tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12642485887513947372024-03-12T20:45:21.125-04:00City Loop MafiaMitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06683119452653988332noreply@blogger.comBlogger830125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-18914060830990760172014-01-17T01:05:00.001-05:002014-01-17T01:05:54.180-05:00What's that you say?Rub your eyes. Clean the wax from your ears. Clear your throat.<br />
<br />
It's a post on the CLM blog.<br />
<br />
Dropping in to say we need to resurrect a few rides. Winter equals darkness, which equals the need for creative riding. Salem Lake at night. MNRR at night. You see where I'm going with this?<br />
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Also, heads up:<br />
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June 15, 2014. Boone to Asheville. Get in.<br />
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EUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-35941971219708476252013-05-03T16:16:00.001-04:002013-05-03T16:16:00.614-04:00Barry and LisaWe the members of the CLM would like to welcome the newest member to the mafia......<br />
<br />
"Annabelle mae was born this am at 855. she is a bit over 8lbs and very healthy! "<br />
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This am would be May 1st. <br />
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Congrats. It's been a while since a new member has been inducted. Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06683119452653988332noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-50192764574524386922013-04-28T18:27:00.001-04:002013-04-28T18:27:48.805-04:00Boone Roubaix 2013 Review - Race RecapWell.....it's been a while since I posted on here and I am hoping this is the first in a rejuvenated CLM blog. Up to this point there hasn't been much racing to report with the exception of a few Dixie crits. I had not planned on doing Boone-Roubaix this year, but with the looming annual 3 state 3 mountain ride in Chattanooga I needed to get in bonus miles. I was waffling back and forth as I looked at the weather leading up to the ride and finally pulled the trigger on Thursday night to at least save the $10 day of registration late fee. The weather was not looking great, but at least the rain looked like it was going to barely make it out of the area by Saturday morning. Only problem? The cold weather was not leaving with the rain.<br />
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I bought some new cranks from Cycletherapy and have been going back and forth between my current Red cranks and the new Rotor's. The problem is that the Red cranks are 165 and the Rotor's are 172.5. I used the Rotor's for about 10 rides and swore them off because I felt like I was laboring along compared to the Red's. Since I am in better shape than when I took them off I wanted to give the Rotor's another chance at sticking around. So Friday night what did I do? I swapped out the rings from the Red's to the Rotor's and did a quick 2 minute spin after dark to make sure all was good. At this point it was all system's go. Oh yeah, I have a confession. One of the main reason's I didn't want to do the race was my bike setup and vanity. The BMC is not built for the gravel roads or those fancy high volume tires. So what was my setup? I put clear packaging tape all over the frame. Pretty much anywhere a rock could be thrown up and chip the paint, there was tape. Multiple layers. Fork blades...tape.....chainstay...tape.....downtube...tape....seatstays....tape. You get the point. No paint was going to be gone after this race. At first I put my 25c Michelin pro race on the rear and the 23c Rubino on the front. No dice. The 25 was rubbing in the rear so I did another no-no in my book. I swapped around the tires the night before a race, but it wall worked out fine. The 25 was pushing the limits even in the front, but there was a little clearance.<br />
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I show up to the race sight under bright blue skies and had to sludge through the fairgrounds muck due to the previous night's rain. Right now I am questioning my decision to race if the entire course is going to be like this. I step out of the comforts of the heated seats and step into what can only be described as cold windy conditions. I got my race number, etc and went back to the car and changed clothes slowly to avoid getting too cold. There was not much warmup to speak of because I honestly didn't feel like being out unless I had too.<br />
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Race time. This is my 3rd attempt at Boone Roubaix and the first from the new location. My previous 2 experiences from Todd have been positive ones and I always like the course and the location, but it did have it's downfalls. Mainly parking, but the general store there did make some good post ride food. As everyone lined up for the neutral start the race director gave us some last minute instructions. At about 1 minute after 10 we were off into the cold mountain air. I was confident in my clothing choice for the day, but after about 10 minutes I was wishing I could pull over and take my knee warmers off. Not being familiar with the new course I obviously wanted to stay with the front group as long as possible. That idea panned out for exactly 1 minute. The race director said it was going to be a neutral start to Roby Greene and it didn't exactly play out that way. By the time I got to the road I could see the front group up ahead and I had to decide if I was going to pin it or get into a rhythm. I opted for the plan B. Push it relatively hard and hope that I could bridge up and at the same time hope that if I didn't make it I would not have pushed hard enough to crack early. Two problems. One. My warmup was lacking and my legs were screaming early. Two. When I shifted to the small ring things were not right. It felt like it was clutch slipping. While nothing was actually slipping it was an odd sensation that I did not like and felt completely foreign. (Fast forward to post race) I use the Rotor Q rings and when re-installing them the night before I didn't line up what needed to be lined up properly during installation and that was the cause and the "clutch slipping" feeling. Basically it was awful, but I knew that I had about 45+ miles to go and could nothing about it while racing so off I went.<br />
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I missed the lead group, but settled into swapping pulls with some other guys for a while. Normally, I like to climb and lucky for me there was plenty of that to go around. Today was not a good day for climbing considering the chainring installation debacle. I stayed in the big ring as long as possible to avoid the little ring. I honestly don't know if it actually hampered my climbing, but the fact that it was in my head was half the problem. The gravel/dirt roads were in perfect condition with no sign of dust and I was surprised at how good the condition of the course was considering the previous day's rain event. The only signs of rain that I saw were the puddles of water in the potholes in the dirt roads. When the major climbing got under way towards the Koppenberg I pulled away from the group I was with a little. While that was good and all once I made it to Railroad Grade Road the wind was in my face and I am not time trialist. There were a couple of riders ahead of me and I looked back and thankfully saw a group of 8-10 coming. No reason for me to try and stay away for the next few miles when I could join in and do my share of the load. That is exactly what I did until the finish. By the time we got back to the fairgrounds our group was whittled down to 4. I finished with a time of 2:42. 19th in the 40-49 class and 39th overall. <br />
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It was an excellent race and even though my chainring was installed wrong I can't blame that for being my downfall. If it had been on correct maybe I would have finish 38th overall instead of 39th. After it was all said and done I wasted no time changing clothes and got in the car and headed home with one stop at the Chick-fil-a in Wilkesboro. The heat seater never felt so good.<br />
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On a side note. Recently Velonews did an article on chain lubes. You know what came out on top? Old fashioned paraffin wax. I have been doing this since said article and have been more than pleased with the results. The race just further confirmed my decision to lube the chain with paraffin wax. After the race through all the dirt, mud and gravel the drivetrain was silky smooth and the wax didn't attract the elements like I expected. I reccommend the paraffin treatment wholeheartedly. <br />
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Until next time.<br />
<br />
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<br />Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06683119452653988332noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-6633669389129250022013-02-03T17:31:00.003-05:002013-02-03T17:36:10.007-05:00Cam's Home!OK -- so everyone has likely heard that Cam had an event last week that left him in the hospital for a bit of time -- really scary for all of us to hear that our com-padre had such a scary thing happen.<br />
<br />
But -- good news -- HE'S HOME!<br />
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That is super stuff really! Now to recuperate and that's where we can help!<br />
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Elise still has to work -- bummer -- but it's gotta happen!<br />
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So, I thought we could gather round and fix the Whitley's some dinners for the next week or two!<br />
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If we start on Wed this week -- we can take them some food like every other night for as long as we can and they can have some leftovers for the night after or feed whatever I make to the dog the next day -- it's the thought that counts right!<br />
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If you can -- post a date that would work for you and I'll forward that to Elise and she can let us know if they need some changes.<br />
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Milo is allergic to peanuts -- that's the only limitation I know.<br />
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So -- Wed Feb 6th - Paynter<br />
That leaves Fri Feb 8 - Monday Feb 11 - Wed Feb 13 - Fri Feb 15 - etc.<br />
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Obviously, if it won't work a certain day for them -- we can work that out with Elise.<br />
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I know everyone wants something to do for our brother so this is a good place for us to start.<br />
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Their address is 701 Quarterstaff Road - 27104 - for delivery purposes - and if you can, deliver stuff in keep or throw away containers -- that keeps the headaches down on returning dishes.BroBlasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15922862362892857282noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-7318484787881881502012-12-17T19:13:00.000-05:002012-12-17T19:13:41.049-05:00Hendersonville Grand Prix RecapThis past weekend Ann and I went to Hendersonville for the NCCx Grand Prix. The races were UCI II level and lots of big-time pros from all over the country showed including Adam Myerson, Dan Timmerman, Chase Dickens, Robert Marion, Jake Wells, and Brian Matter. The women's elite field was stacked as well with a lady from Idaho winning both days (I'm sure she knows Whitney). Brian Matter won Saturday and Kerry Werner (a BMC pro) won Sunday in the men's elite field. Local peep Emily Shields got 3rd both days in the UCI event. The weekend was a blast and Jackson Park is a great venue in the NC mountains. Ann and I pre-rode the course on Friday and the track is by far my favorite. It is very roadie friendly and not too technical. There is a run-up/ride-up titled "the wall" and both Ann and I were able to ride it throughout. This was Ann's second time trying Hendersonville and she did great on the wall and the entire track.
Ann's race was a women's 3/4 race with 30+ people entered on Saturday. The weather was great and the track was in great shape. Ann had a tough start but worked her way up throughout the race. She finished ahead of many of her Cx4 peers. Ann beat many of the ladies that had beaten her in previous weeks. Ann finished a strong 18th out of 30+. She was 4th among the Cx4 women. On Sunday the course was muddy and more rain was coming. It rained Saturday night and the entire course was slippery. The morning races were able to get in prior to the rain. The course was changed for Sunday with there being more grass, more corners, and a new hill. The mud made the course very technical. Ann's race again had 30+ women. Ann got a better start but had a tough race. She was able to ride the new hill in practice but in the race she got tangled up with riders on every lap. She had a mishap in a corner but was one of the few women to ride the wall in the mud. Lori Warlick rode strong in the race. Ann finished 21st out of 30+ and was 8th in the women's Cx4 category. She had a good wk end of racing and learned a lot. Lori did well and Julie Paisant rode great both days!
My race was the last race on Saturday at 3pm. There were 60+ racers signed up for the men's Cx 2/3. It was my first time ever racing with Cat 2 men and many pro's. I I started in the back and hung with the group for the first lap. It was amazing to follow their lines and to be going through a long straight in the grass in my big ring at 18mph+. I felt as though I rode my best race of the season. I didn't get lapped and finished in the 50s. I was really happy and learned a great deal. Sunday was another story with the rain settling in near midday. It kept raining and getting more muddy by the minute. I decided to call it and head back to Winston. I am not very good in the mud and decided to head home to get to the house at a reasonable time. It was amazing to watch the pro women and the elite master's race in the mud.
We had a great weekend. Ann did really well and continues to ride strong. I am learning a lot being a Cx3. It was very nice to see many people from out area (Lori, Dallas, Julie and Paul, Wes from Clemmons, Travis from Clemmons, Kelly Montoya, Sarah Tussey, etc). Everyone rode well and now we get a few weeks off until after the holidays with the next race near Raleigh.
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Chanceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459228128186303118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-85877578421448333582012-12-09T19:49:00.000-05:002012-12-09T19:49:57.081-05:00Winston-Salem Cross SummationToday was another stop on the NCCx cross series. The race was at the Children's Home in West End. Ann's parents were in from NY this weekend and my family met us at the race as well. Thankfully Mike at CycleTherapy had his tent setup in a pristine location at the race and we all hung at the tent during the day. Mike Cobler was racing men's Cx4 masters and Mens Cx4 (with Kelly Montoya in the SS and Cx4 as well). Mike had two really strong races and ended up finishing 12th in the Mens Cx4 masters race and 20th in the men's Cx 4 race. Kelly Montoya had some chain/shifting issues but still did well in the SS and men's Cx 4 races.
Ann had 20+ racers in the women's Cx4 race. Ann was joined by Meghan Shapiro and they both rode strong. Ann got a great start and was 4th for a large majority of the first lap. Ann was one of 3 to 4 women to ride the run-up/ride-up. Ann did really well and ended up 5th! This was by far her best race and she rode really strong. Meghan did well and both women are getting stronger by the race.
Mitch cat'd up (thx a lot Stackhouse)and joined me in the Men's Cx3 race. During Mike and Kelly's Cx4 race it began to rain a lot. The rain subsided right when our race was to begin. The course was slick and muddy - two of my least favorite things. Mitch got a great start and was in top 10 of his first Cx3 race for the first lap. I started at the back with Dwayne Hunter and ended up crashing once on first lap. In the first three laps I crashed twice and ran off course twice. I have a lot of work to do with technical courses, mud, and off-camber/slick areas. I settled in and my last three laps were a lot better. Mitch was riding great throughout and ended up 26th or so. I was 34th out of 40 but the results were wrong. I know I beat a few people listed in front of me but no biggie.
It was so god to have our families, the kids, hang out with Mike and CycleTherapy peeps, see friends like Erich Grant/Andy Baker/etc. Everyone rode well and we have a true cross weather with the rain. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Chanceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459228128186303118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-54400586921431533122012-12-02T18:00:00.000-05:002012-12-02T18:00:08.876-05:00Cyclocross Weekend RecapThis weekend lent itself to a lot of cross. On Saturday Ann and I went to Ken's cross race in East Bend. The race wasn't part of the NC series but it was good practice and local. It was at Ken's property and was in a giant field with a wood section that was technical. There was one run-up that had a barrier at the bottom and the run-up was insanely long. The weather was exceptionally warm. Ann did the Womens Cx4 race. The race had 3 racers and was mixed with men's SS and others. Ann got the holeshot and lead for 2/3 of the first lap (including leading the SS). She rode awesome and ended up winning. I lined up for the men's Cx3/4 race. The race had collegiate racers mixed in. I took off and only got .5 miles into the first lap and my chain snapped in half. My day was over.
Sunday was the NCCX cross race in Charlotte. The course was 1.4 miles long and there was a super-steep run-up, lots of turns and off camber work, two deep sections of sand, and a long hill on the back section. Mitch met us down there and Mitch was on tap to race the Men's Cx4 Masters and the Men's Cx4 races. Mitch was looking to win both races and be state champ. Mitch's first race was the Masters Cx4 and there were 66 people at the start line. Mitch got a great start and rode wonderful. He was strong throughout and ended up with the broze medal! Congrats to the Don. Mitch's second race was the Men's Cx4 race and again there was 50-60 people in his race. Mitch looked great on the bike for his second race. Mitch kept in close contact with the leaders throughout and ended up with another broze. That makes Mitchell a two-time broze medalist in NC Cross (and yes - on a mtn bike)!
Ann did the Women's Cx4 race and had a huge field of 27 people to contend with. Ann got a good start and was 5th for the first portion of the race. However, in a corner a lady hit her and Ann went down dropping her chain. Once she remounted and got going again she began picking people off. Ann rode great and handled the super-steep run-up well. She ended up 11th out of 27. If she had not fallen I truly think she would have been 8th. She is learning with each race and riding really well.Ann is in 8th place overall in the series.
I did the men's CX 3 race and had 50+ racers in my field. this was my first Cx 3 race after cat'ing up. I got a really bad start and after the run-up I was pretty much dead last. The 3s are super fast and I had a lot of work to do. I picked off people as the race progressed. The Cx3 race is 45 minutes and I am used to 30 minutes. My last two laps were SLOW and I suffered. I ended up 32 out of 54 and I am very pleased for my first Cx3 race.
We all had a good weekend. Next weekend the races are in Winston on Sunday at the Children's Home. Please come out and cheer on Sunday!Chanceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459228128186303118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-25998410573595471072012-11-14T21:05:00.002-05:002012-11-14T21:05:56.534-05:00Wilkesboro cyclocross race -- NCCX Race #5This past weekend amy and I were headed to Boone again for what is becoming an almost weekly trip until the sale of her moms house is complete. You know what was on the way up Saturday? S cyclocross race in wilkesboro put on by Andrew Stackhouse. I guess the Saturday race was kind of a warmup for Sundays NCCX race. I only did the masters race that morning. I wanted to do the race so I could've ready for the real race in the CX 4's on Sunday. Mission accomplished and. Yet me tell you, that was a great course.Lots of climbing, lots of climbing and lots of climbing. I shot out of the gate and was feeling good, but then leg fatigue took over and then I went into conservation mode and tried to minimize the number of people passing me.<br />
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We got the the venue in plenty of time this week and it paid off by me being warmed up and more importantly being on the front row about 20 minutes before the start. Kind of ridiculous, but completely necessary if one wants to finish good. With 60+ people you can be 20-30 seconds behind going into the first turn. The weather was unbelievable with temps in the lows 70's it was perfect for me.<br />
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Andrew Stackhouse put on a great race with an awesome course that catered to everyone I thought. Lots of climbing, technical turn, switchbacks, and some flat sections that I lost some ground on.<br />
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Please someone else join Chancey, Anne and I in racing cross this year. I never thought I would get hooked by cross, but alas it has happened.<br />
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<br />Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06683119452653988332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-12602290016550169742012-11-05T21:32:00.000-05:002012-11-06T08:37:35.730-05:00Salisbury Cross RaceThis past weekend was the Salisbury cross race. I met Chancey up there and he filled me in on the course intricacies. After last weekends fiasco I was ready to hit the race wide open and redeem myself. I decided to take a practice partial lap before the start of the race. In retrospect that was not smart because even though it was about 20 minutes to the start people were already lined up. Dern!!!!! No front row spot this time and that was all it took to be deep in the hole at the start. 81 of us lined up ready to go.........racers ready go! I hit it hard and ill be danged if I didn't get caught up in an almost wreck again. Guy in front of me hit the guys wheel ahead of him and the he moved to the right and hit my wheel and almost took me out. Come on man. Chancey had a pretty good start and was moving up on the right side with a good head of steam. By this time we were both stuck in traffic and could not get out of it with so many turns. We finally got to a straight and I took off and was on the outside of a guy next to the outfield softball fence heading into a turn. What do you think happened next? He swung to the outside to take the turn and squashed me hard into the fence and I went down. I wiped myself off and jumped back on. Less than 30 seconds later I was on the ground again. This time it was on an uphill with a couple of small barriers I got over the first one and noticed a guy was laying on the to one so I joined him on the ground. I smashed hard in this one and jacked up my shoulder and bent my derailleur hanger enough where my shifting was jacked up too. I passed Chancey going the opposite direction at one point and that was the last time I saw him until the finish. He was killing it! I believe it's safe to say that Chancey is on his way back. He finished a solid 12th out of 81. If he had been on the front at the start I think he easily would have gotten a top 5. Stay tuned for more solid finishes from him this season possibly even a victory.<br />
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I am going to post a few pictures of the beating I have taken the past couple weeks. I honestly didn't think that in cross racing I would ever hit the ground. I think I was wrong.<br />
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Until next weekends race in Wilkesboro.<br />
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Here is the converted MTB into cross bike.</div>
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<br />Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06683119452653988332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-21537693404154838342012-10-30T21:21:00.002-04:002012-10-30T21:21:55.568-04:00Boone Cross WeekendWell, this weekend I saw the highs and lows of cycling within 3 hours of each other. I haven't raced an official cross race since 2007 in Salisbury with Scott. I have done some of the SECCA training races and have enjoyed those so I figured why the heck not. Amy and I were in Boone this weekend clearing out her mom's house so it was a perfect situation. The race was literally across the street from her house.<br />
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My first race was the CX4 Master's. I can't quite justify getting a cross bike so I would be riding my trusting BMC for the event. 46 of us lined up at the start line to a beautiful crisp fall morning. The most amazing part of the morning was that there was no dew on the grass whatsoever so that made for perfect race conditions. I have learned from crit racing that 75% of the race is the start even more so in cross it seems because the courses are tighter. I got off to a good start and lead the first lap of 3. The second lap I was caught and passed, but stayed on his back tire trying to not let him get a gap. The third lap a 3rd rider caught us and he led for a while and again I was just trying to hang on. I decided to follow his wheel and then make my move at the end and the opportunity came on the hill run-up just a little before the finish. I was able to beat them up the hill and make it to the finish line in first.<br />
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The next race.......not so much.........go to the following link and see what you think. Then read the rest of the post.<br />
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<a href="http://www.cyclingdirt.org/coverage/249851-2012-NCCX-3-Boone/video/660272-CX4-Start-Crash-at-NCCX-3">http://www.cyclingdirt.org/coverage/249851-2012-NCCX-3-Boone/video/660272-CX4-Start-Crash-at-NCCX-3</a><br />
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Okay, here's my story. There were 75 people in the race and I knew to get to the front. I had a front row spot and was happy until they called for the people that were ahead in the series to come to the front. Only 1 person was there and guess where he decided to start? Directly in front of me. I think at the start he hesitated just enough to throw me off and that is where the trouble began. I pushed down on the pedal and missed my pedal. Then after that I think the chain dropped from the big ring to the little ring which caused me to keep "kicking" the ground. That video is pretty darn embarrassing and I can't really blame anyone but myself. At the time I thought people were all around when it happened, but looking at the video I was pretty much by myself. Oh the humanity. I have plenty of bruises and sore spots to show for this wreck, both mental and physical. <br />
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Some pictures from the first race.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, the good times. Would not last long. The guy on the<br />right was dressed as the Johnny from the Karate Kid.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was this guys first cross race ever and he was strong.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The big run-up. Notice the cross guys do it right and there is<br />the mountain bike guy pushing his bike.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The guy raced in this costume.</td></tr>
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<br />Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06683119452653988332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-48323109733721303062012-10-21T18:43:00.001-04:002012-10-21T18:43:54.072-04:00NC Cyclocross' First WeekendAnn and I went to Sandhills and Raleigh for the NC Cyclocross Series first weekend of racing. Saturday was at Sandhills Community College. It was very warm and there was much sand to be ridden through. They changed the course this year and there was a football field long downhill with ankle to knee high sand to ride through. The infamous sand runup was still intact and there were plenty of logs, barriers, etc. Ann went at 11:45 and was in the CX4 women's race. She rode very well, esp for her first time in the sand. Ann ended up 7th out 15. I went at 1:45 in the men's CX4 race. There were 55 people in my class and the temps were scoarching for cross. I had a good race and managed to stay up in the sand. I ended up finishing 14th out of 55 racers. My average HR was 176bpm!
Sunday was at Lions Park in Raleigh. It was a beautiful warm fall day. Ann went at 10:45 in the women's CX4 race and had 26 women in her field. The course was wide open with a mulch runup/ride-up, barriers, lots and lots of corners, and plenty of power areas. Ann rode great and actually got stronger as the race went on. She ended up 12th out of 26 for a great ride. I went at 12:45 and was joined by Kelly Montoya of CycleTherapy. We had ~60 people in our group. I felt pretty good but not as good as Saturday. I went way to hard on the first lap trying to hang with the lead group and dropped off some on the second lap. I regrouped for the last 3 of five laps and finished 20th out of 60ish.
It was a great weekend of racing. Look forward to seeing Mitch at some in the future.
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Chanceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459228128186303118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-90244290397995521482012-10-07T18:56:00.000-04:002012-10-07T18:56:39.337-04:00Cross and WafflesThis post is for Mitch and Ann with their wonderful results:
While I was working hard at Whitaker Rehab Ann and Mitch were cross racing at SECCA at MOB's cross and waffles. It was super muddy from what Ann tells me and unfortunately not a great turnout. I guess it was the weather but c'mon this is cross.
Ann said she was the only CX4 woman to show and she raced with a couple other speedy juniors. Ann said they did 3 laps and she was on her mtn bike d/t the sloppy conditions. Ann ended with the win although she says "I was the only one there". I say a win is a win and great job!
Mitch said there was at least 22 in the men's CX4 race. Mitch was on his BMC mtn steed and ended up with the win. Mitchell is on some amazing form and riding great.
Congrats to Ann and the Don!!Chanceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459228128186303118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-83809264916216170792012-10-06T20:37:00.003-04:002012-10-06T20:37:49.087-04:00New Mafia MemberI would like to welcome to the mafia family a new member...
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Focus Cyclocross Bike 2012
Mares AX 1.0 Model
Full Ultegra
Fulcrum Cx Wheels
Fizik Arione Saddle
New Linear TRP linear brakes
Now if I can do it justice :)Chanceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459228128186303118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-43593596975917179092012-07-26T21:56:00.001-04:002012-07-26T21:56:17.154-04:00Racing, racing and more racing.....This weekend will be my 4th consecutive weekend of racing both mountain and road bikes. Hopefully if all works out well next weekend will be my fifth overall. It all started on the weekend of July 7th and 8th in Kingsport for the first annual Bays Mountain Challenge Omnium. I felt really good that weekend of racing because I was coming off of a lot of miles from June. I took a good spill in the XC race on that Sunday and didn't really feel the pain until quite a few hours later. I was scared that I might have cracked a rib or something, but luckily I must have just bruised them. The next weekend was the Battle of the Bikes in Greensboro and all was going well until the Fat Tire crit when I wrecked on the wet asphalt and landed back on my ribs again. I was in a lot of pain that night and didn't know if I was going to be able to ride the XC race the next day, but seeing as how I had pre-paid I wasn't about to leave the money on the table so I did it anyway. Probably not the best idea, but believe it or not that was the best thing that I could have done. I could hardly move without pain in my ribs before the ride and as the ride progressed the pain was subsiding to a faint twinge. That omnium was a lot of fun as well.<br />
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Last weekend was a road ride/race in Kingsport for the town's annual Fun Fest. If you are not from them parts Fun Fest is a big deal. And starting tomorrow night is the High Point crits followed by the State Championships on Saturday and Hanes Park on Sunday. Erich and the Autodrop tent will be set up at the Hanes Park crit so drop by and check it out. Chancey and I are going to be going for the gold and racing each day. The Hanes Park crit should be especially fun. Wednesday starts the Crossroads Classic with racing all the way through Sunday. Hopefully I will be able to hit one or two of those.<br />
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After that my next big goal will be the omnium race in Chattanooga the weekend of August 24th and that will put a cap on the race season for me.<br />
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Hopefully Chancey and I will be able to report some decent results from the weekend.<br />
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Stay tuned.Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06683119452653988332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-9347064912634883812012-07-18T21:32:00.000-04:002012-07-18T21:32:12.530-04:00Triad Mtn Bike Series - TanglewoodMitch and I did the TMS race at Tanglewood tonight. Mitch raced Sport class and I did Beginner. Beside Burn 24 this was my first organized mtn bike race. There was a good turnout and Ann, Payton, Jorday, and Emmett all cam out to cheer us on. The weather was great and the course was in good shape. Mitch took off in the sport class and ended up doing well. Mitch finished with Travis Beane from Clemmons, I had a good race and only wrecked a couple of times - none of which were bad. Racing the mtn bike wears your back, hands, and neck out. By lap 2 I could barely squeeze the brakes my hands hurt so badly. I ended up in third place and had a blast. it was a great workout a good night. Always good to race with Mitch. Good to see everyone out there.
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sJ5x6AtK_Og/UAdjklzB8CI/AAAAAAAAAKU/yTulbSUqxGI/s1600/DSC01181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sJ5x6AtK_Og/UAdjklzB8CI/AAAAAAAAAKU/yTulbSUqxGI/s200/DSC01181.JPG" /></a></div>Chanceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459228128186303118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-92115830106200082362012-07-14T19:04:00.002-04:002012-07-14T19:07:02.905-04:00UghAfter a week off the bike due to laziness/rain/work/life I was looking forward to riding after work today...but rain foiled me again! I had to work this weekend so I was hoping I could ride after work...NOPE! I decided to do the trainer with Ann. 50 minutes later I was done and all I have to say is...
UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Chanceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459228128186303118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-13127265726486412592012-07-08T21:23:00.002-04:002012-07-08T21:23:36.206-04:00The best weekend ever.......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Not actually, but it was as far as my cycling career was concerned. Check out the haul I got at this weekend's mountain bike omnium race in my hometown of Kingsport. The highlight was winning a set of Industry Nine hubs that I got for winning the overall. I don't have them yet, but I get to custom order a set and then they will be sent to me.</div>
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I will do a proper writeup soon....</div>
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<br />Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06683119452653988332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-52601270761873534392012-07-04T22:24:00.001-04:002012-07-04T22:24:24.626-04:00Bicycle LustI want.........<br />
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<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-fPrWEsJc1gg/T_T6126mp6I/AAAAAAAABmM/5FeR25UFOro/s640/blogger-image-597984058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-fPrWEsJc1gg/T_T6126mp6I/AAAAAAAABmM/5FeR25UFOro/s640/blogger-image-597984058.jpg" /></a></div>Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06683119452653988332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-78626445861893157802012-07-02T20:56:00.000-04:002012-07-02T20:56:24.306-04:00July 4th rideIt's time for the annual 4th of July ride from Lewisville. It circumnavigates Pilot and does not include the climb. The mileage is 56 and it's a fun ride and well attended. The last time I did it was in 07 and since I'm going to be in town why not do it again. It's not a race by any means, it was a very casual ride from what I remember and that is exactly what I'm looking for.
Time: 8:00am
Place: Lewisville squareMitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06683119452653988332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-7427773432293625662012-07-01T16:02:00.001-04:002012-07-01T16:02:52.937-04:00Fantasy LeagueGo to nbcsports.com/challenge and sign up for a fantasy team. It's pretty self explanatory. There are daily prizes for the highest score each day. <br />
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After you sign up go to "join group" and do a search for city loop mafia. Click on this and join. The password is "cityloop"<br />
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Good luck<br />
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So far. <br />
Mitch <br />
Amy<br />
Chancey<br />
Barry. Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06683119452653988332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-34215516149464286442012-07-01T13:01:00.000-04:002012-07-01T13:01:16.736-04:00Oh So CloseAnn and I rode both days this weekend. The weather was insanely warm so we left early both days. Saturday we left from Lewisville and did a city loop. We returned on Robinhood after coming up Meadowlark. It was a good ride and on the return into Lewisville we saw Mitch and rode together for awhile. Saturday was a good day.
Today Ann and I set a goal of trying to average 20mph. We decided to go from Lewisville to East Bend and then do Baltimore Rd. Again it was hot and we didn't get started as early as we had liked. Flynt Hill is such a nice road and I enjoy the ride to East Bend. We refilled our bottles at the gas station and off we went. We headed down Baltimore and did the hill. Toward the end of the road we got met by the infamous dog and he was off his leash. We turned out attention to Falcon Rd and rode by Forbush High School. We came back in Spear Bridge to Shallowford. There were lots of cyclists out and it was nice to see. When we returned I checked our stats and we averaged 19.5 mph and 19.1 mph respectively. We were close to our goal. This was one of the fastest rides Ann has ever done.
We had a blast and now time to watch Le Tour!!Chanceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459228128186303118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-12408888528147603402012-06-24T21:55:00.001-04:002012-06-24T21:55:11.493-04:00Boone BabyAmy and I went to Boone this weekend for her 20th high school reunion. I spare you the details from that event and get to the riding. Guess what? I rode on the parkway again, but it really never gets too boring. I texted back and forth with Jim Conrad to see if he could meet up with me to ride, but it was not meant to be this time around. I ventured out about 10:30 on Saturday morning and had no plans except to be at the Marriot in Boone by 6:30 so if I didn't make it by then something really bad had happened to me. I started out my usual way going up by Parkway Elementary (Amy's old stomping grounds) and then jumped on the parkway at mile marker 281. From there I knew that I wanted to get some miles in, but wanted to do some climbing. I was in no hurry to race any of the climbs because I didn't really at that point know how far I was going to go for the day, but I did have in my mind to make it to the viaduct this time. Luckily my legs were feeling pretty good at the start of ride so I was ready to hit the viaduct. For any of you who have not been to the viaduct I think it was the last piece of the parkway puzzle and the engineering behind it is pretty interesting. They have a visitors center at the top that gives a little history of the building that went into it. The day started out under gorgeous blue skies, but as it par for the course in the mountains you never really know what you are going to get. The skies started to get overcast, but never really a threat of rain which made for a comfortable ride. I'm riding along minding my own business when a black Mazda 3 pulls up next to me and offers up some moral support.........it was Brad and his wife. What are the chances? I have to go all the way to Boone and ride the parkway to see Brad these day's. We chatted ever so briefly and off they went to reach their hiking destination. At this point I was closing in on the famed viaduct and the clouds had become actually threatening in nature. I had just made it to the bridge and some raindrops began to fall, but I wasn't going to turn around until I reached the other end of the bridge. Luckily all it did was big sporadic drops for a bit and a non rain event. Time to turn around and head for home. The climbing to get to the viaduct is awesome. Nothing that is going to kill you, but just a nice steady grade of climbing for a while.<br />
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I turned around and decided that I didn't want to backtrack all the way home. I turned off at the Blowing Rock exit and head DOWN Shulls Mill road instead of up. From there I descended back into town by Russ Cornett and Winkler's Creek. Decision time. Head back to Amy's or try a bucket list item. I had been thinking about riding Howard's Knob in town since Amy took me there last fall. The only problem with that was at the time I honestly didn't know if I could do it. It is so stinkin' steep and is only 2 miles long. You have to see it to appreciate it. After I did it there was a strava segment on Howard's Knob that was 1.4 miles with an average grade of 12.6%.........my average speed on this portion? 5.3 mph. I can say that it is the hardest climb that I have ever done. You go up a steep pitch at one point, go around a curve and think you are done. Wrong, climb some more(of what you can see) that's got to be it, right? Wrong! More, more and more and steep, steep and steep. There were times when I wanted to stop and turn around, but it was only 2 miles how hard is that? Turns out pretty hard. I will do it again probably only if some of you guys are with me. Otherwise, I might be done with it. I have no pictures because I didn't feel like getting my phone out.<br />
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Picture time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vN2ctXM2QW8/T-fDUi-d3XI/AAAAAAAABlM/0RV7cJOZ8_4/s1600/IMG_4537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vN2ctXM2QW8/T-fDUi-d3XI/AAAAAAAABlM/0RV7cJOZ8_4/s400/IMG_4537.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view as I approach the viaduct. It's on the far left of the picture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vNI4Hr9kfo8/T-fDXSJk_NI/AAAAAAAABlU/NV50ei5Naxc/s1600/IMG_4539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vNI4Hr9kfo8/T-fDXSJk_NI/AAAAAAAABlU/NV50ei5Naxc/s400/IMG_4539.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice view even it is cloudy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FfmTWkHTxIQ/T-fDapxVmfI/AAAAAAAABlc/ycz3GX6LCm8/s1600/IMG_4543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FfmTWkHTxIQ/T-fDapxVmfI/AAAAAAAABlc/ycz3GX6LCm8/s400/IMG_4543.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The BMC isn't shy when it comes time for a photo.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vj8wY-GRMgc/T-fDdGg4VBI/AAAAAAAABlk/mjaIUMilR3Q/s1600/IMG_4544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vj8wY-GRMgc/T-fDdGg4VBI/AAAAAAAABlk/mjaIUMilR3Q/s400/IMG_4544.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's the viaduct directly in front of the BMC</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G2J2fFOCflU/T-fDgbkWi8I/AAAAAAAABls/PKlqT-Djv9I/s1600/IMG_4550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G2J2fFOCflU/T-fDgbkWi8I/AAAAAAAABls/PKlqT-Djv9I/s400/IMG_4550.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boone had a "Cyclovia" today where they shut down some streets and had different<br />vendors out. Some photos of the freestyle show that was going on. They<br />had belly dancing too, but I had just eaten and didn't think it was<br />appropriate to show my bloated belly on here.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VkCPGaWtVQY/T-fDj_ucX4I/AAAAAAAABl0/vTED-aDlc6w/s1600/IMG_4551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VkCPGaWtVQY/T-fDj_ucX4I/AAAAAAAABl0/vTED-aDlc6w/s400/IMG_4551.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amy wanted to take here Giant on the ramps, but I talked her out of it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u-KCObPRk9M/T-fDnJSIj1I/AAAAAAAABl8/ljEbjl6s2dU/s1600/IMG_4556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u-KCObPRk9M/T-fDnJSIj1I/AAAAAAAABl8/ljEbjl6s2dU/s400/IMG_4556.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 week old goat that was being raised for his services........of weed control. No joke,<br />it was what they were there for. This man and woman rent out goats for weed control.<br /><br /></td></tr>
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Until next time...........<br /><br />Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06683119452653988332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-91827509022162649102012-06-21T20:40:00.001-04:002012-06-21T20:40:25.281-04:00New Time Trial to Attempt - Williams RdAnn and I did a TT on Williams Rd today. We started at the fire station on William Rd (toward Shallowford at top of Turbo Hill). The start line was the last enter/exit driveway of the fire station on Williams Rd. The TT goes to the last church on Williams Rd on the left (close to the roundabout and near the end of Williams) and the turnaround is marked. The course is 12.9 miles (~ 21K) to the start point. Strava has a MoSpeed 20K but it starts at little lower down Williams Rd. and it is 20K. The route is fun and has a lot of varying terrain with some good climbs. There is about 800 ft of climbing.
I did it in 36:44 and avg 21.1 mph. Ann did it in 44:10 and avg 17.5 mph. It was insanely hot and challenging. We had a blast.
Now let's see your times....Chanceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459228128186303118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-63991612884859246242012-06-17T20:35:00.000-04:002012-06-17T20:43:47.237-04:00BMC RM01 Racemachine Test - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am finally going to do a long term review of my latest bicycle (and greatest?). We shall see. I have had my eye on BMC's since they were the bike that Phonak used back in the days of Floyd Landis. Every since then I have been enamored by their styling without knowing much about the bike's ride characteristics. The time finally came in 2006 where I was able to purchase a BMC, but it was not the full carbon version that I got at the time. I settled for the aluminum/carbon fusion, aluminum up front and carbon stays to smooth out the ride. I think I rode that bike for maybe 2 months before it was on the auction block again. Me being a relatively light rider it was like riding a bike with solid wheels and hard plastic tires and you can guess what that did to my comfort. NILL. It was the harshest riding bike that I remember. Needless to say it didn't leave a good taste in my mouth for BMC's. Fast forward 6 years and 5 bikes(Cervelo R2.5, Isaac, Look 595, Cannondale CAAD9, Cannondale SuperSix) later and I can now proudly say that my Racemachine's ride characteristics have caught up with the company's visual appeal and left me not longing for any of my previous bikes back.</div>
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A couple of years ago when I got my SuperSix that was going to be my last bike purchase until I turned 40 which at the time would have be 3 more years. In the meantime BMC released the Racemachine over the winter of 2010 and immediately I was hooked by the looks again. I rode the SuperSix and was more than happy with the way it handled and rode, it was the complete package. So last August when I was racing in Chattanooga I found out both seat stays were cracked and not being the original owner I was up the creek as far as a warranty was concerned. Turns out it was pretty common and known issue by Cannondale on the first run of SuperSix's and that still meant nothing to them. I viewed it as a manufacturing defect rather than warranty issue, but they didn't see it that way. I digress. I put the Cannondale on Ebay and made a couple of hundred on it and sent it on it's way. Side Note, I DID advertise it as cracked so I was not selling a cracked frame as a good frame.</div>
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You know what happens at the end of the year in the cycling world? Closeouts and within a couple of weeks after the Cannondale broke I get an email from Competitive Cyclist that they were selling the BMC's at steep discount's. I really wanted the blue and orange color and they had my size. There were a couple of dealers relatively close to Winston and I called them, but they didn't have the size or color that I needed since it was near the end of the year. I ended up ordering from Competitive Cyclist and using their fit calculator ordered a size smaller that what I would have normally thought would be right for me. BMC's geometry is just a little bit different from the norm and it made me a little uneasy to trust an online calculator to get fit for a bike. Turns outs the fit is perfect for me whereas if I hadn't used the tool I would have gotten a size larger.</div>
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The day finally came in September when it showed up to work. I could not wait to get it all built up and ready to ride. Unfortunately, my first ride ended with a brief rain shower and a ride home courtesy of Rob so I could not really get a good feel for it. I could tell from the get go that it was actually a smoother ride than the SS, but the transfer of power felt about the same as far as I could tell. I've never been one to flex a bottom bracket anyway so stiffness to me is nice, but honestly unless the bike is an absolute noodle I'm not going to flex a BB. I got the bike so late into the season that I never took it to the mountains to do any serious climbing or descending, but that all changed when the new year rolled around. I rode quite a bit in Boone in January and February and could not have been more happy with the bike. It climbs better than anything I have ridden and coming downhill it is on RAILS. This thing corners so smooth and steady without a hint of speed wobbles that it inspires more confidence than I should have going downhill on less than 1" wide tires. The SS scared me to death last year with a serious case of speed wobbles when I actually thought that I was going down at 45 mph. Going uphill may be attributed to the lack of flex at the BB and that the chainstays are a little bit shorter than normal I think. It may be all mental, but even at that I feel like I am climbing better so it's worth it. I've gotten to do some crits this year and the more turns the better with this bike. I've been able to lean the bike farther over in the turns without worrying if the back wheel is going to let loose on me. I wouldn't say the handling is twitchy at all, more deliberate really. You have to steer it, but once it is pointed in a direction it's going there with ease and confidence. I just did another crit on it today and it further made me glad of my purchase.</div>
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I guess I could write on and on about the bike, but in the end it comes down to personal choice in what you want from a bike. Do you want aero? Then this is probably not the one for you. A super light climbing frame? Although the frame is 1000 grams nowadays that's not super light. Mine built up with SRAM Red, carbon clinchers, pedals, bottle cages and nothing really light in the cockpit still clocks in under 16 lbs. If you want a bike that is a good all around frame then I think you should really give BMC's a chance.</div>
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<u>Round 1 BMC</u></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C0TXiTlZkKc/T9VKdYHogfI/AAAAAAAABlA/Z395Nithnis/s1600/ea01_1_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C0TXiTlZkKc/T9VKdYHogfI/AAAAAAAABlA/Z395Nithnis/s400/ea01_1_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did not enjoy my first experience with BMC's aboard this one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OZGSWQoEVfo/T9VFwTH2PII/AAAAAAAABjY/LUVNxVnIO1A/s1600/P1000824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OZGSWQoEVfo/T9VFwTH2PII/AAAAAAAABjY/LUVNxVnIO1A/s400/P1000824.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DT Swiss Carbon Clinchers, RRC 32 front, RRC46 rear. (Thanks to Mike at Cycletherapy), SRAM Red<br />
drivetrain, Rotor Chainrings, Ultegra Carbon Pedals, aluminum bottle cages(nothing holds water bottles<br />
better in my opinion), Sub 16 lbs fully loaded.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">11-28 Cassette. Plenty of range. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M4_7PL6UE5k/T9VF6h-6I3I/AAAAAAAABjo/Ef9E8uVxF5E/s1600/P1000827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M4_7PL6UE5k/T9VF6h-6I3I/AAAAAAAABjo/Ef9E8uVxF5E/s400/P1000827.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Handy seat height guide on the back of the seat post.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kEApwBmoi38/T9VGCyeL3RI/AAAAAAAABj0/GHasl4_CsDc/s1600/P1000829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kEApwBmoi38/T9VGCyeL3RI/AAAAAAAABj0/GHasl4_CsDc/s400/P1000829.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wish there were some internal routing on the frame for some clean lines.<br />
Makes maintenance easy though.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BHUhXxNXvF4/T9VGN12Tu9I/AAAAAAAABkE/R9vh5mXo95s/s1600/P1000833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BHUhXxNXvF4/T9VGN12Tu9I/AAAAAAAABkE/R9vh5mXo95s/s400/P1000833.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1-MOtCuPr8I/T9VGTC6MZgI/AAAAAAAABkM/l5caDmwj1fo/s1600/P1000838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1-MOtCuPr8I/T9VGTC6MZgI/AAAAAAAABkM/l5caDmwj1fo/s400/P1000838.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fork shape no doubt adds to the compliance of the frame.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Okkyzh5RkCQ/T9VGYa2hRqI/AAAAAAAABkY/NYsiCJ_kLF0/s1600/P1000840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Okkyzh5RkCQ/T9VGYa2hRqI/AAAAAAAABkY/NYsiCJ_kLF0/s400/P1000840.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wide BB area. BB30.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proprietary seat post that also has what BMC calls TCC - Tuned Compliance Concept.<br />
Basically takes the edge of some bumps by use of the seat post flexing somewhat.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pgH2s8p8-NY/T9VGgL7bA4I/AAAAAAAABko/UXCVcwpfDrg/s1600/P1000844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pgH2s8p8-NY/T9VGgL7bA4I/AAAAAAAABko/UXCVcwpfDrg/s400/P1000844.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bad part is that if the seat post were to ever break than I would definitely have some issues<br />
finding a replacement.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CSU5c0TSGNI/T9VGmdyOGKI/AAAAAAAABkw/42yl0iAflFo/s1600/P1000846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CSU5c0TSGNI/T9VGmdyOGKI/AAAAAAAABkw/42yl0iAflFo/s400/P1000846.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06683119452653988332noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1264248588751394737.post-77453833652269172022012-06-11T10:04:00.000-04:002012-06-11T10:04:22.789-04:00Honor "the Don"Happy birthday Mitchell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Chanceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459228128186303118noreply@blogger.com1