Iron Cycles News

2013 Ridley Cyclocross

2012-02-22T15:08:00.000-08:00

It seems strange to be looking forward to fall of 2012 in the middle of February. And with this mild winter we've had, you'd think summer would be the only thing on my mind.

After spending the weekend at Frostbike, though, Ridley has firmly placed themselves at the forefront of my cyclocross-based mindset. Check out a brief overview of the models they have coming to Iron Cycles around July.

DISC! Yes, disc. They are coming. And we'll have them.

Early Bird Spring Tune Up Special

2012-02-14T16:53:00.000-08:00

This mild winter has us hopeful that spring is around the corner. Maybe you are the type to be prepared, a Boy Scout if you will. Or maybe your resolution this year was to plan ahead? We have you covered. Well, we have your bike covered, the rest is up to you.

Through the end of February we have a special tune up, something like we've never done before.

Check it:

2 new tires (Michelin City or Continental Super Sport) - $70-80 MSRP

2 new tubes (start fresh, ya know?) - $12 MSRP

2 new derailleur cables - $16 MSRP

2 new brake cables - $16 MSRP

1 Breakaway Tune Up - $100 MSRP

This normally goes for over $200.

Through the end of February all you pay for is the tune up!

$100 for the tune gets you a ton of new parts to get you rolling for spring.

Pretty simple. We're ready for you and spring, we'll get you ready as well. This is only good through February, so act fast!

Niner Jet9 RDO Carbon IN STOCK!

2012-02-14T06:32:00.000-08:00

Yes, we have one. And only one. It's a large, licorice, Jet9 RDO Carbon. Don't want to wait months for your own? Give us a shout. Orders for other colors or sizes placed now aren't expected to arrive until well into spring.

Best of luck finding another one!

Contact us for pricing....

Niner Carbon Air9 RDO - FIRST!

2012-02-14T05:19:00.000-08:00

You may have seen this first on Bikerumor.com, but our order was in first. Yes, that's right, there's only one shop that can claim getting the first Air9 RDO, and that's us. A large, licorice version of the complete bike with XTR, American Classic 29 Race wheels, SID World Cup XX fork, and a Niner cockpit.

If you want it, speak up. Only 50 are being made in the first run and they're all sold. Demand is expected to be like the Jet9 RDO, which means the wait will be looooong......

Rear brake mount has been moved inside the stays. This is said to allow Niner to use less material to reinforce the stays, reducing weight.

The CYA bottom bracket system was left behind on this model and instead uses SRAMs PF30 system. 30mm spindles are lighter and stiffer. The system also allows for a full carbon bottom bracket shell, saving more weight.

Niner has done away with the previous Air9 Carbon cable routing and instead uses a full housing run. You may not care about this, but I am thrilled. After having built a dozen or so Air9 Carbon frames, this is HUGE.

This is the color of our forthcoming Air9 RDO, LICORICE! While the green is something sexy, green just doesn't work for me. I'd love to see this thing in Tang eventually.

Cielo Sportif Racer SE Stainless Steel

2012-02-12T13:34:00.000-08:00

I'm keeping this one photo-driven...

Cielo Sportif Racer SE. Word from King is that this is #1 available to the public.

Full Shimano Ultegra, Chris King R45 hubs to NoTubes Alpha rims, King Ti headset, Thomson, and Challenge Parigi-Roubaix 27c clinchers.

Go now and drool....

Looking forward to 2012...

2012-02-05T09:45:00.000-08:00

As we move into 2012, we find ourselves receiving a bunch of new bikes! Felt and Raleigh are flexing a little muscle for the upcoming year and showing what they are capable of designing. With these new models rolling in, we find ourselves with a few leftovers from 2011. To help us (and you!) we are offering up our demo and display 2011 models at significant discounts!

Product is limited, really to a single size or model. The prices can not be beat, so if you're interested you'll have to hurry.

2011 Felt AR4 frameset - 58cm - $975

AR frameset MSRP $2499

This one has been on 3-4 test rides total. Maybe 100 miles.

Comes as frame/fork/headset

2011 Felt FA frameset - 54cm and 58cm - $450

FA frameset MSRP - $849

54cm - Never built, display frameset
58cm - Built but never ridden frameset

Comes as frame/fork/headset

2012 Felt F1x frameset - 57cm - $1050

F1x Frameset MSRP - $1999

Demo CX bike with 4 rides on it, 3 test rides and one race.

Comes as frame/fork/headset/bottom bracket

2011 Felt F75 frameset - 51cm - $400

FA frameset MSRP - $849

Was a built display bike with parts removed.

Comes as frame/fork/headset

2010 - 2011 Raleigh SSCX framesets. One 57cm, one 59cm - $450 EA

MSRP - $750 EA

These frames run a little small, the 57cm is a 56 top tube, the 59cm is a 58cm top tube. Both are display frames that haven't been built.

Come as frame/fork/headset

First come, first served on these framesets! Pick one up and we'll help you build it with some new parts from us or for a small charge we'll transfer parts off of an old frame for you.

The big day is upon us!

2012-01-27T15:16:00.000-08:00

FINALLY! Fat day is tomorrow. Yes, we know, Chicago has more than it's fair share of roadies. But, let's pretend for a second you're not in love with skinny tires, counting grams, and shaving your legs. What do you do in the winter instead of ride the trainer and count your watts?

RIDE A FAT BIKE!

And what better way to ride a fat bike than to come to a demo day and ride a fat bike that belongs to someone else.

I recently heard a saying, "it's a rental, don't be gentle."

Come by tomorrow between 11 am and 3 pm. Bring your pedals or use ours. Take our bike for a spin. Go to the park, get it dirty. Find a curb and drop off it or slam up it. HAVE FUN AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR BIKES!

We have a small, two mediums, and a large Pugsley, as well as a large Black Ops and a large custom build!

2012 Focus Mares CX 3.0

2012-01-18T12:58:00.000-08:00

If you've followed the US cyclocross scene this year, you've seen the Rapha/Focus team. If you watched the National Championship, you saw the Focus Mares pull ahead of all competitors under Jeremy Powers to win the US National Championship.

I raced this identical frame last year, and walked away always impressed with it's unreal handling and stiffness. This is a German race bike designed by a world-class racer, made in Germany.

BB30, tapered steerer tube, full-carbon fork, it's got everything any racer could need.

This is the "value" version with a Shimano 105 gruppo and Fulcrum CX wheels. The 3.0 allows the masses to get into the frame that won the 2012 US National Championship.

2011 Felt Z85

2012-01-18T12:36:00.000-08:00

The 2011 Felt Z85 was our single best-selling road bike, by far, last year. This wasn't by accident, though, as it's mix of quality Shimano 105 drivetrain, very flexible geometry, clearance for larger tires, and beautifully understated looks makes for an incredible value.

This bike is at home on a road race course as it is touring on less-than-perfect roads. It's aluminum frame has an enormous amount of clearance that will fit some 27c tires, the carbon fork soaks up hits better than just about any road fork we've ridden.

For 2011 the Z85 is another bike sporting the excellent Shimano 105 drive train that has been receiving rave reviews since it's introduction.

2011 Felt Z6

2012-01-18T12:26:00.000-08:00

For 2011, the Felt Z6 went through relatively minor changes, but for good reason. The carbon Z-series bikes were designed to be an all-around performer, in contrast to the F-series race bikes. But, don't take this as a bad thing, as pedaling efficiency is still very high.

The rider of this bike is the person who has one road bike for all occasions. This bike makes for an excellent road race bike, especially when the roads aren't perfect. The frame allows for slightly larger tires for training days that include less-than-ideal roads.

When you factor the flexibility this bike offers with it's low weight and carbon frame, it's a tough option to beat when you need or want to keep your road bike quiver to one ride.

2012 Felt Breed

2012-01-18T12:15:00.000-08:00

For 2012 Felt has really stepped up to the front row with their Breed. For 2010 and 2011, the Breed was a handsome single speed cyclocross bike and was popular for it's style. For 2012 Felt wanted to take a dose of the style they've had, but truly build a race-worthy single speed cyclocross bike.

The 2012 Breed now has a tapered 1-1/8" to 1-1/2" headtube and tapered carbon fork as well as a BB30 bottom bracket. Add to that true horizontal dropouts with a brilliant thru-axle design that only requires you to tighten one nut rather than two. This leads to easy chain tension adjustment and a very still rear end.

SRAM levers and BB30 cranks add style and stiffness while reducing weight, all essentials when racing single speed cyclocross!

2012 Felt F75x

2012-01-18T12:08:00.000-08:00

The 2012 Felt F75x has been upgraded from the 2011 version with a new frame that integrates a BB30 oversized bottom bracket, tapered 1-1/8" to 1-1/2" steerer tube with carbon fork, and updated geometry.

The stock Felt wheels have been lightened along with a slight increase in durability, which is the perfect combination for cyclocross.

On the fork you'll find fender mounts if you should decide to train and/or commute on this bike.

Shimano 105 components have recently gone through a complete redesign with trickle down technology from Shimano Dura Ace 7900. The shift cables are now routed under the handlebar tape and the updated ergonomics have been universally praised.

Window Art

2011-12-22T05:27:00.000-08:00

Just a simple photo this morning. We've shared some window art that was done by a local artist, but with the right light this one really stands out.

You'll notice the "IF" and outline are done on the outside of our double-pane windows, the fill is done on the inside. This gave the logo a lot of depth and when viewed at night, looks really interesting. At least, I think it does.

Check it:

I'm going to put some work in trying to bring you some work from some other local artists as well. We have some photography in the shop done by friends where we'll highlight not just the images, but also the installation. More to come soon.....

Holiday Gift Kits from Iron Cycles

2011-12-15T10:50:00.000-08:00

The Holidays are here, and you're probably like the rest of us: scrambling to find gifts for those on your list. Iron Cycles is here to help you out with some suggested gift packs we've assembled with our favorite bits from around the shop.

From bike to body care, parts, accessories, and clothing, we've got the cyclist on your list covered. We've scoured the shop for the best and brightest we had to offer in 2011 and brought it all together into one place....

Flat Fix Kit includes a Timbuk2 saddle bag, Crank Brothers M10 multi-tool, SRAM CO2 cartridge and head, two tire levers, and a tube (you pick the size).

$50 ($79 retail)

Bike Pit Kit includes a Pedros Toothbrush and Bike Lust, Finish Line Chain Cleaner, and your choice of Zipp Service Course bar tape.

$50 ($77 retail)

Stay Warm Kit includes our shop favorite Endura Road Overshoe and Deluge gloves as well as a pair of DeFeet wool socks.

$90 ($115 retail)

Stay Safe Kit includes our #1 selling fender, the SKS X-tra Dry, a Planet Bike Super Flash, and a Cateye UNO headlight.

$55 ($86 retail)

Stay Comfortable Kit includes a pair of Endura X-Tract Shorts, DZ Nutz (or DZ Bliss) Chamois Cream, and an Iron Cycles water bottle.

$55 ($90 retail)

Get Fast Kit includes either a set of GEAX Roadster or Continental Ultra Sport tires, two tubes, and installation.

$60 ($82 retail)

Get Pumped Kit includes our best-selling Joe Blow Max2 Pump, two tubes, and two tire levers.

$45 ($60 retail)

Stay Fit Kit includes a Giro Indicator helmet in the color of your choice and a pair of Giro Treble road shoes in black.

$110 ($145 retail)

Get Safe Kit includes our best-selling Kryptonite Evolution lock and cable, and a set of Knog Boomer USB-chargable lights.

$120 ($145 retail)

Stay Fast Kit includes two newly-released Michelin Pro4 tires and two tubes

$125 (Retail $162)

Endura Road Overshoes Review

2011-12-15T08:48:00.000-08:00

Another review from a Team Iron Cycles member, Vanessa lends a critical eye to clothing. She's not necessarily harder on stuff than anyone else, but is happy to share her true opinions rather than waste time sugar-coating things. Added to that, being a petite person Vanessa can struggle to find the right equipment in a sport still loaded with products designed around men.

With that said, you should rest easy knowing that when something gets a glowing review from Lil' V, it's truly good stuff.

I have tried other shoe covers and the Endura Road booties are the best I have tried, by a long shot. After trying on many different brands, and finding none that fit my small feet, I bought my 1st pair of shoe covers 2 years ago. They did fit, but never stayed zipped, leaked water, and soon started to come apart at the seams! Then I found these Endura booties this October, and though they are specified Road, I have used them with my road and my Mountain bike shoes and they work for both! They are awesome! They are SUPER warm. They keep your feet dry, no leaking! (Though I have yet to try them in a total deluge). AND I love the zipper and velcro strap combo. These are not going to come unzipped like my last pair (which have gone in the trash, btw). And best of all the Extra Small fits my very small foot, unlike other I tried.

We do our best to keep these in stock at all times, and for only $40 they make a killer gift idea for the cyclist on your holiday list.

Sock Guy custom Iron Cycles socks!

2011-12-15T06:51:00.000-08:00

These make for an ultimate stocking stuffer. Cheap, classy, and custom, what cyclist wouldn't be down with that!?

Better yet, the socks are comfortable, meaning there's no need to limit them only to cycling. We routinely sport them when jeans and sneakers, they do a great job of keeping your feet happy all year!

And now a quick review from Justin, one of our resident fancy lads on Team Iron Cycles:

Being a classy man about town, I enjoy looking like I can flatten Mt. Vesuvius with a stroke of my pedal. While the power isn't quite there, I'd like to think that looking resplendent in my white "Iron Cycles" socks is enough to look the part. They are tall enough to provide the awkward tan line that is a badge of honor for cyclists and their comfort is unparalleled. I can use them during a road ride that takes up most of the day or during a round on the cross bike. Did the socks get dirty? You bet, but unlike the Mona Lisa, the socks are still looking great after many uses. If you want to look classy out there, I would definitely suggest the Iron Cycles socks.

That right there folks, is a gleaming review. Grab a pair before the holidays and surprise someone with some comfort.

Endura Windchill Jacket Review

2011-12-12T11:05:00.000-08:00

My time in the Windchill Jacket is limited compared to the 3 seasons I've spent in the Stealth Jacket, but I'm already seeing where the Windchill falls into my clothing lineup.

First, let me get one of the most important details out of the way: at $150 the Windchill comes in at half the price of the Stealth. That's a huge savings, but the two really shouldn't go head-to-head.

Where the Stealth has ultrasonically welded seams everywhere and PTFE, the Windchill is a 3-season wind jacket to help you stay warm. The front and sleeves of the Windchill are waterproof, but this jacket has thermal insulation as well. Riding this morning in the Windchill I wore nothing more than a basic t-shirt under and was plenty warm for a 40 minute easy ride.

The rear of the Windchill is also dramatically different than the Stealth in that it's just insulated and water resistant, instead of waterproof. The Windchill also has pockets like those found in a typical cycling jersey, three pockets, where the Stealth has two zippered pockets. The Windchill does have a single small zippered waterproof pocket on the rear.

The front of the windchill jacket sports windproof and waterproof fabric, it also has a zipper pocket. A nice touch is a built-in glass wipe for those gross days of riding. Reflective arm, neck, and back panels help to keep you visible on the dark rides fall, winter, and spring grace us with.

This is the jacket I'd wear down to about 15-20 degrees in dry conditions, maybe even colder if you layer appropriately. If you get caught out in a sprinkle you'll be fine as well. If there is a lot of rain expected, the Stealth is still the go-to. The thermal lining really goes a long way to keeping you warm for such a small amount of lining. The softer material of the Windchill makes it very comfortable for riding or casual wear, meaning you won't necessarily be labeled as a cyclist if you toss the Windchill on and walk down to get some coffee.

It's a worthy piece to add to your clothing collection if you lack a warm and windproof jacket for dry riding. If you avoid riding in the rain, it'll save you a ton of money over the Stealth jacket, but if you ride in all conditions you'll want to ensure you have a separate jacket for really wet days.

Quarq Qalvin Calibration Station!

2011-12-12T09:44:00.000-08:00

So you have a Quarq. Awesome. But let's say you plan to use it on your road and CX bikes. It's a problem all crank-based powermeters have: the change in chainrings will leave you with bad power data.

SRM advertises their crank is "stable" enough to change chainrings without a recalibration, but that's only if you're changing to something similar. Straight from SRM USA, if you switch from road to CX rings the crank needs to go back to SRM in Colorado for a recalibration. That leaves you without a powermeter for 1-2 weeks.

If you're careful about sending the SRM back during a recovery week or break from the bike it's no big deal, but what if there were an easier solution?

Iron Cycles has ponied up for the Wahoo Fitness dongle, a highly-calibrated 25kg weight, and we now have Qalvin. These three items pair up to create a very practical and easy-to-use calibration system for your Quarq.

This system can come in handy for more than just recalibration of your Quarq, though. Maybe you've been experiencing some funky readings, or dropping a signal. The Qalvin App can pair with your Quarq and under our control we can troubleshoot the reed switches, battery level, and even do our own ANT+ Zero.

What does this mean for you? In the end you can now change your chainrings anytime you want and we can adjust your Quarq to account for those changes. We can diagnose issues without sending the unit back to Spearfish. We can get you back on your powermeter faster and ensure it's as accurate as possible.

For comparison, I just checked the factory calibration of a brand new Quarq against what I would find in the shop. After two trial runs, my slope was less than .1% off of the factory slope both times.

We are one of only a handful of shops in the country offering this, and were the first to offer it as a service to our customers. We have calibrated dozens of Quarqs in the last few months and are ready for more.

This is a roughly 25 min process (we check our numbers twice to make sure you get the best calibration possible) and will set you back $35. That's almost the cost of boxing your Quarq up to send back to Spearfish and leaves you with virtually no down time.

Independent Fabrication Cross Jester w/ Ultegra Di2

2011-12-06T19:40:00.001-08:00

Whoa. Am I right? In 2009 the Independent Fabrication Corvid was voted Best of Show at the North American Handmade Bike show, and for good reason. Custom carbon lugs to custom carbon tubes, both by ENVE in Utah to IF-spec.

But, being a shop with such an emphasis on cyclocross, we needed something a little different. Last year "001" was made for Molly Cameron, it was the very first Cross Jester that Independent kicked out. They took the design of the Corvid and built it into the most beautiful full-carbon custom CX bike ever. Independent hasn't marketed that model, but if you find the right person to ask, and ask nice enough, a Cross Jester can be had.

The following is a nice detail of what's been done to this frameset. But, the Ultegra Di2 is something special and it's getting it's own post. So, sit back and enjoy the bike porn. We'll go over the details later....

Independent Cross Jester/Corvid X
ENVE CX fork
Ultegra Di2
Zipp 303 Firecrest
Zipp Service Course SL seatpost
Zipp SL Speed Stem
Zipp SLC2 Short and Shallow bar
Clement PDX tires
Cannondale Hollowgram SL crankset
WickWerks chainrings
Avid Shorty Ultimate black-out brakes

Endura Stealth Jacket Review

2011-12-01T09:43:00.001-08:00

I have now spent two full winters in this jacket, and now heading into my third, I feel pretty confident in reviewing what has turned into my favorite piece of cold-weather cycling apparel. It's combination of being extremely wind and water proof, having a great fit, and some nice built-n features made it grow on my quickly and become my go-to.

Above you can see the generous rear pocket (large enough for more than everything you want to carry in a pocket) and an attachment for a rear light.

The pocket features a waterproof zipper and has stored multiple tubes and CO2's, a dry pair of gloves, phone, wallet, and food. No problem jamming all of the needed supplies.

The rear light attachment is key of course since people tend to spend a lot of time riding in the dark during the winter. If I'm not carrying a bag, I always have a light attached.

The cuffs zipper tightly closed with a waterproof zipper and seal nicely with most gloves. When wearing something smaller like a wool glove, I'll put the cuff over the glove. When wearing a bigger lobster, I'll bring the glove over the sleeve.

Side and pit vents can be a lifesaver with temperature swings, intensity changes, or if you find yourself going inside before continuing your ride. I personally ride this jacket anytime below about 45 degrees, with nothing more than different layers under it. The vents really help regulate temperature and moisture inside the jacket.

A chest pocket that's large enough for the essentials, which for me is usually my keys and phone for quick access. Both the main front zipper and pocket zipper are waterproof. All seams are "welded" to keep water out as well.

As mentioned, this jacket is with me at essentially all temperatures below 45 degrees. Above 35 degrees, I use just a basic summer jersey under it. From 25-35 degrees I usually use only an Endura summer-weight base layer. From 15-25 degrees I'll wear a winter wool baselayer, below 15 degrees and it'll be a winter wool baselayer with some arm warmers.

The coldest extended ride I have with this jacket was Barry-Roubaix this March. I wore a thermal CX skinsuit with this jacket over it and was pleasantly surprised at how warm I was. Unfortunately the Stalth Jacket can't keep my feet as warm as it did for my torso!

I've never ridden in cold enough weather to need two full layers under the jacket. When it gets that cold I have a trainer calling my name!

With nearly three years of riding with this jacket, it's easy to mistake it for brand new. Recently a customer even tried to call me on how new the jacket looked and that they didn't believe it had that much riding on it.

It's not a cheap item at $400, but after a few years of riding in it and seeing how warm and dry I was able to stay in some pretty crappy conditions, I'd never give it up. Never.

Zipp 303 Carbon Clincher Firecrest - One Month Review

2011-11-30T17:59:00.001-08:00

After only a month it's hard to make a definitive review, but I do feel that I am starting to get an idea of what these wheels are all about. The marketing data from Zipp says they are almost as aero as the 404 at low yaw angles, but as the yaw angles increase the 303 becomes better and better.

With that out of the way, what I've found from comparing the 303 Firecrest to the 404 Firecrest, is that the 303 is everything the 404 is, just slightly less. Slightly less weight, slightly less aero, slightly less deep.

This would be a killer wheel for a lighter or smaller time trialist as it's been very easy to handle in cross winds. The 404 exhibited that same trait, but again the 303 was slightly better in that respect.

In many instances the difference between the 303 and 404 will be a wash with their performance so similar. I would recommend the 303 to a smaller customer, someone more concerned with weight, or someone new to deep-section carbon wheels. I would also recommend the 303 over the 404 for a customer who is likely to run a 25c or greater tire as the 303 is even wider than the 404.

After a month of fall riding, which includes a few rides in the wet, the brake track looks brand new. I've been using the Zipp/Swiss Stop Platinum pads that came with the wheels, which are replacing my favorite TRP carbon compound pads. The Platinum pads have produced a little whistling on extended braking, but nothing major. Also on the up side, the platinum color doesn't leave a residue on the rim like Yellow King or TRP pads can.

So far I'm impressed with the wheels and they seem to fit my style of riding. I like to spend time out in the wind and taking pulls when my legs and lungs allow. The wheels are plenty stiff for a sucker like me, and with the new Beyond Black colorway, really look at home on every bike we've mounted them to.

I plan to log plenty more miles and will report back with the findings....

Independent Fabrication XS with SRAM

2011-11-30T12:59:00.001-08:00

I'm going to keep the words to a minimum on this one. It's pretty simple here, XS, carbon tubes, Ti lugs, SRAM Red, Zipp 303 Firecrest Carbon Clinchers, Quarq, Thomson Masterpiece/X2.

A work of art that's as much fun to ride as it is to look at. Enjoy.

Felt Z85 Review

2011-11-24T11:32:00.001-08:00

This time we had a review come in from our resident "junior". And I only say it that way because he's adopted the loving nickname we've given him. Christian is a new racer to our team who picked up his Z85 immediately upon joining us. The balance of performance, comfort, and price made for a perfect match. Below is what Christian had to say after the first few months on his new ride:

In April of 2011 I was left with a pretty crappy commuter and no other road bike. I took a stroll into Iron Cycles and there I met the Felt Z85. Felt’s typically get better as the numbers go down (i.e. 75, 45, 1), but what I found with the Felt Z85 is that you truly do get the most bang for your buck.

Personally, working non-profit isn’t a huge money market, yet if you are as into cycling as I am and need a reliable start the Z85 is your pick. The Z85 is outfitted with Shimano 105, a UHC (Ultra Hybrid Carbon) Felt fork, carbon seatpost, replaceable derailleur hanger and a FSA Vero crankset. This and a 7005 butted aluminum frame will cost around $1200.

The Shimano 105 drivetrain is the third tier in Shimano’s line up of gearing (just stooped by Ultegra and DuraAce). With the redesigned 105, you get hidden gear routing and an overall smooth feel when shifting. I will say that the FSA Vero crankset is a must to replace, if racing, to something stiffer, I myself have put an FSA SL-K Light crankset on the bike. With this combination you are basically shifting with systems that are found on $2000 and $3000 bikes. What’s remarkable is that the drivetrain itself would cost almost as much as the complete bike if purchased separately.

Being 7005 Butted Aluminum and having a carbon fork puts the frame a little over 1200 grams at my estimate, but for the price any frameset will weigh that much. Adding in the carbon seatpost, the ride is stiff enough for a sprint, yet comfortable enough for a gravel road. With the sloping top tube, being comfortable comes naturally, but a tucked position is still easily achievable. The flexible geometry of the Z-series frames allows more upright riding for added comfort on long rides or a low-rise stem for aggressive positions.

The bike is outfitted with Mavic CXP22 rims laced to Felt-branded hubs. The CXP22 only weigh 50 grams more than a Mavic Open Pro bringing each rim to 500 grams. Sure, this isn’t the ideal weight one is looking for when racing, but talking to Brandon and getting a set of HED Ardennes make the wheels outfitted perfect for training or getting started into racing.

All and all the Felt Z85 is the perfect starting point for an up and coming cyclist, like me, or anyone looking to get interested in the sport. The bike rides smooth, rolls great and has an overall good feeling to it. And looking at the price tag makes that feeling even better. The bike’s price even puts it in the range of a higher end commuter. You’re shifting will be perfection and you’ll be able to take turns like a pro. Anything is really achievable with the Z85. Please take it from my experience!

Christian seems to be quite pleased with his Z85 so far. With some nice race wheels, this bike is a true contender. It's a great base to get into competitive racing, an excellent road bike for training, and even ready for triathlon with some clip-on aero bars.

Continental Grand Prix 4-Season - A Few Rides In

2011-11-23T15:07:00.000-08:00

With about 100 miles on the 4-Seasons I picked up for my Club Racer, I'm getting a feel for what they were made for. My suspicions were correct in the ride, not as plush as my old Challenge Parigi Roubaix, but not as far off as I expected. They do ride quite well, especially at 80-85psi that I've been riding them at.

More important to me than the ride quality has been durability, or at least perceived durability. With 100 miles on them, I'd hope for some good luck, but I did find myself avoiding a pedestrian walking toward me on the wrong side of the path that pushed me into some broken glass on wet roads. No damage from that, not even a cut that I can find. That's positive.

The other characteristic that I noticed this morning was wet weather grip. I'm not a daring rider in the wet, especially when commuting. I'd much rather slow down than lean hard into corners and end up on the pavement, but these tires seemed to grip exceptionally well on the damp pavement today. It's hardly enough of a test to be definitive, but a good sign for this tire and the intended use.

Moving forward, I'm hoping to get these tires on more wet pavement, maybe some gravel, and possibly even some snow. More information to come...

Endura Deluge Glove Ride Review

2011-11-21T16:56:00.000-08:00

This review came in from one of our team riders, Mike Campbell. He picked up a pair of these from us a few weeks back, so they were purchased with his own funds. Keep that in mind when reading this review:

I recently stopped by Iron Cycles to pick up the perfect pair of gloves to get me through the nearly freezing temps at the Iceman Cometh Challenge in Traverse City, MI. The forecast this year was for a slightly warmer race than usual. I have gloves for below freezing, and in the 50's my full finger mtb gloves do the trick, but I needed something for that elusive 35-45* F zone. The shop was able to hook me up with the Endura Deluge glove.

They have a soft, breathable inner liner, and are waterproof. The palm has comfortable gel padding, and the seams, especially around the thumb don’t cause any pressure points as some other gloves have had the tendency to do. They have an ample cuff with a Velcro closure that helps keep the cold off your wrist and the wind from running up your sleeves. And of course there’s the full forefinger terry sweat wipe. A final added touch if you’re commuting, the reflective print and knuckle panels!

I wore these gloves to pre-ride the course the day before the race, and they dried quickly and completely prior to my race the next day. It was right at 35* F at start time, and my hands were still relatively comfortable right from the get-go. Once the blood was pumping, my hands stayed toasty warm for the entire 2 hours I was out on the course! I was extremely happy with these gloves. I’ve had a handful more rides with them since, and I’m actually looking forward to getting caught in the rain with them to see how they perform when wet!

We'll get a followup from Mike once he's able to log a few more miles in these gloves. They are currently in stock in most sizes at the shop if you want to try a pair for yourself!

Continental Grand Prix 4-Season 700x28 On Test

2011-11-21T15:21:00.000-08:00

After about a year on the Challenge Parigi Roubaix 700x27 clinchers, I've decided I need something a little more durable. The Parigi Roubaix wasn't terrible, don't get me wrong, but it seems to give up some durability for it's amazingly plush ride.

Enter the Grand Prix 4-Season from Continental. With a Vectran breaker under the tread, this tire is designed to resist punctures. A special carbon compound is said to provide greater wear resistance and grip in cold and wet.

Mounted on a HED Belgium rim, the same rim found on Bastogne and Ardennes wheelsets, the tire measures 27mm wide at 80psi, a little disappointing for my use. Since these are going on an Independent Fabrication SSR Club Racer with clearance for 32c tires, or 28c with fenders, I was hoping for a full 28. I'm curious what the width would be on a more standard 19mm rim?

Out of the box, they weighed in at 268g and 270g, only a few grams heavier than their claimed weight.

After about an hour on them, I could immediately tell the difference in ride between these Conti's and my old Parigi Roubaix. With both sets at 80psi, the Challenge rode more like a Dugast or FMB tubular (though of course not THAT nice), providing a ton of comfort. The Conti rides like, well, a Conti. Which isn't to say it's bad, but you won't mistake it for a $150 tubular. If you've ever ridden a Vittoria EVO CX back to back with a Michelin Pro3, you'll realize the difference between the Parigi Roubaix and the 4-Season.

Assuming all goes as planned, this tires will see a solid winter of use. We'll see if Continental hit the mark of a high-volume road/touring tire that rides nicely, but most importantly, provides grip in the cold and provides plenty of puncture resistance.

Independent SSR Club Racer

2011-11-10T20:04:00.001-08:00

With the chance to ride a huge array of bikes, I'm afforded the opportunity to get very specific with each bike's purpose. This one is no exception, though it's purpose is quite wide. It was built to train on, in any weather, comfortably, for any distance.

With those details set, I started with stainless steel. You get the comfort of a steel bike, without the worry of rust. So why not Ti? Aesthetics, actually. I love the shine of a brushed stainless frame. Ti would have also done quite well for this bike's intended purpose.

Being that this bike was going to be ridden in good weather and bad, we opted for cantilever brakes for the added clearance for larger tires. Even on the wide HED C2 rims, there is plenty of clearance for 27c Challenge Paris-Roubaix tires. I haven't tested the chain stays yet, but I think there may be room for 32c smooth tires.

Chris King R45 rubs were chosen for their durability and good looks. Because let's face it: this bike still has to look good when getting those long miles in. King hubs are easily serviced as well, so if something does happen, we can take care of it in house with our hub service kit. The rear wheel has 24 spokes laced 3x.

SRAM Force drive train takes care of the gear changing. Red is on all of my other road and CX bikes, but I figured with the abuse this bike will see, and the fact that it won't be raced, made it a perfect candidate for Force. Plus, this bike needs to fit a certain aesthetic, and the red accents on Red weren't quite right.

The obligatory stainless steel King Cage will soon have a mate. Perfectly designed, made in the US, durable, light, and beautiful, King Cages are the only way to go.

A working man's handlebar, home to a bright light and computer. The NiteRider 350 cordless is enough for the city, but when going further a Pro1500 will be mounted. The Garmin EDGE 800 is the ultimate cycling computer, bar none.

King headset and a silver head tube badge at the front of the bike. The badge is a luxury, but a king headset is mandatory.

R45 front hub to match the rear. light, the right color, and built with 24 spokes laced 2x in the front.

Quarq, the perfect match to a SRAM drive train. 50/34 chain rings make for extra flexibility in gearing. Again, this bike won't be raced so I didn't feel the need for a 53, and on easy rides a 34 might be just what I need.

Yes, there is a platinum panel under there. Classic painted panels on stainless steel.

The down tube panel housing classic Independent Fabrication logos in silver.

This bike combines a healthy dose of comfort with a little bit of speed and classic good looks. Relatively low-spoke-count wheels laced in a durable pattern have classic looks with modern performance. If I were building this bike for someone who weren't in a shop everyday we'd probably want to look at 32h laced 3x front and rear, but let's not forget that I work less than 2 feet from a huge spoke collection and a truing stand if something were to go south.

The steel fork is quite a bit heavier than anything I'm used to riding, but after only 60 miles on this bike I can tell it's going to be the right fork for the job. It rides so smooth, and coupled with the stainless frame and plush 27c tires this bike is just oh-so-smooth even on crappy roads.

Once the weather really turns foul this bike has braze-ons for fenders, a rear rack, and front low rider mounts to carry just about anything. But for now, I'm going to enjoy it in it's current "sport mode" and just go as is.

We usually photograph our bikes clean, but that felt so wrong for this bike. Dirty made sense, don't you think?

2011 Iceman Cometh Race Report

2011-11-07T05:43:00.000-08:00

With Iceman done and behind me, and with time left to reflect on how the race went, I think it's due time I share a race report:

The morning started off well, I woke up early, got in a solid breakfast of two waffles, some fruit, coffee, a ton of water, and a hard-boiled egg. Knocked out a few emails at breakfast, then it was time to prep. My bike was ready, I got dressed, started loading my car with the stuff I wasn't using for the race, when I realized my shuttle was leaving in 10 minutes!

Rushing down to load my bike into the Uhaul, I forgot I was still wearing running shoes! I darted to my car to grab my Giro's when I saw the shuttle pull out of the lot. CRAP! Luckily the Uhaul was still in the lot and they let me sit on the floor of the truck to the start line....crisis averted.

Once at the start I went into race mode. I had all of my gear in line, got my warmup in, and was lined up front row for my wave. As we were slowly let up to the start line I made some chit-chat with the other guys near me, only 2 of which seemed there to "race" rather than "ride". I thought this race would start like a CX race, maybe I thought that since I've been in CX mode for a while now.

As the whistle blew, I gunned it. Only 4 other guys came with me, none of them interested in going around and taking a pull. I led us out onto the road, made a left onto another stretch of road, then as we came to double-track I picked it up a little more.

At this point, when we came into our first taste of sand, there were only 3 of us left. A guy on a Specialized came through and took a pull up the first couple of mini climbs, but I could tell that even small inclines were gassing him. We rode together through the first few climbs, but when we hit our second somewhat substantial climb I attacked him and he was gone.

Now I'm only about 5 miles into a nearly-30 mile race and I'm solo. A typical mountain bike race that may be fine strategy, but with roughly 2000 people who started in waves ahead of me and a course perfectly suited to drafting I wasn't loving my position. Luckily I had my PowerTap Pro and used it to the best of my ability to pace on the long open fire roads and not attack too hard on the longer climbs.

At mile 7 we came to a longer steady climb, so I shifted down into my little ring and spun like crazy up it. My hope was to keep my legs fresh as long as possible, and to this point it was working. As I crested the hill I pushed the left lever to shift into my big ring and got nothing but grinding. "Curious". So I released the cable, and tried again, though this time I got no grinding and the trigger just kept rotating around. Once the big lever had made a complete 360* rotation, I knew I was in trouble.

With a fast 22 miles left, I was stuck in my 26t chainring, and had to spin a 26/11 as my biggest gear out on the roads. I was routinely seeing 130+ rpm to keep whatever speed I could, but was losing time and losing it fast. My guess at this point is that I had passed about 300 people, maybe more. If I wanted to have a chance I had to put as much time between myself and the guys I had previously dropped when in the big ring.

I started attacking climbs, and taking more risks. On downhill sections I was tossing my bike off the trail and bombing through bushes. On climbs I was forced to dismount a number of times for slower riders and run around them. I came to one particular climb that was so backed up I dismounted at the base and ran the entire thing through the woods, passing I would guess about 50-60 riders.

Singletrack sections were the worst, with riders all over their brakes poking through, so I was forced to either wait or find separate lines through the woods. Some riders were extremely cooperative about letting me pass, others not so much. By mile 20 I was in extremely heavy traffic and passing people 10 at a time. Many of the passes were done in the sand using CX skills that have been given to me by teammates and guys much faster then I. Drifting through sandy corners, taking really poor lines, and riding outside my comfort zone were the only tactics I had to keep moving at my pace.

With about 3 miles to go I was getting really gassed, and was trying to focus on riding smooth. With about a 1 left I got caught behind a tandem in singletrack that wasn't letting me through, so I was stuck behind them for an entire section, my guess is about 2-3 minutes and I'm thinking I lost at least 30 seconds.

Into the final two climbs I gave it all I had left and watched my heart rate soar. I knew I was almost there, I knew with all of the spinning I had done my legs were OK, I wanted to pass as many people as I could. Into the finishing chute I went around 6-7 people sprinting to salvage what I could from the time lost behind other riders.

In the end I finished 1:57, 2nd in my wave and 5th in my division. I'm not sure when I was passed by the rider from my wave, sometime in traffic I assume. The other 3 that beat me had preferred starts and killed it.

Conditions this year were perfect. Rain mid-week packed much of the sand down, temps were in the high-30's to start, the sun was out, there was little wind. My tire choice was great, though the rear 40c Happy Medium probably didn't save me much over a 2.0 Furious Fred since the Freds do well in sand.

Next year with a preferred start, or maybe even shoot for the pro field, I think I can pretty easily knock off 10 minutes or more.

Traffic or not, the race was amazing. Totally my style of course, great people all over, a festive atmosphere, I couldn't have asked for more from the race.

I will be back for sure, and I will be faster.

My ride, post-race:

Time to race...Iceman Cometh Challenge Ride

2011-11-04T20:43:00.001-07:00

What does one do when it's time to recover before a race, but has all of this extra energy stored away? Well, I dink around with lights and backdrops, and usually end up with a bunch of stupid-looking photos that no one should be forced to look at.

Rather than just deleting them, I'll share a few. Most of them aren't much to spend your time on, but some of them share the bike I am planning to ride in the morning for my first attempt at The Iceman Cometh Challenge....

The lines of the Air9 Carbon really help a lack-luster photographer. Swooping and leading to a stiff ride, the bike screams fast.

With a little light actually on the bike you get a better idea of what this one is packing. SRAM XX, Sid World Cup XX 29er fork, Thomson stem and post, EDGE carbon bars.

And a new addition, the recently-released PowerTap Pro disc hub. PowerTap has had the SL+ disc hub for a few years, but the newly designed option has shaved a ton of weight (this one was 492g to be exact) and looks a lot better with the matte and gloss black hub rather than polished silver with carbon windows.

A shot of the fork that shaved a couple hundred grams off of my bike. The carbon-crowned SID.

A wild card for Iceman, Kenda Happy Medium 700x40 rear tire. A robust file tread in the center with a tall shoulder, total casing measures 41.9mm on the Stan's Crest 29er rim. These are set up tubeless, of course.

The obligatory wide angle. She's coming in at 21.2lbs with pedals and Garmin 800 mounted. Nothing super-special to make that weight, or at least not easily attainable with a good credit card.

Let's see how these choices play out during the race tomorrow.....

Giro Gauge Mountain Shoes, 2 Weeks In

2011-11-04T06:11:00.000-07:00

The Giro Gauge is an interesting shoe, and if you go back to my previous post on them, you'll see I was impressed out of the box. The stiffness was off the charts compared to the Sidi Spider I was used to, and the finish quality was right there with Sidi as well.

That's all good and well, but if the shoes don't feel right the point is moot. Through this week I now have 2 weeks of training in these shoes. Yes, I specified "training", as I haven't raced in them...yet. Superstition maybe, or maybe just nerves, but I'm still racing in my Spiders. That's going to change tomorrow.

With cyclocross you have to be able to remount quickly, over and over. Part of that quick remount is a fast clip-in, and it helps to be totally comfortable in your shoes and with their cleat placement below your foot. In the last 2 weeks I have been fiddling a lot with cleat placement on the Gauge, and now that I think I have it right it's time to give these bad boys some race time.

Starting tomorrow morning around 10 am EST, the my pair of shoes will see their first big test: Iceman Cometh. It's my first time out there, and from what I hear is all about pedaling. Hard. The stiffness of the Gauge I think will be on my side.

These two weeks have proven my initial assessment of incredible stiffness to be correct. The shoes are no worse for the wear, but they shouldn't be as they only have about 30 hours on them. The velcro straps are quite nice as the d-ring on the middle strap is off-set to the outside of the shoe, moving it away from the medial cuneiform (the big bone at the top of your foot) to reduce pressure.

Give me about 48 hours and I'll tell you what I really think about these shoes.....

Giro Gauge Mountain Shoes Unboxed and On Test

2011-10-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

Giro is a new brand for us by the way of shoes, but we've been very happy with their helmets from Day 1. Giro's Atmos was my favorite helmet for a couple of years before a short hiatus away from Giro. Now I'm back on Giro's sidelines with an Aeon on my head and the Gauge on my feet.

The fit is different from my previous Sidi Spiders, I had to size up from my previous 44.5 to 45. The volume seems to feel very similar on both shoes, with the Sidi fitting slightly more narrow.

Set up was very straightforward with the Gauge using two velcro straps and one very-easy-to-use buckle. I did have a little bit of an issue setting up cleats as the plate the cleats bolt to had gotten stuck while in the box and didn't want to move. About 3 minutes of fiddling got it loose and I was set to roll.

Quality seems to be inline with comparable shoes from other brands, although I'd put these $200 Gauges against the $260 Sidi Dominator any day. I'd even give the nod to the Gauge in the style department over the Dominator, but that's personal opinion.

Once set up, the stiffness of the Gauge sole was immediately noticeable. Upon the first ride I feel confident in saying the Gauge is significantly stiffer than the Spider. The upper seems plenty soft and pliable, but the sole is night and day different.

The stiffness of the sole both excites and worries me. Pedaling efficiency seems out of this world, but with such a stiff sole I am left wondering how the Gauge will work as a CX shoe. Our courses in the ChiCrossCup have very little running, but I am a bit concerned whether these shoes will feel too stiff to run barriers. Time will tell.

Easton is to thank for the stiffness of the sole, comprised of EC70-level carbon. It's a bit disappointing that the lugs aren't replaceable in this shoe, then again they aren't replaceable on the Sidi Dominator either. To get the replaceable sole from Sidi you have to move up to the Spider at $360, which is obviously a huge jump.

After only one ride I think the biggest compliment to be paid to the Gauge is that I am drawing comparisons between it and the Spider rather than the Dominator. At nearly half the price of the Spider, the Giro is looking to be an incredible value.

Time to get some real time on the pedals with these kicks, but the first impression is really solid!

Zipp 303 Carbon Clincher Firecrest on Test!

2011-10-20T19:46:00.001-07:00

Yes, we have them. No, no one else does. The Zipp 303 Carbon Clincher is the newest thing from our friends in Indianapolis and represents a wheel that can be appreciated for it's many positive traits.

The 404 Carbon Clincher has been out for a little while now, but the 303 offers a lighter aero solution to those counting grams or to lighter riders that get blown around by deeper wheels.

Firecrest is here to stay, and the shape has a lot to offer. Improved aerodynamics are always welcome, but after riding the 404 Firecrest for over a year I can say the handling has stepped up to a new level. Where the previous 404 was affected by crosswinds even with someone my size on them, the new Firecrest shape was unaffected by wind.

Another welcome change in my eyes is the addition of black spokes and hubs. While the silver has always been a classic look, black hubs and spoke scream stealth which is a look that's very popular these days.

The new black decals in my opinion were a nice change to something a bit more subtle. The previous white and silver logos were a little louder than I prefer.

The front hub goes unchanged other than color, but the rear hub has a couple of changes to increase stiffness and prevent contamination.

Get used to the Firecrest shape, it's here to stay! Wide rims provide added stiffness, a wider tire contact patch for reduced rolling resistance and improved handling, better aerodynamics, and better crosswind performance.

Follow the blog for some follow-up information after we get some miles on this new wheelset! And if you're interested, you're looking at $2700 for the set. Iron Cycles will set you up with some sweet tires (we're using the new Vittoria EVO SC on these) and a cassette to complete the package!

2011 Niner Jet 9 RDO IN STOCK!

2011-10-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

What happens when you want to race your Niner, but need full suspension? The Jet9 has been a solid choice, but was a little heavier than it's competition. That used to leave you with a choice to be made: do I suffer the extra weight or do I switch brands?

Well, if you've ever ridden any Niner products you'll know they have their geometry dialed. Why would you want to sacrifice the amazing CVA suspension design and geometry just for a little weight?

So let's say you've decided that the geometry and suspension is enough to keep you with Niner, but you're still struggling with the added heft of the Jet9 when compared to some of it's carbon-competition. Have no fear, because as of summer 2011 Niner has answered with the Jet9 RDO.

RDO stands for Race Day Optimized, a moniker that's being added to a number of items in the Niner line. It means you're getting equipment truly ready to be raced to your best times and right onto the podium!

The Jet9 RDO is sporting a tapered head tube with inset headset. We've had a love affair with Chris King headsets for quite some time, and this machine screams for one! Tapered from 1-1/8" to 1.5" adds stiffness and steering precision.

Internal routing done very similar to the Air9 Carbon is a welcome addition, as long as you have a little patience. We've gotten pretty good at routing them, but if you're planning to build your own for the first time I recommend visiting www.ninerbikes.com and following their tutorial.

Fox RP23 with Kashima Coat. Does a rear shock get any better? Make it part of the patented CVA rear suspension design and know you've got the best rear suspension available.

A PressFit30 bottom bracket means tons of added stiffness for your pedaling pleasure! BB30 cranksets can be employed for lighter weight and a more narrow q-factor. Or, use a PF30 to BSA adapter and run a standard crankset.

Iron Cycles is one of the few spots in the country to find one of these frames. We have ONE brand new Jet9 RDO in large in stock for sale. With the Chris King Inset headset and SID 29 RL fork in tang total cost is $3300.

Current wait time is roughly 4-5 months, unless you're ready for the one we have in stock. But don't wait, once this one is gone, you have a long wait for another....

Niner Air9 Carbon Black Licorice with SRAM XX and SID

2011-10-13T06:44:00.000-07:00

Where do we start when building a light, but totally durable and ready-to-race hardtail mountain bike? We've been really happy with Lynskey, but if weight is a huge concern carbon can be .5 lbs lighter or more.

There are a number of carbon mountain bikes at our disposal, but our tendencies lead us toward framesets we can build to our specs. The Niner Air9 Carbon made a huge splash back when it was introduced, and it has features virtually no other frame can match.

Niner has their geometry nailed as they only do 29" wheeled mountain bikes. It's nice to know they are focused on one thing and one thing only. The tapered head tube adds a nice bit of stiffness to the front end, helping the bike track really well in rocks and roots. The Niner CYA bottom bracket system allows the use of BB30 or standard cranks as well as an EBB insert for single speed use.This particular build is sporting full SRAM XX for it's light weight and high performance. Of course, it's not cheap. But where do you get the pinnacle of anything cheap?!

The new RockShox SID XX World Cup 29er fork is also the top of the heap. Coming in at 200g lighter than the REBA XX, it provides a fantastic weight savings for this XC build.

When able to run BB30 cranks, you should. A more narrow q-factor is great, the added stiffness is nice, and the reduced weight makes for a great blend.

While this bike is super-stealth from a distance, when you get up close you'll see that there is bare carbon AND black paint on the frame. Using some masking, Niner has given the bike a great look while still letting you show your friends where your allegiance lies.
A carbon crown and steerer tube on the fork is a nice touch to shave more grams. Again, not the cheap way to do it, but certainly a great way to cut some weight.

This build is rolling on Industry Nine Ultralight XC wheels. Industry Nine hubs laced with Industry Nine spokes to Stan's NoTubes Crest rims.

As built:

Niner Air9 Carbon Black Licorice
RockShox SID XX World Cup 29"
SRAM XX shifters
SRAM XX derailleurs
SRAM XX brakes
Industry Nine Ultralight XC Wheels
Schwalbe Furious Fred tires
Thomson Masterpiece seatpost
Thomson X4 stem
EDGE/ENVE Carbon low rise bar
ESI Chunky grips
Fizik Aliante saddle

19.9 lbs with pedals

Total price as built: $7,500

Lynskey R430 with House Blend Paint Scheme

2011-10-08T17:52:00.000-07:00

I've ridden a lot of bikes from Lysnkey. Helix, Cooper, R230, Pro Cross, Cooper CX, Ridgeline, and the Pro29. But, even with all of that saddle time, this bike is different. Titanium is an amazing bicycle material, but just about every bike out there is made out of 3/2.5 titanium (3% Aluminum, 2.5 Vanadium, and 94.5% Titanium), it's the standard material used. What do you get when you move this far up the Lynskey food chain? 6/4 Titanium. 6% Aluminum, 4% Vanadium, 90% Titanium.

What does that mean to the rider? When the bike is sitting still, nothing really. My Helix and R430 are darn close to the same weight, the R430 coming in slightly heavier because of the paint.

What the rider really gets from 6/4 Ti is stiffness, and lot's of it. After a full summer on the Helix I was in love with the ride, and the stiffness was plenty, but the R430 screamed to me to create an all-out race bike out of Titanium.

Lucky for me, Lynskey stock sizing is a dream. The sport geometry leads to a slammed 120mm stem on a Large. The competition geometry leads to 1cm of spacers and a 110mm stem. Can't go wrong either way really, and this bike uses the latter.

The paint is a "Houseblend" scheme, meaning the templates are set and you just pick your colors. The white has a deep pearl, the black is almost a "bass boat" finish.

Equipped with a SRAM Red gruppo, Force cranks, and Zipp 404 Firecrest Carbon Clinchers the bike is hovering at 15.7 lbs. Swap out the clinchers for tubulars and you can easily get sub-15.

The added stiffness of the 6/4 Ti vs 3/2.5 Ti is immediately noticeable on the ride. This can be good or bad, depending on who you ask and what the intent of the bike is. The rider still gets that beautiful titanium ride, but when standing and sprinting or under hard cornering the bike reacts more like a carbon race bike.

The shape of the Zipp SLC2 Short & Shallow works so well for me. Short reach and shallow drop works really well with smaller hands, and makes your drops more usable, or so I have found.

The Chris King headset is a no-brainer on our custom builds.

The ENVE fork used on this bike is a staple and a near-requirement for me at this point. I see no reason to use any other fork on any road bike build, and am using the Cross version on my current race bike.
Here's a great shot of the paint, the stars fit nicely with our uniforms and the black/white scheme is right up my alley. I had debated on a black/orange or white/orange, but the template was already loud enough for me.

The R430 has been overtaken by the new R440 since this bike was built. The new R440 received a 44mm head tube and BB30 bottom bracket to add even more stiffness to the ride. Frame price has also jumped up a hair to $4195. Houseblend Paint is a standard $800 up-charge, not too bad when you consider a brushed finish will cost a few hundred anyway.

Challenge Limus Early Review

2011-09-27T19:44:00.000-07:00

The Challenge Limus is a new tread on the scene, aimed squarely at the Dugast Rhino. Challenge made an attempt to produce a worthy mud tread with the Fango, but in my opinion fell well short of the mark. The Fango's knobs were too short and too closely packed to offer any real grip or mud-clearing.

The Dugast has been the king of mud treads, and for good reason. Tall, widely-spaced knobs mixed with a super-supple casing provided great grip. Unfortunately that supple casing was also the achilles heel of the tire, it was prone to rot.

While I wouldn't say Challenge has the most durable casing that's ever made it onto a CX course, mine seem to hold up pretty well for as soft as they are. That more durable casing along with the new Limus tread, is what has me excited about this new tire from Challenge.

Let's get some important info out there: the clincher mounted to a Stan's No Tubes Alpha 340 rim came in at 33.5mm wide. Not good if you plan to run the clincher in a UCI race, but what kind of UCI racer would you be running clinchers? The tubular version mounted on some Reynolds wheels came in at 32.8mm wide, perfect for UCI legality.

This first shot shows a very tall center tread which means it rolls relatively well, but you won't mistake the Limus as a file tread in the straights, that's for sure.

This shot shows the shoulder tread nicely, which seems to bite in very well. The tread is very tall, and even at relatively high clincher pressure the grip is excellent. I haven't had the chance to really get into sloppy mud, but have hit some greasy spots and the tire holds it's line very well.

Most recently I found a spot on the Des Plaines River Trail that was a nice gradual turn with some greasy mud. With a Limus clincher mounted on the front and a Fango clincher mounted on the rear I did my best to test the limits of each tire. When ridden with care both tires gripped relatively well, but as I started to push the corner the rear Fango lost it's grip quickly while the Fango held firm. At the point the Limus started to drift I feel pretty confident any tread would have been at it's limits.

While I rack up more miles in more conditions with this tire, I'm left feeling pretty confident in it's performance so far. Best of all, those who are looking for performance on par with a Dugast Rhino but in clincher form can rejoice. Now, how does it stack up against the Clement PDX?

Giro Aeon Early Review

2011-09-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

Let me preface this entire review with one thing: helmets are very personal. Their fit, the way they look, the way they feel.

Now that we have that out of the way, I have to say I am thrilled with this helmet. I rode Giro helmets for the last few years, up until this past summer, when I switched to Lazer. I was drawn away from Giro with the Lazer Helium, which fit great and I loved the look of.

My previous Giro helmets all seemed to be a compromise. The Prolight left much to be desired on the fit, but the weight couldn't be beat. The Atmos fit pretty well, and was pretty light, but sat high on my head. The Ionos didn't fit my head as well as I had hoped, but I fit the weight I was looking for.

With the new Roc Loc 5 is a great retention system which was, for me, a game changer to bring me back to Giro. Being able to lower the Roc Loc adds a level of security and comfort I've been looking for.

Add to these features a weight that's far below the Lazer Helium, 222g for the Aeon vs. 336g for our Helium, and I think I have found a winner.

Time will tell how the durability plays out, but so far I have to give the new Aeon a huge thumbs up.

Independent Fabrication XS with custom paint

2011-09-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

When a custom approaches us about having an Independent Fabrication built, inevitably the conversation usually rolls around to paint once the frame is selected, sizing is done, and parts are chosen.

Indy Fab is known for some pretty amazing and exotic paint work, limited primarily to your imagination and how you can translate the idea from your head to their painter.

This particular example was done for a customer who knew what he was looking for, and was able to put that onto paper. IF has taken the idea and transferred it into rolling art. Luckily, underneath the beautiful paint is a North American Handmade Bike Show winner, so he gets the best of both worlds.

From the profile view you can start to appreciate the work that's gone into this bike. A corsa red head tube lug masked off on white carbon tubes and a red carbon seat tube dominate the scheme.The white front and rear ends are set off by red stripes nicely shows the detail Independent is willing and able to provide.The down tube "Independent Fabrication" logo is painted on, no decal here. A touch of class.A true detail shot of the care in masking taken when painted the lugs. The crown details are masked perfectly to allow the small "window" inside the lug to show through.The seat tube XS decal is placed on the titanium lug, just in case you forget what is going on under the beautiful paint.

This particular build consists of a SRAM Red drivetrain, Zipp Vuma Quad crankset, Zipp Service Course SL Short and Shallow bar and Service Course stem, Thomson Masterpiece seatpost, and Chris King headset. The build is capped off with ENVE 68 rims laced to a DT Swiss 240s front hub and PowerTap SL+ rear hub, all black.

As built:

Independent Fabrication XS Frameset w/ custom paint
ENVE 1.0 carbon fork
SRAM Red shifters
SRAM Red derailleurs
SRAM Red brakes
ENVE 68 rims laced to DT Swiss 240s front and PowerTap SL+ rear hubs
Vittoria EVO CX 25c tires
Fizik Cyrano seatpost
Zipp Service Course SL handlebar
Zipp Service Course stem
Lizard Skinz tape
Fizik Aliante saddle

Total price as built: $17,500

Cyclocross season is here!

2011-08-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

Here at Iron Cycles we're nuts about CX. We love riding until we bleed from our eyeballs turning ourselves inside out on grass and in mud. We love a good hand-up and live for the next great heckle.

But in the end, CX has as much to do with the event as it does the gear. We love gear. Especially CX gear. Handmade tires, carbon wheels, race frames, it all gets us jazzed.

We put Ben on assignment this time when he hit the studio, not to get some killer shots of one particular build that we just completed, rather some of the really cool CX gear we have around the shop. There's more to come in the CX world of goodies from us, but here's a sample of what's kicking around right now.

First up comes a custom CX frame from Boo. Nick Frey, the founder of Boo, hand delivered this frame to the shop for us to test out. It's got plenty of road miles, a good number of miles in the grass, and some ugly winter rides under it's belt. It was originally built with some heavy training wheels and SRAM Rival, and weighed a respectable 19lbs. Once loaded with SRAM Red and some Zipp 303's with Dugast Rhino tires it came down to 16.5lbs.

Pictured here with a Ridley Python fork and Chris King headset:

The bike is made tube-to-tube with bamboo grown under the control of Nick. The tubes are cut and mitered to fit just for you, then the joints are wrapped with carbon.

The rear end is also made of bamboo, which provides an amazing feel. Very steel-like in it's comfort, the frame is very stiff and always willing to sprint.

Up next comes a frame that brings a lot of emotion with it. Not necessarily because of the paint or design, but more because it's limited in production and gears. Raleigh has now done a few limited edition runs of SSCX frames, this being one of them.

Team Iron Cycles will have a handful of guys tearing up the SSCX scene in the Midwest this year, and this frame will be the most popular.

Aluminum frame, Easton EC90x fork, horizontal dropouts. If you want no-frills, this is it. Pedal hard to go fast. Pedal harder to go faster.

Mix in a link to some beer and you have a real winner in a group of CX racers.

Last, and certainly not least, is a project that we're very proud of. A little work with Francois from FMB and we were able to land some custom FMB Grippo XL, SSC, and SSC Sprint tires with IRON CYCLES stamped on the side. No, we didn't add these aftermarket, these were made special for Iron Cycles by Francois.

Mounted up to a set of Zipp 202's, you're looking at a soft and supple, yet super-light and stiff race wheelset. Mounted to a carbon CX bike with SRAM Red and we were looking at 15lbs even.

So sick. Thank you Francois for your help on this project. Maybe some road tires for next year as well?

Again, this is just a sample of what we do. And a sample of what we can do for you. Cyclocross exists entirely for racing, but doesn't mean you have to be a pro to participate.

Want to try out some nice tubulars but don't want to spend $3k on some wheels, how about some hand-built alloy-tubular wheels in the $500 range. 90% of the benefit at about 15% of the price of the carbon wheels.

Get in touch with us to build you dream CX bike or your first CX bike, they both excite us the same!

2011 Yeti ASR-5 with SRAM X.0 and Fox

2011-08-01T19:09:00.000-07:00

This bike was a commission from a very good friend of the shop. He came in with an idea of what he wanted the bike to be, where he wanted to go with it. We were then asked for opinions, and given a pretty loose leash to create something more fun to ride than look at.

At Iron Cycles we have a tough time creating custom rides like this one while ignoring the aesthetics, but this bike is function over form. It doesn't hurt that it's hot though.

Fox supplied the suspension, SRAM the transmission and brakes, King did the hubs and headset.

SRAM X.0 might have lost some of it's swagger with XX out and about, but without XX stealing the spotlight no one would hesitate to label X.0 as one of the best mountain groups out there. Setup is always flawless and simple, capped off by brakes that modulate well, stop incredibly, and have tons of adjustment.

RockShox Reverb seatpost comes in handy during the rough descents this bike will see in California. This is a rare part for us, very few long descents around here. But again the setup was simple and the bleed couldn't have been easier.

King headset, nothing but the best. 1-1/8" upper, 1.5" lower. Perfect fit, an industry-best warranty, and made in the USA. Can't be beat.

Kashima Coat on the RP23. This new coating makes the shock move much more smoothly, something immediately noticeable.

Nothing like a thru-axle to stiffen up steering. Combine that with a tapered steerer tube and this bikes just where you point it. Hand-built wheels are a great solution to a custom build, and this bike is no exception. A King ISO Disc rear hub laced to a Stan's ZTR Flow rim made for a relatively light and really stiff wheel. In the front the King thru-axle hub laced to the same Stan's ZTR Flow rim made for a bomber front wheel ready for anything.

In the end, this bike will pedal it's way up wherever it's pointed, and bomb down just about any line. We were asked for a do-it-all mountain bike, and when riding all over the country, we think we've accomplished what we set out for.

2011 Cielo Sportif with Shimano Ultegra

2011-07-17T12:59:00.000-07:00

When building this bike, we knew we had a unique opportunity to create a completely modern yet retro bike. Starting with a hand-made steel frame and fork, we knew we were going for a thoroughly classic look. Yet, I knew before we started we wanted to include all of the great modern technology that has forever changed cycling.

STI shifting, clincher tires, and shallow-drop bars have changed cycling, and while we knew we wanted to incorporate all of these, we had to remain true to the classic lines of quality steel.

Ultegra 6700 seemed like a great choice to us based on it's flawless performance and satin-gray finish. It "hides" pretty well on the Cielo's Transit Gray finish.

Silver Thomson stem and post were simple choices because of their classic look and perfect performance. A bit more difficult to decide on were the Ritchey Classic bars, the finish was perfect though there was a debate on the reach and drop.

A Brooks saddle seemed like a choice that was perfect and had to be made to fit the motif we were working toward. The bar tape was up for debate for quite some time before we settled on Deda in an off-white color that matched the outline of the Cielo font perfectly.

Last on the list are the rolling stock, which took some time. But, once we found H+Son TB14 rims we knew we had a winner. With the classic look of an Ambrosio but the ability to use clincher tires we feel we found a perfect balance. Laced 3-cross to Shimano hubs with Challenge Parigi-Roubaix 700x27c tires we feel we have created a very modern yet classic bike.

Chris King has been in the bike game for a long time. Everyone knows about his headsets, and now their bottom brackets, but not everyone knows that Chris started way back in the day making frames. Now that Cielo and Chris King are back in the frame business, Iron Cycles is lucky enough to be one of only a few select dealers throughout the country.

Very few small manufacturers can get you a hand-made steel frame in as little as a few weeks, but Cielo can do just that. And at just $1900 for frame and fork, it's tough to beat. Custom touches like stainless steel fork ends and rear dropouts, engraves seat stays and machined headtube collars.

Available in 6 colors, it's also possible to customize the color of the logos as well if you fancy something a bit different. All "paint" is done in powdercoat, including the logos, no decals to be found here.

Looking to go a bit further? Cielo has a stainless steel version coming as well as a Sportif Racer version with a, surprise, racier gemoetry. Cyclocross as well as a Cyclocross Racer, and a 29er version are also available.

As built:

Cielo Sportif Frameset
Cielo Steel Fork
Shimano Ultegra 6700 Shifters
Shimano Ultegra 6700 Derailleurs
H+Son TB14 rims laced 3-cross to Shimano 105 hubs
Challenge Parigi-Roubaix Tires, 700x27c
Thomson Stem and Post
Ritchey Classic bars
Deda Tape
Brooks Swift Saddle

Total price as built: $3900

2011 Felt FA with SRAM Force and HED Wheels

2011-07-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

Another quick update with a very interesting build. When working with a set budget, how does one allocate the funds?

Felt has done a great job of designing their new FA frame, and at roughly half the price of the FC, a great argument can be made for it. A tapered steerer tube/head tube (1-1/8" to 1-1/2"), BB30 bottom bracket, and full carbon fork for $850 goes a long way to giving you an excellent base for a race bike.

Going to the FA frame afforded this build some excellent component choices. This particular build went with SRAM Force which has almost all of the same feel and performance of Red, with only a very slight weight penalty. That slight weight penalty leaves a ton of extra cash in your pocket versus Red.
Another excellent choice this customer made was HED wheels. The C2 rim shape has become a favorite of everyone at the shop. We have a set of demo 2010 Bastogne wheels that have 6+ months of CX training and racing and 12+ months of road miles that includes tons of city streets, snow, mud, rain, and sand. The wheels still spin true and free while that wide rim shape makes them handle like they are on rails.

This build is something we're really proud of because it is yet another of those builds we would consider "signature". SRAM, HED, and Felt make for a great combination and one that many guys from our shop are currently riding on.

As built:

Felt FA Frame
Felt full-carbon 1-1/8" to 1-1/2" Taper Control Fork
SRAM Force Shifters
SRAM Force Derailleurs
HED Kermesse Wheels
Michelin Pro3Race Tires
FSA Stem and Post
FSA Omega Compact Bars
Fizik Tape
Fizik Antares Saddle

Total price as built: $3400

Lynskey Sportive with SRAM Red

2011-07-13T18:30:00.001-07:00

Time to unveil what we've been up to over at Iron Cycles!

If you're anything like us, you like bikes. Riding bikes. Working on bikes. And looking at bikes. Sometimes we enjoy looking at bikes so much we spend hours scouring for the next build, something new, something hot.

Nothing works quite as well to quench our thirst for hot bikes like some true professional-quality studio shots. Lucky for us at Iron Cycles, we have two photographers at the shop who can take some amazing photos, much better than any amateur will come up with. Add in a dose of studio lighting and some photo editing and we end up with true bike porn.

With that, let's get on to the bikes!

First up is an XL Lynskey Sportive that Steven was gracious enough to demo for us (and you). Built with a Reynolds Ouzo Pro fork, a mix of SRAM Red and Force, and HED Kermesse wheels. Toss in some Thomson bits, a Zipp bar, and Fizik saddle, and I would dare say this is a signature build from Iron Cycles, something you'll see a lot of.

These photos are of course a bit self-serving as well. While we enjoy building them and riding them, we do sell them. So the series won't just have sick shots, no, it'll also have a true build-kit price. Of course, with all custom builds everything can be changed, so these are just examples of what we can do.

As built:

Lynskey Sportive Frame
Reynolds Ouzo Fork (discontinued, to be replaced with Easton EC70, EC90, or ENVE 2.0)
SRAM Red Shifters
SRAM Force Derailleurs
HED Kermesse Wheels
Continental GP4000s tires
Thomson Stem and Post
Zipp Service Course SL handlebars
Deda Tape
Fizik Antares Saddle

Total price as built: $4950

Ti teasers....

2011-07-05T14:17:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of shots to cap off the day. I'm guessing many of you are on your first day back from the holiday, catching up with days worth of work, and may need a quick shot of bike pjorn for a pick-me-up this afternoon....

ENJOY!

WIG Street Straps IN STOCK!

2011-07-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

These things are not easy to come by, but we have them IN STOCK!

Let me back up, though. WIG is a small company based here in Chicago, and when I say small, I mean one dude. Isaac is our go-to when it comes to all of our custom bag needs. Personally, I own two. The first backpack was a gift, the second came along when I felt the need for something to class it up a bit.

Isaac is a crazy dude, with a ton of layers. Great guy to chat with. Better guy to get some custom stuff made. We'd heard about Street Straps and even seen them on Isaac's own bikes (we've hooked him up with a Brooklyn Machine Works Gangsta Track and a Surly Steamroller) and were impressed.

We like to support local businesses, but when that business is making some of the best stuff out there it becomes a no-brainer.

It wasn't until lately that calls have been coming in on a steady basis for WIG Street Straps, so we were able to coax Isaac into hooking us up with a few pairs.

$45 gets you set up with some hand-made-in-Chicago Street Straps, but you'd best hurry, we're down to just a few pairs!

* Huge thanks goes out to Gavin for the photos.

Lynskey Cooper Review

2011-04-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

A very nice review on the Lynskey Cooper. An XL frame built up for Mike with SRAM Rival and a Quarq. Mike was excited for a new bike, like any real cyclist, but was nervous about the stiffness. Debating between a Felt F4 and Cooper, Mike wasn't sure the Cooper would have the performance he was looking for.

I've added a few shots during the build and of the initial fit. Mike has since lowered the stem 2+cm as well as flipped the stem down and even added 10mm to it. The fit has gotten much lower and longer with the added riding, flexibility, and comfort this bike has given Mike.

Read on for his impressions:

I wouldn’t call myself a bike expert, but I have ridden a variety of bikes, from aluminum, carbon fiber and steel frames, with varying degrees of enjoyment. I have never ridden a titanium bike and was a bit skeptical when Brandon and others on the team suggested that I would love riding the Lynskey Cooper. I was planning to get another carbon bike but didn’t want a bike that beat the hell out of me on longer rides (I’m not a crit racer), so I took the leap and got the Lynskey Cooper. I have had a chance to ride it long (75+ miles), during crazy group rides (yes, Judson can be crazy), during crits and one muddy road/gravel road race and I’m surprised how happy I am about the bike.

I have not been on a ride yet that I want to get off the bike. The ride feel is amazing. I have had other properly fitted bikes that I want to get off because I felt beat up, not because my legs are tired. It’s great to feel like I could ride my bike forever… or at least longer than I would ever consider riding it.

The other piece to the ride quality is the responsiveness; it's awesome. I’m not sure if it’s the stiffness, tube construction or geometry or some combination (like I said, I’m not an expert) but when I want to stand up and sprint, the bike is ready. I feel like I have another gear when I’m pushing it or sprinting. I’m a tall guy, but I don’t feel any flex in the frame. I doubt the bike is the stiffest bike in the world, but I couldn't care less because I feel confident with it when I’m sprinting. Related to being confident, I also feel like I have a lot of control. The bike takes corners nicely and handles great, a huge positive when you are riding with others.

I have also taken this bike through hell. I rode the bike during the Leland road race that was a total mud/gravel-fest. And the bike was awesome. It handled the gravel and mud perfectly. I didn’t worry about taking it through any line, no matter how rough or muddy. The other great benefit to the bike is that titanium is super easy to clean. The industrial mill finish cleans up nice… and quick. This has come in handy in the early spring and especially after Leland.

The other great thing about the bike is that it’s unique. Brandon did awesome job of building a one of a kind ride, great orange accents that look great with titanium. I like owning it.

The bike is outfitted with SRAM Rival components, which feel very similar to my SRAM Red on my cross bike. There is a small difference, but I think the biggest difference is in weight not shifting feel or quality.

I have also put on a Quarq, which I love so far and think that it’s better than my Powertap because I can put any wheels on the bike. I look forward to using the Quarq during cross season.

Now, the Cooper isn’t the lightest bike in the world (I don’t have the lightest wheels currently either, Brandon when are you getting me those Firecrest Zipp wheels?) but I could lose 1-2 pounds (or work harder) to make up the difference, plus we don’t have hills in Chicago were it matters most.

I’d recommend the bike to almost anyone. Since I have gotten the Cooper, I haven’t ridden my ‘cross bike or my TT bike. I don’t want too, I like riding the Cooper too much. My experience with the Cooper has me considering getting the cyclocross version for cross season.

This is what happens when someone puts their trust in us to help. It's a huge leap to spend thousands of dollars without riding a bike first, but there's a reason we ride everything we can get our hands on. Yes, it's a "tough" job, but we really do ride all of these bikes to help you.

Mike, we're as happy about your bike as you are, enjoy logging the miles!

What was old is new again

2011-04-11T19:10:00.000-07:00

Received this from a good friend of the shop. It's a great point, where some people look for a new bike, with a little TLC your current bike can really bring back memories and last a long time.

This rider's tune-up would be about $290 which includes new cables and housing and good cleaning, new brakes, and a new bottom bracket. Much less than the cost of a new carbon road bike, like his current ride is.

The bike industry is a well oiled marketing machine, with new innovations always being introduced that trigger our urge to consume. This write-up isn’t about a new super product, but rather the performance improvement and satisfaction I received through an overhaul of my well used older bike.

I purchased my first road bike with minimal maintenance knowledge. Over the years I’ve learned quite a bit about service, but there are still several jobs that require a mechanic’s knowledge and a shop’s tools. My bike’s shifting had become sluggish, the wheels were slightly out of true and it just wasn’t the same machine I excitedly purchased 5 years ago.

I took her in for re-cabling and any other service needed that Iron Cycles found when looking it over. Brandon and Ben went the whole nine yards inspecting and fixing what was wrong. New cables, re-greasing the hubs, new bottom bracket (an inexpensive replacement for big performance benefit), wheel truing, and replacing the badly rusting brakes. They even did some maintenance on the shifter when they noticed that the rear shifter wasn’t quite as “snappy” as it should be. Something I hadn’t noticed and would not know how to fix at my home “shop”/dining room.

The result? The performance of a brand new bike at a fraction of the cost. I took her out the following morning for a group ride. The crisp shifting, smooth and silent crank and true wheels brought a smile to my face. It brought back memories of when I first bought it and the countless hours and experiences over the years. I’m looking forward to many more years and miles to come thanks to the help of the guys at Iron Cycles.

A little love goes a long way on your bike.

Niner first Impressions

2011-04-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Love love LOVE my Niner Air9. I spent the winter painstakingly selecting my build group for my Niner, and now I'm getting to enjoy the payoff. I haven't even gotten to ride any real single track and already it's exceded my expectations.

The build: Large Niner Air9, Niner rigid carbon fork, King headset; Thomson cockpit with Fizik Tundra saddle, Edge (Envy) Composites carbon riser bar, and Ergon GX2 Leichtbau Carbon grips; Sram X9 2x10 group with Elixer CR hydro brakes; Stans No-Tubes Crest rims laced to King ISO Disk hubs with DT Swiss Revolution spokes rolling on Kenda rubber; Crank Brothers Eggbeater 2's help me put the power to the ground.

A couple weeks ago I swapped out the big Kendas for some skinny 1.75 Bontragers and went across the pond to race the Barry-Roubaix in Barry County, Michigan. For my money, this was the PERFECT bike for the job. While I wasn't contending for the podium, the extra air volume made for a very comfy ride, but the real gem was the 2x10 Sram drivetrain. With the rolling terrain this rain threw at us, I was never at a loss for the right gear to keep me rolling along. I'm sure that's what helped keep me fresh enough for the final sprint to finish 16th out of 70+ in the 35 mile race!

This weekend I took one step closer to single track by hitting up the Des Plains River Trail for a good 25 miles of trails. I was amazed at how this thing carves up the trail. I hit a couple twisty single track sections, and found the Niner is a real point-and-shoot beast. More amazing was how easy it is to get the wheels off the gournd when hopping logs or jumping log piles.

I can't wait to hit up Palos and Kettle Morain in the coming weeks, and I'll be sure to share!

Soupy

My Barry-Roubaix bike

2011-03-31T18:52:00.000-07:00

I've given my recap, my kegs have started to recover. Now it's time to cover my Barry-Roubaix winning* bike.

Before I decided on what I was going to ride, I consulted in others. After speaking with a number of previous racers, something was recurring. Titanium. A rough road race, titanium is the perfect material to tone down choppy roads and leave me not having to worry about damage from rocks jumping up.

The bike came from Guru, master custom builders from Canada. Guru has built their name around custom carbon, especially time trial and triathlon bikes. But Guru has an almost secret metal program which is really quite great.

Guru built this bike with thin seat stays for added comfort but with an oversized head and down tube to increase stiffness. A standard English threaded bottom bracket, integrated headset, and bead blasted finish round out the frame.The gruppo came from SRAM, Red has made it's way onto all of my bikes. This particular group was on my road bike last year, migrated to a Focus Mares carbon cross bike for the entire season, then was plucked from there and installed on this Guru. Shifting is still perfect as expected, nary a hiccup. The brakes are from TRP, the new CX-9's are a great brake for everything but the muddiest conditions.

Power goes into the Rotor 3d crankset with a Quarq powermeter running 46/36 FSA chainrings. I've had great luck running Quarq and find their accuracy to be as good if not better than anything out there. The only down side is calibration, but their method for calibration only takes a few seconds.

The Guru cockpit is from Zipp, SLC2 bars, Service Course stem. A Thomson Masterpiece seat post, Fizik Aliante saddle, Crank Brothers Candy pedals, and Lizard Skinz bar tape round out the contact points on the bike.

Last, and certainly not least, was the wheel choice. Barry-Roubaix has a lot of climbing for a race in the Midwest, so I knew I wanted something light. Since the race wasn't going to be blisteringly fast, I didn't feel the need for deep aerodynamic wheels. The Zipp 202 seemed to be the perfect choice with their feathery weight. Maybe more importantly were the tires, and I chose Challenge Griffo XS 32c tubular tires. Fast rolling and still offering a little grip in the gravel corners. Also important was tire pressure choices since the course offers a lot of variation in riding surfaces. Upon polling past racers, I decided on 63psi rear, 60psi front.

Looking back on my choices, I have to say I think I nailed it. Many of the decisions were no brainers to me, and the real variables I received guidance from past racers. If you're looking into doing Barry-Roubaix, I suggest titanium, carbon tubulars, and SRAM Red. Duh.

*I don't want to talk about it. Age Group winner, "wave" winner, and I THOUGHT overall winner. Apparently only one ROAD race on the day wasn't determined the same way EVERY road race is determined. Whatever.

Barry-Roubaix Race Report #2

2011-03-26T19:07:00.002-07:00

From Brandon Elliott:

I got to the park a little late, not from sleeping in or anything like that, just moseying over. The park was backed up big time, so the 90 minutes or so I thought I would have was cut to about 45 minutes to warm up. No big deal, plenty of time.

Lining up was a little crazy with 400+ racers in wave 2 with me, but I found my way to roughly the 4th row. We were sent off with a shout from the announcer and I made my way up to the motorcycle for the roll out.

A few miles tick by with people sharing pulls until I know we're coming close to the first deciding climb on Sager Rd. It's a double-track section of Jeep trail that's rocky and a little rough. When I saw the turn to the climb I made a move to about 5th wheel behind Ed Bagley. We made the turn together and Ed pulled off! I thought he dropped his chain or something but no time to check on him, 2 guys made a break for it! Try as I might I couldn't close those two, but I did find a wheel of a guy on a fixed gear bike absolutely killing this rocky hill.

The fixie rider and I knocked out about 15 miles together chasing the two man break, but we couldn't get there. At about mile 20 a pack of 20 or so guys swallowed us up. We all hammered some hills together, and at roughly mile 25 we picked up the two guys who rode off at the beginning!

Now as a big packed we rushed through the last few hills, and the final 3-4 miles of pavement, which were primarily down hill.

The pace picked up with 2 miles to go. Small attack after small attack are closed, then we make a fast sweeping left into the park.

We're down to about 1500 yards. An attack comes from the left and 4 of us run him down.
1000 yards. Soft attack from the left again, no big deal.

500 yards, hard attack from the right and I get on his wheel.

200 yards to go and 3 of us are away.

100 yards and a sharp chicane to the left, I sit second wheel. The guy in front swings a little wide and I gun it. I hear third wheel cut the chicane short and hop a curb, he's coming.

50 yards, one guy is closing. I grab another gear and eye the finish. 25 yards, one more gear, and I'm there!

I look around and realize I won the sprint! A quick cool-down and I chat with some of the guys in the break. We chat about moves, cramps, and wins.

Finally I make my way over to the results and see....wait. I won my division but got 4th overall? Where were the other three guys? I rode right behind the motorcycle until we broke off, and never had anyone get by my group.

Curious.

Oh well, first division win of the year, 4th overall in the 35-mile race. Ed finished 3rd in his division. 2 podiums for Iron Cycles today.

Barry-Roubaix Race Report #1

2011-03-26T19:07:00.001-07:00

From Liz Markel, member of Team Iron Cycles:

Race report from the Markels: I did 23 miles, and did not finish last! :-D The uphills were killer on my knees (thank you to whichever IC guy asked if I was OK while walking an uphill!). My little victory was pushing the pace good on the downhills and the technical sections and feeling confident with the speed and my bike handling. Jon did the 35 mile and went over the handlebars on the 2-track section after another guy crashed and fell in front of him (both are fine), but did finish. We both agree it was fun, freezing, and VERY hilly...and that we'll try to race it again next year! Most importantly, though......CONGRATS B! Woohoo!

Zipp 404 Firecrest Carbon Clincher early review

2011-03-20T07:37:00.001-07:00

A couple months back Iron Cycles was lucky enough to be invited to visit the Zipp factory in Indianapolis. Zipp was based in Speedway, Indiana for years, but a move to Indianapolis came along when the need arose for a much larger space.

The headquarters houses design, production, and distribution for Zipp products as well as distribution of many SRAM products. The facility is clean, well thought out, and state of the art.

After the tour we had a presentation from some of the designers and while listening to their wind tunnel data, enthusiasm, and thoroughness of their designs I "drank the Zipp Kool-Aid". I was so impressed with what they were doing I had to give their newest line of products a try.

We all know the tubular 303 is the bee's knees in cyclocross. I had a few sets that I raced on all season with nary an issue.

But what of this new Carbon Clincher model and the Firecrest shape?

First, Zipp was late to the party with a full carbon clincher, but seems to be that way for good reason. Zipp wanted to be absolutely certain their braking surface could handle the high-heat of long descents as well as provide the smooth stopping power we all want. I can say that in my experience Zipp hit a home run on those points.

More important to me though is how fast a wheel is. Who wants to spend nearly $3000 on bicycle wheels if they aren't fast?! I won't say that I feel night and day faster on them, but I can't easily compare them to 32-hole box-section rims since I rarely ride them. Zipp's wind tunnel data shows that the Firecrest shape is not only faster than just about everything on the market (including their previous generation 808...think about that for a minute) in low-wind conditions, but a lot faster in high-yaw conditions. Fast wheels in the wind? Now who would want something like that in Chicago?!

Now let's talk about the first 500 or so miles I have on these wheels. Riding solo does feel fast, but so did the previous 404's. If I am saving a few watts I can't tell because I don't have an accurate enough way to test. They certainly do feel like they are holding speed a lot easier than a set of HED Bastognes or the Zipp 101s.

Braking does feel solid and smooth, though I did notice some "whistling" coming from my rear wheel under heavy braking on my last ride. First time I've heard that, and maybe just a brake pad adjustment away from being fixed, but worth noting.

If there is one thing that I can walk away from initial testing on these wheels preaching is the way they handle cross winds. If you've ridden deep-section carbon wheels you've almost undoubtedly felt cross winds pushing you around. The new 404 Firecrest shape has NONE of that. It's really shocking to say, and more shocking to (not) feel, but these wheels are incredibly stable all the time.

For a 200+ lb rider, that might not be a deal breaker. Bigger riders won't feel the effects of cross winds on their wheels as much as lighter riders. But let's say you're 150 lbs, or even 110 lbs. This new shape allows you to run a deeper and faster wheel in much more gusty conditions without feeling unsafe or having the fear of being blown off of the road.

Triathletes and time trialists rejoice. This new shape called Firecrest is your ticket. So far a 404 and 808 version is available, I wouldn't be shocked to see a 1080 as well. The full-carbon clincher 404 and 808 are available as well as a tubular variant. My guess is a 303 version of the carbon clincher will be out before we know it, as well as disc wheels (I hope!).

I highly recommend checking these wheels out. If you're looking for an all-out race wheel, the tubular version might be for you. Save some weight and get the aerodynamic benefits. If you're training on them as well like I do, grab the carbon clincher model. You can't go wrong with either. They aren't cheap, but they sure are nice.

Whizzing by

2011-02-18T15:19:00.000-08:00

This one came from a friend of ours, cBall. He helps us with a huge chunk of our tech stuff, as well as design, and enjoys riding as much as anyone at the shop.

A couple warm days in February and we’re thinkin’ sweet, spring’s springing and winter’s done. Punxsutawney Phil did call for an early spring. Although anyone who’s lived through a few Chicago winters knows better than to pack away the trainer. But for now we can hope the 20 inches stays away and we can roll into an early season…outside.

It’s pretty cool to see so many people out and about on their bikes. You kind of grin at the other cyclists cruzin’ around…give the “nod” thinking you’re part of some secret society that has it all figured out. It’s the kind of excitement like when you were a kid riding around with a card in your spokes.

So, the other night I was psyched to be out on the streets, I was riding south on Kedzie at a pretty good clip and passed another rider. I looked over as I passed and said: “Hey man, what’s up?” I was fully expecting a similar response, but instead got a strange stink-eye look at the back of my bike. Why the look? And then like music to my ears, my King continued to Whizz.

It was the reassurance of cool that is always welcomed…the hubs, not me. As I continued to whizz down Kedzie, I enjoyed one of my favorite activities of getting lost in the saddle. So during this winter respite we can all think of what the new season will bring. New wheels? New saddle? A 29er? Whatever comes our way, we can all hope winter continues to whizz past.

SNOW DAY!

2011-02-02T06:32:00.000-08:00

It shouldn't be much of a surprise to many of you, but we're taking a snow day like just about everyone else.

I'll be in the shop for a few minutes putting finishing touches on bikes for customers, so if you need something call...never know, you might get lucky and catch me!

"Fire" SALE "secret" image.

2011-01-27T19:21:00.000-08:00

Lots of quotation marks, eh?

"Fire" SALE! January 28 and 29!

2011-01-27T18:55:00.001-08:00

Ok ok, there's no fire (knock on wood). But there IS a lot of construction coming leaving us with a great new look at the store on it's way. Starting February 1 the shop goes under the knife to make the retail and training side into ONE store instead of two!

This is where the sale comes in: there will be dust. Lot's of dust. So we were at the shop today thinking about how we didn't want to have to cover everything and/or find a clean hiding spot for it.

What to do?

That's where you come in. On January 28th and 29th everything in the store will be 35% off. That's right, 2010 and 2011 bikes, clothing, accessories, helmets, you name it!

All you have to do is print out the secret image we just posted here on the blog....see the newest post!

Help us out here. We don't want to hike 50 bikes down to our basement. We'd much rather send this stuff home with you for safe keeping/wearing/riding!

Favorite Things: Power Meters

2011-01-25T15:56:00.000-08:00

I know, a bit general. But one of my favorite things has less to do with the brand and more about the idea. Numbers are my thing. I like seeing numbers, measuring things, comparing things, seeing progress. Since I don't do any regular time trials, getting baseline measurements could be tough. Then when you factor in changing conditions, it's hard to see if a change is working or not without power.

Power helps me to not just see how I am doing, but guides almost all of my workouts. Power helps me gauge fitness and pace myself.

Speaking a bit less generally, I'm a fan of crank-based power meters; SRM and Quarq to be specific. I have a lot more saddle time with Quarq, indoors and out.

With the Quarq compared to riding on the Computrainer, I consistently see a less-than-2% variance between the two. Like anything though, there are pros and cons to each system.

Quarq Pros:
$1000 less than a comparable SRM
User-replaceable battery
Change wheels whenever you want
2% +/- accuracy
Excellent customer service

Quarq Cons:
Must calibrate more often (easy process though)
Has to be sent back to change to different chainrings
New company still working out some bugs
Limited crankset options

When it comes to the SRM, it's a bunch of pros with only a couple of cons. The SRM is the gold standard in the industry, professionals use it for a reason. Accuracy is as good or better than anything else on the market.

SRM Pros:
Change wheels anytime
Change chainrings on your own
Best accuracy in the business
Proven to withstand any conditions

SRM Cons:
$1000 more than anything else on the market
Has to be sent back for battery changes (granted, only about once every two years)

There's a third major player in the market right now, probably the biggest one, Power Tap. Their method of power measurement is at the hub. The down side is that power is built into your wheel, so you need to choose your rim wisely. The huge up side is price, as Power Tap blows everyone else out of the water! The range is $850-1850 if you ignore the wired version, which we recommend doing.

The beauty in all of this is that the industry is moving to ANT+ protocol, which means your Garmin 500/705/800 will work with any of these.

Ideally you'd want to sit down and decide one thing: can I live with power laced into one rim? If you can, Power Tap is certainly the way to go if you don't have tons of cash burning a hole in your pocket. If you want the ability to change wheels but don't drive a Range Rover with a Porsche parked in your garage for nice days, maybe the Quarq is for you. Have that Range Rover and Porsche covered, have a bunch of race wheels, and are ready for the Porsche of power meters? Pony up for the SRM.

Favorite Things: Crank Brothers Pedals

2011-01-25T06:35:00.000-08:00

We're starting a little something different, seeing if you are interested. I've asked each of the guys at the shop to a few write-ups on different parts, people, rides, etc that they find to be their "favorite". A little way to share the things we love about cycling with you.

The first one comes from Mike, a dedicated user of Crank Brothers Egg Beater pedals:

Since Crank Bros. introduced the Eggbeater pedal over a decade (?) ago, I knew had to get a pair. The sheer simplicity of their design is what drew me too them, and the ease of use and maintenance is what has had me outfit 4 mountain bikes, 1 cyclocross bike, and 1 road bike with them over the years. Float adjustment is achieved by simply by choosing which cleat goes on which shoe. Entry and exit are like butter, even in the muddiest of conditions thanks to the ample mud clearance of the wings as well as the 4 sided design. Their minimal weight is just the icing on the cake! All of these things make Eggbeaters my FAVORITE pedals. Period.

I can say that I think Mike has hit the nail on the head. I own at least 6 pairs of these pedals, from Egg Beater 4ti, 2ti, SL's, and even some Candy 3's.

Pricing ranges from $60 to $425 depending on how light you want them to be thanks to generous doses of titanium.

Computrainer Class Schedule

2010-12-31T14:53:00.000-08:00

Here's the deal:

Starting 1/3/11 we'll have some set classes. We'll have workouts available to be done or you can do your own thing. The only commitment you make is to your time slot and it's only for 4 weeks at a time. Commitment-phobes, rejoice!

Schedule:

Mon/Wed @ 6:30 am
Mon/Wed/Thu @ 6:00 pm
Sat @ 8:00 am, 11:00 am

Sunday classes will be coming as well if demand shows it's needed.

Classes are limited to 6 people per section, so sign up quickly! Each weekday class will be roughly 90 min, Saturday classes will be roughly 2 hours.

Pricing (4 weeks):

1 section/wk - $75
2 sections/wk - $130
3 sections/wk - $175

Questions? Email us! Stuff@ironcycles.com

We're closed on 12/28 (Tuesday), call us Wednesday for a nice prize!

2010-12-27T13:03:00.000-08:00

We're taking a day off. I know, last minute. But we have earned it, right?

Iron Cycles will be closed Tuesday, December 28th, and will reopen Wednesday, December 29th at 11 am for normal business hours.

As a thank you for your understanding and support, give us a call or stop in on Wednesday from 11 am - 7 pm (normal business hours) for a FREE Iron Cycles T-Shirt! We only have a limited supply, and it's first come, first served. Come/call early and get in on this!

773-539-4766

Thanks!

Iron Cycles

New blog format!

2010-12-20T15:59:00.000-08:00

Thanks to our friends over at Bark Design for the redesigned blog! They've helped us tremendously over the last year or so getting the website up and moving, designing our gift certificates, a few other things, then finally this new blog!

We're going to be using the blog to showcase some new products, share some race results, post some photos, and generally blab about bike stuff. We love gear, we love bikes, we love to talk about both.

Please follow along, we may even post some secret stuff on this blog that the general public won't know about!

Fall Colors Fest - Kettle

2010-09-29T21:40:00.000-07:00

Here is Kenny's race report....

First time racing the Fall Colors Festival at Kettle Moraine.
Team: Iron Cycles
Rider: Ken Dorado

Earlier in the week prior to the week I checked out the forecast near and around Kettle Moraine. The weekend forecast of the Kettle Moraine - Fall Colors race started out looking pretty grim. Here's what I discovered: Rain Thursday - Wind Friday - Rain Saturday. I wasn't looking forward to a muddy race and slogging back home with pruned up fingers and some other unmentionable body parts.

Closer to race day the weather lightened up enough for me to get a glimpse of hope for a fairly manageable race. I pulled the trigger and decided to race it.

- The 25 Miler -

I rode up with some friends (Anthony and Felbert) who ride the local trails and make this event the race to make every year. So, I followed in the hype and chose to ride the 25 miler. Least to say I'm glad I did it.

By the time we got to Kettle Moraine we had about 30 minutes to spare - register, pre race pee/poop (which ever is your fancy) and line up. Oh yeah, I forgot, part of my pre race regimend is to check and recheck my equipment and gear... so I got to the bathroom with 4 minutes to spare at the line. As I rode up to the line, the smell of burger patties being grilled and music filled the air. A very festive and upbeat ambiance. I ended up about 50 people from the front out of a crowd of about 95 riders.

One more thing ...

Oh yeah, I should probably include warming up in my pre-race prep, that day I ended up using the first part of the race as a warm up and gauge to see where I was at in the pack.
And they're off ...

I easily sped away from the riders behind me and avoided a couple of crashes with riders who may have touched tires. I also encouraged my friends, who rode up with me, as I cruised by them. Once the first section of the race was out of the way (the Brown Loop) we entered into the first section of the Blue trail. If you've never been to Kettle Moraine, I recommend you go and get aquainted with the trails. The Blue Loop has got alot of what a mountain biker looks for in a ride (minus mountains). This is a fast, hilly, rocky, sandy, technical, fun, annoying and pleasing (once you complete it) loop to ride.

Since it's been about 2 years since I've ridden this trail, (which happened to only be one time) it's safe to say that I have no clue what the race was going to look like. I basically used the first half of the race to navigate and use the riders ahead of me as guides - yeah there were alot of riders for me to use as guides. I passed - and got passed by - riders, so it was a bit of give and take.

Throughout the trail system, the conditions of the ground vary from dirt, sand and gravel. At one section, Sandy Bottom, I ended up challenging a tree at a corner... bad choice... I ended up getting a little bit of shell shock, had to give up two spots (one which I regained) and did a quick health check to make sure nothing was broken. Aside from a sore shoulder, cut ear, and remounted front wheel all was good. I used that opportunity to take a couple of quick breathes to gather myself and rehydrate.

And they're off ... again ...

As I mentally marked where I body slammed that tree, I targeted myself to take catch up and take on those who just passed me. Shoot, I worked hard for those spots, I planned on getting them back.

Which way? That way! <- or ->?

Literally, you know you're not going hard when you end up at an intersection and have a conversation with another racer trying to figure out exactly what the race directors were thinking when they laid out a misleading intersection. Don't get me wrong, they had signage but it was either not enough or too little. Two directional signs with one pointing straight and another pointing right, both next to each other. At the time I was already going straight as I asked about 5 times "Straight or right? Straight or right?"... an easy 2 minutes lost and about 5 spots given up with that debacle.

Thankfully, there was someone there the second time around. The answer was to go straight and then the trail loops around. Hopefully if they choose to use that route again they build a bridge there next time or just reroute.

... Rinse and repeat...

Feeling good about knowing that I'm more than half way through with the race, I push lap 2 a little harder. After passing the start/finish line, I came up to one of my friends, Felbert. I rode and chatted with him for a little bit. Thinking "Did I just lap him? Am I that wicked fast now?" - now this was going to bug me for the rest of the race and annoy the car poolers on the way home. Oh well (more on that later), thinking that I theoritcally may have lapped him, it gave me some more juice to tread on and see if I could catch up to Anthony.

... Side to side and around the corner ...

As I pushed myself harder I caught up to a couple more 25 mile riders (red numbers)... this was a good feeling considering I was still getting over a cold and I was ready for biological warfare with all the snot rockets I was firing off throughout the race. I even caught up to a good number of 14 mile riders (blue numbers) who started 30 minutes after I did. They were kind enough to pull over to the side. One (minus bike) even flew over a berm in a hasty attempt to get out of the way. **chuckle**

... Conquering fears ...

After flying through most of the second loop, I passed Sandy Bottom where I crashed, caught up to more 25 and 14 milers and battled up the technical climbs. (Note: baby head rocks, as I call them, are a pain in the butt to navigate around, you're better off riding over them if you can)

... Thank you mister course marshall ...

By the time I got to the intersection for the second time, there was a course marshall directing traffic, again riders were intersecting as though there was a stop light there... not cool but I guess it's part of the race (really my only gripe of the race).

I finally got to the final and most dificult hill of the race, a rutty and rock ridden section, I passed up a rider who was conversing with hecklers about her morning breakfast. It went something like this... "You can do it! This is the last hill before the end!" They said to her. "I just had McDonald's for breakfast...'gurgle'..." She said, walking the bike up. As I rode by her, I honestly admitted that I had McD's too and then some, she politely said that I hope I _____ it out... Well you could fill in the blanks.

... Time for a final pose ...

On the down hill right before the trail head (finish line), I posed for the photographer going about 20 miles an hour. Probably not the best idea but it's an indicator that I know I'm having a good time - which is important to me.

I ended up finishing 40th out of 87 (not counting DNF's)

... Done ...

BTW - We concluded that I did not lap Felbert, he passed me up when I was trying to figure out to right or straight in the first lap at the misconstrued intersection. Anthony, DNF'd due to a mechancial - putting down too much torque to the cranks.

Lesson's Learned
- Preparation is key
- Ride within your means
- Have fun
- Pain is weakness leaving the body

Church Cross - ready for a new season

2010-09-15T19:59:00.000-07:00

Ed, Chase, Brandon and I completed our pre season preparation with the Church Cross practice race at a super secret location along the Des Plaines river trail.

Here is all you need to know about Team IC as we head into the 2010 season.

Ed - he flats a lot, but he should be fast once he learns to ride a little more delicately.

Brandon - He's fast. He has hardly raced at all this summer but he is going to come out of nowhere and surprise a lot of people.

Chase - This guy could be rookie of the year. If he knew how to pre-register for races, I would pick him to be the next Russ Kuryk in the cat 4A's.

Me (Ted) - I've spent a lot less time training for tri's this summer and spending that time cycling. I'm theoretically faster than I've ever been, recording new highs in my 1 min. and 5 min. power output in the past week. Unfortunately on a power profile chart that puts me just slightly above the level of an untrained slug. Racing savvy and bike handling are my forte anyway, but still, the power is better than last year.

Based on our team practices and late summer races, there's a whole bunch of other IC riders to watch out for. Look for Katie, Kristina, and Beebe to make big improvements this year.

party over here, party over there

2010-09-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

The Chicago Cyclocross Cup kickoff party is at Iron Cycles tonight from 4 - ????.

Stop by to say hi and get some food and drinks.

Vuelta a Berwyn

2010-09-07T15:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I completed my 3 week Vuelta a Berwyn. The tour consisted of 24 straight days of riding on average 3 hours a day in and around the Chicago-land area. Stages included mountain bike races, cross races, team rides, Spider Monkey rides, night stages, off road stages, a time trial, 2 a days, etc.

I finished the final stage with Ed Bagley but he had to get swept up by the sag wagon due to a broken crank arm. So I had to complete the tour alone, no fans lining Sacramento Boulevard as I rode the final few miles home.

The legs are tired. And so is the butt. Why do I think of Wayne Simon every time I apply chamois cream?

Now it is time to rest and then start training for cross.

xXx Relay followup

2010-08-30T04:53:00.000-07:00

With the first day of CX racing for 2010 under my belt I had to report in. I have spent my summer thinking about cross, and it was everything I was looking forward to!

Although, yesterday was the first day I can remember in a long time (since I was about 7 years old) that I was wishing were older! One year off from being able to race Masters, and without a female partner for the co-ed, I was left with only one choice: the 1/2/3 race.

I had low expectations but high hopes going into the race. I've shed a ton of weight for this season and added some power to boot, but with guys like Mike Sherer, Mike Hemme, Scott McLaughlin, Brandon Leech, Newt Cole, etc etc, I knew a top-10 finish would be more than good to satisfy me.

Derrick took our first lap, and even though he had a great LeMans-type run, I botch up the hand off a bit. The organization of handing up had changed since he went to the start line, but we were off.

Finishing his first lap we were in 13th place, not a bad start at all! When I took off I had two guys immediately ahead of me, but they were working together on the fast sections and I was just out of touch about 40 feet behind.

Coming out of the only technical section, a set of off-camber turns and a barrier, I stood and sprinted along some pavement and closed the gap on those two. We then had a toilet bowl, a couple more turns, a barrier, then a long straight. I went all out and got around both of them on the straight just in time to tag off to Derrick.

A few more laps go by, and now the field is spread out. For me that's the hardest part, making yourself sprint with no one around. But out of each corner I tell myself: if you aren't sprinting you're losing time, because someone else is.

About 10 laps in a guy ahead of me washes out in the toilet bowl and rolls both of his tubbies. Something has changed in my thinking because even though we were going hard through there, I didn't dabble a bit, changed my line, and stayed really smooth. I thought that put us in 10th.

A few more laps down and I hear the bell for Derrick, which means I get the last lap. Knowing this was it, I went all out. I looked down at my Garmin less than 1 minute into the lap and my HR is 187. Awesome. This is what I needed.

I throw my bike over the barrier, remounted quickly and was off to the off-camber section. This has been getting looser and looser because of all of the riding, but I wasn't about to run it! I clicked into my small ring and stayed back on my rear wheel: no problem.

A couple more hard sprints, a few more corners, and it's over.

9th place for Derrick and I in the 1/2/3 race. Take out a couple of teams that we all knew would be top-5 (assuming no technical issues) and we were better than I could have hoped for.

Now back to the grind, a couple more good weeks of training and starving!

(Photo credit to Nikki Cyp)

Sexy is Back

2010-08-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

Photo: Nikki Cyp

To kickoff the start of the cyclocross season, XXX Racing hosted a unique tag team cyclocross race in Jackson Park.

Iron Cycles represented in a big way with riders in almost every category race throughout the day.

The weather was super hot and for the Co-ed race Katie, Kristina, and I decided to race in briefs for aerodynamic advantage and to stay cool. We looked super hot as well if I do say so myself.

I wanted to race shirtless and Sharpie my number on my back, but Katie said there was some kind of rule that required racers to have sleeves covering their arms. Next year I am going to outsmart the officials and go with a Speedo sans shirt and arm warmers.

I don't know if results matter much in this race, but it looks like we had some pretty good results. Kristina continued her streak as the podium princess and was on the podium twice today, with Katie in the woman's open, and with me in the co-ed open.

It's going to be a fun season.

Palos Meltdown

2010-08-27T20:12:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Iron Cycles had a big turnout at the Palos Meltdown.

Making his dirt debut in the Comp class, the indomitable Steven Van Deven won the race. Also making her mountain bike debut after an 8 year hiatus, Kristina Young finished second overall in the Sport race (1st Age Group).

Watch out for them this cross season.

Also racing were Derrick, Tim, Mike and I. Additionally, Sophia was instrumental in providing race support and cookies for weary racers.

Soldier Field 4/5 A

2010-08-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

On 8/17 the Soldier Field Cycling Series held its makeup from the June rainout. A bit of rain was in the forecast, but aside from a few drops it missed us for the 4/5 races. The A race, which was the later of two scheduled 4/5 heats, included me and two other Iron Cycles teammates: Chase Negley and Ken Dorado.

I talked to Chase before the race and we had the same plan, ride near the front 5-10 positions to avoid any crashes and react to moves if they occurred. Chase being the stronger and more experienced rider, I hoped to help him out if possible.

Chase and I lined up in the first row next to each other. The first few laps were fast and I was anywhere from 3rd to 6th wheel. During the 5th lap, which was a prime lap, I sat in second wheel going into the back straightaway. This was into a headwind and as the guy pulling peeled off, I attacked and brought a couple other riders with me. Coming around the last turn I was passed by a Cutting Crew rider (who had won the first 4/5 race), who took the prime. He eased up across the line and me, a XXXer and another rider passed him. As we made the second turn, one of the guys said "we've got a gap, let's go" and they began pushing a bigger gear to see if they could make the break stick.

I went with them through that 6th lap. As we went onto the 7th, I lost their wheels and looked over my shoulder, finding the CC rider. He came around me and took a pull, where I sat on his wheel about 30 seconds but I couldn't hold that either. Meanwhile a chase group of about 5-10 riders caught me. Part of that group shot ahead, while about 5 of us stayed grouped together.

After maybe another 5 laps I was cooked and couldn't hang onto their wheels. I ended up soloing the last 7 laps by myself and averaged 24.4mph. The leaders finished were half a lap ahead of me, while we all had lapped the back 1/3 of the field twice.

My legs definitely were still hurting from racing at Glencoe on Saturday and doing 76 miles on Sunday.

Lesson learned: the tactic worked, as the prime lap attack I made created a split in the field, but I didn't have the legs to stick on a wheel and recover enough to stay up in the breakaway or the second group.

The race came down to the small break, with a 3-man sprint to the line. Chase said he basically just ran out of road and had to settle for second, still a great finish for Iron Cycles. Here's a pic of the 4/5 podium from our race.

-Henry Heisler

ChiCrossCup Title Sponsorship!

2010-08-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

After about 157,987 nagging emails to Jason Knauff, we have landed the sponsorship!

Keep an eye on the blog and our Facebook page for updates on equipment, races, training, etc.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

2010-05-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

We hope you have big plans, and in observance we're making some plans as well!

This weekend, we'll have the following special hours:

Friday May 28 - 9 am - 7 pm

Saturday May 29 - 10 am - 4 pm

Sunday May 30 - 10 am - 4 pm

Monday May 31 - 10 am - 2 pm

Enjoy the weekend, the weather is supposed to be beautiful!!

The Reader Best of 2010

2010-05-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

Ever thought we were doing a good job for you? Feel free to help us out in return!

http://bestof.chicagoreader.com/list/3

New blog coming, new site around the corner!

2010-05-22T17:04:00.000-07:00

We know, our website has been lacking, but it's for good reason: we work on bikes, not computers! I think we're pretty good at bikes, but our web design is lacking, and you know what, we're ok with that!

But, we do have some good stuff coming, thanks to some of our bike shop friends.

Stay tuned, more is coming!

Spring Classics - Leland

2010-04-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

A whole bunch of IC riders headed out to the far, far suburb of Leland for the Leland Kermesse. I'm not sure what Kermesse means, but I'm pretty sure it is Flemmish for crappy roads.

Before the race Jason Meshberg offered sage advice to get to the front before the gravel because those at the front will put minutes into the rest of the field right away. I told my teammates to mark the strong guys, especially the cyclocrossers, because I had a feeling they would be the ones drilling it in the gravel. I also had a feeling the first break to get away would stay away for the rest of the race.

About 2 or 3 miles into the race, before we get to the gravel I'm talking to Larson. He drops back behind me to get a better draft and then I the sound of metal and carbon I pavement. I turn around to say, "hey Larson, did you see who crashed?," but I see no more Larson. Damn, taken out by a pot hole.

In the first gravel section, I'm not in great position in the group but I'm on Russ's wheel. I know that even if we get gapped here we can work together to move up. Next thing I know, a XXXer crashes for no apparent reason other than sliding a little and takes out Russ. I swerve into the ditch and save myself. This race is so chaotic. Where are my teamates at?

It seems like the group stayed together after the first gravel section. I move to the front and sit on Ben Popper and Mike Hemme's wheel. Sounds pretty weak, but this was my race strategy. I figured they would get anxious and go soon. Once we got to the gravel sections with a tailwind they went and I went with them hitting speeds over 35 mph. We exit the gravel and look back, there are just five of us left. I can't believe everybody got popped that easily, but the guys in the break are exactly the guys I expected to be in the break, Mike (CXer), Ben(CXer), John(CXer), and Patryk(Rookie).

John is the captain of the break and he organizes us into a paceline and we go to work putting time into the field. The first two laps were so hard I thought I could blow up at any time. Hemme fell off the pace and then Ben. Two laps to go and it is just the 3 of us. A chase group was no where in sight.

Knowing Ben and Mike are behind us I know they could catch a second wind if they can get some recovery when a chase group catches them, so I keep drilling it everytime I take a pull. Patryk flats about 2 miles from the finish and then it is just John and I as we make the last turn and cruise in to town.

It's a gentlemany sprint where John rides next to me and says that he doesn't want to sit on my wheel and then go around me at the end. I tell him it's all good, and do what you gotta do. I gauge the crosswind and go to the right side gutter and start riding hard leading out. John comes around me and I hope to get a nice draft on his right hip. It would have been a good strategy if I had anything left in the legs, but I get nipped by a wheel and take second.

It was a pretty good day for IC. Russ was 9th and Jordan was 10th. Tim was 10th in the 1/2/3 and Katie was 5th in the 4's.

I wish there were more road races like this. Big thanks to the Flatlandia crew for hosting such a great event.

Race Report 3/28/2010 C.O.U.G.A.R. Crit in Joliet

2010-03-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

Ken, Jake, Katie, Chip, Kristina, Ed, Brandon and I went down to Joliet for the Cougar Crit this Sunday. Below is Kristina's race report:

First and foremost, a GREAT BIG THANKS to all the people who made the race possible, South Chicago Wheelmen, USA Cycling, AutoBahn Country Club and all the other cool people I don't know.

Race #1 A Good Pull

Ok so this was my second crit in a long time, the first being a Gapers Block Crit on Wednesday. I roll up with my trusty steed, a late 80's Bianchi (5sp Nuovo Record with downtube shifters...Brandon asks me "WHAT'S THAT!?" when he sees it). I got it at a yard sale for $50. I smile all excited but I have to say I was feeling a little silly lining up next to a full line of shiny carbon rigs with Zipp wheels, powertap hubs and the like. This was the womens 3/4 race. But I decided eh whatever I'm learning and who knows maybe I'll surprise somebody. So we go, and with a bit of trouble clipping in I manage to join in with the rest of the group at a light peppy pace mainly spinning and settling in and getting nice and comfortable with the nasty wind on the back stretch of the roughly 1.5 mi. course. Everybody is going along just fine for a while, a couple of small jumps here and there by some of the ladies just to see if we're all paying attention. We lost the team Pegasus rider that way and the headwind became her only companion. With 3 laps to go and no one obviously wanting to pull the group...case in point...when the front rider tries to pull to the side and let someone else up, the whole group would just stay right behind her...I decided to try and see what it was like and pulled the group. I felt good there for the 1st quarter of the lap, so I figure hey why not pull a littler harder and see what happens? Katie jumps on my rear wheel and I pick the pace up and hold it for a while...then I feel the wind in the back stretch...I'm getting tired, so I try and pull to the side to see if somebody, anybody wants to relieve me at the front...Nope nobody. Three times I try and move over to no avail. But Morgan decides shes gonna make a move and attacks, Katie and everyone else pretty much rush to catch her and leave me in the dust alone and close to imploded. Somehow I manage to keep it together and catch up in just under 2 laps and was with the group on the last lap, but I just didn't have any left in me to sprint to the finish, and that was that. My teammate Katie Isserman though, managed to sprint to a win in the end and landed a big win for Iron Cycles, so I was just glad to be around to see that. Lesson learned, if your going to pull hard w/ 3 laps to go you better be sacrificing yourself for a teammate, don't get any ideas of still placing well, especially if you get dropped.

RACE #2 The Wind and I are Good Friends Now

So after paying the extra $10 and no calls from the hubbie pleading for me to come home and relieve him of the kids, I decide to do the Womens Open Race. My legs were still aching from the race 2 hours prior so I knew deep down this was gonna hurt. And well it did. Right of the line. I couldn't clip into my pedals, I think the shoe covers were keeping the cleat from locking in initially. That on top of the cat 1/2 riders deciding to sprint at the start, pretty much took me out instantly. So I viewed the remainder of the race as a real hard training ride and learned to love the wind. Props out to Niki Cyp for cheering me on that one time, it really made me feel better. I was considering pulling out at first but that tipped the scales to stay in it. That and in the first race, the little juniors pretty much braved the wind by their lonesomes the whole time, why couldn't I? The guy in the lawn chair in the back stretch kept me company too, he was cool. I managed to not get lapped until later when I had a dropped chain cus the FD threw too far and the lead breakaway, Kristen? and Stacy rolled by me super fast. Four laps later same story, dropped chain and the main group lapped and hung with me a short while but their pace was too quick for my winded self. Yet again I was left to my own thoughts and encouragement and rolled to the end as fast as I could and tried to sprint out whatever I had in me to the end. Honestly I was just happy that my bike held up and didn't disintegrate on me. After a long talk with the wind...the wind thinks that I should train on the Bianchi, but maybe show up with something that has more than 10 speeds and weighs 10 lbs less next time. I have now decided to name the Bianchi "Headwind".

Cheers!

Kristina

Brown County Road Race

2010-03-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

Jake and I drove down to the Bloomington, IN area for a taste of some early season Midwest road race action this past weekend. Here is his race report:

Brown County Road Race

Ted and I made the drive south to Nashville Indiana for the Brown County Road Race. The course was a closed 6 miles loop inside of the state park. It starts with a screaming descent, followed by two climbs, about 200 ft each, and false flats back to the finish.

Only 11 of us showed up at the line for the Cat 3 race. I didn’t get a chance to pre-ride the course, so when it was off, it was all new territory. The descent caught me off guard and I had trouble finding a good line. Basically, you are going 50+mph, then you need to stick a steep right followed by a sharp left, then its smooth sailing. I actually got dropped but managed to bridge back up as I can now see the descent lines clearly from the others in front of me.

After the first climb, it is only six of us remaining. To be honest, I feel terrible. I had food poisoning less than a week before and I am not 100 percent back on form yet. Coming into the next lap and series of climbs, I’m worried I might actually be the next to drop off the peloton. I managed to pace myself really well and stay at the front on the climbs feeling much better.

Finishing the climbs on lap three, I get to the front and keep the pace up, hoping to shell anybody on the fence. The 15y/o junior (Andrew dillman, redzone cycling) takes my cue throws down a punishing attack. I am the only one who goes with him. Eventually the race gets back together, but other 4 guys are clearly fatigued from the attacks.

On lap four, we finally shell one of the riders making it 5 of us. On lap 5 he manages to claw his way back up to us at the foot of the climbs. Unfortunately for him, he lasts about 5 seconds before we drop him again, as well as several others.

For the remainder of the race it is just three of us, 15y/o, some 130lb guy and me. I keep the pace hot on the last climb hoping to sail away, but it’s not enough to break anything up. Instead I just get stuck on the front. I’m on the front for almost two miles. I flick my elbows begging for somebody to pull through. I start riding erratically, slowing then accelerating to no avail. Then 15 y/o attacks hard and makes a huge gap. We chase and it comes back together with about 300m to go. 15y/o makes the jump, I grab his wheel, but ultimately run out of real estate. He wins by less than a wheel length. My calves cramp like crazy and I feel like I never really got the full power into my sprint. Oh well, it was a great race, clean course and a few points toward upgrading.

-jake

A new begining is near

2010-03-05T10:27:00.000-08:00

Everyone here is excited about the new season. Fancy bikes are being built and race schedules are being planned.

If you haven't seen the new Storks, they are sweet.

Derrick is hold up an Absolutist 1.0 complete with SRAM Rival. Yes he is holding it up with only 1 finger. The bike weighs in at 17.3 lbs with pedals and pink bike computer. Just image how light that thing would be with some race wheels on it.

Nasty.

Jingle Cross

2009-12-07T21:20:00.000-08:00

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

It's been a long time...

2009-11-16T08:48:00.000-08:00

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.

Iron Cycles rider of the week - Tim Yuska

2009-11-08T22:10:00.000-08:00

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:

http://www.triblocal.com/Northbrook/Detail_View/view.html?type=photos&action=detail&sub_id=116477

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:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tippingpointphoto/sets/72157622640358739/

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.

Iron Cycles rider of the week - Russ Kuryk

2009-11-04T21:56:00.000-08:00

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:

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 Yuska

Photo 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

Mountain Bike Equipment Review

2009-11-02T21:37:00.000-08:00

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.

BB/VP Bar-B-Cross

2009-10-12T16:22:00.000-07:00

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

DeKalb CX

2009-10-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

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.

Storck's are in!

2009-08-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

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.

We're famous!

2009-08-22T20:58:00.000-07:00

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

The first of many Iron Cycles Racing wins!

2009-08-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

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

John's family Schwinn Tandem Town & Country

2009-08-01T06:43:00.000-07:00

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.

Ed's Turner Flux

2009-08-01T06:35:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-01T06:23:00.000-07:00

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!

The new series....

2009-08-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

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....

Transitions and The 9ball Diaries

2009-07-12T13:44:00.000-07:00

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.

Superweek is here!

2009-07-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

Tim sent me this today to recap his weekend of racing:

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 2^ndwheel coming into turn 3 on the final lap when the swarm finally came. I was pushed back to about 8^thplace. 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 2^ndin 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 1^stand 10^thposition 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!

Lynskey Cooper tested

2009-04-26T18:57:00.000-07:00

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.

Continental Mountain King 2.2 Supersonic tested!

2009-03-25T13:17:00.000-07:00

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.

Stan's Notubes ZTR Race wheelset

2009-03-22T19:25:00.000-07:00

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!

Welcome!

2009-03-17T16:15:00.000-07:00

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!