Category: Cycling

Getting My Hands Dirty Again…

As I mentioned before, Team Kenda Pro Cycling presented by GearGrinder will be in Woodstock on the 28th for their VO2 Max Testing at Lifetime Fitness on Hwy 92.  I started doing some digging around the interweb and spoke with a couple pals of mine involved with the team to see what the deal was.

Kenda Pro CyclingAs I was being inquisitive, I was approached (via Twitter) by the team’s manager, Chad Thompson, about coming to camp and building some of the team bikes for a few days in Macon.  Looks like that’s the plan… I’ll be down there on February 24/25 to help build some of the 70 bikes that the team will utilize throughout the year.  Getting my hands dirty building some pro level bikes.

It’s good to get “back in the trenches.”  Back in 2003/2004, I started planning my career around getting involved with working with profesisonal cycling races and teams.  After seeing the Mavic SSC Neutral Support Crew at the 2002 Junior/Espoir National Championships in my hometown, I instantly knew that I should chase after that kind of career.  I started setting myself up for it.  I made connections in the industry, and in January 2005, I went to USA Cycling Mechanics’ Clinic to get my Race Mechanic’s License and jump onto the pro racing scene.

I ended up in bike shops again after a couple of small stints on the road, but did some other mechanic work on the road in 2007.  I’m extremely happy where I’m at right now (Out Spokin’ Bicycles), but it’s still fun to mix it up a little bit by getting some hot new pro bikes built up.  It especially helps when they’re Masi Bikes (official sponsor of PROBIKEWRENCH.COM)…

As a result of my work with Team Kenda Pro Cycling, Chad (Team Manager) worked out a deal for us at Out Spokin’ during the team’s training camp.  Today, we confirmed that during the team’s VO2 Max Testing at Lifetime Fitness, Frankie Andreu (Former USPS/Motorola Team Racer, Versus Tour de France Commentator, and current Kenda Pro Cycling Team Director) would stop by Out Spokin’ for a meet & greet before the team’s afternoon Fan Ride.

It’s always cool to have a well-known cyclist stop by the shop for a personal appearance.  Afterwards, we’re going to ride/drive back over to Lifetime and meet the rest of the team for the Fan Ride, which should take about two hours.  There will be lunch in the cafe at Lifetime Fitness after the ride, followed by a question and answer session with Frankie, Chad, and the rest of Team Kenda.

If you want to get in on this and you’re local to Woodstock/Atlanta, come by Out Spokin’ around 11am on Sunday, February 28th for the festivities.  For more information, check out our event page on our website at http://www.outspokinbikes.com.

Bahati: Out of Compton TV Trailer

National Champion cyclist Rahsaan Bahati, has formed a foundation to help underprivileged youth the opportunity to chase their dreams and follow his footsteps.  Here’s an excerpt from http://www.bahatifoundation.org:

“The Bahati Foundation works with local communities to provide inspiration, insight and opportunities for underprivileged youth through the sport of cycling. In conjunction with The Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team, Rahsaan Bahati presents his motivating story to youth and offers access to the team through structured fieldtrips. Each aspect of a professional cycling team is highlighted, explained and demonstrated to provide exposure into the world of cycling.”

Here’s a trailer for Bahati: Out of Compton, Season One (Rahsaan and the Bahati Foundation are doing a 3 season production deal to highlight the Foundation and Bahati Racing).  It’s really inspiring to see Rahsaan visiting his alma mater, Crenshaw High, and helping the kids who are pretty much written off by that neighborhood’s reputation and how society sees them.  Take a look:

To find the Bahati Foundation online, go to http://www.bahatifoundation.org.

To follow Bahati Racing, go to http://www.bahatiracing.com

VeloReviews Podcast #1

We started the VeloReviews Podcast in hopes of driving a few more members to the VeloReviews.com site.  Since our first podcast two weeks ago, we’ve moved into 3rd position for the Most Popular Outdoor Audio Podcast on iTunes (as of five minutes ago).  Here’s the proof:

If you want to take a listen, you can find the direct link here: http://media.libsyn.com/media/veloreviews/The_VeloReviews_Podcast_episode_001.mp3

SKS RaceBlade Fenders

“Rainy days and Mondays always get me down…” I heard that somewhere once, but I’ve come to embrace it as of late. I started commuting to work by bike again, and I’m starting to see more of each of those while I’m on my bike. I can’t do anything about the Mondays, but I can fight the rainy days a little better when I use my SKS Race Blade Fenders.

The SKS RaceBlade Fenders come in two different sizes for different tire widths (RaceBlade, for 700×18-23c, and RaceBlade XL for 700×25-32c), and are affixed onto the bike by four small rubber straps per fender, for quick release situations. You also have the option of using zip-ties to attach them a bit more permanently, if you are leaving them on the bike for longer periods of time. Once the bracket is set to the right position on the frame, the plastic fender can slide in its bracket for different style frame designs and fits, allowing extreme adjustability and fit for almost any bike. The tight profile of the RaceBlade Fenders makes it very non-intrusive and keeps with the minimalist-type gear that most roadies crave.

If you’ve ever ridden behind someone in the rain, you are aware of the “rooster tail” effect of the water coming off the ground from the bike in front of you. If there’s nothing there to keep the water from continuously spraying you in the face, then you either have to ride twenty feet back, or ride to the left or right of the person that’s ahead of you. This does two things; it splits the group and kills the efficiency of the group, and it makes you ride farther out into traffic, becoming much more of a risk for you, and for the sometimes unaware driver traveling behind you. The benefits of the SKS RaceBlades for the individual are that they keep the bike slightly cleaner from road spray, and they keep the “rooster tail” effect from leaving a nice wet stripe up your back while riding. I know from first hand experience, the more water you can keep off your body in adverse weather conditions, the less miserable you will be.

The SKS RaceBlade Fender Set is a must-have for any cyclist facing a possible commute in the rain, or if you like to ride when there’s water on the roads. Rain and inclement weather has stopped me from riding before, but not as much, thanks to this product. These fenders are one of the best purchases I’ve made in the last few years, and are a great value at just under $60 for the pair. For more information about the SKS RaceBlade Fenders, please see http://www.sks-germany.com/sks.php?l=en&a=product&i=5288300000, or check them out at most local bike shops.

Enough is Enough…

Should I Start Training Now?

It’s winter.  In the South, winter equals cold and rainy days, which are miserable for riding bikes outdoors.  In my opinion, riding indoors is equivalent to the same misery.  I hate indoor cycling.

In my last post, I discussed what motivates cyclists to ride during the winter.  My motivation for riding outdoors is to keep from riding indoors.  I would rather suffer in freezing cold temperatures than to set up the rollers or trainer indoors.  As a matter of fact, the day after that post, I did a group ride in the snow.  At least I wasn’t on the trainer.

When I think of riding indoors, I think of last year’s training sessions where I’d spend 2 hours on rollers trying to build my fitness and mental toughness.  I was shooting for a good 2009 racing season, but raced about three times due to the arrival of my second child.  Those roller sessions really sucked, and for 2009, those sessions proved to be worthless.

If you haven’t figured it out from the last few paragraphs… I HATE INDOOR CYCLING!

But… there’s a time during the year when a cyclist like myself must do the deed.  There’s a time when you drag out the image of the giant scale, weigh the pros and cons of riding in the cold rain versus sitting on the rollers, and eventually side with the indoor training option.  It’s different types of misery, and sometimes the rollers win.

So… what is the line that must be crossed to push me to the “dark side?”  One of the big reasons for me is the demon of self-image. (Side note:  You know self-image among cyclists is a problem… don’t even pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.)

When I see myself as “fat” and “out of shape,” I usually turn my training up a notch.  There’s a certain “fighting weight” that I try to stay between throughout the year.  If I get close to the upper limits of that range, I get unhappy and start to do something about it.  I tend to change up my diet for a while and add a few extra hours into my riding schedule, whenever possible.

Another reason I switch to training indoors during the winter is weather.  I am aware that not everybody is lucky enough to have the “winter” that I have in Georgia, but it’s still not fun to ride in sometimes.  Our winters tend to be cold, windy, and wet… adverse conditions for me.  If it’s too nasty, I don’t want to put my bike out in those conditions.  Sometimes, it’s just too much trouble to clean and tune the bike after riding in the rain.

What pushes you indoors?  What’s the point that you say, “I’m not going out today.  I’d rather stay in and spin?”