Monday, January 26, 2009

Frost Yer Fanny Race Report


FROST YER FANNY

The race morning started like the name indicates...cold.

Prerace:
Preparing for the race, I get on site and start pumping up my front wheel (zipp 808 tubular). Then came one of the worst sounds - PSSSSHHHHH. Front goes flat. F@#K. So there I am without a front wheel. I quickly go around asking people if they have an extra front wheel I can use. My buddy Chris happens to have a Hed Jet 60...its no 808 but it will do. The hed will not pump up and the valve is closed inside the rim, looks like I am racing on about 70 PSI on the front and 130 PSI on the rear, it evens out, right?

RACE:
We line up for the race at 9:10am. George, Ryan, Don, Shawn, Jeff, and I are looking to make things happen. The gun goes off and its a mad dash to the first turn about 100m up the road. George gets to the front and ryan soon pulls up next to him. I stay about 10m back. Don is...well i am not sure what Don is doing at this point. Ryan drops off of george and comes back to run off my shoulder atoundthe 1/2 mile marker. We keep george close, but he has gotten a small lead. Coming into T1 I egde out Ryan and get out quick on the bike. Shawn pulls away from Don on the first run, looking to gain a lead for the bike.

1st Run stats
George - 11:27
Adam - 11:41
Ryan - 11:41.1
Shawn - 13:02
Jeff - 13:12
Don - 14:02

Bike: George at thsi point has taken off, so Ryan and I settle for seeing who is going to take the silver. Ryan passes me like I had my brakes on around mile 4, but I dig deep and keep him close. Don catches Shawn only to be repassed by shawn. Don takes none of this and passes shawn again and begins to build a lead on him.

Bike Stats:

George: 27:05
Ryan: 28:25
Adam: 28:54
Don: 29:24
Shawn: 30:23
Jeff: 29:38

2nd Run

George at this point has 2 minutes on ryan and I. So I play it cool and let him go. Ryan gets out of T2 ahead of me and gets 25 meters ahead. I quickly pull on the oldest tricks in my play book...I yell "WAIT!" Ryan of course is slightly confused and slows slightly and looks back. BOOM the gap closes and I charge past him. Hehe. Shawn and Don are also duking it out, but the big guy has the stride of a gazelle and quickly leaves Don at the mile marker.

2nd Run Stats
George: 11:55
Adam: 12:07
Ryan: 12:41
Shawn: 13:15
Jeff: 13:36
Don: 15:10

Overall:












George
54:01
Adam
54:12
Ryan
54:38
Jeff 57:54
Shawn 58:29
Don 1:01:44

In the "other" race Grant of course won the overall and Missy was 2nd female

-Adam

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Great Tri Bikes - under 2K

The triathlon season is fast approaching, and the 2009 duathlon season is being kicked off this weekend so that means people are looking a fast bike at a low price. I comprised a list of bikes that are aero with great geometry all under $2,000.



Number 1.



FUJI ALOHA 2.0 - $1250








The Fuji Aloha is one of the most popular starter bikes in triathlon. Say "Aloha" to triathlon. This bike gives you the 78 degree seat tube angle found on uber-high end carbon bikes. Along with the short head tube this is the perfect bike for the triathlete that wants to get a fast position. Also if you are a short leg/long torso person this would be perfect for you. Long legs means you will end up with an aggressive and steep fit. I will let you decide if thats good or not.



Features:

Fuji alloy frame with carbon aero seatpost
aero carbon fork
aero tubing on solid geometry
Shimano Tiagra/105 components




Number 2.

Cervelo P1 - $1650




Always thought that Cervelo was only for the rich and fast..well not anymore. Cervelo really stepped it up with its 2009 build. A full vision tech front end, vision aero brakes, and Shimano ultegra SL gives you high end components on the leader in bike aerodynamics. Another plus is the dual seatpost that allows for a steep aggressive rider or a much more slack position. The P1 is also a great low and go fit that mimics it big brother, the P2.


Features:
Cervelo Engineering - the standard in tri bikes
Adjustable seatpost - 74 through 79 degrees
Horizontal Dropouts
Won the 2001 world time trial championships - NOW THATS AMAZING

Number 3.
Argon 18 E-80 - $1995

Looking for something slighty more exotic...then here you are. This bike looks fast and is fast. Argon 18 offers a less aggressive geometry (76 degrees). Argon 18 has put extra care in making the rear triangle of this bike extra stiff which may add some weight, but if you are someone that smashes the gears then that translates to faster splits.

Features:
More relaxed geometry
Carbon fork and rear triangle
Extra rigid rear triangle
Horizontal Dropouts

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Valdora



The valdora aerobar is the cadillac of aerobars. The pads are probably the most comfy I have ever rested my forearms on. To the point you might fall asleep while riding. If you are a long distance triathlete this would definately be a higher end bar worth checking out. The pads also have some give which acts almost like suspension on bumpy terrain. The clamp allows for oversized stems which will make the bar rigid for climbing. We have a set currently on a Cervelo P4 and a Look 596 so come by and check it out.
Weight - 740g

Pros:
- The extension clamp also fits Zipp, Profile Design , and Blackwell extensions.
- Light weight
- SUPER comfortable
- Low profile (if you are a low and go person)

Limitations:
-only comes in a 42cm width
-they are difficut to fit if you ride less than 250mm extensions
- Low profile (if you don't want to be low)


-Adam

Friday, January 16, 2009

Jerseys!

We finally after much waiting and anticipation got in some official ATC cycling jerseys and shorts. Now the full kit is available for you stylish folks. Made from the finest of material at the Canadian super fashion factory, Louis Garneau. I know, I know what some of you are thinking, "Could I possibly be cool enough to wear such a garment?" The answer is: The first step is believing, second step is the get the kit. I guess you could get the kit and then start believing.

Ignore the socks.

-Adam

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Shimano TR-51 Shoe Review

I’ve been wearing Shimano cycling shoes since about 2003. My first 2 pair lasted about 2-2.5 years each. I then bought a pair of Adidas cycling shoes for part of the 2008 season, and they just didn’t work for me. So, I went back to my old Shimano’s for my Ironman training and couldn’t have been happier even though they were past their prime.

Anyway, you aren’t here to read about my cycling shoe history. I just got a pair of the newly updated Shimano TR-51 cycling shoes. These are their “2nd Tier” model in that they are not the heat moldable like the top-of-the-line TR-70. If you don’t go with a custom shoe or even one that has moldable insoles, I would recommend getting either a pair of custom cycling orthotics or a pair of off-the-shelf orthotics to add a little bit of extra support to your cycling shoes. I use custom orthotics made by Elite Feet USA. Off-the-shelf options that work well are SuperFeet, Archmolds, or Sol.













The shoes didn’t disappoint. The carbon sole is super stiff and no energy is wasted on the pedal stroke. The uppers are very comfortable and after only 5-6 rides in the shoes, they fit my feet perfectly. Like the previous models of Shimano’s triathlon shoe, the TR-51 has a single strap that closes towards the bike. This is a bonus so that the strap does not get caught in the cranks while pedaling if the shoe is open at the start or finish of the bike. If you pedal very closely to your crank; however, you might notice some rub marks from the strap. Entry is easy, and it has been re-vamped from the previous models. Lastly, the heel cup is a neoprene/plastic mix so that the heel of the shoe does not get scratched or torn if you ever leave your shoes on the pedals.

All in all, this has to be one of the better tri-specific shoes on the market. If you are in the market for new cycling shoes, you owe it to yourself to check these out. Since a pair of bike shoes can last years, it pays to get a good pair. The carbon sole upgrade over the plastic sole of the TR-31 as well as the different upper, make this a superior shoe. When compared to the top of the line TR-70, you can get the same custom fit with the TR-51 and an off the shelf or custom (if you already have them) orthotic for less.

-Guest Author

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

New for 2009

2009 is here and that means companies are releasing the newest technology. Here are some of the cool things coming in 2009.

Shimano Dura Ace 7900
Shimano Electronic Dura Ace
Cervelo P4
Zipp Vuma Chrono Crankset
Reynolds Element Disc
Fuji D-6 Tri Bike
3T Ventus Aerobar
Campy Record Super 11 Speed