Mid-Week Report: The Latest News, Products and Events
Welcome to the June 10, Mid-Week Report!
Welcome to the June 10, Mid-Week Report!
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: PIECE-BY-PIECE
It is a fact that the majority of Euro bikes rolling on the roads of America all started off as a bare frame that had to be built up. For a variety of reasons, it’s easier for American distributors to deal with importing bare frames than complete bikes. Equally, for a variety of reasons, American cyclists looking to build their Euro dream bike prefer to create their custom bike by piecemealing the effort from a wide-ranging menu of products
and accessories.
It was three years ago that the radical-looking 3T first appeared in the mag. The bike was of course the brainchild of Gerard Vroomen, who had made a name for himself as a designer for a rash of attention getting and race winning Cervelos. Prior to the Strada’s arrival, it had been preceded by a string of keyboard-fueled rumors and opinions. While the bike bore certain similarities to earlier Vroomen designs, it nonetheless stood apart as something new and different. And, where was the front derailleur?!
That’s right. In the days since his departure from Cervelo, Gerard had come to appreciate and embrace the newfound concept of 1x drivetrains. While the 1x gear range was just beginning to gain favor with the gravel crowd, the thought of applying a single chainring to a racy road bike seemed unthinkable. Welcome to the mind of Gerard Vroomen.
In fact, in that first test we commented on the “level of confusion” that surrounded the bike and its unique profile. Was it a climbing bike? A crit bike? A gravel bike? A track bike? It was simply a road bike, albeit one with a different set of design parameters. Which, as we said then, “It’s all about the numbers—aero numbers, rolling-resistance numbers, unique geometry numbers and stiffness numbers. The bike stands apart as it minimizes, maybe even eliminates, all forms of excess and focuses instead on the essentials of performance.” Talk about inviting!
WORKOUT WEDNESDAY
By Chris Carmichael, Founder and Head Coach of CTS
High-mileage weekends and small group camps are very popular in 2020 due to health restrictions that have shut down large events. I have ridden and led groups of riders on this type of camp or trip for many years, and the key to riding strong day-after-day is avoiding mistakes that will hurt your performance. Everything you do before, during, and after a long ride today affects performance tomorrow. As the days pile up they amplify the effects of small mistakes early on, leading to dramatically diminished performance in later days.
Here are a few things you can do the day of a big ride to have an even better ride the next day.
Eat and drink in the final hour of Day 1
Many cyclists eat and drink less in the final hour of their rides because they figure they’ll be home soon and don’t need those calories to ride the last 10 miles. That’s true, but you’re not eating for those 10 miles. In the last hour you are eating to get a head start on the recovery process. When you ration food and fluids toward the end of a ride, all you are doing is digging a deeper hole to climb out of.
Take a Nap
Short naps can be very beneficial. They have been shown to improve skill acquisition after you learn or practice something new. After a 20-minute nap people have improved cognitive performance, better reaction time, and greater focus and patience. (Read more on the recovery benefit of napping.) These are important effects because athletes who are dead on their feet make poor decisions during the rest of the day, like forgetting to hydrate and making bad food choices.
NEW PRODUCTS: HOT OFF THE PRESS![]()
SANTINI CYCLING
Santini Cycling Wear was founded in 1965 by Pietro Santini and the family run business continues to make their Italian made wares with an eye towards both fashion and function. With the upcoming summer months in mind, the brand is introducing a wide line of new colors and fabrics. The Redux inspired by a “less is more” concept. Less weight and less drag translate into faster speeds and better performance. Less stitching means improved comfort too. The Redux men’s line is made using the most advanced techniques and fabrics chosen for their lightness and breathability. www.santinicycling.com
PINARELLO GAN
Straight outta Treviso, Italy, comes Pinarello’s mid-level Gan, which shares much of the same wild, asymmetric frame shaping as found on its Tour de France-winning F12 sibling. Available in three colors and a whopping 15 sizes with either primitive or disc brakes.
Pinarello modeled the Gan after their F8’s asymmetrical T600 carbon frame design. The Gan employs an aggressive geometry with a steep 73.2-degree head tube for sharp, race-ready handling traits. Reach is massive on purpose at 39cm, to put the rider in a low-profile aerodynamic position.
A 50/34 charing and an 11-30 cassette stray from the race focused design, and give a bit more leeway for exploration on the road. However don’t expect to put too much rubber on; the Gan has a maximum tire clearance of 25mm.
3T EXPLORO RACE MAX
By now most of you should know the story; Gerard Vroomen, the former co-founder of Cervelo has moved on to start his own gravel/multi-purpose friendly bike brand (Open Cycles). In addition, he’s also taken an interest with legacy Italian component brand 3T where he set about to bring the storied brand back into a place of contemporary relevance with frames and bikes added to their catalog of wheel, seatposts, stems and handlebars.
June 1, 2020 marks the arrival of the latest model in the Vroomen stable of high-performance bikes; the Exploro Race Max. In addition to the ERM’s roll-out, it’s also become evident that 3T has now attained the status as an official bike brand. Proof of that is the number of models offered and the somewhat confusing naming conventions found in the 3T catalog.
For either road or gravel applications, the Italian brand offers a variety of framesets as well as a complete range of models with multiple (1x/2x, Shimano/SRAM) drivetrain and component options. Owing to their dynamic color and shape, the 3T bikes are as attractive in their own right as well as for simply standing out in a sea of black plastic normalcy.
DIRTY KANZA RESCHEDULED
– Jim Cummins
MAMMOTH TUFF – SEPTEMBER 19th
There’s more to explore in Mammoth! The first official gravel ride on the mountain is set to take place September 19, 2020. A 45 mile “Tuff” course with 2000 feet of climbing and a 100 “Tuffer” course with 8000 feet of elevation gain are planned but no official course maps have been released. Mammoth Mountain is a favorite locale of ours and over the years we have continued to return to the annual Gran Fondo. With Mammoth Tuff now the following weekend we are planning to extend our stay to get in all of the best riding that Mammoth has to offer.
BWR EXPANDS
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