Clement PDX Tubular Tire Review

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. Omar

Adventures in 1x10

After 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.

Strollin

Last 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 Bob baby stroller. 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.

2011 Ft. Yargo XC Race

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 here for more on the Twilight Criterium.

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!

Omar

Xterra Ft. Yargo

Despite downpours, the annual Xterra Ft. Yargo took place this past Saturday in Winder, GA. The Ft. Yargo course is a notch down in difficulty compared to the longer Cup races with intense climbs. This makes it a great way to start off the Xterra season. After a long winter of short course pool swimming, my arms started screaming for mercy about half way into the 800m lake swim. A few more weeks of long course swimming will help my open water form. I spent a lot of time on the bike this year, and it paid off when I finished the muddy 10 mile bike course within a minute of my time last year in the dry. My effort on the bike resulted in the fastest bike split of the day and 1st place overall position going into T2. Unfortunately, my extra time on the bike this year meant less time running, and it showed when I ended up in 3rd place overall (1st place AG) by the end. Despite the inclement weather, Xterra Ft. Yargo was a well run event, and I had a great time. Time to run...

Omar
www.ozonexterra.com

Great Deals to Make You Faster

Hey Everybody,

Spring is finally coming! The days are getting longer, warmer, and filled with cyclists buzzing about like busy bees. For some of us, that means the race season is just around the corner. If you are like me you were a little too cold to get much riding done this winter. So, I have some great deals at the shop to make even the laziest winter cyclist super fast. Check it out:

First up on the list, I've got a smokin' deal on our last 54 cm Cervelo P4 still left over from last year. TheP4 is the most aerodynamic bicycle in the entire world. Our P4 is decked out with Sram Red, Carbon Vision Aerobars and a magical water bottle that makes you go faster. This bike retails for $6800, but just like all our other 2009 stock, it's got to go to make room for our 2010 orders. So just for you, my fellow cyclist, you can have it for a mere $5440.

So I know what you are saying, 'I don't ride Triathalons...I'm a roadie and I like to climb!'.

Well, I have just the thing for you. How about a bonafide set of Dura-Ace 7800 tubular wheels? They are fast, stiff, and most of all...lightweight.

MSRP = $1999

MTBP(Mention this blog post) = $999

Last but certainly not least, I have a tantalizing offering for roadies and tri-geeks alike. Bontrager Aeolus 6.5 carbon tubulars and Zipp 1080s. Need I say more? I think not...

MSRP on these badboys are high...however, seeing as how I need to make room for some 2010 wheels...maybe we can cut a deal. Come in and ask for me, Andrew, and we'll see if we can't get you out the door riding with some deep dish hoops on your bike.

29 " Wheel Comparison - Shimano vs Bontrager

Occasionally I get to demo new products. Over the last two weeks, I have been riding and racing on Shimano's latest 29" MTB wheelset. My reference point consists primarily of my season old Bontrager Race-X Lite Wheels that came with my Gary Fisher Superfly.

After over 100 aggressive MTB miles, the Shimano wheels have held up extremely well. I removed the tires and valve stems and weighed the two wheelsets back to back. Both had stock skewers, tubeless rimstrips (Bontrager wheels only-Shimano doesn't need rim strips for tubeless), stock 160mm rotors, and Shimano XT 11-34 cassettes attached. Amazingly, both wheelsets came in at 2lb 5oz front and 3lb 4oz rear. Although they won't win weight weenie contests, they are light by 29" standards and within 1/2 lb of similarly priced 26" wheelsets.

The hub quality and engagements of both rear wheels feels nearly identical. The Shimano uses a straight pull spoke design (no 90 degree bend at the hub), which supposedly allows higher spoke tension and greater stiffness. Although the spokes are laced noticeably stiff, I was unable to tell the difference in stiffness while riding. The Bontrager wheels require a rimstrip to run tubeless. Shimano seals the spoke holes, so no strip is required. Both systems work flawlessly with tubeless setups. However, Shimano's system seems to make spoke nipple replacement a factory only procedure. In my 20 years of riding bicycles, I have never had to replace spoke nipples, so this shouldn't be an issue.

There were really only 3 noticeable performance differences between the two wheelsets. The bearing drag is slightly higher on the Shimano hubs (possibly due to the relative lack of miles). The closing mechanism feels less stout on the Shimano skewers than the Bonty's. Finally, the Shimano's use centerlock brake rotors instead of 6 bolt. Fortunately the 09 Bonty's now use the lighter and easier removal centerlock design. At $700/set, the Shimano's retail for $200 less/set than the new Bontrager wheels. In conclusion, the lower price and equally performing Shimano's are a great buy for a no fuss high performance cross country wheelset.

Omar

www.ozonexterra.com

A Long Weekend

After two days in a row of racing, I finally regained enough energy to blog about it...

Saturday morning's Xterra triathlon in Winder Georgia started off with a half mile lake swim. After training in pools all winter with the luxury of walls to rest between laps, the first lake swim of the year was a small shock. Luckily, I have been swimming consistently this year, so it wasn't as bad as past years. Although I was third out of the water, I had a great T1 and started the 10 mile mountain bike leg in first. Friday's wetsuit emergency didn't leave any time to pre-ride the course. Fortunately, I had luck on my side as I safely navigated the bmx style jumps through one of the most technically challenging Xterra courses that I have ever ridden. I gained a sizable lead on the bike course, and despite recently overcoming a running injury, managed to comfortably hold form for 4.5 miles and take the race victory.

Sunday's 30 mile mountain bike race followed the same course as Saturday's Xterra bike leg. Once the horn went off for the 3 lap hammer fest, the lead group started off in a punishing pace. The fatigue from the previous day's triathlon set in before the end of the first lap. As the lactic acid quickly started to build, I slowed to a more sustainable pace and switched into training mode rather than race win mode. Although the mid-pack eighth place finish won't do much for my race resume, I added a thick layer of toughness that will pay off this season...

Omar
www.ozonexterra.com

Xterra Lock 4 Race Weekend by Omar

My wife Kira and I kicked off the fourth of July weekend with Xterra pro Craig Evans and family in Spring Hill TN. After a fun Friday evening watching Dara Torres make swimming history and ducking the neighborhood fireworks shrapnel, the rest of the weekend focused on racing. Craig and I met up with local triathlete Bruce Gennari for a Saturday morning road ride. Since we were all racing the next day, I figured it would be an easy 2 hour stroll through the countryside. Unfortunately Bruce and Craig's idea of a stroll ended up being a 3 hour 60 mile sweat fest. Although it was a stronger training effort than I intended, I got to ride on the beautiful Natchez Trace parkway, and still had enough fuel in the tank for Sunday's Xterra.

Despite being down for a few weeks after crash out of the Buster Britton, I still managed to put together a pretty strong race. Weather and course conditions held up beautifully and I rolled across the the finish line second overall behind Craig and over 5 minutes faster than last year. Although I felt strong for most of the race, the lack of running over the last few weeks really made the 4.5 mile run hurt. I managed to make it through the run with slight abdominal muscle cramping and achilles pain that would have been debilitating if I pushed it any harder. It turns out that the achilles pain, which I thought was plantar fasciitis, is actually achilles tendonosis. With three weeks until my next Xterra, the JCC will consume more of my training time than usual. Core work and physical therapy on my bum foot will suplement running and most of my cycling time in the immediate future. I also have a Strassburg sock on order to try and speed the healing...

Xterra Southeast Race Report by Omar

It’s always satisfying to put together a solid race after months of training. With an age group win, 2nd place overall amateur finish, and a hand-full of pro’s in the wake, yesterday was no exception. Although I placed well, I was most thrilled about my huge improvement over last years’ performance. Even with a slightly longer course and hellish water and air temperature conditions, I managed to knock 8 minutes off of my time from last year.

Unfortunately, my overall improvement was not reflected in the swim. Although the 81 degree water temperature didn’t help matters, I still ended up over a minute slower than last year. I have three theories about this:
· I have no way of verifying, but the first swim buoy looked a whole lot further out than last year.
· After averaging less than 10,000 yards a week for the majority of the year, including a few weeks completely out of the water, my total time devoted to swimming was less than adequate.
· Increased muscle mass from additional cycling and running is turning my legs into anchors in the water
Since most of the elites were slower than last year, I’m leaning towards my first theory. Regardless, more time in the pool to increase core and upper body strength should help to offset any added leg mass, and restore that torpedo like body position from my college swimming days.
I felt very strong on the bike this time around. Although having home course advantage definitely helped, I had a much stronger engine this year. I was able to maintain a much quicker and smoother pedal cadence. This was a result of more than doubling my saddle time since getting on a road bike last year. I also have to give credit to having one of the fastest mountain bikes for the course.

While the majority of my improvement came from a much stronger bike leg, I also had a better overall run. After leaving transition, I got an immediate side cramp. This slowed my pace considerably for the first 3 miles. After mile 3, it finally went away in time to tackle the infamously technical and steep yellow trail. Additional attention to hill repeats in training this year gave me the capacity to actually run the entire course without stopping or walking.

Although cramping while on the run continues to be an issue, I feel like I have gotten much more control over it. Through better conditioning, a more dialed in prerace diet, and better race nutrition, I am finally getting a handle on it. Next up: Buster Britton…

Check out the race photos at http://www.xterraplanet.com/news/press_article.cfm?id=2215 (I’m in #19)

Another New Bike

Hey everyone, this is Omar Fraser. Although my preference is for off road riding, I’ve finally come to grips with the fact that it takes road miles to be a great mountain biker. Thanks to fellow cycling enthusiast Bob Schlemmer, who let me borrow his old Campagnola equipped steel framed Univega road bike for several months, I was able to make some significant cycling fitness strides in the off-season. More recently, I figured what better way to “stimulate” a struggling economy and celebrate a birthday than with a new bike. With my wife convinced I decided on a new Trek Madone 4.7.

With about 80 mixed miles on my new Madone, I could not be more pleased with the bike. The fit was the first noticeable difference between the old Univega and the new Madone. Although the seat was adjusted to my height, the 58cm Univega was just too small for my 6-3 frame. With a proper 62” frame, I am now able to achieve a much more natural riding position.

The second, and most surprising, difference between the two bikes was the increase in lateral stiffness around the bottom bracket, fork, and rear triangle. I have always been a skeptic of bike reviews that make claims with no actual evidence. However, in a sprint on the Univega, I could easily make the tires rub on the brake pads, and the chain rub on the front derailleur. From a lateral stiffness standpoint, this bike was as solid as a bank vault under any forces I was able to exert. I was also unable to notice any decrease in comfort (comfort is far more affected by the tires and the points where your body touches the bike than anything else).

Finally, while the steel Univega was a solid bike, it was no lightweight. Although I never bothered to weigh either bike on a bike scale, I weighed approximately 3 pounds less on my home scale while holding the Madone. Now I just have to get used to the Shimano shifters. Thanks again to all the folks at Cahaba Cycles!

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