The first Tallboy complete bike to be built. (I guess it's really the second if you count the one from the dirt demo.) The Tallboy completes come very well packed from Santa Cruz, like all of their bikes. Here are a few pictures after all the goodies have been pulled from the box.
For Immediate Release: 11-4-09
Contact Mark Eller
IMBA Communications Director
markeller@imba.com
303-545-9011 ext. 115
The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) and the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) recently signed a partnership agreement. The agreement states that IMBA and NICA will work together to cross-promote their efforts and engage the broad cycling community.
"The success of the Northern and Southern California High School Mountain Bike Leagues has been truly remarkable," said IMBA executive director Mike Van Abel. "When I learned about the plan to replicate those successes on a national scale under the NICA banner, I hoped IMBA's club network might become a useful resource," said Van Abel. He noted that the partnership would help expand IMBA's demographic diversity and compliment existing youth programs such as National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day.
NICA executive director Matt Fritzinger said, "We are very pleased to formalize our partnership with IMBA -- the continued growth of high school mountain biking depends on trail access." He added, "Riding bikes is a freedom all youth should enjoy, and parents greatly support their kids riding on trails away from the dangers of traffic. IMBA does an incredible job of working with communities to build and maintain sustainable trail systems that work for all trail users."
* The IMBA/NICA partnership agreement points to several areas where the organizations plan to support each other:
* Seek opportunities for board and staff members to interact, discuss, and develop mutually beneficial opportunities.
* Take advantage of cross-promotional opportunities in print and electronic media and at relevant public events.
* Recognize the IMBA/NICA partnership as we communicate with our respective constituents, corporate supporters and media.
* Work in concert to promote responsible riding practices, sustainable trails and healthy competition for young riders.
* Prepare and update an annual workplan detailing specific activities for collaboration.
More About IMBA and NICA
The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) is a non-profit educational association whose mission is to create, enhance and preserve great trail experiences for mountain bikers worldwide. Since 1988, IMBA has been bringing out the best in mountain biking by encouraging low-impact riding, volunteer trailwork participation, and cooperation among different trail user groups, grassroots advocacy and innovative trail management solutions.
The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) is the National Governing Body for grades 9-12 interscholastic mountain biking. NICA provides leadership, governance and program support to promote the development of Interscholastic Mountain Biking Leagues throughout the United States. Permalink
Posted by Jim on 11/05/09
BAMBOO, YES - WE SAID BAMBOO
So you think you're in the market for something a little different for your hands to hold onto? Well, now we have you covered with some new Bamboo wood, leather and rubber grips from Portland Design Works.
Stephen Meyer started racing on the track four years ago, at age 15, when – conveniently – a track opened up near his home in Ontario, Canada. As the stars would have it, just when Canada turned the spotlight brightly on track cycling, young Meyer siezed the attention of the Canadian Cycling Association, which recruited him to the national team.
With Olympic gold the main focus, Meyer has embraced the training and sacrifice demanded of an Olympic athlete. This fall, in between his studies as a mechanical engineering student at McMaster University, Meyer has attended training camps in Los Angeles and Victoria, British Columbia with the singular goal only to become excellent in the sport of track racing.
Here Meyer reveals a bit about Canada’s track program and what it takes to be a “complete” athlete:
“Canada has definitely taken some enormous steps in improving its track cycling program. This all started with the hiring of the National Track Coach, Richard Wooles, in the summer. He is from Wales, and was a big part of Great Britain’s success on the track. At the 2008 Olympics, they took home seven of the ten gold medals available in track cycling.
Canadian Track Cycling now has a much larger budget for both training and racing. This means that there are National Team camps at least once every month, and we are sending large teams to the last two World Cup events of the season.
The camp in Victoria was dedicated to changing our lifestyle to becoming one of a professional athlete. This including cooking classes, sports psychiatry and psychology, yoga and stretching, sleep and recovery, and anti-doping. Every presentation was delivered by an expert in the field.
The camp in Los Angeles was also a National Team Camp. The goal of this camp was to get in more high quality track training as a team, and to select the riders for the Cali World Cup. We had several new training tools at this camp. The Canadian Cycling Association recently purchased a new electric motorcycle that was used for motor pacing drills. We also had video analysis. We would review every training session, analyze body position, team pursuit exchanges, standing starts and the like. We also had access to physiotherapy and massage throughout the camp.
Canada will be entering a team pursuit at the Cali World Cup for the first time in a few years, but unfortunately, I was not selected for this round. I will be returning to Los Angeles for another camp in late November, where the team for the final World Cup in Beijing will be selected. Having a deep team pursuit squad is very important to a country’s development on the endurance side. Almost all of history’s best endurance track riders came up through a team pursuit program.
About the bike: I received my Focus Izalco Pista a few months ago and it is a beautiful ride. I rode it for the first time on the Forest City Velodrome (my home track) in London, Ontario. It is much lighter than my old aluminum frame, but more importantly, it’s extremely stiff and aerodynamic. The first true test of this bike was at the training camp in L.A. I was devastated when my bike didn’t make it to Los Angeles with me, so I had to use a rental bike for the first day of the camp. When my bike did arrive, I had some pretty surprised teammates. The bike definitely has a “wow” factor that comes with it. After the first drill on the track, I noticed a huge difference compared to my old bike. The Focus is much more responsive and just plain faster at top speed."
Bottom-bracket:FSA Plantinum ISIS Crankset: FSA CK-816 Carbon 49 Track
Frame:Focus Izalco Pista
Handlebars:FSA Wing Pro Road RD255 Pedals:Shimano Ultegra
Saddle: Fizik Arione K:IUM
Seatpost: Focus Carbon Aero Time Trail
Stem:FSA Vision
Tires:Vittoria Corsa Evo Slick
Wheelset: Zipp 900 Tubular Rear, Zipp 404 front Permalink
Posted by Jim on 11/03/09
10 TIPS FROM KENDA TIRES
Here are 10 tips from the crew at Kenda tires designed to provide you with a better ride!
Tip one: Always run tires in the direction that the arrow on the sidewall indicates. Running a tire backwards may gain traction when climbing, but it often sacrifices braking and cornering performance.
Tip two: If you're going to run two different sized tires, we like to recommend running the larger tire in the front and a smaller tire out back. This way you can shave a little weight while still retaining traction and cornering performance up front where it matters most.
Tip three: Sticky compounds are great for traction, cornering bite and posses a slower rebound rate. But they give up a bit in durability to achieve these traits. Super sticky tires work really well, but they should be used by someone who knows the limitations and is willing to replace them. The softer rubber compound simply does not have a long life span and is less resistant to cutting/punctures when compared to harder durometers.
Tip four: If you pinch flat often, check the air in your tires. We would all love to run 20 psi with a tube but it’s probably going to lead to trouble - unless you are riding 'buffed' trails and the obstacles are light.
Tip five: You can also avoid pinch flatting by learning how to ride light and skimming over obstacles rather than slamming into them. Pre-loading is your friend - try to un-weight the bike over gnarly sections, look ahead and pick good lines. Your tires (and wheels) will appreciate it!
Tip six: Check your tire pressure with a gauge before every ride. Yes, we know many of you do the pre-ride ritual of grasping the tire and squeezing to determine the status. While this is quick and convenient, we urge you otherwise. Carry a pump in your car with an accurate gauge so you can easily do this. At home keep a hand held "test" tire pressure gauge. Periodically compare the gauges on your items against the one used by a pro shop. That way you will be able to catch a unit on its way out.
Tip seven: Different trails require different pressures, all the whilst considering your riding style. Higher pressures work better for some trails and for heavy riders. Lighter riders can use lower pressures, although there are always limitations due to rocks, bumps, trail texture and speed.
Tip eight: Adjusting the air pressure in tires is probably one of the most overlooked tuning tips, plus, it's easy and cheap! Many riders pour countless amounts of dollars into their bikes for suspension components, drivetrain items, expensive wheels, etc. but overlook a very simple item like proper tire pressure. If you’re unsure of what pressure to run, start high and air down while on the trail. You'll know when you hit the sweet spot in pressure because your tires will conform to the trail and provide ample grip but will have enough air to ward off pinch flats. We're sticklers for repeat performance, so we keep a journal of what pressures work best in which model tires.
Tip nine: If you're glancing off obstacles chances are your pressure is too high. We've heard some XC racers brag of using upward of 80psi in their set-up! Too much air will take the performance out of your tires and falls outside of many rim manufacturers specs for safety. Conversely, if it's too low the tires will fell like mush and roll off to the side in turns. Plus, denting rims starts to become a concern - especially in rocky conditions. The main point here is performance will suffer at the the extreme ends of the air pressure spectrum, so be aware.
Tip ten: Know the effects and limitations of rim width on tires. Just because you can mount a 2.50 tire on a narrow XC rim, doesn't mean you should or that it will perform well on the trail. Big tires on narrow rims usually cause more side wall squirm, give an unsettling feel while cornering and aren't the best application. Check the rim manufacturer's specs for sizing guidelines.
BONUS Tip: At the risk of sounding like sales pitch, there is no ONE tire. What you gain in traction you give up in speed. It’s a delicate balance that comes down to what is most important to you as a rider. There is no such thing as a “really fast mud tire” (or at least one that approaches semi-slick performance). That is why you should own several tires for various trail conditions.
That about sums it up. If you have specific or further questions, hit us up with an email at bicycle@kendausa.com. Thanks for reading!
A while back, we mentioned that the 39-26t version of the XX crankset fit the Santa Cruz Tallboy just fine, which seemed to surprise a bunch of people, and touched off a quest to see just how many XX cranksets really fit on Santa Cruz carbon fiber frames, in contrast to the original verboten decree on the SC website. Here another piece of the puzzle goes into place.
A big thanks to Garen at Santa Cruz for sending us this photo of the Blur XC Carbon sporting a 42-28t wider stance (SRAM calls it "166mm Q-factor") XX crankset with extra room (though looks like the stainless guard isn't there).
We're still pretty certain a narrower (conventional) 39-26t XX crankset will play perfectly nice with a Blur XC Carbon frame, just as it does the Tallboy, and we have a build hitting the stands soon with exactly that combination, so we'll verify soon. Permalink
Posted by bill on 11/02/09
HALLOWEEN MOUNTAIN BIKE CROSS RACING
While most people get dressed up for Halloween parties, Speedgoat Racer Chrissy Buerkle dressed up for two races as a Jackie O'Lantern the past few weekends. She had a first place finish at the Month of Mud at Moraine State Park despite coming off an injured knee, and some setbacks at the start.
"My knee is starting to finally cooperate with racing again… Last weekend dressed in what my boss referred to as "festive" black and orange Speedgoat attire, I won the Month of Mud race at Moraine. I dropped a chain at the start of the race, gave everyone a 3 min head start and still finished a couple minutes ahead of the 2nd female.
Chrissy had an impressive third-place finish at the Marilla Cross Race in Morgantown, WV over the weekend.
"This past weekend, Jackie O’Lantern appeared at Marilla Cross in Morgantown, WV… finished 3rd in the women's race behind Betsy Shogren, and Traci Rodosta.. My guess is a 'cross bike would’ve been much faster on this course, but it was great workout nonetheless and collectively, I think we crushed the rest of the field"
She managed to podium at a 'cross race on a Mountain bike dressed like a pumpkin! That costume had to be hot, especially with the intensity level at a cross race. Congrats and keep up the good work, Chrissy.
NEW FTC GUIDELINES GOVERNING BLOGS FEATURING PRODUCTS
We thought you should know that the Federal Trade Commission just published new guidelines about - among other things - blogs that feature product endorsements.
That sure caught my attention.
The Guides, which have been around since 1980, have been freshened up to "specify that while decisions will be reached on a case-by-case basis, the post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement. Thus, bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service."
Then I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
See, there's a seedy underbelly to media where some journalists - crappy, amoral journalists for sure (there are many names for these people: swag hags, freebie queens, whores, shills) - but still journalists, who too enthusiastically accept gifts (like bikes and components), giveaways, expensive meals, all-expenses-paid trips and the like in exchange for editorial coverage. If you're a keen reader, you can probably already spot this perversion, aptly called "advertorial." So far it has flown silently under the radar because the FTC has no authority to regulate speech unless it's specifically commercial speech.
The new guidelines surfaced due to a recent spate of bloggers trumpeting the virtues of a product that they were either given or were paid to endorse.
As a rule, Speedgoat does not engage in this distortion of product promotion. In fact, if we see something worthy of review, like SRAM XX for example, we'll gladly pry open the company wallet and plunk down the money in order to assimilate a user experience in the most objective way possible. We hope you've noticed.
Ethics in editorial is becoming an increasingly slippery slope, especially with the financial hemorrhaging of traditional media (whose journalists are getting more "creative" in closing personal budget gaps) and the resulting evolution of social media. Cultivating your trust has been a company goal since day 1 and part of the process has been honest product assessments without any outside influences.
Now for the scary part: the new Guidelines have abolished the safe harbor, "which allowed advertisers to describe unusual results in a testimonial as long as they included a disclaimer such as 'results not typical.'”
So the next time you're in a post-race fog watching infomercials on late-night TV and there's a product that illustrates miraculous abilities to heal road rash and sunburn PLUS get stubborn stains out of your race kit, buyer beware! Permalink
Posted by Chris on 11/01/09
NO TRESPASSING
Almost just in time for Halloween, I saw this sign just off of the trail today.
And right below it . . .
I'm not suggesting that's a hasty grave, but I'm also not going to mess around with the local country club. Permalink
Posted by Chris on 10/31/09
TALLBOYS IN STOCK AND AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE SHIP
It's true. Tallboys are very slowly beginning to arrive in incredibly small batches. To avoid confusion, as specific frames and bikes slowly become available, customers who've pre-ordered a frame or bike with us will be notified that their Tallboy is available. Those with pre-orders will also be given first right of refusal on any frames or bikes that become available one day before we post available bikes here.
Here's an excerpt from the specific notification pre-order customers have received:
Santa Cruz Tallboys are very slowly beginning to arrive here at Speedgoat!
If you're receiving this email, you're pre-ordered a Santa Cruz Tallboy with us. We officially begun to receive very limited quantities of size Large complete bikes, and we wanted to keep you all informed as shipments arrive, and make ourselves available to answer any questions you have about your pre-order or the new Tallboy. If your specific frame or complete bike has become available, you will be personally contacted to allow you the first right of refusal on the frame or bike, before we make it available to the general public. Please note that these frames are coming out of quality control at Santa Cruz in very small batches of only 1-2 per week, and our pre-order list is quite long. We will continue to work quickly and pressure Santa Cruz to deliver each of your frames or bikes as quickly as possible. In addition to notifying each of you personally as your Tallboy frame or bike arrives here, we will also notify you first of any complete bikes or frames that are immediately available for purchase.
So What's Arriving?
Only Large sizes are currently out of production and shipping. We have already received one frame-only, which was already sold. We received one small shipment with two other complete bike shipments on the way to us as of today. Currently Santa Cruz is concentrating on shipping partially assembled complete Tallboys in size Large.
Pre-orders are still being accepted. You will not be billed for your Tallboy until we specifically contact you to verify availability, and pre-ordering is the best way to reserve a frame or bike. We'll also list available Tallboys here starting tomorrow. Stay tuned. Permalink
Posted by Chris on 10/28/09
SANTA CRUZ TALLBOY AND THE SRAM 39-26T XX CRANKSET
Quite a stir we've caused with our last blog post about our XX Tallboy. Yes, it works. Unequivocally. the 39-26t XX crankset installs on a 2010 Santa Cruz Tallboy with room to spare. Santa Cruz contacted us to ask about this today, too, and we confirmed it for them, too. We currently believe the 42-28t may have clearance problems, but it's also possible that original decisions at Santa Cruz that led to their "can't do it" notice were made based on a prototype unicornish 45-30t or whatever XX crankset that was never made (and which I still want), and that Santa Cruz gave up after the try came back "fail." But having done some similar tests with the Blur XC Carbon, we strongly suspected the 39-26t would clear easily, and I'm here to tell you it clears ultramegasuper easily. We'll try the 42-28t when we can, but for now Speedgoat is simply recommending sticking with the 39-26t crankset on the Tallboy, if using the XX group.
It occurs to me now, too, that some of you might've been squinting yourselves blind at that one photo where I happened to catch the clearance between the rings and the chainstay. Here it is all blown up. You could fit a Michael Rasmussen between that 39t and the Tallboy's chainstay.
So we've been riding this Santa Cruz Tallboy since early October, and when it came time to find a test bike for the new SRAM XX, we just couldn't resist. To answer the big question first: the bike is sitting at 25.8lbs complete right now, and we have not yet begun to ultralight. Those are some old "Triple Steel" Candy pedals; that's a regular Thomson post; and those wheels--while pretty much perfect in my humble opinion aren't as light as you'd think (those are the 30mm wide rims, King hubs, good old 14/15 spokes and brass nipples: indestructibility first). In fact, considering can take another pound out of this bike just by switching the tires, I think it's safe to answer the initial "Can you build a Tallboy up under 25lbs?" question in the affirmative. For the small army of you out there who've already put in your pre-order to reserve a frame: yes, you're going to be able to build this bike up to be sub-25lbs if you want.
So about this XX: it's breathtakingly good. If your fingers can generate enough pressure to send a text message, you can grab gears on this group like a pro. Much has been made of the speed and precision of the front shifting, and it's deserved--all true--but that shouldn't completely overshadow the performance rear derailleur and cassette. With tighter spans between gears, shifts are quick, but the precision is also there, and most importantly, XX doesn't seem to care what gear you're requested. Whether you're working the small end of the cassette or jumping up into that massive 36t cog, each shift is consistent and solid.
What's the gearing like? Our Tallboy is set up with the 39-26t, and in a word it's "different." But then again, I'm "different," too, and been riding around on a 42-32t bike and dreaming of a single 36t ring up front. XX has convinced me I can still live with a double, though I'd probably opt for the 42-28t configuration, even given my predilection for 29ers. What is very nice about the 39-26t setup, though, is that even the tight chainline version easily clears the chainstays of this Tallboy with room to spare, and it's also plenty eco-friendly in the clearance department--those aren't my marks on the log. (This is my purple ano bottle cage, though,)
You have to give the win to SRAM in the bar space contest; it just doesn't get any cleaner than that.
The biggest surprise about the XX? The brakes. Their first encounter with a descent was unfortunately neither short, nor dry, and they were 100% silent right out of the box, and powerful. They also just plain felt better than Elixirs.
We've been putting some time into making setup and ride notes on the Tallboy, and we're focused on the geometry of the bike right now. If you have any questions for us, you can reach us at support@speedgoat.com. Permalink
Posted by Jim on 10/28/09
PINK BIKE RAFFLE - LAST CHANCE
This week is your last chance to win this year's Pink Bike. The raffle ends October 31st at midnight EST.
Win this Bike and Help Prevent Breast Cancer
A $10 ticket gives you a chance to win this peerless Lynskey R230, valued at close to $7,000. While you're at it, you will be helping the Breast Cancer Fund continue their work to find and eliminate the causes of breast cancer.
The staff at Lynskey has been hard at work for 2010 refining some of their existing designs and creating some brand new frames based on customer feedback. Cross season hasn't escaped their notice with the new Cooper CX which is also designed as an uber commuter rig for the rest of the year:
The Cooper CX was designed for the rider looking for a multi-use frame that can handle cyclocross racing and pull double duty as a solid commuter. The 3AL/2.5V titanium tubeset has a large diameter bi-axialy ovalized downtube and top tube cable routing to keep mud out of the drivetrain. The rear end has been modifed with the addition of rack and fender mounts on S-bend seat and chainstays that give clearance for 700x32 tires with fenders. With six sizes to choose from, there is a Cooper CX for nearly everyone.
For the long gravel grinders, the daily commute or the weekend cross series, the Cooper CX will soon be the weapon of choice that you keep going to more times than not. Built with adventure in mind, let the Cooper CX take you some place off the beaten path and back again.
Houseblend Cooper CX Features: * Competition-tuned tubeset provides precision handling and excellent stability without sacrificing rider comfort
* Over-sized downtube provides stiff bottom bracket for efficient energy transfer
* Top of toptube cable routing keeps inner triangle clear for shouldering
* Enhanced bottom bracket height for additional clearance
* S-bend chainstays and seatstays allow ample tire, chainring, crankarm and heel clearance
* Rack and Fender mounts come standard
* 130mm rear spacing
* 34.9mm clamp-on front dérailleur
* Toptube shifter cable routing
* 31.6mm seatpost
* 68mm bottom bracket (English)
* 1 1/8" headtube
Get your cross and commuter groove on here. Permalink
Posted by Jim on 10/27/09
READY FOR NIGHT RIDES
Are you noticing the days getting shorter and your ride time being cut back? Think you'd be up for some night rides, but you haven't been able to afford a high-end light system in the past? Well, we might have the perfect special for you.
We have a great special running on the 2009 Princeton Tec Switchback 3 Light just in time for the Fall riding season.
With three LED's and anywhere from 6-50 hours of burn time depending on the setting, this light has you covered. You can find out more information here and save over $170.00 off the regular price.
MURRYSVILLE CYCLOCROSS P/B UPMC SPORTS MEDICINE & FREDDIE FU
By FRED BALDASSARE
A little bit of Flanders in Murrysville
With the Lion of Flanders, and an overcast sky as backdrop, a bit of Belgium invaded Murrysville, Pa. on October 24th as 111 riders competed on a somewhat muddy and technical course in the 2nd Annual Murrysville Cycloscross race.
There was plenty of drama, including Montana Miller's 2nd place in the Catagory 4 race...on a fixie. The high drama, however, was reserved for the elite race.
These guys get it...cross is also about having fun
On paper, it looked like defending champion Steevo Cummings (Indiana Regional Medical Center) might have the upper hand or perhaps Gerry Pflug (Speedgoat/SPK/Salsa), winner of the single speed division of the NUE series. It could also go to former Pro and multiple National Champion Paul Martin (Panther RGF/Felt Bicycles) who is always a danger man, no matter the conditions. Mike Mihalik (Freddie Fu Cycling) was also tipped as favorite given his conditioning, and skill in the muddy stuff, add Joe Ruggery (Freddie Fu Cycling) to the list as well; Joe was coming off of a great road season with consistent wins and podiums in the toughest road races in western Pa., and let's not overlook the extra motivation, given that this was his team's race.
Mike and Steevo shadowed each other for most of the race
It wasn't long after the start before we knew who was in for the fight. Steevo Cummings and Mike Mihalik began to edge a slight gap by the end of lap one. Soon it was clear that one of these two would come away with the win. The two stayed together and traded positions for most of the race until about one-and-a-half to go when Steevo did not respond to Mike's surge on one of the climbs. From that point, Mike was totally focused on opening the gap and he won by almost 25 seconds over runner-up Steevo.
Mike on one of the off camber sections, and on his way to victory
Special thanks to our sponsors, the racers, and to everyone that helped set and take down the course. Permalink
Posted by Wendy on 10/26/09
BOLEN SR. BESTED BY BOLEN JR. AT MURRYSVILLE
Matthew and Mike Bolen
Mike and Matthew Bolen raced in the Murrysvill Cross Race this last weekend and represented Speedgoat in their vibrant orange and black jerseys.
While the senior Mike slipped in with the cat 4 men and completed a noble race, the younger Bolen, Matthew, finished in the money with a second-place podium finish in the jr. men's class. Both of them raced on mountain bikes, no less.
MURRYSVILLE READIES FOR 'CROSS, RACE PART OF PA SERIES
ed. note: Murrysville Cyclocross race promoter and Speegoat-sponsored Freddie Fu racer, Fred Baldassare, has been working on his endurance this week with work days lasting into the haunting hours way past midnight. In the thick of things, he managed to dispatch the below preview in the wee hours of this morning. Whether this "training plan" readies him for Saturday's race or not we'll have to wait until Baldassare - war-torn and battle weary - reports in.
The 2nd annual Murrysville Cyclocross race set for this Saturday (that's tomorrow!) promises to be a battle royale among the elite racers of western Pennsylvania. The field includes the podium finishers from last year plus some of the best racers in cyclocross from Pa., West Virginia, and Ohio.
To heighten competition, this year's race has been selected as a Pennsylvania Series Cyclocross race and the distinction has attracted riders from as far east as Philadelphia. For the second year, UPMC Sports Medicine is the presenting sponsor. In addition, our good friends at Speedgoat have once again been very generous, offering up some very sweet prizes.
So I wake up Saturday morning, help pack up the kids to go hang out at the Y while my wife teaches a spin class, and open the back door to this:
Turns out my image editing software lacks "glisten," but there's snow on the deck and no snow on the trees because what the trees are covered with instead here is ice. Not powerline-crushing mass hysteria ice like we had two years ago, but equally bad for being on the verge for two days straight, and for being so, well, wet.
As many of you deeply appreciate, "real cold" isn't nearly as bad as "pretty cold and raining." Add whatever happens to a human when you get less than five hours of sleep a night for many months, and my condition observing this scene was one of grim concern.
See, it was trail maintenance day. And there was going to be a lot of maintaining to do. In fact, having decided to just double the morning's coffee intake and blindly put one foot in front of the other until I was physically there working, I didn't make it forty feet out of my driveway before downed trees were blocking the road. Those trees cleared, I was warmed up, and nearly awake. I would be the only person crazy enough to be there, but I would be there.
Except that when I reached the day's base of operations, there were a lot of people there. The terrible photo above includes only the blurriest who could manage to squeeze into this hut. It was on.
My group ended up bench cutting the highly bench-cut-resistant snarl of a trail that is Grove run. Anyone unusual enough to routinely read everything I type here may recall this trail from my test of the Niner R.I.P.9, and yes, the tree that doesn't meet the ground is still very much there, and still very much hovering and grinning. In fact, my chainsaw partner came pretty damn close to leaning full weight on it by accident (which would've certainly been educational, in a "physics can kill you" sort of way). But much was accomplished, and here's what was left of me after six hours in the woods:
Good work done, though. A big thanks to Ed at the DCNR and everyone who showed up to suffer together--from the equine posse (some of the toughest women in existence) to the skiers, to the cycling clubs. We're fortunate to all get along pretty well here, and you can attribute some of that to bonding experiences in ugly weather.
But it 'ain't all gloom. It's warmed up. Mike at Santa Cruz hasn't pried this Tallboy from my cold dead hands yet, and Mother Nature could've done worse for a background costume here. And yes, riding the new Tallboy with Edge carbon rims is exactly like eating magic cake that makes you skinny while drinking 50-cent beers that make you brilliant. The only thing that could maybe be better would be adding some SRAM XX (I mean, hypothetically). Permalink
Posted by Wendy on 10/21/09
REGISTER FOR BILL WOODUL RACE MECHANICS CLINIC
ALERT: Registration Closing Soon for 2009 Bill Woodul Race Mechanics Clinic
Slated for December 10-13, 2009 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, the clinic is open to U.S. residents and USA Cycling license holders who have at least two years of bicycle mechanic experience and wish to become USA Cycling-licensed mechanic.
Participants will have the opportunity to receive hands-on experience, network with other mechanics, and learn from bicycling industry experts including frame builders, tool builders, and veterans of past Olympic Games and World Championships.
The first USA Cycling mechanics clinic was put on by Bill Woodul in 1988 as a way to recruit mechanics for his program, and past graduates of the clinic have gone on to work for teams all over the world.
Participation is limited to 50 to ensure one-on-one interaction between instructors and students and space in the clinic is filling up fast. The registration fee is $300 and covers housing at the Olympic Training Center, meals, and learning materials.
IMBA CALLS OUT NY TIMES FOR ANTI-BIKE TONE AND FLAWED LOGIC
This past Friday, the International Mountain Bicycling Association's director of development, Rich Cook, issued an email drawing attention to an article from the October 10 edition of the New York Times titled "Growth in Mountain Biking May Put Western Trails Off Limits."
The implication in the title that the success of the mountain bike industry threatens continued bike access to scenic areas, along with a sympathetic description of a U.S. Forest Service policy taking shape in Region 5 (Montana and Idaho) to someday ban bicycles from landscapes that might be considered for Wilderness designations, negatively suggested that people exploring natural areas on bicycles is a bad thing.
Cook boldly stated that IMBA does not share this view. The message continued with a summary of the efforts and initiatives currently in progress by both IMBA and its local affiliate, the Montana Mountain Bike Alliance.
IMBA also warned that the policies being formulated in Montana could have nationwide implications for all types of forest managers.
Cook concluded with, "It is critical we work together as an industry-wide coalition. Please contact me for more information on IMBA's efforts and how you can help."
MOAB: THE "MOAB X FACTOR"
On paper, and during pre-rides (if you have never raced here before), the course is really not all that bad. Sort of like a big sand box with a bunch of rocks thrown in, one steep climb, a bunch of really short ones and one gradual climb at the end. No problem.
Then throw in temperatures that swing from 75 degrees during the day down to about 35F at night, rocks that seem small but begin to sap your energy, sand that moves to places where it was cleared until it's over three inches deep, long laps, hot sun, dehydration, and dust so bad at night it looks like fog.
The course that looked "easy" now has become both physically and mentally brutal.
I call it the "MOAB X FACTOR."
RACE START Le Mans style running start is always hectic.
Some 400'ish teams start, the gun goes off and the running/pushing starts. Dust is flying everywhere, but I somehow make it around the tree in the middle of a field and start running toward my bike. Seconds before I get on my bike, a racer with blinders on almost runs me over. Guess I should've tried running before this day, but I don't think my leg injury from June would've allowed it.
On the bike, I try to pick my way through all the people as I am at least 75 riders back from the front. I do my best to get my way through without killing myself as I witness two major crashes on the dirt road section before we even hit the trails.
I had it in my head at the start line that I was going to race my own race, not get caught up in the front and try to just maintain a steady heart rate and place. Consistency is good on this course; stay consistent and you'll make the podium. Don't, and you will not.
On the first lap, I clear the entire course clean--and even clear the steep climb (ed. note: not only is the climb steep, the thick blanket of sand instantly drains power for even the strongest riders) on the backside that everybody walks. This would be the only time I clear it.
Holding a heart rate around 150-170 the whole first lap, I roll lap after lap.
DUSK The sun was going down at this point, and my heart rate was starting to go down with my power. I couldn't push too much past 130 on my heart rate monitor and I was only eight hours in. I knew what was happening. The monkey on my back from a few years ago was coming back. The dust was causing my asthma to kick in full force. I was now fighting demons in my head and in my lungs, along with the battle that was going down on the trails.
I would drink some strong coffee to see if that would help.
10:30pm'ish Darkness and cold temperatures are now in full force--along with my asthma. Power is still low, my throat is starting to tighten up and in my head, I'm contemplating pulling the plug but not physically saying it. My pit crews' eyes tell me to keep pedaling.
I take all my asthma meds, an extra jacket and a bandana to cover up my face when the dust gets bad.
I eat some food, drink a can of Coca Cola, and a full cup of strong coffee and sit for 15 minutes. Then my asthma meds kick in--I am a new man. I can breathe.
(In hindsight, this is basically where I lost 3rd place--but this is also where - had I not of stopped - I more then likely would not have made it to the end.)
Also, Ian Leitch from Indy Fab (he was helping a friend, not racing) peeked his head into my tent and said something to the effect of, "You got to keep going, everybody is cracked and keeps stopping. You still got a chance, the race is wide open now."
Those words coming from an experienced/successful 24 hour racer made me believe I still had a good chance at a podium spot.
NIGHT LAPS Laps tend to lengthen compared to the day as people get freaked out about the darkness and what lays just beyond their eyesight. So they brake and kick up a TON of dust. So bad it actually looked like fog.
The bandana saved me not only from the dust, but also helped to keep me warm, and the vision of me wearing it during the race had me thinking that the locals in town would be talking about the skinny dude wearing nickers, spandex and a bandana riding around in the middle of the desert for weeks.
Around 3am, I go flying around three slower riders on the next to last downhill which has a crazy little drop right in the middle of it. I pass them up and try to grab my bottle but somehow go off the jeep trail, into the soft sand and then proceed to go flying. It was quite a crash, but the sand cushioned the blow and I was back on the bike within five seconds.
The three riders I passed looked at me in disbelief as they saw me crash, get up, and then pass them again 20 seconds later. My buddy Gerry once told me that if you don't crash at least once during a race then you probably weren't going fast enough. That was my one and only crash of the race.
NIGHT TURNS TO DAY I must say, the sun coming over the horizon is a beautiful thing to see, especially when you have been on your bike for the past 18 hours.
With it comes warmer temperatures and a feeling of closure knowing the race is soon coming to end and you can finally get that cheeseburger you have been dreaming about since midnight.
At this point in the race, I am sitting somewhere in the top five. I am getting reports that I am close to the guy in front of me and the guy behind is something like 40-50 minutes back.
Soon, I catch the guy in 3rd at the end of one my laps. I am cooked at this point, two more laps to go. I'll grab some food, try to hold it, but I don't have much left in the tank.
TWO LAPS TO GO Somehow the guy in 3rd got past me in the pits and turned out a fast lap, I would come in about eight minutes behind him with one to go.
But now I am getting reports of another rider being somehow only 20 minutes behind me. In a complete panic, I go out with both guns blazing.
ONE LAP TO GO I am not thinking about anything at this point. I just need to clear all these sections that were troubling me due to fatigue. I somehow clear them all, except the steep climb on the backside.
About six miles from the finish, I am flying and catch up to Josh Tostado (who wins at the end). He was two laps up on me at the time. We chat briefly, but I tell him I need to keep rolling fast as I think there is a rider behind me.
I roll on, now only one lap down. Too bad the race wasn't 12 hours longer. NOT.
I would roll about an hour thirty lap. The rider behind me was 30 minutes down--plus one lap. 3rd place was just 16 minutes ahead of me.
28 hours after race start, standing on the podium--4th at 24 Hour Nationals.
I honestly didn't think I would even get a chance to race in Moab after my tibia fracture at Big Bear earlier this year. I also would like to say thank you to all my sponsors, pit crew and family. I truly appreciate your support and for pushing me through the tough times.
Now I can rest (at least for a few days). Permalink
WHEELS MANUFACTURING THEY MAKE DERAILLEUR HANGERS?
Yes, we're still sorting through the thousand or so Interbike photos, and trying to find some more interesting things instead of strictly talking about the high-profile releases.
Wheels Manufacturing makes some of the best quality derailleur hangers out there. Made from a 12 foot length of T-6 6061 aluminum stock which is cut into usable lengths to fit into their machines. Those pieces of stock are then machined into six derailleur hangers.
This is just a sample. They make over 100 different hangers.
Oh and by the way, they make many other parts as well.
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