I'm a little behind on the blogs, but it's not like anybody else is helping out here.
Last week the 3 day Jingle Cross Cyclocross spectacular was my first UCI Elite level race. This year I paid an extra $90 to get my UCI license so I can do races where I'll get my butt kicked really badly.
How did it go? I guess as expected. Never before have I gotten my ass kicked so thouroghly and yet felt so good about the races.
All the Chitown support, my team helping out in the pit crew, I really felt like a PRO.
Michael Young said it best when he said, "this is a nightmare of a race brother, It is a small field and everyone out there is seriously fast."
It was an honor line up with guys who competed in the Olympics, were former MTB and Xterra World Champions, and represented the USA at the CX World Championships the last few years.
On the second day, I got a second row call up and they announced my name after all the big shots with UCI points. I even got called up ahead of the legendary Ned Overend. Haha old man, learn to be faster with your computer when registration opens up next time.
On day 3 I even rode on Ned's wheel for the first 1/2 lap. next time I'm just going to sit there and let him pull me to the front :-o
On day one I won $19, day two I took $3 in hand ups, and day 3 I took 2 or 3 beer hand ups (supposedly one of only 2 elite racers to take the beer. In the SS division everyone took a beer :) )
Even though you can't tell by my results, I felt like I was doing things at a higher level than ever before. Hopefully it will carry over to Montrose.
In conclusion, is it worth it to put in all the hard work to get to this level even if you are going to just get your ass kicked? For me I would have to say heck yes it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnI3Nd352Kw
Monday, December 7, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
It's been a long time...
Photo by Chris. Tim is so fast, the little girl in the back ground can't believe it.Did I ever mention cyclocross is fun? I am having a blast racing this year. Xterra was fun during the summer, but that was more of an individual thing. Cyclocross is so awesome because you don’t have to travel very far and you can race with all your friends. The team support from Iron Cycles has been fantastic. Best season ever.
The race promoters designed another challenging and fun course at the Indian Hills Golf Course. To add to the fun, the prize purse was the largest and deepest in Chi Cross history.
Iron Cycles wasn’t operating at full strength because Derrick was on an off week (he still came out to cheer rocking a Mohawk), Sofia hosted a party and partied too much the night before, and Brandon and Matt had to hold it down at the shop.
Larson and I started the day off in the 30+ race. I overcame a second to last row start and an early crash into a down rider in the sand pit to latch onto the first chase group with Walid, Gatto, Heck, and Whipple. I attacked early on the last lap and held off the chase to take 7th and felt that was a successful race.
Next, Chip held it down in the cat 3 race beating more people than he usually beats. It looks like he won’t be our sole representative in the cat 3’s next week because Larson and Brandon are applying for their upgrade soon.
In the Ladies 4 race Katie had her best finish of the season in 8th and solidified her spot in the top 10 in the series.
In the 1/2/3 race, in what was possibly the biggest and most competitive 1/2/3 race in Chicross history, Tim took the fourth place spot for the second week in a row. I overcame a couple crashes and moved up into the top 20, finishing 14th overall. Tim is now solidly in 3rd place in the series and it looks like he is only getting better.
Russ looked like the strongest rider in the 4a race, but he was undermined by a crash and a mechanical. He ended up 4th when he was outsprinted by a mountain biker (c’mon Russ) and Larson had his best race of the season and held down the 13th place spot in Matt Daniel’s absence.
Katie raced again in the 4b race and beat more boys than she did last week.
Matt, Katie, RUSS, Tim and I took advantage of the deep payouts and brought home some prize money. Everyone looks like they are getting stronger as we head into the last few races of the season.
The next day Russ, Michael Young (XXX Racing) and I headed up to Janesville for a WCA CX race. On a mountain bike type course Russ took second in the cat 4 race and I took second in the 30+ race.
It’s been a long time since I actually had a profitable weekend racing my bike. I took home prize money that exceeded my entry fee in every race I did. Unfortunately it doesn’t even cover half of the cost of the new Dugast Ryno’s I bought this week. Oh well, that’s bike racing. We really just do it because it’s fun.
The race promoters designed another challenging and fun course at the Indian Hills Golf Course. To add to the fun, the prize purse was the largest and deepest in Chi Cross history.
Iron Cycles wasn’t operating at full strength because Derrick was on an off week (he still came out to cheer rocking a Mohawk), Sofia hosted a party and partied too much the night before, and Brandon and Matt had to hold it down at the shop.
Larson and I started the day off in the 30+ race. I overcame a second to last row start and an early crash into a down rider in the sand pit to latch onto the first chase group with Walid, Gatto, Heck, and Whipple. I attacked early on the last lap and held off the chase to take 7th and felt that was a successful race.
Next, Chip held it down in the cat 3 race beating more people than he usually beats. It looks like he won’t be our sole representative in the cat 3’s next week because Larson and Brandon are applying for their upgrade soon.
In the Ladies 4 race Katie had her best finish of the season in 8th and solidified her spot in the top 10 in the series.
In the 1/2/3 race, in what was possibly the biggest and most competitive 1/2/3 race in Chicross history, Tim took the fourth place spot for the second week in a row. I overcame a couple crashes and moved up into the top 20, finishing 14th overall. Tim is now solidly in 3rd place in the series and it looks like he is only getting better.
Russ looked like the strongest rider in the 4a race, but he was undermined by a crash and a mechanical. He ended up 4th when he was outsprinted by a mountain biker (c’mon Russ) and Larson had his best race of the season and held down the 13th place spot in Matt Daniel’s absence.
Katie raced again in the 4b race and beat more boys than she did last week.
Matt, Katie, RUSS, Tim and I took advantage of the deep payouts and brought home some prize money. Everyone looks like they are getting stronger as we head into the last few races of the season.
The next day Russ, Michael Young (XXX Racing) and I headed up to Janesville for a WCA CX race. On a mountain bike type course Russ took second in the cat 4 race and I took second in the 30+ race.
It’s been a long time since I actually had a profitable weekend racing my bike. I took home prize money that exceeded my entry fee in every race I did. Unfortunately it doesn’t even cover half of the cost of the new Dugast Ryno’s I bought this week. Oh well, that’s bike racing. We really just do it because it’s fun.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Iron Cycles rider of the week - Tim Yuska
I nominate Tim the IC rider of the week for the Northbrook race. Tim has been killing it all year and he pulled out his best finish ever in the 1/2's with a 4th place finish. This makes him the number 3 ranked rider in the Chicross series.
I remember when I used to beat him all the time, now he's at a higher level and one of the best cyclocrossers in the Chicagoland area.
Tim got Iron Cycles a little press, prominently featured in a bunch of pictures in the following article:
Maybe Tim will write a race report. (hint, hint)
In other race related news, I just have to say Chi Cross rocks and I think this was a really fun course. Before the race I read on the chicrosscup web site how they were going to change the course and they had all these rules we had to follow regarding our behaviour. I thought this would be a really lame venue, but I couldn't have been more wrong.
The course was challenging with a good mix of off camber turns and open power sections and the fans were just as rowdy as ever. Everywhere on the course I could hear someone cheering my name. That keeps me motivated because then I know I can't soft pedal and look weak anywhere on the course.
My favorite moments of the day:
1) Spectacular crashes in the sandpit. Luckily the sand was soft and I don't think anyone hurt themselves too bad.
2) The little Half Acre dude trying to get up the hill in the junior race. He was so persistent, he wouldn't let the hill defeat him.
Liz took a great series of pictures here titled Determination:
3) In the 4b race, in the battle for last finisher of the day, the race came down to racer number 441 (Rodrigo?) and Flannel Mike (a.k.a. BC) riding wheel to wheel. At the sand pit the crowd was so loud cheering them on to the finish, it was insane. Glory is not just for the victors. A great finish to a great day.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Iron Cycles rider of the week - Russ Kuryk
I'm anointing Russ the Iron Cycles rider of the week. Ever since I convinced Russ to buy a cyclocross bike earlier this year, I've never seen anyone pursue the sport so passionately. I took him under my wing and taught him everything he knows :-) This week he took his first win in dominating fashion in epic conditions. Here is his race report:
Tim Yuska
Warm up
There was a pretty slippery and muddy section right after the woods that I could not ride and had to dismount to get though. I was not happy. I think I pre-rode that section about ten times to gain enough confidence where I wouldn’t have to get off my bike. I was still not comfortable. I managed to pre-ride 2 more laps prior to Men's 1/2/3 race.
On to the race. The whistle fired and the race went on. About five or six riders charged to the front and I tried to stay behind them. I think it was the $20 prime for the winner of the first lap that caused such furiousness. Then I don’t know how but I managed to pass one rider at a time. After the first lap I passed the last two riders and I was in the lead. Apparently I tried too hard because towards the end of the second lap someone yelled out to relax because I had over 10 second lead. I couldn’t believe it. I kept telling myself to take it easy and slow down so I wouldn't fall or do something silly. Which has been the case in the past where I was in the lead. This time the mud was on my side.
On the final lap I started lapping other riders. Right before the slippery climb I dropped my chain, not sure how, but managed to get on the bike and without running up the climb. I passed some more along the way, said “Hi” to super girl, and on to the finish. Then I watched the officials while they flipped the lap counter. I won? Really? I still couldn't believe it.
Russ Kuryk
Photo by Nikki Cyp
Russ
First Win...
So, I have never won a race in my life, ever. This bewilderment totally took me by a surprise. Especially from being sore all week and missing on training. Could it be because it was the Halloween weekend and my competition partied the night before? I guess I will find out next week.
It was a fairly chilly day with some sun rays. The course was the first muddy course at the Chicago Cyclocross Cup (CCC) series this year. It included fairly challenging climbs and a bunch of technical sections with somewhat sharp rocks, 2x4’s in the ground, single track in the woods, and mud dips.
Tim YuskaPhoto by Liz Farina Markel, Tipping Point Photography, Chicago, ILhttp://www.tippingpointphoto.com/
Warm up
This was my first time racing in the mud. During the first lap I went slow because I didn’t want to get myself or my bike dirty. The second lap was a bit faster but still fairly slow as I tried to learn the course. I still couldn’t believe I was getting dirty before my actual race. A thought kept coming up, “What if my bike gets too muddy and something will go wrong in my actual race?“ But I kept pre-riding. At one point Scott McLaughlin from SRAM passed me. I tried to keep up but no avail.
There was a pretty slippery and muddy section right after the woods that I could not ride and had to dismount to get though. I was not happy. I think I pre-rode that section about ten times to gain enough confidence where I wouldn’t have to get off my bike. I was still not comfortable. I managed to pre-ride 2 more laps prior to Men's 1/2/3 race.
The Race
So before I jump into race specifics, I’ll briefly mention nutrition. I have been playing with different types of nutrition for the past 5 races. Last week it was a disaster for me. I read an article in triathlon magazine which mentioned that caffeine could boost performance. I believe it recommended to consume 3-7mg of caffeine per kg of body weight. And what happened? I went overboard. I’ve had so much caffeine that my heart felt like it was going to explode. I finished the race my heart felt like it continued to race, without me. That definitely scared me. So this time I only had 100mg of caffeine (1 ZYM Catapult Berry tablet mixed with water) prior to the race, instead of – I don’t even want to mention!
On to the race. The whistle fired and the race went on. About five or six riders charged to the front and I tried to stay behind them. I think it was the $20 prime for the winner of the first lap that caused such furiousness. Then I don’t know how but I managed to pass one rider at a time. After the first lap I passed the last two riders and I was in the lead. Apparently I tried too hard because towards the end of the second lap someone yelled out to relax because I had over 10 second lead. I couldn’t believe it. I kept telling myself to take it easy and slow down so I wouldn't fall or do something silly. Which has been the case in the past where I was in the lead. This time the mud was on my side.
On the final lap I started lapping other riders. Right before the slippery climb I dropped my chain, not sure how, but managed to get on the bike and without running up the climb. I passed some more along the way, said “Hi” to super girl, and on to the finish. Then I watched the officials while they flipped the lap counter. I won? Really? I still couldn't believe it.
Russ Kuryk
Photo by Nikki Cyp
Prior to the race someone asked me if I was a “mudder.” I didn’t know what it meant but after they described it, I answered, “no.” This is my first cross season and I have never raced in the mud. Apparently I enjoyed the mud so much that I suppose I could now consider myself as one. :)
There are four more wonderful CCC races left in the season, and Jingle Cross. Some of the team members will race Jingle Cross during the Thanksgiving weekend, three days in a row. I’m not sure what to think of Jingle Cross, but future will tell.
Russ
Monday, November 2, 2009
Mountain Bike Equipment Review
Last weekend I was competing in the Xterra World Championship. I knew that the course has a lot of climbing so I wanted to get some new components to make my bike lighter. I also knew there would be a lot of cool bikes there since it is a World Championship, so I wanted to make my bike much more cooler than it already is.
So before I shipped out to Hawaii I went to Brandon and threw some ideas off him and we came up with some ways to make my Titus Fireline 29 both lighter and more cool. Below is the back story / review of the upgrades.
Thompson Elite X4 stem and Alpha Q X Roc flat bar handlebar
I broke my stem at Xterra Nationals and needed to replace it. However I discovered they no longer make stems in the old 25.4 standard and all stems and handlebars now come in the OS standard 31.8. Therefore I needed to replace both my stem and handlebar. Looking for the best combination of weight, price and what is pretty to look at, I chose the Alpha Q X Roc Handlebar and Thompson Elite X4 stem.
The Alpha Q X Roc has a nice shiny finish and is quite light compared to my old aluminum bar. I can’t say I noticed any difference in the handling characteristics of carbon vs. aluminum bar, but then again, if you are looking for a performance upgrade, a handlebar is probably the last thing you’ll upgrade. It is light and that is why I like it.
The Thompson Elite X4 stem is really pretty to look at. They machined away all the extra metal not necessary to the function of the stem. The X4 is also simplified compared to the old Thompson Elite stem with the elimination of the insertable steerer tube clamp set. It is also much lighter. Again, I notice no difference in the handling characteristics of the 25.4 clamp vs. the 31.8 OS clamp. I don’t know why the industry changed the standard. I guess it was to make everyone buy more stems and handlebars. However, the X4 stem is light and does what it is supposed to do, so that is why I like it.
Total weight saving gained from the new parts is at least 100 grams. Nice, every gram counts.
Fizik Tundra saddle with carbon rails
The Tundra is Fizik’s new mountain bike saddle. The surface is much flatter than the Arionne and the Gobi. Therefore it took a few rides to get used to it. Once I got used to it I liked it. I cannot ride a saddle that is hard or has too much padding. In my opinion they got the texture right for this saddle. It is firm but not hard.
I was skeptical of the carbon rails on this saddle. I questioned whether or not the rails could handle the pounding of a hard mountain bike race. Well, this saddle has been tested on two of the hardest Xterra courses in the country and in multiple cyclocross races (when a saddle is this expensive, you swap it out to whichever bike you happen to be riding at the time). It stood up to the test and is still structurally sound.
The most impressive thing about this saddle is the weight. It is like a bag of feathers, so light at 203 grams. My Fizik Gobi weighs in at over 250 g. Weight weenies who are hard on their equipment will want to get this saddle.
Time ATAC XS Titan Carbon pedals
I’ve been riding Time ATAC pedals for years. All my shoes have cleats that match these pedals so these are the pedals I run on all my bikes. I really like the redesign of these pedals that they did a couple years ago. The new design allows more space for better mud clearance. They are now much better at clipping in in mud than the older models and each clip in feels more precise.
The Time ATAC Titan pedal is the top of the line pedal and it has performed flawlessly in the most demanding conditions in both mountain biking and cyclocross. The clipping in is so easy I really believe these pedals have improved my cyclocross remounts.
Total claimed weight savings of the ATAC Titan pedal vs. the ATAC XS Carbon is 68 grams.
SRAM XX 42-28 crank set with SRAM Red ceramic bearings bottom bracket
I was over geared running a 1 X 9 at a mountain bike course with lots of climbing like Xterra Nationals in Ogden UT. I needed more range to climb steep mountains. When Brandon told me his shipmentment of XX came in I told him I had to have one of the cranksets.
The range of a 42-28 paired with a 12-34 cassette gave me all the range I needed to climb the steepest, loosest climbs I could find in Maui. I don’t know why it took so long to come out with cranks with this chainring combo. As far as I’m concerned, triples are now outdated.
Performance wise, this is the most impressive of the upgrades. Even though I set it up with a X.0 9 speed shifter and a XT front derailleur the performance of this crank set shines like a star in the drive train. It was a pain to set it up like this just right, but once dialed in, the shifting was effortless. You can shift under load with no problems. The chain moves from small ring to big ring so quickly, I can’t even remove my thumb from the shifter before the chain has caught on the big chainring.
If small details like this are impressive to you, you will want to get this crankset even if you are still running 9 speed. However, I cannot wait to get the rest of the XX group because I am sure it will impress even more.
So before I shipped out to Hawaii I went to Brandon and threw some ideas off him and we came up with some ways to make my Titus Fireline 29 both lighter and more cool. Below is the back story / review of the upgrades.
Thompson Elite X4 stem and Alpha Q X Roc flat bar handlebar
I broke my stem at Xterra Nationals and needed to replace it. However I discovered they no longer make stems in the old 25.4 standard and all stems and handlebars now come in the OS standard 31.8. Therefore I needed to replace both my stem and handlebar. Looking for the best combination of weight, price and what is pretty to look at, I chose the Alpha Q X Roc Handlebar and Thompson Elite X4 stem.
The Alpha Q X Roc has a nice shiny finish and is quite light compared to my old aluminum bar. I can’t say I noticed any difference in the handling characteristics of carbon vs. aluminum bar, but then again, if you are looking for a performance upgrade, a handlebar is probably the last thing you’ll upgrade. It is light and that is why I like it.
The Thompson Elite X4 stem is really pretty to look at. They machined away all the extra metal not necessary to the function of the stem. The X4 is also simplified compared to the old Thompson Elite stem with the elimination of the insertable steerer tube clamp set. It is also much lighter. Again, I notice no difference in the handling characteristics of the 25.4 clamp vs. the 31.8 OS clamp. I don’t know why the industry changed the standard. I guess it was to make everyone buy more stems and handlebars. However, the X4 stem is light and does what it is supposed to do, so that is why I like it.
Total weight saving gained from the new parts is at least 100 grams. Nice, every gram counts.
Fizik Tundra saddle with carbon rails
The Tundra is Fizik’s new mountain bike saddle. The surface is much flatter than the Arionne and the Gobi. Therefore it took a few rides to get used to it. Once I got used to it I liked it. I cannot ride a saddle that is hard or has too much padding. In my opinion they got the texture right for this saddle. It is firm but not hard.
I was skeptical of the carbon rails on this saddle. I questioned whether or not the rails could handle the pounding of a hard mountain bike race. Well, this saddle has been tested on two of the hardest Xterra courses in the country and in multiple cyclocross races (when a saddle is this expensive, you swap it out to whichever bike you happen to be riding at the time). It stood up to the test and is still structurally sound.
The most impressive thing about this saddle is the weight. It is like a bag of feathers, so light at 203 grams. My Fizik Gobi weighs in at over 250 g. Weight weenies who are hard on their equipment will want to get this saddle.
Time ATAC XS Titan Carbon pedals
I’ve been riding Time ATAC pedals for years. All my shoes have cleats that match these pedals so these are the pedals I run on all my bikes. I really like the redesign of these pedals that they did a couple years ago. The new design allows more space for better mud clearance. They are now much better at clipping in in mud than the older models and each clip in feels more precise.
The Time ATAC Titan pedal is the top of the line pedal and it has performed flawlessly in the most demanding conditions in both mountain biking and cyclocross. The clipping in is so easy I really believe these pedals have improved my cyclocross remounts.
Total claimed weight savings of the ATAC Titan pedal vs. the ATAC XS Carbon is 68 grams.
SRAM XX 42-28 crank set with SRAM Red ceramic bearings bottom bracket
I was over geared running a 1 X 9 at a mountain bike course with lots of climbing like Xterra Nationals in Ogden UT. I needed more range to climb steep mountains. When Brandon told me his shipmentment of XX came in I told him I had to have one of the cranksets.
The range of a 42-28 paired with a 12-34 cassette gave me all the range I needed to climb the steepest, loosest climbs I could find in Maui. I don’t know why it took so long to come out with cranks with this chainring combo. As far as I’m concerned, triples are now outdated.
Performance wise, this is the most impressive of the upgrades. Even though I set it up with a X.0 9 speed shifter and a XT front derailleur the performance of this crank set shines like a star in the drive train. It was a pain to set it up like this just right, but once dialed in, the shifting was effortless. You can shift under load with no problems. The chain moves from small ring to big ring so quickly, I can’t even remove my thumb from the shifter before the chain has caught on the big chainring.
If small details like this are impressive to you, you will want to get this crankset even if you are still running 9 speed. However, I cannot wait to get the rest of the XX group because I am sure it will impress even more.
Monday, October 12, 2009
BB/VP Bar-B-Cross
Across the board, everyone associated with ChiCross has been stepping up their game!
1) Beverly Bike Vee-Pak put on a great event with awesome free BBQ
2) The event was run as well as any I've participated in. Thank you to all the ChiCross volunteers
3) The course was a perfect mix of power and tech sections. The park was a gem in the south side
4) Racer turnout remains high which increases the level of competition
This has been a great year of CX racing, and we're only through the 4th week!
Each race I appreciate my Lynskey ProCross and Reynolds wheels a bit more. After racing CX on clincher wheels with a 20+ pound bike for the past couple seasons, I’ve seen the light.
This is my first top shelf race bike and it is a rocket! I’m stronger than last year and this bike allows me to push the envelope when cornering and accelerating out of corners. Several of us on the team have bikes built in the mid-16 pound range. It’s nice to know that equipment wise, I’m on equal footing. Fitness and handling will decide the race. Let the best man win.
Ted and I both got call ups for the Cat1/2/3 race. It’s nice to get front row seats. After the start I was about 5th heading into the trees for first time up the hill. The group clogged up as expected and that gave the first couple riders all the leash they needed, never to be seen again.
I dropped my chain later during the first lap, but with Ted’s help worked to regain a few spots. I finally caught the OTHER Tim. I enjoy riding around with him for encouragement. Tim's a pretty popular guy, so even though people weren't cheering for me, I got a boost hearing my name.
We kept challenging each other in our attempt to reach Hemme. During the wooded hill climb on the previous lap, TimB stalled on some roots near the top. The next lap I darted in front of him before the woodchips, rode it clean and had the gap I needed. I chased Hemme for a couple more laps, but couldn't reach him and finished 5th.
Iron Cycles had another great turnout, representing in the Masters 30+, Cat3, Cat3/4 Women, Cat1/2/3 and Cat4 (in that order)
I had a great time cheering for everyone and I’m already looking forward to Carpentersville next Sunday
1) Beverly Bike Vee-Pak put on a great event with awesome free BBQ
2) The event was run as well as any I've participated in. Thank you to all the ChiCross volunteers
3) The course was a perfect mix of power and tech sections. The park was a gem in the south side
4) Racer turnout remains high which increases the level of competition
This has been a great year of CX racing, and we're only through the 4th week!
Each race I appreciate my Lynskey ProCross and Reynolds wheels a bit more. After racing CX on clincher wheels with a 20+ pound bike for the past couple seasons, I’ve seen the light.
This is my first top shelf race bike and it is a rocket! I’m stronger than last year and this bike allows me to push the envelope when cornering and accelerating out of corners. Several of us on the team have bikes built in the mid-16 pound range. It’s nice to know that equipment wise, I’m on equal footing. Fitness and handling will decide the race. Let the best man win.
Ted and I both got call ups for the Cat1/2/3 race. It’s nice to get front row seats. After the start I was about 5th heading into the trees for first time up the hill. The group clogged up as expected and that gave the first couple riders all the leash they needed, never to be seen again.
I dropped my chain later during the first lap, but with Ted’s help worked to regain a few spots. I finally caught the OTHER Tim. I enjoy riding around with him for encouragement. Tim's a pretty popular guy, so even though people weren't cheering for me, I got a boost hearing my name.
We kept challenging each other in our attempt to reach Hemme. During the wooded hill climb on the previous lap, TimB stalled on some roots near the top. The next lap I darted in front of him before the woodchips, rode it clean and had the gap I needed. I chased Hemme for a couple more laps, but couldn't reach him and finished 5th.
Iron Cycles had another great turnout, representing in the Masters 30+, Cat3, Cat3/4 Women, Cat1/2/3 and Cat4 (in that order)
I had a great time cheering for everyone and I’m already looking forward to Carpentersville next Sunday
Monday, October 5, 2009
DeKalb CX
This weekend the team traveled west to the city of DeKalb for round 2 of the ChiCrossCup. Half Acre put together a great race with a course that was unrelenting, allowing very little time for recovery. The course had plenty of technical features such as off camber turns galore, but with the soft grass and false flats, horse power would rule the day.
In the 1/2 race Tim made the break in the first chase group. With the complacency of having a pretty decent race last weekend at Xterra Nationals, I lacked the desire to put myself through the pain of staying on Tim's wheel and settled into my own pace. In hindsight, I kind of regret it because Tim said once you get into the draft the pace eventually settles down and it is not as hard as you think it would be.
I settled into the second chase group with Greg Heck. We took turns pulling lap after lap, but kept giving up a few seconds each lap to the group ahead. Our only hope was to reel in straglers falling off the pace up front.
Two to go and we are finally about to catch someone ahead. Unfortunately I roll a tire and get gapped. Oh well, the rest of the race I ride alone. In the end Tim finished 7th and I was 13th. I think we both have enough points to get a call up for next weeks race, so that's pretty good.
Tim's been off on some secret training plan, but whatever he is doing, it's working. Everytime I ask him to come out and ride he looks away and mumbles something about being busy at work. There are rumors that he's doing VO2 max intervals on the recumbant exercycle 4 days a week.
In the 4A race, Russ A.K.A. Crash, showed quick improvement and finished 7th. He should be close to getting a call up next race too.
For the 4B race, Matt Daniel put down the wrench and put out notice he can drop the hammer too. A great start put him at the front of the pack and he finished 6th.
Overall it was a pretty good day with Iron Cycles representing in nearly every race.
In the 1/2 race Tim made the break in the first chase group. With the complacency of having a pretty decent race last weekend at Xterra Nationals, I lacked the desire to put myself through the pain of staying on Tim's wheel and settled into my own pace. In hindsight, I kind of regret it because Tim said once you get into the draft the pace eventually settles down and it is not as hard as you think it would be.
I settled into the second chase group with Greg Heck. We took turns pulling lap after lap, but kept giving up a few seconds each lap to the group ahead. Our only hope was to reel in straglers falling off the pace up front.
Two to go and we are finally about to catch someone ahead. Unfortunately I roll a tire and get gapped. Oh well, the rest of the race I ride alone. In the end Tim finished 7th and I was 13th. I think we both have enough points to get a call up for next weeks race, so that's pretty good.
Tim's been off on some secret training plan, but whatever he is doing, it's working. Everytime I ask him to come out and ride he looks away and mumbles something about being busy at work. There are rumors that he's doing VO2 max intervals on the recumbant exercycle 4 days a week.
In the 4A race, Russ A.K.A. Crash, showed quick improvement and finished 7th. He should be close to getting a call up next race too.
For the 4B race, Matt Daniel put down the wrench and put out notice he can drop the hammer too. A great start put him at the front of the pack and he finished 6th.
Overall it was a pretty good day with Iron Cycles representing in nearly every race.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Storck's are in!
Friday we received the much-anticipated Storck delivery. Not everything showed, some of the frames aren't due for a month or so, but we now have a 51cm Scenario C1.1 built and ready to ride.
The C1.1 frameset is lighter and stiffer than the Madone, not to mention cheaper. If you want carbon for everyday training, the C1.1 is pretty much impossible to beat.
We also have a super-fly 55cm Fenomenalist built with SRAM Red and Reynolds carbon wheels and a PowerTap. With all that business goin' on, it's still weighing in at 15.2 lbs....whoa. This frameset could easily be built up to 12.5-13 lbs any day of the week with off-the-shelf parts.
We will soon have a Vision Light in stock, the Storck aluminum frame. "Aluminum" you ask? Yes. This is the Storck crit machine. Light, stiff, aggressive, fast. Plus you won't have to cry yourself to sleep if the Vision Light hits the ground in a race. Retailing at $900 for frame, fork, and headset, it's a lot easier on the pocketbook than say a Fascenario, and still a race-worthy frame. Thinking about a Cannondale CAAD9? Give this Vision Light a ride first and see which is the better frame.
Want to test one? Come in! Scheduling a ride would probably be best so we can ride along and guard you from popporazzi.
The C1.1 frameset is lighter and stiffer than the Madone, not to mention cheaper. If you want carbon for everyday training, the C1.1 is pretty much impossible to beat.
We also have a super-fly 55cm Fenomenalist built with SRAM Red and Reynolds carbon wheels and a PowerTap. With all that business goin' on, it's still weighing in at 15.2 lbs....whoa. This frameset could easily be built up to 12.5-13 lbs any day of the week with off-the-shelf parts.
We will soon have a Vision Light in stock, the Storck aluminum frame. "Aluminum" you ask? Yes. This is the Storck crit machine. Light, stiff, aggressive, fast. Plus you won't have to cry yourself to sleep if the Vision Light hits the ground in a race. Retailing at $900 for frame, fork, and headset, it's a lot easier on the pocketbook than say a Fascenario, and still a race-worthy frame. Thinking about a Cannondale CAAD9? Give this Vision Light a ride first and see which is the better frame.
Want to test one? Come in! Scheduling a ride would probably be best so we can ride along and guard you from popporazzi.
We're famous!
The Storck demo event went awesome at the shop, and we made it onto the Storck Demo Blog. I think that means we've "made it". Right? Come on, right?!
http://storckdemotour.blogspot.com/2009/08/iron-cycles-chicago-il.html
http://storckdemotour.blogspot.com/2009/08/iron-cycles-chicago-il.html
Saturday, August 8, 2009
The first of many Iron Cycles Racing wins!
In the words of Tim Yuska, our first race winner. The team has been around for roughly 2 weeks, the uniforms aren't even in, yet we are starting on the right foot!
Take it away Tim:
Tour of Elk Grove - Cat4 recap
My first 1st + the best prize purse of the season + primetastic solo ride = Perfect day
The Race: On the first lap Ben Widoff did his usual mountain bike hole shot start and picked up a couple guys willing to go with him. Beginning from the third row, I stayed in the pack. After a few laps the breakaway had taken down their second prime and I worried that they would be able to keep adding seconds to their lead. Knowing that a break a four working together would have a good chance to stay away, I put in a big dig near the start/finish to leave the pack and bridge up. After joining I took a few seconds to recover and moved to the front for a pull.
Everyone was willing to work as able, but it wasn’t very coordinated. Rain had started to sprinkle by the next time the prime bell was rung for $75. We cautioned each other to take it easy through the turns and watch for slippery pavement markings. I knew that Ben W. would jump for the prime, he’s stolen a few from me this year, so I beat him to the punch by jumping first and held off his charge. $75, sweet! My first ever successfully contested prime. Our break of four was now down to two. As we hit the apex of the 180degree turn, I’m thinking of how Ben and I can work together … and then Ben slides out on the wet pavement.
Go! Go! Go! Go! My mind is screaming. I shift a gear and exit the corner like I stole something. Each lap you are able to look across the divided road at the chasing pack to see how close they are. I don’t remember how much time I had left when I went solo, too busy looking at my stem, burying myself, rather than checking the clock. I prayed that they would ring the prime bell each time I passed the start line. I picked up another $25 dollars and a few laps later another $50. Each time through the 180degree turn it looked like the pack was closing in, but I must have been quicker entering and exiting in the slick conditions to maintain my gap. The final lap bell rang and I knew it was all or nothing. I shifted down another gear … and my legs said “Hell No” so I shifted back and kept my cadence up. With 400 meters to go after exiting the final turn I knew I had it won. Now what, I’ve never done this before!?!?! With 50M to go my hands were still stuck to the bars, afraid of being that guy who wipes out before the finish. I finally muster the courage to post up and give a big shout. Man that felt good!!! I need to do that more often
The reflection: I’ve learned a lot of skills and met a lot of great people from different teams this summer. These crits are a tough riddle. Being strong is not enough to win. Tactical thinking, positioning ability and DETERMINATION to win is a huge asset. A mental slip will cost you several positions and possibly a win. I know that I still have a lot to learn, but I submitted my Cat3 upgrade and have been approved. I am preparing myself for another learning curve, but look forward to pushing myself against better competition. For now, I’m heading back to fat tires and dirt. I have a couple big mountain bike races, Ore2Shore and Chequamegon, before ramping up for Act 2 of my season with Cyclocross. Hopefully it ends as well as Act 1.
Tim
Take it away Tim:
Tour of Elk Grove - Cat4 recap
My first 1st + the best prize purse of the season + primetastic solo ride = Perfect day
The Race: On the first lap Ben Widoff did his usual mountain bike hole shot start and picked up a couple guys willing to go with him. Beginning from the third row, I stayed in the pack. After a few laps the breakaway had taken down their second prime and I worried that they would be able to keep adding seconds to their lead. Knowing that a break a four working together would have a good chance to stay away, I put in a big dig near the start/finish to leave the pack and bridge up. After joining I took a few seconds to recover and moved to the front for a pull.
Everyone was willing to work as able, but it wasn’t very coordinated. Rain had started to sprinkle by the next time the prime bell was rung for $75. We cautioned each other to take it easy through the turns and watch for slippery pavement markings. I knew that Ben W. would jump for the prime, he’s stolen a few from me this year, so I beat him to the punch by jumping first and held off his charge. $75, sweet! My first ever successfully contested prime. Our break of four was now down to two. As we hit the apex of the 180degree turn, I’m thinking of how Ben and I can work together … and then Ben slides out on the wet pavement.
Go! Go! Go! Go! My mind is screaming. I shift a gear and exit the corner like I stole something. Each lap you are able to look across the divided road at the chasing pack to see how close they are. I don’t remember how much time I had left when I went solo, too busy looking at my stem, burying myself, rather than checking the clock. I prayed that they would ring the prime bell each time I passed the start line. I picked up another $25 dollars and a few laps later another $50. Each time through the 180degree turn it looked like the pack was closing in, but I must have been quicker entering and exiting in the slick conditions to maintain my gap. The final lap bell rang and I knew it was all or nothing. I shifted down another gear … and my legs said “Hell No” so I shifted back and kept my cadence up. With 400 meters to go after exiting the final turn I knew I had it won. Now what, I’ve never done this before!?!?! With 50M to go my hands were still stuck to the bars, afraid of being that guy who wipes out before the finish. I finally muster the courage to post up and give a big shout. Man that felt good!!! I need to do that more often
The reflection: I’ve learned a lot of skills and met a lot of great people from different teams this summer. These crits are a tough riddle. Being strong is not enough to win. Tactical thinking, positioning ability and DETERMINATION to win is a huge asset. A mental slip will cost you several positions and possibly a win. I know that I still have a lot to learn, but I submitted my Cat3 upgrade and have been approved. I am preparing myself for another learning curve, but look forward to pushing myself against better competition. For now, I’m heading back to fat tires and dirt. I have a couple big mountain bike races, Ore2Shore and Chequamegon, before ramping up for Act 2 of my season with Cyclocross. Hopefully it ends as well as Act 1.
Tim
Saturday, August 1, 2009
John's family Schwinn Tandem Town & Country
Every so often I get the opportunity to work on a really cool bike, which is not always the latest carbon race bike or the bike with the most gadgets or pivots. Every summer I look forward to seeing what challenges “wheel” through the door.
If I could describe the experience, it would closely resemble how most of us feel right before a birthday, or the night before Christmas. I love working on bikes, its something that I have done for most of my life and can easily see myself doing happily for the rest of it.
So from time to time I get to work on a bike that reminds me of what this whole professional bicycle mechanic thing is all about. It might be a bike that I have to pull completely apart from bearing to brake. It could be a bike so out of control expensive that, even in my dreams I could never afford it.
Or, it could be a bike that just looks cool.
If I could describe the experience, it would closely resemble how most of us feel right before a birthday, or the night before Christmas. I love working on bikes, its something that I have done for most of my life and can easily see myself doing happily for the rest of it.
So from time to time I get to work on a bike that reminds me of what this whole professional bicycle mechanic thing is all about. It might be a bike that I have to pull completely apart from bearing to brake. It could be a bike so out of control expensive that, even in my dreams I could never afford it.
Or, it could be a bike that just looks cool.
Ed's Turner Flux
Our buddy Ed is a true cyclist through and through. He loves sweet bikes, awesome beer and hanging out at our shop. He came to Iron Cycles with a little project in mind revolving around a Turner Flux full suspension frame. Now, to fully understand just how excited I get about building a Turner we have to track back about fifteen years to my very first bike shop, The Single Track Factory. This is the part in the story where both Wayne and Garth warp us back in time.
The Single Track Factory is a killer little shop in the heart of my hometown of Denver, Colorado. This was the first shop that I ever walked in to where I felt welcomed by the way cool guys that worked there. I think that this initial impression that clued me into the idea that a bike shop can be fun and exciting to visit. So, a few visits later I had somehow convinced Brian, the owner, to let me work there for the summer. He took me under his wing and taught me everything I would ever need to know about bikes.
A few years went by, in which time I’d gotten into racing downhill and slalom and survived a few bike trips to the far corners of the States. However the bikes that I had been riding just didn’t feel right. I had officially broken my first downhill bike in a crash that should have taken my life, but instead left me with a concussion that I swear has made me see double ever since.
Every summer STF provided technical support for the Fat Tire Classic in Winter Park. The coolest part about the Fat Tire Classic, aside from the riding, was the dirt demo. The Single Track Factory would always find some way to get the coolest companies to let us borrow bikes for this event. It was there that I first set my eyes on a Turner. Turner was building bikes for all the fastest pros and was holding their ground against other companies like Intense and Santa Cruz which were all cool bikes too. For some reason I had just never seen a Turner in person let alone ridden one. I had plastered a million Mountain Bike Action Magazine pages to my walls with some rider railing some perfectly groomed trail on a Turner. I was boarder line obsessed with owning an Afterburner DH.
Turner had lent us three bikes, an 02, an XCE, and an RFX. I remember just how anxious I was waiting to jump aboard any of them. Because I was more into the gravity bikes at the time I was dead set on riding the RFX which was considered a “long travel” machine. I was in love from the first pedal stroke. The bike had amazing acceleration and gobbled up just about anything I could throw it at All of the reviews I had ever read, all of the rumors and hype, were right on! I had never felt more confident on a bike in my life and was certain that my next purchase would be a Turner.
Ok, back to Ed’s bike. So my life long obsession with the Turner brand has led to a rather exaggerated excitement when I get a chance to build one. Ed’s Turner Flux is an awesome example of why…
This four inch travel trail machine is built for serious speed. From the Mavic Cross Max SLR wheels to the Tune Bar ends, no expense was spared! We built the bike up with a mix of Shimano XTR drive train components to keep the shifting super smooth and precise. The Truvative Noir cranks are among the lightest and stiffest carbon triple, mountain cranks out on the market, not to mention some of the sexiest!
At Iron Cycles we love to see Sram made components on just about any bike. The Avid Juicy Ultimate brakes are some of our favorites. I have thrashed a pair on my all-mountain bike for over two years now and they work as well as the day I first installed them.
Of course I’m a fan of both the Thomson X2 stem and the Elite seat post. If you ask me every bike should have these parts on them. Thomson stems and posts are light, durable and are made with the highest tolerances you’ll find anywhere.
Fox has possibly the most fine tunable stock suspension components I have ever found. We equipped Ed’s machine with the F80 RLC which has both rebound, compression and lock out feature for those long climbs out west. The coolest thing about this fork is that you have 100% control over how this thing performs. Some of the best racers in the world use this fork because of its features and its incredibly low weight.
Chris King makes some of the best headsets hands down. Not only does King back up their headsets with a TEN year warranty (not that you’ll ever need it) they perform flawlessly for years. In all my years as a bicycle mechanic I’ve seen more frames fail than King headsets. Come to think of it I’m not sure that I have ever seen a King headset fail. It’s in the name.
With the bike finished we sent Ed out for a ride. I don't know if he was just being nice, or if he really meant it, but as far as I can tell, it was love at first ride.
Damien's Trek TTX
Watch out Chicago! We’ve officially let Damien out the door with his Iron Cycles Fit Trek Equinox and he’s gunning for top ranks at the Accenture Triathlon this year.
Damien came into Iron Cycles just after we opened our doors riding one of the meanest looking Carbon Bianchi’s I’ve ever seen. We got to talking about his goals for competing in some local triathlons this season and asked what my thoughts were on a dedicated race bike. I suppose that my opinions on dedicated race machines come from my own experience trying to race my downhill bike on slalom courses way back when I was in high school. I found it a much better idea to use the proper tools for the job. When it comes to competing in a physically exhausting event like a triathlon its always best to use a bike built for comfort, aerodynamics and speed.
One of the most important aspects of fitting Damien was first to understand what type of races he was participating in. The fit of an aero bike or “tri-bike” can be tailored differently depending on what type of event the rider is competing in. For example, if an athlete is competing in a short course or sprint triathlon, it might be acceptable for the rider to be in the most aerodynamic position instead of the most comfortable. Reducing wind resistance by lowering the frontal profile of the rider might put them in a position that might not be the most comfortable. However, the concern with a short course is obviously to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. As long as the rider can maintain the most aerodynamic position over the duration of their bike event and still produce power, comfort does not necessarily need to be the focus of the positioning on the bike.
Don’t get me wrong, comfort is very important. If a rider is not comfortable they will not be able to produce power to the pedals which in turn will make them far less efficient. With Damien, we wanted to find the perfect balance between his comfort level and his ability to produce power while helping him maintain the most aerodynamic position possible.
Damien’s bike is the Trek Equinox TTX which is among some of most well thought out carbon aero bikes I’ve ever built up. One of the details I appreciate most about the TTX is the front end of the bike. Trek made some design decisions based on real world riders not just the elite racers that we all admire. Not everyone is as flexible as Hunter Kemper ( or paid to put their bodies through multiple hours of pain on a bike), unfortunately some bicycle manufactures think you should be. One of the biggest problems I’ve seen with tri bikes is that they use head tube lengths that are too short. Unfortunately this ultra short head tube length leaves most triathletes with an excess of steer tube looming above the top of the frame. In some cases this pushes the boundaries of what most carbon steer tubes can handle and in many cases compromises the handling characteristics of the bike.
Not here ladies and gentlemen. The Trek TTX has a reasonably tall head tube, which makes for a very versatile long or short course contender. Not only does the bike work exceptionally well for a wide range of body types it is also an extremely stable machine at speeds.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that Trek had thought out the TTX’s cable routing also. Most bicycle companies producing tri-specific or aero bikes usually come up with excellent wind tunnel tested frame designs. For some reason cable routing has always seemed like an after thought for some of these designs. I cant tell you how many times I’ve had to refrain from shouting out obscenities while running cables in Kestral Talon’s from years gone by. It was refreshing to see how smoothly the routing for the TTX came together. Another detail that I loved was the front derailleur cable, was guided by an aluminum plate, which was designed to protect the carbon in the event that the chain falls off between cranks and the frame. Little details like this make me happy when I come across them, it makes sense, its execution is meaningful and it flat out works.
Don’t be surprised if all you see of Damien this race season is a flash of silver as he passes the competition. His bike is dialed in and fast as can be. We here at Iron Cycles can't wait for that podium finish!
Without further ado, let's see a picture!
Damien came into Iron Cycles just after we opened our doors riding one of the meanest looking Carbon Bianchi’s I’ve ever seen. We got to talking about his goals for competing in some local triathlons this season and asked what my thoughts were on a dedicated race bike. I suppose that my opinions on dedicated race machines come from my own experience trying to race my downhill bike on slalom courses way back when I was in high school. I found it a much better idea to use the proper tools for the job. When it comes to competing in a physically exhausting event like a triathlon its always best to use a bike built for comfort, aerodynamics and speed.
One of the most important aspects of fitting Damien was first to understand what type of races he was participating in. The fit of an aero bike or “tri-bike” can be tailored differently depending on what type of event the rider is competing in. For example, if an athlete is competing in a short course or sprint triathlon, it might be acceptable for the rider to be in the most aerodynamic position instead of the most comfortable. Reducing wind resistance by lowering the frontal profile of the rider might put them in a position that might not be the most comfortable. However, the concern with a short course is obviously to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. As long as the rider can maintain the most aerodynamic position over the duration of their bike event and still produce power, comfort does not necessarily need to be the focus of the positioning on the bike.
Don’t get me wrong, comfort is very important. If a rider is not comfortable they will not be able to produce power to the pedals which in turn will make them far less efficient. With Damien, we wanted to find the perfect balance between his comfort level and his ability to produce power while helping him maintain the most aerodynamic position possible.
Damien’s bike is the Trek Equinox TTX which is among some of most well thought out carbon aero bikes I’ve ever built up. One of the details I appreciate most about the TTX is the front end of the bike. Trek made some design decisions based on real world riders not just the elite racers that we all admire. Not everyone is as flexible as Hunter Kemper ( or paid to put their bodies through multiple hours of pain on a bike), unfortunately some bicycle manufactures think you should be. One of the biggest problems I’ve seen with tri bikes is that they use head tube lengths that are too short. Unfortunately this ultra short head tube length leaves most triathletes with an excess of steer tube looming above the top of the frame. In some cases this pushes the boundaries of what most carbon steer tubes can handle and in many cases compromises the handling characteristics of the bike.
Not here ladies and gentlemen. The Trek TTX has a reasonably tall head tube, which makes for a very versatile long or short course contender. Not only does the bike work exceptionally well for a wide range of body types it is also an extremely stable machine at speeds.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that Trek had thought out the TTX’s cable routing also. Most bicycle companies producing tri-specific or aero bikes usually come up with excellent wind tunnel tested frame designs. For some reason cable routing has always seemed like an after thought for some of these designs. I cant tell you how many times I’ve had to refrain from shouting out obscenities while running cables in Kestral Talon’s from years gone by. It was refreshing to see how smoothly the routing for the TTX came together. Another detail that I loved was the front derailleur cable, was guided by an aluminum plate, which was designed to protect the carbon in the event that the chain falls off between cranks and the frame. Little details like this make me happy when I come across them, it makes sense, its execution is meaningful and it flat out works.
Don’t be surprised if all you see of Damien this race season is a flash of silver as he passes the competition. His bike is dialed in and fast as can be. We here at Iron Cycles can't wait for that podium finish!
Without further ado, let's see a picture!
The new series....
Here at Iron Cycles we come across some very cool machines. Even though we may not necessarily sell them, we do service many brands and see some of the best bikes the industry has to offer.
Matt, our head mechanic, has graciously offered to share his experiences with repairing, building, and even fitting some of these machines. The bikes in this series will range from high-end carbon tri bikes, to custom Ti and steel bikes, to classic tandems, and everything in between.
Rather than holding you up any longer, please read up on some of the cooler stuff that comes through our doors....
Matt, our head mechanic, has graciously offered to share his experiences with repairing, building, and even fitting some of these machines. The bikes in this series will range from high-end carbon tri bikes, to custom Ti and steel bikes, to classic tandems, and everything in between.
Rather than holding you up any longer, please read up on some of the cooler stuff that comes through our doors....
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Transitions and The 9ball Diaries
Tim helped us out yet again with some reviews of a couple of our favorite shop videos. The 9ball Diaries is a documentary about Tim Johnson, Transitions is about the Kona guys heading over to Europe and racing 'cross.
It’s 90+ degrees outside!! That must mean Jackson Park, the first ChiCross race of the year, is just around the corner, right? Unfortunately not. Chicago is experiencing its first heat wave of the season and Palos is STILL un-rideable in mid-June. I needed a distraction to keep from going crazy, riding so much pavement, so I picked up "The 9 Ball Diaries" and "Transition2 - Cross the Pond" cyclocross vids from Iron Cycles to get into a “cool” state of mind.
I expected a mildly entertaining recap of top domestic pros racing in the US and Europe. After finishing both films I realized that there were a lot of good pointers for a cyclocross enthusiast to gain from watching these movies. Bike racers aren’t the most interesting folks to film, so race footage is what I was really interested in, and these movies have a lot of it.
Last year I had the opportunity to watch a few UCI races in person and was awed by the power that the pros put out. When watching the DVDs I noticed more of the finesse and the little things, in addition to raw power, that the top pros have also refined. Cyclocross rewards the complete rider. These people have worked on their bike handling, dismounting and remounting skills, CX starts and the full range of power zones starting with Freaking Hard!!! and then increasing. Many of these skills require just practice with minimal suffering (compared to intervals) which I appreciate.
I enjoyed 9 Ball Diaries a bit more than Transition2, but both are definitely worth watching. 9 Ball is short, only about 50 minutes, but I think that it has better race footage. It follows Tim Johnson during his ’08 USGP of Cyclocross and CX Nats campaign. The movie starts with Tim riding his cross bike through singletrack as he explains how it helps him with handling. At times during races we see him carving tight corners and using those handling skills, incredibly in tune with the cornering ability of his tires. Most people who race would benefit from spending more time practicing ripping around on grass and dirt during the week like they race on the weekends. Testing the limits of their equipment and improving handling ability.
Transition2 has a broader focus and more footage of the lifestyle and travels of US EuroCrossCamp racers. It also shows some cool euro courses with pumptracks and a lot of run-ups. Bike shouldering (picking the bike up and carrying it with the top tube on your shoulder) isn’t as vital of a skill in Chicago, but it is still easy to work on and good skill to have.
When watching the films or any races notice the little things other riders do that add up over the course of a 30-60 minute race.
-Finding the pedal and getting clipped in immediately at the start
-Getting the hole shot.
-Taking corners like they are on rails
-Fast dismounts and remounts
-Immediately finding the pedals on remounts
-Digging deep to hold onto a stronger rider’s wheel to draft and recover
Hopefully Palos dries out soon so I can take my CX bike out and practice these skills.
It’s 90+ degrees outside!! That must mean Jackson Park, the first ChiCross race of the year, is just around the corner, right? Unfortunately not. Chicago is experiencing its first heat wave of the season and Palos is STILL un-rideable in mid-June. I needed a distraction to keep from going crazy, riding so much pavement, so I picked up "The 9 Ball Diaries" and "Transition2 - Cross the Pond" cyclocross vids from Iron Cycles to get into a “cool” state of mind.
I expected a mildly entertaining recap of top domestic pros racing in the US and Europe. After finishing both films I realized that there were a lot of good pointers for a cyclocross enthusiast to gain from watching these movies. Bike racers aren’t the most interesting folks to film, so race footage is what I was really interested in, and these movies have a lot of it.
Last year I had the opportunity to watch a few UCI races in person and was awed by the power that the pros put out. When watching the DVDs I noticed more of the finesse and the little things, in addition to raw power, that the top pros have also refined. Cyclocross rewards the complete rider. These people have worked on their bike handling, dismounting and remounting skills, CX starts and the full range of power zones starting with Freaking Hard!!! and then increasing. Many of these skills require just practice with minimal suffering (compared to intervals) which I appreciate.
I enjoyed 9 Ball Diaries a bit more than Transition2, but both are definitely worth watching. 9 Ball is short, only about 50 minutes, but I think that it has better race footage. It follows Tim Johnson during his ’08 USGP of Cyclocross and CX Nats campaign. The movie starts with Tim riding his cross bike through singletrack as he explains how it helps him with handling. At times during races we see him carving tight corners and using those handling skills, incredibly in tune with the cornering ability of his tires. Most people who race would benefit from spending more time practicing ripping around on grass and dirt during the week like they race on the weekends. Testing the limits of their equipment and improving handling ability.
Transition2 has a broader focus and more footage of the lifestyle and travels of US EuroCrossCamp racers. It also shows some cool euro courses with pumptracks and a lot of run-ups. Bike shouldering (picking the bike up and carrying it with the top tube on your shoulder) isn’t as vital of a skill in Chicago, but it is still easy to work on and good skill to have.
When watching the films or any races notice the little things other riders do that add up over the course of a 30-60 minute race.
-Finding the pedal and getting clipped in immediately at the start
-Getting the hole shot.
-Taking corners like they are on rails
-Fast dismounts and remounts
-Immediately finding the pedals on remounts
-Digging deep to hold onto a stronger rider’s wheel to draft and recover
Hopefully Palos dries out soon so I can take my CX bike out and practice these skills.
Superweek is here!
Tim sent me this today to recap his weekend of racing:
Superweek - Blue Island and Elgin Race Recap:
Superweek - Blue Island and Elgin Race Recap:
Blue Island: When deciding my race schedule I almost skipped Blue Island. Some people complain that it is a “boring” rectangle crit. I decided the course, which almost a guarantees a large field spint, is what most Chicago area crits are about. Learning how to sprint and win out of a pack is a necessary skill in Chicago.
We start almost on time and get rolling for 25 one mile laps. I’ve raced here the past three years and knew exactly what to expect. The first few laps had some break attempts, but they never gained more than a few seconds on the field before being reeled back in. The racing continued that way until mile 13 when I made a jump. I had a few people come with, but they didn’t stay for long and I was out front alone. I had a decent gap and felt good so I committed to it and put my head down. The gap grew to nearly 20 seconds and I kept pushing. After 6 miles out front I saw that the pel was getting organized and I would be caught. With 5 laps left I backed off the pedals until I was caught. 15 minutes in a solo break, let’s see what’s left in the tank.
With 2 laps to go a South Chicago Wheelmen rider was on point and did an awesome job setting a good tempo. Usually there are people swarming to the front and then hitting the brakes, not wanting to do any work once they get there. He is setting a great pace and the pack is kept at bay. I’m sitting 2ndwheel coming into turn 3 on the final lap when the swarm finally came. I was pushed back to about 8thplace. Turn 4 I took an outside line as I hear pedals skidding across pavement to my inside. Thankfully I stay clear and look ahead to choose a wheel to follow. The riders ahead separate into a right and left group, so decided to go for daylight and shoot up the middle. I’ve been working on my sprinting and it felt great to actually pull ahead! I thought that I was clear, until I saw the wheel of Ernie C. closing and nip me at the line by about a wheel length.
Despite not winning, I was really happy with my performance. Soloing for 15 minutes and then having enough left to take 2ndin a sprint is nothing to be disappointed about. Well, it would have been nice to finally get a W, but I can tell that my form is improving and hopefully it will come soon.
Elgin Road Race: This recap will be short. 25 mile road race that was more like a narrow crazy crit course. One long stretch of road was used twice, for out and back, with metal fencing set up to divide the road. The back in portion was ridden in the left lane which led into a left turn (foreshadowing).
I was riding well floating between 1stand 10thposition most of the race until the “back in” portion of divided road on lap 4. I took the left turn too fast and my wheel slid out. I had a bad feeling about that turn before the race, and now I know why. I ass and elbow skidded until running into the curb. I jumped up, worried that someone else would make the same mistake and run into me. I was a bit shell shocked and had trouble getting my chain back on until the SRAM support gave me a hand. Everything was in working order, so I decided to try to chase and finish strong. I chased for the final 5 mile lap but wasn’t able to make up ground.
During the last lap, after making my way past that same left hand turn, there was an equally questionable right corner that dipped into poorly patched asphalt. Off to the left of the street I saw a Tower Racer laying in the grass being attended to by medics. Coming into the final turn I saw 3 more people off to the left in the grass, taking stock of their wounds, and a bit farther up the road a Bicycle Heaven rider was shouldering his bike and walking away from the course. There must have been some real carnage on that last lap.
Give me a “boring” race on good roads any day over attempting to stage a race with questionable pavement and too narrow courses. Now I have to replace my shorts and jersey. Actually, I think I'll patch it up and wear it for the next few races until I end my road season. Why risk it with nice new stuff. Give me dirt and grass. Bring on Cyclocross season.
It's the first of our race recaps for the newly formed Iron Cycles Racing team. Thanks Tim for getting us going!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Lynskey Cooper tested
I received my M/L Lynskey Cooper about 6 weeks ago. Built with SRAM Force which was leftover from my cross bike last year, DT Swiss RR1850's, 3T Ergonova aluminum bars, and Thomson stem/post, it came in at about 17 lbs. Not bad for a road bike with nary a wieght weenie part in sight. I couldn't help but to dress her up for the photo shoot with some Zipp 808's, so enjoy the eye candy:
Initally I was blown away by the finish more than anything else. The hand brushed Ti just does it for me. With the white decals the frame just screams class.
Background: The Cooper is a new frame for Lynskey. If you can do without custom sizing, the Cooper may be a good idea for you. It comes in small, medium, medium/large, large, and extra large. Geometry can be found on the site, but with this kind of size run, there's a Cooper for most everyone.
My initial rides are hardly something to base a review on. Not because there was anything wrong with the bike, quite the contrary. The rides were short and very spirited, so I was able to test the stiffness of the bottom bracket for power transfer.
From a near stop at a light and jumping on the pedals at full-force (which for me right now is less than impresive!) showed a very stiff bottom bracket and no flex. At the same time, while tooling around Chicago I noticed the frame did a very good job of keeping the harshness of the road at bay.
Flashing back to the finish, after a somewhat wet ride which included a couple of not-so-nice roads, I got back to Iron Cycles with a very dirty bike. I threw my bike into the stand, wet down a shop towel with some Green Fizz from Pedro's, and about 4 minutes later I had a bike that looked brand new. You can't beat Ti for durability.
As the weather gets better I plan on putting some more miles on my Cooper. With such spastic weather in the Midwest in the spring, you never know when a good day is to ride, so she'll be ready when the time comes.
Initally I was blown away by the finish more than anything else. The hand brushed Ti just does it for me. With the white decals the frame just screams class.
Background: The Cooper is a new frame for Lynskey. If you can do without custom sizing, the Cooper may be a good idea for you. It comes in small, medium, medium/large, large, and extra large. Geometry can be found on the site, but with this kind of size run, there's a Cooper for most everyone.
My initial rides are hardly something to base a review on. Not because there was anything wrong with the bike, quite the contrary. The rides were short and very spirited, so I was able to test the stiffness of the bottom bracket for power transfer.
From a near stop at a light and jumping on the pedals at full-force (which for me right now is less than impresive!) showed a very stiff bottom bracket and no flex. At the same time, while tooling around Chicago I noticed the frame did a very good job of keeping the harshness of the road at bay.
Flashing back to the finish, after a somewhat wet ride which included a couple of not-so-nice roads, I got back to Iron Cycles with a very dirty bike. I threw my bike into the stand, wet down a shop towel with some Green Fizz from Pedro's, and about 4 minutes later I had a bike that looked brand new. You can't beat Ti for durability.
As the weather gets better I plan on putting some more miles on my Cooper. With such spastic weather in the Midwest in the spring, you never know when a good day is to ride, so she'll be ready when the time comes.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Continental Mountain King 2.2 Supersonic tested!
After my last little trail ride on semi-slicks in the mud, I decided I needed something with a bit more bite. After reviewing some catalogs and getting some suggestions, I placed an order for some Conti Mountain King 2.2 Supersonics.
Out of the box they were weighing in at a hair over 500g each. Not the lightest tire out there, but in line with other tires. The rubber also seemed really thin-walled, but nothing that some Stan's sealant won't take care of.
Now, 2.2 isn't normally my style. But these things measured under a caliper at 1.96 at the outer-most part of the casing. I was surprised, but that's what I was looking for.
Installing them wasn't as east as my Stan's The Crows, they didn't want to seat very easily. But, after throwing a tube in, getting one side into the bead and removing the tube, I was able to get them mounted. They did seem to leak air until the ride was actually under way, so I must have not gotten the Stan's Sealant to fully cover the inside of the tire. But once underway they held air just like they should.
More prepared this time with Matt (spare tubes, CO2, etc) we set out on the same loop as Sunday. Today was just as muddy as Sunday, maybe more so since we had some rain yesterday. Out on the road the Continentals didn't roll quite as fast but they were a long way from slow.
Once we hit the trail I saw the advantage to carrying the extra weight and suffering through slightly more rolling resistance. I was really able to lean in the bike and was really surprised with the grip climbing the small, muddy climbs we have here in the Midwest.
The Mountain Kings didn't seem to shed mud as quickly as I was hoping for, but then again I didn't get to ride far without plowing through more mud.
I won't go too far with this review since I only have about 2 hours on the tires on the trail, but initial impressions are good. I'll keep rolling these tires for a few more weeks and see what happens.
Out of the box they were weighing in at a hair over 500g each. Not the lightest tire out there, but in line with other tires. The rubber also seemed really thin-walled, but nothing that some Stan's sealant won't take care of.
Now, 2.2 isn't normally my style. But these things measured under a caliper at 1.96 at the outer-most part of the casing. I was surprised, but that's what I was looking for.
Installing them wasn't as east as my Stan's The Crows, they didn't want to seat very easily. But, after throwing a tube in, getting one side into the bead and removing the tube, I was able to get them mounted. They did seem to leak air until the ride was actually under way, so I must have not gotten the Stan's Sealant to fully cover the inside of the tire. But once underway they held air just like they should.
More prepared this time with Matt (spare tubes, CO2, etc) we set out on the same loop as Sunday. Today was just as muddy as Sunday, maybe more so since we had some rain yesterday. Out on the road the Continentals didn't roll quite as fast but they were a long way from slow.
Once we hit the trail I saw the advantage to carrying the extra weight and suffering through slightly more rolling resistance. I was really able to lean in the bike and was really surprised with the grip climbing the small, muddy climbs we have here in the Midwest.
The Mountain Kings didn't seem to shed mud as quickly as I was hoping for, but then again I didn't get to ride far without plowing through more mud.
I won't go too far with this review since I only have about 2 hours on the tires on the trail, but initial impressions are good. I'll keep rolling these tires for a few more weeks and see what happens.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Stan's Notubes ZTR Race wheelset
I'd rather not write a full review on one ride, so I'll give you a basic rundown with specs and initial impressions:
First, out of the box my wheelset came in at 1,180 grams. Yes, 1,180. That includes valves and rim tape. I couldn't really wrap my head around it either, so you're not alone. I got them built in standard form, with black DT Swiss spokes (I think Revolutions), red alloy nipples, and American classic hubs.
This is my first experience with American Classic disc hubs, and so far I like them. I have heard a number of stories about older models from AC having bearing trouble, but from what I understand those issues have long-since been worked out.
Back to the wheels. Out of the box they were perfectly true vertically and laterally. Not a single nipple needed to be turned which is nice. Matt has gotten me used to building wheels, so grabbing a pair out of a box was nice.
After a quick shot of air from the compressor the tire bead set in. I decided to give the Notubes The Crow a shot since I liked them some much last season on my 29er. Once the bead was a filled the tires with some Notubes sealant and was on my way.
Today's ride started out with about 20 min on the road to warm up. I was shocked on fast those wheels spun up. A hard burst of power and I was rolling down the road at 27-28mph!
Once Matt and I hit Labaugh Woods since it was the only thing that wasn't closed because of mud. We dropped in from the road and tore through the first mile or two of single track. This was my first ride offroad in months now and my training has really been lacking, so I happy to have some super light wheels and my new ride.
Matt ended up flatting just a few miles in, so our ride was cut short, but the ZTR Race wheelset held air that was put in last night without losing pressure, which is something I noticed on previous Stan's wheelsets. Left overnight, I always saw a couple PSI lost.
I'm going to be spending as much time on these wheels as possible to see how they hold up. Any light wheelset can spin up fast and impress off the bat, but how will they do after months or even a year of riding under me? My technical skills are not going to impress anyone, I hit things hard and I'm not super smooth. We'll see how they do!
First, out of the box my wheelset came in at 1,180 grams. Yes, 1,180. That includes valves and rim tape. I couldn't really wrap my head around it either, so you're not alone. I got them built in standard form, with black DT Swiss spokes (I think Revolutions), red alloy nipples, and American classic hubs.
This is my first experience with American Classic disc hubs, and so far I like them. I have heard a number of stories about older models from AC having bearing trouble, but from what I understand those issues have long-since been worked out.
Back to the wheels. Out of the box they were perfectly true vertically and laterally. Not a single nipple needed to be turned which is nice. Matt has gotten me used to building wheels, so grabbing a pair out of a box was nice.
After a quick shot of air from the compressor the tire bead set in. I decided to give the Notubes The Crow a shot since I liked them some much last season on my 29er. Once the bead was a filled the tires with some Notubes sealant and was on my way.
Today's ride started out with about 20 min on the road to warm up. I was shocked on fast those wheels spun up. A hard burst of power and I was rolling down the road at 27-28mph!
Once Matt and I hit Labaugh Woods since it was the only thing that wasn't closed because of mud. We dropped in from the road and tore through the first mile or two of single track. This was my first ride offroad in months now and my training has really been lacking, so I happy to have some super light wheels and my new ride.
Matt ended up flatting just a few miles in, so our ride was cut short, but the ZTR Race wheelset held air that was put in last night without losing pressure, which is something I noticed on previous Stan's wheelsets. Left overnight, I always saw a couple PSI lost.
I'm going to be spending as much time on these wheels as possible to see how they hold up. Any light wheelset can spin up fast and impress off the bat, but how will they do after months or even a year of riding under me? My technical skills are not going to impress anyone, I hit things hard and I'm not super smooth. We'll see how they do!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Welcome!
This will be the new spot to catch up on everything bicycle related in Chicago. We plan to have reviews of new drive trains, components, frames, clothing, and anything else we can get our grubby hands on.
So far we've played with a Campagnolo Super Record 11 kit, the new Lynksey Cooper and Ridgeline 29 models, the DT Swiss XRC100 fork and XR Carbon shock, some white Nokons, Zero Gravity cyclocross brakes, and Scrub Components brake rotors to name just a few.
Now, don't get the idea we'll only cover super-high-end parts. We'll cover some Endura clothing made with the commuter in mind, some tires made to last longer than your legs ever will, and everything in between.
Finally, we'll be posting some good info on bike fit. As I write our WAterford Fitmaster is on it's way to the shop. In about 60 minutes we'll be ready to fit anyone to anything and we'll be sharing those experiences and some good tips as we go.
Please follow along with us through the trials of opening a new shop dedicated to everything that cycling and triathlon has to offer. We've takenour passion and (hopefully) turned it into a business so we can share what we love with others, and if we're lucky learn a few things along the way.
Stop in at see us at 2860 W Montrose in Chicago. Maybe you'll be geeked over bike stuff just like us!
So far we've played with a Campagnolo Super Record 11 kit, the new Lynksey Cooper and Ridgeline 29 models, the DT Swiss XRC100 fork and XR Carbon shock, some white Nokons, Zero Gravity cyclocross brakes, and Scrub Components brake rotors to name just a few.
Now, don't get the idea we'll only cover super-high-end parts. We'll cover some Endura clothing made with the commuter in mind, some tires made to last longer than your legs ever will, and everything in between.
Finally, we'll be posting some good info on bike fit. As I write our WAterford Fitmaster is on it's way to the shop. In about 60 minutes we'll be ready to fit anyone to anything and we'll be sharing those experiences and some good tips as we go.
Please follow along with us through the trials of opening a new shop dedicated to everything that cycling and triathlon has to offer. We've takenour passion and (hopefully) turned it into a business so we can share what we love with others, and if we're lucky learn a few things along the way.
Stop in at see us at 2860 W Montrose in Chicago. Maybe you'll be geeked over bike stuff just like us!
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