The Black Mamba Strikes

In the opening races of the 2012 Indiana Cyclocross Cup series a handful of Team Indiebike.com p/b Angie's List riders have asserted dominance at the front of the Men's Cat 4 wave.  Joe Laux, Scott Brenton, Pat Hirschfeld, and Justin Yoder have made a habit of camping out near the front of the pack.  This past week Will McDermott and Corbin Schmitz joined them as they collectively took 6 of the top 7 spots, sweeping the open podium and taking the top two steps of the Masters 40+ podium.  

Joe, Corbin and Gus complete the sweep

Scott and Pat are tops among the 40+ crowd

Following the past two weeks' performances Scott has coined the name "The Black Mamba" to describe the team's consolidated effort at the front of the field.  After a couple of weeks knocking at the door of victory the deadly Mamba finally struck this week as Joe and Scott took their place on the top step of the podium.

The "Black Mamba" winds its way through the course

Joe pumps his fist in celebration of sweet victory!

This coming Saturday, October 20th, at the Team Indiebike Backyard Cross race the feared Black Mamba will be coiled and ready in hopes of coming away with the title of Cat4 Indiana State Cyclocross Champion.  Good luck!

Breakout Performance

Congratulations to Scott Baumer for being the OVCX Zipp Athlete of the Week.  Scott earned this honor by cracking the top 10 in his first Elite race in the OVCX series.  Scott dug deep to work through the field after coming around the first lap in 17th.  Scott has earned the privileged of riding a set of Zipp 303 Firecrest Tubulars at this weekends OVCX#3 race at Ceasars Ford Park in Xenia, OH. The team is proud of Scott as he continues on the exceptional trajectory that he has experienced throughout 2012.  

Scott picks his way through the men's Elite field at OVCX#2

OVCX comes to Indy

This Saturday's St Mary's Child Center CX race is the first of a handful of OVCX series events that will be held in the central Indiana area this season.  This year the OVCX continues to grow into a true regional series as the "Ohio Valley" name implies.  Race #2 in the 13 race series will take place at Fort Harrison, in Indianapolis.  The Fort is one of the largest parks in the Metro area and is an ideal venue for a top tier cyclocross event.  

Nearly 500 racers converged on Huber's Family Farm in southeastern Indiana for the first race of the series.  It was a fast, dry, dusty course.  So far, there are already 349 riders preregistered for St Mary's CX, proving that riders from Ohio and Kentucky are willing to travel to compete in the OVCX series just as Indiana racers have for the past several years.  Among the 349, there are 14 riders from Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List ready to compete for this weekends purse of cash, prizes and series points.  Team Indiebike will have at least one rider in nearly every wave or races throughout the day.  

The Indiebike team tent will be set up along the course where you are sure to find an abundance of beer, snacks, and people having a good time cheering on  the riders as they battle it out.  The forecast looks spectacular for spectators, if not a little too pleasant for cyclocross racing.  So take advantage of the sunshine and superior race venue to take in the action.  

#1 in Indiana and Kentucky

We were just informed that Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List was the overall points winner in the team standings of the INKY Cup, the regions most competitive and comprehensive road racing series.  The team competed in dozens of races this road season with hundreds of individual starts.  From dominant individual performances to continued commitments to improvement throughout the year, the collective results of all Team Indiebike members made us number one.  We extend a huge thank you to all of our sponsors for supporting the team throughout the 2012 season.  With their support, Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List has been able successfully share its culture of fun, competition and a healthy, active lifestyle throughout the Ohio Valley region.

Cyclocross Practice Outtakes

Scott is the subject of the season's first, but certainly not last, heckle.  

Precious Medals

The Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List Cat 3 men and Cat 1/2 women swept the medals at NUVO Indiana Criterium Championships winning a bronze, silver and gold between them.  Miles Johnson and Dustin Jones were at the front of the field sprint to take silver and bronze respectively, while Sierra Siebenlist brought home the gold for a second week in a row after previously capturing the Indiana State Road Race title.  The team will wrap up its road season at this weekend's Fountain Square and Zionsville criteriums.  But that's not the end of racing.  In just a few short weeks a full contingent of Indiebike cyclocross junkies will be hitting the dirt in the Indiana Cyclocross Cup and OVCX series.  We don't stop.

High Fashion

Here is a sneak preview of the skinsuits that will adorn the the riders from Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List this fall.  Now just imagine them with mud splashed all over.

Fast Women

Competitive women's cycling is growing rapidly in the midwest, and particularly in Indiana.  Recent winner of the Indiana State Road Race Championship, and Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List rider, Sierra Siebenlist was recently featured in NUVO along with other top female Indiana racers (Read the entire article here).  You can come out and see these fast ladies compete for the top spot this Saturday, August 11th, in downtown Indianapolis at the NUVO Elite Indiana Criterium Championships.  

And we're back...

All- a great day at Indy crit.

Thank you to all who raced. It was very nice seeing everyone out there and being a part. The event was incredibly ran and the races were difficult. Seeing a premier event in Indy is great and our results showed that we have been working hard. (cough cough ..... Me aside)

A few crashes , a few podiums, and a lot of hard work went into it. Few mentions:

Scott Baumer takes 2nd in men's 3/4 race, then crashes, then races 1-2-3. Great job Scott. Your determination and drive is paying off.

Joe Laux proves that even after a Friday night reg'n in meridan Kessler that he can hang with the boys and finish in front of 139 3/4 racers for 11th. Nice!

Farm strength lives up to his name and bails hay prior to the race for barriers and then comes in 10th in the 3/4 race. Also note he raced 3 races on the day and kept the rubber side down.

Corbin Schmitz was back for the first time after the collarbone and shows us his junior ability will be back in action for cross season!

David morse finishes the men's 1-2 race in good form. fast Fridays at the track must be paying off.

Felipe raced twice and netted 6th in the masters and field finish the 1-2 race. Felipe has found second wind after turning 40 recently and is in great shape.

Cory lasts 24 minutes of the 1-2 race before getting pulled. He morns (not really) after the race and realizes he is in bad shape....but cross is in the air we hear?

Sierra (do I need to elaborate?) takes a hard 4th against the Riley girls dominating the race as they planned. Sierra the jumps in the men's 1-2 race to finish right beside cory (nearly girl'd him)

Dustin jones shows he still has the crit mind and puts himself in perfect place for a great finish until someone puts their wheel In the wrong place- into Dustin's derailleur. Rough season for DJ

Miles (little Johnson) finally quit studying and is in shape again killing strava KOM points and raced a hard 3/4 race and 1/2 race. If miles is in position at the end- everyone is In trouble! (mass ave goals, right ?)

Steve ellis brakes his frame over another guys skull. At least that's what I heard happened.

Lastly, there was a Sheridan spotting. Holy crap. Apparently he was the fastest guy on the monon yesterday. I believe him.

Many others worked hard and were noticed. I apologize If I am missing anything important.

Mass ave is in a month. We have rented the same spot as last year Nd plan to have a great time just like we did last year. We do hope that the racing is successful and the fun for the team is just as important. As long as Sierra continues to bake, we will all continue to have fun.

See you all soon

Team Indiebike Training Camp 2012: The Evidence

Well if you wondered what all went on at training camp this year, here it is. Thanks Marc for documenting our trip.

Rules of the Road

This past weekend at Team Indiebike's spring training camp in Franklin, TN we experienced something unfamiliar and refreshing. By in large, motorists in and around the Nashville area seemed to coexist peacefully with cyclists. This phenomenon has yet to make its way north to central Indiana in spite of the ever increasing miles of bike lanes. In the absence of signs and stripes on the road to keep everyone in their proper place, even the late model, full size pickup trucks in TN seemed agreeable when encountering the occasional group of cyclists. It made me wonder. What accounts for this unusually harmonious balance? It seemed that drivers had reckoned with the notion of sharing "their" roadways with other, much smaller, vehicles.

It begged the question. How does this shift in thinking occur? It couldn't simply be southern hospitality. My belief is that gradually, as a result of the increasing frequency of encounters, both motorists and cyclists eventually realized that most of the individuals on each side were actually decent people who showed courtesy to the one another. Only when this common courtesy is displayed from both sides can each exist with the other peacefully and safely.

As cyclists, and one equal part of this equation, we have a responsibility to move the relationship in the right direction. I recently came across the following list of dos and don'ts created by the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association. Following a few simple, common sense, principles like these is probably the best way that we can make the roads a better, and safer, place for ourselves and others.

1. Be courteous and share the road. Being courteous gains respect and helps make the roads safer for all cyclists.
2. The law allows you to ride two abreast, but it may not be the courteous or safe option. If you hear a vehicle approaching from behind, ride single file. Don’t ride three abreast.
3. If you’re blocking a whole line of cars and there’s a place to safely pull off be courteous and stop.
4. Don’t wander all over the road. Try to ride predictably and as far right as safely as you can. This does not mean to ride in an area that is littered with road debris or places you at risk.
5. Do take the lane if it safe to do so if there is a blind corner, high-risk junction or narrowing of the road.
6. Use common sense — don’t pee in people’s yards or hang out across the entire road if you’re waiting for a regroup.
7. Stop at stop signs and signals. By law, cyclists must obey all traffic control devices.
8. Signal your intentions if you can safely do so. If you are turning, point in the direction you plan on going. If you are slowing, put your hand out behind you.
9. If you wave a car around you, don’t get impatient. Remember that it is their decision to make as to whether it is safe to pass.
10. If you’re in a group, take leadership, set a good example and do your best to make everyone ride courteously.
11. Pay attention! While it is the responsibility of drivers to avoid hitting you, ride defensively to minimize risk!
12. Remember the 5% rule. 5% of drivers are jerks. Don’t let that 5% get to you. Take a deep breath and move on.
13. Be friendly. If someone is courteous to you and does the right thing, wave and smile. Everyone likes to be acknowledged for doing the right thing.

Let there be light!

Just 10 days left until Daylight Savings Time begins (Sunday, March 11). For us cyclists that means the return of after work group rides and the start of consistent outdoor riding. Gone are the days of basement base miles. And of course, the Tuesday night East Loop will be on again from Indiebike (52nd St. and College Ave.). There will likely be some new faces so be friendly and plan to stick together for the first two weeks so everyone can get familiar with the route. Once we all know our way home, its game on! Bring on the sun.

Hey Mr. Tally Man...

... tally me race results.

2011
Starts- 311
Top 10- 148
Top 5- 77
Podiums- 39
Wins- 9
State Championships- 1

Overall participation and results were really up in 2011. 2012 looks to be even bigger and hopefully better. The Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List talent pool continues to get deeper and wider with a mix of proven winners, up and comers and those just looking to have a good time. This year the team looks to continue to increase its presence at both road races and crits around the Ohio Valley region with some additional strength and numbers in the women's and masters categories. Also look for Team Indiebike to make an even bigger impact on the OVCX and ICX cyclocross series as more and more riders catch cross fever.

Power to the People

I'm not trying to depress you by pointing out that you will simply never achieve the level of performance that it takes to compete at the highest level of cycling, but that is likely one implication of this post. The following table shows approximately where you stack up in the realm of competitive cycling based on your watts per kilogram (W/kg) output at different intervals. As some of you may be familiar with an 8min test, to find your spot on the chart I suggest figuring your W/kg for 8min and moving up one or two lines on the 5min column.

After training and power testing for 3-4 years now and upgrading through the ranks as my ability, both in terms of power and racing tactics, has improved I can vouch that as I have gone from a clueless Cat5 to the cusp of making the jump to Cat2 the power profiles contained in this chart have been pretty spot on. In fact my power output while in racing condition last year places me precisely in the overlap between the Cat3 and Cat2 ranges. This is exactly where I find myself, able to consistently finish in the top 5 of Cat 3 races and unsure about my ability to hold on for dear life with the Cat 1/2 crowd.

It is important to take into consideration the timing and conditions of your power profile before taking your "ranking" on this chart to heart. While my power at race fitness places me in the range I shared above, my current numbers following several weeks of rest and low intensity riding after a fall of grinding, muddy CX races are not going to be a good reflection of overall potential.

Several members of Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List have just recently "tested in" at the beginning of their early season training. Whatever those numbers are remember this is the baseline. As you add more intensity into your workouts and spend more time at and above threshold that W/kg number will creep up closer to its true limit. Also, as some of those extra winter kilos melt away the effect will be even greater. Depending on how your body responds to training you can try adding roughly 5-10% to your baseline power test now to get a rough estimate of where you may be once racing begins in a couple of months.

So you may never product 6.0 W/kg (410w for a 150lb rider) for 30 minutes and be able to repeat that multiple times in a four hour span. Most of us wont. Even so, knowledge is power so take this information for what it's worth and make the most of your training to find your limits and push beyond them.

2011 MVP

There is one rider this year for Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List that by far stands out among the rest, Sierra Siebenlist. In 2011 nobody on the squad racked up more starts (34), more podiums (11), more wins(4), and more championships(1) than Sierra. That's only including road and cyclocross events. Outside of Team Indiebike she also competes in mountain bike, track and BMX disciplines.

Sierra commented earlier in the season that she has never trained and pushed herself as hard as she has this year with the team. We are just glad that Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List has had some part in her success. From going out to do extra hills at training camp to hanging on for dear life on some drop or die Tuesday night shop rides Sierra has put in the hard work it takes to earn her results. Sierra isn't just a great racer though, she is also an amazing teammate. You can usually count on a batch of delicious cookies waiting for you at the end of each race thanks to Sierra. In addition to her generous baking she is always ready and willing to help out the team in any way she can.
At the culmination of the 2011 season Sierra has gone out at the top of her game. On December 17th Sierra won the Elite Women's Indiana State Cyclocross Championship. It was a cold muddy day that required equal measures of endurance and skill. Her impressive performance was even recognized in an online article published by Cyclocross Magazine. As the recently crowned Indiana State CX Champion, Sierra was eligible to race in the Elite Women's field this past weekend at the US National Championships in Madison, WI where her former Marian University teammate Katie Antonneau finished second overall.

Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List is proud to say that Sierra will be back on the roster in 2012. We are extremely proud of what she accomplished in 2011 and will all use it as motivation to try and keep up with her in 2012.