"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - So I bought my new $90 High Precision Transponder...

and this is the first race result I get with it:

12th Unknown, Number Unattached RV97331

Hey, they got the transponder number right! :p

So much for our new highly accurate placing system. I still want to know why you can buy a ChampionChip (used in triathlons everywhere) for $35, and the FL Cycling one costs $90. I smell a buddy deal here somewhere.

I'm glad they don't use that nonsense in many races around here.

and this is the first race result I get with it:

12th Unknown, Number Unattached RV97331

Hey, they got the transponder number right! :p

So much for our new highly accurate placing system. I still want to know why you can buy a ChampionChip (used in triathlons everywhere) for $35, and the FL Cycling one costs $90. I smell a buddy deal here somewhere.

Congrats on the finish! ;)

Championchip has been around for years, but the transponder that FPS is using is a new system and I'll bet the chip-x chips just cost more. Too bad you didn't pick it up last year, I think there was a deal for around $60 after the fiasco at the Deland races..

Congrats on the finish! ;)

Championchip has been around for years, but the transponder that FPS is using is a new system and I'll bet the chip-x chips just cost more. Too bad you didn't pick it up last year, I think there was a deal for around $60 after the fiasco at the Deland races..


"fiasco" is too light a word. more like implosion. they didnt even tell us they lost track of the times and were cancelling the rest of the TT... they just took the starting tent down and tried to creep away.

it was bad.

"fiasco" is too light a word. more like implosion. they didnt even tell us they lost track of the times and were cancelling the rest of the TT... they just took the starting tent down and tried to creep away.

it was bad.

Story please! This sounds good.

and this is the first race result I get with it:

12th Unknown, Number Unattached RV97331

Hey, they got the transponder number right! :p

So much for our new highly accurate placing system. I still want to know why you can buy a ChampionChip (used in triathlons everywhere) for $35, and the FL Cycling one costs $90. I smell a buddy deal here somewhere.

Still better than being listed as last place... after finishing right on your wheel, as far as I can tell (or somewhere thereabouts...). They refused to review the tape, and promised me they'd sort it out. Nope. Nothing.

Story please! This sounds good.

Ugh, it was a flustercuck of magnificant proportions..

Basically, when people failed to show up at their appointed time for the TT the people at the start went ahead and sent the next person in line through but failed to make a note of missing riders/ghost riders. So the result was that times got progressively faster. An 11 year old kid I know supposedly "averaged" 26mph on the TT course.

By the time they realized the mistake, they had no idea who had gone when and so there was no way to have "official" times except for the first rider.

Now that I think about it, I think the $60 price on the transponder might have reflected a credit given back to us for the screw-up.

The mind boggles. I can not fathom how any race timers could overlook noting the beginning time of a time trial rider, much less all of them.

BTW that's a fast 11 year old. If he doesn't burn out, he's going pro.

The transponders were also supposed to let them post race results to the official web-site the same day as the races, but it's still taking them 4 or 5 days to do so, just like before they got the transponders.

Same old same old.

Bob

The mind boggles. I can not fathom how any race timers could overlook noting the beginning time of a time trial rider, much less all of them.

BTW that's a fast 11 year old. If he doesn't burn out, he's going pro.

Well, it was his dad who pointed out that there was no way he could have ridden the TT that fast.

Well, it was his dad who pointed out that there was no way he could have ridden the TT that fast.

Kids with that much talent should be *supported* by their parents.

;)

At a duathlon this autumn they had some professional race management people doing the timing - they had little handheld wireless computers that they were entering numbers in and out of transition, finish line, etc.

But at the awards ceremony, they blatantly got the wrong people amongst the women - which we were all aware of as the guys, who'd gone of first and finished well in advance, were there at the finish seeing all the women come in. But they entirely missed the first two women to come in. So initially they just passed awards around amongst each other to represent reality, even if the race organisers were clueless. Ultimately the race organisers acknowledged that they had no idea what actually happened, but by that point the people with the computers were gone.

Fortunately the poor women in fourth and fifth were willing to give up their second and third place trophies and goodies.

I did the Hammerhead tri in Jacksonville last summer. I had an email with the link to the results by 1 pm on race day. That was pretty cool. I hope that Florida Cycling can post accurate results, quickly, after they get the system dialed in.




The transponders were also supposed to let them post race results to the official web-site the same day as the races, but it's still taking them 4 or 5 days to do so, just like before they got the transponders.

Same old same old.

Bob

Still better than being listed as last place... after finishing right on your wheel, as far as I can tell (or somewhere thereabouts...). They refused to review the tape, and promised me they'd sort it out. Nope. Nothing.

Sorry man..but at least your name is up there if you're counting up your 10 mass starts to upgrade! :)

I emailed 'em also but I'm not holding my breath.

The added my name to the correct spot, no problem. It would have been better if they added my name to one of the other unknown riders up the page from my spot. :rolleyes:

Sorry man..but at least your name is up there if you're counting up your 10 mass starts to upgrade! :)

I emailed 'em also but I'm not holding my breath.

Ha! That is true, I guess. I hadn't thought of that. The way I hear it, as long as you've got some sort or record of what races/rides you've done, you should be fine for an upgrade.

Ha! That is true, I guess. I hadn't thought of that. The way I hear it, as long as you've got some sort or record of what races/rides you've done, you should be fine for an upgrade.

Ding ding ding!!! We have a winner.

And for the record, today I raced, but didn't finish. Stupid mechanicals half-way through left me riding back in the party van. But Mike Arena looked STRONG in the cat5 race, I watched those guys come in and I think he got a top-10.

Ding ding ding!!! We have a winner.

And for the record, today I raced, but didn't finish. Stupid mechanicals half-way through left me riding back in the party van. But Mike Arena looked STRONG in the cat5 race, I watched those guys come in and I think he got a top-10.

Hey thanks! Man, I got dropped hard on the last lap, on the pothole-ridden downhill stretch before the final turn. Had to chase and burn up a lot of energy to get back on. Left calf started cramping up about three-quarter miles out. I had nothing left to even get out of the saddle for the sprint. Semi-official results have me at 8th.

The good news: I learned how to sit in. I didn't see wind for more than ten seconds at a time until the end of the last lap. I was feeling pretty good, cracking jokes in the peleton (went over real well...). I think I might prefer road races, and definitely prefer a course with a good bit of elevation gain. We'll see how much I hurt during tomorrow's crit.

As a follow up to yesterday's race:

Cat 5 crit went well! Downtown, six corners, potholes on some, cobbles on others. I attacked from the start, and one other guy went with me. After about two laps, three others bridged up and one fell off. The four of us worked well together, lapped the whole field once, and some twice.

Every time I got out of the saddle, my rear derailleur would slowly start sliding to lower cogs (time to rebuild the shifter...). This caused me to jump from about the 15t cog to the 11th unexpectedly in the sprint, allowing two to come around me. Ended up with 3rd!

That's two top ten finishes in two days. I'm feeling great.

The two guys I carpooled with got first and third in the 4 race, so it was a fun ride home.

As a follow up to yesterday's race:

Cat 5 crit went well! Downtown, six corners, potholes on some, cobbles on others. I attacked from the start, and one other guy went with me. After about two laps, three others bridged up and one fell off. The four of us worked well together, lapped the whole field once, and some twice.

Every time I got out of the saddle, my rear derailleur would slowly start sliding to lower cogs (time to rebuild the shifter...). This caused me to jump from about the 15t cog to the 11th unexpectedly in the sprint, allowing two to come around me. Ended up with 3rd!

That's two top ten finishes in two days. I'm feeling great.

The two guys I carpooled with got first and third in the 4 race, so it was a fun ride home.

Good job! Now tell Ben to cat up to the 3s.

Where were you yesterday? A good time was had by all. Well not really all, Rob and I missed the break and weren't able to pull in back. A couple of teams had some really effective blocking going on and only 3 or 4 who really wanted to try to pull it back, with no organization. I had a sprinter sitting in the back who told me that guys were just falling off the back while we were chasing. That made me happy :D 13th, not so happy :(

Where were you yesterday? A good time was had by all. Well not really all, Rob and I missed the break and weren't able to pull in back. A couple of teams had some really effective blocking going on and only 3 or 4 who really wanted to try to pull it back, with no organization. I had a sprinter sitting in the back who told me that guys were just falling off the back while we were chasing. That made me happy :D 13th, not so happy :(

I wound up spending the day with my family. We did yard work and walked the dogs..

I'm going to be playing in Orlando all weekend though.

BTW, we missed you on Saturday. You could have seen me pull my Wile E. Coyote maneuver with my derailer cable half-way through the race.

I just looked at the Saturday crit results and ...

Nevermind.