Some Like It Hot Hot Hot!

I gave these reusable hand warmers a test run today and these are my general impressions:

1. Very hot for 20-mins… Maybe too hot as my hands were sweating

2. Expanded so much I could not comfortably fit my hand in my mitts.

3. Were not producing any heat after 60-minutes

4. Might be best for emergencies, a mid ride warm up, or very short extreemly cold rides.

5. Reusable is very cool.

Bike Porn Fridays: Cold Weather Cycling Shoes or Duct Tape?

Ok this not really ‘Bike Porn’, but it is that time of year when your summer cycling shoes become a little bit to drafty for anything longer then a 10-minute ride. At -20C duct tape just doesn’t do the trick. I have been training with the MEC.ca version of the Lake shoe for the last couple of years, and at $79 (less then half the price of the Lakes) I think I will stick with the knock-offs (even if they look cheap). Seems like everybody else is wearing them too (i.e., Product Reviews). I bought a pair 3 sizes to large, and stuffed them with 2 felt insoles. This gives enough room for extra thick soaks with wiggle room. They are stiff, cheap, available, and with a pair of booties I am good for rides under 3-hours and down to about -20C. Now if we could just get some snow!

How many is enough?

Component manufacturer SRAM has announced a complete new high-end mountain bike groupset to be available mid-year 2009. Dubbed ‘XX’ the new group “will exceed the demands of the cross-country athlete through all-new technologies focused on precision, efficiency, and weight,” according to SRAM. Like the Red road group, it will be a true joint development between the SRAM, RockShox, Avid and Truvativ divisions.

Beyond that, SRAM is keeping its cards very close to its chest to prevent a fast response from rival Shimano. Shimano is reliably reported to be developing a ten-speed mountain bike group in response to previous rumours of a new SRAM group.

One reliable rumour, though, concerns comparison between XX and Shimano’s current top-end road bike groupset. XX will weigh, we hear, the same as the 2009 Dura-Ace groupset.

While what follows is unofficial, the group’s intended use, SRAM’s recent road components and documented spy photos provide enough ammunition for us to think we can guess accurately what SRAM’s up to.

More Here

XC8 2007: How do i love thee let me count the ways

1,400 dollars was the value of the Grand Prize 2007 Corsa World Cup

800ft of challenging climbs -- something for everyone no matter what your skill

83 racers took to the valley

40 is the number of years I have been on this earth

40 bucks was the price of a life times of great memories

34 teeth on my front chain ring... the smallest I have ever pushed

32-minutes for my fasted lap and 2-minutes more then the winner.

30-minutes of running trails with a broken chain.

20 tooth cog on an American classic single speed hub

16-minutes trying to beg-borrow-or-steal a spare tube and fix a stupid flat

15 lbs of superfly race bike that was not so super and didn’t really fly

14 bottles of water in 8-hours

13-hours of driving for the best race of the year

13 the number of laps I was capable of riding but didn’t!

12 the number of laps I wanted to do, but didn’t!

11 laps of repeatedly putting my chain back on… grrrrr!

10 registered single speeders that never bothered to show up. SLACKERS!

9.75 km of awesome trail

9 kudus go out to the hard working volunteers who put this shindig together!

8 Manitobans throwing it down!

8 isssss the number of hours I raced! Back at ya J ;)

7-hours of blaring tunes on the pod… thank God for ipods!

5-minutes of rain

4th place overall, and 11 laps of frustration, puttering, and running

4 very nasty crashes… all mine

3 provinces having it out… actually one province mopping up the floor with two others.

3 dead goats seriously kicking my butt… maybe that gives them the right to talk smack… not!

2-minute bonus (i.e., -2 minutes) for winning the prime, fat lot of good that did me.

2 times busting a nut at xc8, and definitely in for one more!

2 Awesome days at Buffalo Pound!

2 torn and bloody knees… both mine

2 is the number of times I was lapped by papa goat Single Speed Psycho Pat Doyle. Ride on dude!

2 other dead goats talking smack… wtf… not so friendly Alberta!

1 papa goat was cool with legs of steel

1.7 gear ratio… ridiculous!

1 MOPE... or so I am told ;D

1 broken helmet

1 lost power link

1 lost tube

1 lost ipod

1 flat

1 broken chain (on a single speed… wtf)

1 chain dropped 5 billion times

1 useless chain tensioner that lambasted my race

1 broken collarbone… but not mine. Sorry dude!

One Gear One Love!


Results

Things Other People Had to Say: Here, Here, Here, Here

Gallery Here

Big Wheels Hal Take on the race

Product Review: Montrail Continental Divide Trail Running Shoe

The Divides are my second model of Montrail, but the Hurricanes are still my favourite. Unfortunately, they had a design flaw and developed a hole in the uppers on both shoes.

The key characteristics of the Montrail Continental Divide: moderately ventilated dual-mesh upper, a sticky rubber on the outsole, fit and pronation control.

While Montrail's Continental Divide doesn't have the same waterproof and breathable membranes found in their trail running Hurricane Ridge XCR this running shoe does have the some medial pronation control, and is somewhat ventilated for my 20-mile long runs at Birch. `Back in the day` i frequently rolled my ankle so pronation control is a requirement to potentially reduce my chances for injury. Montrail claims to have made the Continental Divide with an extra wide base for stability, however I hardly think that the tread makes other backcountry running shoes look like fair-weather recreation fare. Up front you'll find a wide toe box, which i find critical for long trail runs. It also has a narrow arch and heel which helps hold my feet in place (i.e., no heel slip yet). If fit is a concern (and when is it not) Montrail incorporated their exclusive IntegraFit™ last design into the Continental Divide. They claim this data comes from using information they gathered from over 800000 pairs of digitally scanned feet to give you far better support, and an exceptional fit that surpasses many running shoes on the market.

Bottom Line: It is too early for me to know if this shoe performs well when the finish line is still 3-hours away down a rocky and unyielding trail… or more like 4-hour for me.

Time to go ride my bike,

Coach Dave

Description: From the web site: http://www.montrail.com/

Pound down the trail crashing through streams and brush in the Montrail Men's Continental Divide Trail Running Shoes. Montrail made the wide-fitting shoes for athletes who aggressively trail run. Terra Hex lining in the heel and forefoot displaces strikes from sharp terrain, and a TPU heel support strap keeps your foot locked in place while you're hammering up and down hills. Montrail's double-mesh upper dries quickly after stream crossings or mud puddles, and internal support panels hold your feet in place over uneven trails.

Animal
· Off-trail running
· Rough terrain travel
· Speed hiking
· Ultramarathons

Comfort
· Secure heel fit
· Wide toe box
· TerraHex shear absorption
· Medium volume with roomy toe box

Performance
· Lower center of gravity
· Posted midsole for pronation resistance
· Molded protection plate for torsional control
· Wide and stable base