Freezing Saddles: Winter Bike Challenge (sign up open)

[rcannon100]

Freezing Saddles: Winter Bike Challenge
Never Give an ELITE Cyclist an Even Break

Official Frozen Scoreboard

NOTE: Excluded activities: If you post an activity to Strava during the competition period which is not an outdoor bike ride, then it should have the string “#NoBAFS” in the activity name.

Freezing Saddles! The Epic Adventure of a band of ELITE Cyclists, facing the challenges of the wild wild wild bike paths. Confronting the darkest of evenings, the coldest of mornings, and the stupidest of Ninjas – these brave cyclists challenge each other because, if they didnt, they might have to actually do some work during the day.

The saga runs January 1 until the last day of Winter, March 20. It will conclude with a March Madness Playoff that someone will probably design. There will be a Happy Hour at the end with many pointless trophies.

Tribes (teams):

• Composed of ~5 riders or less
• For riders from the #bikedc, Washington DC Bike Forum general community (Washington DC greater metropolitan area)
• Volunteer Captains (captains will address any data problems, negotiate or cause confusion, and provide motivational seminars);
• This is a ten-gallon hat tournament. Riders will be randomly assigned to tribes based on self declared average weekly mileage and days cycled. Tribes will be created so that each tribes’s average weekly point score is roughly equal to everyone else’s. To achieve this, tribes may be composed of differing numbers of riders.
• No late sign ups.
• Interested cyclists must sign up by December 25 Midnight – Tribes will be announced within a couple days.

Scoring: Riders will receive 10 points for each day and 1 point for each mile ridden. Minimum ride is 1 mile. The tribe’s score will be the sum of the tribe members (indoor trainers do not count- you must be freezing in the saddle outside).

Backend: STRAVA (please sign up for an account, and join the “Bike Arlington” club on STRAVA – you should be able to enter data manually or automatically. Additional information will be posted here on the forum.)

This is a self organized group activity based on consensus. No one is in charge or running this thing. Participation is voluntary and entirely at your own risk.

Be Brave. Be Bold. Be…. questful! In the words of Hedley Lamarr:

Men, you are about to embark on a great crusade to stamp out runaway decency on the bike paths. Now you men will only be risking your lives, whilst I will be risking an almost certain Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Here are the teams with the new subs

Team one
http://app.strava.com/athletes/126281
Matthew Whatley
Shawn Dread
443749
John Fisher – 608636

Team Two
Pete DeNitto – 768183
Steve Appel
James Hoofnagle
Jason Kyzer
Mega Beth – http://app.strava.com/athletes/136523
Joe Birkenstock – 1154396

Team Three
Trish Newberg
randy napiza 313677
Mark Blacknell
essigmw
obenlandk@gmail.com – http://www.strava.com/athletes/1564295

Team Four
EKR
Kel Moore
Chris Shue
Crystal Bae
Elizabeth MacGregor

Team Five
http://app.strava.com/athletes/benbhsu
307483 (Mark Williams)
Christopher Niebylski
vvill
Kevin Ulrich – http://www.strava.com/athletes/kevin_ulrich

Team Six
Arlingtonrider
sjclaeys
ejwillis@yahoo.com
http://app.strava.com/athletes/302448
feomike@gmail.com – http://www.strava.com/athletes/feomike

Team Seven
Henning Schulzrinne
klizotte
Brad Hancock
Ron Alford
Chris Randall

Team Eight
Ken Buja (1224809)
Kevin Williams, Strava # 580756, BA “GuyContinental”
Lena Varuolo
Hans Lellelid

Team Nine
Steve O
jopamora
Justin Antos (Strava 1473093)
http://app.strava.com/athletes/488016

Team Ten
certifried
strava name Karen Smith (forum poster acl)
Cyndi Janetzko
Rod Smith

Team Eleven (Freezing Saddles Team Mongo (11) on Strava)
Greg Ba
cptjohnc
rcannon100
mdevoll
Sarah Dots
Sean Chisham

Team Twelve
Calpike
BonzaiBuckaroo
Daniel Alexander
ochsendorf@gmail.com

Topic

[KayakCyndi]

@Rod Smith 42841 wrote:

When you say it’s been fun, it sounds like you’re done. I hope you know we have another month and a half to go! :p

Yep, well aware there is another month and a half to go, problem is I’ve got another two week out-of-country business trip starting Feb 10th and going through Feb 22nd. While I’m devising ways to get on a bike (watch Strava for some interesting locations) I don’t see how I’ll get to 500 miles in Feb.

Think we could convince the Gods of All things Freezing Saddles to allow for a pinch-hitter (or pinch-cyclist in this case)?

[vvill]

@KayakCyndi 42862 wrote:

Yep, well aware there is another month and a half to go, problem is I’ve got another two week out-of-country business trip starting Feb 10th and going through Feb 22nd. While I’m devising ways to get on a bike (watch Strava for some interesting locations) I don’t see how I’ll get to 500 miles in Feb.

Think we could convince the Gods of All things Freezing Saddles to allow for a pinch-hitter (or pinch-cyclist in this case)?

You already do – his name is Rod Smith.

@ShawnoftheDread 42857 wrote:

I had my biggest month ever — by almost 300 miles. Take that, August. Thanks to everyone for the push, especially Team Five Guys.

You’re welcome. Now take a well earned rest day, or two.

[jopamora]

Awesome, this challenge was a lot of fun. Can’t wait for the next one to start up! Congrats to Team Five for a really strong finish to first!

[rcannon100]

Yes congratulations on the um er strong finish. Teams 1 – 10, you have done excellently. Having completed your strong finish, you deserve a good long rest. Indeed, physically, its simply prudent to rest. Say, until about March 20th??

[Amalitza]

@Rod Smith 42841 wrote:

When you say it’s been fun, it sounds like you’re done. I hope you know we have another month and a half to go! :p

Sorry. It has been fun, and I have every expectation that it will continue to be fun for the next month and a half or so.:cool:

[rcannon100]

@Rod Smith 42841 wrote:

When you say it’s been fun, it sounds like you’re done. I hope you know we have another month and a half to go! :p

Shhhhh!!!!! Be quiet!!! :p

[Justin Antos]

Spurred on by Freezing Saddles, January was my highest mileage month… ever. In the winter I’m normally at just a few hundred; last month was three times that. This competition is definitely inspiring me to get off my duff and outside, even in the dark and cold. Well, that, plus toe-warmers and humongous down mittens.

I’ve discovered how peaceful Hains Point can be on a cold still night, how to add a view of the Anacostia River to my commute, and how to get across the Chain Bridge. The best silver lining is that I’m wearing out my old bike more quickly, hastening my excuse to get that shiny new touring bike I’ve been dreaming about for months.

[KelOnWheels]

@Justin Antos 42876 wrote:

The best silver lining is that I’m wearing out my old bike more quickly, hastening my excuse to get that shiny new touring bike I’ve been dreaming about for months.

Quoted for great justice!

[DaveK]

@Justin Antos 42876 wrote:

The best silver lining is that I’m wearing out my old bike more quickly, hastening my excuse to get that shiny new touring bike I’ve been dreaming about for months.

SPAAaaaaAAAAaaaaCE HORSE

just saying.

[PeteD]

191 miles in January. That’s up from 0 last year. Heck I didn’t even own a bike this time last year. I would have laughed heartily in your face if you told me on Feb 1, 2012 that in January of 2013 I would have ridden that much in a single month in Winter.

Thanks Freezing Saddles!

[ShawnoftheDread]

@vvill 42863 wrote:

You’re welcome. Now take a well earned rest day, or two.

Why do you keep trying to get me to take a day off? If you really liked competition, you’d invite me on your next long group ride.

[consularrider]

@ShawnoftheDread 42930 wrote:

Why do you keep trying to get me to take a day off? If you really liked competition, you’d invite me on your next long group ride.

How about tomorrow’s Tri360 North Arlington Hills ride on studded tires? Good work out! :p

[KelOnWheels]

@DaveK 42882 wrote:

SPAAaaaaAAAAaaaaCE HORSE

just saying.

Someone, I’m not sayin’ who, may hypothetically have been sitting here making a little spreadsheet of frame geometries for various fine new bicyclez this afternoon.

[Subby]

I’m embarrassed to say that my previous record for a month was 170 miles. I tripled that this month according to Strava (542 miles). I also squeaked into the top 7,000 (out of 36,000) for the Base Mile Blast. I bike commuted every day but one. And as I alluded to elsewhere, I lost 10 el bees without really changing up my diet.

Thanks Freezing Saddles! Go Team Four CuatroPho!

[vvill]

This challenge has mostly been about Freezing Fingers for me, but other than making some poor clothing decisions it’s been a ton of fun so far. With the Strava API and ronwalf’s skills we (uhh… *he*) could easily set up more things like this too.

@ShawnoftheDread 42930 wrote:

Why do you keep trying to get me to take a day off? If you really liked competition, you’d invite me on your next long group ride.

I always assumed you were a Weekday Warrior.

@KelOnWheels 42933 wrote:

Someone, I’m not sayin’ who, may hypothetically have been sitting here making a little spreadsheet of frame geometries for various fine new bicyclez this afternoon.

I admit I was “researching” the Nature Boy Zona last night. My “problem” is that my existing converted SS bike is already lighter than most of the cheaper SS/FGs going around and I doubt I will want to ride anything heavier, so I’m not sure even this Ltd edition is even an option. I don’t know normal weight ranges for parts/components so. Yeah. More research I guess.

[Author]

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