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Essays and Analysis
Essays on a wide array of cycling centric topics from Equality in racing, to unique data Analysis, Interviews with key cycling stakeholders and our Race Director Diaries series that provides an inside look at race organization.
For more information on the TBD Development Grant program please see Grants
Featured
I wanted the UCI to know I was there, and that I thought their exclusionary policies sucked. Bike racing is about tactics, and my chosen tactic for UCI cyclocross was visibility.
The longstanding Tuesday night race series at FBF in Brooklyn needs your help
Some collected thoughts on the 2022 edition of the Harlem Crit from Lucia D, with photos by Daghan Perker
We dive into the latest NYC race registration data to assess the State of post-pandemic Road Racing in the region
New York’s biggest road race is upon us - what does it say about road racing post-COVID?
A hidden gem of grassroots cyclocross racing reminds us of how great local events can be
Corey recounts his massive ride for an important purpose as part of #EverestingForEquity
USA Cycling has made some big changes around upgrade requirements for 2020 - we look through the revisions and offer our first impressions
Shane tackles that most fearsome of bike racing subjects: burnout
A detailed look at 2019 year-to-date data from USA Cycling - where the news is not good for the State of the Sport
Why you should join cyclists of all kinds - racers, cargo bike riders, wheelie-ers, even penny-farthing riders - at the next edition of Critical Mass. It might just be some of the most fun you have ever had on two wheels
As the 2019 race season at Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field comes to a conclusion, Lisa from TBD-MDC reflects on how much of a difference it makes having a women’s field at this very unique race venue.
Our Race Director Diaries series changes gears slightly as long-time New York City based race director weighs in on the lack of diversity in the role
TBD had the opportunity to sit down with one of the few folks to truly innovate the sport of cycling as we know it over the past decade
The CRCA Open Race calendar comes to a conclusion with a day of fast - and longer than expected - day of racing at the Mengoni Grand Prix, reminding us that even when things don’t go to plan they can still be pretty great.
We chatted with LA based Cat 2 road & fixed gear racer, Ginger Boyd, about the very common struggle that Women’s license holders face: finding races that make space for us, while simultaneously shouldering the burden of participation to ensure those races don’t take that space away from us.
We take a first time look at the Hell of Hunterdon, an early spring mass-start and mixed surface ride through New Jersey
TBD’s Matthew Vandivort, who also serves as CRCA Director of Open Racing, gives a behind the scenes look at the Grant’s Tomb Criterium
TBD analyzed 123,000 race registrations from Rasputitsa to analyze its riders and their registration trends over time. Among other things, we learned that when riders start racing gravel, their days on the road are numbered.
Two years later we circle back to our original ‘Demographics of Cycling’ piece and look at the latest data on the abbreviated lifecycle of a NYC bike racer.
Registration is now open for the biggest race in New York City and we have a peak at some of the early registration trends
Wanderings in New York City with the very expensive and very sublime Leica M10 and Leica SL
What happens when two of our favorite races/race organizations overlap on one of the biggest weekends of racing? In 2019 we are about to find out
How do you choose your favorite images amid the thousands of photographs that made their way to the TBD Journal this year? We’re not entirely sure but here is our attempt at our favorite images from the year that was
In a world full of slick custom paint jobs, fancy carbon bits, and vague performance related promises, sometimes the best bikes lack all of those things.
A (not so) brief Q&A with incoming CRCA President Lucia Deng about everything from her introduction to bike racing to her goals as President of one of the country’s oldest and largest cycling clubs
The intersection of gender identity, questioning the humanity of fellow cyclists and USAC’s golden rule
Team rider Steve Rousseau had one of the most eventful races of his life at Lancaster’s Race Avenue Crit. He also witnessed some of the worst treatment of a women’s field in his life.
Looking back at the 2018 edition of the CRCA Grant's Tomb Criterium and all of the hard work that went into the race behind the scenes.
Our State of the Sport Series returns with analysis of registration for the Pennsylvania CX Series
Race registration trends at New York City’s last road race - the Bear Mountain Spring Classic
Assessing the state of women’s racing via the Women’s 4/5 podium in NYC
We sit down with one of the NY-tri state area’s premium junior development programs
The longstanding Tuesday night race series at FBF in Brooklyn needs your help
A detailed look at registration for the 2022 Grant’s Tomb Criterium, how it compares to pre-pandemic editions, and what it suggests about the future of bike racing
Liz reflects on her many years race directing New York City’s biggest criterium
We dive into the latest NYC race registration data to assess the State of post-pandemic Road Racing in the region
New York’s biggest road race is upon us - what does it say about road racing post-COVID?
Looking back at 5 years of USAC racing registration data in New York City - the trends, the challenges, and more
USA Cycling has made some big changes around upgrade requirements for 2020 - we look through the revisions and offer our first impressions
A detailed look at 2019 year-to-date data from USA Cycling - where the news is not good for the State of the Sport
We interview the person responsible for insuring the 12-race Central Park Club Series happened this year: CRCA Vice President of Racing Kevin Hsieh.
Our three part interview and examination of the Reading Radsport Festival comes to a conclusion with a look at the lessons learned by the race directors and photographs from the 2019 edition of the race.
The part two of our interview with Reading Radsport Festival race directors Gabe and Kacey we dive into sponsorship, storytelling, spectators, and sustainability
The State of the Sport on the TBD Journal is changing gears from Red Hook Crit to a possible future formula for USAC racing as part of a multi-part interview with the team behind the Reading Radsport Festival
Our Race Director Diaries series changes gears slightly as long-time New York City based race director weighs in on the lack of diversity in the role
TBD had the opportunity to sit down with one of the few folks to truly innovate the sport of cycling as we know it over the past decade
The CRCA Open Race calendar comes to a conclusion with a day of fast - and longer than expected - day of racing at the Mengoni Grand Prix, reminding us that even when things don’t go to plan they can still be pretty great.
We're excited to announce Castelli Cycling as the title sponsor for the TBD State of the Sport series. This partnership helps us deliver better content, more thorough analysis, and allow important voices and data to be discussed in the cycling community—something that we hope, ultimately, drives positive growth for the sport.
Looking back at a challenging day at the Bear Mountain Classic, for reasons that had nothing to do with the actual racing
An inside look at what it is like for your first race director experience to take place in an all day downpour
Counting down the days until Bear Mountain Classic registration closes while monitoring a significant financial gap
Before signing off from Journal entries to focus on final prep for this weekend’s race, we take one last look at registration trends for the Zach Koop Memorial Crit at Orchard Beach
The CRCA Bear Mountain Classic presents the opportunity for multiple approaches to a bike race. We look at three of them from the 2018 edition.
A detailed look at the budgeting process for one of New York City’s largest cycling events, the upcoming Zach Koop Memorial Criterium at Orchard Beach
We chatted with LA based Cat 2 road & fixed gear racer, Ginger Boyd, about the very common struggle that Women’s license holders face: finding races that make space for us, while simultaneously shouldering the burden of participation to ensure those races don’t take that space away from us.
After a frustrating day interrupts the Grant’s Tomb Criterium afterglow, TBD’s Matthew Vandivort argues that the USAC upgrade system needs to be changed.
The very challenging task of budgeting for the upcoming CRCA Bear Mountain Classic
With just a few days until the 2019 CRCA Grant’s Tomb Criterium we take a look at the people involved behind the scenes
Announcing the To Be Developed Cycling Grant Program
Assessing the state of women’s racing via the Women’s 4/5 podium in NYC
I wanted the UCI to know I was there, and that I thought their exclusionary policies sucked. Bike racing is about tactics, and my chosen tactic for UCI cyclocross was visibility.
The weather looks great, but we would be remiss to talk about hangs at Charm City without acknowledging our friends who won’t be at this race because the UCI has chosen fear and transphobia over true fairness and inclusion.
Some collected thoughts on the 2022 edition of the Harlem Crit from Lucia D, with photos by Daghan Perker
My takeaway from the event is that a lot more people in cycling are supportive of the trans community than are willing to vocally bully people, but, absent any actual action from our sport’s governing body overwhelming support is necessary to drown out the bullies.
TBD is pleased to support NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller as we raise funds for HCBUs.
At a fundamental level, in order for our sport to thrive, we need the infrastructure to support it. That’s why all bike racers should also be safe & complete streets advocates.
An up and down start to the season for TBD-MDC at the Randall’s Island Crit in NYC
An open letter to USA Cycling regarding Arkansas and Cyclocross Worlds
As the 2019 race season at Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field comes to a conclusion, Lisa from TBD-MDC reflects on how much of a difference it makes having a women’s field at this very unique race venue.
An inside look at the Mission Crit in California through the eyes of a first time racer - including all of the excitement as well as the experience of crashing
Our Race Director Diaries series changes gears slightly as long-time New York City based race director weighs in on the lack of diversity in the role
We chatted with LA based Cat 2 road & fixed gear racer, Ginger Boyd, about the very common struggle that Women’s license holders face: finding races that make space for us, while simultaneously shouldering the burden of participation to ensure those races don’t take that space away from us.
After a frustrating day interrupts the Grant’s Tomb Criterium afterglow, TBD’s Matthew Vandivort argues that the USAC upgrade system needs to be changed.
The intersection of gender identity, questioning the humanity of fellow cyclists and USAC’s golden rule
CityMD Women’s Racing recaps a long, hard and fast day on the bike at the CRCA Club Series
Team rider Steve Rousseau had one of the most eventful races of his life at Lancaster’s Race Avenue Crit. He also witnessed some of the worst treatment of a women’s field in his life.
Lucia D is back with a follow-up to here prior article, "Who Cares About Upgrades Anyway?" and it contains good news about changes to the East Coast cyclocross scene.
After catching wind of a vibrant online dialogue we asked local racer and NYSBRA representative Lucia Deng to compile her thoughts on the challenges and fixes associated with cyclocross upgrades for women racing on the East Coast.
Despite its issues the Harlem Skyscraper Classic has too much legacy and is too important to the New York City cycling community to let it fail. It's time to save the Harlem Crit.
Hannah writes about recovering from a bad fall on the bike
Early mornings spent racing can be pretty great. But sometimes not racing is equally great.
Alavaro’s strategy for getting his money's worth out of bike equipment: a dollar a mile
A new year means rebuilding fitness and setting new goals - including newfound focus on a new discipline
Shane tackles that most fearsome of bike racing subjects: burnout
In a sport where the average participant lasts just twelve to twenty four months, Corey looks back at his long ‘career’ as an amateur bike racer and some of the keys to longevity in the sport
Experiencing a serious crash can leave not just physical but emotional scars. Tom writes about how injuries have shaped his approach to and interest level in racing.
We all remember our first bike ride. This is about one of those memories and the joy that can be found from the simple act of riding a bike.
In a world full of slick custom paint jobs, fancy carbon bits, and vague performance related promises, sometimes the best bikes lack all of those things.
Cross Came? Road 2019 is coming? Musings on living in the moment, staying healthy, and having Cycle-Smart style F U N.
TBD's Chris Burati talks about the pitfalls of obsessing over racing and the importance of taking breaks from the sport.
Ryan McGarrity on the Comeback Trail
Cycling and watches have an obvious history and a newly-rejuvenated trend. We spoke to the founders of Bravur Watches, a brand that is setting the bar for cycling-inspired watches.
We sit down with one of the NY-tri state area’s premium junior development programs
We chatted with the folks behind the event to try to get some insider knowledge on how the race came to be, and any pro-tips on the course.
We sat down with NYC luminary, Alex Ostroy, to talk bikes, coaching, and of course, kit design.
We interview the person responsible for insuring the 12-race Central Park Club Series happened this year: CRCA Vice President of Racing Kevin Hsieh.
Our three part interview and examination of the Reading Radsport Festival comes to a conclusion with a look at the lessons learned by the race directors and photographs from the 2019 edition of the race.
The part two of our interview with Reading Radsport Festival race directors Gabe and Kacey we dive into sponsorship, storytelling, spectators, and sustainability
The State of the Sport on the TBD Journal is changing gears from Red Hook Crit to a possible future formula for USAC racing as part of a multi-part interview with the team behind the Reading Radsport Festival
TBD had the opportunity to sit down with one of the few folks to truly innovate the sport of cycling as we know it over the past decade
A (not so) brief Q&A with incoming CRCA President Lucia Deng about everything from her introduction to bike racing to her goals as President of one of the country’s oldest and largest cycling clubs
With Rainey Park Cyclocross this weekend we snagged a few minutes with the man who helps make the race possible, in addition to leading Wednesday night CX practice: Keith Garrison
As we put the finishing touches on our new team identity as To Be Determined earlier this year our friends at Garneau, with whom we have worked with since 2011, asked us if we could summarize our team's backstory. A sort of where we came from and where we are going. Without further adieu, our origin story.
We recently had the chance to sit down with Dan Cleiman, TBD racer and one half of The Rover Cycle Co to talk about the state of play in the mobile bicycle mechanical services business that he launched with Roger Parmelee just over one year ago.
An interview with Zach Koops friend and teammate
Ryan McGarrity on the Comeback Trail
An Interview with the Former CRCA President on the State of Bike Racing in New York City
Interviewing the NYC Fit Specialists
The longstanding Tuesday night race series at FBF in Brooklyn needs your help
A look inside one of the longest running and most unique weekly race series on the East Coast: Fifth Street Cross
We chatted with the folks behind the event to try to get some insider knowledge on how the race came to be, and any pro-tips on the course.
Liz reflects on her many years race directing New York City’s biggest criterium
New York’s biggest road race is upon us - what does it say about road racing post-COVID?
One of the biggest races of the season arrives this week in NYC. We take a look at the registration numbers and offer a few tips for racers.
New York City gets a new bike race, at a new venue with the World’s Fair race at Flushing Meadows Corona Park
We interview the person responsible for insuring the 12-race Central Park Club Series happened this year: CRCA Vice President of Racing Kevin Hsieh.
Our Race Director Diaries series changes gears slightly as long-time New York City based race director weighs in on the lack of diversity in the role
The CRCA Open Race calendar comes to a conclusion with a day of fast - and longer than expected - day of racing at the Mengoni Grand Prix, reminding us that even when things don’t go to plan they can still be pretty great.
A look at what will likely be another record setting day in Central Park
Looking back at the 2019 Dave Jordan Central Park Classic with a simple question that can have different connotations
In our latest Race Director Diaries we take a look at the biggest race of the year in New York City’s Central Park
I was the Race Director for Bear this year, and let me tell you: it’s a hard job, but a job worth doing.
Looking back at a challenging day at the Bear Mountain Classic, for reasons that had nothing to do with the actual racing
An inside look at what it is like for your first race director experience to take place in an all day downpour
Counting down the days until Bear Mountain Classic registration closes while monitoring a significant financial gap
Before signing off from Journal entries to focus on final prep for this weekend’s race, we take one last look at registration trends for the Zach Koop Memorial Crit at Orchard Beach
A look inside registration trends for the Zach Koop Memorial Crit at Orchard Beach
The CRCA Bear Mountain Classic presents the opportunity for multiple approaches to a bike race. We look at three of them from the 2018 edition.
A detailed look at the budgeting process for one of New York City’s largest cycling events, the upcoming Zach Koop Memorial Criterium at Orchard Beach
The very challenging task of budgeting for the upcoming CRCA Bear Mountain Classic
TBD’s Matthew Vandivort, who also serves as CRCA Director of Open Racing, gives a behind the scenes look at the Grant’s Tomb Criterium
With just a few days until the 2019 CRCA Grant’s Tomb Criterium we take a look at the people involved behind the scenes
In our latest Race Director Diaries journal entry we’re taking an updated look at Grant’s Tomb Criterium registration
Registration is now open for the biggest race in New York City and we have a peak at some of the early registration trends
Looking back at the 2018 edition of the CRCA Grant's Tomb Criterium and all of the hard work that went into the race behind the scenes.
All Essays and Analysis
See all Essays on the To Be Determined Journal
We joined a community meeting with the Pallisades Parks Conservancy to discuss important issues for cyclists
Our State of the Sport Series returns with analysis of registration for the Pennsylvania CX Series
Welcome to the new look To Be Determined Journal
Welcome to the TBD Newsletter: Fall 2024 Edition
We’re pleased to announce the first round of TBD Cycling Grant recipients
A look back at one of our favorite CX races: HPCX in New Jersey
The To Be Developed (TBD) Cycling Grant application for 2024 is now live
TBD Community Rides continue in August with a special 'surf check’ route this Sunday
A beautiful morning of racing and riding in Central Park
Get an introduction to New York City bike racing at this weekend’s CRCA race in Central Park
A look back at the first TBD Community Ride of the summer
Announcing a series of TBD Community Rides!
We’re selling bidons with 100% of the proceeds going to the To Be Developed (TBD) Grant Program
The 2nd Annual Neutral Ground at ACME Katonah is coming up
Race registration trends at New York City’s last road race - the Bear Mountain Spring Classic
Announcing the To Be Developed Cycling Grant Program
Assessing the state of women’s racing via the Women’s 4/5 podium in NYC
We sit down with one of the NY-tri state area’s premium junior development programs
I wanted the UCI to know I was there, and that I thought their exclusionary policies sucked. Bike racing is about tactics, and my chosen tactic for UCI cyclocross was visibility.
To Be Determined is sponsoring FBF on July 11th - including FREE registration for the Women’s field!
The TBD x TDF x Castelli fantasy competition is back, with prizes!
The longstanding Tuesday night race series at FBF in Brooklyn needs your help
Friend of the team, ACME Bicycle Co, is hosting a three day bike festival in Katonah, NY in May
Hannah writes about recovering from a bad fall on the bike
The C&O Tow Path was created to bypass Great Falls and now exists as a recreational trail. You’ll find the canal teaming with geese, ducks, and turtles with the occasional muskrat or heron.
A new tradition is born with the first annual NYC Flanno Run in DUMBO.
Looking back at the past year on the TBD Journal with some of our favorite posts
Our State of the Sport Series returns with analysis of registration for the Pennsylvania CX Series