Bike Travel/Trips/Out of Town Training

Jan 27, 2011 at 09:07 PM

Figure this discussion topic is good for a while. Below I have a single trip described.

David Jordan of Dave Jordan Coaching asked me to post a trip he's planning for April. For Flanders/Roubaix.

Training and racing events everyday! The toughest roads with the toughest riders in the world!

Belgian Pro and Amateur teams scheduled to train with our group.

•Training rides with Belgian Pro and Elite Amateur Teams

•Kermis Events

•Tour of Flanders Sportif

•Tour of Flanders ProTeam

•Scheldeprijs, "ProTeam" and Elite Zonder (without) Contract

•Paris-Roubaix Challenge Sportif

•Paris-Roubaix ProTeam

•Fully supported, for up to 8 riders.

I will be leading the Training and Racing Camp, with Bart Busschaert from Bike Doctor NYC (12 years racing experience, native "Flandrien") alongside the entire way!

We will be based in Gent and Kortrijk.

Email me directly with any questions:

djcoaching@gmail.com

www.davejordancoaching.com

Thanks

Dave

mperlberg

Feb 15, 2011 at 09:55 AM

anyone have a single bike travel case. Flying to Austin on Saturday and want to have a bike with me

Michael

mugwump

Feb 15, 2011 at 10:37 AM

Mike, I have a trico iron case. The case's strength and liability are the same thing. Iron. The case is strong and hard and great protection. It's also big and heavy. If you want to make the trek to Harlem, I'm happy to loan it to you. If you can find another case closer to home, that could be much easier.

Marc Bertucco

Feb 15, 2011 at 11:17 AM

I have a soft/hard-ish case you could borrow. But I live further north than JP in Manhattan.

normanzo

Feb 15, 2011 at 11:26 AM

Hi Mike... I too have an Ironcase that you may borrow... call me at 917 578 0381 if you'd like to pick it up this week.

-norm

Jeffrey White

Feb 15, 2011 at 12:04 PM

It's around $150 each way, plus hassle and risk of injury. Renting is probably significantly cheaper and you only have to bring your pedals and shoes. I bet you can rent a bike for $40 a day in Austin, no problem.

WilliamDC

Feb 15, 2011 at 02:47 PM

bike rental in austin

http://bicyclesportshop.com/articles/road-bike-rentals-pg1451.htm

i'm sure they'd work out a deal for several days

Jeffrey White

Feb 15, 2011 at 03:03 PM

Why not rent directly from The Man for just a few bucks extra?

http://www.mellowjohnnys.com/products-and-service/rentals/

mperlberg

Feb 15, 2011 at 05:53 PM

Jet Blue only charges $50 each way. still trying to work out the details and looking into rentals as well.

Stéphane

Feb 15, 2011 at 05:57 PM

I think Jet Blue's fee for a bike went up to $75 each way, which is still less expensive than most other airlines charge.

Nathaniel Miller

Feb 16, 2011 at 11:12 AM

I have also been told by Ragot that if you use a Pika case and look like you're on a business trip and tell them it's display equipment, you can frequently get away with paying no bicycle fees. The case doesn't scream "bicycle". Ragot can elaborate.
http://pikapackworks.com/

mugwump

Feb 16, 2011 at 01:57 PM

The Pika can fool some people some of the time. When I used it, the sky cap at the curb spotted it right away.

The big plusses of the Pika is small size and light weight.

Here's my review of it: http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=PRODUCT_REVIEW&ARTICLE_ID=3767&RETURN=pika%20packworks%20bike%20cases-travel%20page&RETURNLINK=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.competitivecyclist.com%2Fza%2FCCY%3FPAGE%3DCATEGORY_VIEW%26CATEGORY.ID%3D2838%26PAGE_NUM%3D%26PRSET_VERSION%3D1%26TFC%3DTRUE%26MODE%3D%26BRAND.ID%3D

Jeffrey White

Feb 18, 2011 at 12:21 PM

I've successfully gotten a borrowed Pika checked by walking up to the sky cap with a twenty literally dangling from my fingers. Bribery -- er, tipping -- can be quite effective.

Stéphane

Feb 19, 2011 at 10:14 AM

Last September, I flew on Delta (a company which notoriously tries to charge as much as possible) to Nice, France. I followed Mark's (he's the Pika enterprise) advice: indicated I had a normal suitcase on line, printed the boarding pass, the agent at the counter hesitated, asked a colleague, who looked at the suitcase and said it was fine (airport was busy, she did not want to do the work again). $aved $200. On the way back, had to pay 200 euros (I have always paid from Nice. No way out there). The pika case did a good job at protecting my bike.

McKay Duncan

Mar 09, 2011 at 05:15 PM

i'm headed to florida in the end of march. has anyone trained and raced there? know of any good rides to join? i'm looking at a couple of crit's on the 26/27 in the Tampa area. has anyone been to those?

-McKay

mugwump

Mar 09, 2011 at 05:28 PM

McKay,

I've been down there a few times, specifically to Oldsmaar, which is near Clearwater. The riding isn't particularly good. Lots of busy roads, not much love for cyclists. There are some long bike paths that the locals seem to use if they're not going hard. Don't know about the crits, though I did one around a corporate park in Oldsmaar last time I was there. Also, based on recommendations from cyclists I raced with, I took a drive up to San Antonio (florida), about an hour's drive north, where I was told the riding was good. The riding there is much better than in Tampa. There are weekly rides and even if you go solo, there are maps you can print up from the web. Track down the San Antonio Cyclery if you want to go that route.

Unknown

Mar 09, 2011 at 10:00 PM

Hey,

I used to race for USF. A couple of my guys are now cat 2s and are just now coming off a good showing at the Tour of the Bahamas. I can put you in touch with them if you want.

There are a couple good group rides, specifically, the San Antonio Sunday morning HAMMER FEST. from what i remember it was around 40 miles, hard from the gun and harder after mile 10. It should be noted i am in much better shape now, but as a young rider it was harder than my cat 4 races.

mugwump

Mar 10, 2011 at 12:09 AM

I didn't do the hammerfest. I went there on my own and rode around. did 70 miles or so. People in Tampa told me it was like Pennsylvania. Still don't know what that means. It was hilly for florida, but mostly big-ring rises if you're going hard.

McKay Duncan

Mar 10, 2011 at 02:59 PM

thankyou both! i will be in palm beach and vero, and in tampa only on that weekend. i will be in palm beach and vero areas mostly otherwise. i think cat 2's will be a bit fast for me as a 5. i will let you know what i find!

Ryan J

Mar 12, 2011 at 02:46 PM

I'm out in Los Angeles until May 1. I was told by a fellow rider today that they've seen another Kissena guy riding out here.

Who are you? Anyone know? Reveal yourself!

It would be great to find a teammate out here...I'm training tons and racing!

Ryan J.

PS Congrats to all who did Grants, especially Mattie. Can't wait to hear how others fared, and read the race reports.

Unknown

Mar 12, 2011 at 03:02 PM

It was me. I go regularly. Just left yesterday, in fact, now in San Jose until Monday.

Ryan J

Mar 12, 2011 at 03:24 PM

Cool. The exact description was "muscular dude, maybe 40ish, looked seriously hard." Based on that, I thought maybe it was you.

If you're through again in the next 7 weeks or so, holler at me.

mperlberg

Mar 12, 2011 at 03:41 PM

I think I had a lion sighting in Austin Texas.

Marc Bertucco

Mar 12, 2011 at 04:41 PM

That dude is everywhere. I'm pretty sure at least on of those sightings was CGI-ed.