This article was originally published in the Friday June 19th 2009 edition of the Sierra Sun.
The Tour de Nez bicycle race extravaganza has descended upon Truckee once again. It's a blur of bright jerseys and rolling wheels all traveling at speeds in excess of 30 miles per hour. The downtown criterium is an hour long display of pure athleticism and team tactics. It takes a mix of brawn, cunning, courage and luck to stand atop the podium at the end.
Bike racing certainly looks like a lot of fun. You might find yourself thinking, "I'd like to do that."
The cost of entry into bicycle racing is no more expensive than most sports. You can get started today for under $1500. This is comparable to buying 2 pairs of skis and a season pass.
- Road bicycle, with drop handlebars. ($800 - $9000)
- Bicycle Helmet ($50 - $200)
- Cycling Shoes ($75 - $300)
- Riding Shorts, Jersey & Gloves ($125 - $300)
- Accessories; pump, spare tubes, bottles, etc ($100)
Cycling is a technology oriented sport, with fancy new bikes coming out every season. As listed, you can spend upwards of $10,000 on new bike. But I am going to reveal a secret passed down through the ages of budget minded riders. A $10,000 road bike is just as fast as an $800 road bike. It's all about the Indian, not the canoe. Or it's all about the rider, not the bike. There isn't much you can do to a road bicycle to make it faster; its speed limit is dictated by the engine in your legs and lungs. You can spend thousands of dollars building a bike 5 pounds lighter to get you up the hills a few seconds faster, or you could save that money and drop the 5 pounds off your midsection with a little sweat equity. The fit or size of your road bike is the most important factor when buying. Getting that proper fit is something you can expect to find when buying from your local bike shop.
Now that you have the equipment, it's time to get out and ride. Before jumping straight into competition, you will want to experience riding with a group in a non-competitive environment. In the Reno/Tahoe area there are several group rides that require nothing more than a willing set of legs to participate in.
- Every Wednesday at 6pm behind the Gateway Shopping Center in Truckee. 1.5 hours with a slow and fast group option.
- Every Saturday at 9am at Walden's Coffee Shop in Reno. 1-2 hours, with groups usually splitting up by ability level.
- The Procrastinating Pedalers of Reno have several group rides each week, please see their website calendar for further information. (www.pedalers.org)
Once you have some familiarity with group riding, you are ready for your first race. For Reno/Tahoe area riders there are two governing bodies of organized competition, USA Cycling and the Reno Wheelmen.
USA Cycling sanctioned events (like the Tour de Nez) are typically bigger events, and may require a few hours of travel as they are often hosted in the Central Valley and Bay Area. They have a ranking system to insure you are always racing with riders at your ability or age level. USA Cycling does require a $60 annual membership for participation. The Northern California and Nevada Cycling (NCNCA) association has a detailed calendar of events from January through September.
- NCNCA (ncnca.org)
- USA Cycling (usacycling.org)
Reno Wheelmen events are a weekly series of races held locally from April through August. With minimal travel time, and only $10 per event – the Wheelmen races are the best way for an aspiring racer to get their first taste of competition.
- Reno Wheelmen (renowheelmen.org)
All it takes is a desire to compete and a working road bike. Before you know it you could be on the path to racing with the professionals at the Tour de Nez.
Team rider Nick Schaffner is the author of this week's Cyclepaths/Wild Cherries Racing column. Cyclepaths/Wild Cherries Racing is a Truckee-based cycling team focused on racing and local bike advocacy. For more information, results and upcoming events, visit cwcracing.org.
Article was last edited on Friday, June 26th, 2009 @ 8:03 PM
