tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71213098509290278092024-02-18T21:52:38.239-08:00Cahaba Cycles BlogCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-36298507564439524062012-11-09T19:38:00.001-08:002012-11-09T19:40:58.125-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Cahaba Cycles Team Rider Casey Fannin Checking in After the Xterra World Championships.
Another Xterra World Championship is in the Books and Taking another World Championship was very Sweet indeed. Here is the Xterra Tribe News report from Maui.
Of course none of this would not be possible without the support of the South's Greatest Bike Shop, Cahaba Cycles.
Casey Fannin (50-54 Division) Birmingham, Alabama - 3:09:00
Former Mr. XTERRA Casey Fannin finished 32 seconds ahead of Armand Surwilo from Poland to win his third XTERRA World Championship this year. He also won the ITU Cross Tri World Title in his hometown back in May.
The victories are just part of the lure for Fannin, who got started in the sport back in 1999.
“I already loved mountain biking and really liked the triathlon thing, so I ventured over to Ruston, Louisiana to try out the XTERRA American Tour, and it was love at first race. Now 14 years later I still love XTERRA and its brand of off-road mayhem.”
Speaking of mayhem, that’s how his World Championship race started this year…
“I was not too sure about my race at Worlds last Sunday. The swim was quite pushy for me and I was well off course. I really thought I had put myself out of the mix when I was coming out of the water. I thought nobody can swim that slow and make up the time needed for a win, but once I made it to transition there were plenty of bikes still hanging at the racks, so I felt like I might be in alright position, and others must have struggled with the swim also. Looking back, I would have to say that swim was the craziest thing this year. Big shore break, pushy current, just perfect XTERRA conditions. People were swimming into the flow of people going out and back in, it was nuts! Can't ask for more crazy, like I said, perfect XTERRA conditions!”
In 2011, the first year World’s was held at Kapalua, Fannin was leading the race going into the run but got chased down by David Maclean and ultimately finished second. He made sure history wouldn’t repeat itself this year.
“Last year my run was what lost the race for me, so this year I trained in the hills much more, and I feel it paid off. My run split was about 5 minutes faster this year and I feel it made the difference for the win. Not to mention I have the most loving, supportive, best fan in the world, and wife on the planet that boosted my spirits during the race, oh, and I prayed the whole race...that always helps, always!”
Outside of the race, Fannin “just kept falling more in love with my wife,” he said. “Maui is always a great place to spend time with my wife. We really connect there, and we love to swim with the marine life, especially the Honu. We had great accommodations at and I caught some sweet waves at Little Macs, it was going off the day after the race. It was a fantastic vacation! Maui no- ka oi.”
Just a awesome day, and on Awesome Equipment....my Cannondale Scapel was the perfect bike for the Maui Course. Thanks again for the best bike shop in the south, and the great support from the Malki's, and Cahaba Cycles.
Thanks Guys,
Casey
Cahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-60301066990998539832012-10-23T17:53:00.000-07:002012-10-23T18:00:44.274-07:00Clement PDX Tubular Tire Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a couple seasons of pinch flatting clinchers and burping tubeless tires, I decided to go all in with tubular wheels and tires this Cyclocross sesaon. I'm running Clement PDX tubulars and so far I'm extremely impressed with the performance and reliability.
It was my first time gluing tubulars and I used the Belgium tape from Cyclocross World and three coats of Mastik One glue on each surface. Some people argue that this is overkill, but my theory is that overkill never killed anyone. As you can see in the picture, it's not the prettiest glue job, but I "rode em like I stole em" during three races without a hint of rolling off the rim. I even felt the tire roll onto the sidewall on a fast grippy corner where I had to lock up the rear wheel to avoid running over a downed rider. None of my previous tubeless setups would have survived that scenario without burping.
Besides increased reliability, the other benefit is the ability to run extremely low pressures without pinch flatting. So far, the sweet spot for my 80kilo is 36psi rear and 33psi front. The low pressure makes the tires feel extremely smooth on grass, and combined with the aggressive tread of the PDX, the grip is outstanding through mud and loose gravel. They do howl a little more than some other tires on pavement, but there is far more time to be lost in mud and loose gravel than made up on paved sections during a CX race, so I'll take the tradeoff.
Four Momentum teammates are also using the same tires. The overall consensus is positive, but two of them did manage to puncture both front and rear tires during the first CX race this season. Three of the punctures are holding well with superglue and Stan's sealant, but the other had to be replaced. None of the others have had issues after 3-4 races, so it might have been something on the course.
Thanks again to Cahaba Cycles.I'll post an update at the end of the season.
OmarCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-50581081251969563282012-07-08T15:49:00.005-07:002012-07-08T15:49:55.458-07:00Off Road Triathlon 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is Full Swing Away in the 2012 Off-Road Triathlon Season, and Cahaba Cycles Team Rider Casey Fannin is at the Mid-Season break getting ready for ORAMM on a short notice after some coaxing from other friends involved in the Mayhem.....The Xterra Season has been a hoot on the New Cannondale Scalpel 29er, and I am looking forward to racing the Xterra National Championship in September aboard the Cannondale. As of date I have had 4 Southeast Xterra Races starting in Miami and ending at Nashville last weekend, and must say I've been blessed to have a great season so ffar. Miami was fun , fast, and exciting, and I managed to take 2nd overall in the race. Next was the ITU WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP here at Oak Mountain, and I won the 50-54 Age Group for another World Title at Off-Road Triathlon, known as Cross Triathlon in Europe....can't use the Xterra Name due to Money....it was a great day to race on home turf for the World Championship..World Stripes are in order for the Jersey. : )
At Xterra Tsali I managed a 3rd place overall, and at Lock 4 Xterra in Nashville I was 3rd overall, and this rounded out the Southeast Xterra Series with another Southeast Regional Championship for the 11th year....what a nice run of Championships. Only 1 road triathlon thus far at Buster Britton with a win for the 50-54 Age Group, very tuff on the TT Bike which I have been avoiding for some reason...MTB is so much more fun!
Now for the Cannondale Scalpel 29er, it has been a super fun bike. At a scant 22lbs this duel sus. MTB acts, and feels like a hard tail, but has plenty of cush for the old bones. Quick and responsive, it goes when you mash the pedals, NO questions asked. The Lefty is stiff, plush, and yet very aggressive when you need it to make quick adjustments on the fly. Cornering and climbing are its very strengths, and I must say it's one of the best 29ers I've climbed aboard. A real keeper for sure.
WEll, that's all for now...got to get out and start riding for ORAMM action. Can't say I'll be ready for that long haul, but it should be a challenge for sure. Xterra National Championship is on the horizon, and it looks to be a fun, but tuff race...need to get as fit as possible for this climbing frenzy.
Anyway, BIG, HUGE THANKS to Cahaba Cycles for keeping me aboard the best Bike Shop in the Southeast. Look forward to the rest of the riding season. Shoot me a email to tricasey@bellsouth.net
Casey FanninCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-17016799297256266172012-05-31T21:19:00.000-07:002012-05-31T21:19:05.602-07:00Adventures in 1x10After 4 months and over 1000 offroad miles, I'm really pleased with the 1 x 10 drivetrain that I’m training on this year. My main goal was improved reliability over a standard mountain bike setup with front shifting. I'm riding a Niner EMD with the following setup:
-Shimano M785 Crank w/Homebrew 32 middle Chainring and BBG outer bashgaurd
-Sram XX 11-36 Cassette
-Shimano HG-94 Chain
-Sram X9 shifter mated to a short cage X7 derailleur
-N-Gear jump stop chain guard.
So far, the aluminum frame and crank have proven stiff enough to provide a drama free riding experience. The middle ring chainline and heavy duty Homebrew chainring continue to provide chainsuck free riding in the worst conditions, even when starved of chain lube. The short cage rear derailleur combined with the jump stop and bash guard continues to provide snappy and accurate shifting without any chain derailments, even when descending rough singletrack at over 30 mph. There is some audible chain rub between the inner plate surfaces of the chain and the chainring teeth when using the low and high extremes of the cassette, but it’s worth the added simplicity and reliability. So far, I haven't missed the extra gears, but I could see it being an issue on rides with fast pavement sections or extreme steep/long climbs. The chain made it about 3 months before stretching beyond 1/16th of an inch. This is about the same life that I get with chains on standard double ring drivetrains, so the wear rate is about the same. Thanks to Jonathan at Cahaba Cycles for helping me get everything sorted out.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhch4hXGbOlBi9LL5L3LO0YnYUFarKnYrxoAOH1z0aPC5NxhHtt9ZlSFi84MpWHlOyiVPFT7XIn61SXHaEAQNc_uYsPk6jE1OoJ3nQuX9dlLRMVQ5OmjcgSTPQhdkIC_wbX0y6gB0WvRbU/s1600/1x10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhch4hXGbOlBi9LL5L3LO0YnYUFarKnYrxoAOH1z0aPC5NxhHtt9ZlSFi84MpWHlOyiVPFT7XIn61SXHaEAQNc_uYsPk6jE1OoJ3nQuX9dlLRMVQ5OmjcgSTPQhdkIC_wbX0y6gB0WvRbU/s320/1x10.jpg" /></a></div>Cahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-11204328718263561582012-05-31T20:02:00.000-07:002012-05-31T20:02:00.166-07:00StrollinLast weekend, I loaded up the family and drove over to some of the newest trails in the Birmingham area at Red Mountain park. It was a great opportunity to spend some quality time hiking with my wife and daughter, and scout new cycling trails. Most of the trail open to cycling is wide, flat, and gravel, but their is at least one relatively long (~1/2 mile) and smooth singletrack climb open to bikes. The more technical trails are mostly closed to cycling. Overall, the park has a lot of potential as a cyclocross training area within riding distance from home.
This was also the first time I really pushed the limits of the <a href="http://cahabacycles.com/sitesearch.cfm?search=bob&goSiteSearch.x=0&goSiteSearch.y=0">Bob baby stroller</a>. The big wheels and suspension system made quick work of the rough stuff. I was skeptical that I could push the stroller through the rocky descent in the picture, but I was able to make it without any issues.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2MRi7kc9aoaSNOCOE2lDlK3GUDNQPOywzFDDKzTkiN2dREqj3TSzn5pzt_aIA6LmuVwUFtP5PfdcFcIXAzQcKzsSBhOX_hBv-j4upvnQzHM7kFQyCNjZ6r88rTVbV9AYlNgS5ZJhZ4w/s1600/BOB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2MRi7kc9aoaSNOCOE2lDlK3GUDNQPOywzFDDKzTkiN2dREqj3TSzn5pzt_aIA6LmuVwUFtP5PfdcFcIXAzQcKzsSBhOX_hBv-j4upvnQzHM7kFQyCNjZ6r88rTVbV9AYlNgS5ZJhZ4w/s320/BOB.jpg" /></a></div>Cahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-58090750421362534502011-11-21T16:36:00.000-08:002011-11-21T16:39:24.708-08:00Adventures in Cyclocross Tubeless<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW80V9QFEP80s1j0kS8m8yjKl0vSuHrnDpvEL6on_JG-sl_KxjLez0vEQUVEFiB7wxIANYgjAySYTFFpTdZXbWqXJpgfj3JFQ0JTdFuKud5Ouey2jb4w1_33lK0pBJm8q_uTww-fD62Ws/s1600/100_0403.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW80V9QFEP80s1j0kS8m8yjKl0vSuHrnDpvEL6on_JG-sl_KxjLez0vEQUVEFiB7wxIANYgjAySYTFFpTdZXbWqXJpgfj3JFQ0JTdFuKud5Ouey2jb4w1_33lK0pBJm8q_uTww-fD62Ws/s320/100_0403.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677612910127203778" /></a><br />This cyclocross sesason, I decided to go tubeless. I've suffered enough pinch flats over the years to know that tubes were out of the question, and I was not willing to make the investment in tubulars, especially after seeing some of the horrific results of failed glue. After a half season of racing and a couple mishaps, I think I finally have the tubeless thing figured out.<br /><br />In order to get the Race Lite wheels on my Chronus working in a reliable tubeless setup, I purchased a NoTubes Cyclocross tubeless conversion kit, extra roll of yellow tape, and NoTubes Raven tires. The tires might not have been necessary, but I figured I’d use them since they are actually designed to work tubeless. I initially set everything up using all items in the conversion kit and went for a test ride at 40 psi front and rear. The test ride revealed that 40 psi was not enough to keep 200 pounds of man and machine from bottoming out. In the end, I settled on 43 psi front and 47 rear. A relatively low speed parking lot figure eight test resulted in some slight burping in the rear. One of the key’s to prevent burps is to use tape to build up the rim center channel thickness to a point where the tire can still hook the rim bead, and isn’t too tight to mount. It turned out that the yellow tape supplied in the NoTubes kit wasn’t enough, so I added thickness with a layer of electrical tape on top of the roll of yellow tape that I had already used on the wheels.<br /><br />Everything worked fine for the first few races, and then I did a race with some very fast and rough off camber corners and managed to burp both front and rear tires. I examined the setup again and decided that the electrical tape was insufficient, so I removed it and bought a second role of NoTubes yellow tape. I used the entire roll, half on the front, and half on the rear. In the end, it resulted in an entire roll of yellow tape being used on each rim beneath the rim strip.<br /><br />I don’t think any tubeless setup is completely burp proof, but one thing CX racing taught me this year is that the ultimate burp test involves locking the rear wheel while skidding around a rough off-camber corner. After numerous tests and one race, I’m pretty confident in the setup. Now, back to the motor…<br /><br />OmarCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-9833028248513230902011-10-29T06:26:00.000-07:002011-10-29T07:14:55.591-07:00Xterra World Championships 2011 and Other Season Tidbits<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGnI6vExxRn23NmkunBKIDuGaG89eorPXe_w7GFIyeqcIoRRitgr_mbLOfV17FFRRI9LlBpGSt3q15Ru_2SMqTWN2nukQ2zNdOqEYQhOhSVEl5OyXB-SUnKEq0tyIKAuphlHdH9rNTZ4/s1600/IMG_0223%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGnI6vExxRn23NmkunBKIDuGaG89eorPXe_w7GFIyeqcIoRRitgr_mbLOfV17FFRRI9LlBpGSt3q15Ru_2SMqTWN2nukQ2zNdOqEYQhOhSVEl5OyXB-SUnKEq0tyIKAuphlHdH9rNTZ4/s320/IMG_0223%255B1%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668916900347209266" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpk4rm6AOGEEOieNDP4KONsJOg_aUFmsptnzvPxe_McaT6tDSqmVcZ6O_3mM9asL_w0RPxcGVesh-yO0WSMiQz9dB4doGgZuKSEJf9Zq__khZYZvfA3BqjTiXajbq9mro7kuHoVmTpIps/s1600/IMG_0235%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpk4rm6AOGEEOieNDP4KONsJOg_aUFmsptnzvPxe_McaT6tDSqmVcZ6O_3mM9asL_w0RPxcGVesh-yO0WSMiQz9dB4doGgZuKSEJf9Zq__khZYZvfA3BqjTiXajbq9mro7kuHoVmTpIps/s320/IMG_0235%255B1%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668906868433246370" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCujpIgOJOGTAeQ1lcILQgGe_h5TLbdRyXFkYWV0MfHkEktXwTStSrCFsq163KzCJRGH128pXSQW6bVNW_reVjRSYsLSNf2UW04WGH3k_2aNBMqZ1FO6psn_w7IMTc8xImNmTkpi6P94/s1600/IMG_0220%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCujpIgOJOGTAeQ1lcILQgGe_h5TLbdRyXFkYWV0MfHkEktXwTStSrCFsq163KzCJRGH128pXSQW6bVNW_reVjRSYsLSNf2UW04WGH3k_2aNBMqZ1FO6psn_w7IMTc8xImNmTkpi6P94/s320/IMG_0220%255B1%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668905748720067442" /></a><br /><br />Well, another Xterra World Championship is in the books....this being my 9th vist to the race in Maui, it was still another great time. My race went well, as I did take another 2nd Place at the World Championship, but I must say I am a little dissapointed in not coming away with the win. I guess being a competitive type A has its drawbacks! I did however get on the Podium and that is always the best place to finish with the best Off-Road Triathletes on the Planet. Not bad for this Bama Boy. OK, enough whining!<br />With the end of the triathlon season close at hand, I mean it's pretty much over for 2011, I can say I had a another great season. The end was successful with a GrandMaster win at the Santa Rosa Island Tri a few weeks ago, and a 3rd in my age group at Agusta 70.3 series, and a slot to the 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas next September. I will look forward to going to another World Champiomship next year, only at a different race distance....gives me a lot to work on for next year. I think for 2012 I am going to try and get into Leadville 100 also just for a little training in August, might be fun! I do look forward to the Xterra season 2012.....I plan on doing a few more Xterra Championships next year and trying to win a 11th Southeast Regional title....but for now we'll just race some local fun events and try to stay in shape for the Holiday season. I think I might even have to go out and try a Cross Race Event.<br />2012 is just around the corner and it will be a fun year for the Cahaba Cycles Triathlon community.....with Triathlon 101 coming back in May 2012, and a host of great cycling events, 2012 promises to be a super fun year of cycling, triathlon, and MTB racing for all the Cahaba Cycles family. <br />Thanks to all the Cahaba Cycles family for giving me the chance to race and play with the Best Bike Shop in the Southeast, hands down! Now let's go ride some sweet single track!Cahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-62179281563963244772011-09-18T19:05:00.000-07:002011-09-18T19:12:26.440-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuNcZq0uUYC-VJtDRkXjEY4Ro0zQii1slvOQJayMDtNTzS1ESSqv6QlE5DHbZBbBJOKRK4DPeLcEp3ZO0PZQPI-w8GpeofY8lFMLUGOeSTVNCm5xXZajiGcwOQF_UoI8vW5fVbWE9fdM/s1600/Deanna.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuNcZq0uUYC-VJtDRkXjEY4Ro0zQii1slvOQJayMDtNTzS1ESSqv6QlE5DHbZBbBJOKRK4DPeLcEp3ZO0PZQPI-w8GpeofY8lFMLUGOeSTVNCm5xXZajiGcwOQF_UoI8vW5fVbWE9fdM/s320/Deanna.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653887689700174178" /></a><br /> With my triathlon season coming to a close and the soon to start "running season" for me, I want to give Cahaba Cycles a BIG thanks for they're support and help. I've had a great season this year and an AWESOME bike that helped me do it. I have to say, my Trek Speed Concept has been my favorite bike so far. It is really admired by all when I travel around to these races. Someone even stopped me to take a picture of it in Las Vegas last weekend! Here are the race finishes that my Trek and Cahaba helped me accomplish:<br /><br />1) March: New Orleans 70.3: Overall female age division<br />2) April: Powerman Alabama: 2nd female pro finisher<br />3) May: Gulf Coast 1/2 Ironman distance Tri: 1st amateur female (second over all by 2 seconds!)<br />4) June: Buster Britton Sprint Tri: Overall female (4th with the guys!)<br />5) July: Vineman 70.3: Overall female age division<br />6) August: Rocketman Olympic Distance Tri: Overall female<br />7) September: Las Vegas World Championship 70.3: Overall female age division<br /><br />Thanks to all the guys and KiKi for their help!!! Also a special thanks to Chris for a great Retul fit on the bike that made a HUGE difference!! I've had some of my fastest bike splits in a long time this year!<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />Deanna NewmanCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-36280962340114617492011-08-25T04:58:00.000-07:002011-08-25T05:47:06.895-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfAjiDwxnX_7lc8ineXrX4WyvdbS17IwLCE56gYd64i78BG06KFnRe_lDe8oI4Hf1ZD9Hg1harbxT7ir7CvFIRI8XU3pp7yFhkDHxTJmDHfsdfluinQReLwhOughhGFfhEvnk3bsXQYE/s1600/DSCF2042%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfAjiDwxnX_7lc8ineXrX4WyvdbS17IwLCE56gYd64i78BG06KFnRe_lDe8oI4Hf1ZD9Hg1harbxT7ir7CvFIRI8XU3pp7yFhkDHxTJmDHfsdfluinQReLwhOughhGFfhEvnk3bsXQYE/s400/DSCF2042%255B1%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644762183681742530" /></a>
<br />Cahaba Cycles Team Rider Casey Fannin Checking In for the 2011 Race Season. What a Crazy summer so far. I have finished up the 2011 Xterra Off-Road Triathlon season with a Overall Win down at the First Coast Xterra Triathlon in July, and have won my 10th Xterra Southeast Regional Championship Jersey. Next Xterra will be the Xterra World Championships on October 23rd on the Island of Maui, and I would love to win another Xterra World Championship, but I have a lot of work to do between now and then. There are a lot of tough dudes out there, and they all want to win that Jersey! I must say that my season has been quite crazy again.....broke my ribs earlier, and then got a major infection in my arm, and just last week coming out of the water at the Mountain Lakes Triathlon I cut my foot open! I still managed to get on the podium in 2nd place in my age group, and I think 20th overall, can't remember, but still a pretty good race considering I was bleeding like a stuck pig the whole bike, and run. Wow, training and racing has been a chore this season. It has been a successful season to this point however, and lack of training or not, I've enjoyed racing. I did miss several of my prime races due to STUFF, but that's life.
<br />We have had a great summer out at Oak Mountain State Park with Triathlon 101 every Monday afternoon. There has been some regulars showing up every Monday, and I would say we've had a great time. We are going to continue through September and see how things end up with the season. We might turn it into a Duathlon 101 as the water cools off, or break out the Wetsuits. So, if any of you guys want to come out between now and the end of September, you're all invited.
<br />I must say my 2 new pieces of equipment have been a blast to ride this season also. My Cevelo S3 has been my Tri/Road Bike, and has performed well as a 2 sport bike. It is stiff but compliant, and jumps as soon as you hit the gas, not to mention it is very Areo, and climbs like a billy goat, and It desends just as well! A great bike to ride, and you can Get you one if you go by Cahaba Cycles, a must for any bike enthusiast. My other girlfriend has been my Trek SuperFly 100 Elite. This 29er has been a joy all season. It has proven to be a very good bike all around in many different Xterra situations. It will be my choice at the Xterra World Championships as well.
<br />Anyway, that's about it for now. I will check back in in a couple of weeks. We have a few more races to pull off before Worlds, and I hope we can get some fitness while doing them. We have the Black Bear Rampage coming up, also Augusta 70.3 1/2 Ironman, and Santa Rosa Island Triathlon. Should be fun!
<br />Thanks again to the crew at Cahaba Cycles for all the great service and keeping me supplied with the best equipment for all my cycling needs. Mucho Gracias
<br />
<br /> CaseyCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-10036772491584645272011-08-18T19:13:00.000-07:002011-08-18T19:17:13.464-07:00Superfly 100 Observations<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WkGbaU63mBaODbZ1eX2TjB3s6tvMRfPIiDaxGV78sQRE317oFk2wTv8JcrRndIGYbO47dIU0XYhZqqj3zNl8M80e0sjRTxrPtYSK-bgYynYCD2xdhp8eXwTm5uK1z_M3B3ueptTtQms/s1600/sf100b.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 304px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WkGbaU63mBaODbZ1eX2TjB3s6tvMRfPIiDaxGV78sQRE317oFk2wTv8JcrRndIGYbO47dIU0XYhZqqj3zNl8M80e0sjRTxrPtYSK-bgYynYCD2xdhp8eXwTm5uK1z_M3B3ueptTtQms/s400/sf100b.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642385387326787074" /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9TQja68b5H41OGhQlUjEMhyphenhyphenBv2g2xoN3RipbwdBvPxFVtpbmW1KSCHvOGGxDez2zXtscdArB414avWUd1IQoK3_AIb0wpMSb91d_2aCm8r9mNbNJUuIMdT_Y7dvTlgd-4NWNoRSyEHE/s1600/sf100a.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9TQja68b5H41OGhQlUjEMhyphenhyphenBv2g2xoN3RipbwdBvPxFVtpbmW1KSCHvOGGxDez2zXtscdArB414avWUd1IQoK3_AIb0wpMSb91d_2aCm8r9mNbNJUuIMdT_Y7dvTlgd-4NWNoRSyEHE/s400/sf100a.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642385237348913634" /></a>
<br />This was my first year riding a full suspension bike since making the switch to 29″ wheels in 2008. It took a while to get my Trek Superfly 100 to my liking in terms of fit, shock pressure, and drivetrain issues. But once there, it quickly became my favorite mountain bike of the half dozen or so that I have owned over the years. The most noticeable differences between my SF100 and my last hardtail, are that I’m able to descend rough terrain with more control and speed and maintain momentum through rock gardens with greater ease. I’m notorious for damaging wheels and spokes on hardtails, but my wheels seem unphased this year under the full suspension. In my opinion, a large percentage of the extra weight associated with full suspension can be made up by getting away with a lighter rear wheel.
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<br />Most of the questions from other riders are about the modifications that I made to my SF100. In particular, I added the following:
<br />1. Custom chain keeper that I made out of a K-Edge chain keeper and piece of metal from a handlebar basket mount
<br />2. Seatpost water bottle mount
<br />3. Zip tied pieces of innertube to make sure bottles only exit the cages when I grab them
<br />4. Spare lightweight tube in space between seatube/toptube
<br />
<br />I also used a Nokon full length housing cable to keep the rear derailleur shifting like new. My only complaint about the bike is that I sometimes accidentally knock the pro-pedal lever to the off position when grabbing waterbottles. I hear the solution is to simply turn the shock around, so that’s on my to-do list in the next few weeks.Cahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-14469412614874909562011-08-08T16:45:00.001-07:002011-08-08T16:45:53.109-07:00Fontana Dam JamThis past weekend I competed in my final major XC Mountain bike race of the year at Fontana Dam. The rain held off all weekend, but the humid 90+ degree temperatures still made it into the western North Carolina mountains. It was my first time racing Fontana, and it was truly an epic XC race course. The climbs were absolutely brutal in both steepness and technical difficulty, and the descents were blazing fast and technical. Given the difficulty, the race organizers let each of the CAT1 expert waves of riders vote for 3 or 4 laps. The under 30 crowd voted first and came out almost unanimously in favor of 3 laps. When the 30-39 vote came up, I quickly threw my hand up in favor of 3 laps. Unfortunately the 30-39 age-group is overrun with bicycle masochists who favored 4 laps. At 35-40 minutes per lap for top amateurs, that worked out to very long XC race. I tried to stay relaxed and bounced between 3rd and 4th positions for the first 3 laps. Despite being well hydrated, the fatigue set in on the last lap. Fatigue quickly escalated to leg cramps so brutal that I was forced to walk several climbs and even stop for a minute to rest. I cramped out of podium contention in 5th place, but gained a lot of insight into my weaknesses and race preparation. It was a humbling race experience that I look forward to improving on next year. Even though the race didn’t go as well as planned, I had the loving support of family with me, and it was a great excuse to drive the Dragons Tail!Cahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-26570743060314664092011-06-20T09:35:00.000-07:002011-06-20T10:06:03.053-07:002011 Season Update<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrWpzWGg07kD4XiExyOFr464gyM3NBqyrBUnl7WNUsBnOKCLzP1j8QR7OeyWFPXpNHXCHINt2r0ab9cOd1iN8EOC1sG7KDuAcL954MAhkIPltFUBBByS24Kt82eePVo1Rr5WEz00M-38/s1600/xterra+2011.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 271px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrWpzWGg07kD4XiExyOFr464gyM3NBqyrBUnl7WNUsBnOKCLzP1j8QR7OeyWFPXpNHXCHINt2r0ab9cOd1iN8EOC1sG7KDuAcL954MAhkIPltFUBBByS24Kt82eePVo1Rr5WEz00M-38/s400/xterra+2011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620342345766129794" /></a><br />Cahaba Cycles Team Rider Casey Fannin checking in with a short report of 2011 Triathlon Season. It has been a fun ride so far. This season started with some injuries and things seem to be healing pretty well, now if I can only get in better racing shape.<br />Heres the season results so far: <br /><br />MulletMan Triathlon 1st place 50-54 12th Overall<br /><br />Xterra Fort Yargo Georgia 1st place 50-54 4th Overall<br /><br />Beaches Fine Arts Triathlon 1st Place 50-54 14th Overall<br /><br />Xterra Southeast Championship 1st Place 50-54 20th Overall<br /><br />Buster Britton Triathlon 1st Place 50-54 23rd Overall<br /><br />Bump & Grind MTB Race 4th Place 50-59 <br /><br />Xterra Lock 4 Nashville 1st Place 50-54 3rd Overall<br /><br />I did defend my Xterra Southeast Championship for the 5th year in a row which qualified me for the World Championship once again. I will look forward to racing in Maui in October on a Totally New Course on the North Shore.<br />I must say that this is my First Season on my Trek Superfly 100 29er and it is exceding my expectations for sure. This Bike has carried me to all my Xterra Podiums with ease. The handling, cornering, and the balance of the bike is just epic. I would suggest to anyone who is thinking of riding a 29er, you should! Go by one of the Cahaba Stores, grab a demo and go hit the trails. I bet after a few minutes on the 29 platform you will be sold. Anyway, that's all for now, I have a few races coming up, next wil be the Jax Sprint Series Triathlon in Fernadino Beach and Chattanooga Waterfront and then Back to Xterra Racing at the First Coast after that. I'll post results as soon as I get them and have some exciting news about Cahaba Cycles and all the good stuff coming out of the shops.<br />Thanks again to the Crew at Cahaba for keeping the faith and putting out Super Product for all of us Bike Junkies.<br /><br />Many Blessings,<br />Casey FanninCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-67195931622315136222011-06-06T16:40:00.000-07:002011-06-06T16:54:27.848-07:00Bumping and Grinding<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zhr8pV5B_nyKpe8L_24RZb3kgXDYA3vtThhyUc70c5WA6FPE3as5U-DwnAkrcjaT9sOZ01pPt247k6EwBuBwSKZTHV0ia2HaAlZtCwry-AvTqNvYI8RNhzMhzVHUng4PusilN6QvWyU/s1600/PICT0680+%2528Medium%2529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zhr8pV5B_nyKpe8L_24RZb3kgXDYA3vtThhyUc70c5WA6FPE3as5U-DwnAkrcjaT9sOZ01pPt247k6EwBuBwSKZTHV0ia2HaAlZtCwry-AvTqNvYI8RNhzMhzVHUng4PusilN6QvWyU/s400/PICT0680+%2528Medium%2529.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615258893132121874" /></a><br /><br />This past weekend was a weekend of firsts for me… 1st-born child came home from the hospital, 1st Bump and Grind Expert XC Race win, and 1st Super D Race win. <br />Sydney entered the world at 10am on Thursday June 2. Fortunately we had great support from our parents over the next few days in the hospital. I ended up spending the nights and mornings in the hospital and loosening up or racing in the afternoons. It's all a blur now, but getting away and riding for a few hours each day definitely helped keep us all from overwhelming each other.<br /><br />Once again, BUMP put on an amazing Bump and Grind Mountain bike race weekend. I can't help to think how lucky I am to have the biggest XC race in the Southeast right in my own town. BUMP added the Super D to the events this year, and it consisted of about 70% downhill and 30% climbing. I focused on minimizing braking, holding the quickest lines through the single-track, and hammering the short climbing sections. In the end, I managed to take the win by over a minute on the 4.5 mile course. It certainly helped that I've been riding the course on a regular basis for the last 4 years, but I also give credit to my Trek Superfly 100. Compared to the hardtail that I normally ride, the full suspension felt like I was cheating on the fast and rough downhill sections. The Super D was a reminder of the high adrenaline downhills that made me fall in love with mountain biking as a kid.<br /><br />The weekend of racing ended with the XC race on Sunday. With near 100 degree temperatures, and over 31 miles of trail, it was more about energy management than anything else. I had to dial my pace back on the climbs to keep from overheating. Fortunately, I was able to make up for it by staying focused and railing the twisty single-track with few mistakes. In the end, this strategy worked to hold on for the race win. It was a truly memorable weekend!<br /><br />OmarCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-69850556233941003952011-05-23T18:18:00.000-07:002011-05-23T18:29:39.848-07:002011 Xterra SE ChampionshipWhat does it take to beat a top professional Xterra Triathlete? This past weekend, I attempted to find out the answer to this question by forming a relay team with 2 other Birmingham locals. Right now I’m focused on XC mountain bike racing, so I figured with two other single sport focused local athletes, we could easily shake up the professional podium.<br /><br />Since I’ve recently spent more time on cycling podiums than in the pool, I decided to go with another former college swimmer for the swim leg. In addition to swimming in college, he still swims 2 -3 times per week and competes in road triathlons. The runner was a local distance runner who ran in college, and regularly runs 10k’s in the low 30 minutes range.<br /><br />The 1500 meter swim started off with a mass start and the lead field of professionals quickly gapped all of the amateurs. At the end of the swim, we were about 4 minutes down on the top pros. With fresh legs and no equipment to fumble with in transition, I took off strong on the 20 mile bike and managed to pass a number of amateurs and a handful of pros. Unfortunately, the gap was too big to close, and the top 5 pros still managed to out split me by anywhere from one to six minutes! Our runner faired a little better, and managed to hang within a minute of the fastest pro run splits in the 5.5 mile trail run. At the end of the day we ended up behind the top five pro men in sixth place overall, and 9 minutes off the lead.<br /><br />So what does it take to beat a top professional Xterra Triathlete? Maybe I’ll figure it out next year… One thing I did learn is that the top professional Xterra triathletes are phenomenal athletes who can outgun most single sport amateurs (and some professionals) at any of the three disciplines.<br /><br />OmarCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-16371089223426556022011-05-22T20:33:00.001-07:002011-05-22T20:33:34.967-07:00Just thought I would send you a race update. Did the Gulf Coast Triathlon 1/2 Ironman last Saturday and had a good day. I won over all female (age group) and over all female master. I was second over all with the first female pro's time 2 seconds faster than mine!! Of course we couldn't see each other because she started 5 minutes ahead of me. I felt great and had a really good bike ride. I rode the course in 2:28. I had the fastest female bike split. The female pro pretty much beat me in transitions! I was 4 seconds faster swimming, she was 4 seconds faster on the run and I was just under 1 minute faster on the bike. Still loving my Speed Concept! It is really comfortable. If you are interested in checking everyone's race, as a lot of people from B'ham were there, you can find them at Chiptimes.com.<br /> By the way, KiKi ordered a Rudy Project Wingspan aero helmet for me and I LOOOOOVE it!!! I think you might want to consider carrying those. It is so light I don't even notice it on my head. It also has good vents that have the option of covering completely or part of the way depending on the ouside temp. Definitely the best aero helmet I have ever tried. It also looks pretty cool which is hard for an aero helmet.<br /> <br />Thanks to all the guys at the stores for their help! And KiKi!<br /> <br />DeannaCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-26105799393190403202011-05-10T05:29:00.000-07:002011-05-10T05:56:15.441-07:00Xterra Fort Yargo Georgia 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgayTfFNE8FhdPas1yRDMl0FSaUcUYUNFX5x9uqkdsWEcd1eHxRmu2w5QaUxJIsJErcx7el3mfywqJUZR6Rg19thl2WRbTxxqZ3LKyTJGQQe8N9wFyYCiUYxMQmrK4Y4lNWLmt17aB_qo/s1600/xterra+fort+yargo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgayTfFNE8FhdPas1yRDMl0FSaUcUYUNFX5x9uqkdsWEcd1eHxRmu2w5QaUxJIsJErcx7el3mfywqJUZR6Rg19thl2WRbTxxqZ3LKyTJGQQe8N9wFyYCiUYxMQmrK4Y4lNWLmt17aB_qo/s320/xterra+fort+yargo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605064478611048114" /></a><br />Alright the 2011 Xterra Off-Road Triathlon Season opener was Saturday April 30th and it was a great day of racing. After a month of No-Training due to Broken Ribs as well as other "Life" Things, the Xterra opener was quite fun. The weather was perfect with lows in the 50's for the start and ending up with highs in the 70's toward the end of the race. Beautiful Spring time in the South. We had several Birmingham Locals over to race the Xterra as well as the SERC Series on Sunday. <br />I was a little concerned with my fitness, but I managed to pull off a pretty solid race after it was all done. My first race on the Trek SuperFly 100 29er was pretty solid for a tight, twisty single track trail. The bike handled well and was much more responsive during the race than during my pre-ride. I guess a little speed was all it needed. I think it felt at home on this course after the gun went off.<br /> I mananged to get out of the swim in 2nd place overall, and held this position into the bike course. I kept thinking someone was riding me down, but it must of been some wierd flashbacks, or my Gaurdian Angel riding behind me! I came off the bike and started the run in 2nd place and did my best to hold this position for the 4.5 mile run, but near the end of the run my friend Mark Rudder ran me down along with some other young buck, right before the finish line! CRAP! I was not happy about that run, but it was still a fun day. I took 4th overall and won my Age Group for the start of the 2011 Xterra Season. <br />Full results can be found here:http://www.goneriding.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=192&Itemid=197 <br /> Now if I can defend my 2010 title I will be shooting for my 10th Regional Championship Title in the Southeast. It's still a long season ahead, but maybe we can build from here and have a successful 2011 season.<br />Major Shout out to the CAHABA CYCLES FAMILY for such Great Support and the best Bike Shop in the SouthEast. Coming up is the Beaches Fine Arts Series Triathlon and then the Xterra Southeast Championship out at Oak Mountain. Should be a fun Month! <br /><br /> CaseyCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-18597582749718693902011-05-04T05:38:00.000-07:002011-05-04T19:02:34.983-07:002011 Ft. Yargo XC Race<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-ZlCo4BWf9JkhfR7VOjMUmjOZBYpq9eC24AoX6hKe5HzYAqtu9Q6eq6SSdJVwzEGXnVYrZuCU8m3PjMB_u9A44sTDnjM8HOBz4xSDSDvCzAHqHpD-8N2gTW09_LXkYdUQFsFEeeVF34/s1600/2011+Ft+Yargo1b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-ZlCo4BWf9JkhfR7VOjMUmjOZBYpq9eC24AoX6hKe5HzYAqtu9Q6eq6SSdJVwzEGXnVYrZuCU8m3PjMB_u9A44sTDnjM8HOBz4xSDSDvCzAHqHpD-8N2gTW09_LXkYdUQFsFEeeVF34/s320/2011+Ft+Yargo1b.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603044906903086898" /></a><br />This past weekend, my wife and I headed over to Georgia for the annual Ft. Yargo XC Mountain bike race. The race wasn't until Sunday, but we decided to head over to Atlanta on Saturday to grab some great seafood at Six Feet Under (Yes it's across from a graveyard!) and head over to Athens to watch the annual Twilight Criterium. The criterium is combined with a street festival and turns out to be one of the biggest cycling events in the country year after year. Needless to say, we had a great time watching the racers dive into 90 degree corners at speeds exceeding 30mph. Check out Brian Toone's race report <a href="http://toonecycling.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/athens-twilight-and-roswell-criterium-race-reports/">here</a> for more on the Twilight Criterium.<br /><br />I was still feeling the excitement from the twilight on Sunday. Despite having to rely on a demo bike, I managed to ride a strong race. I started the first of three laps staying towards the back of the lead pack of five riders. I was sitting comfortably in 4th going into the second lap when the two leaders got tangled up in a crash. As the other riders regrouped I pushed hard going into the singletrack on the second lap. I kept the pressure on the pedals until I knew I was comfortably in the lead with a few miles to go on the last lap. Everything came together in the end for my first race win of the season!<br /><br />OmarCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-32212062197845309532011-05-03T17:24:00.001-07:002011-05-03T17:24:52.671-07:00Cahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-16838565862743054752011-04-18T04:49:00.001-07:002011-04-18T05:33:03.353-07:002011 MulletMan Triathlon Race Report<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymgaRYHXTWL6UTYgIXJ87Ei94nw3frukKfCaoay54dtxp0jg4wA6-9oUes918vRaRxw6zRhEnWTZP_GpslQ1gPdKJF0ZdVgjLjK6zBNNDj0zNK8ttXw6k_hsXQ5__-Xj5ggjZCfYaYSw/s1600/DSCF2022%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymgaRYHXTWL6UTYgIXJ87Ei94nw3frukKfCaoay54dtxp0jg4wA6-9oUes918vRaRxw6zRhEnWTZP_GpslQ1gPdKJF0ZdVgjLjK6zBNNDj0zNK8ttXw6k_hsXQ5__-Xj5ggjZCfYaYSw/s320/DSCF2022%255B1%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596890171816335362" /></a><br /><br />The 15th Annual Mullet Man Triathlon took place Saturday April 16th at the Famous FLORA-BAMA Road House at the boarder of Orange Beach Alabama and Perdido Beach Florida. The weather was just about perfect with a cool West Wind and good Gulf conditions for the swim start. A solid field of Birmingham folks were on hand as well as about 300 other folks from around the region. <br />I must say I was quite nervous for the start of the race. I was 3 weeks out from breaking two ribs on my back side and have not been training very much. No swimming at all left me a little worried about my ability to have any success at all in the water, but once the gun sounded it seemed that with a little rough water and my love of the surf I was off to a good start. I exited the water in 2nd place out of my wave start and headed to the bike. Now, I just sold my Tri-Bike and had my Trek Madone 5.2 to ride for the race. I attached some Vision Clip-Ons and had a good bike to ride for the 7.5 Mile Time Trail into the 15-20 MPH Head Wind. The first few miles of the bike were quite a challenge, but once we made the turn at the State Park the ride home was Sweeet. I managed to ride a 42:43 for the 15 mile TT, not the fasted Bike Split I've ever put up, but good enough to get me to the run in good shape. <br />The run was the last and final hurdle, and into the wind for 2 miles was not the easiest part of the whole race, but again once we made the turn it was nice with the tail wind coming down the home stretch.<br />I crossed the finish good enough for my 1st Male Grand Masters Win, and good enough for 12th Place Overall. Not a bad start to the 2011 Season. Now it was time for some Famous Flora-Bama Party Time......we took advantage of that for sure! Oh, and my Wife Took 3rd Place in Her Age Group! She was stoked! Good Family Fun!<br />Thanks to all the Cahaba Family for making the Wheels Turn Smoothly, and taking care of all My Racing Needs. Until Next Report! Much Love.........<br /><br /> Casey & AndreaCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-65370872249933339092011-04-04T18:41:00.000-07:002011-04-04T18:46:56.814-07:002011 Tsali XC Race<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhJHgwVFwWokkyJFeEs7Yykt21lyl6twNaiATjORExXdba1UCrG5Pvt9etqUbv2b8J64iP2VMnBxH4_ZtEPALsoaOKZvsqzCmRzdxf6QUeTv7uqBjBtk1NNNb8aJtPNJ-r2WKejR6jkM/s1600/Tsali+2011b1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhJHgwVFwWokkyJFeEs7Yykt21lyl6twNaiATjORExXdba1UCrG5Pvt9etqUbv2b8J64iP2VMnBxH4_ZtEPALsoaOKZvsqzCmRzdxf6QUeTv7uqBjBtk1NNNb8aJtPNJ-r2WKejR6jkM/s320/Tsali+2011b1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591909665405759010" /></a><br />This past weekend I almost completed my first mechanical free mountain bike race of the season. I say almost because I made it through the race without any mechanical issues, but failed to make it to the race without a mechanical issue. My car held up fine, but unfortunately I forgot to tighten the quick release of a front wheel attached to my roof rack. 400 yards after hitting the highway, I watched my rearview mirror in horror as the wheel flew off. If the impact of the ground didn’t destroy it, the several cars that hit it afterwards did. By the time I retrieved the wheel, the only salvageable parts were the disc brake rotor bolts and valve stem. Luckily I still had another wheel with me. Cahaba Cycles came through by truing my spare wheel and mounting a new race tire before getting back on the road to the annual XC mountain bike race at Tsali.<br /><br />The trail was in great condition and the race went extremely well. I managed a great start and took the lead position going into the singletrack. I pushed a little harder than I normally would at the beginning of a 31 mile mountain bike race and managed to get out of site from all but one of the 19 deep field. The one remaining rider got by me on a climb about half way into the first of two laps. I held my position through the second lap and finished up in second place after a hard 1:59 effort. The course was configured slightly different from last year, but the terrain and difficulty were very similar. I was extremely excited to see that I averaged a 7% faster pace than last year. Great racing to come this year…<br /><br />OmarCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-51821718825581390152011-04-02T06:53:00.001-07:002011-04-02T06:53:57.030-07:00Deanna's Powerman ExploitsRaced Powerman Alabama March 27th and had a great day! Placed second among pro women, but the best thing for me was improving on my time from the previous year. I took a couple minutes off my bike time from last year which makes me feel good at the start of the season. I want to thank the guys at Cahaba Cycles for the awesome tune up on my bike prior to the race. No problems whatsoever shifting in and out of gears a lot with the hilly course. They also found a problem with my race wheel and got the part ordered and took care of it in time before the race. I'm looking forward to getting my new Trek Speed Concept bike to race the rest of the season. Should have it all together and ready for my next race, Ironman 70.3 New Orleans April 20th. Should be sweet!!<br /><br />Deanna NewmanCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-50323208947123369582010-12-05T05:25:00.000-08:002010-12-05T06:05:13.087-08:002010 Racing Season Report or Sort of.....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictTMTHxccHwq2m-qNVs0-_mfGzzcu14Z77MFDGuFn76D78riGlb0se9gdhTTXks1GN51kaSn3LTtCw5XGNGpQ-UkZPP4oMDTPoxa0KLoMyLHCIXILveMMbUUU9lKKYEy5gmlBNwcpwyI/s1600/004_4.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictTMTHxccHwq2m-qNVs0-_mfGzzcu14Z77MFDGuFn76D78riGlb0se9gdhTTXks1GN51kaSn3LTtCw5XGNGpQ-UkZPP4oMDTPoxa0KLoMyLHCIXILveMMbUUU9lKKYEy5gmlBNwcpwyI/s400/004_4.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547190213283857794" /></a><br />Well December 2010 is here and I guess I can say that the Year is about to end. With injuries since July I guess it's time for closure on another racing season. Time to really start focus on 2011. I feel it will be a great year of racing once again.<br />For a year with injuries 2010 has been a successful racing season, as you can see from the picture above, Cahaba Cycles on the North Shore of Hawaii just before the World Xterra Championship, can't be all that bad. Totally Blessed indeed! The turtles wanted a t-shirt, so I promised to be back next year.<br />2010 had me in 14 Main Racing events which were 6 Xterra events including the National Championship along with the World Championship. 5 Road Triathlon events which included Ironman Lake Placid (could not do the run), but I'll get revenge on that later! 2 Duathlons and Bump & Grind, our local Big MTB race. I did make the podium at every event, and I feel extremely blessed to have had such good fortune at these races. I must say the highlight of the season was getting the Title of Mr. Xterra at the National Championship. It was a total surprise and a great honor. Again the word BLESSED comes to mind, not only with success at the events, but mostly from having a loving family to support me, as well as the Best Bike Shop in the Country.<br />2011 is basically here and the events are already getting attention. The first Main Event will be the ITU WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP in Spain which takes place in April/May of 2011. I will be racing with Team USA against some of the Worlds best at Off Road Triathlon, at least this is the tentative plan for right now. It looks to be a great event. If I can only afford the plane ride over! : ) Powerman Alabama is only 12 weeks away also......so I better get busy!<br />Make sure to stay in touch with Cahaba Cycles for some Spring/Summer fun on Monday afternoons during the season as I will kick off the Monday Afternoon Triathlon Series out at Oak Mountain. More works are in the making for this event, but it should be a fun time for the upcoming Spring/Summer season.<br />Huge thanks to the Cahaba Cycles Family, which without them none of this would be possible. Until my next entry, may all of you have a wonderful Christmas Season, and a absolutely Great New Year.<br /><br />See ya on the Trails,<br />Casey FanninCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-62111097445115561712010-11-08T05:40:00.000-08:002010-11-08T07:14:31.771-08:00Cahaba Cycles at Xterra World Championships<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivy_n1XsJlzV9_i_3wnPzUHVKXdffDeWfmXm2nwsIxOnSNVlPzx_t5gmxqgtde9A-OD76cQALqzawzCOQyQzsneMPbLoHl02Q9o31p7qVEj9lj-1sYtU2kcup-HaGRRkYEY886sl6Xv0/s1600/063_63.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivy_n1XsJlzV9_i_3wnPzUHVKXdffDeWfmXm2nwsIxOnSNVlPzx_t5gmxqgtde9A-OD76cQALqzawzCOQyQzsneMPbLoHl02Q9o31p7qVEj9lj-1sYtU2kcup-HaGRRkYEY886sl6Xv0/s400/063_63.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537196524291182754" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8fzDls2gzEm0ceyTbqvxYTrgc8lBsjvKkbGtpqjsREvagoOpjo9eON3eXbWyUSAz_CXj5pHiU1L3nJcW648B7s4ftt9OPchmD3UW-ybco_ZjsNUMb0OOY1Py9WkukzKaCW4Ignpwn58/s1600/X-Finish%2520Casey%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8fzDls2gzEm0ceyTbqvxYTrgc8lBsjvKkbGtpqjsREvagoOpjo9eON3eXbWyUSAz_CXj5pHiU1L3nJcW648B7s4ftt9OPchmD3UW-ybco_ZjsNUMb0OOY1Py9WkukzKaCW4Ignpwn58/s400/X-Finish%2520Casey%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537184361615885522" /></a><br />Cahaba Cycles Team Rider Casey Fannin here reporting on a fantastic time in the Islands of Hawaii for the Xterra World Championship.<br />The beauty of Hawaii never ceases to amaze me. I feel very blessed to get to compete at this event. This was my 8Th year to compete at the World Championship, and my performance this year was a little off compared to years in the past, but with my injuries and lack of training that was to be expected. Still, the Xterra World Championship is just a fantastic time.<br />The race took place on October 24Th on the Island of Maui near Makena Beach at the Maui Prince. It started off with a 1.5K open water swim in the waters of the Pacific. A 2 loop course for the swim makes it a little tight for several hundred yards after the cannon fires off for the start of the race. There were about 720 plus starters for this years event, so it can get a little aggressive for the start. I had a great start position and was able to get into a good groove for the swim. I came out of the water around 23 minutes for a 2ND place in my age group behind my friend Tom Monica from California, he's a very fast swimmer and I never saw him, so I was on the chase all day. The bike course is a 20 mile track up into the Kula Ranch area above the Makena Resort. It has over 3000ft of vertical climbing in this short 20 miles. I say short with a grain of salt, it is a tough course with lots of sharp lava, and plenty of kewave thorns. I came out of the swim and got on the bike in the mind set that I had to try and catch Tom. I felt OK on the bike but I could tell it was just not going to be my day. I never had the power to go....it felt like I was going backwards. Oh well, I became the hunted. I wanted to just stay in the place where I was so my mind set became, don't lose any spots! I pushed has hard as I could and came into transition 2 in 2ND place. Out on the run I went. The run course is just under 7 miles with plenty of climbing in itself. I've been nursing a stress fracture since July so I was plenty worried about getting run down by anyone who might be behind me. I just tried to hold what pace I could manage. It was with relief when I got closer to the finish and was able to look back and see no one in sight.....I came home in 2ND place 1 minute down from Tom.....I took 2ND place at the World Championship for the 4Th time since I have raced in Maui. A World Champion Jersey would have been nice, but it was not in the cards this year. It has been a tough season for this Veteran, but a good one.<br />I'm very thankful to have friends and family that support me at this crazy sport, and put up with all the training that it involves to be successful. I could not do it with out the help and support of Cahaba Cycles and the Malki's who supply me with the best bikes in the business. Also, to Chris who keeps my bikes running in tip top condition. I can honestly say I've never had mechanical issues at all in any of my races. That alone says a lot to the caliber of employees at Cahaba. Thanks to all the staff for treating me like a King.<br />Now, I mention the best part of Maui was the Famous Xterra After Race Halloween Party. It was Crazy Fun.....I should have won, but I'll tell you the story if you ask me.... Until next time<br /><br />Casey FanninCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-89193728022444221172010-10-18T13:02:00.000-07:002010-10-18T13:04:30.147-07:00New GearJust wanted to talk about my latest update to my Orbea tri bike. Finally upgraded my pedals with the help of Heath at the Cahaba store to some really cool Look Keo Blade Carbon pedals that are about twice as light as my old ones. They weren't hard to get used to at all. He also hooked me up with some Bontrager RXL Hilo shoes with eSoles inserts. I've always added my own inserts with Powersteps due to plantar fascia problems, but I havn't needed to with these. They give great support and are lightweight. They are also really comfortable without socks with no chafing in a half ironman. Chris out at Trussville tweaked my fit using my original Retul measurements as there were some changes in seat height needed with the new equipment. It is all working out great! Oh! Also wanted to say I love my new bike case that is inflatable. Its made by BIKND and its called he Helium. Cahaba stocks it. It was SO much easier to fly and travel with. Was also lighter weight. Highly recommend it! The guys at Cahaba can take care of anything I need!Cahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7121309850929027809.post-12469163001841365422010-09-29T12:56:00.000-07:002010-09-29T13:30:28.312-07:00Xterra National Championship 2010<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97muY1jpoyiNVtjc_6LGzILVrRAF6N36yXsvHJkPVCRHNDn0M2OjQ3oP0n_bHOCMNwsSN2DG68CMcVI9BftWwpCFeFmiohbyOYXeDCV-rZQVWRxh2pj6i5krTsr6KWubHaOc6FIAVVkQ/s1600/03_Poster_XTERRA_USA2010%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97muY1jpoyiNVtjc_6LGzILVrRAF6N36yXsvHJkPVCRHNDn0M2OjQ3oP0n_bHOCMNwsSN2DG68CMcVI9BftWwpCFeFmiohbyOYXeDCV-rZQVWRxh2pj6i5krTsr6KWubHaOc6FIAVVkQ/s400/03_Poster_XTERRA_USA2010%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522435267501366690" /></a><br />Cahaba Cycles Team Rider Casey Fannin here reporting on the Xterra National Championship in Ogden Utah.<br /> Well, the 2010 Xterra National Series has come to and end. 2010 has been a rough season for this veteran. I have had a Stress fracture since July, and it has been very frustrating for someone who loves to run.<br /> I traveled to Ogden to do the National Campionship Race with no High Expectations at all. I must say it was for craps and giggles because I did manage to Win the Southeast Regional Championship for the Ninth Year. This would be a nice end to the series for me, and we were presented with our Jersey's at the night of Champions Dinner on Friday Night. Every year Xterra presents either man or woman with the distinquished title of Mr. Xterra or Mrs. Xterra, and to my Great surprise they Happen to choose me for the title of Mr. Xterra for 2010. I must say it was a great honor to be chosen. Along with getting my Jersey, this made for a very worth while dinner for me. Saturday we had to race and I was quite nervous that morning for reasons I mentioned before, being injured and all. It began with a bang of the famous cannon and we were off. I felt good on the swim, but was slower than I expected. I came out of the water in 3rd place in my age group and that is where I would stay for the remander of the day. I pushed my Top Fuel has hard as I could but at altitude I can only go so hard. It is a challenge going from 600ft. of elevation to 5000ft. and climbing to 10,000.....just kicks my butt every time. Well I continued pushing as well as I could, and still no one in my age group came around me on the bike......that was a little relief, but I still had to run a 10k and I had not run for some time. I knew it would be painful. I managed my way through the first mile, which is straight up for the first several hundred yards. OUCH! Once on top I managed to hold my slow pace and finally started back down the hill with a great bit of relief. I come across the finish in 3rd place at the National Championship..on the podium, it was a great feeling being somewhat competitive with the lack of training I had. Another Xterra Series in the books, and success at that!<br />None of this would not be possible without the support of Cahaba Cycles and the Great Crew that takes care of me. My bikes are the best, and the Malki's are 2nd to none when it comes to support for the Team. Thanks a billion!<br />Now it's time to focus on Xterra Worlds in October, and we'll be headed up to Racoon Mt. 8 hour race next weekend in prep for Worlds. I'll Check in with another report soon. Thanks for the read and we'll see you guys out riding.<br /><br /> Sincerely,<br /> Casey Fannin, Team CahabaCahaba Cycleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16601615803542479241noreply@blogger.com1