kdw wrote:
No need to get mean spirited...sorry if I hit a sore spot.
I think there is an important sidebar discussion going on in this thread that should be stressed related to comfort in riding outdoors.
Some lurkers may get on this thread and say, "great, I never have to ride outdoors cause look at all those studs riding indoors only and kicking ass". Here is the problem. If you are a young stud at the front of the field, then you have a clear path and it's literally like riding on the trainer. When I was in 30-34 racing Wildflower, I literally passed all the 20-29's by 10K into the ride and I passed no one else for the rest of the race (drive by brag, was 8th amateur overall). Fast forward to 45-49, there were >2000 people in the water before I started, and I ended up 53rd overall. On the bike alone I passed something like 1500 people many riding 2-3 abreast, blocking the road and weaving. I swear there were many who never rode a bike before. Same deal at Oceanside a few years ago starting in a later wave. Both competent riders and entry level riders do stand to gain a number of benefits from a certain amount of outdoor riding. I am pretty sure we could point to zero pro cyclists who always ride indoors in training. Theirs is a dynamic high risk environment where the individual's bike control skills and the peers around that person play hand in hand.
FOP young triathletes can have a clear path. Older triathletes will invariably be riding near other cyclists often with massive speed differentials. It would be best for all of us, if as a minimum, everyone spent a bit of time riding outdoors simply for the safety of one another.
I just think a bit of balance is needed in this thread so that new athletes reading don't get the impression that they can never improve their sketchiness in tri bars and its perfectly acceptable to have poor "staying up" skills. I am not saying that any particular stud on this thread is a hazard to other riders, but there are way too many people who are and when they do all their riding on trainers it's not ideal for those around them...just watch the exit of T1 for the best illustration of this dynamic at play.
Now I get to Wildflower in 10 days in the LAST wave of the day. That really sucks badly. Silverman in the AWA athlete wave was awesome. I passed ~20 people early in the bike and then got to ride solo "trainer style" the rest of the day. Reminded me of what it was like racing in my 20's on clear tarmac.