Just need to sort a rim out now, anyone with suggestions?
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Review- Nuun Hydration
Intro
Thought I would give these a bit of a review after having used them for about a week now. Overall I am happy with them, I scored them for $au10 per tube. Each tube contains 12 tablets which make 6 litres (500ml per tablet). Are now making a larger tablet for 750ml bottles as well.
When dropped into a bottle of water they fizz up somewhat like berocca. They take about 2mins to dissolve completely.
Lemon-lime
This was the first flavour I tired, initally it tasted a bit gritty in the mouth but not unpleasent. It is not sweet and has an epervesent feeling in the back of the throat. As I found out last week if your bottles heat up (ala' 40° day) you can still drink it without gagging.
My 15 month old son also seems to like this flavour, as he scoffed the dregs from one of my bottles yesterday after I got home from a ride.
Tri-Berry
This is my personal favourite goes down well, has a fizzy taste in the back of the throat and is slightly sweeter than the lemon-lime flavour.
Kona Cola
Tried this Sunday and didn't think much off it. This flavour has added caffine for kick as well as the usual minerals and salts. It just has a really bland taste and not really like cola.
I gave some to my wife, and she thinks it tastes like flat cola so it may just be me.
Summary
Overall I have found these to be a good source of hydration, not too expensive, portable and tasty.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Don't Bring a knife to a gunfight (Part II)
WWS Race 1 Lithgow
Interesting ain't it?
So what's the tale of the tape? Heart rate was smack bang on threshold level for the 3hrs. You can see that the first lap was more intense with higher and larger spikes (to be expected). The other trend that can be seen is there is a gradual decline in HR, it's a bit hard to see using the polar software but its there.
Cadence, well the pedals went round with an average of 87rpm.
Climbing? 1200 metres....yum yum
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Saddle for sale
I have tried to like this saddle but I'm just not getting any love from it.
Fizik Tundra
This saddle is the same shape as an arione cx but firmer, it really isn't soft enough for me. So if any one would like to take it off my hands contact me at d_w_rae@hotmail.net.au (paypal and direct debit accepted)
Fizik Tundra
This saddle is the same shape as an arione cx but firmer, it really isn't soft enough for me. So if any one would like to take it off my hands contact me at d_w_rae@hotmail.net.au (paypal and direct debit accepted)
Don't Bring a knife to a gunfight (Part I)
There is a line in action flicks that goes something like " Boy, don't ever bring a knife to a gunfight!" The meaning of this phrase is come with the right gear for the ocassion. Today I got it wrong, isn't the first time and it definitly won't be the last.
Basically I bought the wrong bike to the race, I thought I could race a hardtail at an alright level for 8hrs...I got it wrong. While I had built up the dually the day before I wan't prepared to go out and race it untired. This is one of the lessions learn't over the years "Never race untested kit...ever...even if the sponser wants you to"
I got a warning via www.farkin.net a couple of days before that the course would be harsh on a hardtail (harsh = understatement). The were a lot of braking ruts on the downhills (compliments of last years event)and the course was hardpacked as described, but with loose "bulldust" through most of the corners. So basically I got hammered on the downhills and the tires I was using didn't have much bite in the loose (Rocket Ron & Racing Ralph = better choice). I never got into trouble, but I was riding cautious trying to finish and not crash.
After about 3.5hrs my lower back packed it in (I also didn't have any pain killers). On the fourth lap it was like the power lights went out, the uphill parts of the course where I was strong suddently I just had to sit and twiddle a small gear. By the time I got to transition my back was killing me along with my wrists. I have a weakish lower back due to a mtb accident a couple of years back and my left wrist has been broken 3x now and plays up occasionally...today was one of those occasions.
The other issue was the heat, while not roasting at 11.30am it was still hot. When I sat down you could see the dried salt crystals on my thighs and on the sleeves of my jersey. I hadn't noticed it while riding but afterwards sitting there it was like "Sh!t, that's not good". At that stage I had drunken,
- 2 x 750ml of nuun
- 1 x 500ml of gatorade post-mix
- 1 x 500ml of gatorade pre-mix
so not an inconsiderable amount.
When I got home (3.75hrs after and drinking another 1.5l of gatorade, I was still 1kg underweight)
Summary
Lessions learn't,
- Know your course as much as possible if you haven't ridden it previously
- Opt for caution, hardtails are for XC wippets!(Or teams riders)
- Dehydration creeps up on you quickly in extreme heat, hydrate or suffer
Part II
I will post up the HR file after I download it and post any comments as nessecary
Basically I bought the wrong bike to the race, I thought I could race a hardtail at an alright level for 8hrs...I got it wrong. While I had built up the dually the day before I wan't prepared to go out and race it untired. This is one of the lessions learn't over the years "Never race untested kit...ever...even if the sponser wants you to"
I got a warning via www.farkin.net a couple of days before that the course would be harsh on a hardtail (harsh = understatement). The were a lot of braking ruts on the downhills (compliments of last years event)and the course was hardpacked as described, but with loose "bulldust" through most of the corners. So basically I got hammered on the downhills and the tires I was using didn't have much bite in the loose (Rocket Ron & Racing Ralph = better choice). I never got into trouble, but I was riding cautious trying to finish and not crash.
After about 3.5hrs my lower back packed it in (I also didn't have any pain killers). On the fourth lap it was like the power lights went out, the uphill parts of the course where I was strong suddently I just had to sit and twiddle a small gear. By the time I got to transition my back was killing me along with my wrists. I have a weakish lower back due to a mtb accident a couple of years back and my left wrist has been broken 3x now and plays up occasionally...today was one of those occasions.
The other issue was the heat, while not roasting at 11.30am it was still hot. When I sat down you could see the dried salt crystals on my thighs and on the sleeves of my jersey. I hadn't noticed it while riding but afterwards sitting there it was like "Sh!t, that's not good". At that stage I had drunken,
- 2 x 750ml of nuun
- 1 x 500ml of gatorade post-mix
- 1 x 500ml of gatorade pre-mix
so not an inconsiderable amount.
When I got home (3.75hrs after and drinking another 1.5l of gatorade, I was still 1kg underweight)
Summary
Lessions learn't,
- Know your course as much as possible if you haven't ridden it previously
- Opt for caution, hardtails are for XC wippets!(Or teams riders)
- Dehydration creeps up on you quickly in extreme heat, hydrate or suffer
Part II
I will post up the HR file after I download it and post any comments as nessecary
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Prep...again
Saturday
Well today was all about preparing for the first 8hr of the year. It located at Lithgow which means about a 4.5hr drive tomorrow....great a 2 a.m start!
Today was really about preping the bikes and trying to stay hydrated. I finished off running the brake lines, tuned the gears, set the chain length on the dually, for the hardtail I have it a good wash down, lubed the chain (yes it was good for the both of us!), and pumped the tires.
Prep
Race mtb endurance loose weight, get fit, yeah right...not drinking all this shit,
16 x 500- 750ml water bottles containing either Nuun mix or Gatorade mix
2 x 500ml cans of Mother energy drink
2 x 1.5l bottles of pre-mix gatorade
yes we are expecting 40° tomorrow, Come prepared or go home crying!
Kit Bag
Well packing is easy at the moment,
1 x short sleeve top
1 x bib shorts
1 x spare long finger glooves
1 x Polar CS 600 heart rate monitor
1 x Polar CS 600 heart rate monitor strap
2 x socks
1 x bandana (I know you can't pull this off unless you're Marco Pantani, but it's so hot at the moment that the sweat just runs down your glasses)
1 x bog roll/ toilet paper (Can't be seen but in the bag. It's a MTB race what can you except!)
2 x towels (left hand/ right hand... if I need to explain this google it!)
Race Strategy
Well given the heat at the moment keeping the heart rate at workable levels is key. Course has ~300m of climbing per lap so assuming 12 laps by 300m => 3600m total climbing => Pain, suffering, and misery if I'm lucky!
Well wish me luck, best at the moment thats about all thats going to save me for exploding my sh!t all over the course.
Well today was all about preparing for the first 8hr of the year. It located at Lithgow which means about a 4.5hr drive tomorrow....great a 2 a.m start!
Today was really about preping the bikes and trying to stay hydrated. I finished off running the brake lines, tuned the gears, set the chain length on the dually, for the hardtail I have it a good wash down, lubed the chain (yes it was good for the both of us!), and pumped the tires.
Prep
Race mtb endurance loose weight, get fit, yeah right...not drinking all this shit,
16 x 500- 750ml water bottles containing either Nuun mix or Gatorade mix
2 x 500ml cans of Mother energy drink
2 x 1.5l bottles of pre-mix gatorade
yes we are expecting 40° tomorrow, Come prepared or go home crying!
Kit Bag
Well packing is easy at the moment,
1 x short sleeve top
1 x bib shorts
1 x spare long finger glooves
1 x Polar CS 600 heart rate monitor
1 x Polar CS 600 heart rate monitor strap
2 x socks
1 x bandana (I know you can't pull this off unless you're Marco Pantani, but it's so hot at the moment that the sweat just runs down your glasses)
1 x bog roll/ toilet paper (Can't be seen but in the bag. It's a MTB race what can you except!)
2 x towels (left hand/ right hand... if I need to explain this google it!)
Race Strategy
Well given the heat at the moment keeping the heart rate at workable levels is key. Course has ~300m of climbing per lap so assuming 12 laps by 300m => 3600m total climbing => Pain, suffering, and misery if I'm lucky!
Well wish me luck, best at the moment thats about all thats going to save me for exploding my sh!t all over the course.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Productive Weekend
The Weekend
Well I had a really productive weekend, got out on the MTB to Sparrow on Saturday and did some intervals on the erg on Sunday. Also managed to:
- Re-calibrate 2x SRM's
- Bleed and shorten the brakes on the hardtail (really been meaning to do this for a while)
- Oil change on a set of Fox forx's (something else I have been putting off doing)
Really starting to get amped about the eight hour this weekend. Haven't done one since last year at Stromlo. The course should be good for the hardtail and I should have all my bits and pieces by this weekend.
New Race Hydration
Well I got my sweaty little hands on a new product today that I will be testing this weekend
These are basically mineral tablets you dissolve in your bottle that provide sodium, potassium, mangesium, calcium, Vit C and B2. they don't contain any carbs. This is a good thing especially in the heat, alot of mixes don't have the correct ratio and are slow emptying.
Will let you know how they perform later.
Well I had a really productive weekend, got out on the MTB to Sparrow on Saturday and did some intervals on the erg on Sunday. Also managed to:
- Re-calibrate 2x SRM's
- Bleed and shorten the brakes on the hardtail (really been meaning to do this for a while)
- Oil change on a set of Fox forx's (something else I have been putting off doing)
Really starting to get amped about the eight hour this weekend. Haven't done one since last year at Stromlo. The course should be good for the hardtail and I should have all my bits and pieces by this weekend.
New Race Hydration
Well I got my sweaty little hands on a new product today that I will be testing this weekend
These are basically mineral tablets you dissolve in your bottle that provide sodium, potassium, mangesium, calcium, Vit C and B2. they don't contain any carbs. This is a good thing especially in the heat, alot of mixes don't have the correct ratio and are slow emptying.
Will let you know how they perform later.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)