Rocky Mountain Cycling Club
The Club for People Who Love to Ride!

Newsletters of 2004

January 2004

Reflections of an Aging Bikeaholic 
By Gordon Valentine

Gordon Valentine is one of the long-time riders with RMCC, so we asked him to share some of his experiences with us.

After my amicable separation from the US Army Air Corps in late 1945, I resumed my civilian life in Buffalo, New York. For the next nine years, I lived in this area, working first for Bell Aircraft and then for Stanley Aviation. At those companies, I worked on the design of the X-5 and X-1 aircraft, along with missile rocket motors.

During those years, my only experience with two wheeled vehicles was owning two British-made motorcycles. My experiences with these included the thrills and spills of cross-country racing at insane speeds along rural byways, through woods, across muddy fields and through creeks.

In 1954, Stanley Aviation moved to Aurora, Colorado, and I luckily transferred with it. My first few years in Denver involved long hours of work and lots of travel, and I prepared proposals for a new product line-aircraft escape systems. I then helped design the actual systems and the high-speed rocket and jet-powered sleds. As a result, there was little time for other pursuits, and I had sold the motorcycles before moving from Buffalo anyhow.

I did, however, marry my wife Rosamund in 1958. The subsequent arrival of three children made acquiring larger houses and a station wagon higher priorities than purchasing new motorcycles. The thought of riding a bicycle had never entered my head.

In 1970, however, Rosamund noticed an alarming increase in my waistline and decided it was time I got some I exercise! So, for 25 dollars, she bought me a 3-speed Raleigh of undetermined vintage from an elderly neighbor and ordered me to start pedaling. So I did, launching my post-mid-life crisis unmotorized cycling career.

After a few weeks of grumbling about the pain in previously unknown muscles and at the primary body-bicycle interface, I found myself starting to enjoy the experience. I even occasionally rode the seven miles to work. Of course, my co-workers and neighbors immediately labeled me an eccentric.

I shrugged off the cruel jibes and pitying looks and soon decided to test my new-found quads on more challenging routes than Denver city streets. Before too long, I found myself climbing the west side of Vail Pass in the lowest of my three gears, collecting more astonished glances and snide remarks as I was passed by much younger legs and bikes. Having conquered Vail Pass, I decided to venture off-road, and rode from Waterton Canyon to the town of South Platte along the old railroad bed.

I happily rode my Raleigh beater-bike for many years. In 1987, I decided that if three speeds were good, more might be better, especially since I wanted to start riding more single-track trails. So, off I went to Bicycle Village to look at mountain bikes. The salesman winced upon hearing my budget, and quickly steered me to a hybrid/cross bike, which seemed a reasonable compromise. After a few miles on single-track trails, however, I soon learned why they are called cross bikes: their owners become very cross as they frequently have to replace spokes!

After taking my cross bike to the Moab Fat Tire Festival in 1988, I quickly concluded that a real mountain bike was a necessity. Later that year, I spotted a like-new Trek 8500 mountain bike at the Denver Police Bicycle Auction which I eventually acquired for $400. So, it was in 1989, two years after I had retired, that I got my first real bike.

Over the next eight years, I took this bike on numerous adventures. On-road ones included the 1989 Triple Bypass (and ride back the next day) and the 1990 Ride the Rockies. Off-road, I took it to Moab, the White Rim Trail, Kokapelli Trail, Tabeguache Trail, the Monarch Crest, the Colorado Trail to South Platte, Haggerman Pass, Boreas Pass, the Hermosa Creek Trail, Georgia Pass, Bolam Pass, and even from Silver Plume up the old Argentine Central Railroad route to the top of Mount McClellan.

My favorite adventure with the Trek was a cross-country ride and back again in 1995. I did, however, have enough sense to do it in a small country - Scotland! The 11-day, 650-mile tour traversed some of the most beautiful and rugged sections of the mountainous Highlands. Many of the days were spent off-road, but the days on pavement offered plenty of challenge, with grades up to 25%.

In 1990, I decided to get a proper road bike, so I visited the Denver Spoke. The manager convinced me that my future happiness depended upon purchasing a 21-speed Trek 1420. My last shred of sales resistance melted away when he offered me a senior discount! So, for $624, I became the proud owner of a road bike which, after thirteen years, two new rear wheels, and many chains, clusters, and tires, is still giving good service. When I get suggestions that I invest in a new titanium bike to save some weight, I point out that it would be far more cost-effective for me to join Weight Watchers!

My first major ride on the new road bike was the 1990 Rocky Mountain Century from Steamboat over Rabbit Ears and Gore Passes and back to Steamboat. I arrived, exhausted and triumphant. Distracted by the cheers of congratulation, I neglected to unclip from the pedals and promptly toppled over, earning me an even more enthusiastic round of applause! 

Other memorable rides include the route up Mount Evans. Going up wasn't bad at all, but I found coming down to be a white-knuckle experience, as the road bike puts you higher above the road -- very disconcerting given the curves, traffic, and precipitous drop-off next to the steep, narrow road.

Many of the rides I did from 1988 on were in the company of Reed Donnelly, a strong and enthusiastic road and mountain bike rider, of only slightly later vintage than me. In 1991 we did Ride the Rockies and Pedal the Peaks in consecutive weeks. Other tours on this bike included the Yosemite and Range of Light Tour in Nevada and California (sponsored by the DBTC), the Tour of Arkansas Valley, and the Grand Canyon to Mexico tour across Arizona. I have found, as the years go by, that I get more pleasure from the sights I see and the people I meet as I ride, than from the distance and speed statistics I see on my bike computer at the end. 

My last year for riding week-long "great tours" was 1995. My wife, Rosamund, had the misfortune to develop some major medical problems which required several surgeries and long periods of convalescence. As her condition improved, however, I was able to get in more day rides and club rides on weekends. 

I'm not sure exactly when I joined the Denver Bicycle Touring Club, but it was likely around my retirement in 1987. During my earlier years with the club, some of the "farther/faster" enthusiasts established the DBTC's "Challenge Series" of rides. Although I considered myself more in the "shorter/slower" category of riders, I decided to give in a try in 1992. I found that the rides were indeed a challenge, but I managed to earn the required points and won my coveted "Challenge Series" jersey that year (I tried it on recently and was shocked to discover how much it had shrunk around my waistline in only 11 years!).

In 1993, some of those DBTC members left to form the Rocky Mountain Cycling Club. I did join the RMCC in the mid-90s and went on many of the Recreational/Performance rides. 

On one memorable ride, I started out on the 68-mile route from Aurora to Strasburg and back. However, when I reached the turn for Strasburg, I decided in a fit of tailwind-inspired hubris to switch to the 110-mile ride out to Prospect Valley. This was a big mistake, made worse when I tried to keep up with Charlie Henderson and his PBP buddies. I managed to hang with them thorough Prospect Valley to Roggen where I stopped for water. I briefly caught the peloton in Keenesburg, when the formerly friendly tailwind reappeared as an unfriendly headwind! I soon found myself alone and running out of energy as I rode the longest 25 miles of my life from Keenesburg to Bennett, where I found a place to eat. In spite of the bonk, my average speed for the century was a personal best of 15 mph, so I wasn't too disappointed. 

In February 2000, I saw Colorado Heart Cycle was doing a 19-day, 1,000-mile tour around the South Island of New Zealand. After Rosamond agreed that she could do without me for three weeks, l volunteered my services as the sag driver and they agreed. Of course, I would have much preferred to do the tour as rider, but the $3,500 cost didn't seem to fit in the family budget at the time. The tour, even as the sag driver, was a wonderful experience, plus I got vicarious pleasure from seeing how much the riders were enjoying the ride and beautiful scenery. Of course, I also felt guilty relief when I saw them riding in the rain while struggling up the steep Arthur's Pass on loose gravel in construction zones! 

During the past few years, most of my riding, both road and mountain bike, has been on day rides with Reed, my fellow septuagenarian, and on DBTC club rides, usually of 20 - 40 miles in length. I enjoy planning and leading rides for my AARP-generation peers. I hope to continue riding for many more years until the Good Lord indicates it's time for me to pedal off into the sunset!

Announcing the 2004 Ride Schedule

Attached to this month's newsletter is the 2004 Program Calendar, which reflects the extensive work of the rides committee. While the schedule remains very similar to what has been used in the past, there have been some notable changes. Highlights for the year include:

• The area around the Superior start location has become very congested over recent years. These rides will now start at the Boulder Community Center which is located near Foothills Parkway and South Boulder Road. 

• The Air Force Academy is generally closed to visitors except during football games (cyclists obviously pose a much higher security threat than football fans). As a result, rides out of Monument have been revised to rely more on roads in the Black Forest. 

• There will be seminars on long-distance riding on March 24 and April 8, along with a full schedule of brevets.  

• There will now be regular club rides on both days every weekend during the summer; there were previously gaps on the Denver-to-Aspen weekend and for Elephant Rock. 

• The popular Pine Junction-Deckers-Woodland Park ride now appears more than once. 

• Inclement weather has been moved away from weekends so as not to conflict with the ride schedule. 

• To assist the ride starter, the ride sheets will now include formal regroup points for those who like to stop during the rides. 

• Many other routes have changes, so be sure to review the ride sheet even if you think you are familiar with the ride. 

With this full schedule, we will of course need ride starters! To volunteer to start a ride, simply log onto
www.rmccrides.com and select a ride that needs a volunteer. You can also contact John Klever.

February 2004

Cycling in Japan - continued 
The old inn was right across the street and we went inside. Today I was very glad that I had learned a few customs since the old style inn would have been a challenge without at least knowing how to handle wearing shoes. We were invited inside, so first I took off my cycling shoes, and put on a pair of slippers about ten sizes too small and shuffled in. The inn is beautiful inside with wood construction, sliding doors and ancient decorations all over the interior. We went into an dining room with a table for about twelve people and were served coffee and strawberries. Then the owners came in and put a square cedar cup with a clear liquid in front me. I was not sure what the clear liquid was or even if it was a cup given its square shape. I waited for a break in the conversation and asked what was in the cup. "Sake", said one of the owners. At least by this time it was approaching noon. My next problem was how do you drink from a square cup? Is it at a corner or along a flat section? It didn’t seem possible to drink along the flat section but I was certain there was a preferred method and, while the Japanese will forgive almost any mistake by a gaijin (outsider), I like to at least try to get a few things correct.

Shigey told me the corner is the place to drink from. So I took a sip, and we passed it around the table with Tomo finishing it when it came his way. The owners (husband and wife) then produced a cell phone with a picture of their grandchild on the display to show us all. The contrast of the ancient inn and the cell phone photo was perfect. The owner then took Sakuma and me on a tour of the inn. Here is where Japanese shoe knowledge 101 came in handy. I should explain that while I could wait and let someone else enter each room first and then just do whatever they do. I knew they wanted me to go in first as the guest. We stopped at the bathing room. Inside was a large sunken tub with a rock garden surrounding one side of the tub and an area to rinse off before entering the bath. I slipped off the size four slippers and stepped on another pair just inside the door. And then we walked in to look around. We then went to a large room that was set up for a party. Inside were fifty cushioned seats with wooden backs on a floor of straw mats. Taking off our slippers and walking in with socks on (since it is a straw floor), we looked around. Sitting in front of each seat was a large Bento box that the owner opened to show us. The Bento was filled with mostly sushi. After leaving this room, we went to a guest room and again since it was straw floor left our slippers at the door and went in. The room had a low table at one end, and the rest of the room was empty. A small closet held the futon mats for sleeping. Back in the first room, we were served green tea and snacks. I was beginning to wonder if we were going to spend the night!

I did my best to thank the owners and tell them what a wonderful (subarashi) place they have and asked Nemoto to tell them in “normal” Japanese in case I totally messed up what I said. After a seemingly endless session of compliments and bowing we were out and back on the road and heading back to Mito."

Bike Shop on Wheels

A couple of weeks back, I was taking a look at our list of sponsors for 2004, and saw a listing for the “Mobile Bicycle and Ski Shop,” which sounded kind of intriguing. One picture that crossed my mind was of some yahoo who couldn't hold down a real job, and thus buys a truck and calls himself a bike mechanic. Regardless, I thought it would be interesting to meet up with him and find out more. Needless to say, my mental picture proved to be way off base.

The shop's owner is Jason DeDecker. He is a real, USCF-certified bicycle mechanic with eleven years of experience. He started running a mobile bike service seven years ago. Three years ago, he moved to Denver, and based upon our conversation, it sounds like he will be staying around for a long time for all of the obvious reasons that cyclists stay here.

Jason's business is exactly as described—his “office” is a 26' truck which allows him to bring the entire shop to your house, place of work etc., and perform the work there. Since he is the sole employee, you know your bike won't be passed off to a kid to fix, which should interest those who will let anyone work on their cars but are paranoid about who touches their bikes. One distinctive thing he can do is make after hours service calls (for an extra fee). Triathaletes do call him the night before events, and he has also helped out the occasional person who relies on their bike for transportation and has a breakdown at a non-ideal time.

We've all seen a few one- or two- man bike shops (which usually seem to be the good ones!) fail over the years, so I was kind of curious as to whether running a mobile service involved a much smaller amount of overhead. He informed me that the costs of his business model were higher than one might think. The real advantage to him from a business perspective is that he can provide a bit of a different service.

Jason indicates that he loves to ride as much as he can, but the nature of his business means that he has the least amount of time to ride when the weather is the warmest. In talking with him, however, he just seems to love bikes, which makes him one of those rare people who is really doing what he wants to do.

To contact the Mobile Bike and Ski Shop, you can go to his website at www.bikeski.com, where there is a descriptive price sheet and where you can purchase various cycling-related merchandise.

Mike Prendergast to Offer Bike Maintenance Class

Mike Prendergast is known to many in the club as a helpful source on the key aspects of bicycle maintenance. He will once again be offering a class on just this subject this year. It will be at 1:00 PM on Sunday, February 22. The location is in northeast Denver—510 East 51st Avenue. The cost will be $10. The course will cover:

• Making your bike showroom clean in 20 minutes
• Shifting and brake adjustments, as well as other common adjustments
• When to replace a chain and gears
• Wheel repair
• Proper skewer tension
• Other additional topics you are interested in that Mike knows how to do.

This is a hands on class, so you should come prepared with the following: clothes (including shoes) you can get dirty, a bicycle repair stand, two five- gallon buckets, brushes, towels, a sponge, a rear triangle holder, soap (dish soap is fine), cleaner in a spray bottle such as Simple Green or a citrus-based solvent, lubricant, a tape measure/ruler that is at least twelve inches long. Optionally you may also want gloves.

If you don’t have all of these items, Mike can help you acquire what you will need, or he can provide what you don’t have, at your cost, provided you let him know ahead of time what that is.

You must register for the class by February 15th via e-mail or phone. Mike can be reached at  mwprendergast@raytheon.com. Please note: The class will only be held if at least eight people register.

Volunteer to start your favorite ride today! Just contact John Klever.

Other Upcoming Events:

• February 22: Mike Prendergast’s Bicycle Maintenance Class
• March 24 & April 8: Long-Distance Riding Seminars (see next month’s newsletter for more details)

Note: Weather conditions can be variable this time of year. A ride will be cancelled if conditions are unsafe for riding, such as icy roads or dense fog. This call is made based upon conditions at the actual ride location. Contact the ride starter if you have any questions.

Submissions Wanted!

Have an interesting or funny cycling story? Do you have ride, tour, bike, or anything else to recommend? We would love to have you submit an article. Or, if you just have an idea for something you would like to see in Chain Chatter, please let us know. Just contact Mark Michel.

March 2004

RMCC to Hold Long-Distance Riding Seminars in March and April

Are you looking to do longer rides, but know you need some help and guidance? Or perhaps you just want to complete a century and actually feel good when you’re done. If so, you should be interested in attending one of the upcoming Long Distance and Randonneering Seminars in March and April.

These identical seminars, held in conjunction with the Ultra-Marathon Cycling Association and Randonneurs USA, will be led by John Hughes, who is a veteran of rides such as Paris-Brest-Paris and Boston-Montreal-Boston. They will cover all of the important aspects of being a successful long-distance rider.

The first seminar will be held at the downtown REI on Wednesday, March 24^th from 6:30 to 8:30. REI is just to the north of I-25 and Speer—the actual street address is 1416 Platte.

The second seminar (which covers the same material) will be held at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine on Thursday, April 8^th. It is located at 311 Mapleton Avenue in Boulder.

These were very popular seminars last year and those who came found them to be very helpful. Look forward to seeing you there!

IMPORTANT SCHEDULE CHANGE!!!

Please note that the start location for the May 2nd 200km brevet has been moved. Instead of starting at Exit 243, it will now starting at the parking lot at the southwest corner of I-25 and Highway 66. The regular club ride will still start at Exit 243. This change was made to avoid the confusion that could result from the brevet and the club ride starting at the same time and place.

Seeing Clearly

As we all unfortunately know, descending Squaw Pass can be a bit of adventure with the numerous potholes that mar the road. If your eyes aren’t that good, well, then it’s flat out dangerous.

I’ve worn glasses for many years, but never had prescription eyewear on the bike until a couple of years ago. Since they were a club sponsor, the first place I decided to look was Eye Tech Sports Optical. It proved to be the only place I shopped.

Upon entering the store, the first thing that jumps out at you is all of the cycling paraphernalia that decorates the store. Apparently this isn’t just some eyewear company who decided to be a club sponsor; these guys ride and love cycling as well.

The owner is Bret Hunter, who has been riding and racing bikes for 26 years. From those years of riding, he became somewhat frustrated at the difficulty of getting good prescription glasses for cycling.

Because the glasses we wear curve around the face, creating a lens that doesn’t distort images is difficult. As such, Hunter has invested a great deal of time over the years in product development. The result is that the Sport Optical has developed proprietary formulas to address the distortion problem.

What this means for us is that they can provide eyewear options that aren’t available anywhere else. Their latest development is what they call “Direct Lens Technology.” Many of us have prescription inserts that we use with Rudy Project Kerosene’s or other similar frames. With this innovation, you can dispose of the insert, but still have the flexibility of a multiple lens system.

They stock over 2,000 frames, so you should be able to find something to suit your personal style. While I went there because I needed prescription glasses, that is of course not a requirement!

I can also personally attest to the customer service. The person I worked with took the time to ensure that I got a frame that I liked and offered some helpful recommendations. After making my purchase, the lenses were ready to go when they said they would be ready.

They are located at 9050 West 6th Avenue, which is at 6th and Garrison on the south side of the freeway. They are on the web at www.sportsoptical.com. Don’t forget to ask for your RMCC discount—the 20% they offer will more than make up for the cost of your club membership! Plus, you’ll miss those potholes next time you’re descending Squaw Pass.

RMCC Five Days Per Week

The RMCC has long been known for its premier schedule of weekend rides. Over the past couple of years, however, three weeknight rides have been started by various club members. Like the regular rides, these offer a variety of riding experiences.

The “flagship” weeknight ride is the Handlebar & Grill Ride on Wednesday night. These rides start at 5:30 at South High School, and we do laps around Washington Park. “Laps” maybe doesn’t sound that exciting, but as many of us know, Washington Park is perhaps the most enjoyable urban riding in Denver. And, as the name implies, the rides conclude with many of the participants heading to the Handlebar and Grill for some of their fine food and drink. For more questions, contact Rick Melick or Tom Foss.

To counterbalance the flat riding of Wednesday nights, Jonathan Breen started the Tuesday Night Hill Climb to keep the climbers among us happy. These rides meet at Parfet Park in Golden (the same place our weekend rides start) at 5:30. After a short warm up loop, we head up Lookout Mountain. Depending upon weather and daylight, the rides also take in some additional riding up top such as the Boetcher Mansion Loop and Mount Vernon Country Club. I personally love this ride—Lookout Mountain is one of those great climbs that you never really get tired of. When Jonathan moved back east last summer, Philip Baker took this ride over.

Since 1997, Mike Prendergast had been riding with a number of friends from the northern edges of town on Thursday nights. Last year he decided to turn this into an official RMCC weeknight ride. These rides start at Meadow Sweet Park in Erie, and go for about 30 miles on the roads east of there. Contact Mike Prendergast with any questions.

While these rides offer a great opportunity to improve your own conditioning and to enjoy each other’s company, they are also a good way to introduce your friends to the club.

Tour Openings Available

As of this writing, there are still two openings available for the spring Contrail. This tour goes from April 17th through the 24th in Eastern Arizona, taking in Coronado Trail, Salt Creek Canyon, and Show Low. Contact Charlie Henderson for more information.

Upcoming Rides:

(* indicates Populaire/RMCC Challenge Series ride)

Volunteer to start your favorite ride today! Just contact John Klever.

Important Schedule Notes:

There has been some confusion about the new Boulder start location. We run these rides out of the East Boulder Community Center on 55th Street near the Table Mesa/South Boulder exit from the turnpike. We use the additional parking lot just to the west of the center.

“Populaires” are timed rides of 100km or so to acquaint newcomers with randonneuring.

Submissions Wanted!

Have an interesting or funny cycling story? Do you have ride, tour, bike, or anything else to recommend? We would love to have you submit an article. Or, if you just have and idea for something you would like to see in Chain Chatter, please let us know. Just contact Mark Michel with your ideas.

April 2004

A Grand Tour
by Mary Melick

The Memorial Weekend “Loop The Grand Mesa” Tour returneth! The ride is a total of 330 miles over three days, going from Rifle to Paonia, then from Paonia to Grand Junction over Grand Mesa, and then from Grand Junction back to Rifle via Colorado National Monument.

The cost is $180 per person, which includes accommodations, full sag support, maps, entrance fees, and food along the route. Accommodations are based upon double occupancy.

This tour is limited to twenty riders. In order to allow everyone to register, we will not take reservations until April 17th. A deposit of $75 is due by April 24th, with the balance due by May 15th. If a rider books for two people, the deposit is required for both. If the ride fills up, there will be a wait list in the event of any cancellations.

For more information, or to register (after 4/17), contact Rick or Mary Melick.

R.I.P.

Brian Maxwell, a former world-ranked marathoner who invented the PowerBar in his kitchen died of an apparent heart attack on Sunday March 21st.

In 1983 after winning fourteen marathons, Maxwell developed a stomach ailment that slowed his timing near the end of a race, causing him to finish a disappointing seventh. That sent him to his kitchen in Berkeley, CA where he began mixing various low-fat combinations that could provide easily-digestible, quick energy.

The bar was refined through three years of development with help from biochemists and food-science students. After getting positive feedback from friends, he started a business. That business started a sports-nutrition revolution. (Was there cycling before PowerBars?)

PowerBar was ultimately sold to Nestle in 2000 for $375 million.

Our Newest Sponsor

Those of you who have lived in the Littleton area for many years are probably aware of Littleton Cyclery. Established in 1955, the company has been around long enough to be considered a Littleton institution.

Blake Nelson acquired the shop in August of last year. He has long been an active cyclist—both on and off the road. Particularly on the mountain bike, he has participated in numerous endurance-type events over the past fifteen years. He had worked many years in the technology field, but had been seeking for several years to merge his passion for cycling with his work by purchasing a bike shop. Finally the opportunity to purchase this store opened up.

Historically, Littleton Cyclery has been known as being a family bicycle shop. Blake is keeping that focus while also expanding to better serve the more enthusiastic RMCC-type rider. This winter he completely remodeled the shop. Despite all of the change, however, many members of the staff have been at the store for many years. Littleton Cyclery is the type of store where you know you’ll work with the same people visit after visit.

The store features bikes from LeMond, Trek, Specialized, Gary Fisher, and Haro BMX. And, of course, it offers a full-service repair shop. They are located at 1500 West Littleton Boulevard, which is on the southeast corner of Littleton Boulevard and Windermere. You can also call them at 303.798.5033. They offer RMCC members 10% off of selected merchandise and a $10 discount on tune ups. If you live in the Littleton area, they are definitely worth a look.

News and Notes

Many people park in the wrong place for the Castle Rock rides. We are actually supposed to use the lot to the south of the Big O Tires and to the west of the Safeway. This is on the southeast corner of Brisco Street and Plum Creek Parkway. You risk being towed if you use the Big O parking lot.

The Mobile Bike and Ski shop will be providing shop and mechanic support at many of the Brevets and Populaires. If you discover you need a part or some type of fix at 10:00 the night before one of these events, or if you just show up and discover that you forget something (i.e. a headlight), Jason will be able to help you out.

Rick Melick will be again placing an order for club apparel from Voler this spring. He is leaning toward long sleeve jerseys, shorts, and wind vests. He will have samples for sizing later in the Spring. Think now about what you might want. We need to have a minimum order of 25 pieces to place an order. If you have any questions or comments on the club wear, what Rick should order etc., he can be contacted. He also has a few wind vests from ‘03 still available.

The second seminar on long-distance riding and randonneuring will be held on Thursday, April 8th the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine (311 Mapleton Avenue).

The RMCC weeknight rides start in April. The Tuesday Night Hill climb meets at the normal Golden start location at 5:30; the Handlebar & Grill ride meets at South High School on Wednesdays at 5:30; the Thursday Erie ride meets at Meadow Sweet Park on Thursdays at 6:00.

Rooney Road over I-70 will be closed until early July. The best detour around this is to go over Dinosaur Ridge.

How Hard Was That Climb?

Everyone has their opinion about the hardest climbs we do, but not everyone has a high-tech enough cyclo-computer to actually determine that. Darrel Quick has measured a number of the climbs that we frequently do with his handlebar-mounted Velimpex Inclinometer and has shared them with us:

—Deer Creek Canyon is 5-6% most of the way, with 8-9% at the top.

—High Grade is actually not the highest grade we do. It mostly ranges from 5-8% with 10% grades in a few spots.

—Oehlmann Park Road from Pleasant Park is in the 9-11% range in the switchbacks.

—City View Drive from South Turkey Creek has a lot of 10% grades with 13% up the “elevator shaft”.

—South Turkey Creek is 2-5%.

—High Drive hits 10% frequently, is 8-12% in the switchbacks, and is 10-16% at the steepest points.

—Parmalee Gulch is 6-8% from the Kittredge Side and 4-5% from the Indian Hills side.

—Brook Forest Road is 3-7% from Evergreen with “The Beast” at 12% and then 8-10% on to the top.

—Squaw Pass is a steady 5%, occasionally 6-7%.

—Lefthand Canyon starts out under 5%, and gradually gets steeper until the 8-11% in the last mile.

Thanks to Darrel for sharing this info.!

Volunteer to start your favorite ride today! Just contact John Klever.

— “Populaires” are timed rides of 100km or so to acquaint newcomers with randonneuring. For more information about populaires, contact Val Phelps.

— “Brevets” are challenging endurance events which can also be used to qualify for super-randonnee events. Such rides must be completed within a time limit through checkpoints and some night riding is often involved. Contact John Lee Ellis for more info. Pre-registration is encouraged and sometimes required for these events.

Submissions Wanted!

Have an interesting or funny cycling story? Do you have some valuable information to share? Or perhaps you have an opinion you want to share with others. We would love to have you submit an article. Or, if you just have an idea for something you would like to see in Chain Chatter, please let us know. Just contact Mark Michel with your ideas.

Advertisements

Travel: Jennifer Sage owns a bicycle tour company with custom guided and self-guided tours to Europe. Of particular interest are several Tour de France tours. Find out more on her website at www.vivatravels.com. You can also call her. There are discounts for RMCC Members!

Travel: The Leadville Hostel and Inn is an inexpensive and clean place for the adventure-minded visitor to the mountains. Rates are $15-$20 per night, with group rates available. Shuttle service can be arranged for hikers, bikers, and river runners. They are at www.leadvillhostel.com.

For Sale: Titanium Diamond Back road bike, with Dura Ace (2002) components and Mavic Open Pro wheels. The frame measures 54cm center-to-center. Price is $1500 obo. Contact Vickie Baker for more info.

For Sale: Thule hitching post two-bike carrier. New. $100. E-mail sheridan@town.nederland.co.us.

Only Rocky Mountain Cycling Club members may place advertisements on this page. To place an advertisement, send the copy, including your name to John Klever's e-mail.

May 2004

The Source for Bikes

Bike Source joined as an RMCC sponsor in 2004. The are located just east on University on County Line Road in Centennial. As a company, they have actually been in business for twenty years, doing business in seven states. A few years ago, they opened their store in the Denver area. Despite the fact that they are a national company, they are a partnership as opposed to a corporation, which they believe allows them to focus on providing service and having fun.

The first thing you notice when entering their store is that it is big—their clothing section is larger than many places’ entire shop. Of particular interest to us RMCC types is the broad selection of good road bikes that they carry. Those brands include Specialized, Cannondale, Eddy Merckx, Seven, Gunnar, Litespeed, Waterford, Kestrel, and Cervelo. The store manager indicated to me that they stock more road bikes than any store in town. When they first opened their store here, they were going to focus more on mid-range bikes, but they ultimately found that there was a need for a real performance-oriented shop on the south side.

They also offer specialized services. Most notably, they dedicate a full section to triatholon-related equipment. They also have a Serotta-certified fitting specialist on staff. And for those who need something fixed in a hurry, they offer next-day repairs year round. They also host an expo each year (this year running from June 3-5), at which many vendors bring their goods and at which the store offers numerous special deals.

I personally like to buy stuff at Bike Source, and I think many others will find it worth checking out.

Results: April 4 Populaire

There was a big turnout on a nice spring day for our first Populaire, with 29 finishers, many of them riding together at quite a brisk pace (18 finishing the 72 miles in under four hours). This was a wide-open plains ride going from Northglenn through Fort Lupton and Brighton.

Results: April 4 Populaire

A crisp but sunny outing for the eleven finishers, the day after half a foot of new snow! The 75-mile route went from Exit 255, by Horsetooth Reservoir, and through Fort Collins and Windsor.

Upcoming Events:

Sun. 5/12, 200K: Sign-in 7AM; depart 8AM from the SW corner of I-25 & Exit 243. This ride goes by Horsetooth and Poudre Canyon, then up the 9-15% grades of the scenic, backcountry Stove Praire. There will be a wintry weather alternative.

Sat. 5/15, 300K: Sign-in 3AM; Depart 4AM from the Santa Fe & Mineral P&R. It goes through the Black Forest, Elbert and back.

Sat. 6/2, 400K/1000K: Sign-in 3AM; Depart 4AM from the Superior P&R. The 400K goes up Lefthand Canyon, then down St. Vrain, then climbs Carter Lake and goes by Horsetooth. 14,000 feet climbing. The 1000K continues to Ft. Morgan then climbs Big Thompson Canyon. Pre-registration required.

For all events, contact John Ellis to register or get more information.

Need Stuff?

Enclosed with this month’s newsletter is the order form for club apparel. This year, there is a full array of options.

Additionally, Rick is also putting together a sock order. RMCC sock sizes are S/M and L/XL. They are $4.50/pair, but there is a 200 pair minimum order. Please send your size, number of pairs, and dollar amount to Richard Melick, 5350 Ridge Trail, Littleton, CO 80129-1412. You can contact him with any questions. Thanks, Rick!!

Don’t Forget

There are still openings available for the Memorial Day weekend tour, “Loop the Grand Mesa.” Contact Rick Melick to register or ask questions.

The deadline to register for the Summer Contrail is June 1. This tour takes in about 110 miles per day in central and southern Colorado. Contact Charlie Henderson for more info.

Upcoming Rides:
(see Upcoming Events for the Brevet schedule)

Volunteer to start your favorite ride today! Just contact John Klever.

Schedule Notes:

—On May 2nd, rides are starting at two different locations at Exit 243. The regular club ride meets on the southeast corner of this intersection; the brevet meets at the southwest corner. Please make sure you go to the correct location lest you end up doing a much longer or shorter ride than you were anticipating!

—The Tuesday Night Hill Climb starts from Golden at 5:30 (Phillip Baker); the Wednesday Handlebar & Grill Ride starts from South High School at 5:30 (Rick Melick); the Thursday evening ride starts from Meadow Sweet Park in Erie at 6:00 (Mike Prendergast).

Submissions Wanted!

Have an interesting or funny cycling story? Do you have some valuable information to share? Or perhaps you have an opinion you want to share with others. We would love to have you submit an article. Or, if you just have an idea for something you would like to see in Chain Chatter, please let us know. Just contact Mark Michel with your ideas.

Advertisements

For Sale: Mavic Helium front wheel with Conti GP tire. No skewer. New bearings. $60. Call Darrel.

Misc: If you need to buy or sell a bike, you can use the bike and ski classifieds area hosted by the Mobile Bike & Ski Shop at www.mobilebikeshop.com.

Travel: Jennifer Sage owns a bicycle tour company with custom guided and self-guided tours to Europe. Of particular interest are several Tour de France tours. Find out more on her website at www.vivatravels.com. You can also call her. There are discounts for RMCC Members!

Travel: The Leadville Hostel and Inn is an inexpensive and clean place for the adventure-minded visitor to the mountains. Rates are $15-$20 per night, with group rates available. Shuttle service can be arranged for hikers, bikers, and river runners. They are at www.leadvillehostel.com.

Only Rocky Mountain Cycling Club members may place advertisements on this page. To place an advertisement, send the copy, including your name to John Klever's e-mail.

June 2004

From the Editor: On Cops & Crashes - continued

Finally, please learn your rights. The Bicycle Colorado website (bicylecolo.org ) has a great section on this. Many motorists, and police officers for that matter, simply don't know the rules of the road as they apply to bicycles. For example, the officer who stopped the riders during the brevet told them it was a four point traffic offense. Actually, they cannot assign points against your driver's license for what you do on a bike.

Getting A New Start

We've all seen the situation. An RMCC club ride with about fifty riders rolls out of the parking lot, and everyone tries to keep up with our fastest group of very able riders. One by one, the “slower” riders get spit out the back, and we end up with a group of fast riders who are riding together, and then a lot of individual riders who then have to assemble their own groups (at best), or end up doing the whole ride by themselves (at worst).

Club President Charlie Henderson has brought this issue up at several recent club meetings. While the resulting discussions on the part of the Board were interesting, they ultimately didn't develop a solution.

As a result, the issue festered. Charlie began losing sleep at night. Finally, exasperated at the inability of the club's Board to come up with an innovative solution, he set off to tour some of the major European cycling hotbeds to find an answer.

He found one in Mallorca. While there, he happened to attend a racing camp. They started each of their rides by breaking the riders up into three groups—the fastest group, followed by a second group about 30 seconds or so later, followed by a third group about 30 seconds after that. If someone could not keep up with the group he was in, he could simply drop back to the group following.

This approach seemed to provide an obvious solution for us. First, it allows people to find riders whom they will be able to ride with before the ride begins, as opposed to figuring that out on the road. Second, it helps reduce the chaotic feel that rides have at the start—we can roll as three groups instead of one mass peloton. Finally, people who are not as fast can know that they will have people to ride with, which they aren't always sure of with the old way.

Charlie ran this as a test at the Coal Creek Canyon-Lyons ride in mid-May. The feedback received was universally positive, so a decision was made to implement this procedure at all of our rides where there are a substantial number of riders (i.e. it doesn't make sense to create three groups if there are only six people riding).

So, expect to see this at your next ride. If you are leading an upcoming ride and have any questions about this, feel free to contact Charlie, Val Phelps, or Tom Foss for answers.

One additional note about terminology. The RMCC describes itself as a club for intermediate to advanced cyclists. Our definition of this terms revolves more around distance covered than speed. The groupings are simply based on the speed at which people ride, and are not meant to be a description of people's riding abilities.

Thanks to Charlie once again for his work to make the RMCC an even better club!

Bone Loss in Cyclists: Two Opinions

A recent article in Bicycling magazine arguing that cyclists suffer from higher than normal bone loss has gotten a lot of attention recently. RMCC members Tim Dodge and John Hughes have researched this issue in detail, and offer their thoughts below. And, as always, consult your own doctor for medical advice..

A recent article about the risk of osteoporosis for cyclists in Bicycling magazine (March 2004) was a wake-up call for me. I have been an endurance cyclist for years, and I am always looking for information to help me train smarter and ride better. What I read in that article was shocking: “medical evidence seems to indicate that if cycling is the only athletic activity in your life, you might be wasting the foundation of your body - your skeleton - and turning into a broken hip waiting to happen.” This prompted me to look at the source studies for more information. I found that the data show men are at risk for osteoporosis, not just women, and ultra cyclists are particularly at risk.

A study done at San Diego State University in 2003 reported severe bone loss in 27 male racers ages 40 to 60 who trained an average of 12.2 hours a week for 20 years. At an average age of 51.2, when most men have no bone loss at all, the subject cyclists’ average hip and bone densities were 10 percent lower than those of a control group of moderately active, non-cycling men of similar age. The study compared three groups of men: older cyclists (average age of 51.2 years), young adult cyclists (average age of 31.7 years) and non-athletes matched by age. Total bone mineral density (BMD) was lower in the master cyclists compared to those at 30. Weight-bearing exercise is commonly cited as the best strategy for building BMD, yet the study found that men who performed these exercises during teen and young adult years did not have a measurably higher BMD compared to those who did not.

A study conducted by the University of Heidelberg, Germany examined the effects of BMD in athletes with weight-bearing demands on the spine. The researchers compared weight lifters, boxers and endurance cyclists with a control group. The high performance weight lifters and boxers groups both scored significantly higher lumbar spine BMD than the controls, at 24% and 17% respectively, while the endurance cyclists scored a remarkable 10% less.

The Fitness Assessment and Sports Injury Centre at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland compared runners, cyclists and non exercising age-matched individuals for BMD. All of the athletic subjects had been competing for at least three years, and they trained for at least four hours per week. There was no cross-over between groups, meaning that the runners did not cycle for training, and the cyclists did not run. The study was further controlled by matching subjects for age, height, body mass index, fat percentage and hours of training. (The athletes had a lower body mass index and fat percentage than the control group, however.) The researchers found that, compared to the control group, the runners had greater total and leg BMD, the cyclists had lower spine BMD and both groups of athletes had greater total and arm BMD. The study concluded that running is associated with increased bone density, particularly in the leg. The authors also found that cycling is associated with a mild decrease of BMD in the spine. They also found that in athletes who do both, running exerts a stronger influence than cycling.

Most of the experts agree that the overall benefits of regular physical activity are much greater than the risks of diminished BMD. Given the results of these studies it seems prudent to take action to minimize the effects of bone loss. So, what can you do? The following seem to make sense:

Increase your calcium intake. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for calcium is 1,200 mg for men over age 50 according to the Food and Nutrition Board. If you are exercising more than one hour per day, increase your calcium intake by 200 mg for each additional hour. This may mean adding dairy products (such as milk, cheese and yogurt) to your diet. Each serving contains about 200-230 mg of calcium. It may also help to take supplements. Also consider taking 400-800 IU of vitamin D per day to help your body absorb the calcium.

Cross-train. The benefits of weight lifting and other weight-bearing exercise on BMD are clear. It may also be helpful to perform back exercises to strengthen your lower vertebrae. Exercise that involves impact, such as running and jumping, helps build bone mass. One study found that playing squash was as beneficial as weight lifting in building bone mass. Consider mountain biking; a study conducted by the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City found that mountain biking may provide a osteogenic stimulus that is not inherent in road cycling.

Watch your diet. Alcohol and soda pop have all been found to reduce BMD.

Get a bone scan. A bone scan will give you a definitive measurement of your BMD, and your risk of osteoporosis in the future. Most insurance companies will not cover a bone scan for men under 65 or women under 50 without a reason. Talk with your doctor about your exercise patterns and any physical signs that you might be at risk, such as a loss in height or ongoing aches and pains. This may be all it takes to indicate your need for a bone scan.

The issues raised in the Bicycling article are important, but the article itself may have been somewhat overstated.

I have had several long conversations with Susan Barr, PhD who specializes in nutrition and osteoporosis. From those, I have learned that the study cited in the magazine article was erroneous. It drew on a study of the sweat of basketball players that showed high calcium losses - but the study was methodologically flawed and overestimated the calcium losses by a factor of 10.

Second, the study indicated that cyclists are more susceptible to osteopinea, the precursor to osteoporosis. What the article didn't detail very clearly is that osteopinea is simply defined as bone density more than one standard deviation below the mean. So, by definition, in any large population a significant fraction will have osteopinea. That said, cycling does not promote bone health because it is a non-weight bearing exercise. Please keep in mind, however, that cyclists are at no greater risk that your normal, sedentary American. The risk we face is from the lack of weight-bearing exercise, not from cycling itself.

So, what should we do, if anything? Climbing out of the saddle feels like it's weight-bearing exercise, but you're only exerting about 20 ft/lbs of force. That is a mere ten to fifteen percent of the impact of walking. Of all athletes, gymnasts have the strongest bones; that is because they engage in the highest impact exercise. For us, engaging in higher impact activities is what is needed, such as plyometrics, jumping jacks, etc. Do note, however, that you are better off doing a few sets of high impact exercise several days a week than spending a lot of time walking or even jogging, since that doesn't provide much bone overload.

Finally, on the issue of calcium intake: Taking in an adequate amount of calcium (i.e. the Recommended Daily Allowance) is important for everyone, including cyclists. If your diet does not provide adequate calcium, you should find ways to take in more. Once you are taking in a sufficient amount however, there is no benefit to taking calcium supplements. Your body can't process the additional, so it simply comes out when you go to the bathroom. To add additional strength to your bones, engaging in the higher-impact activities as described above is really the key.

So, What’s Up With Those Acronyms?
By John Lee Ellis

What’s with those endurance-cycling acronyms? For us, two organizations are of most import – RUSA and the UMCA. Randonneurs USA (RUSA) promotes randonneuring in the US – non-competitive endurance rides on the French model that value persistence, resourcefulness, and camaraderie. The Ultra Marathon Cycling Association (UMCA) promotes the broad spectrum of ultracycling in the US and internationally (from races to randonnées). Some details …

Randonneurs USA (RUSA) sanctions randonneuring events in the US, including the brevets and populaires of the Colorado Brevet Series, plus 1200km randonnées such as the Colorado Last Chance and Boston-Montreal-Boston. Related to RUSA:

The Audax Club Parisien (ACP) sanctions Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) – the 1200km randonnée held in France every four years – and is the parent organization for sanctioning bodies in each country (RUSA in the US). We deal with the ACP through RUSA.

The Randonneurs Mondiaux (RM) sanctions 1200km randonnées worldwide (except for PBP), including RUSA’s 1200k’s. Again, we deal with the RM through RUSA.

The Ultra Marathon Cycling Association (UMCA) promotes ultracycling in the US and worldwide – loosely defined as rides of a century or more. It was founded in 1982 in association with what became the Race Across America (RAAM), and for which it is the sanctioning body. In addition, the UMCA sanctions RAAM Qualifiers such as the Furnace Creek 508, Adirondack 540, the Round Czech Republic, Brazil Challenge 500, and others. The UMCA also sanctions state crossing records, 24-hour track and other record attempts. It also offers the following of interest:

The John Marino Competition (JMC), a slate of around two dozen events per year, for which riders can get credit based on their performances, and

The UMCA Mileage Challenge (UMC), where riders can get credit for rides over 90 miles – the RMCC schedule has plenty of these!

Brevets, like any other event over 90 miles (including RMCC club rides), can be used for credit in the UMCA Mileage Challenge. 1200km randonnées such as the Last Chance can be used to qualify for RAAM. And this year, the RMCC is pleased to have two John Marino Competition events: the Grand Loop and the Last Chance.

Which organization is right for you? Maybe both – I am a member of both, for example.

RUSA provides a wealth or randonneuring opportunities throughout the country, insight into international events such as PBP, and a window into the world of randonneuring through its website www.rusa.org and its quarterly publication, American Randonneur.

The UMCA is the definitive source for training, nutrition, mindset, and other aspects of the many facets of long-distance cycling, through its website www.ultracycling.com and its content-rich semi-monthly journal, UltraCycling.

Whether you are into competitive ultracycling, long mileage for its own sake, or brevets with their structure and camaraderie, you can learn a lot from both organizations!

Brevet, Populaire & Special Event News

May 2nd 200K Brevet: Toughest 200K yet?

Sunny skies, a lush, green landscape and mild temperatures welcomed 53 riders on the first brevet of the season. This was comparable to last year’s high ridership, and most everyone had a great time.

John Hughes praised the scenic value and rural quietude of 122 miles of the course, the balance (three miles) consisting of the 12%-15% grade to Stove Prairie, which got everyone’s attention. So did the over-6,000-ft. elevation gain.

This is the first time in a couple of years that we could use the Stove Prairie Road and the first time to throw in the Horsetooth Centennial Road to boot. After the stiff climb, riders especially enjoyed the 10 miles of new, smooth asphalt on the descent to Masonville.

Two tandems and one HPV were in the rider mix, including tandem team Tim and Marta Rangitsch for their second brevet season from Rapid City SD (along with their friend Ed Engler), and Bob Fourney in his faired recumbent, for which he said this hilly course was not optimal, but which did not keep him from posting his usual fast time.

How much does finishing time tell? Luke Jeter came in at 11h1m … but that included an "intermission" to bike over to a time trial in Hygiene, race that, then bike back to the brevet route and finish the brevet.

RMCC president Charlie Henderson graced the ride start in jeans, as he’d gotten back the night before from race training in Mallorca, and was kind enough to come see us off.

5/2 Results:
(*new to Brevet series)

May 15th 300K Brevet: Chilliest 300K yet?

A couple days after a spring snow, 33 riders started on this year’s 300km. As day dawned somewhere close to Sedalia, the frost on cars and fence posts was a sign that temps were still on the cool side. It made for a “refreshing” ride.

Winds came up and skies darkened mid-ride in the Black Forest area. Snow-covered Pike's Peak shown a baleful light across the landscape, but aside from a sprinkle of rain and sleet, riders, though wind-buffeted, stayed dry, and enjoyed a tailwind most of the way back from Palmer Lake!

5/15 Results:
(*new to Brevet series)

Results: May 8th Front Range Fleche

Under fine, mild weather conditions, three flèche teams took to the field, one more than in 2003 and two more than in 2002.

The teams' routes were quite distinct in character. Team Prairie Dog used a variant of past years' foothills-hugging routes. Team Pika did some altitude work, up Lefthand Canyon to the Peak-to-Peak Highway, then forayed far out onto the Plains - they get the awards both for max altitude and max distance! Team Falcon started near Falcon (east of Colorado Springs), and rode an almost exclusively deep Plains route through Limon, Last Chance, and Fort Morgan - they get the award for fewest trees. The Pikas and Prairie Dogs crossed paths at Glen Haven, and while glad to see each other, were disappointed to miss the cinnamon rolls that had drawn them - as the Glen Haven Store was not yet open for the season. The Falcons and Prairie Dogs shared a common destination and finishing time (8am at Superior) and so enjoyed a celebratory breakfast together.

The Pikas and Prairie Dogs had shared a concern that the falcon is a raptor, but in the end, all riders finished unscathed - prey and predator alike!