Team Bacchetta

Team Bacchetta Member Bio - Kent Polk

Name: Kent Polk
Sex: Male
Age: 55
Location:
 
Riding Background:
My first 10-speed was a Benotto made in Italy with the '68 Mexican Olympics badge plate and decals. Bought it in 1970 from a guy with his arm in a cast after he had crashed on it. Rebuilt it and rode it all over town and it was my first commute bike. Rode it to work on and off for about 12 years.  Started back riding and commuting in '89. Rode all over southern Finland in '92 while working as an R&D consultant for the summer there as my first bicycle tour. Bought a Bridgestone RB-2 in '93, which was a really sweet ride so started doing longer rides.  Damaged both feet in an unrelated accident so couldn't ride until 2003 when I hooked the RB-2 up with electric power assist. Doctors had given up on repairing my feet but this got me back on the road and my feet recovered greatly. Bought a carbon road bike in '04 for my 32-mile round trip daily commute and fun and set up a power-assist trike in '05 for a more practical commute vehicle, which I still use in place of a motor vehicle.  Bought a Bacchetta Corsa in '08 which I rode 12k miles in 16 months, including 60 century rides and my first Ultra race; the HC600. I bought a CA-2 in '09 which I've ridden over 7500 miles in 8 months, including 42 century rides and 3 more ultra races. In '08 my daughter and I rode 3200 miles from Texas to Florida and back unsupported, averaging almost 100 miles a day. In 2009 we did another trip together around east and north Texas. In 2009 I completed my goal of 52 century rides in one year.

How did you get into Recumbents?
They offered a more practical commute vehicle and were easier on my body.

 

What Bacchetta do you ride?
CA-2.0    http://www.bacchettabikes.com/bikes/performance-bikes/carbon-aero-2.0

 

2009 Race results:
HC-600: 4th place overall, solo. http://www.raceacrossoregon.com/hillcountry
TTTT  : 2-man, 1st place with Greg Gross and set the new course record. http://www.tt24tt.com/

 

Personal Best Rides:
90 miles from Helotes to Austin in moderately hilly terrain and traffic in 3 hours and 50 minutes, averaging 23.1 mph on the Corsa
Sebring - 427.8 miles in 24 hours on the CA-2    http://www.bikesebring.org/

Events planned to attend for the rest of 2010:
Sebring 24-hr : 1st place 55 and up, 3rd place overall
HC600: 1st place 2-man recumbent, 2nd place 2-person
RAAM - 4-man with Bent Up Cycles
TTTT - 2-man