When I’m not working in advertising I’m on my bike trying to kick my ass so I don’t get my ass kicked by the San Francisco hills. I’m not the fastest but I’ll always be down for a ride and the beauty that comes along with it.
Cycling, food, and beer. If you don’t thinks these three things go together like peas in a pod then you haven’t ridden yourself to the point of being completely drained. If you have, and you know the horrendous feeling of a bonk, or the magnificence of a cold beer after a hot ride, then this post is for you! For too long of a time I have forced gels, and dense protein bars down my throat during rides to keep me fueled. I say “forced” because these unappealing foods made eating while riding a chore and something I would tend to forget out until it was too late. I was tired of this and slowly started going back to “normal” food, food that I could easily make and would look forward to eating. It started with just bringing a banana and a Nutella sandwich, but then I saw Skratch Labs was releasing a second book all about portables. I got on the preorder, and as soon as the book arrived I was excited and immediately wanted to make something.
Cycling, food, and beer. If you don’t thinks these three things go together like peas in a pod then you haven’t ridden yourself to the point of being completely drained. If you have, and you know the horrendous feeling of a bonk, or the magnificence of a cold beer after a hot ride, then this post is for you! For too long of a time I have forced gels, and dense protein bars down my throat during rides to keep me fueled. I say “forced” because these unappealing foods made eating while riding a chore and something I would tend to forget out until it was too late. I was tired of this and slowly started going back to “normal” food, food that I could easily make and would look forward to eating. It started with just bringing a banana and a Nutella sandwich, but then I saw Skratch Labs was releasing a second book all about portables. I got on the preorder, and as soon as the book arrived I was excited and immediately wanted to make something.
The first thing I decided to make was the raspberry mint rice cakes. These were, simply put, amazing! It was different being on the bike and enjoying the food I was eating. It was a total surprise, however, that I constantly wanted more because the flavor was so good. This book is not only filled with great recipes, but also has a lot of nutritional information. The detail that they take in explaining the role hydration plays in your nutritional intake was something I had never taken into consideration before. I feel like not only are my rides healthier now because I know exactly what is in the food that I am ingesting, but it’s also easier to stay hydrated now as well. Yes, your food can keep you hydrated.
I recommend this book for anyone that is tired of their typical gels and bars, or if you have stomach issues while eating on long rides.
View the full set on Flickr
On Sunday May 19th the Amgen Tour of California started in San Francisco. I look forward to the Tour of California every year for two reasons. First, it grows in size and popularity every year, and secondly, it’s great seeing such a star-studded field of riders tackling the same roads you ride whenever you go out. This year the route was changed to go from South to North. This meant that San Francisco was the last stop rather than the second or third as in years past. Getting to stage start gives you the opportunity to see the riders and their bikes up close before the race action starts. Cycling is one of the few sports where fans and the athletes can rub shoulders and interact without the fan having to pay a penny. This, for me and many other people, is one of the main draws to the sport. After the race I headed to the Rapha Cycle Club to see the gallery of photos that Prolly took from last year’s Amgen Tour of California. All in all it was a great day and I can’t wait for next year.
See the rest of the photos on Flickr.
This years Red Bull Ride N Style was another scorcher. Somehow the weather in San Francisco is always amazing for this event. This was the first year that Slumworm raced the event as well as competed in the trick portion. While this was totally unexpected for him he still went out there, had a good time, and raced his ass off. Even though he didn’t win he made it through to the third heat and was knocked out by eventual winner Jason Clary. On the trick side of things I was completely blown away this year! Everyone was pulling out all the stops. Kenny Arimoto went back to tackle the trick that injured him last year and landed it first try like a boss, you had Boothby throwing backflips like it was a walk in the park, our boy Anthony Combs landing an amazing superman, and Slumworm hitting every trick with speed and agression which I have yet to see from him. It was great seeing everyone just step up their game so much. With year number 3 at a close I’m stoked to see what number 4 brings and to watch everyone progress from now til then.
Check out the full set on Flickr
Time flies when you’re having fun, and staying true to form the team over at Cykel celebrated their two-year anniversary with a small party and an art exhibit by Kevin Leong. It’s always great seeing a local small business celebrate another year of successful operation, it’s even better when it’s a group of people you know care deeply about their community and every one of their customers.
For their second year they partnered with Vive le Tarte to sponsor their own cyclocross team that had a very successful year which saw their riders on the podium multiple times, and they already have big things planned for next season.
The art exhibit, as with everything else, was a great touch. Kevin blended art, the alphabet, and cycling seamlessly together to create a showcase that added to the festivities.
If you are looking for a new bike, a tune up, or just need some questions answered, you couldn’t go to a better shop. Happy anniversary guys, and here’s to many more!
Check out the full set on Flickr
There are certain times in life when the unexpected happens. Sometimes the unexpected can be great and lead to wonderful things, but other times they aren’t so great. These not so great unexpected events lead to worrying and stress, especially when they concern a family member. How we cope during this time is the difference between a healthy life and a mental breakdown. For the past month and a half my mother was in the hospital for an unknown malady and there was nothing I could do. I was stressed from work, from not knowing if she would be ok, and I was constantly wondering what was going to happen. I needed to get away from it all.
On the 15th I decided to skip work and head home to see my mother and to go for a much-needed mind clearing bike ride. That night was both rough and rewarding. It was rough because I don’t do well in hospitals when someone I care about is in them, but it was rewarding because we got the word that my mother would be going home then next morning if her checkup went well. All there was left to do now was wait.
The next morning she was indeed released and by 1:30pm she was at home resting and recovering. I took this opportunity to get in my own recovery. I went out to my favorite climb in Morgan Hill. East Dunne to the top of Henry Coe State Park is a brutal climb that requires a 1.5 mile climb with a 2 mile descent that drops you down along side a reservoir before the real 10 mile climb starts. This climb never gets easier no matter how many times you’ve ridden it, and that is exactly what I love about it. It is the perfect place to turn all your stress and frustrations into raw power. As you pour every ounce of yourself into the bike you forget everything that has bothered you. All stress seeps out of your pores with every drop of sweat, and just when you think you can’t go anymore, you reach the top, and take in the view. Your soul is reset. You have achieved cycling Zen, and there is nothing in the world that can take away your peace.
Love life. Tell those you care about that you love them, and enjoy the moments you have on your bike. #WheelTalk
Recently Strava added some major features for paying customers that also use power meters. While very cool it wasn’t that big of a deal to those that either use the free service from them, or that don’t care about watts and would just rather get out and enjoy a ride. The good news is they followed that update with another update that almost everyone can take advantage of. Instagram integration. If for some reason you haven’t used Strava yet, now is the perfect time to get hooked. Even if you aren’t training for a race it’s always nice to have your rides documented to remember where you went. With the Instagram integration Strava makes it even easier to remember the fun and beauty of your rides by being able to see your pictures from that ride right along with your ride data. The best thing about this feature is now when you share your rides with your friends via Facebook or Twitter they will see the beautiful scenery from it. Giving non cyclists an inside view into our world is a beautiful thing, and you never know who you might inspire to get on a bike.
If you’re new to Strava, or even if you have been around a while, and are looking for some friendly folks to ride with Wheel Talk has started a club that is open for everyone to join. Now get out there, ride, and take some beautiful photos for the world to see!
January. The time of the year for diets, resolutions, and resets. As a cyclist, this means shedding the holiday poundage, and putting more miles on the bike to get a good base level of fitness. This year, rather than doing long slow miles while continuing to eat like crap, I decided to try something different and do a 4 day juice cleanse from Juice Shop SF. Taking a week off from riding and consuming nothing but juice might seem drastic to some, but think about the last time you took care of your internal organs and how worn they must be after years of gels, recovery drinks, nutrition bars, and the daily assortment of processed food. I started by eliminating meats, dairy, and refined starches from my diet about a week before I started the cleanse to get my body used to having nothing but fruits and vegetables.
Day 1 started off good with a nice bike ride to the top of Hawk Hill. I’m glad I decided to keep an easy pace, because halfway into the climb I could feel my legs and they yearned for food. After the short ride I went home to put up my legs and have a juice. Day 1 was a breeze.
Day 2 was spent at the San Francisco Zoo with my girlfriend who was also doing a four day cleanse. It was a nice relaxing day, but I could feel yesterday’s ride as I walked sluggishly through the zoo. This feeling went away when we got home. ProTip: Caffiene free herbal tea is your best friend.
Day 3 was rather uneventful. I spent the day relaxing at home and did some core exercises, but didn’t do anything too strenuous. I felt like I had the least amount of energy this day and I’m really glad we had the day off of work thanks to MLK Jr. Day.
Day 4 meant facing the real world and going to work. To my surprise, though, I had a ton of energy and was extremely productive. At this point I felt as if I could continue on the juice cleanse for four more days or more, but like all good things I knew it had to come to an end.
It’s been a week since the cleanse and I still have much more energy than usual, and I’m sleeping better than I have in years. On the bike I feel great, granted I haven’t gone on any group rides that put me through the wringer. The legs have felt fresh every time I’ve gone for a ride since the cleanse.
All in all I would say this was a very positive experience, and something I can see myself doing again possibly in the middle of the year. The juices all taste great and satisfy your hunger. There is an additional recycling charge for each bottle, but if you save them all (as most people do) you get that money back when you return them to their location on Union St. If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments section and I will answer them to the best of my ability.
Who doesn’t like something for free? It’s been two years since we started Wheel Talk and sharing our passion for bikes with the world. As a way to say thank you for all the support Slumworm made a bunch of stickers and we would like to get them in your hands. All you have to do is shoot us an email or send us a DM on Twitter with your name and address and we will try our best to get you some stickers before Christmas for stocking stuffers, or as nice Hanukkah presents for those of you spinning the dreidel this holiday season. Thank you everyone, we can’t wait to show you what we have in store for 2013!
EDIT: 12-28-12 Free stickers are gone. We will have some on our store soon though.
Garrett Chow. The man is a beast on the bike, but did you know he is equally skilled as a designer? On Friday Mash SF and Rapha premiered the “All Chips on the Table” art exhibit that features design works that Garrett created for Specialized and Mash SF. The crowds were large for this event as the Mash SF Cutty Cross Cat ended at Rapha right before the art exhibit went live. This was probably one of my favorite events that Rapha held for the simple reason that it brought together people who love bikes and ride different types of bikes. All the fixed gear/track riders that frequent Mash SF flowed over to the event and Rapha attracted its typical roadie/cross crowd and everyone mingled under one roof. It wasn’t about what kind of bike you rode, the components you used, or what gear ratio you’re running. All that mattered was the bike and everyone celebrating beautiful bike design. Like all exhibits at Rapha, this one won’t be around forever and I really suggest you check it out as it has something for everyone. Are you a fan of track riding and Mash SF? There’s track bikes, photos from the Mash cross team, and Mash SF team kits. Are you a Roadie? There are road bikes, custom designs for current pro riders, and limited edition bikes that you won’t see anywhere else.
Check out the rest of my photos from the All Chips on the Table exhibit.
A local bike shop (LBS) is a beautiful thing. Need nutrition, or spare parts before a ride? How about a place to hangout on a rainy day? Just stop by your LBS and there is sure to be a friendly face to greet you, and chances are you know at least one or two people who work there. Aside from meeting new riders and learning about new rides to go on and adventures to experience, you can also learn a lot from the people who work there. Next time it’s a rainy day take a 6-pack to your LBS, share it with the mechanics, and I bet you will learn a new trick or two. My favorite bike shop when I’m riding in the Gilroy area is Sunshine Bikes. This shop represents everything I think of when I hear the term “Local Bike Shop.” Overstocked sales floor? Check. Friendly staff? Check. Seriously, even if I’m not riding I try to stop in just to see how the shop and everyone is doing. Whether you realize it or not you probably have your own favorite LBS that you frequent. The familiar smell, the sound of bolts being tightened, it’s the same no matter what language you speak or what part of the world you live in. Where’s your LBS?
In the spring of 2011, Rapha Japan set up a charity ride for Tohoku and they asked for everyone to donate and ride. We held our own group ride in the South Bay Area and setup a Paypal to take donations. Thank you to everyone who came out and rode and donated to the cause. A year later the area still looks ravaged from the damage, but there are signs of life. Rapha recently went to the area to ride, and give everyone an inside look as to how the people are rebuilding and surviving. Returning to a normal life is not a fast paced process, but those that survived are grateful and making the most of bad situation.
Plastic is a part of pretty much everything we consume these days, but what happens to it after the consumption happens? Well, you can recycle it, but chances are it will end up somewhere that you wish it wasn’t. The other option is to not think about it and throw it in the trash. The latter option will definitely make sure that plastic ends up where it shouldn’t. The only real way to save the oceans, and our earth, is to kill the use of plastic all together. How can we kill our plastic consumption? That’s where the people at 5 Gyres come in. They are a group of people determined to help save the oceans for future generations. Later this year they will be traveling via bicycle down the East Coast from Boston to South Carolina stopping in at least 11 cities to educate folks on the issues related to plastic pollution. The entire trip will take 5 weeks and will educate 1000s of people. If you would like to help support their cause, and their trip, the 5 Gyres Crew will be GUEST BARTENDING at Rebel Bar in Hayes Valley on SEPT 20th at 6PM. Please come have a few PLASTIC FREE cocktails to help support 5 Gyres on their upcoming project. All tips go directly toward the trip and the mission of saving our oceans.
Cycling, food, and beer. If you don’t thinks these three things go together like peas in a pod then you haven’t ridden yourself to the point of being completely drained. If you have, and you know the horrendous feeling of a bonk, or the magnificence of a cold beer after a hot ride, then this post is for you! For too long of a time I have forced gels, and dense protein bars down my throat during rides to keep me fueled. I say “forced” because these unappealing foods made eating while riding a chore and something I would tend to forget out until it was too late. I was tired of this and slowly started going back to “normal” food, food that I could easily make and would look forward to eating. It started with just bringing a banana and a Nutella sandwich, but then I saw Skratch Labs was releasing a second book all about portables. I got on the preorder, and as soon as the book arrived I was excited and immediately wanted to make something.
The first thing I decided to make was the raspberry mint rice cakes. These were, simply put, amazing! It was different being on the bike and enjoying the food I was eating. It was a total surprise, however, that I constantly wanted more because the flavor was so good. This book is not only filled with great recipes, but also has a lot of nutritional information. The detail that they take in explaining the role hydration plays in your nutritional intake was something I had never taken into consideration before. I feel like not only are my rides healthier now because I know exactly what is in the food that I am ingesting, but it’s also easier to stay hydrated now as well. Yes, your food can keep you hydrated.
I recommend this book for anyone that is tired of their typical gels and bars, or if you have stomach issues while eating on long rides.
View the full set on Flickr
On Sunday May 19th the Amgen Tour of California started in San Francisco. I look forward to the Tour of California every year for two reasons. First, it grows in size and popularity every year, and secondly, it’s great seeing such a star-studded field of riders tackling the same roads you ride whenever you go out. This year the route was changed to go from South to North. This meant that San Francisco was the last stop rather than the second or third as in years past. Getting to stage start gives you the opportunity to see the riders and their bikes up close before the race action starts. Cycling is one of the few sports where fans and the athletes can rub shoulders and interact without the fan having to pay a penny. This, for me and many other people, is one of the main draws to the sport. After the race I headed to the Rapha Cycle Club to see the gallery of photos that Prolly took from last year’s Amgen Tour of California. All in all it was a great day and I can’t wait for next year.
See the rest of the photos on Flickr.
This years Red Bull Ride N Style was another scorcher. Somehow the weather in San Francisco is always amazing for this event. This was the first year that Slumworm raced the event as well as competed in the trick portion. While this was totally unexpected for him he still went out there, had a good time, and raced his ass off. Even though he didn’t win he made it through to the third heat and was knocked out by eventual winner Jason Clary. On the trick side of things I was completely blown away this year! Everyone was pulling out all the stops. Kenny Arimoto went back to tackle the trick that injured him last year and landed it first try like a boss, you had Boothby throwing backflips like it was a walk in the park, our boy Anthony Combs landing an amazing superman, and Slumworm hitting every trick with speed and agression which I have yet to see from him. It was great seeing everyone just step up their game so much. With year number 3 at a close I’m stoked to see what number 4 brings and to watch everyone progress from now til then.
Check out the full set on Flickr
Time flies when you’re having fun, and staying true to form the team over at Cykel celebrated their two-year anniversary with a small party and an art exhibit by Kevin Leong. It’s always great seeing a local small business celebrate another year of successful operation, it’s even better when it’s a group of people you know care deeply about their community and every one of their customers.
For their second year they partnered with Vive le Tarte to sponsor their own cyclocross team that had a very successful year which saw their riders on the podium multiple times, and they already have big things planned for next season.
The art exhibit, as with everything else, was a great touch. Kevin blended art, the alphabet, and cycling seamlessly together to create a showcase that added to the festivities.
If you are looking for a new bike, a tune up, or just need some questions answered, you couldn’t go to a better shop. Happy anniversary guys, and here’s to many more!
Check out the full set on Flickr
There are certain times in life when the unexpected happens. Sometimes the unexpected can be great and lead to wonderful things, but other times they aren’t so great. These not so great unexpected events lead to worrying and stress, especially when they concern a family member. How we cope during this time is the difference between a healthy life and a mental breakdown. For the past month and a half my mother was in the hospital for an unknown malady and there was nothing I could do. I was stressed from work, from not knowing if she would be ok, and I was constantly wondering what was going to happen. I needed to get away from it all.
On the 15th I decided to skip work and head home to see my mother and to go for a much-needed mind clearing bike ride. That night was both rough and rewarding. It was rough because I don’t do well in hospitals when someone I care about is in them, but it was rewarding because we got the word that my mother would be going home then next morning if her checkup went well. All there was left to do now was wait.
The next morning she was indeed released and by 1:30pm she was at home resting and recovering. I took this opportunity to get in my own recovery. I went out to my favorite climb in Morgan Hill. East Dunne to the top of Henry Coe State Park is a brutal climb that requires a 1.5 mile climb with a 2 mile descent that drops you down along side a reservoir before the real 10 mile climb starts. This climb never gets easier no matter how many times you’ve ridden it, and that is exactly what I love about it. It is the perfect place to turn all your stress and frustrations into raw power. As you pour every ounce of yourself into the bike you forget everything that has bothered you. All stress seeps out of your pores with every drop of sweat, and just when you think you can’t go anymore, you reach the top, and take in the view. Your soul is reset. You have achieved cycling Zen, and there is nothing in the world that can take away your peace.
Love life. Tell those you care about that you love them, and enjoy the moments you have on your bike. #WheelTalk
Recently Strava added some major features for paying customers that also use power meters. While very cool it wasn’t that big of a deal to those that either use the free service from them, or that don’t care about watts and would just rather get out and enjoy a ride. The good news is they followed that update with another update that almost everyone can take advantage of. Instagram integration. If for some reason you haven’t used Strava yet, now is the perfect time to get hooked. Even if you aren’t training for a race it’s always nice to have your rides documented to remember where you went. With the Instagram integration Strava makes it even easier to remember the fun and beauty of your rides by being able to see your pictures from that ride right along with your ride data. The best thing about this feature is now when you share your rides with your friends via Facebook or Twitter they will see the beautiful scenery from it. Giving non cyclists an inside view into our world is a beautiful thing, and you never know who you might inspire to get on a bike.
If you’re new to Strava, or even if you have been around a while, and are looking for some friendly folks to ride with Wheel Talk has started a club that is open for everyone to join. Now get out there, ride, and take some beautiful photos for the world to see!
January. The time of the year for diets, resolutions, and resets. As a cyclist, this means shedding the holiday poundage, and putting more miles on the bike to get a good base level of fitness. This year, rather than doing long slow miles while continuing to eat like crap, I decided to try something different and do a 4 day juice cleanse from Juice Shop SF. Taking a week off from riding and consuming nothing but juice might seem drastic to some, but think about the last time you took care of your internal organs and how worn they must be after years of gels, recovery drinks, nutrition bars, and the daily assortment of processed food. I started by eliminating meats, dairy, and refined starches from my diet about a week before I started the cleanse to get my body used to having nothing but fruits and vegetables.
Day 1 started off good with a nice bike ride to the top of Hawk Hill. I’m glad I decided to keep an easy pace, because halfway into the climb I could feel my legs and they yearned for food. After the short ride I went home to put up my legs and have a juice. Day 1 was a breeze.
Day 2 was spent at the San Francisco Zoo with my girlfriend who was also doing a four day cleanse. It was a nice relaxing day, but I could feel yesterday’s ride as I walked sluggishly through the zoo. This feeling went away when we got home. ProTip: Caffiene free herbal tea is your best friend.
Day 3 was rather uneventful. I spent the day relaxing at home and did some core exercises, but didn’t do anything too strenuous. I felt like I had the least amount of energy this day and I’m really glad we had the day off of work thanks to MLK Jr. Day.
Day 4 meant facing the real world and going to work. To my surprise, though, I had a ton of energy and was extremely productive. At this point I felt as if I could continue on the juice cleanse for four more days or more, but like all good things I knew it had to come to an end.
It’s been a week since the cleanse and I still have much more energy than usual, and I’m sleeping better than I have in years. On the bike I feel great, granted I haven’t gone on any group rides that put me through the wringer. The legs have felt fresh every time I’ve gone for a ride since the cleanse.
All in all I would say this was a very positive experience, and something I can see myself doing again possibly in the middle of the year. The juices all taste great and satisfy your hunger. There is an additional recycling charge for each bottle, but if you save them all (as most people do) you get that money back when you return them to their location on Union St. If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments section and I will answer them to the best of my ability.
Who doesn’t like something for free? It’s been two years since we started Wheel Talk and sharing our passion for bikes with the world. As a way to say thank you for all the support Slumworm made a bunch of stickers and we would like to get them in your hands. All you have to do is shoot us an email or send us a DM on Twitter with your name and address and we will try our best to get you some stickers before Christmas for stocking stuffers, or as nice Hanukkah presents for those of you spinning the dreidel this holiday season. Thank you everyone, we can’t wait to show you what we have in store for 2013!
EDIT: 12-28-12 Free stickers are gone. We will have some on our store soon though.
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Garrett Chow. The man is a beast on the bike, but did you know he is equally skilled as a designer? On Friday Mash SF and Rapha premiered the “All Chips on the Table” art exhibit that features design works that Garrett created for Specialized and Mash SF. The crowds were large for this event as the Mash SF Cutty Cross Cat ended at Rapha right before the art exhibit went live. This was probably one of my favorite events that Rapha held for the simple reason that it brought together people who love bikes and ride different types of bikes. All the fixed gear/track riders that frequent Mash SF flowed over to the event and Rapha attracted its typical roadie/cross crowd and everyone mingled under one roof. It wasn’t about what kind of bike you rode, the components you used, or what gear ratio you’re running. All that mattered was the bike and everyone celebrating beautiful bike design. Like all exhibits at Rapha, this one won’t be around forever and I really suggest you check it out as it has something for everyone. Are you a fan of track riding and Mash SF? There’s track bikes, photos from the Mash cross team, and Mash SF team kits. Are you a Roadie? There are road bikes, custom designs for current pro riders, and limited edition bikes that you won’t see anywhere else.
Check out the rest of my photos from the All Chips on the Table exhibit.
A local bike shop (LBS) is a beautiful thing. Need nutrition, or spare parts before a ride? How about a place to hangout on a rainy day? Just stop by your LBS and there is sure to be a friendly face to greet you, and chances are you know at least one or two people who work there. Aside from meeting new riders and learning about new rides to go on and adventures to experience, you can also learn a lot from the people who work there. Next time it’s a rainy day take a 6-pack to your LBS, share it with the mechanics, and I bet you will learn a new trick or two. My favorite bike shop when I’m riding in the Gilroy area is Sunshine Bikes. This shop represents everything I think of when I hear the term “Local Bike Shop.” Overstocked sales floor? Check. Friendly staff? Check. Seriously, even if I’m not riding I try to stop in just to see how the shop and everyone is doing. Whether you realize it or not you probably have your own favorite LBS that you frequent. The familiar smell, the sound of bolts being tightened, it’s the same no matter what language you speak or what part of the world you live in. Where’s your LBS?
In the spring of 2011, Rapha Japan set up a charity ride for Tohoku and they asked for everyone to donate and ride. We held our own group ride in the South Bay Area and setup a Paypal to take donations. Thank you to everyone who came out and rode and donated to the cause. A year later the area still looks ravaged from the damage, but there are signs of life. Rapha recently went to the area to ride, and give everyone an inside look as to how the people are rebuilding and surviving. Returning to a normal life is not a fast paced process, but those that survived are grateful and making the most of bad situation.
Plastic is a part of pretty much everything we consume these days, but what happens to it after the consumption happens? Well, you can recycle it, but chances are it will end up somewhere that you wish it wasn’t. The other option is to not think about it and throw it in the trash. The latter option will definitely make sure that plastic ends up where it shouldn’t. The only real way to save the oceans, and our earth, is to kill the use of plastic all together. How can we kill our plastic consumption? That’s where the people at 5 Gyres come in. They are a group of people determined to help save the oceans for future generations. Later this year they will be traveling via bicycle down the East Coast from Boston to South Carolina stopping in at least 11 cities to educate folks on the issues related to plastic pollution. The entire trip will take 5 weeks and will educate 1000s of people. If you would like to help support their cause, and their trip, the 5 Gyres Crew will be GUEST BARTENDING at Rebel Bar in Hayes Valley on SEPT 20th at 6PM. Please come have a few PLASTIC FREE cocktails to help support 5 Gyres on their upcoming project. All tips go directly toward the trip and the mission of saving our oceans.
Last weekend the Tenspeed Hero photo gallery went on display at the Rapha Cycle Club. This unique gallery is the creation of Rebecca Gosling who painstakingly created an art piece for every stage of this year’s Tour de France. This year was a great Tour and everyone had their favorite moment or rider, and that is the beauty in this art exhibit. Rather than everyone talking about the art and what it represented there were conversations of stage wins and near misses. Everyone vividly remembered something else about the Tour, and everyone was excited to share. The few photos posted below don’t do the exhibit justice. To truly experience the Tenspeed Hero exhibit you need to go to the store, view the pictures first hand, have a coffee, and have a conversation about your favorite moments from this year’s Tour with a complete stranger.
From the get go I knew Valverde would be the Ralph Nader of cycling this season.
Wiggins was by far the most quotable rider in this year’s Tour de France.
See the rest of the photos I took here.
Where do I go when my bike needs a tune up? Cykel. It’s one of those bike shops in San Francisco that’s tucked away in a small space that you would miss if you didn’t know what you were looking for. The shop has a wide selection of Focus bikes which is what originally drove me to start taking my Focus bike there. They have deep knowledge and passion for what they do, and it shows in everything they do from the shop layout to detail that they take in making sure your bike is fit 100% correctly.
Like every good shop they have a shop pet, Zoe, and she is immortalized on their new jerseys and during a recent art gallery exhibit by MariNaomi. It’s great seeing a small shop such as this also supporting local artists. Crafts supporting crafts. Next time you find yourself in need of a bike tune up or wanting to visit a unique bike shop in San Francisco give Cykel a visit.
Check out the rest of the photos here.
Back at the end of May the Golden Gate Bridge celebrated it’s 75th anniversary. During this celebration they opened up the west side of the bridge as a cyclists only path. Tobi and myself decided to take a quick ride up to the Marin Headlands in celebration of such an awesome event. Here are a couple of pics we snapped from this ride.
Photos courtesy of Gonzo’s Instagram.
Lube. You don’t realize you need it until you are mid ride and every forward thrust of motion leaves you with with painful grinding noises. Noises that are the dead give away of a dry chain. Noises that will make everyone’s head turn and look at you in a group ride. There are two ways to alleviate this. You could take your bike to your local shop ASAP and have them clean and lube your chain, or you could grab yourself some Gnar Lube, an old rag, and do it yourself. I chose to do the later with a fresh supply of Gnar Lube. I had heard good things and seen them all over Twitter and FaceBook, and liked their “be gnar” branding. There wasn’t a better time to test it out either, we were finally getting rain in San Francisco and that meant wet rides and commutes.
The first thing I noticed about the stuff was that it was thick, thicker than any lube I had ever used and I was excited to get it on the chain. I did the standard clean, lube, wipe process and instantly noticed nothing. It was a great nothing though, because that was exactly what I heard. Gnar lube left my bike running smoother and quieter than ever before a feat I didn’t think was possible just by switching lubes. I had used many different lubes in the past and I don’t any of them had ever performed like this. The next day the rain came, and the true test of any lube. Again, it surpassed expectations. With the lubes I used in the past I would always notice a distinct grinding after about an hour or two as road grime slowly made it’s way into the chain. Not so with Gnar Lube, as I rode all day without a peep. I even forgot to clean the bike that night and rode again in the rain the next day, and it was still as smooth and as quiet as the previous day. A nice added touch is the coconut scent which left my bedroom, where I keep my bike, smelling like a tropical beach in the summer time. Truly gnar!
Labor day was last week and with labor day came the Giro di San Francisco. I took this as a chance to catch my first women’s pro race, and to cheer on some friends in the men’s categories. All in all it was a fun day getting some pictures and talking to some fellow cyclists. My buddy Matt even put together a little video of the event!
Giro Di SF from Matt Reyes on Vimeo.
This weekend, I ended up going home to Gilroy, CA for a family emergency. It was a nice weekend to just relax and tend to family issues and not be on the bike, a bit of a recovery session if you will. It was also nice to get to hangout and have a team meeting with the rest of Wheel Talk and our financier. Due to this though I kind of removed myself from what was going on in the rest of the cycling world, and don’t have a weekend update. In lieu of that though I will post a couple reviews of products I have been using and have become a big fan of! The first product being First Endurance.
I first started using First Endurance products over a year a go, and was blown away by their effectiveness. A year later and many different products later does First Endurance still stack up and beat the rest in the field? Lets find out! The logical place to start is with on the bike beverages. It seems like every company out there now has some new fancy electrolyte drink to help you go faster, ride longer, and all without cramps. Are they all the same? In my book no. First, let me say I am no scientist, but we all know that bodies are different and what works for me may not work for you. That being said I also have a pretty sensitive stomach when it comes to eating and drinking while on the bike, and if I’m not careful I will get stomach cramps fairly easily.So, what did I try? Obviously, there was First Endurance (grape flavor), Accelerade (orange flavor), Gatorade (G Series PRO formula fruit punch flavor), Hammer HEED (mandarin orange flavor), Hammer Perpetuem (orange-vanilla flavor), and Water (does water have a flavor?) All of these, from their descriptions on the bottles, seemed the same with extra this and extra that, but how they really stacked up could only be tested on the bike.
The 4 hour test. Going out on a 4 hour ride on water alone was a task I knew would be impossible without bonking, but for the sake of this review I did it, just barely! Did I remain hydrated? Yes, of course I did! Did I get cramps? No, there were no stomach cramps, but due to there not being enough electrolytes and nutrition in my system I bonked HARD 20 miles from home. I could do four to six pedal revolutions until the pain was too much in my legs and I had to cost. Going out with water alone will not be repeated again! Next up was a ride with Accelerade. The flavor of the orange wasn’t really that bad, a little on the sweet side, but not over powering. As I set out for my ride I took a few swigs to get things going, but about 20 miles into the ride I started feeling a rumbling in my stomach. I shook it off and continued on and took a few more swigs when suddenly I felt as if I had been stabbed in the stomach with a knife! My stomach instantly cramped up and there was no continuing for me. I turned the bike around and made my way home. Unbearable cramping after only a few miles of riding makes Accelerade a non-option for me. Next on the lineup was Gatorade and their new G Series PRO formula. Gatorade has tweaked their drinks to make them more competitive in the endurance athlete market, but what I found interesting is that everything was still too sweet for me. On the bike ride, though, I found that it was still sweet like regular old Gatorade, and I was drinking A LOT! I found that similar to their “regular” formula it didn’t really seem to quench my thirst, but rather due to the sweetness, kept me going back for more. While I did not get cramps, or get dehydrated, I don’t think I will be choosing this one in the future for the simple reason that I ran out of drink a little more than halfway through my ride. I don’t want to worry about running out of liquids, or where my hydration will be coming from. Next up were the two Hammer Products, HEED and Perpetuem. Normally I wouldn’t lump two products together, but these two products were so similar for me that I felt I had no other choice. They are technically different products, HEED for your regular training ride, and Perpetuem for long hard days in the saddle. For me, though, two things stuck out the taste and the performance. The flavor was pretty bad with both of these. Maybe I have some messed up taste buds, because I know a lot of people that really enjoy the flavor of the Hammer products, but it was just a chalky nasty mess for me. An interesting difference between the two, however, is that the Perpetuem gave me stomach cramps while while the HEED did not. Of the two I would recommend the HEED over the Perpetuem simply for that reason, but remember there is the taste issue as well. As far as performance goes I didn’t bonk with the HEED, but had force every little bit down. A good drink shouldn’t have to be forced down, it should be looked at with joy and something that will make you more comfortable on the bike.
I decided I would save the best for last. First Endurance talks a lot about how they have a new and improved formula, and more electrolytes than any other sports drink, but non of that matters if it tastes like crap or gives you cramps. Luckily for First Endurance non of these are the issue! It’s sweet, but no so over powering that you constantly get thirsty again from the sugar content. It’s at the perfect level of refreshing that by the time you need another swig one or two big gulps is all you need. Which is perfect, because you are not over filling your stomach with liquid to cause bloating or cramps! While out on the ride no bonking occurred either, which is always good when going out on any length ride. It doesn’t taste salty either which you might expect from a drink boasting so many electrolytes. The other nice thing is First Endurance doesn’t have a million products that you need to mix and match to get the perfect nutrition combination on the bike. Two bottles of EFS Sports drink and one bottle of EFS Liquid Shot and you are good for a 4 hour bike ride! What’s a liquid shot? It’s a small container, about the size of your hand, that has 400 calories and other goodies in it to give you what you need to keep going while out on the road. They just released a wild berry flavor, and boy is it good! I still recommend taking a small swig of your sports drink and a swig of the Liquid Shot at the same time to help rinse it down, but it’s light years ahead of the other gels out there. Recovery drinks are another “Uggghhh” in my book. Basically, I hate them. Almost all of them are chalky, taste like crap, and usually just something I force down because I know I need to. This is not the case with First Endurance. Their cappuccino flavored Ultragen recovery drink is simply amazing! Never before have I tried a recovery drink that tastes just like an iced coffee before, and NEVER have I had one that works quit as well as Ultragen. I have never had a recovery drink that helps with fatigue the next day, but Ultragen is packed with so much goodness that the next day I am no where near as sore as I am when I tried a different brand recovery drink. This is why I say it works extremely well. It gives your muscles everything they need to rebuild themselves and prevent soreness.
Some tips and tricks. If you are gearing up for a big event or the race season in general I would recommend using OptygenHP. It’s not something you will notice helping you the first month, but as you use it you will find breathing on climbs easier thanks to all the natural herbs they put in it. If it helps Tibetan Sherpas to climb Mt. Everest it will be good enough to help you tackle your local climb, or to prepare for a long season of racing. Another product I recommend is their MultiV. Vitamins are EXTREMELY important to anyone, but especially to endurance athletes and their vitamins are specially formulated to give endurance athletes everything they need to keep them healthy and going strong all season long. Personally I just buy them year round and make them part of my breakfast. If you are buying vitamins anyway why not buy the best!? The last product I will touch on is their PreRace. You DO NOT need much of this stuff! Basically it is that little extra caffeine boost you need before a crit or time trial. What I like to do is put two scoops in with some Ultragen and drink this halfway through a long ride (usually the 50 mile mark on a 100 mile ride.) This allows me to get the extra nutrition I need to keep going from the Ultragen, plus a nice boost in energy from the PreRace to kick it back up a notch! This stuff will SERIOUSLY get you going!
Long winded writeup/review I know, but it’s no an easy topic to condense. If you have any questions for me or feel that I have missed something feel free to shoot me a comment or e-mail and I will get back to you. Have fun riding everyone, and be safe out there!
Wow, what a weekend for cycling! Let’s start with the Giro d’Italia. Everyone knew Alberto Contador would be the man to beat this year, but no one knew just how hard it would be to overtake him in the mountains. The first few days contained flat stages and Contador himself admitted he wasn’t feeling up to par. Once the mountains came into play, however, that changed and he started to take some real time on the rest of the riders. By the time the race got to the half way point Contador had already put 5 minutes between himself and the other riders, and looked unstoppable! As the race continued he had his moments where he wasn’t at the front of the pack, but still no one was able to take any time out of his lead. If fact, Contador remained unstoppable, and his lead continued to grow. The day before the final stage of racing he had a lead of 5:18 on the next closest rider, and with a final time trial to go, something drastic would have to happen for Contador not to be able to pedal his way to a win. The final day of racing brought an individual time trial, and no catastrophic event for Contador, who came in third just 36 seconds behind David Millar. Contador ended up winning the Giro d’Italia with a six minute and ten second lead to his closest rival Michele Scarponi.
The action wasn’t just in Europe this weekend, however, as the US Road and Time Trial Championships made it’s way to Greenville, South Carolina. This brought the top professional US riders together to test each others legs for the chance to be called the best in the nation. First up was the Time Trial on Saturday. This is where the fast men who race against the clock go out one by one with a time gap in between to see who can cover the course the fastest. Dave Zabriskie from Garmin-Cervelo would be the man to watch as he was fresh off his Time Trial win in the Tour of California. This wasn’t the only reason to watch him, however, winning the race five times makes you a marked man and a force to be reckoned with! When it was his turn to take the course Dave rode like the wind and ended up taking the win by 31 seconds. Second place went to Tom Zirbel, and rounding out the podium for third was Matthew Busche. Keep on eye on both of those names, because I get the feeling you will be seeing a lot more of Tom Zirbel and Matthew Busche in the coming years! Next up, thanks to the long weekend, was the Road Championship race on Monday. There were a few attacks early in the race, but once things got rolling the real battle between George Hincapie, Tejay Van Garderen, Ted King, and Matthew Busche. These four riders worked together well, and made sure they would only have themselves to worry about when it came time to sprint for the win. The battle for first place was between Hincapie and Busche, with Busche just narrowly edging out Hincapie, while Ted King out sprinting Van Garderen. Yet another good showing of the young guns, and the future of American cycling. Some of you may remember that Matthew Busche was just a bike messenger with just a year of racing under his belt when he got picked up by Lance Armstrong and the RadioShack team.
This weekend also saw the best Fixed Gear Free Style (FGFS) riders descend upon Milwaukee for Midwest Mayhem 2. Our very own Matt “Slumworm” Reyes was out at the event to see if he could repeat his Redbull Ride+Style 1st place victory. The competition was fierce, with everyone throwing out their best tricks. The really cool thing about FGFS is that it’s so small of a sport that everyone knows each other, and just getting to ride with your friends is half the fun. At the end of the day, though, someone had to be crowned the victor and at the end of the day Tom LaMarche took the win! All was not lost, however, and Slumworm managed to take second. Rounding out the podium for third was Josh Boothby. It’s good to see cycling growing and more and more people opting to ride bikes instead of driving a car. Congrats to everyone who busted their ass trying to win, and to those that did win.
People ask me all the time, “Tobi, why do you ride a road bike?” I can get into long winded discussions describing all the emotions I feel on the bike. It’s more than just a hobby, or a sport, it’s a passion, a passion that pours through my veins 24-7. The first time I felt this emotion for the sport was in 5th grade when I zoomed down my first hill on a road bike. I was hooked! I was not a fan of helmets then, however, and was caught going down this very hill without my helmet one day and had my shinny red road bike taken away. Now, almost 17 years later, I am again on my bike reliving all those emotions again that made me fall in love with cycling in the first place. It’s not just going up and down hills, it’s the exploration of the unknown. A road bike is capable of traversing many surfaces if you have the determination and the skill. The most gratifying days on the bike are days spent playing in the dirt and gravel, and then throwing in a few steep climbs to top it off. If you have ever climbed Redwood Retreat Rd to Mount Madonna in Gilroy you know what I mean! The perfect 3 mile climb, with the first 1.5 miles steep and brutal on paved road with the sun beating on you the entire time. Then, you hit gravel as the road becomes a fire road and gets covered by redwood trees. The cool air and the reduction in gradient is welcome after the first mile and a half.
As you can see I really can keep going and going! Rather than doing that I will let you feast your eyes on 17 minutes of pure beauty, or The Rapha Continental Movie. Everything that I feel and try to describe through words about cycling is captured perfectly in this film. It’s why I get on my bike, it’s why I get excited when someone asks, “Wanna go for a ride?” Watch and maybe you too will be inspired to go out for a ride.
Rapha Continental – The Movie from RAPHA on Vimeo.
Yes, it’s been a while, but this weekend was filled events to write about. I have been really busy working at an ad agency, Rapha, and doing school, but I will try my best to keep these updated weekly or bi-weekly if I’m running low on time. First on the list was Alberto Contador dominating at the Giro d’Italia. After an astounding two weeks Contador showed everyone he was ready to win, and heading into Monday’s first rest day, was leading the race by four minutes and twenty seconds! With his lead growing every day something bad would have to happen for him to loose the Giro. What remains uncertain is his upcoming case on whether he used a banned substance during last year’s Tour de France. If found guilty he will have all wins, including last year’s Tour and from this year, stripped from his record. Also, if found guilty, he would be banned from the sport and not allowed to race in this year’s Tour de France. Contador is pushing all of this out of his thoughts, though, and showing everyone he is the strongest rider this year and deserves to win the Giro. With six more days to go only time will tell if Contador can add another Grand Tour victory to his belt, but at this rate it’s almost safe to say he has sealed the deal! Some have stated that this year’s Giro is all about the climbers and pure force, rather than team tactics. To me this seems true, but the Giro is a different monster than the Tour, and this means a completely different type of race. While I enjoy seeing team tactics played out in cycling as much as the next, sometimes its just nice to see climbers “dance” away, and we’re getting plenty of that with this year’s Giro.
This weekend also saw Matt Reyes coming to San Francisco from the little town of Gilroy. This gave us a chance to go ride and get in some cool pictures thanks to Bryan Dempler. It was cool getting to ride with Matt, I really miss getting to ride with everyone, but I’m happy to be living in San Francisco. After stopping at the Rapha Cycle Club we peddled off to the Presidio and Golden Gate Park to see what cool spots for pictures we could find. It was fun finding some of San Francisco’s “uncovered” spots. Finally, after spending 4 hours exploring the city and snapping off pictures, we headed back home to the pad off Hayes.
The other big news of the weekend was Tyler Hamilton and his 60 Minutes interview. A lot was said and finger were pointed, but something I really liked about the interview is that Tyler didn’t throw Lance under the bus like Floyd Landis did. Tyler stated that if rolls were reversed that he would have done the same for Lance. In my book Tyler is more respectable than Floyd simply because rather than trying to point the finger at everyone else he also took blame. I don’t know if Lance did or did not take any of the things he was said to have taken, nor am I qualified too. What I do know, however, is that Lance has done a lot for the sport of cycling and for cancer awareness. I’ve always known of the Tour de France, but one thing that wasn’t aware to me was this mysterious disease known as cancer. Lance Armstrong and the Livestrong foundation put cancer in the limelight and made sure people knew what it was and how much it affects EVERYONE. I guess my point is that the past is the past. Do we discredit Merckx, or any of the other greats for doping? No, we continue to praise their success. Unfortunately, Lance was a part of the doping era, and he may have doped himself, but everything else he has done for the sport and cancer survivors outweighs his EPO use in my book. When I think of the debt the United States is in and the amount of money being used to bring this man to “justice” I just think that the whole procedure is out of hand, and the money can be used for better things. I know my stance will not be received well by some, but I know others will see it the way I do. The man is a legend, and I will leave it at that! Regardless of the outcome Lance will always be a 7 time Tour de France winner, a cancer survivor, and champion in my book. Look up your favorite cyclist and see if they have clean record, you will be surprised. Cycling today has some of the strictest drug tests available to try and clean up and keep the sport clean, something that I can not say for every major sport out there. I love cycling and will love it until the day I die. There are “dirty” sides to everything in this world, we just have to decide how important it is to dwell on them and let them taint whatever images of purity we may have.
On Wednesday the 4th of May, one day before opening, the Rapha Cycle Club held a special event for industry insiders and other guests. I got in a little early to help clean and do some last minute prep work. I took advantage of this time to also snap off some pictures of the shop while it was still empty. The light coming through the windows made for some interesting lighting and I was able to pick up some really cool reflections. By this time a decent amount of people had arrived and I got interested in the food situation, but as I stepped outside I was greeted by long line. I waited for about 5 minutes and with no movement at all I went back inside for another beer. As more and more people arrived I made my way around the event socializing and hearing great ride/race stories from others. After my second Salzburger Stiegl I needed food, and decided to test my luck again with the food line. To my surprise there was only one other person in line, and I didn’t have to wait for long to have my go at ordering. Food was provided by 3-Sum Eats, and I decided to go with the Cuban style pulled pork sandwich. After another short wait the sandwich arrived, and I was not disappointed! If you find yourself hungry in San Francisco check these guys out, they have a little something for everyone. The night was rolling to a close for me, but not the event. I had to be awake bright and early for class. I said goodbye to those that I knew and hopped on my bike to make my way back to my new home in San Francisco.
Below are two photo sets of pictures. The first set are the pictures I took with a Canon Xti DSLR. The second is a set of pictures of all the pictures underneath the glass of the community table in the cycle club taken with my cell phone.
I not sure what else to say, but great job! Go ride a bike everyone! Did you know that May 12th is Bike to Work Day? Why not try it out, and see how much better you feel after getting your day started with a nice bike ride? Get out there with friends if you are new to biking, it’s much more of a group activity than people think.
Probably some of the best news form the weekend was new that Tom Zirbel had been signed by Jamis-Sutter Home. Tom was on his way to going to Europe and racing with the big boys at Garmin when he got busted for DHEA. An interesting fact about DHEA, though, is that some companies manufacture it as the same place non DHEA supplements are produced. This allows the risk for there to be cross contamination, which studies show is not uncommon, and with Tom this was the case. Tom has a good summary of what happened next on his blog. Cadel Evans showed his form was building for a good Tour de France showing by taking the overall win at the Tour de Romandie. Cadel is trying a new training approach this year for his build up to The Tour and it looks to be going as planned!
In a little non road cycling news, our very own Wheel Talk Fixed rider Matt “Slumworm” Reyes took first place in the Red Bull Ride+Style comp in San Francisco. Justin Herman Plaza was converted to an area where the best FGFS riders in the world could let their imaginations run wild! It was a narrow win with the competition fierce among all the riders, but Slum brought his “A” game! Congrats Slum!
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