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General Category >> Upcoming Rides >> Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Trials?
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Message started by AustinSkater on Aug 22^nd, 2013, 2:27pm

Title: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Trials?
Post by AustinSkater on Aug 22^nd, 2013, 2:27pm

I got an email from the director of the Texas Time Trials (Sept 19 -21 in Glen Rose) http://www.tt24tt.com/

Currently for "The Tejas 500" there are no females, no female teams, no 3 person teams, no tandems, or tandem teams, entered.
The Tejas 500 is the UMCA World Championship one solo male and female will earn the right to wear "The UMCA World Championship 500 mile Jersey".
Currently for "The Iron Butt 24 hour race", there are No tandems or tandem teams, no female bents, no 3 person female teams, or 3 person mixed teams, and no 4 person male teams, entered.
Currently for "The Tin Butt 12 hour race", there are no solo bent racers, no 3 person female or mixed teams, and no tandems or tandem teams, entered.
Currently for "The 6 hour Shoot Out" we have no male or female bent, no two person female team, entered.
Currently for the "Sprint" we have no male or female bent, no female or male tandem, or a 2 person female or mixed team, entered.

The 500 miles is being raced by Ted Edinger from Louisiana, and DJ is coming in from The Woodlands to race the 24 hour but that's it. Of course, there will be three racers known for 'bents out there, but it looks like all of us will be riding "upwrong" bikes.

So, why aren't any of the local 'bents racing this one?

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by Phantom Rider on Aug 22^nd, 2013, 2:49pm

i received that as well and was to see "NO BENTS", maybe a trip to Glen Rose is in store for me.

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by johnnybent on Aug 22^nd, 2013, 3:42pm

Could the entry fee be a factor?

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by shellbear on Aug 22^nd, 2013, 4:47pm

johnnybent wrote:

Could the entry fee be a factor?

I'll say! WOW those are steep.

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by Phantom Rider on Aug 22^nd, 2013, 5:23pm

shellbear wrote:

[quote author=johnnybent link=1377199668/0#2 date=1377204153]Could the entry fee be a factor?

I'll say! WOW those are steep.[/quote]

Uh Oh, i never looked at them........maybe not

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by AustinSkater on Aug 22^nd, 2013, 6:09pm

johnnybent wrote:

Could the entry fee be a factor?

You may have a point there, but as a DFW based racer I don't see that as a super high fee, considering I can race the 6-Hour without having to pay for a hotel room. All the other 6 hour races in Texas I have to add that cost in (other than Palo Duro Canyon where we had a tent), as well as gas. I guess it's what you're used to.

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by Action Lad on Aug 22^nd, 2013, 9:13pm

All endurance races, as usual. No sprints. It's a cruel world, designed for the slow of twitch. [smiley=headbang.gif]

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by Phantom Rider on Aug 22^nd, 2013, 9:20pm

Action Lad wrote:

All endurance races, as usual. No sprints. It's a cruel world, designed for the slow of twitch. [smiley=headbang.gif]

thought I saw a 26 mile sprint on there...

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Aug 22^nd, 2013, 9:30pm

The TTTT is definitely pricier than your typical rally, but it's a unique experience for the money, and it goes to a good cause. Unfortunately, being an endurance race on a fairly tough course is also a semi-deterrent -- most riders probably don't feel up to it (Hell, I don't think I'M in good enough shape, not having done Rando rides at all this year). However, in my case, I'm going to be in Kansas for the RANS rally that weekend...

Doing the 12-hour as a two-person team is actually a very doable thing, considering you get 90 minutes or so between laps to recuperate. And all finishers get a pretty cool trophy, too... I would definitely encourage some folks to put some pairs together!

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by shellenefoster on Aug 23^rd, 2013, 8:36am

I don't mind the race fee, but I do want to be in better shape before I pay the race fee. I want to ride at least 100 miles for that price (not all of them have to count toward the finishing mileage though). Maybe next year.... (besides, I might be able to get my dad out kayaking that day)
Shellene

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by Monkeywrangler22 on Aug 23^rd, 2013, 9:05am

With the high cost of entering, Dave and I will have to plan something like this into next year's budget. But if we do, look for us possibly on a mixed tandem for 6 or 12hr.

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by rmillay on Aug 23^rd, 2013, 3:20pm

Go for it! I would say it's a lark only for the well prepared. And, since it is a race, you don't want to stagger away thinking "Gee, I wish I had done a lot more mileage before doing this! Maybe I coulda been a contender!"

I've volunteered to help there for five years, and Dan always picks a couple of volunteers to do the 'sprint', fees waived. That's how I copped the trike record. [smiley=cheesy.gif]

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by Action Lad on Aug 23^rd, 2013, 8:40pm

Phantom Rider wrote:

[quote author=Action Lad link=1377199668/0#6 date=1377224037]All endurance races, as usual. No sprints. It's a cruel world, designed for the slow of twitch. [smiley=headbang.gif]

thought I saw a 26 mile sprint on there...[/quote]
Phantom Rider,
Thanks for your submission, but what I'm talking about is a heads up drag race. 50 yards/meters, 100 yards/meters, or even something like the Wolfpack Hustle, which is 1,000 feet, but that really starts to become an endurance race. The nice thing about that distance is you have a chance to progress through your gears. Though there, fixies and single speed bikes are pretty popular. But the paucity of sanctioned drag races means it never comes into the thinking of most cyclists. It's a shame, but that's the world at present.
The Wolfpack Hustle Drag Race in Los Angeles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZdTgwT0rX8 One caveat: the accompanying music's lyrics are filthy.

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by Phantom Rider on Aug 23^rd, 2013, 8:57pm

Action Lad wrote:

[quote author=Phantom Rider link=1377199668/0#7 date=1377224431][quote author=Action Lad link=1377199668/0#6 date=1377224037]All endurance races, as usual. No sprints. It's a cruel world, designed for the slow of twitch. [smiley=headbang.gif]

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by Action Lad on Aug 23^rd, 2013, 9:59pm

Phantom Rider wrote:

[quote author=Action Lad link=1377199668/0#12 date=1377308415][quote author=Phantom Rider link=1377199668/0#7 date=1377224431][quote author=Action Lad link=1377199668/0#6 date=1377224037]All endurance races, as usual. No sprints. It's a cruel world, designed for the slow of twitch. [smiley=headbang.gif]

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by AustinSkater on Aug 26^th, 2013, 5:51am

Action Lad wrote:

... but what I'm talking about is a heads up drag race. 50 yards/meters, 100 yards/meters, or even something like the Wolfpack Hustle, which is 1,000 feet, but that really starts to become an endurance race.

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by goatstick on Aug 26^th, 2013, 6:08pm

AustinSkater wrote:

So, why aren't any of the local 'bents racing this one?

I really enjoyed doing TTTT with Greg a few years ago. Except for that poor stretch of chipseal. After watching txdot intentionally destroying perfectly good roads and intentionally destroying popular cycling routes because "We don't think cyclists ought to be on our roads" and noone else appearing to be interested in doing anything about it I decided not to do any more races that used such roads.

And I accidentally did another one this past weekend at the Mid-Atlantic in North Carolina. It had a deceptively bad stretch of something like chipseal that was actually pretty fast but ended up bruising my heels and outer foot bones because my feet were getting hammered around inside of my shoes!
I had 259 miles at 12 hours but was only able to complete 4 more laps due to the intense pain I was having to deal with. Racing on these roads is not fun (if you can call a 24 hr race fun) and I'm not doing that race again either. Getting sore and grumpy in my old age. :^)

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by AustinSkater on Aug 26^th, 2013, 6:17pm

goatstick wrote:

Getting sore and grumpy in my old age. :^)

Too easy Kent, just too easy.

I actually have learned to love Texas Chip Seal (not the Boulder Seal that they use occasionally) just by taking up mountain biking, but I do hear you. Having raced a 24 hour inline on the Montreal F1 track I know how nice a road surface should be.

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by Monkeywrangler22 on Aug 27^th, 2013, 3:49pm

AustinSkater wrote:

[quote author=Action Lad link=1377199668/0#12 date=1377308415]
... but what I'm talking about is a heads up drag race. 50 yards/meters, 100 yards/meters, or even something like the Wolfpack Hustle, which is 1,000 feet, but that really starts to become an endurance race.

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by AustinSkater on Aug 27^th, 2013, 4:01pm

Monkeywrangler22 wrote:

Hey Key, I know just the stretch of abandoned road you would need! It's near by, in McKInney proper.
[/quote]

Set it up, post the date/time and (unless I'm racing elsewhere) I'll show up. Give you fast-twitchers a good laugh at how badly I sprint (the last time I sprinted I came in second to last, and the race organizer let me get a 10' flying start before I even hit the timing line).

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by Action Lad on Aug 27^th, 2013, 8:32pm

Monkeywrangler22 wrote:

[quote author=AustinSkater link=1377199668/15#15 date=1377514272][quote author=Action Lad link=1377199668/0#12 date=1377308415]
... but what I'm talking about is a heads up drag race. 50 yards/meters, 100 yards/meters, or even something like the Wolfpack Hustle, which is 1,000 feet, but that really starts to become an endurance race.

That should be easy to set up, just find a nice straight low traffic road, mark the start/finish line and let folks know when/where. The first few times it might be 1 or 2 other folks, but after a while others would start to show, especially if you market it correctly.

/am I allowed to threadjack my own thread?[/quote]

Hey Key, I know just the stretch of abandoned road you would need! It's near by, in McKInney proper.
[/quote]
Oh, Vic, please post where this is. I'd love to check it out! Of course, it's the end of the performance riding season for me, so my own speeds will be lower, but I will keep the place in mind for next season. I also have a local hill that I think I can hit 50 mph on. It's near the courthouse. I've already hit 45 mph on it, on a circa 45 lb trike, (wing was attached then): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr7T6IWw_UQ

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by Monkeywrangler22 on Aug 28^th, 2013, 7:14am

It's the very bottom end (new) of the Winniford Park MUP. Go under FM720, and continue south on the new MUP section, past the grade school, all the way to the south end. You will run out of MUP at the dead end bridge. The section of road is there. The bridge is closed on the west end, and the big plastic barricade is on the east end around 200yds east I would guess. Road surface is in good condition but could probably stand being swept if you plan to race on it.

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Aug 28^th, 2013, 12:21pm

The service road of the Dubya Tollway near me is a nice 2-mile hairpin section -- unfortunately, it's downhill to the lake, then back uphill...

http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae256/pbrown8js/svcroad.jpg (http://s977.photobucket.com/user/pbrown8js/media/svcroad.jpg.html)

Next time I have a gathering out here, maybe we'll do downhill sprints, then just climb back up at your own pace...

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by AustinSkater on Aug 28^th, 2013, 12:47pm

FlyingLaZBoy wrote:

The service road of the Dubya Tollway near me is a nice 2-mile hairpin section -- unfortunately, it's downhill to the lake, then back uphill...

Next time I have a gathering out here, maybe we'll do uphill sprints, and just ride down at your own pace...

I like that stretch of road. Here is an interesting note, if you drive SB over on GWB there is a sign at the access point onto the GWB stating (among other things) "no bicycles". That sign does not exist if you take the I-30 frontage road to NB GWB and cross the lake. (Not that I want to become a hood ornament or anything).

Title: Re: Where have all the 'bents gone: Texas Time Tri
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Aug 28^th, 2013, 12:50pm

AustinSkater wrote:

Interesting observation!!! Granted, somebody sees you with the cameras they have on the bridge, but if there's no sign... [smiley=laugh.gif]