Innovate or Replicate

Merriam Webster:
Innovate: to introduce as or as if new
Replicate: being the same as another (duplicate)
Sometimes the line between the two is pretty fine.  Can something look the similar and be totally different, or if it looks the same, does it work the same?  While I enjoy watching the patent legal battles between Samsung and Apple... this is something cycling runs into all the time... everything is made from the same big five carbon manufacturers so how do you be different?  Slowtwitch recently did a great article on "Patents Effects on Tri Products".  Having been part of the cycling community the last 12 years, I like to notice when somebody tries to bring something genuinely new to the table.
A recent "innovation" has been the 'aero road bike'.  For me, it's the absolute best of both worlds and it seems like each company has one now and it's tough to see who's best.


Cervelo forged the path with the Soloist. For me this the S1 is one of the fastest bikes I've ever written back in 2002... loved it.  Now with the new carbon offering of the S5, it "looks" the most aero, but is it really the best?  The price point is certainly as deep as the rear wheel cut-out and for me, something of this price should be ready to rock a road race or a tri 'out of the box'.  However the needing to buy a second seat post with a steeper seat angle is a little bit annoying.  For $2800 for a 1250g frame they can't throw in an extra seat post (let alone $5,900 for the VWD FRAME)?  It doesn't end the world but would be a bit nice.


Here's the next most famous / newest aero road bikes:
BH - G5  //  Bianchi - Oltre  //  Blue - AC  //  Boardman - AR Road  //  Canyon - Aero CF  //  Felt - AR Series  //  Fuji - SST  //  Litespeed - C1  //  MCipollini - RB1000  //  Kestrel - Talon SL  //  Ridley - Noah  //  Specialized - Venge  //  Scott - Foil  //  Stevens - SLR  //  Time - Ulteam  //


Personally, I have a Fuji SST 2.0 from 2009 and it has served me well.  The fit hasn't always been my best friend.  Usually I like to race a 56cm frame, but was often on a 120 - 130 stem, so opted for a 59cm frame to try and "have more frame under me".  This lead to two learning experiences.  1) if it ain't broke don't fix it... 2) Fuji is an innovator.  Check out this seat post - moves the seat clamp from 73 - 78 degrees.  So while I can race road at 74, when it's tri time, I can move myself ALL the way forward and save the legs for the last run.  #genius


What do you think of Aero Road bikes?  Got one? Want one?

Rock Your Trainer

Its Spring.
Well most days, but I find myself in an interesting dilemma I've NEVER faced before.

I don't want to leave my trainer!

Living in Toronto, training sucks; traffic, hipsters, street car tracks, even High Park has stop signs. Almost daily I thank God for the 2.4km traffic free walking path by my house that is a great start to any run, but I don't really want to do 20 laps on my bike :)

Yesterday I had a chat with my coach Cameron Dorn (Team Kattouf) discussing the benefits of staying ON the trainer! My old school PTSL+ and my Garmin Edge 500 make great training partners and I often leave with my towel more than a little damp.
Its almost time to start commuting, but maybe ill stick with the train another month :)

Happy Spring!

2012 - No More Cheating

Yesterday - it was Jan 23 and I went for a run in the rain.
What the heck - it's supposed to be winter - and I got to run OUTSIDE! Without freezing my @$$ off, I was quite happy.  My shoes were happy too because they felt like I finally quit cheating on them with my bike; who remains perched on the indoor trainer for winter months.
Sadly, I developed a blister at the 5km mark... likely due to the wetness.  Cheating always comes back to bite you - #lifelessons #cheatingalwayssucks

Another thing I want to quit is cheating on my training plan.
I can make some killer training plans, but after a few months the motivation wanes and I'm back on the couch. #fail

2012 - No More Cheating is officially added to the list.

Aero is BACK

Added aerobars for today's work out.

5 min upright x 5 mins in aero x 4
Each set increase resistance one gear on the trainer.

My current aero bar set-up is a Profile-Design T2+ from 2005.
At 483 claimed grams it's certainly not the heaviest, nor lightest clip-on, but for my beloved Fuji Team Issue (2005) it dialed in my fit perfectly.  Now that I'm on a new ride, time will tell if these are still the bars for me!

Cervelo Makes NEWS

May 2002 was my introduction to Cervelo.

While warming up at the National Duathlon Championships in Alpharetta, GA a van cut in a little too close and forced me into a gutter on the side of the road. Losing control, my beloved Kestrel 200 EMS became wedged into the cement drainage ditch and down I went. Jersey ripped, shorts ripped, road rash and blood were the least of my concerns next to the cracking sound I heard my first carbon bike make as it connected with the concrete. As I limped to a nearby Walgreens with my tattered clothes for some bandages and antibiotic ointment, all I really cared about was my potentially a cracked frame and not being able to race the next day!

After a couple of choice words, some tears I'm sure and a long walk back to transition, I went to the All 3 Sports booth to see if there was anything they could do to help my bike... A fellow "Tri Power" athlete friend of mine worked there and told me it didn't look good. Not being sure what to do, then owner and amazing guy, hero of my life Patrick Dowd came to the rescue and changed my stars.

Knowing I was worried he allowed me to borrow his 56cm Cervelo Soloist with Shimano DuraAce. From the moment I saw it, drool started formulating in the back of my mouth. It was beautiful. Red, white and black, clean slick lines. I wouldn't even have to pedal this bike, it was fast all on it's own!

Patrick and I must have been twins separated at birth because I didn't have to adjust a thing and it fit like a glove from the first time my bruised hiney hit the saddle. He went on to tell me about the brand, the waves it had been making over the past few years and how it was making BIG waves this year. Then when I found out we both had Canadian roots, I was in love.

As you may know... it's the day after the wreck when the pain sets in. You're stiff, you're sore, and the last thing you want to do is race. Having lost 12 lbs with this race in mind and flying across the country - I was going to race. The first 10k wasn't my friend. It took me almost 40 minutes and scared the crap out of me when I saw how many women I came into transition with. (Now I'm quite happy to finish 10k in 40 minutes :p).

But once I hit the bike... it was like there was another 5 gears. To this day I still feel that 1:02 or whatever the results posted was one of the fastest 40k TT splits I ever posted.

Since then I've been a huge Cervelo fan. Cheering on the likes of Bobby and Tyler in the tour and the 2004 Olympics was amazing and it's been a blast watching the brand grow and grow.

However a Cervelo Soloist has always been my "Eleanor". As I started to have different sponsorships, the chances of having one be my primary steed grew ever distant. However it is still the first bike I ever truly loved, and I don't know if I've loved another as much since.

And now today is a big day for Cervelo as they announce their sale to PON. (Official announcement here). Since my first ride, I've moved back to Canada and am very proud Cervelo is Canadian, but doubt that will last for much longer.

As shocking as the sale is, we should have felt something was up as Cervelo announced a SALE last week! Cervelo is traditionally 'never' on sale, and now they're offering "Save $2000 on TWO Cervelos". So if anyone wants to go in with me on a double deal... Maybe I can finally get my Eleanor!

Hotel Workouts

Hilton is big on pushing their precious new 'gym'.
Really, it's still a hotel gym. A couple treadmills and elipticals with TVs. A nice collection of dumb bells, a few weight benches and a multi-use machine. But the big bonus - a set of weighted medicine balls and sticks that you can do Crossfit workouts on.
I spent an hour in the gym yesterday and today and am getting worked.
Something that might be a great added bonus is a DVD that shows you how to do more exercises with their machines - but alas, maybe one day :)

Goal - to get on cruise ship at 185 lbs and come off at 182!

Count Down's DEAD

OK - so getting back on the bike didn't quite work as planned.
It seems as though I was a better professional cyclist than weekend warrior.
Looking at my stats from the last five weeks, my average trainer time is a pathetic 5 hours.
Even if I'm VERY generous with myself and say "one hour on the trainer is worth two on the road" (which isn't true so please don't quote me on that!) - I'd still only be at 10!

WOW - so much to learn.

1. How to be married ad GET OUT OF BED!
(Honeymoon's over but I still like to stay up late, talking, and cuddling in the morning)

2. Set stronger boundaries at work.
If I go in at 7:30am - I do get a two hour lunch break to RIDE, not to get caught up doing other work.

3. I'm still young enough to kick it but if I keep letting the years slip by...