Is there one this year? i cant seem to find any info on it, which makes me think 'no'.

also where is the start and at what time? i didnt see these important pieces of info on the website, or on here.

swap meet? no

that info will likely not be online. maybe try the party on friday or trackstar on friday.

understood, i suppose ill make a few phone calls to people on the "inside"

dude just come to the party friday!

or just wait til it gets posted to nybma

whatever works

What i gleaned from the goldsprint flyer:
friday: qualifiers at rocky's from 8pm on
saturday: 4-7 goldsprints 2nd qualifiers at rocky's, then finals from 9:30 on. I assume the fun ride is between 7-9:30 - start and finish at the bar.

and peeps, off the assumption you're coming from manhattan at the end, when you're finishing- off the W-burg bridge downhill on S 5th watch out for those cross streets-bedford, berry and wythe. cars gun it thru those intersections. i know this may seem like common knowledge, cause hey, it's the zoo. but I saw quite a few very-very near misses during CMWC- and this was just riders goofing off, not racing. on two separate occasions riders, having to hard right it along side the car down berry & bedford - as you can't see the cars due to bridge supports, and can't hear them cause the bridge makes tons of noise.

i also talked to dave at bike works.

no swap meet.

ditto. i was gonna mention this too. the bridges are pretty steep at the mouths. riding brakeless, if you have any doubts about yr abilities to corner blindly at high speeds into peds, other cyclists and traffic, it's advisable to just take it easy when hitting the ends of the bridges.

specifically, be REALLY careful on the queens end of the 59th st bridge. there's a 90 degree left-hand turn you have to make at the end of a relatively long/steep downhill.

Don't forget REALLY careful at the manhattan end as well, with that super sharp turn and the cars that blindly turn right in front of you if you're trying to get to 2nd ave.

another tip is fat low-pressure tires. i think the streets have gotten exponentially worse everyday for the past 2 weeks. in spite of the fact that my kogswell with the cyclocross tires rides slower than my other bikes and it's been pretty cold, i've been cadillacing the bumps and craters on it without complaints. if you don't know the texture of the streets well, rock some fat low pressure tires. you'll thank me later.

did they re-open the north side of the willy-b bike lane? Last I was there 3 weeks ago or so the south side was the only one open.

how's the slush - wetness factor? -rear fender w thicker tights or al fresco.

ie: will the conditions be roundabout the same as last year? (dry)

the south side of w-b, that narrow off-ramp which t-bones to bedford(?)- going to rocky's.

i'm just imagining 15 racers barrelling down that, with tired thighs after an hour of racing.

*shudder*

streets should be dry--just in a state of disrepair.

i shudder about that southside path with lots of people with tired legs barreling down it too...

meh, just give people room and no worries. In the slush though it does suck, backpedal equals skid; could have been my tires. On New Year's Eve after the Alley Kitten that 's how it was anyway. It'll be fine.

just wanted to say thanks for the info on dangerous bridges, tire pressure, etc.
good stuff for us out of towners.