The Argyll Velodrome was the scene of what can best be described as the razor edge between chaos and controlled anarchy. Annually this mayhem that is the bike fit night, takes place to usher in the new LAMP season . With forty-five participants vying for their road and track bikes for the season, it may have appeared from an outsider that the scene was akin to a train wreck. From an insiders view it wasn't much different.
Kids ranging from less than four feet to almost six feet, showed up with keen interest to see what shinny race ready bike they would get. Bikes with storied brands like Masi, Cannondale, Fuji, Schwinn, and Louis Garneau, were sorted, recorded, and assigned the night before according to rider height. Thanks to the LAMP coaches the bikes were brought out of storage, inspected, repaired if needed, sorted, and labeled. By Tuesday night each rider was then given his or her bike for the year.
By the time all was said and done, the clubhouse, which was once filled with kids, parents, coaches, and bikes, was as quiet as Britney Spears' dietician. What remained was the feeling of a job well done, a few lone bottle cages and a couple of unassigned bikes.
See you again next year.