If you are not into looking at bikes and admiring their craftsmanship, don’t waste your time reading this (Rachel?).  But I LOVE looking at technological developments in the bike industry.  And Trek has a real beauty here.

Now I don’t have really any specs on the bikes, but I have seen a lot of pics after seeing them in the Giro and the the Tour. So I thought I would try and get more pics and try to solve the mystery of this new gem.

Watching Lance’s ride on the 4th of July in the Tour, I think I was watching his bike more than I was watching him, or the race. The Tour is where you see “what will be” in the future. From helmets, shoes, wheels, etc. So it’s a bit of a debut of new stuff. Love the new stuff.

Looking at this bike it is obviously quite different from the current TTX. Starting at the front, I believe that Lance used the SRAM R2C (return to center) shift levers. These are slick and I would love to have a pair. The idea is that the lever stays in the forward position and you click up, or down, when you want to shift. The lever never points “down” or “up.” It simply stays neutral creating what you would suspect to be a more aero position by allowing your hand position to stay forward.

I also noticed on Lance’s ride on the 4th that he was using an aero extension potentially form a different mfg than Bontrager…maybe not? Looks like a shift couplet that integrates the shift lever into the aero bar.

In this picture you can also see that Contador is using a new handlebar design that allows the extension to be tightened with an external design. Seen here in an aluminum material/color where the aero extensions meet the base bar. If these are Bontrager bars, this is a very new design. Once which I appreciate because it allows you to stay flat on the base bar.

One of the newest designs on this bike, but not new to the industry, is the bayonet style fork.  Felt started this a couple years ago on the ’07 DA that cost about $7200, and now it seems like a lot of manufactures are following suit. But I like how Trek designed this, and I would suspect that it is supported by wind tunnel tests as well. They took this one step further…

Internally routed has a whole new meaning. Cables around the stem, which would eventually be routed into the frame, have totally disappeared on the new frame…gone…non existent! Love that.

Last year the engineers of the Trek TTX and the Madone came and met with us at the TIMEX camp in Oceanside.  As they were now looking to design a new TT bike they were wondering how they could make the best bike better. They were thinking of nutrition options, how they could do an internal hydration system, etc. Just ideas, things they thought we would have an interest in.  As Kyle Marcotte and myself were talking with them, we told them that we thought the bike is so aero right now it’s incredible. But as you look at it form the front, the ONLY thing that sticks out is the front brake cable. Is there a way to “hide” that.  Windtunnel tests show that “hiding” the brake behind the fork actually creates drag. Although some bike mfg do it because it looks like it would be more aero. But we suggested hiding the brake inside the fork and have the cable come down through the fork tube. It would be a mechanics nightmare, but would get the cable and the brake out of the wind.  So, when I see this being implemented into the new bikes, I smile. Not that we came up with this, but obviously other people in the engineering world thought the same, and made it happen.

The hidden front brake in the fork is amazing! This is a HUGE advancement and I would suspect that it cost a lot to design. But the bar has been raised, and we will now watch the other companies follow suit. Personally, I think this is one of the coolest improvements, that all the others improvements in the frame will be lost unfortunately. There have been a lot of changes to the, dare I say, ‘old’ TTX. But this one is as big as they come.

Look at the above shot of Contador in the TT. Where did the front brake caliper go? This bike looks like a track bike other than the brake levers (I think I just came up with the next design improvement :)) However, you can see that Contador’s bike is not using the SRAM R2C shift levers.

So the front brake is gone…it would seem appropriate to hide the rear as well. And that is just what Trek did. This is also something that a few other bike companies have done. But Trek has just done it better. Most other bike companies simply bolt the rear brake near the bottom bracket. Not Trek. Look how this brake is in the same lines as the frame. The matching paint helps to hide it too, but look at the lines. So clean. I am not too sure what that block of black tape is. Maybe hiding something….

It looks to me as if the rear stay is larger too…beefier you might say. That might be a result of the smaller rear triangle…also probably hidden in the wind tunnel.

You can see in these last 2 pics that the rear triangle is smaller. Less material and less exposed to the wind. The above pic of the yellow frame you can see a little black hole, or cable, coming out of the non drive side of the rear stay. I am not too sure what that is, or what it is for. I was told it was for Treks Duotrap system, a variation of Speedtrap, that mounts sensors for speed and cadence pickup directly into the frame. By using wireless ANT2+ tech they can put the sensor directly into the frame.  It’s near where that block of black tape was on Contador’s bike as well.

Looks like the seatpost is s similar design as the current TTX. Which is more of an internal compression design. Look how big the bottom bracket area is…similar design as the Madone utilizing a different BB design.

I am excited to see what they release to the public. Pretty exciting and definitely a bike that will truly raise the bar.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Some days thing go well, and some days they don’t. Then there are those days that things just “happen.” I think this day was one of those days that just happened.

Since the race was on Saturday, we headed out after work Friday.  As usual, Jessi supplied us with some amazing eats for the trek. I am pretty fortunate to always have Jessi in my rig. She makes sure we are “honest” with what we eat since she only brings the right food, and enough food, to eat.

We got up about 5:15am and had a nice sit-down breakfast in our “non smoking” room, and then were off to the race site.  We were the first bikes in transition. Love that.  The TTX was all set up and ready to roll. Now the only thing to do was to get ready for the swim.  Once that starts going on, I think my heart rate automatically elevates. Not too sure if that is because of the work it always seems to take getting on wetsuits, or if it is a signal to my body that it’s about “go time.” I meandered down to the start, swam a little, and then lined up.  When I saw the swim course I immediately thought, “That’s short.” But I was reassured by a lady that it was long enough because we did 2 laps. I again said, “Yes, I understand, but it’s short.” I have always found that whenever a course ‘looks’ long, it’s normally right on. When it seems right, it’s short. And when it looks short, it’s really short. Once again, I was reaffirmed.

The first turn buoy was a mere 50 yards out and it was a 90 degree turn. So getting there quickly was pretty important. I found some open water and was heading for the turn buoy. It came quickly (unsurprising). When I made the turn, I actually looked up and down the lake further thinking that there must be one more buoy…nope. So I headed back to complete lap one. I felt good on the swim and it was going by fast. After completing the 2nd lap, I was first out of the water heading to T1. It was time to ride. As I left T1 I took a split and saw on my watch it said 16:XX. Sixteen minutes? Hmmm, I must have hit it in the swim. Nope, I later found out that I swam a 15:44. And no, I don’t swim that fast. It was actually supposed to be a mile swim too. Wouldn’t that be nice? I am sure everyone would like to have had the time they did AND have had the course be a 1mile swim. Buuut, it wasn’t.

The bike was disclosed as a 22 mile course. Great…not only was the swim short, but the bike too. Not exactly a course suited for my strengths.  I was really doing my best to manage my watts and not get overzealous at the start. For whatever reason, the bike did not feel like it was clicking. I was moving along, but it seemed like I was having to work harder than it was showing. I hit the turnaround in 28 minutes and was headed back. Immediately after I started coming back, I could feel a nice tailwind. One of those tailwinds that finds you in your biggest gear and you still do not hear anything but the tires on the road. Though this feels good, it’s almost impossible to make time on people when everyone is going 35 mph. I saw second place and knew I had a pretty good gap. I kept it steady and forged on home. I made it back in 23 minutes. Tailwind? Maaaaybe. As in almost all triathlons, no one is really ready for the first bike. So I navigated my way around people in transition.

I wanted to settle in to a comfortable pace right away and avoid the discomfort I had the week prior at Onionman.  Most of the run was along long open stretches of road that actually felt downhill, which made me think that it would be a little tougher coming back. I felt good and thought I would be at the turn at about 18:30 ish. When I hit 18 minutes, I could not even see the turn…19…19:30, finally, the turn. I rounded at 19:40. Seriously? What a blow. Here I thought I was running well? Heck with that, I knew I was running better than that. The course was long. Often I feel like the run course is long, but I know it isn’t. This time I knew it was long. Short swim, short bike, long run. This is just not my race.  Don’t do anything crazy, just keep running. I started to see the onslaught of people and it looked like they were all flying. Again, ‘just keep doing what you have been doing, and you’ll be fine.’ It felt like the finish was coming quicker and quicker, that’s a new experience?  As I rolled into the final quarter mile, I zipped up my TIMEX suit and was excited to be done…I held on today. A very good feeling. I ran 19 minutes on the way back. Negative split the run.  Also, the run was 6.55miles too. Whew, I was not crazy. So though on paper this was not an “ideal” course for me, it turned out pretty well. I will say that the weather was VERY kind. Overcast, 63 degrees, a little rain… I must have been nice to someone.

Hope all your races are going well and you are able to find moments that surprise you.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Onionman 2009 was a much anticipated race with the field that was scheduled to be there. There were 4 people there that had won the race before, so I was excited to see how it would all shake out. Last year I won this race, but I was also coming off a build to ITU World Championships and it was my 3rd Olympic race of the season. So I had a pretty good idea where I was. This year, not so much. I was set to race Wildflower in early May, but caught the flu a few days prior and canceled my trip to Wildflower…major disappointment. So after recovering from that, I was able to get healthy for Onionman. It would be an honest test to see where I was, or was not. Not only with the athletes assembled there, but from what I had done the prior year.

Rather than bore you all with the detailed version of my trip down there, what I ate, how many steps I took to T1, I thought I would share some things that I observed, and learned, at this race. Since this is the first major race of the season for this area, it’s the first time that we all get together. Along with this, we all get to hear what everyone has been up to. This normally starts off with some variation of, “I really have not been training all that much,” or, “I have been sick the past 6 months,” or, “I had a heart and lung transplant last week, so I am not too sure how I will do.” I like to think this is all code for, “I have been training my ass off,” or, “my doctor has put me on some meds that would make Lance Armstrong look like a club cyclist,” or, “I have this new PT and massage therapist that has worked wonders on my body.” We all probably do this, just some more than others. I wonder if athletes in all sports do this? Does Tiger Woods walk up to his competition and say, “My swing is quite a bit weaker this year…I will be lucky to get 200 yards out of my drive. I just hope to stay on the PGA this year.” Does Michael Phelps say, “I have not been swimming much. I just hope not to get lapped in the 50.” My guess is we all question what kind of condition we are in as we start the season, and this is just our way of externalizing it. So the next time you walk through a transition area, listen to the conversations going on. Most of them revolve around personal disclaimers. Unfortunately for all of us, they never show up on the results. When you see the results, that asterisk next to your time is not an indicator that you were “training through this race.” It indicates that you got a 2 minute penalty for drafting.

Onionman 2009 was a great race, but I have not been running as much as I should have, and my allergies were kind of acting up a bit, not to mention that I did not get as much sleep the night before because my stomach was upset from eating some food that was undercooked from a party that I was required to be at a couple days prior that I ended up twisting my ankle at after jumping out of a tree after rescuing a rabid cat that ended up biting me. Did I mention that I might have Swine Flu?

Rule 76: No excuses, play like a champion.

So I am not a huge calorie counter, or even someone who really watches too much what I eat. I am very thankful that Jessi (my wife) takes care of 95% of that for me by shopping and getting foods that would benefit me more than others. If I were the one who did the shopping I would probably not get too far past the Hostess isle where I would be able to justify the raspberry filling in the powdered donut as a “fruit serving.” And the shredded coconut on the other ones has got to account for something…right? I do have a sweet tooth, and I LOVE Costco cake. I am not too sure what food group that falls into but I know there is a milk product in there and some fruit as well. And all those chemicals…come on, those are scientifically created. That is NASA stuff. Hi Tech means “good stuff” in the triathlon world.

So I got this book called, “Calorie, Fat and Carbohydrate Counter.” It’s a great reference book to all kinds of foods. But more specifically, they have a big section in the back that has all the common restaurants, ice cream shops, and of course coffee houses. Once in particular, Starbucks. I have been known to go to Starbucks from time to time, but I am not what some would call a ‘regular,” or “addict.” But I thought I would take a peek at what one of my favorite treats had to offer. That being the infamous Pumpkin Scone. That innocent scone with a gourd for its name hiding under a silky layer of frosting. Yes, you know the one. It’s normally not available after 8:00am because of its popularity.

So what is the verdict? The Pumpkin Scone weighs in at a hefty (good word huh) 510 calories, 22 grams of fat, and 71 grams of carbohydrates. Now, I have to be honest and say that these numbers really don’t mean too much to a guy that does not count calories. So I thought I would compare it to some items that would “outweigh” the delicate and delicious Pumpkin Scone.

Take for instance the Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonalds. That has got to be a killer. That grease bomb has 510 calories, 26 grams of fat, and 40 grams of carbohydrates. Pick up your jaw please. Yes, it’s true. I might as well go to McDonalds and get a Quarter Pounder with cheese if I get the Starbucks Pumpkin Scone in terms of base nutritional value. If you sat those two side by side, I would suspect that over 90% of people would think that the Quarter Pounder with cheese would be substantially worse for you. I am not too sure if I want people to see my car I the McDonald’s drive thru getting a coffee and Quarter Pounder each morning…but I might as well.  Pretty disheartening really. I will stop now and simply provide a comparison chart to my once loved, wolf in sheep’s clothing, Pumpkin Scone.

I know, not the most prestigious of names, but it normally draws quite a field and is a very well run and organized race.  This year would not disappoint and included the last two years’ champions who subsequently turned professional, Michael Gordon and Jeff Smith.

It was raining and cool, which I like.  Throw a little wind in there and I am pretty happy when it comes to racing.  Don’t really like to train in that, but I love racing in it.

The swim was a typical early season Pacific Northwest swim in a 0% visibility lake due to the runoff.  Or, if you raced at Nationals in Kansas City, MO, just like that.  I led the swim from the start and was first out and with a 30 second lead on second.  I love the new B70 Helix!  I never use Body Glide anymore and it even comes off fast.  I got to my Trek and threw on my Rudy Project helmet and glasses.  Now it would be about getting a larger gap on the bike.  Michael can run with the best, and has done so in both Oly races and IMs… I, however, have not.  And Jeff can ride well but runs similarly to me, so I needed a gap on him too.

The bike was solid.  The Bontrager Aeolus wheels sliced through the standing water on the road up a windy false flat.  I knew it was slight uphill because my watts were high and my speed was low.  Or my brakes were rubbing?  I hit the turnaround and took a split on 2nd and realized I was about 3 minutes up on 2nd… NICE!  But I knew on the way back it would be fast and the opportunity to gain the same amount of time was not good.  I maintained the same power and my speed increased dramatically as well, as did everyone’s.

I was first into T2 and it was solid.  I threw on my Zoot shoes, and I was off and running on a mud trail.  Since it had rained, this mud just stuck to the bottom of your shoes.  You could literally feel it stacking up on the bottom of the shoe.  I was running about 50 steps and then shuffling to wipe it off.  It felt like I was running with weights on.  But it was only for the first mile and the last mile.

 I just wanted to get to the turnaround and start running back.  I took a split on my TIMEX iPod watch… because it’s orange… as I rounded the cone and started back.  Up the road I could see Michael coming towards me.  It looked like he was flying.  Granted, he was running on a slight downhill and I was on a slight uphill.  But I am sure it looked like I was pulling an ox cart.  I had a pretty good gap.  One that would be tough for any runner to close assuming I could maintain.  I started down the muddy trail and knew I was within 1 mile.  Though he would have had to run about 4 minute miles to catch me, I still had to look back.  As I rand down the trail it was nice to acknowledge all the athletes that were on their way out that were cheering for me as well.  I was able to muster an exhaling ‘thanks,’ or a nod and a finger point.  I think it’s important to acknowledge people.  Especially when they are in the race too and make it a priority to give you a little boost.  I held off Michael and was the 2008 Onion Man Champion.  Which also yields a $100 bill too.  Just enough for gas to get me home.  A good day.

I have to wonder, what race names have you found that were a tad odd?