Road Bike Racing - Battenkill Roubaix: Who's in?

Who's in this year. Cats are filling up fast. What are you guys doing to prepare? Training? My biggest curiosity is what tires to use. I do not want a puncture. Anyone going? Any stories or advice?

Yah, Im in. Cat 4 mens. I registerd at 12:10 pm, 10 minutes after it opened on bikereg. My buddy tried to reg at 4pm and the 4's were closed out. that was fast!!
he's on the waiting list now. where are you riding out of?


tires and equipment choices (tentative):

caad7 with triple cranks and a 12-25 casette. staying seated on muddy climbs in a must for rear wheel traction, i want the gears to do so.

for tires, i'm going with pro2 race 25mm, 90 psi front, 100 rear (i weight 185-190). I may also consider my gp4seasons in 28mm (really just a 25mm tire). michelin latex tubes will be used regardless as they seem to be more supple and offer additional puncture resistance (aside from good experiences, i have no data to back this up).
wheels will be stout easton circuit clinchers.

saddle will be the comfy terry fly ti. 55 bumpy miles on the Toupe is not my idea of fun.

any expereince with tires here??


tons of riding/comuting in the snow this winter is helping with bike handling skills. cant wait for the warmth of april.

thanks for posting this question, i was going to shortly.

-Leo

I did it last year as a 5, I used 39/53, 11/23. This year I will be using 39/53 12/25-that's plenty, if you are actally strong enough to compete for a position in any CAT. I will again be using Conti GP 4000, sl wheelset.
There are very few rough patches and they are only for short distances, no point in riding something heavy that you're gonna have to take up hills.
The unpaved roads are sketchy in a pack, try to get in a break, which means let no-one get away from you on a hill.

I completely forgot about registering until 10 last night, I'm a Cat 4 and on the waiting list.Please God, let me get in.

I'll be there. Equipment? depends on how wet it is. I will likely go with my standard race setup and risk the flat. Yeah, there are dirt roads, but more risk than anything is flying waterbottles being rattled from cages everywhere. If the roads are roughter than usual, I will go with DA clinchers, but likely they will be my "van" wheels. Have fun.

I'll be there. No equipment changes for me either. New tires will be my best flat prevention. Might not ride the nice wheels, but the open pros instead. Heading up there to pre-ride at the end of February if weather allows. My folks are in the Adirondacks and I need to be up there anyway.

I'll be there. Equipment? depends on how wet it is. I will likely go with my standard race setup and risk the flat. Yeah, there are dirt roads, but more risk than anything is flying waterbottles being rattled from cages everywhere. If the roads are roughter than usual, I will go with DA clinchers, but likely they will be my "van" wheels. Have fun.

you registered for 3's?

you registered for 3's?

Yep. See you there! I even put in a good word for you on my diary entry today. You are going to have a great shot at taking that group I am thinking.

I'll be there. No equipment changes for me either. New tires will be my best flat prevention. Might not ride the nice wheels, but the open pros instead. Heading up there to pre-ride at the end of February if weather allows. My folks are in the Adirondacks and I need to be up there anyway.

ha! i look foward to feeling your "cat 4" wrath.
hopefully i'll have the pleasure of drafting you on your 54 mile "frenchmen-on-basitlle day" type breakaway, but imagine I'll end up settling for a sprint for 8th or something like that.

wow, I miss racing a lot.

happy holidays,

-L

Ok, convince me it's worth a 24 hour drive.

hopefully i'll have the pleasure of drafting you on your 54 mile "frenchmen-on-basitlle day" type breakaway, but imagine I'll end up settling for a sprint for 8th or something like that.



Well.. the goal is to not have anyone draft me, of course. This should be a really fun road race for me. Even if I have the points by then to upgrade, I'll sandbag through this race. Maybe we can get together for the pre-ride. You ever ridden the course before?

Even if I have the points by then to upgrade, I'll sandbag through this race.

If there is justice you'll get a saddle sore from all that grit in your chamois.

You racing the 4's is like...

Well, it's just not right.

Battenkill sounds like the Mother of All Deathmarches.

Enjoy!

yah, let me know when you're pre riding, Nomad. It's a 3.5 hour drive for me to get out there, so a pre ride may not be a realistic optin. I have no car, complicating things.
let me know anyways when you plan on pre-riding and I'll see if a few team mates feel like making a day out of it.

looking foward to getting schooled,

Leo in Boston

Not to threadjack, but as far as equipment choices I wouldn't worry about changing up much of anything (unless it particularly wet or you run uberlight wheels, tubes etc.)...BUT, the single most important equipment choice for B-R is your BOTTLE CAGES! Make sure they securely hold your bottles event in very nasty bumpy conditions...your fellow racers will thank you. End of rant and good luck to everyone.

wayne

Thanks for the replies guys. I have never been. I registered last year but couldn't make it as I was in the middle of buying a house. I can't afford to do too many races this year either but I always wanted to do this one so I am making it a priority. I haven't raced in over a year. I am a 5 and hopefully I can hang in at the front somewhere and not flat and not bonk. Are there big climbs or just sprint type hills?

I can't go up early and stay overnight because of $ but I hope to pre-ride it sometime between now and April.

Good luck to everybody else!

Racer Ex is entered.

That looks awesome, I'm going to try and make it back East for this. I would imagine it's worthwhile.

Racer Ex is entered.

NO $#!% That is going to rock! I would have upgraded just to race The Ex-Man, but sadly, I cant figure out how to grow a bit older by then.

B-R is quickly turning into a BF festival! I am putting cash down on Nomad, Racer Ex, and MarcelInNYC

I told my coach to make me peak for this race.

I'll be there.

Could be a regular ol' BF-palooza

When is this race?

April 19, 2008. (http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=5444)

I see no penguins on the list. What gives? Is he waiting to decide whether or not to decimate the Cat 2 field?

Penguin will be signing up shortly. He needs to put some guap in his bank account first...

Penguin will be signing up shortly. He needs to put some guap in his bank account first...

Overrated. No guap > guap.

Yo, if double D would fall back and man those turntables, I wouldn't need no guapstash. *****es be wilin out hard body son. Got me tight like rosie o'donnell in red october when I need to be tight like care bears trippin on acid.

April 19, 2008. (http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=5444)

Thanks.

Regular Cat 4 is closed, but the 30+ Cats 1-4 is still open. That'll be a slow race, right?

Thanks.

Regular Cat 4 is closed, but the 30+ Cats 1-4 is still open. That'll be a slow race, right?

Stay away ElJ. It's far too close to Manhattan for you.

Detroit is too close to Manhattan for me, Pcad.

Racer Ex needs a place to stay.

Racer Ex also wonders if there's any other races in the area in that time frame, or a week later.

Racer Ex is barely hanging in there at the moment. Holidays, low temps, weather, and a big move has RX doing short trainer rides when he can squeeze them in and embracing outdoor rides as if they are a hot and willing supermodel. (Rare and most enjoyable for the old RX).

how's everyone feeling for the B-R? legs, mind, etc..

I'll be racing 4's (A's i think). Anyone else?


-L

I just emailed in my cancellation. Some waitlisted cat 4 gets to race.

Damn cold... :(

how's everyone feeling for the B-R? legs, mind, etc..

I'll be racing 4's (A's i think). Anyone else?


-L

Yeah, 4 Red (4A?). I'm good and excited but I've had a bit of lower back tightness for the past week. Feels fine when I'm in riding position but would really like to get that sorted by Saturday.

Looks to be perfect weather.