Do we rename this sub forum as "Indoor Racing"
#26
Senior Member
I believe that Intel is smaller than before, but it's still a big event right? Maybe it was "gigantic" previously and now it's just "big".
You would know better than me if the promoters of that race are losing $$ vs breaking even vs profiting, but it's bigger than any multi-day race I know of in CA.
Intelligentsia aside, my point is that it's not like quality races aren't attracting anyone. Around here the big races (Snelling, Chico, etc) still have big fields. The crap races have tiny fields. That's just the free market at work I guess.
You would know better than me if the promoters of that race are losing $$ vs breaking even vs profiting, but it's bigger than any multi-day race I know of in CA.
Intelligentsia aside, my point is that it's not like quality races aren't attracting anyone. Around here the big races (Snelling, Chico, etc) still have big fields. The crap races have tiny fields. That's just the free market at work I guess.
#29
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I prefer to have the squirrelly riders in my pace line so I can offer suggestions to help them improve. Or at times, yell at them.
Also, can we still say 'squirrelly' or is it too anti-animal? https://www.firstcoastnews.com/artic...s/77-620937532
Also, can we still say 'squirrelly' or is it too anti-animal? https://www.firstcoastnews.com/artic...s/77-620937532
#30
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#31
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I love intelli but the cat 2/3 field this year was tiny at most the midweek races. I was a bit surprised at this because cat 2s are usually the ones willing to travel because cat 2 fields are so rare (at least in the northeast, I think CA may be different?). I wonder how the mid week fields at something like dairylands are in the amateur categories. with the exception of athens, speed week seems like it's pretty much dead at this point, but i've never been so I'm just talking based on internet perception. New England can still draw "big" fields at the right events, but the # of events seems to be decreasing every year. I"m interested to see how the race scene in the south compares (I just moved to atlanta). I went to a crit to spectate last fall and the 2/3 field was like 10 dudes...
Agreed the numbers for Intelli were down. I could probably dig them up. The promoters do fine...kind of. It's Tom Schuler's crew at 10 Speed Productions. I respect him/them a lot. I sure as hell didn't at first but that's a great story for another day. It involved him and I yelling at each other, him kicking a set of rollers with a rider on them and me throwing new carbon wheels. They also run Tour of America's Dairyland. ToAD is always better attended than Intelli is. If you put them both together you might have old school SuperWeek between all of the venues.
The way they operate for Intelli at least is they look for venues/local promoters. The local promoters PAY them (10 speed productions) to put on a race on that course/venue. It is then up to the local promoter to secure the funding through sponsorship to cover that cost. They also sell sponsorship of the whole series that they get to keep. the also run registration and keep all entries. All in all it's a system that allows them to keep going year over year but can lead to placing too much pressure (financial and volunteer burnout) on the local promoters for each venue.
They've talked to me more than once about being in the series in some way. I just don't have that kind of money. They never discuss it openly as each venue and promoter actually pays different amounts (think employees getting different pay but never talking to each other about it) but I know the amounts that a few of the venues have had to pay. It's roughly 4-8x the size of one of my crit budgets and I get to keep the entry money.
I thought it looked like speedweek was dead when I looked at the calendar for the Pro road thing and USA Crits. Tulsa is still a destination race for many. Air Force should reschedule but they still draw enough that they don't care. Big races will continue for a while and might get better because attendance might go up - got to go if there aren't as many options.Still sad to see Glencoe go. Was my favorite race of the year and my last real opportunity to run into the pros I know at least once a year on my own area.
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#32
Senior Member
I'm planning on speedweek this spring but judging by the schedule last year it's kind of ridiculous to even call it a "series." the races are all hours apart.
#33
in bagnomaria
Also, can we still say 'squirrelly' or is it too anti-animal? https://www.firstcoastnews.com/artic...s/77-620937532
Guilty.
#34
out walking the earth
Squirrely riders in a paceline are hardly the most dangerous aspect of riding out on the road.
#35
in bagnomaria
#36
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No equipment restrictions.
No doping restrictions (or are there? - I don't know).
It is what road racing should be - fun and un-regulated.
cx is good for 3-5 more years. It is not really cycling. Certainly not Road Bike Racing.
Last edited by Doge; 12-24-18 at 06:51 PM.
#37
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#38
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Indoor racing is kinda lame to me... yes I've done some.
you all are just gonna have to buy Gravel bikes or bike with more offroad capabilities.... this is where the future seems to be going.
you all are just gonna have to buy Gravel bikes or bike with more offroad capabilities.... this is where the future seems to be going.
#40
Senior Member
Definitely, the scene is shrinking down here. Two of the three biggest cat 1/2 teams in my area have had their budgets slashed by sponsors (i.e. bike shops). They are shells of what they were just 2 years ago. The shop that sponsored my team (of 100 racers) just went out of business. The only bright spot in this last year was the start of a new crit series on the north side. I expect the local scene to continue to dwindle, unfortunately.
If I was making bets, I would be on Zwift. I would short everything else.
If I was making bets, I would be on Zwift. I would short everything else.
#41
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Our sponsorships for our team just dropped to ~30% of what it's been for the last 8 years or so. They're just dropping like flies and all of them are citing $/economy.
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#42
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The teams that are sponsored by the biggest bike shops in town are not doing so great, because the bike shops themselves cut sponsorships (I understand).
Seems like money is going down. I just went through your thread about promotion. I think about my own situation. I should be a prime candidate for the local road races. Masters Cat 3. I've yet to do a single road race. Ever. I just don't really care. Also, I'm at the stage where I'm not likely to ever really get a lot better. I'll probably never be a cat 2. I'm just doing it for fun, and in that case, I'll just do what is convenience and cost efficient. Balancing many things in my life.
#44
Senior Member
I think it's possible that zwift actually brings people into real racing, eventually. In the short term, it's not benefiting local races. But eventually there will be people that only do indoor peleton and zwift, that will try their hand at racing. But we are a long way from there. And that coming time is going to be scary as hell, lol.
#45
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I did not really know where to post this matter so I put it here because this thread is getting some action and has discussed cheating in virtual racing.
One of the reasons I believe outdoor racing and riding is down is due to lack of promotion from professional riders and teams and sponsors but in addition, main stream media could write positive things about cycling. On occasion they do, but they mostly like to focus on the negative aspect such as cheating.
WSJ - Headline...Ready, Set, Cheat: Electric Bikers Zoom Past Mad Pedalers on Cycling App. Tag line...Amateur cyclists on the popular site Strava are in an uproar over alleged e-bike cheaters. https://www.wsj.com/articles/ready-s...s&page=1&pos=1
The growing popularity of health and exercise apps has led to more people fudging on their fitness. They’re hacking fitness trackers like Fitbit, inflating their step counts and “forgetting” to record that afternoon bag of sour cream and onion potato chips.
One of the reasons I believe outdoor racing and riding is down is due to lack of promotion from professional riders and teams and sponsors but in addition, main stream media could write positive things about cycling. On occasion they do, but they mostly like to focus on the negative aspect such as cheating.
WSJ - Headline...Ready, Set, Cheat: Electric Bikers Zoom Past Mad Pedalers on Cycling App. Tag line...Amateur cyclists on the popular site Strava are in an uproar over alleged e-bike cheaters. https://www.wsj.com/articles/ready-s...s&page=1&pos=1
The growing popularity of health and exercise apps has led to more people fudging on their fitness. They’re hacking fitness trackers like Fitbit, inflating their step counts and “forgetting” to record that afternoon bag of sour cream and onion potato chips.
#46
out walking the earth
#47
Senior Member
Several members of my race team had broken bones this year.
A racer in my hometown in Texas was just struck and killed on a solo training ride.
Risk on trainer=low
A racer in my hometown in Texas was just struck and killed on a solo training ride.
Risk on trainer=low