Candi Murray
X-From_: schm-@engr.orst.edu Sun Apr 23 07:21:59 2000
Delivered-To: ob-@teleport.com
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2000 00:21:54 -0700
From: John M Schmidt <schm-@engr.orst.edu>
Organization: Mechanical Engineering, Oregon State University
X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.05 [en] (WinNT; I)
To: ob-@teleport.com
Subject: [OBRA CHAT] Series in Mid Valley
Candi, I am sending this to you since I unsubscribed because I was
already getting OBRA mail through the OSU cycling list. js.
What would Willamette Valley riders think of a PIR type series in the
Corvallis/Lebanon (sp?) area?
I wasn't going to say anything but after talking on the phone with my
brother in Ohio about his weekly club rides and remembering how fun
those were, I have to add my two cents.
I don't like the idea of a another weekly PIR series. But I would
probably participate given no alternatives(and if I was in shape.. no
sense in racing if I am going to get dropped).
BUT the BIG question I pose is why aren't there alternatives ... let me
explain.
I am fairly new to Oregon, been here since early last fall. I was in
Gresham for a couple of months before starting school in Corvallis.
When I first got to Gresham I wanted to start riding with the local
club... I asked around at bike shops, etc no one knew anything or
anyone that did club rides(well except the touring club). This I
thought especially strange since I am pretty sure Oregon has a higher
percentage of cyclists.
I think a PIR or circuit race on weekdays is great for big cities. When
I was in Va Beach/Norfolk the only "safe" roads to ride on were four
lane highways. So a circuit race on tues and thurs was great because at
least it was somewhere you could ride and it was more convenient than
trying to get out into the country.
But conveniences and time usage equal, if I had a choice between doing a
club ride out in the country like they do in Ohio or like I use to do in
Mich, and between a "PIR", the club ride would win hands (and toes)
down.
Why? Mainly because its much better training (or at least equal if your
a cat1/2). Our club rides were typically more intense than most road
races and although maybe equal to the intensity of a crit, usually
longer. Other advantages: no cost; usually close because its your
club and so environmentally friendly (you didn't have to drive to get
there); No race prep stress; It gives you an oppurtunity to test out
those attacks on your buddies; Get to work on that 30 mph paceline;
And its lots of fun.
My brother says his heart rate usually stays above 165 and occassionaly
hits 180-190 for two hours on his club ride.
And if its not intense enough attack off the front see how long you can
stay out... its not like you need to worry about saving yourself for a
final race sprint.
So anyway, I have been in Oregon now for 8 months. I have yet to ride
on, hear about, hear gossip of any weekday club rides that go out on a
specified route and HAMMER, with sprint points etc. My brother's club
will "race" from town to town. They might regroup depending on how
close everyone is. The slower riders will stick with for as long as
they can and then either take shortcut and regroup (and get dropped
again) or just ride back themselves. And yes, if everyone's hammering
and you flat, you better be prepared to fix the flat and ride home alone
(which is logical since its not a social ride its a training ride and
who doesn't go out and ride by themselves anyway.)
So why aren't clubs in Oregon doing this? ( Or are they? Are there
secret club rides going on?) Every club in the midwest or east coast
that I have ridden with or heard about does this... I can also
understand why some/most? of Oregon mtn bikes think mtn biking is much
more fun than riding on the road... without good
road club rides their right.
Many of the clubs in the midwest have many guys that are cat2/3 level
that don't race but wouldn't miss a club ride simply because its much
more fun. Its fun to get in the front and hammer, try to string
everyone out, get a smooth paceline going with a couple others and try
to stay away from the pack, hammer up that hill in front of everyone.
Thats why these non-racer guys love these club rides.. they are not out
there touring / looking at scenery.
I can garruntee that when I was a junior I would never have started or
continued racing if it
weren't for the local club's tues and thurs hammer sessions. First they
were fun (tell a typical teenager to go out and do intervals and see how
long he keeps riding, or any beginner for that matter). Second, I
couldn't believe how easy my first junior race('89) was compared with
the club rides (and this was when junior fields were as large and faster
than cat 3 fields) In other words I got properly prepped by other club
members so no discouragement or surprises of getting dropped when I
started racing. Third I got invaluable guidance on how to ride a bike,
how to do a paceline, how ride with a group, etc, that you will NEVER
get just racing.. I knew exactly what I was doing in the race.
Plus how many people are going to attack off the front in a race if they
have never practiced it on the club ride? How many are going to know
how to get that breakaway paceline going if someone hasn't explained and
shown them how its works?
So in summary, this is not so much a NO to a Mid-Valley Series, as much
as it is a YES for club rides.. I love racing. But I also think club
rides are great and have their place. And my concern and the the
premise for this email is that maybe we are trying to fix an inadequency
of good club rides here in Oregon(or at least in the midvalley) with
more races.
And I would love to start something up myself but just don't have the
time... (and I have already spent way too much time on this email) So
anyway I guess that was more than two cents maybe more like two
dollars. Please, its just my opinion / my view / my experience from
east/midwest and based on what I have experience SO FAR in Oregon. And
since I was the only voice against, please no one(and none of your
lumberjack cousins) beat me up, run me into the ditch(although I am
pretty good at doing that myself),
throw a pump in my spokes, etc.
ps. now a dirt road/ two track/ forest road -- road race with any-type
of bike might be interesting (think, no cars)...
John M. Schmidt
Graduate TA
Mechanical Engineering, Oregon State