OBRA: OBRA Chat: FW: FW: Racing and crashes!

FW: FW: Racing and crashes!

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Beth Whittaker

2005-03-08

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You never discussed descending. Outside foot down and weight on outside

pedal LEAN!!!! This last week is a good time to practice this maneuver on

the downhill right hand turn before the dam. Be completely on the left side

of the road, outside foot down with weight on outside and lean into the

corner. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! GOOD INFO!!! Thank you for sharing.

_____

From: Martel, Matthew S (Matt Martel) [mailto:matt_m-@hp.com]

Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 12:13 PM

To: ob-@topica.com

Subject: [OBRA Chat] FW: Racing and crashes!

In light if the recent folly of crashes, I thought I would write about it.

In some ways I really hate to bring this subject up because I fear it will

create a string of emails poking at individuals and certain fields. Let's

not do that. It accomplishes nothing. Instead let's assume a few things; 1)

no one wants to cause an accident or be in one 2) there are more experienced

racers who can provide some insight on how to not cause a crash and how to

avoid them 3) all of us can learn something.

Here are some thoughts, observations, and suggestions. It is not complete.

Please add to this as you see fit.

* Most racers learn how to race at races. This is reality. Very,

very few racers have been instructed by a certified coach or have attended a

bike camp. Do this if you can. You will learn a lot you didn't even know you

needed to learn. It is my strong opinion all teams should address this

issue.

* Front of the pack (1st 10-20 racers) is safer. Easier said than

done. It is mathematically impossible for all of us to be in the front of

the pack. Someone has to be in the back.

* Often what happens in the front causes what happens in the back.

Small touch of the brake in front can cause a wreck in the back. You have to

be more alert in the back of the pack because of what was just said.

* Overlapping wheels is a bad habit, especially when you don't have

a place to bail out. (no room left or right)

* In the middle and rear of the pack give more room in front of you.

You will still be in the draft and you have more time to react to the ripple

effect.

* Be predictable. Do not change lanes erratically. If you wish to

change lanes, do it gradually and please glance over your shoulder (quickly)

and make sure you will not cut off another rider's progress. Assume someone

is in your blind spot.

* Don't stare at the wheel in front of you. Look ahead through the

pack. Anticipate corners and hills.

* Communicate your whereabouts to others, especially when you are

overtaking another rider. Avoid surprises.

* Don't yell at riders. Give constructive feedback. Remember, no one

wants to cause an accident or be in one. A rider could be really tired and

digging deep! Usually me by the last lap! Encourage him and remind him to

keep his head up. Some racers don't think what they are doing is unsafe.

Kindly educate them but also be willing to learn.

* The road is only so wide. Give yourself at least a foot left and

right. More when descending. I have seen riders shoot small gaps at high

speed. Communicate and make sure there is room to do it safely.

* Moving up in the pack...the ongoing battle to remain in the front.

Most racers have figured out it is easier to move up on the sides. I have

noticed racers riding in the crap on the right. I do it too. Be careful of

dropped riders, gravel, bridges, parked cars, etc.

* Want to move up but don't want to be in the very front?! Everyone

wants to have their cake and eat it too! I have seen racers move up on the

sides and then push their way in so they can be in the draft. This maneuver

squeezes the pack causing a potential crash because of extremely tight

quarters. Instead, go all the way to the front and take a pull or ask a

rider to let you in. Don't expect it! This is a race. Better yet, move in

front of your teammate.

* Standing while climbing. Make sure you have room before you start

swinging your bike left and right. Be smooth when transitioning from sitting

to standing so you don't launch your bike into the guy tailgating behind

you. Don't tailgate when the road tilts upward so you don't get tangled with

a standing climber.

* Point or call out hazards in the road.

* Points only go 15 deep. Don't sprint if you are not in contention.

* I bumped into my own teammate yesterday. Sorry Eric. Fortunately

know one fell but I did give the pack a scare! No one is perfect. I promise

to continue to work on my skills too.

To some extent, I think crashes are inevitable. However I strongly believe

we can limit them by learning to race more safely. There are other ways too.

Splitting fields, limiting field sizes, starting racers in 30 second

intervals :-), etc. These methods are the decision of the promoters.

Promoters are limited by time, course size, and volunteers. We can make a

difference with the latter one only.

Regards -

Matt Martel

Vice President & Junior Cycling Coach

EWEB Windpower Cycling Team

To respond to the whole group send to ob-@topica.com.

To respond to the list manager send to cmur-@obra.org

To unsubscribe send to obra-uns-@topica.com

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<DIV dir=ltr align=left> </DIV> 

<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left> </DIV>

<DIV dir=ltr align=left>You never discussed descending. Outside foot down and

weight on outside pedal LEAN!!!! This last week is a good time to practice

this maneuver on the downhill right hand turn before the dam. Be completely on

the left side of the road, outside foot down with weight on outside and lean

into the corner. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! GOOD INFO!!! Thank

you for sharing. </DIV>

<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left>

<HR tabIndex=-1>

From: Martel, Matthew S (Matt Martel)

[mailto:matt_m-@hp.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 12:13

PM To: ob-@topica.com Subject: [OBRA Chat] FW: Racing and

crashes! </DIV>

<DIV></DIV>

<DIV>In

light if the recent folly of crashes, I thought I would write about it. In some

ways I really hate to bring this subject up because I fear it will create a

string of emails poking at individuals and certain fields. Let's not do that. It

accomplishes nothing. Instead let's assume a few things; 1) no one wants to

cause an accident or be in one 2) there are more experienced racers who can

provide some insight on how to not cause a crash and how to avoid them 3) all of

us can learn something.<o:p></o:p></DIV>

<DIV class=Section1>

<o:p> </o:p>

Here

are some thoughts, observations, and suggestions. It is not complete. Please add

to this as you see fit.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

·

Most

racers learn how to race at races. This is reality. Very, very few racers have

been instructed by a certified coach or have attended a bike camp. Do this if

you can. You will learn a lot you didn't even know you needed to learn. It is my

strong opinion all teams should address this issue.<o:p></o:p>

·

Front

of the pack (1st 10-20 racers) is safer. Easier said than done. It is

mathematically impossible for all of us to be in the front of the pack. Someone

has to be in the back.<o:p></o:p>

·

Often

what happens in the front causes what happens in the back. Small touch of the

brake in front can cause a wreck in the back. You have to be more alert in the

back of the pack because of what was just said. <o:p></o:p>

·

Overlapping

wheels is a bad habit, especially when you don’t have a place to bail out. (no

room left or right)<o:p></o:p>

·

In

the middle and rear of the pack give more room in front of you. You will still

be in the draft and you have more time to react to the ripple

effect.<o:p></o:p>

·

Be

predictable. Do not change lanes erratically. If you wish to change lanes, do it

gradually and please glance over your shoulder (quickly) and make sure you

will not cut off another rider's progress. Assume someone is in your blind

spot.<o:p></o:p>

·

Don’t

stare at the wheel in front of you. Look ahead through the pack. Anticipate

corners and hills.<o:p></o:p>

·

Communicate

your whereabouts to others, especially when you are overtaking another rider.

Avoid surprises.<o:p></o:p>

·

Don’t

yell at riders. Give constructive feedback. Remember, no one wants to cause an

accident or be in one. A rider could be really tired and digging deep! Usually

me by the last lap! Encourage him and remind him to keep his head up. Some

racers don’t think what they are doing is unsafe. Kindly educate them but also

be willing to learn.<o:p></o:p>

·

The

road is only so wide. Give yourself at least a foot left and right. More when

descending. I have seen riders shoot small gaps at high speed. Communicate and

make sure there is room to do it safely.<o:p></o:p>

·

Moving

up in the pack...the ongoing battle to remain in the front. Most racers have

figured out it is easier to move up on the sides. I have noticed racers riding

in the crap on the right. I do it too. Be careful of dropped riders, gravel,

bridges, parked cars, etc.<o:p></o:p>

·

Want

to move up but don’t want to be in the very front?! Everyone wants to have their

cake and eat it too! I have seen racers move up on the sides and then push their

way in so they can be in the draft. This maneuver squeezes the pack causing a

potential crash because of extremely tight quarters. Instead, go all the way to

the front and take a pull or ask a rider to let you in. Don’t expect it! This is

a race. Better yet, move in front of your teammate.<o:p></o:p>

·

Standing

while climbing. Make sure you have room before you start swinging your bike left

and right. Be smooth when transitioning from sitting to standing so you don’t

launch your bike into the guy tailgating behind you. Don’t tailgate when the

road tilts upward so you don’t get tangled with a standing

climber.<o:p></o:p>

·

Point

or call out hazards in the road.<o:p></o:p>

·

Points

only go 15 deep. Don’t sprint if you are not in

contention.<o:p></o:p>

·

I

bumped into my own teammate yesterday. Sorry Eric. Fortunately know one fell but

I did give the pack a scare! No one is perfect. I promise to continue to work on

my skills too.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

To

some extent, I think crashes are inevitable. However I strongly believe we can

limit them by learning to race more safely. There are other ways too. Splitting

fields, limiting field sizes, starting racers in 30 second intervals

<SPAN

style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings">J,

etc. These methods are the decision of the promoters. Promoters are limited by

time, course size, and volunteers. We can make a difference with the latter one

only.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Regards

–<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Matt

Martel<o:p></o:p>

Vice

President & Junior Cycling Coach<o:p></o:p>

EWEB

Windpower Cycling Team<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p></DIV><PRE>To respond to the whole group send to ob-@topica.com.

To respond to the list manager send to cmur-@obra.org

To unsubscribe send to obra-uns-@topica.com</PRE></BODY></HTML>

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