October 2006 - Velo Club La Grange

The official newsletter of Velo Club La Grange
October 2006
The President’s Message
It’s official: La Grange is at record membership. Over 450 members and on track to get extremely close to 500 members by
year-end. My cycling cap goes off to all of you members—long term, short term, and new members—for making Velo Club
La Grange one of the most successful amateur cycling clubs in Southern California. Your membership and participation is
what gives us recognition in all aspects of cycling, racing, public policy and community. Thank you.
Just a reminder: our annual banquet featuring a video short formally known as “Raymond,” is Sunday, November 5th and
will be sold out. If you’re planning to make it please reserve now and experience Chaya Venice’s great cuisine, organized
by the one and only Kurt Fainman. If you haven’t been to this event before, it’s a great opportunity to socialize, enjoy great
food and beverages and applaud the winners in this years racing and overall award categories. See you there!
Finally, we have just been informed that Courtney and Heday will make a special live appearance in honor of Raymond
Fouquet. Courtney will sing while accompanied by the classic guitarist Heday. I can’t wait!
See you out there.
Duncan Lemmon
See the Raymond Fouquet Documentary Premiere
Sunday Nov 5th, 2006 at Chaya Venice
The Annual La Grange Banquet
President
In This Issue
La Grange at Interbike Las Vegas
What goes on in Vegas ... Doesn’t always stay there!
We invite our readers and their friends to join La Grange.
For the latest La Grange news, information and updates subscribe to the Yahoo! Groups
Visit our website at www.lagrange.org
1
The Editor’s Ride
Paul Strauss ([email protected])
Mark Your Calendars!
The racing season is over as we enter a transition phase of training. For the fun rides,
the sunrise is later and sunset earlier. A little
cooler now, so time to break out the arm- and
knee-warmers. Some of us will take time to
mentally rejuvenate ourselves. Some will take
up cross-training activities. There are some
good centuries to do and just time for some
easy riding. They call it base and it’s probably
the most valuable training for the entire year.
For the 5th Annual
VCLG Thanksgiving Day Ride
La Grange will hold its annual Thanksgiving Day Ride on
Thursday, November 23rd, meeting at 7:45 a.m. at the corner
of Westwood Blvd. and La Grange Ave., with several other
meeting points along the route (details to be in the November
La Voix and posted on the website). The ride is a fundraiser
for Meals on Wheels of West Los Angeles, and our contributions help Meals on Wheels to provide free or low-cost meals
to the home-bound ill and elderly of our neighborhood. While
the requested minimum contribution will remain at $15,
we hope that you will download the sponsor form at www.
lagrange.org and ask your friends and family members to
sponsor you on the ride by making a donation (even if you
can’t do the ride!). Even the small donations add up very fast!
And there are some nice gifts for the three people who raise or
contribute the most money.
Just came back from Interbike in Las Vegas. Paul Scott and I had
the chance to ride all the new 2007 bikes, see all the new gear,
and schmooze! Amazing stuff out there, so read Paul’s review of
the hot bikes.
Paul Scott and I have created the Agency for Cycling Ethics. We
have launched the Clean Cycling Initiative to establish volunteer
on-schedule drug testing, and educational and counseling programs for the professional and amateur pelotons in the United
States and internationally. We are looking for partnerships to join
the ACE community and launching a public relations campaign to
improve the public’s perception of professional cycling.
As always, the ride will be a comfortable “Friday Ride” pace
down to Palos Verdes, approx. 50 miles if you complete the
entire ride, with several re-grouping spots and a very social
break for FREE coffee, tea, bagels and fresh-baked cinnamon
rolls at Catalina Coffee Co. in Redondo. It’s a great ride for
meeting other members - - especially for those of you who
can’t make the morning club rides.
Sunday November 5th is the annual club banquet at Chaya Venice.
We must thank Kurt Fainman again for organizing this great event.
This year we will have a once-in-a-lifetime event honoring Raymond Fouquet,
the founder of Velo Club La Grange. The
premiere of Ray, a documentary produced
and directed by Bill Birrell, Bill Pitcher,
and Edger Burcksen, will be at the event.
Don’t miss this social event.
Paul
Ride strong and safe.
I Wish I Thought Of That!
(La Grange Cycling Tips)
Wrap your tube in plastic wrap before storing it in your
saddle pack. It protects the tube, compresses it, as well as
making it easier to put into the pack.
Paul Strauss
John Griffiths is a writer and cartoonist who lives in
England and France. One of his characters is “e-griff,” a
man he claims is quite unlike himself. ( www.e-griff.com )
this because there is still so much they can learn just from getting out there and riding with a heart rate monitor. I also try to
steer the number crunchers away from the power meters. These
riders (and you know who you are) can get so overwhelmed by
the sheer amount of data they collect, that it can not only harm
their performance, but also take away some of the fun of riding.
However, if you are willing to invest the time into learning about
and understanding how power works and why it is so important,
then no other piece of equipment will give you the training edge
like a good power meter.
Coach’s Corner
Josh Horowitz ([email protected])
Q. I couldn’t get my heart rate into the proper
zone on my training ride today. What does
this mean?
A. This is sort of “Part B” to a previous
question in this column, but it is one of the
most common things that riders needlessly
stress out about. Heart rate is a very subjective measurement and it’s going to change
dramatically based on weather, mental stress,
sleep, training stress and a host of other things. Those of you
who have a power meter can see this very easily by comparing
heart rate from one day to the next on a similar interval. For
myself, at the beginning of a training cycle, my heart rate at my
threshold of 350 watts might be as high as 170, but a week or
two later when I am tired, 350 watts could produce a heart rate
as low as 155. This is one of the reasons that coaches subscribe
heart rate zones with 10 to 20 beat ranges. But remember, even
if your heart rate is below the prescribed range, but you feel like
you are carrying a proper workload, go ahead and continue the
workout. Always keep in mind that the object of training is to
increase your power output, not your heart rate.
And for those who are looking for an answer with the word
carbon in it, I’ll go ahead and say it. Wheels. A good set of lightweight wheels can completely change the way your bike rides.
Since rotating weight is such a key number, a few ounces saved
at the rim can make your bike feel a pound or two lighter on the
climbs. After that, grab a nice set of tires to go with them.
Josh Horowitz is a USCF Certified coach and an active
Category 1 racer. For more information about his coaching services, contact [email protected] or check out his website at
www.liquidfitness.com.
The second part of this answer is to keep track of these fluctuations so that you can understand your body better. Keep track of
how your heart rate responds to hard training. Just like resting
heart rate, try to study your exercise heart rate so that you can
track changes and decide whether they indicate a potential problem or just the natural flow of the training.
Q. I’m sick. Should I ride or take the day off?
A. The usual answer to this is that if the cold is in your head
only, you are ok to ride easy. If it is in your chest, then you
should take the day off completely. Anything worse than a cold
such as a flu also means a day or more completely off the bike.
The only addendum I have from my own personal and coaching experience is to always err on the side of caution in these
situations. Although at the time it may seem like the end of the
world if you miss that all important training ride, in the grand
scheme of things, it is a thousand times better to rest up, get better and return to your full training schedule as soon as possible
rather than spend weeks wallowing in that training limbo where
you are trying to recover while at the same time trying to train.
Better to miss a week now than a full month down the road.
La Grange Fallen Riders
Memorial Fund
Contributions can be made to the Bench
Restoration Project
Q. I’m looking to upgrade my ride. What is the best place to
spend my money?
[email protected]
Check Payable to the VeloClub
LaGrange/
Fallen
Riders Fund and mailed To:
VeloClub La Grange
11817 Texas Ave. #5
Los Angeles, CA 90025
A. The first answer is always a good coach! No amount of
money in the world will buy you a bike that is going to continue to improve your performance year after year like a good
coach. But if you’re looking for something shiny and new to
show off to your friends, my answer would be a power measuring device. However, I prefer to steer newer riders away from
Cyclocross for the Off-Season
Paul Strauss ([email protected])
Just when you thought is was safe and the race season is over, you have time for your long-slow-distance rides... introduce the cyclocross race season. You ask, what is cyclecross? Well take a road bike with extra clearance for mud and dirt between the wheels and
forks, put knobby wide tires on, set up a course on dirt, mud, grass, and throw in a few barricades in which you have to carry you
bike over, add a few unrideable hills to get up and you get the idea. The races are usually one 30 to 60 minutes of anaerobic, all-out,
heart pounding pace. But they are fun. Part road and part mountain, the races are great for endurance, handling skills, and strength.
The season is short, but a great way to entertain yourself.
are a shorter top-tube
(since women tend to
have longer legs and
shorter torsos than
men), narrower handlebars, brake levers
equipped with shims
to accommodate
smaller hands, a wider
selection of smaller
size frames (with
44cm and 47/48cm
sizes increasingly
available), specially designed forks to accommodate 700c
wheels with minimal toe overlap, and saddles designed for
womens’ butts. Many of the new bikes have carbon fiber
frames and are available with a variety of components (usually
a choice of Shimano Ultegra or Dura Ace).
Interbike 2006 - - A Woman’s
Perspective
by Susan Gans
Women cyclists - - our time has come!!
This year at Interbike (the largest
trade show of the bicycle industry
in North America), virtually all of
the major manufacturers were out in
force, strongly promoting new lines of
HIGH-end bikes designed specifically
for women. It’s a moment I’ve been
waiting for since the mid-1970’s, when
the total lack of appropriate gear forced
me to ride a “mixte” frame to accommodate my short stature - - and to wear
men’s XS-sized ugly and itchy wool bike shorts that extended
to my knees.
And this is just the beginning of the “revolution” in women’s
cycling. It’s a long time since the 70’s, and it’s finally a great
time to be a girl on a bike!!
Marketing high-end products to women was definitely a major
theme of Interbike this year. Giant, Raleigh and Specialized
each devoted a large portion of their respective booths to their
new lines of womens’ bikes, set up to show retailers how an
entire section of a bike shop could be converted into a special showroom for women, containing women-specific bikes,
clothing and accessories, all in one area, and often in coordinated color schemes (something dear to my heart, as many of
you know). Orbea’s new and beautifully designed “Diva” line
of roadbikes (see photo) drew many admiring glances from the
larger-than-usual number of women in the crowd.
Unfortunately, there
weren’t too many
small-sized frames
available for me to
try out at the “Demo
Days,” which comprise the first two
days of Interbike.
I was only able to
ride the Cannondale
Synapse “Feminine”,
the Specialized SWorks “Ruby” and a
48 cm Cervelo (ask me for my opinion about those bikes when
you see me). The folks at Colnago and Orbea tried to accommodate me but couldn’t get the seat post low enough for me to
be comfortable (and still healing from a broken collarbone, I
wasn’t going to take any chances).
As Raleigh’s sales rep Chris Michel told me over dinner, we’re
no longer in the days of the “shrink it and pink it” approach of
making bikes for women. Raleigh, like other manufacturers,
has solicited input from experienced female cyclists, mechanics, engineers and designers in both the geometry and styling
of its bikes. Its advisory board, chaired by Bryn Gabriel (who
was at the Raleigh booth), is called the Women’s Advisory
Cycling Council. I also had a chance to chat with one of
Giant’s consultants,
Jennifer Skorcz, who
is also an instructor
at the Barnett Bicycle
Institute, (www.bbinstitute.com), a school for
bicycle mechanics in
Colorado.
The main differences in
women-specific bikes
pionship so all the bird-boned folk from those parts come out of
the desert to compete. Jorge also traveled to NorCal to win the
aptly named Challange Challenge road race (in Challange CA)
and take second in the Crocket Crit (in Crockette CA). Those
NorCal race promoters really work hard to come up with these
race names, eh!?
Race Director’s Report
Dave Keire ([email protected])
End-of-summer Fall into the off-season:
When the mornings get SoCal’s version of
chilly and I have to actually look out the
window before deciding if I am going to ride
I know a change of seasons has come to Los
Angeles. Whatever those who migrated to our
fair city from elsewhere say about L.A. not
having any seasons is all wrong. We have fire,
flood, quake, and windy seasons and just to
spice things up they are often interspersed or absent all-together.
For some racers the change of seasons is a welcome opportunity
to eat ice cream, take long-put-off weekend trips, and sleep in on
Sunday morning.
This is also the time of year where we are working to put together
the 2007 race teams. A big part of this is sending out presentation
materials to new and returning sponsors to maintain or increase
the level of support we can give to our racers. A large part of that
support goes to the Cat 1-2 teams as these are the racers that invest
the most into getting to the races. For 2007 we would like to fully
support (travel, entry fees etc..) a 6-man squad to go to Nationals,
Superweek, and one more major stage race so we are working
hard to make that happen. If you have any leads or an interest in
supporting our race teams feel free to contact me (David Keire) or
Dan Weinberg to see the materials we have prepared. Sponsorship
of the race teams and the annual club race represents an excellent
venue for targeted advertising to an educated, active, and affluent
demographic that makes up the cycling community.
As a racer, if you are interested in being part of continuing the La
Grange tradition of racing excellence at all levels now is the time
For others cross-training is the word of the Fall season as La
Grangers can be seen running on San Vicente or in the gyms
around town to try and work those “other” long neglected muscles. This is a great idea as the balance that comes from overall
muscle tone prevents or minimizes injuries during the coming
year on the bike. The trick is not to go at it too hard initially as the
body needs some time to adapt to the new mode of endorphin generation. Some La Granger’s like Matias Mendigochea combine
running and riding by racing the burgeoning So Cal cyclecross
circuit. Matias has already placed 3rd in his first Cross race of the
season and he is just getting warmed up.
to act. We welcome racers who commit themselves to representing the club and compete at the highest level they can attain. Start
thinking about 2007 and let the category captains know you are
planning to race next year!
Cheers!
September saw some disappointed racers as the North County
Classic was cancelled and the Tour of Baja was moved to
November. This did not stop La Grange racers from getting their
end of season racing in as Jorge Alvarado, Dan Vinson, Jake
Winebaum, and Carine Bester took on the epic Everest Challenge.
This race is really hard. It is a steep, long, often windy, and mostly
lonely slog up and down the picturesque eastern Sierras with
mileage and elevation gain rivaling a Tour de France mountain
stage. Amazingly, all of our racers finished in the top 6 with Jorge,
Carine, and Jake finishing in the top 3. Jorge and Dan also traveled to Vegas to do the mass start Mt. Charleston hill climb which
Jorge won and Dan place 5th. A nice win as Mt. Charleston is a
local bragging rights race and the Arizona State Hillclimb cham-
David Keire
starts offering their own brand too. The cost of 10 speed equipment is significantly larger than 9sp. The chains and cassettes
cost 50% more and wear much faster. The vast majority of riders can satisfy their needs with 9 speeds.
Techno Babble: Wheels
Paul Kopit ([email protected])
Whats New!
According to Caryl, Jelly Belly blueberry flavored, “Power
Beans” taste the best.
I just returned from Interbike, the dealer convention that was held in Las Vegas. Within a
short period of time on the convention floor, it
all seemed like a sea of sameness. More than
half of the offerings were of zero interest to
me. I don’t play with MTB or BMX bicycles
so if there were exciting offerings in those
areas, I wouldn’t know. Carbon fiber more in this year than last.
Paul Kopit was the first person awarded the California Triple
Crown 100 Double Club Award for completing 100 CTC doublecentury rides in 2004 and he has already completed 2 rides in
2006 toward the 3 required to make it 15 consecutive years. He
extends an open offer to other VCLG members to help them in
efforts toward endurance rides like CTC doubles.
It was nice to get the Campy technical representative to detail
the 2007 Campy Ergo shifters. Centaur and down in the pecking order will now downshift only one shift at a time using
the mouse ear. This is a cost saving method for the producer
because there are fewer moving parts in the lever. There is less
hand assembly in the production of these levers. The consumer
may be misled into thinking that the simpler mechanism may be
more reliable but this is not the case. Ratchet springs that need
replacement in current offerings, will remain the same. A shorter
swing for the front derailleur is also part of the 2007 line. I’d
buy 2006 Veloce or Centaur ahead of the 2007 models because
the innards are the largely the same as Record and Chorus. This
is untrue for 2007.
The Michelin sales guy confirmed that the Michelin Krylion
Carbon was their best sellng tire. A rider can expect about 75%
more wear than from a Pro2 Race similar ride quality. The best
bang for the buck in the Michelin road tire line is a Lithion,
a tire I haven’t seen around. This tire is near identical to the
Krylion with about 25 grams more weight. The cost is $10 less
than the Krylion Carbon and you can save $10/tire. My guestimate is that the tire would cost ~$30. I was told that belted tires
don’t handle as well as non belted ones but, the Krylion handles
as well as many other firms non belted tires.
LaGrange Ad
4/18/06
10:18 PM
Page 1
I saw several different Taiwanese companies offering 10 speed,
Shimano compatible cassettes. Most frequently, these will be
sold as branded products here. I have already bought the SRAM
11/26 cassette and I’d equivocate it Shimano Ultegra. IRD is
another resellers but I wouldn’t be surprised if Performance
Orthopedic Injuries, Disorders and
Diseases Treated in One Location
Important Reminder
for Racers
Our experienced team delivers the latest in diagnostic
services as well as surgical and nonsurgical treatments.
Patients also have access to complete physical and
rehabilitative therapy.
To ensure accurate Kahala LaGrange
team points totals, please contact USA
Cycling (719 866-4581) to ensure that you
license reads:
Call for a Physician Referral
1-800-CEDARS-1
USAC Club: Velo Club La Grange
USAC Team: Kahala LaGrange
444 S. San Vicente Blvd, Suite 603 • Los Angeles, CA 90048
www.cedars-sinia.edu/ortho
La Grange at Interbike
in the Specialized S-works
Tarmac, Look 595 Origin
and Ultra and Time VXR.
It was nearly comparable to
the Cervelo R3 and the Scott
CR1 SL. It was notably better than Specialized S-works
Roubaix and is a substantial
improvement over the Six 13.
Paul Scott ([email protected])
Interbike Bike Review
The outdoor demo at Interbike was
an amazing experience. There is no
better way to shop for a frame. Over
two days I was able to ride dozens of
bikes, including Cannondale System
Six and Six 13, Cervelo SLC-SL,
Soloist Carbon and R3, BMC Pro
Machine SLC, Look 595 Origin and
595 Ultra, Scott CR1 SL, Time VXR,
Specialized S-works Tarmac and
Roubaix. I also road two titanium
frames–Litespeed Ghisallo and Moots
Vamoots–just for a feel. There were
many more available than I had time
to ride. Additionally, as I found near
the end of the first day, the subtle differences between some of the builds became difficult to distinguish as I became tired.
Also improved over the Six
13, though not to the same degree, is its responsiveness. To
test handling I took each bike through some violent quick
turns and additionally tested how each handled the high-speed
180 at the base of the course. Most bikes I road at the show
displayed similar handling, putting the System Six on par
again with several considerably more expensive bikes. All
three Cervelo builds and the BMC Pro Machine SL stood out
to some degree as superior; all four are also considerably more
pricy. The true standout exception, but not in a good way, was
the Specialized S-works Roubaix, which I felt handled poorly.
Overall, the System Six is an outstanding bike at a much lower
price than frames that perform comparably. That said…
The short story is that the System Six, although certainly not
the “king of the show” is a truly great frame for its price–
offering many characteristics found in much more expensive
frames–but two builds stood out to me as special–the Cervelo
SLC-SL and the BMC. If you have the extra three thousand
dollars (over the club price for the System Six) I think you
should investigate these frames. Most of the other frames I
rode were either inferior to the System Six or were substantially similar for considerably more money. The only build I
can say I disliked was the Specialized S-works Roubaix.
The Cervelo Soloist Carbon, the Cervelo SLC-SL and the
BMC Pro Machine-SL
…are truly outstanding builds that, in my opinion, are worth
the substantial price difference. The Cannondale System Six
club frame costs $1800. The Cervelo Soloist Carbon costs
$3400, the BMC Pro Machine SL costs $3650 and the Cervelo
SLC-SL costs $4700; so you can see the difference in price
is substantial indeed. Unlike most of the other frames I rode,
however, for these three there were notable performance gains
that accompany that increase in price.
The Course
The test course was very effective for its limited space. It
was a two-mile loop that started (and ended) with a long flat,
turned left into a sharp decent with a wide 180 at the base
leading into a decent big-ring climb. Thus, though short, the
course allowed testing a
couple sprints, a power
climb and high-speed
handling during each
loop. Typically I took
each bike through two
or three loops, though I
spent more time on the
System Six for the obvious reason that it is the
club bike for ’07.
The bottom bracket stiffness of all three was comparable,
though the Cervelo SLC-SL stood out as somewhat superior.
All three were substantially better in this regard than any other
frame I rode during the show. All three also handled notably
better than other bikes I rode. The aero form of either Cervelo
is an added plus to making one of them your choice of frame.
In my opinion, people choosing to spend the extra money
on any of these three frames will be happy with their choice
– though choosing the SLC-SL over the Soloist Carbon is getting into marginal use of your frameset dollars.
A note on float
This is not directly related to the bike review, but it happened
at Interbike while I was testing the bikes. During the first day
I made the mistake of being lazy a few times and not changing out of my cleats while walking on gravel to get to my next
bike. The result was completely thrashed cleats to the point
where my left cleat was difficult to click in. As a result I went
over to the friendly Shimano truck to see if I could get another
set. While there I met an engineer for Shimano and we discussed cleats – in particular the difference between the yellow
(float) and red (no-float) cleats. In short, the engineer pushed
the no-float cleats so I took them and tried them and I have to
agree. Like bottom bracket stiffness, the degree of float can
directly contribute to loss of power in the stroke. My recommendation is that if your cleat has a no-float version that you
try it out. If you are comfortable with it I think you will like
the result.
For one bike–the Cervelo Solist Carbon–I also got to test it on
a longer ride–the 25-mile out-and-back for Tuesday morning’s
appropriately named (for me, anyway) “hangover ride.” This
ride started with a very long, gradual descent–about 3% for 5
miles–followed by rollers ranging from 3% to 8%.
System Six
The build available at the show was Dura-Ace but with an
FSA carbon crankset. Those buying the club System Six are
going to be very happy. For the price, this is simply an outstanding build. The build was not the steal of the show, but
with the club discount, I don’t think you can get a better frame
without spending at least an additional $2500.
As many who have ridden the demo have commented, the one
thing that really stands out about this frame is the stiffness in
the bottom bracket. The transfer of power and quick acceleration offered by the System Six was comparable to what I felt
Women’s Racing Renaissance
Amy Hutner (amy.hutner@verizonbusiness.
com) Kahala La Grange Women’s Team News
The Kahala La Grange Women’s Team is
finishing the season with a bang, with now
four of our first-year racers earning their
upgrade to Cat 3. Congrats to Rae Miller
and Jill Pyrko, who join their fellow recently
upgraded teammates, Carine Bester and
Abigail Lufkin, on our growing women’s
Cat 3 squad!
The developmental women’s squad showed
their strength not only by winning the
Women’s Cycling Challenge (cumulative results for Cat ¾
women over selected races), but also by their stupendous
2006 SoCal Cup results. In case you hadn’t checked out the
Women’s Cat 4 SoCal Cup results, here are the current standings, with 3 of our girls in the top 10, and 5 in the top 20:
2nd Place: Carine Bester
7th Place: Abigail Lufkin
10th Place: Jill Pyrko
11th Place: Rae Miller
12th Place: Mimi Sheean
41st Place: Ana Odette-Castaneda
Carine is also standing in 9th place
in the Cat 3s, and likely to move up
after the Everest Challenge!
We have all these new racers to
thank for putting La Grange back on
the map for women’s racing, and look forward to seeing continued impressive results in 2007!
For you statistics junkies, here are the women’s results from
August:
Sisquoc RR, Women’s 4, Jill Pyrko, 4th
Sisquoc RR, Women’s 4, Rae Miller, 7th
Sisquoc RR, Women’s 4, Mimi Sheean, 8th
UPS Crit, Women’s 4, Jill Pyrko, 2nd
UPS Crit, Women’s 4, Rae Miller, 7th
UPS Crit, Women’s 3/4, Rae Miller, 4th
UPS Crit, Women’s 3/4, Carine Bester, 7th
UPS Crit, Women’s 3/4, Jill Pyrko, 13th
UPS Crit, Women’s 1-3, Carine Bester, 16th
Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, Women’s 4, Rae Miller, 2nd
Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, Women’s 4, Mimi Sheean, 10th
Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, Women’s 4, Ana Odette
Castaneda, 18th
Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, Women’s 3, Carine Bester, 20th
Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, Women’s 1-3, Amy Hutner, 31st
Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, Women’s 1-3, Carine Bester,
34th
CBR Crit. State Championships, W1-3, Rae Miller, 9th
CBR Crit. State Championships, W1-3, Carine Bester, 16th
Cycling in Paris
By Mark Ryavec
It’s a clear, comfortable evening in Paris and
at 11:30 p.m. I’m on a
rented “city bike” in the
middle of an unruly pack
of 500 Parisians riding up
the Avenue des Champs
Elysées. It’s a mixed crowd
of young adults, families
with children, a few women
in office attire and heels,
and tourists from around
the world. I find myself
riding beside a Dutch couple who has biked all the
way from Holland. Music
is blaring from a huge handlebar-mounted boom box.
Pedestrians cheer and clap
as we pass by. Traffic is
blocked and we have three
lanes to ourselves, headed
to the Arc de Triomphe.
Organized by bike club Paris Rando Velo, the “Rando” route
changes every week, based on the recommendations of participants, but it always starts and ends in front of the Hôtel
de Ville (Paris’ city hall). Weather permitting, the ride starts
every Friday night at 10 p.m. all year round and ends about
12:30 a.m. This evening in late August we traveled east to
Place de la Bastille and then followed the Seine down to Gare
Austerlitz, crossed over the Seine and biked back along the
river, passing Notre Dame and the Louvre. We continued
along the Seine and crossed over to Place de la Concorde,
where we took a short break, and then headed up the Champs
Elysées, circled the Arc de Triomphe, and continued along the
Avenue de la Grande Armée, turning back short of Place de
la Porte Maillot, and returned to the Hôtel de Ville by way of
Avenue Marceau, Place de l’Alma and streets running along
the right (north) bank of the Seine.
For someone who has ridden in the company of La Grangers,
it’s not a serious ride—averaging about 10-12 miles an hour
and covering only 21 kilometers—but as a way to see the city
and bike at the same time, it’s perfect.
There’s a lot of stopping and starting among the cyclists of
varying capability and I had been well advised by La Granger
Sam Weaver to not have my Shimano pedals installed on the
rental bike. Sam, who has lived here for two years with his
French-American wife Mélanie and is starting a new bicycle
travel and touring company (ProActive Travel www.proactivetravel.com) was a well-informed and gracious guide to cycling
in Paris.
While the city is quite hospitable to bikes, I can’t say that it is
easy to cycle in, as we experience cycling in Los Angeles.
To start with, it is difficult to find a place to rent a road bike or
“velo de courses,” as it is known here. The one place I found
that would rent one was Cycles Laurent, a famous cycling
establishment, in the 11th arrondissement, which was quite a
distance from my apartment near the Eiffel Tower. For simple
convenience, I chose to rent a modest mountain bike, which
they would call a city bike here, from the small bike shop just
around the corner from my apartment. The shop did not offer
road bikes and one does not see many of them in the city, for
several reasons. While the city is criss-crossed with pistes
cyclables—dedicated bike lanes—and cyclists are also allowed
in all the bus lanes. There’s a lot of starting and stopping due
to pedestrians darting across the lanes, frequent traffic lights,
garbage trucks and buses, and lots of cross traffic. Bikes are
frequently stolen here, so this also argues against using an
expensive road bike for in-town trips. And then there are all
those cobblestones.
Sam has ridden all over the city and advises that if one wants
to cycle while in Paris, it’s best to take a hotel room or rent
an apartment in the west-southwestern arrondissements of the
city, i.e., those nearest the Bois de Boulogne, the huge park on
the west edge of Paris, such as the 16th, or the western parts
of the 7th, 8th, and 15th. From the Place du Trocadero, just
across the Seine from the Tour Eiffel, a bike lane leads directly
to the Bois, entering at Porte de la Muette. From there small
lanes lead over to the Hippodrome de Longchamp, where one
will find serious cyclists riding in pelotons around and around
the hippodrome. Since this can get boring after a while, Sam
advises purchasing the Michelin map #101 and heading westsouthwest toward Versailles, Dampierre, Saclay, and Jouyen-Josas. The area around the Vallée de Chevreuse is steeped
in regional cycling lore, including a small monument to local
legend Jacques Anquetil. Many of these roads are used yearto-year for the Tour de France; in fact the Tour passed within 1
km of Mélanie’s and Sam’s home in Malakoff this year.
(LGer Mimi Sheean suggested that the Bois de Vincennes,
located on the eastern side of the city and a good bit smaller
than the Bois de Boulogne, also offers good cycling, but I
didn’t get a chance to try it on this trip. She also advises that if
one gets up early on a Sunday morning, the streets of Paris are
relatively deserted and you can fly around the city.)
The challenge here is getting a bike that you packed along, or
rented here, through all the traffic to a less dense area where
you can pick up a little speed and cover some ground. Sam
took me on a 70 km ride from his home in Malakoff, a Paris
suburb just six metro stops on line 13 from Montparnasse,
southwest through rolling hills, charming little villages and
several châteaux. In this situation, Sam let me use his wife’s
Cannondale Six13, which was a treat. (Apparently there are
specially marked trains that one can carry a bike onto and get
out of the city for long rides; I have to try this on another trip.)
Sam made a few safety points. French drivers are very cognizant and respectful of cyclists, but you have to let them
know what you are doing with explicit hand and arm signals.
For example, if you want to cross lanes of traffic to make a
left turn, catch drivers’ attention and point to where you want
to go; they almost always will give you the right of way. On
the other hand, in many instances there are no stop signs
for smaller lanes entering larger avenues and cars entering
from the right do not have to stop, but can roll right in, so
always watch carefully on your right. Sam also stresses that
riding defensively at all times is the best way to get through
France—and our cycling lives–happily and intact. He also
encourages a smile and small wave to say “thanks” to drivers.
One final observation: on the Rando and biking in the city,
racing or LG club attire is going to look silly. The Parisians
bike in street clothes, or at most, shorts and T-shirts or jogging costumes, so leave the sparkly jerseys and biking pants
for Longchamp or long rides outside the city. I learned the
hard way, wearing my LG kit to the Rando, and stood out like
a sore thumb. The French cyclists were pretty cool about it
and the only thing they asked about was the rear-view mirror
mounted on my glasses; they told me they had never seen such
a device and asked me if I had made it myself.
So, we’re off for one last “balade” (Sam and me) through the
fabulous French countryside before it’s back to L.A. and the
welcoming peloton of La Grange.
À bientôt!
Contact for a city bike: www.rouelibre.fr
Contact for Paris Rando: http://www.parisrandovelo.com
Map of bike lanes: http://www.paris.fr
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Contact [email protected]
11
LIGHTS
Dave Lieberman([email protected])
As the end of summer nears, so does
the cover of darkness. The beginning of
our rides will start getting darker and
darker. This will last until about the end
of April. This article will focus on the
safety aspect of choosing, and using
bicycle lighting properly.
California Law states:
“Every bicycle operated upon any highway during darkness shall be equipped
with the following:
1.
A lamp emitting a white light which illuminates
the highway and is visible from a distance of 300 feet to the
front and the sides of the bicycle.
2.
A red reflector mounted on the rear of the bicycle
and visible from 500 feet to the rear of the bicycle.
3.
A white or yellow reflector mounted on each pedal
visible 200 feet to the front and rear of the bicycle and a
white or red reflector on each side to the rear of the center of
the bicycle, except bicycles which are equipped with reflectorized tires on the front and the rear need not be equipped
with side reflectors. All reflectorized tires must meet DMV
requirements.”
I consider this the bare minimum. Most of you see me at the
beginning or end of the La Grange rides, but some of you
don’t know that I ride over Sepulveda pass 95% of the time.
I usually start by 5:15 a.m from my place. September is when
I start to break out the lighting system, and by the time you
read this, I am in the “fully equipped” lighting mode. But
what is “good lighting” and the benefit of using one system
over the other? What is the proper mounting and placement
of those lights?
A GOOD LIGHTING SYSTEM
REAR LIGHTS. Rear lights have been the norm for a long
time. A medium size light that flashes and can be seen from
far away is perfect. It must be red, and flashing. Proper
placement and installation, however, should be paramount!
The absolute best spot, should be mounted properly on the seat
post. I know some think that it’s “un-cool” to have a permanently mounted light on your bike, (I can name a long list of
those people), but most lights now can be removed. Improper
placement is on the back of a helmet, or on your rear jersey
pocket. Believe me, it cannot be seen by motorists properly!
Make sure it’s a dedicated rear light. Those little strap-on
lights are useless and cannot be seen the proper distance as
required by law. Those miniature lights you stick in the handlebars are poor at best.
FRONT LIGHTS. This is what really bothers me: those small
L.E.D. handlebar-mounted lights. For those who ride streets
that are partially lighted, I can say these are adequate, but only
“to be seen” by others. All front lights should be on a continuous beam as required by law, NOT FLASHING!!! I don’t
understand why they put this option on them, but motorists
can better judge a rider by a steady white beam than a flashing
one. California law requires it to be continuous.
If you are on roads without lighting, you should opt for a professional grade, although more expensive, front lighting system. The better systems use halogen bulbs, and have an external NiCad battery pack. Simply, they put out enough lumens
to light the road ahead of you, in addition to being seen from
long distances. Manufacturers are now starting to use high
tech L.E.D. lights in these higher end systems. The advantage
is that they last longer on a charge, and are a bit cheaper than
the Halogen systems. However, don’t be fooled by the claims.
A 10 watt L.E.D. bulb seems equal to a 10 watt Halogen bulb,
but that is just the energy output of the bulbs! You need to
check the visible light output in lumens! The L.E.D.s do not
put out the same amount of lumens, and are not as effective in
lighting the road ahead of you! Shooting down Sepulveda at
30mph, you need to light up the road at least 5-8 feet in front
of your bike. You won’t believe how fast a rock comes up to
you, and how strange it feels to tumble around on the ground
in total darkness.
There are many manufactures of lights, and many styles. Don’t
opt for the smallest and cheapest. And most of all, use them!
Dave
http://www.bikelink.com/law_safety.htm
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Weekly Rides
La Grange Reminders
Mon Recovery Day, On your own, Zone 1
Tues 6:30 a.m. at San Vicente/26th.
Marina ride: 27miles, Flat/Sprints, Zones 4/5 (Hard).
JV Marina: 24 miles, Flat, Zones 3/4 miles (Moderate).
Wed 6:30 a.m. at San Vicente/26th.
Mandeville ride: 20 miles, Long Hill Repeats, Zones 3/4
(Moderate).
Thurs6:30 a.m. at San Vicente/26th.
Riviera ride: 25 miles, Short Hill Repeats, Zones 4/5 (Hard).
Fri 6:30 a.m. at San Vicente/26th.
Marina Lite Social Ride: 27 miles, flat, Recovery Zones 1/2
(Easy).
Sat 7 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. at San Vicente/Ocean.
Mulitple rides: North and South (Check email lists)
Sun 8:00 a.m. La Grange/Westwood
Nichols Canyon Ride: 27 miles, Race Simulation, Zones 4/5
(Hard)
Helen’s Cycles is hosting another La Grange
Night at Helen’s on Monday, September 25.
Last chance to order the La Grange Cannondale
bikes.
On Saturday, September 30 Helen’s Cycles is
hosting a huge event with Colnago Bicycles.
If you are not in the market for one of the custom
La Grange Cannondale bikes or frames, please
consider purchasing a new Colnago. You will
have the chance to personally meet and be fitted for a bicycle by Ernesto Colnago himself.
Liquid Fitness is hosting 5 more Mandeville
Time Trials before the end of the year (first
Friday of each month)! These are free to La
Grange members with awards for several categories including NON-REGISTERED RACERS.
In addition to the time trials, Liquid Fitness is
hosting 2 more Developmental Rides, 1 Skills
Clinic and 1 more Workshop before the end of
the year.
Come join the group at PEET’S Coffee (San Vicente) after each ride.
Ride Guidelines
VCLGW expects the following from participants on all rides:
• Helmets MUST be worn at all times.
• Front and rear lights/flashers when dark
• Courtesy to motorists, pedestrians and fellow cyclists.
• Observance of all traffic signals and laws.
• Safe riding at all times.
• Respect of the intended pace of the ride.
• Respect of the guidance of the ride leader and/or senior club member.
Welcome New Members
Tyson Clayton
Robert Dubois
Jack Freeman
Jeff Greene
Tim Indersmitten
George B. Korn
Otoniel Martinez
Borislav Starcevic
Christian Stoehr
Darryl Von Geusau
Wayne Williams
Neil Wilson
La Voix Editorial Board
Paul Strauss Susan Stahl
Dave Lieberman
Volunteers wanted to particpate on the
the La Voix Editorial Board.
We encourage new members and non-La Grange
friends to participate in the rides. Newbies, just hang in
there in the back and take it at your own pace. Finish
the ride at Peets, introduce yourself and meet the members of the club.
Velo Club La Grange
Velo Club La Grange is one of California’s largest and oldest
cycling clubs with over 400 members nationwide. The club was
founded by Raymond Fouquet in 1969 and fields one of the top
amateur racing teams in the U.S. Past members include a Tour de
France stage winner, an Olympic gold medalist, and several U.S.
National and California state champions.
Along with the Club’s dedication to bicycle racing, the club welcomes new and inexperienced riders with a passion for cycling.
La Grange is very active in the cycling and fitness communities.
Our continuing public policy work with state and local government
has led to major improvements in safety for all users of California
roads. In addition, the Club has partnered with the Association
of Blind Athletes and Meals on Wheels and sponsors an annual
scholarship with the help of the Union Bank of California. La
Grange enjoys the financial support of several corporations committed to promoting healthy and active living including Kahala
Corporation and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
501(c)(3) California Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation 95-4000746
United States Cycling Federation Number 1232
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taking good care of people and their bikes since 1936
Velo Club LaGrange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to
the sport of cycling.
Please send in submissions by
the 20th of the month. Digital
submissions (Images and
articles) only will be accepted
([email protected]).
USA Cycling#1232.
LaGrange Correspondence
Velo Club LaGrange
2118 Wilshire Bl, Suite 525
Santa Monica, CA 90025
Attn Duncan Lemmon
santa monica, california
All submissions are subject to
editing and are printed at the
discretion of the editor.
La Voix Mail
Paul Strauss
2160 Century Park East #2108
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Phone: (310) 286-2689
Editor-In-Chief: Paul Strauss
([email protected])
Member Info Update
www.lagrange.org/forms/memupdateform.htm
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