Secret Agent Man

Last year I got to go to a Shimano Special Invitation gig and was told all about the XT DynaSys 10 speed stuff, along with XTR, months before it was released to the public. Then they gave me an XT DynaSys group to play with. All "Secret Agent Man" like. In fact, I had to sign a non-disclosure agreement to even attend the meeting. Like if I said anything early, a special ninja agent would blow a poison dart into my neck, and it'd be curtains for me.

Or not.

But I didn't press the issue, I'll tell ya that much! Anywho, they did another one of these deals again yesterday up in the Twin Cities at Theo Wirth Park. I'd never been there, so that was cool to find where that place is at.

Oh yeah.......I had to sign another Non-Disclosure Agreement, so..........

I'll talk about the stuff I can talk about. The trip up was okay until I got to Owatonna. Man! There are certain places where oddities happen on Earth. You know- para-normal activity, places where gravity doesn't work, Area 51, and Washington D.C. Things where the normal fabric of life is unraveled and up is down, black is white.

Owatonna, Minnesota is such a place in terms of weather and its being bad. once I crested the hill going into town from the south, there was ice all over the sides of the road, it was spritzing rain, and the roadway looked shiny. Great! Just great. Everything was okay though, and once past Faribault, it was clear sailing once more.

I had to go to Theo Wirth, as I said, and having never been there before, I had no idea where to go, since a "certain someone that shall go un-named" didn't forward me the official invite. Regardless, I found it via the wonders of the inner-webs and discovered it was a golf course with a huge clubhouse that was where the event was taking place. And I was only 5 minutes late, annnd....the meeting hadn't started yet. Fashionably late? Well, I didn't plan it that way, but......

Now there were some media embargoes that were spoken of and secret stuff was shared. But.....not everything was secret! There was the much ballyhooed cross specific crank and brakes, and some 11 speed Afine talk. Nothing earth shattering there, but it is cool to see Shimano doing the CX stuff, as it will make more cross bikes available out there in 2012, I'm sure.

Yeah.......the really cool stuff was secret. 

Then I had to get home. 4pm. Rush hour in the TC. Good thing I know some side street action! Bonus for riding and driving the Twin Cities as much as I have, and for paying attention while doing so! I avoided the bumper to bumper madness, and got out of there in great shape, only to face sideways rain and horrendous winds all the way home. It was definitely one of the worst drives I have been involved in for years. I narrowly missed getting wrecked by a semi-tractor/trailer that was spewing so much water into the wind behind him that I nearly went blindly under his trailer wheels at 60mph. Not cool! Then there was that gust of wind that got my truck sideways. Sideways! At speed. Crazy stuff, and I was super glad to get home unscathed. 


Anyway, what would all the secret stuff be without some drama and adventure, right?

 

Secret Agent Man

Last year I got to go to a Shimano Special Invitation gig and was told all about the XT DynaSys 10 speed stuff, along with XTR, months before it was released to the public. Then they gave me an XT DynaSys group to play with. All "Secret Agent Man" like. In fact, I had to sign a non-disclosure agreement to even attend the meeting. Like if I said anything early, a special ninja agent would blow a poison dart into my neck, and it'd be curtains for me.

Or not.

But I didn't press the issue, I'll tell ya that much! Anywho, they did another one of these deals again yesterday up in the Twin Cities at Theo Wirth Park. I'd never been there, so that was cool to find where that place is at.

Oh yeah.......I had to sign another Non-Disclosure Agreement, so..........

I'll talk about the stuff I can talk about. The trip up was okay until I got to Owatonna. Man! There are certain places where oddities happen on Earth. You know- para-normal activity, places where gravity doesn't work, Area 51, and Washington D.C. Things where the normal fabric of life is unraveled and up is down, black is white.

Owatonna, Minnesota is such a place in terms of weather and its being bad. once I crested the hill going into town from the south, there was ice all over the sides of the road, it was spritzing rain, and the roadway looked shiny. Great! Just great. Everything was okay though, and once past Faribault, it was clear sailing once more.

I had to go to Theo Wirth, as I said, and having never been there before, I had no idea where to go, since a "certain someone that shall go un-named" didn't forward me the official invite. Regardless, I found it via the wonders of the inner-webs and discovered it was a golf course with a huge clubhouse that was where the event was taking place. And I was only 5 minutes late, annnd....the meeting hadn't started yet. Fashionably late? Well, I didn't plan it that way, but......

Now there were some media embargoes that were spoken of and secret stuff was shared. But.....not everything was secret! There was the much ballyhooed cross specific crank and brakes, and some 11 speed Afine talk. Nothing earth shattering there, but it is cool to see Shimano doing the CX stuff, as it will make more cross bikes available out there in 2012, I'm sure.

Yeah.......the really cool stuff was secret. 

Then I had to get home. 4pm. Rush hour in the TC. Good thing I know some side street action! Bonus for riding and driving the Twin Cities as much as I have, and for paying attention while doing so! I avoided the bumper to bumper madness, and got out of there in great shape, only to face sideways rain and horrendous winds all the way home. It was definitely one of the worst drives I have been involved in for years. I narrowly missed getting wrecked by a semi-tractor/trailer that was spewing so much water into the wind behind him that I nearly went blindly under his trailer wheels at 60mph. Not cool! Then there was that gust of wind that got my truck sideways. Sideways! At speed. Crazy stuff, and I was super glad to get home unscathed. 


Anyway, what would all the secret stuff be without some drama and adventure, right?

 

Being A Traveling Man And Other Thoughts

<===The Truck With No Name

Today I'll be spending a lot of time inside this red steel, plastic, and rubber cocoon going up to the Twin Cities and back again. It all has something to do with Shimano. I'll know more when I get back, but how much I'll be able to talk about, I do not know yet. Stay tuned.....

This might sound ironic, but I am not a huge fan of the actual traveling bit. Not by automobile, and definitely not by aeroplane. Maybe I have some of my Grandpa in me. He never went anywhere! Well, not as long as I knew him, he didn't. Not sure why that was.....

But, be that as it may, traveling gets you to do things, see places, and most importantly- meet people, you otherwise would not get to. So, I always weigh the traveling against those factors, and try to see what comes out in the balance. This particular trip better be a good one! That's all I'm saying right now. I had to cut back on one attractive facet of it already, which made the whole deal distasteful right out of the gate. That and having to set up all the scheduling with work, family, and my other goings on. So, we'll see later.

Three Strikes: Okay, so what's the deal with SRAM DoubleTap shifters? I know of three that have had the shift levers just fall off now. Three. Makes me think something isn't quite right there. I mean, I haven't heard of any big, catastrophic failures with STI levers or Campy Ergo shifters, for that matter. Not that it doesn't happen, but when a SRAM shift lever falls off, it means you are relegated to high gear in whatever ranges you have up front. Not too appealing of a scenario, especially for gravel travel, where I would likely use such shifters.

Methinks I will be staying away from those until something is done to address that issue. Besides, I don't even have the proper gear to run the stuff anyway, so in the end, it isn't a big deal for me. Maybe those of you with SRAM stuff may want to keep an eye on that, just in case.

And Speaking Of STI...Has anyone got an opinion on the newer STI levers? I'll give you mine: They stink! Well, compared to the old ones they do. The old ones with the "non-aero" cabling. Those were "easy-peasey" to change cables on, had a neat, clean appearance, and were reliable as the day was long. The newer ones have absolutely gone backwards in every way, with the possible exception of reliability. Cabling is overly complex, and the appearance looks incomplete. Shimano needs to do something about this, especially the brake cable re-fitting. It is just stupid compared to the previous generation shifters. The shifter cables? Well, they are no better, actually, now that I think of it.  New STI? Fail. If the old STI came out after this newest generation we would all be jumping for joy, that's how much better it is.

And More On Drop Bar Levers! While I am on the subject of drop bar levers, I came across something interesting yesterday. An older Cannondale touring bike came in with a set of Magura hydraulic drop bar levers and brakes. You remember those Magura brakes that Tomac used and the trials guys are crazy about? Same ones actuated by a Magura drop bar lever. I know some guys are huge fans of these brakes, but I don't particularly care for the clunky look and funky set up. What is cool is that it reminds me of what we're going to start seeing really soon- drop bar hydraulic STI/DoubleTap shifters. I know, I know.......there are cable actuated hydro-box-dohickeys. They are a kludge too. Don't think so? Then tell me why folks keep trying to hide the master cylinders under their stems and in front of the head tubes? I'll tell you why- because it looks stupid and everyone wants it to be part of the lever, that's why.  I believe it will happen, and when it does, the Fargo, Badger, Gryphon, and Karate Monkey will be getting switched over at some point.

Have a great Tuesday, ya'all!

Being A Traveling Man And Other Thoughts

<===The Truck With No Name

Today I'll be spending a lot of time inside this red steel, plastic, and rubber cocoon going up to the Twin Cities and back again. It all has something to do with Shimano. I'll know more when I get back, but how much I'll be able to talk about, I do not know yet. Stay tuned.....

This might sound ironic, but I am not a huge fan of the actual traveling bit. Not by automobile, and definitely not by aeroplane. Maybe I have some of my Grandpa in me. He never went anywhere! Well, not as long as I knew him, he didn't. Not sure why that was.....

But, be that as it may, traveling gets you to do things, see places, and most importantly- meet people, you otherwise would not get to. So, I always weigh the traveling against those factors, and try to see what comes out in the balance. This particular trip better be a good one! That's all I'm saying right now. I had to cut back on one attractive facet of it already, which made the whole deal distasteful right out of the gate. That and having to set up all the scheduling with work, family, and my other goings on. So, we'll see later.

Three Strikes: Okay, so what's the deal with SRAM DoubleTap shifters? I know of three that have had the shift levers just fall off now. Three. Makes me think something isn't quite right there. I mean, I haven't heard of any big, catastrophic failures with STI levers or Campy Ergo shifters, for that matter. Not that it doesn't happen, but when a SRAM shift lever falls off, it means you are relegated to high gear in whatever ranges you have up front. Not too appealing of a scenario, especially for gravel travel, where I would likely use such shifters.

Methinks I will be staying away from those until something is done to address that issue. Besides, I don't even have the proper gear to run the stuff anyway, so in the end, it isn't a big deal for me. Maybe those of you with SRAM stuff may want to keep an eye on that, just in case.

And Speaking Of STI...Has anyone got an opinion on the newer STI levers? I'll give you mine: They stink! Well, compared to the old ones they do. The old ones with the "non-aero" cabling. Those were "easy-peasey" to change cables on, had a neat, clean appearance, and were reliable as the day was long. The newer ones have absolutely gone backwards in every way, with the possible exception of reliability. Cabling is overly complex, and the appearance looks incomplete. Shimano needs to do something about this, especially the brake cable re-fitting. It is just stupid compared to the previous generation shifters. The shifter cables? Well, they are no better, actually, now that I think of it.  New STI? Fail. If the old STI came out after this newest generation we would all be jumping for joy, that's how much better it is.

And More On Drop Bar Levers! While I am on the subject of drop bar levers, I came across something interesting yesterday. An older Cannondale touring bike came in with a set of Magura hydraulic drop bar levers and brakes. You remember those Magura brakes that Tomac used and the trials guys are crazy about? Same ones actuated by a Magura drop bar lever. I know some guys are huge fans of these brakes, but I don't particularly care for the clunky look and funky set up. What is cool is that it reminds me of what we're going to start seeing really soon- drop bar hydraulic STI/DoubleTap shifters. I know, I know.......there are cable actuated hydro-box-dohickeys. They are a kludge too. Don't think so? Then tell me why folks keep trying to hide the master cylinders under their stems and in front of the head tubes? I'll tell you why- because it looks stupid and everyone wants it to be part of the lever, that's why.  I believe it will happen, and when it does, the Fargo, Badger, Gryphon, and Karate Monkey will be getting switched over at some point.

Have a great Tuesday, ya'all!

Pushing The Bigger Gear

Saturday I met up with Captain Bob, Karmen, and a chilly 25 degree blast of air west of Denver for a nice little gravel loop. This was the first ride with the BMC "Orange Crush" set up with the 18T rear cog versus the old 20T one. Would I be able to even keep up? I had no clue, but I was out riding with like-minded folks on a clear blue sky morning. What could be better?

The route was kind of up in the air, but I had something in mind to get us started out with. So we took off without standing around, since it was not conducive to staying warm.

It was pretty chilly, but the wind was low, and the frost was everywhere, sparkling in the bright morning sun. It was as if the entire Iowa landscape was bejeweled and gilded in silvery stuff. Even the road showed signs of crystals that had formed from the moisture welling up out of the ground due to the warmer weather of late. The frost also was keeping the road solid, instead of mushy, which it would have been had it been warmer.

As we started out, we were obliged to hit some of the bigger rollers around the Boy Scout Camp. I was fearing being dropped out of the gate, and Captain Bob spun away, as I expected, but he didn't get away too far. The big gear was pushing my limits, but then again, I just hopped out of the truck and onto the bike. One of these days, "warm up" and "stretching" will become more than words for me!

Then after we cleared the Camp Captain Bob wasn't feeling it too much and before I knew it, he had slid back to Karmen and I was cruising up the road by myself until we got just north of Denver.

I stopped at Highway 63 to wait up for the other two, and I had just passed a car pulled over to the north side of the road where a man was standing just outside his car retching and coughing violently. While I didn't spy any substances being projected, I felt that soon there would be, or at least some vital organs were rebelling and on their way out this guys mouth.

I was wondering if I shouldn't reach for my cell phone when up rolled Captain Bob and Karmen. Seconds later the guy was driving off, so I guess everything stayed in place for him. Good thing.

Then Karmen was feeling it and "chicked" us for a bit, but it was all good. Captain Bob and I chatted away for a few miles, and then we rolled into the place where we had started. A nice ride, and the bigger gear didn't feel so bad after all. I guess I warmed up!

I know, I know. People will look at the images and say it is very flat. Well, I am making all my images of gravel leading up to trans Iowa look flat to give those tuning in for info on the roads for the event a false sense of security. Yes......I am devious that way!

Pushing The Bigger Gear

Saturday I met up with Captain Bob, Karmen, and a chilly 25 degree blast of air west of Denver for a nice little gravel loop. This was the first ride with the BMC "Orange Crush" set up with the 18T rear cog versus the old 20T one. Would I be able to even keep up? I had no clue, but I was out riding with like-minded folks on a clear blue sky morning. What could be better?

The route was kind of up in the air, but I had something in mind to get us started out with. So we took off without standing around, since it was not conducive to staying warm.

It was pretty chilly, but the wind was low, and the frost was everywhere, sparkling in the bright morning sun. It was as if the entire Iowa landscape was bejeweled and gilded in silvery stuff. Even the road showed signs of crystals that had formed from the moisture welling up out of the ground due to the warmer weather of late. The frost also was keeping the road solid, instead of mushy, which it would have been had it been warmer.

As we started out, we were obliged to hit some of the bigger rollers around the Boy Scout Camp. I was fearing being dropped out of the gate, and Captain Bob spun away, as I expected, but he didn't get away too far. The big gear was pushing my limits, but then again, I just hopped out of the truck and onto the bike. One of these days, "warm up" and "stretching" will become more than words for me!

Then after we cleared the Camp Captain Bob wasn't feeling it too much and before I knew it, he had slid back to Karmen and I was cruising up the road by myself until we got just north of Denver.

I stopped at Highway 63 to wait up for the other two, and I had just passed a car pulled over to the north side of the road where a man was standing just outside his car retching and coughing violently. While I didn't spy any substances being projected, I felt that soon there would be, or at least some vital organs were rebelling and on their way out this guys mouth.

I was wondering if I shouldn't reach for my cell phone when up rolled Captain Bob and Karmen. Seconds later the guy was driving off, so I guess everything stayed in place for him. Good thing.

Then Karmen was feeling it and "chicked" us for a bit, but it was all good. Captain Bob and I chatted away for a few miles, and then we rolled into the place where we had started. A nice ride, and the bigger gear didn't feel so bad after all. I guess I warmed up!

I know, I know. People will look at the images and say it is very flat. Well, I am making all my images of gravel leading up to trans Iowa look flat to give those tuning in for info on the roads for the event a false sense of security. Yes......I am devious that way!

Trans Iowa Course Update #1

Course Update #1: Well folks! It's only five weeks away, and it's time to start giving you my course updates.

<===Gravel looks good so far! (image from 3-19-11)

As followers of the blog already know, the course has been re-conned and is figured out. David and I will now get around to re-checking some critical areas to make sure we are still all good to go.

As of this weekend, the frost is still coming out of the ground, but rains over the course this weekend should hasten that process to completion soon. Temperatures in Iowa have been in the 50's-60's recently, and as far as snow and frost, it has mostly been dispatched over the last three weeks. The big drifts from winter are merely small piles now waiting to finally disappear, if they haven't after this recent rain. That's good news from the standpoint of drying/draining out the land here.

Gravel is primo for riding right now. Many Iowans have been out and are reporting excellent conditions on B roads and gravel all across the state. County maintenance has been happening already, as well, in preparation for the farmers who will be hitting the fields very soon now.

This is the best the roads have come through a winter for any Trans Iowa except maybe the first one. Certainly, they are on par with that sort of condition this year. Sounds good, but we have over a month of weather to survive before the honking of the horn, so don't get too excited just yet!

More to come. Stay tuned................

Trans Iowa Course Update #1

Course Update #1: Well folks! It's only five weeks away, and it's time to start giving you my course updates.

<===Gravel looks good so far! (image from 3-19-11)

As followers of the blog already know, the course has been re-conned and is figured out. David and I will now get around to re-checking some critical areas to make sure we are still all good to go.

As of this weekend, the frost is still coming out of the ground, but rains over the course this weekend should hasten that process to completion soon. Temperatures in Iowa have been in the 50's-60's recently, and as far as snow and frost, it has mostly been dispatched over the last three weeks. The big drifts from winter are merely small piles now waiting to finally disappear, if they haven't after this recent rain. That's good news from the standpoint of drying/draining out the land here.

Gravel is primo for riding right now. Many Iowans have been out and are reporting excellent conditions on B roads and gravel all across the state. County maintenance has been happening already, as well, in preparation for the farmers who will be hitting the fields very soon now.

This is the best the roads have come through a winter for any Trans Iowa except maybe the first one. Certainly, they are on par with that sort of condition this year. Sounds good, but we have over a month of weather to survive before the honking of the horn, so don't get too excited just yet!

More to come. Stay tuned................

The Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles; Tweaking The Set-Up

I have been tweaking the set up on the Black Mountain Cycles "Monster Cross" bike, which I am re-naming "Orange Crush", since it looks the color of that delectable soda that once came in 16 ounce glass bottles.

So, anyway, here is the bike all dressed up in bags, minus a possible seat bag. This is getting real close to how I will leave the bike for the Dirty Kanza. Maybe even single speed!

The changes made include a new stem, seat post, and a "Joe Mesier Set Up" for the water bladder. Joe may not have invented this way of doing your hydration, but he was the first guy I heard about it from, and he's all about bags anyway!

I topped off the deal with one of my ever-present Banjo Brothers Top Tube bags, which is a great way to carry gels and a camera.

Here is a closer look at the Revelate Designs tangle bag with the 70oz Camelbak reservoir stuffed inside it. I laid it in there sideways, so to speak, to keep the width down to a minimum. I filled it completely up and it sat in there, pretty as a pea, for my entire training ride with no issues.

Now I arranged things so the long hose comes from down low and in the back end of the bag so that gravity will help feed the drink tube, although that isn't entirely necessary. It does make all that hose length easier to manage though! The Wide Mouth openng is at the front of the bag. There is still a little room up there for some smaller items as well. Maybe a spare tube will reside there for the DK 200.

Here is a look from up top. This particular hose has one of those fancy-pants Flowmeters on it, which as far as I am concerned makes a great hangar for the hose and not much more than that. Although, it is a pretty accurate way to see what is left "in the tank".

I simply hang the Flowmeter on the brake cable as it comes out from under the bar tape. It stays put really well on gravel too. Notice I have the end of the hose sticking straight up here to illustrate how you do have to bend downwards a bit to get the bite valve in the mouth. On riding this set up, the hose is typically laying down across the top tube bag, and that pulls in that loop to the left you see here against the bike and it isn't rubbing or catching on anything.

And that bad ol' black Bontrager Select stem has been swapped out for this good ol' polished silver Ritchey Classic series "4 Axis" stem. Wow! Not only good looking, but insanely light. (As light as I'd ever feel comfortable with using)

Now I just need to make that ol' black GT branded cable hangar all nice and silvery. Either that or track down something silver to replace it with. A minor detail? Yes- but since I am bothering to go to the trouble of making the bike look classic with the silver bits, I may as well finish off the job.

Finally, the silver Ritchey Classic Two Bolt post. This replaces the arguably better, (from a "classic" standpoint), Campy Aero post. The thing is, the Campy post was at minimum insertion, and I wasn't totally comfortable with that. This Ritchey post is a 350mm one, and allows me to go up a "smidge" if needed, while assuring me that I won't be damaging my BMC "Orange Crush" by running too little seat post insertion.

Okay, so what about training? Well, I did get in some slower training rides, focusing on constant power output, spinning circles, and concentrating on not pushing too hard. The bigger gear is treating me just fine. I have not noticed too much of a negative on hills, and flats are faster for sure. The double wrapped tape job is great. No hand issues so far.

The next step will be getting some bigger rides in occasionally. Something in the 3+ hour range is needed to start to assess comfort issues and for just getting used to living on the bicycle.

The Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles; Tweaking The Set-Up

I have been tweaking the set up on the Black Mountain Cycles "Monster Cross" bike, which I am re-naming "Orange Crush", since it looks the color of that delectable soda that once came in 16 ounce glass bottles.

So, anyway, here is the bike all dressed up in bags, minus a possible seat bag. This is getting real close to how I will leave the bike for the Dirty Kanza. Maybe even single speed!

The changes made include a new stem, seat post, and a "Joe Mesier Set Up" for the water bladder. Joe may not have invented this way of doing your hydration, but he was the first guy I heard about it from, and he's all about bags anyway!

I topped off the deal with one of my ever-present Banjo Brothers Top Tube bags, which is a great way to carry gels and a camera.

Here is a closer look at the Revelate Designs tangle bag with the 70oz Camelbak reservoir stuffed inside it. I laid it in there sideways, so to speak, to keep the width down to a minimum. I filled it completely up and it sat in there, pretty as a pea, for my entire training ride with no issues.

Now I arranged things so the long hose comes from down low and in the back end of the bag so that gravity will help feed the drink tube, although that isn't entirely necessary. It does make all that hose length easier to manage though! The Wide Mouth openng is at the front of the bag. There is still a little room up there for some smaller items as well. Maybe a spare tube will reside there for the DK 200.

Here is a look from up top. This particular hose has one of those fancy-pants Flowmeters on it, which as far as I am concerned makes a great hangar for the hose and not much more than that. Although, it is a pretty accurate way to see what is left "in the tank".

I simply hang the Flowmeter on the brake cable as it comes out from under the bar tape. It stays put really well on gravel too. Notice I have the end of the hose sticking straight up here to illustrate how you do have to bend downwards a bit to get the bite valve in the mouth. On riding this set up, the hose is typically laying down across the top tube bag, and that pulls in that loop to the left you see here against the bike and it isn't rubbing or catching on anything.

And that bad ol' black Bontrager Select stem has been swapped out for this good ol' polished silver Ritchey Classic series "4 Axis" stem. Wow! Not only good looking, but insanely light. (As light as I'd ever feel comfortable with using)

Now I just need to make that ol' black GT branded cable hangar all nice and silvery. Either that or track down something silver to replace it with. A minor detail? Yes- but since I am bothering to go to the trouble of making the bike look classic with the silver bits, I may as well finish off the job.

Finally, the silver Ritchey Classic Two Bolt post. This replaces the arguably better, (from a "classic" standpoint), Campy Aero post. The thing is, the Campy post was at minimum insertion, and I wasn't totally comfortable with that. This Ritchey post is a 350mm one, and allows me to go up a "smidge" if needed, while assuring me that I won't be damaging my BMC "Orange Crush" by running too little seat post insertion.

Okay, so what about training? Well, I did get in some slower training rides, focusing on constant power output, spinning circles, and concentrating on not pushing too hard. The bigger gear is treating me just fine. I have not noticed too much of a negative on hills, and flats are faster for sure. The double wrapped tape job is great. No hand issues so far.

The next step will be getting some bigger rides in occasionally. Something in the 3+ hour range is needed to start to assess comfort issues and for just getting used to living on the bicycle.

Trans Iowa V7 Update #19: Pre-Race Meat-Up Edition

Trans Iowa V7 Update #19: Pre-Race Meat-Up Edition: If you didn't receive the following e-mail from me, either you (a) slipped through the cracks, (b) had a spam filter block it, or (c), I couldn't read your e-mail address properly on your post card and got it wrong. You also may have gotten this and not responded. At any rate, here is what you need to see.....

Hello All!

David and I are excited to meet all of you at the Pre-Race Meat-Up April 22nd at the Grinnell Steakhouse starting at 5pm- 8pm. This is a required pre-race meeting and you will not be capable of starting T.I.V7 without attending. No exceptions.

This is an important e-mail! Please read it thoroughly. It does require a response, so please make sure you send me your answers to my questions within a week of receipt of this message so I do not contact you with the same details once again. Thanks!

The Grinnell Steakhouse will be allowing us use of their space in return for your support by buying a dinner. While you don't have to purchase anything, we know you do have to eat somewhere, so why not support a local business? The Grinnell Steakhouse is a great place with a large indoor grill where you will be able to mingle as you cook your own vittles and get to know your fellow T.I.V7 riders. Here are your menu choices for the evening: (Keep in mind that if you are attending with support folks, friends, or family, they can come, but we will need their choices and a number of attendees for your party)

For The Vegetarians: Veggie meal for $15.95.  (That is the Salad Bar for $9.95 and the veggie Kabob or veggie skillet for $5.95 plus a free soft drink with the special. )

OR...... 

"GYO Special"   Ribeye Steak -$17.95
 ...or... Veggie Meal - $15.95
 ...or... Pork/Chicken - $12.95. 

(Salad Bar and a soft drink included.) 

 Please Note: a 17% Gratuity and sales tax is added to each meal. 

Alcohol and beer can be purchased separately.

Please Indicate In A Reply The Following:

1- Your Number Of Folks In Your Party: (Yourself as 1 plus "X")
2-The Meal Choices For Each Member Of Your Party

Please respond no later than one week after receiving this message to avoid my having to re-contact you.

Also, if you can not attend the meeting, you can not ride in the event. If you can not attend for other reasons, we need to know that as well, so please respond with a "decline" if you can not make it this year. 

Finally, if you have any questions, please copy my address over to a new conversation and e-mail me. I'd be glad to answer, but please keep this communication limited to the Pre-Race attendance and meal choices. Thanks!

G-Ted

Okay, that was the e-mail. I need a response ASAP! Now, for the list of names that I need to hear from.

   Jim McGuire, Jack Lewis,    .

Okay- If your name is on this list, I need to hear from you no later than March 31st, or you will be stricken from the roster and out of Trans Iowa.

If you know someone on this list, get ahold of them and let them know. I will also re-sent the e-mail one more time, but after this, I will no longer pursue trying to get ahold of anyone. Since Trans Iowa is a free event, we need to do this to keep our costs and efforts to a minimum level. The expenses and time to do Trans Iowa come directly from David's and my pockets and away from our jobs and family. Please respect that and be up front about your commitment to the event, either by responding with the proper information, or by declining. The e-mail you need to send any correspondence to is this one.   

I will be removing names from this post as I get responses, so please check back to see if anyone you are interested in has responded to me. Thanks!

Trans Iowa V7 Update #19: Pre-Race Meat-Up Edition

Trans Iowa V7 Update #19: Pre-Race Meat-Up Edition: If you didn't receive the following e-mail from me, either you (a) slipped through the cracks, (b) had a spam filter block it, or (c), I couldn't read your e-mail address properly on your post card and got it wrong. You also may have gotten this and not responded. At any rate, here is what you need to see.....

Hello All!

David and I are excited to meet all of you at the Pre-Race Meat-Up April 22nd at the Grinnell Steakhouse starting at 5pm- 8pm. This is a required pre-race meeting and you will not be capable of starting T.I.V7 without attending. No exceptions.

This is an important e-mail! Please read it thoroughly. It does require a response, so please make sure you send me your answers to my questions within a week of receipt of this message so I do not contact you with the same details once again. Thanks!

The Grinnell Steakhouse will be allowing us use of their space in return for your support by buying a dinner. While you don't have to purchase anything, we know you do have to eat somewhere, so why not support a local business? The Grinnell Steakhouse is a great place with a large indoor grill where you will be able to mingle as you cook your own vittles and get to know your fellow T.I.V7 riders. Here are your menu choices for the evening: (Keep in mind that if you are attending with support folks, friends, or family, they can come, but we will need their choices and a number of attendees for your party)

For The Vegetarians: Veggie meal for $15.95.  (That is the Salad Bar for $9.95 and the veggie Kabob or veggie skillet for $5.95 plus a free soft drink with the special. )

OR...... 

"GYO Special"   Ribeye Steak -$17.95
 ...or... Veggie Meal - $15.95
 ...or... Pork/Chicken - $12.95. 

(Salad Bar and a soft drink included.) 

 Please Note: a 17% Gratuity and sales tax is added to each meal. 

Alcohol and beer can be purchased separately.

Please Indicate In A Reply The Following:

1- Your Number Of Folks In Your Party: (Yourself as 1 plus "X")
2-The Meal Choices For Each Member Of Your Party

Please respond no later than one week after receiving this message to avoid my having to re-contact you.

Also, if you can not attend the meeting, you can not ride in the event. If you can not attend for other reasons, we need to know that as well, so please respond with a "decline" if you can not make it this year. 

Finally, if you have any questions, please copy my address over to a new conversation and e-mail me. I'd be glad to answer, but please keep this communication limited to the Pre-Race attendance and meal choices. Thanks!

G-Ted

Okay, that was the e-mail. I need a response ASAP! Now, for the list of names that I need to hear from.

   Jim McGuire, Jack Lewis,    .

Okay- If your name is on this list, I need to hear from you no later than March 31st, or you will be stricken from the roster and out of Trans Iowa.

If you know someone on this list, get ahold of them and let them know. I will also re-sent the e-mail one more time, but after this, I will no longer pursue trying to get ahold of anyone. Since Trans Iowa is a free event, we need to do this to keep our costs and efforts to a minimum level. The expenses and time to do Trans Iowa come directly from David's and my pockets and away from our jobs and family. Please respect that and be up front about your commitment to the event, either by responding with the proper information, or by declining. The e-mail you need to send any correspondence to is this one.   

I will be removing names from this post as I get responses, so please check back to see if anyone you are interested in has responded to me. Thanks!

Friday News And Views

<===Image from Team Leopard Trek's Facebook page.

Hey- Maybe he's just that good.... The latest supposed "controversy" surrounding Fabian Cancellara, the current World Time Trial champ, is that he was using some "super-greased ball bearings" in his bikes last season. A report in La Derniere Heure newspaper suggested that a technology called "Gold Race" was used which is claimed to give its user gains of up to 2.5 seconds per kilometer.

Either that or Fabian is just that good at time trials. I mean, last year they were claiming Fabian was using an electric assist in his bottom bracket. What's next? A magic miniature nuclear generator hub? Sheesh! Can't a guy just dominate and be left alone anymore?

Road racing. I tell ya..........

Mini-update on the gravel road stage race deal: Okay, I have to say that I am just amazed at the responses I have gotten surrounding this idea for a three day gravel stage race thing. I have been getting comments here on the blog, e-mails, and offers of help and even a preliminary sponsorship idea.

So, this idea will get further attention for sure. I have some people whose advice and thoughts I want to receive and consider before pushing ahead any further, so please be patient with me and know this is being thought about and planned for by some passionate folks. When I have some more solid news, I will be back to share.

Trans Iowa V7: I will have the usual update on the blog for tomorrow, but additionally, I will be posting a separate "Course Conditions Report" this weekend, so stay tuned for the latest gravel roads report on the T.I.V7 course soon.....

The Snow Dog Update: Well, it had been since mid-February that I had any communication with The Phil Wood & Co. regarding the Mukluk's rear wheel. I sent the wheel back in on February 23rd, and then.......

I decided to shoot them an e-mail Wednesday to see if they even had the wheel or not. Yesterday I received a short e-mail stating that they indeed had my wheel and that they were waiting on free hubs, which they were out of, and the earliest they expected to have those was next week. Then the communique' stated that they would let me know when it was ready.

That was it.

So.........the saga continues. 

Have a great weekend folks. It's springtime! Ride yer bikes and have some fun!

Friday News And Views

<===Image from Team Leopard Trek's Facebook page.

Hey- Maybe he's just that good.... The latest supposed "controversy" surrounding Fabian Cancellara, the current World Time Trial champ, is that he was using some "super-greased ball bearings" in his bikes last season. A report in La Derniere Heure newspaper suggested that a technology called "Gold Race" was used which is claimed to give its user gains of up to 2.5 seconds per kilometer.

Either that or Fabian is just that good at time trials. I mean, last year they were claiming Fabian was using an electric assist in his bottom bracket. What's next? A magic miniature nuclear generator hub? Sheesh! Can't a guy just dominate and be left alone anymore?

Road racing. I tell ya..........

Mini-update on the gravel road stage race deal: Okay, I have to say that I am just amazed at the responses I have gotten surrounding this idea for a three day gravel stage race thing. I have been getting comments here on the blog, e-mails, and offers of help and even a preliminary sponsorship idea.

So, this idea will get further attention for sure. I have some people whose advice and thoughts I want to receive and consider before pushing ahead any further, so please be patient with me and know this is being thought about and planned for by some passionate folks. When I have some more solid news, I will be back to share.

Trans Iowa V7: I will have the usual update on the blog for tomorrow, but additionally, I will be posting a separate "Course Conditions Report" this weekend, so stay tuned for the latest gravel roads report on the T.I.V7 course soon.....

The Snow Dog Update: Well, it had been since mid-February that I had any communication with The Phil Wood & Co. regarding the Mukluk's rear wheel. I sent the wheel back in on February 23rd, and then.......

I decided to shoot them an e-mail Wednesday to see if they even had the wheel or not. Yesterday I received a short e-mail stating that they indeed had my wheel and that they were waiting on free hubs, which they were out of, and the earliest they expected to have those was next week. Then the communique' stated that they would let me know when it was ready.

That was it.

So.........the saga continues. 

Have a great weekend folks. It's springtime! Ride yer bikes and have some fun!

Springtime Muddin'

With the snow fast on the way out and the sun shining brightly, I decided it was high time for some springtime muddin'. I got in a Bontrager Mud X 29"er tire, slapped it on the rear end of the Sawyer, and headed out the door.

I was definitely over-dressed, and before too long I was shedding my outer coat and gloves to stay cool.

<==I'm as happy as this alien to be riding without a coat again!

I headed down to The Green Belt to ride, since those trails are unaffected by early season mud riding. In fact, the next time it rains my tracks will be all gone. The old Blackhawk Creek overflows the Green Belt so often that you'd be hard pressed to cause anything that could be construed as trail damage on a bicycle.

So, it is the perfect place to test tires in the mud for performance and there is plenty of sticky, gooey river bottom mud to play in there.

Besides the tire testing I was just enjoying the fact that I was riding on a sunny day without having to be bundled up. In fact, all I had on for most of the ride was a long-sleeved jersey. Gloves? pssshaw! Too warm for that too. It was definitely the first ride like that since last November.

Amazingly, there was little snow left in the woods. In fact, if we could stay dry for a week, the trails would be bone dry and hard. Right now the frost is oozing out, so that is why the mud is so easy to find at this point. Normally it doesn't stay muddy for all that long out there.

The mud was thick and gooey, so I stuck to a steady, slowish pace to keep the flying clods at bay. It was a great resistance workout, that's for sure!

By the time I made it over to the lake cut-off trail,my front tire had turned into a mud version of an Endomorph 3.8"er. I had to head over towards the lake, out of all the mud, and clean up a bit. Then I headed around the lake where I ran into the only patches of snow left on the trail. Probably won't see that again until next December.

I figured that was enough mud testing, so I headed out for a longer bike path ride, just because it was too nice to go back home. Welcome spring, and the mud, and everything else that comes with it. It's been a long time since we've seen you around these parts!

Hope you are getting out for some early springtime riding too.

Springtime Muddin'

With the snow fast on the way out and the sun shining brightly, I decided it was high time for some springtime muddin'. I got in a Bontrager Mud X 29"er tire, slapped it on the rear end of the Sawyer, and headed out the door.

I was definitely over-dressed, and before too long I was shedding my outer coat and gloves to stay cool.

<==I'm as happy as this alien to be riding without a coat again!

I headed down to The Green Belt to ride, since those trails are unaffected by early season mud riding. In fact, the next time it rains my tracks will be all gone. The old Blackhawk Creek overflows the Green Belt so often that you'd be hard pressed to cause anything that could be construed as trail damage on a bicycle.

So, it is the perfect place to test tires in the mud for performance and there is plenty of sticky, gooey river bottom mud to play in there.

Besides the tire testing I was just enjoying the fact that I was riding on a sunny day without having to be bundled up. In fact, all I had on for most of the ride was a long-sleeved jersey. Gloves? pssshaw! Too warm for that too. It was definitely the first ride like that since last November.

Amazingly, there was little snow left in the woods. In fact, if we could stay dry for a week, the trails would be bone dry and hard. Right now the frost is oozing out, so that is why the mud is so easy to find at this point. Normally it doesn't stay muddy for all that long out there.

The mud was thick and gooey, so I stuck to a steady, slowish pace to keep the flying clods at bay. It was a great resistance workout, that's for sure!

By the time I made it over to the lake cut-off trail,my front tire had turned into a mud version of an Endomorph 3.8"er. I had to head over towards the lake, out of all the mud, and clean up a bit. Then I headed around the lake where I ran into the only patches of snow left on the trail. Probably won't see that again until next December.

I figured that was enough mud testing, so I headed out for a longer bike path ride, just because it was too nice to go back home. Welcome spring, and the mud, and everything else that comes with it. It's been a long time since we've seen you around these parts!

Hope you are getting out for some early springtime riding too.

Okay, So I Had This Idea For A Gravel Road Race....Part III

UPDATE: I am still working on things "behind the scenes" in regards to the stage race idea for a gravel grinder. There have been a few developments, and to keep things on the front burner here, I wanted to let everyone know where this thing stands as of now.

You can check into the last update I posted here for those that need to"catch up" to where I am at so far.

All right then, here is the latest "fine tuning". I have decided that this event shouldn't be tied to a state, since it can then get sort of pigeon-holed as an event "belonging" to those who live there and I already have Trans Iowa going on here. I don't think we need another "big" gravel event solely based within these borders. I didn't like the idea of being limited that way. So, I have spoken with a couple of folks that are willing to take this into a multi-state based direction while still retaining the "clover-leaf routes" out of a centralized area to keep logistics easy for those thinking of doing this deal.

Unfortunately, that means that the acronym I came up with- TIGERR- is now not going to be used. As of now, this event is un-named. That's okay. That can be ironed out later. Secondly, it means we're looking at something based out of Southwestern Iowa, Northeastern Kansas, Southeastern Nebraska, and Northwestern Missouri. Whether we get into any, or all of these states has yet to be determined. Might only get three in there, but the idea is to cross some borders right now.

Okay, so the region where we will be working out of has been sketched out. Now, the format will be something along the lines of the following, keeping in mind that it should be easy to get there to do this, and not push folks against the wall, leaving no time to get home for work on Monday.

So, I figured that a noon-time start to the thing on Friday would work out best. That day would necessarily be a shorter route. Then Saturday, the big, long, arduous loop would take place. Sunday would start out early and a reasonably short route would be set up to end the weekend. Hopefully leaving time on Sunday to allow for folks to get home.

Total mileage would be determined by the organizers depending upon the difficulty of each days loop. I would guess that 250-300 plus miles could be a target for the three days, but that's a shot in the dark. Don't hold me to that. Right now everything is on the table as far as details go, so look for lots of changes as this gets figured out.

Finally, I want to make a few points very clear.

#1: This won't happen in 2011: I thought about it for awhile, and conferred with a couple of trusted minds on this. I want there to be a reasonable amount of time to "thinker through" this thing. I want input from lots of folks and some special people are already being pulled in to tap their thoughts and ideas on this event. There will be more folks contacted too. This won't be "Guitar Ted's idea". I don't want it to become that.

#2: There Will Be A "Ride" In 2011: At some point there will be a "fact finding" ride, which basically will be a recon of some route ideas and a way to get a handle on how things will actually work out on this deal. I like thinking from a bicycle, and this can be thought of as a "rolling meeting" of sorts. I will announce when this will occur, but it should be roughly about the same time frame as the event will take place, so probably July. All interested parties will be welcomed on this. More on this later.

#3: Guitar Ted Will Not Run This One: I have enough to do, and I don't want this to become "my deal". I think it is a great idea, and I will help, but I do not want to run it all. There already has been some volunteering for the directorship of this event, and eventually, a couple of folks may end up taking this under their wing. I don't know. I just know I won't be running the deal myself, and I want to have a minimal level of involvement eventually.

So, there you go. The next update will be awhile in coming, perhaps in a couple of months, post Trans Iowa.

Okay, So I Had This Idea For A Gravel Road Race....Part III

UPDATE: I am still working on things "behind the scenes" in regards to the stage race idea for a gravel grinder. There have been a few developments, and to keep things on the front burner here, I wanted to let everyone know where this thing stands as of now.

You can check into the last update I posted here for those that need to"catch up" to where I am at so far.

All right then, here is the latest "fine tuning". I have decided that this event shouldn't be tied to a state, since it can then get sort of pigeon-holed as an event "belonging" to those who live there and I already have Trans Iowa going on here. I don't think we need another "big" gravel event solely based within these borders. I didn't like the idea of being limited that way. So, I have spoken with a couple of folks that are willing to take this into a multi-state based direction while still retaining the "clover-leaf routes" out of a centralized area to keep logistics easy for those thinking of doing this deal.

Unfortunately, that means that the acronym I came up with- TIGERR- is now not going to be used. As of now, this event is un-named. That's okay. That can be ironed out later. Secondly, it means we're looking at something based out of Southwestern Iowa, Northeastern Kansas, Southeastern Nebraska, and Northwestern Missouri. Whether we get into any, or all of these states has yet to be determined. Might only get three in there, but the idea is to cross some borders right now.

Okay, so the region where we will be working out of has been sketched out. Now, the format will be something along the lines of the following, keeping in mind that it should be easy to get there to do this, and not push folks against the wall, leaving no time to get home for work on Monday.

So, I figured that a noon-time start to the thing on Friday would work out best. That day would necessarily be a shorter route. Then Saturday, the big, long, arduous loop would take place. Sunday would start out early and a reasonably short route would be set up to end the weekend. Hopefully leaving time on Sunday to allow for folks to get home.

Total mileage would be determined by the organizers depending upon the difficulty of each days loop. I would guess that 250-300 plus miles could be a target for the three days, but that's a shot in the dark. Don't hold me to that. Right now everything is on the table as far as details go, so look for lots of changes as this gets figured out.

Finally, I want to make a few points very clear.

#1: This won't happen in 2011: I thought about it for awhile, and conferred with a couple of trusted minds on this. I want there to be a reasonable amount of time to "thinker through" this thing. I want input from lots of folks and some special people are already being pulled in to tap their thoughts and ideas on this event. There will be more folks contacted too. This won't be "Guitar Ted's idea". I don't want it to become that.

#2: There Will Be A "Ride" In 2011: At some point there will be a "fact finding" ride, which basically will be a recon of some route ideas and a way to get a handle on how things will actually work out on this deal. I like thinking from a bicycle, and this can be thought of as a "rolling meeting" of sorts. I will announce when this will occur, but it should be roughly about the same time frame as the event will take place, so probably July. All interested parties will be welcomed on this. More on this later.

#3: Guitar Ted Will Not Run This One: I have enough to do, and I don't want this to become "my deal". I think it is a great idea, and I will help, but I do not want to run it all. There already has been some volunteering for the directorship of this event, and eventually, a couple of folks may end up taking this under their wing. I don't know. I just know I won't be running the deal myself, and I want to have a minimal level of involvement eventually.

So, there you go. The next update will be awhile in coming, perhaps in a couple of months, post Trans Iowa.

I Know What I'd Rather Watch

Ever since this whole UCI thing started up, I have been thinking about how they will "certify" frames for use in professional road racing and triathlon. They have a weight limit, of course, and an aero tubing profile limitation, and some other wonky rules that limit bicycles and their construction for record attempts on the track, and so on and so forth. Of course, rules are part of any contest, and sport couldn't be run without a structure.

I think we all get that, and agree upon it.

However; the entire process of extracting money from bicycle companies to "certify" that they meet UCI standards is a bit unnerving to me. It's going to do two things: #1: Make the UCI a lot of money, (and so- where does that money go?), and #2: It will raise the prices on bicycles sold to the public.

Now the UCI says it is to make sure everyone is on a level playing field and the race inspectors jobs would be easier.

I say, "it's a bunch of bovine excrement.", that's what I say. Here's why......

You want a "level playing field" for bicycles? Okay, take a step over here and see what the sport of NASCAR has done. Spec cars, and besides the "engine", they are about as identical as you can get. They even have templates the cars have to fit into. You know, so they are "certified" ready to go. Certified parts in the chassis. Certified body shapes. Everything is controlled.

In my opinion, this is the direction that the UCI is headed in terms of bicycles for professional racing. I say- "cut to the chase". Just make 'em all ride one bike. A "UCI" made turnkey chassis kitted out with whatever drivetrain choices from Campy, SRAM, and Shimano are available. What? You dont like that the manufacturers would be out of it? I say that it would save them a ton of money not sponsoring professional teams, and therefore should make bicycles cheaper for all of us. Or maybe they could actually make bicycles "for people" instead of bicycles for "people's fantasies". But who am I kidding.....

Like that would ever happen.

So, what is reality, and what would really work here? I say, let the boys be boys and have at it. We already have testing for safety, and those standards are pretty darn high. So make every race bike pass the safety tests. Then- have a couple easy rules. You know- like overall length, identical wheel sizes front and rear, and a weight limit, (that is what they have now, and I think that is just fine). Then the all-important rule: It must be an off the peg bike. No custom-one-off anything. Everything in the Pro peloton must be manufactured ahead of time for consumers to ride as well. Race on Sunday-sell on Monday.

Inside of those simple boundaries, let the bicycle companies go nuts with technology. That's something I would rather watch than homogenized bicycles according to some arcane cycling over-lords being ridden by bio-freaks controlled by radios. Oh wait.....

They got rid of radios, right?

Update: Late this afternoon I received a press release from the UCI. (Hmm.......veddy eentahrestink!) So, at any rate, here is a brief synopsis of the contents. The UCI states that the confirmation/certification process is in "high demand". Really? (Thank you "Mr. Obvious"!) Of course it is going to be in "high demand" because manufacturers "need" to have those bikes underneath pro riders. Okay, so no news there. Then it goes on to say that Richard Sachs was one of the first to "request certification", and that he said it was as "easy as registering for a race".

Okay, another bombshell! No offense to R. Sachs, but those frames could be certified from 5,000 miles away by a monkey, since they haven't changed in 30 years. The guy is building bikes that the UCI would love to see everyone riding. Tell me that something cutting edge has been certified, then I'll be impressed.

Finally, this one is rich! Straight from the press release: "It is important to note that the above mentioned costs are merely cost-covering prices. The UCI will not in any way profit from the approval process." How much are they charging, you might ask? Well, for each model, and up to eight sizes, the UCI is asking the following: (Again, straight from the press release)

"The cost of the comprehensive procedure is CHF 5,000 (SwissFrancs), that of the intermediate procedure CHF 3,000 and that of the simplified procedure CHF 500."

Those prices are roughly equivalent to US dollars, by the way. (And I bet not including shipping!) The highest price is for things like time trial bikes, the mid-price for your monocoque type carbon fiber road rigs, and the lowest price for "tube constructed" bicycles, (read: Like Richard Sachs bicycles). It costs more if you carry more than 8 sizes of each model.

Okay, 5 grand to measure a frame, and they say it isn't making them any money?

Wow.

I Know What I'd Rather Watch

Ever since this whole UCI thing started up, I have been thinking about how they will "certify" frames for use in professional road racing and triathlon. They have a weight limit, of course, and an aero tubing profile limitation, and some other wonky rules that limit bicycles and their construction for record attempts on the track, and so on and so forth. Of course, rules are part of any contest, and sport couldn't be run without a structure.

I think we all get that, and agree upon it.

However; the entire process of extracting money from bicycle companies to "certify" that they meet UCI standards is a bit unnerving to me. It's going to do two things: #1: Make the UCI a lot of money, (and so- where does that money go?), and #2: It will raise the prices on bicycles sold to the public.

Now the UCI says it is to make sure everyone is on a level playing field and the race inspectors jobs would be easier.

I say, "it's a bunch of bovine excrement.", that's what I say. Here's why......

You want a "level playing field" for bicycles? Okay, take a step over here and see what the sport of NASCAR has done. Spec cars, and besides the "engine", they are about as identical as you can get. They even have templates the cars have to fit into. You know, so they are "certified" ready to go. Certified parts in the chassis. Certified body shapes. Everything is controlled.

In my opinion, this is the direction that the UCI is headed in terms of bicycles for professional racing. I say- "cut to the chase". Just make 'em all ride one bike. A "UCI" made turnkey chassis kitted out with whatever drivetrain choices from Campy, SRAM, and Shimano are available. What? You dont like that the manufacturers would be out of it? I say that it would save them a ton of money not sponsoring professional teams, and therefore should make bicycles cheaper for all of us. Or maybe they could actually make bicycles "for people" instead of bicycles for "people's fantasies". But who am I kidding.....

Like that would ever happen.

So, what is reality, and what would really work here? I say, let the boys be boys and have at it. We already have testing for safety, and those standards are pretty darn high. So make every race bike pass the safety tests. Then- have a couple easy rules. You know- like overall length, identical wheel sizes front and rear, and a weight limit, (that is what they have now, and I think that is just fine). Then the all-important rule: It must be an off the peg bike. No custom-one-off anything. Everything in the Pro peloton must be manufactured ahead of time for consumers to ride as well. Race on Sunday-sell on Monday.

Inside of those simple boundaries, let the bicycle companies go nuts with technology. That's something I would rather watch than homogenized bicycles according to some arcane cycling over-lords being ridden by bio-freaks controlled by radios. Oh wait.....

They got rid of radios, right?

Update: Late this afternoon I received a press release from the UCI. (Hmm.......veddy eentahrestink!) So, at any rate, here is a brief synopsis of the contents. The UCI states that the confirmation/certification process is in "high demand". Really? (Thank you "Mr. Obvious"!) Of course it is going to be in "high demand" because manufacturers "need" to have those bikes underneath pro riders. Okay, so no news there. Then it goes on to say that Richard Sachs was one of the first to "request certification", and that he said it was as "easy as registering for a race".

Okay, another bombshell! No offense to R. Sachs, but those frames could be certified from 5,000 miles away by a monkey, since they haven't changed in 30 years. The guy is building bikes that the UCI would love to see everyone riding. Tell me that something cutting edge has been certified, then I'll be impressed.

Finally, this one is rich! Straight from the press release: "It is important to note that the above mentioned costs are merely cost-covering prices. The UCI will not in any way profit from the approval process." How much are they charging, you might ask? Well, for each model, and up to eight sizes, the UCI is asking the following: (Again, straight from the press release)

"The cost of the comprehensive procedure is CHF 5,000 (SwissFrancs), that of the intermediate procedure CHF 3,000 and that of the simplified procedure CHF 500."

Those prices are roughly equivalent to US dollars, by the way. (And I bet not including shipping!) The highest price is for things like time trial bikes, the mid-price for your monocoque type carbon fiber road rigs, and the lowest price for "tube constructed" bicycles, (read: Like Richard Sachs bicycles). It costs more if you carry more than 8 sizes of each model.

Okay, 5 grand to measure a frame, and they say it isn't making them any money?

Wow.