texbiker.net

The Austin American-Statesman

By Pamela LeBlanc
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

“Next time you head to the Hill Country, bring your bike.

From Llano to Fredericksburg and all points surrounding, miles of rolling roadways are ready to torment your quad muscles.

One of my favorite routes starts and ends in tiny Willow City, northwest of Stonewall. My husband, Chris, and I do the ride each spring, when we participate in the Hill Country Children’s Advocacy Center Pedal Power Wildflower Ride. The loop, also popular among bluebonnet-peeping motorcyclists, is part of the fundraiser’s 60-mile route.”

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Practice, practice, practice is the mantra of 13-year-old Firethorne resident Madeleine McDuff, a highly focused young cyclist training for her first-ever national junior cycling competition this summer.

The 5-foot, 2-inch seventh grader, founder and president of the Beckendorff Junior High School Cycling Club, practices three to four times a week for up to 50 miles. She works with her trainer, former National Cycling Champion and U.S. Team Member Garth Blackburn (of Sugar Land), rides with the Katy-based Team Spincycle, an adult team that pedals 30 miles every Sunday morning, and cross-trains during the off-season at Firethorne to gear up for the USA Cycling Junior National Track Championships this August at the ADT Event Center in Carson, CA.

“I race competitively (on track and road) because I want to,” said Madeleine, whose enthusiasm for the competitive sport spills over into recreational cycling. “I wanted to start a non-competitive cycling club at school so kids will ride with their families and get exercise - not just play video games,” she explained. She noted that cycling seems to be catching on with high school students, too; Katy High recently started a cycling club.

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from The Dallas Morning News Online

By VICTORIA SMITHEE / The Dallas Morning News
vsmithee@dallasnews.com While many people spend Saturday mornings lounging in bed, a group of men and women known as the Texas Flyers Cycling Club breaks out the spandex for a ride through Denton County.

The Texas Flyers started as a race group that sponsored competitive riders. But a few years ago, the club switched its focus to recreational riding, says club president Renee Massengill, 39.

Susan Farb Morris provided this to me:

T.J. not only rode in the very first MS 150, he rode in the first FIVE MS 150s.  As Sun & Ski Sports Corporate Bike Coordinator, he makes sure that the 300-person Team Sun & Ski rides smoothly, so he’s not able to ride in the event.  However, he does serve on the executive committee of the National MS Society Lone Star Chapter MS 150 Bike Shops.

T.J., who lives with his wife, Carla (also an avid cyclist) in NW/Cypress area, used to be a USC Federation road racer and a mountain bike racer.  He is known statewide for his expertise in fitting cyclists on their bicycles. He estimates he rides 125-150 miles per week.  This includes evenings as well as weekends.  He has cycled in the Texas Hill Country, Utah (Moab), Northern California/Napa and Sonoma Valleys, Lake Tahoe, Pacific Coast Highway and Colorado.  He is past Ride Director of the Texas Hill Country River Region Classic, a 100-mile ride in Garner State Park area.

Last July 4th, T.J. celebrated his 50th birthday, where else, but on a bicycle!  His birthday is the 4th of July and he and Carla rode the Triple Bypass, a one-day trip that covers three mountain passes in Evergreen, Colorado!

Sometimes I forget to check the The Racing Post website for their monthly publication on the Texas bicycle racing news, interviews and commentary. You can download the current issue in the PDF format. There are several interviews in the April issue.

The Racing Post website

The April 4th Houston Chronicle online has an extensive article about designing team jerseys for bicyclists.

“…outside the National MS Society’s Lone Star chapter offices near the Astrodome, the pressure’s been on 250 team captains as they unveiled their custom-made jerseys at jersey-pickup parties and events these past few weeks.”

Link to the Gallery of Team Jerseys

Link to RoadBikeRider.com

Jim Langley revisits his year-old review on tubeless road wheels and tires. From Newsletter #337:

“When I wrote my review just over a year ago, I said tubeless road wheels and tires would revolutionize cycling.

The main difference compared to the clincher wheels you may be riding is that the Shimano/Hutchinson system eliminates tubes. The tire valves are attached to the rims. Just like with mountain-bike tubeless tires that have been in use for several years, this allows lower tire pressure because there’s no chance of a pinch flat. Also, without an inner tube the tires are more compliant and supple.” Link to more of Jim’s review

Another item in this issue:

“…Watch the YouTube video called “The Rights and Duties of Cyclists.” It runs just over 4 minutes and focuses on rules for riding urban streets, specifically how to occupy traffic lanes and make turns. The idea is for the cyclist to take charge just as if he or she were driving instead of pedaling. If you know new riders, turn them on to http://tinyurl.com/yt342o”

Ran across this new blog from a rider in Austin. Bike Noob. As the title shows the writer is a new bicyclist. The particular post that caught my eye is his experiences looking for the perfect saddle. Visit his blog and read about it. Good pictures as well.