As some of you may or may not know, Nick will be getting 'married' in Gainesville at the end of October (I'll be there, perhaps I should wear the team kit to the ceremony?) and in celebration we're having a get together on Saturday that the whole team is invited to. Starting around 11am and going all day into the night we'll have a keg going and a grill in constant use. So show up to wish Nick some good luck and meet his friends that are coming up from Florida, a good time shall be had by all!
Oh yeah, 12 Fisk Place in Cambridge. Google it and goloco a ride if you have to. Just be there!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
parting in such sweet sorrow...
I'm sorry to say that it looks like yesterday was the last day I'll be able to make it to the track this season; the students at work start classes on Tuesday, which means I'm back to my 2pm-10pm schedule in the shop. Depending on how much vacation time I have I'll look into taking the day for the end of season BBQ off as a way to wrap things up.
I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank Thayne and Kip (and anyone else that helped) for getting the team up and going. It was a great experience and really helped make my summer. I'm sure I'll see everyone around and I'll definitely see everyone out on the track next year.
I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank Thayne and Kip (and anyone else that helped) for getting the team up and going. It was a great experience and really helped make my summer. I'm sure I'll see everyone around and I'll definitely see everyone out on the track next year.
Monday, August 27, 2007
the first Sad movie you ever Watched.
“The Red Balloon” is a film of forlorn hope and past occurrences gone wrong.Remember taking trips with friends or family? The ideal time, the perfect situation; they have an amazing ability to overshadow trials and efforts of the past where we wished to be somewhere else.
Taking an airlift to the east-indies where venture capitalists have established a full blown water park with ivy league school issue track surface grounds and walkways: paradise and disaster.
A cross race in august, paradise and disaster.
A sexy calendar of exotic visions in the booth of the air traffic controllers on a nuclear powered aircraft carrier.
Up for debate.
The point is, its happening. Ciclocross.
The reincarnation, the renaissance, the revival.
State militia in the form of a reemergence of motivated racers, enthusiasts, comrades in zeal.
What kicked off this years Cross campaign? Yesterday, around 1230pm, a B–2 Stealth bomber flew over boston. Those Assemblies cost this nation Billions, each. Why the spectacle? If it were passing through, it would be well above commercial flight altitude: out of view.
But what a site…Strange militaria alien borne.
If you didn’t see it, you heard the disturbance.
http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/b2/
Cyclocross Is raging onward. Now. Already. Tell your lover that they will be sitting on the aft burners next to the Swedish meatball sausepac brewing in 2 fingers of rolling boil.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
World Champ represents at SinkorSwim Race
The 2007 Messenger World Champion Peter Bradshaw came out for Shep's Sink or Swim Messenger Triathalon, placing top whatever depending on how many beers you had.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
JDunn sets NEV Mile Record: 2:06:10
Jeremy Dunn prepares for the Mile Record Attempt with the help of Cambridge Bicycle teammates Roger Abrams and Erik Peterson.
(Londonderry, NH) Anticipation was high as Cambridge Bicycle rider Jeremy Dunn was the last competitor to make the attempt on the Mile Record at the New England Velodrome on Wednesday night. The previous night's record of 2:09:20 had already been shattered by several riders. The conditions were favorable as the heat was down and there was only a mild wind on the back straightaway. An opening lap of 28 seconds bode well for Dunn, but when lap two came in at 23.55 seconds we knew he had a chance. With teammates and crowd cheering him on, he finished the 5 lap effort of the 318m track in 2:06:10: The Mile Record was his!
BRC's Dan Butler (sporting his new Graeme Obree rear wheel) and Quad Cycles Christian Eager were both within a second of Dunn's time, with NorEast Cycling strongman Steven Gauthier just outside the top 3. Gauthier made up for it by winning both the 12 Lap Scratch Race and the Miss and Out later in the program.
Incidentally, Jeremy Dunn also held the mile record on a different kind of track: Collegiate Track and Field. Cambridge riders also did well in the B and C categories. Check back as we are waiting for all the times from both nights to be posted. (CROTH REPORT OUT)
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
NNNNNNNNNNNIXIE
I have to say, if one person has made some leaps and bounds in the last couple of weeks it has to be this man. Maybe it was the new position on the bike? Maybe it was the rigorus training? Maybe it was even the new bearings in the rear hub? Maybe it's just a hunger deep down inside.
No one can say for sure.
What I am also curious about is why this guy is telling him to turn right, when the track so obviously goes left?
In any case, keep an eye on this man Mr. Nix, he's one to watch.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Team CB needs your help...
Keeping a team like CB together and well-organized means we all need to pitch in a little in some regards. Kip and Thane have really gotten the ball rolling with our beautiful-yet-hard-to-keep-clean-kits. It's up to us to keep up the momentum by developing sponsorship opportunities, organizing practices, and the like.
I'm really proud to say I'm on the cambridge bicycle track team (which incidentally now gets you a discount at the other side) and I want to see you guys doing what you can for the team. Does anyone want to get together later this week to talk about ideas while enjoying a brew?
One resource we have is that USAC puts on some free classes each year to teach riders like us how to officiate all types of cycling races (track, road, mtb, and cross). This fall I'd like to get an officials license, so that whenever the team is ready to host a large-scale race (hopefully next season) we are prepared. USAC also hosts some classes for coaching certification, and mechanics. Let me know if you're interested, and I'll make sure you are involved.
I'm really proud to say I'm on the cambridge bicycle track team (which incidentally now gets you a discount at the other side) and I want to see you guys doing what you can for the team. Does anyone want to get together later this week to talk about ideas while enjoying a brew?
One resource we have is that USAC puts on some free classes each year to teach riders like us how to officiate all types of cycling races (track, road, mtb, and cross). This fall I'd like to get an officials license, so that whenever the team is ready to host a large-scale race (hopefully next season) we are prepared. USAC also hosts some classes for coaching certification, and mechanics. Let me know if you're interested, and I'll make sure you are involved.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Wells Ave Recap
Like Nick mentioned I finally got around to purchasing a road bike, and with less than 24 hours on a geared machine I decided to race it out at Wells Ave. Nick originally pitched the D group to me as a good way to ease into things, but I ended up racing the C's with the logic of 'since I'm a C on the the track I should try the C's at Wells' all of which Nick fully encouraged.
Despite all my smack talking with Nick about winning it all, I knew from watching the races at Wells that this wasn't going to happen. I feel I went into everything with some realistic expectations for myself:
1. Get comfortable with the format.
2. Try to utilize the gears as much as possible.
3. Don't make a complete fool of myself.
4. Have fun.
Summary:
1. I think racing the track helped the most with being able to hold a tight line through the corners and being comfortable holding a wheel. Despite the lack of teams on the track, there was plenty of communication between riders about taking turns pulling, etc. all of which I felt comfortable jumping into. Honestly I think racing Wells Ave is going to be some of the best training for the track, and it would be great if maybe next year we could get some good team turnout so we could work on tactics and whatnot.
2. Utilizing gears may sound foolish, but having never really ridden a road bike I had to make a conscious effort of making sure to shift to make sure I wasn't mashing all the time. Towards the end of the race when things went downhill for me I defaulted to staying in one gear and just hammering away, so this is obviously something I'll need to work on more.
3. I guess this is more about the results. Which was 7th out of a pack of 7. And I made a lot of dumb mistakes (which I'll get into later) that resulted in me falling off the back of the pack during the last 1/3 of the race. But during the first 2/3 or so I was able to pull more than I should have and dump too much into a prem' lap than I should have. Even though they were foolish, I'm glad I was able to hold my own when I could and get positive feedback from the other racers afterwards.
4. Without a doubt a success in this regard. I had a blast and I'm looking forward to doing it again next week.
Like I mentioned, I made a couple dumb mistakes that came back to hurt me in the race, which hopefully everyone else thats going to be going out there for their first time can learn from:
1. Make sure you have your water with you. I started the race without checking to make sure I had a bottle on the bike and about 3 laps in I realized I left it in my bag. Didn't think this would be a big deal but around lap 8 or so I kinda wished I hadn't. By the end of the race I had definitely learned my lesson, and probably downed over a gallon over the following 2 hours in my attempts to rehydrate.
2. The crit is a lot longer than the track. I knew this was true, but it didn't hit me until I went back and thought it over after the race and realized it was 12 miles total. I started the race at a pace that I was comfortable with on the track, which I found out I couldn't carry through the last third of the race. I pulled hard and sprinted out hard, all of which I couldn't hold up.
Overall, I'm definitely glad I did this. For me it was a lot like the kilo on the track: I've never done it before and have no clue on what I can expect physically from myself unless I push myself to find out where my boundaries are. Like I mentioned, I think its going to be great training for the track and I'm definitely going to recommend people get out there and give it a go.
I'd also like to thank Thane, Kip, and the mechanic whose name I can't recall for spending the time with me to make sure the bike was a good fit and made it so that I could get it out the door and onto the street ASAP. Its all very much appreciated and won't be forgotten.
Despite all my smack talking with Nick about winning it all, I knew from watching the races at Wells that this wasn't going to happen. I feel I went into everything with some realistic expectations for myself:
1. Get comfortable with the format.
2. Try to utilize the gears as much as possible.
3. Don't make a complete fool of myself.
4. Have fun.
Summary:
1. I think racing the track helped the most with being able to hold a tight line through the corners and being comfortable holding a wheel. Despite the lack of teams on the track, there was plenty of communication between riders about taking turns pulling, etc. all of which I felt comfortable jumping into. Honestly I think racing Wells Ave is going to be some of the best training for the track, and it would be great if maybe next year we could get some good team turnout so we could work on tactics and whatnot.
2. Utilizing gears may sound foolish, but having never really ridden a road bike I had to make a conscious effort of making sure to shift to make sure I wasn't mashing all the time. Towards the end of the race when things went downhill for me I defaulted to staying in one gear and just hammering away, so this is obviously something I'll need to work on more.
3. I guess this is more about the results. Which was 7th out of a pack of 7. And I made a lot of dumb mistakes (which I'll get into later) that resulted in me falling off the back of the pack during the last 1/3 of the race. But during the first 2/3 or so I was able to pull more than I should have and dump too much into a prem' lap than I should have. Even though they were foolish, I'm glad I was able to hold my own when I could and get positive feedback from the other racers afterwards.
4. Without a doubt a success in this regard. I had a blast and I'm looking forward to doing it again next week.
Like I mentioned, I made a couple dumb mistakes that came back to hurt me in the race, which hopefully everyone else thats going to be going out there for their first time can learn from:
1. Make sure you have your water with you. I started the race without checking to make sure I had a bottle on the bike and about 3 laps in I realized I left it in my bag. Didn't think this would be a big deal but around lap 8 or so I kinda wished I hadn't. By the end of the race I had definitely learned my lesson, and probably downed over a gallon over the following 2 hours in my attempts to rehydrate.
2. The crit is a lot longer than the track. I knew this was true, but it didn't hit me until I went back and thought it over after the race and realized it was 12 miles total. I started the race at a pace that I was comfortable with on the track, which I found out I couldn't carry through the last third of the race. I pulled hard and sprinted out hard, all of which I couldn't hold up.
Overall, I'm definitely glad I did this. For me it was a lot like the kilo on the track: I've never done it before and have no clue on what I can expect physically from myself unless I push myself to find out where my boundaries are. Like I mentioned, I think its going to be great training for the track and I'm definitely going to recommend people get out there and give it a go.
I'd also like to thank Thane, Kip, and the mechanic whose name I can't recall for spending the time with me to make sure the bike was a good fit and made it so that I could get it out the door and onto the street ASAP. Its all very much appreciated and won't be forgotten.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Omnium Pursuit Photos Added
Some of the photos from this past Tuesday and Wednesday night's pursuit races have now been posted to the flicker site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cbtrackteam/
They're not organized into galleries at the moment, so you have to browse... the slideshow feature works pretty well...
race reports? well's ave? how'd it go?
-croth
Saturday, August 11, 2007
New Riders Crit at Wells Ave
Tomorrow morning Wells Ave will be hosting a Cat. D crit for anyone very new to crit racing. My personal feeling is that everyone that reads this is at least competitive in the Cat. C race which rolls off immediately afterwards. The D race starts at 8:30am, the C at 9:00am. If you want to get your feet wet with crits, the D race is informal and reserved for newbies. Crits like Wells Ave are excellent cross training for the track, and despite what you may have heard, are generally very safe and a chill atmosphere of cyclist with good attitudes-- very similar to Londonderry.
Aaron just bought his first race-worthy road bike so the two of us will be riding out there from the shop around 7:30. Shoot me an email if you're interested in coming with.
Aaron just bought his first race-worthy road bike so the two of us will be riding out there from the shop around 7:30. Shoot me an email if you're interested in coming with.
Friday, August 10, 2007
congrats Peter!
Just wanted to take a minute to congratulate Peter on winning 15th Annual Cycle Messenger World Championship in Dublin!
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Road Ride
Good luck to the A's and C's Tonight!!
Nick and I and whoever else wishes to will be road riding thursday (Aug 9) morning. Please to join if you like riding bikes.
6 AM meet at the shop.
ride to Walden pond area and back, aiming to be riding for 2 hours (back at 8am)so the folks with jobs can get to work on time.
Nick and I and whoever else wishes to will be road riding thursday (Aug 9) morning. Please to join if you like riding bikes.
6 AM meet at the shop.
ride to Walden pond area and back, aiming to be riding for 2 hours (back at 8am)so the folks with jobs can get to work on time.
CB Pursuits Prove Exciting!
Tuesday's Omnium night was full of excitement as racers in the D and B fields went into full TT mode. Our new Cambridge Bicycle team kits were a big hit, and they must also be very aerodynamic as Tyler took top honors in both B races, with Nick taking a second and a third placing. Nixie also seems to be coming into his own with a strong, confident ride in the Individual Pursuit and a second place finish in the Australian Pursuit. Full race report and photos will be uploaded soooooon......
We're going back up tonight, rain be damned, for more action in the C's, A's, Masters and Womens fields. Check in at the shop for a ride; SPECTATORS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME (Bring your friends!).....
viva,
-croth
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
TT gear sighting
Dear Team,
I just got a good deal on used clip on aero-extensions at Bikes-not-bombs.
As CB is out of stock, I thought i could pass this on without it being a conflict. There is one pair remaining at BNB, they are asking 40$ for them. They are older style, (think lemond "punching" through the air, rather than Levi and his pointing thumbs)
Worth a look for the wednesday racers.
sincerely
Seth
I just got a good deal on used clip on aero-extensions at Bikes-not-bombs.
As CB is out of stock, I thought i could pass this on without it being a conflict. There is one pair remaining at BNB, they are asking 40$ for them. They are older style, (think lemond "punching" through the air, rather than Levi and his pointing thumbs)
Worth a look for the wednesday racers.
sincerely
Seth
tuesday track run, aug 7th
Due to robots that fall over and trips to seattle, I have some space in my car to go to the track tonight for the omni. I phoned Lauren and I know Nixie was looking as well. Reply here or to me directly if you'd like to join me and nick. I usually meet up at the boathouse where i work around 3:30.
409 mem drive, on the river side.
409 mem drive, on the river side.
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