 |  |
Source: Cyclingnews News Headlines
Thursday, September 1, 2011
New rider ranking system offers members increasingly precise mark
USA Cyclingandrsquo;s new ranking system is now available for all current licensees via their My USA Cycling Account. The revamped system will not only provide increasingly accurate rankings, but also the ability to compare and contrast results and rankings with fellow riders across disciplines, age and ability categories.
Source: USA Cycling News Headlines
Join the Ride
I had to soft-pedal to catch my breath. It had little to do with the effort it took to muscle my bike up that kicker on Grim Road. No, it was the perfection of the moment—the green-on-green panorama, the scent of cut grass, the rhythm of the road, the fresh-faced Mennonite woman who blushed and looked at her feet when I'd called out hello. The pavement undulated past cornfields and tidy ranchers, and as I crested that steep bump, I could see the road unfurl through the countryside: The next seven minutes of my riding life awaiting under an unblemished blue sky.
It was just another flawless bike ride in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley.
There are times when I catch myself feeling frustrated that the valley—the place that BICYCLING and I call home—does not have a Whole Foods or a truly great burrito joint, but then I throw a leg over a top tube and remember that I'm living in a sort of heaven on earth. You can ride in every direction and piece together a stunning route along the idyllic roads on which our editors test gear and train and noodle around at lunch and occasionally find creative inspiration. If you've flipped through this magazine, you've undoubtedly seen these beautiful roads in pictures.
And you can see them with your own eyes in two months—to be precise, on Sunday, October 2. That's when we'll be hosting the BICYCLING Fall Classic, an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of this magazine. I can't think of a tidier way to honor 50 years of BICYCLING than with 50 miles of bicycling. This seemed rather obvious to me as I rollercoastered along Grim Road, ostensibly previewing the loop but mostly playing hooky on a sunny Friday afternoon.
There's the pitch. Plan a day trip or even a weekend to bring your bike and maybe some friends; we're only two hours from New York City and an hour from Philadelphia. It's the perfect time and place to ride with the editors on our favorite local roads, then stick around to share some hearty food, live music, and frosty beverages. You'll get a chance to fuel up and soak in the atmosphere at the magnificent Rodale Institute, an organic farm and research facility founded by the family that owns this magazine. (You might even ride alongside one or two bike-crazy Rodales, too). And you can end the ride with your best Paris-Roubaix imitation as you pedal a lap on the world-famous T-Town velodrome in Trexlertown. Sound good? You can learn all the details--and check out the cool logo on the premium T-shirt all entrants will get—at BICYCLING.com/fallclassic.
Though the rolling course—we'll have both a 50-mile loop and a 25-miler—will challenge fit riders, this isn't a race or a fondo with timing chips. You can hammer the course if that's your thing, but I know I'm going to go easy and enjoy the ride. There's a good chance the leaves will be turning and the cornfields still standing will be golden, and I won't be in any hurry for this little celebratory lap to end.
After I turned off Grim Road, I passed weatherworn 19th-century barns and watched a teenaged boy shimmy up a flagpole in his front yard to untangle the Stars and Stripes and I saw my own shadow bobbing on the grass as I climbed Silver Creek Road. You know, the little stuff that elevates a good ride to a great one.
Consider yourself invited.
Source: Bicycling Magazine
2011 USA Cycling election now open for voting
USA Cycling members can now cast their vote in the 2011 election, where candidates are running for each of the 30 open seats on the various new sport committees.
Source: USA Cycling News Headlines
Dolan Ares Force Elite review
Dolan's Ares frame has all the touches and cues you'd expect on a top-flight carbon bike: fully internal cable routing, slim but deep aero profile down tube and oversized bottom bracket junction, and broad and deep chainstays paired with slim seatstays. The cockpit, from 3T, goes against the current convention of shallow drop bars with the classic curved Rotundo; we'd forgotten how good a classic drop feels, and when paired with our 56cm frame's 190mm head tube it was still comfortable for less flexible riders.
The finish is top notch and the co-ordinated frame, fork and seatpost make for a bike that looks every bit as complete a package as any from the biggest brands around. Compared with similar priced bikes from major manufacturers, it also represents good value – it has a similar level groupset, and the Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels are definitely a step up from the competition.
On the road the combination of the Ares' low weight and great wheels gives a sparky and quick ride. The frame and fork handle pedal forces and power transfer admirably; there's just the right amount of response under acceleration with no undue flex or wandering at the front end. On the climbs the compact gearing of the slick SRAM Force drivetrain combined with the efficient wheels makes for a bike you can really attack ascents with.
If you're looking for a cushioned ride for long days in the saddle, the Ares may not be the ideal choice. Dolan is a racing brand, and the Ares is really a race machine; it's no surprise that it's the team bike for the Pro Continental An Post Sean Kelly team. It's not uncomfortable, but it's definitely aggressive. Our 56cm test bike has an effective top tube of 59cm matched to a 73.5-degree head tube angle and 72.5-degree seat tube angle. It makes for a longer reach and sharp handling, perfect for race days.
While the taut frame and stiff wheels don't offer much in the way of comfort, the chassis – though chattery over rougher roads – doesn't transmit much in the way of vibration into your hands and feet. On an 80-mile test ride we didn't experience any discomfort, proof enough for us.
This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine.
| |
Lezyne Road Drive CFH mini pump review
Lezyne's ever-expanding accessories line now includes this combination pump that's excellent for training or racing use, as long as your fingers don't freeze.
The pump is a derivative of the slimline Road Drive, which is long enough to shunt a decent amount of air into your tyres without being such hard work that you can't hit high pressures. It's also slim enough to clip neatly into the supplied under-water-bottle bracket without adding too much drag to your down tube.
For really fast filling you can use the CO2 cartridge clipped onto the other side. This simply threads into the stainless steel extension hose of the pump, piercing itself in the process, and then inflating the tyre.
As the pump isn't involved you can just use the cartridge and the hose for racing. You do need to beware frozen fingers with the bare CO2 cartridge though and the hose only works with screw-on valves, not push-fit extenders.
This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine.
| |
Masters Road Nats start with 32 time trial titles
The 2011 USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships started with the time trial on a brisk, windy but sunny Wednesday morning at Summit High School in Bend, Ore. In all, 32 national titles were awarded in the race against the clock. Nearly 300 riders contested the individual time trial, which started at Summit High School and featured climbs of varying distances before turning around and looping around Tetherow Golf Club and returning to the finish line.
Source: USA Cycling News Headlines
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)