New Giant 2014 TT Race Missile 99% finished! (

The custom build on this Giant Bicycles frameset has turned out even better that anticipated. Full Dura Ace shagged-from-the-boneyard-box 7800 components.: With DA 170 cranks along with a 54/42 DA chain ring set up. Look carbon Keo pedals. Earlier integrated one piece sub 400grams Easton Attack aero bars. Dura Ace carbon brake levers. 

Will change the Reynolds clincher wheelset for a Zipp tubulars (yep I am am old school there also)  Then I just need to trim the bars,  install a 90 stem to tighten the cockpit a bit and:  Perfecto! A bike fit how it should be done: By the individual racing on it!! .

Panama half ironman on the radar

New Year begins in a week. What better way to break it in than with a gnarley hot and hilly half ironman? We have visited, traveled and raced in Panama three times. Each and every time traveling to the other side of the country for it. The Caribbean ocean side. Just getting to The Portobelo Triathlon from Panama City was a bit nuts. A journey in itself. An awesome journey through the towns of Colon, David and many tiny villages. Then compete in an even nuttier off road triathlon (only triathlon known to man that consisted of swimming to another island and back). Then  into the hot and hilly humid jungle with history of pirates, Spaniards and gold. The latter 3 were not present. But a one of a kind triathlon course was. Running past spider webs the size of a hockey rink. Which meant the spiders were most likely the size of a hockey player.
          The Portobelo triathlon unfortunately  is no longer. But they do now have a half ironman.  Starting smack in the Panama Canal. The 8th wonder of the world.
         I have not had a TT bike since my last full Di electronic DA bing badda boom Felt. Great bike just had more bling than I care for. A personal thing. Back to old school. I have enough electronic devices already. Even if only two.
         Just obtained the "sister" to my Giant TCR SL. Yes: Sister. This is the womens model. Same exact frameset Jodi races on just two sizes up. Little do most folk know there is not a bit of difference in the carbon, geometry, measurements, anything between the mens and womens Trinity.  Other than it has a  "W"  stamped on it. And I dig that factor. The bike came my way from Giant and I am stoked. I am going to be racing on a girls bike.

      Bike is down to the frame and I am building her up. Have a box full of good ol Dura Ace stuff along with earlier one piece 26.0 carbon bars, manual bar end shifters, Selle Flight saddle, good ol tubulars with rear disc and front tri spoke. I estimate her twiggy weight to be approximately 17 lbs.when finished. On a build that worked best back in the day. And will work best now. IMO.
Destination: Panama. Por favor.      .

Races around here just about every weekend. Best training there is!

Jodi rocked the mountain bike race last Sunday. Here she is mixing it up with the big boys for a bit. Incredible how she comes off a stellar Ironman performance just last month to winning some local sprint tri's and and XC mtn. bike races as well.
                I am digging this pic a little bit because I know I "typically" come out of the water @ our local Bonelli Tri  anywhere from 10 to 20th place. This last race had me 25th out of h2O (no wetsuit for me) Passed 22 mostly TT- set- up- cyclists (ahem, on my standard road bike)  to enter the bike to run transition in 3rd place. Ran 6:10 miles for the 5K to hold onto 4th overall with 1st division. Bring on 2014 and 55!!!

Los Angeles Tri season round up

Jodi and I sealed up the 4th and final L.A. Tri Series going undefeated this season in our divisions this past Sunday. These pics are of us being called up a 2nd time as top five overall  as well. Against some serious youth. Congrats to all finishers and thank you Tri Events for yet another stellar display of race directing.

Triple Crown Series race # 1 @ Bonelli Park this a.m.

Six Hour Endurance race two weeks ago @ Bonelli for Jodi and I. First race of the Triple Crown this morning again there. Now the first race of Los Angeles Triathlon Series next weekend @ Bonelli too. That Makes a Bonelli sandwich.

Good friend Pavel came out last night and he, Jodi and I had some good laughs at dinner. I thought it best being they included the some what gnarley rock garden  descent maybe Jodi sit this one out. Her decision. I think she made the right one. Some carnage on that section today.

 Corey from Coates Cyclery donated huge for the raffles. People were stoked. Heck wish I would have won something. Al and Omar did what they do: Put on a great event. Big names and teams showed up. Tinker Juarez winning over all. Pavel 2nd in Cat2 division (formerly sport div.) I was very stoked with 3rd Cat 1 division (formerly expert div.) Racing Cat 1 you are guaranteed an extra lap or two. That and monster competition. Team Platinum Cycling/Sho Air were everywhere. The two finishing ahead of me were and I know there  were some close behind. Big team and from what I experienced nice (and damn fast) guys. Their high end Specialized steeds were everywhere. The other Sho Air team were racing Cannondales. Guaranteed you see them wearing the team kit with the team bike they would be hauling ass.
       Safe to say Pavel and I were the only two sporting Kona bikes out there today. And safe to say the only two from Coates Bicycles. Podium for both in the mostly one-dimensional mountain bike racers' arena.

Not bad for a couple mature multi sport triathletes..........................................
 

Inter Bike Convention Las Vegas 2013

Inter Bike this past week as usual was huge. Personally about few hundred thousand people more than I care to be around. But lots of eye candy to be seen in the exibits. The big guns are there and are there to impress. I was stoked to have a few sponsors displaying an image of yours truly. Hammer Nutrition had a nice shot of me from the Furnace Creek 508 race last year. Xterra had me in their catalogue. Just kinda cool when you have a few close buddies from the bike shops shmoozing with you along the isles and you can stop and say: "Hey. I know that dude"   : )

Saturday Suffer-fest

 Al and Omar put on a spectacular event. The turnout was much larger than they anticipated. That's a good thing and they deserve it.  My guess is 3/4's of the field raced team category. I do not know which would be tougher: Scaling back 25% effort and see how many laps you can do in 6 hours solo. Or team up and race it like a freakin' time trial. We learned  fast from the other teams that the transition wrist band / hand off/  delivery is done on- the- fly.

     We completed 10 laps. Jodi was the star on this one. Competition was stupid hard. (that's me whining right now). Pin it, red line it, WFO every lap. In lovely 100 degree Inland Empire weather. You can see the salt deposits on Jodi's kit. Salt I would liked to have had mid into my 4th lap. 

I love this shot of her closing in and soon passing this fellow young competitor. Hooks up on his wheel and then taking the inside on the corner. The other pic would be me. Suffering. But then so was everybody else. 

          We took first place Expert coed team. Narrowly. Battle from the start to finish. And this one is all credit to Jodi. I was damage control when the temp hit triple digits. Cramps suck. But this race and everyone in it didn't. Great atmosphere. Great sportsmanship. Great event. Thanks to all who volunteered. See you next year. With some extra sodium.