derby wed 5/7

60-80 started, some were dropped on the way out, very windy, striong cross wind actually, down to 20 in the front group, hard ride on the way back to oley. great ride. brian rode 55 miles. ted was screaming. forgedale was fast.

with the cold weather slowly falling behind us, we will start doing the derby more often, and the oley tuesday night rides will start again in march. i'd like to get the riders to talk about the rides on this forum. the derby has such a diversity of riders in it, and 2 riders can actually do the fast part of the derby and not see each other. the derby isn't totally about fitness and strength, but also about position in the group. not everyone has the ability to ride from the back of the group all the way to the front after the turn around. i've heard that the derby has been brutal the past few weeks. not only because of the weather but also because some of the kids are trying to be fit earlier in the year for early season racing. the wind plays a huge factor in derby riding as well.

the derby usually gets a little easier in march when the training races start, and then harder as teh guys get fit for april. but february? you never know,,,,,,,

see you on the derby this sunday...................

jim

I think this past week was my 1st derby of the year, ( may have done one the 1st week of Jan.) but the Dec. ones I did were real tuff. That maybe because I wasn't in good fitness, or I had done a real long Saturday ride, but I was getting dropped at Deka.

This past week wasn't as bad, I did get right to the front which helps, but I made it to the small hill going out of Bowers before going from the very front to back. I hung just off the back until about 1/2 way up the Topton hill when someone at the front put on the gas. There were probably about 45 guys out on a questionable winter Sunday. There were several sections near Kutztown where the road was snow covered from the drifting snow, but it was ridable and there were no issues that I saw.