Articles – Page 64 – Seven Cycles

Quad Cross

Quad Cross is one of those races, shop-sponsored, very local, that signifies the beginning of cross season. Though small and perhaps insignificant in the larger scheme of things, Quad Cross is huge for the devoted dirt racers in our area. For most, it’s the first test of legs and lungs. It’s where you find out how good/bad your summer was, and where you learn what you need to work on for the coming races. Oh, and it’s fun as hell.

Team Seven Cycles rider Mo Bruno Roy (Bob’s Red Mill p/b Seven Cycles) found out she’s in pretty good shape, taking the women’s Pro 1/2/3 race by a wide margin on her freshly refinished Mudhoney PRO.

Our shipping/receiving dynamo, Nick Maggiore came through 39th in the Cat 3 Men’s heat, while Seven’s newest addition back in the shop, Dan Cariolo, was 20th in the Cat 4 Men’s race.

Joe Wignall took an exceptionally strong 5th in the Men’s Cat 4 35+ race. Can you say “podium hopeful?” And Team Seven Cycles’ Jason Devarrenes was 13th in the Single Speed Men’s.

It was a warm, sunny day for racing, perfect conditions for going fast. The course was dry and perfectly tacky, so not the mud-fest some were anticipating. There were fast flat sections, technical bits for the mountain bikers, a couple short, punchy climbs and a hard right-hander into the finish that rewarded riders with something left in the tank.

As always Quad put on a well-organized event, and the local cross community certainly rode away satisfied. Cross season is on.

622 SLX – Red Decals

Another 622 SLX headed for a frame box. This time with red decals. Is red really faster?

Shop Ride – Dog Days

This morning’s shop ride started as so many rides start: a handful of riders spinning idly around a parking lot, getting ready. Settling helmets and adjusting gloves and stuffing pockets. Stopping to re-strap shoes. Riding off without water bottles. Going back for water bottles.

And then without saying much of anything we are off, all together, and climbing up the first too-steep hill with our early morning legs. The humidity of late summer blankets everything. Our New England, pine-rich woods feel like a rain forest, and before we’ve crested that first rise we’re all in a hard sweat.

All this heat and moisture are having prodigious effect on the plant life, and many of our regular trails are grown thick at the edges. Thorns rip at our arms. We take extra care to stay in the center line, despite the dew-moist stones that would put us off.

These are the ‘dog days‘ of summer, the hottest, steamiest time of the year. You start warm and finish wrung out. But you’re always glad you rode. Always.

Mike’s Dune Mudhoney

Continuing with the recent cyclocross theme, here is Mike’s Mudhoney fresh off a session on the Battle Road. We don’t normally post pictures of dirty bikes, but this one hides its dust pretty well, and anyway what is the point of a clean CX bike?

Ready for CX?

Cross season is upon us. When you have your head down, building bikes all day, you sometimes lose track of time, but then all of a sudden, you’re building Mudhoneys, and you realize, “It’s coming.” A very exciting time of year. This season we are also building the new Mudhoney PRO, for enhanced enjoyment of muddy endeavors.