Originally Posted by
filtersweep
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.
Originally Posted by
PedallingATX
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.
Originally Posted by
Wanderer
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.