Forward Looking
So, yeah. There has been a lot going on in the world of PSIMET. 3 core PSIMET teams, 1 Colorado team, 2 more local sponsored teams all with over 150 athletes….who get team deals. Throw on top of that a great expansion in my organic sales base, stumbling on to some killer product, and the ever churning wickedness that is the mind of PSIMET (not only do I refer to myself in the third person I do it with an alias as well) and we’re busy. All of my multiple personalities.
Busy is good. Busy makes me amped.
About this time every year though the weather starts to get hotter and I start finding I am actually spending less and less time riding outside. It seems like a contradiction of course and yet it isn’t. I just don’t perform well in the heat. Give me long rides in the 60’s with arm warmers and I love it. But I digress.
The fury that was early season road racing seems to be sputtering for most. Those who spent all winter dripping sweat all over floors , occasionally on a too curious pet, have reaped the rewards of their hours of tedious work and ripped the legs off the their competition securing their much desired and well deserved upgrades. As such half of the fields are made up of racers who are starting to think – “oh well…maybe next year. I guess I will just maintain for this season,” and the newly upgraded who are almost thinking, “ok…now what?”
The early season temp and mojo of friendly faces and pent up anticipation has been replaced with long inquisitions at the start line: “Where’s Joe?” “He upgraded.” “What about Bob?” “I think he’s hurt or something.” “Who is this kid?” “Don’t know I think he just upgraded. Never seen him before but someone said he lapped the 5’s field twice at that one race, can pee fire and poop rainbows.””Is he on a team yet?”
For some they are just hitting their stride with their epic struggles yet to be contested as their favorite long event series such as ToAD and Superweek come into view in the smart phone calendars that seem to rule our lives now. These are the guys and gals that dream of epic struggles in the blistering heat up the side of some fabled European climb as they douse themselves with bottles handed up by their adoring fans. Meanwhile fat guys like me turn our attention to the upcoming fall series and Cyclocross.
I have been doing a lot of thinking. I have crunched a lot of numbers. I have made calls and squeezed blood from turnips. All of these efforts have been in pursuit of a new product offering. While I am still not in a position to announce it publically I can tell you that it’s Cyclocross based, will depart slightly from my traditional model – removing the one thing that my current customers hate – the wait.
What’s on tap? Custom goodness with a focus on actual Cyclocross racing. Not products meant to draw the attention of roadies as they finger through the latest glossy magazine, but real solutions for real people racing/riding real cross bikes wanting real quality at real pricing. Really.
Stay tuned. I’ll have some updates hopefully with some pictures before you know it.
FRG Part 1
Over the next few entries I will attempt to explain my experience with "saving" the Fox River Grove race which was cancelled. As a part of saving this race I promised 1/2 of any profit would go to Big Brother's Big Sisters of McHenry County and the other half to the Village of Fox River grove. As most already know it will be hard for this race to make any money at all, but with the goal of donating to both places in mind I decided I wanted to publish all of the budget and financial information for the race. I will be updating it as I go but here is what I know to date:
Basically at this point we are -$2800 without yet paying for officials or medals.
Budget Data
Sherman Park 2011 – We’re aren’t right in our heads.
I have kind of been avoiding writing this report. Reading it you’re either going to be hanging on the edge of your seat as it pulls you in like a Hollywood thriller or you’re going t click away because you hate horror movies.
I know you’re probably thinking, “Really? Really that bad Rob? Come on.” Normally I would say that you are justified in questioning my conviction regarding the extraordinary nature of the race. I do have the tendency to spin a yarn to pass the time and attempt to entertain those around me. Unfortunately this time it’s too real.
I have written about Sherman before: http://www.psimet.com/blog/2009/06/racing/sherman-i-heard-he-destroyed-a-bunch-of-stuff/ with some of the same take-ways.
I know little to nothing about the real history of this race, but according to what Randy Warren said before the race started the park was originally designed for bike racing back when it was big and Chicago was the place. It’s basically a mile long oval. Nothing technical. No turns. Tons of bad pavement. Perfect for a bang-up crit – my style of race. That’s what keeps drawing me back to it. It’s a Chicago style race where the win goes not to the skinny guy but to the regular Chicago working man or woman. It’s a race where teams can make a difference and size counts.
WADA didn't know where to start and never made it far from their car.
I had pre-reg’d for both the cat 4 and the 30+ 4/5. Life being what it has been lately I woke up late and figured I would miss the first race. Then I found a way to get there about 15 minutes before the official start of my race. I ran to reg and while they had already sent in the starting list I still scored a number. Now I just had to get dressed….forget about a warmup.
Same-ol group. Looked to be fun. This is the first time I had been to Sherman when it wasn’t raining. After feeling better than expected at Blackhawk I was kind of interested to see what the legs could do. I lined up second row and found myself in the front 10 riders right from the gun.
It became pretty apparent from the start that this was going to be everything it has the reputation of being. There was enough of a wind that while no one was making deals to get off the front they weren’t exactly working over the pack either. Non-technical crit. Wind. Slow pace….bad pavement…yup. You know what’s coming.
I heard the wreck(s) early on but they were behind me. I have developed this talent to float about where everyone always tries to tell others they should be. Lew Chin was busting my bells about it after the race and I lost track of how many rider said, “dude…you were up there the whole time – how do you do it.” – answer: I don’t know. When you’ve spent your life being a mediocre bike racer who is always too fat and always under trained you find your survival depends on surfing wheels. You learn quickly how to pick up the tells of when the wheel you’re surfing is going to pop and go backwards. Mainly because you can’t afford to expend the energy to come back up to the front if they do pop.
All in all the race was fun. Some of us older guys kept the chatter going. The kids can’t seem to concentrate on not falling over if they also have to listen. They’re just not comfortable. That’s dangerous. …
An aside: If you’re going to race cat4 in crits in Chicago then you just have to be comfortable. If not it’s going to drive you nuts. There are going to be wrecks. You have to go into a race assuming that you are probably going to go down. You’re going to be touched. Someone will touch wheels with you, bars, shoulders, touch your hip, push you out of the way, etc. It’s going to happen. None of these things should EVER be a problem, and yet they continue to be for a couple of reasons – one of the riders freaks. If you yell when someone leans on you – then get out of racing. You’re the kind of person that will cause a wreck. The leaning will never go away so it’s now up to you to learn how to deal with it.
Sorry – now – back to the race. Jared from xXx was barking out orders to their guys. Most of you know that this is xXx’s race and they turn out the lower ranks in numbers that would destroy everyone if you could just win races based on how many people you brought. Tri-Chi’s evil empire had the rope-a-dope going the whole time – send a guy up the road, block, counter, repeat.
They definitely had control on the front (which was nice letting them chase and pace everything…this race always comes to a sprint. If you’re not wearing Red Black and White and you attempt to go off the front they’re going to chase you down like a pack of rabid dogs and they have so many fresh faces that they can do it all day long.). Some strong riders were still there: Bill Barnes, Dave Hudson, and now Jared Rogers – all in the mix ready to pounce.
Jared was barking orders so much that Bryan Fuller (Bicycle Heaven) finally had enough and yelled at Jared “OK WE GET IT NOW SHUT THE F UP!” It would have sounded mean coming from anyone else but knowing it was probably Bryan I couldn’t help but laugh.
Well Jared had been calling out laps. I thought I was paying attention. I thought that was matching up with what I believed we had left. So as the pace picked up I wasn’t surprised, but when it really started going I was shocked. I was thinking, “How in the heck are these guys going to keep this up for a whole nother lap??” Then I noticed no bell and the lap card was blank. I looked up to see the guys on front finish. Ooops. Rookie mistake. Not saying I could have really cranked something off, but I had enough juice to actually put in a sprint and it would have been nice to try and to get the numbers.
McCoy from Bicycle Heaven I guess took a face plant and really chunked off a section of his lip. I heard it was bad. The course was closed for a while as they got him out of there. From there it seemed like every race was cursed. The cat 5 race ended in someone tearing open their knee to the bone.
In between races I was getting that butterfly feeling. That spidey sense tingle that something bad was afoot. Can’t really describe it but was even talking to Lew Chin about it.
The next race was the 30+4/5. I love this category in general but it has the tendency to be gritty at the beginning of the year. This is where I promised Shawn Delk I would provide my theory for why this race tends to be dangerous. xXx has a lot of racers ad they truly dominate the lower categories in terms of sheer meat. This being the first big race that they put on, it’s a non-technical course with no turns, and the fact that it is located in the city seems to draw out a TON of their new recruits with little to no real race experience, and/or some of their veterans who only race a couple of times a year. Not fair to single out xXx, but those same reasons work just as well for most of the other large city based clubs.
Now – I am not saying this is a bad thing. I love what it can do for the sport and I can’t say enough about what xXx has done for the sport locally. This is not a criticism rather it is a statement about the factors that I believe lead to this particular race’s pack skill.
This race too was off like a shot and I once again found myself in the same position. I guess there was a massive pileup on the second lap that took out Arron Hampton and I believe that is the one where Ryan Handley (both of PSIMET) separated his shoulder. We were edgy and we were punchy. The first race was too slow and it looked like this one was going to make people dig more. A couple of the early laps saw us even stringing single file across the start finish. This is a good thin as it helps shed those who can’t hang from the pack. The bad part is that newer racers have no idea what those accelerations just did to their bodies.
They find themselves sitting in and thinking that they are OK. They don’t realize that they are actually on the limit and that the excitement and adrenaline are masking the pain. This goes away in longer races but in the first 15 minutes – everyone is a super hero. So they sit there and they are trying to think. What they should be thinking about is breathing and staying upright, but they seem to start thinking about position. Result – riders out of position and seeing red/pinwheeling (to use one of Enzo’s phrases) ready to make bad decisions as they fight to grab wheels for mere survival. At. All. Costs.
We weren’t that far in to the race – maybe 10 minutes or so when it happened. I was about 10-15 wheels back when you heard it. Two guys touching up front. They were about 3rd wheel. They got too close to each other. Touched…learned into each other but made the rookie mistake of leaning away and turning their bars instead of leaning into it.
You could hear the cleat dragging first then the sounds of metal as the tires skidded and let the rims touch the ground. It was a yellowish/gold jersey. Spidermonkey or Iron Cycles would be my guess but as we saw last time I can be very wrong about these things. The guy hit the deck and went pinwheeling back through us. I thought I was down, but made it around him – you know what’s next – you have to nail it. Guns a blazing as you hear others go down behind you like someone had just bowled a strike and the bicycle-pins were rattling off the lane.
Drive hard then recover – sit up a bit. Everyone here? Am I hurt? Bike OK? Who did it take out? We still have riders? Everyone is getting amped. Just be cool guys. The yelling is incessant at this point. Everyone is yelling aggressively at everyone else to just chill the f out. Jumpy.
Then two guys cross wheels. They saved it but EVERYONE reacted. It was oil and water as the sound waves themselves seemed to drive riders for the margins of the roadway away from the new action. Over reactions caused another guy to go down – all alone.
“AwwwSHI-“ bike start cartwheeling. Bury the needle, bury the needle, gogogogogogogogogogogo!
The next 15 minutes or so seemed to be punctuated with wreck after wreck. Guys were hitting the deck with so much frequency I quickly realized that if I could stay upright I’d probably have one of my best finishes of the season. At one point a tubular popped. It was starting to think I was going to have nightmares about this race.
The 30+ 4/5 field after the 3rd lap.
Luckily as we approached the end of the race we were starting to really tear it up. The more that happened the faster we seemed to be driven on almost as if we slowed down the bad stuff might get us. Coming around on the last lap I noticed Rich Lenski, John Low (PSIMET) and Bryan Fuller all in a line on the left side. Bryan was practically coming out of his skin yelling at Lenski to go. Almost like a movie where a bomb has gone off next to someone and they are swimming around in their head only half hearing what people are yelling at them – I finally registered what was going on. He was right. It was time to go. “GGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LENSKI!!!”
The only good thing about that race was Bryan winning and John and Rich coming in 4th and 5th. I think I even ended up 16th or so after my powerful seated sprint – similar to a cheese laden bowel movement, or so I’ve heard.
Bryan Fuller pulls off another victory!
Afterwards everyone I talked to was in agreement – that was the most dangerous crit I had ever raced. I’ll spare everyone the details of after the fact – Jesse Young got his bike stolen from his car after someone threw a brick through his window. Tim Radcliff had his stolen as he adjusted a cleat. My son cut himself on glass on the playground and the badness just kept creeping in on the day.
I don’t want to say I won’t ever go back. The draw of a physical crit on an oval just calls to me, but I will think it over a lot.
Best news came later that day as Tim Speciale (PSIMET Elite) won the cat 3 race and we (PSIMET Elite and Enzo’s-PSIMET as well as Rhythm Racing – a PSIMET sponsored team) filled a lot of places high up in that race. A roller coaster day for sure. That’s racing.
…crazy now that I am looking forward to Leland as a way to settle down. 
Winterhawk
Pulling into Blackhawk Farms this weekend was like coming home after a long trip. It’s not because I felt some sort of affinity towards the race track itself, or South Beloit in general. It was more a feeling of nostalgia mixed with anticipation for seeing friends you haven’t seen in a while. I’m an emotional dork – I know this.
The weather. Yes well all know by now that the weather was less than desirable. Most people around here can easily bundle up for a ride in the cold, and at this point most of us would do just about anything to get outside on 2 wheels but this level of cold was almost enough to make you want to turn around and go home. Never has 2 hours on a trainer, full zip jersey open and flapping in the breeze of the fan as you pretend you’re somewhere warm and inviting sounded so much more desirable than actually being outside and with friends.
Quick assessment revealed that the “Pro Cat 4” crew was there. All of us complaining about the cold and huddled up in their cars. Smells of embrocation and the sounds of nervous chatter both filled the air. I often wonder what normal people would think if they stumbled into this weird landscape of grown men with shaved legs and wearing lycra riding “children’s toys” in weather that could only be described as “Wisconsorific”.
With Jason Knauff at reg (“If I hear one more person complain about the cold…”) and the wise use of Chicago Cross Cup numbers left over from the season it was no wonder that I walked back outside and began heckling the cat 5 field and the popcorn that had already come off of their pack. The rest of the group in cat 5 seemed strangely impressive. There was a break that was actually working and stayed away until the end. Kudos guys.
The 30+ 4/5 crowd was called to the line to take a lap. At this point I had barely gotten ready. Needless to say there was no warm-up involved. That sucked because at this point I know for a fact that if I don’t warm up a LOT then my race will be a panic stricken endeavor filled with that constant feeling that I will pop any minute. This is in stark contrast to the “high speed chess match” that it should be.
Taking the lap I found the course conditions to be almost identical to last year. Nice wind at sections of the course. People taking the same goofy lines on the same turns – when you’re in a single file line going 60 mph on a motorcycle then sure – dive into the turn, but when you’re in a pack of cyclicsts – hold your distance from each other and don’t clip the corners. (hold your line). *end preaching*
So at this point we’re lined up and waiting for the actual start. I’m feeling like a tightly wrapped sausage – 5 layers of the same sized race gear can make you feel that way. The small amount of sweat produced in the pre-lap was quickly cooling down. I couldn’t hear the instructions. I was nervous too.
You’d think that after all of the racing I have done that I would be fine at the line, but I am always nervous right before the start. It’s kind of like the feeling you get when you ride a roller coaster. You’ve ridden it before and loved it. You’ve spent a lot of time telling everyone about how cool the coaster is and how you can’t wait to get back on it. Then before you realize it you just stepped back on it and buckled your seat belt. It’s then you start questioning whether or not you really liked it before or was it simply just masking it with good feelings so that you wouldn’t remember the shear terror you actually endured. Then before you can change your mind and get off you get thrown back in your seat….
“On the whistle….” *TWEET*
True to the precedent set by the weather and the numbers we had ourselves a little Cyclocross start. The sprint was right off the bat and instantly we were fighting for wheels to keep out of the wind. After a few laps the rhythm came back. Everyone was chatting. Well everyone except the cat 5’s who seemed shocked that anyone could talk.
Crit races around here seem to turn into a high speed version of coffee talk. “How you been?” “What’s going on?” “When did you start racing for…” “How’s the family.” “Can you believe the weather?” “How about we just draw straws for the podium and just call it a day?”
True to form there was some yelling, but in general the race was pretty subdued. Early on as we came into the main straight we had a few riders who were on the front and didn’t want to be. So they pretended like they were in the tour and began to snake back and forth on the course to shake their wheel suckers. I just about came unglued.
That kind of crap is interesting and may have its place but not at the point of cat 4/5 field down the straight with 70 riders fighting for wheels at all costs and blindly sweeping back and forth with you. If you’re on the front and don’t want to be then just slow down. If someone wants to go faster they will come around you. If not then no worries – you’re going slower anyway. Just hold your line and go about your business.
If you don’t want to be there then don’t put yourself there. You control it.
The rest of the race was uneventful for the most part. Some moves – chased down like the dogs we are. I was in good position for almost the entire race. Really I was just shocked that I was still there and in. On the last lap it started to get dicey as people started turning the screws and fighting for position. A lot of people were popping and shooting back through the pack. Just before the final turn there was a separation. I found myself right on the edge of it. A combination of being on the limit and my Spidey Sense made me decide that I had achieved what I wanted and that I should just let the pack go for the sprint.
As I rounded the corner and started my seated push for the end I heard the wreck. This one sounded different. Worse. I saw a few people on the ground. The ever “wreck” present xXx jersey, and a Spidermonkey. I slowed down of course. Spidermonkey looked like a sack of potatoes. Not moving at all. Got that bad feeling. Crossed the line yelling that they needed to get the ambulance down there.
It was hard to shake it but I was already thinking about the next race. We had 1 race in between. Ryan Handley and I jetted to the cars as quick as we could. I knew they layers of sweat were going to turn to ice quickly unless we got inside the car.
Standing at the line for the second race was horrid. I was literally shivering. I really didn’t want to do the second race at all. It took everything I had to make sure I didn’t just turn around and get in the car. The second race was pretty straight-forward. Nothing really of interest. An early break that looked interesting and then Jostein and Peter Kelly made it to it…the composition looked deadly and the size was right, but something happened on their end. They just didn’t go anywhere and it looked like everyone was just wanting to e in the move – not doing any work to make it go….so we chased it down like the dogs we are again.
I gave Peter Kelly (Bicycle Heaven) some crap about the fact that he is still racing on a set of bibs that he tore up over 2 years ago. Enjoyed watching him try to make things happen. It was exhausting to watch. J
This race was cut short and I caught out of the corner of my eye that we had 2 laps left. It was only 17 minutes in so I questioned it the whole lap. Then we saw 1 on the card and heard “last lap” but I didn’t hear the bell. Regardless I figured I would race it like the last lap anyway. It started to get sketchy as everyone realized that “they were out of time to execute their ‘master plan’” and resorted instead to playing ping pong with their bodies trying to take positions.
Someone crossed wheels and touched a foot down but kept it upright. The tension was mounting. With the previous wreck still fresh in my mind and feeling like I didn’t have anything anyway I begged off the sprint again. Before the last corner I waved everyone through and just rode it in.
The sprint looked like a slow-mo version. More like track tactics. The group spread out across the entire course. The Bicycle Heaven group ended up off in the grass – later heard Peter Kelly, true to form, tore up some equipment forcing his move off into the grass. Great things await Peter as soon as he can keep his bike together and keep the rubber side down.
Eric Christ and I talked down the final straight and rolled in side by side to finish a good day of racing.
Rhythm looked great, taking a lot of podium spots. Justin Somerville (Bicycle Heaven) made it out of the mess to still place in the top 10, and xXx member and local official Jared Rogers claimed a nice second place podium spot.
Richard Lenski (PSIMET Elite) picked up a couple of points in the first race and Joe Berenyi (PSIMET Elite) and him placed well in both races. Joe secured his cat 3 upgrade officially and now we are looking for Richard to pull through on his after Hillsboro.
Some early season victories – Tim Speciale put his mark on Kenosha the next day after riding up to the race (on his bike), racing/winning it and then riding home. Wayne Simon did the same thing for the first of many Enzo’s-PSIMET victories of the season.
Right now with Hillsboro prep I feel like I have been on a Vegas bender filled with the fog of all nighters of tubular glue and latex and carbon dust. I’ll be happy when the race starts and I can relax. Yeah…I typed that. So when you see me pop and go off the back in Hillsboro – don’t feel sorry for me. I will be getting in my riding for the week and enjoying the terrain.
Spring Racing Notes
As the racing season draws closer every day I can't help but start to get those feelings in my (now even more oversized) belly. That feeling of coming out of a corner and just giving it everything to hold on to someone who has turned on the gas and is trying to shake you like a natural disaster. Core burning as you use it for leverage for pedaling (wait a minute...we didn't do that all winter...WTF!).
I found myself giving advice in another thread about first races and it dawned on me that now - due to my extensive experience, and due to my professional Cat4 status that I had the option - nay the DUTY to hold some internet based court on how you new racers should race in your first crits this year.
First things first - if you see the fat guy in the PSIMET kit laughing and cracking jokes on the start line - stay away. That's me and I have a family to provide for. I would also recommend staying away from anyone who is probably talking to me. They are most likely Pro Cat4's as well and either have real jobs and families as well or are still 4's because they like to bust things up at the end of a race...like their heads...or their legs...*cough*BeverlyBob*cough*.
We're back...
1. Pin your number on right. If you have to ask how to do it then no soup for you. Ask at reg "what side?" They will know what you mean. Then REMEMBER IT. then at the car look around and deduce for yourself how everyone is wearing their number. Place it the correct way (so it can be read while standing next to you while you are in a riding position. The only exception to this is when you have #13 - general pack etiquette allows for pinning a 13 upside down, or if the official tells you to do it differently. Why? Because whatever they say is the way it is. Get used to that, don't forget it, and say "thank you" when they are done telling you.
Etiquette is of the highest importance in the Cat4/5 field
2. Get to the line early. OK, so we've kind of gone to the extreme on this over the last few years. So what. Yes it makes the logisitcs around the start finish a nightmare to anyone who actually has to move around there anytime near a cat4/5 start, but that'll teach them. If you don't get there - we will. Why is this important? Ever been at the back of a 4/5 field at the start of the season with new racers in over their head and getting shelled off the back like appetisers at a cycling party after the skinny guys leave? Let's just say you might get hit by something and it's probably going to leave a mark.
3. Hold your line. Yes, I said it. I HATE saying it while racing. It's SOOOoooo 1987. If you don't hold your line or otherwise take a corner the correct way then don't freak when someone DOES yell at you. They are yelling because you are doing it wrong. If you're near me I'll handcheck you...which brings up the ext point -
4. Don't freak out. The worst thing you could ever do is freak out in the pack. Don't over react to anything. Do what you need to do but always assume that if you have to move left, right, forward or back that someone is already in that spot so do it predictably. If I hand check you (touch you on the outside of the hip with the back of my hand) it's my way of saying, "I'm here and it looks like you're trying to come over and that's a bad idea." If I think you're doing something I don't like then you get a hard hand check. You'll know when that happens.
5. Don't chase everything. Race hard and learn...that's the point, but this is 4/5 racing. Nearly nothing gets away. If it does the instigator is a genetic freak and not long for the 4's anyway. If you're feeling OK and you see someone trying to work it off the front and he keeps getting chased down only to have everyone sit up and put him right back on the front....then go for it and take him with you. You probably won't get away but you'll make the hangers pay.
If you're barely hanging on then watch what us pro 4's do. If we sit down and let the others chase then do the same. Save what you can if you're struggling to stay on. If we start barking orders it's because we see the move as an actual threat and WE dont want to chase it down - we want to talk YOU into chasing it down. Learn from us. There is a fine line between this and negative racing. It's kind of accepted that negative racing is the norm around here anymore and especially int he 4/5's where there is such a large difference in talent. Once you've been around a while you start to learn who is who. If you don't have the juice to make it but you see someone who could giving it a shot...you can help...you just have to learn how.
6. Don't EVER SHOUT ABOUT WHAT THEY GUYS UP FRONT ARE DOING. I laugh every time I hear someone yell "come on guys! someone pull!", or "WATCH WHAT YOU"RE DOING," etc. I laugh because these comments are made FROM THE BACK! If they really don't like it then they should get up front and correct the situation. Until then - STFU and deal with it....you're wheel sucking at the back.
7. Realize that the website you went to that told you to always be in the first 10 spots but never on the front....is the same webist that everyone else went to in order to learn how to race. This creates this constantly churning mass where racers are always moving up from the back. We say - if you're not actively moving up then you're moving back. Also - not everyone can race in the first 10 spots. Not everyone has a chance at winning - regardless of what your nursury school teacher told you back in the 70's....err...80's. Tactics in one of your first races in the beginning of the season are about as useful as me trying to watch my diet. So ride "heads-up" looking for danger, find smoother racers and clean lines. Try not to get too far back to end up out of position if something gets rolling and always be looking for the popcorn coming off the back - don't let them get in your way.
8. Building on "not everyone can win" this one is probably one of the most important - DON'T SPRINT FOR 30TH PLACE!!!!! Coming into the finish on the last lap you're looking at a lot of riders riding above their ability and thinking they have a chance. When riders are seeing red they aren't thinking. If you're out of the top 10 and moving backwards or standing still then pedal it out but do it heads up and controlled. The reson for this rule is I can't tell you the number of times I've seen serious flesh peel off, ambulances called, blood, convulsions, broken frames, wheels, bodies, etc....in a cat 4/5 sprint caused by some joker riding outside of his ability and sprinting with his head down trying to move from 30th into 29th place - only to swing wide and take himself and a group of others down. Don't be that guy. Don't ever be that guy.
9. Don't post up if you happen to get there first. You're a cat4/5. The officials will yell at you. This is because you will probably cause a wreck if you truly post up. If you do it and end up wrecking - well because I am so far back I'll have plenty of time to stop and avoid it. So I guess this is my "so-so" rule.
10. Don't whine. You could be Chuck f'n Norris and lose because someone literally grabbed your brakes on the final lap to hold you back. Don't be a poor sport, don't slap your bars, throw your hands up in disgust, or proceed to tell everyone for the next 2 hours about how you were "robbed" or how rider "X" did such and such which he shouldn't have done. You lost. It's bike racing. Learn from it, and then get over it. Here's the thing - the rest of us don't want to hear the excuses. We want to get to watching the rest of the races, cheering for people we know, visit with friends and family and possibly drink a beer or two. Save your whining for the internet.
11. Results - read them and then get out of the way. If you want to pour over them as though it was some sort of Rosetta stone that would allow you to interpret the secrets of the Tour de France - then take a picture on that fancy phone of yours and GTFO.
12. Don't complain about being misplaced. It's cat4/5. Unless you were in the top 6 just STFU. Outside of 6th place you're not getting any cash, you're not getting any points towards upgrade. All you're doing is burning your goodwill with your fellow competitors and the officials. "I KNOW I finished in front of Beverly Bob and he says he was in 20th place so I have to be 19th but you have me listed as 25th and Bob as 24th!" GTFO.
13. Thank your officials. Are the infallable? No. Are they always nice to you when you ask a question? No. Here's the thing though - they work hard and hear a lot of people whine and complain about everything they say or do. Without them we don't have a race. Period. As officials go, for the most part, we have some pretty awesome and highly talented ones. Don't mess that up. Smile, ask questions with respect/politely, and when they have made their decision accept it and move on...right after you say "THANK YOU!" Who knows - maybe that will translate into you getting Dave's silent version of the Superweek Salute leaving you with some respect and dignity as you get pulled, or possibly even some friendly advice when you are in the pit with a mechanical and hoping for that free lap.
14. Probably the most important thing - If you aren't dying and struggling to hold on then go to the front and make it happen. It's called bike racing - not "rolling around in circles waiting for stuff to happen". I will swear at you under my breath but that's because I'm a worthless pro cat4 who is dying just to stay in contact. If you ever want to get on the podium, and you should if you're pinning a number on - then when we're out there do as I say and not as I do.
Now sit back from your computer and close your eyes. Imagine the hot sun on your face and back with that spring chilly wind hitting you in the face and sounding like a freight train in your ears. Arm warmers, freshly shaved legs. Shifting. That sound of tires at high speed as you and 100 of your closest friends go freewheeling into corner. That sound as the tires grip and sling you around. Effortlessly picking up positions and making your way through the pack. Exchanging wordless greetings to long time friends as you're once again riding side by side.
.....now imagine that gut churning sound of bike, and beast hitting the ground as one of the new crop of xXx'ers (love you guys) goes down for touching wheels in the straight.
Cat 4/5 Spring Racing
Ahhh...it's spring. Now...get on your bikes and ride!
Get on your bikes and ride
Is it March Yet?
Way back in Jan we had this little thing called the Chicago Winter Bike Swap. This is where most of the dealers int he Chicago region show up and peddle - or rather pedal - their un-wanted, used or over inventoried wares in hopes of generating some much needed cash for the impending and looming season to come. This is my second year at the swap and as such I have found it is more helpful for me in generating new business leads and customer contacts.
Regardless it is still a chance to clean out the shop of little needed or used gear. Some Speedplay pedals, 2 frames, cranks, saddles - you know....the stuff that accumulates over time. Stuff left over from repair work that the "customer" wants to bless you with as though it is some form of good thing - almost like a form of kharmic payment - not realizing that it's a used component that they saw the need to replace and will simply take up room in the shop.
So...time to find a better home for these things. It's easy to part with the stuff others give you but darn near impossible sometimes to part with your own gear. This year I was taking the Giant. My 2005 Giant TCR Composite.
I loved this frame. It imarked a turning point in my life and cycling career. It was the first time in close to 25 years that I bought a "real" top end rig. I put so many hours and miles on that frame it's almost embarrassing. I stopped riding it about 3 years ago in order to keep from destroying it in a wreck, only to find over time that I fit much better on larger rigs and that it truly was too small.
Sad was the day I stripped the frame of the carefully collected DA 7800 components (in my opinion a group that will go down in history as one of the best all time groups ever made). Sadder still was when I put that 7800 on my cyclocross bike - because it made sense to.
The day of the swap we saw a lot of activity. I pretty much sold everything before the doors even opened to the public. In that morning rush I made a deal and sent the Giant on it's way. I was truly sad to see it go, and a little happy to have the cash it generated.
In business it's a good idea not to get attached to anything. Difficult sometimes when you are passionate about the business you are in but I have seen it time and time again: shop owners that feel there is high value to a piece but in reality it's just a multiple year old used piece of equipment that has a real market value of 1/2-1/3 of what it was if you are lucky. Many times I've seen someone make an offer only to hear a shop guy say, "nah...that frame is worth XYZ at a minimum." and thought - "no it's not. It's worth what that guy just offered"
I'm thinking about all of this because, well, the business is growing. Big. Very big. In result I am finding it hard to juggle all of the aspects of life that I need to juggle right now. I know what I need to do but I can' just jump and do it. I have faith in myself and my abilities, but I am at a point in my life where I truly can't make it "about me". The end goal is the same. I have bumped around my whole life and seen a lot of success in many of my endeavours, and taken my licks as well, but one thing has remained a constant - cycling.
I'm thinking that the swap meet just may have been a nice metaphor for the business and our lives right now. Maybe it's time to move out some of the old stuff, re-focus on the core of what makes us good, and take a leap. In the end we'll have some money in our pocket - maybe not as much as what we hoped but just possibly more than we expect.
Momentum
Where to start...
Creatively I am dying and I need to blog. In my soul I just have to write. Don't know what it is but it goes back a long way. For those that don't know, I am the product of an interesting mix. My mother comes from the deep South of Illinois. Near where Hillsboro takes place but more rural. Piasa, IL - google map it and look for Schaefer rd. That's my core.
My father - the product of a Nurse and uh....good question. I believe my grandfather on my father's side was at one point part of the nursing school where my Grandmother got her degree - where they met, but at one point I knew he worked at Sears, and at another point I know he worked at CAT. Peoria BTW.
My matter of fact dealing and my ability to network and strike a deal - from my dad's side. Engineering - mix between the two - my grandfather on my mother's side was a mechanical genius. My uncle - the same. It runs throughout my family on that side. Everyday I walk out past the 1928 Model A and the stack of trap shooting trophies and I remember where I am from.
My social ability - I think might be a mix. Some strong elements point to my mothers side - my and that side of the family's propensity to gossip beyond the limits of good taste are testament to my heritage. At the same time my father's side seemed to have a unique story telling ability and a way to work the story into a movable conclusion that once again points to making the deal.
Finally my creative side. What happens when you take an engineer, add some social ability and top him off with an artist's lineage? Someone who is never satisfied and constantly has to be re-thinking and trying everything new and always asking, "how can I make this better." My mother is an artist. My mother has the ability to translate things that I just don't have.
A wise man once told me - rather pointed out to me - that building a fine bicycle or wheel is not an art, rather it is a craft. I really had to spend a lot of time thinking about that. I have spent the majority of my life chasing what I perceived to be more art like. Then it dawned on me and it all made sense - it IS craft. Not only is it craft but it NEEDS to be craft. It can't be art. It HAS to be rooted in a level of practicality that necessitates the craft nomenclature.
Engineers hitting a problem can be anti-climatic. They plug and chug with what they know. Good engineers think a little different. These aren't true engineers in my opinion. They are more "craftsmen" or rather - practical artists. They understand HOW things work but also understand how they SHOULD look and feel at the same time. These are the ones that find the simple - understated solution to every problem. It's funny because you can draw these same lines into politics. Most of you reading this are staunch Dems. While not one to ever show my hand...I am not. That said I think that you can go so far right that you end up Left and visa-versa. In other words there is a prime linkage between the extremes: Snotty artists are not that far from the extreme data driven mongrels that are true engineers. The rest of us live in between. The best of us have the ability to admit they are wrong from time to time.
So - where am I going with this....not sure. Trying to find a way to verbalize what it is that I am dealing with. I stayed at home today during the Chicago Snowocolypse. Mrs. P was holed up at the clinic while I was at home taking care of the future of P enterprises. While progressing through the day I got pissed. I got fed up with sitting inside and listening to my wonderful offspring convey to me that he was almost on the right track but still a little out of touch of what hard work is like. Then I headed outside. I was trying to keep little P from becoming paralyzed by cabin fever so I suited him up and we headed out. I had half the drive (Mrs. P and I cleared the other half at 3 am as she headed in) so I began to dig in. Then I noticed that there were 3 "boys" from ages 18-20 trying to clear the next door drive.
These guys stared at each other as they struggled to get the snow blower started. As they did I cleared my drive, and the sidewalk in between. i even made it onto the drive they were "working" and cleared a bit of that. It was then that it dawned on me - these guys don't know how to suffer. They don't know how to work. Here I am a (young) man of 36 with a disconcerting amount of grey hair developing, who was watching a bunch of young dumb douches complain about how "heavy" the snow was and how they couldn't do anymore until their snowblower was fixed.
I don't think I am special. I just think I might have a unique ethic or point of view. I am practical. I don't like a lot of BS unless I have the time for it. I like to push what is already moving. I like momentum. The amount of work that I have to do it pathetically huge. There is not enough "Value_added" in what I do to allow me to do it all day every day. If you have a problem with that then add $200 into every Paypal payment you make to me... Until then I will continue to approach what I do with the philosophy I have - I will make the wheels that I LOVE because I LOVE making them. If you're fat - I will call you fat ( I am too). If you're cheap - I will call you out. I want to give everyone the best wheel for the job. If you don't like it - buy from someone else. Maybe then I can get to sleep before 1am. I won't build you something that looks awesome but fails. I won't tell you that you can ride the nice stuff if you're over 200 - because honestly you CAN'T. I have been there so I know how much it hurts but it's true. In general I hope you value my input. I vaue you as customers. So....get off your ass and submit an inquiry. When it takes a week or two or three for me to get back to you...get in line.
In cycling- you live for those epic rides
You know what I am talking about. If you think back a few years a few key rides stand out in your mind. These are those rides that, really in hindsight, sucked while riding but were "awesome" when complete. That rush you feel after completing them, the epic-ness of the weather, speed, terrain, etc all combine to produce that high level of "kick-ass-ness" needed to weld the details into your permanent rider's log in your head.
Yesterday was one of those days and one of those rides. With most of the free world being provided the wonderful opportunity to have New Year's Eve off of work obligations and the weather calling for an unseasonable warm-up it was as if the perfect storm of riding impetus had come together at the same time. Little did I realize how much that idea of a perfect storm would become a literal occurance.
Upon waking and stumbling to the coffee maker and then the ever present computer while still in my home uniform of underwear and coffee cup- I found that the radar from the weather channel was telling of what looked to be a definite cancel on account of rain. Mind you I am no stranger to the idea of getting wet on a ride, but the idea of sitting for 3 hours sucking down tire spray (I know - this wouldn't happen if I was in front, but alas I was born to suck wheel) on 12/31 just didn't sound appealing.
One by one the responses from the plethora of team members who had previously committed to the idea of riding started rolling in with an unsurprisingly negative tone. "I'm out." "No way." "Uh...my wife said I have to do something....yeah...sorry."
I had all but thrown in the towel when a rider called and said, "so....what do you think?" "I don't know. What do you think?" 10 minutes of this back and forth exchange reminiscent of 2 adolescents in love trying to end their phone conversation ensued. Finally I said, "f-it. Let's go." Epic.
We knew we were getting wet. We knew we'd be cold. We knew it was stupid, but not too many others were going to be out there. It was perfect. Quickly - a few key riders showed and we were on our way. 2 feet out of the parking lot and the chatting and giddiness normally associated with the first real ride in spring had already begun. I was "dropped" instantly. I look down and I am right near threshold. WTF? It's the one-ups of the others as they drill the warmup on cold legs. This has always been my pet peeve - warmup is for warmup, but - meh. I was there to do 3 hours and enjoy it.
As we went the skys got darker and the rain came. The wind from the South was very spring like and un-yielding. After getting drilled in a crosswind for 15 miles or so we turned North and chatted away pleasantly as the tailwind made us all feel like we were momentary kings of the world.
By the time it became apparent that we were all tapped out and ready to call it a day I looked down to discover that we were already out at the furthest point in the ride. Looked like we were doing the whole thing and not cutting it short. Suck. The last 10-15 miles were that silent suffering you usually only find at the end of a century - when everyone's only thought is "how much longer...this has lost it's appeal."
In general - we NEVER would have ridden if it was June. But it wasn't How many times can you put in 3 hours in December....with the poor light, no time off, etc? Riding, spending time with good people doing what we love to do. Every minute of that suffering helped wash away all of the concerns of the rest of life and turned the pedal strokes into a massage of the soul. Something I know I needed.
So - here's to 2011. The team is much larger. Success is seemingly a given at this point. A lot of hard work from a lot of great people will help make 2011 a great year.
...now if someone could just make me eat my vegetables....
2011 Enzo’s Press Release
Enzo's Cycling Products and PSIMET, LLC have joined to field what should be some of the most competitive teams on the Chicago Race scene for 2011.
Pick your jaws up off the floor and get on your trainer....we're coming for you.
Enzo’s ButtonHole Take 2
A glowing review from a panel with traditionally high standards. Just goes to show once again why I have decided to support Enzo's ButtonHole as a product.
Enzo's ButtonHole Chamois Cream
Since I started using the product I knew I wanted to sell it. For those that haven't realized it yet - PSIMET has always been about more than just wheels. It's more of a philosophy. I don't consider myself a bike shop, mainly because this traditional industry doesn't think of me that way a lot of times, and honestly I believe that the traditional model is a poor one being supported on a rotting foundation. Therefore I tend to regard the "shop" nomenclature as a sign of failure for me.
Where was I? Oh, yeah - so I have always set about trying to provide what I feel are some of the best value products in the industry. Sometimes these are ones that aren't usually as well known that I personally have to source direct form the manufacturer, other times they are the industry standard and i am just another one of the throngs of retailers selling it. Many people have a hard time seeing the reasoning behind selling what I do. These are people who make decisions about what they are going to be selling based on the margin that can be protected and how much the distributor or manufacturer can loan them. Ugh....it's about the riding people.
As a result I am pretty particular about what I do include and stock/sell. Quarq - I consider Quarq CinQo units to be some of the best thought out and manufactured crank based power devices available. Saris/Powertap - I consider to be THE industry standard in power and the best choice for the majority of the entry power market, or key power users/applications. KMC - the DX10 chain is an inexpensive chain that just does what it is supposed to do. Since I started touting the virtues of it a few years back I have noticed more and more shops have started carrying it. While I don't have it listed in my store I ALWAYS have some on hand. Yokozuna Reaction cables - In my opinion this is the best cabling option that one can buy for SRAM and Shimano drivetrains. It costs less than Nokon or Gore and performs better. That's what I like. The PSIMET hats that I have embroidered are made by WALZ - primo. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't love wearing them - even though I have had to force a few to initially put them on.
Hubs - White Industries - let's face it I sell more of these than any other hub option for a reason. Great design features, quality and a wonderful value. Alchemy - If you have ever spent more than 2 seconds either talking to Jeremy/Sarah or looking at their hub's designs then you would know why I race on Alchemy hubs. DT and Sapim spokes, etc.....
Chamois cream. That's where this started. Following my traditional value I have HAD to carry Enzo's ButtonHole. I personally use it exclusively. I stock it. I have it for sale at my training center - why? Because riding a computrainer for hours REQUIRES it. I include free samples in every single wheel shipment I send now. I hand out samples incessantly. It's just one of those things. I know for a fact that with chamois cream people tend to want to stay with what they know works and/or not start using anything at all. Getting the sample in their hands is the first step.
I can not begin to tell you how many people have come up to me and offered up that they "finally" got around to trying it and were amazed at how nice it was to use. I have what I like to call "ButtonHole Addicts" that call up the night before a race with a "OMG - I AM OUT! PLEASE TELL ME YOU HAVE MORE AND CAN BRING IT TO THE RACE TOMORROW!"
So, you can sit and think what you want about flowery reviews. Yes - I sell it. I made the choice to sell it. I ASKED to sell it. It's one of those unique offerings that I firmly believe improves the cycling experience for a great value. That - in my opinion - makes it essential.
......FWIW: You can get it here