The great BMX odyssey of 2008: Race 2
The mission continues, and last week’s results were mixed.
Awesome thing 1: Ian and I rode the Dacono BMX track early in the week, and I consistently manualed the rhythm and manualed/jumped the last straight. I felt smooth, and the stopwatch said I was fast.
Awesome thing 2: Last week I wrote about gate starts for the BMX book. Analyzing video of ABA points leader Danny Caluag snap the Dacono gate gave me some ideas. Instead of waiting for the red light and “Watch the gate,” I started moving at “Riders ready.” By the time the gate moved, I was already under power. This worked awesome in practice, and I was getting amazing starts.
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Working on infographics for the BMX book … |
Bike: I planned to race the Intense cruiser, but the stem cracked while I was tightening it (not the first time I over-torqued something). So I rocked the P.3 again.
Final: Dude, I had Lane 1, on the far inside. All I needed was a good start, and the race was mine. Well … I took off too early, bonked the gate and reached the first jump in last place. Pedal, turn, pump, PEDAL!!! I caught James and Chris in the second turn, gained on Chris through the rhythm, passed him high-low in the last turn then pinned the last straight. I gained on James, but I ran out of track, and he won again.
So another race, another second place. I’m stoked with the way I rode, but my start needs work.
Last week: The Great BMX ODYSSEY OF 2008: Day 1
Hey Lee, if you keep cracking parts from over tightening consider getting a torque wrench. It will safe you money!
This is a fancy one we got at where I study:
http://www.imadainc.com/torque_tester_dw-15.shtml
Guess the bike geek in you will appreciate it.
cheers!
Lee,
Learn to watch the lights. At nationals the noise levels make it almost impossible to hear the starting candence.
The pros do not have this problem do to the fact that there are no other moto’s on the track when they race.
Lee,
I read your day one post and I have a commit(s) about other riders complaining about your line selection:
If your leading – take what ever line you want.
If your between 2nd and last – take what ever line you want.
BMX is a contact sport, banging bars, elbows and leaning on other riders is parting of the race.
Lastly – there is nothing sweeter than a two wheel drift in turn one and freaking everyone out.
If you’re rolling back before the “watch the lights” and slingshoting, it’s not going to help with the random start that the NBL/UCI uses. Watching the lights might help you more.
True!