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May 10, 2007

http://pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=4906&status=True

May 08, 2007

The quest for the lightest Powertap Wheel

Img_0408 We are in search of the lightest powertap wheel out there. Having used a variety of clincher and tubular rims we are looking for the lightest wheel set any rider owns. If you have the wheel please send us the details.Many readers always ask for lightweight options but until now you had to hunt all over the web to find.

May 03, 2007

CERAMIC BEARING POWERTAP HUBS

Floy_06tourdefrance Did Floyd Really Cheat?

I am not speaking of stage 17. Cyclops replaced his standard bearings with ceramic. So during the Tour de France Floyd rolled on the only ceramic bearing Powertap wheels in existence.


Yellow_bearingPOWERTAPGEEK CERAMIC BEARING POWERTAP HUBS!

Now you can too. I am re-introducing a limited number of pre-built hubs or upgrades to your current hub/wheel with these ceramic bearings. Any Powertap Hub  (Standard, Pro, SL, or 2.4) will work. These bearings are Grade 5 Ceramic - the finest available.

As long time readers will know,  started experimenting with Ceramic Bearings in an SL last January See the post. but the challenge with any Powertap bearing replacement is the torque tube~ as messing it up will make the whole thing inaccurate. This is not an easy process to keep the integrity of the torque. Saris/Cyclops will Void a warranty if it is done improperly. You can now benefit from a lot of trial and error and save money and time.

OUR PROCESS WILL NOT VOID YOUR WARRANTY. Lower rolling resistance, full warranty.


Turn around is 14 business days (with my current inventory) from arrival at my shop. We will ship internationally. We are not allowed to publish the pricing so please contact me for more information. 

 

May 02, 2007

Pacing yourself at 360 Watts!

Brasstown_balls Here is a great narration of Brasstown Bald Climb podcast  for the Tour of Georgia.




Johntog

John Devine, US Developmental Team, was with the leaders and attacked Brackjovic and Vande Velde!

 

I love his comment that he "paced" himself at 360 watts up the climb!



Here is the Cyclingpeaks file of John riding up Brasstown Bald!

Download Devine_John_4_20_2007.wko

I am not worthy ~ how many hours in the saddle and you are pacing yourself at 360 watts up the steepest climb in North America!

How hard are Cycling's Classics?

Barry Ever wonder how hard the classics really are? I mean you ride the same areas four to five times a year?

A one day  race cannot possibly be as hard as racing for 26 days, right?

Amazingly, six hours of racing went by in a flash as I was completely focused the entire 250 km.~Michael Barry on Amstel Gold Race

Michael Barry from T-Mobile has been racing with a powermeter most of the Classics this year. He has been writing for Velonews and I have taken some of the wattage specific excerpts from his entries.

Here are some of the wattage numbers:

- Amstel Gold 5500 Kilojoules burned (more then a stage in any grand tour - even the mountains!)

- First 30 minutes of a classic ~ 370+ watts

There is a point in all the Classics where the speed picks up significantly and it usually happens in the last seventy kilometers. In fact, there is essentially a formula that holds true to most of the Classics and one day races: the first hour of racing is furious until a breakaway of non-threatening riders gets away, then the peloton settles into a rhythm behind with a few teams riding at a steady speed to control the peloton while slowly reeling in the break, and then in the last hour the attacks begin on the final difficulties of the course, the protagonists are near the front, and their teams are making the race hard and selective. The moment the pace increases the field starts to slowly come unglued as riders pop off the back and out of the race in small clumps. ~ Barry, on the classics

A friend recently raced with a recovering Tyler Farrar (Cofidis) back in Seattle. An 80+ mile road race, Tyler attacked within the first 5 miles and stayed away with one other rider. He said that on the flats Tyler was motoring in low 30 mph range lap after lap. That is what racing the Classic's will do for you. He said it was a man racing with Boys (this same race had riders from Colavita, Jittery Joes, Health Net, etc.) no one could sustain his effort.

May 01, 2007

How to train better, get faster-quicker!

Threshold_training_campHave you ever wanted to ask the experts specific questions about your training?

Want to know WATT type of rider you are?

WATT to Focus on in your training?

How your numbers stack up against other category racers?

How to race smarter?

Why you faded in that last triathlon or time-trial?

WATT bike position is faster?

How to climb faster?

Then Robin Horowitz has the answer for you. He is the owner of Threshold Power Training Camps - a  program dedicated to the serious power athlete. His operation offers riders a way to learn more about training with power and themselves.

Robin hosted a camp in Solvang, CA during the Tour de California and it sounds really cool.

Predictor2First off, you spend 6 days riding some awesome terrain. Secondly, you ride with some Pros and third you learn how to throttle the competition when you get home... I can't think of a better vacation.


Hunter Allen, the owner and creator of Cycling Peaks Software and Peaks Coaching Services attended to analyze campers data and training.

  • One on one power consult with Hunter Allen
  • One on one performance consults with Coaches
  • Video Analysis of your Riding technique and style
  • Opportunity to have your power meter files reviewed by expert coaches
  • Training recommendations and analysis of you as a rider
  • Power and/or heart rate training zones to take with you
  • Full-Time Mechanic Support - Clean and adjusted bikes every Morning. Just like the Pros!
  • Full Sag Support during rides
  • One month of follow-up by the coaches after the training camp!

Now if you consider the cost of training with a coach of this caliber. Roughly $200-400/month so $3,600/year Robin's camps are cheap speed!

Second, does your coach have a background training with power? I have met many who have only owned a power-meter for 1-2 years, let alone invented the software and system to track and monitor your training so you can peak!

I think that is a bargain. You get a tailored program, full analysis of your training that you can use for years to come. It takes some people years to get this dialed in, and your is done in a weekend!

Pretty smoking deal....

Robin is offering a camp in Fremont, CA later this month.

And the camp I recommend for all of is the one in October. What better way to end your racing season then riding in California weather and to have the Pros review your data so you can plan and train better for next season. This is the best time to review and analyze. Waiting until December is too late in my opinion.

So if you want to faster - quicker. Check out the camps!

Predictor3

Here is the photo gallery from the Solvang Camp 

 

Great Cycling Movie - Paris Roubaix Motivation!

Road to Roubaix. - I think they made this for Hincapie pre-crash.

Why we all love pro cycling - because only hard asses  win. Best quotes- vote/nominate your favorite:

If you don't love it don't go!~ Julien, Discovery's Belgium Mechanic

In one day I feel like I do after 3 weeks at the Tour. ~ Hincapie

It is totally insane! ~ Armstrong

I wish I had done it, I never started...~ Armstrong

It is not a race these bikes are made for. It is for mountain bikes. ~unknown

You've got to have some big balls for that race. ~ White

I have finished the race 3 times in the dry, 5 times in rain, in the ambulance. ~ White



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