tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post3120356435530094058..comments2021-01-30T06:51:48.529-08:00Comments on Huffman Bicycle Club: Big Organized Rides 2014Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-28624355292037853392013-12-16T13:24:19.538-08:002013-12-16T13:24:19.538-08:00Understood. Of course, every sport sets an cut-of...Understood. Of course, every sport sets an cut-off freezing at some arbitrary place the point beyond which technological advances are not permitted. Triathlon prohibits recumbents although they are human powered bicycles; accrediting authorities recognize that if they allowed recumbents the record books would be blown wide open. Swimming has the knee-length rule on men's suits. UCI is famous for its ridiculous rules. <br /><br />If you are going to draw a line, it makes sense that it should be at a qualitative and not quantitative point, e.g., it would be silly to say "no more than 10 cogs on the cassette" but it is much less silly to say "bike must be chain drive." From that perspective, no battery-powered shifting is as reasonable as any other possible bright-line.<br /><br />But yeah, at bottom its a bunch of guys who say "the way we do it is better than the way those other guys do it," and if you are one of those other guys, it's plenty fair to say "phooey on you too."Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07722786211652015559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-34397574215612683322013-12-16T08:08:29.764-08:002013-12-16T08:08:29.764-08:00The CM rides look like fun, but I'm mildly ann...The CM rides look like fun, but I'm mildly annoyed about their militant anti-technology stance. I mean, really: they're telling me that because I have a Di2 bike, I can't get credit for their rides? Piecing together brevets and permanents from the last 2 years, I'm already an R70 in theory, but to prove it I'd need to produce a GPS file, which violates their preference against riding with GPS units.<br /><br />Isn't this all stupidly arbitrary? It's not as if, when bikes were created, people were riding around with generator hubs to power their bike lights.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06383376886256041817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-81813603316541924162013-12-15T09:58:01.834-08:002013-12-15T09:58:01.834-08:00Sign up for DTB begins (I think) January 1. Let&#...Sign up for DTB begins (I think) January 1. Let's circle back before then.<br /><br />At least one CM route goes through Estes Park. That particular one was 450 KM, which about the right distance given the challenges.<br /><br />Another of the routes actually climbs above 14K feet.Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07722786211652015559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-85189636914110085622013-12-15T08:41:22.960-08:002013-12-15T08:41:22.960-08:00If being in Colorado twice in a month is the bigge...If being in Colorado twice in a month is the biggest downside, then DTB should be a shoe-in.<br /><br />Any of the CM challenges would, for me, be a sufficient accomplishment to feel good about the year. Completing them in the allotted time strikes me as a bigger challenge than any of the N.A. 1200s.<br /><br />samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16215727841155911987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-83009568827887938822013-12-15T05:17:49.859-08:002013-12-15T05:17:49.859-08:00I just spent a few minutes at the Cyclos Montagnar...I just spent a few minutes at the Cyclos Montagnards website. There's no gentle way to say it -- those guys are the baddest of the bad. The Fleche challenge? Although there's no absolute rule, the implication is anything less than 600K isn't interesting. Proposing a route? It had better be as hard as riding PBP in 56 hours or less.<br /><br />I'm definitely up for riding a CM route before, after, or both, the family Estes Park gathering.Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07722786211652015559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-43530966137312887792013-12-13T14:02:02.865-08:002013-12-13T14:02:02.865-08:00I have no ambition of doing all of the above! I&#...I have no ambition of doing all of the above! I'm just laying out the options.<br /><br />Saratoga is a new course, so last year's winners are record holders. 255 miles for the 12 and ~360 for the 24.<br /><br />DTB: the biggest downside is that we'll be in Colorado exactly a month later. The upside is there's nothing quite like high mountain riding.Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07722786211652015559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-75165412466943488782013-12-13T11:13:22.566-08:002013-12-13T11:13:22.566-08:00If I'm feeling good, I may go for the win at S...If I'm feeling good, I may go for the win at Saratoga in the 'one lap fun ride' category.samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16215727841155911987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-11215122306707814842013-12-13T09:47:39.467-08:002013-12-13T09:47:39.467-08:00Next year is shaping up to be extremely light on t...Next year is shaping up to be extremely light on triathlons for me, both because I'm planning on some long cycling races, and because I'm the only person in my social group not (currently planning on) getting married next summer. My travel budget isn't infinite.<br /><br />Having said that, I'm tentatively planning on the following:<br /><br />(1) 24 hours of Sebring. I'm already registered. This could be a bit of a debacle in that I'll head into it objectively light on miles, but I'm on the trainer 5 days a week or so these days and I'm in better cycling shape than I have been at this point in prior years. I have moderate faith that I can clear 400 miles (RAAM Qual), and a notion that I could win if things break in my favor, but it'll be an experiment in many ways. The course record for my AG is 449.1, which seems like a lot, but considering M40-44 and M45-49 are in the 480s, it appears to be at least human. This has to be a blisteringly fast course, so I think it's really just a question of staying aero and staying moving.<br /><br />(2) Randonneuring events. I'll do some, I'm sure, but it's hard to say what they'll be at this point. I'm planning on Central Coast 1200k in August, and Lois Springsteen, the RBA in charge of it, has expressed a willingness to allow me to substitute some 24-hour races and challenge rides for qualifying brevets. I doubt I'll do a full 2-3-4-600k series.<br /><br />(3) National 24-hour Challenge. I think this is my big June event. It looks like there's some talent, which is appealing, and I'd look forward to drafting Max for the first 12 hours while blasting N'Sync from a handlebar-mounted speaker.<br /><br />(4) MoM and DD... dunno. I don't want to overcommit myself, but they're great rides and convenient. Also, DD is a week or so after National 12/24. I'd say DD is somewhat unlikely, especially since I rode it last year. As for MoM, Mike W. went 7:46, and I went 7:49. I have zero confidence I can improve on that time, which came at least in part because the temps were in the 60s, instead of the 80s. On the other hand, I do think I've finally figured that course out.<br /><br />(5) Saratoga. Who lit up the 12-hour? I'm still second overall behind Matt Roy, as far as I can tell. (Although Matt did have a great ride, so maybe he's the person to whom you're referring.) The 24-hour CR is absolutely within reach, to the point of seeming like something of a gimme if the conditions are anything like 2012 and the rider is supported. If I don't do RAO, this seems appealing.<br /><br />(6) RAO or, more likely, Furnace Creek. RAO is more appealing in certain ways -- logistically it's easier and I'd have a better chance of doing well there. The trick is that it comes at a tough time of the year given my other plans, such as Central Coast 1200k only a bit later, and it would also make Saratoga impossible. Furnace Creek is a little easier timing-wise, although I'd almost certainly get my ass kicked. I need to make up my mind on this pretty soon.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06383376886256041817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538361619679101786.post-76605665593064857292013-12-12T21:27:46.180-08:002013-12-12T21:27:46.180-08:00Ambitious schedule, with lots of travel!
I could ...Ambitious schedule, with lots of travel!<br /><br />I could be in for N24C and Saratoga 12/24. DTB also seems interesting. I like the idea of finding a casual 1000K or two, even if not for RUSA credit. I bet Texas has plenty of 1000K permanent routes.<br /><br />The Colorado CM routes are also enticing. Perhaps could be planned to coincide with a family reunion in the area....<br />http://cyclosmontagnards.org/Rules.html<br /><br />samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16215727841155911987noreply@blogger.com