I am hoping to make it out tomorrow, but there's a chance I might not make it.

If I am not there, please people: TAKE PICTURES.

actually, even if I am there, please people: TAKE PICTURES. 

thanks!

Worth the time it takes to watch - how to race in prospect park

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vQgYqWsygI

@JohnMalcolmson thanks for putting this together. I’ll see you guys by the GWB at 9 AM.

@JohnMalcolmson  

I was just talking about bumping drills at the Tactics Talk!  

For those who are wondering, bike racing is like basketball.  Both are nominally 'non contact'.  Mistakes happen; you want to be able to bounce off someone or have someone bounce off of you without freaking out.

Bump.

I am hearing that some are concerned that this clinic might hurt legs prior to Sunday's L&C. Don't be. We'll be taking it tranquillo on the way up and back and workshop is 60 minutes, with a few 3-5 minute efforts and good rests in between, so it'll be perfect openers for Sunday. Plus, if we get a few Cat 4s we can get a sense of what will work team tactics wise.

If you're thinking "what the hell are openers?". Openers are to prepare your mind and body day before race. Basically you do a slice of the kind of efforts you will do during the race, but with lower power and higher cadence (esp for 20 sec sprints) and big recovery after efforts. 

Geeze, some of you guys need to learn how to smile 

We’re all trying to smile, our faces froze that way.

Crossposting: Monday 7/29 6:00am - 7:00am (Meet at GAP) Skills workshop with Jim Nelson — topics flexible, but right now skills covered will be: bumping, pack safety/position, anti-crash skills (braking, bunny hop etc).

JohnMalcolmson said:

Crossposting: Monday 7/29 6:00am - 7:00am (Meet at GAP) Skills workshop with Jim Nelson — topics flexible, but right now skills covered will be: bumping, pack safety/position, anti-crash skills (braking, bunny hop etc).

Jim led an excellent workshop this morning.  Lots of useful skills were learned. Thanks Jim!

Thank you Jim, Thank you @RichPolk. We bumped, we crossed-wheeled and jumped like bunnies! I also used the climbing position you taught us and broke my personal record on the park's hill! Great session, we should do more of these. Thank you @jim_nelson! 

Bummed I missed this (totally slept through my alarm). Any chance there is going to be another workshop soon?

Matt Budofsky said:

Bummed I missed this (totally slept through my alarm). Any chance there is going to be another workshop soon?

Can't speak for jim, but I'd think that if you want to try a little bumping and grinding and checking, it can be done on pretty much any ride.  

The only thing is this Sunday has showers forecast in morning. Following weekend crappy both days with snow possible.

I can do any evening after 4pm, I work till 3pm and i ride to work anyway so can meet anywhere straight from there. I dont know how Dan feels about rain but it doesn't bother me.(irish upbringing).

Saturdays ,3PM  finish , construction i'm guessing 

Rain doesn't scare me, haha, but rain and winter temps might not be my favorite. 

Sorry guys. I'm doing a Thanksgiving at my parents out on LI this weekend, so if anything it would have to be the weekend after. Maybe the forecast will change. The 10 day forecast is never that accurate, in my experience anyways.

ShaneMurphy said:

Is that you getting ready to do CX drills on the job site?

hahaha , Ill try build an OSHA approved course one day

Try for next weekend then. Not up for getting wet/freezing unless ride terminates at dinosaur BBQ.

Sounds good to me

For those hunkering for a basic skills session:
This Saturday the 8th, meet 8am BB/9am GW and we'll ride to Rockleigh for:

• Bumping
• Bottle handling tips
• Bunnyhops
• Cornering
• Dressing & undressing on the bike
• Trackstands
• Hotlaps 
• Braking
  
• Protecting yourself in a race
• Sprints

After we can go for coffee at Market or Piermont or break off for some hills. 

Also “Hankering” :^)

Ok folks.  It's almost racing time.  That means it's time to sharpen our skills.  

Sunday, March 5th, we'll be having a Skills N Drills ride.  This is a ride to help us all practice those little riding skills that can come in handy when in a race.  Think grabbing a drink while in the pack, taking those sharp corners at Randall's Island, bumping shoulder in a bunch sprint or just holding a wheel.

We'll be heading over to NJ, (likely Rockleigh or Englewood) where we'll work on these skills:

• Starts
• Pacelining
• Bumping
• Bottle handling tips
• Bunny hops
• Cornering
• Dressing & undressing on the bike
• Trackstands
• Hotlaps 
• Braking
  
• Protecting yourself in a race
• Sprints

8am @ Brooklyn Bridge.
9am @ GWB.

PS. If you're able to get a race in before this ride, that is a great way to find what you need to work on the most.

PPS. There are races at Branchbrook on March 4th and Randall's Island on February 26th and March 4th. Just sayin'.  

Friendly reminder that we are having our first Skills and Drills clinic this Sunday, March 5th.  

Brooklyn Bridge @ 8am
GWB @ 9am

Even if you aren't planning to race, this is a great opportunity to practice your bike handling, group riding, and other bike skills.  

We had a decent turnout for the ride.  (hoping Eloy and Alexander will share/post pics)

We started by taking a bunch of corners in Englewood Cliffs.  Then did a fast, curvy descent in what I think is Tenafly.  We then went to a school and worked on cornering around bottles in a parking lot, emergency braking, and throwing shoulders and elbows and riding into each other.  We finished with more corners, some climbing, more corners, more climbing, and a pace line on 9W.

I feel I didn't articulate well the form people should employ while cornering.  

Here's some more advice:

* Have your body weight more on the outside arm and leg.  I find that I even bend my outside elbow more than my inside elbow.

* I feel that lowering one's center of gravity helps with stability and getting around turns fast.  I try to lower my torso by pivoting at the hips, have my elbows bent, my wrists in a "neutral" position ( meaning the wrist has room to flex in all directions).  The more I want to lower my torso, the more I feel it's important to be on the drops.

* the lowering of one's body weight has, in my opinion, another effect.  It puts more weight on the front wheel, which is a good thing for traction.  When I have time to set up for crit corners, I seem to move my body weight a bit forward entering the turn and then shift back a bit going through the turn.  

* Another thing I try to do is make sure my body is in a position to deal with a sudden bump or pothole.  Part of that is having bent elbows.  Another is shifting my hips a bit so that even at the bottom of the outside pedal stroke, my knee is still bent a bit.  

* Tilting one's head a bit can help both in the corner and coming out of it.  one should not only try to keep one's head as perpendicular to the road as possible, but also look to where one is going next.  The orientation of one's head vis a vis the ground helps keep one's balance.  


In retrospect, I should have moved the bottles a few feet toward the middle before we finished.  That would have made for a different approach and thus worked on different skills.  We did a climb in McMansion land that in retrospect would have been good to descend.  Next time.

HEre's the ride file.  https://www.strava.com/activities/8671636280

LEt's get our crit on.