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Pittsburgh Roubaix 2010? / PR 2008

Time to face the fact that my calendar's not getting clear anytime soon. Anyone feel like running the Pittsburgh-Roubaix this year? Or just getting together and riding it as a fun ride? I've already got "trophies" for 1st overall, 1st fixed & 1st woman. I can also help make & laminate spokecards and work a checkpoint if I'm around that day. I'll also list it on pghalleycat.


Anyone up for it?


You can see the previous versions of the race:


Pittsburgh-Roubaix

Pittsburgh-Roubaix 2008

Pittsburgh-Roubaix 2009


I've also got the trophies for 2008, when I stiffer Eric with a pebble as a trophy. So if you're: Eric L (1st overall), Dan G (1st fixed) or Tricia K (1st woman) step forward and receive your 10 pound trophy!


ndanger
2010-09-13 21:40:24

I would love love LOVE to do this, if it were a USCF race. You'd probably get more support for putting it on too.


cmeyers
2010-09-13 23:33:52

Do you have any experience running a USCF event? I did a quick check here (http://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=1053) and don't feel that will encourage me to find time. Actually, no matter what I don't have time to run it this year, but it's an interesting idea for the future. My general feeling was that it would be fairly impossible to make it an officially sanctioned event easily since it's an open course.


ndanger
2010-09-14 02:05:41

There is a reason why there are so few road races in this area, and even fewer that feature courses that aren't multiple loops--managing the logistics is a nightmare. The Mingo Creek races, which have been going on for many moons, ran afoul of residents who were tired of having their roads disrupted a few times a year raised a fuss[1].


Then, of course, there's the cost. Another reason there aren't many races in the area, though JR and his WV crew are really creating what seems to be a fantastic series south of the border.


[1] Mayhew and Steevo probably have more details


bjanaszek
2010-09-14 13:22:52

@dave I don't, but I'd be willing to help. The way it is in TX, every club is required to host at least one race in order to be eligible for the state-wide team rankings...could be incentive?


cmeyers
2010-09-14 13:53:08

USCF? Keep it underground or let it die.


bradq
2010-09-14 13:58:10

It would be nearly impossible as a USAC race. Road closures, marshalls, officials. How do you deal with the possibility of people taking multiple routes?


mayhew
2010-09-14 14:53:01

Death it is. Long live my free time!


ndanger
2010-09-14 17:11:50

At Steve K's request, the Pittsburgh-Roubaix 2010 will be held "The Sunday of the first week it snows." It will be an informal, self-directed ride. $0 to enter (though food/cash for the afterparty/potluck is considered sporting). No prizes except for a big rock.


The course isn't finalized but will probably be slightly shorter than last year. Don't worry, it will still suck pretty hard.


Watch this thread / pghalleycat.com for more info.


ndanger
2010-10-08 22:14:25

best decision ever.


imakwik1
2010-10-09 04:53:44

We're getting closer! Weather.com predicts 'Rain/Snow Showers' for Saturday, Nov. 6th. Maybe...


88ms88
2010-11-01 17:20:03

Could it be this Sunday?


bradq
2010-11-01 17:54:47

I really want to give this a try. Any other first time Roubaix-ers out there?


mildsnbleu
2010-11-01 19:15:39

+1 1st time Roubaixer. I'll be riding for comfort not speed. Think triple crank and nice wide soft knobby tires. I'll let the fast girls/guys rattle their teeth out.


88ms88
2010-11-01 23:23:34

Hope not, I'm out of town.

Soft possibly, knobby maybe not; you still have to get from street to street.


From the pedantry corner:

{Roubaix-ers,Roubaixer} ? Roubailleur(s)


ahlir
2010-11-02 00:00:48

Into it. Hopefully this year I won't miss a check point. Ugh.


scott
2010-11-02 19:14:05

Hrm..... I might check this out just for fun.


bikeygirl
2010-11-02 21:35:10

Hey-o,


Just to keep everyone informed: I'm trying to get a hold of Steve K, since he was going to host the afterparty/potluck at his place.


I doubt the ride will be this weekend, but maybe next. I'll post here whenever it's set up.


ndanger
2010-11-03 14:30:33

Alright, ride will definitely NOT be this Sunday. Stay tuned for more.


ndanger
2010-11-04 22:33:35

i'll try it again. if you can announce it soon enough, i'll get the day off. if not, i'll call off and eat less that week.

but i'm really no more familiar with the south hills than i was for last year's race, when i got lost (multiple times) and let the streets on the mountain beyond The Mon dictate how i feel about myself, the world around me, and the rest of the day.

i misdirected myself out of completion.

just like sara, who won a dummy award for being hung over, dehydrated, and less a water bottle holder. i'll let her know, because she misses the races.


any bonus points if the rider carries a potluck item in tow? if it's cold enough, no one can worry about the bacteria, and it would give us map-defeatists and losties extra incentive to finish and share our at-home creations.


vegbreath
2010-11-06 03:55:18

Well the South Hills is getting cut from the route, so you'll just have to go as far as Mt. Washington.


As for the potluck, the potluck venue fell through. Unless anyone's got a house to volunteer the end will probably be at a pub that's close-ish to the oval (since nothing's really close to the oval).


ndanger
2010-11-06 12:57:39

Did it ever snow on Saturday?


ndanger
2010-11-08 18:07:13

this ride isn't happening until january!


vegbreath
2010-11-13 06:15:05

Global warming claims another casualty.


ndanger
2010-11-13 06:57:21

I was away but word on the street is that it snowed on Friday. Can anyone verify?


ndanger
2010-12-01 01:08:32

I saw a flake or two up here in Greenfield. If there is any doubt, there is something like a 100% chance of snow for tomorrow.


dwillen
2010-12-01 01:41:55

If it does snow you might want to wait till next weekend since punk bike is this weekend.


cburch
2010-12-01 01:48:34

No worries Colin, if it did snow Friday I was going to wait until next Sunday (the 12th) anyway.


ndanger
2010-12-01 06:23:10

Well we officially have snow!


cburch
2010-12-01 13:51:05

!!!


88ms88
2010-12-01 14:39:12

Pittsburgh Roubaix 2010 flyer

Pittsburgh-Roubaix 2010


So it has snowed.


When: Sunday, December 12th 2010; noon registration, 1pm start

Where: Flagstaff Hill, Schenley Park, Pittsburgh

Why: ???

How much: Free


ndanger
2010-12-01 17:23:56

got the pavé sectors picked yet?


johnwheffner
2010-12-01 19:25:23

Not yet, I'll get those out in a few. It will be mostly the same as last year but I'll probably cut the south hills (it didn't feel like it connected to the course) & some of the off the wall & flat sections (like the ones in Spring Hill). Don't worry, Laketon will probably still be on there, so you still have to ride way out there just to go up a brick road.


Course suggestions are welcome.


ndanger
2010-12-01 20:18:44

Oh yeah.


I really liked the course the first two years. I didn't do it last year. So hoping I can make it happen this time around.


bradq
2010-12-01 20:24:10

Even though I almost didn't finish, I'd still vote to keep the South hills stuff in there. Any hard race in Pittsburgh should include a climb over Mt Washington.


Buena Vista was much harder than I expected and the hill up into Stanton heights was just dumb. Keep those in there.


eric
2010-12-01 20:33:27

Well Climax & Wyoming will still both be there, so you'll still have to climb up from Southside to Mt. Washington . The question is if you'll have to climb it from the other side.


Beuna Vista & Kendall (Stanton Heights climb) are both staying.


Really other than the S. Hills stuff, the other cuts are mostly flat cobbles that seem sort of arbitrary and hard to find. I don't think removing them will really change the flow of the race, it will just focus on some of the worst sections of pave.


ndanger
2010-12-01 22:20:40

I'm also still taking suggestions for an aftetparty meetup spot. If anyone near the Washington Boulevard oval can volunteer their house we'll do a potluck. Otherwise I'm thinking a bar with food, maybe Sharp Edge.


ndanger
2010-12-01 22:29:25

I vote for sharp edge for finish. also, hill list?


will this be like 1993 or 2009?


steve-k
2010-12-08 02:56:08

oh sharp edge, why can't you be as awesome as you seem like you should be? i would prefer, say, kelly's if we're in that area. but sharp edge is better than many many other choices.


how difficult is this going to be? will i have to re-deck my road bike (i.e. get new tires)? will i have to be in late summer shape? cuz i'm not...


hiddenvariable
2010-12-08 03:55:04

When Steve K says "Jump" I say "Yes sir, may I have another!"


The route is a slight modification of last year. Essentially the South Hills and Spring Hill have been culled and a few other flat boring sections are omitted.


1. START: Flagstaff Hill, Schenley Park

2. Schenley Visitors Center cobbles & Schenley Fireroad between Schenley Dr. & the turn off to the fireroad to Panther Hollow Lake

3. Joncaire St. between BoundaryS St. & S. Boquet St.

4. Bryn Mawr Rd. between Centre Ave. & the end of the cobbles on Bryn Mawr

5. Soho St. between Mahon St. & Centre Ave.

6. Climax St. between E. Amanda Ave. & Arlington Ave.

7. Wyoming St. between Virginia Ave. & Sycamore St. (this isn't the entire section of cobbles)

8. Grant St. between Blvd of the Allies & Liberty Ave.

9. Buena Vista St. between Amandale St. & Perrysville Ave.

10. E. Burgess St. between Osgood St. & Wurzell Ave.

11. Chestnut St. between Spring Garden Ave. & Phineas St.

12. Intersection of Mt. Troy Rd. & Hoffman Rd. (No cobbles here, just go through the intersection)

13. Kendall St. between Kent Way & Celadine St.

14. Murray Hill Ave. between 5th Ave. & Wilkins Ave.

15. Laketon Rd. between Marie St. & Graham Blvd

16. Washington Blvd bike oval. You must do 1 and a half laps (you must pass the finish line twice)

17. END: The Sharp Edge (320 South St. Clair Street)


Click through for the google map: Pittsburgh-Roubaix 2010 route


End point/after-party at Sharp Edge. Meet whenever the leaders are finishing. I'm guessing 3pm should be pretty safe. Fast guys speak up with when you think you're going to finish.


ndanger
2010-12-08 17:48:36

@HiddenVariable:


It's a hard ride, but it depends on how you ride it. If you want to win: very hard. If you are riding for fun, not so bad. I'd recommend people to ride it for fun and drop after a few hours and just come to the Sharp Edge.


Depending on my schedule (i.e. if I have everything done) I might ride the first part of it slowly on my single speed winter commuter and then peel off to head to the end.


ndanger
2010-12-08 18:02:19

looks like work is flying me out of town on sunday afternoon, so i can't do it even if i want to (and with a high in the upper 30s on sunday, i want to).


hiddenvariable
2010-12-08 19:05:41

Shake down ride for a new road bike.


Google maps claims 36 miles.


eric
2010-12-08 22:23:35

... and around 3400 ft of climbing.


johnwheffner
2010-12-08 22:45:44

I am so giddy.


steve-k
2010-12-09 15:27:05

Only 36 miles? Man, the winners are going to be done in less than two hours.


ndanger
2010-12-09 20:58:53

I'll be there and looking forward to it!


mildsnbleu
2010-12-10 03:18:19

Sunday: Rain before noon, then rain and snow between noon and 2pm, then snow after 2pm. High near 36. Southeast wind 8 to 11 mph becoming southwest. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.


eric
2010-12-11 17:28:15

i would like to continue the tradition of finishing behind scott. psyched!


imakwik1
2010-12-11 18:04:54

to all the folks that bail because of the precipitation... i envy your precaution


imakwik1
2010-12-12 15:59:24

There's 12 or 13 racers on the course including 1 woman and 1 fixed rider. See you at Sharp Edge in an hour!


ndanger
2010-12-12 19:02:44

I'm at the Sharp Edge and I'm bored! Someone come entertain me!


ndanger
2010-12-12 19:53:36

This was rad. You should have done it.


johnwheffner
2010-12-13 01:54:10

First hour: totally overheating and sweat soaked. Third hour: totally frozen.


that-guy
2010-12-13 02:35:02

i call 6th place!


imakwik1
2010-12-13 17:53:54

Also, Ted was narrowly out-sprinted to the line by Eric. It was riveting.


johnwheffner
2010-12-13 21:43:15

I think Ted sat up, and I don't think you could call what I was doing sprinting.


I was warm and felt OK until the Frankstown decent. I started to pop and got cold. Missed the party because my house is 5 minutes from the oval. It was warm and there was soup and ice cream.


eric
2010-12-14 01:36:54

Is this happening again this year? Could start snowing any day now...


that-guy
2011-11-14 17:42:19

I don't have time to organize it this year, though someone else is welcome to take over


ndanger
2011-11-14 19:20:36

Dear Dave,


You need to come out of promoter retirement, kids today don't get it.


eric
2011-11-14 21:48:19

Seconded.


bradq
2011-11-14 22:10:40

Shucks, thanks guys. Though the city seems to be doing ok without me, at least as long as Brad doesn't call it quits too.


I would love to run the PR but I really won't have time until at least next year (I'm taking some classes that end in December). Maybe it will actually be a spring classic.


And if anyone wants another alleycat idea: I've been trying to convince someone to run Thank You For Being a Friend, a Golden Girls themed alleycat.


ndanger
2011-11-15 02:18:06