Fast Mamas

Athletes are hardworking people. They wake up odd hours, train in the cold and rain, torture themselves with the second hand of the clock. They go to work with wet hair and wrinkled pants and half-shaved faces and legs because they had a flat that morning, or their run was feeling so good they decided to go a few miles farther than usual… They break bones and tear ligaments and sprain ankles and bust knees. And whatever else you can say about them, one thing always holds true—serious athletes put in hours (and hours and hours) of training time to be as fast as they are.

Now add to that a few children with interests of their own—the swim meets, the soccer games, the theater practice, and all the precursors, too, the diaper changing and feeding and waking up in the middle of the night. Being a parent is equal to, if not more than, a full-time job. It would seem impossible to be both a mother and a competitive athlete.

But let us introduce you to four women who make it work, just a few of the many “fast mamas” here in Austin.

Missy Ruthven, 43 – triathlete:

Missy, helmswoman of Austin Tri-Cyclist and mother of two, said triathlon first peaked her interest in 1984 when she saw “the infamous” Julie Moss crawl to the finish line of the Hawaii Ironman. A high school track and cross-country runner at the time, Missy went on to run track for the University of Texas in San Antonio for four years. After graduating in 1990, she entered her first tri and loved it, despite dog-paddling through most of the swim. A year later she won her age group in Du Worlds, and in 1995 her and Don’s honeymoon in Cancun was capped by a third-place age-group finish at that year’s Du Worlds. In addition to many other overall wins and a year competing as a pro duathlete, she qualified for Kona at the half-ironman in Panama City, Florida, in 1998, and at Kona placed fourth in her age group, narrowly losing third in a sprint finish. And those are just the highlights of Missy’s race resumé. She concentrates on local races now, and is first-place finisher at many of them.

Missy and Don have lived in Austin for 18 years, and both work full-time at ATC. Their two daughters, Emily and Taylor, are 10 and 13.

Betty Hodges, 44 – cyclist, triathlete:
Betty is another well-known athlete in Austin—at road races and criteriums her name on the roster means you’ve got your work cut out for you if you expect to finish anywhere near the front. But Betty got started only about four years ago. When she quit smoking at 39, a friend suggested she train for a marathon. She did, followed by a few half marathons, then a sprint-triathlon just after her 40th birthday. Her bike split was encouraging, so she began competing in road races, crits, and time trials. This past year she won Cat 3 overall at the Tour of Austin, also setting the fastest female TT time of the day in any category. In 2009, she was training for her first Ironman, but developed a femoral stress fracture that put her on crutches for three months, and sidelined her from running for another three after that. Depending on the time of year, you’ll find Betty, back in good health, out racing at the Driveway or in other cycling events or triathlons nearly every weekend. She races on the Woolly Mammoth team, sponsored by ATC.

Betty has lived in Austin for 30 years and is currently a full-time student of nursing. Her two daughters, Anna and Grace, are 16 and 18.

Maggi Finley, 37 – triathlete
Maggi and her husband Dustin are recent additions to Austin’s triathlon community, moving here from Memphis, Tennessee, in August. Maggi was a cross-country runner in high school, and she and her husband have been racing together in triathlons since 1997. They were members of the Memphis racing team “Los Locos” for 10 years. From the last two years, race highlights for Maggi include winning first overall amateur in the New Orleans 70.3 in 2009 and 2010, second overall amateur at the Memphis in May Triathlon in 2009 and 2010, and second overall amateur at the Buffalo Springs 70.3 in 2010. Maggi won her bike, a Blue carbon fiber TT bike, at Nationals in 2009 with the fastest bike split, and was Tennessee state time trial champion in 2009. She also raced in Kona this year. (On the Saturday ATC ride, just try to hang on to her wheel and see how long you last.)

Maggi is a pediatric occupational therapist. Her daughters Molly, Sophie, and Brigid, are nine, six, and five.

Jen Stewart, 39 - runner:
Jen has lived in Austin since she attended law school at the University of Texas in 1997, moving here from Galveston. “I used to complain about three-mile runs along the seawall,” she says, but when she met runner and future-husband Andy Stewart she decided to impress him by signing up for the NYC marathon. (It worked, we’re guessing.) After that she was hooked, and in her first five years of competing ran two to three marathons a year and most of the races in the Austin Distance Challenge. Jen has completed about 20 marathons. Her last competitive marathon was the California International in 2008, where she came within less than a minute of her personal best from 2003 (3:10). This year will be her fourth stint as a pacer for the Austin Marathon.

Jen works full-time for the Texas Legislative Council as a drafting attorney for the Texas Legislature. Her daughter Maggie is almost five years old.


Scheduling
The biggest challenge, the fast mamas agree, is scheduling. Even for Betty, whose children are older, finding the time to train can be difficult. “I thought I would have no trouble fitting it all in,” Betty says. “Even though my daughters live with their Dad, finding a way to fit in their events as well as my own training and events is a real struggle.” She says when she first started competing, her daughters helped her focus by being her motivation to get up early to train. Many fast mamas squeeze in a workout in the wee hours of the morning or on their lunch breaks.

Missy still makes her workouts a priority, but says that having children has required her to focus on the quality of a workout, and to be more flexible if her plans have to change suddenly. For example, if she has to miss a scheduled workout because of a “kid thing,” like an illness or event or even if her daughters just don’t want Mom to leave right then, Missy finds another time to fit in her training. And since she doesn’t have a whole day free, she makes sure that each workout has a particular goal. “The challenge of triathlon and having a family is that triathlon is three sports,” Missy says. “There’s more training time required, and the races are difficult or even impossible to participate in if you don’t have someone to watch your kids.” She says that given her daughters’ current ages, however, she’s in a good stage now—her work schedule is flexible, and she’s usually able to train while they are at school.

Jen says her daughter Maggie is used to her parents “being stinky.” She says, “When she plays with her toys and is using her imagination the parents in her imaginary scenario will often have gone running or are getting ready to go running. If she asks where Andy or I are in the morning and we ask her to guess she’ll say ‘running.’” Jen has a scheduling advantage that most mothers don’t, in that her own parents have a house directly behind hers, and are often available to watch Maggie. But Jen works for the legislature, so she’s got another big commitment to worry about. “Between January and June of every odd year work takes over my life and I don’t run much,” she says. “Then I spend the next 18 months getting back into shape. The people I run with in the fall of the even-numbered years are not the same people I run with in the fall of the odd years. I get to run with a lot of people that way!”

Maggi and her husband work out early in the morning, take turns watching their daughters, and get babysitters occasionally so they can do a long ride together on the weekend. Before they moved, in addition to working full-time, they were also volunteering—Dustin was coaching a middle school football team, and Maggi their local cross-country team. “I think doing all of this before we started a family just made it a part of our lives and that didn’t change when the girls came along,” Maggi says. “Our schedules always included training, so it wasn’t a matter of fitting it in for us—it’s just a part of who we are.”

Pregnancy
The fast mamas didn’t let pregnancy slow them down (or at least not for long). Most kept training, and some did a few low-intensity races. When Missy was pregnant with her second child, and also resting in an attempt to heal a hip injury, she focused on swimming. “This is when I really learned to love swimming,” Missy says. Jen did strides when she found herself missing sprints, and did a lot of trail-running and runs with friends. In addition to running and swimming, Maggi spent a lot of time on an indoor trainer. “I would have probably killed someone before I delivered if I hadn’t been able to work out during pregnancy, and it surely made for an easier comeback after,” Maggi says.

The future of triathlon?
Plenty of kids are pushed into sports they don’t really enjoy. The fast mamas we’ve profiled seem to take the “find your own path” approach. Missy says her oldest daughter likes yoga and skateboarding, but doesn’t have much interest in triathlon; her youngest likes to bike, and will sometimes bike with Missy when she runs. “But I don’t push them into doing any of the sports,” Missy says. “I just give them opportunities to do them and maybe they will pick them up later.”

Betty’s daughters swim. With a hint of pride, she says that both can swim circles around her. Her youngest daughter recently did the swim leg of a tri relay with her. Her oldest is training for her first triathlon. Similarly, Maggi’s daughters swim, and “are excited about pretty much any activity they can get into.” They did their first tri this fall and won the “cutest kids division.” They also frequently go with Maggi and her husband to races. “They love the adventure of getting up while it’s still dark, eating breakfast in the car, getting as dirty as possible at any venue, dancing at the post race parties, and passing out in the car on the way home.” Maggi shakes her head. “Of course, I’m sure in another year or two this will end and sleep will be more important.”

Maggie Stewart, at five, isn’t training for anything just yet. However, we hear she swims “like a fish.” In another decade or so, no doubt we’ll be seeing all of these kids in the top three (of whatever they decide to do) as much as their moms.

Support
What’s the most important thing for a fast mama, hands down? Having someone around who knows why she’s out there doing what she does. So tell all the tri-moms you know how much you admire them…and then maybe offer some free child-care. We hear they like that.

Special thanks to the “fast mamas” for taking time out of their very busy training schedules to answer these questions.

[Know some fast papas? We want to feature a few stellar tri-dads. Send your nominations to info@austintricyclist.com]

The 12 Things Your Triathlete Wants for Christmas

Since training is just about all your IRON-MAHN (or WOMAHN*, as the case may be) thinks about, it’s hard to give him anything but triathlon gear for Christmas. But what to get? The rosy-cheeked, cheerful fellows at Austin Tri-Cyclist are here to help.

Warm Cycling Wardrobe - because Austin winters are brutal

Avalanches, snow drifts, abominable snowhippies…it’s a dangerous season. But we’ve got all the essentials for cold-weather cycling, including gloves, balaclavas, arm warmers, windbreakers, tights, and shoe covers. Get the right gear and end the kvetching. (Wool socks make good stocking stuffers.)

Tune-up – one less road pizza

Ah, the deathtrap. Your triathlete doesn’t need an MP3 player when his bike already makes as much noise as Waylon Jennings. Get him a tune-up to stop the wailing and to ensure that gears are shifting properly, cables are in good shape, and the frame and components are free of grime. Salt (aka, hard-earned sweat) and road grime on his drivetrain will make his bike wear out faster, and mechanical problems can send him flying down Jester or Big View with nothing to slow him down save the asphalt. A thorough tune-up from ATC is only $40 (winter special price, good until Jan. 15).

Indoor Trainer - because he’s afraid of the dark

In the winter it can be hard to fit in a ride outside. We’ve got Kurt Kinetic, CycleOps, and Blackburn brand trainers in stock. Now he has no excuse. Rainy? Dark? No problem. Using an indoor trainer is also a good way to do structured intervals without having to worry about traffic, hills, or getting chicked.

Gels, Gu, Powerbars – great for stockings

More exciting than candy canes. ‘Nuff said.

Tires – because you’re sick of rescuing his stranded derrière

You don’t want to leave him out there, helpless in his spandex-and-helmet ensemble, but one day you’re going to do it. Before that day comes, consider getting him new tires. We carry puncture-resistant Gatorskins, great for training and commuting, and the GP4000s, good all-around racing and training tires. We also have plenty of pure racing tires in stock like the Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX (320tpi version), one of the fastest tires on the market. Choose what suits him best, but whatever you pick, make sure for your own sake that you get him a flat kit, too.

Total Triathlon Almanac 5 –
because Paula Newby-Fraser says so

Here’s a year-long training companion who’ll never complain about early mornings or stinky running shoes. It’s a logbook and training guide all rolled (compactly) into one, with contributors that include Mark Allen, Thomas Hellriegel, Joy Leutner, Paula Newby-Fraser, and Dave Scott, just to name a few. If your triathlete doesn’t know who these personalities are, we suggest a different resource for him—perhaps a set of encyclopedias.

Timex GPS Watch – a subtle way to tell your loved one to pick up the pace

If he’s slacking, he’ll know. This watch measures pace, speed, and distance, and has a number of other magical data-collecting powers, including a heart rate monitor and software that can be used to download times and routes for training review.

Wetsuits – it’s sink or swim faster

We carry Nineteen, De Soto, Zoot, Rocket Science, and 2XU wetsuits, all 20 percent off in the winter. A wetsuit can make a big difference in swim times, as much as 10 seconds per 100 meters. And though a wetsuit may look funny hanging in his closet next to his suit and khakis, think of all the superheroes who’ve had the same multiple-identity problem. You’ll have to come up with a pseudonym: Seal-Boy? Robo-fish?

ATC Jersey/ Shirt – do it for the dillo

You’re supporting your local tri shop, and really, does it get any more fashionable than this? Just look at those sporty, sunburst colors—the vibrant yellow, the delicate orange. And best of all, the Dillo will strike fear in the hearts of all competitors. They may never be the same. In fact, they might not even make it through bodymarking.

Cycling Shorts - because you’ve seen enough

You know someone who needs these. You’re all too familiar with the contours of his backside through his transparent outerwear. This is more a Christmas present for yourself than for the receiver. (You’ll be able to draft again!) In fact, you don’t even have to give this as a present. Just throw away the old shorts and replace them with the new ones. Sorry man, it was…Santa Claus?

Compression gear – a new kind of fashion

If there’s an event in town, you’ll see the pros out in their full compression duds, said to aid in recovery, improve blood circulation, and reduce muscle vibration. We’ve got all the gear, including compression shirts, pants, and socks.

DZ Nuts Chamois Cream – because you care about the important things

Today’s athletes face many threats, from the rigors of cycling to the hazards of the airport. (See Universal Sports’ tweet of the week, from Dave Zabriskie himself: "Checked in at LAX...tsa really does touch the junk...lucky for me I'm in the junk protection business.") Get your triathlete a little chamois protection. (The packaging won’t let you down. This is a great gift for a triathlete with a sense of humor.)

A gift certificate to Austin Tri Cyclist – because this is way too much decision making

Check out our online store, and click “gift certificate.”



Happy holidays from your local tri shop!

* We only say “he” because that’s easier, and also, more grammatically correct than “their.” Our apologies!

IRONMAN ARIZONA, the Stroobandt Story

[at left, pre-race: Adam Stroobandt, ATC sales manager, and his wife, Rita, schoolteacher and volunteer track coach]

The day is 60-something degrees and rainy. Timo Bracht is leading the first part of the run, head to head with Jordan Rapp, and Chrissie Wellington is riding a flat through her last six miles of the bike course. Age-groupers are strung out behind the pros like a line of plodding ants, most expecting to see the full moon before the finish line. Austin Tri-Cyclist’s fearless Team Stroobandt, husband-and-wife pair Adam and Rita, are just starting their second loop of the bike.

But we can’t begin here. Like any good epic, the Stroobandt story must commence with a tale of adversity. And we’re not just talking about how, in July, Tempe Town Lake’s inflatable dam popped like a toddler’s floatie, nor how, as a result, the race was threatening to start with a breaststroke through the sand. Adam (who’s the type of guy who can roll off the couch, brush the potato chips from his shirt, and run a five-minute mile, but swims like your grandmother wearing ankle weights ) would not be so lucky. The gods in their aero helmets, rolling around on their mighty disc wheels in the sky, were not smiling on our protagonists. Truly, the most difficult part of Ironman Arizona for the Stroobandts was just getting there.


The first malevolent celestial intervention (no doubt that it could be anything but) came in September. Adam was on a training ride, speeding along 360, when a large rock scurried, snarling and vicious, out of the grass and stopped right in front of his wheel. His new Cannondale Supersix lost the ensuing battle, and Adam went head over handlebars into a guardrail. (“The good thing was, it stopped me immediately,” our hero says thoughtfully. “So no road rash.”) Passing motorists were convinced that he was toast, but Adam was still with us, having subluxed his left shoulder, separated his AC joint, and torn a few rotator cuff muscles. The doctor took a serious tone. Six weeks before resuming physical activity, he said, but Adam thought that was great—it just happened to be, to the day, six weeks to the Ironman. The doctor looked at him blankly. “Not recommended,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rita’s training was going well. Former varsity track and cross country runner for UTSA, she had the background to make the training a piece of cake. While Adam was lounging on the couch with the cat and a bottle of aspirin, Rita was doing 80- to 100-mile training rides on her shiny red-and-white P3 Cervélo. She was feeling good. She was ready. A few days before the flight to Arizona, she took her bike to ATC for the final to-do’s—she carefully cleaned and polished the frame and parts herself, had new bar tape put on, and switched her training wheels for a pair of Zipps. Race prep done, she drove the car back home. And she drove the P3, attached to the roof, right through the top of the garage…

Any other mortals would have thrown in the towel right then and there, but the cycling deities had underestimated the Stroobandts. With a busted shoulder and a borrowed bike, they made it to Arizona.

Adam had his first post-accident swim on race day. Not able to fully move his shoulder, he swam 2.4 miles with “the claw.” And as if his swim time wasn’t bad enough, he had the further humiliation of being chicked by Chrissie Wellington. Fortunately, with that he wasn’t alone—at eighth overall, Wellington left behind a wake of wounded masculinity that day. Though he and Rita hadn’t specifically planned on meeting up, Adam slowed his pace on the run to wait for her. Rita caught him at mile 23, and they made a nauseatingly cute couple crossing the finish line together. (Or almost together. Technically, Rita won by a second.)

And there the tale ends. Sorry to disappoint, fellow triathletes, but there’s no real moral, only this: If people tell you you’re crazy to do what you do, at ATC you’re in good company. Come into the shop this week and give Adam a big pat on the shoulder!

(And if you happen to crash your Cervélo into the garage? Well, we know where you can find a new one. All the new 2011 Cervélos are in stock, plus we have a sweet package deal on the 2011 Cannondale Slice. For sales items, check out our clearance page. )

Tour de Gruene

The TOUR de GRUENE was this past weekend. The TdG is one of the biggest and best indiviual and team time trials in Texas. The 2008 record WAS held by none other than Lance Arnstrong. I say "was" because this year a new record was set by Pro Tom Zirbel. Zirbel crushed the 16 mile TT in 32:15 at a blistering 29.8 mph average. What bike was he on to crush the record held by Lance....the 2011 CERVELO P3 with HED Wheels. And when Tom wanted to go fast he went to Austin Tri-Cyclist for his bike. Thanks Tom.

For the women local Austinite Kat Hunter took home the victory and a course record. She tore through the course in 38:46 with a 24.8 average. Bike of choice...Cervelo. TT Consultants - Mott and Austin Tri-Cyclist.

Cervelo now holds the course records! Someone tell Gerard and Phil.

In the 40+ Missy Ruthven held it to win in 39:44, 24.2 average. She was decked out with a Cervelo P4 with the new Shimano Di2. Second on in the 40+ her arch rival Lisa Preeg on a Cervelo P3, maybe its time for the P4 Lisa!

Missy continued her TT dominance in the team time trial and pulled her husband (Don Ruthven) through the course to win the Coed division.




Congrats everyone on a great weekend of racing.

Cannondale Offer

Here's how to enter:
1.Purchase any 2010 or 2011 Cannondale Road Bike between now and November 30th, 2010.
2.Go online or ask your salesperson to go online and fill out the entry form with your contact information. Note: You'll also need contact information for your salesperson too.
3.Submit the form, and we'll contact you if you are one of the first 100 entries or if you're our Team Camp winner.
4.Go ride your new amazing Cannondale Road bike, and pretend you're climbing the Bola del Mundo like Nibali.
5.Follow Liquigaswho and become a fan to stay in touch with our new Liquigas-Cannondale Pro Team.

Special feature on AMY MARSH

Special feature

teamTBB's Kona Girls
September 29th 2010

2010 has been a year of many firsts for American Amy Marsh and I am not just talking about winning firsts. Amy joined teamTBB this year. It is the FIRST time she has trained with a team. It is the FIRST time she has left her hometown of Austin, Tx to train overseas. Her FIRST trip to Asia where she spent some time in Singapore, trained with the team in Krabi, Thailand and in-between that, she popped over and WON IM China – on her FIRST attempt!

Amy admits while she did not quite take to the Asian food scene as much as husband and fellow pro Brandon she did love training in such a focus driven environment.

Leysin, Switzerland training camp was, yes you guessed it; Amy’s FIRST spell in European training. The mountains served Amy well; she picked up a win in IM Lake Placid and more recently romped home for the win in Cedar Point, Ohio in REV 3. There have been numerous other wins dotted in-between that clearly outlines the pedigree of Amy.

We can only wait with anticipation on how she will further improve next year because we all know there is more to come. Until next year though Amy is lining up in Kona with hundreds of other hopefuls. She may not be a top 10 pick, but we believe she is one to watch and may sneak in under the radar!

Amy is presently at home with husband Brandon in Austin. The heat in Austin this time of year is pretty sticky so good for Kona acclimatisation. As the day draws near, lets find out a little more about this mighty Marsh.

10minutes & 10 questions with Amy

ED: Life before triathlon for Amy Marsh was…
AM: I grew up playing every sport imaginable...swimming, tennis, gymnastics, softball (hated it), soccer, skiing, basketball, you name it. Starting in middle school I solely focused on swimming to pursue a swimming scholarship to college.

ED: If you weren’t doing triathlons, what would you be doing?
AM: I would be involved in sport/health fitness somehow either coaching an age-group/masters swim team or doing some type of personal training.

ED: Tell me about Brandon. How do you balance both being pro triathletes and being a husband and wife? – Some may say it is a recipe for disaster ;)
AM: We seem to have a pretty good system worked out between training, racing, and our home life. We both understand each other’s schedule and when we're tired. You know when B is getting cranky or I'm getting cranky, then one of us probably needs to ease up and try to get a bit more sleep etc. It's definitely a team effort.
In a way that is how we came to be on teamTBB. Brandon was coaching me ever since I started triathlon in 2002. After 2008 we decided it might help our racing and relationship if we found a coach for one or both of us. We contacted teamTBB after the 2008 season and the rest as they say is history.
It's great to be able to train, race and travel all over the world with your best friend.

ED: A reoccurring thought/image that gets you out of bed each morning is…
AM: Knowing my competitors are out there training.

ED: This year is your first year training with teamTBB and Brett Sutton. You must have been aware of the tough training regime; did you have any scary thoughts/expectations before meeting up with the team?
AM: Still am scared! Before training with teamTBB I always heard the horror stories about Brett's training and how hard the workouts were. I think I've adapted pretty well and actually look forward to the challenging workouts now.

ED: As a first year student of teamTBB it would be pretty fair to say you have had an awesome year. Wins in China, Lake Placid, Rev 3 among others – have you surprised yourself?
AM: I'm very pleased with how my season has been going this year. Yes, I have surprised myself as well as others I'm sure! Just hope to keep improving year to year.

ED: As one half of the Marsh duo, you come across as the quiet one. But underneath that quiet exterior I sense a fire burning. Does Amy Marsh have newfound confidence?
AM: Just knowing that I'm training with some of the best triathletes in the world and coached by Brett Sutton has given me a bit more confidence this year.

ED: Mental toughness, confidence, belief, your biggest non-physical strength is and why?
AM: Mental toughness is probably my biggest strength. The tougher the conditions the better I do.

ED: Life after your triathlon career, do you and Brandon think about kids?
AM: We would like to race for a few more years professionally and then eventually settle down and start a family.

ED: Kona. It’s just around the corner...how are you feeling and what expectations do you have of yourself?
AM: I'm feeling quite calm right now. This will be my first time racing Kona as a pro so I don't really have any expectations or feel any pressure. I'm pleased with how my season has gone so far and I'm treating Kona just like any other race I have done this year.

Interbike 2010 First Ride: Cannondale CAAD10 | Cyclingnews.com

A cool review about the Caad 10 from Cannondale

Interbike 2010 First Ride: Cannondale CAAD10 | Cyclingnews.com

Burnet Tri-Hard Triathlon

The Burnet Triathlon was this past sunday and as usual it was a good one. Austin Tri-Cyclist had a strong showing with George Schmitz winning the mens division with a dominant swim and held his lead throughout the race. Alex Schaefer was the runner up, but bested the field on the bike going a minute faster than the rest. For the women Keri Rimel lead the race off the bike and was able to cruise home for the victory. Team Stroobandt took home second place in each of their age groups while wwearing the ATC jersey - Congrats.

If you havent done this race before, put it on your calender for next year. Its a fun and challenging 800m swim, 18 mile bike, 5k Run.

An interesting side note: 4 out 5 of the top 5 bike splits were done on a Cervelo TT bike. I'm not saying the bike does all the work, but it certainly helps!

2011 Model Year on Eurobike

2011 Model Year on Eurobike

Zoot Running Shoes

NEW ARRIVALS

The New Zoot Running Shoes have arrived. Zoot has high milage neutral and stability running shoes geared toward your inner triathlete.

Little Sub Trailer Eats

Looking to catch a quick lunch after your ride? Austin Tri-Cyclist has teamed up with The Little Sub Trailer to bring you a heathy menu, but not at those crazy wholefoods prices.

My personal favorite is the gyro.....mmmmm.

Our local vegetarian (Brad) says the hummus is fantastic!

Stop by and get a taste the next time you need your bike worked on.

Here is a quick peak at the menu which is constantly being updated:
BEEF & LAMB GYROS
6 INCH SUB / MULTIGRAIN WRAP / CROISSANT
9 INCH SUB
LUNCH COMBO W/ Soup or Salad
LARGE SALAD / CHEF or PASTA
MEDIUM SALAD /GARDEN, GREEK or PASTA
SMALL SALAD / GARDEN, GREEK or PASTA
BOWL SOUP
CUP SOUP
BAKED POTATO
VEGETARIAN POTATO
BAKED POTATO -- Filled with Soup of the Day
FRUIT SMOOTHIE LG (16 oz)
SM (12 oz)
Pro-biotic Yogurt

Timex goes GPS

The NEW Timex GPS watch is at ATC!

Get pace, speed, distance, and more on your wrist. With industry-leading SiRFstarIII GPS technology and ANT+ compatibility*, Global Trainer records your performance across several dimensions, providing real-time data on a customizable screen.

Product Details
GPS-enabled watch measures pace, speed, distance and more in real-time
SiRFstarIII GPS technology requires no calibration
Measures location with altitude ascent and descent distances and rates
Records up to 100 location waypoints to track back and create routes
Recalls up to fifty custom routes for pace tracking
Six modes of operation including Performance and Multisport Modes

ITS TDF TIME!

July is Tour De France Month, I know we will have the TV set at the shop. Be sure to stop by and catch the action. For the first week of the tour recieve a free ATC waterbottle for all purchases over $75

It should be one of the more interesting tours of late. You have the Contador/Armstrong fued boiling. Vino is back and with Astana. Armstrong has a very strong team built around him. It should proove to be very exciting.

In more local news though IRONMAN TEXAS has been announced. The date has been set for May 21st 2011 in the Woodlands. Reistration is now open, but will likely close before too long.

-Adam

Upcoming Events

May is a busy month for triathlon. Here are some upcoming events at the ATC.

Cervelo E-Ride: May 25th 4-8pm. Test ride the bike of your dreams. Its free also, you can register HERE

Zoot Launch Party! May 28th at 6:30pm. Check out the latest Zoot gear and even have a chance to win the gear.

Also dont forget we have the ATC World Championship Saturday Ride every Saturday leaving the shop at 8:30am. 30 and 50 mile loops of fun in the saddle.

-Adam

Jamis Bikes

Austin Tri-Cyclist has partnered with Jamis Bikes!

Jamis has a strong reputation in the steel and mountain bike world, but are coming on strong in the road and tri department. Jamis also sponsors the pro team Jamis/Colavita cycling team.

To check out the entire Jamis line you can visit JamisBikes.com

BUT here is a sneak preview:

The NEW ATC Commercial

Written and Performed by Emily and Taylor (co-owners of Austin Tri-Cyclist)

Your going swimming but need a wetsuit or you entered a race but don’t have a race bike, Your going for a run but can’t find your running shorts, or the day before a race your bike brakes. I know the best solution to all of these go to Austin Tri-Cyclist (ATC) We are the red building next to Vinny’s across the street from Palmer Event Center on Barton Springs Rd or order something at our website which is austintricyclist.com and we are the #1 triathlon store in the world. Speaking of triathlons I got to go ride my bike. Later.

Cervelo P2

Cervelo P2 (2010) new
Written by: Dan Empfield
Date: Thu Apr 15 2010
FROM: SLOWTWITCH.COM

I often see attributed to me the invention of the first "tri bike." But this company, Cervelo, is the first company to introduce what we, today, recognize as the modern tri bike. I might've developed a geometry used today, but Cervelo was the first to inject serious frame aerodynamics

into a bike that also featured geometry that fit and handled nicely.

Cervelo worked out all its basic problems about a decade ago, when it simplified cable routing in its P2K, and added a chain stay adjustment screw to that bike's rear-entry, horizontal dropouts. Then it wrapped a seat tube around the rear wheel, the first time in the modern era a tri or TT bike has done so. That design is widely copied today. Then came the move to carbon. Since then it's been pretty clear sailing.

In this forward march offering feature upon feature, the P2 was, in a way, a step backward. Cervelo "unwrapped" the rear wheel with this bike—straightening out the seat tube—but, it didn't keep Chrissie Wellington out of the Hawaiian Ironman winner's circle (even if it was on a P2 frame one size too small for her). The P2 was probably the world's second best tri bike when it was introduced and, for some folks, a better bike than the better bike.

What makes the P2 possibly better than the P3? Geometry. No, it's really not any different than the P3 fundamentally, it's just that the P2 has a longer head tube than the P3 in its taller sizes. Today, your best play is to buy the most frame you can underneath you, that is, rather than a smaller frame and a longer, taller stem with spacers underneath, fill up that space with frame material (which is stronger, lighter, more aerodynamic, than stems, spacers, and overtall headset top caps).

For this reason, the P2 is a better bike for you than the P3, if the latter will only fit you with spacers and an upturned stem.
The P2 has been a category beater for years. At $2500 for a complete bike, nothing came close. But this bike isn't priced at $2500 anymore. For 2010, the complete bike price sits at $2800. And why not? It was probably priced too low at $2500. But, other companies now have bikes selling at this price point. The Cannondale Slice 4, Scott Plasma 30, Specialized Transition Comp, and Trek Equinox TTX 9.0, all sell for right at this price. Felt's B12 is priced only slightly above.

Has the rest of the world caught up to the P2? Yes and no. Specwise, the P2 is pretty much an Ultegra bike, and that includes chain and cassette, the biggest variances from Ultegra being the FSA brake calipers and its Gossamer Pro crank and Mega Exo bottom bracket. What's nice about the crank is its bolt pattern: 110mm, with 50x34 chainrings. This is the better option for most triathletes living in most locations.

Cervelo puts a Visiontech aerobar on the P2, with Vision brake levers and pursuit bar. What's bad about Vision is the lack of modularity and length adjustability. What's good about Vision is, if the bar fits you—if the right sized bar (for you) is on the bike—this is a nice, comfortable, ergonomic aerobar.

The P2 comes with boring, but eminently rideable, Shimano R500 wheels, and a Fizik Arione Tri2 saddle. Getting a good tri-specific aftermarket saddle on this bike is a big plus and, as far as the wheels go, boring is good. Sexy is bad, if sexy means a broken spoke at an inopportune time, with no way to run down to the LBS and get a replacement spoke stuck back into your wheel.

The spec on the P2 is superior to that on the Plasma 30 and the Transition Comp, both of those bikes featuring a largely 105 kit with an unimpressive Profile T2+ front end.
Is SRAM Rival a match for Shimano Ultegra? I don't know, but I think SRAM's Force and Rival groups need a few million aggregated consumer miles on them before we'll get a good sense for how it is they line up against Shimano's Ultegra and 105. Two attaboys for SRAM: its pursuit brake levers and bar end shifters. Shimano is still not out with a plug in brake lever (other than Di2) and it's still selling a thumb shifter decades old as its bar end shifter.

That established, neither Trek nor Cannondale is using SRAM's brake levers, and, this is one of the prime reasons for choosing SRAM for timed race bikes.

Finally, it should not go unmentioned that the P2 uses 3T's Funda fork. That's a high end fork on a midrange bike.

So, yes, the world has caught up in this sense: As bike companies aggregate models in and around this $2800 price point, you find other very nice frames—the Slice, the Plasma I, the Transition, the Equinox TTX, an un-bayonetted Felt—built complete. The P2 threads the spec needle a little bit better most others in this price category.

Because the P2 is spec'd with a low-profile Visiontech aerobar, don't let its slightly taller head tubes fool you into thinking this is a relaxed geometry. This is still a long and low bike ready for an aggressive position. If you don't intend to ride your tri bike reasonably forward, and, with a pretty flat back, the P2 may still work for you, but, perhaps a change of aerobar.

Q&A with Pros Brandon and Amy Marsh

Q&A with Triathlon Pros Brandon and Amy Marsh

Amy has recently won IM Wisconsin and IM China and has her eyes set on Kona. Brandon has a plethora of top 10 IM finishes and is getting closer to that elusive #1 placing. Both are available for coaching and advise in the Austin area and beyond.
Brandon and Amy Marsh are two top level triathlon pros that reside in Austin, TX.
You can find out more about them by visiting their blogs.

AMY'S BLOG and BRANDON'S BLOG
TBB

What’s next for Team Marsh?

A: Some training, some racing and some coaching. Same old, same old. My next race is New Orleans on April 18th. I need to redeem myself from last year after having a flat on the bike and spending way too long changing it! I'm not telling you how long it took though...let's just say I was able to beat one other person and that was it!

B: We are also going to another TBB training camp in Switzerland.
Kona?

A: Will be my first time racing as a pro in Kona this year. The last time I raced Kona I was as an age grouper in 2005. After that race, I told everyone that I would never do an Ironman again! Well...it took me 4 years to want to try another one.

B: I keep finishing in 9th...so not yet. It's just another race right...except for that whole World Championship title.

Favorite Triathlon distance?

A: I like them all. And I thought I would never say this but... Ironman is becoming one of my favorite distances.
B: Any of them. I hate it when people think that triathlon is ONLY Ironman. Or that you have not done a FULL triathlon if you have not done an IM.

What Pros do you look up to?

A&B: Matty Reed, he's about 6'5"….The pros who wake up and get their job done...some for different aspects of being a pro. The first that come to mind are Craig Alexander, Andy Potts, and Simon Whitfield as they appear to approach triathlon truly as their profession. And, I really think that they enjoy the racing and training...Simon said he was going to be running around in a Speedo for as long as he could.

Which do you enjoy most Swim, Bike, Run?

A: I like the variety of all 3 disciplines. I came from a swimming background. I spent the first couple of years racing triathlon loving the swim and hating the run. Now a days it's almost the opposite!

B: Even though the bike has kind of been my "weakness", especially according to coach, I like to ride my bike. I like bikes, just about everything about them. Road, mountain, commuter. They are cool. More people should ride their bikes...more.

ATC: Times are tough when a sub 4:40 IM bike split is piss.

Most memorable tri?

A: 2009 Ironman Wisconsin. My first Ironman win and I got to celebrate it with my college buddies who were all there watching.
-My first triathlon Danskin in 2002. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I borrowed my brother’s mountain which was way too big for me. As soon as I finished I went home to find out when the next race was. I was hooked.

B: I have forgotten about more tris than most people have raced. I remember my 1st real one that I wore bike shorts at and chafed like crazy. I remember getting passed by my arch rival at the Temple Triathlon while vomiting on the bike. I remember beating Hunter Kemper at Junior Worlds in 1992. I remember winning my first race overall in 1993 at the TX State championship. Winning CapTex in 2005 was great. I almost lost my wedding ring after 3 months of being married in Ishigaki, Japan...maybe I should have let it go because Courtney Atkinson lost his there and went on to win it like 5 times!!

2010 Goals?

A: Have fun, be consistent, stay healthy and most importantly beat Brandon.

Just how brutal was IM CHINA?

A: One of the toughest races I've ever completed! The wind was nothing that I have ever experienced in a race and the run was HOT. Everyone was suffering out there so just to finish was an accomplishment.

B: Everyone says you suffer during an IM. You just suffer a little more at IM China. 27% DNF rate.

ATC: and I saw Amy was less than a minute behind you. You guys should not do the same races anymore.

ATC: Brandon, Are you scared of being beaten by Amy?

B: I think we all are.

Amy, how bad do you want to beat Brandon?

A: BAD...I want to beat him all the time. I race him in everything that we do...getting ready to go somewhere, eating, etc...Oh, and especially bowling.

Tell me about your new team TBB?

A & B: TBB is an International Triathlon Team coached by Brett Sutton. The team consists of about 24 athletes from around the world. TeamTBB provides the opportunity for us to train and travel with the support of various sponsors. Beyond that, the team is trying to develop a social project so that we are more than "just" athletes.

What is a typical training week?

A: Pretty simple really. Try to do the same thing week in and week out which consists of a long ride, long bike and also some intervals thrown in there. No real secret training like our friend Josh Lee likes to do!

B: People are always looking for secrets. There are none. Be consistent. Finish workouts stronger than you start. It is o.k. to go slow...better than going too fast. I probably swim, bike, and run 6 days each per week. My training now that I am doing it more full time is probably 50-75% higher volume than I did in the past. For the past 3-4 years, I probably averaged 15 hours a week every year...so some higher, some lower, but that is a true average.

Food Diet Tips?

A: Try to eat real foods and limit any processed foods. Also, dark chocolate every night is the key to success.

B: Do NOT listen to what most diet "experts" tell you and just eat real food. Limit your carbs. Ice cream before races...and after too.

ATC: So dark chocolate ice cream is the secret…..

Jackmott…fact or fiction?

A&B: Who's Jackmott?

Austin Tri-Cyclist Group Ride #1

The ATC "World Championships" Saturday ride is the #1 group ride in Austin. Come check it out every Saturday at 8:30am from the shop.

30 and 50 mile rides going on.

See the Austin Statesman article HERE



-Adam

Seguin Blue Norther Race Report

This past Sunday was the infamous Seguin Blue Norther Duathlon. Its a fast 5k- 14mile -5k race.

The Austin Tri-Cyclist crew had a few bets going on how the race would turn out. Here is how it all went down:

The ATC Players:

Dancin Don Ruthven - Strong on the bike...his run was a wild card (luckily he is 46)

George The Boy Schmitz - Fast on the bike and a strong runner (age 21)
Adam Dude Stroobandt - Some may say the best looking of the group

Missy Dominator Ruthven - The nickname says it all.

Ryan Wrongway Tomeny - If he stays on course he is a force to be reckoned with

Tony from Brazil - Our Brazillian up and coming

Rita Dudett Stroobandt - Collegiate runner...doesnt know what a bike is though

Austin from Austin Howell - Whats a duathlon?

The Race:

The first 5K of the Blue Norther is always a fast one. The leaders (Michael Lovato and James Cotter) open it up wit a 5 min mile. Tony from Brazil trys to hang but concedes to let them go. George leads the rest with Wrongway Tomeny then the Dude followed closely by the Dominator and Dancin Don.

On the bike Tony and George are long gone. Wrongway, The Dominator, and myself start off together with Dancin Don close behind. Ryan immediately takes off and puts a 100 yards into me. I slowly start to pull him and manage to catch him and one of the Texas State Tri Team athletes around mile 6 of the bike. I pass with authority, but Ryan keeps me close and after a minute goes for a re-pass. He naturally gives it his all to pass me and makes a fatal flaw....he passes the right turn and goes the WRONGWAY. I give a yell, but he keeps his head down and rides off into the distance. Wrongway Tomeny strikes again.

Looking back I see Dancin Don about a 100 meters back and try to keep him at bay.

The second 5k is rough. Don is close behind but I manage to hold him off and the Dominator who was making up ground quick.

Results:

Missy - Overall Woman

Adam - 1st 25-29 AG

Rita - 1st 25-29 AG

George - 1st 20-24 AG

Tony 1st 30-34 AG

Don - 1st 40-44 AG

Ryan - 3rd 25-29 (somehow managed to get back on course)

ITS A GREAT RACE AND CANT WAIT TIL 2011.

-Adam

ROTHE Fits

ROTHE Training Bike Fits at ATC!

Next to Lactate Threshold Testing, coach Stefan of ROTHE Training is now offering bike fits at Austin Tri-Cyclist, too. If you bought a new bike or don't feel 100% comfortable with your current riding position Stefan can help you. With the experience of 15+ years in competitive cycling, knowledge of related coursework in biomechanics, and a know-how of knee angles, cleat positioning, and aerodynamics, ROTHE Training will evaluate and adjust your position. No matter if you need a fix on your road, TT, cyclocross, or track bike - he can give you the individual fit you need.

To make an appointment email Stefan at info@rothetraining.com

The Seguin Blue Norther Duathlon

This is it people,. The time is drawing nearer. The Seguin Blue Norther is March 14th and the competition is heating up. If you are not familiar the race its a flat and fast course that always brings out a great crowd. Live music and good food is found at the awards ceremony along with the chance to win some raffle goodies.

Dancin' Don Ruthven has even made the claim that none or maybe just a few can possibly beat him on the bike. He is willing to put up a $15 gift certificate to anyone that beats his bike split. It looks like I will be getting a gift certificate.

If you are looking for that fun season kickoff race then check this one out.

WEBSITE: Blue Norther Duathlon

We also have a inter-store challenge on who will be the ATC victor. You can vote on the poll down below. All listed are contenders.

Who will win the ATC Seguin Blue Norther Duathlon Championship????
	Dancin Don Ruthven
	Adam Dude Stroobandt
	Ryan Wrongway Tomeny
	Shawn Shuffy Ullman
	Corey Sub 3 May
	Missy Dominator Ruthven
	George The Boy Schmitz
	Tim TSLAB Terway
	Lil' Annie Stevenson
View Results

Web Poll from Free Website Polls

Tri Team Transport

United and Delta Airlines are charging $175 EACH WAY to bring a bike on board. The cost of traveling to races is increasing and things are starting to get bleak....THAT was until TRI TEAM TRANSPORT came to the rescue (insert superman theme). This great Austin based business will take all the fret and worry of traveling with your loved one (the bike).

Tri Team Transport provides Texas triathletes with secure, cost effective, convenient, and time-crucial transportation service for their bicycles and race gear to destination events within the United States.

They will professionally transport your bicycle and race gear in our secure custom team bike trailer, aiding you in a worry-free and excess luggage-free trip. Your concern should be getting you and your family to the event and let us handle the bike.

Just drop off your bicycle, fully assembled, and exactly the way you would like to have it on race day. We are triathletes ourselves and understand the importance of having your bike set up exactly the way you have trained on it for your big race.

Check it out: TRI TEAM TRANSPORT

Chiropractic Goodness

Yesterday I went to visit a local doctor for some neck and back pain. During some extreme discomfort I saw Dr. Ross Bomben at Performance Health Austin Chiropractic on facebook and said what the hell that is what I need. I need to quit being lazy and get fixed. I deserve to be pain free!
Not having any idea what Dr. Bomben was about I made my appointment and met up with him and his staff. I have been to other chiropractors in the past and felt it worked but it was so-so in the long run. What I really liked about Dr. Bomben was that he was an athlete that understood injuries and wasn’t a doctor that said a big word and added –itis to the end and told you to just stop working out. He asked me lots of questions about what was happening and went over what might be causing the problem. In the end he gave me several good exercises to FIX the problem not just relieve the pain temporarily.
He did the traditional chiro bone cracking and massage and left me feeling GREAT the rest of the day. The rest is really up to me to do what he told me and fix the problem at hand…I wish there was just a magic pill.
In the end I felt he wasn’t trying to sell me appointments but was actually trying to fix me as quick and as cost effectively as possible. So hats off to Dr. Bomben. If you have any problems I would highly recommend checking out his staff.


Website: http://www.phaustin.com/

-Adam

Cronometro TT

So you have been putting in the winter training on the bike and spring is nearing..so what do you do? You do the Cronometro TT and hammer all the lazy winter folks. This is a great early TT, not too long, not too short. PLUS you get to roll down a fancy ramp just like in the tour de france. This is awesome.

The Cronometro

A 18.9km Time Trial at
the J. Lorraine Ghost Town (Manor, TX)

March 13, 2010

WEBSITE: Cronometro.com

12 Miles on a Challenging, Low Traffic Course (All Right Hand Turns) w/ traffic control

Super Cool Start House with ramp and fencing!

Raffle for Gift Certificates and/or Merchandise (Must be present to win.)

Special award to Fastest Male & Female

Professional Announcer

Great Music

Food and Beverages available!

First 100 registered receive a FREE “Ghost Burger”!!!

Free T-Shirts to the first 150 registered

Lots of Ghost Town Fun at the post event Party and Awards Ceremony!!!

Riders can race multiple categories at no additional cost (i.e., Age Group and then Single Speed, etc.)

*Contact Name: Paul Duva
*Contact Phone: 512.750.4633
Contact Email: AustinNats@gmail.com

Spread some love

PLEASE DONATE TO A GOOD CAUSE

WEBSITE: 500 for the Heart

THE CAUSE

“Hope from the Heart” is an annual fund raising event that directly benefits victims of cancer. All of the donations received from you are administered by the Brady Clergy Association and given to people in McCulloch County who are battling cancer. Every dollar you choose to contribute to helping these victims, will help pay for expenses related to their treatments, including wigs, travel expenses, etc.

THE CHALLENGE


I have been offered the challenge, as a contestant of the “Mr. Heart of Texas” competition, of raising money from you to help people suffering from cancer. To honor this challenge, I have committed the next 25 days to covering 500 miles swimming, cycling, and running. My challenge to you is to make these miles VALUABLE! Please donate as much as you can right now to this challenge. Your generosity will be recognized at the culmination of this fund raising event, “Mr. Heart of Texas” competition, February 13, 2010. So please, meet the challenge of helping someone with cancer right now.


*AS A WAY OF THANKING YOU, I WILL GIVE EVERY DONOR A “LIVESTRONG” BRACELET WHOSE $1 WILL GO TO LIVESTRONG.ORG


A little about me...


I am a small business manager and a triathlete. I have been training and competing in triathlons for over 10 years and prefer long distance races. I hope you will help make these 500 of my miles on the road mean something to people who suffer.

-Heath

ATC Saturday Ride

If you havent experienced the ATC Saturday ride just play along.

Its been awhile since I have done the ride due to injury/laziness/etc. but I jumped into the game today. I was hoping for a somewhat relaxed ride since the roadies would be at Copperas Cove Road Race.

We set out from the shop and sure enough I see Pro Triathlete James Cotter ride up on his Cervelo P3...dang it. Followed by Pro Triathlete Jason Mcmillan...dang it...and Pro Triathlete Chris Tremonte , and Pro Triathlete John Kenny...dang it. It was okay though since 4 tri pros just ride at a steady hard pace so its a not so easy draftfest for me. (thank you Pros Brandon and Amy Marsh for not showing up this time).

Two more blocks pass and Super Squadra apprears....things just turned ugly. Dave Wenger(2008 State TT champ and CAT 1 roadie), Phil Wicoff (scary fast CAT 1 Roadie dude) and another guy which I know meant trouble hopped on. It looked like the ease into it ride just turned into the sufferfest known as the ATC Saturday Ride.

The ride consist of a 5 mile warmup and then the turn onto Southwest Parkway which means GO TIME. I had my garmin on so here is a taste of the pace.
(very slight headwind going out)
Mile 1 of SW Parkway 22.9
Mile 4-5 at steady 19.5 up a solid hill
Mile 6,7,8 - 25 MPH, 29 MPH, 25.2 MPH

At this point I am starting to go cross-eyed....

I get dropped and somehow manage to bridge back up only to dropped again on the infamous (more than famous) Reflector Hill.

I catch DCR on the HWY 71 hill and we stroll back to the shop with a group of riders never dropping below 22 mph and hitting a 5 mile stretch never dropping below 27.1 mph.

In a nutshell it was a OUCH day.

If you havent done the ATC Saturday WORLD Championships its a lot of fun and a total painfest that only makes you stronger. I would highly recommend trying it over and over. It can be a bit scary going at it that hard, but it is worth it even if you get dropped a few times and come riding in solo.

See you next saturday at 8:30am!!!


-Adam

Cervelo Test Team

The Cervelo Test Team is gearing up for the 2010 season and below is the rides they will be sporting. Some changes are they are on SRAM Red instead of Shimano Dura Ace. Thor Hushovd will be looking to repeat his win of the green jersey and commented on last year saying that Cavendish is the fastest sprinter, but he is the best sprinter. It should make for a great rivalry and keep things interesting.

Here is the bike candy.

Cannondale Slice 5

Written by: Dan Empfield at Slowtwitch.com

If a company invests a lot of money into the molds that form and shape its carbon frame, a lot of units can emerge from that mold before it's ready for the recycler.

The cheapest way to do this is to make your mold out of resin. A better way is to "carve" the mold out of a billet of aluminum via a CNC machining process. Best yet is to go about that process starting with a stainless steel block of metal; you might get 50,000 units out of such a mold. That's the gold standard.

But, do you want 50,000 units? Will you ever sell that many? Mind, if there are 5 or 6 sizes per model, that's a quarter-million units sold of that model. It's likely you'll be onto the next, new and improved, model before you ever sell that many units.

Regardless of what mold material you use as a bike manufacturer, you'll get a lot of units out of a mold; meanwhile, the pressure's on to sell as many as you can before your industrial designers and engineers show up with the next iteration of the bike for sale.

The later a company is in its product cycle—the longer a mold has been around—the more pressure there is to pay that darned thing off; to get your units out of a mold that's already done its job. Cheaper parts get hung on the frame. Newer, lower-end models featuring the frames popping out of that mold appear for sale. Prices come down.

The enterprising consumer might think about these molds—Kestrel's Airfoil Pro, Cervelo's P2 and P3; the molds that are the basis of Felt's tri bike line; Trek's Equinox TTX; and this, Cannondale's Slice. Just how good are the frames that pop out of these molds? In the case of the Trek, Cervelo and Cannondale, good enough to win grand tours and important professional timed races, and not yesteryear, but,within the past year or two.

So, when these very frames show up, complete, built and ready to ride, for $2000 or thereabouts, that's quite something. That's worth noting.

Last year, frames popping out of the mold featured here went one-two in the Hawaiian Ironman. And, were underneath the riders of the Liquigas Pro Tour team. Plenty of palmares to validate the Slice. So, this bike, which cost $2800 or so last year, is an eyebrow raiser at $2150.

Who does the Slice fit? It's best ridden by those who are slightly longer of leg and shorter in the torso. This, if you ride your tri bikes steep, like I do. If you ride yours on the somewhat shallower side, then your morphology doesn't really matter on this bike, pretty much anybody can ride it.

How does it ride? In truth, this is one of the calmest tri bikes I've ever ridden. And that's because it's got a lot of "trail." It wants to go in a straight line, but not so much so that it's hard to steer while in the aero position. But this 62mm of trail makes it a slight bit of a luggard while out of the saddle, so, just ride it in the aero position. Heck, that's where you're supposed to be anyway.

Let's talk about parts. This bike is spec'd with Profile Design T2+ aerobars. I hate those extensions. But, I love Profile's Cobra extensions. For this reason, you might want to consider a swap of extensions, and this will cost you an extra few bucks.

The FSA Gossamer crank is built around the BB30 standard on this bike. The oversized BB is a Cannondale theme I've appreciated for years now. I rather prefer larger bearings at their traditional English width rather than traditional English diameter bearings placed outboard of the frame.

You also get the nice Fizik Arione Tri 2, with magnesium rails, on this value-priced Slice.

This bike falls into roughly the price category of Felt's B16 and Quintana Roo's Seduza. Cervelo hasn't felt obliged to drop the price of it's all-carbon frame to meet this price category. Indeed, while these other companies are spec'ing Shimano at the 105 level and, on consumables, perhaps even below, Cervelo is sticking to Ultegra on its P2, even with chain and cassette.

This opens the door for Cannondale to scoop up a lot of retail floor space with this bike. Indeed, I was lunching with the owner of a large tri-specific retail establishment just last week, and, while he's a big Cervelo and Felt dealer, he specifically pointed out the Slice 5 as the surprising new hit in his store.

2010 Kickoff Sale

Get Rolling for 2010 with ATC

From January 1st thru the 15th, Austin Tri-Cyclist, has 2 great offers available. Visit us at ATC ONLINE

Great Deal #1

Save on bike tune-ups and get your ride ready for the upcoming season. Enter the code upon checkout and just drop the bike off at the shop before Jan 15th.

Regular Bike Tune-Up - $30 (Save $10) code tuneup

Bike Over Haul - $125 (save $25) code overhaul

These early season maintence work on your bike can save you big later on.

Great Deal #2

Wheels are the biggest upgrades you can give to your bike. Wheels with better bearings and spokes will last longer and stay truer. So we are offering all of our Easton and American Classic Wheels on-line at a special January price

Easton Wheels 25% OFF: code easton

EA90TT

EA90 SLX

Circuits

MORE WHEELS AT ATC ONLINE

American Classic Wheels 20% OFF: code amclassic

Carbon 58

Carbon Disc

Victory 30