So i have been thinking all about what i want to do this year, as far as cycling goes. in the past i would do road races, crits, track races, and mountain bike races before cross season. I am thinking i should dial it back some, but to what? I enjoy all the different disciplines of cycling but i believe to be good i need to work on just on.
my gut instantly says stuck with the track, you have had success stick to it. but this does require me to get a new bike seeing the current on might only last half a season. (see post before it you need to know why) and buying a new bike means more $$$ i would stick with mountain biking, but that involves a lot of travel and that means less time at home, for races and practice. i could do road, its for the most part close, but my weight and size is a huge issues with that. Cross, well that is sticking no matter what.
This leads to be believe, that if i want to be good at cross i should do a discipline that helps benefit cyclocross. Well Jpow and Tim Johnson both races the road, while Todd Wells, Ryan Trebon, and Barry Wicks are all mountain bikes. So which do i choose. If you noticed i didnt say anything about track. (hint for later) I am thinking that i would work on mountain biking the most due to the handling aspect and its relation to cross.
This by no means, means i am giving up on the road. The road is a great place to train and i have already signed up for Hillsboro 4-10-10. So i guess this means i will not being racing at the track this year. It will allow me a year to work on my spinning for the next time i race on the track. (i cant believe i said i will not be racing the track this year. aurg! before this post i have fully intended on getting a new track bike and racing this year.)
And with that bomb shell i am off to class and to let you think about what i just decided.
PS i reserve the right to change my mind at any point in my life that i darn well please!
PSS this wasnt editted so if you want do it for mean and email me a proper copy, feel free
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Big and Tall?
As the cross season is officially over with the world championship being done, and with the road season fast approaching, i signed up for hillsboro monday, i have noticed a very common tread in cycling. I always keep an eye out for new bikes, new wheels, and other new things for cycling, and the tread i keep noticing is that everything is made for 150 lb 5 foot 10 inch tall cyclist. What about us, the big boys of cycling? I can't, and don't really care to, hide the fact that i am 6 foot 4, and 240lbs. this with the combination of the fact that the cycling industry has it's target cyclist being the small guys stated above makes it very difficult for me to find proper fitting equipment. I need big tall long bikes that can handle the abuse of uneven roads, combined with strong stiff wheels. I have been riding Trek for so time and they seem to put out a pretty good frame that can handle the abuse i give it. (i currently have a madone 5.5 pro) while the wheels are good, with the abuse the winters of wisconsin puts on our road, my wheels can only handle so much before they need to be either trued or replaced. Most of the wheels i look at don't suggest anyone over 175-200lbs ride them wheels, with the exception of zipp. they used to have clydesdale wheels, aka wheels for guys JUST over 200lbs, but it seemed they are now just called cyclocross wheels.
what does this really mean? this means the cycling industry seems to be ignoring a decent and rather big part of its community. I wish, but highly doubt, that the cycling industry will do something to change this. But is it really that hard to ask for a pair of wheels that i can ride without having to get them trued or replaced often, or a bike long enough that i can properly fit without adding long stems, 180mm or longer crank, or extra tall angled back seat posts?
if anyone knows of any company that makes or produces cycling gear for us tall and big cyclists or know of equipment that can withstand a beating PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!!
what does this really mean? this means the cycling industry seems to be ignoring a decent and rather big part of its community. I wish, but highly doubt, that the cycling industry will do something to change this. But is it really that hard to ask for a pair of wheels that i can ride without having to get them trued or replaced often, or a bike long enough that i can properly fit without adding long stems, 180mm or longer crank, or extra tall angled back seat posts?
if anyone knows of any company that makes or produces cycling gear for us tall and big cyclists or know of equipment that can withstand a beating PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!!
Friday, November 20, 2009
floppy disk
that is right i have been recruited to reformatted my parents computer which means i will be using http://www.dban.org/ and since it gave me the option of using a floppy disk I AM GOING TOO. that trick now is to find one that i can formatted on my computer. yes i have a floppy drive on my desktop, and yes i did pay a lot extra when i got this computer and yes this is probably the first time i have used it, but it SOOOOOOOOOO worth it now. now off to find a functional floppy disk, if one exist in this house
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Deal Time
in a deal with Marne Leigh (wow her site looks professionally done) i promised to update my blog. So you all, like 3 people, might have asked yourself what i have been up to for the last 6ish months and the short answer is riding my bike. (this is the point in time that i remember why i do not blog, i am getting distracted. right now i am on steven cozza website) (now on to hulu.com to find a movie to watch while i attempt to type this blog.) still looking but o well this needs to be written.
So the last 6ish months have been all about bikes, either mountain, road, but especially track. (pause again to look for a video, but i think i found a Veggie Tales movie i can watch.) anyways i have spent a lot of time this summer on my track bike. the problem was i didn't spend ENOUGH time on my track bike or any bike for that fact this past winter. I did manage to prove i can out sprint people in shorter events, but i have no endurance when it comes to longer races. so this off-season i need to train harder than ever.
BUT the off season hasn't started yet because cyclocross is in season. that season hasn't been the greatest because i am back in school. but the season is almost over. The state championship is the 22nd, and than the most fun race of the season, Jingle Cross Rock is the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after Thanksgiving. want proof its fun, watch this video.
anyways that is all have for now, ill try to update more often.
So the last 6ish months have been all about bikes, either mountain, road, but especially track. (pause again to look for a video, but i think i found a Veggie Tales movie i can watch.) anyways i have spent a lot of time this summer on my track bike. the problem was i didn't spend ENOUGH time on my track bike or any bike for that fact this past winter. I did manage to prove i can out sprint people in shorter events, but i have no endurance when it comes to longer races. so this off-season i need to train harder than ever.
BUT the off season hasn't started yet because cyclocross is in season. that season hasn't been the greatest because i am back in school. but the season is almost over. The state championship is the 22nd, and than the most fun race of the season, Jingle Cross Rock is the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after Thanksgiving. want proof its fun, watch this video.
anyways that is all have for now, ill try to update more often.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Pro
What makes you feel like a pro? for me it could be as simple as riding with no gloves, which isnt advised. what makes you feel pro?
Monday, May 4, 2009
Quote of the Weekend
Bike Haven guy, talking after the race, "every time i attacked, i looked and DAMN! that yellow Trek was still there." LOL i was riding that yellow Trek
Vernon Hills, and the Race within the Race
Vernon Hill was a raced I signed up for a while ago, so long ago in fact I forgot I signed up for it. But never the less, with quite a few teammates signed up for it, and the money already paid, I set off Sunday morning for the race. (anyone else love the idea of showing up to the race and not having to pay, is almost makes you feel like a superstar.)
For some reason I have no issue getting up at 5:45 for a race, but I can’t for the life of me get out of bed at 8:45 for class. Anyways, I was up and out the door at 6:30 for a little more than an hour drive to the race. My goal was to get on the course before the first race at 8:10 to get a nice warm up while on the course. This failed when I pulled the bike out of the car and found a completely flat front tire. I had done a 60 mile ride the day before and it was full when I put it in the car. O well, changed the tube and off I go to do 5 quick laps and register. Back to the parking lot to pin the number, eat some delicious Clif blocks and shots, and relax until the start.
Upon lining up, we were told to take a lap, makes sense to ensure everyone has seen the course at least once, Cat 5 rides aren’t always smart enough to preride the course at least once. After the one lap, I lined up, towards the back, a failure I really need to fix one of these days. Because of this I ended up chasing for the first fourish laps, which is never good. Can you see where this is going? I did, off the back, again. So it is time to switch to TT mode, in an effort not to get lapped. I ended up getting caught by 2 Bike Haven guys, a guy on a Specialized, and teammate Tom, a very happy site to see. I jumped on the back to recover, and switched from TT mode back to draft and race mode. This was going to be my race within the race.
We worked well as a group, until I got to the front because I accidentally, nerves I guess, bumped the speed up an extra 3-4 miles per hour, which resulted in us dropping one of the Bike Haven guys. Which I wish the move was intended, it wasn’t, even with a somewhat positive outcome. It was now 2 Half Acres vs 2 independent riders, this could work. The Specialized ride seemed to have a lot of energy and made 2-3 different random attacks, all of which Joe covered wonderful. As a group we decided that if he wanted to attack that much, he would lead as long as he wanted, I doubt he liked that because he started to noticeably tire.
As was headed in to the headwind, with the Specialized guy leading, Joe second, Bike Haven third, and me sitting his wheel in fourth, I noticed the Bike Haven guy look at his teammates, who yelled something. I figured he was going to attack; there was no reason to take all of us to the finish in 4 laps for now. So I shifted, and readied for some pain, sure enough he attack, and I chased. Tom, who I found out later, was too sick to chase, that fact he rode at all is amazing, but to see all the work he did mind blowing. (he really did sound bad, it would have been cool to see him health)
So it was Bike Haven and me for the next few laps, and he attacked again, and again, and again. Using the knowledge Julie had thought me from the week before, I refused to give up, and chased, and chased and chased. We ended up caughting a guy in a University of Illinois jersey, so with 2 laps to go it looked to be a 3 up sprint, for what ever place we could get. The Illinois guy liked to attack out of turn 3 (assuming it was purely a 4 corner course), so I made sure I was on his wheel with 2 to go, after leading thought the headwind, it was Bike Haven’s turn to pull. As he took the lead out of turn 2, it was Illinois guy on his wheel with me perfectly placed on third wheel. The Illinois guy was playing it right and refused to take the lead, until he attacked. Which he did out of turn 4, I chased, HARD! And as I was caughting him, I figured it was now or never, to make the pass. So I put whatever I had left into the pass, which I did, took a quick look back to see if Bike Haven was there, he wasn’t, than back to the power to finish it off.
I ended up winning the 3 up sprint for 40th place. I swear there were more people behind us, but I never count, so I must trust the refs. Either way, it was nice to be able to work with other people, and have a race within the race.
I still owe a huge thanks to Julie for helping me with the mental game of cycling. Basically she yelled at me at me for trying to quit during the Leland road race the weekend before. She really got me thinking about not letting the pack or the wind beat me before your legs say do. It was all that keep me going while covering the attacks that the Bike Haven guy threw at me. To you Julie, THANK YOU!!!!
For some reason I have no issue getting up at 5:45 for a race, but I can’t for the life of me get out of bed at 8:45 for class. Anyways, I was up and out the door at 6:30 for a little more than an hour drive to the race. My goal was to get on the course before the first race at 8:10 to get a nice warm up while on the course. This failed when I pulled the bike out of the car and found a completely flat front tire. I had done a 60 mile ride the day before and it was full when I put it in the car. O well, changed the tube and off I go to do 5 quick laps and register. Back to the parking lot to pin the number, eat some delicious Clif blocks and shots, and relax until the start.
Upon lining up, we were told to take a lap, makes sense to ensure everyone has seen the course at least once, Cat 5 rides aren’t always smart enough to preride the course at least once. After the one lap, I lined up, towards the back, a failure I really need to fix one of these days. Because of this I ended up chasing for the first fourish laps, which is never good. Can you see where this is going? I did, off the back, again. So it is time to switch to TT mode, in an effort not to get lapped. I ended up getting caught by 2 Bike Haven guys, a guy on a Specialized, and teammate Tom, a very happy site to see. I jumped on the back to recover, and switched from TT mode back to draft and race mode. This was going to be my race within the race.
We worked well as a group, until I got to the front because I accidentally, nerves I guess, bumped the speed up an extra 3-4 miles per hour, which resulted in us dropping one of the Bike Haven guys. Which I wish the move was intended, it wasn’t, even with a somewhat positive outcome. It was now 2 Half Acres vs 2 independent riders, this could work. The Specialized ride seemed to have a lot of energy and made 2-3 different random attacks, all of which Joe covered wonderful. As a group we decided that if he wanted to attack that much, he would lead as long as he wanted, I doubt he liked that because he started to noticeably tire.
As was headed in to the headwind, with the Specialized guy leading, Joe second, Bike Haven third, and me sitting his wheel in fourth, I noticed the Bike Haven guy look at his teammates, who yelled something. I figured he was going to attack; there was no reason to take all of us to the finish in 4 laps for now. So I shifted, and readied for some pain, sure enough he attack, and I chased. Tom, who I found out later, was too sick to chase, that fact he rode at all is amazing, but to see all the work he did mind blowing. (he really did sound bad, it would have been cool to see him health)
So it was Bike Haven and me for the next few laps, and he attacked again, and again, and again. Using the knowledge Julie had thought me from the week before, I refused to give up, and chased, and chased and chased. We ended up caughting a guy in a University of Illinois jersey, so with 2 laps to go it looked to be a 3 up sprint, for what ever place we could get. The Illinois guy liked to attack out of turn 3 (assuming it was purely a 4 corner course), so I made sure I was on his wheel with 2 to go, after leading thought the headwind, it was Bike Haven’s turn to pull. As he took the lead out of turn 2, it was Illinois guy on his wheel with me perfectly placed on third wheel. The Illinois guy was playing it right and refused to take the lead, until he attacked. Which he did out of turn 4, I chased, HARD! And as I was caughting him, I figured it was now or never, to make the pass. So I put whatever I had left into the pass, which I did, took a quick look back to see if Bike Haven was there, he wasn’t, than back to the power to finish it off.
I ended up winning the 3 up sprint for 40th place. I swear there were more people behind us, but I never count, so I must trust the refs. Either way, it was nice to be able to work with other people, and have a race within the race.
I still owe a huge thanks to Julie for helping me with the mental game of cycling. Basically she yelled at me at me for trying to quit during the Leland road race the weekend before. She really got me thinking about not letting the pack or the wind beat me before your legs say do. It was all that keep me going while covering the attacks that the Bike Haven guy threw at me. To you Julie, THANK YOU!!!!
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