4 Years on the Trot

Specialized must be delighted, four years on the trot for the win in Flanders and now two back to back for both Zipp and Sram. Congratulations guys.

Posted via email from Sprinting for Signs's posterous

Paris Roubaix, Cancellara and Sportives

I haven't been to see Roubaix live in ages, yet much of that day from when I last saw it is still clear in my mind. I can remember what I had for breakfast, how cold it was standing by the Roadside and how fast the riders are over the cobbles. I'd made the decision after Flanders this year that I wouldn't be back to watch it in 2011. I've managed it for the last three years, and to be honest it will be strange not watching the Ronde in Flanders. But I knew I had to visit the Queen again, she was calling loud and clear and both races are Super Special.

With the rumours that have been flying around and the now recent announcement that ASO would be holding a Sportive version for amateurs the day before. Unlike Flanders where having 17,000 people trample over the bergs before the Pro's is likely to do little damage, but may actually help clear the course, the same can't be said for Roubaix. I wonder if it may make the Stones worse. Details are sketchy at best, so we really don't know how much it'll cost or how many people will be able to enter. We do know that it will be 135km in length and the date is the 9th of April.

So I'd like to take part, and I'm sure I won't be alone in thinking that it'll be a great day, but I expect it to be tough. Unlike the June version run off every two years, the one the ASO are proposing will get the full Pro effect being the day before. I love Pave, and the more I ride it the better I get. So if I get in this will represent my first goal this year, and the training will have to start, or I'll never get fit in time. I've just watched these excellent videos from Michael at the www.theroaddiaries.com and it makes me want to have a go at it even more. I am sure it'll be a big challenge, and if the weather is shit a big ask. But it really appeals and I'm hoping to gather a little Team of people so we can ride can tackle the pave together. If I can't get in, I'll be hitting Belgium instead.

The race winning bike, although I'm unlikely to use a Specialized but I love the idea of using Sram, Zipp and FMB tubs. Not afraid of carbon on the cobbles as I won't be hitting then at 50 kmph+.

I'll be happy to finish, much in the same way I was chuffed to finish my first Flanders. Goals and going for a good time can happen on the second edition!

 

Posted via email from Sprinting for Signs's posterous

Ibis Hakkalugi, the Noddy Bike King

Ibis Hakkalugi.

Years and years ago I wanted a steel one, but I could never afford it. The nearest I got was having a catalogue. I saw a MTB once or twice in London & was very impressed with the level of detail. Ok the new version isn't steel but it takes the legendary geometry and applied it to a modern material. I'm no retro grouch and appreciate modern steel as much as I do carbon. I think the fact it's a lot easier to make in carbon is why many manufactures choose this root, combined with the weight advantage and how you can manipulate it. Building in steel is labour intensive and to be honest the list of great framebuilders is few and far between. But I'm not going to lamnet on the benefits & negatives of each process and material. All I know is that I want one of these, even in Phlegmish Yellow.

The Art  of a great cyclocross bike is that it should feel part of you, an extension of your body. And this may be true for any bike, but due to the nature and activity of the cross bike that it must flow when riding and carrying the machine it is even more applicable. I like having a cross bike for what I call (although I didn't coin the phrase, cheers Ade) Noddy Riding. This to me this is the perfect mix of where road meets off road, and  where the two meet in perfect harmony like the waves slowly making their way up a beach. I love this kind of riding, darting between forest and trail and back onto tarmac again.

Bizarrely cross is the most accessable type of racing, and maybe the safest. Slow speeds (compared to Road or dry Summer MTB courses), a strong family atmosphere and a short circuit all provide the right environment to learn the skills which can be transferred into Road or Mountainbike racing at a later date. I think that the duration of 45-60 minutes is also about perfect, and maybe that's why Crit racing and MTB series like Beastway have been so popular over the years.

Thanks to SRAM you can have a pretty kick arse bike with Rival on it, and it's not going to cost the earth, well kind of (I know it's not cheap). Rival makes a lot of sense as if you trash a part of it then it doesn't cost a small Kings ransom to replace. Also on a weight weenies front it's not so bad, especially as for many months of the year it could be covered in crap.

So yes a Noddy Cross Bike is on the list for sure.

Paris Roubaix - Spartacus enters the arena

Cancellara was stunning today, truly in a class of his own. I have been thinking since the finish, which was the most impressive, de Ronde or Roubaix. The move on the Muur was stunning and showed how much power he can deliver for such long periods. It proves what many people say in that long distance Time Trailing can be a benefit to Road Racing. But thinking about it Roubaix was the more stunning of the two, and for two clear reasons. In Flanders Cancellara was protected from the wind until about 80km to go, this left him bags of energy for the final bergs, in Roubaix the Team where spent well before this period as the action looked way hotter. He basically did more work. Again Fabian had another slick bike change, maybe he'll be doing some Cyclocross in the off season. The second reason was from how far out he attacked, nearly 50km is a long way. Boonen again was left isolated much earlier on than Cancellara, Flecha and Hushovd, again this meant just like in Flanders he had to do too much work. If I was a Quick-Step DS I'd be pretty pissed off today.

Specialized, Zipp and Sram will no doubt be using the victories over the last seven days heavily in the advertizing in the next few months. For Specialized they are 3/3, which for a bike manufacturer is a great piece of kudos. Sram are adding Monument wins like olives to a pizza, this is a great testiment to the quality of the product and how it's designed. I bet they are super pleased that the bikes didn't have the brake issues of last week. Zipp may well be the most pleased of all three. The cobbled wheel project was started some years ago, at least three, maybe four. The goal was to make a wheelset that could withstand the impact that driving a wheel into a cobble at 50kmph could yeald. They proved last year with Hushovd that they could last the course, this year they where used to win (and to grab second and fourth).

So the question on my lips is 'what else can he win', Fabian has talked about winning all five monuments. Liege-Bastogne-Liege may be difficult for Cancellara as it normally favours a rider who is more of a pure climber, but I never underestimate self belief and desire. Giro di Lombardia is well within his reach, although no walk in the park, he should be able to bag it. The question is how soon will he manage it. He's only 29 so he has some time to add them to his list and become only the fourth person to do so.

Sean's Bike

This is Sean's new Bike. I like it, it's a pretty retro thing in a world of carbon this and that. Take a look at it, I really like the simplicity of it all.

 

Sean has been a big Shimano fan for years and in recent times he switched to SRAM. He became a champion of it and selling all of it's benefits to his friends. So when he sent me his photo I was shocked to see Campagnolo on it. He's pretty chuffed that all of it is Italian. I like the whole look of it, very PRO. I think everyone should have a bike like this, one that exudes class, style and timelessness. Oh and his other bike, A TIME with Sram Red, two oposites but really nice also.

Boys Toys, Cervelo at Milan San Remo

Cervelo get ready for Milan San Remo
Originally uploaded by The Road Diaries

Although Cervelo Test Team had an incredibly successful 1st season, they are always looking to improve the equipment that they use.

S3 - Lightweight Aero Road frame, with a fabled comfort which has it's DNA in the R series bike. I'm loving the all black look, very stealth.

Zipp 404 Wheels - What can be said that hasn't been said before, well very little. They are great wheels and are often rebadged by other Teams when their sponsored wheels don't cut the mustard. Other change, PowerTap have come on board this year provided power measurement so a new rear hub for the Team this year.

SRAM - Red. Is it a performance advantage over Shimano, well in the weight front yes. The ergonomics of the shifters and how they work, well that's totally up to you, but I'm a big fan.

Rotor Cranks - after the first version of the cranks proved to be too flexy and seeing more than half the Team abandon them for the Spring Classics Rotor set about to make a crank light enough for Carlos and stiff enough for Thor. Reading reviews and listening to the Pros it seems like mission accomplished.

Boys Toys 3 - Ag2R

Paris Nice
Originally uploaded by The Road Diaries

This is Nicholas Roche bike. It's easy to identify by the Irish National Champ colours on the Bike.

Featured today

Kuota Frameset. Super light and stiff and very un-Italian sounding for an Italian brand.

Sram. Enough has been said about Red and it's benefits. The one accidental techy thing I like is the ability to shift while the lever is pulled close to the bar. This is a pretty useful thing for sprinters.

Reynold's Wheels. They always get good write ups from those who have had a chance to ride them. Techy note, the top end wheels are built using a DT hub.

Deda. Their Sponsorship spend must have gone through the roof recently as there are lots of Teams using their kit this year. It's nice kit and unfortunately not widely available.

Boys Toys 2 - Milram

Linus leads at Tirreno
Originally uploaded by The Road Diaries

I'm pleased Linus won the other day. He's not had many breaks since he bagged the Yellow jersey back in '07. So to this Boys Toys post.

Focus Bike
Lightweight Wheels
Sram Red
Mavic Shoes

Vermarc kit

Item of clothing of note:
Customized Rain Jacket. Recently we have seen the best execution of this by Castelli with the Cervelo Test Team. A short sleeve Rain Jacket may seem crazy, but I'll explain why I think not.

Overheating is a major issue for a Pro Rider as they are typically putting out 200+ watts over a complete stage. Turn a 100 watt light bulb on and feel the heat, yes it's warm. So removing the sleeves on a jacket meakes sense from cooling as the long veins in the arms allow the body to regulate the body temp. Keeping the core warm allows you to remain warm, but not overheat, this is why a Gilet is an essential piece of cycling kit. The short sleeve allows the jersey to remain dry, so not making the rider cold.

Both Sportful and Castelli have 'nearly' waterproof arm/leg/knee warmers for this year. This makes so much sense as there is no negative effect when it's not raining. I can't think it'll be long before we see brushed bib shorts made out of this material as it'll give an advantage to any rider using it.