The club team has been dodging taxis and pedestrians on the streets of New York since the early 1970s. Its predecessor, the Columbia Wheelmen, stuck to track racing on the velodrome beginning in 1901.If they can’t take the bikes outside, the cyclists use the less preferable stationary resistance bikes to get some training in, but as team president Joseph Lee, CC ’15, said, “It’s pretty boring.”The them builds its camaraderie with informal rides at the beginning of the season. Treasurer Michael Carroll, SEAS ’13, said the benefits of these social rides are that they’re focused more on “one, riding the bike, and two, getting to know people.” He added, “But it’s also nice to get to know people off the bike and actually see what people look like without a helmet, sunglasses, and spandex.”“Crashes happen,” Carroll said. “It’s kind of like a fact of bike racing. It’s almost inevitable. Everyone has a story.”Like many New York-based cyclists, the team avoids some of the dangers by skipping the craziness of Manhattan in favor of popular bike routes across the George Washington Bridge—since, as Carroll pointed out, it’s “nearly impossible” to train in the city. Faced with a plethora of stoplights, taxis, and pedestrians, it becomes difficult to establish the pace and concentration necessary to train properly.The preparation is vital heading into the long season of cycling, which can include up to three or four races per weekend. The cyclists dedicate themselves to training and racing nearly every weekend in the spring. Their season kicked off this past weekend with a race in New Jersey and will finish toward the end of April.The length of the season and the quantity of races builds a community within the racing world. Those who begin cycling often continue the sport as a hobby for the rest of their lives.The cycling community in New York is particularly dedicated, hosting the Century Road Club Association, the largest bicycle-racing club in the U.S. with over 700 active members. The CRCA, along with the collegiate teams, participates in a variety of races along the Eastern Seaboard, stretching from Maryland to Canada. Despite the geographical range, the cyclists often see familiar faces over the course of the season.“We run into people who rode for Columbia’s team as an undergrad and then graduated, and now they’re in grad school somewhere else in the conference, and they’re racing for them,” Carroll said.“Grant’s Tomb is somewhat unique for a New York City bike race because usually the ones that are hosted in the park just attract the local crowd,” Carroll said. “But Grant’s Tomb has always been special because ... you’re getting the entire New York cycling community and the New England, Northeast college community coming to one event for one day of bike racing.”This year, though, Columbia’s club has handed over the reins to the CRCA, which will host the event so that the team can focus on its performance in the race itself, rather than the organizational aspect.But even without the added responsibility of event management, the team is still busy as the weekend quickly approaches, getting out on the bikes and fueling up for the race.
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