Crispie Pursuits: Thanks and the last week of the off season

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Thanks and the last week of the off season

First, a big thank you to everyone who voted for me and the Zipp 2001 in Cycology Bicycles (free plug) Bike Beauty contest. We crushed everyone else (Take that Mike!) and I came away with the belt buckle and bragging rights. It's great to see some hope that these little pieces of history won't be forgotten. It's hard to believe that this bike is 20 years old and the design is around 25+ (1989) and yet many parts of the design (internal routing, aero brakes - especially the rear and it's placing) are only recently making their way into our sport as "the norm."

I'll give you, new bikes BB mounted brakes do have the advantage of actually having a shot of stopping you...

It doesn't hurt that it's also one of the fastest bikes ever made... holding up well even to today's superbikes. And I mean, c'mon. It's a sweet bike.

Speaking of sweet... here's another Zipp bike that I've always been intrigued by

The handlebars are probably a bit obnoxious (I'm thinking Obree "Egg" style is the way to go) and the HED 3 is a little bit blasphemous, but the motorcycle fairing is a great (if totally illegal) idea. Maybe you could make it "functional" somehow...

That thing "looks" like it could really do some work if you were willing to suffer a heinous position for a long enough time.

Anyways, I'll post up some pictures of the belt buckle as soon as I go claim it. Thanks again to all who voted for me.

As for the truly exciting stuff, racing starts next week!!!! Ohhh yeah! Next Wednesday is my first (ever...) criterium race, and then Sunday is the Knoxville Half Marathon. It's been two years (2011) since I last ran the Knox 1/2, and I'm excited to give it another go. I felt like a 1:41:xx was a great time for me then, but I have to say I will be a little disappointed if I don't go into the low/mid 1:3x:xx's this year. I know better than to put expectations on my race BEFORE race day arrives, but there it is anyways.

First tri is the next weekend, I'm still a bit undecided as to whether I'll be doing it or not. Hopefully all will go well with the 1/2 and I'll be ripping and raring to go for it as well. It'd be nice to start off tri season with a podium place, and the Trideltathon has treated me well in the past.