The Racing Recipe

Years ago, when I was 13 and in my second year of karting, I learned the difference between racing and being raced. The lesson was learned more so than taught, although I am sure I learned it from a combination of experience behind the wheel, my maniacal devotion to David Hobbs and Bob Varsha on ESPN's coverage of Formula 1 and the way my life hinged on the intensely detailed commentary from "Jer' and Lar'" on Thursday Night Thunder. As an aside, Thursday Night Thunder morphed into Friday Night Thunder, then Saturday Night Lightning and eventual it disappeared into the ether as ESPN went from cool and interesting to boring and irrelevant. The series was devoted to the USAC Silver Crown and Midget racing series that was (and likely still is) very popular in the Midwest and California. Watching a 2.0L USAC Midget rocket around a 1/4 mile asphalt oval, spooling the outside rear tire into a 15 minute lifetime of thinly haloed tire smoke and rubber marbles, was the kind of thing I lived for throughout my youthful existence. But, I digress... The lesson learned from all the broadcast coverage, and first-hand experience behind the wheel, was that every race weekend was going to be dominated by the manner in which I raced, and this manner was largely driven by confidence as a motivator of attitude.

Summation It was possible to show up for a race weekend and either drive the race in such a way that the result was controlled and influenced by me, or it was possible to show up and be driven by the race, or driven by others in the race. The term driven here is not suggesting motivation, but instead represents a lack of control. This is not to say that I was out of control of the kart while racing, it simply means that my actions in the race were largely reactive to what was happening around me. While this can be a factor of racing without a plan, it is ultimately a question of confidence. To show up at a competition and race the event was a result of proactively making things happen to my benefit. On good weekends I could proactively race my competitors into bad positions and situations that allowed me to take advantage of their actions, which generally means forcing my competition into a mistake. On bad weekends I would feel as though I was always on the back foot, being taken by surprise and chasing -or struggling- the entire time. Racing is a recipe; here are some of the ingredients.

Preparation Being fully prepared for a race prior to arrival was a key to confidence. Scurrying around the paddock to make last minute changes, adjustments and fixes always served to erode my confidence in either the equipment, my ability to pilot it around the circuit or my belief that it was set-up properly to allow the kind of driving style I had adopted for that circuit and during that particular event. While racing is a series of adaptations to the prevalent conditions of both circuit and machine, I had to know that the kart was ready to go and that it could mechanically withstand anything I asked of it. Being prepared also helped me maintain a cool head, positive attitude and calm demeanor throughout the race weekend, especially while driving. Attitude Confident, proactive decision making is the primary result of a good attitude. If I am thinking with a clear mind and proactively racing the event by being in control then I am making all the decisions -or adapting seamlessly to unexpected situations- during a race, and this is a direct result of my confident attitude. While it is perfectly normal to be realistic in your aspirations and expectations, it is still critical to have a good attitude about those expectations. Going into a race knowing I was off the pace, and likely only fighting for a top 5 result, was fine as long as I maintained a positive and aggressive attitude that was focused on achieving the best result possible with the equipment and resources we had available. The right attitude does not employ adrenaline or over-confidence and is aggressively focused on an end result.

Focus Feeling at peace during the race, especially in the heat of wheel-to-wheel battle, is crucial and leads to proactive decision making. Adrenaline and over-confidence lead to choppy inputs, indecisive lines and the general feeling that you are doing everything you can just to stay on the track and in touch with the pack. Adrenaline charged decisions are rarely good ones and their results are typically mired in embarrassment or the sudden realization that the body was not capable of the mind's infatuated expectations. Adrenaline also has a short half-life, and when it does wear off the tired feeling hits not only the body, but also the mind. This compound depletion of resources is the primary reason I always choose to prepare for a race with a few moments of silence instead of a rousing "pump up". Being truly focused is also the lack of thought, to some degree. The mind, body and machine were operated to their maximum potential and none of it had to be 'thought about', it simply happened as a natural consequence of being focused. That maximum potential may have only resulted in a 5th place, but it was a well-earned result.

Attitude as a Physical State The physical manifestation of the above has always been critical, and it is immediately observable. Sitting with my head tilted down, eyes narrowed, shoulders and arms loose and body relaxed was obvious from the outside and always a direct result of confidence and the correct mental attitude. The physical attributes are a self-fulfilling prophecy and will always lead to the best possible result. The loss of this level of concentration, and physical attitude, for even a few moments normally ended in a disappointing trip into the tire wall. A driver that was not displaying the correct physical attitude typically meant that their head was upright, and their body was actually being jolted around by their choppy inputs and the sloppy movement of the kart as a result. It was so obvious you could actually predict when and where the unfocused driver would loose control and go off track. On the positive side, my father was so keenly aware of the physical manifestation of my attitude that he could predict, with near 100% accuracy, when and where I would attempt a decidedly insane late breaking pass on a competitor. On more than one occasion this resulted in audible gasps from observers and a wry smile from my father, as well as good stories for us to share after the race.

Tie it Together Karting, like any motorsport, is best performed on the knife-edge of control. It was a delicate mix of the conservation of momentum through smooth steering, throttle and brake inputs and an aggressive "throw it into a four wheel drift with minimal steering input and a pinned throttle" driving style where the latter was actually done properly (i.e.- sadistically fast) only by full employment of the former. It was entirely possible to smoothly slide a kart into an apex with the tires loaded to their maximum threshold and the frame flexed to the limits of structural soundness at nearly wide open throttle. At mid-corner, and with 3g loaded into the chassis and tires, you could selectively balance the whole thing on three wheels so that only the inside front, and then only the inside rear, tire would lift an inch or two off the ground and glide elegantly over the rough curbing before the whole mess of steel, rubber and humanity sprung back into shape and launched out of the corner with the engine detonating at 12,000 RPM. This dance was especially enjoyable in an esses and chicanes. The aggressive and focused driving style, while tremendous fun, was only possible when I was fully confident in all aspects of the vehicle and my abilities as a driver. Additionally, I didn't have to think about any of it while it was happening. I just did it, and would later revel in the memories with my father as I relived the race for him corner by corner at our little trailer. The result was also a product of having the attitude that I was racing to a focused and planned result.

Bicycles. Wait, bicycles? Amazingly (unless you know me well), all of that is nothing more than a lead-in to helping explain a recent result from my latest endeavor: Bicycle racing. It also helps you, dear reader, understand what is meant when I say that for my first event of 2012 I was being raced to an end result that was only somewhat planned, and not optimal. My poor showing was a direct result of my attitude going into the event. The self-fulfilling prophecy of being raced into finishing with the main pack, instead of being on the attack and in a break, was driven by my attitude going into the race, a debt of confidence and the lack of a sound plan. I missed the main break of the day because I was camped out at the back of the peloton being affected by the decidedly poor skills of many other riders. I was also at the back because I was not focused and I was being raced into an uncomfortable position of having to chase hard just to stay in touch with the leaders. The event started much more quickly than I anticipated and while it did slow considerably before too long, it zapped some of my energy and, mentally, put me on the back foot. I was now riding hard just to stay with the pack, rather than assuming my customary role of producing excessive wattage and making others wonder how many children I had consumed for breakfast. Additionally, I have zero confidence in my ability to corner hard on the bicycle. Much of this is owed to an unforgettably brief foray into motorcycle road racing that manifested itself in a few good memories, a collection of worn out knee pucks, four broken bones, a fair amount of debt and a complete lack of confidence in my ability to maintain decent corner speed. Add to that the joy of being hit head-on by a car while bicycling and I am a bit gun shy when it comes to laying the bicycle over into a corner. My feel for the limits of the tires is completely masked by my fear of low-siding and getting injured. My decision to rail around the outside of a hairpin corner, dragging the rear brake to tighten my line, results in many lost positions and the need to accelerate hard out of the corner. This wastes not only massive amounts of time, but also energy that should be conserved and used for a decisive attack. Oddly, the 42 degree banked corners at the Superdrome seem completely normal and acceptable by comparison... So, what is the good news?

The Good News There is always good news, even in situations where things seem to be little more than a bit crappy.
1) I stayed in the main pack for the entire race. On lap three a hard acceleration up a 12% climb (repeated 19 times) split the field and many racers were left behind.
2) My form (endurance & power) is quite good.
3) I know what attributes I need to work on to become more competitive: corner confidence and acceleration (snap).
4) Given the way I dealt with a few morons, I am also now keenly aware of how to effective deal with repeat offenders who think it is acceptable to force others off the road by diving through the corners with little regard for those around them.
5) I had a lot of fun, which in the end is the only thing that actually matters to me. Results are nice but I will gladly attempt, and fail, to attack during races this season if -just once- it actually works.

Hell Week Wrap

The morning rain and amazingly powerful winds kept me off the bike on the final official day of Hell Week 2010. The winds are steady at 20-30 mph with gusts above 40 mph making it to unsafe in my mind to go out and attempt a ride.

All in all I'm very pleased with Hell Week. I set a very lofty goal for myself coming into the week (850 miles) and while I did not reach the goal I did complete an amazing amount of mileage in a single week. I felt a lot better than I expected and had strength for climbs and attacks that I never anticipated. Even in the closing miles of our longest days I still had the energy to sprint and snap up the steep hills coming into town, which showed a great improvement throughout the week. Also of note, my heart rate improved dramatically throughout the week and I found myself able to summit long ascents without sky rocketing my heart rate. This proved very useful and also let me know my fitness was improving by the day.

Finally, the Ridley Damocles frame set was amazing over the full week. The geometry was sharp without being nervous and it responded very well on all of the climbs. The carbon also provided enough damping to keep me fresh throughout the week, but never felt flexible or weak when I needed to put down power. The roads here are primarily chip & seal and would normally prove tough on hands and arms, but instead I came off the bike feeling good each day. The Bontrager wheels and Tufo S33 tires also worked great and held up perfectly over rough roads, cattle guards and every variety of road hazard you can imagine.

I am looking forward to the rest of my 2010 cycling year and hope to have a strong season on the bike.

Totals:
Mileage: 638.61 miles
Elevation Gain: 36,469 feet
Saddle Time: 36 hours, 53 minutes
Calories: 34,876 (according to Garmin)

Hell Week Day 8 - Rain, Wind & Snow

It is the morning of Hell Week Day 8 - Saturday, March 20th and I am trying to decide if I will chance the roads. We just had thunderstorms roll through so the roads are a mess, and the wind speed just hit 25+mph. Add to that the lack of sun and a temperature of 36 degrees (feels like... less). Decisions, decisions. If the weather were better I would already be riding, but given the circumstances I am just not sure it would be a good idea.

Probably not, but you never know. More later, should the situation change.

Sadly, I did not ride today. I wanted to pretty badly, but the wind speeds are just too high with sustained winds at 30 mph and 40+ mph gusts. After breakfast I did walk around town for awhile and it actually began to snow for about 30 minutes. Nothing stuck, but it was another clear indication of the unfriendly weather. Despite not reaching my ultimate goal mileage, I had an awesome week here in Fredericksburg and you can read a little bit more in my wrap up.


Hell Week Wrap -->

Hell Week Day 7 - Southern Comfort 1.75

Distance: 100 miles (Garmin accidentally turned off for a bit)
Time: 5:42:51
Elevation Gain: 5,817 ft

A fierce 18+ mph wind was blowing out of the South Southeast when we rolled out from the Sunset Inn this morning so we decided to stick to the route going out, then modify it in Waring / Welfare and give ourselves a nice tailwind coming back to the barn. As a result we logged a little over 70 miles (I accidentally turned off the Garmin at one point) and when I returned to the B&B I felt good enough to head due North into some hills for extra miles. The return trip was tough, but the views were well worth the extra effort.

With only one day left to go in Hell Week and the weather becoming ever more questionable (T-Storms & 24+ mph winds) we decided to make the most of our last day and the four of us that are still here (Chuck, Jeff, Tom & me) stuck together for the duration. Chuck, as always, slaughtered us on every climb. Jeff was riding great today as well and I really enjoyed his company throughout the day. Tom, of course, was our tour guide and did the lion's share of the work.

We rolled south for quite a ways and battled the headwind for many miles. The climbs were already going to be tough, then add in a hard headwind and they get that much more difficult. Still, we stuck together and had a great time. I heard another mix of great stories today (again, as usual) about Hell Week's past and this helped pass the time nicely. Coming up to the Old Tunnel area I managed to drop my bottle in the middle of a climb. I retrieved it thanks to another kind cyclist, and Chuck waited for me until I got it back and we continued.

After the Old Tunnel / Bat Cave and heading toward Waring we picked up a massive group of cyclists. Our number swelled from 4 to 25 in about a mile. Still fighting the headwind we plodded down the road and none of them (despite catching us as a group) offered to come around and pull. Jeff had a great idea and told me to just start soft pedaling and drop the pace. We did so and got as slow as 12 mph before people finally started coming around. The whole group passed us, Jeff and I giggling the entire time, before we accelerated and got on the back. The others decided they wanted to let a gap open but I had other plans.

Since I wanted them all to learn how to work I got on the back and waited a few minutes, then slipped outside and went up toward the front. Coming into a short drop at a water crossing I dove out and attacked. I sprinted off in hopes they'd take the bait... and they did. With a 100 meter gap I slowed and allowed the pack to close on me and simply retake my draft. I then attacked again and opened another large gap then sat up and pedaled at a decent pace and allowed them to catch me... this continued for another three or four attacks before I finally pulled wide and allowed them to come around. I don't know that it made any real point to them, but for me it was just a great example of how people ride like lemmings. Rather than set their own pace or ride within themselves, they simply race after whoever is up the road and then sit on that person's wheel until they absolutely have to come around.

In Waring we filled up at the fantastic convenience store / dance hall and then headed out of town toward Comfort. In Comfort we modified the route and headed due North back toward Fredericksburg and took full advantage of the now incredible tailwind. We rolled back into town and I headed toward the B&B that Betty and I rented for the week. Upon arriving I checked the computer and saw only 68 miles on the ticker. I knew we had worked hard, but I really wanted more miles.

After refilling water and eating a few more Fig Newtons I headed North on Adams to Lower Crabapple and followed that due North toward Route 965. I rode up about 12 miles before turning around (80 miles now on the Garmin) and heading South back toward town and into a very strong wind. The views were incredible going out coming back in so it was well worth the effort. Add to that some excellent climbs coming back in and it made for a great little extension to the day's route.

Hell Week Day 8 -->

Hell Week Day 6 - Windows on Doss

Distance: 108.67 miles
Time: 6:16:16
Elevation Gain: 6,459 ft

For the day's ride we joined back up with the main group and completed the longest ride of Hell Week short of the self supported Brevets taking place on Tuesday (200k) and Friday (300k). Windows on Doss also happened to take in the most elevation gain of the week at just shy of 6,500 feet of climbing.

We started with the pack and enjoyed letting them split the wind for a good while until, as usual, fewer and fewer folks were willing to assist. Before long you could almost hear them chanting: "Don't pass the tandem, don't pass the tandem". Since the tandem can carry so much speed on a descent or flat, people simply pile in behind them, never offer to pull and slog up hills in their draft waiting for the drop on the other side. Instead, we plowed past and picked up a few cling-ons in the process. After stopping to pee and regroup we slowly caught more groups of people on the tough climbs (Welgehausen Rd) before overtaking the lead pack.

As always, once we'd caught them they let us do all the work... Tom put in a big effort on a winding road and came upon the perfect storm: Narrow road, cattle guard, one lane water crossing and a slow rider and a dualie towing a trailer coming in the opposite direction. Tom, Gary and a cling-on attacked and made the gap, I grabbed brakes with everyone else and parked behind the slower rider while the truck passed us as we crossed the narrow cattle guard... the break launched and I had to put in an effort to close the gap. The timing was great and made for great stories later.

Going down 648 we hit a massive climb and I tempo'd to the top with Tom and another guy. Down the descent on the other side I checked my six and saw no one cresting behind us, so I worked with Tom for the duration of Lange's Mill & 783 (~6 miles) to build a massive lead and leave the cling-ons well in the dust. That was the first of three major efforts for the day, and when we pulled into the store in Doss it felt as though I had bee stings in my calves!

Effort number two came a bit later in the ride as we made a run down Bear Creek Rd (mile 73) and sustained a major effort for ~2.5 miles, keeping my heart rate above 180 bpm and dropping my main protagonist in the process. Tom, Chuck and Gary hung back just enough to leave said protagonist (a guy we found on the road who more or less never pulled) hanging in the void. It was a nice touch.

Late in the ride, in the final 5 miles, I put in my final effort on Goehman Street leading back into Fredericksburg. I cranked it up and maintained 180bpm plus in an attempt to drop a cling-on. I did most of the road in the small chain ring because of the sharp ascents, but eventually went to the big ring and opened up a gap. Again, it was a lot of fun and a great way to end a long ride.

Hell Week Day 7 -->

Hell Week Day 5 - Comfort Zone 2.0

Distance: 91.63 mi
Elevation Gain: 5,912 ft
Speed: 16.8 mph

After a good night's sleep and a rest day as a result of thunderstorms it was good to get back on the bike for some long miles on tough roads. The day started easy and Gary and I sat upfront for awhile chatting and pedaling along some beautiful rolling hills. The farm country out here is just beautiful and makes the miles that much more enjoyable. IT also makes the heinous climbs more bearable when you have a view of several gorgeous valleys after slogging up an ascent and nearly blacking out...

Truth be told, while today's climbs were tough they were not quite as hard as Tour das Hugel back in November. Some tough hills lead up to Skyline, and Skyline itself had a nice steady ascent (12%) followed by some undulations, then a bottomless descent followed by another horrifically steep climb (17%). The whole road was covered in loose gravel, a bit like they'd tried to do chip & seal without the seal.

Gary's Independent Fabrication tried to eat its chain just before the second climb so Tom and I stopped to assist. A quick fix but we all doubled back for a little momentum before we attempted the climb. Following was another steep descent... I dragged the brakes for fear of loose gravel and still nearly hit 50mph. Gary went gonzo and hit 52 or 53mph.

The rest of the ride was just as memorable. We stopped for fluids in a convenience store and dance hall in Welfare, TX then dealt with some more fun climbs heading toward a bat cave. Horse farms, rolling hills, a few steep ascents and a headwind marked the miles. It truly is beautiful in this area of Texas, and nothing like the rest of this flat, lame state. Well, I should ride in East Texas before I pass judgment, and we can ride 11 months out of the year so I really need to not complain.

I feel pretty good following the ride and look forward to tomorrow's route.

Hell Week Day 6 -->

Hell Week Day 4 - Rain Forces a Rest Day

Today we rode a modified route as a result of rain, wind, cold and sore legs. It was a bit of a forced rest day and we decided not to put wheels down until 12:30p when the rain had ceased and the roads had started to dry a little.

Small flecks of wet granite sticks to tires. Small flecks of wet granite are good at digging into rubber and worming their way through the belts. Small flecks of wet granite also make great scalpels that provide flat tires. Luckily, I didn't get one that I know of... but tubulars tend to go flat more slowly so I may not know until morning.

Jeff took a flat only a few miles into the ride, and Chuck took another maybe 15 miles later. Seeing as how we were only on a 45-ish mile ride the odds were not in our favor. Still, we plodded on and took our time. Cold legs on steep hills made things rough, but in the end it was a good rest day and I felt better as the ride progressed. Toward the end I was climbing at a nice tempo but my shins -or at least the muscles that run up the front of my legs- hurt like hell.

The plan, seeing as we'll have better weather, is to ride today's route tomorrow. The normal day 5 route would take us past Enchanted Rock on 965, which is not a nice road to be on due to traffic into the park and the lack of a real shoulder. Instead, we'll ride "Comfort Zone 2.0" and hit a series of hills that top the 20% grade mark. It should be suitably painful and a good midweek challenge.

Hell Week Day 5 -->

Hell Week Day 3 - Mountain Home & Away

Distance: 105.43 miles
Time: 6:16.26
Speed: 16.8

Wow, what a day! We had a great ride today but only after suffering through some oddly cold temperatures, wind, very little sun and plenty of wind. Weather Channel says 9 mph but the flags were whipped up into a frenzy so I don't buy it.

I slept great last night and woke up this morning feeling very fresh. It took some trial and error to figure out my layers but ended up wearing my jacket and being glad that I had as the wind and cold were biting deep. Tom and Dave left early to grab some knee warmers next door so Gary and I lead the group out of the Sunset Inn, then pulled off with Alan and Chuck at Upper Live Oak to muster the troops. As we waited I enjoyed watching what seemed like an endless stream of cyclists come down the hill from Live Oak and make the turn. Eventually, at the rear of the field, Tom & Dave rolled through and we joined for what would be an excellent ride.

Six of us (Tom, Dave, Gary, Alan, Chuck & me) rolled together for the entire ride. Chuck fell back a few times but only because he set a temp for himself that he held on not only the flats and descents, but also the steep climbs. Sitting behind him on the steep climbs, and watching him roll into the horizon, was a clinic on how to ascend. A smooth tempo, steady upper body and fluid pedal circles saw Chuck fly up some very difficult climbs. I was impressed, learned what I could from watching, then spoke with him after the toughest climbs of the day.

By and large I tried to stay steady and not burn myself out. I did get sucked into a couple hard efforts but enjoyed sitting back and taking in the miles. Route 27 was a terrific road with plenty of rollers and some nice climbs as well as descents. In Ingram we met Bryce and (?) from Austin and our party became eight riders. They were good company as well and helped push the pace a little on the tough climbs. Outside of Ingram we got on Freedom Trail and Bear Creek for intense climbing. I dropped back a bit from the group here as I was conserving strength for later in the ride. In the end, I'm glad I did. Coming out of Kerrville we had to ascend the wall that was McCullough Drive (15%) and reminded me of Hugel back in November.

After McCullough we rolled easy for some miles pulling everyone back together before, as usual, the hostilities started. It was probably my fault more than anything else, but we started hitting it hard into the head wind. We encountered some steep climbs and I depended on my power and high cadence to rip to the top of the hill and recover before continuing a good pull into the wind, or giving way and taking a rest. This continued for about 8 to 10 miles before we settled and gave in to resting a bit on the way in to Fredericksburg.

Gary and I did sprint for the sign at Fredericksburg but he beat me handily on the uphill, into the wind sprint. I should have drafted a bit longer...

What a day. I felt great at the end of the day and really had a blast. I'm sore, I'm tired but I'm also really excited and still on an endorphin rush. With luck I'll wind down tonight and get another great night's sleep. We're expecting rain (thunderstorms) tonight and tomorrow morning so we may not ride until close to noon tomorrow, which would also mean a shorter route. A little extra rest will be very nice after today's effort.

Hell Week Day 4 -->

Turkey Day Stage

For Thanksgiving my wife and I were going to be headed to her grand parent's house in Rockwall. They have a traditional lunch with family in town from Houston but I was desperate to get a ride in as the roads would be empty and traffic nearly nonexistent.

I planned a route using Google Maps that would take me on out from our apartment on familiar roads that I use every Saturday morning on RBM Frisco's A ride. From there I branched East through downtown McKinney, then North through New Hope and East to Princeton. I then kept the route well above 380 and rode North of Lake Lavon before heading South past Famrersville, Copeville, Lavon and into Rockwall.



All told it was a 72 mile route, mostly on County and Farm to Market roads. Aside from 15+ miles of chip & seal on TX-78, the route was good with low traffic and nice blacktop. When all was said and done I made the trip in 3 hrs 45 mins (18.9 avg) with a slight wind out of the Northwest. And, unfortunately, one bottle of water. I had two with me, but the cold temperature had me fooled into thinking I did not need to hydrate as often. I paid the penalty in reduced energy levels when I reached Copeville, and especially Lavon.

One of these days, I might learn something about hydration...

Winter Training

We’re cruising through North Austin, Round Rock if you want to be technical about it, on a road called FM620. This road seems like it was hewn from the hillside for the purpose of training cyclists through a long series of endless hill climbs. Complete with a beautifully wide shoulder and just enough traffic to make things interesting, the road is consistently populated by tri-athletes –their aero bar widgetry protruding like the antler of some hideous, Technicolor elk- and endeavoring roadies seeking what seems to be mile after mile of intense punishment (the likes of which I have not seen since being expelled from Catholic School after what –due to legal and ethical restrictions– I can now only refer to as, “the incident”).

Every time we make the road trip down to Austin, which occurs roughly twice a month, I tell my wife Betty that “next time I’m bringing the Ridley.” On our last visit I happened to meet a pair of said Technicolor Elk at a small, hidden, local hang out that appears to be named after the swashbuckling star of BattleStar Galactica (the first version that is, the new one just kills the whole idea of the character by way of a sex change). Both riders were full of information and produced a map showing some of their “more common Sunday morning training rides”, the shortest of which covered FM620 in a 65 mile loop. The lengthier portions wrapped off the back of the makeshift map and included little arrows and notations like “128 mile short loop” and other numbers I would never associate with a bicycle, forcing me to point out that I raced track. As such, this suggested in itself that I was feebly incapable of traveling more than a few miles without a rather lengthy break for chatter about rollers and other useful, barbaric devices.

In the course of conversation I mentioned the one rider’s rig, which featured an interesting set of Power Cranks. I encourage you to Google this fascinating device, as it allows a cyclist to pedal each leg independently of the other. Easily qualifying as barbaric, I’m sure this set-up comes in handy when you want to pedal in circles. So far, however, my mind is incapable of determining how you might keep track of which leg is doing what; much the same way I cannot seem to accomplish the “pat your head and rub your stomach” routine without giving up -completely confused- and resort to mindless activities such as reliving the last episode of Metalocalypse.

All of this took place as we cruised westward toward 71 and our ultimate destination, a great crag for rock climbing known as Reimer’s Ranch. At the end of every cycling season I find myself in need of rest, but still desiring to endeavor in some form of physical pain and exhaustion. Fortunately, my wife Betty focuses the bulk of her year, particularly during the winter months, on rock climbing. What, you might think, does this have to do with bicycles? First of all, I am told that Reimer’s Ranch does have some fantastic mountain biking trails, but I wouldn’t know that first hand. Secondly, training in a sport that rewards accurate movement, problem solving, balance and core strength can only serve as a plus once I start my 2009 season. My wife and I rarely consult the guide book for grades of difficulty as a means of selecting routes, and depend instead on what has an aesthetic appeal. We’ve each selected a handful of project routes that require intense training away from the crag and provide us with distinct goals while training at the gym or in the apartment. For what it is worth, my wife has selected a climb with a much cooler and intense name than my own project. It is also difficult in a freak-of-nature-hard sort of way.

Scorpion Child is a wicked climb that starts with a perfectly horizontal roof of some measure, before launching skyward on holds that appear to be both bulbous and slick, or just large enough to grip with half of the first pad of your fingers. The aforementioned roof section has a single visible hold, an oddly shaped pocket that is just large enough to allow three fingers inside. Aside from that, the rest of the “holds” are more easily equated to the pull tabs on 80’s soda cans. She describes the planned movement to me in fine detail, and as such I believe in her ability to eventually send the route.

By focusing on a single climb as a goal, she is able to push the rest of her climbing to incredible levels through intense training and effort. She’s stronger than I’ve ever seen her before and climbing complex routes with a grace and affinity that only someone with her experience can allow. In the process she has also surrounded herself with other climbers who can help her train, motivate her while working their own projects and provide invaluable critique of her technique. In the process of seeing all of this I learned that when my legs have gotten enough rest and my season is ready to begin in earnest, a lofty goal must be set.

To this end my great friend and training goon, Will Swetnam, and I have nearly decided that riding 200 miles from Seattle to Portland seems like a really good idea. To make it more interesting, we’ve decided that the single day option really is the only way to go. Quite how we’ll train for this I do not know, but I figure it will require a few trips to Austin to get crushed by FM620’s regulars and more than a few miles being pulled, pushed and stoked as we fight to increase our endurance and stay on the bike for additional hours of mileage. The plan also includes training and racing at The Superdrome to increase power, cadence and for no other reason than to have fun. In the meantime, we’ll continue training in the gym, increasing core strength and training for trips to Reimer’s and Enchanted Rock to work projects. I am hopeful that this intense training will also translate well to the bicycle, but only time will tell.

Progress: Build Kit Arrives

This afternoon started off very well when I arrived home to find a FedEx slip on my door. Despite my intense hunger, a trip to the apartment office was in order. My parts had arrived from Tom at GVH Bikes and the build was soon to begin! I have already installed the Mavic SSC brake calipers and have an Easton EA90 stem.

I started with what seemed like the most fun, so I installed the seat post and saddle. They're simple, and I was anxious to see Spider Butt on the frame. Thankfully, it looks awesome.
Along with the FSA seat post was a packet of red grease. The packaging claimed to reduce the bolt tightening torque by 30%, so it must be an adhesive of some sort.

I decided to slap on the cranks and bars next. Mostly because I enjoy referring to "my carbon fiber crank" while conversing with non-cyclists. I used more of the red FSA "grease" on the Easton EC90 bars. we'll see what happens.

Next up are the Campagnolo Centaur dérailleurs. The front was installing a little funny, but the rear went on easy enough so I took a picture of it for being so cooperative. The front is fine, it was just more anry to align and set the height. I also popped the Bontrager XXX Lite Carbon Tubular front wheel in place... the stickers look good with the paint scheme, but my customizing mind wants to do something more creative...

Here's the stopping point for the evening. It is coming along nicely but I was short on time and didn't want to get into the cable housing until the morning when I can enlist some help.

Sella Italia SLR TLD

Parts continue to trickle in for the new Ridley build that should take place this weekend. The latest addition to my arsenal of parts is this beauty. A Sella Italia SLR TLD (Troy Lee Design) saddle.



I have been using Sella Italia saddles ever since I first built up my Pinarello, some 8 years ago. I remember being quite torn while shopping at Gregg's Greenlake Cycle because they had some incredible looking "pro design" saddles for Marco Pantani and a few other riders. Looking back, I should have picked up one of those, but I opted instead for a Sella Italia Flite Genuine Gel, a saddle I am still using today.

Next on the list was only a year and a half ago when I picked up another Sella Italia Flite Genuine Gel as a replacement for my Pinarello saddle. This one has Pinarello branding on it and was on sale. I picked it up after slamming the Pinarello into the roof of my garage and, luckily, damaging only the saddle. Of course, I'm back to riding the same tweaked saddle with no ill effects!

Next up was a Sella SLR for the Brass Knuckle. I've been very happy with it and find that it is a little more slippery and allows me to move freely while I'm railing around the Superdrome. I can scoot forward on the nose for some excessive spinning, or slide back a little and glue the rear wheel to the boards.

This latest addition to my collection of saddles looks fantastic and will bring a lot of excellent personality to the bike!

Part 4: Build Kit

Progress: Installation

Slowly, the new Ridley Damocles is starting to take shape. I stripped the stem and brake calipers off my wrecked Fausto Coppi and installed them on the new Ridley. Current stem is a 10cm Easton EA90, but it might be too short.

The most striking aspect of this Ridley frame is the shape of the tubes. This is a monocoque construction, and the tubes are nowhere near round. The top tube is triangular where it meets the head tube, and square-ish where is meets the seat tube.

The head tube is round enough, but mushrooms dramatically like many of today's carbon frames to house a massive bearing surface for the fork. Pictured as well are the Mavic SSC brake calipers that I have learned to love. I'll create a review of those calipers a little later.

The downtube on the Damocles has a beautiful shape as well and cuts a very nice angle down to the bottom bracket where it flares and surrounds the BB with a nice carbon nest. Not visible, but to be photographed later, are the monster chain stays employed by Ridley to make certain this frame will accelerate and climb well.

Making the switch from aluminum to steel when I built up the Fausto Coppi was a real moment for me. I was making a change to a bike that wasn't lighter weight or higher technology, but I was willing to sacrifice a little to realize a ride that could see me in the saddle for hours at a time. I made the switch to steel (Columbus Neuron) and after the build was thankful I had done so, the ride was incredible.

Then the wreck happened, and I was back to square one. Moving on, I was faced once again with what seemed like an endless list (see previous post) of frame sets that could fit the bill. Aluminum was considered, steel and of course carbon. In the end my desire to try a lighter bicycle and carbon won out over all other senility. Over the coming weeks I'll do all that I can to chronicle the build, shakedown and mileage on the new frame. An added dimension: I also picked up a Garmin 305.

Part 3: Sella Italia

Arrival: Ridley

The List

During a full month of waiting to settle things with the driver's insurance company I embarked on a massive research project. The goal: select the replacement frame. Easy as this might sound, I had decided (then undecided, redecided, undecided, etc) to go with a full carbon frame and fork. Seeing as how I don't like to do anything normally, my list -at one point- looked like this:

• Look 585
• Ridley Damocles
• Giant TCR Advance Team ('06)
• Colnago CT2
  
• Cinelli Estrada
• Velo Vie V300
• BMC Team
• Cervelo R3
• Canyon CF Pro
• Wilier Izoard
• Ciocc EOM 16.5 w/carbon rear triangle
• Pegoretti Marcelo
• Mondonico Super Leggera
• Torelli Selvino

The list is mostly carbon frames, but I still included high end steel as possible options. I love the idea of a Pegoretti because it is hand built, just like the Mondonico, but cost and wait time are huge issues. Wait time also eliminated a number of custom frame ideas I had from Strong, Yamaguchi, Don Walker and others. I just wasn't prepared to wait 3 months for delivery.

Decisions, Decisions
I managed to weed a few things out of the list by way of eliminating small manufacturers that I feared either would 1) not be around in a few years, 2) might not be producing a quality product or 3) may not be under factory warranty. This eliminated the Cinelli, Velo Vie, Canyon, Torelli and Ciocc. Although I reconsidered the Ciocc again later, mainly because it is a steel/carbon hybrid that fascinates me, the paint quality is poor and the frame is a New Old Stock from perhaps '03 or '04. The Torelli is a beautiful frame but I couldn't find any reviews online and never knew much about it. I was assured it was quality, but at 950 grams for the whole frameset I was worried that it might flex or twist badly.



After a conversation with Sgt. D I found that I needed to keep my budget in check and be sure to be putting a little money back in the bank. No sense in blowing things out completely. This eliminated the Pegoretti and BMC Team, as well as the Cervelo. Truly though, the Cervelo would have been too "normal" for me as I see at least 3 of them every weekend during group rides. As always, I wanted something a little more unique.

My next eliminate was fit, based on research I'd done into the geometry of each bike. Based on what I had ridden and know I like in handling, I narrowed it down to the Look, Wilier and Ridley with the Giant TCR an outside possibility. Access to the Wilier was extremely limited so that took care of itself, and in the end it came down to the Look & Ridley, and a single question.

The Question
I called Will.
"Is 1 pound worth $500?"
Will: "Uhm... I don't know. Is it worth $500 to not carry a full water bottle?"
"Good point."
"Its not like we spend hours climbing mountains around here. Which one looks better?"



So, that pretty much settled it. That night I began the ordering process. It didn't take long to order the frame online. I had thought about going locally but no one had access to the Damocles. Apparently, neither did the seller from which I was buying.

Delays, Delays
Competitive Cyclist has a slick web site and simple ordering process that provides you with plenty of information about each of the frame sets they carry. I commend them for the detail to which the go in their descriptions of each frame, its intended use and level of quality. What they failed to do was indicate that the frame I was selecting was not actually readily available. The delivery date was moved back three times, and it eventually took two phone calls and two emails to straighten things out and get a frame delivered without moving the date again.

Ridley Damocles


Eventually, it turned out they had a frame in my size and color in stock, only it had been built as a Demo bike. I agreed to take the "used" frame and was offered an additional 15% discount. Honestly, its a great deal and the frame is in perfect condition.

Now I have to wait a full week (or more) for my build kit to arrive... and I still haven't picked a set of wheels. Will has a nice set of tubulars up for grabs as long as we can find a Campy compatible freehub body. In the mail I have a mixed Campy group with an Easton cockpit on order.

Part 2: Progress