Originally Posted by
bobkat
I'm amazed tht they allowed you in the state games at all! A couple old guys like me tried to ride the ND Prairie Rose state games 50 miler here a couple years back and the young fit carbon fiber racers had an absolute fit. They actually admitted that they were worried that in the race on very hilly terrain that we old guys (the youngest was 64 the oldest 77 and the lightest bents were 35 pounds) would beat them and they absolutely wouldn't allow us anywhere near the course! And this is the ND state games that is widely billed as "participation for everybody!" I sowre I'd never donate a penny toward that organization again, and haven't and won't!!!
This was the first time I was ever aware of the dislike of the racing crowd and some regular bike riders toward recumbent bikes! We even told them that we weren't racing per se or out to win or anything else, all we wanted to do was ride the course for fun and NOT be entered against anyone else, and hope to finish by the time the sun went down. ABSOLUTELY NOT!!
So to try to change the attitudes of these Lance wannabees to me is a total waste of time!
OF COURSE bents should be allowed to participate in their own category, (the kayak and canoe are great analogies) but if the people you are dealing with are cut from the same cloth as these arrogant hardheads up here, it ain't goon happen! EVER!
The director here in my state is somewhat of a maverick, he was even contacted by a member of the National Board and was told I should not be competing( this was after I had inquired to the Nationals about my question with recumbents). He has as his advisory a competative upright cyclist from one of the colleges. They believe the Senior Games is about participation and health and as Blazing Pedals described the National games is just an extension of another USCF riding event. Some of the major clubs in States with very competive Masters riders gear a competative team to win these National cycling events. Anyway the director here, also with opinion from his advisor, did away with the 20K road race and changed it to a 20K time trial. He was very concerned about how inexperienced older riders might crash in trying to draft off one another.
I don't believe I have any advantage with my sub $1000 ActionBent over specialized Time Trial bikes weighing less than 15 lbs., with Disc wheels, and costing $6,000 plus. I ride extremely hard and like to push myself. I actually have only a couple of people in my riding group of Uprights who can take me up a hill. However, the Nationals would be very hard for me to match there times. They are riding time trials couses in the 24mph to 26mph average. I have only been above 22 mph but hope to do better this year.
No one was bothered with me competing in my State Trials last year, but since this year it is a qualifying event for the Nationals someone may complain. The director and I already know that I will not be able to go to Nationals even if I have the best time. It is really cool that he has welcomed me to participate anyway. I race tommorrow.
By dictionary definition I ride a bicycle. But I can understand why there does need to be another category for most events other than Time Trials. The boom of a recumbent would be a little unerving for riders trying to move in and out of a paceline. We do our pacelines generally above 20mph. When I ride with my biking freinds I am always in the front or the back of the pack(never middle).