  Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1776 Registered: 05-2005 |
registration: http://www.active.com/event_de tail.cfm?event_id=1475441 The Tour de Troit is a leisurely 40-mile ride through the streets of Detroit. It explores the city’s historic areas, takes in many of its most breathtaking sights, and provides bicyclists a unique opportunity to legally “take over” the streets of Motown. The ride will begin and end at Roosevelt Park in the shadow of the magnificent Michigan Central Depot, located in the revitalizing neighborhood of Corktown. Motorcycle police escorts will be provided by the Detroit Police Department Tactical Operations Section, allowing riders to tool safely around the streets of the city. The ride will proceed at a pace of 10 - 12 MPH. A SAG van will be available, and additional support will be provided by a "Sweeper Squad" of experienced cyclists. Helmets are required! | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 1305 Registered: 11-2004 |
Any idea on how long it will take and where this year's route will go? My fiancee and I had a blast when we did it two years ago, but now I have tickets to the Michigan vs Notre Dame game. I don't want to give those up after having to miss last year's game to go to a wedding. I'm trying to figure out whether it's possible to do part, or even all, of the tour and make it to the game before it starts at 3:30? Is it possible I can have my cake, or at least part of it, and eat it, too? | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1778 Registered: 05-2005 |
the ride, including the midway stop will probably be 4 hours or slightly more, the destinations and sights along the way are listed on the registration website. the tour de troit corporation nor any of its subsidiaries are resposible for lost, stolen, or unused game tickets :D (joke) | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 1306 Registered: 11-2004 |
Thanks. I'll probably end up doing the first few legs then. Also, lost, stolen, or unused game tickets are never a joke.  (my contribution to the humor) | ||
Detroithabitater Member Username: Detroithabitater Post Number: 29 Registered: 10-2006 |
I'm in! Last year was a blast, and now that i'm a Corktown resident I don't have to drive my bike there! | ||
Dannaroo Member Username: Dannaroo Post Number: 132 Registered: 05-2006 |
I will be there for the second year in a row. I went all by my lonesome last year and still had a great time! | ||
East_detroit Member Username: East_detroit Post Number: 1174 Registered: 11-2003 |
Will the pace really be a leisurely 10-12mph? We found last year that it was more like 12-15 and if you didnt keep up then you had cops honking horns at you and no food (perhaps Slow's fault for not showing up?). Regardless, it was a lot of fun and I've signed up again. | ||
Kbkav Member Username: Kbkav Post Number: 248 Registered: 10-2003 |
I am one of the volunteers organizing the Tour de Troit, and would like to speak to East_detroit's questions. Last year, DPD used cars, which meant that sometimes they weren't quite agile enough to guide the tour as closely as we would like. This year, they will be on motorcycles, which seems to work better. It is always a challenge to keep hundreds of people riding at the same speed. There is a huge range in riders' abilities. Last year, we served tamales after the ride, which were paid for by Slow's. So while it was not Slow's food, there was indeed food provided by Slow's. And there will be food after the ride again this year. Glad you had fun, see you on the 15th! | ||
East_detroit Member Username: East_detroit Post Number: 1175 Registered: 11-2003 |
Thanks for the response, Kbkav. I'm definitely for the Tour and just was frustrated and want it to be as great as possible in the logistics department as it is in the organizing and sightseeing and fun departments. The pack leader(?) guy that I saw was often riding about 15 mph and the police were tracking that lead but also getting spread out by the difference between 15 mph riders and 10 mph riders. At the end, the 10 mph riders were honked at by cops and told to hurry up from Rouge Park(?) to the end. The tamales were good, but they ran out by the time the 10 mph riders arrived. I've encouraged several people to sign up for this year and just want to assure them that they dont need to worry about the speed. | ||
Magnasco Member Username: Magnasco Post Number: 229 Registered: 10-2003 |
How about a bike question: Is a road bike do-able for this with the roads, or do we at the least need a mountain bike with slicker tires on it? | ||
Dday Member Username: Dday Post Number: 887 Registered: 10-2003 |
I have ridden a road bike in it every year I have rode it, so that's not a problem. The roads are surprisingly smooth Looks like I will be able to ride this year as I will be in Cleveland the previous week and have a couple things that I need to come up to Detroit for anyway. I'll help in any way I can in setting things up, too. Can't wait to see the turnout. We had, I think, 35-40 riders the first year. Email me here to let me know where to be at in the AM Looking forward to seeing everyone on the 15th | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1803 Registered: 05-2005 |
last day to register online and get a shirt! | ||
Kbkav Member Username: Kbkav Post Number: 249 Registered: 10-2003 |
Just an FYI, you have to register by 2 pm to get the shirt. (Active.com set the deadline at 5 pm PST) There will be a limited number for sale on the day of the tour. | ||
Thnk2mch Member Username: Thnk2mch Post Number: 1027 Registered: 02-2006 |
I'm in! Just in time for the free shirt! Brk2mch has healed and ready to go! | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1812 Registered: 05-2005 |
this is tomorrow! | ||
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 286 Registered: 06-2005 |
Whoo hoo! Another great Tour de Troit is in the books. The weather cooperated and the ride was huge. There was 2 or 3 hundred people MORE THAN LAST YEAR! The day of registration had to close when they hit 600. The police were incredible how they worked their magic by stopping cars and herding cyclists. The beautiful blue skies made the skyline look like a postcard from a Belle Isle viewpoint. The food and beer at the finish were top notch. Huge thanks to the organizers, volunteers, and sponsors who made it all possible. | ||
East_detroit Member Username: East_detroit Post Number: 1200 Registered: 11-2003 |
It was great fun. Thanks to all! Food was really good at the end. The route was excellent, cops were great, sweepers were great... I think it was also good to have the post Belle Isle loop be optional. | ||
Thnk2mch Member Username: Thnk2mch Post Number: 1030 Registered: 02-2006 |
Very well run for an event of that type. (mobile one at that!) We had a great time. Great weather, great views. Thanks to all involved. | ||
Crystal Member Username: Crystal Post Number: 30 Registered: 05-2007 |
Because of personal and logistical issues, our family did not preregister for this event. A couple weeks earlier, I asked whether there was a DOE limit (was told no), whether college students could ride for reduced rate (yes), and a few other questions. At 9:15 AM on Saturday 9/15 we waited in line to register. At 9:40 we were told that DOE registration had closed. When I explained that we had asked ahead of time about DOE registration, the response was "We don't have time to do any more registrations; we have to start the ride on time." Later on, as more riders were turned away, the answer became, "The police make us limit the number of riders." We approached a police officer and explained that we had been turned away, and asked if we could follow the group on our bikes. He answered that we should ride with the group. So we did. The pace was not the 10-12 mph as advertised. It was more like 12-15 mph, a big difference on a bicycle. For part of the ride, we stayed toward the back of the group so we could be with a family member who was riding more slowly than usual. All the police escorts were patient and accommodating. To our surprise, some of the sweepers yelled at us to "hurry up". (Does anyone ride faster when they are yelled at?) Maybe an option for future rides would be a long, fast route for the 12-15 mph riders, and a shorter, slower route for others who might not have the stamina to endure 35+ miles at 12-15 mph with one break, and who might want to stop at points along the route. I have heard that previous Tours de Troit included educational stops in addition to the rest stop on Belle Isle. Having said that... almost of the organizers and volunteers were enthusiastic and gracious. It must have been a big job to pull off the logistics of this event, especially when faced with a much greater than expected turnout. A worthy cause, and we definitely plan to ride next year. | ||
Toolbox Member Username: Toolbox Post Number: 1101 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: The pace at the front is 12-15 but in a big group the farther back you get the faster the ride is due to the elasticity of the group. | ||
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 288 Registered: 06-2005 |
Photos from the event are on-line at http://www.imagestation.com/al bum/pictures.html?id=208750422 6 | ||
East_detroit Member Username: East_detroit Post Number: 1205 Registered: 11-2003 |
The pace should have averaged 10-12. Saying that the front averaged 12-15 and then the rest would be even faster doesn't seem like an encouraging response. I also don't understand how the middle of the pack would be faster than the front (average over the tour). | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1813 Registered: 05-2005 |
i think what toolbox is refereing to is that if the ride gets stretched out, with slower riders in the back, in order to tighten up the pack again, those slower riders have to ride even faster than the front runners to catch up. if the average speed is 12, and people are riding in the back at 10, eventually they will have to go 14 to catch up. regardless, i wish i could've riden, it was a great day for a bike ride! | ||
Toolbox Member Username: Toolbox Post Number: 1102 Registered: 10-2003 |
^^^^^^^^^^^^He's got the idea.^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I rode at a consistant pace from the back to the front in a very short time. There were many going a lot slower than the pace vehicle. | ||
Dannaroo Member Username: Dannaroo Post Number: 157 Registered: 05-2006 |
The pace was fine (I will say that the pace did pick up considerably especially for those in the front of the pack after the break at Belle Isle... every time I looked down at my bike computer during the ride through those east side neighborhoods along the water, we were in the 15 - 18mph range). I've been on many large organized bicycle rides and you are much better off with a faster pace than a slower pace. If the pace were to drop below 12mph for any significant distance, you begin to get some nasty bottlenecks that really increase the chances of crashing into other riders. | ||
Crystal Member Username: Crystal Post Number: 31 Registered: 05-2007 |
All I am saying is that the pace was not what was advertised. Pace and distance are two important factors that people consider when deciding whether to ride. If we had known, we would most likely have gone on this ride with a different group of family members and friends. | ||
East_detroit Member Username: East_detroit Post Number: 1210 Registered: 11-2003 |
Gravity, that is true, but it would never cause the average speed of those riders (over the course of the whole ride) to exceed those in the front (assuming everyone left at the same time). What kept those in front from going 10-12? | ||
Buddyinrichmond Member Username: Buddyinrichmond Post Number: 235 Registered: 02-2004 |
Falling over? How does anyone know how fast they were actually going? | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1827 Registered: 05-2005 |
tour de troit sweeper squad t-shirt spotted on the picket line at the GM tech center just now, i wonder if he knows that it wasn't made by union labor :D |
