Mud, Sweat and Gears

Kurt Kinetic power curve vs. PowerTap

2012-01-11T20:00:00.004-06:00

The Kurt Kinetic Road Machine trainer has a well-documented power curve. That is, it takes a fixed amount of power to spin the resistance unit at a certain speed. Additionally, that amount of power is most similar to actual road conditions compared to other trainers, according to Kurt, and I've found that to be true. Several other trainers also have a documented power curve. For fun, since I'm a

Bike wheels and wheelbuilding

2011-06-04T18:06:00.005-05:00

So I've had some adventures with wheels and wheelbuilding over the last year. Several people have asked about the wheels I've been using lately. Since I'm physically incapable of doing anything productive after today's long ride, I thought I'd share some thoughts, and hopefully allow others to learn some things I've learned the hard way. Pretty much everything here is my opinion and ramblings

Why I love this crazy sport

2010-10-11T17:07:00.002-05:00

I love this photo that Todd Butcher took. It paints what I love about cyclocross. I've just powered through a mud pit and am (relatively speaking) speeding toward a staircase runup. There were a lot of people at the mud pit and the runup cheering, and both were really hard and required bike handing skills to navigate efficiently and quickly. There's mud on me and the bike, the scenic venue is in

Tuesday Night Cyclocross

2010-09-29T13:32:00.004-05:00

So we have a sweet midweek cyclocross series here on Tuesday nights in a park right near town. $15 to race, insured and officiated, and each week the course gets changed up. Pretty sweet deal! Just like the Tuesday night crits, it's a good chance to get some practice racing in, low key, and a chance to hang out with teammates and friends and enjoy the beautiful Indian summer while it lasts!I've

Watts per kilo

2010-09-13T13:07:00.002-05:00

So I'm looking over info from this past season, seeing if I can figure out why I sucked in terms of results. I'm well aware that I don't have a high wattage output at threshold, but I'm no Thor Hushovd either. So I figured out my watts per kilo and compared it to Coggan/Allen's table that ventures to correlate the figures to racers of various categories.According to this table, I should be a Cat

The Road Less Travelled

2010-07-17T17:16:00.002-05:00

Did another sublime ride today. Again a nice loop that can only be done with some fatter tires because of the rural roads, but it was gorgeous! The weather was mild, the sun was shining, the views were stunning, and the pedaling was easy. This loop went up and over Ute Pass and looped back via the Williams Fork Reservoir and the Green Mountain reservoir. I even witnessed a cattle drive, complete

Get dirty

2010-07-16T10:38:00.000-05:00

Boreas Pass adventure ride

2010-07-15T18:07:00.005-05:00

The mountains of Colorado are not conducive to road rides that are anything but out-and-back, and I much prefer loops. In my quest to do a loop, I plotted out a ride that included a dirt road over Boreas Pass out of Breckenridge. Unfortunately I only brought my road bike with narrow tire and caliper clearances. Fortunately I was able to find some 700x28 hybrid tires that were on clearance for

Heat

2010-07-07T10:13:00.002-05:00

It would seem that I can't take the heat. How do people exercise when it's over 90? Gatorade seems to help push out the inevitable shut down, so electrolytes/hydration seems to be the right track, but I really seem to struggle.Two weeks ago at the State Fair crits I DNF'ed, Monday during an especially hot and humid hot yoga class, I spend almost as much time resting as anything else. And

Final State Fair Crit race report

2010-06-30T14:03:00.004-05:00

This was an eventful race, so I thought I'd update this neglected blog. I decided to use the Powertap for this race, even though there would be hard accelerations every lap out of the hairpin turn. Turned out there was also a rise out of that turn, making it even more challenging! I seriously debated whether I'd do the 4/5 race because of the potential danger of that course. In the end, I decided

Chevron

2010-06-13T18:34:00.004-05:00

"Chevron Corp. has come out swinging in its fight to continue drilling in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, arguing that not all oil firms should be tarred with the brush of BP PLC's Deepwater Horizon disaster." Meanwhile, "Emergency workers believe they have stopped a 21,000-gallon oil leak [from a Chevron pipeline] from reaching the environmentally sensitive Great Salt Lake, one of the

Power training wrap-up

2010-06-03T21:07:00.002-05:00

So the training cycle I've been doing on Carmichael's The Time Crunched Cyclist program is done. That means I get to ride my bike for fun now! Yay! I'll do another peak for cyclocross season.The result? Threshold power improved by about 14% over the course of the program (using the CTS field test). How does this compare to the improvement I would have gotten anyway over the course of the early

The Real Landis Scandal is the UCI

2010-05-20T12:59:00.002-05:00

"UCI President Pat McQuaid told the Associated Press that Landis' allegations [that Bruyneel met with the International Cycling Union to ensure details of a positive test remained confidential due to a “financial agreement”] were "scandalous and mischievous." "These guys coming out now with things like this from the past is only damaging the sport. If they've any love for the sport they wouldn't

La Crosse crit race report

2010-05-02T17:47:00.004-05:00

Did the La Crosse criterium today. Bit of a long drive, but it turned out to be worth it in the end. The drive down took me through some really scenic areas in southeast Minnesota. Makes me want to try out the trail they have down there! Couldn't get any teammates to make the drive though. From what I heard about the road race yesterday, people would have been too tired anyway!Arrived in time to

Progress

2010-04-21T21:12:00.003-05:00

This is interesting. Right after racing Opus yesterday, my workout today felt super strong. It was the same workout as last Saturday, which came after a rest day even. Did I feel stronger because I'm improving that quickly, or because I benefited the next day from a good leg stretcher? Or was it just a good day? The charts below tell the story. Not only were the intervals stronger (more watts),

Insane in the membrane

2010-04-10T14:16:00.004-05:00

I've heard this from several people. Finally we're having some nice weather in Minnesota, and soon it will start getting TOO hot outside. Everyone else is enjoying this brief window of nice weather, and I'm sitting inside on a trainer. WTF?The deal is, I have a goal, and I have a plan, and I'm sticking to it. The big problem is all these f*ing suburbs. I have to ride for at least an hour just to

Teammates

2010-04-06T14:57:00.006-05:00

The winner of this intra-team spat? The other teams' sprinters. Cavendish without Greipel and Hincapie will be meh. I predict the end of his TdF dominance.While I'm being snarky, is it me or is Cav looking a little chunky in this picture? I'm rooting for Farrar! Image from Pez.

Hell Week Texas 2010

2010-03-19T14:59:00.002-05:00

No day-by-day blogging of Hell Week Texas this year. If you're looking for more detailed info on Hell Week adventures from past years, click on the Hell Week tag.This year was a great year because we had a lot of people go. The more the merrier! In total, for all or parts of the week, there were eleven of us. The weather was great for all except one day. Each year Hell Week gets bigger, so there

Chicago Cyclocross Cup 2009 Highlight Video

2010-03-10T22:39:00.000-06:00

Via CXMag.2009 Chicago Cyclocross Cup from Heather Jurewicz on Vimeo.

Mo' powah

2010-02-25T18:59:00.005-06:00

So it would seem there's something to this whole "training" thing. Especially when you can quantify it. A month ago I did some power testing and came up with a threshold power of 212. (These terms mean different things to different people at different times, so what I mean by threshold power here is the max power sustainable for an hour.) This was derived from an all out 8 minute effort. Earlier

Hill repeats

2010-02-06T17:17:00.002-06:00

Ohio/Cherokee x3 plus Ramsey.

Withrow virtual TT

2010-02-05T20:34:00.003-06:00

Withrow virtual time trial, done on a Tacx trainer, plus my Powertap hub. Tacx said 231 watts, Powertap said 210. I was shooting for 220. Fail, but good info.

Ina-Yoko Teutenberg

2010-02-03T09:09:00.003-06:00

I'd like to see her stiff-arm Ricardo "Cycling isn’t for women, it hurts too much" Ricco's skinny doping @ss. Really cool article on VeloNews.

Brake shoes pads rubbing your fork or seat stays?

2010-01-30T17:04:00.004-06:00

It just so happens that the knurled nut that comes on inner tubes is the same threading as brake caliper bolts. Voila, problem solved! This was really vexing me, since both the fork and seat stays are carbon. Plus the additional problem that the brake arms wouldn't open wide enough to allow the inflated tire through without giving the wheel a good whack.

Lance to HTFU??

2010-01-28T13:38:00.002-06:00

This is kind of a big deal, in my mind. Lance Armstrong will be racing the spring classics, as well as the Tour de France. That's a seriously brutal schedule. Check it: * Vuelta a Murcia, March 3-7 * Milan-San Remo, March 20 * Criterium International, March 27-28 * Tour of Flanders, April 4 * Amstel Gold Race, April 18 * Liège-Bastogne-Liège, April 25 * Tour of California,

Power testing

2010-01-23T18:34:00.003-06:00

Today I did my first formal "field test" to determine "lactate threshold" and initial training zones. I put lactate threshold in quotes because no actual blood was drawn, and field test in quotes since it was done indoors in a non-race situation. I used Carmichael's 8 minute test from "The Time-Crunched Cyclist." This consists of two 8 minute efforts, from which the best one is taken and used to

Polar Dash: how to train for a 10K

2010-01-01T13:42:00.002-06:00

Today I ran the Polar Dash 10K. I am mystified, but very pleased, with the results. Although I didn't party like it was 1999, I did stay up for the new year, and some champagne was involved. Originally I'd signed up for the race to have a goal for training, since cycling is very difficult this time of year. As it turned out though, I haven't been training for the race at all. I was able to cobble

UnitedHealthcare announces title sponsorship

2009-12-17T12:43:00.002-06:00

After much delay, Momentum Sports Group (MSG) officially announced that [Minnetonka, MN-based] UnitedHealthcare will take over the title sponsorship of the US-based Continental team formerly known as OUCH presented by Maxxis, in 2010. Via Cyclingnews.Interestingly: UnitedHealthcare Completes Acquisition of Health Net's Northeast Licenses and Rights to Renew Membership. Health Net was the previous

Gay marriage

2009-12-16T21:12:00.002-06:00

I just want to re-post this here, because it's such a moving speech. HuffPost's summary, which doesn't quite convey how poignant and brilliant this short speech was: Gay marriage supporters suffered a defeat today when New York state lawmakers rejected a bill that would have established same-sex marriage. The debate over the bill was passionate, and state Senator Diane Savino (D-Staten Island)

Easton Tempest II wheel set for sale

2009-12-13T12:57:00.004-06:00

Shimano, 1560 grams for the set, 30mm deep, aero stainless spokes 18/20, alloy cassette body. MSRP $850. Review here. Purchased in 2007, used mainly as race wheels, <1000 miles. Very good condition, true and smooth. Tires included if you want: Continental Ultra Gatorskin front, GP 4 Season rear. $450. Comment or email if interested.

Story on Bjorn in Cyclingnews

2009-12-11T08:27:00.001-06:00

As his friends and former competitors prepare to contest the US 'cross championships in Bend, Oregon, Selander is in Tucson, Arizona to meet with his new teammates and directors for the first time at the RadioShack team camp, and finds missing 'cross to be bittersweet.Congratulations Bjorn!

Collarbone metal removal, Birchwood 2010

2009-11-17T17:03:00.002-06:00

This morning I finally got my collarbone hardware removed. Big long plate and 9 screws. As planned, I did it right after cyclocross season so I wouldn't miss any racing and will have as much time as possible before racing next year. It was an outpatient procedure, and simpler than I expected, even though the doctor said it would be. As simple as full anesthesia, a six inch incision, and unbolting

Training with power, 2010 season

2009-11-12T11:59:00.006-06:00

So I took the big plunge and got a Powertap (Pro+ hub, still not sure which computer to use). This means several things:- I'm broke(er)- I no longer have excuses for sucking- I'm going to be forced to train hardThis is part of a larger plan not to suck as much next year. In order to have a more concrete goal than "not suck next year" my goal will be to upgrade to Cat 3 next year. Once I'm a Cat 3

VeloCross race report

2009-11-07T17:41:00.003-06:00

As usual, this was a pretty neat course given the flat venue. A little extra was added here and there to make it more interesting. The best part was absolutely gorgeous weather - sunny and 60s! The regular skinsuit was perfect. It was a great event with a beer tent, massages and other vendors. LGR did a great job!!My race was typical of my 'cross season this year. Not wanting to get in anyone's

My Review of Shimano MT60 Gore-Tex Bike Shoes - Men's

2009-11-05T14:41:00.002-06:00

Originally submitted at REIPower through wet and nasty conditions with the mid-cut Shimano MT60 Gore-Tex® bike shoes. They're built for durable comfort and support.Shimano MT60 Gore-Tex Bike Shoes - Men'sWinter shoesBy fsgray from Minneapolis, MN on 11/5/2009 4out of 5Gift: NoSizing: Feels half size too smallWidth: Feels true to widthPros: Good Traction, Good for WalkingCons: Finicky ClosuresBest

A Violinist in the Metro

2009-10-29T11:35:00.003-05:00

(This is verified at UrbanLegends.com)Original Washington Post story.A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there

Green Acres cyclocross race report

2009-10-25T21:09:00.001-05:00

This was easily my favorite course of the year so far. It had a monster climb that you could barely ride up, lots of off camber, some 180s, a nice downhill, some evil-ly spaced barriers, a couple of nice little runups, just enough recovery stretches, and the weather cooperated to bring along some muddy cyclocross condititons. The promoter did a great job of making it an event, with brats, beer,

New Chris King road hubs and bottom bracket

2009-10-16T09:38:00.004-05:00

Want.

Cyclocross Diaries Part 1: Alpenrose

2009-10-07T19:40:00.001-05:00

Alpenrose Cross Crusade report

2009-10-05T11:06:00.003-05:00

I was very fortunate to be able to score a bike to race instead of just watching the legendary Cross Crusade while visiting Portland. Thanks to ErikV for the hook-up! From our rental in northwest I biked up and over the west slope, which made a perfect warm-up. A bit of a feat with a singlespeed actually.The venue, as expected, was huge. There were 1400 racers, and even more fans, family and

Pork Chop Challenge (St. Cloud) race report

2009-09-27T16:54:00.003-05:00

This race always seems like the hardest race of the year. Whether that's because it's the first brutal reminder of how hard cyclocross is, or because it really is that hard, is difficult to say. This year is no different though. Like previous years, it was a technically easy peasy grassy crit. Unlike last year, though, they changed it up a bit more. Gone was the long snaking around the grass at

Henderson TTT

2009-09-12T14:21:00.002-05:00

Today was the Henderson team time trial. I've been feeling strong late in the season from all the TTs, duathlons and misc. racing, so this sounded like a good chance to make use of the late season fitness. Amy was feeling frisky and came out of retirement to do this two-person team time trial. She's stronger at TTs than I am, but I've been getting stronger and she'd been taking it easy lately, so

For sale: Alex A-Class ALX300 wheel set for Campy

2009-09-07T11:09:00.002-05:00

Alex A-Class ALX300 paired spoke wheels with Campy freehub. 24/28 spokes. 740/1030 grams. Rim tape and skewers are included, lockring is not. More info here. Very good condition, true. $100 for the pair, plus shipping as needed. Would be perfect for cyclocross or daily wheels. Email if interested.

Treadman Duathlon

2009-09-06T15:52:00.002-05:00

Last year's Treadman was my first multi-sport event ever, and doing well there encouraged me to continue. Getting back into high-adrenaline bike racing put that on the back burner for a while, but the gap between the end of road season and the start of 'cross season made some room.The event was almnost cancelled this year, but an outcry from the community made it happen. In the end, despite the

Minneapolis Duathlon

2009-08-30T12:43:00.003-05:00

After doing the Apple Duathlon, the Minneapolis Duathlon was a very different experience. In its first year, it's already the largest duathlon in America. Nevertheless, it was very well organized, and a pleasure to do.It all started downtown on the river at the Plymouth Ave. bridge, so I biked down there with my stuff in the messenger pack that they gave away instead of a T-shirt or something.

Tuff Ride

2009-08-26T18:51:00.002-05:00

Wow, this blog is lame isn't it? Pretty much anything I have to say fits in 140 characters.Did the tuff ride yesterday. I've lived in fear of how "tuff" this ride would be for a long time. With late season fitness coming around, I thought I'd finally give it a try two Tuesdays ago. There was more chit chat than a Birchwood Betty ride, and it was pretty mellow for quite a while. Once we got to "

Birchwood Road Race

2009-08-16T09:21:00.002-05:00

The Birchwood road race started from Big Marine Park Reserve this year, dropping the decisive field-splitting hill from years past. I was out pretty late the night before, but fortunately our race wasn't until 2pm. Mainly I was hoping for no mechanicals or crashes, as last week was the week of flat tires!The race pretty much stayed together the whole time. A couple of attempts to split the field

Performance

2009-08-11T22:05:00.002-05:00

Too awesome!

Masi Lifestyle - Minneapolis

2009-08-11T13:09:00.000-05:00

Masi Lifestyle- Minneapolis from Masi Bicycles on Vimeo.

Cross Crusade cancelled!

2009-08-04T19:24:00.002-05:00

Can it be true?!?! Read for yourself...

Cycling around Benton Harbor, MI

2009-08-02T16:04:00.002-05:00

I took my bike along for our vacation/Sascha-Steelhead-Triathlon. Initial reconnaissance was not promising: no shoulders at all (also no sidewalks), fresh oil and gravel on the road connecting our cottage to everything else, lots of traffic on said road, and a redneck in a Trans-Am honking at me as I tried to go for a run instead. Sascha found a route on Map My Ride for the area, so I decided to

Lance vs. Alberto behind the scenes

2009-08-01T06:06:00.002-05:00

Now we know why Contador's toughest moment was in the hotel. Original; translation via Rant.A Tale of solitude. It happened on Thursday, a few hours before the Annecy ITT. Contador came downstairs to the entrance of the Palace of Menthon, the luxurious Astana hotel. The Tour was on. He looked right, then left. Nobody, nothing. No Astana cars or helpers. Cold sweat. Quick time check. Where are

Epic ride

2009-07-25T21:18:00.003-05:00

Did an epic Russel ride today. I usually struggle on long tempo rides, and prefer shorter efforts. But I had a good ride today. In numbers:94 miles20.7mph5 24oz bottles of Gatorade2 Gu1044 calories consumed on the bikeTom and Matt did most of the work into the wind on the way out, but I managed a few short pulls. It was a great ride, if a bit much before the Capitol Crit tomorrow. Most

Rock Racing

2009-07-24T11:32:00.003-05:00

Apparently the Tour de France doesn't have a monopoly on the drama this week. Via BSNY comes this story (aslo on Velonews) at the Cascade Classic:A day after getting hit with a $300 littering fine on stage one, Rock Racing manager Lorenzo LaPage managed to get the team car banned from the race caravan after stage two. The incident that tipped the scales reportedly involved some choice words,

Stockyards crit

2009-07-21T21:44:00.002-05:00

Went out to the stockyards in South St. Paul today for my first stockyards crit. Ironically, I missed last week's race in part because the weather looked nasty when I would have left, and it turned out to be fine. This week, the weather looked fine when I left, and it rained on my race.The course was basically an inside loop, with the outer traffic lanes open to traffic. It seemed safe enough for

Hopkins crit - broken spoke

2009-07-12T14:34:00.003-05:00

After debating between the 3/4 race and the 4/5 race, I decided to go with the 4/5 race. I'd heard about some scariness at the stockyards crit in that field, but hoped for the best. It would be nice to have a chance at making something happen, or at least not get pulled! That was not to be, but not because of getting dropped or crashing, fortunately.To stay safe, I went straight to the front for

Road bike vs. time trial bike experiment

2009-07-08T10:34:00.003-05:00

I decided to do an experiment at the Tuesday Night Time Trials yesterday. This course has a lot of rollers, so I can never get into a nice rhythm, and I can't get out of the saddle on the bigger hills because my knees hit to arm pads (or else I have to splay my knees to avoid them, which isn't good either). So I decided to try it on my road bike and see how I'd do.My times have been pretty

Northfield first crit race report

2009-07-04T17:51:00.002-05:00

The always enjoyable Northfield July 4th crit ended up being the first since my crash last year. A combination of leeriness of crits plus lack of fitness was causing a cycle of fail that needed to be addressed by just getting out there and HTFU. The goal was not to crash, hang on as long as I could, and get the legs back. Mission accomplished. The 35+ race served as a warm-up, and as expected I

Haiku ode to espresso

2009-06-15T13:19:00.001-05:00

I love espressoGets me going in the morn'Soon I will be broke

Buzz

2009-06-10T14:07:00.003-05:00

We have on our team a cyclist who goes by the nickname of Buzz. Buzz is deaf, and relies on hand signals and a good sense of his surroundings when out riding. This visual acuity has manifested itself in an absolutely amazing eye for photography. His sense of capturing a scene is truly astounding, and he's been at our State Fair Affair crit series these last two weeks taking pictures. Here are

My State Fair crit pics

2009-06-08T14:13:00.004-05:00

My camera kinda sucks. Haven't figured out a way to get the focus set for something that's not there (i.e. racers coming by at 30mph) and the camera is way to slow to focus as they zip past. But the blur effect looks sorta cool on its own, so here are a few.I think those are Casper's legs.Chris "I was not off the back, I was at the back" Smith.Shana hanging with the boys.

Cyclocrosser Sue Butler wins at Mt. Hood

2009-06-07T19:08:00.003-05:00

Remember Sue from Jingle Cross?From Velonews' great coverage:That’s when Butler, who said she’s using the race as training for the B.C. Bike Race June 27, decided the group wasn’t riding fast enough for her taste and decided to give it a go on her own with about 12 miles to go. Butler’s gap grew to as much as two minutes before attacks in the group, mostly by Goldtsein trying to dislodge Pitel,

St. Peter TT report

2009-06-06T16:01:00.001-05:00

Cold. Wet. Forgot trainer. Bonk. Hypothermia. How was your day?

Massacre on Machinery Hill pics

2009-06-03T09:50:00.001-05:00

From our awesome photographer Buzz:

Montreal World Cup

2009-06-01T09:53:00.002-05:00

Wow. Break away in the first kilometer and hold the entire field off for 110 kilometers. Britain's Pooley claims solo World Cup win.

East Union Circuit Race

2009-05-30T17:18:00.004-05:00

I was hot and cold about this race. End of May and I haven't done a 'real' race yet, but my fitness isn't what it should be. Of course if I'd been racing, the fitness would be better. Catch-22. I was going to race, since it would be a great first race for me, but fearing I'd just get dropped and not wanting to waste $30 and travelling to the sticks, I'd bailed in favor of a long fast ride. Turns

Apple Duathlon race report

2009-05-23T16:34:00.002-05:00

This race turned out to be kind of a big deal. It's a qualified for the 2009 ITU Duathlon Short Course World Championship, which is being held in the USA this year. Even looking at last year's results was intimidating. There would be no sandbagging this race! This was confirmed by the complete lack of hybrids with reflectors and mountain bikes with aero bars in the transition area.These

Pawlenty aiding terrorists

2009-05-19T14:50:00.002-05:00

Studies have been showing that we are woefully unprepared for a bioterror attack, such as anthrax and the like. The American health care system forces hospitals, like airlines, to run with as many beds occupied as possible, with the fewest staff possible, working the longest hours with the least sleep possible to wring every bit of efficiency out of the system. Even so, the current economic

How not to design a pro jersey

2009-05-18T08:24:00.003-05:00

From Pez:

TT position

2009-05-16T16:31:00.004-05:00

Wow, Skinnyski pics are up already! In spite of the wind, I'd moved the aero bars in a bit closer together. Comparing my pics to others' I think could move them in even more. The arm pads really stick out, so there's only so far I can move them; as it is the bracket is almost touching the stem. But I look really upright still. I guess that's why they make TT frames. And considering all the people

Team Type 1 racer saves life on flight from Minneapolis

2009-05-16T16:06:00.001-05:00

From Cyclingnews.com:Simon Bennett, a rider on Team Type 1's development cycling squad, put his training in first aid to work Thursday night to save the life of a man who collapsed on board a Northwest Airlines flight. Bennett used an automatic external defibrillator (AED) and portable oxygen tank to revive the man, whose heart stopped during the flight from Minneapolis to Chicago.

Funny story - not!

2009-05-16T15:36:00.002-05:00

Today was the Synergy 40K time trial at Withrow. Two lap of a 20K course on a cold and windy morning. But I sucked it up and queued up, and was actually feeling pretty good all things considered. The wind was out of the northwest, and we started out going northwest. But oh, when we turned east, that was heaven! Cruising along at 30mph makes up for the suckage that is a headwind or sidewind in

Pay up, b!tches!

2009-05-15T10:19:00.002-05:00

This is awesome. "The sponsors are still there, but much lighter, except for Trek, Nike and KazMunaiGaz, who paid," team spokesman Philippe Maertens told Cyclingnews. The team has experienced difficulties with payments from its sponsors, and riders and staff are behind in receiving payments. The UCI threatened to suspend the team if payments are not made by May 31.Riders get jerked around quite a

TNT

2009-05-13T08:55:00.003-05:00

Went out for TNT (Tuesday Night Time trial). I went boom. It was a very windy and at times rainy day, and I was pedaling squares on the rolling course. My time was toward the bottom of the list, and I got passed several times, and only passed one person. It's good training, though, and I've signed up for the series, because I never go as hard as I can unless I'm racing or training with

Ouch

2009-05-06T23:03:00.002-05:00

Category 6 Racing Squad team rides can be so different depending on who shows up. Today I got my legs ripped off! Drew, Dan, David and Rick showed up, so I should have seen it coming. Ironically, the fastest teammates (Derrick and Tyler) usually make for a more mellow ride, except for the sprints when they unleash the fury. With this crew, it's more of a steady leg searing hammer fest. Anyway,

Ghetto TT bike

2009-05-03T17:29:00.001-05:00

Why yes, that does read 21.31 lbs.

Minnesota's 6th District

2009-04-29T08:03:00.002-05:00

As Minnesota becomes the laughing stock of the country for electing not once, but twice, Michele Bachmann to the House, there's only so much blame you can put on Bachmann. While she's clearly a raving lunatic, she was put there by her constituents at a time when the country was finally realizing the disaster brought on by the GOP. And who are those constituents? See the map below. Note that the

Race day fail

2009-04-26T16:22:00.003-05:00

After doing well at a duathlon after my injury last year, I signed up for one this year: the Winter Begone Duathlon. The forecast for Oronoco was not promising: rainy and windy with some thunderstorms. I'd already paid for it though, and it wasn't cheap, plus I've got enough Portland blood in me that I know I won't melt when wet. Sascha didn't sign up, but intended to do it as well, knowing that

Tyler Hamilton

2009-04-18T09:51:00.002-05:00

The haters should read this. Very good perspective behind the knee-jerk headlines. Tyler is hella tough on the bike, but depression can be even tougher.

Navy SEAL respect

2009-04-13T08:54:00.000-05:00

Asked how the snipers could have killed each pirate with a single shot in the darkness, Gortney described them as "extremely, extremely well-trained." He told NBC's "Today" show the shooting by the snipers was ordered by the captain of the Bainbridge after the pirates came into view.Military officials were widely praising the snipers for three flawless shots, which they described as remarkable,

Salmon vs. black Kool Stop pads, back in the saddle

2009-04-11T19:03:00.003-05:00

My black Kool Stop brake pads wore out last season, so I decided to replace them with the salmon-colored Kool Stop pads since it's spring and I anticipate wet sloppy weather. Today, however, was a gorgeous, dry, sunny day, and I quickly learned the difference between the compounds! The salmon pads are for wet conditions, and in dry conditions they don't work nearly as well as the black pads. I'm

Crash on the Greenway

2009-04-08T09:50:00.006-05:00

Had a little altercation with a stick on the Greenway while commuting to work this morning. The stick won.I'd met up with Amy for our usual ride out west to work; I'm glad she was along! I was riding the Surly, still set up with fenders, and passed a little gardening plot near Garfield in Uptown. There was a path down to the Greenway covered with wood chips which were tracked onto the path.

Cat 6 Tour of Flanders pictures

2009-04-06T09:20:00.002-05:00

In case you haven't seen them elsewhere. "Buzz" is the photographer.

47cm Women's 650c road bike for sale - sold!

2009-04-05T13:13:00.008-05:00

2003 Trek 2300 WSD, Ultegra triple, Bontrager Race Lite wheels with bladed spokes. Original specs here. I measure 46.4cm center to top for the seat tube and 48.5cm center to center for the top tube. I measure 18.18lbs without pedals. Bike is in good condition. Upgraded deal position carbon seatpost, titanium rail Terry saddle. Scuffs in all the usual places. Derailleur and shifters scratched from

The depression is over!

2009-04-04T14:52:00.001-05:00

Cramer says so. Yay!

Sunday Sunday Sunday!

2009-04-01T19:49:00.002-05:00

This was a great time last year, and is sure to be even better this year. The Tour of Flanders on the big screens, amazing Beglian beers, free glass to keep, sweet door prizes including a set of HED rims, and FOOD this year too! All for less than you'd pay for a night out at a dive bar, and benefits Category 6 and the State Fair Affair series that you know and love. More info here.

Spring time!

2009-03-29T20:42:00.003-05:00

One thing I've always loved about Minnesota is the sunshine. Even in the dead of winter there are sunny days that make everything feel warmer, and even the snow reflects the light making everything cheerier. Even though temps are in the 30s now, it feels so much warmer. Now that I have proper winter riding gear, it's easy to get out and enjoy this sunshine! All weekend it's been sunny, so hill

Texas Hell Week - Day 8: 476 miles...

2009-03-21T15:15:00.002-05:00

...for the (long) week. Felt lazy today, and no need to push it. Ride took us out to Luckenbach the long way. A nice tailwind on the way back, tempered by nasty chip seal for a five mile stretch. Totally ready for some time off the saddle now!

Texas Hell Week - Day 7: Hammer part two

2009-03-20T15:58:00.002-05:00

Today's ride included the scenic Willow City loop. Hooked up with the hammer group again, and held on until Enchanted Rock, averaging over 20 mph for the 45 or so miles. There were some great vistas, reminding me of eastern Oregon. Enchanted Rock park was closed, so we all had to make due with the water we brought. Rode within my limits for the rest of the way back, and others seemed to be doing

Texas Hell Week - Day 6: Wine and #9

2009-03-19T16:09:00.002-05:00

Wasn't up for the 100 miles today, so did the scenic "Wine and #9" route that took us past a winery and the "bat cave" (an old tunnel from which bats emerge every night during the summer). 69 miles at a leisurely 16.8 mph. Temps close to 80, sunny skies. Narrowly avoided a crash though. A group got sketchy negotiating a dry water crossing, and a cyclist got in the way of a tandem. There was a

Texas Hell Week - Day 5: no Leakey Death

2009-03-18T13:54:00.002-05:00

After hammering myself into the ground yesterday, I figured the best thing to do from a training perspective is to take an active recovery day. 25 miles at 15.3 mph. It was a cool, gray, "moist" day in the morning, so not especially fun, but the legs no longer feel like lumber. Saw some lambs and some fawns. Tomorrow will be the first century of the season.

Texas Hell Week - Day 4: hammer time!

2009-03-17T15:37:00.002-05:00

Whoa. Rode today with a group of fasties on a very hilly route. Fortunately, we had no wind early in the ride, and a nice tailwind coming home, so with pacelining and sprinting up the hills we averaged 19.3 for the 80 mile ride. It wasn't a total sausage fest, as two women, including fast Katie, were riding with us. By the end we were down to six people, pretty much all ex- or current racers.

Texas Hell Week - Day 3: baby farm animals, cleat fitting

2009-03-16T12:59:00.002-05:00

Feeling a bit tired after back to back 70+ mile rides, I decided to do the 'C' ride of 40+ miles, and maybe hammer it a bit more. 'Hammering' ended up being 'rubber malleting' and 40+ miles ended up being even less due to erroneous directions. No big deal, as the route through open ranch land led me past a young white (albino?) calf, and very cute frolicking lambs. The extra time allowed me to

Texas Hell Week - Day 2

2009-03-15T17:17:00.004-05:00

Today was still a bit chilly, in spite of promises of normal weather for the day. Indeed, it is now sunny and warm in the later afternoon, but too late for the ride! Today was a little slower: 73 miles at 17.1 mph due to nearly bonking. Yesterday I only needed two Gus and one bottle of Powerade, so I packed accordingly. In the end I used up both Gus and three bottles of Powerade, and forgot to

Texas Hell Week - Day 1

2009-03-15T17:06:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was the first ride of the annual "spring training camp" known as Texas Hell Week. Normslly that means an escape from cold, snowy Minnesota to warm, sunny Fredericksburg, Texas. Yesterday was a bit chilly though, requiring arm warmers, knee warmers and the long-fingered track gloves that I happened to bring along, plus some chemical warmers that I found in the bottom of my tote. The

South Carolina

2009-03-11T09:35:00.003-05:00

Four states' unemployment rates above 10% (Michigan, South Carolina, Rhode Island and California lead U.S. jobless rates)In related news...South Carolina Governor: I Won't Use Stimulus To Stimulate

Fuel Cafe and Crank Bros.

2009-02-20T10:53:00.003-06:00

My favorite coffee shop in Milwaukee and my cyclocross pedal of choice are sponsoring a racing team in Milwaukee. Neat! Fuel's site is unavailable at the moment.

Karla posts diary entry on cyclingnews.com

2009-02-19T10:55:00.002-06:00

Check it!

New shoes

2009-02-13T18:26:00.003-06:00

Annual review is done, I get to keep my job for a while, so I ordered some new shoes. My old road and mountain shoes are literally falling apart, and I've been eyeing new shoes for a while now. Interestingly, the shoes that I've been eyeing are not available anywhere in town, even though Spiuk sponsors our home town racing team, Kelly Benefit Strategies. Marketing fail. So I ordered them through

Freedom haiku

2009-02-11T19:18:00.001-06:00

Gritty, potholed streetsSteel framed bike, tailwind, fat tiresNight-time riding bliss