Mid-Week Report: The Latest News, Products and Events
Welcome to the June 24, Mid-Week Report!
Welcome to the June 24, Mid-Week Report!
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: MATTEO TRENTIN’S SIDIS
Matteo Trentin’s customized Sidi Shots caught our eye this week. Trentin found the image as an inspiration and will donate the shoes at an auction following the end of the season.
‘I saw this image that immediately provoked a strong reaction in me. While this work is a direct message, I thought that the situation that the whole world is facing deserved an honest response. There is no intent behind the use of this image other than to raise people’s spirits with this striking cartoon.” Matteo explains in regards to his choice to use the artist’s interpretation of covid-19 in the comic strip to express his own thoughts.
The image shows a nurse facing a huge pathogen, a symbol sadly known by many in the recent months as the ‘face of covid’. Her stance and attitude represents the tenacity, spirit and sacrifice of those who have faced this battle themselves. Its message is one of thanks and encouragement at the same time.
WORKOUT WEDNESDAY: GO KETO?
When it comes to weight loss and endurance performance, dietary ketosis is a strategy everyone asks about. On the surface, ketosis or a ketogenic diet offers everything an endurance athlete could dream of: endless energy, freedom from bonking, and an efficient pathway to weight loss. The diet has been all over mainstream magazines, it’s the subject of several books, and the supplement companies have jumped in with new products and a ton of marketing dollars. So, is it time for cyclists, triathletes, and runners to go Keto?
First, a refresher course on what a ketogenic diet is. To achieve dietary or nutritional ketosis you need to severely restrict carbohydrate intake (fewer than 50 grams of CHO/day) so the body transitions to using ketones for fueling muscles and the brain. Ketones are produced from fat, which is why nutritional ketosis is so appealing to sedentary people as a weight loss solution. It’s appealing to athletes because we have a virtually unlimited reserve of fat calories to pull from but can only store 1600-2000 calories worth of carbohydrate in muscles, blood, and the liver. An athlete fueled by ketones would be theoretically “bonk-proof”, since bonking is the result of running low on blood glucose.
Dietary ketosis for athletes is a hotly contested subject. Proponents point to the metabolic advantage of relying on fat instead of carbohydrate, and critics point out the physiological limitations of eliminating carbohydrate as a fuel for performance. You’ll find bias in both groups, either because scientists and coaches (including me) have been in the high-carbohydrate camp for many years, or because there’s a lot of money to be made by creating a market for new media and supplements around a new high-fat dietary strategy. I recognize my historical bias toward carbohydrate, but have tried to look at the science objectively. Here’s the short conclusion I’ve come to:
Both dietary ketosis and the use of exogenous ketone supplements have limitations that make them difficult to recommend to most athletes. Athletes are better served by periodizing carbohydrate availability in order to maximize training quality and performance outcomes.
NEW PRODUCTS: ROLL ON THESE
CORIMA G30.5
Famous for their minimally spoked carbon wheels, Corima’s production dates back to 1988, and of the three wheels tested here, the French-made hoops enjoy a solid pro peloton legacy (currently in use by the Astana team).
Corima’s 30.5mm-deep G30.5 is a gravel- and all-road-focused carbon wheelset. A 21mm internally wide hookless rim is designed around a base of 28mm tubeless tires. Corima includes Stan’s rim tape to complete the tubeless-ready system. In line with the latest carbon rim tech, Corima used a hookless bead design similar to the latest releases from Zipp and Enve. The design uses the natural forces from the tubeless system to secure the tire rather than relying on a hooked rim. This allows the sidewall to form flatter to the rim to reduce drag and increase compliance.
FAVALORO EXCALIBUR
Michele Favaloro is an Italian frame builder with a repertoire of building everything from custom hardtail mountain bikes to all-out road racers in your choice of steel, aluminum or carbon fiber. Of late, Michele has begun building three different models of aluminum-framed e-bikes powered by the Italian-made Polini 250w Class 3 motors.
Favaloro’s road focused e-bike frame is the Excalibur. 100% Handmade in Italy overseen by Michele himself. These bikes are one offs and are available in custom sizes only. For $8490 a SRAM Force 1 drivetrain is included, but Favaloro can spec out your build with electronic shifting if desired. Included with the build is an Ursus carbon wheelset. Favaloro reminds us bike weights vary dependent on component spec but claim a 29-pound average. On our scales our size-56 Favaloro tops out just a skosh over that at 29.78 pounds
Price: $8490
SCOTT ADDICT RC 20
With an early goal of creating the world’s lightest road bike when it was first introduced back in 2007, Scott had developed the Addict to meet the criteria of modern road riding while evolving step by step with a progressive road bike design. As an early adopter of 28mm tires and disc brakes, Scott’s forefront position of incorporating the latest trends in road bike technology have allowed them a better opportunity to stay ahead of the curve while other brands were still catching up.
While the Addict held the frame-weight title following its initial release over a decade ago, it has since fallen out of position. However, Scott has maintained its focus on weight savings while continuing to improve upon the latest technology available.
CIPOLLINI RB1K THE ONE
The One is just the sort of bike that former world champion Mario Cipollini would put to good use for one of his always impressive sprint wins. The sculpted monocoque carbon frame is a work of art and is designed to be as stiff as it is aero. A 99.3cm wheelbase paired with a steep 72.5 degree head tube angle gives the RB1K quick and deliberate handling characteristics, to fit the overtly aggressive design. In the last update, Cipollini opted for direct-mount caliper brakes to increase the frame’s tire clearance from 25mm to 28mm. This race machine is only available as a frameset and is offered in a variety of blacked-out colorways and seven sizes.
Price: $6000 (frameset)
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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