gsteinb

yeah...I have to say that with 3 years of KY, 3 year of Bend and now 2 years of UT I'm a bit deflated with the whole thing. By the time it gets close to home again I'd have jumped a lot of age classes.

More and more track nats are looking like the only way I'm adding stripes to the collection.

Hermes

AZT, Good luck with your new job and rehab.

Allegheny Jet

I would avoid going back down with that rig.

shovelhd

I went a bit hard on my recovery ride in order to beat a thunderstorm home.

caloso

I've kicked around the idea of doing Mt. Diablo on a FG, but I don't think I've ever seen a fixed cog with enough teeth.

Hermes

Each fall we have the Low Key Hill Climb series that is a really fun event. And there are riders who show up on fixed gear bikes to challenge themselves and some guys run up as well. One year, we were doing Old La Honda and riders self selected which group they rode with based upon OLH times. So it was not a time trial but small mass start groups. A guy on a fixie with a 47/17 wanted to know which group he should ride in. We said based upon that gearing you ride with the fast guys. He did really well.

caloso

Holy crap. That's my flat-streets-of-Sacramento commuting gear ratio. I can't imagine doing a hill climb in that.

AzTallRider

Thanks for the support, folks - it's nice when you know people get it.

caloso

That's what I like about this place.

chasm54

Saw a local kid at the races last night who has spent the last year racing in Belgium with one of the pro teams development squads. Hewas home for last week's national RR championships (finished well down on Cavendish, Stannard, Millar as one might expect) and for one of our premier calendar races tomorrow. He's 19, holding his own among the neo-pros in Belgium, and has a ftp of "around 350 watts" at 62 kilos. Very nice lad, I hope he makes it.

revchuck 

More proof (as if we needed it) that youth is wasted on the young.

revchuck 

Shoot...six more days until I can ride again, and the weather is bleepin' perfect. Going stir crazy...

Spent four hours behind a push mower yesterday, mowing the yard and getting all the little spots I usually avoid on the (now in the shop) riding mower. It was like Bogart in The African Queen in some of those spots. You know it was hot when your pants and hat are completely soaked when you're finished, in addition to your shirt.

sarals 

I can say from first hand experience that you do!

Let me say, too, that I like your thinking. You'll be a monster in the 60+ field. I'll be racing with you again next year, too - go get 'em, my friend (and heal up)!!!

Allegheny Jet

Originally Posted by AzTallRider
As I am constantly told: "I give good draft."

As evidence by this image. I don't give good draft.

revchuck 

I've got a pint glass from a bar in New Orleans that reads:

Optimist: Glass half full
Pessimist: Glass half empty
New Orleanian: If there's beer in there, it's good!

Cleave

Hey @AzTallRider, we do what we have to do. While cycling and bike racing enriches our lives, it's still a hobby for most of us. Looking forward to seeing you on the start line February at Valley of the Sun. Hopefully I'll be able to stay on your wheel.

chasm54

Velonews. I see Cavendish is using SRAM's hydraulic rim brakes on his Tour bike. Look a bit weird, but an interesting development that they've been pronounced UCI - legal.

shovelhd

The Shimano ones coming later this year look much nicer.

revchuck 

I'm really interested in Ultegra 6800. Assuming I'm working again, I'd like to replace the DA 7900 stuff on my Look. I'm keeping the DA 7800 stuff, though...it works better than the 7900.

shovelhd

7900 was way better than 7800 for me.

revchuck 

Could be the way mine have been set up. The 7800 just shifts slicker for me, especially the front.

shovelhd

Could be. The lever throw was shorter with 7900. Di2 is even shorter.

Esteban58

meh. Sram for me.... no idea why, but ultegra just didn't make sense to my fingers. For whatever reason, Sram works just fine.

shovelhd

Forget about Di2, then. Way too complicated.

revchuck 

I've got three bikes with shifters from the now two generations ago Shimano line - Tiagra 4500, Ultegra 6600, and DA 7800. They all shift like buttah, even the Tiagra, but they do have a long throw. The short throw but improved leverage of the new stuff - assuming that Ultegra 6800 gets the new design from DA9000 - is what interests me. It'd be the best of both (7800 and 7900) worlds.