tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117921802011-07-28T09:30:27.495-04:00...the trials, triumphs, and tribulations of a young "master's level" bike racer. <br>warning: it may bore you to death if it doesn't convince you to get out and ride your bike.40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.comBlogger1121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-62074631254189960002009-10-12T12:36:00.003-04:002009-10-12T12:41:09.849-04:00

Well, since I deleted two years worth of powertap data (see previous post), I may as well summarize what I've done/learned since I got the powertap. 1. Usually I don't have much stamina or brains for racing before 8am. This may be due to my living situation on the lower east side where it's impossible to get to bed early on a Saturday night. Otherwise I'm a fair all arounder when my head is in

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-87266942605998234382009-10-12T12:22:00.003-04:002009-10-12T12:24:37.384-04:00

A week ago I accidentally deleted myself as a user in Saris PowerAgent. I have the latest version (7.4.4) of the software; when I clicked delete I was prompted once "Are you sure you want to delete User?". I hit the enter button in haste and because the default option is "OK," I deleted myself as a user and also deleted two years worth of racing and training data. Finally today I got around to

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-25894271221301116652009-08-19T14:58:00.003-04:002009-08-23T12:07:17.865-04:00

My last post was about winning. This time it's about getting dropped. It's happened twice this year, both times at Floyd Bennet Field, both times in the 1/2/3 race, on the backstretch near the old finish line. It was on very windy days. The backstretch is completely flat but on windy days I should approach it like a steep hill. When a little gap opens up, it's just as tough as being on a steep

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-6514155115333731432009-08-17T11:55:00.015-04:002009-08-17T12:44:50.722-04:00

It doesn't happen often - but sometimes I win. Since this is an open personal diary (more so than anything else), I'm writing this post to remember what I did in the days prior to a win.Sunday: governor's island bike raceMonday: very easy 17 mile spinTuesday: offWednesday: podiumWearing glasses full time also helps me see things up the road, even when there's nothing there. This is me off the

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-42323273523350803072009-08-05T11:17:00.006-04:002009-08-05T12:39:47.528-04:00

Downloaded the powertap data and was surprised at what the numbers show. Even though there were a lot of accelerations in the race, the numbers show a near "personal best" for 30 minutes power output (cough cough).That would explain why later in the race I was unable to keep up with accelerations. Normally I have little trouble keeping up with riders accelerating but when the endurance number is

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-3122126380005750182009-08-04T23:16:00.011-04:002009-08-05T12:45:11.730-04:00

Upgraded to the 3's, here's my lame FBF race report:I was pretty psyched see a guy in Team Bissel kit at the start line with us... racing with a pro! The conditions indicated there'd be a break as it was very windy. The first few laps (in the 1/2/3 field) were much more aggressive than in the 3/4s, with hard efforts followed by periods of relative calm and me sucking wheels. I should have been

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-36248559743751205212009-07-30T18:57:00.007-04:002009-07-30T19:19:56.317-04:00

My last post was about over-training in order to (hopefully) bring about a peak. Unfortunately the event I was peaking for, (NY State Master's Track championship) was canceled this year. According to the officials, the reason was too low of turnout but I think it had to do with the bad weather that was predicted for the weekend. New York does not have an indoor velodrome, although one may be in

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-78498527564800454082009-07-17T09:21:00.001-04:002009-07-17T09:21:49.050-04:00

It's been a hard 3 days in a row of racing. I raced Floyd on Tuesday night and did not make the break. Wednesday I raced at the track and qualified for the "A" feature. And last night rode to and raced at Rockleigh with several team mates, it felt very hard, was in several moves but not in the two-man break. Got 4th in the field sprint.My body feels different, happy and tired bike racer.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-6775905369484914022009-07-15T00:51:00.005-04:002009-07-15T00:57:26.951-04:00

Lacking sufficient time for a long ride this weekend I decided to do repeats up the Williamsburg bridge on Sunday night. I warmed up a bit then used 50x17 gearing to get to the first apex where the path splits, sprinting most of the way. I think it's about 600 meters. Monday I did not ride at all, would have been good to go for a light spin.Raced FBF tonight and felt a little jagged, like I was

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-232024639427491312009-06-24T13:26:00.007-04:002009-07-09T15:33:37.626-04:00

Highbridge park is an Urban park in New York City with a nice technical mountain bike course.I recently learned of this free race series. It runs on alternate Thursdays at Highbridge and sponsored by NYC Velo.More information available at the website nycmtb.com.On a different note...Up until just a few days ago we've been having rain non stop in New York City. The sun is finally starting to peek

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-25022711136056391962009-06-17T13:57:00.007-04:002009-06-18T14:20:41.243-04:00

Poor positioning. I was in the wind for most of the 340 meter long(!) sprint to the line at Floyd Bennett Field last night.It may have been wiser be more patient. When a sprint containing the leaders erupted on the left I knew I had to go with it, even though I was on the far right. Unfortunately I sprinted in a straight line instead of attempting to bridge over to the left. Probably safer this

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-74039328787644777292009-06-06T15:39:00.006-04:002009-06-09T21:20:02.107-04:00

In 2008/2009 I had to spend more time than I would have liked visiting my dentist. One reason being that I had two cavities on my front teeth, specifically on my canines.How is this related to cycling? Well, the dentist was surprised by the fact that someone my age had cavities there. We talked about possible etiology and after ruling out methamphetamine use, I'm mildly certain this condition has

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-83247259022907574672009-05-06T22:47:00.008-04:002009-05-07T11:40:38.309-04:00

The muscle memory came back and I remembered how to sprint starting with the second race of the night. My bud Al Barouh pipped me at the line for points in the first race of the evening, and I think the brain fired a signal to the engine room. The signal was the one that triggers the desire to race hard, oxygen debt is good, and give 100% when there's less than that left in the bank. Quite simply

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-53024002066626432292009-04-29T09:56:00.032-04:002009-04-29T13:27:17.380-04:00

A fun filled two days of racing. Made some tactical errors, lost some races, placed in others. It was a busy event, with nearly 100 registered racers across all fields. Raced the Makino, with 32h box-section clinchers.The kilometer is a 2.5 lap timetrial, and I would describe it as the most dreadful minute and half one can spend on a bike. The only thought going through my head at lap 1.5 is, "

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-68791263466487203982009-04-03T13:43:00.014-04:002009-04-04T11:04:42.837-04:00

I took this out for it's first real ride yesterday and it rides.But it got me thinking... about the fact that for some unknowable reason I am drawn to second-hand frames.It may be because they resonate with a different frequency than a new bike. Or it may be that a used bike has a bit of mystery. My own naivité contributes greatly to this theory -- I have no clue whose name is written (in Kanjii)

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-29449088550845175212009-03-08T15:23:00.011-04:002009-03-08T16:21:35.037-04:00

There are reasons why we bikers often feel like we're not getting the respect we deserve on the road. First, bikes are small and weak. We don't pose much of a threat to vehicles. Second, bikes can be unpredictable in relation to cars.I do a few things to get more r-e-s-p-e-c-t on the road. These are just my personal opinions.1. Use hand signals and take the lane. If I don't feel like there's

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-44642275731307908772009-02-24T15:57:00.005-05:002009-02-24T18:40:49.179-05:00

This looks like a simple and clever solution, the name of the product explains exactly what it does.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-5426466595323445752009-02-23T12:23:00.014-05:002009-02-24T01:32:20.426-05:00

I apologize if my previous nutrition post sounded like a shill for Hammer products or strawberry Yoo-hoo. I'm not paid or endorsed by anyone to write.If you expected to read something bike related, this time check Matthew's blog at no one line. He's a good writer and I really enjoyed the Stephen Roche video on his site..

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-86632557906120225432009-02-14T00:15:00.055-05:002009-02-23T12:21:17.280-05:00

One of the things about being a cyclist is that at some point, you will find yourself in an unfamiliar situation, ill prepared, and success will come through perseverance and maybe improvisation.Last week I scheduled a longish morning ride with two friends, both bike messengers and strong amateur racers. I also decided to skip breakfast. Instead of eating I'd prepared a flask of Hammer Perpetuem

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1940574219998083742009-01-09T13:40:00.002-05:002009-01-09T13:43:41.156-05:00

Ritchey Tom Slick "Fortress" tire with metal shardOriginally uploaded by 40x14But it's coming soon. One thing about winter riding is that the roads often contain hidden surprises. Starting in November I installed a set of Ritchey's tom slick "fortress" tires. I don't know if these are still made or not, but they're pretty tough. For example, I pulled this metal shard out of the tire and the

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-78500844130245588132008-12-01T15:36:00.017-05:002009-01-08T01:41:39.239-05:00

It was a lot of fun and a huge success!Kudos to the organizers, the sausage and waffle makers, the DJ, and everyone who participated. I hope it returns next year, in multiples.My bike got a little muddy.Can anyone hold back a smile? We had fun sloshing around in the mud. My team mates were faster than me with their Gin and Trombones (gins and tromboneses?).Get the full scoop at http://

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-12907014669593761142008-11-12T21:07:00.008-05:002009-01-08T01:41:51.769-05:00

Depending on whether we're talking about 75 or 100 watt bulbs my spindly legs could power more than two of them... for an hour. It seems like such a waste of energy... but I'm still pleased to be producing more power than in 2007.It looks like the sprint is the area most improved. I got the powermeter in August 2007, so the 2007 numbers are probably less than perfect, but I wouldn't say they're

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-77587210217624063482008-10-23T23:03:00.009-04:002008-10-23T23:26:04.861-04:00

Got back from Argentina recently and it's amazing what a good dose of red meat and hearty red wine can do for the spirit. It also didn't hurt that it was Spring instead of Autumn.I'll post more bike related musings in a minute - but for now here's a few photos from a walk around the neighborhood.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-40834305949300929292008-09-04T18:05:00.023-04:002008-09-04T20:01:04.088-04:00

The Green Mountain Stage Race 2008.Friday, day 1. Prologue. 5.7 hilly miles.Never got the feeling of going fast. Average heart rate 174. Could have rested a little better before the start instead of doing 5 and 8 minute intervals on Tuesday. Finished 31st.Saturday, day 2. Circuit race. 65 miles.We're doing two laps on this 30 mile circuit. There is a KOM competition on the first lap as well as a

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-46318159967507661942008-08-24T21:30:00.004-04:002008-09-15T16:14:16.386-04:00

When you have to wait 4 hours for a 15 lap scratch race at the velodrome...When you have to wake up at 5:00am to race counterclockwise loops in a park...When this is the motopace vehicle... life must be good!I would race faster to catch up to it, look at all of those delicious donuts.Remember to thank officials, referees, and marshals... without them a season of racing and results would be

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-31668557214060111142008-08-15T12:50:00.007-04:002008-08-24T21:59:25.781-04:00

A friend edited a picture and made this for me.Here's the original.Here's what he did to it. It looks fast with a neon-green helmet and purple kit.And inspiration coming from fixedgearlondon.com.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-49218871865160333272008-08-14T20:42:00.006-04:002008-08-15T00:39:01.850-04:00

I decided to take a week off, attempting complete rest to let my body recover. I thought I might be able to go to the gym for a yoga or pilates (eek!) and get my mind away from the intensity of racing. Also I'm tired of wearing spandex.At 4:45pm on Wednesday, after a rough day, I decided that the only way to cure what ails me would be to head to the velodrome. It was a difficult proposition since

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-42250137386042923402008-08-07T11:27:00.005-04:002008-08-07T12:05:16.442-04:00

The results are starting to come in, but I feel I should be doing more. I won a bunch of merchandise at a race in Pennsylvania on Sunday (8/3/08) by taking both preems. I misjudged the finishing sprint and got 19th overall at that race.Wednesday (8/6/08) at the velodrome, I seemed to be following moves rather than making them. The key to my racing is knowing that I can break the will of the

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-85438670425325226842008-07-25T12:08:00.015-04:002008-12-10T01:44:09.372-05:00

Finally won a field sprint at the Rockleigh criteriumCourse description: 45 minute flat technical course, 6 turns. A big sewer grate on the first turn and a jolting stretch of pot-holes between turns 4-5.Finished: 4th out of about 25 riders.The Race: There were a few teams with a strong presence, westwood-velo, GS Park Ridge, and a new team aptly named retro-velo, plus a decent sprinter from WS

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-11687929598497776822008-07-12T21:14:00.011-04:002008-07-14T10:22:15.398-04:00

This is just to remember what I've been doing for the week.Monday: Master's track, 3rd on the omnium. Short sprints felt good, longer efforts did not. Mike W. really helped me a lot with the win and out.Tuesday: Floyd bennett field, abandoned on lap 9/10 after going out on a flyer. Looking at the data from this lap, HR averaged 185 for 4 1/2 minutes. It's no wonder I couldn't take it any more.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-44490179868507479872008-07-02T22:35:00.015-04:002008-12-10T01:44:09.740-05:00

.... has it's ups and downs.UpsTwo days ago (Monday) I rode as if imbued with superhuman strength at the velodrome, although I felt a bit unsure how to wield this unexpected power.Scored two wins and a second place for first place on the omnium.What's changed? Looking over my road racing data, I was hitting 140-150 cadence in almost every road race. I wanted to start using more muscle strength.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-30262920636238877652008-06-30T10:38:00.007-04:002008-07-03T15:32:42.544-04:00

This is a fun race, with a bit of turning, a bunch of hills, good organization, and best of all, close to NYC. The finishing climb averages 7.3%. It's 682 feet of elevation over 1.78 miles from the roundabout to the finish line. It starts out steep, but I was able to pick up some speed on the second half.Elevation and route link for the last climb.Map for the course not including the finishing

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-10650779333114882462008-06-24T22:02:00.009-04:002008-12-10T01:44:10.045-05:00

Flatted with 3 to go. Extracted a 1.5 inch long nail from my tire.The wind was blowing capriciously. It seemed to hit hard on the back stretch where we almost always have a tailwind. Riders were tempting fate, riding close to the bushes, and often ducking to avoid shrubbery in hopes of getting a better draft. It was a perfect opportunity to ride in echelon, but as category 3 and 4 dudes (not

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-35099450821671869992008-06-21T11:05:00.017-04:002008-06-21T12:51:21.028-04:00

Today's cat4 park race was a crash-fest, no surprise. We had a big showing and I took smash-mouth Yack's wheel for the last 1/4 lap as he bussed it up to the front. I wasn't entirely confident how long he'd last since I'd heard him say he had nothing left going up the hill on the final lap.BVF was well organized and their sprinter Alessandro took 1st, again.Riding relaxed makes a huge difference.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-58023013450783650802008-06-13T01:13:00.005-04:002008-12-10T01:44:10.348-05:00

It's been a horrible year for flats. I seem to get one every time I put on a new tire. These are significant flat tires not just random punctures. In the past 30 days, I ripped a tire on a curb (the curb was hidden under freshly mowed grass), tore the sidewall in some unknown way (on a new prorace3 tire), and just yesterday punctured a new Vittoria tubular over a small shard of glass riding out

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-34628084484910208042008-06-04T21:24:00.046-04:002008-12-10T01:44:10.505-05:00

Establishing the correct amount of reach and drop seems to be one of the more challenging aspect of proper bike fit.For me, not enough reach means nether regions, hands, and fingers might go numb. Too much reach and the bike rides like a torture device for stretching out the back, neck, and shoulders.I've not yet shelled out three hundred dollars for a professional bike fit, as much as I would

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-79553995392286348802008-05-19T09:40:00.015-04:002008-12-10T01:44:11.340-05:00

Not much to say, just writing my race reports so I can refer back to them later.Molly came to watch the races. She described my race style as a cat chasing a feather. A good analogy but not exactly a compliment to my cycling prowess. In the masters race I chased everything and was always at the front... but not in the winning break.Cat 4 race, no breakaways. Contested the prime but otherwise I

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-66726126138941822902008-05-14T22:37:00.015-04:002008-12-10T01:44:11.530-05:00

I volunteered to help with race organization at Floyd Bennet Field. I got the 1/2/3 field. It was my first time doing this, I found it to be interesting and worthwhile, and a little nerve racking at the end. Two days of racing/training...Tuesday, road bikes at Floyd: The FBF 3/4 race felt easy, but in the end I popped my sprint too soon for a finish in the top 15 not top 10. Need to approach it

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-70582704032467310712008-05-10T22:42:00.016-04:002008-05-13T12:23:34.510-04:00

These boys know how to handle their bikes. Many of them have been racing hard for years, some of them still competing at the Pro/1/2 level (results). They also know how wring the juice out of a lemon, and I was that lemon.For most of the race I was near the front but not at the front. It's a little fuzzy but I think there was a split, twice. I remember riding hard with some fellows off the front

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-72192745720012592702008-05-07T13:17:00.011-04:002008-11-12T18:56:55.057-05:00

Wooo, last night was fun.It was the first night of races at historic Floyd Bennet Air Field. The category 3/4 race was 10 laps (just over 22 miles). The finish line moved to the east side of the airfield - where the roadway is only about 1/2 as wide as before.I tried to get away once or twice but it didn't work out. The data makes it look like I attacked 7 times, but some of the attacks were

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-68002913222740839412008-05-05T18:01:00.006-04:002008-05-06T00:19:25.903-04:00

Saturday 5/3 I raced at Jiminy Peak in Mass. There was a strong headwind on a long descent and breakaways were difficult. The weather was cold and damp in the high 40's / low 50's. The main characteristic of this race is a long gradual climb (4%) that dips for a moment and then becomes a steeper (7%) climb to the finish. My rear wheel flatted before the start so I raced on the powertap. On

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-35963626570889741882008-05-02T00:28:00.016-04:002008-05-02T01:26:31.807-04:00

The blog is now linked from every page of the kissena.info website. This started as a simple personal journal: like an email to myself. I never expected anyone to link to this site or to have it represent anything in particular. But I did notice the traffic. And people started asking me about my "goals." How embarrassing, what if I don't succeed? I guess I can still blog about it.A few more

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-63910973450158619092008-04-28T11:53:00.013-04:002008-04-30T11:51:54.056-04:00

This was my Yahoo horoscope today.Let someone else be the superstar. Step back and allow other people to be the movers and shakers. Learn how to enjoy being in the background -- it's just as interesting and just as educational as being front and center. Give it a try. Do not confuse praise with respect. You can earn a lot more of the latter if you know when to pull back and slow down.I'd

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-81258683591029512492008-04-20T13:54:00.014-04:002008-04-20T15:49:00.460-04:00

We had near perfect preparation for this race. We drove halfway up the night before and stayed at William's country house in Millbrook. As soon as we arrived at the house we unloaded the bikes and went for an hour long ride with a few hard efforts thrown in for good measure. William cooked up a delicious country dinner with roasted chicken, pasta, vegetables, and three philosopher's ale while

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-42389784516249112162008-03-24T10:56:00.004-04:002008-07-23T15:18:49.566-04:00

The new season is starting so it's time to think about goals for 2008. I was a little under-ambitious with my 2007 goals and that's fine. It felt good to meet every goal. Goals are set in the spirit of this being a hobby not a career.Here are ideas for 2008,1. Do the river road hillclimb in under 5 and a 1/2 minutes.2. Top 3 in a cat 3/4 race at Floyd Bennet Field3. Get out to the track at least

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-7154033788869682922008-03-17T12:47:00.007-04:002008-03-28T13:39:37.514-04:00

This seemed like it would be the perfect race for me - a late start time at 2:20pm in the afternoon, a couple of technical corners, and a nice high speed high-G sweeping downhill turn.Fast!I was probably overconfident coming into this race and didn't achieve a great result - 19th of 89 racers. But it was the first race of the year and a successful experiment.Sneaky!I was able to steal a couple of

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-85410831300959714012008-03-06T19:38:00.008-05:002008-03-06T20:24:18.182-05:00

I never cease to be amazed by the effort, innovation, and craftsmanship that people put into their bikes. Lacking anything better to say about it, these are some of my recent favorites.Chris Brooklyn's Brooklyn Machine WorksInnovative braking mechanism for fixed gear (from nahbs)Asymetrical Landshark seat staysBayliss lugworkHampsten TournesolCombo chainstay protector and spoke carrier.Alex's

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-41778073276926403552007-12-30T20:40:00.000-05:002008-12-10T01:44:11.801-05:00

CyclingWMD offered me his nearly new Felt TK2 track bike frameset at a price I couldn't resist.I built it up using some of the nicer parts that I have laying around and rode it for the first time in prospect park yesterday. It has 74/75 degree angles and a steeply raked 25 degree fork - all making for a very pleasant, nimble, and stable ride. A friend was doing 15 second standing start sprints,

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-64742766985734573822007-10-28T23:10:00.000-04:002007-11-13T13:54:03.294-05:00

In cyclocross the preride may be one of the more important things a racer can do as preparation.Feeling a bit overconfident at Craigmeur today (10/28) I bombed down the first muddy hill at speed beyond my control.... and crashed ungloriously.Eloy snapped a photo of me after my crash - you can see the blood streaming down my knee.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-38651026311475298122007-10-16T10:14:00.001-04:002009-08-20T21:30:41.065-04:00

The trend is to take remove brakes and multiple gear mechanism from a bike, install a fixed gear cog on the rear wheel, and ride the original bike "fixed." This is commonly referred to as a conversion. About two years ago I converted an old Peugeot as a fixed gear beater because it was simpler, less maintenance, easier to lock up, and I had the parts laying around. The PX10 was a very nice bike

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-69200796718091380342007-10-09T13:06:00.001-04:002007-10-17T18:38:12.157-04:00

This is it, for me at least. The "Tour de Parc" criterium. I haven't been riding much in the past two weeks but at least I'll be well rested. I am entered in the master's category and I've found that some master's races, although generally faster than the category 3/4 races seem to suit my profile.The report. 10th place.25 miles with 1 hard turn around a security guard station. I scraped my pedal

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-70346364108683375472007-09-24T02:24:00.002-04:002008-12-10T01:44:12.573-05:00

No more whining, no more excuses.Instead of writing about the club championship I am going to post my most up-to-date power numbers here because I found this profiling tool interesting. Duration5 sec Watts/kg15.53 1 min 7.34 5 min 4.58 10 min 3.98 30 min 3.58 It seems that I'm less of a sprinter than I thought I was, and more of an "all-arounder".

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-52934519073417968902007-09-15T13:02:00.000-04:002007-09-15T13:08:16.417-04:00

Arrrg. I haven't been able to get a result in these $#!@ park races. Finished in the top 15. About 6 yards from the line Tad came sprinting past me and got 8th place. Nice sprint!I need an attitude adjustment. After racing for 50 miles in the rain and fog I am happy to finish and it shows in my sprint. I could have pushed myself harder at the end, and need to do that if I want a piece of the

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-39968361768015010112007-09-08T11:03:00.001-04:002007-09-08T11:10:58.225-04:00

Today's race felt wicked fast. Average speed was 26.36. Maybe it's because the Bear Mountain race got canceled. Everyone seemed to be gunning from the start.Initiated a move that lasted for about 1/2 lap but didn't stick, and later on chased down a move that didn't stick. Unable to find a good position for the sprint.Here are numbers from the powertap.Weight: 62kg, Distance: 29.77Peak Power:Burst

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-37906412093162090292007-09-04T10:37:00.001-04:002008-12-10T01:44:12.835-05:00

For me this was an incredibly fun way to spend 4 days, but it was also frustrating because of technical problems, a crash, a flat, and what a referree called a rider adjustment issue. Molly and I drove up to the Mad River Glen in Vermont. We spent our nights at Buffalo Bill's retreat with our own private outdoor jacuzzi nestled in the woods. The hot water and bubbles were a great way to relax

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-17716471071333759362007-08-26T20:34:00.000-04:002007-08-27T12:06:57.184-04:00

Connecticut Coast Criterium - 8/26 - 4th place35 minutes plus 5 laps. A very plain course with a short hill and one turn. The uphill sprint helps keep it clean (53x19 or 17). There were 7 preems none for me. But 4th place at the finish line resulted in my first cash prize. Next Friday is the start of gmsr!Kissena Velodrome Racing - 8/22 - 3 points.Using a 48x15 gear ratio instead of 48x14, it was

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-44616136785836924342007-08-14T23:08:00.000-04:002007-08-14T23:18:34.997-04:00

Raced Saturday morning (6:30am start!) in prospect park. Somehow I got boxed in at the sprint for the line. I was on the inside and kept trying to go around a ML guy for what seemed like minutes... then we were at the line.Today was the last FBF race of the year. It's looking better for next year's races, or so Charlie writes in his email.I tried to race well, not giving anything to the other

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-2567309009127904622007-08-07T22:31:00.000-04:002007-08-07T22:38:11.411-04:00

I mostly sat in today, only made one or two efforts. Johanne said he'd give me a good lead out and thought I could place in the top 5. He's a really nice guy. Unfortunately I took 7th. Still, it was a really fun race and I felt comfortable in my tactics... a first for me in road racing. Maybe need to work on max power and the jump for the sprint - although I did pass 2-3 guys in the final 50

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-78649317544827556372007-08-06T18:35:00.000-04:002007-08-06T18:48:55.465-04:00

Entered and finished three races this weekend. Prospect park on Saturday morning. Didn't push too hard - finished top 15. The HED Jet60 wheel Mike gave me makes a difference. Less effort. It's a wind cheater!On Sunday I drove out to Doylestown for the Zaveta circuit race. I was registered for two races back-to-back. This is a technical course... mostly due to a big field and the yellow line rule.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-72252535952552668382007-08-01T15:57:00.001-04:002007-08-06T18:35:43.785-04:00

6/29/07 - Did the river road hillclimb on Sunday, from the boat basin to the sheriff station. I timed myself even though I was carrying a lot of stuff. My time was 6m, 15s to the brown road sign, and about 6m 45s to the entrance of the parking lot.6/30/07 - Four hill repeats in central park for lunch. Then out to prospect park on Monday night for summerslam07. It was fun and much more interesting

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-40840066410135689122007-07-24T12:24:00.000-04:002007-07-24T12:28:13.011-04:00

Raced union vale on Sunday. Fun 44 mile road race. Finished in the middle, rider 51/100.Clicking in my ankle prevented me from really mashing the pedals, especially on the third lap by the feedzone... when the pace really picked up I slipped through the pack then popped off the back.The finishing climb is about 700 feet of rise over 1.5 miles, the only way up is at your own tempo. Maybe next year?

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-38944813670803963582007-07-18T12:31:00.000-04:002007-07-24T12:31:10.866-04:00

Yet another race... where I finished (not) first (and not last).Had energy to spare at the end.Tilting the saddle up definitely helped eliminate the hand numbness, and that's a good thing!

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-84779038555846307542007-07-16T18:09:00.000-04:002007-07-16T18:21:23.853-04:00

The "Brooklyn Grand Prix" race on Bastille Day was a logistical mess.On my first seemingly successful breakaway (and certainly not my first nor last unsuccessful breakaway) we caught up to the pace car, started to pass the pace car, realized our error and slowed down to let the pace car get ahead of us, and then got caught by the field while riding slowly behind the pace car hoping (and yelling

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-79233428764831385762007-07-11T16:52:00.000-04:002007-07-12T16:57:41.449-04:00

After racing Saturday then riding 80 miles hard on Sunday I didn't have much to give at the race on Tuesday night. The turkey sandwich I ate on the way to the race also made me feel gross and sluggish. I attacked a few times, rested a few, and finished mid-pack. The pace felt fast but the average speed was actually slower than usual. Wednesday was a nice recovery ride.bridging a gap on Tuesday

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-92134263468773394032007-07-07T13:00:00.000-04:002007-07-10T13:12:14.946-04:00

One of the most enjoyable races I've been in, a very interesting race. We caught the handicap group with 4 laps to go.89 startersFinish: top 15-20Lesson: When there's chicanery at the finish line, sprint around it! In second place and glued to a well-known sprinter's wheel 400 yards from the finish, when he slowed down I did too.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-74605882583053977642007-07-04T14:23:00.000-04:002007-07-12T17:12:28.046-04:00

The legs felt like jello yesterday but still raced ok. It was my first top 10 finish at floyd bennett field - riding with category 3&4 guys.It might have something to do with the new red veloflex tires that I'm riding on. I pulled a few times in breakaway attempts but nothing stuck. For the sprint I wound it up in a nice heavy gear but didn't get fast enough and didn't have a leadout. 56

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-83220988515059407482007-06-30T20:32:00.000-04:002007-06-30T20:41:01.362-04:00

Entered the masters category with some 800lb gorillas today.Only finished 30/42 miles.I faded off the back on the last part of the georgetown wall. Looking over the garmin data, it seems to me that I shifted into too low a gear and was spinning too much (when I got dropped).Although I thought I was saving energy by going aerobic, sometimes the fire needs to be stoked and the legs will feel the

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-16697406633971192342007-06-28T16:48:00.000-04:002007-06-28T17:01:04.521-04:00

Can you tell the difference between these two numbers: 74714853002 and 120135369424?Hint, the answer is not -45420516422. The second number is actually bigger than the first number.The right answer is that first number is an integer datatype, but the second number is a big integer datatype. Try to cast or assign the second number as an integer and bad things will happen.This was confounding the

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-59091427894236920472007-06-26T19:00:00.001-04:002008-07-12T21:14:05.658-04:00

Ice cream is good. And good for you too, especially if you're burning a lot of calories every day.Today Molly and I hit Il Laboratorio del Gelato for the best.Molly: small } Mexican Cinnamon & Dark ChocoloateMe: medium } Espresso, Thai Chili Chocolate, Lavender HoneyIce cream is always satisfying. If it was always this rich, I think I would eat less of it.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-50559419469534358462007-06-25T12:31:00.001-04:002007-06-25T12:37:15.952-04:00

I'll just link to my team's site for this one.We got completely soaked on the 30 mile ride home, but by the time we reached the George Washington Bridge the rain had let up. With frequent flashes of lightening across the sky and ominous looking storm clouds, Manhattan was at her most beautiful, blushing pink and looking very Gotham City.Finished 7th.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-79783431102361650182007-06-19T22:26:00.000-04:002007-06-25T12:38:39.436-04:00

Eric M. and I were the only Kissenas at Floyd in the 3/4 today. I'm presuming Eric had a technical issue, I didn't see him after.It was a frustrating race. The now familiar tactic of not bridging to a team mates break seemed to come in spades - three teams had a guy in the 4 man break. I think at least one of each BVF, Deno's WW, and Merril Lynch.Funny thing. Without Charlie I. yelling at me to

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-20924841524188644592007-06-17T17:00:00.000-04:002007-06-17T18:15:09.915-04:00

Took 6th place in this crit today.I wanted to impress my dad who came up to watch the race so I went for the first preem. I almost had it, and a DC guy sucked my wheel to the line then took it by 1/2 a wheel or less.I learned that to be competitive in a sprint I need to roll it out in a gear that is h-e-a-v-y, maybe starting as low as 75 or 80rpm. When I do get passed I feel like I'm spun out.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-47301672935206613512007-06-15T14:15:00.000-04:002007-06-15T14:18:54.962-04:00

I raced the rockleigh criterium last night.The back side of the course feels like racing in a friend's driveway - full of potholes, debris, and random garden objects. I put in several attacks but in the end was passed by guys with a much faster and more powerful sprint than me.Here's a link to all of the courses and races mapped with my Garmin 305 GPS unit. On the map, criteriums show up as many

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-87559417935264189182007-06-09T17:21:00.000-04:002008-12-10T01:44:13.213-05:00

Category 4 - 31 miles - 82 starters.It's not easy racing at 6:30am. Especially when bedtime is never earlier than 1am and usually closer to 2am. It means leaving the house at 5:45am in order to get to the race in time.Today's race was fun and fast but my head really wasn't in it. I had no problem staying at the front. At the end, I poured on the power a little too soon, and ended at an imaginary

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-91869521066302370532007-06-01T09:54:00.000-04:002007-06-01T17:55:22.050-04:00

I skipped Floyd Bennet field on Tuesday night because of work and having spent all weekend building an ikea kitchen extension.On Wednesday I raced at Kissena and finished 3rd in the Men's B for both races.Point a Lap description: Points for first place every lap, then extra points for the top 2 finishers in the final lap. 8 laps total.I tried to take points in the 3rd lap but may have missed by

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-20601676628967867572007-05-23T16:07:00.001-04:002007-05-23T16:26:16.330-04:00

Since I'm a category 4 road racer now, I don't need to keep track of my races. The only way to upgrade from category 4 to category 3 is by winning races and getting points. Not so easy.Anyway I thought I'd post these reports for posterity. I raced the Bear Mtn. road race on 5/13. The first climb is a 10-15 minute hill. My result was 31 minutes behind the winner, 65th of 95 starters. I finished

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-17650042764722468202007-05-02T14:15:00.000-04:002007-11-30T20:01:05.943-05:00

I raced all weekend (two days) at Kissena velodrome's "opening weekend". Placed 4th overall in my category. Niki took third, I was happy to see him get a medal especially since his parents were there to support him on Sunday! Overall it was a fun time: the chariot race and the match sprint were my favorite events. Simple, short, and incredibly focused.Andrew L. took photos on Sunday and posted

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-52647428186098887292007-04-15T14:28:00.000-04:002007-04-16T12:51:51.604-04:00

Battenkill, the purported 'enfer du nord'. From the beginning it was a very well organized start, in a small town overtaken by cyclists. I rode the first 3 miles of the race at a high cadence to warm up. The country roads were hardpack clay with a light coating of mushy stuff on top, like a chocolate bar starting to melt. The middle of the road had lots of potholes at the beginning and it was

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-14910502033889624472007-03-26T15:03:00.000-04:002007-03-26T15:28:45.131-04:00

Sunday 3/25 was my birthday and my first race of the season. It was my first race as a newly minted category 4 rider and more than twice as long as any of my previous races. 34 miles of racing (instead of a measly 14 miles). The racing didn't even start until the 4th lap.It was a lot of fun since my only goal for the race was to gauge my abilities and not get dropped. I sat in the front 1/2 most

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-57467301389782663972007-02-19T01:16:00.000-05:002007-02-19T01:34:07.735-05:00

There's an article in the 4/07 edition of Bicycling about a new breed of bikes.The program is called "Coasting." It is backed by Shimano and will only available on bikes sold by Giant, Raleigh, and Trek this year. It is supposed to be revolutionary. What struck a chord with me a quip from Sheldon Brown describing the program as "a wrong-headed exercise in form over function." The more I learn

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1169574631667513982007-01-23T11:59:00.000-05:002007-01-23T12:50:32.036-05:00

I just found out that the Hearst building has indoor bike parking. That's a sweet benefit! It's also apparently one of the requirements for getting certified as a green building.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1166678929077780432006-12-20T23:51:00.000-05:002007-02-19T00:55:31.735-05:00

Rollers. Wait by pool table. Rollers. Wait by pool table. Rollers. Wait by pool table. Rollers. Drink beer.Last week I had the privilege to race on Dave Perry's fantastic italian rollers. Riding these feels like someone has lifted your bike and you're just riding on air.The even was called "spillage in the village" and there was plenty of spillage. Race details as follows.First qualifier, my back

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1165517387365154062006-12-07T11:28:00.000-05:002006-12-07T13:50:38.713-05:00

I almost forgot about this, I programmed it a couple of months ago. http://www.alphabetware.com/gmaps/It's a simple bike race finder that uses data from Bikereg.com to show the races as events marked on the map. It can be useful if you're a racer and you're willing to travel - but want to find a race nearby, or if you are trying to decide between two races to see which one is closer, or you want

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1165461769797899782006-12-06T22:21:00.000-05:002006-12-06T22:41:26.190-05:00

This stencil is just around the corner from home. I saw the culprits putting it up. It reads, "we own the street" and has an image of a track bike. Nice job!

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1164599758627638672006-11-26T22:49:00.000-05:002006-11-26T22:59:44.683-05:00

I was happy and surprised to see a picture (with me in it) on the homepage of worldcycling.com. It was submitted as the photo of the day. I'm the biker in 5th position, green jersey. This photo is the same day of the snowball race that I wrote about earlier.The kissena club liked the picture since this photo is taken at the kissena velodrome, and they posted it on the kissena.info website. I

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1163644490650775742006-11-15T20:53:00.000-05:002006-11-15T22:22:39.513-05:00

I read an interesting article today. It explains that humans love to learn. The article says that neuroscientists at USC and NYU found out that trying something new: such as exploring a ride we've never done before -- causes our brain to release endorphins that make us feel good. And new information that triggers the most memories also produces the most pleasure.In college I did a summer

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1161815300708338502006-10-25T18:27:00.000-04:002006-10-25T18:28:32.606-04:00

Wists is the social shopping network. Nice, when it works.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1158156580616904822006-09-13T09:55:00.000-04:002006-09-13T22:26:36.836-04:00

Here they are trying to emulate Woot. Ebay created a section called 'today's big deals'. A great idea for sellers... but look at the implementation for buyers.What?... No RSS feed? I guess I am supposed to check this page every day. As a consumate online shopaholic, I'd really prefer a live bookmark - like the ones I have for newegg and woot. You know, the orange 'live bookmark' link that appears

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1156457933155164302006-08-24T18:14:00.000-04:002006-08-24T18:22:18.533-04:00

Should have followed my own advice and excercised greater caution. Fell off the bike on Monday night and broke my clavicle. I also damaged my new Giro helmet, and am thankful for that piece of styrofoam protecting my noggin.Today as the orthopaedist was explaining things to me, I fainted. Funny since I was fine for days - with the pain and everything else. I guess I just couldn't swallow her

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1155655584876233472006-08-15T11:17:00.000-04:002006-08-20T07:47:21.536-04:00

I'm getting stronger or the others are getting weaker. Races seem easier.Bad news #1.I raced at the velodrome on 8/9, and would have gotten points in the snowball... but... I was DQ'd!Reason was for passing in the sprinters lane on the inside on the next-to-last lap. I didn't argue. I had the sprinter's lane from turn 4 (when no one was in it...) I accelerated hard out of the turn, and as two

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1154199764912225862006-07-29T14:51:00.000-04:002006-09-13T09:51:45.473-04:00

At the "Al Toefield memorial race" on 7/22 I was able to place 7th out of a pretty big pack of about 40 riders. The nice thing is I got a copper colored medal tied to a red-white-and-blue ribbon. It's made of real metal, although I doubt it's actually copper. Today, Molly came with me to the race! Yay! We drove from our apartment to the parking lot in Prospect Park and I did a terrific job of

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1153521455522784152006-07-21T18:31:00.000-04:002006-07-21T18:37:35.536-04:00

Updates...Raced on 7/15/06 at PP. Took a flyer on lap 4 of a 5 lap race... thinking we were at the last lap I sprinted for the finish and then looked back to the pack 300 yards behind me, gearing up for the upcoming climb. Having spent all my energy on a sprint I couldn't climb very well, so most of lap 5 was catching up with and working my way back up the pack. Finished somewhere in the middle.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1147382065059496272006-05-11T16:55:00.000-04:002006-05-11T17:45:36.143-04:00

Last night I rode with 7 guys from a USCF club that I joined. It was your typical roadie stuff... shaved legs, expensive gear, fancy hand signals to indicate that there's a tiny shard of glass in the road, etc. Aside from that, a nice group of guys. We talked about metabolic heart rate, protein, watts, etc.Today I went to the bike shop around the corner for help removing a freewheel. There were a

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1147034448378029212006-05-07T16:38:00.000-04:002006-05-07T16:43:06.906-04:00

Turns out slownes was due to the flu.Recovery meant resting a lot, drinking soup, tamiflu, etc until today. Rode for 1hr 20minutes, about 15-18 miles easy pace.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1146071011551005602006-04-26T12:58:00.001-04:002006-04-26T13:03:31.553-04:00

I'm back to my regular pace huffing and puffing to maintain 15.5-16.5 mph up the hills in PP. I dunno what's happened? I have a feeling it has something to do with the way I've been training, maybe pushing it too hard too often, riding too near my lactate threshold all the time. Some folks from the Kissena club group suggested I read this, looks like a good recommendation.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1144442246309423442006-04-07T16:33:00.000-04:002006-04-07T16:37:26.323-04:00

Short ride = anything under 35 miles. For some reason the legs were all muscle today. Swallowed the hill (in prospect park) a full 2 miles an hour faster than I usually do, and wasn't even breathing hard. I typically huff and puff to keep pace. What gives???

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1142630556363823712006-03-17T16:11:00.000-05:002006-03-17T16:32:53.863-05:00

If you're curious about the provenance of your vintage schwinn... Here are catalog pictures and specifications from 1985 and 1986. Looks like the Madison was sold from 1984-1987. Here's a link to my post on the schwinn forums.Turns out my frame was manufactured in Greenville, South Carolina in March 1986. Fancy that, she's an Aires too.

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1140198871250276262006-02-17T12:48:00.000-05:002006-02-17T13:02:59.010-05:00

Here's a picture of the PX-10 frame I bought on eBay and built-up a couple of weeks ago. Serves it's purpose - rides fast, feels light, and I hope you agree - it's ugly!There are no gears on this bike, the derailleur functions as a singlerator. Commemorated below.I didn't get dropped from the prospect park race last night and it felt a lot easier. Maybe something to do with the three hours I

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1139590605393450332006-02-10T11:41:00.000-05:002006-02-10T12:05:46.656-05:00

The last time I was at the bike shop - I learned of a bike race being held on thursday nights in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.The thermometer read 33° when I left the apartment. I rode out to Brooklyn and was totally plussed to see about 30 other fixed gear riders waiting around for the start at 10pm.We did a warm up lap, then someone shouted "GO" and it was a two lap race around the park. These guys

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11792180.post-1136512408711029862006-01-05T20:34:00.000-05:002006-03-09T01:35:57.226-05:00

Simplicity. Bikes have few moving parts, and don't require much maintenance. For what little maintenance they do require, the average Joe can accomplish with a few good but simple tools. No extreme amount of brunt or might is required to maintain a bike as it would be for a car. Almost all bikes are essentially the same.Reliability. There not many things that can go wrong with a bike to make it

40x14http://www.blogger.com/profile/00293707839342409278noreply@blogger.com0