Big Wheel Racing

BWR is now…

 oh yea, baby!!

SRAM is a new and coveted sponsor for the team this year. Through partnership with our bike shop, High Desert Bicycles, the team is able to get some remarkable discounts from SRAM to support our racing for 2009. SRAM offers an array of products and includes RockShox, Avid, and Truvativ. Talk about some excellent products!

Most importantly though, SRAM is a company that prides itself in its support of the World Bicycle Relief.

The World Bicycle Relief is about providing access to independence and livelihood through The Power of Bicycles. SRAM believes that simple, sustainable transportation is an essential element in disaster assistance and poverty relief. Bicycles fulfill basic needs by providing access to healthcare, education and economic development. Bicycles empower individuals, their families, and their communities. BWR supports these efforts and appreciates what SRAM is doing to help others.

High Desert Bicycles is sponsoring BWR again for 2009! High Desert has been one of our best sponsors, supporting us in many different ways. Whether we’re racing tri, cross, mountain, or road, we can depend on High Desert to have the equipment we need to excel in our particular sport.

The team was very excited to hear that the shop was willing to support us again this year, especially given our national and international prescence. We are located not just in the Albuquerque area, but all over the country and all over the world. BWR really appreciates everything High Desert does for us!

If you happen to live in the Albuquerque area and haven’t been to High Desert yet, this is a great place to go for all your bike needs!

Here’s all you need to find your way to the bike shop!

Thanks, High Desert Bicycles

Ergon changed the entire way I brake and hold onto the bike. At the onset of the 2008 season I did obtain a set of Ergon GP1 grips but did not know how to use them. I tried to still hold onto the grips with my smallest two fingers and then brake with the larger two. In early March I had an accident and ended up breaking 4 fingers, 2 in each hand. Recovery was difficult as I just could not hold onto the bars effectively, much less even try to use the brakes. A friend taught me how to properly hold the handle bars – with the index finger and thumb and then change to middle finger only braking. The change was AMAZING! With no pressure placed on the smallest two fingers anymore (which are also the weakest gripping fingers) my arms became more relaxed and my upper body no longer was prone to fatigue. Ergon is so far ahead of the curve and I love my GP1s!

By Nate;
Ironman Arizona was successfully completed on November 23rd.  After 18 weeks of very specific training I was rewarded with a good day.  Excellent conditions and fierce competition made for a fun race with some crazy fast times.

The race got underway as usual at 7am, water was a tepid 63F or so, chilly but perfect “working hard” temperature in a wetsuit.  Not being an exceptional swimmer I was pleased with a 1:07:27 swim.  Once on the bike it was all about making some time while fueling for the upcoming run.  A couple concentrated bottles of sustained energy with ~ 5 scoops each and 2 nuun tablets each did the trick, and the bike was wrapped up in 5:06:00 with an average speed of 22.0mph.

Hit T2 feeling good, and had to hold back on the run for the first few miles, then it became the inevitable battle to hold pace.  Held on for a steady run in 3:55:04

Total time: 10:18:32

29/211 in 30-34AG

206/2200 overall.
A very special thanks to High Desert Bicycles in Rio Rancho for the amazing hookups on lots of equipment, the Giro Advantage 2 aero helmet, Specialized S-works Tri shoes, Mavic Win-tek computer, nice new chainrings/chain/cassette, as well as a pile of consumables over the summer.  Thanks John and Vince!!

The titanium King Cages worked great, and are superior to carbon fiber cages in every way, and my Sock Guy woolies lasted all day.

Also thanks to John and Randy at the ABQ Running Shopfor all the help with shoe selections, the Mizuno Wave Elixer 3 was the perfect race day shoe for me.