Product Reviews: Zero 050 Carbon Wheelset

Before starting this blog I have to be totally upfront with you.  I am using this post to kill the proverbial “two birds with one stone”.  First, I love reviewing triathlons and everything related to them.  Second, I am selling these sweet wheels because after having a “mini me” running around the house I am realizing that I could use the money more than a set of race wheels.  Anyway… now that I’ve scared you off here is the review!

I bought these stealth looking, wind defying, smooth as silk Zero 050 wheels when I was ramping up for my Ironman debut in 2006 at Ironman Wisconsin.  Back then I was still riding my Giant TCR as my primary (and only) bike and I wanted something that would make my baby faster without spending a ton of money.  Scratch that… what I really wanted was a brand new bike but couldn’t afford one so I decided to invest in the next best thing… wheels!

Being part of the Javelin Triathlon Team at the time I was able to get hooked up with a pair of Zero’s for a decent price and even worked it out so I could purchase them through a local bike dealer.  After all was said and done I spent about $1300 on the wheels, cassette, skewers, brake pads, and tires, and mounting.  Not too bad considering that a new set of wheels will now run you about $1300 just for the wheels.

I have ridden these bad boys in every distance of triathlon available (sprint, Olympic, 1/2 Iron, and Iron) and it is safe to say that they are sweet!  Honestly, they weren’t the “magic bullet” to my bike speed that I secretly hoped they would be but they did make me a bit faster.  On a fast day I would go from pushing to average just under 22mph to 23mph.  Of course this could be attributed to a number of things but I’m happy chalking it up to the  wheels

Here is a list of pros vs cons:

Pros:

• Very Light – total weight between the wheels (minus tire, skewer, and cassette) is 1470 grams
• Tubular – this allows for higher air pressure which equals less rolling resistance
• Aero – having a 50mm deep carbon rim drastically reduces drag. Couple that with the light weight and you have a seriously fast wheel!
• Price – They come in about $700 cheaper for a comparable set of Zipp wheels. (I compared them to the Zipp 404′s at www.3-athlon.com)

Cons:

• Tubular – if you are not comfortable changing a flat tubular these could present a problem on race day.
• Price – if you have a tight budget these are a bit of a stretch despite being more affordable than many other brands.
• Valve Stem – with the deep dish wheel you need valve stem extenders.  It took me a while to finally get it right and get a good seal.  If you unscrew the valve stem from the tire, screw in the extender to the tire, and then screw the original valve stem at the end of the extender you should be good to go.  Doing the opposite will result in a leaky valve stem when you attempt to inflate the tire.

Bottom Line:  If you are looking for an affordable set of race day wheels these are definitely a good option.  If you can afford an extra $1000 dollars you might consider going with a set of Zipps or Heds but if budget is at all a factor these are great wheels to help you fly through a race!  As I mentioned earlier, I purchased them in 2006 mostly to use during Ironman Wisconsin and they performed phenominally!  I would buy them all over again if I needed to.

If you would like to see these wheels on eBay please click here!

 

 

Going to Kona???

This morning after an early morning appointment I decided to stop and check my work email… which of course means check twitter, hotmail, my blog, news wires, etc.  While “checking my work email” I saw a headline on the Ironman Rhode Island 70.3 website that they are going to be an official qualifier for the Ironman World Championships in Kona this year!  

My initial reaction was “Sweet!!!  Will this be the year that I finally reach the ‘Mecca’ of triathlon?  How am I going to train for that wind and heat?  What types of ‘tighty whities’ will I wear for the underpants run?  Can I afford to go to Kona this year?”. Then I snapped out of my hallucination and had the realization that it would take a miracle for me to produce the kind of time required to earn such a destiny.  In fact this might just ruin any chance I had of placing high within my age group since now that Kona is involved, every ridiculously fast age grouper in New England with an aspiration to race on the “Big Island” will be there.  Ugh!  

Oh well… at least I know that I have the same chance as anyone else does to qualify for Kona or Clearwater.  Now I just have to work a little harder.  Happy training!

Customer Appreciation Night = Huge Savings!!!

Since I got into cycling about 5 years ago I have never been one to remain loyal to one bike shop.  Having a job where I am responsible for covering a rather sizeable territory I have always been afforded the luxury of sampling several local bike shops in varying small towns.  This has allowed me to weed out the bad from the good and chase the good deals.  The downside has been the fact that I’ve never really established a solid lasting relationship with any of them since I am only a “drive through” customer.  

Lately though, I have been gradually becoming more of a loyalist to one of our local bike shops here in upstate NY.  My reasoning varies… my triathlon club is sponsored by them, I take spin class there once per week, a friend works there, they provide good service, and I’ve started craving the relationship that a “loyal” customer can have with their bike shop.  

This brings me to customer appreciation night which was held last night.  Being a “drive through” customer I doubt I would have been invited to take part in the free for all that took place last night at the shop.  I’m not talking lame 10% off sales on a pair of 3 year old socks… I’m talking up to 80% on some of their finest gear!  

Here’s my list of schwag with the prices:

-Polar CS 100 Hear Rate Monitor – sale price: $59.99 – original price: $119.99  

-Pack of 5 inner tubes – sale price: $12.50 – original price: about $30

-Bottle of Hammer Gel – sale price: $13.99 – original price: $19.99

-Specialized Propero Cycling Helmet – sale price: $76.99 – original price: $109.99 

-Gore Phantom Windbreaker Jacket/Vest – sale price: $79.99 – original price: $159.99

Total amount paid (pre tax): $243.46 – Total amount pre-sale: $439.96

Total Savings: $196.50 for a total of a 45% discount!

Not too bad, eh!?  Bottom line… if you have a good quality local bike shop it can pay to be a loyal customer.  Sure you can find some better deals worth exploring online and at other shops but when it comes to the big stuff, give the business to your local shop.  They may seem more expensive up front but they often take care of their loyal customers like mine did last night!

Amica Ironman Rhode Island 70.3!

As you may have heard, time and time again, I became a new dad last year.  That has probably become quite apparent as you read my recent blogs.  Not to beat the issue to death but having a baby completely rocks and it completely rocked my triathlon life.  My last true long course race was in 2006 when I completed Ironman Wisconsin through the cold and the rain.  For the 2007 season I chose to focus on short course and olympic distance racing which was a great break from the long stuff.  I capped the season at the Lobsterman triathlon with a 2:16 finish on yet another cold and rainy day!  

2008 saw me do only one race, a sprint distance just outside of Ithaca, NY.  It was actually the Cayuga Lake triathlon which was home to the Sprint Distance National Championships that year.  Needless to say I didn’t pay my proper dues in training and got my butt kicked come race day which was both humbling and motivating.  After my butt kicking I decided to whip my butt into gear and focused on running for the next few months.  The result?  I ran a 1:28 half marathon at the Marine Corps 1/2 Marathon in Albany, NY in October.  Later that fall I ran an 18:29 at a local 5K turkey trot on Thanksgiving morning.  Both of my late season running races made me feel like a real athlete again.  I put a strong effort into my training and despite not running over 10 miles at once during my training I was able to put in a couple of respectable times.  

Enter 2009… My wife and I are talking about (and taking action on ) making baby #2 which means that 2010 is pretty much out of the picture for racing since having a newborn and spending long hours in the pool, on my bike, and on the open road running doesn’t do much for my marriage.  Back to 2009… my year of racing!  I have lost some of my “baby weight” (about 10 lbs) and I am rearing to hit the race scene!  

On Saturday I took my first big leap into the deep sea of racing and signed up for the Amica Ironman Rhode Island 70.3 to be held on July 12!  I also plan to race some other events but this will be my mid season “A” race!  Is it right to have an “A” race when I’ve barely raced in the last year?  Anyway…it is a point to point race that will basically give me the grand tour of a state that I have never visited and if all goes well I will finish in the capital city of Providence, a town I have always wanted to experience.

Now for the hard, and most rewarding, part… the training!  Stay tuned for periodic training updates (yes I know this is a review site but I can’t help it) and race reviews as I churn my way through the 2009 season.  Did I mention that I jump into a new age group this year?  Hello age group 30-34!

Product Review: Workouts in a Binder – Swim Workouts for Triathletes

We are busy people.  Actually we are all probably way to busy for our own good.  Between family time, work, maintaining our house, raising our kids, going to church, and that little time consuming thing we all know as training for triathlons the day would better serve us if it were 30 hours instead of the meager 24 hours that we currently have.  That’s right… some days I wish there were 30 hours to the day so that I could sleep more, train more, work less, and spend more time with the two most important people in the world to me. 

Anyway… when it comes time to planning my day I often just don’t have the time or desire to plan out my workouts for the week.  Sure I’ll think about it in my head, “is this a hard week or an easy one” or  ”I should really get on my bike more this week” .  This strategy can work ok for biking and running since the scenery, terrain, and weather conditions are constantly changing causing the difficulty of the workout to vary greatly from day to day.  When it comes to swimming… it’s a whole notha’ story.  ”Stroke, stroke, stroke, flipturn… stroke, stroke, stroke, flipturn… stroke, (is that a hairball floating under me? Gross!!!), stroke, stroke, flipturn”.  You get the picture. 

To add to my poolside misery… I have never been much of a swimmer.  Always hovering around 1:30 for 100 yds.  The only time I’m allowed in the fast lane is when the pool is darn near empty.  Basically I’m that guy who clings to the promise that “you can’t win the race in the swim” and tend to play all my cards on the bike run.  On race-day, as long as I exit the water without cramping or burning through my engergy supply I should be good to go. 

When it comes to planning my swim workouts I have always dreaded the part where I actually have to write or find a workout that will work for me in the water.  Then comes the joy of rembering to put my lame workout in a waterproof ziplock so that it doesn’t become paper machay in the pool gutter. 

Enter the “Workouts in a Binder… Swim Workouts for Triathletes” which is revolutionizing how I conduct my swim workouts!  Comprised of 100 swim workouts all neatly categorized and displayed on waterproof paper this little book has been my savior on the pool deck!  Written by Gale Bernhardt and Nick Hansen, the workouts are organized into the following categories: Test, Endurance, Endurance (Speed), Endurance (Form), Force, Muscular Endurance, Muscular Endurance (Distance), and Anaerobic Endurance. So whether you are training for a sprint distance race or getting ready for the “Big Show” in Hawaii this little spiral bound pool-side personal coach can help you “git’r'done”!  

Here is a sample workout (I just did this one yesterday): 

Endurance 5:  

Warm Up: 2×200 swim, 4×25 DPS (:15 RI)

Main Set: 2×250 MOD (:15 RI); 4×50 25 drill, 25 build, (:15 RI); 2×200 MOD (:15 RI); 4×50 25 drill, 25 build, (:15 RI); 2×150 @ T-Pace (:15 RI); 200 Kick

Cool Down: 200 Free/Back

Total Yards 2500

All of the workouts have two main set options.  The one listed above was the shorter of the two that I could have chosen from yesterday.  Basically if you aren’t quite fit enough in the water you can choose the shorter of the workouts listed or modify as you see fit.  

Bottom Line:  If you struggle to keep it fresh while staring at the bottom of the pool you need to get this little book!  I got mine here and got a great deal!  Happy swimming!

Swim Week

Last January my wife and I entered the wonderful but scary world of parenthood.  To make things even more interesting I was signed up to compete in Ironman Lake Placid in July… ugh!!!  To make a long story short I ended up bailing on my Ironman commitment because I felt it more of a priority to spend time with my baby than to be spending countless hours training for a race.  As far as my family is concerned it was the best decision I could have made.  As far as my racing life is concerned it was one of the toughest periods I have ever gone through.  

My decision to not compete in Ironman Lake Placid had much further ramifications than I ever expected.  Suddenly because I wasn’t training for this huge race I suddenly found it not so necessary to compete in all of the smaller races that I was using to build up to the Ironman.  No more  Mooseman 1/2 Ironman, no more Saratoga Duathlon, and the list goes on.  To add icing to the cake I even cut back my training significantly because since I wasn’t racing there was no need to train was there?  I even had a few weeks where I think the only physical thing I did was play in my weekly church league softball game.  Softball doesn’t exactly fit the bill for aerobic training.  

Anyway… since my summer of slumber I have made a solid comeback with my cycling and running.  I ran a 1:28 1/2 marathon in October and an 18 min 5K in November.  My swimming on the other hand suffered greatly during my time away from the water.  Enter sport specific periodization which I believe has the ability to help turn a burdensome weakness into one of your stronger skills. 

Without detailing all of the specifics of periodization it basically means that you are breaking down your training year into more manageable segments.  This can be done in many ways to which sport specific is just one.  Enter my swim week.  After a few months of floundering around in the pool I made the decision to do a mini cycle in the pool.  Basically I ramped up my training and spent every day last week in the pool completing swim workouts of various intensity and distance. 

What a huge difference this made in my swim stroke and confidence!!!  I went from sadly struggling to get through a 1000 yd swim workout to finding my form and progressively lengthening my workouts and peaked at 2700 yds!  I’m not quite where I want to be and ideally this cycle would last longer than a week but it is a start down to road to strong and efficiant swimming. 

Bottom line:  If you are looking to see rapid improvements in a specific discipline it may be time to ramp it up while temporarily dialing down

Product Review: Newton Running Shoes (2 of 2)

 

Last week I posted the “Pros” for my Newton Distance Racers which honestly far outweigh the “Cons”.  However, the “Cons” are definitely something that need to be addressed since it can at times severely affect the quality of your run.  What follows are my honest thoughts about the downside to these shoes which I hope will be helpful in your quest to find the perfect running shoe!

 

Cons:

• Too Breathable in cold weather:  I live in upstate NY where the temps have been hovering around zero lately.  In colder weather there is nothing warm about these shoes since the whole upper part of the shoe is made of mesh.
• Mesh allows sand and other stuff into the shoe:  During the winter and spring months the roads around here are covered with a mix of sand and salt for traction.  I am constantly getting sand in my shoes and I keep them fairly snug so it is reasonable to assume that it is working it’s way through the mesh.  Since I don’t do any beach running I find it quite annoying to have to empty my shoes of sand every couple of runs. 
• Can’t go barefoot without lots of pain:  When I race triathlons I prefer to run barefoot in my shoes.  It saves time and is actually more comfortable if my feet are conditioned for it.  That said, it is impossible to run barefoot in these Newtons as the really cut up your feet.  I tried on a couple of occasions and during one race and paid for it dearly with several blisters.  This is a major downside since these shoes seem quite popular among the triathlon crowd.  
• No traction:  If there is any hint of snow or slippery surface these shoes lose all traction.  I understand that it is tough for any shoe to gain traction but I avoid wearing my Newtons in inclement weather mainly for this reason.
• Price:  People seem willing to pay the price tag for these shoes but in my opinion they still remain too pricey.  I would probably more willingly pay up to $125 (ish) for these shoes but as it stands I could almost buy an inexpensive power meter for the cost of one pair of Newtons.  That said, is the price going to deter me from purchasing Newtons in the future?  Not really sure yet… my running form has been revolutionized partly because of these shoes so they’d be darn hard to give up.  

My overall opinion of these shoes is that they are excellent, top of the line shoes that any serious runner or triathlete should consider investing in.  I can see why Crowie and other top athletes wear them!  If Newton addresses the traction and barefoot wear-ability while making it slightly more affordable to the average age grouper they will have made the perfect running shoe.  

Bottom Line:  Despite the steep price and minor flaws of this shoe, the “Pros” far outweigh the “Cons”!  Newton running shoes will revolutionize the way you run and may just help eliminate any aches and pains in your knees and ankles due to improper running form.  If you can afford them and are interested in forefoot / mid-foot running definitely invest in a pair of these top of the line kicks!

Product Review: Newton Running Shoes (1 of 2)

 

Newton Distance Racers

 

 

If you are reading this blog chances are you have read my original review of the first generation Newton Motion Trainers from early 2007.  A lot of miles through slush and snow, rain and sleet, and sun and heat have been logged since then and my opinion has changed slightly.  Most of the miles I have logged in recent months have been logged in my Newton Distance Racers which are slightly lighter and a lot uglier than the Motion Trainers. 

 

For this installment I am going to focus on the pros and save the second installment for the cons and final thoughts.  Enjoy and please feel free to comment with any feedback! 

 

Pros:

• Breathability in warm weather: My feet never overheated in these bad boys. The mesh that is used is perfect to keep my pigs nice and cool!
• Snap: This wasn’t something I really noticed until I went out and bought a pair of Pearl Izumi Streaks because the price was right and I was looking for a reason not to like my Newtons. My PI’s had absolutely no snap compared to the Newtons! When I would put on the Newtons after some time running in the PI’s it felt like they were almost doing the running for me! Well… not really but you get the point. These shoes are full of snap, which is great when you are nearing the end of a long training run or race and your legs are starting to protest the idea of continuing on.
• Durability: My Newton Distance Racers seem to have held up much better than my Motion Trainers did. Did they change the material in the sole of the shoe? I have no idea but I have compared the wear on both my new and old Newtons and the new ones win! In fact I have worn my new Newtons in more extreme (snow and slush mainly) weather conditions and they still have worn better!
• Promote Proper Form: More so than any other shoe I have worn, my Newtons really promote proper running form. As mentioned in my previous Newton blog I am a convert to forefoot / midfoot running and hands down these are the best shoes I have worn since making the switch. Part of the reason I purchased the Pearl Izumi Streaks last summer is because I was told that they were good for a mid-foot striker but they don’t even come close to the Newtons when it comes to promoting a proper foot strike. I try to run with a mid-foot strike in the PI’s and I end up with sore toes for the next couple of days.
• No Hot Spots from the Lugs: One of my first observations of my original Newtons was that the lugs were too prominent and they caused hot spots on any sort of longer run. My first observation with my new Newtons is that the lugs were not as prominent (but still had plenty of snap) and were much more comfortable on my feet, aka. no hot spots. I’m not sure if this is because my feet were used to the Newtons or if they were made less prominent but either way they felt much better.

 

Check back soon for my second installment to this review which will cover the downside to these shoes and my final thoughts.  Again, please feel free to comment with your feedback!

Product Review: BOB Ironman Baby Jogger

Having kids is tough. Moving into a new house in the dead of winter two weeks before your first baby is born is really tough. Working full time, being an involved husband, maintaining your status as the ‘around the house handyman’, spending your weekends volunteering at church, being a parent to a young baby, and trying to stay competitive in your triathlon/running age group is nearly impossible!

To be totally honest the first several months of my baby’s life were spent gaining weight and trying to cut out the things that weren’t “necessary” in my life just so I could keep my sanity until my wife and I took the plunge and invested in a BOB. My parenting life pre-BOB was spent trying to sneak in a workout here and there but most of the time I was simply too busy or too tired to make it out the door. Since my wife and I took the plunge and invested in a BOB my life as a multisport parent has been revolutionized! Here is a quick run down of the pros and cons of my new favorite training tool!

Pros:

• Bright Yellow (that’s what I have) fabric makes it easily visible by oncoming cars. So visible that my neighbor even gave me an unsolicited comment about how easy it was to see one day after I had gotten back from a run.
• Large wheel diameter with road treads provides for a nice smooth roll. Basically these small bike wheels can take on most bumps a road can offer with relative ease.
• Locked front wheel with micro adjusters provides for a nice straight roll. If you notice the BOB pulling left or right it is really easy to adjust the front wheel on the fly which allows you to spend more time focusing on the run and less on keeping the stroller straight!
• The parking brake on the rear axle is far superior to the simple handbrake with push button locking. When the parking brake lever is engaged there is no way this little stroller is going to grow legs of its own and roll away!
• The two mesh pockets in the seat area are perfect for stashing toys to keep baby entertained!
• An easily recline-able seat is a huge plus when you want to run your baby to sleep! Picture passing out in grandpa’s recliner while watching football after Thanksgiving dinner… it probably feels something like that for baby!

Cons:

• In order to get the bright yellow color scheme you have to get the “Ironman” version. This isn’t too big of a deal unless you aren’t a fan of Ironman or just don’t want to be branding them every time you take the stroller for a roll.
• The front wheel tends to need frequent adjusting to keep a straight line. Again, not a big deal because it is easy to adjust but can be a pain sometimes.
• The brake cable on the handle can rub awkwardly on your hand causing blisters or just plain annoyance. This could easily be remedied by running the cable internally in the frame or under the padding on the handle.
• The safety strap that goes on your wrist could be just a little longer. I have reached to itch my leg and been stopped abruptly by the strap in the past.
• Due to the open front it can be a little too easy for baby to throw his toys or pacifier overboard. Having a simple strap with a clip that could hook to these things would be a nice feature to prevent “Mr Waddles” from being a roadside casualty
• Price… this is my biggest “con” since the BOB Ironman Jogger retails for $349 brand new. Friends of ours scored a brand new one for $75 at a garage sale but this is definitely an exception and not the norm. Considering the longevity and durability of the stroller the long term value is good but the initial investment can be out of reach for some.

Bottom line… I love my BOB! Better yet, my baby loves to go for walks and runs in the BOB! I would buy it again in a heartbeat and plan to buy the BOB Ironman Dualie when the time comes for baby #2!

Product Review: Newton Running Shoes “Motion Trainers”

A while back I posted a review of Newton Running Shoes on my other blog and it still continues to receive a great response so I am re-posting it here to get things started. Since the original post I have been impressed with the number of people seeking out information on Newton Running Shoes but have been most impressed by the response from the company itself. I will soon be posting a review of a second pair of Newton’s that the company sent me as part of a wear testing program so stay tuned. Enjoy!

For about the last 10 months I have been wearing a different kind of running shoe. Traditional shoes and shoe companies promote a heel to toe foot strike as the most natural and efficient way to run. It is safe to say that a majority of runners (at least American runners) tend to buy into this because it is the way we were taught from a very young age.

I was on the “heel to toe” bandwagon until about a year ago when I attended a lecture by Bobby McGee where I was introduced to the concept of fore-foot or mid-foot strike for distance running. Having been a somewhat decent high school and collegiate sprinter the concept of the fore-foot strike was not totally foreign for short distance sprinting but the thought initially made me a bit uncomfortable for distance running.

Nonetheless I decided to give it a shot but needed some outside assistance since my shoes at the time were so padded in the heel that it made it nearly impossible to strike with the fore-foot or mid-foot without first skidding my heel on the pavement. Enter the Newton Running Shoes. After several years of development these shoes were finally released last spring and I was one of the first to order them on-line.

My first opinion was that the lugs on the forefoot were too prominent and actually caused a bit of discomfort in the form of “hot spots” after a few miles of steady running. After a month or so of breaking myself into my new shoes the “hot spots” occurred with less frequency and as my calves strengthened I was able to run longer without becoming too sore the next day.

Long story short… after settling on more of a mid-foot strike, shortening my stride, increasing my tempo, and strengthening my lower leg muscles I grew to really like my new shoes. My only current complaint? Way too expensive! The original price for my Newtons was $175 and after a quick check of the website that price remains the same. I know that the typical triathlete has some money to burn but this is a little ridiculous in my opinion.

That said, am I willing to invest in another pair of Newtons? Nope. Yes, they did revolutionize how I run but the price tag is a little too high for me right now. My plan this spring is to explore some other shoes (such as the Zoot Sports Ultra Footwear) on the market that are now catching up with the forefoot strike movement. If Newton decides to drop the price of their shoe to compete with the more “traditional” running shoe companies then sign me up but until then my search for the perfect running shoe rolls on.