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Book Review: Time Trialling: Fly Through The Pain Barrier

 by Gus Grissom, Combat Correspondent

"To achieve your true potential, and to fully embrace the essence of time-trialling, you must push your mind and your body to the brink of oblivion.  It is character-building.  It is soul-searching.  It is courage.  It is pain and suffering.  The pain cannot be ignored.  It must instead be invited.  It must become familiar.  You must encourage it to stay even though it punishes you savagely for your hospitality."

With this proclamation  -- which straddles a mythical intersection between Mr. Miyagi and Yoda at a USA Cycling Camp  -- Adam Topham gives his reader the essence of time-trialling.  He describes the fundamental tenet of a quest which might very well be the essence of cycling, the effort not to go harder, but to go faster.  He wants his readers to realize what he calls  their “true potential,” that is to say their “true potential given the inevitable constraints” of jobs, family, and limited budgets.  With this simple proclamation Topham explains to his reader exactly what this book is all about, fulfilling that urge to make bike and body come together in a quest to turn the last five minute of a time trial into four and a half.  That is the essence of Time Trialling: Fly Through the Pain Barrier and that is why you should want to read this book.  

Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes: 4-24-09

Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes presents some of the new products that amateur racers like us will either lust after, or at least be able to afford. Designed to be a good mix of the rational and the aspirational, it will help you save money on gear - and then show you where to spend those savings.

Kazane Wheel Deal
If there's one cycling category likely to give a racer decision anxiety, it's wheels. Too many styles, brands, materials, price points and trade-offs, and reams of marketing spin to further complicate the process. Which do you choose, and who do you trust? You trust who you know, and around here we all know Stratton Delaney. He built Kazane Bikes practically out of his living room, and made many friends last year by promoting the inaugural Working Man's Classic mid-week Omnium (recently rescheduled for 2009). This year he is supplying wheels and frames to Team Mountain Khakis and Richmond Pro Cycling, who have so far beaten the tar out of his stuff at races like Battenkill and remain wholly satisfied with its performance. But as much as Stratton loves the fancy pros riding his stuff, he also wants all of you to give it a chance. So he's offering up his new aluminum wheelset at a sweet deal. The wheelset has 28/24 bladed spokes laced into Kazane hubs and 25mm deep alloy rims, they come in around 1500 grams and he's offering them for $400. You can find other 1500 gram aluminum wheels, but they're normally $100 - $300 more. And you can find other $400 wheelsets, but they're inevitably north of 1600 grams. But I haven't even told you the "Deal" part yet. It's this - buy them now, and Stratton will throw in a pair of Michelin Pro Race 3 tires in your choice of colors, and also a SRAM or Ultegra cassette of your choice as well. That's another $200 worth of stuff for free with your purchase of a pro-quality wheelset. He can also arrange for shipping. Do it now, before he changes his mind. Seriously.
MSRP $400
More at Stratton Delaney via Email

Arundel Sideloader and OtherSideloader Bottle Cage
If you have a frame with a sloping top tube, you've probably noticed that it's harder to pull a large bottle out of the seat-tube bottle cage, as the top of the bottle bumps the top tube, causing you to wrench it to the side to fully extract it. Not a huge problem by any means, but re-inserting it can be, particularly in a pack at 32mph. Enter the Arundel Sideloader and OtherSideloader Bottle cage. They load from the side (or the OtherSide), so you snap your bottle in and out instead of corkscrewing it. Cool idea. It's made from carbon fiber (natch) and is available with pink, red or silver color badges (that are covered up if there's a bottle in it).
MSRP $39.95
More at www.arundelbike.com

iBike iAero III
I don't know where to start with the iAero, other than that it intrigues me. What it does is measure power and other ride variables using a kind of wind sensor coupled with a microcomputer. It doesn't measure direct force, but calculates force based on changes in speed, pitch, altitude, what you had for breakfast, etc. It's also smart enough to know when you're drafting or coasting and takes that into account. I don't know how it does it, but the output is astonishingly similar to what you see from a PowerTap and other direct force power meters (dfpm). But because it's not a dfpm, it has a whole host of advantages: 1) it's portable, easily moved from road to TT bike; 2) it's lighter; 3) it's (significantly) less expensive. And because it measures power based in part on air resistance, it has some really cool features that give you feedback in real-time on your aerodynamic position. Move from the hoods to the drops and you'll see the difference on the display. Or try a new helmet. Or move a bottle from the downtube to the seattube cage. It's also the only power meter able to display TSS, Intensity Factor and Normalized Power on the display as you ride. Plus it has its own software which runs on both Macs and PCs. Hooked on the direct force power meters? The iAero is also ANT+, which means you can use it as the head unit with your SRM wireless, PowerTap wheels or Quarq.
MSRP $799
More at www.ibikesports.com

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Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes: 1-30-09

Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes presents some of the new products that amateur racers like us will either lust after, or at least be able to afford. Designed to be a good mix of the rational and the aspirational, it will help you save money on gear - and then show you where to spend those savings.

VCRC Alloy Stem
VCRC is known principally for their ceramic bearings for wheels and bottom brackets, but they also produce alloy and carbon fiber components, including handlebars, seatposts and this here stem. It's featured this week because the winter is re-fitting season, and many folks are tinkering with their setups or getting cozy on a new ride. The stem is a big part of that equation, and if you're in the market the VCRC is a worthy value-conscious inclusion. Originally retailing north of $100, the VCRC stem is the same weight as the vaunted Ritchey WCS 4-Axis stem. But the company has just introduced white stems, and the remaining black ones are priced to move, at only $39.95. It has a -8 degree rise and isn't flippable so even if you want a fredlike incline in your stem you can't have it. Available in 100mm, 110mm, 120mm and 130mm.
MSRP $39.95
More at www.vcrc-bike.com

DeFeet CalfSkins
The problem with compression socks is that they're, welll, socks. Feet don't need the compression. It's the calves that need the squeezy goodness. In the spirit of not buying more than you need, DeFeet offers CalfSkins, compression socks without the footie parts. You can wear them with your cycling socks, or with no socks at all if you're cooling down after a ride. You can also wear them with your kit and a pair of Crocs as soon as you finish a race, and I will award a GamJams water bottle to the first person who sends me a photograph of such.
MSRP $14
More at www.defeet.com

Cervelo P1
The P3 you know, of course. The P4 you'll begin to see soon enough under racers who need even more speed than the P3 affords. But what is this P1 of which I speak? 1) It's the bike Danny Pate rode to the Espoirs TT World Championships in 2001. 2) It incorporates the same SmartWall aero tubing found in Cervelo's other bikes. 3) It has TT-specific geometry, including a 2-position seatpost that allows seat tube angles of 75 and 78 degrees. 4) It's a complete bike, with an Ultegra gruppo and FSA cranks (compact, which you'll want to swap out in order to pound out the 53x11), 5) The complete bike retails for $1750. 6) See #5.
MSRP $1750
More at www.cervelo.com

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Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes: 12-11-08

Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes presents some of the new products that amateur racers like us will either lust after, or at least be able to afford. Designed to be a good mix of the rational and the aspirational, it will help you save money on gear - and then show you where to spend those savings.

Speedplay Nanogram Water Bottle Cage
It's like other carbon fiber water bottle cages in that it holds your water bottle and it's carbon fiber. But it's also different, with the water bottle stop on the top part of the cage, instead of the part of the cage that mounts to your frame which, according to Speedplay, makes the cage less vulnerable. It's also different in that it's really light - 19 grams. Ships with a Speedplay water bottle at no extra charge.
MSRP $70
More at www.speedplay.com

VholdR Wearable Camcorder
About the size of a CO2 cartridge, the VholdR mounts securely to your helmet, handlebars, top tube, seatpost, arm, or wherever else you might want to put it. It records for up to 2 hours onto a MicroSD card and has a rechargeable battery. You know what this means, right? Even people who don't like to write can now have very very popular blogs about bike racing.
MSRP $329.99
More at www.vholdr.com

Edge Composites Carbon Fiber Wheelsets
Edge may be the next wheel manufacturer you're about to hear a lot about. Their carbon fiber clinchers and tubulars come in 38mm and 68mm depths, which is interesting I think since they jumped right over the 50-58mm sweet spot. It's just a matter of time before someone shows up at a crit on 100s. Edge's proprietary technology allows them to run the highest spoke tension of any carbon fiber rim on the market, limiting spoke fatigue and increasing durability. At between $2K and $3K a set, they're not part of the market's value spectrum. But they also do offer the rims alone: $750 each for tubulars and $850 for clinchers.
MSRP $2050 - $3250
More at www.edgecomposites.com / www.edgecomponents.com

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Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes: 12-4-08

Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes presents some of the new products that amateur racers like us will either lust after, or at least be able to afford. Designed to be a good mix of the rational and the aspirational, it will help you save money on gear - and then show you where to spend those savings.

WheelBuilder.com Aero Disc Covers
When it comes to time trials, you can buy speed. It's sad but true. The well-heeled have a competitive advantage in the race against truth. But there is hope for the rest of us who aren't TT specialists, but still enjoy the slippery speed a rear disc affords. WheelBuilder.com Aero Disc Covers bolt right onto your race wheels. They're pictured here with Zipps but WheelBuilder also makes sizes to work with any rear wheel - including your PowerTap Mavic Open Pro. Go from Zero to Aero in only $65.
MSRP $65 - $95
More at www.wheelbuilder.com

Saris Wheel Arch
Like a lot of people, I shredded my handlebar tape at Poolesville. But it wasn't because I crashed on the dirt or overshot the sandy turn and was flung headlong into the ditch. After the race, my bike was leaning against the GamJams Team Minivan. A gust of wind caught it and toppled it to the ground. It was a totally avoidable incident if I had one of these - the Saris Wheel Arch. Pull it out of your car, slot your bike into it, and you have an elegant solution for protecting your ride, keeping scratches off your car, and inviting photoshoots of your speedy steed. Or use it indoors where you park to keep your bike upright and your walls unscuffed. The width is adjustable to accommodate road or MTBs, and you can even link multiple units together so your whole team can park handlebar-to-handlebar on game day. How pro is that?
MSRP $26.99
More at www.saris.com

WindRider Bicycle Clips
Normally I'd call these stocking stuffers but they're almost too cool to give away. Like the ugly neon velcro straps you probably use now, these keep your pantlegs grime free on your way to the coffee shop or the Metro station or the grocery. Or your way home from the bar. But they don't stop at function - they have style. And that's the heart of this sport, isn't it - the fusion of function and style? They're made from PVC, are reflective, and ship in a pair of two.
MSRP $15
More at www.momastore.org

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Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes: 11-20-08

Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes presents some of the new products that amateur racers like us will either lust after, or at least be able to afford. Designed to be a good mix of the rational and the aspirational, it will help you save money on gear - and then show you where to spend those savings.

Tanita Ironman Body Composition Monitor BC554
Weight is to Body Composition as Heartrate is to Power. It gives you some useful information about your condition, but is ultimately incomplete. The Tanita Ironman Body Composition Monitors are scales. But they also tell you what percentage of your weight is fat, visceral fat, muscle, water and bone mass. It also caluclates your physique rating, metabolic age as well as how many calories your body burns per day on average. It sounds complex but after a few days of using it, it's extremely intuitive and allows for immediate feedback and trending. Losing 4 pounds isn't good news if your water percentage bottoms out. And gaining 5 pounds during gym season isn't so bad if you realize it's all muscle. The Tanita puts your data in context.
MSRP $129.99
More at www.tanita.com

SRAM 1090-R2C Bar-End Shifters
Most of the resistance in time trialing is your body and your bike against the wind. In the ongoing quest for aerodynamic slipperiness, we've seen evolutions and revolutions in almost every aspect of bicycle design. But through it all, bar-end shifters - the hood ornaments out in front of every time trial bike - have been overlooked. Each click that moves them further from horizontal has their paddle-profile slapping harder against the wind, and your hand with it. No more. At the Ironman in Kona, SRAM debuted the 1090-R2C  bar end shifter. R2C means "return to center," and that's what these do. They work like a trigger and retain their most aerodynamic profile no matter what cog you're in. They weigh 195g, about 60g more than SRAM's TT-900 levers. Not available until early 2009, they're worth mentioning here anyway because I know many people are building up TT rigs (at least in their minds and dreams), so these should make the consideration set. They are compatible with any SRAM rear derailleur.
MSRP TBD
More at www.willyoumaketheleap.com (though they're not yet on the website)

NLZ Wear Half Price Coolmax Cycling Socks
They're socks. Made from Coolmax. And they're half price.
MSRP $4.99
More at www.nlzwear.com

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Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes: 11-13-08

Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes presents some of the new products that amateur racers like us will either lust after, or at least be able to afford. Designed to be a good mix of the rational and the aspirational, it will help you save money on gear - and then show you where to spend those savings.

Vans Podium Shoe
OK, it's not actually called that. Technically it's the "Old Skool Custom." With Vans online configurator, you can pick your own colors for just about every part of the shoe - toe cap, side stripe, foxing stripe, tongue, tongue binding, and on. The result is a one-off pair of kicks matched perfectly to your team kit (as long as your team has colors in Vans' configurator engine). They won't make you race faster. They won't improve your technical cornering ability. They are not recommended for running barriers and are not SPD compatible. What they will do, every time you pull them on, is remind you of what you've chosen to be a part of - a sport, a lifestyle, a team. That may be useful when training the 50% of racing that is 90% mental.
MSRP $60.00
More at www.vans.com

Topeak Defender R1/R2 Fender Set
Designed for road bikes with no-tools quick-release installation and removal, these babies can make the difference between getting tough, and getting sick. They also keep much of the winter road spray off your drivetrain, which will save you several times their price when you don't need to replace your chain, cassette and chainrings, not to mention slicing a big chunk out of your cleanup time. But don't get them just for yourself. They really should be standard issue for winter pack riding. I used to live in Vancouver, and guys who showed up to group rides without a pair of fenders were given the same look we normally reserve for noobs who roll up with aero bars.
MSRP $52.00
More at www.topeak.com

Specialized All Condition Armadillo Reflective Tire
A word about winter tires - they're not backup tires, or gently used tires, or whatever tires you had on your bike in September but haven't bothered to switch out yet. They're way more important than that, because their function is to keep you moving when it's 30 degrees, not shivering while your sweat condenses and you change tubes. Their other function is to give you the confidence that you can actually start and finish a ride without having to stop and shiver, making it easier to get out there in the first place. And now, thanks to Specialized, they have a function nearly as noble as helping you make the most of your training time - they keep you alive. The All Condition Armadillo Reflective Tire has all the flat protection and ridability of the regular Armadillo, but also has a reflective stripe ringing the sidewalls. This time of year one missed turn, a minor mechanical, or unexpected cloud cover could mean the difference between riding home in glorious winter sunlight, or tempting fate and SUVs in dangerous twilight. You need new winter tires anyway. The Armadillo Reflective is worth considering.
MSRP $55.00
More at www.specialized.com

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Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes: 11-6-08

Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes presents some of the new products that amateur racers like us will either lust after, or at least be able to afford. Designed to be a good mix of the rational and the aspirational, it will help you save money on gear - and then show you where to spend those savings.

Hollywood Racks Buzz Rack
The Buzz Rack is a roof rack that holds 2 bikes in fork mounts, and also cradles a 1.5 cubic foot weatherproof padded bag (included). What I like about it is its open platform - it will work on Yakima, Thule or the factory crossbars already on your car (even the flat wide ones). Sometimes using the OEM bars is a problem with an aftermarket carrier because the OEM bars are often on an arc, not perfectly horizontal. So unless a bike is in the dead center of the rack, it will tip to one side. I'm anxious enough about my carbon bling when I'm racing. I don't want to worry about it on the way home as well. The Buzz Rack solves that problem because it's a full system that attaches on both sides of the crossbars. Even if your OEM bars arc, the bikes remain level. Plus it comes with racks for 2 bikes, encouraging you to carpool. You ought to, you know.
MSRP $359.95
More at www.hollywoodracks.com

Neuvation C50 Carbon Tubular Wheelset
"If you can't afford to replace it, don't race on it." Words to live by, especially this year. Guess that means no carbon tubbies for you. Or does it? Right now, Neuvation C50 Carbon Tubulars are $599 a pair. A pair. At 50mm depth they're a hair shallower than the Zipp 404s at 58mm. And their 1480 gram weight is 250 grams heavier. If that difference is worth over $1100 more to you, keep saving for the Zipps. But if you want the aero lift of deep carbon and inimitable feel of tubulars, there is no better buy in all of cycling. And if you have a 24-hole Power Tap hub already, Neuvation tells me they will build a C50 around it for $250.
MSRP $599 (normally $1000)
More at www.neuvationcycling.com

2009 Blue Triad
We're moving off the "value" theme for this one (but not entirely - keep reading). But it's worth it, because this bike is ineffably beautiful. The new Triad from Blue is their top-of-the-line TT machine. It's full carbon with the rear brake (included) tucked behind the bottom bracket, internal cable routing, an adjustable seatpost that allows the seat angle to move between 76 and 80 degrees, and curved chain stays that shield the rear derailleur from that pesky wind resistance. As with all Blue bikes, the paint scheme is at once aggressive and classy. At $2500 MSRP it's about half the price of the 2009 Cervelo P4, though I recognize the difference between an absolute value and a relative one. But the Triad comes with a gift-with-purchase: once you return the Warranty card to Blue, they'll give you one free hour at the A2 Wind Tunnel in Charlotte, NC to fine tune your position on your sleek new ride. Ask Pete Cannell if the trip to A2 is worthwhile.
MSRP $2500
More at www.rideblue.com

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Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes: 10-30-08

This is the best time of the year for gear discoveries. We're just past InterBike, so all the new loot is trickling into magazines, stores and blogs. And we're closing in on the holiday season, when covetousness is endured with a little more tolerance than other times of the year.

Weekly Picks, Promos & Premes presents some of the new products that amateur racers like us will either lust after, or at least be able to afford. Designed to be a good mix of the rational and the aspirational, it will help you save money on gear - and then show you where to spend those savings.

American Classic 420 Aero Wheels
You can tell yourself that you need these because the 34mm profile and bladed spokes will give you an aero advantage, the weight of 1530g per pair won't do you in on the climbs or accelerating out of corners, and that the option of a Power Tap build won't cause you to give up your data habit. But you'll buy them because they're white. They're white.
MSRP $1069.95
More at www.amclassic.com

Rudy Project Sport Mask Performance
I think these came out in 2008 after most team orders were placed, which is likely why you didn't see more of them. They're an enigma to me. On the one hand, they're technologically on the cutting edge, with what Rudy describes as "a proprietary brow interface in soft Megol allowing perfect air circulation and superior fit factors." But on the other hand, they've got a throwback retro quality about them I can't quite put my finger on. They're not what Andy Hampsten wore up the Gavia pass, but they sure connote the shields from the 7-eleven era. I think the time is right for these to break through.
MSRP $159.99
More at www.e-rudy.com

Under Armour Performance Crew
"You need." How many cycling purchases begin that way? Not right now, but very soon, what you will need is every incentive to stick to your training plan. It's going to get nasty in a hurry, and if you dread riding in the cold, you may spend the entire HTFU season indoors while your rivals are getting their Belgium on. You don't want that. Comfort in the tundra starts with a base layer. You need more than one of them, so base layer shopping (particularly now) is an exercise in value for many of us. When starting with value, you can eliminate extras like the 1/4 zip and the little loop in the cuff that keeps a sleeve pulled down past your wrist. Go crew and get at least two of them. If winter is your thing, then get fancy and spend $60 a pop. But for half that you can get the Under Armour Performance Crew, which is fitted tightly enough to layer under long sleeves or even arm warmers. Throw a decent technical jacket on top (you only need one of those) and you're set down to freezing. Plus, Under Armour is local - from Baltimore, like LSV, the host of this weekend's Rockburn Cross race.
MSRP $29.99
More at www.underarmour.com

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