Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Won my first race today!

Today we had a hill-climb race that I totally crushed everyone on. Over 12 miles up, and then back, about 25 miles in all. In all honesty, I think I won because of the route I took more than anything. Most people took the direct route which had a big steep climb up to the actual main big deal ridiculously-hard-climb last mile. I took another route that flattened out before the main climb, and used that time to get some wind in my lungs and chomp down a powerbar. I've also been riding a lot more lately which I'm sure helped, but last night my legs were super sore to the touch and I was a little worried. I drank a bunch of chocolate milk before bed and they felt pretty ok this morning. Once I actually started riding though, it felt like there was limitless energy in them. Man, it feels good to win! Woo!:D

Congratulations on The Win..

Fixed or geared?

Congrats!

grats

Congrats dude!

Congo Rats

I posted something like this in the road cycling forum and got nothing but grief because it wasn't a "real race"

You showed em! Good job.

I posted something like this in the road cycling forum and got nothing but grief because it wasn't a "real race"

Hahahaahaha

http://www.rapha.cc/ride-to-the-catford-hill-climb?locale=EU

I posted something like this in the road cycling forum and got nothing but grief because it wasn't a "real race"

Hate between roadies and fixed-gear riders are mutual.

Although it seems there's much more on the side of the roadies, especially after we took their' "secret" form of off-season training and made it a fad.
(according to bikesnob :) )

Hate between roadies and fixed-gear riders are mutual.

Although it seems there's much more on the side of the roadies, especially after we took their' "secret" form of off-season training and made it a fad.
(according to bikesnob :) )

Well I was on a road bike. Apparently it's not a race if there is no designated route, whatever. The winners were riding fixed.

http://vimeo.com/3156066
previous year's race

Fixed or geared?

I was riding 48x17 fixed, but it was open to SS also.


Hate between roadies and fixed-gear riders are mutual.

Although it seems there's much more on the side of the roadies, especially after we took their' "secret" form of off-season training and made it a fad.
(according to bikesnob :) )

I always thought it was because we realized that we didn't have to wear lycra to ride our bikes to the coffeeshop, thus making them feel like nambys.

congratulations...that's awesome. Get any prizes besides a smile and ego points??

Congrats - what was the route? Up the canyon, up the mesa?

Nice :)

Hate between roadies and fixed-gear riders are mutual.

Although it seems there's much more on the side of the roadies, especially after we took their' "secret" form of off-season training and made it a fad.
(according to bikesnob :) )

Only one word, Performance! ***********************************************

"we didn't have to wear lycra to ride our bikes to the coffeeshop"

No. Roadies are annoyed because the fg/ss crowd isn't old enough to visit a coffee shop after a ride." ;)

"we didn't have to wear lycra to ride our bikes to the coffeeshop"

No. Roadies are annoyed because the fg/ss crowd isn't old enough to visit a coffee shop after a ride." ;)

Roadies hate children?

If they're not old enough to visit a coffee shop, how come they all drink PBR and have STDs?

If they're not old enough to visit a coffee shop, how come they all drink PBR and have STDs?

Whoa! Whoa! Who's this 'they' you are talking about? I want to say for the record that I ride fixed and I do NOT drink PBR.

Congratulations.

Well, it is mildly amusing that the winner takes an entirely different route. Just saying..... For all we know, it could also be significantly shorter. ;) But props to the OP for the good-natured post and full self-disclosure. And on the roadie forum, there are all sorts who brag about "winning" the Tuesday night club ride.... or "winning" against some "fred" commuting to work. There are some real classics there--- so it is no surprise.

But what is up with this "mutual hate" referred to? I guess some of us who ride both road and fixed must have some real self-loathing going on?!? I guess I don't see it as us versus them.

Frankly, I would love to see something more like a criterium or road class for fixed gears--- that are not alley-cats and are not on velodromes. In the absence of any such race, you are only left with the DIY approach--- so in essence it is as real as anything.


I posted something like this in the road cycling forum and got nothing but grief because it wasn't a "real race"

Well, it is mildly amusing that the winner takes an entirely different route. Just saying..... For all we know, it could also be significantly shorter. ;) But props to the OP for the good-natured post and full self-disclosure. And on the roadie forum, there are all sorts who brag about "winning" the Tuesday night club ride.... or "winning" against some "fred" commuting to work. There are some real classics there--- so it is no surprise.

But what is up with this "mutual hate" referred to? I guess some of us who ride both road and fixed must have some real self-loathing going on?!? I guess I don't see it as us versus them.

Frankly, I would love to see something more like a criterium or road class for fixed gears--- that are not alley-cats and are not on velodromes. In the absence of any such race, you are only left with the DIY approach--- so in essence it is as real as anything.

C'mon now, it wasn't shorter. It's like a rectangle. Most people went 2 miles north, then 11 miles east; where I went 10 miles east, 2 miles north, and 1 mile east. It was heading east that was uphill, so I just picked a route that would give me a break before the hardest part. What I liked the most about this was that it was the most "race-y" of all the races we've had here for a while. No checkpoints, except for the top of the hill. Every other race I've done I end up getting lost or spend 15 minutes hunting for a clue to mark off a checkpoint. The 2nd placer and I discussed doing a Hipster Nascar race. I'd like to do 100 laps on a 1/4 mile running track, I think that would be a lot of fun. The short length of the track should keep the speed down a little to minimize crashes and make it a little harder for people to break off.

As for the mutual hate, I don't really experience that except from people who are super serious cat-4 racers (but they hate everyone, especially themselves). It's just one of those jokes that keeps perpetuating itself. The real thing is that people who are friendly and ride bikes are friendly, and the people who are dicks and ride bikes are dicks. I'm happy to ride with whoever, as long as they aren't going to slow.


congratulations...that's awesome. Get any prizes besides a smile and ego points??

Well, the "prizes" were 40s. I don't drink, so they hooked it up with a fresh pair of 505 socks, which will now be known (by me) as the King of the Hill Socks.


Congrats - what was the route? Up the canyon, up the mesa?

It went from the Rio Grande and Central up to the trailhead where Indian School ends. Most folks went north up Indian School from Broadway and then east, I stayed on Central until Tramway and then headed north and then east again.

Ha! Small world, I did that race too.
It was pretty brutal. like a 1200' ascent through the city I think is what I heard.
I didn't do as well as the OP, but I didn't come DFL.
This was actually the first alleycat that I finished.

1200' isn't really all that bad. Come ride with Gan Wel Paul and I when we go to Santa Fe, then you'll know what brutal is. :thumb:

1200' isn't really all that bad. Come ride with Gan Wel Paul and I when we go to Santa Fe, then you'll know what brutal is. :thumb:

Haha! I'd love to, but you and Paul would drop me before we got more than ten miles out.
But then again, I've only been riding since like October, and before that I did absolutely nothing physical.

Well good on you for finishing. And the best way to get in shape to do dumb rides like up to Santa Fe, is to ride more. Keep at it! Also, GWPaul mentioned a fast paced ride leaving from Fixed/Free on Wednesdays at 6 or 6:30. I wish I could make it to that sometime.