Apr 05, 2019 at 03:30 PM
Racing hills is like going to the DMV for me, pure torchure. But I would be down to do a training ride for shits and giggles.
Bear Mountain Spring Classic
Apr 05, 2019 at 08:52 PM
Go with a group and hope it's raining. The big descent can be done at 50+mph in a big group and that might net you the former in the rain. But that's only a small part about what makes the course awesome.RobertPeras said:Racing hills is like going to the DMV for me, pure torchure. But I would be down to do a training ride for shits and giggles.
Apr 05, 2019 at 09:11 PM
So far, I am planning on racing.
Will likely head and do the race loop sometime soon, maybe even on a weekday, so far for me recon day is likely to be Tuesday April 23rd or Saturday April 27th.
Will likely head and do the race loop sometime soon, maybe even on a weekday, so far for me recon day is likely to be Tuesday April 23rd or Saturday April 27th.
Apr 05, 2019 at 09:23 PM
@AndrewJohnson had posted something about wanting to do a training/recon ride at Harriman. I'd be down with a training ride. April 27th sounds possible. Not sure about racing it this year.
Apr 06, 2019 at 12:40 AM
I can't race the Bear Mountain Spring Classic due to being in Italy riding on my vacation 
. I was even asked to officiate the race. However, I could do a ride up there (mine or other...) on the 27th. Only thing I was going to race PP the next day, so I might not have much gas left for PP. Hmmmm... If anyone wants to see the three lops I like do to, I can repost a link to the Google Earth file. In cleaning out my DropBox I might have deleted it the other week.
. I was even asked to officiate the race. However, I could do a ride up there (mine or other...) on the 27th. Only thing I was going to race PP the next day, so I might not have much gas left for PP. Hmmmm... If anyone wants to see the three lops I like do to, I can repost a link to the Google Earth file. In cleaning out my DropBox I might have deleted it the other week.
Apr 06, 2019 at 02:07 PM
to be clear, i will recce the race course and ride that course multiple times, i love the courses you proposed, Andrew, and feel free to ride them on the 27, but what i’m proposing is a bit different, would love to ride your loops another time. And yes, it will have an effect on the LC race, but will be fun to do both!
Apr 10, 2019 at 07:31 PM
Just signed up for the cat5 race. I have never been to Bear Mtn so a little recon definitely will help. Any good tips for the race?
Apr 10, 2019 at 07:38 PM
@cpulvidente Nice! It'll be good to have a teammate to race with.
Apr 10, 2019 at 09:16 PM
HOTNESS.cpulvidente said:Just signed up for the cat5 race. I have never been to Bear Mtn so a little recon definitely will help. Any good tips for the race?
Look up some of the reports and advice by just going back on this thread. I think JP has written some great bits over the years.
Some broad strokes:
- The race course is world class. This is a world championship level course.
- The Tiorati climb won't win the race but it will be race defining. You have to be in the front group at the top, each time, or forget your chances of placing.
- The last time I raced there, to be at the front, Tiorati took about 8 to 10 minutes at 4ish w/kg of the Cat 4 race
- The race starts with a looong descent, that turns 180 degree into Tiorati.
- Typically the first time down the descent is neutralized
- All times, including the first neutralized descent, because it turns right into the climb, you will want to be at the front
- This downhill is likely to be the fastest you'll go all season. Maybe ever.
- Shift into the small ring BEFORE you start braking and making the 180 turn. This will be a huge advantage, expect everyone around you to get it wrong.
- Towards the end of the downhill, you go thru a little bridge, this spot is perfect to start your setup for the turn. Once you are on the bridge, shift to the small ring, and then start braking, don't worry about going too slow.
- Be awesome. Hotness.
Apr 14, 2019 at 09:57 PM
Registered for cat 4
May 07, 2019 at 01:05 PM
Who has a car so we can chat strategy Sat morning for the drive up!?
May 07, 2019 at 07:02 PM
I have a zip car on reserve, and can take one rider.
I am racing the first wave at 7:45am.
But here's the unfortunate caveat: Need to be back in Brooklyn around noon, so planning to leave Harriman shortly after my race. Expecting my race to finish around 9:45 am. So it is possible I would have even left the venue before any other wave even starts.
If you are racing one of the early waves, let's drive together. Or if it is helpful to drive out with me, but return in some other way, let's discuss too.
I am racing the first wave at 7:45am.
But here's the unfortunate caveat: Need to be back in Brooklyn around noon, so planning to leave Harriman shortly after my race. Expecting my race to finish around 9:45 am. So it is possible I would have even left the venue before any other wave even starts.
If you are racing one of the early waves, let's drive together. Or if it is helpful to drive out with me, but return in some other way, let's discuss too.
May 07, 2019 at 07:38 PM
I'm going at the start of the first wave, 7:30am. Don't know if we could link up as my race is a lap longer, though I'm happy to meet people at the 125th street exit to the West Side Highway, or figure out the same for people coming up the East Side. Probably the 135th street exit for the Harlem River Drive.
May 08, 2019 at 10:17 AM
May 12, 2019 at 01:17 PM
Bear Mountain Spring Classic 2019 report:
- The last time I raced here was 2009. 10 Years!
- Masters Cat 4/5 45+ Field is maybe 40ish riders
- 3 Laps. Nice 50ish degrees. Windy AF
- Up Tiorati lap 1 is holly fuck hard. About 15 of us made the selection
- I stay on wheels for the rest of the lap but group is more active than I expected or would have liked
- Specially up the Lake Welch Parkway kicker (2 minutes at 6%) -- where 3 riders decide to go play for sprint points
- We'll catch them with 500 meters to go
- The downhill is shorter and easier than I remember, we'll reach about 48 mph today
- Up Tiorati lap 2... feels kinda awesome, even more than the effort, one can feel the speed. Climbing fast is the hotness
- Burning on that hotness, maybe I get a bit overconfident.
- 75% up the 2nd climb, I went straight from "I got this motherfuckers!" to "OMG BOOM. thanks everyone for coming to my funeral, I'm deeeeed. ok bye."
- Will ride the next lap and a bit basically by myself
- I'll see the front group one last time as I start the Lake Welch Parkway kicker, they are at the top -- 2~3 minutes gap. So close, yet so far...
- Still I try to keep good tempo, specially the last time up Tiorati, which is beautiful when you can breathe
- Once on Seven lakes, a Moto Official starts full on chatting with me "you were looking good, up there for a while... how you feeling? you know, there's a group of about 10, some 30 seconds behind, you might have more fun riding with them..."
- "But, wait, are they in my category?" "yes, yes, they are all 200s like you"
- Sure enough, with about 10km to go, a group catches me
- Shit, now all these fuckers are going to outsprint me at the finish
- Try to keep my composure, and stay on wheels at the front
- We hit the Lake Welch Parkway kicker, two riders attack it, I go with them
- I give myself permission to go hard
- One rider quickly drops
- I tell the other guy "We got a gap, we got a gap"
- Almost at the top of the kicker I realize I dropped him too, look back to see about a 15 seconds gap to the group
- 6 km, 8~9 minutes to go. ALL IN. FULL GAS.
- Pedal pedal pedal, I look back as the road tilts down, they are closing in fast, maybe 9 seconds, fuuuuuuu
- But then the road tilts back up and I open the gap again
- I am full on deep red
- 2 km sign
- A few pedalstrokes later, tell myself what I often scream at the tv "mil quinientos metros, mi pana, vamos" "fifteen hundred meters, bud, c'mon!"
- Standing on the pedals and the legs scream back: WE GONNA CRAMP
- Stay on the saddle pedal pedal pedal, c'mon, c'mon
- 1 km sign
- 500 m
- 200 m
- Held them off!
- Good enough for 15 place
- Acknowledge the small victories, the indoor fireworks
- Riding the last few kilometers full on, and it working, was so much fun, surprisingly more emotional, harder, and infinitely more rewarding than I ever expected
- Ricky, Matt and Connor (who would eventually finish 6th!) look super good as their wave starts. JP also reports good times from the Masters open.
Let's go race bikes!
May 12, 2019 at 01:46 PM
Race Report:
I’ve ridden here a few times but it was my first time racing. The Cat5 race was neutralized pretty far into the first climb up Tiorati but once the Moto gave us the go ahead, the front started drilling it pretty hard. I was just off the back of the first group but the legs were screaming so I backed off into a second group.
This second group rode together for the rest of the first lap. We worked well together for the most part (there was one guy who refused to work or take a pull in front which was super annoying- more on that later). We stayed within eye sight of the front group but it didn’t seem like we were making up any time.
Once we we got to Tiorati the second time, I hung with this group for like half the climb and then just didn’t have it to keep up. I finished the climb and a group of 4 guys came up so I jumped on the wheels and we worked together for the rest of the lap until the feed zone when there were some attacks to try and make some gaps.
Last time up Tiorati my legs had enough of my shenanigans and just didn’t have the power. I survived the climb and rode with a guy for a bit picking off stragglers here and there. Eventually on the last bit of rollers who do I see but the guy who wouldn’t take his pulls back on lap one. At this point my sole goal was to just beat him. He stuck with us for a bit but then we opened a gap and left him behind. I came across the line pedaling hard (and I like to think with my dignity) and promptly had some of that non-alcoholic beer (followed by many regulars beers later in the day).
Overall though, really great race. It’s super humbling to think going in that your fitness level is good and then to see comparatively you have a long way to go. BUT It’s a long season and training picks back up tomorrow.
I’ve ridden here a few times but it was my first time racing. The Cat5 race was neutralized pretty far into the first climb up Tiorati but once the Moto gave us the go ahead, the front started drilling it pretty hard. I was just off the back of the first group but the legs were screaming so I backed off into a second group.
This second group rode together for the rest of the first lap. We worked well together for the most part (there was one guy who refused to work or take a pull in front which was super annoying- more on that later). We stayed within eye sight of the front group but it didn’t seem like we were making up any time.
Once we we got to Tiorati the second time, I hung with this group for like half the climb and then just didn’t have it to keep up. I finished the climb and a group of 4 guys came up so I jumped on the wheels and we worked together for the rest of the lap until the feed zone when there were some attacks to try and make some gaps.
Last time up Tiorati my legs had enough of my shenanigans and just didn’t have the power. I survived the climb and rode with a guy for a bit picking off stragglers here and there. Eventually on the last bit of rollers who do I see but the guy who wouldn’t take his pulls back on lap one. At this point my sole goal was to just beat him. He stuck with us for a bit but then we opened a gap and left him behind. I came across the line pedaling hard (and I like to think with my dignity) and promptly had some of that non-alcoholic beer (followed by many regulars beers later in the day).
Overall though, really great race. It’s super humbling to think going in that your fitness level is good and then to see comparatively you have a long way to go. BUT It’s a long season and training picks back up tomorrow.
May 13, 2019 at 12:45 AM
I had low hopes for this race. Masters 40/50/60+ I love the course and wanted to test my fitness, or find the lack thereof.
First time up the climb, I sat second or third wheel the whole way. The guy who was leading, Jerry Kapko, sounded as if he was ready to blow for the second half. And as I felt like I was rolling smoothly, I took that as a good sign.
the rest of the first lap, I was in great position, never out of the top ten, but keeping myself out of the wind. The heavy favorite, Eneas Freyre (ex-Kissena, ex-pro), made a few half-hearted attacks to see what the field would do, but it was no problem.
Second time up the hill, I think he threw down. I went backwards fast. Just didn't feel like I could dig deep. Kapko was a bit ahead of me, still sounding like he's about to blow.
I got into a chase group that was, well, chasing down what I'd guess was the lead group. We coalesced near the top of Tiorati, rode the rollers together and then onto 7 Lakes, could see them ahead of us. As usual, guys, even when the race is up the road, play cagey. I can't let it get to me, though it pisses me off. And, as we get closer, more skip pulls. Grrrrrr!
We are nearly there just before the turn onto Lake Welch Drive. I figured this group would be a bit smarter than in years past, but, no, as usual, the shirkers attack up the drag and gap me. I work with one guy to close the gap to the lead group, just the two of us, and we catch them at the finish line.
I prefer to descend at the front, so I immediately get to the front and lead the drop to the turn. But, once we start climbing, I'm cooked.
I climb solo, ride almost to the finish like solo, and get caught by a group of three about two kilometers before bell lap.
I lead the descent (it's a good feeling dropping riders who weigh 30 pounds more on a straight descent). But on the climb, I struggle. And one of the guys, the biggest, sees the leaders from another race come by, and he starts to ride with them! It sucks seeing a rider that much heavier ride away on the climb.
I solo to the finish. But, like eloy, a moto marshal comes up to me after the chase group for that other race comes by and says, "there's a group from your race about 30 seconds behind." Just 3k to go. I ride by that other race, stay in front of them until 300 to go. But I keep my race at bay.
17th in 2:54:07. Stephen Dioslaki wins the 50+. HAven't been able to find results other than the minimal on the sac site.
interestingly, last year, I was 13th in 2:54:52. Felt I was tired then. This year, I tried a mini-peak for it. Still don't have the depth to go hard up the hill more than twice.
the rest of the first lap, I was in great position, never out of the top ten, but keeping myself out of the wind. The heavy favorite, Eneas Freyre (ex-Kissena, ex-pro), made a few half-hearted attacks to see what the field would do, but it was no problem.
Second time up the hill, I think he threw down. I went backwards fast. Just didn't feel like I could dig deep. Kapko was a bit ahead of me, still sounding like he's about to blow.
I got into a chase group that was, well, chasing down what I'd guess was the lead group. We coalesced near the top of Tiorati, rode the rollers together and then onto 7 Lakes, could see them ahead of us. As usual, guys, even when the race is up the road, play cagey. I can't let it get to me, though it pisses me off. And, as we get closer, more skip pulls. Grrrrrr!
We are nearly there just before the turn onto Lake Welch Drive. I figured this group would be a bit smarter than in years past, but, no, as usual, the shirkers attack up the drag and gap me. I work with one guy to close the gap to the lead group, just the two of us, and we catch them at the finish line.
I prefer to descend at the front, so I immediately get to the front and lead the drop to the turn. But, once we start climbing, I'm cooked.
I climb solo, ride almost to the finish like solo, and get caught by a group of three about two kilometers before bell lap.
I lead the descent (it's a good feeling dropping riders who weigh 30 pounds more on a straight descent). But on the climb, I struggle. And one of the guys, the biggest, sees the leaders from another race come by, and he starts to ride with them! It sucks seeing a rider that much heavier ride away on the climb.
I solo to the finish. But, like eloy, a moto marshal comes up to me after the chase group for that other race comes by and says, "there's a group from your race about 30 seconds behind." Just 3k to go. I ride by that other race, stay in front of them until 300 to go. But I keep my race at bay.
17th in 2:54:07. Stephen Dioslaki wins the 50+. HAven't been able to find results other than the minimal on the sac site.
interestingly, last year, I was 13th in 2:54:52. Felt I was tired then. This year, I tried a mini-peak for it. Still don't have the depth to go hard up the hill more than twice.
May 13, 2019 at 01:20 AM
1st time at Bear Mtn for the Cat5. I had the goal of just smashing the hills and having fun.
After the neutralized start, I made the front pack and hung around first lap trying to do as little work as I could. Got to the downhill and was in pretty decent position. I switched into the low gear before the turn, thanks Eloy for those words of wisdom, and passed a bunch of dudes geared out. At about 1k to go for the KOM, I made a hard move and broke away from the group. I just kept hammer and I mustve have opened a big gap since nobody was around at the checkpoint.
Let the group pull back up, and worked with everyone till the bottom of the next hill. Pushed the pace as hard as I could, but at 1k I still had a guy with me, where I kept the gas up. He ultimately passed me in the last 100m for the second KOM.
The group caught back up and we kept going, but when It came to the sprint, I tried to get away on the last up hill before the last downhill. The group was able to outsprint me, my weakness if anyone has tips let me know, and I settled in for a hard 6th.
2nd overall in the KOM was pretty tasty, had a ton of fun, and the road race scene was better than 17miles in the park.
After the neutralized start, I made the front pack and hung around first lap trying to do as little work as I could. Got to the downhill and was in pretty decent position. I switched into the low gear before the turn, thanks Eloy for those words of wisdom, and passed a bunch of dudes geared out. At about 1k to go for the KOM, I made a hard move and broke away from the group. I just kept hammer and I mustve have opened a big gap since nobody was around at the checkpoint.
Let the group pull back up, and worked with everyone till the bottom of the next hill. Pushed the pace as hard as I could, but at 1k I still had a guy with me, where I kept the gas up. He ultimately passed me in the last 100m for the second KOM.
The group caught back up and we kept going, but when It came to the sprint, I tried to get away on the last up hill before the last downhill. The group was able to outsprint me, my weakness if anyone has tips let me know, and I settled in for a hard 6th.
2nd overall in the KOM was pretty tasty, had a ton of fun, and the road race scene was better than 17miles in the park.
May 13, 2019 at 01:59 AM
Spicy results guys!
Mar 14, 2022 at 01:11 PM
Mar 14, 2022 at 01:23 PM
Mar 14, 2022 at 01:54 PM
Finalizing mothers day plans, but likely in to suffer to death in the 4s
Mar 24, 2022 at 03:44 PM
Officially in for the 4s- come race bikes with friends!
Mar 25, 2022 at 11:01 PM
I might do the masters 35-44 field even though I'm severely out of shape and will get dropped on the first incline. If anyone else is thinking of doing the masters fields, they all start around the same time so good opportunity to carpool...
Apr 01, 2022 at 08:45 PM
I plan to sign up for the masters 45-54 field. Let's get a ride going in Harriman sometime in April.David Yang said:I might do the masters 35-44 field even though I'm severely out of shape and will get dropped on the first incline. If anyone else is thinking of doing the masters fields, they all start around the same time so good opportunity to carpool...
Apr 03, 2022 at 05:40 PM
Awesome, done, I'm registered for masters 35-44.
Apr 03, 2022 at 10:47 PM
I had wanted to do well in the 45-54 field. Now hoping just to start.
Apr 25, 2022 at 01:23 AM
just registered for the 4's @Matt Budofsky ready for the sufferfest..
Apr 25, 2022 at 02:01 PM
yessssssss let the suffering commence!
May 06, 2022 at 12:08 PM
looks like we have some rain on the forecast. Any tips for racing in the rain?