Southern California - Liquid Cycling Team

Next Ride
DATE: Saturday, Jan 12
TIME: Roll @ 7:50am
START: 1641 Armacost Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025
PACE: Varies. This will be a team-training ride, from super slow to super fast
VERTICAL GAIN: n/a
ROUTE: There is no specific route. As of right now, we'll head to the beach parking lots and then farther down Santa Monica

DAY'S AGENDA
7:40 - Meet at Liquid Fitness Headquarters (1641 Armacost Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025)
7:50 - Everyone is on their bike ready to ride
8:00 - Quick stop at Robeks (club sponsor) to fuel up on free juice and smoothies
8:30 - Arrive at the Santa Monica Beach Parking Lot for skills session
9:30 - Back on the road practicing pace lines and pack riding
10:30 - Westchester Parkway for lead out and race strategy practice
11:30 - Head back to West LA
12:30 - Back to Liquid Fitness Headquarters for pizza feast ($7/person)

RIDE DETAILS
The main focus of the morning will be improving safety and agility in the pack. We'll start with a skills clinic designed to improve confidence and relaxation and then move on to a road ride to work on pack riding skills, race strategy and team work.

MEETING TOPICS
1. Target races
2. Training rides
3. Ideas for team/ program improvement & development
4. Volunteering to implement #3 above

Also, if you haven't done so, make sure you register & sign-up for the Team 4/5 online forum (http://www.setbb.com/liquidcycling45).

Upcoming Events
Dec 15 -- Sat ride, 61 miles, varied terrain, zone 1-2 COMPLETE
Dec 22 -- Sat ride, 62 miles, 3 steady & long climbs, cruising pace on flats, regroups at summits. Start at Rose Bowl.
Jan 12 -- Team Techniques (criterium, paceline, finishing leadouts & sprints).
Jan 12 -- Brunch, Team meeting (planning for the year, review SCNCA/CBR calendars, etc).

Where Are We?
We have members in Liquid Fitness all over the world. Locally, we range from Apple Valley to Ventura to San Diego. Because of the wide geographic dispersal of club members, our local Cat 4/5 team appears to be centering in swath from Pasadena to West LA.

Communication
The best method of group communication is our online forum (http://www.setbb.com/liquidcycling45/). Please visit and register, bookmark the site, and check back regularly for up-to-date news.

There's the Liquid Cycling (http://www.liquidcycling.com/) club website. And, of course, there's our presence here on BikeForums (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=347338), although this will be ending unless others pick it up.

Last, there's the original Liquid Fitness' Yahoo! Group at this page (http://www.liquidcycling.com/members/egroups.cfm) that serves mostly as an e-mail notification. There are groups from all over the US, with a couple overlapping, such as West, Southwest, etc... To join the SoCal list, you can send a blank e-mail with "Subscribe" in the subject line to this e-mail address:
LFSoCal-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. You'll have to be approved to subscribe (no big deal), and away you go! Member's post messages directly to the SoCal group by sending e-mail to LFSoCal@yahoogroups.com

What It's All About
First, there is the "Liquid Fitness" club. Any and all are welcome to join and attend our rides. Then, there is within the club, racers who go by the team name "Liquid Cycling". There are beginning racers (Category 5), and more experienced, national-level racers (Category 1/2--the elite team). This topic on BikeForums is primarily about the 4/5 team rides & information but occasional other news may be posted.

Liquid Cycling's primary sponsor is Liquid Fitness (http://www.liquidfitness.com/Coaching.aspx), a personal coaching endeavor owned & operated by Josh Horowitz. You'll see him referred to as "Josh" alot.

Beginning Racing
Any and all are encouraged to try racing. As new racers, they would be placed at the Category 5 level and ride with the Cat 4/5 team (Jeff & Mark, Co-Captains).
Become a member of the club you want to race for (i.e.: Liquid Fitness)
Go to USA Cycling (http://www.usacycling.org/) and register for a racing license. List that club as the club you will race for and the 4/5 Team.
Register in the races we register in. Carpool if you want, race, have fun, get dropped, whatever.Benefits
Of immediate benefit to all club members is the discounts (http://www.liquidcycling.com/members/deals.cfm) with cycling products that have been arranged. See this webpage (http://www.liquidfitness.com/Bios.aspx) for details.

Thanks Mark. I think I will join! ;)

I saw them awhile ago, I'm interested but I'm not sure...

I saw them awhile ago, I'm interested but I'm not sure...

The membership costs causing an issue?

The membership costs causing an issue?

no not that, I'm not sure I can devote much time to it.

no not that, I'm not sure I can devote much time to it.

Just as well, since I think the initiation test is on Latigo. :p

Josh loves Latigo....

Josh loves Latigo....

It's hard to imagine a better climb than Latigo anywhere in the area.

free jerseys as well?

free jerseys as well?

No.. 5% discount off the normal pricing for members.

Just as well, since I think the initiation test is on Latigo. :p

seriously?

ugh

I went ahead and signed up.......how can I get in touch with the local guys here to get involved on some rides together?

I've pretty much deemed riding by myself in LA a death trap, so it's time to start riding with a team/group.

I went ahead and signed up.......how can I get in touch with the local guys here to get involved on some rides together?

I've pretty much deemed riding by myself in LA a death trap, so it's time to start riding with a team/group.

In the members area, look for the e-group lists that are arranged by area. That is probably your best bet.

Also, you may want to join some of our Bike Forums group rides.

Thanks, I just finished getting into the e-group.

I'll be looking out for some of the forum rides soon. I just started training again after a knee injury that has kept me off of the bike since January. So far, my riding has been limited to spinning at the gym, and some rides on the beach bike path from the marina to hermosa and back. I don't quite have full strength yet, so i don't really trust my knee in a group or street setting yet, but soon i hope, it's been a long time.

No.. 5% discount off the normal pricing for members.

No women's bib shorts?! :mad:


I'll be looking out for some of the forum rides soon. I just started training again after a knee injury that has kept me off of the bike since January. So far, my riding has been limited to spinning at the gym, and some rides on the beach bike path from the marina to hermosa and back. I don't quite have full strength yet, so i don't really trust my knee in a group or street setting yet, but soon i hope, it's been a long time.

Stop by the South Bay Fun Ride (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=340406), If you're not up for the climbing, stop by and say hi at the start and/or join us for the bike path portion to Redondo! :D

No women's bib shorts?! :mad:

Do you use bib shorts? Most of the women riders I know use plain ol' shorts for the pee factor.

Do you use bib shorts? Most of the women riders I know use plain ol' shorts for the pee factor.

I rarely wear regular shorts anymore. But womens XS bib shorts are hard to find. :(

No women's bib shorts?! :mad:




You should email Josh if you are really interested. I imagine the company he is using does have women specific items and they more than likely can be ordered.

Maybe he just overlooked it.

You should email Josh if you are really interested. I imagine the company he is using does have women specific items and they more than likely can be ordered.

Maybe he just overlooked it.

That's probably true. I remember seeing a photo of him with the LiquidFitness gloves on, but they don't show up on the clothing page.

OK, signed up.

Okay, I joined. Now what?

Okay, I joined. Now what?

Oh great. You guys didn't see the sign up front?

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i38/popitta/he-manclub.jpg

:beer:

I don't know what to do.

I joined...super sweet deals on Rudy Project stuff...way cheaper than I have ever seen...going to have to get me some new lenses!!

Oh great. You guys didn't see the sign up front?

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i38/popitta/he-manclub.jpg

:beer:

For a second that looked like: "He-man, Woman Maters here" - and I thought, and? But now I get it. :rolleyes:

I don't know what to do.

Join, join, join, join...


...peer pressure will eventually get you to crack and join. :D

Your all from the EL AAYYY area.
How bout us OC folks...
We're feeling left out here.

Oh, and by the way, I don't like that they list my age on my member page. :mad: You guys all know that I'm haggard, old and sagging, but the MEN on there don't...yet. I've at least got to have a running chance...:p

Your all from the EL AAYYY area.
How bout us OC folks...
We're feeling left out here.

Well, um, I looked at their upcoming events and I didn't see any EELL LLLAAY rides, so quit your b*tching. :rolleyes::p

Oh, and by the way, I don't like that they list my age on my member page. :mad: You guys all know that I'm haggard, old and sagging, but the MEN on there don't...yet. I've at least got to have a running chance...:p

OK, Now I have a reason to join...

It will say i'm 25, and because it's on the Net, it must be true...

Crap if I wanted to ride with you people I'd join a bf ride.

Oh, and by the way, I don't like that they list my age on my member page.

Holy macaroni, I put my real age on there?!

:eek: EDIT! :eek: EDIT! :eek: EDIT!

P.S. Don't worry, ME, I'm still a much older heifer than you!

I joined. OK, now we need our first Liquid Fitness / BF ride for SoCal.

I sent off an e-mail seeking guidance in this very area. I'll let you all know what comes of it. I suppose, in the meantime, though, let's get one organized. :)

I sent off an e-mail seeking guidance in this very area. I'll let you all know what comes of it. I suppose, in the meantime, though, let's get one organized. :)

So if we join "the club" we can do BF and "club" rides.
So whats the uniform??
BF jerseys or Liquid Fitness jerseys??

No women's bib shorts?! :mad:



Stop by the South Bay Fun Ride (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=340406), If you're not up for the climbing, stop by and say hi at the start and/or join us for the bike path portion to Redondo! :D


I saw that thread, it sounds like fun, unfortunately I'll be out of town on business from the 7th-14th. Next time for sure.

Just went to sign up,
I do not feel comfortable giving my address and phone number on the internet.

I'll pass and ride with BF instead.

is this a recreational club? If so I'll pass, I like SFVBC just fine :)

is this a recreational club? If so I'll pass, I like SFVBC just fine :)

You already said that. You doth protest too much. ;)

And it's not really a recreational club... seems mostly racer oriented.

I signed up yesterday. The free membership kinda made it hard not to and I think their jerseys are cute :) Now I have to actually get out and ride :rolleyes:

is this a recreational club? If so I'll pass, I like SFVBC just fine :)

I plan on continuing with SFVBC and my local SC Velo as well. Much of my training requires steady-state rides as opposed to the interval/lungs-bursting/legs-falling off races and training-races variety.


And it's not really a recreational club... seems mostly racer oriented.

Well, I might disagree with my idol :D on this point (sorry :o). After looking at the categories members put down for themselves, looks like there's more in the rec rider category.

After looking at the categories members put down for themselves, looks like there's more in the rec rider category.

Oh yea, I was just trying to guess Josh's main intent for the club. Originally, I was thinking (again, guessing) that ultimately it is to build the brand, build a coaching base. And a racing team (several local teams?), seems a good way to do that. And I was impressed by (what I thought was) his vision of going even broader with a grass-roots kind of thing. Regardless, I'm pretty sure Ovo wouldn't be interested. :p

I signed up. It's free so why not? If I decide to give racing a shot next year, I'll list them as my team if they're on the USCF list and I have teammates in the same category. Anybody going to be a 5 or 4 next year?

I still would say they seem racer minded. Even when I raced for a somewhat well known grassroots team, they had more recreational riders as racers. Somewhere around 100 racers in almost every category, but a member list over 200 people strong!

Anybody going to be a 5 or 4 next year?

That would be me. I don't anticipate ever upgrading, since I'll never win a sprint. My goal is to someday provide a lead-out for Mark. :)

I raced last year as--and will be starting this year off--as a 4. I definitely have enough races to upgrade to 3, but I was hoping to get consistent good results (top-tens and a few firsts) before I do. So we'll see.

Great, I'll be on the lead-out crew as well.

Ya hear that Mark? You're already the star and key rider of the So Cal amateur team!

That would be me. I don't anticipate ever upgrading, since I'll never win a sprint. My goal is to someday provide a lead-out for Mark. :)

Let me encourage you to definitely try some road races and not just the crits (although they'd be excellent speed training). You're an excellent climber and the road races have much more climbing than the crits. Unfortunately, there's just not many road races here in SoCal, maybe 3 or 4 last year? If you expand your territory to include NorCal, Nevada, Arizona, there'll be more opportunities.

Yeah. Upgrading from a 5 to a 4 is almost a must. After that, racing in the 3/4 races is pretty safe and plenty challenging. I think I'll get to 4 and stay there forever.

My only goal is to still be riding when I'm 70 so I can race the 70+ Masters World Championships :D I looked it up, though. Those old guys turn the same sprint times as I did when I was 15.

Great, I'll be on the lead-out crew as well.

Ya hear that Mark? You're already the star and key rider of the So Cal amateur team!

Ah...yeah...right. Although I appreciate the sentiments :)

Mark, a couple of group trips to Nor Cal would be great.

Of course, this is all pending my wife and me not getting pregnant. Once that happens, you probably won't see much of me for 4 or 5 years.