Winter Cycling in Minnesota

Yes, I live in Minesota and it does get cold up here in the Great White North. But not always that cold. This morning was a little different. It is the middle of May and it is still cold at 6am in the morning when I go out for my ride. While out on the ride, I thought about all the questions we get about cold weather gear and what things actually work to keep you warm. So here we go..

The Conditions:

40-46 degrees with about a 20-25 mph wind from the North. The ride started overcast, so no sun. By the end, we had clear skies and partly cloudy. In case you think in a kidding, take a look at my watch the image below it says 45 degrees at the bottom of the bezel.

Head:

Exteondo Stocking Cap, this is a great cap. It has a sweat band inside the hat. And yes, when it is that cold, if you dress properly, you will sweat. Eyewear: Tifosi Sunglasses work the best for me. The model pictured is a Tifosi Slip with AC Red. The AC red is great because it can be used in all conditions, morning, dusk, and bright sunshine. Saves on having to keep switching the lenses in and out.

Upper Body:

This is the most important area to keep warm, keep dry, and keep the moisture away from your body. The three pieces shown are a Skins Compression Long Sleeve Top, Desoto Long Sleeve Jersey and a Descente Varisty Jacket. The Skins top works great for improved circulation and wicking the moisture away from your skin, keeping you warmer. The Desoto jersey has a long tail for rear coverage and long sleeve for an extra layer. The Descente jacket has wind protection and full coverage over the rear. Which is important to keep your backside a little warmer.

Lower Body and Feet:

Assos Tights with no chamois, Skins Compression long tights, and Skins Compression Shorts with chamois. Again, the same thought as on top, three layers: one for performance and moisture, second for additional warmth, and the last for protection from the elements. For the Feet, just Assos shoe covers, Capoforma Skinlife socks, and my SIDI Cycling shoes, that it.

The Hands:

Assos has, by far, the best cycling glove setup in the market. Picture are the AirJack 851 gloves with the liners, and a Nike Lance 4.

But that is about it. And a couple parting thoughts about the cold air. "Your water always will be cold and refreshing" and "You will actually sweat if dressed properly."

Hope that helps and talk to you later.

Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training
"Attacking Life and Sport Since 2001"

Ivan Basso's SIDI Cycling Shoes

I came across this picture of the SIDI Cycling shoes that Ivan Basso is going to be using for the Giro d' Italia this month.

They are SIDI Genius 6.6 Carbons. They are custom made for Ivan. The features are the same as the stock shoes but the shape of the last is custom to Ivan's foot.



Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training
"Attacking Life and Sport Since 2001"

Finis Aqua Pulse Heart Rate Monitor

Hey, everyone.


I just came across a new product. A Finis Aqua Pulse heart rate monitor. One of the questions we get all the time is .. Can our heart rate monitor work in the water. And for the most part the answer is no and it will void the warranty if you do. So the Finis Aqua Pulse is very timely and very cool. It looks like the May-June 2009 time frame for availability. The retail price is $139.99.





Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training
Attacking Life and Sport Since 2001

Team Columbia Wins Team Time Trial

Congrats to winning the time trial at the Giro today.

FYI.. On a couple great products that they use that we carry and fully believe they are the best in the catagory.


Skins Compression for improved performance on the bike and off the bike. The Skins Compression Apparel is the real deal. Used by more people than you think. I really believe they are the best, most unknown product in the world today.





Hed Cycling, Dino is the Hed guy in the picture. I have enjoyed quite of few discussions on how to go fast on a bike. He is one of the most knowledgeable people on aero technology in the bike world. HED bike wheels are products you can depend upon to not only be fast but also durable over the long haul.

Talk to you tomorrow.

Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training
"Attacking Life and Sport Since 2001"

Synergy Wetsuits: New Brand to Beat

Synergt Sport has arrived in the US market and brought their line of high quality triathlon wetsuits, tri apparel and bike wheels.


But first of all a little background of the company, Stefan Laursen is the founder and owner of Synergy Sport. He has quite a background in competing at the world level, check him out on google. On the business side, he was the person behind bringing Orca into the US and making it the brand that it is today. About 2 years ago, he decided to start is own company and brand, the result Synergy Sport. The main focus of the brand is to bring their passion for triathlon into apparel and components at a fair price. They would rather work with you to accomplish your goals than simply sell you the most expensive gear and say it is the best. Stefan is pictured at 70.3 Ironman World Championships Clearwater, FL in 2008.






The Synergy Sport line includes 3 models of tri wetsuits, a line of tri tops, aero helmets, and accessories. Pictured is an athlete coming out of the water in a Synergy Hybrid at Clearwater, FL in 2008.



Gray wheels have been rock solid for two years and with thousands in the mareketplace. They are starting to gain a reputation for high ratings in durability, customer service, and quality of product.


In the future we will bring more detailed reviews on each model of wetsuits, helmets, and wheels, but for now it seems like a brand that you can trust to help you accomplish your goals.



Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training
"Attacking Life and Sport Since 2001"

Road Trip to Chicago

Here are some pics from our road trip to Chicago, IL last week. I had a great time with my kids. EdDebevic's was fun and Lou Malnati's was just as expected, great pizza.

Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training
"Attacking Life and Sport Since 2001"

5 Questions for Fitting a Triathlon Wetsuit

When purchasing a new triathlon wetsuits, it is not as simple as looking at the size chart and picking one. The following questions will guide you through the initial thoughts needed before actually picking a wetsuit.

1. How would you rate yourself as swimmer? Excellent swam in high school or college, intermediate: good swimmer, but not great. or beginner: I just want to get out of the water.

2. What is your body composition? Long Torso, wide torso, big hips, long legs, etc

3. What is your goal for the triathlon wetsuit? Warmth, buoyancy, make me faster, etc.

4. What is your budget? Wetsuits range from $150 to $600. So have an idea going into the purchase what you are willing to spend.

5. Do you want the performance fit or comfort fit? There are always 2 to 3 wetsuits in each model that you can fit into. Remember the tighter the wetsuit, the better it will perform. But too tight and it is not comfortable. There is always a balance based on what you would like to accomplish.

Next we will come back and talk about the brands, like Synergy Sports, 2xu, and Blue Seventy and the types of athletes they fit.

Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training

HED Cycling Road Trip

So long as I was posting pictures for road trips, a post on Hed Cycling might be in order. They are a company that has worked with and continues to work with leading edge cyclists and triathletes. They are a pure definition of a company that is passionate about what they do. They dont have marble floors or a fancy warehouse, they just apply science to make the best wheels for you and me. More mad scientists, than salesman for sure. Every time we go out to pick up our bike wheels, they answer questions, have time to chat about anything and everything. By far one of the coolest bike companies out there.

Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training

Trip to Chicago and Attack Athletics visit

We just got back from a road trip to Chicago. Here is a picture of Attack Athletics, one of the top traning facitilies for NBA players in the US. The guys at Attack were very cool . Just htought you would like to see a pic of the facility. The weather was not good that day. So sorry for the quality of the photo.

They work with players like Kobe, D Wade, TMac to name a few.

Later.

Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training

Training Tip for Endurance Athletes: Is strength Training worh it?

The question we get a lot is strength training worth it for endurance athletes. And the answer is yes, if you have the time to train, as well as, workout in the gym. You body would be well served with the cross training and additional strength. But the challenge you need to ask is.. Do you have an additional 4-5 hours of training time each week.

Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training

SIDI Road Cycling Shoes are Still the Best

Hey, Everybody.

I came accross these pics of winners on Sidi shoes. Who says the Trek and Specialized have better shoes. As far as I can see, the majority of the pro riders use Sidi road shoes. Here is portion of the a press release of the athletes at the starting line for Milan-SanRemo.

"Sidi will be at the starting line with a string of three victories backing us up: Filippo Pozzato, Oscar Freire Gomez and Fabian Cancellara all won their respective races in 2006, 2007, and 2008. Sidi Sport athletes will have a lot to work! Among the most anticipated are the three kings of sprintAlessandro Petacchi, Daniele Bennati and Robbie McEwen. Add to this roster Filippo Pozzato and Philippe Gilbert, there to give it their all both in breaks and in attacks on the Cipressa or Poggio climbs. Expert riders like Danilo Di Luca and Davide Rebellin will also be ones to watch." Sidi Cycling, Press Release, March 18th, 2009.





Here is Filipo Pozzato winning with SIDI Ergo 2 Carbon's.










Here is a second pic of Joaquim Rodriguez winning with a pair of Sidi Genius 6.6 Carbon's.







And lastly, a pic of Michele Scarponi's Sidi Genius 6.6 Carbon shoes.











Not bad at all for a couple weeks of effort in March.



Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training

Aline Systems Foot Suspension Insoles

Product Review: Aline Systems Foot Suspension Insoles.

The 2009 Aline Insoles just arrived. We are excited to offer them in our store.

The concept behind the product is to allow your foot to move ever so slightly will still being supported. In cycling, the foot has been placed in a snug fitting shoe with a fixed pedal position and told to work the same way it does when you are walking or running. But when you think about it, your foot moves in many different directions when you are moving, not held in one static position. With the Aline Insoles, your foot is allowed micro movements that will allow for increased performance and power transfer as well as less fatigue. All in all a good thing.

The nice thing in the 2009 models is they are good for all hard soled shoes, as well as, soft soled shoes. i.e. running and hiking shoes. They provide support and alignment of the foot and leg at a fraction of the cost of orthotics. A great improvement over last years model.

Three Major changes:

The big change is the weight. This years size T is almost 15% lighter than last years size T.

Secondly, the profile is smaller. Last year I had to add a 1/2 size to my shoes in order to wear the insoles, not this year. They fit perfectly in my Under Armour cross trainers and SIDI Genius 5's.

Third change is the noise. When you walked in the Aline Insoles, they creaked like an old wood floor, no more. They are quiet just like any other insole.

All in all, they are comfortable to use and a great improvement over an already great product. Check them out, it will be worth your while.


Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training



Here are some different views of the 2009 product.

Great Day in Minnesota

These pics are off our deck. This is why we stay in Minnesota. Crisp, Clear skies and 50 degrees. Nothing is better than this kind of weather for riding your bike, hiking, anything. Finally, I believe that Spring has arrived.



Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training

Cycling in Minnesota: Crisp Morning Ride Pics

Check out the pics of Minnesota in April. Crisp morning 44 degrees, clear skies. Beautiful morning.

Cant get any better than this.

Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training

HED wheels

The 2009 Hed wheels have arrived. We will be putting toghether a few pics on the differences. The main difference is the width of the rim. The two main benefits is a smaller profile of the tire itself and the smaller surface area that hits the ground. The smaller profile is an improvement in aerodynamics and the smaller surface area creates less friction between the tires and the ground.

Look for the pictues in a couple days.



Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training

Back to Business

Good Afternoon, Everybody.

We are back to the business of getting info out to everbody. Sorry for the delay.

Happy Easter.

Stephen McCarthy
Gear and Training