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June KOM Challenge winners!

First of all, a big congratulations goes out to ALL of you KOM cyclists out there.  Thank you for putting in many miles and vertical feet that I'm sure brought you much enjoyment throughout the month.

Strava has done such a great job at offering the KOM that's proposed positive goal setting across the nation.  Whether its to get out and pedal 3-4 times a week or accomplish 500,000 vertical ft in a year.  Not one should go overlooked or under appreciated.  For the top men and women each month, their motivation has been kept up with generous gift donations from Strava, Capo, and the Studio Velo crew.

So, for the month of June here are the top finishers!

Men's 1st Place: Paul McKenzie recording 167,131ft.
Women's 1st Place: Pattie Whyte recording 92,864 ft.

Men's 2nd Place: Rich Velo recording 165,709 ft.
Women's 2nd Place: Melanie Splath recording 75,964 ft.

Men's 3rd Place: Kornel Cseri recording 120,698 ft.
Women's 3rd Place: Denise Primose recording 65,140 ft.


A job well done to all, and here is what you've won!

• 1st Place: Capo Kit (Bacio for the QOM and Turismo for the KOM)
• 2nd Place: 3 Pair Capo Socks
• 3rd Place: Studio Velo T 

Great job once again!  We're well into July's challenge, so keep pedaling!  I'll leave you with this photo from one of my rides this past week for a little motivation.

KJ

SV:Travel's Italian Cycling Adventure with a French twist

Cyfac | Studio Velo

Cyfac and Studio Velo have once again come together to offer a truly exceptional riding experience. This time, as many of you have read in previous posts, we are riding  in the Italian Alps and the famous Dolomites.  Taking a storied cycling locale, adding a dose of amazing service and support, some fantastic après-cycling Italian fare, and a pinch of Cyfac bicycle excellence, SV:Travel's Italian cycling adventure is truly something to remember. 

One detail we never want to overlook are the bikes we ride here. Like last year in Spain, seven lucky clients get a chance to ride some world-class bikes from our partners at Cyfac, who through hard work and commitment, send complete bikes to our hotels here in Italy for us to use over the course of two cycling sessions.

What makes this partnership unique?  For us, it is as much about the authentic  experience riding a handcrafted bike, made in France and ridden in Italy, as it is the smiles on our clients faces day in and day out.

For us here at Studio Velo, cycling is an aspirational sport on many levels.  Watching the pros race, imagining oneself flying down a descent, and dreaming of an effortless climb inspire us all.  But, it is the authentic experience that spurs us to swing a leg over the top tube and put in the miles to make us better riders.  When it all comes together, the mix of equipment, fitness, camaraderie, support, and landscape create an experience that transcends the sport itself.

Studio Velo has taken a step towards making a dream reality with their Italian adventure.  The partnership with Cyfac underscores the shared commitment to authenticity and quality, and ignores hype.  Studio Velo clients chose from Cyfac Absolu and Gothica CS models outfitted with a mix of product groups and wheelsets designed to deliver an exceptional riding experience with the passionate team from Studio Velo. 

Perhaps a French trip is in the cards next year so that we may all be able to ride Cyfacs here!  Stay tuned.

SP

SV Women's KJ interviews SV patron Bill Keller

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.  For the most part that's true, except when referring to Studio Velo patron Bill Keller.  If you have ever met Bill you can attest that this man does what he loves and loves what he does.  We here at Studio Velo are very fortunate that his passion circulates around our cycling community.

I've had the pleasure of getting to know Bill having just joined the Studio Velo team for two months now.  In that time, it's no question that Bill is someone to look up to.  Today, marking his 62nd Birthday I sat and spoke with him on his recent accomplishment.  If you're a KOM hound, you probably already know his stats, but as a reminder (and to boast a bit for a humble man) Bill completed 25 rides, 789 miles, and 101,400 feet of elevation over the course of ONE MONTH in April.

How does one accomplish such a task? Well, for Bill it seems it was a goal that just kept growing.  He noticed his elevation was 50,000 ft pretty early on in the month and with selfless motivation of helping out his Studio Velo KOM club, Bill was off to attain over 100,000ft!

This wasn't done alone.  Bill can be found out riding with fellow SV patron Chas Blackford at least 1-3 times a week.  The cycling pair met through Studio Velo and have been riding together for the past three years.  They joke that they are "the true masters of Studio Velo".  We'll gladly give them that title as they've been sure to keep the SV youngin's in check.

When asked what keeps him going and motivated with his goal, Bill responds with one common theme; camaraderie.  Bill went on to commend Scott, Colin, and Chris for their inclusiveness they have creating through Studio Velo.  Not only through the SV community, but the SV family.  "Everyone who works there are passionate about what they do, and you always feel welcome", stated Bill.  He goes on to share his first experience with Studio Velo where Bill came in for a repair, returned a week later, and everyone greeted him by name.  From that moment on Bill has become a regular through our doors and three years later, I believe we even have his espresso just about perfect.

So, 25 rides, 789 miles, and 101,400 ft of climbing in 30 days... at over 60.  What's his recipe? It comes down to one motivated, determined, genuine man supported by the like minded Studio Velo community and fueled by the love of the game!  Great job Bill!

Two Cooks: One Kitchen - Italian Style

Cooking in Italy for a group of cyclist is always a challenge. As a chef who has collaborated on group dinners in the past,  I know what its like to have someone in your kitchen that doesn’t belong; someone that has no idea how your kitchen runs, where things are, what they are allowed to use. In this case, someone who does not speak the language.  So needless to say all the above applied to me as I entered Chef Luca’s kitchen at Hotel dei Pini in Bormio early this past week.  After already having been warned that “he is tough” by some of the staff I began to question what this sharing cooking experience might bring .  And having had no contact with him as of yet due to the SAG schedule not syncing up with his work schedule, we were at complete opposite ends of communication. 

As I entered the kitchen for my introduction with tools in hand, carton of food to prepare and apron securely fastened I was greeted with a warm smile, handshake and friendly hello.  Just to make sure things went smoothly I presented him with a spectacular bottle of wine that he quickly rejected but I insisted.  Ah, the beginning of a new friendship.  Two chefs, the exchange of wine and the passion for food, here we go.

As I began to feel my way around the kitchen and became acquainted with the location of where things belonged, Chef Luca made me a snack.  This is not typical mind you but it was a chance for him to show off a little bit.  And that he did.  House-made brioche topped with local speck, arugula, local porcini, and a Bormio-version of ementaller cheese.  Delicious!  Then came a little taster of braised beef cheeks in red wine reduction.  Now we are talking!  I almost forgot I needed to be cooking!

I was given an area at the end of the hot line to work from and stay out of the way. As service time approached the pace in the kitchen quickened as it does in any restaurant.  “Crunch time” was upon the staff.  Smooth and cool they rolled into dinner service.

I was given the pastry chef, Stefano to assist with plating and the use of the kitchen equipment.  Dinner service was as follows:

Antipasti – Selection of local cheeses, charcuterie and fruits

Insalata Mista – Local Greens, Sweet Ripe Tomatoes and a Gaeta Olive-Balsamic Vin

Trenette Pasta – Tossed with Braised Rapini, Toasted Garlic, Olive Oil and Reggiano

Secondi Piatti – Choice of Roasted Chicken with a dried fruit Agro dolce sauce (Italian sweet and sour)  or Lamb chops with fennel, Ramps (spring onion) and roasting jus.

I Dolce – Local Strawberries and Blueberries with a Nocciola (hazelnut) Zabaglione dusted with Amaretto cookies and mint from the restaurant garden.

After dinner Chef Luca asked to try my dishes.  To date this may be one of the biggest compliments I have ever received in my almost 20 years as a professional chef; he asked for the recipe to my agro dolce sauce because it was “so unique and very good”.  You can’t imagine the feeling to be complimented at that level by a born and raised Italian chef.  True Italian cuisine has dictated most of my career and I have given myself wantingly to it.  The food, the wine, the culture, I love it!  And here is this “tough” not to mention proud Italian chef who has just given me the compliment of a lifetime by asking me for one of my recipes because he wants use it.  Awesome!

As I finished cleaning up, Chef asked if he could make me dinner.  How could one say no to that, plus I was finally hungry.  So we sat down to dinner in the pastry kitchen at the prep table.  Myself, Chef Luca and Stefano.  A bottle of wine was opened, a little acqua frizzante, housemade bread and here comes the pasta.  Homemade egg Taglietelle with the most delicate parsley pesto, olive oil and cherry tomatoes.  No cheese was offered and none was needed.  It was truly perfect.  As the wine flowed the conversation began.  Indeed the language barrier was great, as I know absolutely no Italian other than the names of foods or styles of cooking. 

Between the wine flowing and the constant stream of local meats and cheeses and desserts the chef wanted to showcase, communication was irrelevant.  Three chefs, lots of food, wine and a passion in common.  Heaven!  After an hour or so of hand gestures, laughs and broken English with poor Italian out came a local digestivo, Braulio.  Braulio and Braulio Riserva graced our table until the decision was made that they are both delicious though different.  As the night concluded it was clear that new friends had been made, barriers broken and all preconceived notions laid to waste.  My thanks to Chef Luca, Stefano and the restaurant staff for a memorable evening with more to come.  

A Taste of Italy: Riding with Studio Velo

We have been fielding lots of requests for pictures and updates from our Studio Velo Cycling Adventure to Italy.  I will apologize now for this being so brief as it is late and we are all very tired. There will be more thorough descriptions of the trip to follow, but we wanted to at least provide a quick update.

Tomorrow will be day 7 of our 10 day trip, so we have a fair bit of riding already under out belts.  We based the first leg of the trip in Bormio, which is surrounded by many of the most challenging climbs in Europe, made famous by the Giro d’Italia.  Riding climbs like the Mortirolo, the Gavia and the Stelvio has given us new perspective on just how hard the pro tour riders push themselves on the big climbing days. 

Realizing that 10 days or riding in Bormio would be unsustainable, we based the second leg of the trip in Corvara.  It’s hard to imagine finding a more breathtaking place than Bormio, but Corvara might actually earn this distinction.  While the climbing here might not be quite as well known, it truly is impressive.  Exposed rock ridges extending so far above tree line that they actually have their own weather patterns, waterfalls that drop from barely distinguishable heights and mountain rivers fed by glacial runoff create a backdrop so majestic it almost seem fake.  The great mountain towns rich with culture and history complete the feel. 

The rest is up to us.  With great clients and friends, world-class carbon bikes provided by Cyfac and great riding and adventure for everyone, and some very cooperative weather, it has really been a remarkable first week.  We hope you enjoy the pictures. More to come. 

Enjoy

Dinner Day 1

Gavia - Ponte di Legno Side

The Approach to Stelvio - Prato Side

Gavia 

Bonked at Boggs...

This past weekend I raced in my very first California cross country mtb race, and it was a "he loves me, he loves me not" relationship right off the bat.

Knowing I had the weekend off of work, I set out to find something to preoccupy my free time. Realizing my riding has been lacking any real high end pushing, I figured doing a cross country race should be in order. My procrastination took the best of me and I didn't decide on a race until the night before. Not only did my procrastination take over, but my lack of being prepared or reading the fine print. Luckily, good friend Eric Hill was setting out to do the same race. Thanks to he and his girlfriend Sarah, transportation, water bottle hand off, and great company were all taken care of.

An early morning wake up call after a quasi night's sleep on Eric's pull out couch, which actually felt pretty plush compared to the vast array of sleeping quarters I've had since moving. See below for the best example.

Off to the races we went! All that was on my mind was not forgetting my bike shoes, helmet, and SV jersey. Unfortunately, I don't fill out my jersey like it looks in the link, but I have to say this has been the most comfortable jersey I have ever worn. Capo has the woman's fit figured out! My biggest complaint with tops is how most creep up your waist throughout a ride or race. The last thing you want to think about is pulling down your jersey, and with a looser fit at the waist, this jersey doesn't creep up or give you that elastic band "muffin top" feel. You know what I'm talking about.

Race time, and my body was feeling terrible and I hadn't even made a pedal stroke. Ignoring the lead in my legs and not having my pro license yet, I registered in the pro category. I tend to enjoy jumping in the deep end of any situation and hoping to figure out how to swim through it. Still not knowing all the details of the race, I set out to warm up on the course the same way I would in the Vail Rec District Mountain Bike Series. These races are a bit shorter and typically start with a monster climb that you need to be warmed up for. Little did I know that here at Boggs the race organizer starts us out with a 2 mile road climb followed by a rolling 3 mile single track before even starting the timing of the race! Lesson #1, I probably didn't need the 30 minutes of fire roads before the race. Check.

Line up time. I love this part of any race. It was a mass start, so I wasn't sure who I was racing against but enjoyed checking out the scene, bikes, and people's nerves. Seeing other people nervously chat has a way of settling my own inner chatter. We were off! Here is where KJ learned Lesson #2. When racing you should really have a sense for how long the race is and "pace" accordingly. I went out hot, silly. The 5 mile start wasn't even a part of the race. There was no point of riding up with the fast boys on the climb. Silly. My lead legs continued to feel heavier and heaver and I hadn't even technically started the race yet!?! Smart, KJ.

That was the tone for the three hours I ended up being on my bike. I kept wondering when I would start to settle into a pace or when my body would just start enjoying the race. It wasn't until mid second lap when I heard a female voice behind me. She rode my wheel for a good portion of lap 2 winding through some of the best single track I've ridden in California yet! Forgetting about the sharp turn off the single track up a steep grade road and cakdjcakjdcakdjcekja... there goes my chain.... and there goes first place. Quickly, I tried to shift through the chain suck but got off and fixed it instead. Cursing my bike and my small wheels, I wanted to send Gary out to pasture that very moment! I then saw her pull away, I had no drive to push through the frustration of the second mechanical of the race and the beginning of my cramping that nagged along with me for the remainder of the day. This is where I rode. I was no longer racing and I was officially fighting with my body. 

As I rode along, feeling crummy and trying to enjoy the trails I heard someone cheering my name up in the distance. I thought to myself, "who knows me here?!?!"..."Is it a surprise from a Colorado friend who absolutely had ENOUGH with all the snow they're still having?".... Nope, it was Julie a new friend and little spit fire who's been coming to my group rides! She looked sharp in her Capo Bacio Short Sleeved Jersey and matching Capo Bacio Shorts. Julie is just getting comfortable with mountain biking and absolutely loving it. Here's a shot of her enjoying some of the race course that day. Thanks Julie! You made the pain subside and kept me motivated to keep pedaling.

Seeing Julie out there changed my perspective for the rest of the race. Yes, I was still cramping and proceeded to drop my chain one more time, but it reminded me why I love mountain biking, and more importantly why I moved to California. Julie is a great example of an amazing woman who really wants to get into mountain biking. She

has the heart, athletic ability, and focus but just needs a little instruction and company for getting started. I saw a bit of myself in her during group rides as she'd go back and ride and re ride sections until she got it. In a way I feel like I'm giving back what Kerry

White, Gretchen Reeves, Lisa Isom to list a few of the amazing women who've helped 

and continue to help me along my way. If you ask me, that's worth much more than 

first place.

So, as I inched my way across the finish line for second place, I reviewed the lessons of actual race tactics I learned that day as well as reminded myself why I race.

Some days you have it, others you don't. When the day comes to an end you're just riding a bike, so have fun and remember to share the fun with others!

Went home with a little cash, a cool medal, some electrolyte mix that Eric and I's verdict is still out on the better flavor of HEED. Strawberry? or Lemon Lime? Great job as he crushed his singlespeed field! Pain and race "mistakes" aside, it was a great time with some amazing people and fun new trails!

Studio Velo Rides Stage 4 Tour of California

On Wednesday a dozen lucky Studio Velo riders called in sick to work and went down to see the finish of Stage 4 of the Amgen Tour of California.



We left Mill Valley early to give us time to ride up Mt. Hamilton before returning to tackle the Sierra Road finish climb and then watch the pros do it.

We had 3 objectives for the day:

1. Get maximum exposure for Studio Velo by parking the van someplace highly visible.
2. Survive a couple of brutal climbs.
3. Get a good vantage point to watch the race finish

Well, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad.  We arrived in San Jose and started figuring out the parking situation.  Apparently a slick van is not enough to bluff one’s way into the official parking area.  In fact, the official with “the list”, Negative Nancy, called us “illegal”.  Ouch.  Then we tried to park in a gas station at the bottom of the finishing climb.  The gas station attendant was cool with that.  But then Negative Nancy came over and said we could not park there.  Apparently she supersedes constitutional protections regarding private property rights.  So, we settled for parking off the race route.

The weather was a bit grim as we set off, with some drizzle.  Hamilton is a Beating in 3 Acts, an 18 mile road to 4,000 feet.  The 1st Act is a relatively moderate grade that is comparable to many Marin climbs.  After a little descent you get another bump and descent into Grant Park.  From here it is 7 miles to the top--basically the same as doing Tam from Stinson to East Peak.  The grade is fairly steady, averaging 5%, with no steep parts.  This makes it easy to settle into a rhythm--make it a good one, you’ll be climbing for a while.  Our group split apart as riders went to their personal pain caves, but everyone made it to the top of the biggest climb in the Bay Area.


The descent off of Hamilton was brutally cold, and wet.  I saw 42º on my Garmin near the top.  My muscles started seizing up immediately.  By the time we reached Grant Park again, it was a more tolerable 53º, and dry.  The two short climbs were welcomed as an opportunity to warm up again.  Watching the television coverage, it looks like it cleared up before the race came through.  We froze in knee warmers and jackets, and the pros went down in shorts and short sleeves (and twice as fast).  The Tour of California always seems to have lousy weather, so I wish they would hold it in January.



We stopped at the van on our way back to eat some snacks and grab the picnic lunch that Chef Ritchie had prepared.  Poor Ritchie probably thought that his work ended with prepping lunch the night before, but Scott talked him into coming along and riding with us.  I also grabbed my laptop to keep up with the race (because the Amgen Mobile Tour Tracker does not work--it’s 2011 folks, sort it out).  

The weather had improved slightly, but we need not have worried about being cold.  Anyone who thought I was exaggerating when I described Sierra Rd as “a bitch of a climb, steep and unrelenting”, soon realized that I was in fact being coy about how tough the climb is.  It is 3.5 miles averaging almost 10%, with some steep pitches at the bottom.  Add in a carnival of interesting characters working their way up the hill, and you have a challenge.  Hauling a backpack up 10%+ grades at over 300 watts is sweaty work, and the cold of the morning soon became a distant memory.

Surprisingly, Sierra Rd was less crowded than the Boony Doon climb I watched last year.  This may partly have been because of the length of the climb spreading out the crowd.  The road was also completely closed to cars, so you had to walk up or ride up, and many fans may have decided that was too much effort.  In fact, looking at the TV coverage last night, it was fairly crowded at the bottom.  But there was plenty of room up high on the road until the last 100 meters.



We staked out a spot on a hillock about 200 meters from the finish that offered a good view of the final 500 meters, and sat down to enjoy our lunch (thanks, Ritchie!) while the riders worked their way over Hamilton.  With a faint wireless signal, we were able to follow the race ticker on the laptop, but the signal was too weak for consistent video.  Next year I will bring a Pringle’s can to amp up the antenna.  VeloNews even took a picture.  You could also gauge the riders’ approach by the location of the 3 TV helicopters.

It is really fun to do a climb and then see the pros go over it.  It reminds me to keep my day job.  The guys at the front came through looking smooth and fast, especially Horner, who seemed to float up the steep grades.  Rory Sutherland did a great ride, and shared his power data to keep the geeks happy.  480 watts up the 18 minute climb borders on absurd.



A few minutes later, and the riders coming through looked more like we did--heads hanging, pedaling squares.  Ben King of RadioShack looked particularly dejected--probably a combination of the day’s effort, and the realization that he was going to be on the front for the rest of the week defending the leader’s jersey.....ouch.  The grupetto was a long way back, and they were not the chatty, fun loving bunch that they usually are.  They crossed the line and immediately spun around to ride down to the team cars.  Apparently pros don’t hang around for a beer after finishing a hard ride....sucks for them.

Getting down the hill back to the van was much easier than we expected given the chaos on the hill.  Some of the pros were still riding back down as well.  Their sense of risk is clearly skewed differently than mine, as they squeezed through clumps of bikes and pedestrians at speed.  I, meanwhile, used up half my brake pads.



Back at the van we enjoyed some pasta salad before heading over to the donut shop for a few extra calories.  And then it was onto the freeway with the working stiffs.  The drive home was notably quieter than on the way down.


CH

“You can’t goat me to pull through”…

“You can’t goat me to pull through”… he says.           

Nearly 2.5 hours into one of the hardest races of my cycling ‘career’, having nearly avoided the second most frightening crash I have ever witnessed, and doing more work in a pace line and solo than the last 2 years of riding combined, my last-ditched effort to win the Boulder/Mead Roubaix race came with a guy stuck to my wheel 5 kilometers from the finish….

Many of you have undoubtedly been watching the Spring Classics over the past few weeks. The races have been nothing but exciting to the very end. Inspired by these races, I decided to visit some friends in Colorado and race the infamous Boulder Roubaix.  This year, the race organizers moved the venue from Boulder to Mead, CO, a small farm town northeast of Boulder in the rolling hills of the Colorado Plains.

The conditions for this race were perfect for a Roubaix-style race, if not extremely challenging. A stiff, 20+ mile/hour wind out of the west and a course with nearly 34% dirt roads over the length of 58 miles and about a 1400’ per lap for 3 laps.  Our particular group was big, nearly 100 riders from two categories, open and masters. The start was fairly mellow with a stiff headwind for 2-3 kilometers before turning north where teamwork truly came into play. The echelons were setting up nicely but I quickly found myself in the gutter trying ever so hard to stay in contact with the obvious lead group of riders. As we turned again, the headwind hit us straight on and I found plenty of cover and decided to move to the front as a few teams looked to make a move on the next turn.  As we headed east, however, the entire peloton began to swarm me with a strong wind at our backs.  I know well enough to not let this happen as it puts me in a dangerous position for the next big turn. This time, however, it saved my bike and perhaps my collarbone.

Without warning, we made a hard right turn south and quickly left the pavement for the softest dirt section of the race.  The front row of riders and a few in between fell like soldiers shot down by the opposing troops.  The field blew up. Bikes and riders were in the air. As more riders panicked, more riders hit the deck. It was carnage. I luckily was far enough back that I stayed clear of the crash but at a major price.

The lead group of open racers drilled it.  I knew this was the race unfolding.  I picked my way through the fallen riders and tried desperately to bridge up to about 20 – 25 riders who were on the gas. As we turned east again onto the pavement, it was game over. The tail wind and an unforgiving bunch of riders created an uncrossable gap for me.  I looked around and decided to wait for a few riders to work together. About 4, then quickly, 6 of us began the chase. As we hit the steep section about 6 kms or so from the start/finish, I realized my group was not strong enough on the dirt climb to help me bridge the gap so I put my head down and (perhaps foolishly) tried to go it alone, hoping the lead group would ease up as they came through the neutral feed zone.  I turned the hard right to the start/finish, picked up a solo rider from my category who must have been dropped on the climb with the lead group and began a good two-man train. I honestly, if not mistakenly, believe we could bridge up to the leading group. 

We made it about 3/4 the way around the 2^nd lap when a group of 4 joined us from behind. We clearly made a mistake trying to do it ourselves. In this newly formed chase group was a 200lb Aussie with big legs and an even bigger heart.  I knew he wanted to make it back to the lead group and had the legs to do it. He and I began to share pulls, getting a few more guys to do some of the work along the way. Little by little, we noticed riders from the lead group falling off. They were getting dropped.  By the time we reach the start/finish again, we were down to 4 guys. By this time, it became apparent Scott (the Aussie rider) and I were going to do all the work. I asked the other guys to pull through, but no one was willing to come around.  Every few minutes or so, I would sit up, just like you see on TV, throw up a hand, and ask the guys to do their part.  There was one guy in particular who had not pulled through the entire lap, sitting sheepishly on the back.   I knew he was positioning himself for a big attack closer to the finish. I decided to ask Scott if he was willing to attack the group before we towed the other guys to the finish line, but he declined. I knew well enough how this might end.

As we approached the final, most difficult climb --the one I had to run up on lap 2 due to the softness of the dirt and the fatigue in my legs-- I knew my best shot at a podium finish was at that moment. (I actually did not know if a podium spot was even viable, as I couldn’t tell how many guys from the lead group were still in front of us.) I hit the two small hills before the dirt with all I had in the tank. I reluctantly dropped by ‘friend’ Scott along with the other 3 riders, but as I crested the top the dirt hill, I hit a soft spot and once again came off my bike.  I hit the dirt running like a  cycle cross race, but in road shoes it was ugly.  As I remounted my bike, one of the four riders, the guy who surfed off the back the entire third lap, reach my rear wheel.  I was totally bummed. I knew my chances of winning the sprint were good, as that is probably my biggest strength in bike races, but I needed to get him off my tail.

We hit the 5km to-go marker and I waved the guy to come around to share the work to the finish.  He boldly said no.  I slowed down, looked over my shoulder to assess the proximity of the riders coming over hill, and I began to panic.  I knew there was no time for cat and mouse as they were coming quickly so  I decided to attack.  I put a huge effort into dropped this guy.  I put a good gap on him, but I knew with 2kms to go I probably could not hold him off and then win the sprint.  I decided to ease off the gas yet again.  I waived him to come around again and he cowardly said “you can’t goat me to pull through… not going to happen”  I was pissed. I knew he was going to attack me in the final meters but outside of brake checking him I had no option but to continue on.

My only hope was the hard, right hand turn to the finish line. It was an odd and frankly unsafe finish but one that might favor me.  The turn before the finish line was an abrupt right and the distance to the line was barely 50 meters.  It was clear whoever rounded the corner first was the winner.

As I peered nervously over my right shoulder awaiting his move, I began to think whether I should have attacked him again earlier.  I was second quessing myself.  For the first time ever in a road race, I knew one false move, one hesitation, and I’d lose the race. Granted, I didn’t know if I was racing for 1^st or 10^th, but in my mind, the race for victory was right in front of me (actually, he was still behind me). With 150 meters to go, he predictably attacked.  I had done one thing right, however. I knew the ‘yellow line’ rules were in effect so I positioned myself just left of center of the road. When he attacked, he’d have to go on my right.  If his attack was not strong enough or too late in the final meters, I would have one more chance to come around him wide in the final turn before the finish, taking the wider line versus the shorter inside line. Normally the inside line is the best, but because the right-hand turn was sharp and the road narrow, I knew I could get more momentum in the outside line and possibly get him in the turn and at the finish.

Well I did get around him and while it was not for 1^st,  it was indeed for 2^nd place.  Evidently, one rider who was in the lead group stayed away.  I honestly don’t know how he did it by himself, but nonetheless he did.  There was some talk around the podium that he must have worked with riders from another category before our start group which was illegal, but I really didn’t care. I rode the best race of my life and I was proud to be second.

From watching Paris-Roubaix later that evening, it seemed that 2^nd wasn’t half bad after all.  As one of our clients said in a congratulatory email, “it must be something about second place today for the hard men.”  I did indeed feel like a hard man on the bike today, for the first time ever.

PS: If you have the stomach for more crash photos, check out some of the shots here. 

No need for the hell, we’ll take the heaven part though!

"A Sunday in Hell is a 1976 Danish documentary directed by Jørgen Leth. The film is a chronology of the 1976 Paris–Roubaix bicycle race from the perspective of participants, organizers and spectators.  Paris–Roubaix is the most famous and usually the most dramatic of the spring classics. Much of the latter portion is over narrow, cobbled tracks that choke with dust on dry days and become slick and muddy in rain. For the riders it's a challenge to keep going without puncturing or crashing.  The film captures not just the events of the 1976 edition but the atmosphere of a professional race. It begins by introducing the contenders: Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck (the previous year's winner), Freddy Maertens, and Francesco Moser, each with their supporting riders (the domestiques), who are charged with helping their team leader win. The film gives views of the team director, protester (the race is halted for a while), spectator, mechanic and rider. As the cobbled section is entered the selection begins. Riders puncture, crash, make the wrong move - the race plays out. By the finish in the velodrome in Roubaix only a few are in with a chance. The winner is a surprise, but that is part of the appeal. Post-race the exhausted riders, mired in dirt, give interviews in the velodrome's showers. They look like men who have been to hell and back."

Introducing “Sundays in Heaven” a tasty spin on the classic.  Together Studio Velo and Chef Chris Dressick will prepare onsite a post-ride feast-extravaganza.  The first Sunday of each month, starting in April,  we will feature a classic Studio Velo ride, in and around Marin County, following by a European Family-Style meal complete with wine and coffee prepared by Chef Chris Dressick on our Rapha patio.  Eat and drink to your hearts content on the patio with friends and family.  Tickets to the event will be made available online along with menus of what to expect.  Non-riders are welcome!  For those of you who joined us in Spain last year, you already have an idea of what to expect!  The rest of you are in for a treat!   We look forward to cycling, eating, and laughing with you this spring.  

Please email Chris for more details or to reserve your spot on the inaugural Sunday next month.

Studio Velo and Cyfac develop Project Cadence

For the 2011 season, Studio Velo has launched a new project in conjunction with Cyfac, one of our select brand partners, to bring a truly unique bike at a truly remarkable value.  For the last 3 decades, Cyfac has been building bikes to handle the most demanding roads in the world for many of the most discerning riders in the world.  Many top European professionals have ridden Cyfacs to victory in the hardest races on the planet.  Many passionate cyclists have ridden Cyfacs on their most epic and memorable rides.  And every bike that Cyfac hand builds embodies that same passion and experience which truly separates them from the competition.

Our goal was to bring you a bike with these qualities at a price that competes with many mass-produced bikes.  By pooling our expertise and resources, we have developed Project Cadence.  We are very proud and excited to be able to offer such a unique complete bike starting under $4,000 without cutting any corners.  This bike starts with Cyfacs Cadence frame and fork, and is outfitted with a FULL Shimano Ultegra drive train, Fulcrum wheels, a Ritchey cockpit, and a Selle Italia saddle.  Completing the experience is a full Retul bike fit with Colin Beardsley, one of the most knowledgeable and experienced bike fitters in the country.  Pairing an amazing hand built bike with great components and a perfect fit, all at a remarkable price is the result of Project Cadence.

Here are a few words from Erikc Sakalowsky, co-owner of Cyfac to further elaborate on this project.

Cyfac Project Cadence Bike:

Studio Velo delivers a truly “custom” experience to each of its passionate customers.  In keeping with their focus on quality, precise product selection, and focus on “the ride” we at Cyfac have partnered with Studio Velo to deliver the exclusive Project Cadence complete bike.  Built on our Cyfac Cadence frameset chassis, we offer the only 100% French designed, built, and painted frameset available in the US.  We keep our entire operations under one roof in a modest little workshop in France’s Loire Valley.  Wine, food, and Cyfac – those are the main staples of our little corner of bucolic French countryside and we’ve tried to infuse some of the best aspects of what we do into this exciting project.

How does it ride?
The Cadence is the classic Euro blend of dynamic handling, stable performance, and sublime road manners.  Our geometry is neither too fast nor too slow.  It’s a little bit of Goldilocks-inspired “Just right”.  Our selection of carbon fibre grade is done to conform to real world realities of sketchy pavement and it delivers a ride that is stiff when you want it, resilient when you need it.  The Cadence is an all-day bike that is equally at home on the tightest criterium course or a session of climbing and descending up and down around Mt. Tam.

How does it look?A point of pride at Cyfac is that we do all of our own finish work.  And, we use real paint, not decals.  The result is a lustrous finish whose beauty matches the quality and craftsmanship of the product beneath.  We invested in an eco-friendly paint process several years ago to deliver both a nicer product and to ensure that our painters and world around us were being cared for better. This Cadence Project bike features our “Mega” paint scheme for a contemporary yet classy look that’s sure to attract its fair share of admirers.

How’s it spec’d?
We’ve selected a great blend of components that deliver an amazing level of performance, durability, and style matching the Cyfac Cadence frame.  Shimano is an industry leader giving you all of the drivetrain/shifting/braking parts, Fulcrum offers some of the world’s best wheels, and Ritchey gives top performing cock-pit components.  This bike is designed to deliver you up, down, and around all of the great Marin County riding adventures you can muster.

Check out more photos here: Project Cadence

Bonne route!

Come by SV any time to take a closer look at the Project Cadence.  We are happy to spend some time talking with you about this bike or any other offering from the crew at Cyfac.  To temp you a little more, here are a couple of pictures of some Cyfacs we recently built.

 

We will also have a demo Di2 specific Absolu arriving from Cyfac next week.  Come take a look or take a ride.  This bike will turn heads and ride like a dream.

And to temp you a bit more, click here to see some highlights of Cyfac and the North American Handmade Bicycle Show.

Thanks for reading, and happy pedaling.

Thanks for Coming out this Weekend

We just wanted to take a quick moment and say thank you to everyone who has been joining us on our weekend rides this year. We know the rides leave early and it might compromise your Friday or Saturday night plans a bit, but you will always be in good company, and you might even find a snowman.

This weekend was especially fun as we had the chance to see some real snow up on Mt. Tam. It's hard to take pictures while riding across snow covered roads, but it was well worth it. And while some people brought their sleds to the top of the mountain to play in the snow, we pedaled our up for a better look. What an amazing day.

Some Studio Velo riders even braved the trails early Saturday morning to get some fresh tracks on their mountain bikes.

And don't forget to join the KOM Challenge that we are sponsoring in conjunction with the guys at Strava. You can learn more and sign up here at http://www.komchallenge.com/.

We look forward to riding with you soon.

"Keep going, don't stop now"

I can remember whispering to myself, “Almost there Lucky. Keep going, don’t stop now.” Sweat trickled down my nose and onto my bike as I gasped for air as if the wind had been knocked out of my chest a hundred times over. It felt like lava was flowing through the veins of my legs while my knees kept moving up and down. Just a few more switchbacks until I could finally unclip and stand on top the summit of the Col Du Tourmalet in the French Pyrenees. It took every inch of strength remaining from my entire body to shift gears and rise for the final sprint. The sprint wasn’t against anyone or for any prize. It was just between me and the relentless pavement of the Tourmalet. For the gratification of conquering a legendary mountain pass on the way across the Pyrenees from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. After finally catching my breath a small grin appeared across my face looking back at the switchbacks below. Standing there I couldn’t help but think of all the cycling I had done over the past year. It all started when a total novice walked into a bike shop called Studio Velo in Mill Valley, California.




Having very little knowledge about cycling can make stepping into a reputable bike shop a little intimidating. My nervousness quickly vanished with a polite welcome from Colin and Scott. The guys at Studio Velo always treat their customers with respect whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or in my case, a beginner looking for an entry point. Colin answered all the questions I could ask and set me up with everything I needed to get out on the road. Scott used state of the art computer technology to find the perfect fit on my brand new Wilier Izoard. For all the hours I’ve put on the saddle, I have to give credit to the fit for staying injury free and comfortable. Driving home that day with my new toy I wasn't sure if buying a high end bike was the right decision. Little did i know that my decision changed my life forever.

Before the bike it was all about hitting the gym hard to bulk up for some recreational football games with family and friends. After the bike it was all about hitting the hills hard to lose excess weight and increase lactate threshold as well as VO2 max. It was the spring of 2010 when I started riding seriously after purchasing my bike just before winter. First I did a flat century, then another one with a moderate amount of climbing. The strength gains were addictive and only made me want to challenge myself even more. Next was the Davis Double Century which was extremely difficult since I bonked at mile 140 and struggled my way to the finish. Each event was a learning experience that made me yearn for more. The Alta Alpina 8 Pass Challenge double century with 20,300 feet of climbing at high altitudes was next on my list. Being the hardest double century in terms of climbing and altitude, I was happy with an 18 hours and 15 minutes finish just before the cut off time. Again I have to credit the bike fit at Studio Velo for keeping me injury free during this suffer fest because many people couldn’t finish due to joint pains and various other reasons. The euphoria of setting goals and accomplishing them one after the another kept making me want to push myself to the limit, so I thought to myself, why limit myself to one day events?

A multi-day self supported tour from my home in Hayward, California to Newport Beach using the Pacific Coast Highway was an experience I will never forget. There were many challenges along the way, for example I learned that nutritional needs were significantly increased due to my 20 pound backpack after bonking 50 miles into the tour. Getting lost and having to back track wasn’t fun when there were hills to climb and a load on the back. A huge hole in the rear tire with no spare was scary, but luckily I had recently learned the dollar bill between the inner tube and tire trick from a friend, which held for the remaining of the tour. 5 days and 500 miles later I reached my destination using the most scenic highway the west coast has to offer and it was more than worth it. Now it was time to see more than just what the west coast had to offer, but what the world had in store.

Where else in the world is more fitting for cycling than Europe? Riding the famous climbs of the French Alps during July when the Tour De France takes place was incredible. The music, international crowds, food, drinks, bikes, helicopters, support cars, police motorcycles, pro athletes, and the entire atmosphere were unbelievable. Climbing the Col Du Galibier with its surreal beauty felt like a dream. Later the same day, climbing the legendary Alpe D’ Huez with its 21 unforgiving switchbacks pushed my lungs against the ropes. The more I traveled the more climbs I conquered which took me to different regions where I experienced a wide range of cultures. The popular Trans Pyrenees challenge brought me to Spain to set off on a 6 day voyage of 535 miles with 56,000 feet of climbing. Each day offered unique scenic routes filled with a few challenging cols. Day 5 was the most memorable since my legs were already sore and there were 3 cols to scale including the famous Col Du Tourmalet. Not to mention the occasional showers and extreme cold winds made the toughest day more gratifying to complete.

On the last day while gazing across the sand and far into the Atlantic Ocean, I thought about how much I’ve experienced over the past year.

From the day I stepped into Studio Velo until now, I feel my life has taken a turn onto an amazing path that I never knew existed. Cycling is more than just a recreational activity or a sport. It’s a vehicle to indulge yourself with the joys of life that may otherwise be untouched. My new path has just begun, but will continue to take me all over the world for years to come. All I have to do now is hop on the bike and enjoy the ride.

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Studio Velo Client: Lucky