is no one planning on doing a recon ride of the bear mountain classic course?

GiacomoVischi said:

anyone intesrested in taking the train up, riding 3/4 laps and riding back home? or viceversa...

Why not ride up with the group, do as many laps as you want and take the train back?

eloy said:

GiacomoVischi said:

anyone intesrested in taking the train up, riding 3/4 laps and riding back home? or viceversa...

Why not ride up with the group, do as many laps as you want and take the train back?

yes it seems the best solution to me

@Will Kalbacker Yeah, a number of us are going tomorrow, riding up there from NYC, doing a few laps of the course, and taking the train home. Usual time: 8am BB, 9am GWB. 

don't forget!

http://www.peekskillbrewery.com/

I'm in - see you guys at GWB

There is a running race at bear mountain today, for anyone who was planning on climbing it. 

edit: i'm not sure if it's actually on the road or not, might be a trail run.

Saw Sean's Strava file.  Looks like it was a great ride.

I was there until Rockland Lake. Up to that point the makings of a classic. 

Best. Kissena day. Ever. 

Totally agree. One of my favourite days on a bike ever. 

Idyllic day, the weather and scenery were off the charts — Clausland, WaterTower, Orchards, lap and a half of Bear, bomb down to Peekskill for beer then train back.

Looks like we have some real weapons for next weeks race (Sean set fastest time up Clausland this year). Exciting. 

The one part we need help with is strategy for the downhill sprint finish from a small group, can anyone with experience chime in on this? 

So good - great showing and amazing ride. Snapped a couple pics when I could:

Great ride. Bonka bonk bonk two miles from Peekskill. Coke to the rescue.

PS Riley just let me know the waitress at the brewery got confused and charged you guys for my bill again... sorting that out now.

So you rolled out together.  Clobbered each other on the climbs en route to Harriman, did a lap and a half race, then raced over the Bear Mtn bridge to Peekskill?

Saturday was fun. Wish I could have gone longer.

Hoverboard.

In leu of catching fire, hoping to catch a (car) ride. Any drivers have extra seats?

@Will Kalbacker I've re-read through the last page or so. Any spots left in your vehicle?

I'd need a ride, too.

Also, @mugwump mentioned cabins. Given that Cat 5 field rolls at 7:35 a.m., heading to the park on Saturday and sleeping nearby sounds nice. I did some research: the state park rents cabins on Lake Sebago. From there it's about 5 miles, net loss in elevation, along Seven Lakes Drive to the start line at Lake Welch. Sleeps six on cots, ~$80/night. The cabins are "rustic" or "primitive" depending on your taste for amenities. That's about as far as my research got before getting discouraged by the labyrinthine park website. If anyone has rented a cabin in the park before racing Bear, how do the logistics work? What are our options?

I'm racing in the 4's and have a
minivan with space for two extra bikes and five  seats available, race starts at 10 so I'll probably be leaving brooklyn around 7ish

thanks,Chaim 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRwna7hSo6Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8EekU06m2U
Don't think these are same finish line as this year.

Unless you can get away with an attack on the last climb (or it's crazy windy/wet) this race is usually a reduced bunch sprint. For the sprint you see everyone is seated sprinting and both times the winner jumps @ 250m and holds it. It's long, heavier/powerful guys and 53x11s will have advantage. Also being low like Caleb Ewan, is huge at 70kmh+ 

Can we start some race winning strategies discussion? We have multiple riders in fields, so we should get a team plan going. How about Giacomo as captain for the 5's, Sean for the 4's and Condon for the 3's?

You can wind back on this thread to find race reports and advice. JP can you chime in? Weather possibly rainy, how will that impact?

konrad said:

That was hard but also really fun. Vlad, Joe, and I lined up for the 3s. For most of the race I was trying to find my way to Joe, who kept great positioning. I would always get pushed toward the back on the big descent and make my way back to the front on the climbs. Didn't really matter, though, because. Some young gun on FGX won with a last lap solo move. Seriously impressive. I finished with the lead group, but since this was a downhill sprint again and I was in the middle of the pack as we crested the hill with 1k to go. Pack may not be the right word, as we were probably 25% of what we started with. I eased up and let them roll away. It ended up being a safe sprint, but I was a little spooked. (Okay, so maybe I'll be placed like 3 seconds after the group, but whatever.)

8.7/10 would race again.

^ The most likely mistakes you'll make.

i have 3 seats in my car total (when accommodating for bikes). I think Giacomo expressed interest in one of them. So, as long as our bike tetris skills are strong, that leaves 1 more seat leaving the upper west side early Sunday (I unfortunately can't leave Saturday night). @JamesShaw you're welcome to grab it if you like.

@Will Kalbacker That sounds good but I don't want to take a space that's needed by someone who has already signed up - @MaxThorn? Also @MaxThorn the hut idea sounds interesting. I got this far - http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/sebago-cabins-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NY&parkId=326#sr Not sure if that link will work or not though. 

Will Kalbacker said:

i have 3 seats in my car total (when accommodating for bikes). I think Giacomo expressed interest in one of them. So, as long as our bike tetris skills are strong, that leaves 1 more seat leaving the upper west side early Sunday (I unfortunately can't leave Saturday night). @JamesShaw you're welcome to grab it if you like.

I would take a spot if possible, yes thanks! 

@johnmalcolmson,
    I've never made it to the current finish in the lead group.  (cat 2 problems;))  That written, I have sprinted there and have ridden over 1,000 miles on the course.

The final road, from Lake Sebago Circle to lake Welch finish, is a hard slog and quite exposed to the wind.  You start with a hill that will certainly put even the strong riders on edge.  Weaker riders will have a hard time hanging on, or will yo-yo off the back.  Then, you have a dip and a false flat. to contend with.  Finally, when you cross over the bridge (for the road that goes between Kawanauke circle and Calls Hollow Road), you have some respite.  I think it's a bit over a K from there to the finish, flat, then downhill.

Try to conserve up the hill, unless you're strong enough to drop some riders and still carry on hard.  You don't want to go alone the rest of the way.  start moving up or maintaining position after the respite.  You want to be in good position once you go over the bridge.  It's long and straight and downhill, so the sprint will most likely not be explosive, but a wind-up.  And since you're going downhill, you'll need to start sprinting sooner than you would on the flat.  And, yes, it will be seated.

Other important points.

1. the u-turn at the bottom of the opening downhill.  Obviously, good position is important.  So, too is shifting into the small ring before you go around the turn.  Every year, people drop chains coming out of the turn.

2. you can get dropped on Tiorati Brook just by being in the wrong position.  Even if you're suffering, try to look ahead to make sure the person in front of you isn't blowing up.

3. When you reach the dam atop tiorati brook,the climb isn't over.  Don't expect the field to take a breath.  they might, but they might not.  The ensuing rollers aren't easy.

4. the feed zone last year was after Tiorati circle.  

5. If there's a place you can take it "easy" on the course, it's between the feed zone and the hill top halfway between Kawanauke circle and Sebago circle. 

@JamesShaw + whoever else wants to get there early for the fives, I still need to get up there too - I've got a zipcar account, we could split a car and drive up. DM me and we'll work out the details.

Big Chapeau to everyone lining up today.