Ryan & Amanda Keefer's Personal Site: Cycling, Family, Tech, Music, Software & Game Reviews, etc.
// January 7th, 2011 // No Comments » // Cycling, Design
Not a lot of variation in the 2011 pro peloton kits — just about everyone’s going black. As Bike Rumor pointed out, it’s going to be tough for commentators, spectators and possibly even the riders to differentiate between the different teams. Hopefully while the kits are almost all black, the bikes with be a little more vibrant and be able to be used as a differentiator.
// January 17th, 2010 // No Comments » // Cycling
I just saw that the 2010 USA cycling rulebook is now online. It has additions and/or amendments for all types of racing, including some feed zone and assistance changes for mountain bike events.
In the road racing the most significant is something that I always thought was strange that there wasn’t a rule against:
3D4.Riders who have lost contact with the field, and are then caught by a breakaway from the field, may not lead [disqualification]. Riders off the front of the field may not accept assistance from riders who have lost contact with the back of the field [disqualification for accepting such assistance]. Lapped riders may rejoin and race with the field.
// August 14th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cycling
Hey all you fellow racers out there — this weekend has two central North Carolina speedway-based criteriums for your racing pleasure. The first is a makeup race in the Ace Speedway Series (tomorrow morning) and then my team (the Tri-Cyclists) is having their race this Sunday at the Orange County Speedway. Details on both races can be found at the links below:
// July 6th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cycling
Just a quick heads up for all the racers reading Keefer Madness— registration is now open on Active.com for the 2009 Tri-Cyclists Criterium at the Orange County Speedway August 16, 2009.
The day before, there will be another speedway-based race — a makeup race for the Ace Speedway race series in Altamahaw, NC.
View carolinaspeedwayseries.com
We hope to see you as a racer and/or spectator at both August NC criterium events.
// June 15th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Cycling, Local (Raleigh Durham)
The hopes and wishes of a whole bunch of [racing] cyclists here in the Raleigh Durham area is about to come to fruition — some criteriums locally, meaning a better travel to racing time ratio. It looks like Sundays for the next couple months (starting in July) will be full of bike racing at Raleigh’s Centennial Campus, most likely utilizing the course of the early season Wolfpack Criterium.
This comes on the heels of talk of a semi-regular Tuesday night race series in Chapel Hill on weeks opposite of the Altamahaw, NC Ace Speedway series. Now let’s all get out there, race and support these to keep the local race scene buillding and hopefully growing in the coming seasons.
// February 25th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cycling, Personal Crap
So since I’ve upgraded to Cat4 road racing this year, I’ve struggled. But, it’s to be expected as it’s early in the season and I’m competing in a tougher class with longer races. US Cycling has finally updated their site with the official results.
So far, here are my results, while not great, are respectable and give me something to build on as my season progresses. Again, it’s early! I haven’t even taken bike commuting back up (though that’s happening real soon.. I miss it!)
// February 15th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Cycling, Personal Crap
So far, cat4 racing hasn’t been so nice for me. Granted, I knew this was coming – faster speeds and longer racing has put a strain on my athletic ability. Add to that the fact that in the past week, I’d only ridden one night due to work and everything else is throwing at me.
Now that the whining’s out of the way, on to the actual race report. Like last year, the Wolfpack Criterium in Raleigh, NC was met with dry, but cool weather. I found it tough keeping warm prior to the race, but as soon as the whistle blew, that totally went away.
// January 7th, 2009 // No Comments » // Cycling, Local (Raleigh Durham), Personal Crap
The team I race with, the Tri-Cyclists is looking for a venue for a criterium. Traditionally, our annual race has been in the Meadowmont neighborhood just inside of the Chapel Hill town limits, and has been a local favorite to race, with its two hills and a very scenic neighborhood course and a wide slightly downhill finish. But early last year, Meadowmont installed large speed bumps/speed tables throughout our annual course, putting an end to that event and having us start to look for another place for our annual race.
My thought is that we should migrate our annual criterium just up the road here in North Carolina to Research Triangle Park (RTP) on a summer Saturday or Sunday for multiple reasons:
Minimal traffic on weekends
Plenty of available parking
Lots of opportunities for clear racing routes
Do any of you reading who work out in RTP have any suggestions for routes that would be feasible as a criterium site and/or have contacts
at your company about seeking out utilizing their roads/parking for a day on a summer weekend?
// July 12th, 2008 // 6 Comments » // Cycling, Personal Crap
Well I’ve arrived back home from my first road race – The Piedmont Triad Omnium Road Race starting and ending out of Davidson Community College outside of Thomasville. So up until this point, I’ve only raced in criteriums, and a single time trial. This morning I added a road race, and it won’t be my last.
The Cat4 guys rolled out at 8:00am. We started right behind them at 8:05am. The course was nice, with an 11.6 loop we did three times. The start/finish was 3 miles off this loop. So the officials and police rolled us out with a neutral start down to the loop. I am not sure of the exact size of the field, but it’s the largest I’ve ever raced in to date. We only had half the roadway at any given time, and we were all bunched in like sardines.
// June 19th, 2008 // No Comments » // Cycling, General Posts, Personal Crap
So while I’ve been consistently bike commuting, I’ve had a lull in my race schedule and even my training a bit. Last race I did was back on Memorial Day. OK, I guess I’m not that far out, but I’ve had teammates that have done 4 and 5 races since then. Between work, family, weddings, traveling, it’s been really tough to schedule races.
There’s a criterium Sunday in Greensboro, NC, but I’ll be in no shape with this weekend’s wedding festivities and friends from out of town around. Oh well, plenty of more races.
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