NYCMTB.com

Viking · GE Joined: 19 May 2008 Posts: 333 Location: LIC

Upgrade for 2010 requested and approved. License purchased. All I have to do now is replace the current brewed carbo intake for some sustained energy and start getting up at six am on weekends instead of stumbling home at that time. Should be fun though!

Singlespeed expert/pro men open top
Charles Beal Singular Cycles
Blake Bricker Mason Dixon Velo/Team Cycle Works
Sean Cavanaugh Bethel Cycle/ United Health Care
Karl Faruzel Team Scarr Ommegang/Soul Cycles
Roger Foco Vicious Cycles Factory Team
Thor God Of Thunder Independent Fabrication/Dark Horse Cycles
Edward Haack CycleCraft Racing Team
Daniel Ingerdal NYCMTB-Peak Bikes
Walker William Jackson Bicycle Tech, Lincoln Park, NJ
Mike Montalbano Dark Horse Cycles
Joseph Petrarca Team Marty's / Team No Tights
Stanley Skotnicki Unattached
David Yacobelli NoTubes.com/ Chenango Point Cycles

jbogner · Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 7:45 am Post subject:

That is a monster field. Way to step up Daniel!
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rossp · Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 8:34 pm Post subject:

Racing against "Thor God of Thunder"!!! Nice!!
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fat chance · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 3:33 pm Post subject:

Nice Dan!
Way to honor the race and step up into the line of fire- NO ONE will ever say you are a sandbagger for jumping up into that fray.

I have a feeling you are going to surprise yourself to the upside.

I cant wait for the SS-poor-losa- just need to build a special one day race bike like I did last year for the special day....Probably big wheels again.

<a> Green goodness....

Ahab · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:20 pm Post subject:

2omega9 · Joined: 27 Apr 2009 Posts: 49

Add me to that list. I just haven't signed up yet.
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maddawg · Joined: 04 Feb 2008 Posts: 48

less than 30 spots left!!!

don't get left out!

GfromNY · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 1:36 pm Post subject:

I'm in! Signed up just in time as it's now sold out.

Viking · GE Joined: 19 May 2008 Posts: 333 Location: LIC

race course anyone?

http://darkhorse40.blogspot.com/2010/04/course-map.html

adkrop · Team NYCMTB-Peak BIkes Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 170

Converted my hardtail to a ss last week. I'm currently running a 32x19 ratio. Seemed somewhat light in a spin around the city and HB yesterday.

Question: anyone preride the course yet? Georges, it sounded like you were out there...any recommendations on a ratio? Looks like the thread from the 2009 SSP says that 32x18 is the way to go. Should I drop it down to a 32x18? If it stays dry, I was thinking of throwing on the 18t. But if it gets wet, then I might just stick with the 19t. Thoughts?

nkrax · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 2:21 pm Post subject:

Adam,

I'm not sure, but I assume that the gearing chatter from last year was about guys on 29ers. Can anyone confirm?
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6thElement · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 2:34 pm Post subject:

I think the 29ers are riding 32/18.
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GfromNY · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 2:40 pm Post subject:

So, I rode a 32 X 20 on my Niner last year, but I'm not used to singlespeeding. I'm thinking of going with a 32 X 19 this year (also on a 29er).

fat chance · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 2:59 pm Post subject:

I did indeed do a recon of the course- KICKING. Typical stewart- fast, flowing with punchy climbs thrown in.
I would say use the same gear you would use at the DH40- unless you felt like you had some in the tank at the end of the race- then gear down.

The race is a little longer than last year though- BUT there is no "big" climb that was included in the Gallop and the 40.

<a> Recon-palooza.

</a>

adkrop · Team NYCMTB-Peak BIkes Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 170

Forgive me, I'm an ss newbie. So, you're saying that 29er riders are going 32x18 or 32x19. Which means on my 26er, I should be running a gear on the bigger side, right? My limited physics knowledge tells me that if I have less rotational mass, I can probably turn a bigger gear, right (rider ability held constant)? Or am I off here, since I'm not accounting for the better momentum characteristics on a 29er?

The takeaway I'm getting is that I should run at least a 32x18, if not bigger on my 26er. Correct me if I'm wrong.

6thElement · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:36 pm Post subject:

Correct Adam, if the 29er's are riding 32/18 it's probably about the same as 32/16 on a 26er. So as you're new to SS 32/18 might be a better compromise.
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Viking · GE Joined: 19 May 2008 Posts: 333 Location: LIC

I had the craziest two weeks at work and it will continue over the weekend so I've decided to not do the SS-a-polooza race. It's a bummer, but I have a feeling I will end up in a tree IF I find the time to go.

Someone already scalped my spot so please don't make any offers.

Good luck to all of you that are going! Especially Adam dipping his toes in the SS Arena Wink

nkrax · Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2010 9:15 am Post subject:

SPOT for SALE.

I too have purchased a spot in the race but am not able to make it. PM me if you are interested in purchasing my spot...$32.80 please.
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GfromNY · Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 9:08 pm Post subject:

fat chance · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 1:52 pm Post subject:

I call this controlling the field.
<a> Control the pack.

</a>

Ended up bagging the race- did not feel right and I was having a little remorse not racing because it looked fun. I ended up taking a few pictures instead and cheering on the racers. Not a bad way to spend the morning.

Great job to all the racers.....maybe Adam will be converting to SS....

GfromNY · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 2:15 pm Post subject:

fat chance · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 2:53 pm Post subject:

I think I was...let me get through all the pictures and I will post it up. You seemed to be doing well. You were in more control that allot of guys who came through.
<a> Mashing it.

</a>

jbogner · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:14 pm Post subject:

Wait, did I just see a results sheet with Viking at 17th overall in OPEN MEN, and GfromNY two spots behind him in the same class? How many of the 60 signed up for that class actually showed to race (I saw Doug "Omega29" Jenne at 25th, but didn't see the second sheet)? Nice results guys!
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"Ugly or pretty, it's still my city.
Make up your mind and get in or get out!"

GfromNY · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 5:24 pm Post subject: Race Re-Cap

Race Re-Cap:

So, it was wet. And muddy. And not entirely dissimilar to last year's Darkhorse Gallup, come to think of it - though there was less standing water in general. This was going to be my 2nd Cat 1 race since moving up a week ago and only my 2nd singlespeed race ever (my first was last year's SS-Apalooza). Considering the weather, the turnout seemed fairly high, as evidenced by the fact that I had to park pretty close to the paved road and walk what seemed like 2 miles to get to the registration tent (it was set up ridiculously far into the Stewart woods this year. Seriously).

I lined up in the Open Category with Adam and had seen Stephane and Georges on the way to the start, though Georges was sitting this one out to spectate and take pics. Also lining up with us was my friend Alex (who rides for Bikeman.com), a guy with whom I ride pretty much every single weekend during the off-season and who is in his second season of racing Cat 1. I was running a 32 X 20 gear on my IF 29er, which is a pretty small gear in comparison to most, but I'm not used to riding singlespeed and the same ratio worked out well for me last year.

Right before the start, they called up the top 10 finishers from last year, including last year's winner, Mike Montalbano. Out of the gates, I attempted to assume a spot somewhere in the middle of the 53-man group, though it was pretty damn hard to tell exactly how many riders were behind and ahead of me. The pace was quick right from start, but not so much that I wasn't able to hang on. I even managed to pass several riders about 10 minutes in and by that point I had moved up a couple of spots ahead of my friend Alex (although I was sure I could not beat him in a Cat 1 race, I was hoping to mess with him a little bit in the first lap and put some fear into his head, knowing that his superior endurance would eventually put him ahead of me).

The trails were as muddy as I expected, and you had to stay on your toes through some of the fast turns and over the extremely slick roots. The descent on Major Mike's was of course particularly challenging, as it is off-camber in many spots and seemed to be particularly greasy today. As is always the case, the singletrack at Stewart was fast and flowy, and just for fun, the course actually entered into an abandoned building this year, which added a surreal but very cool element to the race. Also new was a section where riders had to walk up a dozen or so concrete steps, all the while being watched by a cutout of Homer Simpson off to the side. Hilarious... Once again an amazing job by the Darkhorse guys!

I felt pretty good and the legs were cooperating. I managed to pass a few riders throughout the race, trading back and forth with a couple of guys here and there. In the end though, I was able to catch and pass every rider that had passed me - and I even managed to hold off my buddy Alex for the entire race! I somehow never bonked and in the end truly enjoyed myself out there.

I literally had no idea how I'd done at the end, and assumed that I was somewhere towards to the top of the bottom 3rd. As it turns out, I finished 19th (out of 53 - if you include the 3 DNFs) with a time of 2:11:52. I'm pretty happy and surprised with that result and am feeling optimistic about the rest of the upcoming season.

Results:

Adam: Open - 38th
Stephane: Sport - 9th
Me: Open - 19th

I don't think that Daniel was racing (though his name is on the results), unless I'm losing my mind and somehow never saw him. Viking, what's up, did you sneak in last minute? If so, awesome job! Shocked

Great job to everyone who I saw out there, hardcore conditions! Looking forward to seeing you all in the upcoming races...

Edit: Looks like results have been posted (damn, that's fast!):
http://www.darkhorsecycles.com/race-rumblings/82-singlespeed-2010.html

Viking · GE Joined: 19 May 2008 Posts: 333 Location: LIC

Thanks for believing that I actually could pull of a 17th finish in that field.

Unfortunately it was not me, an to me unknown rider took my spot and apparently did a good job. If I go to a race I have a policy of at least saying hi to my team mates Wink

Looks like a fun and muddy one. Great job guys!