Saturday, May 31, 2008

Thinking Cross.......

The cross bikes are going to be changed up a little bit this season.
A Bike:
Frame: 2006 Cannondale Cadd 9 56cm
Fork: Ritchey WCS fork
Headset: FSA
Bar: 44cm Ritchey Logic Pro
Stem: 120mm Ritchey WCS
SeatPost: 27.2mm Rithcey WCS
Saddle: Fizik Arione
Brakes: Tektro CR720
Pads: Swiss Stop
Cables: Gore Ride-on-Cables
Crank: Cannondale Carbon SI 175mm
Chainrings: 42T Double FSA carbon chainguards
Pedals: Crank Brothers 2ti Egg Beaters
Shifters: Sram Red
Rear Derailer: Sram Red
Cassette: Sram Red 11-26
Chain: Dura Ace


B Bike: Same exact set up but with Sram Red Crank 175mm, Ceramic BB, 38t 46t strong light rings, Sram Force front derailer.

Wheels/Tires: TBA

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Chicago Roubaix


I come home to this! Horrible roads. Since I have been home from college I have seen some of the worst roads I have ever seen in Chicago history. What is going on? One after another. I am talking massive holes that will just eat bikes. Last Wednesday on the turin ride I just about killed myself on a couple of these narly potholes. I am glad Lou built me my 32hole Roubaix wheels with Vittoria Pave tires because that is about the only wheelset you can get away with around here. I hope everyone stays safe out there!

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Weekend Recap

After my disappointing Snake I was ready to roll on Sunday. Eager and ready to redeem myself. Melon city is a quite unique race. It is not a crit but not really a circuit race either. Usually the hill in that course gets the best of me but not this year. Legs were feeling great. I luckily played the sprint well and picked the right move on the right side of the hill behind Andy Crater. Ended up 6th which I was extremely stoked about.
Monday did not go as well as I hoped. This race couldn't be more of a perfect race for me, but I seem to F*** it up. I just do not have the right crit attitude yet this season. I had trouble reading when it was the best time to move up and I just waited to long. Seems that I do that alot. Oh well finished 26th one place on of the money.
Got Winfield this weekend which should be a fun couple races.
Leave you with some old school Iowa Cat 4 photos:

Quad Cities

Snake Alley

Snake Photos




Sunday, May 25, 2008

Snake Alley



Yesterday my team headed out to Iowa for a great weekend of bike racing. The snake was the first race on the agenda for the weekend. One of my favorite races all year. True mans race. Nothing but cobbled switch back climbs and screaming descents. My goal this year was to do better than 27th which is what I finished last year.
I had a decent starting spot a few rows back. I had a little bit of a rough start, because of my lack of being able to get clipped in. (I need to work on that before cross season). I hit the snake in about 45th position. I pushed hard and moved up a couple placed each lap. Soon enough people were yelling out that I was 15th. WOW! I never thought I would be that far up. And I was right the next lap something happened not really sure what, but I got suddenly very sick and just started puking on the side of the road. Man that pissed me off. Oh well I guess thats bike racing. Just really frustrating because that was going to be one of my best results ever. Today is Melon City I hope I have better luck. Legs are feeling good after a nice recovery week back home in Evanston.

Thanks to everyone cheering on the snake. That motivation really helps push yourself. Really appreaiate it. Props to Ryan for sticking in there and getting a good result. Thanks to Lou at The Pony Shop for lending me his Carbones. Man those wheels are sick. I have ridden a good amount of wheels and those are by far my favorite. Stiff and light nothing more you could ask for.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Long Time no Post

Man have I been slacking. Just have not been feeling the whole blog thing recently. Alot has happened since my last post. We had our host race up at Winona Lake were I had a pretty good weekend. Finished 2nd in the Road race after riding in a windy break with the man him self Curtis Tolson. He is one strong old dude. Crit went well as well finishing up 4th.

The IU cycling team ventured out to Fort Collins Colorado a couple weeks ago for collegiate nationals. Not much to say about that. Raced like crap out there, but somehow had a blast. I really want to move out West when I get out of school. Got taken out in the crit which really sucked but thats bike racing.

TTT

Getting dropped in the RR

TTT

Off the front the crit.
I think its funny all the TTT photos I am in the front, but I was suffering like a dog and pulled the least out of Bret and Issac. Thanks guys for pulling me around.

Last weekend Ryan and I headed to Arkansas for this stupid stage race. 4 days 350miles and 25,000ft of climbing. I HATE CLIMBING! This race is a hard mans race. Constant up and down. The 2 hardest road races ended on the top of mountains. Nebo was 3miles of 18% or more and Magazine was 10miles at around 6-8% grade. I finished everything except the crit. Legs were just to thrashed by Sunday do do anything in the crit. Oh well. It was a fun experience I do not know if I will try it again next year but who knows.

Iowa weekend is just around the corner. One of my favorites all year. We will just have to wait and see how the legs are going to feel.