GamJams.net: Where Mid-Atlantic bike racers roll

GamJams Survey: Slip and Slide

Casually, in the middle of a conversation about various cycling ideas, one of our regular companions dropped a bombshell: he doesn't use chamois cream.

Gasp!

Actually, that's not all that rare. But for the mileage this guy puts in, it's pretty strange. And even with nice shorts, we've found ourselves with a few hot spots after a ride taken sans-cream. And we're pretty sure we couldn't pull off a fraction of this guy's saddle time without something helping out down there.

What say you?

 

GamJams Survey: Winning Style

Despite our very best efforts, long training hours and technological advantages, most of us will never win a race. Even on our best days, nobody at GamJams Survey Headquarters has ever won one.

But that doesn't mean we don't dream about it. If we didn't, we'd call into question our motives for doing the things we do. Our method of choice would be the solo breakaway ... disregarding the fact that we haven't the power, legs or fitness for such exploits.

What does it look like in your dreams? Or — alternate question for the destroyers out there — how do you like to make it happen, since you're the ones crushing us on a weekly basis?

GamJams Survey: Early Returns

All winter we wait for the kickoff to racing season, only to find out that we need more work in (fill in your weakness here). That first race puts a lot of cards on the table.

And while some dudes might be throwing face cards, sometimes all that comes up for you are twos and threes. Hey, it happens. But it's an early season. What do you need to work on through the rest of the spring?

 

GamJams Survey: Hot Hoops

Here at GamJams Survey Headquarters, we're lucky to be on the payroll of a company that pays us in bikes. (No, not November.) Well, partially in bikes. As such, we have nice bikes, which is always fun.

Installed on those nice bikes are nice wheels, and we intended to just "give them a try" in the fall. They haven't been off since. They're too much fun to ride once a week. They're too much fun to ride twice a week, even. Nope, these are everyday wheels now, and they're awesome.

Have you managed to keep your race wheels reserved for races only?

 

GamJams Survey: The Classics

The Tour of Flanders is on Sunday. It's the first of the really hard, really ridiculous spring classics. Sure, we've seen Ghent Wevelgem and Milan-San Remo, among others, but Flanders is the first one to really watch around these parts.

Imagine, for a moment, you could ride one of the spring classics. Basically, shift your local racing scene to Northern Europe (or Italy) and choose a race. You don't have super powers or anything and you're not a pro — you just get to race on the classics courses.

And yes, everybody will be drinking beer, eating frites and screaming at you.

 

GamJams Survey: Refreshments

Last summer, in the middle of a ridiculously long, hot race, one of our teammates asked for a bottle. We handed it over, only to have it handed right back. "Ugh, what is that crap?" he asked.

For the record, it was a powdered energy drink, mostly because cramps were pretty much guaranteed for this legs without something that contained some sodium. Turns out, he was looking for water. And he never takes anything but water in his bottles.

On the flip side, there are those who take nothing but sports drinks year-round. For us, it depends upon the season. If we're going to be sweating a lot, we'll dump the powder in. If not (like when it's 45 degrees), it's just water. What's your deal?

 

GamJams Survey: Opening Day

GamJams Ambassadors reminder: Tomorrow's review topic is bar tape. Whether you're unrolling an old favorite or switching to something new, tell us why you choose to outfit your rig the way you do.

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The starts are aligning at GamJams Survey Headquarters. It will likely hit 70 degrees, or thereabouts, today. We're into daylight saving time, which means we can ride outside past 6 p.m. Finally, one of the local shootouts gets underway this week.

Basically, it's the real start of the season. And because it's going to be 70 and sunny and a group of people are getting together for a ride, it's going to be nuts. Silly attacks, sketchy pacelining and epic implosions await. How you approach that will be the key to how you feel tomorrow.

Do you sit back and watch, happy to be in the bunch again, or do you show off the first returns on a winter of training?

 

GamJams Survey: Into the Sunset?

On Tuesday, our favorite curly-haired, ultra-Euro climber was suspended for two years after showing some funny Biological Passport numbers prior to the 2010 Giro d'Italia. As a result, Franco Pellizotti says he's quitting.

We've heard that before, of course — most notably from Alexander Vinokourov. At 33, Pellizotti could easily come back and have a couple of productive years. The question is, will he?

And the question for you is this: would you? If, for some reason, you were not allowed to race for two years — for whatever reason — would you continue to train in hopes of coming back after the hiatus? Or would you walk away, call it good and find something else to occupy your time?

 

GamJams Survey: Just In Case

"We might need this someday." "Oh, I could use this for ... ."

So begins the first step toward amassing a garage full of bike parts. Odds are, you won't need it someday. And you won't use it for a lamp, a clock or any other "neat" idea that pops into your head.

When you upgrade bikes or components (either by desire or necessity), what happens to the old stuff? Do the good bits get stripped and saved "just in case," or is everything out if it isn't being used?

 

GamJams Survey: Status Report

Everybody's training schedule is different, from time of day to intensity to days free to use for training. Likewise, the additional daily responsibilities we all face make things even more complex.

As we leave winter behind ... someday soon, we hope ... the first big group rides will be forming. It'll be the first chance to announce your presence with authority (or not), or to see what everybody's been doing all winter.

Some will come through faster than they were last year. Some will be about the same. Some will look — and ride — like they got a PS3 for Christmas and haven't touched their bike since.