As a cyclist, the search for newer and better gear is constant — there's always something else out there. Premes, Picks, Promos will highlight both the next big thing and the sleeper deal.
When I first started racing a couple of years ago, I thought it was cool to no end that, as a team, were handed a Shimano pro deal form. Finally, I could get nice stuff without blowing the entire household budget.
But that deal disappeared a year later, and we switched to SRAM. After a quick look at the pricing, which was even better than Shimano's deal, I headed to the shop to check out a SRAM bike. It took just a few minutes on a trainer to make the call: SRAM all the way.
Since then, I've ordered a new bike with SRAM guts and converted a TT bike from Shimano to SRAM. And while the top-end Red group is certainly nice, the second-level Force is where it's at. Much like Ultegra is Shimano's bargain group, Force offers a lot of bang for the buck.
Consider this: For $1,258 you get a group (including cassette and chain) that weighs a claimed 1,951 grams. For $2,600, you can get a Dura-Ace group that weighs more.
If you go with Force, you get a group that shifts fast and accurately every time ... even after you hit a curb at 28 mph and send your bike airborne. If you go with Dura-Ace, you get the same thing, but it's going to cost you $1,300 more.
Sure, you can go lighter with Red but it's almost $900 more. And its 1/3 of a pound lighter. Seriously, just skip the donut and save your money. Hell, eat the donut and save the money for more donuts.
I know there are staunch supporters on both sides of the fence — both pro- and anti-Shimano. And both sides make great products. Either way, if you're going to swap out a group this year, you owe it to yourself to check out Force. Maybe you can use the money saved to put a down payment on one of them fancy "power meters" everybody seems to be talking about.
A wider menu
By the end of July, I'm fairly sick of most of the energy gel flavors available to me. After choking them down on a long, hot, five-hour slog, pulling one out of your pocket the next day is a little disheartening. "Again? Ugh ... ."
So I might take advantage of GU's new, alternate flavors for its energy gels. Banana Blitz has returned (apparently it once existed, then went away), and it's joined by something called Jet Blackberry. There's a third Roctane flavor now, too — Pineapple.
If nothing else, picking up a few alternate flavors might keep your spirits up at some point late next year. Well, maybe.
And while you're looking at GU, check out their Chomps — a Clif Shot Blok-like energy chew. Buy two boxes, get a 24-count box of energy gel free.
That's it from here. It's January in the bike shop and the wind chill is currently 30-below zero. If there was much less going on, we'd be asleep.
In addition to being GamJams Tech Editor, Bryan Redemske manages the Trek Bicycle Store of Omaha, is a professional writer and a Cat 3 racer. He drinks a lot of coffee.
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