Quitting bicycle riding.

[Too Tall]

:rolleyes: Not reallllllly. Thought y'all would get a giggle seeing my latest circus act ;) It planes erk erk erk

[Giff]

I would love to try sculling one day. Course, it's not real popular out here in Nebraska.....

[Sandy]

Question for you, big guy. The guy in the distance at the top of the first picture- Is that where you should have been, if you really knew what you were doing?? :) :)


Submarine Sandy

[DarrenCT]

looks like lotsa fun!

is this something you do while drinking a beer?

[rwsaunders]

TT: That string bean of a kayak that you're in looks like it needs a Hawaii 5-0 outrigger attached to it. Be careful out there.

[KJMUNC]

A guy from the US Jr. rowing team got a bike and started showing up at local races a few years back.....and started winning. Dude has crazy VO2 max and leg/core strength, so as soon as he got the bike handling down, he was a force to be reckoned with. Last I saw of him he'd moved from a Cat4 to a 2 in one calendar year and was flying.....

[Louis]

Josh,

I'm happy to see you using Concept 2 oars on that. I went to school with Judy Geer (now married to D!ck Dreissigacker) and remember seeing folks testing early versions of the C2 erg (it used a bicycle wheel and chain) down in the basement of the engineering building.

Louis

[3chordwonder]

I can only assume that thing has a keel on it like an America's Cup yacht, otherwise it's a mystery to me how you stay upright.

[weisan]

Pre-D2R2 trainin'

[A.L.Breguet]

Question for you, big guy. The guy in the distance at the top of the first picture- Is that where you should have been, if you really knew what you were doing?? :) :)


Submarine Sandy
Nah, he's lapping the guy.

[stevep]

dude,
you need a bigger boat.

[Too Tall]

Today is the last day of sculling camp boo hoo. Now it's back to the Potomac for me. No kidding, these boats are ridiculous why can't they add some outriggers or something??? Coming from a stability sport to this is sorta humbling...not sorta...HUMBLING.

Yep. Concept2 oars rock this world. Current version buries to the correct depth if you just have the right touch to let it go and the oar collars are notched so that all you have to do is a finger tip roll to come to square...very amazing if you can JUST FREAKIN RELAX (me). This is not an easy sport to learn for old dewds ;)

[ada@prorider.or]

meaby you should try these
http://www.r-en-d.demon.nl/kees/roeifiet.htm

[djg]

Does it handle like you're on rails?

TT dude, so the long red pointy shiny scull and the matching shorts...it's a look.

[Kevan]

I just assume.

[Ginger]

Today is the last day of sculling camp boo hoo. Now it's back to the Potomac for me. No kidding, these boats are ridiculous why can't they add some outriggers or something??? Coming from a stability sport to this is sorta humbling...not sorta...HUMBLING.

Yep. Concept2 oars rock this world. Current version buries to the correct depth if you just have the right touch to let it go and the oar collars are notched so that all you have to do is a finger tip roll to come to square...very amazing if you can JUST FREAKIN RELAX (me). This is not an easy sport to learn for old dewds ;)


I always found sculling easier if I just didn't think about flipping over.

Do you think about falling over on a bike?
(I know...but you have skillz on the bike!)

That lake looks beautiful to row on.

[davids]

:rolleyes: Not reallllllly. Thought y'all would get a giggle seeing my latest circus act ;) It planes erk erk erk
Dude!

I row all summer at the camp in Maine. I love the single (which is a skinny 'lil thing, but not quite as much as the one you're in), the brand-new double, which is narrow but has a nice, flat bottom - It's stable and fast. I had it cutting through 1' swells (on a 4 mile lake!) the first time I rowed it. And then there's the four. It requires a good crew, which is rare at a camp where most of the rowers are dabbling. But with a good crew, it flies. That's the boat, but not me:

http://www.medomakcamp.com/img/20060918111703.jpg

Yeehaw!

[Ginger]

Dude!

I row all summer at the camp in Maine. I love the single (which is a skinny 'lil thing, but not quite as much as the one you're in), the brand-new double, which is narrow but has a nice, flat bottom - It's stable and fast. I had it cutting through 1' swells (on a 4 mile lake!) the first time I rowed it. And then there's the four. It requires a good crew, which is rare at a camp where most of the rowers are dabbling. But with a good crew, it flies. That's the boat, but not me:

http://www.medomakcamp.com/img/20060918111703.jpg

Yeehaw!
Be gentle with the boy David, he's only been doing it a little bit.

And those narrower racers are a different animal from flat bottom trainers. But you know that. :)

Congratulations on hopping into a new sport TT!

[Too Tall]

meaby you should try these
http://www.r-en-d.demon.nl/kees/roeifiet.htm
Cees, last PBP there was a dewd on the same row bike and he stayed with the lead pack (tandem) thru two almost three controls...he was fast.

[Too Tall]

Dude!

I row all summer at the camp in Maine. I love the single (which is a skinny 'lil thing, but not quite as much as the one you're in), the brand-new double, which is narrow but has a nice, flat bottom - It's stable and fast. I had it cutting through 1' swells (on a 4 mile lake!) the first time I rowed it. And then there's the four. It requires a good crew, which is rare at a camp where most of the rowers are dabbling. But with a good crew, it flies. That's the boat, but not me:

http://www.medomakcamp.com/img/20060918111703.jpg

Yeehaw!

WOOO wooo, that's cool Davids :) I'm trying to work some charm and weasle my way onto a sweep boat at the club. There are some dedicated masters racers here.

[William]

A guy from the US Jr. rowing team got a bike and started showing up at local races a few years back.....and started winning. Dude has crazy VO2 max and leg/core strength, so as soon as he got the bike handling down, he was a force to be reckoned with. Last I saw of him he'd moved from a Cat4 to a 2 in one calendar year and was flying.....

Exactly the way I got into competitive cycling. Cept I already had bike handling skills. First two races I learned some important lessons. Top three in just about every race after that for the rest of the season. Went from a cat 5 to a cat 3 in one season. Crew got me into scary shape...../best shape of my life. My first group ride with the OSU cycling team...I rode everyone off my wheel with out even realizing it. :D

Any who,
Titan bro...you and me in a double...everyone else will be rolling over in our wake!!! :cool: :banana:



William

[Too Tall]

Titan bro are you sure we weren't sep. at birth??? Cool :)

[Dan Le foot]

What gear ratio are you in?
Dan

[Too Tall]

Gear ratio? (taking you seriously... ;) ) Weeeeeellll, my coach says to think of the inboard handle adjustment as the little gear and the outboard (oar length) as the big gear...anywho it "feels" like I'm big ringing it alllllll f'in day long brother...alll fin' day long. Bawooooooooooooo

[BURCH]

I would love to try sculling one day. Course, it's not real popular out here in Nebraska.....


Creighton Univ (http://www.gocreighton.com/sports/common/sports_main.asp?contentID=0&sportID=4&sectionID=37) rows in Omaha. Not sure how close you are to there, but if there are university programs there are definately public boat houses.

Sculling is great...until you come across a barge or speedboat that buzzes you. Then I prefer to be in an 8.

[dgauthier]

Quitting cycling!?!!?

I don't want to start a big row here, but you must be out of your skull!

[Too Tall]

hehe. Ahhh, you don't know me like some of the kids here who hang out on the porch do you? Qutting cycling for me would be the queue for my friends to have an intervention. Nah, just diversifying a little and hey "they" wear goofy lycra outfits just like "us" so thought it would be an easy move ;) Oh how wrong I was :rolleyes:

[Louis]

One that that is interesting is to compare the C2 and the Serotta forums. Since we have variations in the bikes themselves and in the components there's a lot more to discuss on this side of the fence. On the other hand, they can go bananas over details in the "Wolverine" training plan.

[Too Tall]

Louis, checkout row2k forum sometime :rolleyes: Some things never change.

[William]

Titan Bro, you've got an Erg already don't you? If not, add it to your must have list. :D



William

[Too Tall]

You mean the "rail" ;) Yep. Got a Concept2 model D last yr. Love it. I plan to race crash-b in the Fittyyearold division this yr. Now if I can just stop it from falling off the rollers...dangit.

[Tom]

I'm thinking seriously about a Concept2 rower for winter training. My nephew was bike racing and crewing at UVM this spring until some genius decided to pass on the inside of a turn in the UVM crit with about ten laps to go. With his bike in three parts he decided to go just with crew for the rest of the year. He tells me the rowing is a blast and contributes a lot to his strength on the bike and I should really get into it.

Indoor erg racing is bizarre. My sister's ex is obsessed with it and is arguably world class but I'm told that the competition is not a pretty sight. His and my nephew's mom's stories are hair raising.

[William]

Good call Tom. Concept2's are the tops. Nothing better out there IMHO.

During the crew season, we used to drive up to Bellevue every year to compete in the Ergo-Mania event. It was crazy fun. Wall to wall ergs. We'd compete in the team and individual races. Get a trash can close by because it wasn't unusual to puke your guts out after balls to the walls efforts.

If you've never competed in crew before, understand that a 2000 meter race is about seven minutes of pure hell (plus/minus depending on level) Sprint at the start, settle in at a good hard pace, possibly modulate the pace to get up on your opponents, then all out sprint for the finish. Every muscle in your body screaming for oxygen. You've got to be in some killer shape to be competitive.



William

[scrooge]

Hmmm...anyone be interested in forming a team for the C2 "Virtual challenge" in January? Might be good motivation...

http://www.concept2.com/us/motivation/challenges/virtual.asp

[William]

Hmmm...anyone be interested in forming a team for the C2 "Virtual challenge" in January? Might be good motivation...

http://www.concept2.com/us/motivation/challenges/virtual.asp

Captain Bloody William Flint is on board!! Arrrrrrr...!!!




William

[LegendRider]

Indoor erg racing is bizarre. My sister's ex is obsessed with it and is arguably world class but I'm told that the competition is not a pretty sight. His and my nephew's mom's stories are hair raising.

Can you elaborate???

[Tom]

We used to joke about wearing Gore-Tex pants when we volunteered at road races in the finishing chutes because people throw up but it only happened once or twice when I was doing it. Apparently at crash-b's and the like there's one dedicated set of volunteers whose job it is to provide buckets for people to throw up in. I figure if that's routine, I don't want to hear about the unusual stuff.

[Grant McLean]

:rolleyes: Not reallllllly. Thought y'all would get a giggle seeing my latest circus act ;) It planes erk erk erk


now this tandem really planes...

-g

[Louis]

now this tandem really planes...

I wonder how long they can keep it up ...

[nobrakes]

but do you hafta still shave?

[Tom Kellogg]

If you want to go really fast, get one of the Giro TT helmets and put it on backwards. Talk about having the look!

Having done a bit of this myself, the stability thing is all in the stillness of the body and a bit of control with the hips, kind of like on a bike but backwards. And by the way, no keel, these things have NO natural roll stability. If the oars weren't there, they would flip in an instant.

[Too Tall]

...said one of the most nimble athletes I know...TOM!!!! haha easy for you to say! It's coming along, maybe I'll survive the season maybe.

Hmm Crash-b virtual team. Nah, that's too much like work. However, I def. am going to race the regionals now that I'm FIFTY SWEEEEET. I just got alot better :)

[Too Tall]

Had to dredge this thread back to life because today I hit a milestone :) One of the elite masters rowers took me for a romp on the river this morning at 0-dark-30 in a super nice double. His history as a top amateur cyclist who raced at the highest levels 20 yrs. ago is something the rowing club knows nothing about and gives me allllll kinds of joy. We rowed for 8 1/2 miles holy cow we were flying. Rowing a double has got to be the fastest way to learn. Ad (he's dutch) was barking instructions during the row to correct things. At one point he said "let's see if we can row from this bridge to the next in 50 strokes or less"....we did it in 51 not bad considering I'm the one with less than 100 rows ever and he is the freakin' MAN...I was holding him back no doubt.

Anywho, I'm thrilled. Found a new sport, got past the usual cobbles. Thanks for the support and good words. Merckxx, let's row!!!

[Firenze]

Too Tall,
When you string together several strokes where the boat sets up, it is an amazing feeling. It is akin to flying ATMO.
There is nothing better than having a coach literaly on your back who is feeling everything you are!! If you get the chance, try an eight if you really want to feel the speed.
Keep it up.
Firenze

[72gmc]

Good on you TT. I plan to try this someday, when the kids aren't so small I have to wrestle them into their school clothes every morning. I'm surrounded by rowing opportunities here in Seattle, and besides the darn rowers get to the bakery first on weekends and obliterate the cinnamon roll selection.

[Too Tall]

I doubt farmers get up earlier!!! Ad asked me to be ready to row at 5:30am..that means I have to get up at 4 to ride 20 miles to the boathouse.

No kidding, the 8's when going fast have enough wake to get my attention.

This and upcoming rows with Ad are sort of a test to see if they want to recruit me for masters rowing in 8's, 4's etc.

FWIIW rowing downstream in the Potomac under Key Bridge passing the dramatically lit Lincoln/Jefferson memorials was magic. Had a hard time not gawking. Imagine this is a similar experiance for others in big cities with rivers, getting away from the hustle and bustle.

Anywho, my record is still unblemished. Nearly a full yr. of rowing and have not driven once to the boathouse :) woo woo.

[d_douglas]

Rowing interests me because my F-i-L won a Gold in Australia in 1956 and a silver in Rome in 1960. His Olympic oar is hung in my wife's old bedroom and is so dated, but incredible. I have even handled the gold once - cool.

As was mentioned earlier, these folks are like machines - though my Father in Law is now 70 and has had a stroke, he is still a big, strong dude. I saw a grainy video of them rowing in Melbourne and then accepting the medal afterwards and they were four tall, lanky muscular guys.

The funny thing is that I have met several big figures in rowing in Canada such as Silken Laumannn and Derek Porter at their home (Lorne is considered the father of elite level rowing in western Canada, as he started the rowing programme in Victoria, the national training centre) and the new breed of elite rowers are absolutely massive, making my F-i-L look like a midget.

Like most sports, people just keep getting bigger and bigger, stronger and stronger. Scary. I have never met a bigger or more muscular (properly proportioned) human being than Derek Porter - I would say 6'7", 230lbs, NO FAT. The muscles in his face rippled. It was freaky.

Too Tall - you have the raw ingredients for rowing - keep it up, as people say it is completely addictive and a long lasting sport.

[Too Tall]

Kewl Ddouglas :) FWIIW this summer I was at a rowing retreat where we dissected films of recent olympic and world cup rowing events and what you say about massive rowers is not "where it's at" for olympic gold. Recent advances in technique are yielding blazing results using a ..get this...almost pilates style "c" shape back at the catch and again a pilates-style roll down to finish and hang onto the stroke. The guys and gals at my club are not giving up what's been coached for the last 20 yrs. "hands away" etc. Times are changing. When I'm well away from my coach's view I practice the "new way" ;)

Hey those old oars took SERIOUS skill to work. My oars are almost automatic by comparison. Your relative is a freakin' g-d. WOW. There are a bunch and I mean a bunch of 65 yrs. old + + guys and gals who row almost every day at my club. This sport is good to older bodies....I'm HIP!

[Louis]

Recent advances in technique are yielding blazing results using a ..get this...almost pilates style "c" shape back at the catch and again a pilates-style roll down to finish and hang onto the stroke.

Josh, are folks also using this technique on the erg and @ the CRASH-Bs?

Louis

[Fixed]

Anywho, my record is still unblemished. Nearly a full yr. of rowing and have not driven once to the boathouse woo woo.
you are the man bro
cheers imho

[d_douglas]

about the size - I also worked with an elite rower who was trying out for the Canadian Olympic team. He was about 5'11' and 180 (solid muscle of course) and it was quite sad to find out he finished dead last at the trials. I attributed it to the fact that he just couldn't match against the big boys since he was in between weight classes. He would always starve himself before races to get in under 180, then compete with lightweights in a compromised state.

I later realized that it was simply a bad tryout for him as he went to the worlds somewhere in Latin America and won a silver medal.

I am sure that the monsters with good technique have a mechanical and physical advantage, but it makes sense that smaller, highly efficient rowers would excel too.

I am tempted to start rowing in an effort to strengthen my back. Olympic hopeful, 2018!

[LegendRider]

For those of us with Concept2 ergs, let's start a thread to discuss our off-season training. It appears we have some knowledgeable types and I know I'd like to get training advice from someone who knows rowing but whose first love is cycling.

[Too Tall]

Josh, are folks also using this technique on the erg and @ the CRASH-Bs?

Louis
No. I have not seen it in recent film clips at Crash-Bs or at the club. The rowers with the fastest erg times are pretty massive. I really can't assess yet if these newer rowing styles translate to the erg but I'm giving it a try at home on my model D. I plan to race crash-b this yr. now that I'm 50. In practice my test times were decent.

LegendRider - Sure sure start a thread. FWIIW I am using a trial of ErgMon software with my C2 to see if I am better able to structure my workouts and assess diff. rowing (erg) styles. The software is capable of capturing "spike" data which represents all sorts of stuff I'm interested in such as peak watts per stroke and such. ALSO (hehe) it looks like the data has great potential for a software translation into Cycling Peaks ;) Would that be cool or what? "Rowing Peaks" woo woo. Anywho, it's all developmental and speculative at this point. The other program "out there" is RowPro and I have not talked to the developer yet or used a trial of the software. Man I can go on about watts :rolleyes: . Last yr. I put together a very detailed 12 week preparation for Crash-Bs for one of my coaching clients...who is also a Brevet rider :) If there is enough interest I can do same for a group on the cheap using a web interface to deliver workouts. (I need six to cover costs of renting the web software).