40 year old Rhode Island weekly summer TT shuts down

[godukes]

The long standing Stedeman's weekly TT series is shutting down. (http://www.westedman.com/?p=3383) This weekly TT event has been going on for 40 years.

It's not because of fees, or USA Cycling or anything like that. It's because riders are getting hit by drivers. It's a TT - so there are no 2 abreast riders.

When I used to live in Providence I went to this event all the time and it was a low cost quality event.

Sad. Stay safe.

[William]

That's really too bad. The guys who back and run that are really good people.





William

[superbowlpats]

Not surprised. The section on Rt 1 was, to use the term, an accident waiting to happen. Seeing this more and more locally with TT's. just too much risk / liability to put them on.

[OldCrank]

Another race bites the dust, that's frustrating.

Even on quiet roads, seems like more towns are deciding cyclists don't deserve to race. After all, some driver might be typing a very important text!

[William]

Another race bites the dust, that's frustrating.

Even on quiet roads, seems like more towns are deciding cyclists don't deserve to race. After all, some driver might be typing a very important text!


:butt:




William

[pinkshogun]

If you need your TT fix in Rhode Island there is/was one that began at the junction of "Crazy Corners" near the Scituate Resourvoir...Plainfield Pike, Rockland rd, and rt 12

[2metalhips]

These TT's used to be called the CTT's, Charlestown TT's. Many racers got their start there, including me in the 80's. That's a sad story but totally understandable, Rt 1 is really dangerous.

I'm very familiar with the Crazy Corners area. No way would I do a TT there.

[marciero]

My old stomping grounds, back when it was still more of a sleepy backwater. I still visit and ride down there on occasion. Some beautiful riding. I used to do the Stedman's group rides, though never did the TT. Sad to see this pass. It's just like everywhere. More and more cars.

[Peter P.]

There's no reason you can't TT on your own. Create your own route and compete against your own times. Problem solved.

[yinzerniner]

Absolute shame, I know that stretch of road pretty well having spent a lot of my youth going around RI playing in every rink that would schedule weekend morning games for crazy tykes. Actually surprised it lasted this long.

But real question, is there any way to plan TT's in some of the larger abandoned parking lots / industrial complexes that dot the entirety of New England? I know that the courses would be no more than 5 miles and would require maybe some sort of doubling back or inside and outside lines kind of like a golf course but that has to be preferable to completely abolishing the event altogether, right?

[quattro]

I used to do the 15k TT on Rt.1 with Everett Stedman and all the cool guys back in the early '80's, it was great fun! Sorry to hear it's ending.

[ceolwulf]

Absolute shame, I know that stretch of road pretty well having spent a lot of my youth going around RI playing in every rink that would schedule weekend morning games for crazy tykes. Actually surprised it lasted this long.

But real question, is there any way to plan TT's in some of the larger abandoned parking lots / industrial complexes that dot the entirety of New England? I know that the courses would be no more than 5 miles and would require maybe some sort of doubling back or inside and outside lines kind of like a golf course but that has to be preferable to completely abolishing the event altogether, right?

Probably a less convoluted course than something that the Vuelta organizers would put together. It's a good idea I think.

[PSJoyce]

I started racing at the CTT, too, in the early '80's. very sad it's gone, but the right call with today's traffic - and I do remember trying to draft busses even in the day.

[bpiecuch]

There are a couple "team sponsored" TT's in the area, but they come and go depending on individual riders/champions. The Stedman's TT was the one that was always there. I used to ride it 20 years ago in High School. It's a shame Route 1 has become just a glorified highway. Too many cars doing 70+ mph along that route (50 mph limit.)

The Crazy Corners TT was run for a few years by the Tri-New England crew, and co-sponsored by Providence Bike. But that too, only lasted a few years. (Road construction mostly killed it.)

New England Masters Cycling Association still holds the Peter Murphy TT. Its course is just around the corner from the old Stedman's route, and uses all (okay, 99%) back roads.

http://www.mapmyride.com/us/charlestown-ri/charlestown-ri-route-31876068

This course is all right turns, but a couple of the intersections have stop signs. It's still not the safest...

I wish there were more around, particularly in northern RI or southern MA. It's just too densely populated to find really safe TT routes.

[redir]

Well that truly sux :(

Too bad they could not set up a new course?

[superbowlpats]

We do an informal TT on Tuesdays at 6 pm in Rochester, MA. 8 mile loop, roads are good except a 1/3 mile stretch on the last mile, one tight corner but all right hand turns. traffic is pretty light. All are welcome, free timing :beer:

https://www.strava.com/segments/7256952

We used to have a 14 mile TT in Rochester but had to change it up due to some really bad road conditions.

There is the Duxbury, MA TT on Thursdays but that one seems on the way out. attendance is way down this year, roads deteriorating and the turns are sketchy as well as the traffic.

[ojingoh]

There's no reason you can't TT on your own. Create your own route and compete against your own times. Problem solved.

You're describing Strava.

In fact I wonder if you asked some of the folks who used to compete in that race if they still plan to ride the course, just with Strava logging the course attempts.

[cachagua]

Is the NEBC time trial still going? Outside of Concord, up toward Chelmsford and back past Carlisle... another relic from the '80s.

Praise Google! Here's what it found me:

http://nebc.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CBTT-2017-flyer.pdf

Wednesday nights through 9/6. If this is as friendly and competitive a group as it was when I was there, then we should all go. And if some of you do, come back in here and tell the story, I'd love to hear about it!

[Peter P.]

You're describing Strava.

In fact I wonder if you asked some of the folks who used to compete in that race if they still plan to ride the course, just with Strava logging the course attempts.

Not to pick nits, but most people don't ride TT's to compete against themselves; they've got to have the competition of chasing someone else. Riding to beat YOUR OWN TIME is too painful. It's a zen thing.

The Strava difference with TT's, besides some people don't use any ride recording apps, is the conditions between 2 peoples' separate attempts will be different, and the geeks will argue that therefore comparisons will be invalid. Then you've got to wonder about who ran the TT honorably i.e., did they start from a dead stop or cheat and fly through the start, etc. .

Competing against your own time, you only need a stopwatch.

A few years ago some friends and I, none of who had Strava, held a gentlemen's TT. You would ride it any time you liked and posted a report to the others. I was the secretary and recorded the times. One member painted the start/stop lines and you were on your honor to roll through the start below X mph. That's it.

[shovelhd]

New England Masters Cycling Association still holds the Peter Murphy TT.

You know why it's called the Pete Murphy TT, right?

[sandyrs]

Is the NEBC time trial still going? Outside of Concord, up toward Chelmsford and back past Carlisle... another relic from the '80s.

Praise Google! Here's what it found me:

http://nebc.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CBTT-2017-flyer.pdf

Wednesday nights through 9/6. If this is as friendly and competitive a group as it was when I was there, then we should all go. And if some of you do, come back in here and tell the story, I'd love to hear about it!

I used to go out to this when I worked in Lexington. Fun enough group and some of the guys like Dean Phillips are absolute monsters.

[Mark McM]

Is the NEBC time trial still going? Outside of Concord, up toward Chelmsford and back past Carlisle... another relic from the '80s.

Praise Google! Here's what it found me:

http://nebc.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/CBTT-2017-flyer.pdf

Wednesday nights through 9/6. If this is as friendly and competitive a group as it was when I was there, then we should all go. And if some of you do, come back in here and tell the story, I'd love to hear about it!

Yes, NEBC (my club) is still running the weekly time trial. Unfortunately, the TT is on hold for a short time, while Lowell Road is under construction. Hopefully, the roads will be in good enough shape to resume either this week or next.