Mountain bike racing in Bermuda is a winter sport. The racing season generally runs from November to March and comprises a 8-10 race series…The Latter Day Rain Water Service MTB Series, and a season end Championship race to determine the Bermuda Champion and the National Champion.
Visit the Bermuda Bicycle Association.
Here is a well made video that highlights some of the trails in Bermuda.
I’m finally getting around to my latest race update, the Saratoga Spa:CX cyclocross race. This was also the New York State Cyclocross Championships for most categories.
Saratoga Spa:CX
Spa:CX is held at the Saratoga Race Course “lowlands”. This is the area on the back side of the race track behind the stables. Some hills, some dirt road and sand…a long soft sand pit. A great course layout, a fast course and a fun course to ride. While the Uncle Sam race in Troy is my favorite race weekend, the Spa:CX course is my favorite race course.
We also saw, first hand, how cyclocross racing is just exploding in popularity. In 2009 when I started ‘cross racing the Cat 4 field was ~30 riders. Each of the following years there was in increase in riders with 2012 putting ~80 cat 4 riders on the start line. A pretty big field for a local “grassroots” race. The Cat 3/4 field has seen similar growth over the last few years. While the other races have also seen an increase in riders, this race really shows the popularity of cyclocross.
The call-ups to the start line put me somewhere at mid-pack for the start. And yeah, there were a lot of fast guys behind me. I didn’t pre-ride the course this time around. I did, however, watch the sand pit during the previous race to try to get a handle on the best line to ride. I pride myself on my bike handling and I try to set some goals within a race. And at this race one of my goals was to ride the sand pit each lap. And I almost did. First lap got through it clean. Second lap almost got through it clean. I was cut off by another ride about 3/4 of the way through. And then the last lap, rode through it clean. I actually had a good race. I rode smooth and I rode strong. I got passed by some guys and I passed some guys. I finished 55th out of ~80, but the way I rode, it was probably one of my most satisfying cyclocross races.
The Expert: Mark Hendershot (Santa Cruz Syndicate) is a man of many talents: organic farmer, floor-covering expert, pedicab business owner. But where the 44-year-old Grand Rapids, Michigan, native truly excels is on the racecourse–especially the 24-hour kind. Over the past nine years, Hendershot’s been a consistent podium finisher in the World and National Solo 24 Hour Championships, effectively scratching out a place among the elite of the endurance world. His secrets? Confidence–and quality lights.
“When I first started, the equipment was junk,” he says. “It was a common occurrence for your lights to go out on the trail.” Today’s high-end lights have all but relegated sudden darkness to the history books. The key to successful night rides now, Hendershot says, is knowing how to use your lights–and your head. We caught up with Hendershot before the national championships to hear how he does it.
My favorite ‘cross race has come and gone. This was the two day Uncle Sam Cyclocross Gran Prix. Two days of racing on a challenging and fun course in Troy, NY’s Prospect Park. The event is part of the NYCROSS.com Cyclocross Series and has been a staple for years. This was my forth year at this event and it has been my favorite ‘cross event since the first time I raced it in 2009.
Day 1 brought some typical cyclocross weather…cold. At race time, 9:15, the temperature was still in the low 30’s. There were about 45 racers in our field. Many of the usuals, some friends I haven’t seen in a while, and some riders that I haven’t raced against before. The course was fairly dry and fast. Or, fast for the fast guys. As you may have read from some of my other posts, I haven’t been one of the fast guys for a few years now. But fast, not so fast, or slow, it was a fun race that seems to grow each year.
Uncle Sam Cyclocross Gran Prix day 2 was all the mud you could handle.
Now, day 2 was a different story. The temperatures rose overnight and the rain moved in. Steady rain and sometimes hard rain. The Uncle Sam race for day 2 was again, typical cyclocross weather, but this time mud. And if you like mud, there was more mud. Personally I don’t mind a muddy course, it brings out the mountain biker in me. Bike handling skills are sometime more important than power and speed. That’s good for me. Although power and speed are still needed.
Both days I finished somewhere in the mid to lower mid pack. But I never have the ambitions thinking that I might crack the top 10. With cyclocross, I race for the love of the sport. If I do well…great. If I don’t do well, it doesn’t really matter. Either way I had a great time just being there on the bike and racing.
Continental Collide to be released during the Great American Beer Festival
F.X. Matt Brewery of Utica, N.Y., brewer of Saranac beer, and Denver Beer Company of Denver, C.O., have teamed up to create Continental Collide
Denver, CO – America’s oldest craft brewery, the F.X. Matt Brewery of Utica, N.Y., brewer of Saranac beer, and Denver Beer Company of Denver, C.O., have teamed up to create Continental Collide, a collaborative brew with a little taste of each brewery’s hometown. It is being brewed at Denver Beer Co. with brewers from both breweries contributing to the final recipe.
Denver Beer Co.’s brewers both went to college in upstate New York at Colgate University, where they spent four years drinking Saranac Beer. This spring, at the SAVOR Beer and Food event in Washington, D.C., Nick Matt, chairman and CEO and Rich Michaels, product development manager from Saranac Brewery had a few beers with Patrick Crawford and Charlie Berger, co-founders and brewers from Denver Beer Co. After their third pint, Patrick and Charlie shared the story of Saranac’s influence on their appreciation for craft beer. Nick and Rich agreed that the two breweries’ mutual love for mountains, beer, barley and hops should lead to a collaboration beer. And so, Continental Collide was born.
A collaborative brew to celebrate both the Adirondacks and the Rockies, this beer is the brainchild of the brewers at Denver Beer Co. and Saranac Brewery. An “East meets West” beer, this recipe features a mash of all Colorado malted barley and rye from the foot of the Rockies along with Galena and Cascade hops raised at the base of the Adirondacks at Wrobel Farms in Bridgewater, NY. The result is a vermilion Rye IPA with a touch of Colorado honey to compliment the citrusy New York hops.
“Jokingly, we probably owe them this because of Charlie’s tattoo incident after a Saranac Brewery Tour in Utica a few years back,” said Rich. “On a more serious note, we are excited to work with them because of our local connection from their college days in upstate N.Y. and the good times we have had with Charlie and Patrick (over a few pints) at events around the country. It is a great opportunity to feature hops form New York’s Mohawk Valley and to work with small batch rye and barley malt from Colorado. It is exciting to see their success and we are honored have been an influence on their appreciation of craft beer and to have an opportunity to brew with them.”
A recent article from Craftbeer.com notes that collaboration beers are “usually of the highest quality since both brewers aim to impress the other and deliver their best.” Continental Collide is no exception. The F.X. Matt Brewery and Denver Beer Co. use the best local ingredients to craft their beers, so not only is Continental Collide a strong representation of New York and Colorado, but it also appeals to craft beer enthusiasts and casual beer drinkers looking for a unique beer to try.
Friends of Saranac in Utica, N.Y. can also say they had a hand in making this beer a reality. In late August, 200 local volunteers helped the Brewery pick these special hops used in brewing Continental Collide as part of the second annual Saranac Hop Harvest. The crew picked 12 varieties of locally grown hops, including six different varieties of heirloom hops dating back to the 1800s.
Continental Collide will be released during the Great American Beer Festival at Denver Beer Co., 1695 Platte St, Denver, C.O. 80202. Join the brewers of Saranac Brewery and Denver Beer Co. as they tap this collaboration beer at 4PM MST on Friday October 12, 2012. Attendees will have the opportunity to chat with the brewers and learn first-hand about the inspiration and techniques that went into this cooperative brew. This will be the only chance to taste this beer.
About Saranac Beer
Beer is Our Craft. More than a slogan, it’s the brewing philosophy that the Matt family has lived by for four generations. It’s an expression of the pride and passion that goes into each and every ounce of their distinctive and drinkable beers. Located in the foothills of the Adirondacks, F.X. Matt Brewing Company – America’s oldest craft brewery, New York’s oldest brewery and second oldest family-owned brewery in the United States – has a long tradition of taking pride in what it makes. That’s how this family-owned brewery has quietly earned its reputation as one of the country’s most respected makers of specialty beverages. To learn more about its award-winning Saranac family of beers and soft drinks, visit the brewery’s website at www.saranac.com.
About Denver Beer Co.
Denver Beer Co. was born in Charlie and Patrick’s garages with a few batches of homebrew and a love for the craft of brewing. Serving only premium artisan ales and lagers, they utilize fresh ingredients and embrace both innovative and old world styles of beer. Similar to a farmer’s table, their beer selections change with the seasons. By brewing in small batches, they can ensure that a few old favorites are always on tap, but new goodies greet visitors each month.
The brewery is founded on passion for high quality, flavorfully crafted beer and the belief that the best pints are those shared with good company. Drawing inspiration from beer gardens of Bavaria, they designed Denver Beer Co. to be a place where new and old friends can share a table and pint out of doors.
This mountain-biking thing may finally catch on.
The National Interscholastic Cycling Association recently announced the formation of three new high-school mountain-biking leagues, bringing its total to 10 leagues in nine states. (California has northern and southern divisions).
The new programs were launched in Arizona, Tennessee and New York. The additions mark a major step toward NICA’s hope to have leagues coast to coast by 2020. Progress has been swift for the young organization; the national program launched in 2009, and has added leagues quickly.
“We’re using cross country high school mountain bike racing as our tool to develop our youth,” said Rick Splitter, president of NICA’s board of directors. “Our core values are building a strong mind, a strong body, a strong character. And we’re going to do that in the most equal and inclusive environment that we can. Every decision, every policy that we do, we ask ourselves, how does it support those values?
Doug Selee has been NICA’s executive director for three months. He said the organization hopes to build on the new leagues and plans to diversify its fundraising options outside of the bike industry, which has been instrumental in NICA’s success.
“It’s a matter of time. It’s a matter of funding. And it’s a matter of being able to scale what we do,” Selee said. “Most of the group’s funding comes from (bike industry) sponsorships. … But we need to reach outside of that.”
The New York and Tennessee leagues provide crucial footprints on the East Coast, and the Arizona league adds to a vibrant scene in the Southwest.
“Our state affords diverse venue opportunities, from Sonoran desert landscapes to forested regions, all with ample infrastructure to support racing,” said Mike Perry, director of the Arizona league.
Jason Cairo, director of the New York league, described himself as “passionate about getting kids on bikes.”
“So the opportunity to partner with NICA is huge for us in New York,” he said. “The journey is already beginning for our coaches and we will be on fire and ready for our spring 2013 races.”
Katherine Williams, who runs the Tennessee league, added: “When living in California, some of my favorite memories are coaching with the NorCal league. After moving back to Tennessee to open a bicycle shop, I was thrilled to learn that Tennessee could have a program just like NorCal and that others here had a similar goal. High school cycling is truly becoming a national movement.”
NICA exists by virtue of donors and sponsors, including the founding national sponsor, Specialized Bicycle Components, as well as Easton Foundations, Jeep, SRAM, Trek Bicycles, Clif Bar & Company, Primal Wear, QBP, GU Sports, Kinetic, Maxxis, Adidas Eyewear, CamelBak, Dirt Rag, Feedback Sports, Fort Lewis College, Fox Racing Shox, Mountain Bike Action, Ritchey Designs, Sidi America and WTB. For more information on NICA visit www.nationalmtb.org.
via National Interscholastic Cycling Association adds 3 new mountain-biking leagues.
Ever wonder what to do when you come to a stop light and there are no cars around to get the light to change? Here’s a nice video on how to trigger a traffic light on your bike.
Note to self: Don’t do a cyclocross race after three days in Vegas.
Adirondack Cyclocross – Photo by: Thierry Blanchet
Today was the inaugural Adirondack Cyclocross race held in Johnstown, NY, It was put on by the Adirondack Velo Club, a club in the Fulton/Montgomery counties area of NY. I was looking forward to this race for a couple of reasons. It is fairly close and it’s a new race on the New York cyclocross calendar and I want to give my support to grow area cyclocross racing. The course felt long. Each of my laps was 11-12 minutes. The course was similar in design to the Kirkland course and suited me well. There was a lot of tight turns, off camber zig-zags on hillsides and long fast straights…well, fast for other riders. Overall, I liked the course, I just wish I had it in me to ride better today.
I had skipped racing in Connecticut on Saturday. I was still pretty wiped out from spending three days in Las Vegas with a very long travel day home. I was hoping to be well rested for Sunday’s race. I was rested compared to Friday and Saturday, but not rested to have a good race on Sunday. A slow start with heavy legs was pretty much the story of my race. The end result for me was another 16th place, about 10 minutes behind the winner. I did finish on the same lap which is always a goal in every race.
Here is a very good video showing the great night of racing at the 2012 CrossVegas. The soundtrack is “Elvis” singing Viva Crossvegas.
My first weekend for the 2012 cyclocross season is in the books. Racing on both Saturday and Sunday was a great way to just jump right into the season. Okay, so I have been training for it, and I did try to start in August, but if you read my previous post, you know the Monson race didn’t go so well. So, this past weekend, September 15 and 16 was my start for 2012.
I really can’t say too much about Saturday’s Blandford Beer ‘Cross. It was just not a good day for me. The race was held at Blandford Ski Area in MA and the course was set up at the base of the mountain. It was a typical cyclocross course with tight turns, two run-ups (one was actually rideable), two sets of barriers and the “spiral of despair”. I’m sure it was a pretty decent, but I was just a mess on the course. I couldn’t get any flow in my riding and after about 20 minutes, I pretty much stopped racing and just rode for the remaining 20 minutes. I wasn’t last, but I was 59th out off 66. This was a race to just throw away and forget. And that is just what I did.
Sunday I drove the opposite direct to Clinton, NY for the Kirkland Cyclocross race. Race number one of the NYCROSS.com Cyclocross Series. Last year was the first time I raced Kirkland and being held immediately after a hurricane and a tropical storm, the course was like sponge and very difficult to ride. This year, the course was in great shape. And a great course. A course that definitely suited me better. The course was set up with wide turns, sharp turns, rideable ups, fast downs and a run-up that NO ONE is going to ride.
I was lucky enough to be called up and start in the front row. So no traffic to contend with right away. From the start, I felt so much better and stronger than the day before. I was able to hang in with the first 4 or 5 riders for the first lap. After that, the stronger riders from behind were working their way to the front. So I just settled in and rode my own pace. And it seems that I have improved over the last couple of years, because my pace was a pretty strong pace. I was able to pedal through turns. My mountain bike skills allowed me to ride sections with little or no braking. And the Kenda Slant Six tires held every single turn. I had no worries about slipping and sliding and losing traction. I ended up finishing 16th out of 31 riders. I also finished on the lead lap…and that hasn’t happened in a long time.
Racing Cat 4 is much better for me than racing Maters 1/2/3. Although USA Cycling may consider Cat 4 as the “beginner” class in cyclocross, anyone who races Cat 4 knows that isn’t the case. Sure, there are beginners in Cat 4, but there are mostly good, solid, strong riders that makes for a very competitive and fast race. It was also very cool hearing some of my Masters friend cheering me on.
armandarekian.com 