"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Embarrassed again

My first Road race was Sundays training Road Race. It’s 54 KM in 6 laps, this course is all hills. No flats. Blustery winds. The race was lead out of town with a pace car (classy) to get from the staging area to the start of the race which was at the bottom of the longest climb, 4 KM I guess. The finish was at the top of the same climb. I’m in the C group. 4/5s. .

Lap 1. The pace car peals off and we go. I ride along chillin in the pack. The climb steepens and I shift to the granny. The chain falls off to the inside and I stop and put it back on. All go by plus some cars and a truck. The pack is about a football field length up hill ahead. I have to red-line it for 5 minuets in the climb to get back in it. This is the first leg of my first road race ever and the first race of the season. I get back to the pack at the top of the hill and enjoy the rolling curvy decent in the pack. My heart rate simmers down and my breathing becomes less auditable.

Lap 2. Back on the long climb and I hang in with much effort. Some of the shorter climbs spread out throughout the course are taking their toll on me but I hang in. I was off the bike for three weeks sick and only got back on last week. This fact is becoming apparent now.

Lap 3. The long climb is here. I stay in it. Near the top it feels like the brakes are stuck on. I honestly check to see. They are ok, it’s me that isn’t. Along the rollers at the top of the climb I am off the back a bit. No problem, I will catch them at the next corner, they always slow at the corner, I’m only 20 m off but I should not be burning myself out in the head wind now after that climb.

Lap 4. I’m alone now. 20 m became more not less. Wondering what to do. It’s a nice day, the best day in weeks. I’m here, the course is awesome. I can corner full out with traffic control. I decide to ride. I puke a little bit in my mouth. I pass another OTB guy. He must have dropped soon after I did. At the long climb a girl rides up to my rear. She must have gone off the back before I did and now she has caught me. We talk a bit and trade pulls. I see some racers on the side of the road. Dropped out.

Lap 5. She and I go around uneventful like and then the A group laps us on one of the short climbs. I thing of beauty that. Later on the big climb near the top the B group goes by. A guy says I can catch on at the back if I want. We are at the top of the long climb so I try and succeed to do a full lap with these guys. My lady partner does not. Riding with the Bs. Nice smooth fast cornering.

Lap 6. I keep up on the long climb with the Bs. Why could I not do that with the Cs?
I go around again with the B’s. Happy. They loose me on the big climb this time. I cross the finish solo.:)

Along the rollers at the top of the climb I am off the back a bit. No problem, I will catch them at the next corner, they always slow at the corner, I’m only 20 m off but I should not be burning myself out in the head wind now after that climb.


I know exactly what you feel like here. Ive made this mistake a few times now in races and fast rides. Ive learned you gotta do whatever it takes to get back on that wheel.

At least it was a training race and you got to latch on to some faster riders. That must have felt cool.

Ive made this mistake a few times now in races and fast rides. Ive learned you gotta do whatever it takes to get back on that wheel.


so true. i learned that on my first race some weeks ago.

Well...at least you didn't crash.

Well...at least you didn't crash.
True. Puking a bit was new to me though.

I know exactly what you feel like here. Ive made this mistake a few times now in races and fast rides. Ive learned you gotta do whatever it takes to get back on that wheel.

At least it was a training race and you got to latch on to some faster riders. That must have felt cool.
That in it's self was very cool. The coarse was so nice. I just want to go do it again.

I was also in a smaller race, but like yours had Cs, Bs, and As. I was in the Cs, (4 people what a group!) 2 guys and 2 women. We dropped the women on the first hill, he burst out in front of me for some reason, and we both got stuck in the open wind and the Bs caught up to me first, and I rode 15 miles with them until about 2 miles from the end of the race, we caugh tthe other guy about 2 miles after I got caught. Such a different experience. Our C group sucked and it hurt our times.

In my first TT (the first competitive anything I did), towards the end I was debating the most effective way to vomit off a moving bicycle. I never did come up with a good plan, as I fortunately finished before puking. What would people have recommended?

Don't stop when you drop your chain.

Shift your front derailleur to the opposite setting, and slowly pedal until your chain catches. Unless it's a super gnarly climb you should be able to accomplish this before you run out of momentum. Or you could just little ring it before the climb to be safe ;)

I puke a little bit in my mouth.

Friggin hilarious, man!

Courageous ride - congrats! - I'll look forward to this experience someday. :D

Nothing like a mouth full of puke...remember next time, chew slowly and thoughtfully...savour the nausea...store the sick misery in your memory for the next race, be ready to unleash it on your hapless victims...

Nice effort!

Vino too was OTB in his first road races. Vino thought he would get back on and didn't. Vino never puked, but he did spit out a partially masticated Powerbar he tried to eat on the 15% part of Alpe d' Huez and began inhaling instead. And Vino dropped many, many chains during races. Now Vino suggests:

http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/COMPCHDEF/CH5800

Even the pros use them...

Nice effort!

Vino too was OTB in his first road races. Vino thought he would get back on and didn't. Vino never puked, but he did spit out a partially masticated Powerbar he tried to eat on the 15% part of Alpe d' Huez and began inhaling instead. And Vino dropped many, many chains during races. Now Vino suggests:

http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/COMPCHDEF/CH5800

Even the pros use them...
Does Vino has it on his bike and can post pictures?

Does Vino has it on his bike and can post pictures?

Vino does, but has to get out the door to train. Vino can provide this link though:

http://www.bikeman.com/thepit/singleringsetup1.htm

Vino found snow outside this morning BTW. Vino will be cold and whiney today.

Don't stop when you drop your chain.

Shift your front derailleur to the opposite setting, and slowly pedal until your chain catches. Unless it's a super gnarly climb you should be able to accomplish this before you run out of momentum. Or you could just little ring it before the climb to be safe ;)
I tried that but it did not catch. Too steep and not enouph momentum to even reach down with my hand to snag it back on. I burned way to many candels getting back with the group, thats for sure. The panic. The adreniline. People in the peleton were asking if I was ok because I was breathing so hard when I caught back on.

:eek:
Vino does, but has to get out the door to train. Vino can provide this link though:

http://www.bikeman.com/thepit/singleringsetup1.htm

Vino found snow outside this morning BTW. Vino will be cold and whiney today.

Vino is talking in the 3rd person. Vino is nuts.

Vino: I almost sprinkled the term Kowabunga throuought my report but thought better of it as that is your word not mine.:)

Vino: I looked at the plastic thingy that you suggested and the first thought that came to mind was DORK DISK. You still want to admit to having one? I would rather puke a little bit in my mouth than install that thing.:D

Nice effort[/B]

Vino too was OTB in his first road races. Vino thought he would get back on and didn't. Vino never puked, but he did spit out a partially masticated Powerbar he tried to eat on the 15% part of Alpe d' Huez and began inhaling instead. And Vino dropped many, many chains during races. Now Vino suggests:

http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/COMPCHDEF/CH5800

Even the pros use them...
Thanks

Vino: I looked at the plastic thingy that you suggested and the first thought that came to mind was DORK DISK. You still want to admit to having one? I would rather puke a little bit in my mouth than install that thing.:D

Vino wishes for you to closely examine this picture:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2006/apr06/roubaix06/index.php?id=boonen_time/IMG_9918

Vino then wishes for you to go up to the rider of said machine and disgorge ridicule upon his personage, and of his fans. Vino hopes you can run fast. :)

And Vino will point out that his Dog Fang is cooler than the rider above's Dog Fang, Vino substituting an anodized aluminum bolt for the cheap sheet metal screw, saving .5 grams.

Vino also cuts his finger and toenails before climbing races.

Vino might well be nuts.

Vino is going to watch the new South Park now.

Don't stop when you drop your chain.

Shift your front derailleur to the opposite setting, and slowly pedal until your chain catches. Unless it's a super gnarly climb you should be able to accomplish this before you run out of momentum. Or you could just little ring it before the climb to be safe ;)

When I would drop my chain on a fairly regular basis with the 50/34 setup (have only done so once with the 50/36 now), I was able to do the shift-and-lightly-pedal thing to get the chain back on the small 'ring exactly once. It would never catch for whatever reason, and would end up having to unclip and stop before I fell over.

Just bought the chain catcher thing that Vino posted up for the race bike.

Vino wishes for you to closely examine this picture:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2006/apr06/roubaix06/index.php?id=boonen_time/IMG_9918

Vino then wishes for you to go up to the rider of said machine and disgorge ridicule upon his personage, and of his fans. Vino hopes you can run fast. :)

And Vino will point out that his Dog Fang is cooler than the rider above's Dog Fang, Vino substituting an anodized aluminum bolt for the cheap sheet metal screw, saving .5 grams.

Vino also cuts his finger and toenails before climbing races.

Vino might well be nuts.

Vino is going to watch the new South Park now.

if vino continues to refer to himself in the 3rd person, he is certifiably, pantaniesque nuts.

I cross the finish solo.:)

Did you at least remember to zip up for the cameras?

if vino continues to refer to himself in the 3rd person, he is certifiably, pantaniesque nuts.

Vino removes his diamond nose stud and tosses it at Botto.