TT Tuesday

Believe it or not, I only have one bicycle.  I have a road bike that occupies most of my time and budget but quite often people are surprised that I don't have a mountain bike, a cyclocross bike, a TT bike, a training bike, etc, etc.  Its not that I don't want to spend time with any of those other types of cycling activities, I just plain 'ol don't have it the budget.  I would love to have a quiver of bikes but bikes are expensive.  I actually sold my mountain bike a few years ago to buy more road bike stuff. Regardless, I've always been on the lookout for good deals.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned to Matt at The Bike Shoppe in Ogden to be on the lookout for a cheap time trial frame.  Turns out he had one sitting in the basement that was looking for a home.  I sent the owner of the frame a text and 2 days later I had a 2007 Fuji Aloha CF1.  One of the things I love most about cycling (and sailing, cars and skiing for that matter) is all the cool gear and equipment associated with the sport.  Even though the frame is a bit older, its is perfect condition and has a very sexy clear coat over the carbon weave.

My original goal was to see how much of this bike I could build with just parts from my garage.  While I have a ton of parts lying around I managed only to find a Dura Ace crankset, bottom bracket, aero bars and some brake and shifter cable that would be compatible with the build.  The derailleurs I had were 8 speed and the brake calipers were too ancient.  Brake levers and shifters for a TT build are pretty specialized, but I knew I would need those.  So, the search began for some cheap parts.

Matt manged to find some spare parts in the basement at the shoppe for a great price.  I've also scored some killer deals online finding a Shimano 105 front and rear derailleur for cheap.  Some brake calipers, shifters and a saddle are all I need now.  I've got my awesome 58mm Mercury Wheels but will get a 80mm or even a disk for the rear soon.

The real fun will be putting this thing together myself.  I have the tools but my wife may have an issue with me building the bike in the living room...its 30 degrees in the garage right now!

The Aloha CF1 is an interesting bike.  Its super stiff with aero tubing but Fuji made the bike with standard road bike geometry, namely a 73.5 degree seat tube versus a steeper 78 degree measurement found on most TT bikes.  The bike was stiff enough for pro sprinter Ivan Dominguez to spec the frame for his road set up a few years back.  This may make fitting the bike in the aero postition a bit more difficult, but luckily there's a forward-set seatpost available for the bike if I need it.

While there is no substitute for a good motor, having a TT bike will lob off a few ticks of the clock in time trials.  I'm stoked and I'll keep you posted on my progress on the build.

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National Bike Month

In case you hadn't heard, May has been National Bike Month.  Its been great to see so many organizations, promoters and citizens get in on the festivities and awareness campaigns.  I spent more than a few days this month doing activities that promote not just bike racing but cycling in general.  I was at the UTA Bike Bonanza promoting the Tour de Park City.  I put together a bike rodeo for kids at a neighborhood bike fair.  I've been racing a lot and I had the awesome experience of giving my 4 year old daughter her first real bike for her birthday. 

During these activities I've seen all kinds of different people.  Bicycles don't discriminate.  Naturally, the more one rides a bike, the better shape they'll be in.  But you can be of almost any shape and size, from any background or socioeconomic status and be able to get on a bike and ride.  Whether its a $15,000 limited edition Colnago or a $100 Wal Mart special, bicycles are a great form of transportation and above all for me at least, a heckuva lot of fun!

My fun increased this month with my daughter's 16 inch wheel Trek Mystic purchased at The Bike Shoppe.  She's been on a decent little trike for the past 2 years but her big girl bike was long overdo.  We waited for her birthday this month to get her the 2 wheeler.  What was so interesting about her reaction wasn't so much that she was jumping for joy when she opened the big package, but it was what she did when she took her first pedals on the new ride.  It took all of 10 feet for her to get a hang of the bigger bike.  Once she got some momentum the look on her face was one of shear pleasure and freedom.  The wind was suddenly much faster as it blew across her face.  She quickly realized she could go more places much faster.  We immediately took 2 laps around the block.  The girl started planning all the adventures she could go on with the new bike.  She wanted to go the library, the toy store and to daddy's races.  She has been in heaven with her new pink bike.

My daughter's experience took me back to my first days on a bike as a kid.  Bicycles are life changing.  Freedom, exercise, adventure.  All on 2 wheels.  I'm a firm believer that the world would be a better, cleaner and happier place if humans rode more.  I'm impressed that even here in ultra conservative Utah, we have plenty of opportunities to commute.  The buses and trains are equipped to haul bikes.  There are many trails and bike lanes and I regularly see cyclists out and about.  Wouldn't it be great of we had bicycle traffic jams!

With so much cycling going on this month, there's been a lot of racing as well.  I've been going over and over that Bear Lake finish in my head for the last 2 weeks.  I built myself up for that race and to have it fall apart in the last 1k was really frustrating.  I know I can do better.  So I've hit a few weekly crits with some decent results and will tackle the Sugarhouse Criterium in Salt Lake City tomorrow.  I haven't done this event before but I'm excited for the challenge. 

I hope more of us can take advantage of all the opportunities we have on bikes.  Think back to your childhood and the experiences you may have had like my daughter's.  Whether you're a seasoned racer or bicycle newbie, the next time you throw your leg over a bike, try to get that feeling back.  You're on a bike, what can be better than that?

Since its Friday, we have a quick little video today.  I've been pushing Mercury Wheels, because, well, I sell them.  We're new to Utah so I've been spreading the word.  They're awesome wheels.  But don't take my word for it.  Pro teams Kenda/5 Hour Energy  and Veloshine as well as elite team MRI Monster Media all ride Mercury's.  They're the real deal at a great price.  The video below is just a little highlight of the wheels. 

Enjoy and happy riding!!

Mercury M3C's and Bontrager R4 tires

I'm stoked to be repping for Mercury Wheels.  Not just a great value, Mercury Wheels are great all around wheels.  I've now been on a few pairs as we've cycled the demos through a few shops and under some racers.  The latest set I've been able to sample is the M3C's, Mercury's most popular carbon wheelset.   They're full carbon 38 mm clinchers hand built in the USA with White Industry hubs and Sapim CX-Ray spokes.  They tip the scales at a svelte 1380 grams and retail for around $2199. 

Having ridden the 58 mm version of this wheel for the last 2 seasons, I was interested to find out if I could tell the difference between the 2.  The shallower M3C's are definitely less aero, but the lighter weight is also very noticeable.  I was also pleasantly surprised that even with my 180 lb sprinter heft, I can't feel one bit of flex.  They ride just as solid as my 58's did.  With a few sprints on the 38's I can accelerate faster and short power climbs are a non-issue.  Like I said, there's an aero difference when I'm on the front but not so much so that one can't make a great solo effort on these.

How do these compare to other brands?  I've ridden the Enve 45 clinchers and can honestly say there's no reason to spend the extra coin on the Enve's.  Enve's are quality wheels and they have a great team running the shop and both are stiff, light, semi aero and fast, but Mercury's comes in about $400 less.  (We'll discuss the new wider profile hoops in another post)  That's some real savings there.

The M3C's are a great all around wheel set.  While the depth may be lacking some aero qualities, they make up for it by being light and stiff.  This would be a great all around wheelset for anybody, especially crit racers and sprinters, but also for climbers.  They's be great in windy conditions or a perfect 'cross wheelset.  For TT's and triathlons, a deeper wheel would be beneficial but for lighter ladies this wheelset makes a lot of sense for just about any type of road cycling.  There's a set of M3C's right now at The Bike Shoppe in Ogden just waiting for your inspection!

Every great wheel needs a nice set of tires to go with it.  For the last year, Bontrager's R4 has been my race day rubber.  Let me say, these tires are FAST!  Coming in at 160 grams, they're some of the lightest clinchers you can buy.  A 220 tpi casing makes for low rolling resistance and they feature a very cool aero wing that Trek claims is worth 9 seconds per 10km.  I can't vouch for the aero-ness, but these have been my favorite tires so far.  I've had Conti GP4000's and ridden the Michelins and the R4's are noticeably faster.  They can be a bit harsh on rough roads and the light weight means you won't get a lot of mileage out of them but if you have a race day set of clincher wheelset, the R4's are worth a look.  Get them for about $70 per at The Bike Shoppe with your new Mercury M3C's!!

Mercury S-Alloy wheels

I'm not paid to blog about products or do reviews.  I don't have manufacturers sending me their latest bits to test and report on and I hardly consider myself an expert in all things cycling.  I like writing reviews about the equipment I actually use and about products I have some tie to.  Unlike a magazine review, reporting on my own equipment hopefully provides some greater insight to the stuff as its used in the real world by a regular guy.  My latest review is no different.

Although I am "pedaling" Mercury Wheels these days as a dealer rep, this is my third season on my Mercury carbon clinchers.  And even though you may think this review will be totally biased because of that, know that I never endorse or sell products I don't believe in.  It was that way when I worked in retail from simple sporting goods to high end electronics for sailboats.  Its also one of the main reasons I left banking.  I could no longer sell the junk the banks were throwing down the customers' throats.  I have the same philosophy with Mercury Wheels.  I wouldn't have become a rep if I didn't believe they were the best wheels for the money.  After riding on Mercury's alloy offering, I'm even more convinced I'm selling an awesome product. 

Mercury Wheels really has something to offer everyone.  From their top end, ultralight MZero and M Series tubulars to the midrange S Series carbon clinchers on down to the S Alloys we're talking about here.  Mercury even has a killer rear disc for half the price of most other manufacturers.  The S Alloys represent a set of wheels that should appeal to a broad audience and I've found their performance to be on par or better than any other alloy wheelset I've used.

The first thing you'll notice about the S Alloys is their width.  At 23 mm, they're a mm wider than most other alloy offerings.  The extra width allows me to run lower pressure in my tires without any increase in rolling resistance.  This is nice as I have been training on my alloys and the lower pressure has smoothed out the ride quite a bit.  This feature also comes in handy for using these wheels in cyclocross as the lower tire pressures can offer more traction.

The hoops have a shallow aero V profile much like the Sram 27 mm deep alloys.  The spokes are round, not bladed however.  Just as with all Mercury Wheels, these are hand built by the artists at the Handspun facility in Wisconson.  They're laced to Mercury engineered and branded hubs with Sapim Race spokes in 24/28 traditional spoke patterns.  The clinchers I have weigh a respectable 1550 grams and are tubeless compatible.  The wheels are also available as tubulars, another bonus for the 'cross riders out there.

Over the last week I've been on some pretty cruddy roads, sprinted through some intervals and done some steep climbing repeats.  Many times, I have forgotten that I was on alloy wheels and not on my carbon hoops.  This goes a long way in describing the high quality ride of these wheels.  They've soaked up bumps yet don't flex at all when hammering.  I really wish I had these wheels at the Tour del Sol crit with the 40 mph crosswinds.  I would have had so much more control yet still had a lightweight, stiff wheels underneath while racing. 

So why would anyone want alloy wheels in this "gotta have carbon" world?  For one, cost.  These wheels retail for just under $700.  Not the cheapest wheelset in the world, but they're hand built in the USA and have some great tech for an alloy.  Its also in the ballpark for high end alloy wheels.  Secondly, these wheels present a great option for 'cross.  The V profile sheds dirt and mud and the tubeless and tubular options give the 'crosser a lot of choices.  Third, these make a great back up and training set for those with a nice set of carbon wheels they want to keep for racing.  They make a great second pair as well for races that might encounter dirt roads or huge cross winds.  I've had my $200 alloys in the wheel car before, and they are boat anchors.  Having the S Alloys in the wheel car leaves me much more at ease knowing my back ups will be light and durable.

Watch for Mercury Wheels in select bike shops in Utah soon.  They're already available from The Bike Shoppe in Ogden and Jans Mountain Sports in Park City.  If you see me at a race or ride, I'll always have both sets close by for you to check out.

Finally, it is Friday, so lets get ready for the weekend with this awesome clip of Tyler Farrar's win at last year's Tour.  Its aint everyday you see the yellow jersey leading out a sprint train!

TGIF

Its been a tough, busy week.  Seems to be a lot happening.  So, spend the next few minutes enjoying some fun CX'ing on a pump track courtesy of Mercury Wheels...


Ride Dirty - Cyclocross & Mercury from mercurycycling on Vimeo.

2012 Trek Madone 5.2

I admit it.  I'm a gear geek.  One of the things I love about cycling is all the cool stuff involved.  From magnesium shift levers to carbon fiber water bottle cages, I love all the technology involved.  I once thought I loved the tech of bikes (and boats, too) so much that I majored in mechanical engineering for a while in college.  Turns out I suck at math.  I discovered a theorem in calculus that said as your GPA moves closer to zero, engineering majors become business students.  I proved that theorem like nobody's business!  Unfortunately that was the only one I could prove.  Regardless, even though I can't prove with math why carbon fiber does what it does, I do appreciate and enjoy that there's a nerd out there somewhere who can.  Its awesome that we to enjoy the fruits of their labors!

The latest bit of high tech kit I've been able to sample is the 2012 Trek Madone 5.2.  Its the demo bike loaned to me from The Bike Shoppe while my steed gets some TLC at the shoppe.  The 5.2 really is the best value in bikes today.  It comes with a full Shimano Ultegra grouppo, Bontrager Race wheels and a Bontrager RXL and Race cockpit and retails for $3469.  Throw a set of nice carbon wheels like the Mercury M5's and you've got a serious race rig for around $5500 that weighs around 15 lbs.  For 2012, the 5 Series Madones are still made in Asia, but now feature Trek's propriatary OCLV build process, just like the top end 6.9 SSL.  The only difference is the quality of carbon in the layup.  The bike I'm on has an awesome paint job as well.  The flat balck and clear coat carbon is muy sessy!

The ride

The bike is a killer value.  But what about the ride?  Trek Madones have a great reputation and have proved themselves under the butts of some great champions.  Its a great all all around bike and does a lot of things well.

The first thing I noticed from my bike is the stiff front end.  While some of this comes from the all aluminum cockpit, the head tube and fork steer tube seem to be making for some of the stiffness as well.  In a sprint, I really felt connected to the road via the front end.  Bottom bracket stiffness felt comparable to my bike and I didn't notice too many bumps coming up through the saddle.  Out on the road my teeth get rattled a little from the from end, but on the crit course I really appreciated that stiffness.

The fit

Madone's have a slightly sloping top tube and I'm on a 56 cm frame.  The head tube is a little tall for me, but I might be on the taller H3 frame.  At the shoppe we rushed the fit and I don't think we got the front end quite where it needs to be.  We should have spent more time on my fit, but its a temporary demo, so no biggie.  Dropping the stem on the steer tube would help a ton.  The 6 Series Madones are available in a really aggressive H1 geometry which drops your hands even more.  For most riders, I assume the middle of the road H2 set up is sufficient.

The grouppo

I'm a big Sram fan but the Ultegra grouppo that comes standard on the 5.2 is light and functional.  I had some issues shifting at Saturday's crit, but I think that was mostly attributed to not being used to Shimano vs. Sram.  Shifting under load and in the sprint is no issue.  Cranks felt really stiff and power transfer was great.

The value

Again, I really feel the 5.2 is the best value in cycling.  For the serious racer an upgraded wheelset is needed but being able to save so much on the platform allows you to get into a decent wheelset.

While I'm not affiliated with Trek directly, The Bike Shoppe in Ogden is a Trek and Mercury dealer and the best shoppe around.  And even though the 2012 5.2 is a killer deal, The Bike Shoppe is UNLOADING 2011 5.2's!  $2500 out the door!!!  The 2011 features the same geometry and spec as the 2012 but features the previous gen TCT carbon build, rather than OCLV.  Again, slap some good wheels on there and you are racing for around $4500.  You can't beat that!