# RAAM bicycle race **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 19, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raam-bicycle-race/691172 "2014-06-19T21:20:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raam-bicycle-race/691172/1 "2014-06-19T21:20:22Z")
[Underway right now](http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/rcrank.php?s_N_category_group=1&s_N_Race_ID=1). Kind of caught me napping this year – mostly I follow it to see how the recumbent riders are doing (there are almost always one or two). Pretty brutal, these soloists ride 250+ miles a day just to finish. But it still seems vaguely dishonest to me, that they have these big support crews in two or more vans following them. Anyone else follow this? Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raam-bicycle-race/691172/2 "2014-06-19T21:29:22Z")
Dishonest how? If the rules allow it, it’s honest. Even the ToF allows team cars (with mechanics, spare bikes/wheels and other supplies) on the course If this was a true tour, I can see packing everything on the bike but it’s a race. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raam-bicycle-race/691172/3 "2014-06-19T21:33:08Z")
From the [RAAM](http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/raam2.php?N_webcat_id=22#support) website. > [@](#): > > Each Racer must provide their own support crew and support vehicles. A typical crew is 8-12 people and 2-4 vehicles. It’s the responsibility of the crew to care for the racers by providing **food, clothing, medical care,** bicycle repair, massage, entertainment and directions. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raam-bicycle-race/691172/4 "2014-06-19T21:46:26Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Pretty brutal, these soloists ride 250+ miles a day just to finish. But it still seems vaguely dishonest to me, that they have these big support crews in two or more vans following them. > > Anyone else follow this? Any thoughts? Probably randonneuring is more your thing. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raam-bicycle-race/691172/5 "2014-06-19T23:43:01Z")
The unsupported transAm is on at the moment I believe - [http://www.mountainflyermagazine.com/view.php/trans-am-bike-race.html?fb\_locale=pt\_br](http://www.mountainflyermagazine.com/view.php/trans-am-bike-race.html?fb_locale=pt_br) Being led by Mike Hall, who won last year’s Tour Divide - off road MTB race Canada to Mexico. [http://tourdivide.org/](http://tourdivide.org/) Don’t much see the appeal of a supported trans-am for the amateur - obv great respect to anyone who can tan 250 miles day in day out, but when you look at where un-supported racing is at the moment it seems like a poor relation. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raam-bicycle-race/691172/6 "2014-06-19T23:43:12Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > Probably randonneuring is more your thing. It might be, if I was in any kind of shape. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raam-bicycle-race/691172/7 "2014-06-20T00:28:20Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > It might be, if I was in any kind of shape. Round is a shape. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2014, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raam-bicycle-race/691172/8 "2014-06-20T00:35:21Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Round is a shape. 😃 Recumbent riders, who tend to be a bit older, refer to it as an “aerobelly”. 🙂