Ah, sweet merciful jumpin' jeebers...

That's it. No, really, that's it.

I have been reading this bicycle forum for quite awhile now, and have myself posted a lot of my opinions, and or thoughts on said bicycle forum, but it's now driven me crazy. I will no longer post in the bicycling sections, for the most part. I will continue to post in the political section of the website, but I won't venture too often into the bicycling related subjects. It just drives me too crazy. I know I say that I'm not going to do it now, but realistically, I probably will, again, and probably soon.

Here's what drives me crazy. There is a forum in there for training questions, and things like that, which is fine in and of itself. But I swear, if I hear one more lifetime cat. 4 racer talk about how getting an SRM powermeter for his bike improved his racing and fitness so much, I will strangle someone with a used inner tube. Look chief, if this tool improved your fitness and racing so much, why, after 5 seasons of racing full time, are you still a cat. 4? There are guys on there who throw out these excessively long answers for other folks who pop in and ask what they should do for training to get faster, and these guys are still struggling to get enough points to upgrade from a cat. 4 level of racing. They talk about periodization, power tables, what days to do what workouts on, how long to hold how many watts for, their eating habits, and just about everything else. If you didn't know any better, you'd think these guys were pro racers, but indeed, they're not. Most of them, are cat. 4 lifers. There is actually a guy on there who says he has his coaching certification from USA Cycling, who is a cat. 5. Seriously? All you need to do to upgrade from a cat. 5 to a cat. 4 is start 10 races in a year. Let me re-state that, you have START 10 races in a year. You don't have to finish them. You don't have to win those 10 races. You don't even have to place in those 10 races, you just have to start them. And this guy is propping himself up to be a coach? Really? Now, I know that for some sports, you don't have to be good at them to be able to coach them, but cycling is different I think. I'd much rather take advice from someone who has raced a bunch of years, and has seen things from the inside out, and not from some guy who is a cat. 5 racer / coach. No thanks.

Don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge anyone the purchase of some expensive and nice equipment. But these guys are crazy about it. Talking about ceramic bearings for every moving surface on their bike. Seriously guys, steel bearings are more than OK for what you, and I, are doing on the bike out there, and those things, unless you put them under high stress, and high heat situations, are not going to be that much better than what you are running now. I am of the firm belief that unless you're a cat. 2 or higher, you don't need a power meter. Nope. Don't need it. You can be strong, and fast without one. If you are a cat. 5-3, basically what you should be doing is just riding your bike. Some days ride it fast, and some days, ride it slow. Throw in a few sprints for effect, and you'll get there. You should actually ENJOY riding your bike, and not look at it like it's a task. And let me let you in on another little secret. Most, if not all of you, are ever going to be a pro bike racer. Nope, ain't gonna happen. There are a few, very few people who might make it to the pro ranks, but you Fred's out there on the bike forums talking about the wattage you can put out, and the average speeds that you ride, aren't going to be that person.

If you're a lower category bike racer, and you happen to be reading this, stop listening to what all of these people are talking about. You don't need a coach. You don't need a super duper lightweight bicycle, or the latest and greatest deep dish carbon tubular wheels. You don't need a power meter. What you do need are a good group of friends to ride your bike with, and a local weekend ride that tends to be faster than normal, oh, and do a little sprint work here and there. Because if there is anything that I learned in the lower categories while starting my road racing career, it's that you need to know how to sprint, and how to make it work. If you can sprint even halfway decently as a lower category bike racer, you can win races. Ride with someone that has been in a bunch of races, and have them talk to you about tactics, and positioning in a race. This will make you improve as a racer more than any power meter, carbon wheels, or lightweight frames.

And for you other schmucks out there buying all of this high priced crap that you don't need, knock it off. You're driving up the prices for the people that might actually needs this high priced crap.