^^Did you reverse that by mistake? Triathlons are always pass on the left, bike on the right. The same as if you're driving on a two lane road... pass on the left and stay in the right lane otherwise. I have never competed in a a triathlon were you were supposed to pass on the right. That's too dangerous, you would be at risk of being pushed off the road if the biker you are passing comes too close to you.

from the USAT website:

Quote :

"e. Passing. A participant who approaches another cyclist from the rear or from another unfavorable position bears primary responsibility for avoiding a position foul even if the cyclist being approached alters speed. A participant must not attempt to pass another cyclist unless adequate space is available and the athlete is confident of his/her ability to pass the other cyclist. All passing is to be done to the left of the cyclist being overtaken unless otherwise specified."

As for the pros/elite group starting last seems really stupid. I would be curious to know what their reasoning for that was.

[Edited on September 2, 2009 at 12:16 PM. Reason : .]

9/2/2009 12:05:57 PM

yeah, he reversed it by mistake I am sure. I read about it and some people are saying that is part of the reason why Potts wrecked because Chicago was Pass on the left

9/2/2009 12:09:21 PM

Quote :

"Where around Raleigh do people cycle on pavement? I mainly mountain bike but see the appeal in street bikes. However the thought of getting hit by a car and/or holding up traffic isn't very appealing to me."

repeated for page 9

9/2/2009 12:18:37 PM

Are you actually wanting to ride on streets or are you looking for pavement that isn't a road? If you want a cardio type ride that isn't single track then head over to Umstead. If you are looking for pavement, the only thing I'm aware of (not saying there isn't other stuff) is the greenway from the Art Museum towards Umstead but I haven't been on it and have no idea where it goes.

If Umstead is more hilly than you want to mess with, then the American Tobacco Trail is your ticket.

9/2/2009 12:32:46 PM

^^You're correct, the thought of getting hit by a car isn't appealing to bikers, so their routes tend to reflect that and stay on roads outside the city in more rural areas with fewer cars. North Raleigh is popular, especially around Blue Jay Park Point/Beaver Dam, and around Cary is popular as well. Done a few rides in South Raleigh as well. It's almost impossible to drive around North Raleigh on the weekend and not see cyclists out. For me it always depended on if I could get to the route safely from my house.

There's quite a few good routes listed here
http://www.ncbikeclub.org/queue_sheets/ncbcqueue.htm

There's also the City of Raleigh Bike Map, but not many of these are loops and they are generally shorter.
http://www.raleighnc.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_115056_0_0_18/RaleighBikeMap2005.pdf

[Edited on September 2, 2009 at 12:45 PM. Reason : .]

9/2/2009 12:34:50 PM

^^&^thanks guys.

FWTW I've done part of the bike trail from the Art Museum to Umstead. Only went to Meredith and then back. I wasn't tired or anything, but the sun was getting low and my friend I was with couldn't cycle at my pace.

9/2/2009 12:40:04 PM

yea, whoops, i reversed it, but like I SAID, EVERY other triathlon is opposite from what the Chicago was.

Chicago Triathlon is the only one where you pass on the RIGHT. Hence if the pro was coming up from behind the age-grouper would want to be on the far left inside near the guardrail, so the pro could pass on the RIGHT. From the reports the age-grouper went left and hit Potts as he was passing on the left.

[Edited on September 2, 2009 at 12:56 PM. Reason : .]

9/2/2009 12:55:42 PM

Did 100 miles in 4:37 (riding time) today in the MS Bike tour today in New Bern. NOT looking forward to doing it again tomorrow Finished like 2-3 hours ago and STILL cant feel my balls.

Anyone else riding in this thing?



[Edited on September 12, 2009 at 5:28 PM. Reason : .]

9/12/2009 5:24:35 PM

damn that's fast! i'm doing the tour to tanglewood in a couple of weeks and i'm aiming at doing 45 in 3:00

9/12/2009 8:25:32 PM

^^ I am glad I'm not a dude. I don't have any balls to sit on.

I will be doing a 40-50 mile ride tomorrow down the ATT on my Surly to figure out where the trail goes past Southpoint. I hope to ride down this route eventually to get to the farm where I ride horses at, and to the equestrian portion of the trail, in Apex- also I want to check out the trail conditions for horseback riding (they just built the equestrian portion near the farm in the last year or so).

9/13/2009 2:15:16 AM

100 more earlier today. 4:55 today...basically a CONSTANT headwind and the legs were burned out from yesterday.

All in all, a great weekend.

9/13/2009 11:51:47 PM

that seems pretty quick. its taking me 2:10 to commute 26 miles on my single speed. but i guess i hit a bit of traffic, etc as its half in the city and half in the burbs.

9/15/2009 8:17:57 PM

for the bike rack question...

I have a Yakima King Joe 2 http://www.rei.com/product/738781 and love it

yes, it's pretty expensive, but there are reasons I went for it. first of all, i often lug my bike on long road trips (like DC to Atlanta), and the cradles/straps lock a bike in damn tight. also, the padded feet are massive and spread the weight out (i.e. no unsightly dents from prolonged use).

but if my car wasn't a convertible, I would get a roof rack. had them before and miss them dearly. well worth the investment in my opinion

9/15/2009 10:58:45 PM

Danny -
It is pretty quick. That's why he's telling you about it. When I do a century in 6 hours or so, I don't post the time too many places.

9/16/2009 6:50:20 AM

Finished both days of the Tour to Tanglewood this weekend

90 miles of riding in 5:45 over 2 days. My butt hurts.

9/27/2009 12:59:39 PM

^^Unless it was 6 hours in the Assault on Mt. Mitchell.

9/27/2009 2:05:55 PM

I just got a new cross bike. Kona Major Jake from 1990-something. Only 20 pounds running Sora 2x8 and Open Pro rims. First race in a week! Shit!


And of course, here are the other bikes in the stable:

10/4/2009 9:38:42 PM

I just finished my first Olympic length triathlon ( 1500 m swim, 30 mile bike, 10K) on Saturday. My butt doesn't hurt! I wasn't a) last and didn't b) die.

I rode the 30 mile ride part in 1:51 with big hills and a pretty rough wind. People and their fancy aero bars

10/13/2009 5:31:46 PM

^rock on. I wanted to get an olympic in this season, but it wasn't meant to be. Are you addicted yet?

10/13/2009 5:41:18 PM

^^^I'm jealous.
I want a cross bike so badly. I'm building up an old Trek 520 with 1x8 Sora for my first cross race. If I like it, I'll probably move everything over to a better frame. Hell, I might even sell my road bike (Specialized Allez) to do it and just get another wheelset.

[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 9:15 AM. Reason : a]

10/14/2009 9:12:34 AM

Whelp, the weather's getting cold. I better go out and buy that winter cycling gear already.

10/14/2009 1:19:04 PM

If you want some gear on the cheap, you can get C9 tights and tops at Target for like $20. I wear the tights over my cycling shorts and they are warm and have held up really well.

10/14/2009 2:55:51 PM

You wear tights over shorts? Doesn't that look weird?

10/14/2009 3:13:03 PM

I suppose I could do it the other way as well, but I like the feel of the chamois directly on my taint. The shorts I wear are pretty thin and the tights are black so you can't really tell I have shorts under.

Anyways, it beats a pair of $80+ cycling tights/bibs.

If it's really cold, I will wear my jersey+ arm warmers + fleece vest + fleece headband+ fleece gloves too. If that doesn't cut it, then I am staying my ass inside.

10/14/2009 4:03:12 PM

I need a cheapish used road bike. Anyone got something they want to part with? I'm 6' tall. Tried the bike store on hillsboro but they didnt have a single used bike. Have been checking craigslist but dont even know what to look for to be honest.

10/14/2009 4:09:45 PM

Dammit, Quinn...I was gonna post the exact same thing in this thread.

I, too, need a cheap used road bike.

10/14/2009 4:15:47 PM

hahahahah. and porcha is in the same boat.

10/14/2009 4:16:44 PM

^ x I don't feel like counting:

Yeah, I think I will do some more tri's next year. I did only a sprint and an Olympic this season due to school and work, and think I like the Oly better- the competition was more leveled out (aka people had actually trained for this triathlon and took it semi-seriously).

Any good ones around NC you can recommend? I did Pinehurst, and it was a moderate course - slightly choppy water due to the threat of rain, good rolling bike and run course, although the run course was through a subdivision and a golf course, which was kinda strange.

10/14/2009 4:20:13 PM

I've got a nice early 2000'ish Fuji steelframe with a carbon front fork(you'd never know it was steel though...damn thing is lighter than my aluminum frame roadbikes) bike sitting around that I'd like to get rid of.

58cm...perfect for someone 6' tall.

I have all the parts needed to get this thing rolling, EXCEPT a wheelset.

Could build it up (minus wheels) and sell it for ~$200.

Would probably have Ritchey bars, 8speed Dura Ace shifters, Sora/Tiagra derailleurs, 8spd cassette, BRAND NEW brakes (bought just to build up this frame but never installed). Cant remember what kinda cranks it has...probably Sugino.


[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 4:25 PM. Reason : .]

10/14/2009 4:23:55 PM

^^^^Although it will vary greatly, you are looking for a 54cm-58cm bike at that height. Get on it and see how you fit because seatposts, stem length, etc. can all make the size of the bike vary greatly.

Depending on how cheap you want to go, you are probably looking at steel--possibly aluminum if you spend a bit of money. Lighter is usually better when it comes to road bikes and components (derailers, cassettes, brakes, cranks, etc.) are where the money goes in a really expensive bike.

I mean, if you are actually looking to get into some cycling, then you probably want to spend at least 300-400 bucks to start out with and you can usually get a decent roadbike for that kind of money. If you just want something to tool around on and occasionally commute, you can probably find something cheaper.

I'd look on craigslist for the best deal. Especially at this time of year. If you are willing to make the drive, Charlotte and Fayetteville listings typically have some good deals. I have also had friends get good deals on some older bikes by asking around on bike forums. Alot of bike forum members will have a stable of bikes they ride and sometimes they don't mind helping out someone just getting into the sport.

[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 4:25 PM. Reason : d]

10/14/2009 4:24:24 PM

^^ That's a pretty good deal if they can find a cheap wheelset. A good mid to high end steel frame can be just as light as decent aluminum frames.

^^^Friends of mine have done Pinehurst and they enjoyed it. I will be doing the White Lake Half Ironman in May, but I haven't done any olympic ones. This will only be my second season and I have done sprints so far, but I would recommend the Mayo Lake Sprint (in Roxboro) in August. Had a nice longish swim for a sprint and a trail run.

10/14/2009 4:30:16 PM

Just don't get a bike from Wal-Mart.

10/14/2009 4:30:22 PM

Anyone doing this ride?

http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1796225&assetId=F4DA2988-279D-4AC3-A08D-F488E971B2E3

I'm thinking about it, but I don't know if I will be available that weekend yet.

11/3/2009 3:58:38 PM

Mass bicycle rides that shut down public highways are irresponsible and should take place entirely in parks or on dedicated bike lanes.

Don't you people ever wonder why motorists hate you?

It has nothing to do with hating mother earth or your gay little shorts, and everything to do with the biking community's complete disregard for other people.

11/3/2009 5:39:06 PM

^ You're trolling. If you want tell everyone why you hate cyclists, you can resurrect the recent thread on Critical Mass and argue with everyone there about how you're going to run us over with your almighty car rawr rawr rawr.

And, that might be the dumbest argument I've ever heard against mass non-driving events. Cities shut down their streets to motorists all the time- street fairs, competitive events like marathons or walks, parades, hell even things like protests. Why is an organized, permitted bike ride on the road any different?

11/3/2009 10:21:29 PM

All of those uses should be prohibited. Marathons and bike rallies in particular are just exercising for a charity. There's no reason the general public should be affected, but they consistently choose routes that effectively cripple a large population of the city for half days or more.

Can you explain to me why Western Blvd was completely closed for hours Sunday morning? Was the benefit of several hundred participants and a few bucks to a charity worth the economic impact on thousands of residents? Sunday is not a day of empty streets any more...it is just another work day for many, especially during hard economic times. Furthermore, a number of police officers were diverted from their normal duties to erect road blocks.

You say you love the environment? I sat idling in traffic, as did thousands of other cars, while these cyclists/runners made their little tour of the city. How often is a pack of cyclists similarly followed by a line of idling vehicles?

It's all simply indefensible, when there exists a hundred thousand empty acres in Umstead park just outside the city limits.

It's a wonderful sport and I frequently ride myself. But why endanger your life, unnecessarily harm the environment, and impact the livelihood of others when you don't have to?

[Edited on November 3, 2009 at 10:41 PM. Reason : .]

11/3/2009 10:40:08 PM

I can only imagine you are talking about city of oaks marathon last weekend which brought thousands of competitors from all over the region, who all brought their families and hundreds of thousands of dollars to the city. Race directors pay fees for closing down streets and police help. It is always a positive economic impact on the city.

As for cycling races, unless it is a pro event, they typically never shut down a riding course because it is simply impractical to close a 50 mile course so I'm not even sure what you might be complaining about here. Heck, even most run courses are not completely closed and they let traffic through after groups pass.

So let's not dramatize this. It's not impacting anyone's livelihood, at best it's inconvenient. If it gets more people riding their bikes instead of driving, it's a net plus for the environment. And if knuckleheads like you don't decide to road rage because you are slightly inconvenienced, it's a perfectly safe sport.

11/4/2009 8:18:14 AM

DO WORK

11/4/2009 8:28:30 AM

found out how important rim tape is recently

got back to back flats about 10 miles into a couple of rides

found that the tiniest...i mean maybe 1/16th of an inch....gap between the rim tape and a spoke well was chewing a hole in my tubes

it's gonna be 44 degrees tomorrow so hopefully i can get a good long ride in to ring in the new years!!

happy new years to all of you!

[Edited on December 31, 2009 at 11:10 PM. Reason : .]

12/31/2009 11:08:49 PM

Happy New Year!

1) Anyone planning on doing any bike touring this year? We may do a 1-way tour up to Toronto for a bike co-op conference.

2) Any local charity rides to the Triangle? If so, post them here.

3) Anyone planned out any races? I've got potentials as:

Feb. 13- Riverside High 5K- Durham
April 18-Centennial Sprint Tri in Raleigh
May 17- InsideOut 1/2 Marathon in Cary
July 10- Triangle Sprint Tri in Raleigh
Aug. 7- Lake Logan Oly
Oct. 16- Pinehurst Oly

1/1/2010 11:54:53 AM

I'll be racing the Triangle Orthopaedic Sprint Triathlon in April.

1/1/2010 6:04:17 PM

rode on the rollers again today. i hate winter and i dont know what i will do when football is off and i still have to ride indoors.

1/1/2010 8:36:03 PM

My race schedule for 2010 so far is

May - White Lake 70.3
Oct. - HalfMax 70.3 Nat. Championships (if I qualify at white lake)

I'll probably throw a couple sprints in there for fun, but those are my two (i hope) biggies.

I spent the last two weeks riding out in New Mexico with my brother. The high desert is at 4400 ft. and we would climb into the mts. just about everday to around 6100 ft. It was a blast and so beautiful.

1/1/2010 11:44:21 PM

^^^ I'll see you at Centennial then.

^ I may attempt a half-Ironman next year (2011), but I want a solid season of sprints and Olympic distance under my belt first ( I was only going for completion this year). I also don't feel with both school, community, and work commitments that I have the time to commit to the training. 8-12 hours/week is enough for me.

1/2/2010 7:57:15 PM

For all of you who are training for a triathlon: Where do you get your swim on!

1/6/2010 8:34:32 AM

i dunno about these jokers, but several triathletes (hawaii ironman qualifiers and finishers among them) swim with the masters swim team at Campus Hills in durham, (google masters swimming durham).

i know there is a Raleigh team and i think there is a cary one as well.

the TAC in cary and the homestead pool in chapel hill are the newest and nicest pools.

for long course (50m) optimist park is set up like that in the summer i think......
and pullen pool is occasionally set up like that, but you'd have to check that. outside of that my masters team does extra outdoor open water swimming during the summer at a variety of places (falls lake and a quarry here in NW durham are the local favorites)

1/6/2010 8:53:10 AM

I live in Fayetteville, so I do my swimming at the local Y. When it warms up, I will get some open water swims at a few of the local lakes here.

I have heard awesome things about the Aquatic Center though. If you are a student, you can swim at Carmichael, which I remember being pretty nice.

1/6/2010 10:15:20 AM

Got a toolbox for my truck for Christmas and wanted to install some bike mounts:



Installed two, having 4 rubber washers (2 for each hole) for the mounts; stainless hardware used from Lowe's





If my bike was 1 inch smaller I could close the tailgate, but no problems I may get a tailgate extender in the future..........



Besides I don't think my soon to be mountain bike would have cleared anyway. I could remove the rear wheel if I had too but I can just leave the tailgate down.

Total cost for two including all hardware but not the toolbox was approx $24.......

[Edited on January 7, 2010 at 7:56 PM. Reason : cost]

1/7/2010 7:50:35 PM

i just signed up for the MS150 ride from houston to austin april 17 weekend

uhh... the farthest i've ever ridden was 22 miles around a lake stopping every 1-2 miles for a beer

and it took 8 hours (it was a pub crawl on a bike)

1/14/2010 10:16:06 PM

pub crawl on a bike sounds pretty awesome

1/14/2010 10:22:52 PM