World's lightest bike

Pop quiz time.  What is the UCI weight limit for bicycles?

a) 17.5 lbs
b) 22 lbs
c) 15 lbs
d) there is no weight limit.

If you answered c, then you are correct. 

There are several bicycles out there that you can purchase from your local bicycle shop that fall below the UCI limit, but there is only one bike that falls so far below it, two of them still will not tip the scales above the 15 lb limit. 

Fairwheel bikes out of Tucson, Arizona has designed the world's lightest race bike.  Tipping the scales at a frighteningly-light 6 lbs!  It's not a stripped down fixie, it has brakes, front and rear derailleurs, a 10-speed cassette,

and AX Lightness carbon fiber rims with titanium spokes. As you can probably guess, the majority of the bike is made out of carbon fiber.

Next to nothing will certainly cost you something.  As Keith Bontrager said: "Strong, light, cheap. Pick two"  This bike - which is not for sale yet - will lighten your wallet by $45,000.

The Dirty Dash

I still need to get pictures from all of my family who had a camera up at Soldier Hollow on Saturday, but I figure that I'll at least start talking about what I did this weekend.

The Dirty Dash was hands down the most fun event that I have ever participated in! The weather couldn't have been better, the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful - with all of the trees changing into their fall colors. And the mud? It was everywhere!

What started out as a solo event for me several months ago when I first heard about a mud run in Utah, quickly morphed into two teams of family and friends. I would mention this race to friends and family members, and they would immediately want to do it too. I am so glad that we did it as a team, we encouraged each other and it only added to the fun.

The organizers of the race certainly didn't skimp on the mud! The race started off with a scramble up a muddy, slippery hillside that was kept muddy and slippery with a fire hose continually spraying it down. Then we went into switchbacks through the beautiful fall foliage. I need to mention here that I absolutely love trail running! Two years ago I would tell anyone who even looked like they may be listening that I hated running - it was of the devil - but all that changed this weekend.

Just about the time we were enjoying the nice peaceful trail run, there would be a new obstacle; a snow making machine spraying out ice-cold water at high velocity onto the course, big hay bales that we had to climb over tunnels that we had to crawl through, tires we needed to step through, and walls that we needed to scale - all served up with a generous helping of mud.

The organizers said on the website that there was a "secret" obstacle, and we soon found out that the course took us through the swamps at the north end of Deer Creek reservoir. Some of the blackest, stickiest, and nastiest mud I have ever seen. I'm certain more than one person stepped into that muck, and didn't come out with their shoe still attached to their foot.

After we extracted ourselves from the swamp, we had just two more obstacles left - and I feel reasonably confident in saying that every competitor was looking forward to these obstacles the entire race. After a short run up the hill, we got to slide back down on the world's biggest slip-n-slide! It was so much fun that some people went back up to slide again. After the slide, the final obstacle - which you can see behind us in the picture - the pig sty. No one was coming out of that clean!

I went into this with only two goals: have fun, and get as dirty as possible. I'm happy to report that both goals were met. I'm not going to show any of the after pictures now. You'll just have to come back when I post those - which will be soon.

A big thanks to the organizers, and volunteers who worked very hard to make this such a great event. And a huge thanks to Lizzie, Hunter, Kim, Greg, Mandi, Pricilla, Katie, Seth, and Tracy (who flew from California just to run with me - thanks cuz!!) who are as crazy as me, and were willing to do this with me. Every one of us had a blast, and said repeatedly that we're coming back next year for more!

Convenience Store Bike Shop

I saw this the other day on the counter at my local convenience store when I stopped to gas up.

They just have the basics, tubes, CO2 cartridges, patch kits, lube, etc...  And, they do have both presta and schrader valves available.

Nice to know that if you're out for a ride in Eagle Mountain, and you either forgot a tube, or have the dreaded second flat of the ride you have an option.

Sunday funnies

Food Friday: Pro Bar

Anyone who has followed my blog for a while may notice that I like nutrition bars.  I have done reviews on a couple of different bars, and have even posted on how to make your own bar. 

I first discovered Pro Bars at the Tour of Utah, they had them on the tables in the press room.  I took one to eat later, since I didn't have any breakfast that day. 

What I found was an incredibly yummy bar.  Doing a little research, I found that Pro Bars are all natural, organic. vegan, and made right here in Utah (I don't know why, but I am always excited to find products that are produced locally)

I was sent a sampler box by Pro Bar which contained some bars from their Original collection and Sweet and Savory whole food meal replacement bars and their new addition to the Fruition line of superfood snack bars - lemon

I really enjoyed the lemon Fruition bar.  It has a light, citrus flavor. Looking at the ingredient list, I saw that it contained chia seeds.  For those of  you who have read the great book, Born to Run, you are familiar with chia seeds already.  For the rest of you, I give you this picture...

Yes, chia seeds are what you slime on your Chia pet.  But they have some truly awesome nutritional benefits.

Here is some information on chia from the Pro Bar site:

What are chia seeds?


Chia seeds are an ancient, high-energy food indigenous to North, Central and South America. A member of the Salvia family, chia has been used as a superfood by Native Americans for centuries. Nutrient dense, antioxidant rich and loaded with essential fatty acids, chia seeds deliver a wealth of nutrients in a small package.

What are some additional benefits from Chia seeds?

Chia Seeds have the highest known whole-food source of Omega-3 acids, which promote cardiovascular and mental health. Chia seeds also keep the body’s electrolyte balance maintained by retaining moisture, regulating more efficiently, and controlling the absorption of nutrients and body fluids. In addition, chia is also a complete source of protein providing all of the essential amino acids.

The other bars I received were the complete meal replacement bars.  Let me tell you, one of those bars is enough to fill you up.  I also discovered what has to be my favorite flavor of any bar - ever!  Cocoa Pistachio.  Oh. My. Gosh!  It is so good!

For more information, go to http://www.theprobar.com/

Sunday funnies

They grow up so fast...

Today my little girl is 16.

Wait..  16!!!! I can't be old enough to have a dating, driving teenager!

It seemed like just a couple of years ago that she was riding down the sidewalk on her first bike without training wheels.

Now she's all growed up and racing in triathlons with her old (not that old, mind you) man.

Happy Sweet 16th Birthday Keni Girl!

Radio silence

There's not a lot going on for me this week - especially on the cycling front.

I should get my new fork from the Brown Santa on Thursday, then I need to take it to my LBS to have them cut the steerer tube down to the correct length, and install the star nut and crown race (there are some things I'll leave in the hands of the experts).

If all goes according to plan, I should be riding once again by next week.

Not having a bike really throws you into a funk, I have found.

I still have some product reviews from Outdoor Retailer to do, and the latest offering from the sick and twisted mind of the Sufferfest to punish myself with. I'll be back soon...

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Sunday funnies

Product review: DZ Nuts

I love reviewing a product that makes grown men snicker like they are in grade school because of its name.

When I first got back into cycling several years ago, I was convinced that I didn't need to use chamois cream.  I didn't want to think about applying something the consistency of Vaseline "down there" it seemed like  it would be more uncomfortable than beneficial. 

Well, just like I cringe now when I have to wear anything other than bib shorts on my rides, I wouldn't think of going on a long ride without using chamois cream. 

I've tried several brands of chamois cream with varying degrees of success.  Most of them only provide a slippery surface between you and your chamois to prevent chafing and irritation. 

DZ Nuts is different. 

DZ Nuts was designed for Pro Cyclist Dave Zabriskie "by a pharmaceutical scientist to reduce and relieve chafing, irritation, and protect fragile perineal skin from bacterial and fungal infections."

DZ on the podium at the 2009 Tour of Utah wearing his DZ Nuts kit

There are a few things I like about DZ Nuts:

• 
  
  It's made locally (in Utah)
• 
  
  organic - when possible
• 
  
  natural as possible
• 
  
  no animal products
• 
  
  created by one of my favorite pro cyclists
• 
  
  it tingles when you apply it
• 
  
  it just works!

The last two are probably the most important.  The first time you apply it,  you'll notice that there is a slight tingling sensation coming from down there.  DO NOT BE ALARMED!  This is normal.  It is not an unplesant burning sensation - but more of a comfortable calm tingling.  Just enjoy it.  The tingling comes from the key ingredients:

Tea Tree Oil - powerful anti-bacterial and anti-fungal

Evodia - powerful anti-inflammatory and wound healing from traditional Chinese herbal medicine

Masterwort (Peucedanum Ostruthium) - herb found in the Swiss Alps used by ancient Greeks for wound healing and calming properties -- Name means “Supreme Strength”

What that means, as well as making things smooth between you and your shorts to minimize chafing, it also kills any little bacterial beasties that may be growing down there.

Like I said, It just works!  It is hands down the best chamois cream that I have used. 

DZ Nuts comes in both men's and women's (DZ Nuts Bliss) versions.  The main difference is that the women's version doesn't have the tingling sensation. A tube will run you about $20. You can find it in almost every bike shop on the planet, as well as online at http://www.dz-nuts.com/

So, protect your junk! (their tagline, snicker)  Go get some DZ Nuts today!

Product review: Adventure Eye Video Systems

This is more a review of a service, than a review of a product.

Adventure Eye Video Systems rents POV cameras so people can have first-person video of their extreme outdoor adventures.  They offer kiosk rental locations at various Colorado locations, and an online rental service. 

Adventure Eye gave me a demo of their online rental program.  The rental term is for 14 days, and they include a return shipping label to cover the return shipping.

Adventure Eye has several models of cameras for rent - even a scuba mask for those snorkeling excursions.
I chose the Contour HD 1080P - a very nice camera, but this is not a review about the camera.

There are two rental options for each camera: With damage waiver insurance, and without.  The rental cost is $100 with the damage waiver, and $75 without.  In my opinion, it's worth it.  Get the damage waiver.  Better safe than sorry.

The camera was shipped with everything that you need to mount it to a pair of ski goggles, or to your helmet - which I did as you can see below on my ever-willing model

I unfortunately didn't have any "epic" excursions planned, so I used the camera to film my commute to the bus, and a lunchtime ride around downtown SLC.   Just a note, I used a free version of a movie editing software to edit and speed up the videos I took, because I don't think anyone wants to watch 40+ minutes of me riding on a shared-use path, and riding in downtown traffic.  That being said, Adventure Eye will happily retrieve your footage from the camera when you return it, and burn it to a DVD for you.

My overall opinion is that it is a great system. A decent POV camera will set you back around $350 or more.  And something like that is not an item that you would use on a regular basis.  So save yourself some money and rent it for that once in a lifetime trip that you would actually want a helmet-mounted camera for. 

More information can be found at http://www.aevideosystems.com/

A disasterous end to a great ride

What was going to be a 25 mile ride, ended up being 40 miles with an unwelcome surprise at the end.

I needed to get out on the bike. 

Scratch that, I need to go running, but the bike was calling, and I couldn't ignore it.

So, I head out on the bike towards Camp Floyd, which is about 14 miles away for a nice Saturday morning ride.

They were having some sort of Civil War reenactment going on out at Camp Floyd today

It was a great ride, and I was feeling great. So great, in fact that I decided not to go back home, but instead I decided to go into Saratoga Springs and add another 15 miles onto my ride. 

On the way back into Eagle Mountain town center, I encountered some stiff headwinds, but I was almost home so I figured I could deal with them. 

Here where the bad part happened.

I almost made it home..

I took my hands off of the bars for just a moment, when a strong gust of wind hit me from the side.  I lost control of the bike, and slammed straight into a curb, throwing me over the bars and onto the sidewalk.  I got up, did a quick check of myself and determined that I only suffered some minor road rash, and didn't ruin my shorts or my Team Fredcast jersey.  Then I did a quick check of my bike.  I was thinking that I probably bent my rim pretty bad, but it didn't look like it was bent at all.  I was surprised by that because of how hard I hit the curb.  I then fished my phone out of my jersey pocket and discovered this...

Yes, that would be my new LG Ally with a shattered screen.  Fortunately, it still works, and I can still use it thanks to a screen protector I installed on it when I first got it.

I hopped back on my bike to finish the ride home, and I discovered that I flatted my front tire.  I wasn't surprised by that one, because like I said, I hit the curb pretty hard.

Then I noticed the other problem with my bike.

That would be my steel Tom Ritchey fork with a nasty bend in it.  Basically rendering it useless. 

So, let's sum up the ride for today.

40 miles.

1 phone with a shattered touch screen

1 bent fork

1 wheel that probably needs truing

1 flat

road rash

1 very upset Kendall, who won't be commuting or riding until he is able to afford a new fork.

Yeah, great ride, right up till the end.

Food Friday: Winner, Winner Chik'n Dinner! Contest winner announced

We have a winner in the Element Bars contest!

The wife and I reviewed the entries and picked our favorite. 

And the winner is...




Alexandra, with her entry "The Last Leg"

This is great! My bar would be called "The Last Leg". Add a datey core to avoid the fullness factor. Pairs with apricots for that last rush of sugar and some pumpkin seeds for a solid dose of amino acids. Finish with immunity boost to avoid the post race cold

Unfortunately, Alexandra has her profile set to private, so I can't contact her.  If she reads this, please either set your profile to public so I can contact you, or email me so I can give your information to Tom at Element Bars so he can set you up with a box of your own creation.

Thanks to everyone who participated, and especially thanks to Tom with Element Bars, and Element Endurance for giving me a box of bars to give away. If you haven't looked at their site yet, go check it out!

Technical Difficulties

I have a great video interview with Kevin of SPIbelts (www.spibelt.com) that i was going to post today, but I'm having some technical difficulties with the video.

Hopefully I can resolve the problem tonight, and still post the interview today.

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Product review: SPIbelt

Here's another product from the Outdoor Retailer show that I really like.  It appeals more to the triathlete/runner side of me, than the cyclist side. 

I used a race belt during the Spudman Triathlon in August.  I like the idea of incorportating a pocket to carry small items with you. 

Enough talking from me.  Let's hear from Kevin with SPIbelt.

I'm hoping to get a belt to review.  If I do, I'll post a followup review.

For more information, go to http://www.spibelt.com/

What the...

Saw this while waiting for my bus.

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Bicycles as art

I recently got a new phone.  On that new phone I downloaded a couple of cool apps that allow me to apply filters to the pictures I take to make them look like they were taken with old, vintage cameras. 

Since I don't have any product reviews ready for today, I thought that I would post some of the pictures that I have taken of some of the bikes that I have found locked up around my office downtown.