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Escorting a Bicycle race

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  • #1

    Escorting a Bicycle race

    Anyone ever work (volunteer) to escort a bicycle race?

    Not long ago, on my way to a friends place for lunch, I took some back roads to get off the dreaded Highway 401 as the traffic became faster and faster, packed tighter and tighter as I got closer to Toronto

    On the peaceful back roads I rounded a 90 degree country corner and had to halt to a stop for cops blocking an intersection while cyclists rounded the bend and streamed through in countless numbers.

    I thought for sure I was going to be late for lunch To my surprise the cop in the intersection began waving me through with a frantic arm, so I jumped on the chance and slipped into the gap in cyclist traffic, matching their speed carefully.

    Looking ahead I could see there was a very long line of bicycles in front of me. Soon I realized there were opportunities to be in the opposite lane and ease by groups of bikes and get into another pocket. This went on for a while, and I started having fantasies of being one of those motorcycles in the Tour de France

    Since its on TV today I was reminded of that experience and looked up this "job"

    I found the article at the following link that was interesting. Anyone out there actually do some escorting?

    http://www.thevog.net/threads/the-pl...cle-race.3049/
    Last edited by dbbrian; 07-22-2017, 08:58 PM.
    '78 XS1100E (the newest bike I've ever owned)
    '74 CB350F1 (under restoration)
    '72 RT2 MX360 (gone but not forgotten)
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Great article! Thanks for sharing. I looked into being a MSF instructor, until I realized it's more for a retiree.
    1979 XS1100F
    2H9 Mod, Truck-Lite LED Headlight, TECHNA-FIT S/S Brake Lines, Rear Air Shocks, TKAT Fork Brace, Dyna DC-I Coils, TC Fuse Block, Barnett HD Clutch Springs, Superbike Handlebars, V-Star 650 ACCT, NGK Irridium Plugs, OEM Exhaust. CNC-Cut 2nd Gear Dogs; Ported/Milled Head; Modded Airbox: 8x8 Wix Panel Filter; #137.5 Main Jet, Viper Yellow Paint, Michelin Pilot Activ F/R, Interstate AGM Battery, 14MM MC, Maier Fairing, Cree LED Fog Lights.

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    • #3
      I've done some work with bicycle rides, mostly with communications. I did use my '79, equipped with a radio, on a ride or two in my area. It IS rewarding and fun, as you realize being on two wheels we both face the same problems, just at different speeds. I am waiting to try and find a radio that will work well on the C14. My problem, I WILL need a second battery, and with all the other things to make it work I'm looking at almost $1K US. I just have to wait...
      Ray Matteis
      KE6NHG
      XS1100 E '78 (winter project)
      XS1100 SF Bob Jones worked on it!

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      • #4
        Rambling around the site as a new user and had to reply to this thread. I was a competitive triathlete for about 15 years and have been both the escorter and the escortee as I used to work for a race production company for a while after I stopped racing.

        The most fun was when I had my 95 wing. It was a total stealth machine at low speed/low RPM. Triathlon has this rule of "no drafting" on the bike which means they have to stay spread out x amount of distance between bikes. "Drafting" carries a time penalty - no one wants to get caught! We used to roll right up behind a group of riders - they never knew we were there - and then the race marshal (my passenger), after writing down all the numbers would wave them over to mark on their race bibs.

        As a racer, I loved the guys who rode Harley's, you always knew exactly where they were...
        80 SG

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