Derailed
Jul 01, 2007 · 08:32 PM · permalink
My biggest problem with bike racing is that it keeps you from riding your bike as much as you might like (huh?). We are in full-swing “Crit” season right now. The general rule to do well is race, and rest, or maybe do short, intense intervals. Races usually comprise of 60-75 minutes of a lung-busting tour around 4 city blocks. I like crits, I tend to do ok at them, but it’s days like today (Sunny, 78deg) that I get a little miffed that I have to race a crit. I spend a solid 4 hours driving to the race, getting ready, racing, and driving home. What a waste of a perfectly good day?!
I’m tempted to race getting the Tandem back together and rolling to Portland with my wife in the STP. At the least I think I’ll be taking some time off the circuit to get back into those long, sunny rides that I miss.
I feel bad for the racing crowd. Always having to go fast. Always feeling the pain. Always ‘training’. Always putting the bike on the car and driving for far more time than they seem to be racing…
There should be a 12 step program or something… ;)
It’s definitely that time a year, when the burned out feelings set in and why we usually ride a tour, or social ride, or just plain ride. One of the most enjoyable things about Bettie is that I can just get on and ride: no kit, nothing. Just a helmet and sport sandals.
I don’t speak for everyone, but what has kept my in the sport and loving the bike so much is that I really just enjoy riding and racing is a fringe benefit of that. I mostly like to ride and sometimes fast.
Driving to races sucks. If it’s even within reason I ride to races, but to get even a 5 mile Road Race loop usually means there’s going to be some drive time.
and the caravan is worse — not at our races obviously, but bike racing probably uses as much fuel as nascar
We should start an ‘out your back door’ race and tour series.
I don’t race - but I hate car topping my bike. I really wanted to do a full Brevet series out of Boston this year - but I just got depressed thinking about 8 hours of driving so I could ride me bike!
I have a stable full of bikes, and I have to admit the one I like riding the most is my Surly CrossCheck set up as a FG. I still wear fancy shoes (moved my MTB pedals to it) - but its so nice to cruise into town and walk around like an (almost) normal human being. I’ve been too lazy to mount the MKS Sylvan touring pedals with powergrips… yawn. Maybe I should get on that and I could ride in street shoes.
When I do ‘train’ - I do find that riding simply for the sake of riding can’t shake that burned out feeling. Having some tasks in town usually helps - post office, bank, dinner, even fireworks this 4th of July (with free safe and secure bike parking!)
-mb
In another thread, we’re talking about a Gran Fondo.
Gran Fondo… that would be interesting. I’ve read about Lennard Zinns as well as the Blayleys experiences. Good fun for sure.
Off to find that other thread…
It’s here and we’d call it the Hugga Fondue!
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