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RBR Newsletter No. 389
04/16/09
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This Week's Content
______________________________________
RoadBikeRider.com Newsletter
Issue
No. 389 - 04/16/09: Weighty Issues
ISSN 1536-4143
Produced almost every
Thursday by RBR Publishing Company. E-mailed without cost or obligation to
more than 62,500 roadies around the world.
1. WEEKLY
DISPATCH
ED'S
NOTE:
Back
in
the
1980s
when
some
forms
of
doping
were
merely
unethical
rather
than
illegal,
a
few
U.S.
national
team
cyclists
were
wired
on
caffeine.
Doses
were
so
massive
that
the
only
way
their
systems
could
handle
them
was
through
caffeine
suppositories.
These
cyclists
were
riding
on
the
equivalent
of
20
cups
of
coffee.
No
way
could
a
stomach
(or
bladder)
cope
with
that.
Nowadays,
if
you
want
a
reasonable
jolt
of
caffeine
you
have
many
choices,
including
Jolt.
When
Scott
Martin
complained
in
last
week's
Spin
about
the
unpleasant
(to
him)
flavor
of
coffee
thwarting
his
ability
to
get
caffeine's
benefits,
RBR
readers
were
quick
to
offer
alternatives.
Recommendations
included
flavored
cappuccino,
tea,
Mountain
Dew,
Coke,
Diet
Coke,
Coke
Zero,
caffeinated
energy
gel,
No-Doz
and,
of
course,
Red
Bull.
No
one
suggested
caffeine
suppositories,
and
Scott
appreciates
that.
Right
on
cue,
Dr.
Gabe
Mirkin's
weekly
e-Zine
arrived
with
a
lead
story
about
caffeine's
benefits
for
athletes.
Wrote
Dr.
Mirkin,
a
cycling
enthusiast,
"Researchers
at
the
University
of
Illinois
report
that
300
mg
of
caffeine
(the
amount
in 4
cups
of
coffee)
reduces
muscle
burning
during
intense
exercise
in
both
regular
coffee
drinkers
and
in
those
who
do
not
drink
coffee
at
all."
Source:
International
Journal
of
Sport
Nutrition
and
Exercise
Metabolism,
April
2009.
"One
of
the
researchers,"
the
doctor
continued,
"says
that
caffeine
blocks
spinal
nerves
that
transmit
pain
messages
to
the
brain.
This
means
that
people
can
exercise
longer
because
they
feel
less
pain."
Whatever.
It
works
for
me.
Unlike
Scott,
I
enjoy
coffee
and
have
2-3
cups
first
thing
every
morning.
But
I
don't
drink
it
at
any
other
time.
If I
want
a
boost
for
an
afternoon
ride,
I go
for
a
small
Red
Bull
("Baby
Bull").
I've
tried
other
energy
drinks
but
haven't
found
one
that
works
quite
as
well.
It
doesn't
exactly
give
me
"wings,"
just
better
legs.
Speaking
of
coffee,
I've
found
a
good
one
that
supports
not
just
my
morning
habit
but
a
worthy
cycling
cause.
It's
the
Magnus
Maximus
Viking
Blend
offered
by
semi-retired
pro
Magnus
Backstedt.
Maggy,
as
he's
known,
is a
strapping
Swede
-- a
lean
6-foot-4
(1.93
m)
who
nonetheless
weighs
a
bit
over
200
pounds
(91
kg).
There's
rarely
been
an
elite
pro
as
big,
and
this
man
was
elite,
confirming
it
by
winning
Paris-Roubaix
in
2004.
Until
a
few
weeks
ago,
Backstedt
was
riding
for
U.S.-based
Garmin-Slipstream.
But
after
a
series
of
tough
injuries
be
decided
to
retire
from
ProTour
racing
and
become
a
coach/rider
for
the
Cyclesport.se
continental
professional
team.
Using
proceeds
from
coffee
sales,
Maggy's
team
helps
riders
from
Sweden,
the
U.K.
and
the
U.S.
turn
pro
and
grow.
"Coffee
is a
passion
of
mine
as
it
is
of
all
pro
bike
riders,"
explains
this
gentle
giant.
"Magnus
Maximus
is
the
result
of
many
hours
of
research
drinking
coffee
and
eating
cakes
(not
too
many
and
only
in
the
off
season).
All
of
the
proceeds
from
this
coffee
go
towards
helping
young
riders."
Magnus
Maximus
is
100%
Arabica
coffee,
rich
and
velvety.
I
like
it
better
than
everything
I've
tried
from
Starbucks
(most
varieties)
and
better
than
the
Eight
o'Clock
Colombian
blend
that
was
recently
rated
No.
1 by
Consumer
Reports.
If
you
love
coffee,
Maggy's
brew
is
definitely
worth
a
try.
At
about
$20
a
pound
when
shipping
is
included
(my
order
took
23
days
to
arrive)
you
may
not
want
to
go
on
the
weekly
or
monthly
subscription
plan,
but
one
bag
won't
break
you.
It's
for
a
good
guy
and
his
good
cause.
Details
are
at
http://www.magnusbackstedt.com
Ed
Pavelka
Editor,
Publisher,
Caffeinated
Backstedt
Backer
Comment
______________________________________
Showergate
Update
Tour
de
France
director
Christian
Prudhomme
says
he
expects
to
see
Lance
Armstrong
competing
for
an
8th
victory
in
July.
The
rider
isn't
so
sure,
pessimistically
predicting
that
"there
is a
very
high
likelihood
they
will
prohibit
me
from
riding."
"They"
being
the
French
Anti-Doping
Agency
(AFLD).
In a
video
statement
at
http://www.livestrong.com,
Armstrong
sounds
resigned
to
being
banned
when
AFLD
officials
meet
next
month
to
consider
whether
he
should
be
punished
--
for
taking
a
shower.
Lance
did
it
on
March
17
in
southern
France
while
an
AFLD
tester
waited
to
collect
blood,
urine
and
hair
samples.
Armstrong
says
the
tester
granted
permission
to
go
rinse
off.
Now
he's
in
really
hot
water.
The
AFLD
claims
Lance's
20-minute
disappearance
was
a
violation
of
doping
regulations.
In a
statement
issued
by
the
AFLD,
Armstrong
is
accused
of
disobeying
Article
5.4.1of
the
World
Anti-doping
Agency's
International
Standard
of
Testing.
It
states
that
the
subject
of
an
anti-doping
control
must
remain
within
sight
of
the
official
from
the
time
of
notification
until
the
sample
is
collected.
Armstrong
was
finishing
a
training
ride
when
met
outside
his
house
by
the
tester.
Unsure
about
the
man's
credentials,
Team
Astana
manager
Johan
Bruyneel
began
making
phone
calls
to
verify
his
identity.
Meanwhile,
Armstrong
says,
he
asked
for
and
received
permission
to
take
a
shower.
Then,
after
Bruyneel
had
been
assured
that
the
tester
was
legit,
Armstrong
gave
all
the
samples
requested.
Lance
says
the
man
checked
"no"
on
the
form
where
it
was
asked
if
anything
improper
had
occurred
during
their
meeting.
Armstrong
has
long
had
a
difficult
relationship
with
the
AFLD
and,
more
recently,
the
Tour's
owner,
Amaury
Sport
Organization.
ASO
used
the
term
"embarrassing"
to
describe
his
potential
return
to
the
race.
AFLD
president
Pierre
Bordry
says
sanctions,
if
any,
will
be
announced
next
month
after
a
committee
considers
the
tester's
report.
Meanwhile,
despite
Prudhomme's
comment
to
cyclingnews.com
last
Saturday
--
"I
imagine
he
will
be
at
the
Tour
de
France"
--
Armstrong
sounds
resigned
to
being
barred
from
racing
in
France
and
specifically
in
the
Tour.
And
surprisingly
he
seems
to
be
going
down
without
a
fight.
"The
Tour
is
something
I
love
dearly,
something
I
wanted
to
ride,
to
race
in,
to
be
competitive
in,"
he
says.
"I
have
a
passion
for
the
global
fight
against
cancer
[and]
I
wanted
to
tell
that
story
in
France,
but
if
we
can't
do
that
we
can't
do
that.
It's
their
call,
it's
their
country,
their
event,
their
rules
so
we
have
to
play
by
those.
"I
suspect
this
will
escalate,
and
we'll
see
even
more
antics
out
of
the
AFLD
in
the
near
future.
And
there's
a
very
high
likelihood
that
they'd
prohibit
me
from
riding
in
the
Tour."
The
March
17
samples,
by
the
way,
were
negative
for
illegal
substances.
Comment
_____________________
Overheard
-
"Lance has passed 24 anti-doping controls in half the world since he announced he would come back to race. Twenty-three have been carried without any problem, but the last one, the only one he's done in France, is already making life complicated for us." -- Johan Bruyneel, Team Astana manager
-
"Those who buy his act and think Lance is being victimized by foreigners who can't stomach an American's superiority, will no doubt see his exclusion from this year's Tour de France as patently unfair. Others will surely see karma at work and feel that his banishment has been a long time coming. Either way, it seems that Lance Armstrong may have finally given French officials good reason to tell him not just au revoir, but also bon debarras. That's French for good riddance." -- Bryant Gumbel, sports commentator on HBO
______________________________________
RBR's QUESTION
of the Week
Who's to
blame if
Armstrong is
barred from
the Tour de
France?
We give you 3
ways to answer
when you
click here.
You will also
find an archive
of previous poll
results. Please
vote and come
back to finish
reading.
______________________________________
Collarbone
update:
In
Armstrong's
video he
says
"everything
seems to be
good" in his
recovery
from the
fractured
clavicle
suffered
last month
in Spain's
Vuelta a
Castilla y
Leon:
"Stitches
are gone and
the scar has
healed
nicely. The
actual
collarbone
and plate
feel solid.
I go out on
the bike and
ride, just
like I did
before. I
don't want
to fall on
it again
right now,
but I think
it's pretty
solid, and I
think it's
going to be
fine for the
Tour of
Italy."
The Giro
runs May
9-31. Lance
has been
training,
sometimes
twice a day,
at altitude
amid spring
snowfalls in
Aspen,
Colorado.
o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
o^o o^o o^o o^o
2. CYCLING
SHORTS
-
Quick Tip: Be a Cat on
Climbs. Think "smooth and fluid" as you
go from sitting to standing and vice-versa.
By not lunging forward or sitting
heavily you'll save energy and preserve
momentum. Just before standing, shift to the
next 1 or 2 smaller cogs so you won't lose
speed as your cadence naturally decreases.
Then as soon as you sit again, click back to
a lower gear to regain a quick spin of about
80 rpm. Remember to extend your arms to push
the bike forward as you go from standing to
sitting. This will gain a few centimeters
and put your butt toward the rear of the
saddle where most riders have more pedaling
power.
-
Bicycle riding in the U.S. increased to
44.7 million participants in 2008 after
hovering at the 40-million mark for several
years. The improvement is attributed mainly
to youngsters in the 7-11 and 12-17 age
groups. An official of the survey-taking
National Sporting Goods Association says
more teenagers may be getting on bikes
because of higher gas prices or parents who
can no longer afford to buy cars for them.
Overall, bicycling finished in sixth place
behind (1) exercise walking with 96.6
million participants; (2) swimming; (3)
exercising with equipment; (4) bowling; (5)
camping.
-
The U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame is moving
to Davis, California, from Somerville,
New Jersey. The Northern California city
emerged from a field of 11 contenders,
winning a final vote over Greensboro, North
Carolina, by the Hall of Fame's board of
directors. The Hall will be integrated with
the California Bicycle Museum in a location
to be announced.
-
Women's Cycling, a magazine
covering women's racing, charity rides,
commuting and cycling lifestyle themes, will
debut on June 22. Three $5 issues are
planned for this year, 8 for 2010 and
eventually the magazine may be published
monthly. Says editorial director Marian
Hunting, "When is the last time you
heard the tactics of a women's race spelled
out in a mainline bicycle magazine? Usually
it's either the results list or a sentence
or two about who won at the end of the
story. This is not enough coverage for me."
Hunting says the magazine also intends to
develop a calendar of women's events. For
subscription info, click
http://www.womenscyclingmag.com
-
Hincapie Sportswear is now more than bike
clothing. Not to be outdone by fashion
designer Rock and Republic (sponsor of Team
Rock Racing), George's South Carolina
clothing company has launched the Hincapie
Premium Denim Collection. What this means is
jeans with fancy stitching on the back
pockets -- and a fancy price tag to match.
Five styles are made for men and 5 for
women, each costing $145. "The new denim
line definitely enhances the high fashion
and distinctive style that is exemplified by
our Hincapie cycling apparel line," states
company president Rich Hincapie. See
these decorative dungarees at
http://www.hincapiedenim.com
-
Now hear this: A motorist bit off part
of a cyclist's ear in New Castle,
Indiana, according to an online newspaper
report. The 31-year-old rider told police he
shouted at an SUV driver that was speeding
on a residential street. The driver pulled
over, got out, knocked the rider down and
began gnawing his ear, spitting out the
pieces. The police chief says "a good chunk"
of the rider's left ear is missing. The
driver was jailed.
-
Component-maker SRAM has made
Outside magazine's second annual
"Best Places to Work" list. (That might not
include the Chain Dept.; see item in Road
Racing Roundup.) SRAM, based in Chicago,
is one of 30 companies to share the
recognition, which goes to companies that
best enable employees to "balance
productivity with an active, eco-conscious
lifestyle." The full list and article appear
in Outside's May issue.
-
May is National Bike Month in the U.S.,
promoted by the League of American
Bicyclists. Check the
LAB website for information, ideas and
help with organizing Bike to Work Week on
May 11-15 and Bike-to-Work Day on May 15 in
your locale.
-
Now in RBR Product Tests: Assos says
its $165 FI Mille cycling shorts are
made with only 4 panels so there are fewer
seams, and that means all-day riding
comfort. Click
here to read our on-bike review and
rating.
o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
o^o o^o o^o o^o
3. SCOTT'S
SPIN
Fan Guide
While at my hometown's annual criterium last
weekend, I realized that bike racing is not
only confusing to do, it's also confusing
for most people to watch. So here are some
pointers the next time you're at the races:
Helpful things to shout:
-
"Your teammate is bridging up to you."
-
"Four riders have a 15-second lead, but
two of them aren't pulling."
-
"Take turn 1 wide. I sprinkled carpet
tacks on the inside." (Best said
sotto voce.)
Unhelpful things to shout:
How to answer when bystanders ask why you're
not racing:
-
"I put the 'cry' in criterium."
-
"I get dizzy riding around in circles."
-
"I prefer it when my skin is attached to
my body."
What to yell at French riders:
What to yell at Italian riders:
What to yell at Spanish riders:
What to yell at American riders:
Know your victory salutes:
-
Two arms upraised: Classic, says
it all.
-
One arm upraised: See above, only
too tired to raise other arm.
-
Rocking imaginary baby: I
dedicate this win to my newborn
daughter/son.
-
Pointing index finger skyward: I
dedicate this win to my deceased
teammate/coach/bike washer.
-
Pumping a clenched fist: Take
that, you disbelieving team
manager/cycling journalist/boy- or
girlfriend who dumped me.
-
Firing invisible pistol: I'm the
baddest hombre in town.
-
Shooting invisible bow and arrow:
I'm the baddest indigenous person on the
prairie.
-
No salute: I hope there isn't any
drug testing.
(Scott Martin's eBook,
Spin
Again, contains 181 of his witty, sometimes wacky, and occasionally
heart-felt observations on road cycling. Enjoy 3 more by clicking
here.)
o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
o^o o^o o^o o^o
4.
CLASSIFIEDS
Also see the
Classified Ads
page on the RBR website and please support these
advertisers that help make this newsletter free for you.
______________________________________
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______________________________________
NEW
Cycling Artwork
- Classic images from the 1890s thru today.
Original copies of classic cycling images. Sizes
for every wall.
Plus new contemporary posters.
http://www.BicycleGifts.com
______________________________________
Get outerwear that
really
works at
www.ShowersPass.com
Waterproof-breathable jackets & pants. NEW
urban-inspired
Hybrid Cycling Lifestyle Collection.
Ride dry this Season!
______________________________________
Order Your "3 Feet Please" Jersey Today!
Send A Direct Message To Motorists. It May Save
Your Life.
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______________________________________
Wabi Woolens - Wonderful Wool Cycling Jerseys
Spring Sale
is on! RBR readers get 20%off until
April 30 through this
Wabi Woolens link.
______________________________________
UltraSpeed
high-quality Kevlar-bead folding road
bike tires, $19.16 each, with -20%
'RBR' code at
checkout.
http://www.NiceBikeTires.com
______________________________________
Try ROADIE - CycleAware's New Bar-End Mirror
Finally, a mirror that's worthy of your ride!
See it and
you'll know why. Just $20 at
http://www.CycleAware.com
______________________________________
Ride like you mean it. WEAR WOOL.
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head to toe.
All U.S. made. Custom too!
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______________________________________
Velotron Ergometer/Trainer
- Superlative road feel,
unmatched power and accuracy. Used exclusively
in
the new USA Cycling Testing & Training Center in
Colorado Springs. See it at
http://www.velotron.com
______________________________________
CueClip - Map/Cue Sheet Holder.
World's best! Club discounts.
Emergency LED Lights, Saddle Leather Care
Products,
and the Cyclewallet.
http://www.cueclip.com
______________________________________
Also on
Classified Ads, these Roadie Ads:
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5.
COACH FRED
Will I
Benefit
from
Riding a
Heavier
Bike?
Q:
Would
adding
weight
to my
bike for
training
help my
average
speed
and
power?
I'm
thinking
about
buying
cheap,
heavy
wheels
and
tires
and
loading
a rack
trunk
with
weights.
-- Tim
T.
Coach
Fred
Matheny
Replies:
Adding
weight
for
training
purposes
has been
tried a
number
of times
over the
years.
I recall
when the
U.S.
Road
Team
used
lead-filled
water
bottles
for hill
workouts.
A
company
once
marketed
a heavy
product
designed
to
attach
under a
bike's
bottom
bracket.
However,
there's
no good
reason
to
artificially
add
weight
to your
bike.
Here's
why:
Improvement
comes
from
training
at your
optimum
intensity,
not from
riding a
heavier
bike.
You need
to
generate
a
certain
number
of watts
to get
up a
hill
with a
steady
effort
no
matter
what the
bike
weighs.
Take
some
weight
off
the
bike,
though,
and you
will go
a bit
faster
-- if
you
produce
the same
number
of
watts.
Of
course,
there's
no need
to
always
ride a
light
bike
when a
heavier
one
would be
better
for the
conditions.
Ed and I
both
ride
heavy
bikes in
winter.
They
have
steel
frames,
fenders,
racks
and
large
bags for
toting
tools,
extra
tubes,
rainwear
and warm
clothes.
Add a
couple
of full
bottles
and Ed's
bike,
for
example,
weighs
34
pounds
(15.5
kg). He
just
rode
this ol'
beater a
couple
of
thousand
hilly
miles
(3,200
km)
through
the
off-season.
Does
switching
to light
bikes in
the
spring
make us
feel
faster?
You bet.
And
we'll
actually
be
faster
because,
for a
given
amount
of
power,
we can
ride
uphill
and
accelerate
better
when
we're
not
pushing
as much
weight.
The
bottom
line for
training
purposes,
though,
is that
we're
still
riding
at the
same
intensity
when we
go hard,
regardless
of the
bike
we're
on.
Comment
______________________________________
Make the
Most of
Training
Time
RBR's 2
newest
training
eBooks
are from
David
Ertl,
a USA
Cycling
Level 1
coach
who
specializes
in
helping
riders
gain the
most
from
every
ride
they
take.
Hundreds
of RBR
roadies
are
already
benefiting.
In
Training
for Busy
Cyclists,
Coach
Ertl
shares
his
proven
methods
for
becoming
a
stronger,
faster
cyclist
in just
3-5
hours of
training
per
week.
And
because
he knows
that
almost
no one
can ride
as much
as
they'd
like, he
shows
how to
find
more
time for
cycling
in a
busy
life.
In
101
Cycling
Workouts,
Coach
Ertl
guarantees
that
you'll
never
again
feel
stuck in
a rut or
become
bored
with
training.
This
eBook
provides
an
almost
endless
variety
of ways
to stay
motivated
and keep
improving
-- on
the bike
and when
crosstraining
or
weight
training.
"The
important
thing to
remember,"
Coach
Ertl
contends,
"is to
continue
to
stress
your
body in
new and
different
ways.
That's
how you
will
improve
-- by
continually
changing
your
routine
and
throwing
different
workouts
at your
body."
Both
eBooks
help you
make it
happen.
To read
excerpts
and see
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6. ROAD
RACING
ROUNDUP
Gleaned from news sources
worldwide. Credited where
exclusive.
-
The checks are in the mail for Alberto
Contador, Levi Leipheimer and their
Astana teammates. The riders haven't been
paid in about a month, but Kazakhstan's
cycling federation said today it will resume
paying salaries now that it has received
money owed by sponsors. As explained in an
Associated Press report, Team Astana (named
after Kazakhstan's capital city) receives
most of its financial support from Kazakh
state holding company Samruk-Kazyna, which
has been slammed in the global financial
crisis. When Air Astana dropped sponsorship,
it was rumored that the team might be
disbanded. The salary situation does not
affect Lance Armstrong, who is riding
without pay during his comeback year.
-
Lance Armstrong twittered that he found the
Masters golf tournament more exciting than
the 107th Paris-Roubaix. Jeez, maybe he does
need another dope test. Tom Boonen was a
monster on the cobblestones, attacking at
several key moments and then soloing for the
final 15 km (9.3 miles) to win his third Hell of
the North in epic fashion. In doing so Boonen
(Quick Step) defeated his spring nemesis,
Katusha's Filippo Pozzato, who was within
10 seconds of the flying Belgian but couldn't
bridge and wound up 47 seconds behind after the
259 km (160 miles).
"The Belgian fans were not very polite out
there," remarked the Italian. "I got spat on by
someone. You have to consider all those police
and photographer motorbikes protecting Boonen.
He might have had a little bit of slipstream,
but I only had one bike on my side." We're not
buying that and Tornado Tom isn't either,
terming this Paris-Roubaix victory the "most
beautiful" of his 3.
______________________________________
Overheard:
"I don't want to go out like that. I thought
about it at the end of the race with 20 kilometers
to go, and I still feel good and I know that I can
go with the best in this race." -- George
Hincapie, 44th and unsatisfied after a ruinous
rear-wheel flat, indicating that at age 36 he may be
back for another race to Roubaix.
______________________________________
-
Paris-Roubaix is notoriously brutal on
equipment, so it's always interesting to see
the modifications pro mechanics make to team
bikes. James Huang of cyclingnews.com
has written a detailed report with dozens of
revealing photos at
http://tinyurl.com/d4r5yj
-
Alessandro Petacchi (LPR) won the
Scheldeprijs semi-classic in Belgium
yesterday but grabbing headlines were crash
injuries suffered by Robbie McEwen and
Tom Boonen. McEwen (Katusha) was reported
the worst hurt, complaining of "pain everywhere"
-- head, neck and chest. Boonen, fresh off his
Paris-Roubaix victory and headed for vacation
after this race, was bleeding from legs and arms
but worried most about his right foot. "I can't
put any weight on it," said the Quick Step
captain. "It might be broken or it could be that
I've hurt the tendons." Both stars went down
among a dozen riders in the race-ending sprint.
Notable in third place was Canada's Dominque
Rollin (Cervelo), earning his first podium
spot in European racing.
-
Alejandro Valverde won the Klasika Primavera
for the third time, defeating Spanish rival
Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) in a
small-group sprint. "I am happy that I go on
winning races in spite of all that happens
around me," said the Caisse d'Epargne captain,
referring to the recent calls for his suspension
for suspected involvement in blood doping.
-
Alberto Contador turned a slim lead into a
solid victory in the Tour of Basque Country
(Vuelta al Pais Vasco) as he won the final-stage
time trial. The Team Astana captain covered the
24-km (14.9-mile) course in 31:59. Only
Antonio Colom (Katusha) and Samuel
Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) were within a
minute of Contador in the TT and they filled the
other podium places. "It's incredible how I
continue to progress in my time trial work,"
said Contador. "I am a typical climber. In
theory we are not so strong in the time trial.
This gives me confidence for the next goal, the
Tour de France." Among Tour rivals beaten
soundly in the TT by the young Spaniard were
Michael Rogers (Columbia) at 1:09,
Christian Vande Velde (Garmin) at 1:22,
Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) at 1:25 and
Carlos Sastre (Cervelo) at 2:11.
-
Chris Horner is back in the States after a
frightening crash in the Tour of Basque
Country. In the 4th of the 6 stages, the Team
Astana super domestique was descending behind
teammate Daniel Navarro when Novarro's
chain broke, instantly causing him to lose
speed. Horner rode into his rear wheel and both
spun down, Chris sliding under a metal
guardrail. Miraculously, he wasn't seriously
hurt but shoulder damage meant his race was done
(Novarro was able to continue). Horner, 37,
hopes to mend in time to start the Giro d'Italia
on May 9.
-
Speaking of the Giro, organizers have changed
stage 10 so it will take place entirely in
Italy rather than dipping into France. Reasons
include closed mountain roads due to avalanche
threats but the move also eliminates the risk of
French authorities banning Lance Armstrong
from racing in the country and, thus, forcing
him out of the Giro. Stage 10 (May 19) is one of
the Giro's longest at 260 km (161 miles). It
will now bypass the Col d'Izoard and have 3
classified climbs instead of 5.
-
Daniel Navarro's broken chain was the
second reported in a week, and it appears
both were 10-speed models from SRAM. Navarro's
Astana team uses SRAM components, as does Saxo
Bank, which saw Fabian Cancellara break
his chain on one of the Tour of Flanders' short,
steep hills. According to cyclingnews.com,
the day after Cancellara's mishap Saxo Bank
mechanics were seen installing Dura-Ace chains
on all the bikes.
-
Quick Step, currently the world's top-ranked
team, will compete in the Sept. 7-13 Tour
of Missouri. The Belgian squad of Tom
Boonen joins ProTour teams Garmin, Columbia,
Astana, Cervelo and Liquigas in the third
edition of the stage race, which this year
travels east from St. Louis to Kansas City.
Fifteen teams (7 still to be named) will compete
in 4 point-to-point races, 2 circuit races and
an individual time trial.
o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
o^o o^o o^o o^o
7.
JIM'S TECH TALK
Tubeless Road Update, Pt. 2
I rode
on road tubeless -- Shimano 7801-SL wheels shod with
Hutchinson Fusion 2 tires -- for many months without
using sealant. (See last week's Tech Talk.)
But the more I thought about it, the more I liked the
idea of having an automatic flat-repair mechanism.
So I
added about a tablespoon per tire of the
secret sauce known as Stan's Tire and Rim Sealant
from NoTubes.com (about $14 per pint or 0.47
liter).
As the
name indicates, there is a second benefit: Stan's seals
tires more completely on the rim so air pressure doesn't
need to be topped off before every ride, as I had to do
pre-sealant.
Stan's
sealant is easy to install but it does mean you need to
deal with milky liquid when putting in an emergency
tube, should you manage to gash a tire so badly that the
stuff can't work. Of course, for most punctures it
will work, so the potential mess isn't a big issue.
Note:
To physically patch a hole in a Fusion 2 tubeless tire
you need to use Hutchinson's special patch kit. A
regular tube patch kit will not work.
It's
important to use a "safe" sealant.
Some contain corrosive chemicals that can damage
aluminum rims or certain alloys like the Scandium that
Shimano uses for its tubeless wheels. Shimano warned me
about this, and recently VeloNews tech guru
Lennard Zinn has been reporting on the issue
here. Stan's sealant is safe.
Shimano's newest tubeless wheelset, 7850-SL, is
compatible with 9- and 10-speed cassettes and will
accept Ultegra. The wheels I own, 7801-SL, accept only a
Dura-Ace 10-speed cassette, an expensive requirement.
Two
other 7850-SL improvements include a titanium cassette
body and tangentially laced spokes left and right,
compared to the older 7801-SL's alloy body and radial
right-side spoking. Actually, the 7801-SL wheels have
been bombproof for me, so the spoke pattern hasn't been
an issue. Shimano says it was changed to improve
efficiency.
Unfortunately, we're still locked into a single tire
model until those rumored to be in the works start
becoming available. Hutchinson's Atom is promising
because it's supposedly 65 grams lighter than the Fusion
2 that we tubeless fans are forced to ride. Although the
Fusion 2 bites hard and has a wonderfully compliant
ride, it squares off somewhat quickly for a $65 tire,
and at 330 grams it weighs a bit much for race rubber.
Here's the question I'm asked most about road
tubeless: Is it possible to convert standard
clincher wheels to the system?
The
answer is yes, provided you stick with a true tubeless
tire (i.e., the Fusion 2). You need the special locking
beads to keep it safely on the rim. You will need to
seal the internal spoke holes with Stan's rim strips,
use a dedicated valve and add a dose of sealant to help
seat and seal the tire. (All this is available at
http://www.notubes.com.)
I
haven't tried using standard clincher rims but I'm told
the setup works fine. I wonder, though, if you'd have
the same positive experience riding on a flat. Tubeless
rims have the advantage of a bead lock that grips the
special tubeless tire beads to keep flat tires in place
and ridable.
A
standard rim with a tubeless tire containing slippery
sealant seems like a roll-off waiting to happen. But I
would expect ride quality to be nearly the same as on a
tubeless rim, assuming you're converting quality
lightweight wheels.
Two
years ago I finished my review of road tubeless by
calling it a nearly perfect new system that will make
any bicycle, even the trickest dream machine, ride
significantly better.
I
still feel that if you're not on tubeless you're missing
out on the best road ride going. If you have a friend
who has the wheels and would let you borrow them, or if
you can arrange a test ride at your local shop, I think
you'll be as impressed as I am. I'll soon be upgrading
my other main road ride, a Litespeed Vortex, to
tubeless.
(Ed.
notes: The Dura-Ace 7801-SL and 7850-SL wheelsets have
an MSRP of $1,100. Also, see the comments at the end of
last
week's newsletter for useful feedback on Pt. 1 of
Jim's
Tech Talk on road tubeless.)
Comment
(Jim Langley has
been a cycling professional for 37 years, ranging from
shop mechanic to technical editor of Bicycling
magazine. At RBR he's the author of
Your
Home Bicycle Workshop and moderator of the
"Roadie Rap" technical forums on the
Premium
Site.
Check his personal website at
http://www.jimlangley.net, his
Q&A blog and updates at
Twitter. Jim's streak of consecutive cycling days is
up to 5,572.
______________________________________
Newest
Content on
RBR's
Premium
Site
Note:
Members
can find
the
links to
this
exclusive
content
on the
What's
New?
page
after
logging
on.
-
Les
Woodland
tells
how
Paris-Roubaix's
last
hellacious
stretch
of
"real
cobblestones"
came
to
be
included.
-
In
Matheny's
Musings,
Coach
Fred
explains
in
"Moab's
Roads"
why
this
small
Utah
town
is
more
--
much
more
--
than
home
to
fine
mountain
biking.
-
In
What's
On,
Ed
Pavelka
writes
about
the
best
$47
he's
spent
this
year
--
Specialized
High
Performance
BG
Footbeds.
-
Remember,
the
Tech
Talk
archive
has
40
of
Jim
Langley's
expert
insights
into
a
range
of
interesting
technical
issues.
Plus, we
take you
to a "CTS
Climbing
Camp,"
detailing
workouts,
skill
drills
and
skull
sessions
with
Carmichael
Training
System
coaches
during 3
days of
intensive
riding
in North
Carolina's
Blue
Ridge
Mountains,
with 7
photos.
Join the
Premium
Site
for access to these articles and 259 web
pages of exclusive road cycling advice,
information and entertainment. For just
$24.99 per year for 24/7 access, you'll
receive 10 valuable member benefits,
including 3 bonus eBooks and a
15% discount on all products in the
RBR eBookstore. Check all the
bennies!
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8.
TRY THIS ON
YOUR NEXT RIDE
Organize the Group
Lots of springtime
group rides are going off in North America. Finally!
These rides are where we meet friends, do some miles and
test our sprint for road signs. They're the basis of
cycling culture.
There's one catch: To
enjoy a group ride, you have to stay with the group.
It's no fun to hang on
for 30 minutes only to get shelled on the first hill and
spend the rest of the miles alone. But if you're a
stronger rider, it's tedious to pedal slowly just to
keep everyone together.
Here are 5 pointers for
group rides, the goals being (a) no one gets dropped,
and (b) everyone has fun.
-
Find the right
group. Ideally, it won't be more than 15% too
fast or too slow for your present fitness. A big
group may need to be split into 2 or 3 smaller ones
to accommodate everyone. Pro teams routinely do this
in early-season training. The faster group contains
riders peaking for the spring classics; the slower
one is looking at races later in the season.
-
Follow the
leader. Every group needs a rider who sets the
rules and politely sees that they're followed.
Here's a key one: "No one will be dropped except on
hills, and then we'll ride easy till everyone is
back on."
-
Designate the
tow trucks. The strongest riders should pull
the group together if it splits. For example, the
group hits a headwind and 3 riders are dangling at
50 meters. The group slows and 2 strong guys drop
back to tow the dropped riders into contact.
-
Do more work.
If you're a relatively strong rider, get a good
workout by spending more time at the front, which
gives others a helpful draft. Or, ride to the side
of the group in the wind instead of drafting. Help
weaker riders up a tough hill with a hand on the
small of their back. (Ask first if it's okay.)
-
Do less work.
If you're concerned about the ride's speed or
distance, don't pull at the front. If you do, take
very short turns. Get maximum draft. Climb at your
own pace on hills. You don't have to go anaerobic
trying to stay in contact when you know the group
will slow or provide a tow.
Other tips? Give us
your
comment.
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9. RBR
eBOOKSTORE
Premium
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annual members
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Training
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Thanks for reading and for your support of
RoadBikeRider.com.
Look for newsletter No. 390 on Thursday, April 23.
Meanwhile, enjoy your rides!
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