Texbiker.net

by Dale Robertson

Memorial Park crits series sees record number of participants

…at least one local race promoter doesn’t believe Armstrong’s decision to come out of retirement in 2009 will have much additional impact on the already explosive growth of cycling in Houston.

After all, with interest in international cycling at a low ebb this past summer because of ongoing drug scandals and a shortage of compelling personalities, Hans Schneider’s popular Sun & Ski Sports Criterium Summer Bike Races (a.k.a., “The Crits”) still attracted more riders than ever before to the Memorial Picnic Loop course.

“A lot of new riders came out, and we’ve never had more depth,” said Schneider, a custom bike builder from Huntsville who has taken it upon himself to stage the weekly criterium races annually since the early 90s, rain or shine. “It was a great season, and we got really lucky with the weather. I’m not sure what happens in pro cycling has that much of an effect.”

link to the Houston Chronicle Cyling Notebook

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From the Houston Community newspaper The Sun

By VAL CLIFTON

“Many motorists don’t think bicycles belong in the roadway,” Wang said. “You have to put up with a certain amount of discrimination.”

Outside Houston city limits, Harris County has “no interest” in building facilities for bicyclists on roads or streets, he said.

“Some of the precincts have some very nice trails, but none that are on road that actually serve destinations like schools, businesses or retail,” Wang said. “They are recreational in nature. No one lives on a trail or buys groceries on a trial, so they aren’t usable for transportation.”

Link to the rest of the story

from The Houston Chronicle Cycling Notebook May 1, 2008. By Dale Robertson

Houston fireman Jason Danvir, who races for the Sugar Cycles team, is promoting his inaugural Division III Texas Cup event, which is Sunday morning on the Sugar Land Town Square.

The featured 90-minute open event starts at 10:30 a.m., with $1,200 in prize money being split among the top 15 finishers. Smaller purses are also available in the Cat 4/5 race ($200) at 7 a.m., the Cat 3/4 race ($500) at 8:10 and the women’s open ($300) at 9:20 a.m. Juniors and kids races are on the schedule, too. Everything will be wrapped up by noon in time for store openings on the square.

Other items Dale writes about

• May biking days
• Alkek Velodrome activities
• Pro beat

Ken Hoffman describes his MS150 adventure as only he can in his column April 14th.

Link to Ken’s column in the Houston Chronicle.

In today’s Houston Chronicle Cycling Notebook column, Dale Robertson writes about a team that will ride the Houston to Austin MS150 but not leave the Texas Orthopedic Hospital in Houston. The Betaseron Team will simulate the ride to Austin on stationary bikes.

Team members, lead by Dr. Cynthia Tait, suffer from multiple sclerosis. Dr. Tait came up with the concept in 2002. Read more at the Houston Chronicle link above.

Last year I used this same title and this year’s ride is a repeat. Weather in March can be unpredictable but today the blue sky and north tailwind for the return to downtown made the trip picture perfect. While the route this year is entirely different, going north instead of south, the experience of riding on the Hardy Toll Road without cars was special. It reminded me of years ago when the toll road first opened and the kickoff included a bike ride from the Spring toll plaza to Beltway 8 and back.

(more…)

Just returned home from riding the Tour de Houston. Job well done volunteers, law enforcement, Houston Parks and sponsors. Whoever was in charge of the weather deserves extra kudos. Clear sky, a tail wind on the return leg from Clear Lake, make a biker’s dream. What else could a biker ask for. I even had Cheetos at one rest stop and a dessert of Rice Krispie Treat.

According to the announcer at the start, last year 2,500 riders, this year over 4,000. Thanks to Mayor Bill White and State Senator Rodney Ellis for coming up with the ride idea.

The 70 mile route (on the literature anyway) turned out to be 66 miles but this is a minor difference. I saw two people involved in crashes. One might have been serious and the other was road rash. The roads were uneven at times so that may have contributed. One minor rough spot was getting into the Theater District parking areas at the start. I drove by two or three entrances that were closed and the traffic was moving very slow. This may reflect the large turnout.

The opening miles took us through the east side of downtown. I have not been there in many years. The new townhomes, lofts and houses being built are changing the area. There are still some older buildings remaining. You can see gentrification taking place.

No pictures for this ride. With the slow parking I did not get to take any other than a few in the parking garage. They do not do the ride justice.