Big Wheel Racing

I recently finished two races. The first was in Dolores, CO - the Escalante Days Mountain Bike Race. I decided at the last minute to race this event and decided it was time to start racing expert. Not because I win all the sport races I enter, but because I’ve just been racing in the sport category too long. Time to give myself a challenge (not that the sport class racers aren’t challenging riders) in a different class. My first expert race and I managed to win 2nd place overall, women’s expert category! On top of that, I got 1st place women’s expert singlespeed. Woohoo!! I won some cash ($230), a t-shirt, and a pair of bike socks.

The most recent race I completed was right in my home town, the Dirt Lover’s Rally. There’s nothing better than being able to wake up in your own bed, make a nice, hearty breakfast, and then leisurely roll out to to the race start on your bike! I raced expert again and (choke) I’m a “veteran” class racer because of my age. I ended up with 2nd place for the day! It was a great day for the race, slightly overcast to keep things nice and cool. The race was in the Horse Gulch area, so shade was key. The evening before there was a light sprinkling that settled all the dust on the trails too. Perfect!

Unfortunately, no photos from the events, but I’m glad to be wearing the BWR colors and riding for the team!

Jeni

This week High Desert Bicycles generously matched the donations made by Big Wheel Racing team members, which together made a sizeable contribution to the World Bicycle Relief organization.  World Bicycle Relief (WBR) provides the mobility that is an essential component to assisting those in need due to poverty or natural disaster.   This donation will purchase six bicycles and six caregivers, providing support for up to 120 patients and families affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

In 2005 SRAM and Trek teamed up to form World Bicycle Relief.  They later partnered with World Vision Sri Lanka for their first mission, Project Tsunami, to provide aid to victims of the terrible natural disaster that swept the Indian Ocean that December. 

Using his expertise, Frederick Day, co-founder of SRAM, worked with Trek engineers to design a 65 lb. steel frame bike, which is capable of providing mobility for an entire family as well as cargo capacity.  In addition to being culturally and functionally appropriate, this bike is built to last. The self sustainable program also provides locals with a week-long class on bike maintenance, repairs, and business practices so they can provide necessary repairs through a profitable business.

Yesterday in Chongwe, Zambia WBR launched their newest project called BEEP, or the Bicycles for Education Empowerment Program.  This project will provide bikes to schoolchildren in Zambia, which will reduce their travel time, and increase the safety of their commute.  This increases their chances of continuing to pursue their education.  Education is paramount to these children, who in many cases are orphaned by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and are in danger of falling more deeply into poverty or worse.

WBR’s long-term plan is to be operating in all of Africa within 36 months, with a mission to provide access to independence and livelihood through The Power of Bicycles.   

By contributing to World Bicycle Relief’s efforts, our donation and the generous matching donation from High Desert Bicycles will directly affect the lives of children in Africa.  If you are interested in more information on World Bicycle Relief and their efforts visit their website: http://www.worldbicyclerelief.org/

The Gunnison Growler course was a great challenge as usual this year. Racers rolled out of town with a vehicle escort to pace the crowd. Mike Mangan and Jeni Turgeon were the BWR racers for this event.

Great Ergon grips and Kenda Tires Small Block 8 tires did the trick for the course for the singlespeed!

Riders had a wet day, so lots of mud on the bikes and the racers at the end of the race! Thank goodness for Showers Pass jackets. Both Mike and Jeni brought out the ProTech jackets for the race and stayed dry. King Cage kept out bottles on the bike throughout the race, and Sock Guy kept our feet nice and warm.

Congrats to Jeni who placed 2nd women’s singlespeed and Mike who placed 4th. Both Jeni and Mike raced the 32-mile 1/2 Growler.

A delayed report, but a great race nevertheless! The 12 Hours of Mesa Verde was well-attended by the BWR crowd. We had 4 solo riders (all on singlespeeds), and 1 duo team.

The weather treated us well this year, not too hot, not too cold. Good times all around.

The race began with a Le Mans start. BWR was up front, ready to roll!

Jen, our only female racer at the event, rode singlespeed and finished 6th place with 4 laps.

Lenny rode solo singlespeed and finished with 4 laps.

Jeff rode solo singlespeed and finished 10th place with 6 laps.

Matt rode solo singlespeed and would have finished in 3rd, but a crash on his last (8th) lap only a mile or so from the finish left him with a 5th place finish. Three fractured vertebra and a totally broken helmet later, he’s well on the road to recovery. Hooray!

Our duo team, Cal and Mike finished 9th out of 38 teams with 8 laps combined.

Thanks to our sponsors who provide us with the means to get to and participate in the races!

High Desert Bicycles
Ergon
Kenda
SRAM
Orange Aspen
Hammer Nutrition
King Cage
Vantastic Vans
Sock Guy
C Change

The Cochiti 100 is the most difficult race in the New Mexico Endurance Series. With three loops originating from the parking area, support is simple, but the three loops can take a toll on any rider. The first two loops are very similar except for the direction of travel, and the third is a little shorter with minimal technical riding. The weather couldn’t have been better Saturday, low temps, mostly cloudy, and occasional light rain, made for cool climbs and fast turns.

Peer pressure. Although he didn’t resort to the “triple dog dare”, Lenny Goodell wouldn’t let me quit after the first loop like I had planned. Around 20 miles, I had cut a sidewall on the rear tire and had to put in a tube, and I had passed through my “fuzzy zone” a few miles after I got rolling again. The fuzzy zone is a long story but I had my worst attack on Saturday.

Crosstown Trail was wearing me out on Loop 1, even with the 32×21 on my singlespeed Specialized Stumpjumper Marathon 29er. I do remember pushing my geared bike up the same steep pitches. Gears or not, I was getting in my strategic walking for the day. Pulling out of Crosstown onto FR 268 with three other riders made me realize that I had not been left too far behind, and three of us rode the 268/Media Dia descent together. And there was Lenny at the gated end of Media Dia. I was telling him I was done, and he was telling me I wasn’t.

Peer pressure. We headed back up for Loop 2 after a stop at the car. With two more riders beginning Loop 2 later, we were the first to head out on the second longest climb of the day. Conversation helped me ignore the climb, and we dove back into Crosstown eventually. By the time we started Motown Trail, I was recovering from the long climb. Motown was unbelievably fun on Loop 2, being a mostly downhill run to Carl Shipman Trail. We crossed Dome Road and descended Carl Shipman, and eventually back to the car for the end of my day. Lenny had other plans.

Peer pressure. I let him talk me into doing the remaining “easy” 20 something miles of Loop 3. And to my surprise, I knocked an hour off my time for this loop from last year. Ok, so peer pressure was a good thing Saturday. After my third year attempting the Cochiti 100, I finally completed the full course! With nearly 14 hours on the clock, I wasn’t the fastest finisher, but I’m one of only three to complete the course and the first singlespeed.

Chris Hereford
“C Cow”

The annual Alien Run MTB Race was held on April 26, 2009 in Aztec, NM. BWR was represented at the venue with Mike Mangan, Jeni Turgeon, and Greg Kaufman. The day was beautiful and the singletrack was nicely packed, without a lot of the sand that has been an issue in the past. At 10 AM, the mass start began, and the race was on! The expert categories raced 25 miles and the sport categories raced 24 miles.

The race course was a combination of dirt roads among the oil fields and great singletrack that had a little bit of everything to offer. The slick rock section at the Aztec UFO crash site is always lots of fun!

The final stats:

Expert Veteran, 5th Place, Mike Mangan

Expert Masters, 4th Place, Greg Kaufman
Sport Veteran, 2nd Place, Jeni Turgeon

Many thanks to some of our great sponsors whose products kept us rolling well while at the race!

High Desert Bicycles
Dr. James Slaman
Vantastic Vans
King Cage
Kenda
Ergon
Sock Guy

“I never thought”…many things; like I never thought I’d live in Texas, but I did.  I never thought I’d be an artist, but I am.  I never thought I’d develop a taste for ginger, but I did.  I never thought I’d like a single speed road bike, but I do.  I like it a lot. 

  

So 3 years ago I did something I never thought I would do… I went to the dark side and bought a road bike.  I’ve really enjoyed the fitness and social aspects of road cycling without as much pain and recovery issues as I had with mountain biking.   

 

  

 

7 Feb 2009

 

 

   Other than cross races, I like events that take a good chunk of the day. Why get the bike out for less than 50 miles, or 5 hours of riding/racing? And maybe I’m just getting a little slower in preparation, but it seems like I’m doing more preparing some times. I could have done a little more preparing for the Puzzler, like putting on a larger cog, maybe a longer travel fork, and attaching suspension to the rear. And I could have put a motor on the bike too. I rode my 13 year old Specialized S-Works M2, which converted to a nice light weight SS a couple of years ago.

   I could have ran different gearing, because I did my most difficult SS work at the El Paso Puzzler. Last year I rode my Specialized S-Works Enduro, with 5 inches of travel front and rear. It’s funny how I forgot what worked great and remember only how heavy the bike was on the long climb up Mundy Pass. I do know that the hardtail SS climbs easier, given the gearing. But the Puzzler course got rougher since last year. A long section of new singletrack was added to the “east side” section. Tight turns, in a continuous rock garden, moving mostly up hill. This new section adds to the typical rough stuff on the “west side”.

   Just for background info, the NM Off Road Series holds the Coyote Classic on the west side trails. Some XC racers skip this event due to the difficulty of the course, and many mumble about it all season long. This is all within the Franklin Mountains State Park. The Puzzler involves a 35 mile loop around the northern section of the mountain range, covering the east side trails, and then a return to the west side by climbing Mundy Pass. On paper, Mundy seems like nothing special, but I think El Paso has a gravity generator in the mountains, making the short climb worse than anything in the NMES. I’ve taken my bikes out for great walks in the beautiful forests, and now I’ve walked much of Mundy while pushing SS and geared bikes. So much for the lighter weight of the SS hardtail.

   The Mundy climb is all two track loose rocky steep road. The approach to the climb is a few miles of great singletrack, which, without Mundy looming in the distance like an 8000 meter peak in the Himalayas, would be awesome riding. (By the way, the Coyote Classic will be on the east side trails this year, but it won’t include Mundy).

   The race start was interesting, Michael was out front somewhere on the paved climb to the dirt. Many riders with shifting problems, (snicker, snicker), one rider down on the pavement (?), and we dropped into the next bowl to the north. I somehow caught up to Michael on the singletrack after a couple of miles. I think it was because he didn’t have a “trail marker” in front to follow. (Trail Marker- a rider you can follow close enough to show you the details before you hit them.)  So, I used Michael as a trail marker. And he was railing the turns! (I need bigger wheels). After a few miles, we hit two track and I took the lead.

   A thousand miles later, we got to the east side and worked the course around. The food stop at the city park was great! This was after riding along a levee, backed up against large homes with swimming pools filled with beautiful blue water! Distracting.

   After completing the 35 mile loop around the mountains, we had another 15 miles of the typical Coyote Classic trails, just as the start of loop 1. After a couple miles of this second loop, I started watching the mileage count on my computer, and thinking about the finish line. I finished at 6 hours 45 minutes according to my computer. I was thinking a sub-6 hour day, but it took a little longer. I had not seen another SS all day, and I was later told than one did not show. Michael came in soon after me, grinning as usual. The other SS came in at least an hour behind. I think I came in 9^th overall. Overall, I enjoyed the race. It’s a great early season test, and a good equipment test ride too.

  How did Ayden do? Well, there was a time cutoff at the city park food stop that he didn’t clear. He was the only junior, and at 14, the smallest racer, and there were seven adult racers behind him that didn’t make the cut also.

 Chris

The team met in Temecula, CA for a 12-hour race in January!  Jeni worked the pit for the team and Andrew Carney won the men’s 12-hour Solo Expert category.  Scott and Emily Sportsman raced in the Co-ed Duo category and took 2nd place while riding their singlespeed bikes!  Awesome effort by those two and it was Emily’s first race for the team, as was the case for Andrew.  Matt Turgeon took third place in the men’s Solo Singlespeed category.

Great showing by the team and special thanks to our sponsor:  High Desert Bicycles!

Time to get ready…….

My (Wunnspeed) Ergon Love going on

A boy (namely me) and his gloves

As you can see from the above photos….I’m an avid Ergon fan. Big Wheel Racing picked up Ergon as a sponsor in ‘08 and we’ve never looked back. We’re also proud to call them a sponsor for 2009. Woohoo! Seems that people on the team really love the quality, fit and feel of the things that Ergon produces. Seems that everyone has some unique way of using the packs for many things.

In the photo on the left, you can see my team Ergon team colored BD2 Backpack and the GP1 Leichtbau grips as well. In the photo on the right, you can just see my gloves. I’m lucky enough to live in Europe where these gloves (the HM1) are available.

Now, let me tell you a few things about these products. First, the grips. I’m primarily a singlespeeder. Also, I ride mostly without suspension so my hands can get quite tired and used to fall asleep after many hours in the saddle. Since I installed the GP1 grips on my bikes, I’ve not had any problems whatsoever. In fact, I’ve spent up to 8-9 hours in the saddle mtb touring in the Dolomites without a hint of a problem.

Ergon makes grips in many different configurations and also in various sizes. What that means to you is that you can choose what size, shape or color works for you. You can also get them with barends of various shapes and materials (i.e. Carbon Fiber, Magnesium, etc.).

The pack… in a word…. FANTASTIC!

Let me give you an idea of what some of the other team members have to say about Ergon products too.

Matt and Ergon working together

Matt Turgeon says… “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 freidn familiar with the Ergon grips 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!”

Andrew and Ergon

Andrew’s Ergon on the White Rim

Andrews pack on the White Rim

Andrew Carney says… “The Ergon BD2 is hands down the best hydration pack I’ve ever had on my back. The Ball-Link (FLink) system allows the pack to move with you and your movements as your ride. Long gone are the days of packs riding up or shoulder straps hindering upper body movement. It’s a sensation that truly has to be experienced to fully comprehend because you’ll never know how good a pack can feel until you’ve had an Ergon on your back. Inside the pack are countless little organizational details such as compartment separators, organizers, and an integrated rain fly. If you ride with a pack for long or short rides, a Ergon BD2 will be a vast improvement over traditional hydration packs in terms of both comfort and function.

I’ve been using Ergon grips for 2 years now and it was love at first grasp. The wing shape of the grip vastly reduces hand fatigue over long rides and provides many different hand positions. I prefer the GR2 with bar ends because they provide additional hand positions and leverage when I need it. I have a set of Ergons on every bike I own and no bike is complete without a set. Even if you’ve never experienced hand pain or fatigue on traditional grips, a set of Ergons will drastically improve both your comfort and control level while on the bike.”

Jeni Turgeon says… “The Ergon pack has got to be one of the most versatile pieces out there. It fits well to the back and allows you to stash tons of items either in the pack or outside and on it! ” and “No more sore hands with the Ergon grips!”

…and in the “Probably not what Ergon had in mind but we used their packs for it anyway file”…..

Devin Curran says… “I once attached a rear 29″ wheel to mine and rode home 9 miles from work…” Devins photos below.

Devin’s BD2 backpack and his Spot

Looking over Devin’s Ergon grips at the road ahead

Matt using his BD2 as a utility pack

Matt with the same BD2 out for a hike

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

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.

The state championship race was last Saturday, 6 December. Beautiful weather, but not cyclocross weather. I was in the A race as a CAT 3, many fast racers on the line. I was still the only singlespeed, riding my trusty, all purpose, Specialized Singlecross. I had a great start, lined up at the barriers, and the race proceeded, for an hour. After having been a little under the weather for five days, I was happy to not botch up more dismounts and remounts than I did. By the end, I was catching one of the P12’s that got away from me earlier.

The race ended, and to my surprise, I was third on the podium to THE FASTEST CROSSER in the state! This was my first “podium” at the state championships, in cross, and that made all the effort more worthwhile. I hope to move up a step ot two next year, it’ll take some work.

We have a tentative Jan and Feb cross series coming in 09, so I have a starting point after the holidays. Thanks to all our sponsors! And thanks to Nate for heckling (cheering).

Chris