FLASH-POINT BLOG ARCHIVE: Jul 2006

This blog is probably not the place to start commenting on the state of cycling but I will just say that after all the pre-race problems this year's Tour de France has thankfully managed to shine through all the dark clouds that are threatening to cast a shadow over the sport. Landis was amazing and truly deserving of his victory. So the American dominance continues, but with racing like that I can't see anyone complaining.Well, as the riders get ready to hang up the wheels for a few days I am doing the opposite and returning to riding after a three week break. I thought returning after the break was going to be hard work with my body not forgiving me for the neglect but things are going surprisingly well. I have been sticking to a couple of faster more undulating routes avoiding too many traffic stops and the steepers hills. In my opinion these are the types of rides that the Flashpoints are best for, where their smooth rolling and speed really make a difference.More photos - the bike.

My God! Those boys in France sure can ride a bike. They churn the big gear like they are whipping butter out of the country air. It is 95% inspiring and 5% damn depressing. For if I tried to keep their pace for even 30 minutes, you'd likely find my lifeless body collapsed on the side of the road--probably still clipped into my speedplays.
Of course, when I'm out there pedaling I try to tuck down deep like Mr. Landis, or (since I ride a Cervelo) like David Z. I pass the mountain bikers and those cyclists on their rented, 30-pound cruisers and in my head I can hear Phil chanting, "There goes Rick, dancing away in his pedals!!! Look at that breakaway speed! Here is a fine young rider coming into his own at the tour!"
But at 28, aproaching 29, I'm not that young. And the tour is never going to happen for me. (Despite the obvious truth of that statement does any cyclist really abandon that dream?) So what do I do? I work out hard every day and try to get better. It's baby steps.
Last July I'd average 19 mph for a 20 mile ride near my house, now it's closer to 23mph. In my mind that's a hell of an improvement. I'd certainly chalk up some of that performance to the Flashpoints. Because as I and other posters have said, this is a fast wheel set. (DO YOU GET IT YET!!)  But the majority of my improvement has been due to me getting out on the roads on a regular basis and beating my legs and lungs into oblivion. And that is also partially due to the Flashpoints
When you have a nice wheelset likes these FP60's you feel like you have to ride UP to them. Because let's face it, nobody wants to ride a deep-rimmed aero wheel AND suck. Being a posser is just no good. And the best way to stop being a posser is to ride--ride like you are escaping from hell. Or in my case, almost 23mph for approximately 20 miles. It's all relative, or so I hear.
So this week we have a bit of a heat wave in the 'Burgh. 90+degrees and 70some% humidity. I weighed myself and then went on a 30 mile ride. In the interim I had two bowls of cereal, a can of Dr.Pepper, and a protein shake. After the ride I stepped back on the scale and still weighed two pounds less than when I woke up. That's some real fluid loss. It's suffering to be over 100 degree pavement right now but that's what it takes to get better. I'm making those baby steps toward whatever plateau God decided to give me, and the flashpoints whether through motivation, or by physically cutting through a nasty head wind like a katana are helping me get there. 
Have fun. Ride. Beat you self up. And have a beer.
  

Baseball's All-Star Festival rolled into town this weekend, and I was one of of the fortunate few to have a ticket for both the Home-Run hitting Contest and the AllStar game. Both were good "events", but for entertainment value the Home Run contest stole the show.
Watching home run after home run go 400--430--480 feet is just an amazing spectacle. Baseballs exploded off the bats, sailed over the walls of PNC park and splashed into the river. There kayakers fought, scrapped, and paddled each other into submission for a chance to grab a ten dollar piece of water-soaked hide. Fantastic.
Over the two nights I washed that baseball bonanza down with nine beers, five slices of pizza and a primantis (a semi-famous sandwich consisting of a beef patty, greasy fries, and mounds of coleslaw stuffed between inch-thick slices of Italian bread). YIKES!
Thankfully I stepped on the scale this morning and had ZERO weight gain. I'd like to thank my metabolism, but I think it has more to do with the long rides I've taken each of the past two days. As triathlon season reaches the halfway point, all of my rides are now on my tri bike and all of them are with my flashpoints.
Aside from one broken spoke, my wheels have held up admirably over a 1000 some miles of training and racing. The hubs have shown no sign of wear and still roll as smoothly as when I first tried the wheels out. The aerodynamic benefit is undeniable.
I've ridden and raced through a few heavy downpours and high winds. The wheels were unaffected by the inclement weather.
For those hesitating to ride deep-rimmed wheels, let me say that through all of my miles of training there has been maybe 10 seconds total where a strong gust of wind affected my bike's handling. And those rare events were easily controllable with a slight handlebar adjustment or body lean.
So far I have been very pleased with their performance and durability.