Beverly Bike/Vee-Pak Developing an Elite Women’s Road Team

One of our goals for 2014 is to promote women’s racing by developing and supporting our own Elite Women’s Racing Team of about five riders.  To do this, BBVP Racing Team is looking for dedicated, hard working women, predominantly from the south side of Chicago or surrounding area, who are riding at any level. Our main goal would be to race in the Prairie State Cycling Classic, along with other target races. We also hope to have them frequent southside team rides.

 If you are interested or know someone that would be, please contact BBVP Team Captain Mike Seguin (engrseegs@gmail.com) with questions and concerns. We would also appreciate if this information could be passed on. We are looking to have a roster for the team in place by this November.

TOAD

Sunday 6/23/13:

Bob Murray raced the Cat 3/4 Masters and stuck with the pack the whole 50 minutes. His fitness is REALLY coming around this critical time of year. He finished 41st in a field of 120.

(By the way, Bob also took 7th yesterday in South Bend, while Tony Reinks took 6^th.)

The day did not start well for Mike Seguin. After no sleep at the firehouse, he arrived to find the Cat 2/3 field was filled up; so he ended up racing the Cat 1/2 35+, which often tends to be the second fasted field. Just like his teammates, Mike’s fitness is also coming around at an important time of the year. He was able to not only to hang with the pack, but stayed in the top 20 the whole race. He ended up finishing at the back of the lead group in 24th overall.

BBVP is very happy with the results, and both racers are on course for mid-July and the Tour of the Prairieland!

Monday 6/24/13:

Today went really well too. Huge thanks to Nikki Cyp for setting up lodging up for the racers in Sheboygan.

Bob rode in the Masters 3/4 again and performed much better. He stayed in the top 20 of a 100+ field the whole race. This of course saved him a bunch of matches to burn for the last couple laps. On the final lap he got pinched in turn two and lost some spots after grabbing a handful of brakes. The racing was very aggressive, and he doesn’t need any reminders that to stay up in the pack he has to get more aggressive himself. He ended up finishing 31st. Better placing than yesterday and much better riding!!!

Today Mike was able to make it into the Cat 2/3 race, which had only 99 racers today. Like yesterday, he stayed in the top 20, but was also able to feel the aggressive nature coming back to his racing. As in Bob’s race, he got pinched in turn three and lost about ten spots. He finished a very respectable 21^st and was passing riders on his sprint to the line. Mike later said that it was as tough a race as yesterday in the Masters 1/2, but a bit sketchier with all the young “punks” in the race that couldn’t hold their line in a turn if it had a handle on it. The fifty minute race had an average speed of 28.2 mph. Pretty fast, indeed.

Cancer Ride 2013

It’s not every day you meet a multiple gold medal winning Olympian. And a winner of marathons in Chicago and London. Members of the Beverly Bike/Vee-Pak Bicycle Racing team not only got to meet Tatyana McFadden, but rode alongside her on Sunday, April 28^th.

          For the past ten years, Beverly Bike and Ski Shop owner Paul Weise has helped sponsor the American Cancer Society’s annual Walk and Roll in downtown Chicago. This year’s was no different: Paul once again provided any needed repairs to riders in the 15K charity bike ride event. What would be different this time around was the inclusion of paralympian Tatyana McFadden, who serves as an ambassador for BP. Fresh off her wins in the Boston and London Marathon women’s wheelchair division, Tatyana was escorted along the course in Chicago by members of the Beverly Bike/Vee-Pak team. Other members patrolled the course to help out any participants in case of mechanical or medical incidents.

“Yeah, we are a race team, but it’s not always about going fast. It’s about going the distance. Just like Tatyana and the American Cancer Society,” said Beverly team president Bob Murray after he and other members of the team escorted the gold medal winner around the course. Although the team has won numerous state championships on the road and dirt, helping out at the annual Walk and Roll is something the whole team makes a commitment to attend when the yearly calendar is set in January.

With Paul’s wrenching experience and the team’s patrolling for riders in need, it’s safe to say the Beverly Bike/Vee-Pak Racing team will be helping out for another ten years and beyond.

 

 

Serfas FP-200 Floor Pump

 

This is a review of the Serfas model FP-200 floor pump. MSRP $45.00 when tested. The first thing that you notice right away is the stylish design, and the sturdy construction of the pump.

 

  

The gage is easy to read and near the top of the pump. I prefer it that way over placing it at the bottom.  They also placed a small clasp at the top of the pump to hold the handle down. That’s another nice feature to have when tossing it into the trunk to head out to a race or just a trail ride.

 
         

 

Next is the pump head. By far the best thing I have used in a long time. It’s a non complicated valve . Just press it on and flip the lever, and that’s it. You’re good to go.  

          

     
                                               

 

I have been using this pump for about six months now, and it’s been flawless. The gage is very accurate. That’s a huge plus when running tubulars during Cyclocross season when you have to set your pressure at 28psi. In the summer ,when you’re at your local Crit race and running at 110psi, you know you will be spot every time.  The only drawback is my wife liked the pump so much that I may have to her one. Thank goodness they come in different colors.

BBVP 2013