Training in the Post Season for Endurance Athletes

12:09 AM

Admin

Training in the Post Season for Endurance Athletes

This is the first article in a series, directed towards the changing seasons – off season through race season. They are meant to provide some general guidelines, thoughts, and tips to help you toe the start line in your best shape.

I like to think of the transition period between the end of the race season and the start of the next training season as the “postseason.” It’s an essential period that allows the athlete to fully recover mentally and physically and to allow time to reflect on the previous season.? Once all the racing over, it’s a good time to let the body and mind heal. By the end of the season, you’ve put your body through enough stress preparing for and traveling to races, while maintaining a balance of career and family, that I recommend taking an entire week or two off the bike completely. Instead, you may want to try some other activities, such as some short hikes, gym workouts, or treadmill or elliptical trainer sessions. It’s important to stay active with short, easy sessions to keep your body moving, and keep your mind clear and ready to come back stronger, fresher, and enthusiastic to train your butt off.

After the postseason break, I use the good weather for a period of two weeks to two months to simply enjoy the time on the bike. It's important to emphasize enjoyment of riding and being outside. You may want to leave the power meter and heart rate monitor at home and don’t worry about getting in your intervals or sprints - only fun riding! You can even ride hard and chase your friends around if you’re feeling up to it. The rides are not about training because you'll have plenty of time to do that later.

Base training should start about six months before your first “A” race and generally lasts about twelve weeks. For some riders, it works to hang their bike up over the winter. Just keep in mind that if you are one of those that hangs up your bike, that you will likely lose a great deal of fitness and gain unwanted pounds. If you do hang up the bike during the winter months, focus on cross training, including running, cross country skiing, weight training, or other cardio work, such as elliptical machines. It's much easier to start the base period with some fitness and within 5-8 pounds of your race weight than having to work your way back and try to lose 10-15 pounds.? The following are some tips to help you get through the postseason and be ready for the base period:

Stick with a lower intensity riding and no racing mentality. After one or two weeks completely off your bike, your rides should be about fun, health and fitness, camaraderie, and the overall experience instead of preparing for the next race. It's still ok to hit it hard when you feel like it, but try not going hard more than once a week.
Reflect on aspects of the season that went well and note ones that didn't. What did you do last season to help maximize your performance? Identify one or two areas that require improvement and focus on these in your training plan. By keeping it simple and limiting the areas to improve, you will stay focused and achieve better results. Don’t forget, your training can be updated throughout the process, so if you can focus and improve quicker, you may be able to move on to new areas.
Take advantage of the extra time to cross off your list of to-dos around the house and enjoy non-bike activities with your family. Go for a hike, head to the museum, or even just have a movie night at home. It helps to reduce the stress on your spouse and kids. Remember, although they may not be training, the travel, races, and training is tiring for them too! You’ll all start the new season with a clean mental slate!
Maintain some fitness by not hanging up your bike. The beginning stages of your base training will be easier because you won’t have to start over. Enjoy the fitness you built during the season by taking in the experience and having fun with your friends.
Watch your diet. Make it easier on yourself by not putting on weight you'll need to take off later. You won't be burning as many calories, so cut back on your ?starchy carbohydrates (pasta, bread, rice, potatoes, etc.) and focus on simple, clean foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and fats, such as olive oil. Developing (or redeveloping!) a good diet in the postseason will help you to maintain a good weight, as well as build a base of good eating habits that you can rely on during periods of heavy training loads.
Focus on building muscular power and endurance. You’ve been maintaining your strength throughout the season, so it’s important to change gears in the postseason to ncorporate a different weight training routine.?

Article Source: www.303cycling.com

12:02 AM

Admin

For the 2011 edition of Bikes of the Pros, we’re going to take a slightly different tack and organize things by team, at least at the start. As the year rolls on and new bikes and technology appear, the article will be updated.
We’ll start with the bikes being ridden by the UCI Pro Teams and go from there.

Pro Teams:

Ag2R – La Mondiale

2011 will see the AG2R – La Mondiale team on the latest edition of the Kuota KOM: The Evo. The KOM Evo features a one piece monocoque front triangle with a tapered headtube (1.5″ to 1.125″) and a BB30 bottom bracket. Progressive tube dimensioning ensures the same ride across all frame sizes. Asymetrical chainstays provide the best comfort and power transfer. The KOM Evo has a slightly sloping top tube and comes in six sizes from XXS to XL. A size M frameset weighs just over 1 kg.

Astana

The Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL3

Alberto Contador's S Works Tarmac SL3 from the 2011 Giro d'Italia

Alexandre Vinokourov and the rest of Astana is slated to continue with bikes from Specialized in 2011.
The Roubaix SL3 is Specialized’s “comfort” road bike, but that does not mean that it can’t race. It went to victory with Fabian Cancellara at Paris-Roubaix in 2010. The new FACT IS 11r carbon SL3 frame weighs less than 1000grams, with increased torsional stiffness, and Zertz seatstay inserts for the fastest most compliant endurance bike available. The FACT full carbon monocoque fork with vibration-damping Zertz inserts is ultra light and durable.

BMC

One of the benefits of having a bicycle manufacturer as your title sponsor is a wide variety of bikes to choose from. The riders of the BMC Racing Team four road bikes at their disposal:

The BMC impec team

The Impec: BMC set out to create a new paradigm in bicycle design with the impec. The result? Their Load Specific Weave (LSW) and Shell Node Concept (SNC). No bicycle has ever been designed with such a consistently futuristic approach. The impec was ridden by 2009 World Champion Cadel Evans and 2009 US champion George Hincapie in 2010 and will likely find itself under more BMC Racing Team riders in 2011.

The BMC teammachine SLR01

The new teammachine SLR01 was the choice of 2008 World Champion Alessandro Ballan in 2010. The teammachine SLR01 is a racing bike made without compromise, which achieves the seemingly impossible: maximum stiffness with the greatest possible comfort. The Tuned Compliance Concept applied to the chainstays, seatstays and forkblades provides vertical flexibility and thus a tangibly more comfortable ride. Meanwhile, a stable bottom bracket hub and steering head area guarantee propulsion without compromise and incredibly precise handling.

The BMC promachine SLC01

The promachine SLC01 of Karten Kroon is not just a visual masterpiece – it is also technically unique. Ultralight and with impressive stiffness values, it provides the rider with an exemplary handling experience. The promachine holds the road well, remains precise through bends and its load transmission is second to none. This is a bike for world champions – and now for you, too.

The BMC racemaster SLX01

Before moving to the impec, the Racemaster SLX01 was George Hincapie’s choice. The prize winning design unites carbon and aluminum in a racing frame that guarantees uncompromising rigidity and a high degree of ride comfort at the same time. The integrated streampost seatpost can be adjusted for height with a single turn and remains perfectly aligned due to its tear drop shaped profile. The result is a comfortable and incredibly fast racing machine made for curvy mountain passes and for effortless gliding over any tarmac.

Recent news seems to indicate that the team is moving from a Campagnolo drivetrain to Shimano’s electronic Di2/Dura Ace system. Team captain Cadel Evans recently tweeted that he received a bike with the group.

Euskaltel-Euskadi

The Euskaltel-Euskadi squad has been on Orbea bikes since their inception. That relationship will continue on into 2011 and will see the team riding the latest incarnation of the Orca line: the Orca GDi2. The GDi2 continues Orbea’s fine technical tradition and mates that technology with Shimano’s Di2 electronic shifting system.

Garmin-Cervelo

2010′s Garmin-Slipstream and Cervélo Test Team organizations have somewhat merged to form the new Garmin-Cervélo. It should be no surprise to learn that the team will be riding Cervélo bikes in the new year. As was the fashion at the Cervélo Test Team, we anticipate that you’ll see the riders choosing from a number of bikes in the Cervelo line. Two that you’re sure to see are the R5 and the R3.

The Cervelo R5

The R5 is one of the lightest frames in the world, but it is no lightweight. Because Cervélo does not lower its stiffness and strength standards for its lighter frames, the R5 boasts incredibly high test scores, but at an even lower weight than the R3. The R5 achieves this by using most of the technology developed at the Project California facility and showcased in the R5ca. The R5 is part of the R-series, designed to make the difference on the hills and mountains.

The Cervelo R3

The original R3 has set the standard for lightweight yet stiff, strong and comfortable frames over the past five years. Its super-thin seatstays, Squoval tube shapes and in-house developed layup were a major leap forward in frame design. The completely re-engineered 2011 R3 takes another leap. The BBright system almost DOUBLES the already impressive BB stiffness and the tapered 1-3/8th tapered FK30 fork tracks like no other.
Look for Cervelo riders to be choosing the RS model in the Spring classics.

The vaunted Cervelo R5ca made an appearance at the 2011 Amgen Tour of California being ridden by Ryder Hesjedal.

HTC-Highroad

The big news for HTC-Highroad and the other teams sponsored by Specialized Bicycle Components is the new McLaren Venge. It made its debut just before Milan-San Remo and was ridden to victory just a couple of days later by Matthew Goss.

The Specialized S-Works McLaren Venge with its F1 cousin

Matthew Goss rides the new Specialized Venge to victory at Milan-San Remo

The Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL3

Specialized Bicycle Components and High Road Sports have joined forces to create a powerful partnership aimed at building a global cycling franchise based on the world’s most successful men’s and women’s cycling teams. Team HTC-High Road, operated by High Road Sports, announced a multi-year partnership beginning in 2011 to continue its unequaled success using the market leading, technically advanced products of Specialized Bicycle Components.
The team is expected to have Specialized’s S-Works Tarmac and S-Works Roubaix bikes at their disposal. Shimano has stayed on with the team to provide drivetrain components. The Pro Tour-dominating SL3 FACT IS 11r carbon frame of the Tarmac has phenomenal stiffness to weight ratio, with tapered head tube and OSBB carbon shell. A full carbon monocoque fork with tapered steerer provides for the ultimate in precision handling and acceleration.

Katusha

The Focus Izalco Team

The Katusha team will make a switch from Ridley to Focus in 2011. After the demise of the Milram squad, Focus was looking for a new Pro Tour team to sponsor and Katusha fit the bill. It’s expected that the Katusha riders will be using the Focus Izalco Team model, which receives some upgrades from it’s 2010 specs. The 2011 model features a new design, and the internal cable routing has been enhanced with the rear derailleur cable now also routed through the chain stay.

Lampre-Farnese Vini

The Wilier Sette99/Zero.7 debuts just in time for the 2011 Tour de France

Just in time for the Tour de France, Lampre-Farnese Vini will likely be taking delivery of an all new bike from Wilier. Called alternatively the Zero.7 or the Sette99, it weighs in at 12 pounds, 6 ounces, making it one of the lightest production bikes out there.

The Wilier Cento1 SLR

Wilier continues to provide support to the Lampre – Farnese Vini team, and the latest bike that they have provided to the team is the Cento1 SLR (Cento Uno Superlegerra). Wilier’s flagship racing bike represents an extraordinary balance of weight, stiffness and strength. The stiffness to weight ratio is unrivaled due to the use of the world’s most sophisticated carbon fiber: 30 ton for resilience in low-stress areas and 60 ton where applied loads are the greatest. Zinc oxide nanoparticle resin is used for low-void integrity and LIT molding is used for maximum compaction. Finally, the special weave of the carbon skin provides impact resistance and vibration dampening.
The oversized BB utilizes integrated CNC alloy inserts to shave grams while optimizing power transfer. The monocoque carbon headset cups are constructed in mold to further reduce weight. Average frame weight is 920 grams.

Liquigas-Cannondale

The Cannondale Super-Six Hi-Mod

For 2011, Cannondale steps up from technical sponsor of the Liquigas team to a title sponsor, the next evolution of a partnership that was founded on the tradition of combining world-class cyclists with best-in-class bicycles. The partnership will help in the development of new Cannondale products.
Liquigas – Cannondale team riders such as Ivan Basso and Vincenzo Nibali will continue to ride the flagship Cannondale SuperSix Hi-Mod. This is the bike that rode to victory at the Tour of California and the Giro d’Italia. At just 890 grams, with unmatched stiffness-to-weight and an alive, communicative ride-feel, SuperSix is engineered to win. The bikes will feature an FSA cockpit and Mavic Cosmic Carbone wheels. Not in line with the picture above, the team makes a move to SRAM for drivetrain components in 2011.

Leopard-Trek

The Trek Madone in Leopard-Trek colors

At last, a name! The Schleck brothers, Fabian Cancellara, Jens Voigt and the rest of the Leopard-Trek team will be going up the road on (surprise, surprise) Trek Madones. The most likely choice for the team in the Madone 6.9 SSL. The drivetrain will be Shimano’s Dura-Ace Di2 electric gruppo and many of the other components are expected to come from Trek house brand Bontrager.

Movistar

Pinarello extends their reach into the ProTeam ranks by providing equipment to the new Movistar (formerly Caisse d’Epargne) team. It looks like the Basque squad, much like Team Sky, will be riding the Dogma 60.1. The cockpit looks to be from Pinarello’s MOST line but the big news here is the all new Campagnolo electronic drivetrain. You can see the wire and the battery packs in the updated image above.
The video shows the first build with the new electronic system. It’s a little hard to tell from the video, but to my eyes, the lever throw looks longer than Shimano’s Di2 system.

Omega Pharma-Lotto

The Canyon CF SLX Ultimate 9.0 Team

The Omega Pharma – Lotto team will ride into 2011 on the Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 9.0 Team. Canyon’s bike for the long tours and classics, it gets a styling revamp for 2011 that is event more adapted to the colors of the team: On the right side, all in bright red lettering are painted, while a left-precious green on white ground flashes in the eye.No other bike in the peloton offers such a combination of stiffness and comfort.

The Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 9.0 Team will feature the Campagnolo Super Record group and Mavic R-Sys SL wheels.

Quick Step

Tom Boonen, Sylvain Chavenel and the rest of the Quick Step team will continue to ride bikes from Eddy Merckx in 2011.

The Merckx EMX-7

The workhorse bike of the team in 2011 will be the new EMX-7. It uses advanced carbon fiber technology to produce the strongest, stiffest yet lightest racing bike of them all. It’s the bike that Tom Boonen and the Quick Step Team will be using next year, day in, day out, for every race and training session. It’s the illustration of what Eddy Merckx Cycles does best – namely producing the best engineered and best produced racing cycle on the planet. To read more about their bikes, visit the Quick Step web site.

Rabobank

The Giant TCR Advanced SL 0

With its winning combination of stiffness, light weight, compliance and sharp handling, the Giant TCR Advanced SL is often imitated, never duplicated. Featuring the highest-performance Advanced SL-grade composite, hand-crafted construction and race-winning compact geometry with an integrated seatpost and massive MegaDrive downtube, TCR Advanced SL is the hors categorie performer.

Team Radioshack

The Trek Madone 6.9 SSL in Team Radioshack colors

When you think Lance Armstrong, you likely think Trek Bikes. I frankly can’t picture him on anything else, and I’m sure that makes Trek very happy. The relationship carries into 2011, with Bontrager providing the cockpit bits and SRAM doing drivetrain duties. Here are just some of the details:

Madone 6 Series Pro fit frame
Bontrager Aeolus 5.0 wheels
SRAM Red gruppo and brakes
Bontrager XXX Lite VR handlebar
Bontrager XXX Lite carbon stem

With Lance scheduled to step down from road racing, it’s safe to say that Radioshack and Trek would love to see someone on the team really step up and be the new star.

Saxo Bank – Sungard

See Astana and HTC-Highroad. Specialized, the hardest working brand in Pro Cycling is also continuing their relationship with Bjarne Riis’ Saxo Bank – Sungard team for 2011.

Team Sky

Team Sky continues their relationship with Pinarello in 2011 and will once again be riding the Dogma 60.1 road bike in blue and black livery.
With the Dogma 60.1, Pinarello has raised the bar to new heights – and that is saying something for a company who, from 1992-95, supplied all the bikes ridden by Miguel Indurain as the great Spaniard won a record-breaking five consecutive Tours de France.
The Dogma 60.1 belongs to a new generation of frames that, with its revolutionary asymmetric design, is set to challenge traditional concepts of racing bicycles. The design means that the force applied to the bike is balanced evenly across the entire frame – the result is less force dispersion, greater efficiency and, of course, more speed.

Vacansoleil

Vacansoleil, a Dutch team that is British only in their license, is making a move from the Dutch Batavus brand to Ridley for 2011. Ridley managing director Jochim Aerts and Luijckx Daan from the Vacansoleil team announced the three-year deal in September of 2010. Ridley supplied bikes to the Katusha team in 2010, but passed up on an option with the Russian team to hook up with the Dutch-based Vacansoleil team.

3:37 PM

Admin

What is a Velodrome?

In the cycling world, there are several categories of racing styles. One of the lesser known styles is track racing, a team or individual event in which competitors ride fixed-gear – or non-coasting -- bicycles with no brakes on an oval track called a velodrome. A velodrome is typically made of wood and has ramped corners to accommodate a racer’s high speed in sharp turns; they may be built as outdoor or indoor tracks.

The velodrome was especially popular in the beginning of the twentieth century as track racing had caught on at the time as a spectator sport. In recent years, track racing and consequently the velodrome have become more obscure, the most popular events being held at the Olympics. There are fewer than thirty velodromes in the United States but they are more numerous throughout Europe and other parts of the world.

A velodrome is typically constructed out of wooden strips. For outdoor tracks, construction materials may vary to counteract exposure to the elements. Concrete and synthetic velodromes have become more common in recent years, but expensive woods that can account for moisture variation in the air are also used. For indoor tracks, pine or other cheaper woods may be used to construct the velodrome since the track will not be exposed to the elements. Much like a car racing track, the velodrome features an infield in the center of the track, which is considered out of bounds during the race.

The velodrome features banked corners to work with the inertia forces acting upon cyclists as they turn around the track. This allows the cyclists to keep their bicycles perpendicular to the track at high speeds through the turn and carry that force through the straight-aways. This also reduces the likelihood of the bicycle’s tires losing enough contact with the track to keep the bicycle vertical. The corners may be banked upwards of 27 degrees or more to account for a cyclist’s speed in turns.

It is not uncommon to see a velodrome being used for other purposes besides cycling. Human-powered vehicle (HPV) testing and racing is common, as are in-line speed skating events. The velodrome’s size will vary depending on the space in which it is built, and usually the banked turns become steeper as the track gets shorter. A typical velodrome can vary in size between 250 and 500 meters, and the banked corners can range anywhere from 25 degrees to 45 degrees.

2:46 PM

Admin

How Do I Choose the Best Cycling Training Program?

Many cyclists who are looking to become stronger, faster, and smarter on the bike in preparation for turning pro or racing regularly turn to a cycling training program to help them get a leg up on the competition. Choosing the best cycling training program starts with carefully defining your cycling goals and researching the cycling training program offerings that will help you achieve those goals. If, for example, you are an expert mountain biker who wants to turn semi-pro or pro, but you are lacking in technical bike handling skills, you will want to choose a different program than a road cyclist looking to increase his lactic acid threshold for long distance riding.

You will encounter countless cycling training program offerings online and in person, so it can be difficult to choose the right one. Research the most reputable programs by asking fellow cyclists who may have participated in training camps or programs; it is also a good idea to go to your local bike shop to ask the employees if they have any feedback on particular programs. Some cycling training program offerings can be done on your own at home by watching DVDs and developing a training schedule based on that advice. This is a good option for someone looking to cut costs and who can be more self-directed in their training.

A good option for someone who needs in-person guidance and motivation is to attend a cycling training program camp, at which you will ride just about every day with professional cyclists and trainers who can identify your weaknesses and help you develop a plan for overcoming them. These camps can last anywhere from one day to several weeks, and they are a great way to pick up on tips and techniques from seasoned pros with proven results in cycling. you will want to research these camps carefully before attending; take note of the cost as well as the people leading the camp, and make sure the instructors are seasoned professionals with proven results.

You will want to keep a training log to keep track of the progress you are making. This log should note not only how many miles you are riding and how fast you rode them, but also what preparations you took before the ride, including rest and diet. Rest days should be included in any cycling training program, as overtraining can lead to excess fatigue and become counterproductive to your overall goals.

2:37 PM

Admin

Hate Relationship With Speedplay Pedals

I promptly went out and bought a set of these Zeros and I immediately loved them even more than my previous ones. They felt much more stable when clipped-in and the amount of float was much easier to get used to.This was back when Speedplays were different than today and had virtually infinite float. The model series back them was the X1, X2, X5 (I’m not sure if you can still buy them, but they’re still on their website). The free float was simply too much for me to handle. My feet were all over the place and my ankles would hit the chainstays when I got sloppy or tried to sprint.

Jump ahead to 2006. I started to develop some knee pain that wouldn’t go away and the old pedals I was using were dying a slow death. I had these Speedplays sitting around and decided to give them another shot. It took me about 2 weeks of dedication and heartache before I finally got comfortable with them. After I did, my knee pain subsided and I began to really like them. In fact, I now loved them.

They weren’t without their problems though. The small screws that hold the cleats onto the shoe kept coming loose or falling out. I also found I had to spend $80 on new cleats every 6-8 months. I was willing to deal with these issues however because I really loved these pedals. Then one day in an important race I made the final selection and my pedal completely seized up. It nearly tore my kneecap to shreds. I had felt a problem with something in my pedal or cleat early into the race, but I couldn’t tell what it was. As it turned out the bearings inside were completely dry and metal was rubbing on metal. In the final 10kms of the race I had to pedal to the finish line alone with one leg. Not happy.

Speedplays have evolved since the X series. Their most popular pedal now is the Zero series. The main difference that I noticed over the X series was the Zeros have an ajustable range of float.

The speedplay pedal itself is a wonderfully simple design, and most of the mechanics of engagement is contained in the cleat, not the pedal. It is nearly impossible to come unclipped by accident. The low profile design of the pedal itself makes a big difference when pedaling around corners. Speedplay has made some big claims about the aerodynamics of their pedal, but it’s going to take some major convincing before I can believe those windtunnel results will translate into going faster on the road.

Almost all bike fitters I’ve spoken with praise the Speedplay pedals for their adjustability. In my previous bike fits, much of the process focused on my cleat positioning and getting my legs tracking perfectly. There seems to be endless adjustability with Speedlpay cleats. I can’t say for certain that other pedals don’t offer this, but I’ve heard bike fitters rave about Speedplay time and time again.

This brings me back to the cleats. Problems with the cleat screws didn’t go away with the Zero design. The screws cannot be overtightened because this may prevent the springs from operating properly. Locktight is applied to the screws out of the box, but it doesn’t always work. I’ve still needed to spend $80 on new cleats far too often because of excessive wear. Many of the pros will use these protector shims so the plastic on the cleat platforms don’t wear so quickly (due to pedal friction). It wasn’t until recently that I found out these could be purchased and previously I had bought this extender kit (for $50) because a local bike shop told me this was the only solution. Also, too many times have I had to use an angle grinder to remove my old cleats because of the wear to the screw heads from walking on them and stripping them.

I’ve had other problems with the Speedplay pedal itself. For example, during L’Etape last year I had to ride over 100kms with one foot. The pedal axels need to be greased every ~5000kms and there is a special tool needed to do this. I admit, the majority of my problems come from my lack of maintenance, but constant care and attention towards my pedals isn’t something that occurs to me until it’s too late.

Okay, enough of my Speedplay woes. I had been thinking of writing about this topic for a while, but before I did so I wanted to speak to someone from Speedplay about my issues. I emailed them and promptly got a reply from Richard Bryne. Shortly after I was on the phone with Richard (I didn’t know Richard was the owner and designer of Speedplay until the end of the conversation). He was an incredibly nice guy who explained many of my issues and the reasoning behind them. Let me share Richard’s explanations of the design decisions that are the cause of my greif:

- The philips screws that hold the cleats onto the base are there precisely so that they cannot be overtightened. There is an indexed “feeling” designed onto the screws so that the exact amount of tightening can be applied. These scews used to be hex allen key bolts, however they were easy to overtighten and would prevent the cleat springs from functioning properly. Locktight has been provided to the philips screws to prevent from loosening.

- The reason the pedals need to be greased every ~5000 kilometers is because of the bearing design. Many pedals use cartridge bearings, but Speedplay uses needle bearings because of their higher load rating and better performance. The drawback to needle bearings is that they slowly push the grease out to the side, thus the need to regrease your Speedplays every so often. Note: if the pedal spins nice and freely, this is a sign that it needs to be greased. The pedal should spin on the axel with slight resistance. This tells you the grease is doing it’s job.

- The wear protector can be used to prevent wearing of the plastic underneath the cleat or carbon sole of the shoe. As I said above, I didn’t know about this part until Richard told me about it and I had been buying the extender kit for this part alone and throwing away the extra pieces.

- Excessive wearing of the cleats can be reduced if you purchase the Coffee Shop Caps. These prevent dirt, sand, and friction from ruining the cleats.

- Dry teflon lube should be applied to the cleat springs every so often to keep it working and engaging properly.

Richard tells me that his biggest challenge is informing and communicating with people about how to maintain their Speedplays properly. I have to admit, until recently I had never pulled out the manual in the box and read the whole thing. He’s designed the pedals for maximum performance, which has it’s tradeoffs. Just like when buying a Ferrari, it’s a given that it’ll need more maintanence than most other cars.

I appreciate Richard giving me the time to explain these things and I truly believe Speedplay are working as hard as they can to make the best pedal possible. In many ways, they’ve definitely done that. If you speak to any of the pros who use them, they’ll agree.

A couple possible solutions I might suggest to make maintenance more obvious and easy:

1. Inclue a cheap grease syringe along with every set of pedals. I don’t want to book my bike into the LBS every time I need pedal maintenance, nor do I want to spend $50 to purchase this tool.

2. Include the coffee shop caps along with the pedals. These can surely be made for next to nothing. If they cost $5, I’m still happy to pay that little more.

I’m heavily invested in my Speedplays with regards to my positioning and spare parts and will unlikely ever switch from them. In my opinion, they are the absolute best pedals out there for adjustability, comfort and feel. Reliability definitely suffers if you don’t maintain them, and this has been an costly lesson for me. However, if you keep up with the suggested maintenance, they’ll last you a long, long time without any problems. That said, I still feel the need to bring my box of spare Speedplay parts wherever I go.

12:34 AM

Admin

Cycling Tips: I've been using the new Zipp 404 Firecrest Carbon Clinchers for over month now. After using Lightweights last year I had a feeling that I'd be disappointed in every wheel from here on in. The Lightweights were top-shelf. I couldn't imagine anything better. But you know what? After putting these Firecrests through the wringer this past month I'm absolutely blown away. I never would have expected...

Zipp released the new Firecrest wheels in the middle of last year. What’s new about them? The biggest difference over their previous models is rim shape. These are not just a revamped version of the 404 tubulars. Zipp widened the sidewalls on the Firecrest. As you can see in the illustration below, they are very wide at the tyre (25.5mm) and even wider closer to the spoke bed (27.5mm). The large-radius profile is claimed to produce lower drag figures at a wider range of yaw angles (thus improving handling in crosswinds), better overall ride quality, and improved wheel strength. So far I can verify the first 2 out of 3 of these claims (it’s too soon to tell with regards to strength).

Profile comparison of Zipp 404 models

What do I like about the Zipp 404 Firecrests?

One thing I’ve always liked about all models of Zipp is that they place their spoke nipples on the outside of the rim.When you need to tweak a spoke to true the wheel you don’t need to peel the whole tyre off. This was an especially big bonus with the Zipp tubulars. Many manufacturers place the spoke nipple inside the rim for aerodynamic reasons.

I’ve never owned a carbon clincher wheel before. Since I typically use carbon wheels during racing, I always went with the tubular version of whatever wheel I owned. Tubulars can be a pain in the arse, but they ride beautifully. They’re not the most practical option for the weekend warrior, but if you’re only using them on the weekends then this may not be a big concern. (I’ve previously written about the pros and cons of tuburlars versus clinchers in a post here.)

After using these carbon clinchers with a nice high threadcount tyre on them (290 TPI), I completely forget that I’m riding clinchers. Now I can stop worrying about getting a puncture in the middle of nowhere and use this wheel for training and/or racing if I want.

It took a little bit of getting used to when looking down at the wider rim profile. I had this misconception stuck in my head that a thicker wheel would be slower. After some experience with these wheels I now realise that this couldn’t be further from the truth. When these get rolling in a straight line they are noticeably fast. Definitely faster that the Lightweights were. You triathletes reading should be salivating over these wheels.

The Lightweights accelerated extremely quickly out of the corners and were great for tight crit circuits. These Zipps still accelerate wonderfully, but the stiffness of the Lightweights is hard to beat. The Lightweights were beautiful climbing wheels too. However, when the Lightweights took a tumble, they were expensive to fix or were relegated to the garbage. Sensational wheels, but not very practical for competitive racing if you’re not on a ProTeam budget.

The total weight of the 404 Firecrests is 1,557g (718g front, 830g rear). That’s not extremely light for a set of carbon wheels, but that’s not overly heavy either. The aerodynamics and toughness of the Firecrest 404′s more than make up for their weight. They make an excellent choice for an all-round trainin/racing wheel for those who don’t want to mess around with tubulars.

These days you can get wheels custom built any way you like them, but mine came factory built with Zipp’s 88/188 hubs (grade 10 Swiss steel bearings) and Sapim CX-Ray bladed stainless steel spokes. The hubs roll along as smooth as glass and I notice it every time I take them out.

As with any carbon rim you’ll need to use carbon specific brake pads to get the best braking. I’m using cork brake-pads which work very well and aren’t overly expensive. When it gets wet outside they don’t modulate as well as rubber pads on aluminum rims, but they still work fine.

You can take a look at Zipp’s website for all the specs and aerodynamic benefits, but choosing a wheel is difficult based on comparing specs. If you’re looking for an all-round wheel you can smash up and down Beach Road with as well as take to the races, I encourage you to have a look at these. When I say “all-round”, I don’t mean “middle of the road” either. I can’t think of anything negative to say about them.

12:26 AM

Admin

Cycling tips

One of the first questions I almost always get from people while out on the road is "how's the Focus?". Our O2 Racing team has ridden the Focus Izalco for the past two seasons and it's about time I answer this question properly.

The Izalco Team Replica is the model of bike we’re riding. The main differences with our bikes and the standard stock model is that we’re using the Zipp Firecrest wheels, Quarq powercranks, and 3T components. It’s probably a ~$10,000 AUD bike the way they’re built up. However, the first thing to put into perspective here is that if you swap the Zipp wheelset and the Quarqs for a nice pair of DT Swiss wheels and SRAM Force cranks, then you pretty much have the stock floor model. I was blown away to see that the bike sells in the shops for only ~$4500 AUD.

The Ride

I have to be honest here, when I try to use words to describe the way this bike rides and feels, the first thing that comes to mind is “neutral”. It’s definitely comfortable and not over-the-top stiff. It’s not extremely responsive or twitchy like some other bikes I’ve ridden, but nowhere close to being sluggish. It’s simply a good solid bike that I have no problems racing or riding for 5-6hrs at a time. For the price, it’s one of the best bikes I’ve experienced.

When I try to quantify the characteristics of this bike, keep in mind there is a massive price difference between the Izalco some of the bikes that have blown me away (the Parlee Z5 is one of them). Also, simply add a different set of wheels and the characteristics can change completely.

Groupset

This bike comes stock with SRAM Force. I was an early adopter of Force since the day it was released back in 2006 and I’ve been a big fan of it ever since. I’ve used SRAM Red before and there’s definitely a small difference in the responsiveness of the shifting as well as weight, but personally I couldn’t justify the difference in price. Force is more than good enough for me.

Weight

I think some people are too pre-occupied with weight these days and figure that if it’s not 6.8kg’s then it’s not a light bike. While a light bike is certainly nice, it does not necessarily translate into a good handling, comfortable bike or fast bike. I wouldn’t turn away a feather-light bike if it was comfortable and handled nicely, but I don’t think it should be the one and only determining factor.

The Izalco Team Replica frame itself weighs just under 1kg and the fork weighs ~300g.

The stock standard Izalco Team Replica with FSA components, SRAM Force, Fizik saddle and DT Swiss wheels comes out at 7.7kg.

The way my bike is built up (XL with the Zipp Firecrests and Quarq cranks) weighs 7.4kgs (including pedals).

Features

- Internal cabling to keep the bike looking clean

- BB30 (oversized bottom bracket which substantially increases stiffness and reduces weight)

- wide tyre clearance (this is a claimed benefit by Focus. I have yet to encounter a problem by not having enough tyre clearance)

- lots of choices within the Izalco range to suit your budget and preferences in style

Design

I love the lines and shapes of the tubing throughout this bike. The simple paintjob with low-key glossy pearl white and matte black looks really slick and is easy to keep clean. You gotta admit, it looks fast!

Difference Between Izalco Lines

The Izalco comes in a few different ranges:

IZALCO Team Katusha
IZALCO Team
IZALCO Team 1.0
IZALCO Team 2.0
IZALCO Pro 1.0
IZALCO Pro 2.0
IZALCO Team Replica

The top of the range model is the Izalco Team. This is the frame that Katusha rides. The only difference I can see between the various “Team” models are the groupsets, wheels and color schemes.

The next tier down is the “Pro” range. The major difference here is that the Pro frames have a slightly different internal cable routing design (no internal routing inside the chainstay to the rear derailleur). The models within the Pro range are simply a different groupset and wheel choice to suit your budget.

Serviceability

Ask a disgruntled mechanic his opinion and he’ll usually give it to you straight up. I’ve spoken candidly with mechanics who work on these bikes regularly asking about their complaints on design and maintenance. Fortunately no one I’ve spoken with can fault it in any way. The internal cable routing design can be a major hassle with some brands, but there are no complaints with the Izalco.

Warranty

5 year manufacturer’s warranty on the frame.

What I Would Change

One pedantic thing I would change on my particular bike (and I’m really reaching here) is the cable to the derailleur being attached externally on the chainstay. I’m nuts about keeping my bike clean and with the chainstay being white it’s difficult to get perfectly clean. No big deal that I can’t live with.

Source Article: cyclingtipsblog.com

12:17 AM

Admin

What Are the Best Cycling Tips?

The best cycling tips will vary according to who is consulted about cycling, so the rider himself will have to determine which cycling tips are valuable and which are less helpful. It is important, however, to talk to experienced cyclists to find out the best riding techniques, the best equipment to buy, and the best maintenance advice one can find. If the cyclist is new to the sport, he or she may want to try meeting up with a beginner's bike ride that leaves from a local bike shop, not only to meet other riders, but also to pick up on new riding techniques and information.

It is a good idea to visit a local bike shop. This is perhaps the most important of all cycling tips one can find. The local bike shop is a great place to get educated about the best cycling equipment, the best local rides, local riding routes, and so on. A new cyclist is likely to meet people at the shop who will want to ride regularly, and if the new cyclist is interested in racing, he or she can meet up with experienced racers at the bike shop who can share a wealth of cycling tips to help the new cyclist into the world of racing.

Do not get discouraged at the start. Cycling is a fun and exciting hobby, but it is also a difficult one. Pedaling long distances can be tiring and hard on the body, especially if that body is not used to such strain. Start with shorter, easier rides and progress from there. Another one of the more important cycling tips, however, is for the new cyclist to ride with other cyclists above his or her ability level. Riding with more advanced riders will push the new cyclist beyond his or her comfort level, and it will give the new cyclist an opportunity to examine the habits and techniques of seasoned riders.

Invest in good equipment. This is perhaps one of the cycling tips that will have the biggest impact on the new cyclist's enjoyment level. Entry level bicycles are great for short, easy rides, but if the new cyclist intends to race or to advance to a higher level of riding, he or she will need to invest in good equipment that will make the process of cycling easier, more fun, and less costly in the long run, as lower end bikes will tend to break down more quickly. Learning to work on bikes — at least learning the basics — can help the new cyclist preserve and protect his investment.

Source Article : wisegeek.com

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