FLCC> FLCC Digest, Vol 47, Issue 37
Bob Stuart
rstuart at twcny.rr.com
Thu Jul 26 15:02:02 EDT 2007
great report vanya.
csmcbob
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Wanted: cheap road bike (Ben Cheetham)
> 2. advice on speedplay pedals (Marilyn Dispensa)
> 3. Re: advice on speedplay pedals (Amanda and Mark Shenstone)
> 4. 2007 ORAMM Results and Report (Vanya Temnykh)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:19:18 -0400 (EDT)
> From: "Ben Cheetham" <brc32 at cornell.edu>
> Subject: FLCC> Wanted: cheap road bike
> To: cucycle-l at cornell.edu, flcc at icycle.org
> Message-ID: <4866.24.58.9.19.1185466758.squirrel at webmail.cornell.edu>
> Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Hey all, I have a friend who has been forced to stop running due to stress
> fractures in his legs and wants to begin biking for fitness. If anyone
> has a road bike (54-55cm) they'd be willing to part with for less than
> $200 he and I would love to hear about it--no integrated shifters
> necessary! Plus, it's a chance to get rid of that old steel frame bike
> you've had laying around forever.
>
> If you have a likely candidate, let me know!
>
> BEN
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:01:08 -0400
> From: "Marilyn Dispensa" <mdispensa at gmail.com>
> Subject: FLCC> advice on speedplay pedals
> To: FLCC at icycle.org
> Message-ID:
> <463233370707261001l7d9921fft41a9ad3a6d28d567 at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> I'm looking for some advice on Speedplay pedals
>
> I just bought new Sidi's and the Speedplay light action pedals.
> I've loved my old clunky Looks that i've had for 15 years, but though I'd
> try something new.
> I went on my first ride last night and I love the new shoes but I'm mixed
> about the pedals.
> I feel like they are a little squirrelly and if I'm standing going up a
> hill, they move more than I'd like.
> Maybe I just need to get used to them. I might send them back and just get
> a new pair or cleats or one of the newer Look models.
>
> Any advice on these?
> Also I never did any maintenance on my Looks ever. The Speedplays say you
> have to oil the springs every other ride and put grease in the pedal
> monthly.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Marilyn
> PS. you can email me off the list.
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:16:09 -0400
> From: "Amanda and Mark Shenstone" <gardens at lightlink.com>
> Subject: Re: FLCC> advice on speedplay pedals
> To: <FLCC at icycle.org>
> Message-ID: <001d01c7cfa8$abc41c00$0201a8c0 at GracefulGardens>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> I love my speedplay pedals. I oil them once or
> twice a season and that seems fine. I always feel
> "well connected" with good power transfer. I think
> you will get use to the different feel. At this
> point I wouldn't use anything else.
> -Amanda
> --------------------------------------------------
> Amanda and Mark Shenstone
> Graceful Gardens
> PO Box 100
> Mecklenburg, NY 14886
> 607.387.5529
> http://www.gracefulgardens.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Marilyn Dispensa
> To: FLCC at icycle.org
> Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2007 1:01 PM
> Subject: FLCC> advice on speedplay pedals
>
>
> I'm looking for some advice on Speedplay pedals
>
> I just bought new Sidi's and the Speedplay light
> action pedals.
> I've loved my old clunky Looks that i've had for
> 15 years, but though I'd try something new.
> I went on my first ride last night and I love
> the new shoes but I'm mixed about the pedals.
> I feel like they are a little squirrelly and if
> I'm standing going up a hill, they move more than
> I'd like.
> Maybe I just need to get used to them. I might
> send them back and just get a new pair or cleats
> or one of the newer Look models.
>
> Any advice on these?
> Also I never did any maintenance on my Looks
> ever. The Speedplays say you have to oil the
> springs every other ride and put grease in the
> pedal monthly.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Marilyn
> PS. you can email me off the list.
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007 10:01:26 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Vanya Temnykh <itemnykh3 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: FLCC> 2007 ORAMM Results and Report
> To: flcc at icycle.org
> Message-ID: <540876.25696.qm at web33215.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> ORAMM 2007 ? Vanya?s Race Review and Report
> Race start at 8AM Sunday, June 22 at Old Fort, NC
> Report written 7/26/07
>
> Weekend stats:
> Total driving: 2200mi; 40 hrs
> Total biking: 70mi; 10hrs
> Total bicycle mechanical issues: 4
> Total speed-induced crashes: 5
> resulting in?Total cuts, scrapes, bruises: 3
>
> Weekend Recap:
> Thursday 7/19: DRIVE
> 4:30 PM Leave Lowell, MA in Cameron?s WRX
> 10:00 PM Camp out at Lake Nockamixon state park near Allentown, PA
>
> Friday 7/20: DRIVE
> 6:30 AM Wake up
> 8:30 AM Depart after breakfast at Coopersburg Diner
> 7:00 PM Arrive at Cameron?s house in Asheville, NC
>
> Saturday 7/21: REST
> Blue Ridge Parkway preview?sweet.
> 12PM Garrett, Dave, Charles arrive from Ithaca
> Race preparations: tune up bikes, install new tubeless tires on Cameron?s bike (tire pops off rim with shotgun sound on roof rack?make sure to deflate to 30 psi after installation!)
> Afternoon MTB ride at Bent Creek. Awesome trails, climbing.
>
>
> Sunday 7/22: RACE
> Off Road Assault on Mt. Mitchell (ORAMM)
> 6AM wake up, Cameron makes pancakes for breakfast, drive to Old Fort ~20min.
> 8:15 AM? GO! 450 starters!
> Representing Cornell: Charles Krohn, Dave Perry, Me (Vanya)
> Representing Asheville (and vicinity): Garrett Graham, Richard Fry
> Representing both: Cameron Cogburner
>
> Note: at least 20 single-speeders present, four of them on rigid frames (one of them got 10th overall)!
>
> Part 1: Kitsuma ?warm up??paved road?pack stretches out already, gravel road climb, paved along highway, singletrack hike-a-bike to top, ride on ridge, ridiculously long downhill, a few minor crashes?probably pushing the pace a bit too fast, wrist fatigue, water bottle holder breaks, punctures bottle. Back on paved road to?
> Rest Stop #1, 5min: Catch up to Cameron, refill with energy drink (tasted like laundry detergent), Red Bull, Clif Bar.
>
> Part 2: Suffering to Rest Stop 2?gravel road, to uphill single track switchbacks to downhill singletrack. Fall down at sharp hairpin. Front wheel a bit out of true, left pedal starts making fatal noises?maybe 6-dollar Wal-Mart pedals were not the best choice?
> Long double track: gentle climb, ups and downs (pedal making bad sounds) moderate downhill?finally!
> Rest Stop #2, 7min: You?re almost a third of the way there?damn. Feeling close to bonking?must eat!
>
> Part 3: ENDLESS MONSTER CLIMB?Unbelievable. 100% gravel road, 100% uphill, the further you go, the steeper it gets. 9 miles, 2 hours, several thousand feet elevation gain. Alternate between second gear, walking, trying not to throw up. Hey, the pedal is quiet again?I wonder if a bearing got crushed? Many people, including Garrett and later Charles passed me here.
> Rest Stop #3, 10min: Thank God.
>
>
> Part 4: Blue Ridge Parkway, up hill, down hill.
> Hard to get back on bike?ass is sore. But the road is so smooth! Charles falls back on climb. Turn onto singletrack after 7 miles of blissful pavement.
> Rest Stop #4 (water only), skipped
>
> Part 5: Down, down, down.
> 10-min hike-a-bike from Parkway, followed by long gradual to moderate singletrack downhill. Half way down hit root hard with rear wheel. Starts hissing 10 min later on short walking section. Awkward place to fix a flat, but doable. 15-min setback. Definitely a pinch flat. Everyone who passes me (20 people) ask if I have everything?MTBers watch out for one another!
> Back on track?this trail seems familiar?it?s the switchbacks of Part 2 done in reverse? definitely more fun!
> Rest Stop #5 (same as #1), skipped, but ate half a Clif Bar on gravel road climb.
>
> Part 6: Kitsuma ?cool down??don?t tell me we have to do this one AGAIN! No way out, trudge up the hike-a bike?lonely, riders very spread out. No wrist fatigue this time around. Downhill goes much smoother?feet in contact with pedals about half the time. T-shirt, tied to stem, loosens up and gets tangled up in front brake rotor. Damn. Remove front wheel, tear off shirt melted to rotor?brakes still work though. Back on. Rider catches up, let him pass at hairpin. ?Smooth lines, man.? Blast last section, turn right onto paved road for three mile ride to Old Fort. Sprinting power on demand, except chain skips in big ring?must have bent a tooth hopping over the RR tracks. Pass a few people before finish line.
>
> It?s OVER!!
>
> Results: see attached spreadsheet for more accurate times
> Cameron: 55th at 6:43 (compare to 8:55 last year!)
> Garrett: 91st at 7:03
> Vanya: 171st at 7:45
> Charles: ??? at 8:05
> Dave: ??? at 8:15
> Richard: ??? at 9:05
>
> Monday 7/23 DRIVE
> 9:30 AM Stock up on food, head out of Asheville.
> 8:00 PM Dinner at Dunkin Donuts Allentown, PA.
> 12:00 AM At Mass. line
> Tuesday 7/24 DRIVE, SLEEP
> 2:00 AM Back in Lowell, MA?foggy.
>
> Post-Race Thoughts:
> Let?s start off by saying that ORAMM was certainly the most demanding bicycle event that I have ever completed. This was, first and foremost, a climbing endurance race. Technical MTB skills came in handy only on the downhills, to keep the flow going, reduce crashes, and maximize the thrill factor, but in terms of bettering the total ride time, the technical rider?s advantage was negligible. If you are a master downhill rider without the climbing endurance, you won?t get too far. However, if you can climb consistently for 2 hours, you already have what it takes to be in the top half of the standings.
> Taken individually, all the parts can be ridden fast with minimal injury to bike and body. However, being on the course for the first time, I was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the climbs and descents. The roughest part of the race was probably the first descent from Kitsuma Peak. The trail was unbelievably fast, but rooty and narrow at the same time. I?ve never ridden such a long continuous downhill, so the glee, wrist fatigue, and hand-numbing pain was the perfect recipe for a few minor crashes, usually going off the trail at a hairpin turn or slipping off the loose side of the inclined singletrack. Just that first part was an unbelievable ride in itself, but the adventure was only a quarter of the way done by the time I hit the first rest stop.
> During a race of this length, one must think of the big picture at all times, meaning planning ahead and asking yourself such questions as ?Would shaving a few seconds now be worth it in the long run?? or ?Should I sit and rest for a few extra minutes now so I could ride consistently up the longest hill later?? or ?Crashing early on would really set me back for the rest of the ride?or even worse, a serious mechanical could be a DNF. Not worth the risk??
> By the second rest stop my priorities changed (as predicted). Now I was racing against myself, and not the other guys. I wouldn?t care if anyone passed me and would not chase anyone (well, except maybe for Charles and Dave).
> The defining trademark of ORAMM has to be the MONSTER CLIMB up Curtis Creek Road. I think that this is the section that most influences the results, and if I was to train for the race, this would be the climb to do. It is taxing not only physically, but mentally as well. If you can overcome this obstacle, all the other parts will seem trivial and short in comparison. Again, even on its own, this climb is an epic journey?basically scaling the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi, give or take a few thousand feet. And as part of a 63-mile bike race it is all the more crushing.
> After the third rest stop, you ride dazed along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The views come at you left and right, as rewards for the excruciating ascent. Seven miles on smooth pavement feel like nothing, and it?s a rude awakening when you turn left and hit the hike-a-bike singletrack. That only lasts 15 minutes, and then the descent kicks in. This part is probably the least memorable, as you?re fatigued and just holding on to your handlebars for dear life. Hardtails have to watch out here, as I got a pinch flat hitting a root really hard, although my rear tire was at 50psi to begin with! That was a welcome 15-minute break, while changing the tube on a steep incline?not too convenient, but doable. Chances are that bringing tools and a few spare parts will save the day. Also, everyone who rode by asked if I had everything I needed? definitely wouldn?t happed in a competitive road race!
> From that point on it is familiar turf, as the course doubles back on itself. For a first-timer, this has two effects: one, you know how far away the finish is. And two, you realize that it?s quite a ways away?and that you have to ride Kitsuma peak again, as if one time wasn?t enough! Second time down Kitsuma actually went smoother than the first. Just shows that being familiar with the course is a substantial advantage.
> Cruising back down paved roads into Old Fort is blissful. Your legs actually feel fresh and you can turn the big ring all the way to the finish line. How sweet it is!
>
> So there you have it. For a few days after ORAMM you will throw your bike in a corner and despise MTBing as a sport, but in a week you can?t wait to get back on the bike, tune it up after the intense beating, and ride some trails. Most trails will seem artificially easy after doing ORAMM, and you will be looking for new challenges. WHEW.
>
> Vanya
>
> P.S. Official Results are attached. Note the winning time was under 5 hours!!
>
> Note: forwarded message attached.
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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> From: "Todd Branham" <epicrides at gmail.com>
> Subject: 2007 ORAMM Results
> Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:51:49 -0700 (PDT)
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> End of FLCC Digest, Vol 47, Issue 37
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