelback adult alternative. they really like coldplay, too.

Wheelsucker

Bandit: – Flesh Eating Bacteria – Interesting story how you got it, very rare, but hard to beat once it’s taken hold.

Summerville: – Aplastic Anemia – No effective immune system, must stay away from others.

Wheelsucker

University of Pennsylvania (“Penn”). Private, Ivy league school. I should know, I went there.
although my girlfriend was indeed a cheerleader, so you’re right about that.

Wheelfucker

Adler – BMW M3 – Euro, sexy, has at least one Asian in it

Metro Sanchez – Ford Taurus – Reliable, boring

Think/Die Hard – Whatever car noone cares about

Foundation – Greyhound bus on fire – Really huge, full of foreigners, bright red

Smilin' Bob

guess you won’t be seeing any more Enzyte commercials at next year’s Tour:

http://tinyurl.com/5acd5y

founder gets 25 years for Fraud. and his Ma gets 2 years!

adler reportedly devastated; will hold press conference shortly

Wheelsucker

“PENN grades sound like pricks.”

it’s grad, not grade. apparently you’re not one.

sounds like we need a literacy argument.

Wheelsucker

Guards Lisban (Foudation)
Guard Roger A (WWV)
Forward J Burrowes (WSU
Power Foward J Loener (Empire)
Center J Coehoff (however his name is spelled)Empire

Six Man Sprinter R Lowe (WSU)

Reserves
Guards Nick Friesen (Mengoni)
Guard Guzman (Foundation)
Forward D Taylor(Blue Ribbon)
Power Foward K Harris(Adler)
Center W O Donnell (WWV)

Six Man Sprinter Wilson V (Mengoni)

Upstate Local

I am not promoting this race but I hope more people sign up. East Coast NORBA Nationals were a huge hit and the pros loved the venue and town. I grew up in the Catskills and still go home to visit and ride the killer terrain a few times a month. The two days have absolute killer loops. Some long flat sections, some short steep rollers, long climbs (4 miles plus) and some long fast downhills (day 2 we descend 23 down East Windham -6- 8 miles at about 45plus MPH). Both days are kind of like Battenkill Roubaix on steroids but without the dirt – longer steeper climbs. Day 1 looks harder going east on County Route 10 but Day 2 we climb Susquehanna Turnpike. That is one brutal climb. Local racers to come out of Windham are Lindine and Guptill to name a few (both road for mtn outfitters).

Also – Both host towns have great hotels at all prices riding distance to the starts and there are lots of great places to eat after the race. Diners to 4 start restaurants.

Windham and Hunter are ski towns so there is alot going on and I think once people do these loops this race will be up there with the best in the North East. So if you like to climb and love nice roads will hardly any cars, then sign up~

Wheelsucker

The Catskills race looks great. Unfortunately, it’s the week after GMSR. Many city dwellers don’t have cars so the rental, plus logistics of disembarking from an apt etc make a 2nd weekend out of town tough. Would love to do it though. Good luck with it, I hope it’s a huge success.

Wheelsucker

There are a bunch of guys who are from Spin City Team… Got on their website: http://www.spincityteam.net and they look pretty serious? Any notable stuff? How are they riding in races? Looking to contact them because they are in my area: Queens/ Middle Village. Get back to me with something useful, please!

Wheelsucker

Bought my first road bike there a few years ago after being a Mtn XC racer for years. Nice owner, nice shop and great mechanic. Glad the shop is still doing well and is sponsoring a team.

Wheelsucker

I love what Meng Li from Spin City put in his bio.

Reason to ride: To get kisses from hot girls at the finish line

Wheelsucker

It’s true – that’s why he hasn’t been racing much this season.

Doers anyone know who the other guy in the group is? Does he ride as well?

Wheelsucker

Mengoni out of Univest. Either they didn’t want to go or they werent invited. Either way a big fall for the once mighty team.

Wheelsucker

Meng Li is listed as 5’6, 165 lbs.
Unless he goes on a crash diet, he won’t be getting many podium girl kisses any time soon.

Wheelsucker

Their website http://www.spincityteam.net looks pretty up to date.

Doesn’t compare to all the stuff that Organic has on theirs, but after them they are pretty close. I wish all teams would have more updates about races and stuff like these guys. You have to appreciate someone who’s behind the scenes and adding all that stuff so everybody can read/ see what’s going on.

Tell me if I’m wrong and get back with some links also to back it up (local teams only!).

Another big wheelsucker.

A. Wheelsucker

I haven’t seen him in a while but Chris Louden would be a strong member of any sprinter’s team.

baby cobra

Was there some memo put out that I missed about the need to wave to other cyclists? do you wave to other people driving cars when you are driving yours? do you wave to subway passengers when you’re on the subway? probably not.

I thought the only people that waved anonymously to each other were boaters, and boaters are fucking lame. Do you want to be lame too? Go ahead and wave then.

baby cobra

They probably have multiple kits because they wanted multiple kits. go ride your cervelo with your gel taped to your top tube bitch.

Wheelsucker

So you are one of the lame way too cool for everyone Sommerville guys… Keep waving on your shite Alum racer.

Wheelsucker

Drivers: common.
Subway riders: common.

Another cyclist? uncommon. I wave at all the racers. The commuters… I try to keep my hands on the bars, ’cause they’re wobbly/squirrely.

In a city of 8 million, you wave at someone who has a shared passion.

CARLOS

IT’S A NEW TEAM OUT OF QUEENS. WE JUST LOVE TO RIDE HARD AND HAVE FUN. WE’VE GOTTEN SOME RESULTS NOW LATE IN THE YEAR BUT WE STILL HAVE THIS MONTH COMING. MENG LI IS HILAROUS AND A GREAT GUY. HE’ HAS POTENTIAL AND WE’RE WAITING FOR HIM TO STEP UP. BIG PROPS TO CIUPY FOR MAINTAINING OUR SITE. HE DOESN’T GET ANYTHING OUT OF IT, I THINK HE DOES IT CAUSE HE LOVES THE SPORT AND WE ARE FRIENDS FIRST THEN TEAM MATES. HOPEFULLY YOU’LL HERE MORE ABOUT US IN THE FUTURE.

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