Comments on: Rebecca’s Private Idaho, Part 3: Bolo Ties

By: Tes

Tes — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 06:02:03 +0000

Yaz! Love! Would love to see the whole playlist- always looking for new compilations for riding.

By: Franky

Franky — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 17:49:26 +0000

Maybe the Hammer should consider wearing this instead. It will make it much easier to take care of “business”.

By: Tazzie C.

Tazzie C. — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 04:51:41 +0000

There may be no rules against but I think there’s a clear ethical difference between:

a) having someone enter an amateur individual race with the specific purpose of being your domestique
and
b) entering and riding the race solo – taking drafting opportunities as they arise along the way

Sure it’s within the rules, but I wouldn’t want my husband/boyfiend/partner/ whoever, towing me from start to finish when other girls (and my competitors) were out there doing it predominately on their own as they didn’t have such a convenient arrangement for themselves.

I know you didn’t do anything wrong and you were upset/confused by the (3rd?) place female’s loud complaints, however I can understand her point of view.

I wasn’t upset, nor was I confused. I understood her POV, but it was a ridiculous, mean, unsportswomanlike POV.

The way The Hammer and I raced wasn’t just not “doing anything wrong,” we were doing the race RIGHT.

This competitor had no ethical high ground, as you imply. She was complaining loudly about someone beating her using the same race strategy many other people were using. That might be understandable if she were not a cycling coach. She knows (or should know) how this sport works. If she chooses to TT the race, that’s fine. But she doesn’t get to complain about racers who use the strategic options available to them. Just as The Hammer and I could not complain about other racers using CX bikes while we had only MTBs. Just as I cannot complain when people ride geared bikes and pass me as I’m riding my single speed. We all know what our options are; we all make our decisions how we’re going to race. We don’t get to criticize those who don’t choose to restrict themselves — by equipment or team choice — to a slower race.

Furthermore, she was here last year and knew it’s a windy course. She knew what it was like and that it would be smarter to ride it with a group. And she was there with a group. In fact, she belongs to an organization that had a lot of people racing that day. If she didn’t have a group to ride with, that was either her choice (she wanted to ride alone) or a strategic error (she dropped the group, never organized her group into an effective paceline, or was otherwise separated from her group).

Finally, she essentially accused my wife of cheating. That’s poor sportswomanship, it’s petty, and it is not to be defended.

- FC

By: Amy T.

Amy T. — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 05:33:59 +0000

Fatty, thanks a lot for sucking my husband into yet another, “Must Ride” for the biking season. I would be really furious except that he so obviously loves it and it is so good for him. I’m glad you all had such a great time.

By: HyperSprite

HyperSprite — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 03:35:57 +0000

DaveT and DaveH,
I am on board to take my share of pulls at the front of the train next year.

By: Noodle

Noodle — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 16:25:10 +0000

We saw each other multiple times over the weekend, yet did not get a photo taken together. Was it because I didn’t wear my fat cyclist kit? Am I off the team?

(I’ve tried three times to submit this comment so all three may appear at once or maybe just this one. If it’s the three times, just read it with an echo echo echo)

Rescued from my overflowing spam folder!

I didn’t get any pictures of you because now you’re too famous and I was afraid to approach you and ask for an autograph / photo / lock of hair. – FC

By: owen

owen — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 16:11:23 +0000

you have to love competition – it brings out the best and worst in people sometimes. Great report and result!! I am liking that secret weapon idea.

By: Carl

Carl — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 02:54:44 +0000

The Hammer is amazing!

I know what you mean Fatty about the season winding down. But now that you and a lot of us don’t feel as compelled to get out every day, probably means that you should line up Beeminder again for us!

By: MattC

MattC — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 16:38:16 +0000

Great report Fatty…and well done to ALL Fatties who again represented our rather diverse family so well! I’m still chuckling at Reba berating Hammer for wearing bibs…makes good sense, but I still figured most pro women would still wear bibs, because, well…they’re bibs (and they’re cooler than shorts). Nice to know that common sense/race-tactics over-ride the cool factor for Reba.

By: Bee

Bee — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 12:03:07 +0000

Just getting curious… With all the races where you guys are tearing things up (which is super fun and I highly support going fast and kicking butt), do you guys ever have time to just noodle along and have a mellow ride, or to explore new trails or old faves just for the heck of it? Is there any such thing as a casual ride anymore for y’all?

I should do a post about how The Hammer and I train. We don’t do intervals, we don’t wear heart rate monitors, we don’t have target speed or pace. We just ride together several days a week. We rarely go slow, but we also rarely go all-out. I have fun every ride; it never feels like a chore.

All that said, with the season more or less behind us, I’m definitely feeling more inclined to slow down, stop more often, and take it easy, and I don’t feel as compelled to get out every day. – FC