So last night was my first experience with rollers. Given the conditions around here recently, I figured I needed to do something this winter to keep sane if I couldn’t get out on the bike regularly. I know quite a few people who use fluid resistance trainers, but those seemed really boring. Rollers could be at least entertaining, given the potential for crashing into the workbench.

For whatever reason, I envisioned rollers as being perpetual motion machines–start pedaling and they just spin-spin-spin. This is not the case (or, maybe it’s just not the case with Dave’s old rollers). This actually makes it easier than I expected to balance. Also, do not attempt to ride the rollers with ‘cross tires run at race pressures. This is akin to riding on bare rims. Also, riding on ‘cross tires pumped up to 80 psi is also not recommended, as they are very loud on the rollers, and tend to bounce a bit. All was well once I had some road tires on the bike.

I rode for roughly 45 minutes. The first fifteen was spent with one hand on the bike, the other on the washing machine. Most of this time was spent thinking “how in the world am I supposed to let go and grab the bars?” The next five minutes were spent removing my hand from the washing machine for 30 seconds or so at a time. Then I moved on to putting my hand on the bars for about a minute or so at a time, then moving back to the washing machine for a bit. After 30 minutes, I hopped off to take the shepherd’s pie out of the oven, then proceeded to ride the remaining time with both hands on the bike.

Some observations:

• I got a better workout, even in 45 minutes, than I expected. It certainly wasn’t an interval workout, but it was better nothing, and really forced me to focus on my pedal stroke.
• I need to get a fan.
• I need to bring the laptop down and listen to music or watch a movie (anyone getting me A Sunday in Hell for Christmas?).

I’m sure the novelty will wear off sooner rather than later, so here’s hoping for a mild winter and lots of time on the bike out of doors.

Posted on 22 December 2008

So we arrived yesterday, and within minutes of finishing dinner at a little trattoria in a generic strip mall, Oren vomited. We thought we were over this (at least with him), but alas, we were not. Too much milk, methinks. Anyway, that’s how our trip started. I will note that traveling with grandparents makes the process wonderfully easy.

Today was better. Oren slept a lot, and ate a lot, and we just lounged around the resort compound, swimming and playing putt-putt. We are wearing shorts and sandals. My brain cannot wrap itself around this and the images of Christmas trees and reindeers. And for some reason, I always think we’re in California. I appreciate that this trip is forcing me to rest. While I don’t feel exhausted, I know my body needs the rest. Jen and I will hopefully check out a climbing gym in Orlando at some point though.

Tomorrow will include a trip to the Kennedy Space Center. That should be fun for all.

Posted on 10 December 2008

We’re going to Florida tomorrow, for six days. Not our usual adventure holiday, that’s for sure, but hey, it’s warm there, and the kids will get to see the Kennedy Space Center.

I’ve spent the last week looking at road bikes on eBay. Since I’m kinda addicted to this cyclocross thing now, I thought having a bike for each might be a good idea, since it’s hard to ride on the road when the bike is in ‘cross mode. There are some decent deals out there right now (including a Lemond Beunos Aires–Reynolds 853 frame!), but I can’t bring myself to hang the Cannondale from a hook for the next nine months (especially with the slick new bars I won at Murrysville). The Cannondale is made in the U.S.A., has an Ultegra drivetrain (well, mostly), and fits like a glove. I’m mulling over perhaps simply getting another set of wheels, and using one set for ‘cross and the other for road, thus allowing me to simply swap wheels. I’m also trying to sell the Monocog (interested?), and if that sells, then I may more seriously pursue a used road machine, but for the time being, the Cannondale is The One.

Oh, and I mentioned news about team membership? Well, here it is.

Posted on 8 December 2008

At least one picture of me from the C race exists, thanks to Ben Stephens:

Full set, include Dirty Dozen pics, is here.

Update: Even more pics here.

Posted on 2 December 2008

I meant to include a few other details in my initial post about the race, but didn’t. First, the bike performed flawlessly. I swapped out the Campy compact double crank I used during the summer and fall with a standard ‘cross crank set. I never shifted into the big ring–I now understand why many racers don’t even run a front derailleur. No mis-shifts in the rear, either. The brakes (IRD cantis) worked quite well, too, despite the fact I adjusted the rear on Saturday evening (I have a rocky relationship with cantilever brakes). I used a set of Hutchinson Pro Series tires (borrowed from my boss), run at about 35 PSI. No issues there, either. I think I was pushing the limit of inflation (or deflation, if you will) in the rear, but I didn’t flat, save for my incident prior to the start.

So, the season is officially over. Biking will be limited to the commute for the next month or so, I think, unless we get some really, really nice weather (doubtful). A brief of review of the season:

Highlights

• I started racing.
• Sixth place finish at the first race at the Oval that I didn’t get lapped.
• Six (I think) top ten finishes at the Oval.
• Fourth place at Strongland.
• First place, C race, Murrysville Cyclocross.

Lowlights

• Completely exploding at Mingo Creek after an ill-timed effort (first lesson learned).
• Getting lapped about twenty times during my first race at the Oval.
• Oakmont Grand Prix.
• Fort Cherry Road Race. That was over even before it started.

I don’t think I could have asked for a better introduction to the world of bike racing. The ACA deserves a pat on the back and a shout out for their C races at the Oval. The officials and marshals really helped me out this season.

Next up is planning for next season. I’m sure how much proper “training” I’ll do this winter, besides just riding. The week day hill training seemed to make a difference in my power and overall fitness, and given the sort of workout I can get in less than hour during my lunch break, that will be an important piece of the puzzle next year. I’m also looking for a proper road bike. The Monocog will likely be sold, and the Cannondale will remain a ‘cross bike for next season. My rough plan for next season looks like this:

• Do one or two of the Mingo Creek series.
• Steel City Showdown, if it doesn’t happen on Easter Sunday.
• Race at the Oval (duh), with an eye on maybe moving up the B races at some point (there is, I should note, a practical side to moving up–the B races begin at 6:15-ish, meaning I don’t lose an entire evening at the Oval).
• Fort Cherry (assuming it happens again).
• Oakmont Grand Prix.
• Strongland.
• At least one road race in the eastern part of the state.
• A race in Colorado, maybe, if we do indeed travel out there.
• A few ‘cross races.

I also have some news regarding team membership for next season, but I’m not ready to spill the beans just yet.

Posted on 2 December 2008

Yesterday, around 3:00 PM, I was regretting my decision to ride Murrysville instead of the Dirty Dozen. Saturday was clear and pleasant, with temperatures in the mid 40s. The forecast for Sunday was cold, rain, and wind. A proper introduction to ‘cross, I suppose. I left for Joe’s house around 8:15 AM, we put the trusty Cannondale (which was finally going to be used for its proper purpose) on his rack, and sped off. The rain started in earnest soon after we left, and by the time we reached it park, it was raining steadily, with lots of wind kicking over the hills. I got changed in the rather small shelter that a Cooper Mini provides, and prepared to head out for a lap around the course. I made it to the first grass section and noticed my rear tire was flat.

Oh good.

I went back to the car, changed the tube, and noticed that with my wet and cold hands, I didn’t properly set the bead of the tire, and had to re-inflate the tube. These shenanigans left me with just enough time ride the course, get back to the start, strip off my warm-ups and get to the start line. I really could have used a trip to the bathroom, and maybe the other half of my NuGo bar (and maybe even some water) but there was no time for that. I was concerned my tire pressure was too low (~35 PSI), but I didn’t have much time to dwell on that.

The start was fast, and I found myself in the back half of group (20 racers started) very quickly. This was not at all a good plan, and I started to slowly pick my way through the crowd as the course transitioned from pavement to grass. The first run-up went well, and I managed to pick up another place or two on the flat following. By the time we reached the twisty back section of course, the pack had thinned, leaving lots of room through the tight corners. After another short run-up, I found myself in second place, perhaps five seconds behind the leader. I was fairly content with this position, and found myself maybe five seconds ahead of the third place rider. Good enough. I settled into a pace and kept my nose clean.

I picked up a bit of ground at the start of the second lap, and after the second run-up, I was able to make contact with the leader. We had, it seemed, distanced ourselves from the rest of the group. Again, I was content to sit on his wheel, and sit I did through the start of the third lap. When we reached the first run-up, he decided to take attempt to ride it, and fell (well, actually, he endo-ed, and I had to push his rear wheel out of the way to avoid going down myself). He recovered quickly, but I was able to open a small gap. I wasn’t sure how this was going to work out, and I focused on simply maintaining my pace and staying upright on the rapidly deteriorating course. I settled into a rhythm, knowing the course a bit better now, and was thoroughly enjoying myself, despite being soaked and muddy.

As I entered the start/finish stretch, the marshal said I had a decent gap, but I didn’t bother to really look back. I forced myself to keep my pace on the pavement high. Each section passed without much incident. Prior to the race, I was wondering how the run-ups would feel later in the race. I was able to avoid shouldering the bike, so that made them a bit less draining, and with a crowd of people clanging cowbells, it was easy to be motivated to keep up the pace. When I reached the start/finish straight, the marshal said I had about 15 seconds on the next rider. One lap to go.

I pushed the pace a bit when I could, but I was more focused on dealing with the course. The sketchiest bit was a long, off-camber straight near the barriers. The thin strip of flat grass was a rutted mess, and required concentration to keep the bike on track. This passed without incident, and I was hopping the barriers and preparing to enter the finishing stretch.

I won.

Nutty.

I felt like a bit of sandbagger, but it was my first race, after all. All of that Dirty Dozen training was worth something, I suppose.

The race was really fun. And would have been really fun even if I had finished dead last. It’s too bad it was raining and cold, because the boys would have liked to been out on the course, banging cowbells. The course itself was really good, and very spectator-friendly. Watching the B race, I could catch at least four bits of action without walking more than 50 feet. And despite the conditions, it was well run and well attended. I hope there are more races locally next season. I expect we’ll travel east once or twice to race a few near Philly, too.

Posted on 30 November 2008

So this week marked the first cold weather commuting of the season. Conditions included snow flurries and even showers at times. The roads weren’t terribly slick, save for a few spots yesterday morning (I had to bypass the hill out of Morningside on Hampton). I have been curious how the various bits on the Novara commuter would deal with typical Pittsburgh winter conditions, and thanks to this cold snap, I know a bit more.

This morning, both the rear brake and shifter (for the Shimano Nexus hub) froze. It appears that a bit of water/condensation was present where the cables meet the hub/brake body, and the cold weather promptly caused that to freeze. I couldn’t engage the brake, and a mis-shift up (instead of down) locked me into 6th gear. I futzed with the cables on Negley Avenue, and this resulted in the brake getting stuck while engaged, thus locking up the rear wheel. Another yank of the cable fixed that. I did manage to get the hub into 5th gear, which is my usual flatland gear, making the commute a bit easier than it might have been.

All of this prompted me to reconsider kitting out the Monocog was a MC-style fixed gear machine. This requires only a few mods:

* TomiCog on the rear wheel (16 tooth)
* Narrower tires (~45mm)
* Bigger chain ring (36 tooth)
* Fenders (in the basement)

I suspect this will start tonight, unless I can conjure up a way of keeping the cables on the Novara from freezing.

Posted on 19 November 2008

So I decide to skip the Dirty Dozen, and what do I do?

Sycamore->Welsh->Barry/Holt/Eleanor->Flowers/Tesla + some random steep hill in Greenfield.

At least my power will be up, right?

Posted on 14 November 2008

So I think I’ve officially changed my mind about doing the Dirty Dozen. In it’s place, I’m going to do the Murrysville cyclocross race. Yes, I skipped out on every single ‘cross practice this fall, and I’ve riding Dirty Dozen hills religiously for the last three months, but it comes down to this–there will be plenty of people at the Dirty Dozen. It will happen next year. I can ride the hills any time I want to. But a cyclocross race in western PA? A rare bird, that. And if I want to see more races here in the future, then I should show up and do this one.

So I’ll be cramming during the next two weeks. I’m planning on doing one more set of DD hills tomorrow during lunch, then I’ll spend my time riding in the parks, working on my dismounts (and re-mounts). I’m sure the race will hurt, a lot, but that’s okay–it’s the idea, right?

Posted on 13 November 2008

The Bulldog Grill is opening in the spring, just across the street from the new coffeehouse. As if this wasn’t exciting enough, I looked at their projected menu, which emphasizes their desire to use as many local ingredients as possible in all of their dishes. I can’t wait.

Posted on 9 November 2008