Next season bike...

I started to plan my next year racing bike. I would like to build a little lighter, than it was last year. The King`s weight is 11.4kg now, I am planning to build around 10.6kg. I am keeping the frame and fork. The frame will get a `07 Hei Hei Supreme`s bushing kit, I can save approx 100gr with it. Next step is the lighter wheels, I think it is important to find the right spec. You have to make a compromise between lightness and strongness. It is a big nightmare if you have to give up your race in the 22. hours, because of some technical problem. My choice is the new Mavic CrossMax SL (this set`s weight is same than the SLR`s one) with Conti Explorer Supersonic tyres and Stans fluid. I would like to replace the brake system. The bike has a pair of Avid Juicy Carbon. It is over 900gr. I think this system is little overbuild. I hesitate beetwen the Juicy Ultimate and Hope Mini Pro.
Last couple of steps are the new bottom bracket, new seatpost, new grips and new pedals and cassette. I think I can make a lighter bike without loosing any strongness.


Wheels:
CrossMax SL(2006)+Conti Explorer+Stans Fluid+Sram 990 Cass.:3260gr
CrossMax SL(2008)+Conti Explorer SS+Stans Fluid+XTR Cass.:2835gr
Different:425gr

Brakes:
Avid Juicy Carbon with Hope floating disc:847gr
Avid Juicy Ultimate with Hope floating disc:640gr
Different:207gr

Other bits:

Easton EC70 seatpost:210gr
Ritchey WCS seatpost:178gr
Diff:32gr

Truvative Stylo Team BB with bolts:315gr
FRM BB with bolts:182gr
Diff:133gr

Time Attack Carbon:340gr
Look Quartz Carbon:240gr
Diff:100gr

Ergon grips GP1(short):140gr
Ergon grips GX1(short):90gr
Diff:50gr

Total save: approx:947gr

Merry Xmas!

Wishing everyone a joyous ride...

Winter "donkey"

Winter, wet, mud, snow and DIRT.... It`s felt wasted using our proper bike. Here is my cheap recipe:


This is my second winter with my baby blue "donkey". I built it for the winter training. The basic is the On One Il Pompino frame. It`s name is little intresting... the meaning is "handjob" in Italian language. The frame`s material "DN6" steel , which is very comfy and bloody heavy.It has a big clearance, I can use with 700X35C CX tyres. The paintjob is the perfection itself, baby blue..... This basic got a Giant cyclo-cross fork. It has alloy steerer and carbon legs. The other parts are very mixed. I used everything what I found in the workshop and my parts box, FSA headset, Easton EA30 finishing kit, Avid Shorty brakes, 105 brake levers,Deore crankset, Mavic Aksyum front wheel and own build rear wheel. Rear wheel has a BikePositiv hub, DT swiss spokes and Mavic Open Pro rim. The ratio is 44-18This big caos works very well.
The seating position on the bike is very comfy,no problem after 5-6 hours. I fitted a gel pad under the bar tape beacause the plain bar tape was uncomfy, having "electric-shock" feeling after 3 hours, but now it works well!
Last winter was very dry, I could ride a lot on off-road. Single speed CX is really big fun! Unfortunately now, I only got just rain..rain and more rain in this last 6 weeks. I fitted the set of full mudguards on the bike and now it is a "drier and cleaner feeling". My path is lighten up by BLT Fireware 4.0 LED light and followed by 1 watt (mega bright) Smart rear light.
We have had a lot of miles together. Thanks to the simple construction never had a major problem! Having fun riding on my baby blue donkey!

Upppssss! Where is Richmond park???

Today morning was really foggy! I didnt find the road at the first couple of minutes....

The pictures are not really nice...sorry, but my lens was fully steam and I didnt realise!

My busy boss-James

NO COMMENT!!!!

Frozen morning in Richmond park

First week...

I am over the first week of my winter training but with a week delay unfortunately. A cold and a little accident interrupted me to start on time. I got over the cold within 3 days and my accident was non-fatal. The story is the following: one day after work riding home and found myself on the other side of the handlebar. Either I was getting to close to pavement in the traffic jam or there was a drain lid placed back wrong caused my fly. I didnt get injured seriously,only small wound on my left knee and my left little finger got sprained (became triple sized). Just my week old Pearl Izumi knickers and gloves got fucked! Never mind!
It has happend, wasnt strange, because I play the same thing every year when I start my winter training.(last year I flew off an over 100kg pedestrian trying to cross the street on red....) Finally I could start training 6. November. I completed what I had planned, 14 hours 30 minutes and 356km. Weaking up early was not a problem, I wasnt really tired, but I felt my speed being a little slow. I hope getting on according to plan and will have the 3200km ridden by the end of the year.