NY Velocity, behind the back conversations

So, I was going to write about some new tires I just bought, but then I stumbled over the Velocity Nation, where I surprised to see a semi-heated -- if brief -- discussion of... me.

Now, I'll admit that from time to time I've posted a link to my blog on Velocity Nation's discussion forum. After all, anyone who races a bike in the New York City-metro area, and beyond, reads the site. Since I'm always trying to drum up more traffic on this blog, posting links on popular websites seems like an obvious tactic.

BUT, it was not me who posted a link to yesterday's discussion of the things I learned at Sunday's Housatonic Hills Road Race. (Yesterday's post, has, by the way, generated a large volume of comments and I can't wait to see the traffic report tomorrow!)

This was the first reference. While I'm not sure exactly what it means, it seems like little more than a benign call see some interesting discussion over at my blog. Fine:

"Check the comments here for this week's edition of Pro eye for the new Cat 2 guy:" -- posted on the forum this morning at 11:40, but I'll take it as flattering that someone decided my post was interesting enough to warrant transmittal to a larger audience.

As for the other comments, all I can say is that amateur bike racers (ones who do well, anyway), seem to talk a fine line. Ride poorly and you're branded as "sketchy," "dangerous," or worse, no matter how good your results. Ride well, on the other hand, get results, and you get the opposite treatment -- you're a sandbagger and should upgrade immediately, go pick on someone your own size.

At least one of the comments about me over on NYVelocity, on the other hand, are of a brand I have not previously experienced; questioning my right to ride in the elite peloton, on the grounds that I've never won a race. (And before I go on, there were other poster who duly protested this point, backing me up, and I am very appreciative of that!)

Well, first of all, I have won a race. In fact, I've won two sanctioned races and one unsanctioned. Granted, two of those were back in 2006, but still, a win is a win. But that's neither here nor there. More to the point, I had reached the point in my career, and I'm quite proud of this, at which I was finishing in the top ten in nearly every road race I entered.

I started racing bikes because I liked the challenge, and although getting top results as a cat 3 was certainly still a challenge, I was qualified to pursue more difficult challenges, so it seemed right to elevate my game.

While I am certainly still adjusting to the greater speeds and longer distances of the elite races, I hope to be a quick study.

Another poster, who said he enjoyed my blog, also commented that I'm "a bit out of touch with the real world." I guess I'd like to know what this means. I tend to think that working two regular jobs, in addition to various freelance gigs, while maintaining a rigorous training/racing program has given me an up-close-and-personal view of the "real world," but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe this persons just means that I'm out of touch with New York City, which, sadly, is true.

I have been accused of seeing things with an optimism for the future. Perhaps that's what the poster meant -- I can only hope. In any event, I would truly like to know. If you're out there, please chime in -- and feel free to post your name.

So, the coffee shop is closing, and I'm going to go home, even though I do have more to say on this topic.

Even if reading the comments on NYVelocity felt a like walking into a room right in the middle of someone's behind-your-back conversation, I am heartened to be reminded that there ARE people out there who read this blog, and appear to enjoy it. As always, thanks for reading!

P.S. The aforementioned tires are Vittoria Open Corsa CXs. They're tires. The ride like tires.