bikes not bombs

so yeah i am a newb but i ride a lot (20-30 mi roundtrip commute everyday plus rides with roommates at night) and i think i would enjoy getting into alleycat and velo racing i know i will get my ass kicked but still think it would be good times so my question is what skills should i have mastered to really get serious about racing

toddistic

smoking while riding your bike

cc700

reading a map and manifest on the go

Astronomical

^^

queerpunk

show up and race! i was all nervous showing up to my first couple of alleycats.

you'll definitely learn as you go - how to make fast decisions about where to go, how to be safe in traffic. if there's traffic where you race.

a damn good sense of direction and knowledge of the area you're racing in will be very, very helpful. if you don't have that, then you should know who to follow.

other than that, just show up, race, have a fun time, be safe, and learn what will be useful for the next race. if you're riding 20-30 rt commute, you're building the legs for alleycats.

queerpunk

cute, but, i've never seen anyone race while smoking.

and despite what people say about "cool" "hipster" cyclists and their cigarettes and their beer, a significant minority of riders i know smoke cigarettes.

el twe

Then putting said map in your teeth when you realize you're suddenly bombing a hill into Oakland (but you wanted to be in Alameda. True story.

metaljim

i assume knowing the covered area would be the first priority. then being able to figure out the manifest/routes while hauling ass.

i've never ridden in one, but i may one day.

dogpound

ignore most of that is said on BF about alleycats and have fun

skelly

i wouldn't worry about losing or being unskilled. when i started racing, every race ended up breaking into small groups of similarly-capable riders -- slower groups that wait when someone gets a flat, drops something, figure out routes together, etc... (to even slower groups that stop for bathroom/water/food breaks)

that said, if you can ride a bike and read a map you have all the skills you need to have a good time. the rest you'll only get by racing.

andre nickatina

You basically need the same skills as a courier: cutting through traffic like a ginsu knife of hope, operating on two hours of sleep, and eating all the time when you only weigh 90 pounds, because you just live that fast.

But in all seriousness, if you want to race an alleycat just for fun, skills aren't really a concern. If you want to race and win, you need to know how to cut through traffic, blow red lights/stop signs without getting hit, have a photographic image of your city's map embedded in your memory, be able to figure out the fastest route between the checkpoints (and make fast detours when something gets in your way and is going to take up valuable time) and be able to get through checkpoints really fast. Basically it boils down to building up to a nice sprint and than maintaining that sprint by any means.

crissfyah

you need to be an irresponsible ******, then you will be good at racing in alleycats and a total menace to society.... you should also live in a crime infested cesspool of an overcrowded city, that way all the other ******bags will deserve the rough treatment at your wheel...

crissfyah

seriously, come with a good attitude and a sense of humor and you will have fun. Don't be afraid of a little traffic. Wear a helmet and ride at your ability level and you will be fine.

If you are in the NY metro area, we're throwing a cool alleycat this saturday. It will be a good one for first-timers b/c people will be riding in teams and it's set up so that people can regroup during the ride.

ride smart, race hard!

andre nickatina

Crissfyah knows what I'm talkin about! Alleycats are for *******s mark my words!!!

In reality though, nothing but respect for anyone that is able to place in an alleycat in NYC. **** blows my mind.

crissfyah

are you bikes not bombs from boston? a bunch of folks are coming down from boston.... check the bostonfixed forum for info and advice

humancongereel

figuring out who the favorites are...then follow one. in the final sprint, the outcome will be decided.

eXCeSS

Hills.

doofo

first you should just go out and kill a pedestrian to get the first one out of your system in a nonrace environment

thatll give you a chance to see if its something you want to actually pursue

akaio

Andre, speaking of Portland, you know of anything in our neck of the woods coming up or any resources to find out? I try to keep an ear out for anything, but im not a messenger or run with a group into that type of thing so I never hear of any.

As for racing in one, if you ride a good amount in an urban area and can handle yourself well then go for it. Dont go into being an ego-maniac telling yourself that youre number one, just show up for a good time and run it as hard as you can.

jdms mvp

just know ur city and know your own ability (or i should say. extent of it)

bikes not bombs

thanks all i am planning on going to the next alleycat in chicago with the mindset of just going balls out and have a good time, better start memorizing my map oh and start smokin, gotta look cool as i ride

dueL_

be good friends with the peeps running the checkpoints

TimArchy

+1

And know their cellphone numbers.

dblock

you never cease to make me laugh man

MACinRWC

truth