Things to look for that are warm to ‘The Bonebell’ heart – one shot of Manuel Tenorio warming up on the rollers, while ‘El Maya’s’ nephew watches in amazement, to this day, he believes what he witnessed was ‘awesome!’. Second great shot of ‘Stiggity’s’ son, Henry, clanging the intro to the cowbell mayhem with our namesake ‘bonebell’. We love these shots not just because its our family – but because it did exemplify to us and our familes to all those involved with this sport that that cyclocross is indeed a family event.

Thank you Heather Jurewicz for creating this gem. I’m sure everyone has seen it on the googles – and we’re just passing it along here as well!

2009 Chicago Cyclocross Cup from Heather Jurewicz on Vimeo.

Congratulations to CAMBR and to ‘The Garden Crew’ for making this a reality for Chicago. Seriously – this is great news and just the beginning for seriously good dirt happenings for the City of Chicago.

Many of the Chicago northside locals have known about the simple dirt jumps behind Lane Technical High School since the early ’80s. Every serious dirtbagger who grew up on BMX in Chicago in the ’80s has attempted some boneheaded move well beyond our skill level behind that high school. Bruised ribs, cracked frames, and scarred elbows have emerged from this quaint plot of land conveniently nestled from the view of a busy Chicago boulevard, the busy strip malls and old DMV stations of yore. It was a great place to have known about and ridden on in the past 20 years. Then – a new crew came to town, and said, guys, gals, let’s clean this up and claim it. They developed a great relationship with the nearby business’ and most importantly, the property owners. They cajoled their way into their good graces and led by example and kept the riff raff out and proved that ‘The Garden’ is a bonafide locale for good times of the healthy kind. Dirt jumpin’ is how many a 10 year old learned to be invincible on a bike – we applaud the crew that made it possible to look forward to our kids doing the same thing we did, in Chicago no less, now and hopefully for a long time to come.

Thank You.

This video is by Ted Blanco – a giant proponent to making this all happen. Thank you bud, and I’m sure we’ll catch you at the party to say thanks to the entire crew!

We’ve been aiming to get you all off-road and true to our word, we have been exclusively riding knobbies every Sunday we head out – the trails may not be entirely rideable, but no matter, we will slay the pave with knobbied unison laying down the 18mph hum that only tacky rubber can provide. We have some lofty racing goals as we usually do, tackling cross country races and endurance races in the late spring through summer, before ‘really’ ramping up for the cyclocross season again. This means that we need to train.

Is Sunday training day?
That is such a strange question for a new rider. What is one training for? What is training? Should I be training? No matter what it is – don’t call it training – call it ‘out for a ride with friends’, because that is what we definitely want to provide on the Sunday knobbie ride. If you come regularly, you’ll see that you may challenge yourself, challenge us, challenge others. Friendly competition is always welcome, but never at the expense of leaving someone in the dust – we want you to return to the challenge of the off-road adventure. The venues will change too, frequently we hope. It’s not all on Palos, Waterfall Glen, or the Southwest Side road ride – we’re talking, DPR, I&M Canal, Prairie Path, etc. We’re taking you on an off-road adventure – keep your skinny tires at home, we may start on the road, but we may hit the dirt into the ride, or never see the road at all. We’ll post up rides, pictures of the adventures, and keep you updated via Twitter and Facebook.

Get on it – Sunday is getting dirty.

I made the same realization some time back about bicycles. Though, I definitely fancy a nice bicycle and components, I’ve grown to appreciate a certain utilitarian aspect of a bike that can be ridden to work, out on the trails, out on a ‘training’ ride, and then raced. There is a definitive honesty about what is truly slowing anyone down, and it’s most likely not the wheels, cranks, fork, or frame, its just us. Given the money, it would be wise to buy what is best for your needs. It’d be even wiser, to know what your needs are. This season, every shop has the latest greatest doo-dad that is going to make your season terrific. Yet, the greatest product they all have is, their knowledge on how to maintain them and get the best performance out of them. A whole new drive train may be the bees knees and drop a whopping 300 grams off your current drive train – but what will it matter if you haven’t learned to shift correctly on the trails? That new fork looks mighty nice, and all the reviews say the one you have only has 1 flamin’ chili, that alone is not enough to upgrade if you don’t understand the principles of how a shock works and how to use its available features on the trail.

I’ll always be continually fascinated looking at the races in 3rd world countries, including the currently running ‘Vuelta a Cuba’ where typically poverty not only being the mother of invention, but personal will being unphased and steady to the cycling task. I had heard that some of the locals were racing the Vuelta, on steel 20+ lb. bikes, for all stages of the race. They may not be winning the stages, but their hanging tough and completing daily 60-100 mile epic journeys. I’ve seen some incredible mountain bike races in Guatemala, and watched as rickety old steel hardtails, with early 90’s Deore components, and the 1st generation Grip Shifters still being used by the local ‘pros’ and putting on a performance that would put many a local racer in Chicago, to shame. I’ve seen BMX bikes converted to geared bikes to traverse from one mountainside to another, just as a commute from home to work. It has cemented in my head that it is indeed not the bike. I don’t mean steal the ‘Lance’ phenomenonal phrase of it not being the bike – but I do want to highlight that any kind of winning, be it personal, for a team, for a family, is not rooted on the quality of the bike but the drive in the individual.

The next time you head down to your local shop – ask to be taught how to maintain your bike, replace what you need, and learn how to use it well. Use their experience to teach you more about the beauty of your own bike and what to learn from it. Ride your bike with great pride knowing that you have the ability to do just about anything on it and the only limiter is you. When you reward yourself, at least you’ll know exactly why.

Your local bike shop sells you more than just bikes, parts, and service – they sell you know-how, just ask.

Le’ Old Downhill

This is a horrific imaginary tale – but unfortunately, it is the truthful tale of a dirtbaggin’ friend, Audrey Thibeau.

Photo: Amy Dykema

Yes – its that big white thing.

Audrey has run into this complication and it has cost her great time, effort, emotion, and of course money, to get her to 100% satisfactory health. Brain tumors come at all of these exorbitant costs, and she has had at least 80% of the tumor removed. We, at The Bonebell, are spreading the word about a great and fun fundraiser being provided to help this friend out. Audrey is a member of Half Acre Cycling and is the one of the many fine gals in the duos and four person categories that takes on the WEMS Series 3 and 6 Hour MTB Races. All Chicagoan dirtbags need a little help now and then, and when we rally, its a always sure to be a fun time.

Dirtbaggin’ Audrey

Photo: Erica C.

Fundraiser will be had at The Beer Bistro on Monday night, February 15th from 5:30PM-7:30PM.

Follow the link above for more information on address and details, and how to donate outside of the fundraiser event.

So we might as well all be inspired to keep on spinning when mother nature dishes it to us. Riding in the snow, is a grand experience. DaDoubleG apparently hit up Palos today, and last weekend, Stiggity and I went for a 2 plus hour romp at Waterfall Glen. In fact, since Barry-Roubaix is quickly coming up on us, we figured we should be hitting up some extended climbing of some sort to get the legs in tune with the Michigan rises on the gravel assault in late March. This weekend we will be making another visit to our favorite winter riding wonderland – Waterfall Glen.

View Waterfall Glen in a larger map

Sunday, February 14th (yes we know its a Hallmark Holiday) at 8AM for 2 hours of fun snow riding and challenges.

Speaking of being inspired by the weather – these folks do us proud in DC (even if they did bastardize words to describe their fun).

2010 Snow-Cx-Opocalypse from Brian Butts on Vimeo.

March 27

Middleville, Mi

barry-roubaix.com for info and registration through bikereg.com

Introduction by Nevada Dave:
Long distance mountain bike racing probably means different things to different people. For some it’s a beginner level XC race lasting about 10 miles or so. For others it’s a 6 hour, 12 hour, or a 100 miler (typically 7+ hours). And of course there is our beloved 24 hour solo mountain bike race. Building up to and maintaining what it takes physically and mentally, to complete one of these monster races, is what we at ‘The Bonebell’ are all about. Taking very brief occasional pit stops for the longer races, probably isn’t too remote of an idea to most racers. However, the thought of essentially not stopping for an entire 24 hour period can be a bit of a stretch for mere mortal beings. But that’s what has happened to this sport. Leisurely “ride” through the woods? Forget about it! The starts and first few laps are fast. Very fast; and the rest of time the pace remains fast, with minimal pit stops during the ensuing hours of racing. Lights, chain lube, grab some food, a pep talk; what more could one possibly ask for during a 12 or 24 hour period (except maybe a hospital bed)?

The Bonebell has done it again folks. We were able to interview professional mountain bike champion Chris Eatough, the alpha dog of this type of racing. Chris has raced professionally for 10 years, and has a list of mountain bike racing accomplishments one full 14 mile lap long. Here are a few:

6 time 24 Hour Solo World Champion
5 time 24 Hour Solo National Champion
2007 National Ultra Endurance Champion (100 mile race series)

And there’s plenty more where that came from.

So you might be asking yourself; how does one do this sort of thing? Well, Chris was gracious enough to give us his insight into many details of Ultra Endurance Racing during our interview. We’re very excited to share them with y‘all. So hang onto your handlebars, your about to take a look into this world of racing through the lens of a true master. Take note grasshoppers.

Photo: Trek Bikes

Encouraging people to use bicycles for transportation…It’s something I feel strongly about for the health of the individual, the liveability of communities, and the protection of the environment. – Chris Eatough

1. In order to be successful at 24 hour and endurance racing in general, one has to pay attention to many aspects of training – what are the main items you recognize as important?
Number one is the training. Spending enough time in the saddle to develop enough aerobic fitness, tendon strength, pedaling technique, and an iron backside! Core and upper body strength are also important. If you ride many hours on rough trails, you can develop this on the bike, but otherwise some core training and gym
work is recommended. Nutrition is important, and you need to train your body to be able to constantly take in and process calories when riding. This can be “trained” like most things by practice and repetition. Something else that takes years of training is trail riding efficiency. I think this is one of my best asetts, that I am able to ride a trail quickly, but not using much effort and energy. This can only come from thousands of hours of time on technical trails.

2. Some of us on The Bonebell crew eat a total of 4 or 5 bites of banana during an endurance race with no other solid food, only liquid form. However, we have friends that eat Spaghetti O’s out of a can (and possibly the can too!) during races and do very well. Are there any foods you eat during races that you swear by?
Have you ever had a moment of desperation and ate something really wacky?
I’m somewhere in between. I like a combination of “real” foods and “race” food. Finding a sports drink that works for you is very important. I’ve tried a lot of
sports drinks, and Infinit is by far my favorite. That provides all my hydration, and most of my calories. Then I like to top off the tank with some real foods that keep me feeling human. I like pancakes with syrup (all in a dixie cup in my back pocket) I also eat yogurt with small chunks of fruit in it (I drink it from the dixie cup)
Bananas are easy on the stomach. Simple, salted potato chips are another favorite. If I need a lift, a Coke or sweet ice tea gets me going. If my stomach is okay late in the race, I’ll eat cake or cookies. And the best thing in the middle of the night: cheese pizza!

3. What is going through your head just minutes before the gun goes off for a 24 hour race?
The starts are hectic, so I’m a bit nervous about getting tripped or trampled during the run. Or someone stepping on my wheel or taking out my derailler during the
scramble to get on the bikes. So mostly I’m thinking about the first 5 minutes. It’s a strange time, because after months of training, preparation, and the final
taper, I’m there at the start with maximum fitness and freshness. But I know after the first few hours all the freshness will be gone, and after 14 hours, I will be
feeling crushed. You go from one extreme to the other in a short time.

4. How do you maintain your mental acuity during the intense effort in endurance racing? Do you meditate, yoga, pray, do rain dances or
sacrifice bicycles into volcanoes in order to meet the psychological demands during long races?
I go from one technique to the next. I might get through an hour or two by being calculating. Thinking about perfect riding technique, split times, and projecting how many total laps I will finish. Then I might have a couple of hours of letting my mind stray away from the race, to a house project, a puzzle, or something else completely removed. Then I might find someone to ride and chat with and keep my mind occupied that way for a while.

5. How important is weight training to you?
Not very. I have never done much traditional gym work. It is boring to me. Instead I do a lot of different kinds of riding, and different kinds of training rides. I do like core training and functional exercises that require balance and skill.

6. A lot of energy can be lost fighting to keep the bike upright in the woods. You seem to have flow down to a science. Is honing bike handling skills the most effective way to conserve energy during a long race, or are there other secrets that you can share?
YES! I think it’s one of the main reasons for my success. It is somewhat natural – I could ride technical trails pretty much as soon as I started mountain biking, but
it’s also been developed. The trails in my area are quite technical, and I have spent MANY hours riding them, progressively faster and faster. I would ride small
loops (1 or 2 miles) over and over, each time using my brakes less on the turns and downhills, and being smoother and faster.

7. We’ve had a few gatherings centered around your film – 24 SOLO. Everyone always leaves totally pumped up to do a 24 hour race. Have you received any indication that the film has successfully inspired many would be 24 hour racers to give it a go?
Yes, all the time. People tell me they watch it all winter long on their trainer. Some people watch it before every race they do. Many people have told me they decided to do a 24 Hour Solo race for the first time after seeing the movie. I never thought it would have that kind of effect. Gripped Films did an amazing job
of capturing the committment of the training, the excitement of the riding, the difficulty of the race, and the drama of the competition. The lasting effect of the movie, and the enjoyment and motivation people get from it is one of the things I’m proudest about.

8. Where do you foresee the fate of 24 Hour Racing in the United States and the world?
In the U.S. I think the popularity of 100 mile races and multi-day MTB races has actually made 24 Hour races slightly less popular in the last few years. I think we
are moving towards having less of them, but the ones we do have are top quality races with good turnout. The Granny Gear series is a good example of this, as they
now have 3 great events that are in high demand, where a few years ago they had many more events, but some were not popular. 24 Hour racing is huge in Australia now. Tons of races, lots of interest, and the best competitors. It’s getting that way in the U.K. and South Africa also. It seems to be English speaking countries that are catching on. Maybe it’s the influence of the 24 Solo movie?

9. Word on the trails is that you are now retired from professional racing. Has it been difficult staying away from the camaraderie as well as the competitive vibe of racing? Will we see you at a few races just for fun?
I’ve been too busy to miss it! I might miss it at some point, but not so much yet. I’m enjoying the new directions. At the moment, as long as I get to ride in some capacity, I’m happy. I will definitely be at a few races, but just for fun, and probably not in top shape. I will pick the ones that have the best courses, like Shenandoah 100.

10. What have you been doing now that you’re not spending all the countless hours training, traveling and racing?
I started Chris Eatough Coaching to help people prepare
for and excel in mountain bike endurance races. It’s a naturally progression, and a way for me to give back. I give coaching advice, write training plans, provide race nutrition guidelines, bike handling tips, one on one riding clinics, etc. There is a lot to know about when preparing for a 24 Hour, 100 mile, or multi day stage race,
and my experience and knowledge helps people get the most of themselves, and actually enjoy the race!

I also have a new job in bicycle advocacy. Encouraging people to use bicycles for transportation. It’s something I feel strongly about for the health of the individual, the liveability of communities, and the protection of the environment.

I’m also doing some product testing for Trek. I have built some great relationships with Trek over the years, and this is a way to keep that. I also have 2 young children. They keep me very busy!

11. What are your favorite product recommendations? What is the one component you couldn’t live without?
Lightweight full suspension bike with the fork and shock set so that you are taking full advantage of the suspension. I love my Trek Top Fuel. Tubeless tires with fast rolling tread and sealant ran at fairly low pressures (I use 28 to 32psi) I couldn’t live without my Oakley Radars. Eye protection is important to me, and these are the only shades that I can wear comfortably all day (and night). For 24 Hour Solo racing, the one thing I can definitely not do without: chamois cream. I use A&D, which is for babies diapers.

12. If you had to pick ‘only one’ trail system in the US – which one is your favorite? What was your most challenging course you ever raced on?
Michaux State Forest, PA. I have done a lot of riding and racing there over the years. Hundreds of miles of amazing trails. Rocky, technical, and hilly. If you can ride all day there, you can ride anywhere.
Most challenging race course is the old Snowshoe 24 Hour course in WV. I never raced solo there, but even on a 4 person team, it was very challenging. Incredibly
rooty, and always wet and slick. I loved it!

13. Have you ridden in Chicago’s trail systems, or nearby areas?
No. How are your trails? [The Bonebell has responded to Chris on how to get in touch with us to set-up a trail ride next time he's in Chicago!]

14. What are your best words of wisdom for someone considering endurance
races longer than 100 miles or 24 Hours?
Longer than 24 Hours? Are you crazy?!

So there you have it folks. Hopefully Chris has inspired ALL of you to give it a go. Make sure you give us a holler here at The Bonebell, and let us know how it went ! Peace On Dirt – Nevada Dave

If you ever considered doing the USGP Series, this year is a great year to get your feet wet on that course and get a few years preview this and next year to see what the possibilities are to participate as a hooligan and say “Yeah, I’ve done this course!”. The fact that the US gets to host the CX World Cup is incredible news for all who have fervently participated in cyclocross as the ‘fun’ off-road cycling sport that took a painful hour of your life, and 6 hours of drinking of shouting at other racers as compensation. When you see the World Cup on TV or the internet this weekend – notice that there will be hundreds of thousands of people watching – yep – hundreds of thousands. People who paid a premium to get front row seats in the grandstands, people who have suffered hours before the race for their spot along the tape, people who are unfazed by the elements to catch a 2 second glimpse of the worlds fastest and smoothest cyclocross riders.

We look forward to not dissapointing the European crowds by showing them that, we too, will have hundreds of thousands of people descend upon a park – to watch the best. Perhaps even introducing them to some other’s American Best in the process.

The Globe Pub
Speaking of watching worlds – the crew will be in full force at the Globe Pub this Sunday, January 31st at 3PM at 1934 W. Irving Park Rd. This event is hosted by our fine friends at Flatlandia. Come, enjoy drink specials, bring the heckles, and be prepared to apparently watch a UCI points chaser, namely Ben Popper, mud wrestle someone into the ground. We’re hoping its been hyped up enough that he’s willing to kick anyone’s butt for our entertainment!

http://gregorymkeller.posterous.com/universal-sports-covering-cyclocross-worlds