Sorted in: E.T. approved, alleycat races, apt11 approved, cycling, fixie, transportation alternatives
Yesterday I did my first alleycat race. I was doing quite well at the start and would have finished in the top 10 at least. Unfortunately the dude I was following at the start of the race decided he was heading home so he finally turns to me and was like, oh, I’m riding home you need to be heading in the other direction. Ugh, I was so annoyed. Why are you even riding with us then jackass!? I was pissed. So I had to reroute myself towards the first checkpoint.
Hustlin’ to catch the pack, I managed to trail in with a few guys, but still, I placed dead frikkin’ last. Whatever, at least I finished and that’s all that mattered. Not sure if I’ll do another one - I’ve got a wife and kids to think about and riding like a madman through Manhattan city streets is so going to shorten my lifespan - but it was hella fun.
One thing that was apparent is that I need new rims/tires. While the 27″ rims are great for general commuting and the Gatorskins will never puncture, they add way too much weight. I might pick up a cheap pair of Weinmann DP18 clinchers with a decent set of road tires for those times when I want to ride fast.