 The Rubber Chicken (or Poulet en Caoutchouc) was introduced to LTC in the spring of 2008 by Chris Nelson. Over the years cycling clubs have been very creative in inventing ways to keep their members excited and motivated to ride. One way chosen by many clubs was taking an old Criterium perk the "Prime" (pronounced preem) and implementing them into regular club rides. Now a Prime is a perk paid out to a rider/racer who crosses a defined point during a race 1st. Typically a Prime, paid out in club rides, was some sort of industry swag, like hats, water bottles, t-shirts, power bars etc..Until of course some unusually gifted soul brought the 1st "Rubber Chicken" to his club ride. It was a breakthrough. It was a cycling paradigm shift, and now it's become legendary. Chris didn't need to sell us on the idea, it was a given. It was done, it was implemented. Typically riding your bike around with a rubber chicken dangling from the seatpost would not be attractive to anyone, but when it becomes a Prime, when it becomes a target for the other riders, when it becomes your trophy and your riding companion, it then becomes coveted. Competing for the Rubber Chicken is not required on our club rides. We want our members to have fun riding with us, and that means riding however you like. But, suffice to say, the Chicken is there for the taking, if you see fit (and seem fit). LTC ride participants have an opportunity to compete for the legendary "Rubber Chicken" in three different catagories: A (Blue) - Cat 1234 USAC Certified Racers - or superfast unsanctioned riders to be determined by their ride performance. B (Red) - Cat 5 USAC Certified Racers or club riders who can consistantly average 17-19 mph on the Austin hills C (Green) - All club riders under the 17 mph average. |