THE BIKE SETUP FOR THE WORK COMMUTE

I've had some requests to elaborate on my bike setup for commuting.  Let it be known that these are my thoughts and preferences.  Many riders out there will have differences of opinion and this is apparent, if you've ever commuted and witnessed the wide range of gear displayed.  Differences in gear are based on (but not limited to) length of commute, style of riding, number of bikes owned and training goals from commuting.  Now this is the way that I see it.

The first and most important setup is not about the bike.  It's the mind-set.  Commuting is what it is!  It is not a race and if you treat it as such, you're going to get into an accident (spin there, spun that)!  I'm sure a lot of my old co-workers are laughing right now and could provide plenty of comments on my battered body (...if anything was on the trail, I was going to race it!)  I'm not saying that you can't push hard...you should, but limit it to sections.  Don't try to push hard the entire way.  Your personal best (PB) is only limited by how lucky you are catching the traffic lights through the city and how crowded the trail happens to be that day.  When you pick your spots to push hard, make sure it's safe for you and those around you.  Now that we have the mental aspect of the ride out of the way let's breakdown the setup:

THE BIKE:  Your commuter bike doesn't need to match the dimensions of your race bike.  As long as you have a proper fit you can use a mt bike, hybrid, fixie, etc., just ride.  You're doing a good thing by commuting.  You're the HULK!  Yes, I said the HULK!  You're turning green,...but happy!  That ever so popular color that will make this world a better place. 

TIP:  If you tend to be a pedal grinder with slow cadence and want to work on increasing your turnover rate, try installing shorter crank arms on your commuter.  You can easily cut 5mm, as a shorter crank arm has no ill effect on your setup.  You do lose a little leverage for steep climbs, but that's what the gears are for.

THE TIRES:  My favorite commuter is an old mountain bike and I do enjoy cruising speeds, so I have 26"x1.25" Performance City Slicks.  You can pump them up to 90 psi and go as fast as any road bike (with the exception of up hills).  If your rims are fitted for schrader valves, you'll want to pick up some rim adapters so you can run presta valves.  Schrader valves aren't designed for high pressure.  If you're running 700s, I suggest a minimum width of 23mm.

TIP:  If your commute takes you over an excessive amount of debris, you may consider tire liners (like Slime Liners).  It's an added layer of protection against punctures.

THE LIGHTS:  I use the Cateye TL-LD500-R, the Cateye HL-EL530 and the Planet Bike Blaze 1 Watt and the Planet Bike Blinky Super Flash.  I have multiple sets of each, because in the early season I'm riding 5 hours in the dark.  It's nice to have redundancy in your lighting in case one should fail.  Something I learned from the DC Randonneurs and it is also a requirement to ride in the brevet series.  I mount a Cateye HL and Blaze on the front bars and a Cateye TL on the back.  The Super Flash is clipped my vest for high traffic areas and for backup.  The Cateye HL has a magnetic switch and is completely waterproof.  It throws a long narrow beam (which some people don't like) down the center of a secondary wide beam.  I aim this light further down the path to spot deer when riding at higher speeds and for descending.  4 AA batteries will provide about 20 hours of usable light (it's rated for 90 hours, which it may do, but the light becomes too dim to provide any distance lighting.)  The Blaze in not water proof, but is good for light drizzle.  It throws a wide beam that is good for close range and has 3 settings (low, high and strobe.)  I use the strobe at dawn and at dusk and as a supplement to the Cateye, when conditions demand more light at close range.  2 AA batteries will provide about 8 hours of usable light.  The lens on the Cateye TL when not turned on is a CPSC approved reflector.  After installing batteries (2 AAA), I run electrical tape around the seal.  This makes the light almost as waterproof as the HL model, but if you're out there long enough I have noticed that moisture will work its way into the unit through the button switch in the back.  Flashing mode, which I use most often while commuting will last about 60 hours.  If you're not on the street you can run it til it dies.  The Blinky Super runs on 2 AAA and has a similar run life.  It's very bright, but has a poor switch location at the bottom of the unit and will fail if exposed to rain for a prolong period of time.  This can be protected with rain gear, since it's clipped to my vest.  If you read the post on the PA Fleche, three riders experienced this issue. 

THE RAIN GEAR:  Let's face it - with rain gear you're either going to get wet from the inside out (via sweat) or from the outside in (via leaky fabric or open areas like the neck and front zipper).  In most situations you should be able to regulate airflow through your jacket to keep you cool, and dry out any buildup of moisture (this is important in cooler temperatures).  I look for a double zipper, plenty of vents and adjustable cuffs.    These are key elements in regulating your body temperature as the heat builds up.  Shower Pass makes some of the best rain gear around.  If there is just a hint of rain, I throw a trash bag in my pack or a cheap plastic jacket that you can pick up for less than $20 at Performance.  And in most cases, in warm weather, I just get wet and dry out when and if the rain stops.  If you have an old nylon jacket, you can try spraying it with a water repellent treatment like ReviveX.  This should be ample to get you through a commute of 30-90 minutes.

Installing fenders will keep you and your bike a little cleaner in the rain.  If you plan on aiding in keeping your feet dryer you need to add mud flaps to approximately 2" from the ground.  Repeat that on the rear and those drafting will love you.


THE ACCESSORIES:   I don't like to carry anything on my back, though I have been adapting to a camelbak for carrying extra fluids on rides with limited control stops.  The first day I ride into the office, I try to bring several changes of clothes and stick them in a file cabinet or desk drawer (if your building doesn't have a locker room).  This leaves me with just the essentials to carry back and forth.  I do have a rack and still mount a rack pack.  I have the Jandd Pack, which is roomy and expandable.    It's easy to carry extra cycling clothes, etc. and keeps everything dry, should it rain.  If you're a minimalist you can carry everything you need for an overnight ride and more.  As essentials, I carry a Brave Soldier Crash pack.  It's light weight and has everything you need to treat minor cuts to road rash.  Two tubes, tire irons, patch kit, a multi tool, and a Road Morph Pump (highly recommended).  This pump works like a mini floor pump.  It will pump up to 120 psi and has a built in gauge, which works well.  This is one of those best buy items.  In my wallet, I have money (cash and credit), health insurance card, id and building passes/keys as needed.  If your commute is short you may opt to not carry some of these items, but there will be a day when you'll be wishing you had.  That's how I learned.  Stuffing grass in your tires when you're out of tubes and patches or CO2 cartridges is no easy task.  And the ride is horrible.  Oh it gets you home or to work at a fraction of the speed and on a very bumpy, unstable ride.  You're better off stashing your bike and shoes, stuffing grass in the bottom of your socks and running home.

Extra helpful items are the bell and the helmet light. A nice soft bell avoids having to call out that your passing every 20 seconds and the helmet light is useful for those early morning or late night mechanical problems.

I'll come back and post some pictures later, but want to get this up for those that have been waiting.  If you have something in particular that you wanted to know, please comment.  I'm sure there are others that are interested as well.  Again, I'm by no means an expert on the subject of commuting.  I can only share with you what works well for me.

Good luck with your commute and hope to see you out there some day...or evening!  It would be fun to exchange ideas over a cold one (and I don't mean sports drink).

BODY COMPOSITION by SPORT FIT LAB

I met with Doug Baumgarten of SportFit Lab on Friday, 5/7 to have my body composition tested on the InBody 230.  Here is a brief description of what this device does:

BioSpace InBody Analyzer     We use the InBody 230 bio-impedance analyzer to precisely measure body fat, lean muscle, intracellular water, and extracellular water content.  After years of relying on skinfold calipers, which provide limited data for athletes [and rely on age-based population estimates], we have invested in the latest bio-impedance technology.
     Traditional bio-impedance machines - such as scales you can buy for your home - use only one electrical frequency and two contact points (the feet) to estimate body fat.  Therefore, they must rely on age-, gender-, and activity-based equations to guesstimate the percentage of body fat.  Moreover, they can ONLY estimate body fat and total lean (non-fat) mass - which provides limited information, to say the least.
     InBody utilizes EIGHT separate contact points and two electrical frequencies.  With this technology, we can get DIRECT accurate measurements of body fat, lean muscle, intra- and extra-cellular water - with no "allowances" or fudging for age, gender, or activity level.  Not only does the InBody track your body fat, hydration status, and lean muscle - it does so in 5 SEPARATE BODY SEGMENTS!  The InBody analyzes each arm and leg, as well as the trunk, separately - to determine the precise body composition of each body segment.

Click here for my results.

The Body Composition Test provides valuable readings for that individual looking to start a weight loss program, the novice athlete that is looking for a benchmark from which to begin a training program, or the more experience athlete that is looking to fine tune their training based on a number of progressive readings (i.e. sweat rate, muscular development or reduction, percent body fat reduction, etc.)

The Body Composition Test detected a right leg length discrepancy (information not shared with Doug prior to the test).  I don't have a great deal of experience with this form of testing, but it was a quick and simple test that gave accurate results.  I was amazed that it picked up on my slight leg length discrepancy by indicating a slightly less lean muscle mass in that leg.  Unfortunately, it did show that I had 14.6% body fat.  A good indication that my training had a long way to go.

Going into the transcontinental tour, I wanted to make sure that I was well hydrated at the cellular level.  The readings indicate good hydration levels with my intracellular levels higher than my extracellular levels, though through extended conversations with highly respected doctors I've learned that these numbers can change drastically and quickly, during exercise and recovery.  The body's goal is to find equilibrium between the two.

My basal metabolic rate (BMR - the minimal number of kcal required to sustain one's weight at a resting state) was 1564 kcal or approximately 2 pints of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey.  I was hoping that this would be higher, but explains my horrible weight gain in the winter months.

For $25 per test for Sport and Health Members (with a 4 test package) I find this a great value for the information you receive.  Not everyone is into the numbers game, but if you're going to monitor progress you have to start taking some measurements and this is a relatively inexpensive start.  If you're interested in the test and want to chat about it, please feel free to contact me.

I will be testing again, after the transcontinental tour to reveal the changes in my body composition after riding over 3,000 miles in 19 days.  There will be a slight lag period between the completion of the event and my testing, but I will do my best to keep this to a minimum to try to get more accurate feedback on the effects of the ride. to re
 

MY NUMBER ONE SUPPORTER

That would be my wife, Susie.  And she deserves her own special post.  Here she is with her niece, Meghan Foy (the photo was taken by her dear friend Patti Roper).  She is always encouraging and supportive in all of my efforts to pursue my goals and my dreams.  She makes me feel like I'm Lance Armstrong on the bike, Eric Heiden on skates, Mark Spitz in the pool...  No matter what I do, she thinks I'm the best.  It really is a nice feeling.  So what if she can leg press more than I can.  My wife thinks I'm the greatest (...I've considered changing my name to Ali) and that's pretty darn special.  All jokes aside, she is wonderful and will do everything within her power to help me achieve success in everything I do.  She'll drive hundreds of miles to drop off and pick up locations, divert routes for extra support, change many of her plans so I may keep mine, the list is endless.  You have to admire a woman like that...and I DO!

I try my best to not take advantage of her kindness.  There will be times when some training will have to shorten or rescheduled to spend time together and with friends and family.  Let's face it.  This journey will be a huge time commitment and a big test for us to see how we can cope.  But it's this support and encouragement for each other that makes life a journey worth traveling. Try it!  You'll like it!

Susie IS my number one supporter.  She's the best!  And I thank her for making this and all of my journeys so special.  If you're reading this Jake (her nickname), I love you!

THE SECOND BIG TEST

Well the first BIG test was qualifying for RAAM, which I did back in September 2009 at the Adirondack 540.  The second BIG test will be coming up soon.  May 16th is the start of the Elite PAC Tour.  Here is a brief description from the web page:  

This tour is only for Elite Riders! Each day is planned to offer the best support and efficiency for riders who want to simulate riding at a Race Across America pace across the country during daylight hours. RAAM winners Lon Haldeman and Susan Notorangelo will help you mentally and physically to succeed during this difficult tour. A recommended training goal is to ride 300 kilometers in 10 hours or complete 350 miles in 24 hours. Our route will follow 75% of the RAAM 2010 route with a good mix of mountains and back roads. Riders who complete 100% of the tour (14 mph minimum elapsed time) will qualify for the Race Across America.

This tour averages 165 miles per day across the deserts, mountains and prairies of the southern and central United States. Full support is offered to keep everyone rolling efficiently across the country. Riders who complete each day within the time limits will also qualify for the Race Across America solo division.

Since I am already RAAM Qualified (RQ'd), it is not crucial that I maintain a fast pace with the front riders.  They will likely be averaging 20-24mph on the bike and I certainly don't have the training miles to take on such a task.  My goal is simple.  And that is to simply endure the drastic changes in terrain and temperature and to complete the tour with a reasonable average speed.  After all, I'll be getting a full night sleep every evening, so I'm hoping for good recovery each day.  The Elite PAC Tour will be my benchmark for where my training needs to be in the following year.  It may end up being a suffer-fest!  We'll have to see what happens.

I do enter into this ride with a little apprehension.  The reason being is that when I sent in my entry form, Lon called me at home and said that I may want to reconsider my entry.  He was basing this on my most recent 100 and 200 mile times.  I haven't ridden 100 or 200 miles for time in ages, so I was basing my times on my latest brevets, which tend to be a little slower, due to the control stops and lunch break.  I think I posted 7 and 15 hours for each.  I promised not to complain and that he could leave my on the side of the road, if need be (the last part is not true, but I thought it added a little drama to this post).  We both agreed that I knew what I was getting into and I would not be asking for a refund, if my ride ended after day 3.

Lon's wife, Susan contacted me later via email and made me feel a little better for holding my ground.  She commended me for my desire to give it a go.  I'll have a full story when I return June 4th and hope to provide updates along the way.  Here's the itinerary:

• 16th - San Diego, CA to El Centro, CA (126mi)
• 17th - El Centro, CA to Wickenburg, AZ (220mi)
• 18th - Wickenburg, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ (154mi)
• 19th - Flagstaff, AZ to Kayenta, AZ (151mi)
• 20th - Kayenta, AZ to Durango, CO (178mi)
• 21st - Durango, CO to Monte Vista, CO (145mi)
• 22nd - Monte Vista, CO to Trinidad, CO (145mi)
• 23rd - Trinidad, CO to Ulysses, KS (193mi)
• 24th - Ulysses, KS to Pratt, KS (151mi)
• 25th - Pratt, KS to Yates Center, KS (174mi)
• 26th - Yates Center, KS to Osage Beach, MO (182mi)
• 27th - Osage Beach, MO to St Louis, MO (175mi)
• 28th - St Louis, MO to Effingham, IL (143mi)
• 29th - Effingham, IL to Crawfordsville, IN (157mi)
• 30th - Crawfordsville, IN to Greenville, OH (142mi)
• 31st - Greenville, OH to Athens, OH (176mi)
• June 1st - Athens, OH to Elkins, WV (157mi)
• 2nd - Elkins, WV to Orange, VA (165mi)
• 3rd - Orange, VA to Williamsburg, VA (141mi)

THE NEED FOR MEASUREMENTS

There is always a need to record measurements of some sort, when trying to achieve a goal.  As with anything, you need a benchmark from which to measure improvement (or lack thereof).  That measurement can range from one's waistline, to blood lactate, to average speed on the bike.  Regardless of what that measurement is, it needs to be relative to one's goal.  What is relative; and what measurements will give me optimal results?  Well technology has been changing for the better since the mid to late 90's (back when I was frequently testing my V02 max).  I've been out of touch with the latest and greatest measuring devices that are now available and at reasonable rates.

Doug Baumgarten and his wife Beth of Sport Fit Lab will be helping me determine what is best for me in my quest for RAAM 2011.  We'll be testing on a number of measuring devices and under a number of package deals that they have to offer.  I will elaborate on the test results as they are taken and give feedback on what I feel is most beneficial in attaining my goal.  I'll try to post some photos as we progress, though it is not a pretty site when one is trying to max out their heart rate.

Stay tuned.  This will be an exciting segment of the blog and I hope to share a great deal of information with everyone.