shovelhd

Thanks.

AzTallRider

I picked up a Hincapie "speedsuit" from a teammate who needed a different size this past year and used it for TT's. With Hincapie, the "speedsuit" is long sleeve, while the "skinsuit" is short sleeve and I'm not sure it has the same high-tech fabric.This year we are with Castelli, and because of the huge discount on the item, I'm riding road races in their "San Remo" suit, which is one piece, but has pockets. I also picked up a short sleeve skinsuit because, well, I live in Arizona. The Castelli pads are wonderful, but fitting into Castelli is interesting to say the least. Most people went up 2 sizes from the Hincapie. I got XL bibs, and large jerseys. The XL bibs are tight in the legs, and I'm no quadzilla.

VanceMac

I can't say enough good things about the San Remo. I ordered one last year, and I'm so enamored that I didn't order any team jerseys/bibs this year... all San Remo (and a skinsuit). It's perfect.

On Castelli sizing: I heard many teammates grumbling about going up a size when they demo'd the gear last year. Later in the year, I heard many of them wish they hadn't. They just weren't used to the tighter grippier fit. The San Remo shoulders and sleeves are good example -- fits like a skinsuit, and for people used to traditional jersey, it was startling. And even though it feels constricting at first, I've never felt constrained all. Still, even with that factor, agree that Castelli runs a touch smaller than some other brands.

AzTallRider

Okay, so our season starts unofficially tomorrow, and officially a week from tomorrow, when there are crit's both Saturday and Sunday. I'm doubling up both those days, since I'd like to upgrade to 3 this season if I can do so and not overdo things. So I'm doing a 2-3-4 just before the M50+ Saturday, and a 4 a bit before the M55+ Sunday. The M55+ is going to be interesting, since the start is combined with the M45+, which includes some really fast guys. I'm hoping they don't listen to the whining I expect to happen, and keep us starting together, without a gap.

But the unofficial start is tomorrow. Our team is holding its annual "VOS Practice Race". It's an intra-squad race on the Valley of the Sun RR course. We've divided those participating into 4 squads and will compete against each other for team points, and of course ultimate bragging rights for the winner of the race. I, for one, remember very clearly who won the race last year, but don't recall how any of the teams placed.

But somehow I became a team captain, and our team's primary goal is to get one of us the win. Objectively, we aren't the strongest of the teams, even before it turned out that literally half the squad is either ill, or coming off an illness that impacted training. That has affected tactics, but not changed our resolve or our goals. We'll just have one guy sitting in who would otherwise have been in the break, and other roles were shifted a bit. Being me, I of course went way overboard in getting self-assessments from team members, having some email discourse, picking Ex's brain for a critique of my initial plans, and then sending a "race packet" out to the team members. The packet covers background, course info, equipment considerations, the self-assessments, tactics, and general guidelines for what to do both when in the pack or on a break. But the quick version is that I'm sending the guy who is in the best shape (but is not me) on the initial break, which I expect to happen right away and to include a member of every team. I'll then assess our chances within the break group, and evaluate how the other teams are responding. If the pack is chasing, then I'll have another guy ready to counter when the break is caught. If someone threatening bridges, I'll send that guy to cover. If a bridge attempt isn't threatening, we'll let it go. If I don't like our chances with the break at any point, and the pack isn't pursuing hard, then I'll bridge up. When we get to the finish, we'll use a mini-train to get the strongest finisher we have in the pack up to the front unmolested as the climb to the finish starts, and let him/her give an all out (in the ten minute range) grind to the line.

Gonna be a blast!

Racer Ex 

I'm racing Sunday. I have no idea why but I am. Actually, I know why; because my teammates are going, it's 15 minutes from my house, and the 49ers are playing the day before so I have an excuse to lay on the couch after my opener.

shovelhd

Good luck AZT. So you are starting off your racing season doing four crits in one weekend?

Good luck, Ex. Copporas Cove?

Racer Ex 

That's Texas. I'll be at Ontario. Crits. Thinking of doing the 50+, 45+, and 40+.

sarals 

AzT, you've become quite the tactician! I can see why you're the defacto team leader.

It's looking like the Cherry Pie crit in Napa will be my first race (yeup, the water's deep, but jump right in!), and two weeks after that is the Snelling Road Race. That course suits me, it's reasonably flat and the fields are big. I can sit in and hide and then see how those young women react on the last two laps. It should be fun!

AzTallRider

Yep, but bear in mind the longest one is 40 minutes; the others are only 30. So doing the back to back races Saturday gives me about the same time out there as one of your P-1-2 races. Saturday course has a rise each lap which can take it out of you at high speed, but Sunday is pancake flat. So if I get totally wasted I can just sit... Oh wait, forgot who was coaching me for a second there.

Cleave

I'm not racing on Sunday in Ontario. I haven't started putting the EVO together yet and Jan 13th is just too friggin' early in the year to start the season. Not that the following Sunday, Jan 20th, is a lot better but I need some race miles before heading out to AZ for Valley of the Sun. Besides, looking at the weather forecast, it will probably still be in the mid-30s at 8:05a when the 55+/60+ race starts.

One thing I've noticed is that the 50+ races that I've looked at on the calendar are now 1/2/3/4 races. No more Cat 5 Masters in the 50+ and below races. Nothing against Cat 5 people but the skill disparity between Cat 5s and former Olympians and professionals made for some tenuous pack dynamics. Ex probably remembers the guy who was racing with a full face BMX helmet in the 50+ races last year. He wasn't the only one but he was the most visible. Overall, I think it's better for the Masters Cat 5s to learn in smaller packs with lower speeds.

For whatever reason the 55+ Cat 5 folks weren't as dicey or weren't as plentiful. Oh, and the 55+ races were slower.

Racer Ex 

I noticed the BMX bike first.

I've been having a month where I seem to be getting a lot done if the crossed off stuff on the list is any indicator, but I feel like I'm not and someone keeps speeding up the clock.

revchuck 

I was in my LBS getting some stuff for my mutt build and was talking with a couple of guys there. It turned out that one of them was the president of the new local racing team - the old one had gone tango uniform last year - and he invited me to join the team. He had been on a couple of the local fast rides that I've done, and evidently thought I could cut the mustard...at least for an old guy. Now I have to buy the kit, but it eliminates the question of what I'll wear at the races. It kinda reminds me of being in the Army, when I didn't have to worry about what to wear to work each day.

Minimum required team kit is jersey, shorts, socks and tee shirt. What else would y'all recommend? I was thinking a wind vest and a hat.

VanceMac

Lighter than usual turnout, and a bit of moaning about the 45° starting temp this morning. Yes, socal is spoiled and deserves your scorn. I heard a lot of "going to head out after it warms up" chatter. The temps were fine, of course, though the headwinds in both directions were annoying. Cleared out a lot of crud from sinus issues this week... hacking up pretty multi-colored treasures. Glad it hasn't moved to the lungs.

AzTallRider

Question: If you run over a guys head, and it breaks a spoke, does the guy whose head it was have to pay for repairs?

shovelhd

Gloves? Arm/leg/knee warmers may not be needed in Louisiana.

shovelhd

Absolutely, unless they can't speak. Then it is OK to break into his car and steal his wallet.

Ya gotta love early season racing.

Racer Ex 

Why do I think this isn't rhetorical?

AzTallRider

Because it isn't? Miraculously, I stayed up, and he's okay. Initiated by the kid I've mentioned a couple of times not watching his six. Guy whose front wheel touched launched into the bushes, but his bike went left and hit the guy ahead of me, who I ran into and over. Front wheel guy drove himself to hospital against my protests that I should drive him. Sigh...

sarals 

I hope you didn't scratch his helmet. That would have been tragic (from the EMS pilot).

Cleave

Not all races are worth the experience. Glad you stayed upright. Maybe the "kid" should have glanced or made a smoother move, but I keep telling people that you have to protect your front wheel.

AzTallRider

So, the tabs on the back of my Garmin 500 sheared off in the 'event' Saturday. Fortunately someone found it in the road, and it's fine other than the mount. I just got off the phone with Garmin, and because my vintage of the device had an issue with fragile mount tabs, they are replacing it, with a refurbished unit, free of charge. Nice... and by giving them a refundable deposit, they are shipping the new one today, and I can wait to send them mine until I have the replacement. Double nice! So the only costs for me are a few scratches on the frame, and having the Zipp repaired (spoke replacements and re-gluing the tire). Well, and being taken out of the race. I feel fortunate, and am glad I tend to ride where I have an 'out'. I couldn't get far enough out to totally avoid it, but had I been positioned otherwise, it would have been a different story.

Cleave

Yep, optimal positioning for drafting versus optimal positioning for survival sometimes don't match. When they don't match, I pick survival.

Esteban58

Saw a strange looking bike yesterday...

Something like a zipp 2001 (picture) but without the oversized tubing.

It was definitely a case of 'hum, something doesn't look right with that bike' (from behind), and then 'woah, where's the seat stay and seat tube?' when I saw it more from the side.

It might have been a 'softride', but it looks like they only sell bike racks now.

Do any of you know the back story?

VanceMac

On my way to team night at the sponsoring bike shop. I don't really need anything... but you know how that works.

Edit: though, Quarq is on the list for the first time. I might have to leave my wallet at home.

revchuck 

Just finished a big bowl of lima beans. I put them on to soak last night, cut up a ham steak and an onion, and threw all of it in the crock pot right before I went to work this morning. It was finished when I got home from work. There's enough salt in the ham that there's no need for additional seasoning, though I admit to shaking in some Tabasco sometimes. Good stuff!