Paketa Cycles Blog

Kenny and Ian show off thier Paketa and thier Gold Medal

radsport1 — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:09:12 +0000

Kenny and Ian of Pinnaclife Racing/Radsport Cycling in So. Cal. powered through the California State Championship course getting first place in the 180+ and got gold medals. These guys were out there to burn up the road.

Power and Paketa

radsport1 — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:52:59 +0000

Dave Prechtl and Fritz Tomaselo show the power of the Paketa during the National Time Trail race in September. They appear to be in pain, but are really enjoying the event they worked hard to attend. Dave and Fritz end up taking the Silver Medal in the TT and the 110+ Road Race. The Paketa ends up to be the fastest bike in the Field, with Dave and Fritz powering in well ahead of the other sprint teams. Thanks Paketa!

Radsport Racers Jason and Darrin take Silver Medal at Nationals

radsport1 — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:54:49 +0000

Jason Johns and Darrin Monroe power through the National Tandem TT coarse taking the Silver Medal in Bend, OR this fall. Check out the custom painted Paketa V2 Tandem with same side Drive/Timing gears. These guys flew out of the start gate.

Dave and Fritz and the Paketa

radsport1 — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 05:18:09 +0000

Dave and Fritz hold a Tandem National Championship and 8 Tandem CA State Championships. Dave and Fritz have been racing together for over 6 years and not only hold a National Tandem Championship, be they each hold an individual California Road Race Championship in thier respective age groups, 50+ and 65+. Look closely and you’ll see Dave and Fritz have set up thier V2 with a same side drive/timiming system. The V2 performs better than other Tandems this team has raced. It corners like a single bike and sprints stright under the stress of these two guys.

Brother and Sister win the Mixed Tandem Nationals together

Nick — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:44:58 +0000

After two years of planning, some practice racing and training, and the good will of Paketa and wheel sponsors (Dave, Terry, Ella, Jeanne), and help from Bill S., Paul, and Len, the brother and sister team (Steve Worley and Beth Graff) arrived in Bend OR for the National Championship mixed tandem competition. Beth started the day with an ITT then after a short rest was back at the starting line for round two. Seven teams entered, mostly couples, making us odd since we are from Washington and Colorado. No one knew what to think!

The race route began with a 7 mile climb, mostly big chain ring (56), but also some middle ring(44) efforts were needed. Wow, I thought the torture would never end. We were making progress relative to the teams in front of us, but when we turned for the return downhill run it was full gas – and really fun. The bike was a rocket, paketa = rocket in Russian, and we passed two teams on the decent. We were absolutely flying in the 56×11 – eyes watering and the wheels singing at 45-50 mph. The race was 2/3 done when we finally slowed for a turn into a golf community. This part was rolling and twisting terrain – not the best for a “big bike”. All the roundabouts, punchy hills, and downhill turns were negotiated with caution – did not really care for a pine forest or sage brush adventure to liven thing up. We pushed absolutely as hard as we could to stop the clock at the end. As we cooled down we speculated we should be in the top 3. And we about fell over when our friends (Lee and Corlet) informed us we won by 9 seconds and 3rd place it turns out was 19 seconds behind that. What a deal – a brother and sister win the 2011 Mixed Tandem 110+ Nationals together!!

The biggest compliment came from second place team, who was chasing us the whole ride, and were the defending Champions (two ex-cateogory one riders) – when they said they “just could not close any distance anywhere” – that is sweet!

Team Radsport Update

Nick — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:52:45 +0000

To all,

Pinnaclife Racing Team takes three Silver Medals in the U.S. National Cycling Championships. Darrin and Jason take the Silver Medal in the 70+ Tandem TT by setting a fast time on the mountainous Time Trial coarse. Fritz and Dave also take Silver in the Elite Championship Tandem TT on the same very difficult terrain.

Two days later Dave and Fritz win the field Sprint in a demonstration of speed and take the Silver medal in the Tandem 54 mile Road Race.

Thanks to all those sponsors and team members who have supported this team throughout this season! One more race to go, next weekend.

Thanks again,
Dave

Team Radsport/pinnacliffe wins the CA state championships…again

Nick — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 22:58:18 +0000

California State Championship Road Race
The team went out with a plan to bring the race down to sprint finish. Gary, Bruce, Kenny and Dave were out to make this one count. The race was very difficult, with lots of pot-holes, cows in the road, and riders going into the dirt and pavement…….It was very exciting to say the least. Gary and Bruce made the first group over the climb and Dave and Kenny soon joined, getting the team back together before the long loop back into town. The team did a great job of covering breaks, with Gary jumping on anything that moved. Kenny and Bruce also worked the front making sure nothing went up the road. Several very hard attacks all came back together, and the team moved to the front for the last two miles. Gary set the pace at the front, keeping anybodies thought of attacking neutralized. Kenny paced Dave up into position for the finishing straight. Gary then ramped it up the final climb, causing the field to stretch out. Kenny brought Dave up the right side into the front 4 riders, and Bruce took over placing him in the top 2 with 1K to go. Dave made the right move to get onto the fastest wheel, and sprinted around him with 150 meters to go. Dave gets clear wheels across the finish with no one even close! Pinnaclife takes the win!! I love it when a plan comes together.

This was teamwork at it’s best. This ones for everyone!

Team Radsport Update – June 2nd 2011

Nick — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 22:23:47 +0000

Lake Los Angeles California State Championship Time Trials
The Team sent 5 tandems to the desert yesterday to battle 20 mph winds and bring home the hardware. The conditions ended up being very fast with downwind speeds of over 35mph!! Dave and Fritz deliver the goods with a win in the 110+ with a time of 50:03. Kenny and Ian power the tandem to deliver a 70+ Gold Medal in a time of 52:56. Gary’s Tandem lays down the fastest time on the team in the 90+ with a time of 47:49, to take the silver medal. Wayne (Dog) and Darrin kill the coarse and go 52:58 for silver in the Men’s Open. Bruce and Sue propel the tandem in the 90+ Mixed for a great time of 53:09.

Ernie takes Bronze in the Cat 5 race and Jim takes 16th in the very fast 45+.

Great work everyone!

Barry Wolfe Criterium
The team shows up in force to race this classic downtown criterium. It’s a bit wet at the beginning, but the sun comes out to dry the coarse. The team puts several attacks out there and nothing sticks until the last 6 laps. Jay gets into the break with two riders from another team, who try and work him over in the last lap. Kenny goes to the from of the peloton to keep the pace high enough to prevent others from coming up, but slow enough to not bring the break back. Gary takes over after Kenny pulls off, and was starting to pull the break back…. (It turns out that one of the other riders in the break got away and Jay was left to do the work to bring him back) Jay doesn’t want to take the other rider to the line for second, so they both slowed. Now the race is really on, so the team has to get Steve to the line. Gary powers up the the headwind section and Dave takes his turn to get Steve to the finish. Steve G. rockets around Dave at the final turn and almost gets the win! It was just inches. Steve Gets Second overall. Nice team guys!

The second race has about the same feel, with many attacks going but nothing stick until 8 laps to go. This time Steve G. gets into the break, with two others guys. Kenny, Gary, Jay and Dave control the feild, making sure nothing goes across. Steve makes a great move and gets 3rd place overall. Nice job.

Dominguez Hills Criterium
The team is ready to rock, on this third day in a row of racing. Bruce, Dave H, Gary, Steve G., Steve M, Paul, Kenny, Mark, Jay and Dave P. were controlling the race from the first lap. The other teams tried to make several breaks, but the Pinnaclife team brought them back. Gary takes a shot at a break but gets brought back. Steve G. goes on the attack and wins a prime. Jay takes his shot at a break and they bring him back. Mark makes an attack and the field closes in also. The other teams try and send riders up the road solo, but Jay brings several back all by himself. Bruce takes a shot and gets away, and then they bring that back……It’s looking like nothing will work. A rider attacks with 15 minutes to go and Dave makes it across. Three others join and the break moves away. The team goes to the front to control the field, and the break makes more ground. Dave P. gets a jump on the final straight, but takes 4th place overall. The team has Bruce leading out the Pinnaclife Train, with Dave H. taking the next pull. Kenny sets up the final lead out lap, with Gary taking over after Kenny pulls off. Then Jay takes over to power up the final climb and launches Steve G. into the final turn. Steve G. wins the field sprint! Steve G. gets 6th overall and Steve M. gets 10th.
Nice teamwork guys!

Pinnacliffe Racing wins again 4/25/11

Nick — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 19:28:18 +0000

The team started the first race strong with Kenny and Gary pushing the pace on the first few laps. Gary attacked and Dave countered with another rider and the break was on. The team shut down the chase with Kenny, Gary, Steve G., Jay, Ira, and Steve M. working the front. Dave stays away for the remainder of the race and out-sprints his breakaway partner for the win! Kenny and Gary set up the sprint, letting Jay power in for 3rd, and Steve G. gets 4th. Great team work guys.

The 45+ race has the same team members set up the same attack for Dave and he goes clear again, but this time with a 5 man break. The team shuts the door on the chase. Jay, Steve G., Gary, Steve M. and Kenny get on every move. Dave jumps on the final lap and get 3rd overall, in his second 30+ minute break of the day. The team did a great job shutting everything down today. Fantastic teamwork!

More excitement to come……

Team Radsport update

Nick — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:58:00 +0000

Sacramento Criterium
Gary and Steve race up north this weekend with Gary getting in a 4 man break and getting away to solo in for the win! Steve then takes the field sprint for 5th overall. The two man wrecking crew does it again!

Sacramento Road Race
Steve and Gary work hard to make a break stick, but it comes down to a field sprint and Steve guns it through the last corner and takes 2nd place by just inches. It was a photo finish. Nice work guys.