GamJams.net: Where Mid-Atlantic bike racers roll

GamJams Survey: Easing Into It

As the snow starts to clear and the snowmelt forces you to clean your bike every day, it's time to start thinking about racing. True, your goal event might be months off, but races are popping up on the calendar over the next few weeks.

By and large, these early season races are billed as "training races" — a good excuse to get out and get in the bunch again. Sometimes they're laid-back efforts, sometimes they're soul-crushers.

But are they worth it? Can you get the same effort on a hard group ride, and without the travel expense and entry fee? Have they become a mainstay of the early season race schedule for you?

 

GamJams Survey: Team Presentation

At the beginning of each season, pro teams hold an event to show off their riders and lay out the season's goals — the team presentation. Optimism abounds, sponsors are introduced, scarves are sometimes worn.

The same kinds of things happen on a local level, though without the scarves and usually without a formal presentation. But as rosters shape up and group rides start rolling, everbody knows the score. Team A will be better, Team B picked up a couple of nice riders, Team C ... well, Team C was hopeless before and will remain that way for the forseeable future. Sorry, Team C.

Where does your squad fall?

 

GamJams Survey: Snow Day

Depending upon the size of your driveway — or maybe your neighbor's driveway — shoveling snow may serve as a nice break from the standard winter workout. If properly motivated, core work and lower-intensity cardio work can happen at the same time.

Unless, of course, you have a snowblower. Or a bad back, which is the case at GamJams Midwest Headquarters.

The workout aspect of it isn't in question. But do you actually use shoveling as the workout and skip whatever you had planned for later in the day? Is it a one-day reprieve from the trainer, the rollers or some other form of indoor cycling?

 

GamJams Survey: Excellent Adventures

At a race a few years ago, we were amazed when an entire team rolled up in a cargo van with a trailer, set up a tent, unloaded and destroyed the field.

Afterward, everything went back in the trailer, the guys jumped in and off then went. The whole time, they appeared to be having a ball.

Meanwhile, our team — which was missing a few guys — headed home in a half-dozen different cars. As those out-of-towners drove away with most of the prize money, we got to thinking ... maybe we should plan this thing better and travel together, too?

 

GamJams Survey: Swiping the Card

Like it or not, bike racing is expensive — even when you're trying to be thrifty. Consider it this way: would you spend $120 for a pair of everyday shorts? No way! But those shorts you'll only wear for a couple of hours a week? I'll take two pair, please.

Every year, no matter how awesome the previous year was in terms of equipment, you'll need to spend a certain amount of money before heading off to the first race. Kit, tires, cables, chains and bar tape are the standards. But what about componentry? New helmet? Shoes?

It's not cheap, even when you are. How much are you planning to spend before you roll up to the line?

 

GamJams Survey: New Duds

On a near-daily basis, training camp photos are popping up on Cycling News and Velo News, and we're getting our first look at new kit, new riders and new bikes.

For some of the pros, changing teams means a definite kit upgrade (say, Footon-Servetto to ... well, anywhere else) but for others ... woof. Of course, there's a lot of money at stake even for the domestiques, so one can deal with ugly kit if there's a $50,000 paycheck at the end of the rainbow.

Amateurs, though, have fewer perks. Sure, some get bikes or kit allowances or helmets or sunglasses, but most will get only a small shop discount and a bill for two new sets of kit. If that's the case, is one allowed to be picky about what he or she is pulling on? Would it make or break a decision to change teams?

 

GamJams Survey: The Hardest Part

Ugh. January. Cold. Snow. Ice. Stupid north winds.

If you're attempting to be fast at any point before July, you're probably in the middle of base miles. That means slogging through long rides in fairly uncomfortable conditions — outside or inside.

But is it the weather that makes winter training difficult? Is it a time concern? Daylight, or lack therof? For us, it's a combination of a lot of things. What's your deal?

 

GamJams Survey: Additions

Despite the robust nature of your local race scene (or maybe not), you'd probably like to make changes. It's human nature — we're never quite happy with something, no matter how good it is. It could always be a little better.

At GamJams Survey Headquarters, we know which changes we'd like to see on the local race scene, but our preferences (more tigers, fire and sharks) are probably different than yours. If you could lock all of the local promoters in a room (which is how they make the race schedule, we believe) and ask for one thing, what would they be?

 

GamJams Survey: Shoving Off

Every ride has its own rallying point, be it a coffee shop, a certain bench at a park or in somebody's driveway.

One ride around these parts regularly leads from a department store parking lot, despite three coffee shops and a bike shop all within a mile or so. Which start point is the ideal place from where to depart?

 

GamJams Survey: Bike Stuff

Ah, the holidays. When friends and relatives — most of them non-cyclists — ask you what you want for Christmas.

"Bike stuff," you reply, as if they know what that even means. Do you make a list of very specific items and pass it along, or do you go with, "Ah, I need a new pair of gloves," and see where that takes you?