auchencrow

Thanks for the info iab!

16Victor

+1

repechage

From my own perspective, riding in team kit is for those who are on the team.
For shorter rides other than going to fetch coffee, cycling shoes are the first order of business as my feet are just more comfortable and I can tell the difference in saddle "height" when wearing thicker street shoes.
Cycling shoes and cargo shorts does bring its own level of attention on occasion though.

The problem is finding plain cycling clothing of good quality. Obviously I am not part of a large movement that the marketing types have acknowledged yet.

likebike23

I don't know, lots of competitive people out there. I ride my ride and don't care about being passed or passing. If that's what makes the ride fun for you, then good for you.

treal512

Nice share, OP. Got any pictures of the Olmo?

+1

longbeachgary

boom

gaucho777 

+1. As a young teen, I was once mocked (albeit in a friendly way) by Davis Phinney for wearing a La Vie Claire jersey while riding my Look. I always wanted to wear a CA District Championship jersey, but I never earned one (came close a couple times as a youngster, but it was not easy with Fred Rodriguez in my same age group/district). I still think the Grizzly Bear on the back is pretty cool. I know you can buy the jerseys, but I'd feel like a poseur.

RobbieTunes

I can relate. First ride a few years ago with the local group, all modern bikes, nice folks. A guy flatted, and they all looked at me. I had him changed in no time. Then, completely unfamiliar with CO2, I blew his tire right off the rim. I changed it again and they dropped me about 10 miles later. I went home, had a beer, and watched beach volleyball.

obrentharris 

My hat's off to you. The competition for that jersey is fierce. To even come close is something to be proud of.
If you ever feel that old competitive urge again, California has a very strong Master's racing scene. I'd be proud to introduce you to the madness of Bay Area cyclocross.
Brent

gaucho777 

^Thanks for the offer. As much fun as racing again might be, and the thought has crossed my mind, I know that my conditioning is nowhere near where it would need to be. I stopped racing when I went to college and have 20 years of bad habits to work off. Maybe some day, but it would take a lot more saddle time, which is hard for me to come by these days. I also realize those Masters are no slouches, so my hats off to you, too!

look171

Your training ride stops if one of you get a flat. Ours ride would have said see you next week, batter luck next time and are gone in less then 10 seconds.

look171

I wanted to earn and wear that jersey too when I was racing Jr. I rode the district RR and was dropped like a bad habit by them big boys. The next year I was prepped and climbed like crazy the couple of months before. I flatted and quit. There's no way to chase them back. Went on to cat 4 and won one race and placed a few times. 3s where fast and could not stay out front like I did with the 4s. I was just a number that made up the field. There was a big kid who was fast, very fast on the track (he was racing the senior men as a jr), but we knew his weakness was on the road (grew up with him on the rides). Gravity and the big gears would gets the better of him, everytime. So, when he shows on the Wed. ride, us kids, or younger riders would get him up front and turn the gas on and make him pay for that jersey. We would take turns egging him on to get away so we can rip that jersey off his ass and stuff it down his throat. Fun times. When Thurlow Rogers comes out, then there were hell to pay that day if you were fast because he was a lot faster. You just can't pull him back no matter how hard we try.

look171

What years were you racing in CA? Somehow college always got in the way of all the fun for me also. By the 3rd year of college I was really suffering through the races. I did a little better after college because I had more time to ride as I was looking for a job and a bit older and trained smarter. Then work really got in the way. Now i am lucky if I can get one day out of the week to ride. Racing has always been in the back of my mind but I know it would never materialize. I try to do a couple of long hard rides a week to stay with the guys on our old training ride. Forget it. By the 2nd hill, I was riding backward. A lot of younger, and much stronger field. Masters are actually very fast. Even the Grand Masters are very, very fast. Guy that taught me how to ride in the mid 80s are still riding the same damn training ride now in their mid to late 50s. A few are still riding up front like if they haven't aged. Nut cases.

gaucho777 

Maybe I did one or two races at the tale end of '84, but really started racing around '85 when I was 13. Went to Jr. Nationals ages 16-18 but never really was a contender. Raced though the summer after high school in '91, then basically hung up the bikes for a couple decades until a few years ago when I found this place. I wish my memory of that time was clearer. I know you raced in SoCal in the mid-80s, too, so I'm sure we were at some of the same races.

What District did you race? Not that miserable course out in Lancaster?

look171

I think there was only one back in our area. It was in Acton (RR), right before the road dips into Landcaster. I hate that freaking race/course and I think we might be talking about the same thing. Boys turn into men at that race if you finish. It was fun beating up on the 14 year olds in 85 and 86, my last year as a jr. I did well in those Torrance Classics (Won and placed on three of them in the years after that) or Manhattan Beach GP. I wasn't fast but know to sit in like an armchair and had a pretty good sprint Did you race down here? I think they need to separate the older jr rider and the younger ones. I am out of the loop and have no clue what's going on in USCF or what ever they call it now? When I was 14 (started racing racing at 15 and was serious by 16), the 17 year olds were so much stronger. I didn't even get a chance to suck wheel and they were gone in all the training rides. There were only 4-5 of us youngsters in our area. The field was usually 15 to no more then 20 riders. We knew all of them and watched the gifted ones and stuck to them like glue and watch do all the donkey work.

I am done. it takes too much effort and time to be in shape like we had back then. Get up in the early on the weekends, screw around for 40-50 miles. pick on the new comers and old guys is my cheap thrill. How bout' ya?

gaucho777 

Just dug up my old license. Haven't looked at this in years. I'd honestly forgotten that I was a Cat 3 at age 16. Never won a mass start race though. A couple TTs and the only MTB race I ever entered (go figure), but never got to raise my hands across the line in a mass-start RR or crit. (Actually, that would have got you DQ'd as a Junior. ) Chasing that elusive victory does makes me want to get out there for one last hurrah.

gaucho777 

I realize Look171 and I have completely hijacked this thread. Sorry to the OP. Though the thread wasn't going anywhere we haven't been before. Unless everyone agrees its a race, and everyone starts at the same place and time, who passes who is somewhat meaningless.

look171

I must hi-jack it once more. Sorry OP. Randy, you are local, just at Westlake. I wish I had my old lic. That lil' piece of paper is worth its weight in gold and then some. Did yo ride or hang out at Encino? Were yo allow to ride some of the 3 races as a jr? I knew some big kid did from San Diego at some of the races. Oh, have I got a story to tell you about raising my hands across the line. Talk about a piss off camper? My first race at Torrance, which I won fair and square with about 3 bike lengths, because I jumped right after the turn dragging this ball and chain with me and had to drag race him to the longest finish of my life. I was DQed because of it. Who reads the rule book anyway? The next race a couple of weeks later (the same Torrance Classics) I got my real win and it felt goooood. This time, I jumped right before the turn with everyone ready to come out of the saddle after the turn. That was a close one.

gaucho777 

Yes, I did some racing at Encino, but not much. It sure was fun though! And yes, I did race the senior (I think that's what they were called) Cat. 3 races. Usually the Jr. races were the first ones in the morning. Then I'd often race in the Sr. Cat. 3 race as well, but not if it was the other way around. Made for some very tired drives home.

Glad you got your win, especially after getting stripped of your first one!

look171

You must know the Arrue brothers from Chile. they were at Encino every Friday or was it Saturday with his dad yelling in Spanish track side or the infield? The little one, maybe your age, went on to big things from what I understand. Olympic and and rode on the national track team. The older brother was fast but not nearly as fast as the younger brother. I think his name was Marcello? The older was the one we use to beat up on the road. He was a bit heavy or big boned. Fun times, I still smile think about it.

look171

Funny how the jr races were often the same length or more then the 4 Senior races. 4s were easy to handle but the 3s were a LOT faster.

RoadTire 

What color is faster in Sicily?