Holy shit. What a muddy course.
The course at Taneytown favored the strong and the smart. I was neither. After I blew my wad trying to get up to the front of the race, I realized that perhaps I had too much air in my tires, not enough tread, and that I was a horrible bike handler. The sopping wet 9am course was practically 50% mud, a majority of which was 4-7 inches deep. Add in a few off-camber sections and I had myself a miserable slopfest. I started getting hung up on the fact that I wanted to ride through sections that were impossible to ride, which ultimately had me dismounting from a dead stop in peanut butter-thick mud. I then tried to make up time in the sections that were slightly more rideable, which is where I found myself sliding and falling all over the place. In the middle of the race I rode directly over some plastic rebar that was supposedly there to hold the tape up and define the course. I used it like a stripper pole for my bicycle, straddling and grinding on it with my bottom bracket. You had to be there, I guess. With all the mistakes I made, I was just happy to be able to cross the finish line in one muddy piece and I headed off the the hose to clean off the bike. Being a wrench, I figured I would be a pretty effective bike washer. I stood in line for a while shivering in my warm-up jacket and mud-caked embrocation, relishing the thought of my super efficient bike wash. I had it all planned out in my head and scoffed at the others' lengthy turns at the hose. It was finally my turn and I did everything I had planned out in my head. Chain, cassette, crank, wheels and even the underside of my saddle all met with the icy blast from that Taneytown spigot. I completed my wash in about half the time that the others took and arrogantly handed off the hose to the next guy. I proudly looked at my bike as I was walking away expecting to see a sparkling example of how a proper bike wash should look, but what I saw instead was a bike still half-caked in mud. I may have gotten the majority of the grass clumps out from behind my bottom bracket, but I still had turf and muck packed in my derailleur pulleys, shifters, and pedals. As my bike dried off, a filmy residue of dirt revealed itself as well as my mediocre bike washing skills. The course itself was a blast and I honestly did enjoy my experience in Taneytown, but be warned that if you're anything like me, the mud mirage is a dangerous beast. It'll have you tripping over yourself in a race-crazed stupor and perpetually cleaning your bikes. I hope it's dry at Reston...
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The R-M Complex
Dammit. I'm getting a bit of cabin fever. It's Tuesday. It's only been two days since I last rode my bike, but I'm getting all antsy. I should've just manned up and rode the 'cross bike in the rain, but it's dirty and I want to clean it before I get it dirty again. I know that doesn't make sense. It's part of my bipolar racer-mechanic complex. Racers are naturally careless when it comes to the upkeep of their bikes. Mechanics are usually obsessed with keeping their bikes in proper running order, even if they're weird frankenbikes. I tuned up my 'cross bike before the weekend's racing, scrubbed and relubed the entire drivetrain, and gave whole thing a pretty thorough wipe down. Then on Saturday and Sunday, I dragged the bike through the mud, sand, and wet grass that only two 9 a.m. 'cross races can provide. And now she justly deserves some much needed TLC before I take her out again into the muck and the mire. My mountain bike on the other hand stays dirty. That's because she's a ho.
I'm definitely riding tomorrow. Rain or shine. I can't let cabin fever get to me. It's not even December yet. What am I gonna do when the 'cross season ends? It probably doesn't help that my life is surrounded by bikes or that I spend an inordinate amount of time on crossresults.com keeping an eye on my nemeses' results. But I promise you that I am not becoming a stats-obsessed geek. We all know that that is slippery road to follow and usually ends in... *gasp!* fantasy football. Dun dun dunnnnn.
I'm definitely riding tomorrow. Rain or shine. I can't let cabin fever get to me. It's not even December yet. What am I gonna do when the 'cross season ends? It probably doesn't help that my life is surrounded by bikes or that I spend an inordinate amount of time on crossresults.com keeping an eye on my nemeses' results. But I promise you that I am not becoming a stats-obsessed geek. We all know that that is slippery road to follow and usually ends in... *gasp!* fantasy football. Dun dun dunnnnn.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Tour of Whacko (a TOWC post)
The MABRA Google group is all afire at the moment about the Tour of Washington County (TOWC). The 2010 season was scheduled recently and I guess all the organizers are planning out their races. The issue at hand for the TOWC is whether or not they should make the race a single bike race; that is, to make riders race the time trial on road bikes. One of the main reasons for this debate is the idea that a one-bike stage race would level the playing field for those who can't afford a TT bike. It also would simplify travel arrangements by not requiring teams to bring two bikes for each rider. But it's hard to figure out where to draw the line. Should they allow clip-ons? Aero helmets? What about deep-dish wheels? What about deep-dish pizzas? I'm pretty much nay on all those options, especially the pizza because everyone knows the Italian Store pizza can never be beat.
Mmmmmm....
Pizza.....
*drool*
Back to the issue at hand, here's what I have to say:
It's a STAGE race.
It's not YOUR stage race.
It seems like a majority of people are saying something along the lines of "Yes. Good idea in theory. No. It won't affect whether or not I race this race." So from what I understand with my limited, albeit drunken, understanding of English, if there's a time trial in the race people are going to race it. If they've spent a shit-ton of money on a TT bike, they want to use it but generally understand why this issue is being raised. If they've spent a medium-shit's worth of money on their TT bike, they also would still like to use it and also understand the "level playing field" logic. If TT bikes conjure thoughts of a different type of bowel movement (poop, not cash) for some riders and they refuse to own a TT bike, they would rather not compete against their more aero cousins but will probably come race anyways. I think either way, racers want to justify their purchases (or lack thereof) and be able to use the equipment they've invested time and money on.
About a year ago, I had to make a decision about what my next bike was going to be. Yes. I am aware I make these decisions nearly every hour. In this particular case, I was choosing between a time trial bike and a cyclocross bike. It wasn't even a close decision. I chose the muddier, more fun of the two. I don't regret it. I was never going to use a TT bike anyways, but for a few occasions, and even then I don't think it would have mattered given the fact that I am ungodly slow no matter what bike I ride. I took to racing 'cross and I'm having a lot of fun doing it. The format is just how I like it, short and miserable, and there's beer at the end. As I line up at races, a quick glance at the other bikes reveals that not everyone has a 'cross bike. People have lined up with their hybrids, hardtails, single-speeds, full-sussers, and road bikes. I don't complain that they're mucking up my race, tainting the sport, or creating long lines between me and the beer tent. They don't worry about racing against faster guys or level playing fields or the crazy dude behind them in line that should have been cut off after his first beer. Everyone just wants to race. The TWOC organizers should not have posted this issue to the MABRA group, especially knowing the type of response they would get from such a roadie-dense area like D.C. Just set the race up and the racers will come. Let them figure out how to race it.
For what it's worth, I'm all for adding a challenging, huge ass climb into the TT.
Also:
If you want a level playing field, race in a velodrome. Track racing is about as standardized as you can get with regards to bike setup. The only thing to consider is that while the bike might be more uniform on the track, the riders are definitely not. So expect at some point to be racing against some big-legged muscle man, who looks like he spends his free time at the gym doing squats with Mini Coopers on his back. How are you going to level the playing field with this one?
Mmmmmm....
Pizza.....
*drool*
Back to the issue at hand, here's what I have to say:
It's a STAGE race.
It's not YOUR stage race.
It seems like a majority of people are saying something along the lines of "Yes. Good idea in theory. No. It won't affect whether or not I race this race." So from what I understand with my limited, albeit drunken, understanding of English, if there's a time trial in the race people are going to race it. If they've spent a shit-ton of money on a TT bike, they want to use it but generally understand why this issue is being raised. If they've spent a medium-shit's worth of money on their TT bike, they also would still like to use it and also understand the "level playing field" logic. If TT bikes conjure thoughts of a different type of bowel movement (poop, not cash) for some riders and they refuse to own a TT bike, they would rather not compete against their more aero cousins but will probably come race anyways. I think either way, racers want to justify their purchases (or lack thereof) and be able to use the equipment they've invested time and money on.
About a year ago, I had to make a decision about what my next bike was going to be. Yes. I am aware I make these decisions nearly every hour. In this particular case, I was choosing between a time trial bike and a cyclocross bike. It wasn't even a close decision. I chose the muddier, more fun of the two. I don't regret it. I was never going to use a TT bike anyways, but for a few occasions, and even then I don't think it would have mattered given the fact that I am ungodly slow no matter what bike I ride. I took to racing 'cross and I'm having a lot of fun doing it. The format is just how I like it, short and miserable, and there's beer at the end. As I line up at races, a quick glance at the other bikes reveals that not everyone has a 'cross bike. People have lined up with their hybrids, hardtails, single-speeds, full-sussers, and road bikes. I don't complain that they're mucking up my race, tainting the sport, or creating long lines between me and the beer tent. They don't worry about racing against faster guys or level playing fields or the crazy dude behind them in line that should have been cut off after his first beer. Everyone just wants to race. The TWOC organizers should not have posted this issue to the MABRA group, especially knowing the type of response they would get from such a roadie-dense area like D.C. Just set the race up and the racers will come. Let them figure out how to race it.
For what it's worth, I'm all for adding a challenging, huge ass climb into the TT.
Also:
If you want a level playing field, race in a velodrome. Track racing is about as standardized as you can get with regards to bike setup. The only thing to consider is that while the bike might be more uniform on the track, the riders are definitely not. So expect at some point to be racing against some big-legged muscle man, who looks like he spends his free time at the gym doing squats with Mini Coopers on his back. How are you going to level the playing field with this one?
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Flats and Valves
Shit. I hate flat tires. I change them every day at work and I take special precautions to prevent having one myself. These precautions include pumping my tires to their correct pressure, proper tire selection, going tubeless with Stan's sealant when appropriate, and generally not being a dumbass.
I had a flat this morning. When I get a flat, I must know what caused it. It's important to do this kind of inspection to avoid a similar puncture and wasting another tube. I usually do this for customers; pulling thumbtacks, glass shards, and other debris out of their tires. And while that's just good customer service, I feel it is especially important to do this check when I personally get a flat because it also prevents my Hulk-like alcohol-fueled rage from boiling over. What caused my flat today? I thought I had the toughest, most pinch flat-resistant tires available, so what on earth could have done this?
A tiny, loose valve core. That's it. That's all that caused my flat. There wasn't a hole in the tube and after a couple hundred miles on them, the tires barely have a scratch. It was a stupid presta valve core that had loosen slightly as I unwound a sticky locknut, thus letting air seep out slowly overnight. Unfortunately, I only found this out after I had pulled the extremely tight tire off the rim. All that work for such an easy fix. Damn. I could have been drinking.
Who's to blame? Triathletes, of course. I blame them and their deep dish clinchers and their silly, pain in the ass valve extenders. Those damn valve extenders barely work half the time too. If I wanted to mess with plumber's tape and have ambiguous tire pressure readings, I'd trip acid and attack everyone in Super Mario World with a frame pump only to be ultimately defeated by a plumber's tape-wrapped Koopa Troopa mummy. [ed - Hey, I don't pick my trips. They pick me.] The point is, people should get the right tube the first time around. Then those piece of shit valve extenders would be obsolete and I wouldn't have had a flat this morning. See? It's a win-win!
I had a flat this morning. When I get a flat, I must know what caused it. It's important to do this kind of inspection to avoid a similar puncture and wasting another tube. I usually do this for customers; pulling thumbtacks, glass shards, and other debris out of their tires. And while that's just good customer service, I feel it is especially important to do this check when I personally get a flat because it also prevents my Hulk-like alcohol-fueled rage from boiling over. What caused my flat today? I thought I had the toughest, most pinch flat-resistant tires available, so what on earth could have done this?
A tiny, loose valve core. That's it. That's all that caused my flat. There wasn't a hole in the tube and after a couple hundred miles on them, the tires barely have a scratch. It was a stupid presta valve core that had loosen slightly as I unwound a sticky locknut, thus letting air seep out slowly overnight. Unfortunately, I only found this out after I had pulled the extremely tight tire off the rim. All that work for such an easy fix. Damn. I could have been drinking.
Who's to blame? Triathletes, of course. I blame them and their deep dish clinchers and their silly, pain in the ass valve extenders. Those damn valve extenders barely work half the time too. If I wanted to mess with plumber's tape and have ambiguous tire pressure readings, I'd trip acid and attack everyone in Super Mario World with a frame pump only to be ultimately defeated by a plumber's tape-wrapped Koopa Troopa mummy. [ed - Hey, I don't pick my trips. They pick me.] The point is, people should get the right tube the first time around. Then those piece of shit valve extenders would be obsolete and I wouldn't have had a flat this morning. See? It's a win-win!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Year After Year
Just saw that the MABRA racing calendar has been posted for 2010 and I am super pumped for the season. Now I just have to find a team and some fitness. Too bad I'm having too much fun getting drunk and racing cross right now. One of them has got to go eventually, but it's so hard to decide between them when they seem so right for each other.
Speaking of amateurism, CyclingNews posted an article about the Lance Effect yesterday. Apparently USA Cycling experiences a 5-percent growth in membership whenever Lance is riding his bike, versus 3.3-percent growth in 2007 and 2008 when he was retired. I don't know too much about statistics, but I feel like this report might be jumping the gun. While the article does make it clear that USA Cycling isn't sure to what degree the Lance Effect has increased membership, it does say that Lance was significant contributing factor.
Lance retired in 2005 and didn't start racing again until 2009. Membership growth was still growing in 2006 after he retired. What's to say that 2007 and 2008 weren't just off years for racing bikes? Or that there was a huge epidemic that turned all but a few, sane cyclists into triathletes those years? I'm not saying that Lance isn't good for the sport. And due to my aversion to all math-related topics, I am certainly not suggesting that we do an actual statistical study on the Lance Effect. I just think that a 1.7-percent decrease could be a fluke. Also if you want to promote cycling in the US and see what motivates people to ride and race their bikes, you can't just rely on the "Oh! It must be Lance!" adage. I also think that USA Cycling should hire me as a consultant and hire a statistician for me to boss around and make my domestique.
Speaking of amateurism, CyclingNews posted an article about the Lance Effect yesterday. Apparently USA Cycling experiences a 5-percent growth in membership whenever Lance is riding his bike, versus 3.3-percent growth in 2007 and 2008 when he was retired. I don't know too much about statistics, but I feel like this report might be jumping the gun. While the article does make it clear that USA Cycling isn't sure to what degree the Lance Effect has increased membership, it does say that Lance was significant contributing factor.
Lance retired in 2005 and didn't start racing again until 2009. Membership growth was still growing in 2006 after he retired. What's to say that 2007 and 2008 weren't just off years for racing bikes? Or that there was a huge epidemic that turned all but a few, sane cyclists into triathletes those years? I'm not saying that Lance isn't good for the sport. And due to my aversion to all math-related topics, I am certainly not suggesting that we do an actual statistical study on the Lance Effect. I just think that a 1.7-percent decrease could be a fluke. Also if you want to promote cycling in the US and see what motivates people to ride and race their bikes, you can't just rely on the "Oh! It must be Lance!" adage. I also think that USA Cycling should hire me as a consultant and hire a statistician for me to boss around and make my domestique.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Thieving
I am alive. It was a bit shaky there for a moment. I spent Sunday getting cross-eyed at the new Tacchino Cross course out in Rosaryville. Soon after that I spent the rest of my morning getting schwastey-faced on beers, sausages, frites, and cookies. There's nothing like saying "Good morning, World!" with a grueling bike race, lots of food, and finishing it off with a hangover by 1pm. I pretty much spent the rest of the day napping. It was great.
In other news, I accidentally lifted a copy of Bicycling Magazine from the library yesterday. Imagine my shame when I found it in my backpack today. I'm embarrassed for two reasons. Firstly, I shouldn't be stealing from libraries. They provide a useful community service and have many resources that I use on a regular basis, like books with pictures in them and a place to drink in peace and eventually pass out (aka "take a study nap"). Secondly, Bicycling Magazine isn't all that great. It's generally regarded as the Mickey Mouse of all cycling publications. Every issue has something about "How to Tackle That Century." I'm not sure they know that riding a century is not about riding a bike for a hundred years. A century is actually referring to a hundred-mile bike ride that most cyclists can do with out a single-page article telling them to eat regularly and go slower than you would on a shorter ride. I didn't really fancy the eight-page Rapha clothing advertisement either. With jerseys and shorts averaging $180/pc and an ad showing off cyclists riding up a cold mountain without helmets, I will have to politely decline their generous offer to buy their stuff and look like any of those dweebs. I did however enjoy their Custom-Bike Buyer's Guide, though it could have benefited from a frame builder's perspective. Whatever. It's not like I can afford one of those frames at the moment either. So for the price of $11 for a year's subscription, I guess I should have some Bicycling Magazine sent my way. It'll keep myself and my library on much friendlier terms. Plus I'll have stuff to read when I'm sitting on the toilet.
In other news, I accidentally lifted a copy of Bicycling Magazine from the library yesterday. Imagine my shame when I found it in my backpack today. I'm embarrassed for two reasons. Firstly, I shouldn't be stealing from libraries. They provide a useful community service and have many resources that I use on a regular basis, like books with pictures in them and a place to drink in peace and eventually pass out (aka "take a study nap"). Secondly, Bicycling Magazine isn't all that great. It's generally regarded as the Mickey Mouse of all cycling publications. Every issue has something about "How to Tackle That Century." I'm not sure they know that riding a century is not about riding a bike for a hundred years. A century is actually referring to a hundred-mile bike ride that most cyclists can do with out a single-page article telling them to eat regularly and go slower than you would on a shorter ride. I didn't really fancy the eight-page Rapha clothing advertisement either. With jerseys and shorts averaging $180/pc and an ad showing off cyclists riding up a cold mountain without helmets, I will have to politely decline their generous offer to buy their stuff and look like any of those dweebs. I did however enjoy their Custom-Bike Buyer's Guide, though it could have benefited from a frame builder's perspective. Whatever. It's not like I can afford one of those frames at the moment either. So for the price of $11 for a year's subscription, I guess I should have some Bicycling Magazine sent my way. It'll keep myself and my library on much friendlier terms. Plus I'll have stuff to read when I'm sitting on the toilet.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Use What You've Got
"Fucking pack rat!"
That's what they call me at the shop. One man's trash is another man's treasure is all I have to say. Why would I let perfectly rideable bike parts go to waste? I have the mechanical expertise and low enough standards that I can ride just about anything. As a result, my place is covered in bike stuff. It's a tinkerer's paradise (tinker, not tinkle). And while I try to keep all these components organized and out of the way, I usually end up rolling over a fixed gear cog or inner tube in bed.
Why would anyone put up with this lifestyle, you ask? Because it's totally worth it, that's why! I have parts galore and being surrounded by them only further motivates me to build more bikes, for better or worse. It also helps when I break something, which I frequently do. And they're great if you have plans to eventually upgrade one of your bikes. You never know when you'll need that extra set of carbon bars or ultra-light pedals. I've been sitting on a older model Fox TALAS RLC fork for a while now. I had been holding on to this thing for a while in the hopes that I'd possibly build a XC/Trail bike around it, but for my particular mtb riding needs, I don't require all the gears and gizmos. It's really hard to talk myself out of building another bike. REALLY. HARD. Once I came back down to earth, I settled on upgrading my current rig, a Surly 1x1. Its crappy RaceFace bottom bracket had seized over the years due to a complete lack of maintenance and uber-crappy seals. Disc brakes were another thing I figured the bike deserved, since I had chosen V-brakes originally to skimp on the overall build price. So now I need new wheels and they might as well be nice. With my head fully back in the clouds at this point, I figured a Chris King bottom bracket and ISO Singlespeed hubset built to some NoTubes rims should do the trick. I'll get them in pink to match my CK headset too. Pimpalicious!
Unfortunately, while we do get hooked up with EP forms and discounted parts at the shop, few manufacturers recognize empty bottles of Scotch and malt liquor as legal tender (though we do use them as trophies for hobo fights). So I've squandered my money on alcoholic beverages for the past couple months, which probably contributed to the recent batch of lofty daydreams/hallucinations, and now sober I have to figure out how I'm going to afford the last few bits I need on a drunk mechanic's salary. What to do, what to do... Keep hoarding, that's what! I figured I can keep an eye out for parts that will get me running on the suspension fork while I wait to order shiny new Chris King part.
Today, I found a trashed front disc wheel, a 160mm rotor and a mechanical disc brake caliper in the parts bin. The rim was toast but the hub was still in decent shape or at least was something that I have no qualms riding for free. Bought a cheap Mavic rim and some 14ga spokes. BOOM! I'm gonna be running on a new front disc and suspension setup by the end of the week. Sure it's a little ghetto, a little half-assed, but it's all about small steps right now. Plus, it's the off-season for us at the bike shop and I needed something to keep these hands busy. The wheel I built is split across the diameter of the rim with silver spokes on one side and black spokes on the other with black brass nipples on the disc-side and purple alloy nipples on the other side. It's the Purple Nurple Especial. See you on the trails!
That's what they call me at the shop. One man's trash is another man's treasure is all I have to say. Why would I let perfectly rideable bike parts go to waste? I have the mechanical expertise and low enough standards that I can ride just about anything. As a result, my place is covered in bike stuff. It's a tinkerer's paradise (tinker, not tinkle). And while I try to keep all these components organized and out of the way, I usually end up rolling over a fixed gear cog or inner tube in bed.
Why would anyone put up with this lifestyle, you ask? Because it's totally worth it, that's why! I have parts galore and being surrounded by them only further motivates me to build more bikes, for better or worse. It also helps when I break something, which I frequently do. And they're great if you have plans to eventually upgrade one of your bikes. You never know when you'll need that extra set of carbon bars or ultra-light pedals. I've been sitting on a older model Fox TALAS RLC fork for a while now. I had been holding on to this thing for a while in the hopes that I'd possibly build a XC/Trail bike around it, but for my particular mtb riding needs, I don't require all the gears and gizmos. It's really hard to talk myself out of building another bike. REALLY. HARD. Once I came back down to earth, I settled on upgrading my current rig, a Surly 1x1. Its crappy RaceFace bottom bracket had seized over the years due to a complete lack of maintenance and uber-crappy seals. Disc brakes were another thing I figured the bike deserved, since I had chosen V-brakes originally to skimp on the overall build price. So now I need new wheels and they might as well be nice. With my head fully back in the clouds at this point, I figured a Chris King bottom bracket and ISO Singlespeed hubset built to some NoTubes rims should do the trick. I'll get them in pink to match my CK headset too. Pimpalicious!
Unfortunately, while we do get hooked up with EP forms and discounted parts at the shop, few manufacturers recognize empty bottles of Scotch and malt liquor as legal tender (though we do use them as trophies for hobo fights). So I've squandered my money on alcoholic beverages for the past couple months, which probably contributed to the recent batch of lofty daydreams/hallucinations, and now sober I have to figure out how I'm going to afford the last few bits I need on a drunk mechanic's salary. What to do, what to do... Keep hoarding, that's what! I figured I can keep an eye out for parts that will get me running on the suspension fork while I wait to order shiny new Chris King part.
Today, I found a trashed front disc wheel, a 160mm rotor and a mechanical disc brake caliper in the parts bin. The rim was toast but the hub was still in decent shape or at least was something that I have no qualms riding for free. Bought a cheap Mavic rim and some 14ga spokes. BOOM! I'm gonna be running on a new front disc and suspension setup by the end of the week. Sure it's a little ghetto, a little half-assed, but it's all about small steps right now. Plus, it's the off-season for us at the bike shop and I needed something to keep these hands busy. The wheel I built is split across the diameter of the rim with silver spokes on one side and black spokes on the other with black brass nipples on the disc-side and purple alloy nipples on the other side. It's the Purple Nurple Especial. See you on the trails!
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