Riding a crank forward at the 2013 Tulsa Tough 35+ cat 5 road race
03-11-13, 11:23 AM
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Riding a crank forward at the 2013 Tulsa Tough 35+ cat 5 road race
Two years not smoking, woohoo!! Now to lose 30-40lbs in the next 3 months 
I am 48 and have never been in a bike race in spite of 40 years of wanting to. Cat5 35+, I cannot figure out for the life of me how long this race is though, 30-40 minutes and it shows the route, surely it is more then one lap, anyone familiar with this race/route? It looks to be a 1-2 mile route? https://www.tulsatough.com/races/brady-village-criterium
Ok so it sounds crazy to ride a crank forward in this but hear me out. I can't stand riding a normal road or mountain bike so I finally got around to building my own crank forward, I cut up a mountain bike and then welded up a crank forward configuration that fits me, very comfy to ride and it's great to be able to sit flat footed when I stop. First goal is to finish, everything after that is win for me. My lungs have recovered a lot over the last two years, my heart seems to be the weak link now.
I am 48 and have never been in a bike race in spite of 40 years of wanting to. Cat5 35+, I cannot figure out for the life of me how long this race is though, 30-40 minutes and it shows the route, surely it is more then one lap, anyone familiar with this race/route? It looks to be a 1-2 mile route? https://www.tulsatough.com/races/brady-village-criterium
Ok so it sounds crazy to ride a crank forward in this but hear me out. I can't stand riding a normal road or mountain bike so I finally got around to building my own crank forward, I cut up a mountain bike and then welded up a crank forward configuration that fits me, very comfy to ride and it's great to be able to sit flat footed when I stop. First goal is to finish, everything after that is win for me. My lungs have recovered a lot over the last two years, my heart seems to be the weak link now.
03-11-13, 11:28 AM
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I don't know.
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is a bike of that construction allowed in that race?
03-11-13, 11:29 AM
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Is "crank forward" another term for recumbant ? If so, I doubt they will let you in the race. I hear there are a few recumbant races somewhere in the country. The next race starts in 40 minutes, so that race is probably 30 or 35 minutes. If you really want to race, get a road bike, and some experience riding with a group of "fast guys".
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Last edited by Homebrew01; 03-11-13 at 11:32 AM.
03-11-13, 11:30 AM
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03-11-13, 11:31 AM
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Is "crank forward" another term for recumbant ? If so, I doubt they will let you in the race. I hear there are a few recumbant races somewhere in the country. The next race starts in 40 minutes, so that race is probably 30 or 35 minutes. If you really want to race, get a road bike, and some experience riding with a group of "fast guys".
03-11-13, 11:32 AM
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road bikes in road races, mountain bikes in mtn bike races, road or TT bikes in time trials ...
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03-11-13, 11:33 AM
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crank forward design is what Electra, Felt, and other cruiser-type companies use for geometry. It enables lower, more comfortable seat heights, for longer legs.
03-11-13, 11:34 AM
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I am 48 and have never been in a bike race in spite of 40 years of wanting to. Cat5 35+, I cannot figure out for the life of me how long this race is though, 30-40 minutes and it shows the route, surely it is more then one lap, anyone familiar with this race/route? It looks to be a 1-2 mile route? https://www.tulsatough.com/races/brady-village-criterium
Ok so it sounds crazy to ride a crank forward in this but hear me out. I can't stand riding a normal road or mountain bike so I finally got around to building my own crank forward, I cut up a mountain bike and then welded up a crank forward configuration that fits me, very comfy to ride and it's great to be able to sit flat footed when I stop. First goal is to finish, everything after that is win for me. My lungs have recovered a lot over the last two years, my heart seems to be the weak link now.
03-11-13, 11:35 AM
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OP, it's a crit. If it's 30 minutes you'll ride for thirty minutes before the final lap(s) are called. So how many laps you cover depends on how fast the field goes.
More importantly, I don't know the situation in the States but here nin the UK you wouldn't be allowed to start on the sort of bike you describe. It won't handle like a road bike and you'd be regarded as a danger to other racers, because you wouldn't be able to corner properly in a bunch.
More importantly, I don't know the situation in the States but here nin the UK you wouldn't be allowed to start on the sort of bike you describe. It won't handle like a road bike and you'd be regarded as a danger to other racers, because you wouldn't be able to corner properly in a bunch.
03-11-13, 11:36 AM
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It ain't gonna handle too well in a criterium ..... bad news. Pretty sure those bars would not be legal.
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03-11-13, 11:37 AM
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Ba
03-11-13, 11:38 AM
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Criteriums are based on time, not distance. The approximate time of the race is announced and as the race is proceeding, the officials note the average time of each lap and calculate how many laps will remain. When you line up the official will typically say "This race is for 40 minutes, we will show you lap cards with 5 to go." That is, when they have figured out that five more laps will fill the allotted time, they will display a large card at the start/finish line indicating a large "5". Typically, they ring a bell on the final lap.
I don't know if your bike is legal for a mass start race. You can look at the USAC website, or someone will chime in here.
Personally, I doubt if a crank forward bike will allow you to accelerate to match the surges of a crit, even a 35+ Cat 5 race.
I don't know if your bike is legal for a mass start race. You can look at the USAC website, or someone will chime in here.
Personally, I doubt if a crank forward bike will allow you to accelerate to match the surges of a crit, even a 35+ Cat 5 race.
03-11-13, 11:38 AM
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Bye
03-11-13, 11:39 AM
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03-11-13, 11:40 AM
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OP, don't do it. If you are thinking about sitting flat footed when you stop, you aren't cut out for racing yet. I would go and watch this race first and figure out whether you are cut out for that kind of work. Look on youtube for "criterium" and see if you are up for this kind of riding. This is not a charity ride where "finishing" is the goal. People are looking for blood (figuratively speaking) in a race like this. If you want an indicator, average speed for the race will probably be about 24mph, with high speeds up in the low 30's. Not a place for anything but a road bike to play. Even if you have the legs (maybe you do), the bike you are suggesting just isn't cut out for this type of riding.
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03-11-13, 11:40 AM
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Yup ..... I dialed it up to 400 watts yesterday.
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03-11-13, 11:46 AM
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https://rans.com/bicycles/crank-forward.html
I think this is what he is talking about.
OP, don't do it. If you are thinking about sitting flat footed when you stop, you aren't cut out for racing yet. I would go and watch this race first and figure out whether you are cut out for that kind of work. Look on youtube for "criterium" and see if you are up for this kind of riding. This is not a charity ride where "finishing" is the goal. People are looking for blood (figuratively speaking) in a race like this. If you want an indicator, average speed for the race will probably be about 24mph, with high speeds up in the low 30's. Not a place for anything but a road bike to play. Even if you have the legs (maybe you do), the bike you are suggesting just isn't cut out for this type of riding.
I think this is what he is talking about.
OP, don't do it. If you are thinking about sitting flat footed when you stop, you aren't cut out for racing yet. I would go and watch this race first and figure out whether you are cut out for that kind of work. Look on youtube for "criterium" and see if you are up for this kind of riding. This is not a charity ride where "finishing" is the goal. People are looking for blood (figuratively speaking) in a race like this. If you want an indicator, average speed for the race will probably be about 24mph, with high speeds up in the low 30's. Not a place for anything but a road bike to play. Even if you have the legs (maybe you do), the bike you are suggesting just isn't cut out for this type of riding.
03-11-13, 11:48 AM
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No. Race bikes must have a brake on both wheels. But even if you were to install a front brake, still no.
And even though it's the beginners' class, Cat 5 is not easy going. It's still a race, not a tour.
And even though it's the beginners' class, Cat 5 is not easy going. It's still a race, not a tour.
03-11-13, 11:50 AM
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Anyway this is the bike as it stands now, I have been moving the geometry around, it's a hacked and zipped tied together mess right now. But it fits me, nice to ride. 