[thien]

Southbay RoadBikeReview sponsored by SVCC July 20th!

Join us, Karl, and Alex from Silicon Valley Cycling Center for a fun no-drop ride as we head south around the reservoirs and then tackle the Bailey climb that was featured in a Tour of California time trial a few years back.

Mark your calanders, it's going down Sunday July 20th.
Ride Start is going to be at SVCC - 1190 Dell Ave. Ste. A Campbell, CA 95008

 

[Leopold Porkstacker]

What’s so big about the Bailey climb?!??! You want a proper climb, try Hicks Road (technically in Los Gatos, yet off of Camden).

Meanwhile, yes, count me in for this ride. What is the time? 8AM??? 9AM???

Yes, I think I need to see what Thor “Diesel” Cooper can do on Hicks Road sometime if he’s up for coming over the hill to Joser-town. I’ll try and keep up.

Dr. John, you going to be there? We need a good pacesetter for the uphills.

 

[Dr_John]

Dr. John, you going to be there? We need a good pacesetter for the uphills.

Planning on it, air quality permitting.

 

[kretzel]

Start time

Will be 8 a.m. as usual. Don' t want a late start on that route with the mercury climbing.

Same routine as this month's ride, shop open before ride for water top off, bathroom break, last minute load up on gels/etc. then open after for sandwiches, frozen yogurt, etc.

Anyone who wants to demo a power meter for the weekend contact me via email (karl at svcyclingcenter.com). We'll offer a special deal for anyone joining us on the long route.

For those that want to hammer I'm working on a plan that will open things up a bit at the front while still having a no-drop group for those who want to enjoy the ride, not survive it. Just need to finalize who can lead the short route, Alex is still a maybe despite the rapid recovery of his wrist injury. More to follow...

Cheers,

 

[thinkcooper]

Yes, I think I need to see what Thor “Diesel” Cooper can do on Hicks Road sometime if he’s up for coming over the hill to Joser-town. I’ll try and keep up.

Can't make it. I'll be doing the pre-ride for the Santa Cruz Mountain Challenge the day before - ~100 miles, ~10,000' climbing. I'd be a puddle on Sunday.

 

[CrankyMonkey]

I could probably lead the short route if you need a volunteer.

 

[Leopold Porkstacker]

Can't make it. I'll be doing the pre-ride for the Santa Cruz Mountain Challenge the day before - ~100 miles, ~10,000' climbing. I'd be a puddle on Sunday.

Actually I was referring to some other time. Hicks Road isn’t part of the normal SVCC South Bay ride, but it is a fun stretch of uphill to tackle.

 

[kretzel]

Think of it as a loooong pursuit race

Ok, here is the dealio for the 20th.

We'll have our usual friendly rollout through Los Gatos, then once we make the right turn onto Camden, the flag goes down. Anyone who wants to suffer for a few hours can come along as we tackle the long route (64 miles) and try to gain enough time to catch the group going the short route (49 miles) before we get back to the town.

Just to keep it safe - we'll set the "finish line" at the Camden/Coleman intersection on the way into town. We don't want to have folks racing in more densely populated areas. If we (they? I'm really outa shape and might be the first one out the back!) don't catch the group going short route by then, it doesn't count.

I'll do some math early next week but my rough guage says the chasers will need to maintain about 23 mph average to have a shot.

 

[Leopold Porkstacker]

Dammit! I will have to miss this ride. We have out of town guests and somehow of course I am getting stuck doing all the cooking, and having do drive people all over the town… and I was trying my best at avoiding driving.

 

[kretzel]

Well, who's in?

OK Brett is out, am I doing a 64 mile solo TT on Sunday? Seriously, I just came off 9 days without riding due to a head cold and crazy work sked. I can't lay down 250-280W solo for the whole time. Anyone else up for the chase?

 

[Cruzer2424]

OK Brett is out, am I doing a 64 mile solo TT on Sunday? Seriously, I just came off 9 days without riding due to a head cold and crazy work sked. I can't lay down 250-280W solo for the whole time. Anyone else up for the chase?

I'm considering it. haha.

 

[MSH]

OK Brett is out, am I doing a 64 mile solo TT on Sunday? Seriously, I just came off 9 days without riding due to a head cold and crazy work sked. I can't lay down 250-280W solo for the whole time. Anyone else up for the chase?

Karl,

I may join. There is a 100 mile enduro race in SF on Saturday that I may do. Either way I'm going to be hurtin' as I haven't been putting in the training time as of late. Even if I was following your training plan you've laid out for me to a "T" I imagine there is no way in hell I'd keep with you anyway LOL. Is there a google or mapmyride link to the route, since I will most likely be off the back early if I do this one ?

Thanks,
MSH

 

[Dr_John]

I'm still planning on doing it.

Is there a google or mapmyride link to the route, since I will most likely be off the back early if I do this one

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/SVCC-RBR-Long-route

 

[PaleAleYum]

I'm planning on being there to hopefully help the paceline catch the shorter loop group.

 

[Kwantani]

Hello,
I've not done any RBR ride before. Is this open to RBR members? do I need to sign up in advance? or can I just show up?

thx
Kwan

 

[kretzel]

come on out

Hello,
I've not done any RBR ride before. Is this open to RBR members? do I need to sign up in advance? or can I just show up?

thx
Kwan

It's open to anyone! No sign up, just be at SVCC ready to roll out at 8 a.m. sharp. No kidding around - show up at 8:02 and you'll need to start chasing.

Find our studio here:

http://www.svcyclingcenter.com/contact.php

Cheers,

 

[kretzel]

more planning

Ok I went back through the last group ride file and gathered a few more numbers.

The "race zone" of the ride (starting with the right turn onto Camden on the way out, then ending at Camden/Coleman on the way in) is 50 miles for the long route, 35 for the short route. Last month we averaged 16.4 mph over that zone on the short ride, which means the chasing group needs to average 23.4 to cover the 50 miles in the same time. Seems very challenging but doable if we stay organized & pace ourselves properly. Couple of thoughts for those coming along -

1) Watch out for going too hard in transitions - most folks don't realize how much their power spikes when they hit the base of a climb. Those spikes are very costly.

2) If you have extra matches to burn, do it with longer, slightly faster pulls on the flats & descents, not while climbing. Those behind you in the line get relatively little benefit from the draft while climbing and it is the least efficient way to contribute to the group's rapid progress.

3) Sitting out a pull (or several of them) is fine. Better to dangle on the back than pull through and mess up the rhythm when you explode on the front. Just communicate so others know. I've made lots of friends by knowing when I need to stay away from the front, and lots of enemies by not knowing.

4) If anyone tests positive for EPO after the ride, you will be permanently banned from frozen yogurt.

This will be big fun!

 

[thien]

I guess Beltran, Ricco, and Dueñas are out.. well, they can still come, but they can't have frozen yogurt afterwards right?

 

[kretzel]

data overload

we'll have data galore from the ride tomorrow...

 

[CrankyMonkey]

Is that the wind-based power meter? Where can I find more information on that?