marblehead road race

[stevep]

the start of the race season in new england is on the horizon. the marblehead ( ma ) road race is 4/2...less than a month away.
better look to bikereg.com and get going. the 4/5 race is already full...
new england season rapidly approaches!

[Bruce K]

Hopefully we'll get a decent weather day this year.

If so, I'll be riding down from Gloucester to cheer on the ECV riders.

BK

[Bill Bove]

Hopefully we'll get a decent weather day this year.

If so, I'll be riding down from Gloucester to cheer on the ECV riders.

BK
Ride down from Goucester AND JOIN the ECV riders :banana:
The three rules of racing the USCF doesn't tell you:

1, They don't take your bike away for finishing last.

2, you have already embarrassed yourself much more among more judgemental people than you'll find at a bike race.

3.If you don't race, who will?

Bruce, I need only to remind you of CycleFest 2005 to prove my point. You and Jesse ought to enter the 5 race together. How cool would it have been if your Dad was going wheel to wheel with you back in the day?

[Bruce K]

Bill;

I refer you back to the original post.

"the 4/5 race is full."

Even if I had an inkling of doing this one there are 2 things preventing it:

1. There is ALWAYS some kind of crash in the 4/5

2. See above ;) :crap: :banana:

BK

[Tom]

That's part of the problem of being a new guy. If you sit around dithering should I or shouldn't I the damn field fills up. At least with running for all but a few races you could show up all hungover on race day and still get in.

I do think after reading and hearing about 5 races that I'm taking the advice I got that if I can't stay up on the front to stay on the white line so when **** happens I can ride off into the ditch.

[coylifut]

Bill;



1. There is ALWAYS some kind of crash in the 4/5



the worse ones I've seen have been in the 3 field. Same youthful enthusiasm, faster speeds.

[Dr. Doofus]

weird -- only saw two crashes happen last year -- both caused by the same teenager who tried to dive inside on corners at the end of crits

now, doof heard a lot of crashes last year...behind him

so...doof never wins anything, but at least he's up front where its safer...doof has raced up and down the USCF food chain since 1982, and would say that in all fields, crashes happen in the middle and the back of the field among riders who are pressed just to follow the wheels...they miss something, don't protect their wheel, or take a stupid chance...and bam.

[Ti Designs]

I gotta agree with the Doof on this one, stay up front, stay alert. It's not gonna keep you safe all the time, but your chances get a lot better!

Bill,

Some of us have raced long enough, being in the race isn't everyting. I raced for 15 years, I'm happy to say I'm tired - er, I mean retired! I still train, I do more intevals than any other retired bike racer I know, but you're not gonna see me in the race. (the thought of paying someone else to ride your bike hard against your friends just turns me off - can I start changing people who show up on my training rides?)

[Bruce K]

Guys;

I appreciate Bill's encouragement, freindship, and enthusiasm. :banana:

One day, I might even try a race on pavement that isn't a TT.

But being the old heavy guy at the back is unappealing on pavement and, after years of sportscar racing, the idea of possibly sliding along on the aspahlt at 20mph in what's basically my underwear does not seem like very much fun. :rolleyes:

BK

[Bill Bove]

Bruce and TiDesigns, I know what both of you are saying and like the Doof I've been racing since the dawn of time. I raced three times last season and finished once, the road race. Lapped very early in both crits. TT's don't count. I don't mind paying (too much) for a race, what kills me is driving for 6 hours and paying for a room, to race around an industrial park for 45 minutes.
I prefer the centuries now and the way we ride 'em down here they're as good as race at half the price AND you get a t-shirt :banana: woohoo :confused: I just think that you're really not getting the whole bicycling experience with out doing a couple of mass start races, crits are like carnivale rides, the faster you go-the more fun! Crashes? An excuse to buy new bike parts :D besides "I never crash" :confused: :confused: