RECREATIONAL RACING IS IN ASTATE OF CRISIS – BUT DONT WORRY, I HAVE A PLAN
Id like to share with you a few things Ive observed at amateur bike races recently. A club member refusing to ride with his teammates because he felt that he needed “more structure” A rider loudly complaining that he had been “ripped off after a promoter was forced to shorten a race because a fellow riderwas lyingfacedown in a pool of his own blood Two power meters on one bike.
Theyre all signs of Excessive Seriousness Syndrome. The enormity of this problem was d riven home for me when yet another amateur in my area was caught doping. Doping! Like,withdrugs!
Some racers will say that taking competition seriously is the point. Maybe it is, but once people are doping to win $19, a tube, and a half – drunk can of En – ervit at a criterium, Id argue that weve collectively broken the yellow – line rule of life. Theres already enough to take seriously: our health, our families, our jobs. Cycling should be a respite from this. We should all be able to enjoy it, even if we never win. And if we do win, we should be able to place that open can of Enervit on our mantle and gaze upon it guilt – free. Thus, to restore the fun and integrity to the sport, I suggest implementing the following rules. Read more »

Three years ago SRAM instigated the move to 10 – speed shifting on mountain bikes. At the same time they also eliminated one front chainring to produce the first mass – produced 2X10 drivechain on their range topping XX groupset. While its roots lay with elite – level cross – country racing, many consumers liked the simplicity of the wide – range two chainring drivechain. Since then, 2X10 has spread through the entire SRAM range.
For the 2011 model year 2X10 appeared on all of their mid – range group sets —X.7, X.9 and X.O. Now for 2012 the metamorphosis is complete with the introduction of 2X10 on their entry – level X.5 MTB group. For 2012 youll see X.5 appearing on hardtails in the $900 to $2,000 area as well as many base level dual suspension bikes.
X.5
Features – wise, X.5 closely follows the design cues of the more upmarket SRAM component groups. SRAM utilises the same Exact Actuation cable pull ratio in the derailleurs, which ensures cross – compatibility with their other 2X10 MTB parts and should lead to good shifting consistency in dirty off – road riding conditions.
The front chainrings use X – Glide shift ramps and chain pick – up points, just like the XX and X.O groups. All of the important components – front derailleur, triggers and so on – have been optimised to suit the 2X10 chainring format. Read more »

Technology can be hard to escape these days.especially if its beeping in your jersey pocket. I was warming up in the parking lot at the velodrome, where the weekly world championship has departed every Sunday at 10 a.m. for decades. Around here, no other ride has more tradition. Just a few years ago I saw a former pro win the thing with toeclips and down – tube shifters.
It was 9:58 —at least Id set the clock on my Garmin properly —when I finally silenced the pinging. An hour earlier, right before I slipped on booties laminated with Windstopper fabric and saddled up on a test bike with electronic shifting, I had synched my GPS with a mapping app that has social – media capabilities. I was deliberately trying to see the sport through an early adopters eyes, and I was about to be late for the ride.
Luckily, I forgot about all these gizmos once we rolled out. I was simply pedal – ingand gauging where the wind was coming from and talking to Andy about craft beer and enjoying how embrocation heats up an hour after you apply it. There was one moment when I shifted into the big ring, and its hard not to pause at the unnecessary yet miraculous precision of an electronic front derailleur, but then I went back to spinning circles and surveying fallow cornfields and talking to the guy we call Goat about the escalating demands of youth soccer and, as always, wondering if I could hang when the ride turns offSchool Road and into a race. Read more »

Its been three years since Shimano released their first electronic gear shifting system. Di2 was launched as an option on their flagship Dura – Ace group and has seen a good deal of success in recent years —both with victories in the pro – peloton, as well as positive feedback from everyday riders.
Ultegra Di2
Now Shimano has taken the next step and made Di2 more affordable. Where the electronic Dura – Асе came at a hefty premium over their top mechanical group, the newly released Ultegra Di2 will be a good deal cheaper than mechanical Dura – Асе. Youll be seeing Ultegra Di2 on bikes in the $4,000-$5,500 price bracket, far more attainable than the $8,000-$15,000 machines that youd be looking at to get electronic Dura – Ace.
While Ultegra Di2 is a good deal cheaper, it shares all the same features and functions with its more upmarket counterpart. The push – button shifting requires next to no effort and the front derailleur trims automatically to prevent chain rub as you shift across the rear cassette. Like Dura – Асе you should get around 1,000km of riding from a full charge and recharging takes 90 minutes from flat. Theres also a simple inline control unit that lets you tune the shifting if required and a LED light that warns of low battery power. Read more »