Day 7 - Tire Choices

"Life is too short to ride crappy rolling tires." - Tom Anhalt 

Picking the right tire is one of the easiest ways to gain speed on the bike. Of course, actually training is a much bigger piece of the "go fast" puzzle. Skipping the hard work and just buying a fast tire isn't going to get you a win on race day, but tire choice can make a difference in your results when all else is equal. The difference between a set of fast tires and a set of slow training tires could result in a rider having to put down over 30 additional watts of power to keep up. (check out Tom A.'s chart here)  For those of you training with a power meter, you know that 30 watts at threshold power is like the difference between you at your peak of the season and you at the slowest part of your off season. 

The problem is, the fastest tires are often the thinnest and offer the least amount of flat protection. The slowest tires are the thickest, and offer the most flat protection. We need a tire that balances speed and protection to meet both of our needs.

For years (up until about 6 months ago) I did all my training and racing on one model of tires. The Continental GP4000S. It's a quick tire, but offers pretty good flat protection. The chili compound they use grips really well in the wet and dry conditions. Compared the the Michelin ProRace tires I used before, these would get way less cuts along the center. I would get about 5000 miles out of an average set. When I bought a new set, they would go onto my race wheels (for the years I actually owned race wheels) and I'd take the old tires off my race wheels and cycle them to my training wheels. It was a system that worked pretty well. I always had fast tires, and very rarely had flats. I only had to buy about 2 sets per year. As an all around tire, it worked very well. It seemed like in the last 2 years the sidewalls got a little more thin. I was dealing with more frequent cuts to the sidewalls than usual. It seemed to happen before the GP4000SII came out, but the GP4000SII had the same issues. Even still, I have no problems recommending these as an all-around tire, or as a tire for half ironman or ironman events. Long triathlons like that require a tire that is fast, aero, and durable. The GP4000S (and SII) has all of that. 

In the past 6 months, I decided I wanted a longer lasting set of tires with stronger sidewalls for training, and a set of faster tires to race on.

For my training tires, I went with the Bontrager AW3 Hard Case (pictured below). They offer a "Hard Case" and a "Hard Case Lite" model. The "lite" model has a puncture belt around the center of the tire. The "Hard Case" model has the belt around the center AND around the sidewalls. They have a lower model AW2 which costs less, but you get less TPI. Typically, the higher the TPI of a tire, the more supple it is. The more supple a tire is, the better it rolls, the better it grips, and the better it feels on the road. The AW3s weigh more than my GP4000s, but I was pleasantly surprised by how they felt on the road. They don't feel like a training tire. Other training tires I've used felt like I was rolling on garden hose. You feel every imperfection in the road. Like Tom A says, life is too short to use crappy tires. These AW3 Hardcase tires are definitely not crappy tires. They still haven't had any punctures. They still don't have cuts. The sidewalls still look great. I don't worry when i ride through gravel. So far, they seem to be the perfect training tire. 

They also definitely aren't race tires. I've never seen a rolling resistance test of them, but I know they aren't as fast as something like a GP4000s. For racing, I want something that rolls faster.

My "go to" tire for racing was the Vittoria Corsa Evo line of tires. For crits, I still might use them this year. It's what I have glued onto my tubies, so I'll use them until the tire goes bad or the glue goes bad, whichever happens first. My main complaint about the Vittorias is that they seem to cut and puncture easier than other tires I've tried. They also don't last for nearly as many miles as others. They are fast and grip well, but it's hard for me to trust them in long road races. In crits, where you get a free lap, sure. In a road race where you have to chase yourself back into a race after a flat, I'm willing to give up a few watts in order to remain puncture free. 

For my clinchers, I'm excited that I just got some Bontrager R4 tires in 700x25. I haven't seen rolling resistance tests on the 700x25, but the 700x22 R4 Aero model tests well. It's only the equivalent of 2 watts slower than the GP4000s. Typically, a wider tire like a 700x25 tests faster than a 700x22, so I would wager that the GP4000s and the R4s are basically just as fast as one another. The R4 has the aero wings on it, so it should be a great aero fit on my wide clinchers. The R4 has the "hard case lite" technology, so it has an anti-puncture strip around the middle of the tire, similar to the GP4000s. All around, it seems like a very close tire to the GP4000SII, but I'm hoping that the sidewall is a little more tough. 

My R4s literally don't have a single mile on them yet, so I can't give them my official seal of approval; however, the reviews of the tire are very good. Based on what I've experienced with my AW3s during training, I'm certain that I'll enjoy racing on the R4s. In about 6 months I should be able to report about how they held up, and let you know whether this is the replacement of the GP4000S as the perfect all-around tire. 

Day 6 - A Good Multi Tool

Every rider should have at least a decent multi tool. I’m sure your local bike shop has a vast selection of multi tools that come in different shapes and sizes, and that contain a variety of different tools. A very inexpensive multi tool might have a couple hex wrenches. A super expensive multi tool might have 30 or more tools on it. In my opinion, you probably want to buy the multi tool that is the most compact that also contains every tool you might need. A multi tool with 30 different tools will probably be too bulky for your saddlebag. 

I’ve had about a half dozen different multi tools. It’s enough to I know what I want out of a multi tool, but I’m by no means claiming to be an expert about all tools. 

When I travel for races, I usually pack pretty light; especially when carpooling. Rather than taking a big toolbox, I’d rather just be able to pull any tool I need out of my saddlebag. When you’re at a race, you need to be prepared for just about anything. We race in some pretty remote areas. It’s not like there’s a bike shop on every corner in Eucha, Oklahoma or Mineral Wells, TX. Simply carrying a tool with 5 or 6 allen wrenches might not cut it. 

I don’t think we all need a behemoth multi tool (like the Park Tool Premium Multi Tool) with 30+ gadgets, but it’s nice to have something with an array of hex/allen wrenches, torx wrenches, spoke wrenches, and a chain tool. I have two multi tools that meet these expectations. One is a Crank Brothers M17 (17 tools in one). The other is a Lezyne Rap 14 (14 tools in one). I can easily fit either one in a very small saddle bag with a tube, CO2, inflator, tire boot, and a couple dollars. Both tools are high quality items, but I have some minor complaints about each.

Here’s what you get with the Crank Brothers:

chain tool: 8/9/10 speed compatible

spoke wrench: #0, 1, 2, 3

hex wrenches: #2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8

screwdrivers: phillips #2, flat #2

open wrench: 8mm, 10mm

torx: t-25

It has a big brother (M19) but you only get an extra phillips and extra torx. I guess if you have a bike that has some t-10 torx bolts, the M19 is worth it. Otherwise, I would take whichever is in stock. I don’t think the m19 is any bulkier. 

If you take the chain tool apart, you have access to the 8mm and 10mm open ended wrenches. For the first couple years I had this tool, I didn’t even realize these little cutouts were wrenches. They aren’t super useful because they are so small, but it’s enough to grip a nut as you unscrew hex bolt with the rest of the tool. It could come in handy. The part of the chain tool you took off also has 4 spoke wrenches. These work pretty well and fit a wide variety of spokes. My ONLY complaint about this tool is that the pin in the chain tool should be a little longer. Mine is about 5 years old, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they fixed this by now. When I break the chain with mine and thread in the entire chain tool, I get to the end of the threads before the chain actually breaks. I have to extract the chain tool and bend the chain backwards with my hand to actually break it. 

The Lezyne is pretty similar. Like all Lezyne stuff (including their mini pump), it's pretty nice looking.  Here’s what you get with the Rap 14:

TOOL BITS:

	Hex 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8mm		Chain Breaker: (9/10/11 speed)
	Star Shaped T25, T30;		Spoke Wrenches: Mavic Mtv, 3.22, 3.45
	Phillips-Head

You get one less hex (no 2.5) but an extra torx (star). It has tools for 3 different spoke sizes, including the big mavic spokes. I find that the chain break works better on this tool than the crank brothers because the pin is longer. It lacks a 8mm and 10mm open ended wrench, but it’s not a big deal breaker for me. My one complaint about this tool is that the 2mm hex is an L-shape rather than straight. This is a pain when you are changing your brake pad cartridges out. All of the lezyne multi tools have it this way. It doesn’t make sense to me. Other than that, this is a perfect tool. It’s compact, has everything you need, and very little that you don’t need in a multi tool. Other than cable cutters and a pedal wrench, this tool has every tool you need for 90% of the bike maintenance you’d have to do at a race or on the side of the road. 

Now that I’m looking at both tools, I think I can actually interchange some of the pieces between the two. I think I can take the stupid L-shaped 2mm hex off the lezyne and replace it with the much better 2mm from the crank brothers. I think that pretty much makes the perfect multi tool for my needs. If the latest version of the Crank Brothers M17 has a better chain tool than my old one, I would say that's the perfect tool for most riders. 

Does anyone have additional recommendations? 

Day 5 - Pop Tarts

In my opinion, Pop Tarts are pretty much the perfect food for a training ride. They are cheap, they taste decent, they are easy to eat, they are high in calories, they have some salt, and the package fits into the back pocket of your jersey so perfectly that it’s like it was meant to go there.

Sure, it’s junk food. Sure, it’s highly processed. Sure, there are ingredients in them that I struggle pronounce. I still love them anyway. 

I usually go with the Unfrosted Strawberry. The Unfrosted varieties are the only ones that are vegan (the frosting has gelatin). Each tart has 210 calories, which is approximately equivalent to two gels (depending on the brand of gels). 

I wouldn’t bother with Pop Tarts in a crit. I just do TriFuel in my bottles, and maybe a gel if it’s an extra long crit. If you are properly fueled before a crit, you shouldn’t need more than a calorie bottle and gel. Pop Tarts work well for me in road races, and definitely on training rides. 

I tried some of the Alan Lim Feedzone Portables. They are tasty, but it takes some prep work. I love the rice cakes, but they aren’t as easy to eat as Pop Tarts during a race. Overall, the Pop Tarts are more convenient; and between working full time, spending time with Sarah, doing all my extra activities I do, and riding 250+ miles per week, convenience is really important to me. 

Pro tip: If you are wearing big gloves, it could be difficult to open the package as you are riding. To get around this, I take them out of the package before I ride and wrap each tart in aluminum foil. It makes them even easier to eat.

Day 4 - Lezyne Pressure Drive Frame Pump

I'll be honest. I took the bracket off my bike for race season and haven't had this pump on my bike for nearly a year, but it's a product that I really do like. Is it as quick and easy as a CO2 cartridge? No,  but it is far more reliable. I've seen CO2 inflators fail at least a dozen times for a variety of reasons. For some reason, it seems to happen even more often when it's cold outside. What happens after your first CO2 fails? If you are lucky, somebody else on the ride has one. Otherwise, you're calling for a ride. What if you pinch a tube upon installation, or get the dreaded double flat on a ride? A patch kit and mini pump will get you home.

There are a ton of different mini pumps on the market. If you have a decent size saddle bag, you might be able to buy a pump small enough to fit inside it. This is a great option, because it is always with you and stays out of sight, and out of the conditions (rain, salt, sand, grime, etc.). There's a downside. The smaller the pump, the more strokes it will take to inflate your tire, and the longer it will take too.

If you get a bigger pump that doesn't have a frame bracket, you'll have something that pumps more efficiently. The downside is that you'll have to remember to pack it every single ride.

The Lezyne Pressure Drive is a pretty decent size. It's only about 100g, so it's not going to weigh your bike down much. It comes with a bracket that conveniently connects the pump right behind your bottle cage. With a bottle in the cage, the pump is more or less out of the wind, except for maybe a strong crosswind from your right side, so it isn't causing much of an aero penalty either.

The thing that won me over with the lezyne was that it comes with a hose that threads on to your valve. It works on both schrader and presta valves. You don't have to hold the end of the pump onto the valve with one hand and pump with the other. You can pump with both hands. The hose seals nicely on the valve, so air isn't leaking out as you pump it in. The Pressure Drive model easily inflates the tire to a high enough PSI to get you home. They claim 120psi. Maybe, but it will be tough. Getting it up to about 90psi is a piece of cake, and it doesn't take very long.

In a road race or crit, you should have spare wheels, so a pump isn't necessary. In a triathlon, where every second counts, I would just take a couple extra CO2s instead. In a gravel race, I think it would be foolish to race without a frame pump. You just never know what's going to happen.

On training rides, you end up becoming everyone's favorite rider if you have a nice pump. Best case, it saves them a couple dollars on a one-time-use CO2 cartridge. Worst case, it gets them home after their CO2 fails.

Lezyne has lots of different models. If it's for your road bike, definitely get a High Pressure model. The low pressure ones for mountain bikes have a higher volume of air so they pump quicker, but they will be difficult to get up to high pressures. They have some high pressure models that have a built in gauge. Cool feature, but totally unnecessary. They also have carbon ones, but to me it's silly to spend double the price just to save a few grams on a carbon pump.

Other brands make similar pumps too. Bontrager has one that looks almost exactly like the lezyne. It mounts the exact same way. It has a steel braided hose instead of rubber. That's pretty cool, I guess. I think retail was $5 more. I haven't tried it out, but judging by the size and look, it's probably a good pump. In theory, these pumps should last a long time, since you rarely have to use them. I've already had this Lezyne for years, and I'm hoping it will be the last frame pump/mini pump I ever have to buy.

Day 3 - Plyometric Workouts

Honestly, I have a love/hate relationship here. They make you strong, but you're sore for days...in a good way. I haven't done these at all this winter. Now that it is January, I'm adding a hint of intensity to my training plan. That includes this workout twice a week. I skipped a few that are just too hard to explain, but this is enough that you'll have trouble walking for a few days if you do them right.

I have a video of our speed skating team in Kansas doing these from a few years ago. Plus, who doesn't love a hardcore cover of a classic Beastie Boys song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFfFCxC1eAg&list=UUGP08TDQiNWlquGChVd-u6A

Edit: I forgot to mention that after each exercise you should hold a squat for 10 seconds. Do this before standing up and recovering. As soon as your complete the 10th rep, squat.

One foot swing through - Squat with your knees in a 90 degree position (like your sitting on an invisible toilet). Balance all your weight on your left foot. Without straightening your left leg at all, reach your right leg all the way back with your toe facing down, about an inch off the floor. Swing your right leg all the way through in front of the left leg. Your toe should be pointing up. Swing it back through. Do 10, then hold your squat for 10 seconds. Switch legs so that now you swing the left leg. Do 10, then hold your squat for 10 seconds. (I didn't get this one in the video, sorry)

Jump with hands high - Start from a squatting position (knees at 90 degrees). Jump up as high as you can. Raise your hands up, like you are trying to touch an imaginary basketball rim. Do 10 jumps, then hold a squat for 10 seconds. (1:40 - 1:47 in video)

Jump to the side jump high - 1:51 - 2:01 in video. Just watch the video. It's easier than me explaining it. (1:51 - 2:01 in video)

Statics - Get into your squatting position. Keeping your knees at 90 degrees, do little tiny jumps. Your feet should barely leave the ground. Do about 1 jump per second for 60 seconds. Your in the squatting positionfor the whole minute. (2:15 - 2:22 in video)

Jump and hold 5 sec - Start in a squat. Jump as high as you can, pulling your knees into your chest. When you hit the ground, hold for 5 seconds. Then jump again. Do 10 of these. (:30 - :48 in video)

Skating jacks - Start in a squatting position. Jump high with your knees to your chest. When you land, spread your feet apart like a jumping jack. As you are landing with your feet spread wide, go into a squatting position with wide feet. Jump up again and land with your feet together, in a squatting position. That's one rep. Do 10. (:50 - 1:05 in video)

Squats - Start standing up, squat to 90 degrees, stand back up. Do 20 of these.

1 leg squats - Balance on one leg with the other knee bent. Squat down until the bent knee hits thr top of your other shoe. Come back up. Do 10, then switch and do 10 on the other leg. (1:06 - 1:27 in video)

Lunges - There's a billion ways to do lunges. Pick one. Do 10 on each leg. (1:28 - 1:38 in video)

1 leg jumps - Balance on one leg. Squat down on that leg and explode up, pulling that knee into your chest. Do 10 on each leg. (2:05 - 2:15 in video)

Jump over line - Jump high with your knees pulled into your chest to the right, jumping over an imaginary rope. Jump back to the left the same way. That's one rep. Do 10. (2:23 - 2:48 in video)

Burpees - Jump with your knees high to your chest. Land and go into a pushup position. Do a pushup. Get back into the squat position. That's one rep. Do 10. (First 30 seconds of video)

3 circles step to side - 2:48 to 3:08 of video. Watch the video. It's easier than me explaining. 

The next few take some room -

Broad Jumps - Start with legs together and in a squat. Jump forward as far as you can. Land with your feet together. Jump forward  again. Do 10 of these. 

One legged broad jump - This is like the one foot swing through, but as you swing your leg through you jump as far as you can and land on one foot. It's all about getting the most distance you can on each jump, not speed. Do 10 on each foot. 

2 forward, one to the side - Take two broad jumps forward, then jump over an imaginary line to the left. Two more jumps forward and jump to the right. Do 5 of these. 

Day 2 - Winter Headgear

I'll stay with the cold weather gear theme today and move onto something else tomorrow. I mentioned yesterday that gloves are something you should splurge on. High quality gloves make a big difference. Hats are a different story. It's a place where you can get something cheap that functions just as good as anything else. Just about any thin hat you find at your local bike shop will work just great, as long as it fits well and covers your ears.

When it's cold, you definitely want something over your ears. It doesn't take much fabric to keep them warm. You'll want to choose a hat that is thin so that it fits comfortably underneath your helmet. Knit hats are probably too thick to be comfortable under you helmet.

For years I used this cheap hat that I found at Academy. It was definitely under $10, maybe even $5. It is thin and warm enough on my ears. It's a little dorky, but I'm okay with that. If it would have been big enough to come down just a little further over my ears, I'd still be using it.

This season I bought the Bontrager Thermal Cycling cap. It covers my ears better and comes down a little further on my neck. It's just about the same thickness as the cap I got at Academy, so it fits great under my helmet. The brim is nice for wet days. Instead of running down your face, the water drips down past you glasses. At $25 it's quite a bit more expensive than my academy hat, but the better fit paired with a classic look is worth it in my opinion. I'd buy this again in a heartbeat.

When the windchill is below about 25, I prefer to have my face covered. I have a castelli balaclava. It's warm and fits well under my helmet. I've had it for years, so I'd say it's high quality; however, I wouldn't buy this particular balaclava again. I would get one that has a hinge around the jaw line. When I get hot in the castelli balaclava, I can sort of pull the face hole down under my chin, but it doesn't seem like it was designed to stretch like that. Nike and Under Armour make some that are designed so that they can cover your mouth, be pulled below your chin, or they can even be worn as a neck gator. I dig functionality, so I obviously really like the fact that these balaclavas are really 3 pieces for the price of one. My castelli shows absolutely zero sign of wear, so I'll probably hang onto it for while longer before I upgrade.

For the ultra-cheap bike racer, the sleeve of an old tshirt works great as an ear cover. Just cut it off right before the seem. On the dork meter, it's definitely near the top, but it works. I've done this at a couple races where the temps are colder than predicted. If you're at a race and realize you forgot your hat, just go to walmart (or even a dollar store) and buy the cheapest large or xl (depending on the size of your head) t-shirt and make your own hat. You'll have warm ears on race day.

I modeled each of these caps on square tupperware...I wasn't willing to do hat selfies. Sorry. Obviously this skews the look of each hat quite a bit. Just trust me that they all work, but the Bontrager Cap looks much better than the other 2.

And here is the balaclava that I probably wouldn't buy again. 

31 Things I Love - Cycling Edition

Each day in the month of January I'm going to highlight something I've used in cycling that I consider to be extremely high quality. This could range from some of my favorite cycling specific workouts, to tools, to equipment, to cycling clothing. If you know me well, you know that I'm all about functionality. I'd rather have something that functions well and costs little than something that looks "pro" and costs a lot. The problem is, there's been certain items where I've tried to save money and ended up wasting it on items that didn't function well. For example, I spent more money buying 4 or 5 pair of cheap gloves that didn't keep my hands from freezing than I did when I purchased some higher priced gloves that actually keep my hands warm. Hopefully over the next 31 days I can help make you faster and more comfortable by showing you some great "bang for the buck" things. All of the things I'll be highlighting are things that I would buy over and over again if I lost them, broke them, or wore them out.

 The first item I want to highlight are the Bontrager RXL Waterproof Softshell Splitfinger gloves:

As I mentioned above, I struggled for a while to find gloves that worked in bitter cold temperatures. I tried multiple layers. I tried various materials: neoprene, cotton, fleece, etc. I tried ski gloves. I tried gloves with windblocking materal. I even tried some military issue winter gloves. Nothing worked well below 30 degrees. When its in the upper 30s or 40s and sunny, the "budget" gloves you can buy at Academy, Dicks, departments stores, etc might work fine For the really cold weather or wet weather, you need more.

When I finally bought some lobster style gloves, I wished i would have done it years earlier. Lobster style gloves are just how they sound. Your index and middle finger are paired together. Your ring finger and pinky are also paired together. Your hands look like lobsters. It sounds like it would be hard to shift or hold your bars, but it isn't. I love my bontragers. They have fleece on the outside of the thumbs for wiping you nose. I've had them over a year and they still work and function like new. Single digit temps are no problem (as long as I keep pedaling/working and I'm not just coasting around) Other brands have really similar products. While i haven't tried them all, I think most of the thick lobster gloves will work in a similar way. Sugoi makes the subzero lobster gloves. Pearl Izumi makes the Pro Lobster. The Bontrager model is available at Schlegel Bicycles.

$70 might sound like a lot of money for gloves, but if you ride outside at all in the winter time, it's well worth it.