Collin Classic, McKinney, TX

June 14, 2008

I give an 8 out of 10!
Great job Mike!
The Good..... What a great route! Smooth roads with very little traffic, one of the best 50+ mile routes in the area and I've done them all! The Rest stops were excellent, well stocked, well placed, plenty of porta-lets and friendly volunteers. The after ride taco's really hit the spot. Registration was a breeze. I also noticed they had another registration table located in the second parking area, to assist those coming in late. Great idea, I'm sure it saved a lot of people so time. Traffic control and road markings were excellent, no chance of getting lost or missing a turn. The guys at the Railroad Crossing, announcing the safest line across the tracks, was a nice touch. You can tell this ride is set up and run by cyclists.
The Bad..... The only thing that keeps this ride from being a premiere ride is the parking situation. The last three years its been the same problem. Vehicles trying to park while having to navigate through a sea of cyclists lining up for the start. There has got to be a better way! I arrived early, so I didn't have to deal with it, I just sat back a watched the chaos unfold. Also, Announcing that your NOT going to start the ride on time, in order to allow the late comers to get registered and lined up only pisses off those who arrived early. I showed up for last years ride late, no one waited on me and I damn sure didn't expect them too, It was my on fault for not waking up an hour earlier.
The Ugly..... Seems like the closer you get to Dallas the more incredibly rude and ignorant cyclists you'll find. I couldn't tell you how many times I had to pass idiots riding two abreast taking up the entire lane. "On your left" means nothing to them and nor does "Car back". I saw 3 cyclist pass a slow moving car in the right hand lane as another car in the oncoming lane was passing. There was, at most, 2 feet on either side of the riders. Add to the fact that this was a 2 lane road with no shoulder, the roads were still wet from the rain and they were traveling at 20+mph. Also, the few pace line that I got in were so unorganized that I finally just passed them and rode alone. They were getting way to close to slower riders, absolutely no communication, they could not hold a line to save their life and no one wanted to work together. I know the organizers have no control over this and I'm not going to let it influence my rating of the ride, I just had to get it off my chest... Maybe mike could give out coupons for a cycling etiquette class, I'd be more than happy to pass them out to these jerks along ride.....

Just wanted to say how great the Collin Classic was! I could have done without the downpour of rain while climbing a hill, but other than that it was fantastic! The volunteers and police were very helpful in directing which way to go, and the roads were well marked showing which direction to go. The only complaint I have is that the 2nd break point was not clearly marked and I would have gone past it had I not seen a group of people there in the distance, which is how I lost my husband. I waited for him at the 2nd break point but he did not see a sign showing it as a break point, nor was anyone there to point it out. All other break points were right next to the road and well-marked. There were plenty of hills that were challenging. The food at the end was great and all the people involved very helpful. Will definitely be back next year.

This year, I brought the whole crew out for the ride. My wife and kids rode the 4 mile route and I rode the 55 mile ride. I ride this route frequently, so I felt very good with the road conditions, etc. I have always had good times at Bikin' Mike events and this year was another one. The sheer number of people attending this ride makes it difficult to organize but Mike always does it. The rest stops are spread out with every type of rider in mind. I only stopped at the Blue Ridge and Fairview stops. As I rode out of Blue Ridge, the floodgates opened - I hope that the Blue Ridge workers weren't miserable by the ensuing deluge. Thanks to them and the PBA stop who braved those rains to serve the riders. The traffic control was always present, with officers at intersections and holding traffic.
2 things I recommend, neither have to do with Mike's efforts. 1- The people who take pictures (Brightroom, I believe) need to post someone on the kid's route. Logic would tell you that it is the parents of little kids who will be doing the buying of pictures, etc. This was my youngest son's first rally and I would have liked a mouse pad just like I have of my oldest son's 1st Collin Classic. 2 - Staging. People, the world will not cease to revolve if you are not on the front row of the 55 mile route. All of Mike's workers and Mike himself was having to direct riders to stop trying to move forward on the wrong side of the road. And to those of you who insist riding 4 abreast, please know that it is not safe nor is it appreciated by those of us trying to get around you. The rule of thumb would be if you see people zipping past you while you ride 10-12 mph, you might want to offer other riders some room to get by.

This rally is really nice with regards to the fine volunteers, police presence, roads, etc. There are a few things worth mentioning as for as the start/finish is concerned, though. My son and I did the 55 mile route and lined up somewhere mid-pack and just on the right side of the yellow line. Shortly after that people were oblivious and started lining up on the left side of the yellow line. They should notice that the road is apparently still open. However, Mike came by right before the start and attempted to get everyone to move to the right side of the yellow line. That created a problem with people squeezing in and literally standing on top of each other while waiting for the ride to start. It might not have been experienced by everyone but at least in my case, a lady was bumping me and my bike continually even though I was already over as far as I could go. I finally had to tell her to stop. People do need an inch or so to breathe as well as get on the bike to start rolling. I think all of this could have been solved by Mike placing cones or something to indicate to the masses that the road is in fact not closed. I’m not sure why he chooses to get people to cram in after the fact. Also, the speakers were way back near the entrance to the high school even though the actual start line was just on the north end of the middle school. We couldn’t hear anything that was being said. After the ride there were apparently different food options depending on which line you were in. Breakfast tacos in one line but not both. We had no clue since there were no signs indicating that. It would be nice to also have water available somewhere “outside” of the food serving area. We had to wait in a long line to get our food then the bottled water was available after that. I could be wrong but I didn’t see any water available in the parking lot or anywhere else inside the school. I understand there might have been water fountains inside the school but I wasn’t looking for them and didn’t notice any. My point being that the organizer should put a little more emphasis on something as important as water after a bike ride is finished. Other than that, it’s always great to see large turnouts to reflect a community’s cycling interest.

June 9, 2007

It's beginning to be a challenge to write something that hasn't already been said about this fantastic event. Bikin' Mike and his volunteers always seem to outdo themselves. If you've never done the Collin Classic, you need to put it and the Mesquite Rodeo Ride on your 2008 calendar. This was my second year and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Improved routes were promised and they delivered on their promises. The roads were a great improvement over 2006. Thankfully the heat wasn't as brutal as in prior years. I really relished that cool shower afterward and got a tasty smoothie for the long ride home.
I was well nourished and hydrated beforehand and only stopped at the last rest area, but those I passed appeared to be well stocked with beaucoups of volunteers, plenty of goodies, shade tents, and even plentiful potties. One of the rest stops was even on a little side loop off the main course.
I observed several Potential Organ Donors this year who rode sans head gear even they were repeatedly told that helmets were mandatory and of the serious risks they were taking. This is the first time I've ever seen a dude doing the long route riding barefoot! He conveniently had his helmet stowed in a basket.
My only complaint is about inconsiderate people in large, fast paceline groups. This has been voiced many times before but the guilty parties either don't read reviews or don't care! Our local club stressed "etiquitte" like announcing "on your left" or saying "good morning" as you overtake slower riders. These guys were apparently too focused on competition to utter a sound!
Thankfully I happened to glance in my mirror when I heard the dull roar of many tires and saw the approaching stampede! It was downright dangerous. The initial riders passed with the proper distance between themselves and us. As the paceline progressed however, the passing riders got closer and closer, and a few of them almost touched my handlebars or cut directly in front of me as they passed. I started to shout at them but they had topped the hill and were quickly out of sight. This happened 3 - 4 times during the course of the ride. These guys must not have been paying attention to all the times Bikin' Mike announced that this was not a race!

Kudos to everyone associated with this ride. Fantastic routes this year! I rode the full 55 and everything from pre-ride registration and packet pick-up; to the parking, on-the-road traffic control and plentiful rest stops; and through to the post ride festivities and goodies was absolutely first class! I wish that every event were this well conceived, well managed and well supported! Thanks to Mike and to all the volunteers who pulled this one off! Way to go folks!

Great Job Bikin' Mike and crew. This was my fourth year doing the Collin Classic, and by far, the best. I had the opportunity to ride the route while doing a MS150 training ride for PC&F, so I knew what great shape the roads were in. Add to that a calm day, and not too hot (maybe a little humid), and you had the recipe for a great ride. Parking and registration were a breeze, traffic control was excellent, and the rest stops were filled with helpful volunteers. I did the 47 mile route (45 miles per my cyclometer) and there were plenty of gentle, rolling hills. The food afterward was very good, and Oscar of Oscar's Mexican Grill was a friendly fellow. I would highly recommend this ride to anyone.

June 10, 2006

Last year one the one time I was tempted to quit the web page. The purpose of the reviews is to critique the ride for improvements for next year and to tell other riders all about last year. Not for attacks on the director.
I know many ride directors read these reviews. I know of a few rides that were failing until they read the reviews and are now a much better ride. To the best of my knowledge no one has tried to skew the comments in one way or the other. . EXCEPT for the Collin Classic, Lets hold it down to a dull roar before I close the reviews (again).

Oh yea if your gonna gripe, keep it short and sweet (sour). I am so tired of this crap I am just deleting the long ones.

As for me, I had a great ride, I did the 34 and thought the roads were safe and smooth. All the drivers I saw, even the guy pulling the 30 foot trailer were very nice about the whole thing. I see bikers riding along with a long line of cars behind them. It wouldn't hurt to pull over and let that long line of cars pass, (and create a little good will at the same time) read are we spoiled?

The new course was much better than the old one (at least for the 55 miles). The much shorter amount of chip-seal was more than bearable and there were more than enough hills (and heat) to make the ride challenging. Road issues were spray painted for early warning and the police and support staff were very helpful. The distance between the first and second rest stop might have been a bit long had it been later in the day. It was, as far as the organizers and volunteers could make it, a really enjoyable ride. Unfortunately, there were two groups of riders who marred the experience for myself and a fair number of other riders late in the 55 mile course. One group, was contemptuously rude of any rider who was slower than they and in their way (even at a non-group-assisted average speed of 19.2 mph I fell into that group). This group passed riders on both sides and then whined at the riders that they had trapped between their double pace line. The other group was downright dangerous. Their single pace line passed riders, initially, with the proper distance between themselves and the rider being passed. As the pace line riders progressed by, however, the distance grew ever shorter to the rider being passed until, as the last rider went passed, handlebars almost touched. Unfortunately, I was not the only rider who verbalized issues with these groups, both during the rider and afterwards. I guess, if you ride long enough, you find that there are some bicyclists who are as rude as the good ole boys in the pickups who are just unwilling to share the road. Its just a different kind of rudeness. I apologize for using this forum, a ride review, to voice my objections to the conduct of these two groups, but I can hope that some of them will read this and amend their ways.

Major kudos to Mike and his crew for this years classic. Despite having 2600 riders on hand, the start area was well organized and I didn't see any major start gate spills or crashes. The new routes were great. I rode the 55 and had a blast. The hills were a challenge, but the better surfaces made a world of difference. The heat was in the md to upper 90s by the middle of the ride, and the EMT's on site were telling everybody that the heat index was around 105. Despite this, the rest stop crews were wonderful, especially towards the end of the course. The last stop was a blast, with some of the younger volunteers on squirt gun patrol. Food was well stocked, and all of the drinks were kept on ice, which made a world of difference. Big kudos to the crew working the last stop for a scene I witnessed as I was rolling in. One of the riders in front of me simply collapsed from cramping and dehydration. Volunteers were on him in seconds with water, ice, shade, and medics right behind them. They got him medical attention quickly when it mattered, and that was just really impressive to see. One volunteer even collected his bike, helmet, glove, and jersey and kept them safe in the back while he was receiving treatment. Kudos for that. Overall, the Collin Classic is back in fine form after a slightly disappointing ride last year.

Excellent ride this year! We did the 34 and had a wonderful time. I don't normally like loops but the loop on the 34 wasn't that bad. The volunteers and police support were excellent - especially the volunteers at the RR tracks! Rest stops were well stocked and the roads were much better than last yr with hardly any hills to speak of and it seemed like the drivers in this part of the county were nicer. There was one guy, outside of New Hope, running around with a baseball bat. What was that about? Be back next year!

What a fun ride! Bikin' Mike and his team of folks outdid themselves today. The new course is great! Roads were in great condition and all of the intersections were superbly controlled. One stretch of road was especially notable. Part of the leg heading east snaked through farmland with tall corn on either side of the road. It was quite a sight to see only bicyclists' heads sticking out above the corn plants.It looked like they were weaving in and out of the corn rows. Plenty of hills to keep you honest, but it was still enjoyable. Don't miss this ride next year!

My first time at the CC and I loved it very well done.
The volunteers were wonderful and most helpful i thank you.
Plenty of warning for chuck holes with spray paint to mark the spots and plenty of police and volunteers to warn you as well.
Like one of the other I to saw my fair share of rude riders but this is unavoidable in such a large ride as this when some people forget this is a rally not a RACE.
Bikenmike thanks again I will be back next year for sure..

Great organization, wonderful routes, plenty of choices, the rest stops were well stocked and staffed. Thanks to all the volunteers. I applaud and recommend this event. I agree with the other guy, some bikers are growing increasingly rude, and feel like they own the road. I witnessed many riders, seasoned riders and rookies who constantly road way to far to the left and put themselves in harms way. They need to be reminded that cars do have a right to the road also. Just ask them. My only sticking point and I don't know why it isn't resolved. Running out of T-shirts is always a flash point for participants and event staff. I heard many pissed off comments and conversations regarding this, and I was one. Didn't get a shirt. My suggestion: Mail'em one! What do they do with the extra $5 bucks anyway. Its OK to estimate and be prepared, always under order, then if you get a bigger turnout than you expected, mail them one or ask if they even want one mailed. At that point you are basically getting riders you didn't plan on in the first place. You're getting revenue you didn't plan on in the first place AND you're NOT adding anymore supplies, anyone more volunteers, or out any more expense because I show up and ride your ride. It's still a positive contribution. Truth be known I believe this is a tatic to increase income by allowing only "so" many shirts to be given out to "late registrants" all the while "gipping" out the riders who pay the bigger entry fee. By the way. I always pay the late registration fee, because with a 5 and 3 year old I don't know what I'm doing from one day, until the next. I've wasted many dollars sending into events I couldn't make. Additionally, as a business owner, I strive to have as many people wearing my T-shirts as possible, advertising my businesss for free. So why do event organizers miss this point?

I, too, believe the CC was much improved this year. The new route(s) (55 mile for me) was very good. The chip & seal was minimal and the hills were challenging, but no killers. I thought the rest stops, the volunteers and the traffic control were all excellent. There were some usual clueless pace line jerks, and I trust they didn't manage to cause injuries as they have in previous rides. The only complaint would be the charge for food at the end. People received entire pizzas for free at the Richardson Wild Ride. As for the rider who continues to see the CC as a "non-event," it seems that it would be in his/her best interest to make "non-appearances" at future ride put on by these organizers.

The 75 mile route was nice. The only concern that I have is it encountered about 17-20 miles of chip seal. According to the web page it said the route was moved to avoid chip seal....right!
Stopped at two rest areas..and they were pretty good.
The after event was disappointing since you had to purchase food...versus most events give free food. Sounds like the organizers could not sell the sponsor ship.
Hopefully next year the roads will be better.

This was our third ride of the year and by far the WORSE ride that we have ever been on. My wife and I signed up for the 34m ride (having just riden the 40m at the Wild Ride which we thoroughly enjoyed). The trip was going okay until we got to the loop portion of the 22-34m ride. A lot of the roads were very narrow with no shoulders. Combine that with too much traffic and it felt like a very unsafe environment. At one point, going up hill a loaded semi truck was passing people across the double yellow lines. As he neared the top of the hill a pick up truck came down his side of the road and both were forced to stop until the semi could merge in with the bicyclists. Luckily everything turned out okay but it could have been really ugly had the speeds of either vehicle been a bit more. The whole route felt like that...not enough room, not enough time to get over if you really had too...let alone no place to get over. We decided to take the 22m route after that and did not finish the 34 as we had planned. Also, the ending/gathering was very dissappointing...it felt like you were suppose to finish the ride, pack your bike and leave (which it seemed most people were doing). I don't typically like to rate these rides but if I had to then I would give it a 1 out of 10...1 because I don't believe in scales that start with zero. Also, there is mention of money back if not satisfied and we certainly were not but I then have to ask myself where does our money go? My impression was that we were donating to charity and I certainly would not take back money from charity that I had given, but if Bike-n-Mike or any other organizers make any money out of these rides then I say...gimme my money back, because they failed us greatly. There are plenty of good rides around, we go to many of them...this one we will not be coming back to.

The Collin Classic 2006 what a improvement, good job...We had riders on the 34, 55 and 75 mile rides...the 34 mile riders stated that they enjoyed it well supported etc....the 55 mile riders also enjoyed the ride, nice scenery, good support, good hills...our 75 mile riders stated that there was some unexpected rough chip'n seal for approx. 7 miles but found out that the county had resealed the road 1 week before the ride thus not the organizers fault...More good points the intersections well supported, the guys at the railroad crossing standing by the potholes and alerting riders was great....Now for some reccomendations the rest stops need to be 10 miles apart not 18 miles like in some places, remember that some new riders are out there!...Late entry fee of $30.00 a bit much....We didn't get our shirts when registrating but when we arrived back and went in for food we got our white shirts there....I don't believe that we should have to pay for food at the end also preparing to close things down prior to the last few riders arriving in is unsupporting....The end of the ride needs some volunteers there to congratulate & direct people to the cafeteria...Maybe more signage alerting people of the cyclists on this road and that road....Lastly, a note to all cyclists, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE be aware of your surrounding before making a maneuver (right, left, slowing etc.) as I was almost taken out by a new rider who pulled over without checking....We will be back...

Let me just preface this by saying this is my second organized ride ever so may not have much to compare it to and rode the 34 mi. route. Rest stops were well done and well manned. Route was fine, wasn't too onerous for my level, and was scenic. Route and hazards well marked. Glad they had showers at the finish. As for those problems other reviewers noted with traffic, other riders, and rest stop, I never encountered it. As for the food hall, seemed OK to me, I didn't mind shelling out a couple bucks for a smoothie or a taco, but left my wallet in the car and didn't want to have to schlep back to get it.

This was my first year riding the Collin Classic in McKinney and for the most part it was a very good experience. First for the good: This year was the first year with new routes which included much less chipseal roads and a lot of brand new asphalt. The 55mi route claimed to have only 3miles of chipseal and for that we were all thankful. For the first 20miles or so the roads were indeed very smooth and fast while the tempatures were still on the cooler side. I passed the first rest stop and pressed on to the second, where I found friendly staff and plenty of supplies. Lots of water, ice, snacks and restrooms were at the stops to get everyone refreshed and ready for the next leg. Of course, there are always things to improve on and here are a few: The heat really increased later in the morning, and the winds kicked up out of the south as well, which took many riders by surprise a bit. This put a very high strain on the supplies at the later rest stops, as well as the SAG support. Many riders called it a day after reaching Rest Stop #5 and #6, and some had long waits for SAG wagons to get them back to the Start Finish. I was lucky that I spotted an empty SAG between Rest Stop 5 and 6 when the heat hit me hard and was able to get a quick ride back in. The SAG Wagon driver who picked me up was friendly, helpful and had plenty of extra water and ice in his truck to help cool me back down after loading up my bike. Next year though, my biggest suggestions would be to back up the start time a half hour, and double the number of SAGs on the routes, especially if temps are forecasted to reach into the upper 90's to 100.

First of All, THANKS Mike for another great ride! I'm an avid weekend warrior on two wheels and always enjoy the Collin Classic. Overall a great ride with the new routes. I endured the 55 mile cooker and feel I'm quite ready for Hotter Than Hell now. I have to agree the winding road through the cornfields... I almost felt like I was in the Tour for a minute, but then snapped out of it when I caught wind of the great smelling mulch along side the road. As for the "non-event" complaints from some folks, I challenge any of you to try and organize a ride of this magnitude and do as good a job as Bikin Mike does. I've organized a number of small group or team rides and find them challenging enough. All the organizing in the world still can't control the mishaps such as careless drivers, road conditions or rude cyclists. For those that think this is a "non-event", I agree with others - please save yourself the trouble and make this a "non-appearance" and stick to your lazyboy. For the rest of us who enjoy the opportunity to share the excitement of riding through the beautiful countryside of Texas with some 2500+ crazy weekend warriors like myself, RIDE ON & LIVESTRONG!!!!!!!! Yours Truly, Mike-Team AVIALL.

Another great hit for Bikin Mike. The start at McKinney North High School was a big improvement over the start from years past, Youth Rairgrounds. Even the overflow parking was not a problem. On-line maps with "cues" was great. It even gave the most sought after information for most riders...how far it is from break point to break point. Lots of route selections. Signage was never better. The new routes heading east from the start was a big improvement over the old C C routes. The smooth pavement went on and on...for awhile. There were some rough roads later in the ride, but not really a problem. Lots of supplies at break points. Safety was not an issue for the new CC. All intersections were covered . I experienced only one intersection that had gravel . The 75 mile route was such a good route, I'm saving the route map for weekends with no scheduled rallies. Thanks to Bikin Mike and all the great volunteers that put so much thought and planning into this ride. The only thing I missed was seeing Bikin Mike and his jam box "out on the road." I'll be back next year for sure!! DeWayne Shepard (Roadkill)

With much trepidation I finally decided to go to the CC ride the very morning of the ride. For a week I self-debated if it would be worth the risks (the driver’s horns, inconsiderate distance and speeding past bikers that occurred in the once infamous Tour-de-Habitat ride in this SUVosaur valley, watching fellow bikers get injured by fast moving cars like the Muenster ride last year, fear of my safety near ride completion as my mental and physical endurance was stretched near exhaustion and the remembrance of the deaths of cycling icons like Larry Schwartz and Ken Kifer who where deceived by faulty survey type statistical studies of biking safety). Wow, this ride jumped to muchisimo grande numero uno of my personal best bike rides!! Safety while trying to bike for my health is always my main priority and this ride did a great job considering that US drivers have killed more Americans the last century than in all our world wars and remains #1 killer of our children, so I always think “Survival Biking” while on the road; this ride now ranks with the Mesquite Rodeo and HotterNHell safety models. The McKinney police were visible at all key intersections from the beginning and especially near the end when increased traffic and tired bikers are a bad mix. I can’t say enough about the importance that the McKinney police professionalism and polite behavior made on both drivers and bikers altitudes. I had a bike flat going thru McKinney about 6 months ago and a police officer leaving his headquarters, apparently just getting off, asked me if I needed assistance despite his desire to go home after a shift! I also liked the yellow lights of what I believe was the many sag trucks that helped slowed drivers. Much better route this year and tremendous elevation (about 2, 540ft) for my 33 lb recumbent, similar to Munster ride, but safer. The volunteers provided the needed hydration, tasty energy and pleasant attitude with standards above even commercial entities. If our cities applied this same safety model to school zones and bicycle commuting, we could help correct America’s detrimental policies since our 1974 “Peak Oil” is finally being understood by the public (because of financial pain) and help stop this plague of obesity that threatens the life span and quality of life of our children.

I really enjoyed the new course (I did the 72 mile). There wasn't much road traffic except around New Hope, the course was scenic and challenging, and the roads for the most part were in good condition. I understand one of the roads on the far eastern side of the course (beautiful terrain) was chip sealed just last week; there's no way the organizers of the ride can predict that. Chip seal is an unfortunate reality of Collin County FM roads. My only complaint is the rest stop at mile 55 running out of water. T-shirts, food/entertainment at the finish line, etc are luxuries. Water at rest stops is an absolute necessity, especially on hot days. It was known that the 55-mile and 75-mile courses merged at this rest stop; running out is totally unacceptable and potentially very dangerous.

Excellent rally. I did the 75-mile route. Not sure how long it actually turned out since my odometer had a wardrobe malfunction. But it was challenging!
The Route: The new route was excellent! The route featured some very beautiful scenery.I saw a minimal number of cars. Those that I did see were very patient and friendly. I thought the roads were smooth, smooth, smooth. Except for the 8-mile southbound stretch between Lane and Merit in Hunt County. However, this was announced before the start, so I was ready for some chip seal. Although, for Texas roads, and for new chip seal, I thought it was pretty smooth. What made that stretch hard was the head wind, not the chip seal. Actually, what made the whole route hard was the seemingly non-stop headwind and constant hills. So, to the route director, bravo! I came for a challenge and got one. The route seemed to consist of constant up-and-down stretches which WAY more than substituted for the old big brother hill. The route was well marked and the police presence in and around McKinney was great.
The Rest Stops: I stopped at every stop on the 75-mile route except for the first one, which seemed to come quick. People manning the stops were nice and friendly. Many thanks to the volunteers for coming out on such a hot day. The folks at the 56-ish mile rest stop did a good job. They were out of jug water when I arrived, but had a hose from the nearby church active. Nobody said anything to me about "rationing". There seemed to be plenty of ice available. Not long after I arrived, some jug water and Gatorade showed up. Even still, there were lots of riders resting under the shade of the pecan trees nearby who didn't seem to care too much about the water and instead were bothered by the heat.
Ma Nature: The weather was tough this year. This is how the HH100 is supposed to be. Interestingly, I saw very few riders drinking while riding. The last hour of the 75-mile route truly felt like a death ride with the heat. But hey, if I had wanted to stay cool I could've stayed at home, which perhaps some of the reviewers will be kind enough to do next year so John won't have to post their exaggerated complaints.
The Riders: I observed some unsafe riding, but it was the normal amount. This all depends on where you are in the stream of riders. I started in the middle of the 75-milers. For the record, IMO the HH100 is the most unsafe ride I have ever ridden with the road-hogs and side-swiping pace lines. This year at the Collin Classic I saw plenty of riders lolly-gagging in the middle of the road or riding side-by-side when they could've very easily pulled over. About a dozen times I had to cross into the left lane to pass a single cyclist who was swerving and hogging the entire right lane. I guess that’s not too bad for 75 miles. There was one guy who I passed on the right, who seemed startled by this, and to you I am sorry for that, but please stay to the right except when passing. Two feet from the middle of the road ain’t no good. Some people don't seem to understand what on-your-left means, even though they probably heard it all day.
Parking was good and the lot attendants were sufficient. Maps with mileage and stops listed was great. Many thanks to whoever spent all that time on the maps. Saw many SAG vehicles, mostly loaded with riders during the last 20 miles. The t-shirt is cool. Nice design. However, I can live without it. If I had heard anyone complaining about not getting one, I would've given them mine if it means that much to them. I have drawers of excess t-shirts. It seems you get one for everything you do these days. Go to dentist, get t-shirt. Go to Home Depot grand opening, get t-shirt. Go to bank, get another t-shirt. Maybe when my kid is fully potty-trained, I will give him a t-shirt. What do people do with all these t-shirts? And how exactly does it ruin your day if you don't get one? I don't fully understand.
Thanks BikinMike and all the volunteers for the hard work...and the t-shirt.

After reading the other reviews I was kind of surprised that people were so polarized over this ride. They either seemed to love it or hate it for one reason or another. I hope this doesn’t indicate bias on the part of the reviewers because that would be a major dis-service to the readers who use them to pick rides for next year. For the record, this was my first time riding the Collin Classic (75 miles) and I am not affiliated with any club, with Bikin’ Mike or with any of the ride sponsors. I bought my registration packet from someone that decided not to ride the day before. I went to Plano Cycling and Fitness to sign the waiver, but they wouldn’t let me buy my own t-shirt. I had to wait until the day of the ride to buy the shirt. Still, they handled the “complexity” of re-registering my number in my name without much hassle. Traffic direction from the highway was good, but the flaggers for the lot I was in kept sending in cars after it was full. With about 2000+ riders, it created unnecessary traffic jams which clogged up the starting area with cars initially. There were staggered starts of the different distances. The course was marked with color-coded paint on the roadway. A few major hazards were flagged with paint, but it was not very bright and difficult to see through sweaty glasses. Police directed traffic at major intersections and flaggers were at almost all turns. About 40% of the ride was chip and seal, but it was not as bad as some East Texas rides that were 90%. I recorded 2000 feet of ascent over the course, but no “killer hills”. I started a minute or two late so I didn’t see the “rude behavior” of the faster cyclists, but I did see people on the side of the road who I later heard had wrecked because they were at the back of a pack and couldn’t see a road hazard (MAJOR cracks running with the roadway). I stopped at 35, 55 and 65 mile rest stops and they all seemed to be reasonably well supplied. Volunteers were friendly and enthusiastic except at the finish. The 55 mile stop seemed to be running low based on the growing line by the time I left. It was the only one that seemed to have a significant amount of shade for hot, exhausted riders, too. I saw many people sagging out at the 55 mile stop and an ambulance at the 65 mile stop due to heat. That was the only time I saw the SAG wagons. The food court with the A/C was about a quarter mile from my parking and I almost skipped it since there was no signage. After asking someone where it was and driving over there, I was also a little taken aback by only getting free water/soda and a slice of water melon. Every other ride I’ve done has had plenty of FREE FOOD and drink at the finish, but this ride forced you to pay for anything with actual carbs or protein in it that might minimize your recovery. Turn-out at the food court was low and it started closing down before all riders were off the course. Except for the miserable heat, I liked the ride in general. It still has room for improvement (more shade, better hazard marking, FREE FOOD). If faced with the choice of another similar ride next year with FREE FOOD, I’ll probably choose the other ride.

For those less informed. It is the responsibility of the pack leaders to communicate road hazards back to the rear of the pack. If you cannot trust the leaders to communicate road hazards. Don't ride with them and don't blame the road. - John

Although I ride a lot I don't do that many rallies or organized rides. But this is my 3rd year to do the Collin Classic, and I have to say it has gotten better each year. I like the idea of that my money goes to a good cause and I feel I should do my part to minimize my impact to the ride, in order to maximise the fund raising achieved. So when I know its going to be hot, I bring enough water, and really don't have to have a T-shirt. So I guess a I get a little irritated at all the griping. I was truly impressed with the Traffic Control this year, the routes were scenic, The rest stops well spaced, and the facilities at Mckinney High School were awesome. I think Mike does an excellent job of organization, and it is a blast riding with so many riders. I certainly plan to return next year!

I coordinated rest stop 4 on behalf of the Carrollton Cyclists, then rode in to the finish from there with others from our club. We had an 11:15 start, with the majority of the riders in front of us.
From our vantage point we saw the resulting carnage from the heat--even veteran cyclists got caught off-guard late into the ride, including a few of our own.
We got prompt medical attention at rest stop 5 for one of our guys. Sags were everywhere! Cyclists in need of help were everywhere too! I was shocked at the crowd at rest stop 6!
Rest stop 6 was hit hard! Our ice and fluid supplies had been doubled from last year, this much I know. Still, it has been noted I am sure, that this stop needs tripled supplies for next year.
They hadn't ran out of anything when we were there though. The roads from rest stop 4 to the finish were great--nice rollers--smooth surfaces. Cops at all intersections and RR crossing.
Finish line food….People are mistakenly thinking that Mesquite Rodeo's post-ride chicken meal has "rasied the bar" for other rallies to follow. That is a sweet deal they have that is difficult to come by.
There are lots of good rallies in the area that don't serve "meals" and probably never will (Goatneck, Tour De Italia, Peach Pedal, to name a few). Personally, I prefer fruit and lots of fluids, and I eat later elsewhere.
I was happy with the watermelon, cookies, and fluids provided. Oh yeah, I was so happy that we didn't hit the sisters (hills) on the access road coming in this year. That would have really hurt! Thanks!
Overall, word on the "street" is that this ride has much improved--in spite of the heat most folks had a good time out there!

Cyclists are a fiercely loyal group, and when somebody’s ride gets criticized, many of the locals will rally around to defend it. I suspect some of that is going on here, since there seems to be such vastly differing opinions posted about this year’s Collin Classic. Perhaps some of you really did think this ride was the greatest thing since sliced bread, but if you do I suspect you didn’t ride Mesquite the week before (or Lancaster, or Goatneck, or the Tour d’ Italia, etc.). I rode the Collin last year too and have ridden a dozen local rallies so far this year, and while some things have improved; the Collin still has a way to go to measure up to those. Some of the improvements this year:; better support at intersections and turns, parking was better organized, and the rest stops were well stocked (at least when I stopped), which was no small feat considering the toll the heat took on riders late in the ride. I rode the 75 mile route and was loving it until I came across the 20 or so miles of fresh chipseal starting at the 55 mile cutoff and ending in Merit. That was my main gripe about this ride, especially since smoother roads were the big promise of this year’s Collin. A few reviewers above mentioned that the highway dept. had just laid this chipseal last week, so a little pre-race disclosure of that would have been appreciated. I remember from last year’s Collin, the infamous stretch of chipseal on the road to Celina was supposedly freshly laid just a few months before, but no mention of it was given before that ride either. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, and I wouldn’t have done this year’s Collin if Bikin’ Mike hadn’t changed the routes. Apparently this new chipseal only affected the 75 mile route because the reviews of the shorter routes don’t mention it, so next year I’ll give the 55 a shot instead of the 75.
The chipseal on the 75 is by far my biggest complaint, but here are a few minor ones: Last year the Collin offered (if you finished early enough) free hot dogs or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches after the ride – nothing fancy but much appreciated. However, this year the only free post-ride food at the Collin was watermelon. If you wanted something more substantial, you had to pay for it. This is a step in the wrong direction in my opinion, especially given that the Collin is on the high end of entry fees (especially the week after the Mesquite Rodeo Ride, where Outback Steakhouse and Blue Bell Ice Cream catered the free post-ride food). While I think categorizing the whole ride as a ‘non event’ as one reviewer did is way too harsh, that description does accurately describe the ‘finish line’ (or lack thereof). Having one would be a nice touch (and inexpensive) for 2,500 riders that have just completed a challenging ride. Overall, this year’s Collin was an improvement over last year’s, so hopefully Bikin’ Mike will keep listening.

WOW - what is happening? The CCC is a great ride and probably ranks right in the middle for all the rides in North Texas. I have never been to a rally that didn't have chip'n'seal; fast pacelines; interesting roadkill and local yokels. Whether in Mesquite (heavy on the yokels) or even Shiner (heavy on the roadkill), it's all there. The local racing Tifosi use the rallys (rallies?) as practice races. EVERYONE knows that. Get out of their way. They are just trying to get better at something they love to do and think they are pretty good at it. For all the time, sweat and skin they leave on the pavement, the least anyone can do is just give 'em a little room. They will be out of your sight in a couple of blinks. The only real complaint I have is not being able to do that last big hill right before the finish that has become the hallmark of this ride. If shelling out an extra tenner for a charity and having to pay a couple of bucks for a taco at the end of a bike rally is my biggest concern for the season, then I think I am doing pretty good. Good job Mike.

Thanks for a great ride! The 55-mile route was superb! You did a wonderful job and so did your volunteers- a BIG thank you to all of you of for a wonderful Saturday ride. Now I know why we keep comin' back!
Thanks for everything,

Just want to send you a complimentary message to let you know how much I appreciate what you do to organize such great events. Thank You!

The events you guys organize are the highlight of my cycling season! I can always depend on a well done event….from Happy New Rear to Tour of Dallas to Collin Classic, I never miss these rides!
Thanks Again, Mike.

Hey, Mike. Fabulous ride yesterday. This was my third Collin Classic and yesterday's event, was by far your best - the route (34 mile) loop was excellent (yahooooo - no chip seal), the volunteers were wonderful and the rest stops were excellent (Pediatric Hospital - there was no shortage of goodies and drinks at that stop - WOW). My girlfriend and I got so in to looking at the landscape and the beautiful homes, we didn't even know we were riding - :o).

The only little criticism I have about yesterday's ride was, THE HEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Brutal, brutal - did I say brutal - and you who wields so much power, I think it behooves you next year, to ensure that the temperature goes no higher than 80 degrees - I'm sure you can manage that. My friend that I was riding with got so hot, that we went in to a store across the street from one of the rest stop and the woman in the store actually put icepacks down the front of my girlfriend's shirt and put her in front of the fan in the back of the store (how nice is that).
WE WERE HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess no more summer rides for us - What's up with this heat - :o).
Anyway, thanks again --- I hope I'm not the only one who raves about this year's ride.

Great ride, excellent route!

Thanks Mike, I had a great time and enjoyed helping the riders. You did a great job on putting this "Herculean Effort" on and should be commended for your efforts. See you soon, Dave Preston
I really enjoyed the ride. THANK YOU for everything.

Congrats on the routes they really were very good

This is just a note to let you know that my wife and I really enjoyed the Classic on Saturday. The scenery was beautiful. The riders were friendly. Even the people on the road were courteous (for the most part). I have to believe the idea of putting out signs along the route ahead of time to let them know there would be a bike ride on the 10th helped. A big thanks to who ever thought of doing that. Even though the weather was hot and the wind blew (I prefer a tail wind, but there's not much you can do about that - especially on an out and back loop course), it was a very enjoyable ride. I especially want to give a great big thank-you to the volunteers at the start and finish and all along the 34 mile route. They held bikes, had plenty of encouraging words to say to us and even walked around to give us cold water.
The whole thing made the trip up from Houston well worthwhile (that and the fact that we had a good time riding with our daughter who lives in Frisco).
We hope to see you next year. Good luck in NBA championship. And most of all, Guys and Gals -- Thank you.

You did a great Job and other than having to endure the chip seal (you will get some complaints) but that's the way it is. The volunteers were great the rest stops were well done (even if ours was the best) the roads and route was great. - Had a good time.

Great ride on Saturday and we loved the new route. You did a great job picking the route with the least amount of Chip Seal and it made all the difference in our enjoyment. We are looking forward to joining you again next year!

The Collin Classic was awesome. Great job by you and your crew. The roads were fabulous.

I really liked the new 75 mile road ride on Saturday June 10th. The ride was long, tough, a little windy at times but worth every mile and minute I rode. I hope we keep this route for next year.

LOL the reviews page is living proof that you cant make everybody happy and some people are never satisfied no matter what you do. Here is a list of tips next time you do a ride.
1} you want a T-shirt? fine sign up early . 2} To many cars on the road? not sure how the promoters can fix this one please be more realistic. 3} you want a meal after the ride? I would much rather see my dollars go to what ever charity the ride is for .
4} narrow roads LOL this one is laughable pssstt!! your in the country all the roads are narrow and traffic was light because of being in the country. A semi truck passing on the yellow lines ok how does the promoters prevent this?
Now IMHO the event was GREAT and here's why.
1} I never had to stop at any intersections NOT ONE thx to local law enforcement officers that did a GREAT job this added to safety.
2} the volunteers at rest stops were top notch and some of the most polite young people ive’ seen in ages LOL even has a young lady provide valet parking for my bike! now that service.
3} a well thought out route with nice hills and nice country fresh air rolling hills and nothing to steep. Also all the obstacles where marked very well easy to see and avoid even had flaggers on the RR tracks.
4} Nice T-shirt I got on for signing up early.
5} the indoor bathrooms at the High school was nice as it made changing clothes much better.
6} rest stops where well stocked and again the volunteers were very nice and helpful.
7}route I thought it was a good route had a little something for everybody and was a safe as you can make any country FM roads you just gotta know any time you ride in the country you can and will run across anything and everything up to dogs cows old dudes driving tractors down the middle of the roads and yes the occasional driver that passes to close to the riders so how is the promoter going to stop this?

Kudos to Mike and the CCC committee. A great improvement from last year concerning the chip and seal roads. Rode the 55 mile route. Good ride support throughout the ride. I saw many rides sagging in around 1:30 PM or so. Great job on warning the road hazards, especially at the RR tracks. The distance between the first two rest stops was a bit log. At the second rest stop there were long lines for water/ Gatorade. Around the 30 mile local traffic pick up a bit. As for the one reviewer, this rider needs to reevaluate why we all ride these charity rides. These are for raising money for a good cause, what ever it may be. Just feel lucky you can ride. I ride for it is a great for cardio exercise and give something back to the community. GREAT JOB Mike: Quack Quack

I thoroughly enjoyed the Collin Classic this year. The start was incredibly organized, and the volunteers did a terrific job of letting me know where I needed to be and when. I did the 34 mile route, and thought it was excellent with good roads, well-spaced rest stops, and beautiful views. Keeping off of Hwy 380 was my favorite change in the route. Major kudos to all the police officers from across the area. I was highly impressed with the amount of friendly support they offered at major intersections. I was also impressed with attention to detail – having volunteers pointing out the potholes at the railroad tracks was one example of a perfectly added detail. I appreciated the paper in the preregistration packets informing us of what lunch was going to be available and for how much – I was prepared for it. Friendly volunteers, well-stocked rest stops, visible support from law enforcement, new route = good ride!

I’m not the type of cyclist that gets irked by chipseal, pacelines passing precariously close, rude motorists, or lack of socialization at the start/finish line. Hey, that’s part of the adventure. What I do find reprehensible is that for the second year in a row, poor planning and coordination resulted in a lack of water in the later rest stops of the 75 mile route. So on a day that was predicted to have temperatures near 100 degrees and with volunteers manning the rest stops with cell phones and vehicles, there was no plan to have adequate supplies of water on hand or arrange for emergency replenishment? I know, I was there and had to limp to the 65 mile rest stop which fortuitously was located across from a convenience store which did have bottled water. I arrived just in time to join the masses who looked like movie extras for “Dawn of the Living Dead” who were aimlessly roaming about while assessing the dismal prospects of SAGGING to the finish or competing for a saline IV from the medical technicians. Next year, I may do this ride again just to see if the third time is indeed the charm but if I do, I’ll be wearing a 72 oz. camelback.

You told us about the problem - we listened - and the volunteers fixed it!
In 2005, riders told us how much they disliked the road surface at the Collin Classic.
We listened.
Right after the ride, our volunteers went in search of new routes and better pavement.
They found new asphalt! Lots of it.
So, the 15, 22, 34, 55 and 75 mile routes are ALL NEW and IMPROVED.
We still use the McKinney North High School as the start/finish site.
You can view the routes at our website
www.CollinClassic.org
Money Back Guarantee:
If you come out and ride the Collin Classic - and you do not think that the routes are great - we'll give you your money back!
Bikin' Mike Keel

I know Mike and his people have been working on this all year - John

June 11, 2005

Read the ride Director's Comments

This was an interesting ride. I not only did the ride, I was a volunteer at the PBA rest stop 2. Just by working as a volunteer at a major bicycle rally, I now have a greater appreciation of the hard work required to put together an event of this magnitude. With that in mind, I can now say with authority that the success of this years Collin Classic is definitely a team effort and that includes everyone; the coordinators, volunteers, and most of all, the 1500+ cyclists that rode in this rally. Now if only the Texas DOT can use other material other than low bid HUB supplier furnished chip seal to pave their farm roads. I can't complain about the wind and heat because part of the fun of doing a rally like this is the sense of accomplishment one feels when he or she overcomes the elements to complete a long distance endurance ride!

I'm renaming this ride The Colon Classic, because I felt like I'd paid somebody $30 to use me, abuse me, and slap me about. This ride had some very positive features, such as the location at McKinney North High School; there was lots of paved parking, the registration was a snap, the staging of the start was conveniently located, and the food court was a good place for the post ride festivities. Another plus was the outstanding technical assistance rendered by Plano Cycling and Fitness. I saw one rider with a bike that needed some considerable frame realignment and I believe some rear derailer adjustment - the technician did it quickly and professionally. The technical assistance by Plano Cycling & Fitness was among the very best I've ever seen at a weekend tour. We did the 57 mile route, which was marked with easy-to-read arrows and some nice scenery; we stopped at rest stop number 4, which had plenty of the typical rest stop goodies and helpful volunteers to hold bikes. Now for the negatives: We arrived at 6:30 and were one of the first to go through registration, when we were politely informed that the only people who would receive T-shirts were those who pre-registered. The parking volunteers were a clumsy version of the Keystone Cops, with one female volunteer cursing loudly at the riders who didn't follow her directions. The route is one of the worst that I've ridden on any tour, and I've got well over 100 rides under my belt. The rough roads and redneck drivers were terrible. I realize that you can't control the local buffoons, but the rough roads and the gravel at the intersections are unacceptable; this is the first ride where the roads were so rough that my water bottle was ejected from the water bottle cage; I saw more water bottles along the side of the road that at any other tour I've ever done - go figure... This ride also had an extremely high number of riders with flat tires due to the poor roads and poor road condition. Another disappointment was the food and drink at the finish line; dry hot dogs with no mustard or ketchup but plenty of mayo. TFF! Warm canned soft drinks were available but there were no cups or ice. Another thing that I found appalling is I wasn't making my ride payment to an official charity or civic group, but instead was making it payable to Bikin Mike, who also just happened to be one of the vendors offering goods & services. I've always had a soft spot for the Collin Classic because it was my very first tour way back in the early 90's, but I'm crossing this ride off my list and I'll do my best to steer other riders away from it. 

Bicycling Magazine has named the Collin Classic one of the top 100 best bike rides. I am not sure what they are comparing it to. Parking is one of the worst for rides in the area. If the plan is to use the church lot 1/4-1/2 mile away from the school, why not make restrooms accessible or put some porta potties out there? 
I did the 55 mile route (because there was nothing longer) and stopped at the rest stop in Weston to refuel with some Gator/Power -ade only to discover that they had "run out." Run out??!! At the Collin Classic? One of the area's premier rides? It would be different if a stop ran out of biscuits (er, cookies) or bananas or oranges. But whatever-ade? That would seem to be the most rudimentary of all things one should be able to find at a stop. 
The attitudes were awful. I read in another forum (the GDB forum to be exact) that Bikin' Mike had sponsors pull out at the 11th hour, including Chipotle. That's unfortunate and those things happen. My recommendation, don't take it out on the riders, especially the ones who show up on ride day and rudely tell them they can't and won't get a t-shirt. Be very nice; very apologetic and get ALL the volunteers to be responsive and affable, especially at the rest stops.
I mentioned in the GDB forum, in the last 100 meters or so, I rode in with a woman who was having a severe time of it. As she crossed the finish, the folks under the tent looked at her like she had a horn growing out the middle of her head. She got no "good job," or "well done" by anyone at the finish. No water, cold or otherwise. We pulled off and chatted for a bit. I found out she had all of 5 miles in the saddle prior to this ride. Her bike was new and she was new to the sport - wanting to increase her level of fitness. I think she got fleeced on this ride. She was not exposed to the hallmarks and grandness that make our sport great. I suggested she follow-up next week with the Tour d'Italia.
I was disappointed with this one. I want and intend to return because I think this ride has GREAT potential. If the parking problem gets sorted; get enough of everything and make the apportionment at the rest stops commensurate with consumption from previous years' rides; get the volunteers and emergency personnel to sort themselves out so they are not rude or "arrogant," and include some longer routes, this could live up to what Bicycling Magazine indicates it is. 

This was my second year at the Collin Classic, and unless they make some changes to the route, it will be my last. First, the good stuff. The location was easy to locate, and there was plenty of parking. Registration was fast, but I was disappointed to find out all the t-shirts were already gone through pre-registration. Can't fault anyone on that. The staging area was good and there were a lot of speakers set up so you could hear what Bikin' Mike was saying. The volunteers at the rest stops were very friendly, and the food, drinks, etc at the end were nice, especially in the air-conditioned cafeteria. Now, the bad stuff. I rode the 30 mile route. Not far into the ride we had to stop at a light. Where was the traffic control? The roads were great, until you hit the cutoff for the 30 mile route. You then had about 10-12 miles of some of the most rough roads I have ever ridden. I understand half of North Texas is chip and seal, but this stuff practically rattled my filings from my teeth. When we finally hit the smooth road right before Big Brother, it was like riding on air. I don't recall the roads being that bad last year. I really enjoy riding, but I didn't really enjoy this ride.

Many thanks to Bikin Mike and the 250+ volunteers that worked the ride this year. I did the 40 miles and I'm still glad that there are some areas of Collin County that are still rural, but it's slowly disappearing. I remember doing the the 1st CC and, at that time, Preston and 121 was out in the country!! Did anyone else notice how clean the shoulder was on 289?? It looked like it had been swept.  The chip seal was second in roughness to Rockwall. Since I've been doing rides around N. Texas for about 15 yrs now, why is it that I've only noticed bad chip seal roads in the last couple of years? Am I getting that old or have road maintenance procedures changed?? Nice breeze and only 1 bad hill. I'll be back!

This was my first ever bike ride event and I couldn't have been more pleased. I started riding a few months back and knowing no other cyclists decided this would be a good ride to intermingle with my fellow cyclists. I rode the 30 mile route and I think the course was wonderful. In the first 5-10 miles it was rather congested but expected considering the number of riders that historically turn out for this ride. At each rest stop I passed, I was able to get more room to ride and eventually rode probably the last 10-15 miles solo. I was told the route would have some rolling hills so I was somewhat concerned whether I would have problems with them. The rolling hills turned out to be fine. I believe in my mind I had pictured rolling mountains. There were 3 rest stops on the 30 mile ride and although I did not stop at any they seemed to be well run and have plenty of people to help the riders. From an observers view, I was very impressed at the rest stops available. The officers at the various points through the ride were all in superior form. Every one of them I passed was very nice and some of them even said encouraging words as I passed them. It was nice seeing the police officers trying to do their best in protecting the riders. Although I witnessed no rude drivers, I did occasionally have cars pass me. All passed with a good buffer between me and them. I did try to ride more on the right side of the lane to give the driver room to pass more easily. In the beginning of the ride when there was so much congestion amongst the riders, there were a couple of vehicles trying to get through the riders which I thought was a rather insane idea considering the amount of riders packed on the road at the start of the ride. But that was their choice to attempt it just as it was my choice to be on the rode in this ride. I should add that I am rather accustomed to the typical DFW driver attitude. I live in Rockwall County and deal with cars every day of my life on a 2-way highway. There were a handful of riders I observed throughout the ride that really should have been a little more considerate to the cars that were trying to get through the riders. Cyclists don't own the roads any more than the motor vehicle drivers. We all need to learn to be a little more considerate to each other. The last hill of the ride as many of the other reviewers wrote about was a challenge. Wouldn't it have been boring to not have something to push you to your limit? I actually enjoyed pedaling my feet away and pushing my legs to the point of exhaustion to get up that hill. It was a great sense of pride when I reached the top of that hill still pedaling on my bike! The after ride concessions were top notch in my opinion. I have no other bike rides to compare but in my opinion, I think there was ample supply of various food and drinks available for the riders. Of course, I did not walk in the area expecting to be treated and fed like royalty. I am a cyclist, not a god. Bikin Mike and everyone associated with putting on this event.. many thanks for making this a memorable day for my first crack at a ride. I cannot express enough gratitude for all the hard work I know that was done by you and all those that worked the event.

It never ceases to amaze me how shallow and picky some folks can be when the rally doesn't go the exact way they want it. The reviews I am seeing for the Collin Classic show just that. I am seeing all sorts of complaints about parking. I arrived a 7:15 and found a spot with no problem. I don't know what you other folks were doing. 
The biggest tantrum that I'm seeing is the person who harps about not getting a t-shirt and calls the do-rags that I paid for and donated to this event "cheesy" and that he threw away. One bit of advice partner, get pre-registered and this won't be a problem. I spent money getting those do-rags made because I thought it might be a cool thing to have in the packet instead of flyers and pens. So sorry to not have lived up to your expectations. My number is on the do-rag, so call me if you need some consultation for next year's pre-registration...oh, wait...you threw it away.
The roads are not Mike's fault. I posted here on the reviews and forum warning of the chip seal. I do know that alternate routes are in the works. I rode the chip seal and I made it to the finish line. Waxahachie has the same road problems as well as many others. Don't whine about it. 
I stopped at the rest stop outside Celina and 2 others. I saw no problems. 
The post-ride. My good lord, they were handing out free coupons to Chipotle. Don't like the hot dogs? Guess what you can do? I had a strawberry smoothie that suited me just fine.
All in all, I think most folks are looking for perfection based on their personal criteria. I think Mike did a fine job with this ride and the turnout proves it.
Rhett McKeller
Brooke Insurance & Financial Services

Since the was only my 2nd rally (Flower Mound being the first) maybe I do not have a valid point of reference, but I didn't think it was as bad as most. The parking was a bit painful, but trying to cram that many people in that little of real estate? I had to park over by a church and thought my ride over to the start was more than acceptable. As far as T-shirts go, everywhere you read anything about the race it stated that you were not guaranteed a T-shirt on race day. I pre-registered and picked up my packet early. The last thing I wanted after my ride (especially after that*&^! hill) was a hot dog, so I can't comment on that. The PB&J was okay. Hard to screw that up I guess. Had no problem with the rest stops (other than the little girl with the H20 pistol). I loved the ride through Weston, of course I like small towns like that. The police/sheriff presence was awesome. So lots of SAG wagons. 
I do have 2 complaints, however. One, I took a fall on the top of the HILL (still getting use to my clip less pedals) and was bleeding pretty good at the finish. Couldn't find a First Aid station, kit, band-aid, anywhere. Two, that road. Fortunately, I was on my MTB bike so that cushioned some of it. I don't know how those on road bikes handled it.
All in All - Grade B. Will ride again next year. Definitely on MTB bike, unless the routes are changed.

I do not understand the extremely harsh reviews of the Collin Classic that I am seeing this morning. We experienced no rude volunteers. Even the police officers was friendly and encouraging. Parking was not a problem for us, either, and there were several empty spaces around where we were. Chip seal is mostly unavoidable in rural Texas, and just a part of bike rides in North Texas. The website clearly stated before the ride that T-shirts would be available only during pre-registration. We never complain about free food after a ride. The fuel at the rest stops were above and beyond what we usually see - really enjoyed the animal crackers. I do humbly request that a new route be drawn up that keeps us off 380 - it is scary and very dangerous. Even with 380 in the route, we will continue to ride the Collin Classic. It is a tradition. We enjoyed the ride very much!

Great ride, but a little short. I guess the lack of volunteers/traffic control was the reason for eliminating the longer routes. This rally doesn't have to have a 100 miler but should at least have a 100K route minimum. Didn't make any stops, so can't comment on the rest stops other than they were out of the way and did not cause any problems for the flow of non-stop riders. Food and showers afterwards were a plus. Note, a plus, not a requirement, to those who have the nerve to complain about "free food". I just hope next year the traffic smoothes out some of the roads we had to ride on. They were the roughest chip seal that I've ever been one. All in all a good rally but definitely has lost some appeal due to the shorter route as mentioned above.

I understand the primary reason for the loss of the 75 mile and 100 mile route was the potential lack of volunteers. However, maintaining the 75 mile route only adds one rest stop. since the 55 & 40 mile route both had 18-19 miles of very rough chip seal and the extra loop from Celina to Tioga to Gunter is relatively smooth, the extra 20 mile loop for the 75 mile would have been well worth it. Secondly, the last 13 miles of the route included the 30 mile, the 40 mile and the 55 mile routes resulting in very slow 30 milers clogging the last 13 miles. by having a longer 75 mile route, some of the slower 30- and 40 miles would have been cleared out. I understand the addition of the 40 mile route was a welcome addition since for many a 30 mile is too short and 55 may be too long. Not getting tee shirts was kinda cheep. 

This was my first Collin Classic, although I have ridden most of the route in other rallies twice before. I had a great time! I enjoyed visiting with the volunteers and police at the rest stops. Fantastic bunch of folks! The hills were still there, but I was ready for them this time. A fun ride and you bet I'll be back next year!

The ride was very good. Any event of  that magnitude is going to have glitches and things maybe not so perfect. But that is life. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I would hate to have been one that worked this event and see so much griping. The police officers were also very good in my opinion. I only hope they get word some way of a thank you for their great job. Anyhow, sorry to write again. I know you are busy. I am just at loss at what people were complaining about. 

I coordinated rest stop #3 on behalf of the Carrollton Cyclists and I  take offense to the nasty comment regarding the rest stops at the Collin Classic seeming detached and uncaring. Everyone at our rest stop BUSTED THEIR TAILS. Did we run out of ice, powerade, water, or food for you? Nobody is more caring than CYCLISTS like myself who scarified their day of riding to give back. If you got a constructive criticism I'd love to hear it, otherwise shut your pie hole. Teresa Linder

This was my second ride in the Collin Classic, the route is always enjoyable out in the country away from all the sights and sounds of the metro-plex. Riding through the country-side reminds me of bike rides growing up in rural Illinois on an old Schwinn (10) speed with friction shifters, really takes a person back.
The volunteers working each of the (4) stops we hit were all very friendly and helpful with their refreshments, I always feel good after leaving a stop as we head down the open road and this ride was no exception. There was hardly any traffic and all the police officers did a excellent job with traffic control, we all should personally thank them for a job well done.
I was a bit disappointed about the condition of the chip seal section of road we traveled during the 40 mile route, we didn't encounter this "kidney shaking" experience last year that I recall. Bikin Mike or whom ever is in charge of checking out the route should actually "ride it" before deciding to use a specific section of road.
Maybe for next year's ride we could go east in Collin county, I've ridden east of US HWY 75 and there are plenty of "smooth roads" in that part of the county, just a thought. - Thanks Again 

Running the event means I never get to be out on the route. I put the assets in place, design the processes for volunteer operations and then watch the train roll down the tracks. Being able to read the reviews after the ride helps me get a better picture of what happened.
That said, please know that I am reading every review. Keep them coming. We need to know what went right and what went wrong. Many of you know me and have known me for years. I got to know lots of you while I was providing technical support at area rallies. My name and reputation have always stood for first rate and high quality - which is why the events that I have been directing have consistently been the biggest rides in our area.
We regret that anyone had a bad experience at our event - and am sincerely concerned about some of the comments. Our volunteer leadership team and I are already talking about what we are reading and hearing. We plan to get together next Monday evening to talk it over and generate an answer to your observations, complaints and compliments.
Many thanks to the volunteers from PBA, GDB, CCC and the many volunteers who worked hard to put this ride on. Look for a posting/reply from me on Tuesday, June 21.
Bikin' Mike Keel
Event Director/Producer
14th Collin Classic

I rode the 40 mile route with my mountain bike, and boy oh boy was I glad I did. In comparison with a road bike, traversing chip seal on fat tires with a front shock felt much like a cross-country trip in a Cadillac DeVille. At rest stop 2, a rather worn rider asked me how much more chip seal was ahead. I explained to him that IF you have to ask, you probably don't want to know. Ride it hard and fast, at least that way you'll be on it less were my words of wisdom. Our group cheered as the chip seal finally abated. We charged into that last hill with the enthusiasm and conviction that we were going to succeed. I would love to see cookies offered at the rest stops. I remember those delicious pb&j canapés offered in Weston in prior years but alas not this year. I thought the volunteers were friendly and encouraging. I stopped at every rest stop on my route. I do think that the riders were affected by the rough roads and needed to be cajoled more than normal.

Having ridden in many other rallies, big and small, in Texas, California, and Baja California over the past twenty-five years, I can say that Bikin' Mike has actually done an excellent job with the Classic. Just as a point of comparison, over the years I've ridden in some rallies where the 100 mile routes over hilly terrain had just three rest stops- at 25, 50, and 75 miles, and were we ever glad to have them. Next to those rides, the support at modern rallies like the Classic is really above and beyond! The rest stops had lots of snacks and fruit, and the volunteers were friendly, enthusiastic, and helpful. The course was well-marked and the presence of local police at various intersections throughout the course to control traffic in favor of the cyclists is rare and appreciated. Many people's complaints regarding parking, tee-shirts, etc. are common risks associated with larger rallies and just require a little extra planning on the part of the riders to arrive early if they are worried about parking, or to pre-register if they really want t-shirts. And chip-seal is part of the challenge of riding country roads in North Texas, just like poor roads, hills, and wind are in other areas. I would definitely ride the Collin Classic again. 

My first Collin County ride was around 1994 and have only missed one. For all those that are complaining, to bad, nobody forced you to ride today.. Nothing can be done about the chip and seal surface. If you want to complain, take to your voted in state elected reprehensive.. Bike n Mike and crew has done a great service to this ride. I think Mike does just as good as organizing the ride when Collin County Volunteer center organized the ride, Over the years the course as change due to traffic and population explosion in the area. Mike did a great for trying to keep us rider safe from automobile traffic. This should be the number concern for any organize bike rally. Good job Mike and yes I will not shut the quack up. Quack Quack. Quack on and ride. By The wounded duck rider.

I have ridden the Collin Classic several years and this one was the worst. I'm one of those slow riders (avg. 10 miles/hour) that rode the 30 mile route. Everyone of the rest stops ( #1, #5, & #6) ran out of Powerade. Rest stop #1 was also out of bananas by the time I got there. The volunteers were all wonderful, but just ran out of supplies. The roads were the pits. 15 miles of that chip seal was not fun, especially for a more casual rider such as myself. Will give this one another try next year if the routes are changed to eliminate the chip seal.

This was my first Collin Classic, but my eighth 'paid' ride this year so I've got some perspective for my observations. I had high expectations because of its being labeled one of the '100 Best Rides' and it draws around 2,000 riders. I did the 55 mile route. I didn't have any parking problems, but I didn't park at the High School either (I saw the long backup on 75, winged it on an alternate route and lucked out). I only paid $20 instead of $30 (and got a t-shirt) because I registered before May 10 and did the early packet pickup. I didn't stop at any of the rest stops either, but I did hear numerous riders afterwards complaining that they had run out of stuff at the last few rest stops. The volunteers I encountered were friendly, but I'm not going to trash the riders who experienced otherwise. Overall I'll have to give the ride a B-minus at best though. 
First, the good: The spacious indoor air-conditioned facility to cool down after the ride and making the showers available was a much-appreciated plus. The hot dogs, chips, brownies, etc. were OK. After cycling 55 miles and not stopping for rest stops, I'm ready to eat anything. There were some other nice goodies besides the t-shirt thrown into the early packet pickup like discount coupons to Plano Cycling and one of the nicer freebie water bottles I've gotten. And the route does go through some nice countryside. 
Now for the bad. The stretch of chip-seal before Celina was the worst I've ever been on. If I had known it was going to be that bad I might've brought my mountain bike rather than my road bike. A little advance disclosure on that situation, if there were no alternate routes to avoid it, would have been appreciated. Bikin' Mike did announce just before the start that there would be some rough roads, but at that point it was too late to make the appropriate equipment changes (or skip the ride altogether). There was more chip-seal on the last half of the route, but it was not quite as bad. Also, there was an unattended stop light very early on when the riders are still very bunched up that could've been a dangerous situation. I noticed that this was mentioned the previous two years as a complaint too, so I guess the ride organizers don't think it's a problem. I rode the 60 mile Mesquite Rodeo ride the previous week and every single stop sign and stop light on the route was being worked by police (and there were many more intersections than the Collin route had). Mesquite was the only ride of that distance that I didn't have to stop a single time, so perhaps I got a little spoiled. I understand that you have a limited number of police available, but I would have allocated one to this early stoplight for sure and left some of the later ones unmanned. A lesser 'problem' was having the longest route only 55 miles, as all the fast riders caught up to the stragglers of the shorter routes where they come together at the end. Fortunately there was usually plenty of room for everybody to coexist.