Lance's Giro Long TT bike?

So my friend Alex with SRAM travels with a lot of the SRAM teams and athletes at events. Of course, he's at the Giro with the Astana team, one of his component charges.

Alex also updates his Facebook a bunch with pics. And given his access (that is, "all), he generally has some cool photos. But this one caught my eye:It looks like Lance's TT rig for Thursday's loooong time trial; 61.7 kilometers from Sestri Levante to Riomaggiore. From what I've heard, it's lots of hills—hence a bike that recalls Lance's time at the Alpe d'Huez time trial.

Note the Hed ClipLite clip-on aerobars. Note yet another kick-ass Trek custom Livestrong paint for Lance.

Another note: Look closely at Lance's shifters. THESE look different. They look like something I saw on a SRAM-sponsored triathlete's bike recently... but cannot talk about. Yet. Alex, Please? Can I talk??? I'm champing at the bit over here.. I'll buy you a beer in Monaco!

Press Releases Galore, and some editorial: Macca to SRAM, TBB to Avia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


AVIA SELECTED AS OFFICIAL FOOTWEAR PARTNER OF TEAMTBB

Aliso Viejo, Calif. (December 18, 2008) – AVIA, the leader in endurance sports racing footwear, is proud to announce its partnership with teamTBB. As of January ’09, all teamTBB athletes will train and race in AVIA footwear. TeamTBB’s coaching staff and athletes will also work directly with AVIA’s footwear engineering team on innovative new product designs.

“We are thrilled to be joining forces with the best multi-sport teams in the world,” said Ed Goldman, Vice President of Marketing for AVIA. “Our decision to partner with teamTBB is not simply a one dimensional sponsorship; their athlete assets are unmatched and their commitment to improving the lives of young people through sports is honorable. We are looking forward to a record breaking season in 2009.”

Teamtbb is a development squad that provides hope and opportunity to many young athletes and struggling pro’s that would have had no opportunity or pathway to being able to become an earning professional athlete. Teamtbb provides physical, psychological and mechanical information to all of its athletes and more important its current leading athletes are the role models to the rookie and development athletes.

In addition to its professional and amateur athlete programs, teamTBB also works to ensure that youth around the globe can participate in multi-sport events through its social development projects and its franchise, The Bike Boutique. The Bike Boutique provides unique lifestyle services through its bike lifestyle stores and encourages cycling as a means of transportation supported by its bikeLodging™ services.

Alex Bok, Managing Director of The Bike Boutique Holding and teamTBB says about this new partnership “We have completed a long selection process to finally team up with one of leading endurance footwear companies. Avia became our absolute preferred choice as a result of their shoe technology. Avia’s shoe technology is totally aligned with our coaching staff’s vision of what requirement the ultimate endurance shoe should meet. Secondly, Avia is a company with a unique brand image that is not afraid of taking a fresh and innovative approach to the footwear market.”

Starting in January, AVIA running shoes will be sold in all Bike Boutique locations world-wide. For more information on The Bike Boutique and teamTBB please visit www.teamtbb.com.

About American Sporting Goods
American Sporting Goods is a manufacturer of performance athletic footwear and apparel based in Aliso Viejo, Calif. Brands under the ASG umbrella include AVIA, And 1, rykä, Nevados, Yukon, NSS, APEX, Turntec and Triple Five Soul.

About teamTBB
teamTBB is a professional organisation for triathlon and bike related sports and nurtures a unique culture by providing hope and opportunity for young athletes. teamTBB is committed to building a better world for youth and has started various social projects around the world.

TEAMTBB CONTACT:
Alex Bok
+65-9752-8080
alexbok@thebikeboutique.com

***

We thought Macca to SRAM was inevitable, considering his switch to Zipp a few months ago. And TeamTBB's move with Avia is a smart move; Brett Sutton doesn't pick up a brand without a hands-on look at the product. And after I saw the new AviBolt 2 and the new AviStoltz trail shoe for '09, I thought those two shoes were a massive surge for the brand; the trail shoe (which has no bearing on the tri team, save for co-designer Conrad Stoltz and new Avia signee Melanie McQuaid) is kick ass, with a low heel to prevent ankle rolls and an aggressive, grabby tread) is one I look forward to trying on the trails.

But the AviBolt 2 is gonna shake things up, as it's the shoe that, like the Pearl Izumi Peak, is an underground star. Superlight, low heel, ultra flexible for unimpeded gait, and with a touch of stability, to keep your form together late in the marathon. All these Nike, Asics and with big, cushy heels (especially when worn by middle-aged trophy wives at the gym) are a joke; you shorten the achilles tendon and are effectively running in stilletos, heel striking by default. A shoe with a low heel promotes a midfoot strike and better run form. It ain't for everyone, but for fast runners—or a fast pro tri team—a low, light, racer with a touch of posting is the ticket. Newton has that in the extreme, Pearl Izumi has it in the Peak, Nike has it in the Luna Racer, and now Avia has it in their new '09 shoes. It seems some brands are learning that "gee, big cloud-like heels are the opposite of what real runners need, and that we can run fast like Abebe Bikila did back in the 1960 Rome Olympic Games."

Well, maybe not that fast, or that cool... I'm keeping my Pearls on my feet for now. Anyway, interesting pickups for both SRAM and Avia.

Landed in Kona, and Custom Kits: Can you look pro too?

I've finally arrived in Hawaii and have, with my wife:
media registered
athlete registered
done a quick tour of the expo
had the bike tuned
And finally, made the press debut of the new SRAM shifter.

Which was unreal cool. The "trigger" people were thinking was not what I was envisioning—but was every bit as ingenious as I had imagined. Will get to that.

But first, I took Donna to the pool this morning, and ran into Michael Lovato. His training kit was one of the sickest out there; tribal tattoos and well-placed sponsor logos. So pro.

Which begs the question: who will have the sharpest kits in Kona this year? I can bet you one thing: Chrissie Wellington will look a hell of a lot sharper then she did when she came across the finish in first last year. She surprised everyone with that win, and

For most pros, looking after sponsors on your race apparel is paramount. And so is looking professional, with a color and match that shows you know what you’re doing, that you take your job seriously. The rest of us just take what’s available off the shelf.

Well, we don’t necessarily have to anymore.

The handiwork of custom design with many of the pros who will be racing this Saturday in Kona falls to one of the most creative designers in the sport: Kristin Mayer. Kristin and husband Dan live just a block away from my wife and I in Encinitas. So we often see one another at masters. Or we’ll honk at one another from our car as the other is headed out on a run.

Kristin’s an accomplished triathlete, scooping up podiums in her age group on any given weekend around here. But when she’s not training, she’s at home, in front of her computer, doing design work for HerSports magazine. Or, increasingly, with her race apparel design line, Betty Designs.

Which is where Kona comes in. If you see race-day shots of Michael Lovato this weekend (or have seen shots of Heather Fuhr and Michellie Jones, you’ve seen Kristin’s work. It all started in the late ‘90s, when Murphy Reinschreiber, agent to many top talents, wanted to lend a more professional look to his athletes. He wanted to make sure they didn’t look rag-tag, that their sponsors were properly placed for exposure, and that the athlete could add their style to the mix. “I would get to work directly with the athletes and try to come up with colors and motifs that reflected their personalities,” Kristin recent told me. So she went to work doing designs for Fuhr, Lori Bowden and Fernanda Keller. Working with Michellie Jones presented some cool new opportunities as well, designing both the race kit she wore when she won the 2006 Hawaii Ironman world title, but her matching bike motif as well.

“They really understood how to market her as an athlete and create the complete visual package to showcase her sponsors,” Mayer says. “Michellie wanted to support her sponsors, but she also wanted to look great and stand out from the rest of the women on the race course.

And as Murphy will contend, standing out doesn’t mean wearing white compression socks. Just bring up the subject with him and watch him get red.

After doing work for the pros, Kristin decided to broaden her design, making blank palates that anyone could buy. After all, age groupers like to look stylish, too. “In 2002 I began creating my own race gear out of the desire to race in something unique and "cute" and would match my race clothing to my helmet to complete the package,” she told me. “Through the process I found that the unit costs on producing a full custom tri top and short was less than some off-the-shelf (more boring) options out there. While fabrics and constructions are limited, the ability to come up with unique colors, patterns and motifs out-weighed this fact.

So after a few test runs (including doing the design on the super-bright HerSports tri team kit) Mayer launched Betty Designs last year, bringing custom design to teams—and individuals.

I know what you’re saying: most apparel companies do custom too. But not the way Kristin does it. When you see one of Kristin’s kits, you know it. Bright colors on contrast. There’s nothing reserved about her kits. Which is why they pop in photos. Instead of picking some pre-set design, Kristin works with you on what you want your custom race kit to be.

“I feel that I spend more time on a personal level with my clients and they walk away with something that really reflects who they are.

What’s it cost? Because minimums range from six to 10 pieces per item, an athlete/team can expect to pay around $1,200 and up for full custom race gear, all told. Some may blanch, but many will think, “well, I’m already spending on a custom paint job for my bike, or for $1,800 in wheels.” Age groupers that want to look the part, that are on a world stage like they are in Kona, and want to look after their sponsors in a very professional way, can do it, custom, while presenting themselves—and their style—in their best light. All they have to do is get out in it and go fast to back up the looking-fast part.

Kristin put it in perspective: “For athletes who spend thousands on their sport each year the cost is well worth it. After all, if you feel like you look good, you perform better.”

If you’re looking at going custom, you can visit Kristin’s website and check out her work at bettydesigns.us. Meantime, keep an eye out for Lovato this weekend to see her art in motion.

Because Lovato his other apparel choices in the past, including a hot dog Speedo and compression socks at worn at the Underwear Run last year, that was not art in motion. It was far, far from it.




After my swim (or at least for me, watching Donna swim, and running into the who's who of Saturdays' race—including Lovato, Cam Brown, Eneko Llanos, Chrissie Wellington, Paul Amey and Chris McCormack—we bolted for HP to have Donna's bike tweeked and dialed, then to the Royal Kona for the big press debut of the new SRAM shifter.

The technical term for the new shifter is the 1090-R3C aero shift lever. 1090 represents the top-level for all their road componentry.

And R2C? That is an acronym for how this thing works: Return to Center.

So here's how it works: the lever pulls up and pushes down. But instead of staying up or down, the lever physically pops back to its "level" start position. The shift you made, one gear at a time takes place, ratcheting the cable to your effort, but the lever returns to it's start spot.

It looks like you could dump gears just like on a road shifter, with quick, successive clicks.

It means no wrestling, shoving with your thumb or torquing your wrist to pull the lever up. In short: no stress. SRAM staffers said the Astana team doctor, who serves as the team psychologist, said it's a huge mental advantage to the athlete for that reason....you don't have to wrestle the bike to get it to do what you want.

While Michellie Jones, Torbjorn Sindballe, Levi Leipheimer and Chris Lieto have been the prototype testers since April, Michellie was on hand at the press conference, and I had a chance to play with the prototype on her bike. It is WICKED. I have loathed the act of literally leveraging your whole body when having to engage a downshift on the rear derailleur, or pull the lever to lift the front ring. Michelle mentioned that they are particularly awesome when its cold out, or immediately out of the water with wet hands. I think we can all attest to how hard it is to shift with numb and/or wet fingers.

To the left are early prototypes.

The front shifter will have two trim positions. While the existing protos are comprised of alloy, the finished product will have a carbon lever, with ti hardware. Other facts that SRAM dropped on us:

• Their wind tunnel testing of the levers reported an average savings of 10-15 watts at 30mph. I'll have to ask how they tested that.
• It will be mountable to existing integrated Zipp VukaShift extensions.
• SRAM's 1:1 actuation ratio of cable pull means it will work with SRAM componentry only.
• Projected weight for the set is 195 grams.
  

Saturday, Chris Lieto will be the one man using the prototype R2C levers. SRAM says spring is the date we'll get to use 'em as consumers. No price as yet.

My last salve: something that brought a smile to my face, found in Donna's race registration paperwork. You can click on it in full, but it is a letter that says, in essense, leave your family out of the finishing chute. Let's see if it happens.

Breaking News: SRAM to make big bar-end shifter debut in Kona Wednesday

Well, it seems Interbike wasn’t good enough to do a launch. And triathletes get the benefit of it.

I’ve just gotten word that SRAM is making a major presentation Wednesday in Kona, revolving around its time trial/triathlon shifting system for triathlon. The rumors that have abounded for over a year will be answered at a press conference Wednesday.

The press release says:
“This new SRAM shifter has been in development for over three years, it’s like no other gear changer on the market, and will redefine aerodynamic efficiency and comfort – so please join us to be the first to see it.”

Man, I love being in the media. There’s nothing cooler than getting the first look.

There had been rumor, as far off as a year ago, that a new shifting system was in the works. The new Red group came and went without an update to the carbon shifter that came with the debut of the brand’s first road group, Force. Many, myself included, were beginning to think it was wishful thinking, vaporware.

But this is SRAM, which has been exceptionally progressive. Progressive in not only in presenting three tiers of road groups (top-end Red, mid-tier Force and so-called entry level Rival) but re-designing the two latter groups inside a year’s time. Hell, major Shimano lifer (well, at least until a week or so ago) Lance Armstrong will be rolling his debut on SRAM.
I became a fan of SRAM when they debuted Force the first time. The above shot was from their press launch at Sea Otter a couple years ago…. I’m in the center, with SRAM’s Alex Wassman on my left and respected VeloNews scribe Lennard Zinn to my right. From there, they’ve stepped up the product, functionally and ergonomically. We have a Rival group in our office to test, and while most cases would see me not too jazzed about stripping a bike to put on an entry-level groupset that costs just $919 complete (compared to the $2,099 Red gruppo)

At Sea Otter this spring, SRAM did debut the 500 level alloy shifter and alloy brake levers, in alignment with the Rival group. They were very nice and represented a great value, but there was nothing truly innovative, despite my optimism.

Now, SRAM turns its attention to triathlon, and is making the debut on the world stage in Kona. I’m thinking they won’t trot out a revamp this time.

Now, consider that the bar end shifter was never meant for use on tri bikes. They were created well before Boone Lennon created the first aerobar—Campagnolo had ones with rubber covers in 1953. In the 70s and mid-80s, SunTour created barcon shifters that mounted on the bottom end of drop bars, where bar plugs typically go today.
So basically, while advances in tube shaping, frame materials, water bottle shapes, training, nutrition have evolved over the years, the lowly bar end shifter remained untouched, unevolved and neglected for decades. The most radical thing that happened came three years ago, when SRAM made the lever out of carbon. Sexy, yes. But functionally, it was the same thing.

Then along comes SRAM, which has been one of the most excitable brands in the market today. When you’re pushing the envelope, I guess it’s hard to not get jazzed. SRAM road PR manager Michael Zellmann is a big guy. If you’re in Kona and see a 6’3 dude traipsing around town, that’s your guy. He’s also a time trial powerhouse—think Torbjorn, just without the ability to swim. (Sorry Michael—but you’re welcome to throw on your tangerine Speedo and prove me wrong at Dig Me Beach next week).

Seriously though, being a SRAM marketer aside, as a TT guy I think MZ’s presence in Kona means he has a truly vested interest in delivering this debut. He was here to do the first count of groupsets last year at the pier. I think this year, he'll see a bigger presence in the race.

“We are excited to be launching our third bar-end shifter into the triathlon market in three years at this years Ford Ironman World Championships,” Zellmann told me this past week after sending the press release. “Triathletes have been underserved on drivetrain and shifting options for years.”

If they're on par with what they’ve delivered across the rest of their road range the last three years, I don't think I'm off base in saying we can expect to be wowed.

So what does that mean? Zellmann was mum. The rumor, as far as I have heard, involved something different than a traditional lever that moves up and down, pulling on the cable. Some of the Triathlete mag staff were in Chicago for the Chicago Triathlon this spring and visited the SRAM offices, taking a tour. Ad sales rep Sean Watkins said he was accidentally send into a room where something was on a table that he couldn’t sort out, and he was quickly whisked out.

Further, sponsored pro Michellie Jones has been spotted training in San Diego testing the prototypes. I’ve not seen ‘em. The term “trigger” has been bandied about, but for the last year, and despite my incessant badgering, SRAM has confirmed nor denied any of it.

So after the “how rad and revolutionary is this gonna be” question comes the “will anyone be running it in the race” question. Considering the tech-o-philes that SRAM sponsors, including Chris Lieto, and Normann Stadler, perhaps there’s a chance.

We’ll find out all Wednesday. Michellie is slated to be there to talk about her experience with it, and SRAM and Zipp will have several of their other goods on display, including the new SRAM S40, S60 and S80 wheelsets, and the new Zipp SLSpeed Stem… one of the newest objects d’art from Interbike.

I must say, I’m glad SRAM opted to make Hawaii the debut instead of Vegas. Further proof that SRAM is recognizing the tri market as an entity unto itself.

Limited Editon Cervelos: Black, white and... SRAM Red

Some months ago I got to build up my dream bike, which was a magazine test: a Cervelo SLC-SL. That bike sits in a case, surrounded by Pringles, spare tires, boxes of Kashi GoLean and bubble wrap. That's right, I'm talkin' road trip.

I'm doing Escape from Alcatraz in San Francisco this weekend, and while that course, with its hills, technical corners at the bottom of said hills makes it heaven-sent for Alcatraz, I'm not riding that bike there. No, I've road-ified the PK Racing Guru Crono (which you'll see in the July issue of Triathlete and you'll see on this blog in a few days in way more glorious detail than Triathlete delivered. If you're at the race, look for the blaze vermillion and silver rocket, strapped with Zipp 808s. Hard to miss.

No, that bike will sit in its box while I race Alcatraz. Because two days after the race, I'm on my way to Switzerland. Thanks to this MacBook, I can do my work from anywhere. So I'm gonna spend a month being my wife's soignieur, cook and grocery-getter while she's doing the Team TBB thing with her team in Switzerland.

So I'll be damned if I'm not bringing the baddest road bike to ride the Swiss Alps for a month. The Tour de Suisse passes nearby for a stage finish and start too, so I gotta check that out for sure.

So this test Cervelo SLC-SL delivers pretty much all I, as a triathlete, look for in a road bike. Light weight, great steering, tight compact design, and the thing few other road bikes offer: aerodynamics.

Sent as a frameset, I got to put what I wanted on it. I've been a big fan of what SRAM has accomplished in short time with its road offerings, and the new Red group was gonna make this thing... perfect. A Zipp Vuma Quad Crankset, Fizik Arione saddle and Flashpoint Racing 60 carbon wheels with alloy rims (in my opinion one of the most underrated wheelsets in the sport), and I'll be damned if I don't have one of the baddest bike around. I wish I was racing it in The City, but with a day turnaround, It would be impossible to pack it with all the other stuff Donna and her teammates are asking me to schlep from Encinitas to Leysin.

When I told the Cervelo folks that I built what I considered the perfect bike some months ago, they nodded, then said they had something up their sleeve. Those that know Cervelo know they only deal in Shimano. This year, as a bit of a test, Cervelo is doing a limited run of three models kitted with SRAM. Here's a traveler sheet with the info on the SLC-SL, outfitted with Red:

Love it, love it, love it. I wonder how many have swapped their Shimano spec for SRAM to complete their masterpiece on their own. Now, in an "act now!" kinda way, Cervelo plays liek Burger King and says you can have it your way, offering SRAM.

There's gonna be only 300 Cervelo RS bikes available kitted with SRAM Force, as well as 215 R3-SL kitted with SRAM Red. And my "dream bike," the SLC-SL, outfitted with SRAM Red? Just 180 of 'em.

Like I said, "act now," and save yourself from having to build it up. I sure hope Cervelo finds this to be a good litmus test as to whether they ought to be spec'ing SRAM. Not that they're having any trouble selling their bikes as it is.

Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to having fun in San Francisco. My younger brother Jon is doing the race for the first time, and I'm gonna try to steward him through the swim for a bit. While he knows pressure (in '95 he kicked a game-winning field goal with 22 seconds left to help our alma mater, the University of Arizona Wildcats, knock out a Jake Plummer-led Arizona State Sundevil team—in Tempe no less), he's making himself a ball of nerves. Just like I tell anyone else, just enjoy the experience...the boat, the bay, the sand ladder, Crissy Field, all of it. Because I've been to races around the world and there's just one race—Monaco 70.3—that rivals Escape from Alcatraz for sheer beauty. I'll be taking this one in, while tracking the race leaders on the course. You'd be surprised how much of the race you can follow on the bike and run while racing.. so look for a stellar race report at slowtwitch.com after the race.

Then the SLC-SL and I have a plane to catch...

Sea Otter goods & Wildflower/Xterra news: Jamie's back on the scene!

Yeah, whatever, it's late. Story of my life. I've been busy. I'll be catching up. Anyway, here's a smattering of what I caught a looong time at in Monterey at Sea Otter, and a little news from Wildflower.... lots of pretty pics and a few words. Well, maybe more than a few words. At least I'm not reviewing some ice wine or whatever one of my Triathlete contemporaries is doing right now. I can't wait until Brad espouses the variances on the palate of St. Ides, Mad Dog 20/20 or Mickey's. In fact Brad, I'll give you $20 to drink the bottle of Night Train screw-top wine in Wattie's office I won at Interbike like, six year ago. C'mon, twenty bucks... that's two pizzas and some cookies. You can eat like a pi... a king. Eat like a king.

Back to Sea Otter: among the offerings were two big debuts: the debut of the new SRAM redesigns of Force and Rival, and the debut of Edge Composites. Let's look at SRAM first.

SRAM

SRAM held a press conference at Otter to show of some stuff that probably doesn't have the carbon bling factor, but resonated with those of us that have to look after the mortgage and putting food on the table ahead of carbon.

So if carbon isn't the option, how about aluminum? SRAM showed off the 500TT aero brake levers. For $108 a pair, you get the same shape and design (a functional return spring being the most important element) as the carbon version, at a few grams of added weight. They're 99 grams. Great deal. They also debuted a new 500 level TT shifter—same as the carbon version in every way, except using aluminum instead of carbon on the shifters. 154 grams a pair, at $120.

You can also now throw them on Zipp's new SRAM-compatible s-bend extensions. The extension represents the first collaborative between Zipp and SRAM after the latter purchased the former. While it was only a sample, in the hand, the absence of a plug-in feels really positive for shifting—zero potential for flex of the shifter in this version.

Also on show: a new TT ring set, in 54 or 55 big blade and 42-tooth inner ring. I trust we'll see T.J. Tollakson and the rest of a growing lot of SRAM-sponsored pros turning the cranks on these.

Staying on the "value" theme, SRAM did announce some major redesign changes. Nothing with Red; from our account, they have done nothing short of nail it all on the Red group. It's light, shifts crisp as a sunny spring morning, and the shifter/brake lever shape for the full road groupset is ergonomically solid. I've been riding Red for the last few months on my Cervelo and have been so pleased with it. It made me think about how fast and far they came. I mean, Force was hot when it debuted two years ago, now it's off the back. As is Rival.

Well, Force and Rival just caught up. The two junior groups took on a new facelift, both cosmetically and functionally for 2009. The biggest gainer is Rival, which takes on new shifter shape and adjustable lever reach akin to Red, and also adopts a front chainring trim. The brake levers go from alloy to a sexy matte carbon, the levers themselves dropping 40 grams. Also cool about Rival: the crankset crankarm length comes in an insane length range: 165mm to 180mm. Many of the pro roadies have been riding Force cranks just to get the fit option they want.

Entire Rival group: $919. Damn. The Force group gets the same cosmetic facelift and front ring trim. Shimano's coming, but they better come strong, because SRAM is taking no shorts. And Campy? I hope their new marketing man, Tom Kattus, can impart upon the Italians how far off the back they've fallen with the triathlon market. Tom's a tri guy, so I hope to hear he's throwing his weight around there (when he's not surfing in Fiji).

Last SRAM item: they'll debut in '09 a few new cassettes. The new SRAM Red Powerdome cassette will be available in an 11-26 option, which is great. But the Force and Rival cassettes will go further than that, with an.... 11-28. Wow. They'll also have a 12-25, 12-26 and 12-27. What a killer climbing range.

They had on display the process by which they create a Red cassette. From left to right you can see its raw form: an alloy billet (which would make a nice paperweight) that is CNC'd into a hollowed one-piece cassette. SRAM's Michael Zellmann tells me it was a young engineer at their Chicago office who came up with that one. I said they need to give that kid a raise.

Edge Composites

I've known Jim Pfeil, former Reynolds Composites staffer, for some years, being that their offices were located in nearby Carlsbad. When the company's brainpower, namely Jim and a bunch of top engineers) left, they reconvened in Utah to form Edge Composites. So I knew that when they were to debut some new wheels, they'd be nothing short of special. They make their own rims, which are some of the strongest I've ever ridden. Hell, Jason Schiers, the president of the company, was the first to create the all-carbon clincher.

So Sea Otter marked My eyes were on their 68mm clincher. Capable of taking up to 160psi, this... this is what I wish my wife could ride (if she didn't have an existing sponsorship). Hell, this is what I want to ride. I've seen waaay too many folks who have bitchin tubulars, flat in the race... and just stand there with their tubular in their hand, wondering what the hell to do.

I'm not gonna make this a "you should learn how to change a tubular in a race" schpeil, because Edge Composites solves for this with a wheel you can race or train on, and has all the weight savings of full carbon. I mean, we're raised on clinchers, why not have a real race wheel you can use them on too? I hope to do some testing on this wheel soon. They also have a 38mm clincher, and tubular versions of both wheels. All light, all way, way strong, built on DT Swiss hubs. They're all gorgeous. Steve Larsen won Worlds Toughest Triathlon last weekend on the deep tubulars from Edge Composites. He could win on anything, but the fact Steve picked these, that speaks volumes.

Edge Composites is also the first brand I've seen to make full-carbon mountain bike tires. Not ones for show. These are for DH, hard XC. Again, you have to see these rims to believe.

They also have road and mountain bike bars 320g Aero 1.0. They also offer a slightly more stout 2.0 version.

I'm glad to see the guys that built one brand are building another, but doing it on a wholly other level that surpasses anything they've done before. I mean, real full-carbon mountain bike wheels? Who else could have created that? This is a company on the rise, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a few on the pier in Kona. These are just that good, and in a carbon clincher form, that easy to use.

The rest of Sea Otter saw a lot of cool new stuff. Including...

Continental GP4000 tubulars. Yes, they exist. I bought one of these for my wife's new rear Hed Stinger 90 before she did Ironman China. I've had nothing but great luck with Continental, so to see the GP4000 finally available in a tubie, meant a level of security that my wife was most likely not gonna flat. She often doesn't appreciate the nuiances of a good ride, but she does if it fails her. Fortunately, the GP4000 didn't attract her attention, delivering her without incident. Whew. On what was a reputedly rough course, it was to task.
All of the new tires, tubie or clincher (GP4000, are getting a new tire-toughening agent called Black Chili, and retain the Vectran flat-resistance layer. It's the Vectran that gives me that piece of mind against flats, but the Black Chili compound adds a tacky new gumminess to the rubber that I really like.
And, of course, Conti has the baddest color range this side of the rainbow. For those of us that like to color coordinate, Conti is the only option for a "pretty" tire you can actually ride with the 4000. I mean, who else has brown tires? Or two tones of blue?

Fi'zi:k also showed off something some MTB guys and road time trialers have been playing with: stick pads. These felt-topped adhesive pieces are to go on top of your saddle (no, it doesn't have to be a Fi'zi:k saddle to help prevent slipping. I haven't tried this, as I like to range around on the saddle, particularly if I'm on a hilly or rolling course. Perhaps on a flat course like Brazil or Florida, if you like to lock into that one position they might do the trick though. One to test sometime.

We also got a look at the new paintjob for the Look 486, the one that started the whole bayonet front end craze. I've liked the bike, but never really dug the look. I like it now.
We also ran into this chick, who just last week started off her season with a win at Xterra Temecula. Canadian Melanie McQuaid plans to split for Europe to get after the Xterra Europe circuit and face off against Julie Dibens, who trumped her in Maui last year. I love that since Dibens ain't coming here, she's facing her foe on her turf. As Rage Against the Machine lead singer Zack de la Rocha says, know your enemy. With Jamie Whitmore sidelined (and making a hard-charging recovery) after a tumor in her glute and hamstring (I'll be following up with you on her more soon, as I spent a good 45 minutes chatting with her at Temecula last weekend, and will be writing a feature on her for Competitor), McQuaid needs to find someone who challenges her as much as Jamie. Mel's on the warpath.

One last on Jamie: Given all that has been rained upon her, she has been an absolute rock star to show up at Wildflower and Xterra Temecula, present at Xterra to support her boy, Courtney Cardenas. If you want to help a cool chick and a world champion through a bit of a crossroads, drop her an email (gutzytrigirl at gmail dot com), get her a grocery card, whatever. She's the optimistic I know many of us wish we were, and I think her positive mindset overall can help her get rolling again... or get that foot moving. But I reckon it hurt a lot for her to see the girls take off for the race start at Vail Lake.

At Wildflower, I had a chance to smush her between two good guys and make her a Jamie sandwich at the Cannondale truck down by Lake San Antonio. When this whole cancerous mass in her leg thing went down with Jamie, her sponsors totally had her back. "Monavie, ESI Grips and Zeal have really stuck by and gone above and beyond," Jamie told me. "Monavie has honored my contract, and ESI Grips and Zeal have donated a percentage of sales to help with bills! And TYR and Michelin have been great by sending care packages and such!"

The guys I always see at the races were her bike sponsors. Several years back it was Felt racing, and currently, Cannondale. Both Cannondale's Bill Rudell and Felt namesake Jim Felt have been huge fans of Jamie aside from sponsors, and both have been there to support her through it. Not too many industries big or small, that respond like our industry does, let alone two competing brands. "Cannondale has not only been there financially but as a friend, and I can never forget about Jim Felt and his family!" That's Jim on the right and Bill to the left of Jamie.

Oh, remember how Jamie always rocked her bikes with "Powered by God" decal? She keeps it rolling, on the brace supporting her left foot, which has foot fall due to the nerve that was damaged in the removal of the tumor that had wrapped itself around the nerve.

In the meantime, Jamie, paddles, pullbuoy and band... and Compex.... and get that leg stronger!

Oakley's new Endure on show in Oceanside

Amazing the news you can come across in a day's time. Well, maybe not when you're in the vortex of the first expo of the race season.

I'll keep this quick as I have to get to bed and up to cover the Oceanside Ironman 70.3 tomorrow morn, but wanted to unload a few pearls on you. First one came while chatting with SRAM product manager Alex Wassermann, who is here looking after his newest fleet of SRAM-sponsored athletes racing tomorrow, including Michellie Jones, Samantha McGlone and David Thompson. He just picked up Torbjorn Sindballe as well, but the Great Dane ain't here this year.

Anyway, idle chat with Wassermann:
Me: So, looks like I'll be out for your media presentation at Sea Otter.
Alex: Cool.
Me: So, what's up with the new bar end shifting system that was talked about last year and kinda went away?
Alex: (sly grin) I guess you'll have to wait until Sea Otter.

I couldn't get anything else out of the guy except that they were working on advancements to a number of elements, and he didn't deny the shifters were a component they're evolving. The initial (but unsubstantiated) chat was that it was a very different shifting method. Can't wait till Otter to find out what's up.

The pros did their pro panel and pro meeting today, and it looked like a world championship; reigning 70.3 champs Andy Potts and Mirinda Carfrae, Kona runner-ups Crowie and Sam McGlone, Former Hawaii champ Michellie Jones (above, signing autographs for fans), former 101 Series destroyer David Thompson, ran into duathlon world champ and Team TBB pro Erika Csomor (shown at above right)... Steve Larsen, Bjorn Andersson...heaps of talent at a race that has a typical prize purse. I guess everyone's keen for the season to start.

Also ran into one of the hardest-working coaches in triathlon (eliciting fellow scribe Tim Carlson to call him the James Brown of triathlon), Muddy Waters. Muddy is head of the ALCiS Triathlon Team (ALCiS being a killer anti-inflammatory cream). I saw him at so many races and in so many airports, he's known by everyone. Everyone's got a coach, but few coaches look after their athletes as keenly as Muddy. Great coach, even better guy. I'm sure be at an an airport in Warsaw and he'll be there.

Ran into former Kona champ Greg Welch, now the Oakley representative for triathlon. He gave us a first look at a new women's race optic, called the Endure. It has a bit of Half Jacket flavor with a more feminine cut, but has the one-piece shield lens like the Radar. Oakley pros like Carfrae, McGlone and, next weekend, new Oakley-sponsored pro and reigning Hawaii Ironman world champ Chrissie Wellington will be debuting the Endure at Ironman Australia. This new sunny looks pretty sweet.
Stay tuned for a video interview with Welchy that will explain the Endure, as well as interviews with Mirinda Carfrae and Bjorn Andersson.

I'm out, but will have some good post-race stuff in a few days....

More Tour of Cali goodies and news...

At the final stage of the Tour of California (before the rains came), I snagged a couple of minutes with SRAM marketing manager Michael Zellmann and Zipp marketing manager Andy Paskins, to talk about the acquisition of one of the most progressive race wheel manufacturers in the world by SRAM, a company on the rise with the addition of its Force and Red road componentry. and how it will affect us, the consumer.

By the way, Zellmann slipped us a little piece of news: the SRAM Red groupset will be aboard the Argon 18 of one Samantha McGlone in 2008.

After the soggy finale at the Rose Bowl, Scott Bicycles marketing man Adrian Montgomery invited me to dinner with the Spanish Saunier Duval team. After a week of racing, the boys were enjoying red wine, king crab, oyster and jumbo shrimp appetizers and steak dinners, with rousing toasts to the staff and Adrian as their host that rose in volume and laughter as the wine began to take effect. When a dish of cheese pasta came to the table, the fellas asked me "que es esto?" I replied "pasta con queso." You shoulda seen the soured faces, who had been eating pasta all week. There were no takers, one replying "basta pasta" (enough pasta).

Adrian also showed us Scott's new road Limited road shoe. It has the same Boa closure that I love about the new Specialized S-Works Road shoe, with an even distribution of closure down the length of the instep. That carbon fiber heel actually molds to the foot while riding, Montgomery says. I've been using the S-Works shoe in tri racing last year (finding the Boa rather quick to get out of), and imagine the same can be done with the Limited. We're looking forward to testing. With all that gold and carbon, they definitely look the part.

We also ran into Ming Tan, longtime Look cycles overseer. He had two items of interest, one that will be par of a coming test: the Look 586, and the HSD stem. The stem was gorgeous, all square angles full carbon (no carbon wrap here). Didn't get a weight, but the heft on it exceptionally light. One to look out for.

The other item was the 586, Look's new road/tri tweener—Tweener in that yes, it's a road bike. But it's an aero road bike there fine aero aspects, led by the aero seattube and mast that rises to the integrated post. If you click on the photo, you can indeed confirm what that digital scale reads: 13.80 pounds. That's with pedals (Look Keo's of course), and Look carbon cages, as well as the Zipp Vuma crankset. This thing was getting picked up more than a baby at a family reunion... and with as much adulation. While this bike has a fixed-angle layback post, Look does have a serrated half-moon clamp that is reversible, providing a light, aero bike with an added amount of fore saddle positioning on the clamp. With clip-ons installed, we're taking one for a test in the coming weeks with that post flipped forward, and will let you know how we dig it in the coming months.

OK, to the right you'll find my mini-interview with Michael and Andy. I think we all have some good things to look forward to with this merger between two progressive brands.