A gathering of pioneers: The Raleigh Boys’ reunion (U.S. racing history)

[54ny77]

Great article, just came across it.

It provides a snapshot of how elite cycling in the U.S. came to be, in the 70's.

And from what I'm told, John Howard is still killing it!

https://www.velonews.com/news/road/a...-boys-reunion/

[e-RICHIE]

It's from 2009 - I assume you saw that.

I see these guys at least several times a year, and Humphries dropped by last week. Our group (CYBC) was one of their (CRC of A) peer rivals back then. It's funny what unfolds with time. The Raleigh thing wasn't the financial or well-supported monolith it seemed like in real time. And stories of the number of intra-squad rivalries wouldn't come to the surface until long after the era ended. But they did get the limelight, and were among the teams that could be added to those with pioneer status.

[54ny77]

Yep saw that it was from the wayback machine. There was an ad in classifieds on an old Levi's-Raleigh frame, which prompted the looking around on web for some history. They were a force in the junior ranks of the 80's, which was my reference point.

I didn't know Howard, et al raced CRCA initially. That's good stuff.

Have a couple pals that were of that early generation, raced here and overseas, great stories!

Originally Posted by e-RICHIE

It's from 2009 - I assume you saw that.

I see these guys at least several times a year, and Humphries dropped by last week. Our group (CYBC) was one of their (CRC of A) peer rivals back then. It's funny what unfolds with time. The Raleigh thing wasn't the financial or well-supported monolith it seemed like in real time. And stories of the number of intra-squad rivalries wouldn't come to the surface until long after the era ended. But they did get the limelight, and were among the teams that could be added to those with pioneer status.

[e-RICHIE]

Originally Posted by 54ny77

Yep saw that it was from the wayback machine. There was an ad in classifieds on an old Levi's-Raleigh frame, which prompted the looking around on web for some history. They were a force in the junior ranks of the 80's, which was my reference point.

I didn't know Howard, et al raced CRCA initially. That's good stuff.

Have a couple pals that were of that early generation, raced here and overseas, great stories!

Some were stalwarts from the original group in Princeton (Allis, Dale, Phillips, Halsey, Bell, some others) and the rest were recruited. By the '80s (the era you reference) the team was no longer Raleigh supported but CRC of A did have Miyata and some other brands at the time. That was a shell of what it was a decade earlier.

[Ti Designs]

John Allis was one of the owners of Wheelworks, and my coach for 25 years. His national road race championship jersey is framed above one of the doors of the shop. When the team got back together John work his jersey, so the frame said "still in use". What I love about John Allis is that he doesn't understand just how good he was (and still is). He was in the Olympics in 64, 68 and 72. When he raced in France he was known as the American who didn't drop out. When he won a race in France they didn't know what to do, they didn't think an American could win. The last time I was at his house I found his induction into the cycling hall of fame in the barn behind some golf clubs...

[El Chaba]

There was a brief mention of Bobby Phillips, which was not enough. Bobby is such a great character and a great sprinter. His parents both raced as well, and I am pretty certain were both national champions. Our club/team was holding an early season road race and we were a little short staffed at the registration…because most of us there were going to finish up that business and then race. Well, this older very spry lady comes walking up with a folding chair, opens it up behind the registration table, asks what the registration fee is and where we were putting the money. Then she yelled out “ men category two and three line up here” She just pitched right in. That was my introduction to Zay Phillips, Bobby’s mother. She was great. Bobby’s dad, John as well. That family WAS bike racing in this area. There are THOUSANDS of Bobby Phillips stories.

[e-RICHIE]

Originally Posted by El Chaba

There was a brief mention of Bobby Phillips, which was not enough. Bobby is such a great character and a great sprinter. His parents both raced as well, and I am pretty certain were both national champions. Our club/team was holding an early season road race and we were a little short staffed at the registration…because most of us there were going to finish up that business and then race. Well, this older very spry lady comes walking up with a folding chair, opens it up behind the registration table, asks what the registration fee is and where we were putting the money. Then she yelled out “ men category two and three line up here” She just pitched right in. That was my introduction to Zay Phillips, Bobby’s mother. She was great. Bobby’s dad, John as well. That family WAS bike racing in this area. There are THOUSANDS of Bobby Phillips stories.

Ya Bobby and a few others (from CRC of A) got pushed aside when the Raleigh thing happened. Regardless, he did okay over time. John and Zay and their ilk are the shoulders we all stand on. Shame that era isn’t given more limelight.

[buddybikes]

John Allis sold us beautiful Santana tandem back in 1993 which for some stupid reason I sold

Sure wish Fitchburg retained its status in the "tier 1" races again. My cousin was 18, she raced this crit with these guys in the 70's.

[El Chaba]

Originally Posted by e-RICHIE

Ya Bobby and a few others (from CRC of A) got pushed aside when the Raleigh thing happened. Regardless, he did okay over time. John and Zay and their ilk are the shoulders we all stand on. Shame that era isn’t given more limelight.

Thanks for that, and I couldn’t agree more.

[e-RICHIE]

Originally Posted by steveandbarb1

John Allis sold us beautiful Santana tandem back in 1993 which for some stupid reason I sold

Sure wish Fitchburg retained its status in the "tier 1" races again. My cousin was 18, she raced this crit with these guys in the 70's.

Who was that?

[deluz]

l live very close to John Howard and sometimes see him on the road but not for awhile now. He is unmistakable, nobody else looks him on a bike. When I was in my 30's (around 35 years ago) I used to go on the local training ride on Wednesday that went up the coast through Camp Pendleton. It was a total hammer fest and John was frequently at or off the front. Other notables where Chris Horner, Steve Hegg, Gregg Demgen, Kenny Souza and Axel Merckx. I am small and didn't have the power to stay with those guys but was able to make it through the ride sometimes by using my drafting skills.
I learned to sense an acceleration as it was happening and stomp on the pedals before it was too late. Those were crazy and fun days. John was always on a KHS bike which was his sponsor at the time.

[NHAero]

I rode a couple or so local small group rides with John Allis in the early 1970s and also rode the Mt Washington Hillclimb in the mid-1970s when he did. He was the most gracious and generous person as well as being a superstar.

Originally Posted by Ti Designs

John Allis was one of the owners of Wheelworks, and my coach for 25 years. His national road race championship jersey is framed above one of the doors of the shop. When the team got back together John work his jersey, so the frame said "still in use". What I love about John Allis is that he doesn't understand just how good he was (and still is). He was in the Olympics in 64, 68 and 72. When he raced in France he was known as the American who didn't drop out. When he won a race in France they didn't know what to do, they didn't think an American could win. The last time I was at his house I found his induction into the cycling hall of fame in the barn behind some golf clubs...