carpediemracing 

What's kind of funny is that I'm all kinds of risk averse, at least I am to me. I've sat up in races just because I've had "a bad feeling" (and nothing happened). If I don't feel like I have a handle on things I will back off. Anything that I do on the bike I feel pretty comfortable doing it. It can be problematic if I need to go outside my comfort zone.

spectastic

I guess I'll be staring at asses for my next several group rides.

waterrockets 

Same, and I think that's the big limiter in my bunch sprints (that I don't do any more).

Ygduf

my last serious crash involved the 2 guys directly ahead of me getting tangled up. I went left to avoid, wheel I was on fell left, directly onto my front wheel. Suddenly I prefer more space.

It comes and goes, and race brain definitely helps.

mattm

Ha nice - I saw the winner's pic on fb, he looked pretty happy given he'd just crashed after winning!

aaronmcd

I feel like I'm risk adverse at the beginning of races and almost forget about risk as the race progresses and I have to start making moves. But I actually let people take the wheel I'm on a lot more now. First several races I would NOT let anyone take my spot and I would just take whatever spot I wanted. I think its a combination of getting smarter and also better opponents - now if someone really wants my position that bad I decide if I need it and often the answer is no so I let them have it.

hack

I've noticed in a lot of SoCal (e.g., Bahati or Williams) videos that people are frequently on the course just passed the finish line. The one time I raced down there over the winter I noticed it, too. Is that a thing there or something? Kinda spooked me a bit to have to play dodge person when I was redlined.

spectastic

I don't keep my positions in the sense that it's pointless to be constantly fighting, when you can take advantage of a lull, and move straight to the front without braking.

hack

I was pretty cavalier in my first ~20 races (I'm up to about 25 now ). Shot through little gaps, was comfortable making significant contact, etc. However, I crashed out pretty hard trying to get through a very small gap and have been pretty hesitant since. It's gotten better, but I'm much more aware of what I'm doing and am weighing the pros vs cons of a move in my head more so than in the past. I'm ok holding and taking a wheel, but if things are looking squirrely, I've leaned toward easing off. The physical pain is still there in my memory.

With that said, you've got to shelter from the wind as much as you can if the opportunity is there.

carpediemracing 

My first helmet cam camera was a 90 degree lens camera feeding into a camcorder. I called the first couple clips "the ankle and butt" videos. 130 degree lens was next, much better.

Serious comment: stare past them.

carpediemracing 

I've never caused a crash by blasting through a gap. I have slammed into someone who did the same thing from the other side of the guy beside us (I was on the left, he on the right). I think this was in 2006 or so. He gave me the spot. We talked after the race, he joined my team, so it couldn't have been that bad.

I've fallen plenty of times because someone slid into my wheels, usually in rain or in the last turn or three of a bigger crit (almost always in NJ). I've also fallen over guys who have fallen in front of me, road races more than crits. I got taken out once.

I learned a long time ago (maybe due to other training? because I'm wimpy?) that I have to battle using tactics, not brute strength. Therefore I don't push, I don't jam myself into gaps, I call it if two guys are hesitating (I'll tell them to hold or stay or whatever), etc etc. I can ride such that I can keep other guys from moving me, but in most cases they're trying to move me at a time it doesn't matter so I let them move me, like 5 laps to go or something. 200m to go I won't move.

I'll do field sprints but not the super sketchy ones. Most of the riders I have some inkling what they'll do. The ones I don't know make me think twice. This is true especially when I traveled to races - SoCal, Michigan, PA, DE, and parts of NJ. CT/RI, the regular races I do, I know most of the riders so I have an idea of what to expect.

mattm

For the bigger crits, it's common to let photographers on the course just after the finish line for sprint shots. San Dimas had a line of red tape after the finish that I assumed was for official photos, and Cascade does that too.

But in this case I think they were just too close to the finish, and/or didn't get out of the way in time.

waterrockets 

FWIW, it's not really needed... Dave McLaughlin was off the course for this shot, shooting a 400mm f/2.8 with a 1.4x extender. He was outside turn 1 barriers, a full city block away from me. Of course, not everyone is carrying around $10K worth of glass just for a Cat 3 finishing sprint.

kleinboogie

I agree, there are usually photographers after the finish but usually a lot further down the road. This crew was too close. I think it's because they mostly had 300mm lenses at most. I've got a 200mm and I'd have to be that close to get a shot. And yeah, the pics of the winner on fb kinda looked like he was too happy to feel the pain yet.

In the video, the guy in the hat juked to his left and the winner was going straight at him then he moved back to the right but it was too late and everyone scrunched into a 5' gap which wasn't enough.

waterrockets 

Yeah, my 200mm on my 1D (1.3x crop) is good for about 25 yards or I have to start cropping.

UmneyDurak

Comments are appreciated, specially on final stretch. What could have I done to move up? I ended up sixth, and I think with better position I could have been in the money.


Thank You.

ips0803

is there some like processed stabilization you can do to that?

SpeshulEd 

I recommend this mount. It's helped the stabilization of my videos immensely.

Amazon.com: K-EDGE GO BIG Pro Handlebar Mount for GoPro Hero (K13-420 Black): Camera & Photo

UmneyDurak

Youtube, ran it through stabilize algorithm, just takes a while. It's better now.

I don't have GoPro.

kleinboogie

Agreed, the K-Edge's are great. I have both front and back. They promised a Contour mount but since they died I guess it's not coming. Ball mounts are horrible for road videos. GL

tetonrider

i'm glad those guys weren't seriously injured.

at the crit, a photog jumped on the course just after the start/finish, with 4 or 5 laps to go. i don't know if he thought me and the few riders i was with were off the front (we weren't....just the opposite!), but it almost caused a crash for a meaningless shot. the rider in front of my just rotated off, the photog jumped out, then as i made a move to one side he also moved to that side. it all worked out ok, but not by much.

and all for a meaningless mid-level race at an inconsequential point in the race...for riders who weren't even in a break.

tetonrider

it's a great shot.

regardless of how much one has invested in glass, telephoto adds a different feel. someone else's vision could require a different set up and a need to be closer.

love that pic, though!

spectastic

*sigh* cali


youtube's stabilization process makes my videos look weird, especially during the sprint, when the camera goes side to side, so I just don't use it. but then again, my handlebar mount I have (same one speshuled mentioned) does a pretty good job holding it all together.

zitter

final lap from my crit yesterday. gopro was on my teammates helmet and i was right behind him for the most part, but got swarmed just before the last corner. made up a lot of ground during the sprint but could only manage 4th (I come by on the right at 1:16)

ShutUpLegs

Wow that guy that attacked late and I assume won, looked like he shot out of a cannon. Good move on his part