The Assaults Routes--Key Points, pt I (and a few suggestions)

Over the next week, I will blog the Assaults course (see schedule below):

Part I, The Start:

The Assault on Marion and the Assault on Mt. Mitchell challenge cyclists by both the distance of the events and the routes themselves. Along with training for fitness and cycling skills, participants in these events can benefit from knowing the courses and preparing specifically for key points along the routes.

Assaults @ Strava http://app.strava.com/segments/632878

(REMINDER: Participants in the Assaults can sign up for unlimited Strava usage through http://theassaults.com)

The Start--The start of all mass-start large fields is always a key moment for riders. First, all riders should position themselves appropriately. The front 200-300 riders will start fast (race intensity), and riders not capable or interested in finishing in the sub-5 to 6 hour range can either get burned out keeping up (in 2010, the front pack completed the first 50 miles in 2 hours, averaging 25 mph over a challenging course) or create dangerous situations by riding more slowly than the front pack. At the start as well, all riders should be skilled at starting smoothly--holding your line, clipping into your pedals quickly (without looking down).

The first few miles of the Assaults include rollers, creating the accordion effect (the middle and back of the large pack quickly collapses toward the front, which slows on a climb while the other riders are still descending or just reaching the shift from a descent to an ascent), and a notoriously dangerous bridge on Hwy 9 crossing over business I-85 (rough bridge crossings with gaps and holes create flats, overlapped wheels, and sudden movements by riders trying to avoid road dangers). The start and first 10-20 miles of the ride are often the most frantic and require the greatest diligence by riders, including bicycle handling, secure water bottles, and diligent regard for everyone's safety.

IN THE FIRST 20 MILES SPECIFICALLY (AND THROUGHOUT THE RIDE) CYCLISTS MUST NOT CROSS THE YELLOW LINE TO ADVANCE. ONCE YOU CROSS THE LINE YOU INVARIABLY MUST RE-ENTER THE PACK (OFTEN WITH AN ONCOMING CAR MAKING THIS URGENT) AND YOUR DARTING BACK INTO THE PACK ENDANGERS EVERYONE. NO ONE WILL INSURE A SUCCESSFUL ASSAULTS IN THE FIRST 20 MILES BY ADVANCING IN THE PACK, BUT YOU CAN INSURE AN END TO THE RIDE FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS IF YOU FAIL TO RIDE PRIMARILY WITH SAFETY AND SPORTSMANSHIP IN MIND.

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Tips/Reminders for game day and leading up to the event:

• Make some boots to carry in your seat pack. Take an old tire and cut 2-3 sections of varying lengths--1", 2", 3"--and be sure to cut off the beads on each side of the sections. Put these in your saddle pack along with NEW tubes (not patched, not tubes you have been carrying around since 1973) and CO2 cartridges with the appropriate inflator (be sure to check for matching of head to cartridge--threaded v. unthreaded). Be sure you have the proper tire tools for removing a tire as well.

• Know how to change a tire/tube and then PRACTICE removing and changing a tube--including reinstalling a tire WITHOUT a tire tool (using the tool to reinstall invariably pinches the new tube). 

• Install new tires and tubes ASAP. Ride and use all new equipment a minimum of two weeks before the event.

• Check cables, chain wear, cassette wear, secure and tight bolts, BB, etc.

• Consider installing a chain-drop guide.

• Purchase and try out all nutrition choices before the ride multiple times and have an adequate supply set aside for the event day ASAP. Consider that a May 16 event may be quite hot--Do you need a sports drink that addresses cramping? Do you need electrolyte supplements (tablets)? I am always fighting the cramp demon and recommend highly these products, but also the calculators found here can help you determine what drinks and supplement amounts you need:

eLoad: http://www.medioncorp.com/

Nutrition calculators: http://www.medioncorp.com/nutrition-calculators-p136109

• Check your shoes and CLEATS for wear and secure bolts. Replace worn cleats yesterday or ASAP.

• Dedicate a kit for the event. Pack and identify all kit/clothing options you MAY need on event day. The Assaults have begun with temps at 70 degrees at 6:30 am with temps at 100 by the afternoon, and we have started several years in rain/storms with the temps remaining in the 40s and 50s all day. The one thing you must plan on is differences in weather among Spartanburg, Marion, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Mt. Mitchell State Park.

• Prepare your bag of clothing for the top. Include a wide range of clothes to change into (anticipate being COLD at the top) and pack a plastic bag for wet clothing you remove. A small backpack is ideal and be sure to include antibacterial wipes for cleaning up, a towel for drying off, and some emergency foods for post-ride recovery.

Schedule of route postings:

May 1: Intro and "The Start"

http://app.strava.com/segments/634359

May 2: "Pea Ridge"

http://app.strava.com/segments/634365

May 3: "Dangerous Curve"

http://app.strava.com/segments/649096

May 4: "Bills Mt."

http://app.strava.com/segments/373821

May 5: "Tom Johnson Campground"

http://app.strava.com/segments/634363

May 6: "Hwy 80"

http://app.strava.com/segments/648926

May 7: "Blue Ridge Parkway"

http://app.strava.com/segments/649092

(you may also want to include your ride next Saturday!)

May 8: "Mt. Mitchell State Parkway" and "The End"

http://app.strava.com/segments/632888

http://app.strava.com/segments/373855

Paul Thomas, EdD, Associate Professor

Furman University

http://bicyclelust.blogspot.com/

"I've Got the Power"

Thanks to quarq, "I've Got the Power."

Friday night, I did my first ever install of quarq's SRAM-based crank power meter system. And then Saturday, I ventured out on the Assault re-con ride that traveled the first half of the course up and over Bill's Mountain and then back to Spartanburg.

While many of us may wish for one of those mythological Fabian Cancellara motors in our bicycles, power meters are in fact the latest evolution of precise training tools that have trickled down from the pro peloton to weekend warriors and bicycling enthusiasts who now choose to invest in training instead of a new carbon frame or that light wheelset.

Here are a few initial thoughts for anyone considering making the move to power meters:

• First, I broke a Golden Rule of cycling by heading out on a century the morning after a late-night first-time install of a major bicycle component. On the road, the only problem I encountered was my fault: The front shifting was off a bit, but I was able to adjust twice during the ride, and by the end, all was working flawlessly. Don't do it, but having broken the rule leads me to my next point. . . .

• The installation and use of the quarq system was impressively easy and manageable. What is involved? You must remove your existing crank and drive-side bottom bracket cup (to slip on a magnet beneath that cup). Once you install the quarq crank (exactly like existing crank), the brief and clear manual shows you how to sync your power meter with your Garmin device. I own the Garmin 500 (and could rave about the device if you want--highly recommended), and the initial sync and the calibration needed before each ride are quick and easy (when I first heard I needed to calibrate before each ride, I was skeptical; it isn't as complex as it sounds).

• I changed the first page of my Garmin 500 to show current speed, total miles, current power, percent grade, and heart rate. Doing just one ride revealed what people say about power readings: Power is far more accurate than speed or heart rate. Ascents, descents, drafting, and taking pulls are all revealed for what they are--climbs and taking pulls are taxing while descents and drafting save tremendous amounts of effort. The heart-rate fluctuations for the four conditions are minor compared to the power output differences. For precise and purposeful training, power is clearly the gold standard. (While talking to other riders with more experience with power meters than I have, I also learned that displaying and looking at average power output is another key indicator for training.)

• Specific to the Assault route, the power meter confirmed what I already knew from riding the event most years over the past twenty-plus years: Pea Ridge is hard and the bottom half of Bill's Mountain is steep and hard. While many people are intent on riding the Marion to the top of Mitchell as recon, most cyclists would benefit as much (if not even more) from experiencing the first half of the route; many riders can burn too many matches along this challenging section if they aren't purposeful and careful.

• One concern I had about the crank-based power meter was weight, but I found that my Colnago build-up went from about 16.5 lbs to about 17 lbs (using crude scales); if weight is a concern, this small difference can be easily addressed with other components--or a bit of care with the diet.

My next experiment is one I really am looking forward to--the recovery ride. I think this will be the best use of the power meter.

Paul Thomas, EdD, Associate Professor

Furman University

http://bicyclelust.blogspot.com/

Gearing choices for the Assault on Mt. Mitchell

Hey all, sorry about my absence as of lately. Life can get crazy for all of us and it can impact our preparation. Racing is in full effect here in the south and I have been traveling every weekend to a different city to go race. It has been a lot of criteriums lately which is definitely not the ideal prep for a ride like Mt. Mitchell. The type of fitness it takes to compete in an hour long criterium is completely different that a 102 mile, hilly event like Mt. Mitchell.

In a criterium, there are dozens and dozens of surges (out of the saddle, sprinting, hard braking, cornering). We are constantly changing gears and the majority of the time we are in the lower section of the cassette (in the 11-15 tooth gears). With Mt. Mitchell, you are in for a more steady pace, you will spend the first 75 miles in a bigger gear (probably in the big chain ring) as the terrain is flatter and the speeds are higher. Around Bills Mt. you will get your first real taste of climbing and checking out the gears that you may need towards the end of the ride. Because of this vast range of terrain and demands, you will want to have a good range of gears on your bike.

The first thing to do is check out your cassette. Your smallest gear (hardest to push) will likely be an 11 or 12 tooth gear. You may be in this on some of the downhills or when the pace is going pretty fast. On the other side of the cassette is your easier gears, the climbing gears. The size of the gear on this side of the cassette will determine at what cadence you can spin when the road really tilts upward. The nice thing about Mitchell (yes, I did just say that) is that there is nothing overly steep about any of the climbs. . .they just go on forever.
This means that you won't need to go to out and buy a cassette with crazy amounts of teeth for the easiest gear to finish the ride. When you start getting into cassettes that have a very wide range in gearing it also means that the jump between the gears will be larger. It may be hard to find an ideal gear in this situation (one gear is too hard, the next one is too easy and you slow down). For myself I will use a standard 11-25 cassette and a standard crankset of the front. Going up route 80 towards the parkway is the steepest section of the ride and there I will probably be in the 21 or 23 whereas on the parkway the gearing will change as the terrain does.

One thing that can really help with the range in gearing is using a compact crankset. A standard crankset has 39teeth for the small chainring and 53 teeth for the large. This is great for people in flat terrain or for racers as they need the larger gears for the faster speeds. If you are on of those people who doesn't spend a lot of time in the 12 or 11 tooth cog in the back then making the switch to a compact crankset might be a good option for you. The compact will have 34 teeth for the small chainring and 50 teeth for the large. You will still have the bigger gears for going fast, but rather than needing a cassette with a wide range of gears you can keep the standard cassette. If you want to have a wider range of gears without huge jumps between the cogs then getting a compact crankset might be the best option for you.

To make a compact crankset work for your bike (if you don't already have one) you will need the crankset (obviously). You will also need to adjust your front derailleur and derailleur cable. You will probably have to take a couple links out of your chain (as with the smaller little ring your chain will now be too long). It may be a good idea to go ahead and replace the chain all together if you are getting a new crankset though.

Remember, as I started in an earlier blog post, whatever upgrades or maintenance you do perform make sure it's done in advance of the ride so that you can be sure it's going to perform on the day of the event.

Boyd Johnson
www.boydcycling.com
High performance cycling wheels and accessories
boyd@boydcycling.com

So What's the Big Deal about Power?

Many moons ago, cyclists trained by heart rate, but in the past few years--accelerated by the Lance Armstrong era in which he made people take notice of the value of purposeful training--top-level cyclists and pros have committed to training with power meters.

Here is a unique look into the power numbers for a professional cyclist:

Michael Mørkøv's SRM data from Tirreno-Adriatico TTT

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/michael-morkovs-srm-data-from-tirreno-adriatico-ttt

Paul Thomas, EdD, Associate Professor

Furman University

http://bicyclelust.blogspot.com/

Dress for Success : Preparing for Bizzare Temperature Swings

On a day like today...

Admittedly, two months ago I would not have called 45° cold; especially on a day with blue skies, calm winds, and a bright sun.  In fact, one particular ride not so long ago, we were joking about how relieved we were that the weather was so nice:  partly cloudy and 40°.

Today is different.

1.)  Acclimation (or acclimatization) is the process by which we gradually adjust to our environment.  That's why a 45° day in winter is balmy while in summer it would be down right "freezing!"  Our bodies can adjust to the weather to allow comfort, but our bodies need a good bit of time to make that adjustment.  Each person acclimates at a different pace, and the amount of change (i.e. difference between your comfort level and what you are trying to achieve) determines the amount of time a person will need to fully acclimate.

Riding on cold weather days leading up to the Assaults means that you will handle the start well.  However, it may mean you will hit the wall in Marion, where temperatures are often in the mid-70s.

2.) Today is much like the Assaults:  a huge swing in temperature.  A 25° shift in the air temperature is tough on the body - made worse when it's 45-70.  There is a much more significant difference between these temps, considered cold and warm, whereas a swing between 0-25° or 70-95° is less so - we dress either very warmly or strip it all off... and that's it.

Starting out in chilly and ending in warm temperatures means we have to bundle up and peel as we go.  Our pockets will be over-flowing with warmers, vests, food, phones, etc. We may not be able to handle all the extras, so be sure to consider every article of clothing carefully.

Starting out too cold can lead to tense muscles, wasted energy, or worse: injury.  Whether your tight muscles don't give, and you tear something or your shivering causes you to crash... it's just not safe to be "cold" at the start.  That said, being "a little chilly" is ok - in fact, it's good.  You will warm up, and you will begin to strip off layers, so it's best to save a little space by not wearing too much at the start.

In general, you should not need to pull off layers in the first 45-75 minutes, no matter how hard you are riding or how quickly the temperatures rise.

3.)  So what is the best way to dress for this event?  Layers.  We've all heard it, but what does it mean?  Unfortunately, it's different for everyone, but there are some general guidelines to go by.  Here is a link to a "What to Wear" chart, which is a good place to start:
http://totalcyclist.com/home/images/stories/thumbs/PDF_Files/What_to_Wear_this_Winter.pdf

This is a good catch phrase: "If it's below 60 degrees, cover your knees!"  That's a good starting point, but as ever, "Know thyself."  The key to success in these events - in all aspects - is to know your own limitations and needs (nutrition, hydration, clothing, climbing speed, etc).

So, use this as a guide and then experiment. Try out different combinations to see what works best for you... and keep trying things out as the seasons change, as you buy new clothing, as you get stronger, and as you get older!  (I definitely don't dress the same as I did 5 years ago.)

4.)  Practice changing clothes on the bike.  Practice peeling layers while rolling and stuffing them into your pockets without getting those pesky sleeves caught in your spokes!  Practice putting them back on.  Practice all of these things away from everyone else!  Whether it means you only do this stuff on your solo rides or it means you drift off the back of the group to make a quick change, don't try to "go pro" right in the middle of the pack: way too dangerous!

4.) Disclaimer:  yeah, so the Assaults are like none other.  No one knows what the top will hold.  Some years, it has been in the 90° range at the finish, and others it has snowed (both of these are possible in the second week of May!).  We usually start around 50°, reach mid-70s in Marion, with temperatures steadily dropping as we climb skyward.

The best way to prepare for this kind of change is to watch the weather stations carefully and make an educated guess... then pack accordingly.  A friend of mine always said, "It's better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it."  That holds true in a lot of ways - but use common sense, too.  Don't carry a fleece-lined, rain jacket if the forecast is 80° and sunny.

5.)  Disposable Warmth.  If the temperatures are going to skyrocket, but are just too cold to bear at the start, I will sometimes wear "disposable" layers.  I might put a strip of plastic bag under my Armskins or Slipstreams (which are good down to ~45°, but breathe in such a way that particularly cold days can be too light).

This is a lot like the Pros who grab a newspaper at the top of a long, cold descent.  It's meant to keep off the chill, but they will dispose of it rather quickly (without the need to put it back on).  I don't do this on most rides - but sometimes I will put that little bit of extra wind protection on just for a little while.

Two things to remember though:  1.  Make them extra easy to remove (usually, I can just slide it off my arm while the Armskin stays in place); 2. please, please, please Dispose of them properly.  Throw them in a trash can or something like that - dropping it in the road is bad for the environment, but worse for the guy behind you who now has a plastic bag stuck in his rear derailluer!

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It's difficult to prepare for major changes in the weather, but with forethought and practice, a cyclist can be completely comfortable on game day.

-Peter
https://theAssaults.com
http://TotalCyclist.com

Equipment Preparation (part II): Selection for the Big Day

As you know, the equipment you choose can have a big impact on your ride at Mt. Mitchell. The first thing you want to do (highlighted in my previous post) is to have reliable equipment. You can have the lightest bike in the world, but if it doesn’t make it to the finish then you won’t be able to finish the ride.

Mitchell is an odd event in that it combines two needs for equipment, aerodynamics for the ride to Marion and then lightweight from Marion to the top. If you are riding in the Marion ride, you should be focused more on equipment that has a little more aero advantage (or making your existing ride a little more aero). One way to easily do this is to have a snug fitting jersey. It may not seem like a loose jersey will have a big effect, but all that fabric catching the wind can add minutes to your time over the course of the ride.

A larger upgrade to a bike, and often considered the most beneficial part to upgrade, is the wheels. Carbon wheels are everywhere nowadays. It used to be that you would just see the Pros racing with carbon wheels, everybody else could just dream about them. Now you’ll see people putting nice carbon wheels on their bike just to go ride the bike path (ok, it’s not so common around here, but down in South Florida, everybody trains on A1A with really nice carbon wheels). The benefit to carbon wheels is the material is much lighter than alloy and so you can have a deeper rim without adding weight to your bike.

For Mitchell, you have that added 25 miles of climbing at the end to contend with. This is where you want to lighten your bike (and maybe your body too) to make it easier to climb. With that being said, last year I used a set of 20mm tubular carbon wheels. They were extremely lightweight at just over 1,000 grams, and they were great on the climb. But for the first 75 miles I felt like I had to pedal more often, the rims were so light that they just didn’t carry the inertia very well. By the time the climb started I had expended a bunch of unnecessary energy that could have been saved. This year I will be going with a wheelset that will be a little more aerodynamic to help conserve energy for the first 75 miles. True, it will be a very slight disadvantage on the climb, but if I arrive at the climb having expended less energy overall I’ll have a better ride.

For wheels you can choose to go the tubular or clincher route. There are hundreds of pages of information about the difference between tubular tires and clincher tires out there. Opinions on which is the better choice seem to contradict themselves based upon who you talk to. Some of the facts are:

• A tubular wheelset will overall be lighter, although some of the carbon clinchers are getting to be very light nowadays.
• It is much easier to install and change out a tube vs. having to glue on a whole new tire.
• Repairing a flat tire with a clincher is something that can be done during the event.
• Tubulars do tend to flat less

For myself, I usually tend to race only on tubular wheels and train on clinchers. I like the lighter weight of a tubular wheelset and the feel of a nice tubular tire. I am willing to take the risk of not flatting during the event even though for Mitchell we won’t have a wheel car behind us like in races. As I stated before the 20mm tubular wheelset was great for climbing last year, but not great for the flat section leading to Marion. This year I would be riding a little deeper of a wheelset (probably a 38mm tubular or 50mm tubular). Of course, it is nice to be the owner of a company that makes wheels. . .so I will probably be running a prototype of a new wheelset we are working on.

- Boyd Johnson

http://BoydCycling.com

"Let's Roll" Ride Recap (part I)

Today, a wonderful group of riders turned out for our first Official Assaults Training Ride!
Click Here for the details on Strava

Dave Proctor built a superb course that included many, many hills in the area, and the Great Escape provided excellent SAG support, rest stops, and a post-ride meal.  - all greatly appreciated!

The Assault on Marion is a difficult ride - not just because of the hills and mountains (which don't really appear until about half-way through), but because of the speed of ride.  Once the group turns onto Parris Bridge Rd, there is almost a 30 mile stretch with no major climbs at all (rollers, yes).  The pace tends to be blisteringly fast!  Many fight to hold on, smoking their legs in the process.

So today we started quickly, setting a quick but steady pace over rolling terrain.  This helps to simulate the Assaults experience.  Of course, we cannot simulate the ride exactly without doing the actual route - nor would we want to in January - but it was a great way for many to prepare for the events!

Remember, at this time of year, you want to be consistent and steady - getting in those base miles and time on the bike.  A few hard rides like today are good for the system as well as good for your mind (a change of pace).  But you do NOT want to be hammering all winter long or you will be over-trained in May.

Just like the Assaults, the beginning of today's ride was quite chilly, whereas the finish was considerably warmer.  True, the Assaults don't actually begin at 40° and end at 60°.  Still there's usually a 20 degree shift throughout the day.  Typically, the temperature at the start is a mild/cool 50-something, Marion is in the upper 70s, but the temperatures often drop back down near the top*.

*It is important that all riders pack a bag of clothing to be shipped to the top - with warm and cold weather clothing, a towel, shoes, etc.  Also - it's a great idea to put all of your belongings in a plastic trash bag inside of the bag in case of foul weather.  More about this later though...

 So, how DO you dress for such a wild swing in temperature and weather?

Layers.

Think about flexibility and ease of access.  First, you will want to be able to peel off a layer (arm-warmers, knee warmers, gloves, or vest) while riding.  If you have a thick jacket or a long sleeve undershirt, it will be difficult to make small changes along the way.  It would be better to wear two pairs of arm-warmers, peeling them one at a time than to have a full coat that doesn't fit into your jersey pocket.

Whatever you think you might wear - practice it now!  Go out and experiment with different combinations of clothing, and work on taking off your arm-warmers,  vest, leg or knee warmers, etc while moving.  This is NOT recommended on a group ride - practice while you are alone until you are steady and completely comfortable with bike handling.

I am certain that the other bloggers will want to weigh in on the oft asked, "How do I dress for this?" question.  We will return to this topic a few more times this spring as conditions change.  But for now, practice making adjustments and fixes while moving, practicing this while riding alone.

-Peter
http://TotalCyclist.com
http://theAssaults.com

"Mechanical!"—On the Road and at Home

Boyd's latest blog made me think about another kind of preparation that must happen well before the day of the Assaults—your own mechanical ability both at home and on the road.

Most of us will rightfully leave bicycle mechanical work to the professionals: your local bicycle shop. But a few mechanical skills need to be practiced at home and often because you may be confronted with them on the road. And on game day, a few mechanical skills can save your ride (FYI. . .My "best time" on the Assault from the early 1990s, that lasted until a few years ago, included TWO flats—one on Bill's hill and one at the base of Hwy 80).

First, everyone should know how to change tires, including using the typical equipment you'll use on the road (such as a CO2 cartridge instead of the floor pump). Installing a tire while making sure the tube isn't pinched or installed carelessly takes PRACTICE. Ideally, you should be able to remove and install a tire with NO tire tool—but you need to practice enough so that you can at least install the tire without a tire tool. The basic technique is using the palm of your GLOVED hands to roll the last 2-3 inches of bead into the proper seat beneath the rim lip. This takes installing many tires, and you should begin practicing well before any event.

Practicing tire installation means little, however, if you are not properly equipped on the road. Your saddle pack should have tubes (be sure to have the right length stem if you have a unique rim depth—best strategy is always buy 48 mm - 60 mm stem lengths). Have at least one, but usually two, tire levers that are solid, wide, and have a hook for the spoke to help remove tight tires. Have 1 or 2 CO2 cartridges that match your CO2 head (I recommend a screw-on head only with threaded cartridges for less space in the bag). And have boots for ripped sidewalls.

To make boots, the next time you remove an old tire, cut 5 or 6 sections of about 1-2 inches each; then, cut off the beads so that you can use these as sidewall boots in case of a tear. Emergency boots include a folded dollar bill, an empty gel pack, and duct tape (see below).

Next, know how your drivetrain works—chains (do you use a unidirectional chain?), front and rear derailleurs (including cables), and brakes (including cables). You should have a good multi-tool in the saddle pack that has all the tools YOUR bike needs (check allen wrench sizes needed, and try to find a tool with an 8 mm allen for the bottom bracket; check screws—phillips or flathead?).

Even if your local bike shop installs and adjusts your bicycle, know what the adjusting screws and barrels on your derailleurs do (what are the results of each direction of turning) and make sure they are all workable (adjustment barrels are notorious for seizing if you don't have them lubricated and fail to turn them from time to time).

Also carry a spoke wrench (again, that is specific to YOUR wheelset), and have some knowledge of using the wrench to make a wheel rideable if you break a spoke.

A couple neat tricks that can save you on a solo ride or on event day include duct-taping a shifter cable under your saddle (the duct tape can serve as a boot) and carrying a KMC (or appropriate brand and size) quicklink for broken chains. Of course this means, you need to be sure to carry a multi-tool with a chain tool (again that is the right size for the brand and speed chain you use).

Useful guides to learning basic repair/maintenance:

http://bicycletutor.com/guide/

http://www.youtube.com/sramtech

Paul Thomas, EdD, Associate Professor

Furman University

http://bicyclelust.blogspot.com/

Equipment Preparation (part I)

Chances are right now if you look outside your window you are seeing a bunch of snow, unless you live in Florida where you only deal with snowbirds (far more dangerous by the way). While some of us have been cooped up inside the house since the "great snowstorm of '11" hit, it seems like spring will not get here soon enough. Soon you'll be riding outside, training hard, and looking forward to that last 25 miles of Mt. Mitchell.

One of the things that you can do now is to start planning on equipment selection and what you are going to use on the day of the event. The first and most important things to remember is to have your bike thoroughly inspected and tuned up. This is not something that should be done a day or two before Mitchell. If your bike needs a new chain and you just throw it on right before the ride, it can be skipping around all day and mis-shifting. This can make for a very long 102 miles. Some of the most important things to check to make sure your bike is as prepared as your body are:
1. chain
2. cassette
3. derailleur cables
4. tires.

As for chain and cassette here's a tip. It's a lot easier to change a $35 chain every few thousand miles than to have to completely change the chain, cassette, and chainrings. If your chain completely wears out, it's going to also wear out the cassette and chainrings. Then when you put on that nice new chain, it will not mesh well with your old cassette and chainrings. Regularly changing the chain before it gets worn out can save you headache out having to completely change out the drivetrain. Plus, a new chain just feels so sweet!

As for tires, you are going to want fairly new tires for the ride. By new I do not mean that you should be mounting them on your wheels at 5:30am on the 16th. A good idea would be about a week before the ride to go to your local bike shop and have them do a complete overhaul, change out the chain and put new tires on. It may set you back a few bucks but you'll be able to ride in confidence knowing that your equipment won't fail you. . .hopefully your legs won't either.

Many of you are planning on upgrading wheels or even your bike before the Mitchell. If you are looking at possibly getting a set of event specific wheels and wondering what might be the best option. . .well you'll just have to stay tuned for my next entry. I figure if news stations can sensationalize a weather report, I might as well do the same thing for a cycling blog.

"Wondering about the best wheel selection for Mitchell? Tune in next week for a report that can save you hours. . .  even days!"

Boyd Johnson
BoydCycling.com