Bike Diva

Cocoa Beach Century Ride Care Packages

Cocoa Beach Century Ride

My husband and I are getting ready to leave for Cocoa Beach, Florida. We will be participating in the 22nd annual Intracoastal Waterway Century Ride. This is a 100 mile road bike ride, which takes place in Cocoa Beach on Halloween Day. The ride is hosted by the Spacecoast Freewheelers bicycle club.

Above: our 2010 Team in Training jerseys and pasta party t-shirts.

Bike with Team in Training

This will be our 5th century ride with the Palm Beach Team in Training cycle team. TNT is the main fundraising program for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a national organization which helps to raise money to find a cure for blood cancers. I am a member of the team, and my husband, Rob, is our coach! I am one month shy of turning 47, and Rob just turned 54 last week. We are a couple of young chicky poos when it comes to charity bike rides!

Above: close up view of the back side of our pasta party t-shirts.

This is the 3rd time we've participated in the Cocoa Beach century ride. We've also done El Tour de Tucson, in Tucson, Arizona and America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride, in Tahoe, Nevada. We like the Cocoa Beach ride, it's only about a 3 hour drive from our house. Since it's a local event, we can take the mini van and loaded it up with all our bikes and gear, and not have to worry about outrageous airfaire charges.

Above: century ride care packages

Century Ride Care Package

Although there will be 5 official rest stops during the century ride, you never know what kind of food and hydration products will be available. So just to be on the safe side, I put together a century ride care package for both my husband and I. I filled the care packages with a variety of products that I thought we would use the day of the ride. I keep a basket filled with all the free samples I get in my race day packages. I went through the basket to look for small, sample sizes that will easily fit into our bike bags and/or the back of our cycling jerseys.

Here is what I put in each care package:

• sample size Chamois butter - don't want to have any chaffing issues during such a long ride.
• small tube Aquaphor healing ointment - I like chamois butter for my butt, but anywhere else that might rub/chafe (arms, feet, chest) I prefer to use Aquaphor.
• lip gloss for me, chapstick for my husband
• Clif Bar shot bloks - something to chew during the ride, gel packs get boring after awhile
• gel packs - mocha with caffeine for my husband, caffeine-free fruit flavors for me
• small package almonds - for before, during or after ride
• Bio Freeze - for aches and pains during the ride
• package Clif Bar roks - a bit of protein will help during such a long ride
• sample packs sunscreen - you can still get sunburned in south Florida this time of year
• Tube of Nuun electrolyte hydration tablets. Never know what brand sports drink they will have at the SAG stops. I like to add 1 1/2 tablets Nuun to each 20 ounce water bottle and fill with water at the rest stops. Certain brands of sports drinks make me sick to my stomach, Nuun is a great product!
• package Recoverite powder - protein/carb recovery drink made by Hammer Nutrition. For after the ride. We'll keep this in the van and grab it as soon as we finish the bike ride.

Contact Sports Nutrition Diva

What kind of products do you carry with you during a long bike ride? Leave a comment at the end of this blog post or send an email to: [email protected].

 

Take care,
Sports Nutrition Diva

Alberto Contador Suspended From Cycling

Okay, apparently I've been living in a cave. I just found out this morning that Alberto Contador tested positive for a banned substance back on July 21. You know, Alberto Contador, winner of the 2009 and 2010 Tour de France.

All I can say is WTF!?! I hope it's not true, but he is a smarry bastard and I didn't like how he snaked Andy Schleck out of winning this years tour. Schleck had a mechanical issue during one of the mountain stages, and Contador was behind him when it happened. Contador used the opportunity to stomp on his pedals and pass Schleck later claiming he didn't know Schleck was having a problem. Contador only beat Schleck by around 38 seconds at this years tour.

And don't even get me started on the 2009 Tour when he threw Lance under the bus, when they were on the same team last year.

PRESS RELEASE

Here's a copy of the official press release:

“The UCI confirmed today that Spanish rider Alberto Contador returned an adverse analytical finding for clenbuterol following the analysis of urine sample taken during an in competition test on 21st July 2010 on the second rest day of the Tour de France. This result was reported by the WADA accredited laboratory in Cologne to UCI and WADA simultaneously.

“The concentration found by the laboratory was estimated at 50 picograms (or 0,000 000 000 05 grams per ml) which is 400 time less than what the antidoping laboratories accredited by WADA must be able to detect.”

“In view of this very small concentration and in consultation with WADA, the UCI immediately had the proper results management proceedings conducted including the analysis of B sample that confirmed the first result. The rider, who had already put an end to his cycling season before the result was known, was nevertheless formally and provisionally suspended as is prescribed by the World Anti-Doping Code.

“This case required further scientific investigation before any conclusion could be drawn. The UCI continues working with the scientific support of WADA to analyse all the elements that are relevant to the case. This further investigation may take some more time.

“In order to protect the integrity of the proceedings and in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code, the UCI will refrain from making any further comments until the management of this adverse analytical finding has been completed."

Bike Diva's Opinion

Contador is claiming he ate contaminated meat and that caused the wonky test results. What? I'm waiting to her additional details before making my final judgement, but dang, the professional cycling world is just messed up.

So if Contador is stripped of this years Tour de France title, then it means Andy Schleck becomes the winner. And it makes you think about Contador's win last year too, when Shcleck was again 2nd and Lance Armstrong was 3rd. HMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva

Amateur Athletes Yearly Racing & Training Budget

Above: Just a small sampling of the shoes a runner will go through in a typical year.

Budget Your Athletic Expenses

Although I've been a cyclist for about 7 years, 2011 will be the beginning of my 4th race season. I started running about 3 years ago, when I decided I wanted to start competing in duathlons and a few half marathons.

Somewhere along the way I decided to look into possible sponsorship opportunities. I was born in 1963, so my racing age will be 48 years old for the 2011 race season. I wasn't expecting much, at my advanced age, and not being an Olympic hopeful, but I figured nothing ventured is nothing gained and sent out a few sponsorship proposals. Read my article How to Find Sponsorship Opportunities for details on how to write a sponsorship proposal and find sponsorship opportunities.

Now that I have a few years of racing under my belt, I am realizing I am quite young. I've raced against girls in their late 60's and men in their late 70's, and they are still kicking butt! You are never too old to start racing. I think the fact that I participate in so many races, over 20 this year, and am a freelance writer with two sports related blogs, probably helps my chances of getting sponsored.

Above: Examples of a few personal care products used by athletes.

Yearly Athletic Budget

For 2011 I am looking into possibly getting a few monetary sponsorships. Right now my sponsorships are either in the form of free gear or a Pro Deal Discount on products. But I have quite a few expenses and would like to be able to compete in the USAT Duathlon National Championships which take place in Tucson, Arizona in 2011 and 2012. So I decided to come up with an athlete budget which I could include in my sponsorship proposal, to show potential sponsors where their $$ contributions are needed.

Lynn Smythe Yearly Athlete Budget

1. Race entry fees
2. Gas and vehicle expenses
3. Meals
4. Personal trainer and/or coaching fees
5. Club memberships
6. Books and Magazine subscriptions
7. Nutrition and hydration
8. Personal care products
9. Shoes and clothing
10. Bike equipment and maintenance
11. Airfare
12. Bike shipping
13. Hotels

Above: Two aero hydration systems by Profile Designs.

Break Down of Athlete's Expenses

1. Race entry fees. I like to go over the previous years races, decide which ones I want to race in next year, drop the races I didn't enjoy, and add a list of new races I'd like to participate in for the upcoming race season. Local 5k events aren't too bad; around $25-$40 per race, but some of my bigger events, like the Miami Man half Ironman duathlon cost $280 or more to enter. My 2010 race entry fees came out to around $1,000.

2. Gas or vehicle expense. Might just be easier to figure out your total miles driving to and from your events and then figure on a per mile rate for gas and vehicle maintenance. In 2010 the IRS is allowing you to deduct 50 cents per mile as a business vehicle expenses. I'm not saying you can deduct 50 cents per mile on your tax return for all the driving to/from your events; I'm just trying to figure out a way to guesstimate your athletic related vehicle expenses for the year. 

3. Meals. Some of my events are an hour or more drive to and from my house. I try to bring all my necessary fluids and food with me, but sometimes you just have to pull into the nearest convenience store for a cold drink or stop at a restaurant on your way home to enjoy some real food. Gel packs, shot blocks and electrolyte drinks get old after awhile. And if you are getting a hotel room a day or two before events that are further away, you will definitely want to figure out your cost of meals, drinks and snacks while away from home.

4. Personal trainer and/or coaches fees. I started with a cycling coach at the beginning of the year. He was a great coach, but as my main focus is on duathlon racing (run-bike-run) a cycling coach really wasn't what I was looking for. The coaching was also done online and through phone calls, I am more of a one-on-one type of person. I started going to a personal trainer a few months ago, to work on my upper body and core strength and I absolutely love it. I was working out at home a few times a week, but having the weights and equipment right next to my laundry room just didn't work out that well. I always felt guilty about working out when there was a huge mountain of stinky clothes staring at me.

I started out going to the personal trainer twice a week for 1/2 hour at a time, but I have recently gone to 3x per week. Personal trainers are NOT cheap. Mine charges $80 per hour for individual sessions or $70 per hour if you sign up for 3 hours at a time. So it costs me $210 every two weeks for 6 half hour sessions. So assuming I don't take any time off for vacations, my yearly personal training budget comes to $5,460 - YIKES! My cycling coach only charged $50 per month plus a yearly $100 setup fee; but the triathlon multisport coaches I've been researching charge anywhere from $200 to $400 per month, so I guess my personal trainer fees aren't that far out of line.

5. Club Memberships. Do you belong to any cycling, running or triathlon clubs? My husband and I belong to a couple of local bike clubs which charge a yearly membership fee to each of their members. One of the bike clubs is through a local bike shop. You get a 20% store wide discount, excluding bikes, for being a member of the club. Definitely worth the $30 yearly family membership fee.

Above: Fluid makes a great protein/carb recovery drink to have after your intense training sessions and races.

6. Books and Magazine Subscriptions. I go to the bookstore every few weeks to see which issues of my favorite magazines have come out. It can get a bit pricey to buy individual copies of magazines, so you might want to look into getting a yearly subscription to your favorites. I subscribe to Triathlon Magazine, but still buy individual copies of certain issues of Inside Triathlon, Trail Runner and Runner's World. I might eventually get subscriptions to those magazines in the future.

Have you purchased any sports related books to help with your training and racing? Keep records of your yearly purchases and figure that into your athletic budget. I am a book NUT, I try to find discounted copies of books through Amazon.com and occasionally get free review copies of sports books to review for my Bike Diva and Run Diva blogs.

I am relatively new to racing, so right now I'm in the sponge stage. I can't get enough of cycling, running and triathlon magazines and books. Here is a list of books I purchased in 2010:

• The Triathlete's Training Bible
• Zinn & the Art of Triathlon Bikes
• The Athlete's Plate
• Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes
• Racing Weight
• Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running
• Marathon; The Ultimate Training Guide
• Training and Racing with a Power Meter
• The Slow Fat Triathlete
• Shape Up with the Slow Fat Triathlete
• The Triathlete's Guide to Bike Training
• The Triathlete's Guide to Run Training

7. Nutrition and hydration. For all your sports related food and drinks. Electrolyte powders, salt tablets, recovery drinks, protein bars, gel packs, shot blocks, etc... I go through a ton of this stuff every year. I have a few sponsors that have given me a Pro Deal Discount on various nutrition products so I have a closet full of nutrition and hydration products on hand at all times. In lieu of sponsorship, try buying in bulk, i.e. full cases and canisters of products instead of individual packages.

8. Personal care products. Do I have to spell it out for you? Here is a list of some of the personal care products I use on a regular basis:

• Chamois butter - to prevent chaffing and saddle sores while on the bike
• Body Glide - to prevent chaffing while running.
• Sun screen - I live in south east Florida and go through a TON of sunscreen each year.
• Lip gloss - I try to use one with a SPF of 15 or higher.
• Bio Freeze - or similar product. To rub on sore muscles during and after long training sessions and century bike rides.
• Adult wipes - Action wipes or similar product. To do a quick wipe down of muck and grime after riding. Especially nice if you are out on the mountain bike trails, miles away from indoor plumbing. 
• Travel size Kleenix. I can't tell you how many races I've been to and there is no toilet paper in the porta-potties. I've even been to events with indoor plumbing, and again no tp when you need it. Maybe guys can get away with the shake it off and put your junk back in your shorts method, but most girls need a bit of paper to get the job done. TMI?

9. Shoes and clothing. Figure out you yearly expenses for cycling shoes, running shoes, running hats, socks, jogging bras, shorts, tops, racing uniforms, etc... I go through a ton of running shoes per year, but my road bike shoes and triathlon bike shoes should last a couple of years. Clothing and equipment eventually wears out and will need to be replaced. I also figure out expenses for things like compression sleeves and quick laces into this category. And do you need to put your sponsorship logos on your race uniforms? Then you will need to research companies that will make customized clothing for you at a decent price.

Above: Most runners, cyclists and triathletes will want to invest in a good run and/or bike computer with heart rate monitor.

10. Bike equipment and maintenance. Unless you are a pro cyclist or triathlete, you shouldn't need to get a new bike every year. But your bike will need at least a yearly tune up, unless you know how to do that yourself, and certain items on your bike will need replacing and/or upgrading on a regular basis. I own three bikes, a Felt Breed single speed cyclocross bike, a Trek Madone 6.5 carbon fiber road bike and a Cervelo P2C triathlon bike. Right now I do all my racing on the tri bike, so I only figure in expenses for that bike into my yearly racing budget. Here's a few items to consider adding to your yearly bike budget:

• Tune ups - yearly or more often if you do a lot of racing
• Tubes and CO2 cartridges - unless you are blessed with never getting a flat tire, you will need a few inner tubes during the year. I ride clincher tires on my tri bike, if you ride tubular tires, you can eliminate this expense.
• Tires - tires don't last forever, I usually replace mine at least once per year. And you might want a couple of sets of tires depending on the various training and racing conditions you will encounter throughout the year. I race with red Michelin Pro 3 Race tires on my tri bike, they retail for around $55 to $65 each; that's over $100 per set of tires. But these tires last FOREVER!
• Misc. bike components - water bottles, water bottle holders, bike bags, lights, etc... You should be able to get a few years out of these items, but they will eventually need replacing. And my dishwasher occasionally melts my water bottles, or the bottles get launched into never-never-land when you hit a big bump.
• Helmets - I wear a road bike helmet for training and one of those funky aero helmets while racing. I crashed on my road bike a few months ago, no big deal, but after a close examination of my helmet I noticed three hairline cracks. That helmet got trashed and I had to get a new helmet. Good road bike helmets can cost upwards of $100, my current helmet retails for around $185, and my aero helmet was around $300. Luckily I have a Pro Deal discount from Rudy Project for cycling helmets and sunglasses.
• Sunglasses. I guess this could be put in the clothing and shoe category but good cycling and running glasses can cost a bit of $$$$. I put sunglasses in the bike expense category, all my sunglasses are cycling specific but can also be used for running. Most of my sunglasses have interchangeable lenses so I can change out the lens depending on weather/sunlight conditions.
• Bike upgrades. New set of wheels, aerobars, etc... I've got some really nice bikes, but I'm always drooling over the latest and greatest equipment upgrades I see in magazines.
• Electronic gadgets. Cycling computer, run computer, multisport computer. I was using a Garmin Edge 305 cycle computer while biking, and a Tech40 run computer while running and walking. I recently misplaced the cycle computer, and as I have a birthday coming up, I decide to indulge in my wish to own a Garmin Forerunner 310XT multisport computer with heart rate monitor. It is pretty cool. It is water proof and can be used for run, bike or swim workouts. It even has a multisport setting, which will be perfect for recording all my data during my duathlon races. This piece of equipment, while pricey, should last you many years. The Garmin Forerunner 310XT retails for around $400, shop around online to find the best price.

11. Airfare. Are you doing any out of state or out of country events? Then you will want to figure in airline expenses into your yearly budget.

12. Bike shipping. Again, you only need to figure this expense in if you are flying to out of state or out of country events. Check the ads in the back of triathlon magazines or do a search online for bike shipping companies. Might be cheaper and more secure than having the airlines ship your bike.

13. Hotels. For far away events. Out of state, out of country, or even in state events that are more than a few hours drive from your home.

Above: The Bike Diva's road bike prior to upgrading the wheels. I crashed on this bike at the beginning of the year and tacoed the back wheel. I'm now riding this bike with a pair of Easton EA90 SLX road bike wheels - NICE!

Contact the Bike Diva

Leave me a comment at the end of this blog post. I would love to hear about your yearly athletic budget. Are there any major categories that I've forgotten that you think should be added into a typical athletes budget? Maybe conferences and clinics? I guess if you are traveling to Interbike or attending a special training session by a famous athlete/coach you will want to add that into your budget.

After writing this blog post, I realize I have caviar dreams and champagne wishes on a happy meal budget. Do most amateur athletes have similar expenses or am I pro racer wanna be!?! Luckily my freelance writing income covers most of my training and racing expenses, but I was really hoping to start saving up that $$ to use a a down payment on a house in North Carolina. Bummer.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva

Johnny Rockets Restaurant Via Bike Delivery

PRESS RELEASE

Bicycle Delivery Boosts Business for Johnny Rockets Chestnut Street Location

Home of the Original Hamburger Now Brings Burgers to Businesses, in San Francisco

LAKE FOREST, Calif., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- San Franciscans living and working within ten-blocks of the Johnny Rockets restaurant, on Chestnut Street, can now have their favorite all-American menu items delivered for free, with the purchase of $10 or more. Known for its authentic Original Hamburgers, American Fries, and hand-dipped shakes, this is the first West Coast Johnny Rockets to unveil a bicycle delivery service.

 (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100907/LA59903 )
 (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100907/LA59903 )

The Chestnut Street restaurant serves and delivers classic American food to guests in the Marina and Cow Hollow neighborhoods, between 11:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., daily. All of Johnny Rockets' San Francisco locations also introduced new menus this year, which feature the brand's timeless menu classics and healthy dining options that include chicken sandwiches, Boca Burgers®, turkey burgers and salads.

Beyond first-rate delivery and customer service, all of Johnny Rockets' San Francisco restaurants feature Niman Ranch beef, which is vegetarian-fed and sustainably raised with no hormones or antibiotics. All Niman Ranch beef is USDA Choice or Prime, ideally marbled and remarkably tender. It complements the premium ingredients currently featured in other Johnny Rockets favorites.

"San Francisco is known as one of the most environmentally conscious cities in the country and we are proud to show Johnny Rockets' commitment to sustainability and traffic reduction," said Johnny Rockets Franchise Owner Matt Johnson. "We have always prepared our food with the finest ingredients, but the addition of the premium Niman Ranch beef attests to how our company caters to the desires and needs of the local community, while the new bicycle delivery service provides a convenient way for San Franciscans to enjoy their Johnny Rockets' favorites."

Added Johnny Rockets Director of Field Marketing, Lisa Bass, "Serving the highest quality of beef available and offering unique delivery services are among the notable benchmarks for our San Francisco market. These new options help us accommodate to the ever-changing needs of our customers, while staying true to our classic American offerings."

For more information about Johnny Rockets franchising partnership opportunities go to www.johnnyrockets.com.

About Johnny Rockets

Since 1986, Johnny Rockets has offered the food, fun and friendliness that remind guests of timeless, feel-good Americana. Every Johnny Rockets restaurant serves simple, great-tasting food from a menu of all-American favorites, including juicy hamburgers, classic sandwiches and hand-dipped shakes and malts. It's the place to go for fast, friendly service, flavorful food, uplifting music and relaxed, casual fun. Headquartered in Lake Forest, Calif., Johnny Rockets has 295 corporate and franchise-owned restaurants in 32 states, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico and 15 countries, including those found in Six Flags amusement parks and aboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships. Johnny Rockets is currently franchising new restaurants in most markets. To learn more about Johnny Rockets, visit www.johnnyrockets.com.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100907/LA59903
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN#13
PRN Photo Desk, [email protected]
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100907/LA59903

Source: Johnny Rockets

CONTACT: Cozette Phifer Koerber of Johnny Rockets, +1-949-643-6135,
[email protected]; Amy Toosley of Allison & Partners, +1-619-533-7976,
[email protected]

Web Site: http://www.johnnyrockets.com/

Grant Potter Wins Masters Road Championships

PRESS RELEASE

zMotion's Team Captain Grant Potter Wins 16th UCI World Masters Road Championships

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- zMotion - a Zimmerman Advertising team - is proud to announce that team captain Grant Potter has taken first in his age category in this year's UCI World Masters Road Championships stage race in Austria. Potter finished with a total of 65 points, far ahead of his nearest competitor with only 59 points.

 (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100907/FL60452 )
 (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100907/FL60452 )
 (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100113/FL35692LOGO )
 (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100113/FL35692LOGO )

"This is an awesome achievement for Grant and the entire zMotion family that supports his cycling passion," says Pat Patregnani, agency President and founder of zMotion. "Victories like this allow us to continue to raise money for charitable causes and to be ambassadors of this great sport. Huge 'congratulations' and 'thanks' go out to Grant!"

The World Masters Road Championships attracts 3,500 rides from 53 nations. Riders compete in a total of 50 competitions. The race, which is held in St. Johann in Tirol, Austria, is one of the oldest continuously run Masters races in the world.

This is Potter's first year riding for Team zMotion. Among his long list of cycling accomplishments, Potter has won numerous Masters trophies in the last several years. He has continued to hold his winning position in 2010 by finishing in the top ten at the USA Cycling 2010 Masters Road Nationals in Lexington, Kentucky earlier this month. He also won best overall rider at the Gwinnett Bike Fest in Georgia last month. Potter lives in Parkland, Florida, with his wife Christine and their three children.

Year-to-date, zMotion has raised nearly $2 million for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Kids in Distress (KID), Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital and other worthwhile causes. zMotion's next big charity ride is the Second Annual Bike BBQ Beer Beach Bash on October 24, 2010. Proceeds will benefit zMotion's "Ride Right, Drive Right" initiative. For more information on zMotion's race team or its charitable involvement, visit zMotion.org.

ABOUT ZMOTION

zMotion is a Zimmerman Advertising Team. zMotion has become a visible force in the cycling community with over 600 riding members throughout South Florida. It's an energy that inspires us to be better, do better, and live better - not just for ourselves, but for the company beside us and the community around us. It's about giving more than we receive and challenging us to make a bigger difference in our own lives, the lives of others, and to never stop riding for a better tomorrow. For more information, visit zMotion.org.

ABOUT ZIMMERMAN ADVERTISING

Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Zimmerman Advertising, an Omnicom Group(TM) company, is the country's leading national retail brand builder, and the 14th largest advertising agency in the United States according to Adweek, with more than 1,100 full-time associates and offices throughout the country, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta. For information on the agency, visit zadv.com. To learn more about Jordan Zimmerman, his business philosophies and opinions, visit his blogspot: http://www.yousleepwhenyoudie.com/.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100113/FL35692LOGO
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100907/FL60452
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN24
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100113/FL35692LOGO
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100907/FL60452
PRN Photo Desk, [email protected]

Source: Zimmerman Advertising

CONTACT: Kelly Downey, Shamin Abas Public Relations,
[email protected], +1-561-366-1226

Web Site: http://www.zadv.com/

Riding Hills in Clermont, Florida

Above: nice rolling hills in Clermont.

On Saturday, August 21, 2010, I got a chance to ride my road bike in Clermont, Florida with members of my local Team in Training cycle team. I am currently training with the Palm Beach Team in Training cycle team for the Intracoastal Waterway Century Ride which takes place on October 31 in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Team in Training is the main fundraising program for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Above: Team in Training member Larry Goldberg celebrated his 50th birthday in Clermont. Delicious chocolate cake and photograph by team mentor Chris Maly. Don't ask about the banana, some team members act like they are 5 years old.

Team in Training Cycle Team

Clermont is located approximately 30 miles west of Orlando, AKA the home of Mickey Mouse. Ten team members made the trip up to Clermont, including Coach Bryan and Coach Rob. Coach Rob is my husband, and we carpooled up to Clermont along with Coach Bryan. We met team members Tina, Shanon, Andrea, Jen, Chris, Larry and Alex at the Holiday Inn Express hotel. Clermont is about a 3 hour drive, northwest,  from Palm Beach county. Palm Beach county is flat-as-a-pancake, unless you count some of our larger bridges such as Blue Heron as "hill" training.

Florida Mountains

Clermont is sometimes referred to as the Florida Alps. Many people are surprised to learn there are actually a few hills to be found in Florida. Clermont has lots of rolling hills and a couple of pretty steep climbs. Quite a few triathlons occur in Clermont and it is also the home of the National Training Center. It was really nice riding in Clermont. We normally ride along A1A in Palm Beach county, which has nice ocean views, but WAY too many angry drivers. Most areas of Clermont had very little traffic and beautiful scenery including many views of the various lakes in the area.

Above: start of the climb up Sugarloaf Mtn Road.

Climb a Hill in Clermont

Due to some team members having to walk up a few of the hills, and taking a few breaks to fill up our water bottles and regroup with the team, it took us just over 3 hours to travel 40 miles. That seems like an awful long time to do a 40 mile ride, but those hills were brutal!

Above: members of the Palm Beach Team in Training cycle team taking a break after climbing up Sugarloaf Mountain. Photo by Alex Melkonian.

Thanks to Coach Bryan's research on bike rides in Clermont, through the Map My Ride website, here's a little bit of information on the major hills we climbed up during our 40 mile bike ride.

The Wall

• 135' elevation gain
• 18% slope
• 0.21 miles

Buckhills

• 223' elevation gain
• 11% slope
• 2.5 miles

Sugarloaf

• 207' elevation gain
• 14% slope
• 0.73 miles

North Ridge

• 164' elevation gain
• 12% slope
• 0.6 miles

Above: another view of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Not for the Faint of Heart

It took us quite a while to do our 40 mile bike ride in Clermont. The hills were a lot harder than most team members anticipated. I guess if you live in the area, the hills would get easier if you started training there on a regular basis. But for us Florida flat landers, dang if we didn't get our butt kicked! Many of the team members ended up doing quite a bit of walking to get over some of the bigger hills. And the only members of the team to make it all the way up Sugarloaf Mountain were Coach Bryan, Coach Rob and Alex. GO TEAM!

Above: the Bike Diva pauses in Clermont and wishes Coach Rob would stop saying "this is the last hill." Photo by Alex Melkonian.

Sugarloaf Mountain and Other Hills

Rob and I first went to Clermont about 3 years ago when we were training for the El Tour de Tucson 109 mile road bike ride with Team in Training. Neither one of us made it up Sugarloaf that trip, and I seem to remember having to walk a couple of the other hills too. So I was pretty happy making it up all the hills except Sugarloaf. I was having some clunky/slippy gear problems at the top of most hills, and took my road bike in to the Racer's Edge bike shop to get a tune up after getting back into town. I'm not sure if I would have made it up Sugarloaf even if my bike wasn't having problems, but it does make me wonder.

Above: Andrea filling her water bottle at the top of Sugarloaf Mountain Road. Photo by Jen Biedermann Coull.

Grab Some Water

For the past few years, the house at the top of Sugarloaf Mountain Road, has been placing out coolers of water and cups for cyclists training in Clermont that attempt the climb. There aren't a lot of places to stop for water along the way, it is a really rural area where most of the Clermont rides take place. So to have cold water available to fill our water bottles with after our assault on Sugarloaf was a welcome treat. Clermont residents Harry & Janice Fenstad place two large, orange coolers, paper cups and trash cans at the end of their driveway for any cyclists passing by that need a cool drink, and they aren't even cyclists!

Above: Coach Rob and the Bike Diva taking a break in Clermont.

Find a Ride in Clermont

If you are interested in bike riding in Clermont, visit the Map My Ride website. Map My Ride contains pages and pages of preplanned bike routes from a few miles up to 100 miles. Here is the link:

www.mapmyride.com/find-ride/united-states/fl/clermont/page1

Above: team member Andrea Blair purchased a new Trek road bike the day before our Clermont ride! She found the bike at The Cycling Hub in Clermont, just down the street from our hotel and where we started/ended our 40 mile bike ride.

Bike Diva's Final Word

Although I wasn't quite so found of going fast downhill, as I was climbing uphill (I think I am the team mountain goat), I probably would go back to ride in Clermont. Some of the team members got up to 40 MPH going down some of the bigger hills! Dang, I was using way too much brake coming down the hills, kind of freaked me out going that fast on a bike. So I guess I really need to go back and conquer my fear of descending. And I would still like to be able to make it all the way up Sugarloaf Mountain without having to do any walking.

There is a nice multi-use trail, that we rode on for a little while, that connects with some of the rails-to-trails. I think you can do close to 60 miles on the multi-use trails. We rode part of the South Lake Trail, AKA Lake Apopka Trail. I also have to remember to take my Go Pro video camera with me the next time, that would have been some awesome video footage to upload to the Bike Diva blog.

Photos

Please note, I found the 3 photographs of the Clermont hills through a search done on Google images.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva

Chicago Bike Sharing Demo

PRESS RELEASE

B-cycle Teams with the City of Chicago and Bike and Roll to Launch a Bicycle-Sharing Demonstration Program This Summer

B-cycle Helping Chicago Commuters and Visitors Get Green on the Go

CHICAGO, July 29 /PRNewswire/ -- B-cycle is helping Chicago residents and visitors increase daily activity and reduce carbon emissions with a major U.S. City bike-sharing system, Chicago B-cycle. Chicago B-cycle will launch with 100 bicycles at six B-stations around the city, offering a green alternative to cars for short commutes and errands. The bikes will be available July through October 2010 and the following spring. Locations include McCormick Place, Museum Campus, Buckingham Fountain, the Chicago Park District Administrative Offices, Daley Plaza and the John Hancock Center.

"Chicago has a national reputation as one of the best large cities in the United States for bicycling. We've been working for many years to lessen traffic by offering alternatives to using the automobile," said the Mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley. "I want to thank Bike Chicago and Trek Bicycles for their hard work in putting together this 'B-cycle' project. My goal is to make Chicago the most bicycle-friendly city in the United States."

B-cycle was formed by a partnership between Humana, Trek Bicycle and Crispin Porter + Bogusky based on a shared belief that bicycles should be a vehicle for positive health and environmental change as well as an important part of a community's transportation ecosystem. Together, the founding partners developed a bike-sharing system designed specifically for U.S. cities, universities and corporate campuses. Chicago is B-cycle's second installation and follows on the heels of the successful Earth Day 2010 launch of Denver B-cycle - the first citywide bike-sharing program in the U.S.

To check out bikes, residents and tourists can register on the B-cycle Web site or at the B-stations conveniently located along the lakefront and Loop. The program will be managed by Bike and Roll Chicago.

"Bike-sharing was created for the commuter whose transit stop is two miles from the office, the urbanite running errands, and the tourist out sightseeing," explained Bob Burns, president of B-cycle and general counsel for Trek Bicycle Corporation, a B-cycle partner. "With this in mind, B-cycle offers a cruiser-style bike that is comfortable for people of all sizes and biking abilities."

Bike-Sharing Gains Speed in the U.S.

First popularized in European cities such as Paris and Barcelona, bike-sharing is quickly expanding around the world in places like Beijing, Montreal and, most recently, Mexico City. Chicago is the fourth U.S. city to set up a bike-sharing program in 2010, succeeding installations in Denver, Minneapolis and Boston. Dozens more cities, universities and corporations are considering such programs.

About B-cycle

B-cycle is a partnership between Humana Inc., Trek Bicycle Corporation and Crispin Porter + Bogusky. The founding partners share a belief that bicycles should be a vehicle for positive health and environmental change and an important part of a community's transportation ecosystem.

About Bike and Roll

Chicago B-cycle is owned and operated by Bike and Roll Chicago. Bike and Roll Chicago was founded in 1993 and operates ten lakefront bicycle rental and tour locations in the city. The company is managing partner of Bike and Roll, a national network of bike rental and tour companies with additional locations in Chicago, Miami Beach, New York City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100729/CG43377
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100729/CG43377
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN15
PRN Photo Desk, [email protected]

Source: B-cycle

CONTACT: Jeremy Rothschild of Bike and Roll Chicago, +1-773-230-4422,
[email protected]

Remaining WPB Race Series Dates

 

West Palm Beach Race Series

The West Palm Beach Race Series are 15k (9.3 mile) time trial bike races which take place in West Palm Beach, Florida. All races take place on a Sunday. Registration opens at 7:15 AM, with the first rider off at 8:01 AM. There is a $15 per rider registration fee, or $5 for junior racers under 18 years old.

Visit the West Palm Beach Race Series website, for additional information on the races, including directions to the race site.

Above: a few cyclists at the 2009 WPB Race Series

Remaining 2010 Race Schedule

• July 11
• August 22
• September 12
• October 3
• October 24

Above: the Bike Diva getting ready to race

Additional WPB Race Series Posts

1. 2010 West Palm Beach Time Trial Series
   
2. Bike Diva's Last Time Trial for 2009

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva

Felt Bicycle Recalls

Felt Bicycles Recalls Bicycles Due to Fall Hazard

WASHINGTON, June 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

 
 Name of product: 2009 Felt model B12, B16 and S32 road bicycles.

 Units: About 2,100 bicycles

 Importer: Felt Bicycles, of Irvine, Calif.

 Manufacturer: ADK Technology Limited of China

Hazard: The bicycle's fork steer tube can break, causing the rider to lose control, fall and suffer injuries.

Incidents/Injuries: Felt Bicycles has received seven reports of the bicycle forks breaking. Minor injuries, including bumps and bruises were reported in one of the incidents.

Description: The recall includes all 2009 Felt model B12, B16 and S32 road bicycles.

 -- 2009 B12 - These bicycles are gloss silver/carbon and have carbon
   fiber frames with carbon fiber forks with aluminum steer tubes.
 -- 2009 B16 - These bicycles are matte black/red and have carbon fiber
   frames with carbon fiber forks with aluminum steer tubes.
 -- 2009 S32 - These bicycles are available in gloss white/red and have
   aluminum frames with carbon fiber forks with aluminum steer tubes.

Sold at: Bicycle specialty stores nationwide from October 2008 through May 2010 for between about $2,300 and $3,100 per bicycle.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bicycles and contact your local Felt Bicycles dealer to receive a free inspection and repair.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Felt Bicycles toll-free at (866) 433-5887 or (866) 4-FELT-US, or visit the firm's website at www.feltracing.com.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from over 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $800 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Under federal law, it is illegal to attempt to sell or re-sell this or any other recalled product.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772, teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this press release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov. To join a free e-mail subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.

 Firm's Recall Hotline: (866) 433-5887
 CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
 CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030904/USCSCLOGO )
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, [email protected]
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20030904/USCSCLOGO

Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

CONTACT: CPSC Media, +1-301-504-7908

Web Site: http://www.cpsc.gov/
http://www.feltracing.com/

A Ride for Josie

A Ride for Josie

About Josie:

On March 17th, 2010, 15 year old Josie Lou Ratley was the victim of a brutal crime when she was confronted by a teenage boy who beat her until she was unconscious after school.

Josie was just released from the hospital where she was in a coma for four weeks. The months ahead are going to be extremely difficult for Josie and financially overwhelming for her family. Josie needs our help on her road to recovery. She is now undergoing intense therapy. Josie's beating underscores the severity of the problem of teen violence in America.

The community has organized this ride to raise money to help Josie," said John Esposito, one of the many organizers of this event and father of a 7th grader who attends Josie's school. "We're trying to raise awareness and get the community involved in helping this child and her family recover from this tragedy." In a show of support to raise funds, all cyclists are invited to participate in "Let's Break The Cycle... A Ride for Josie."

Please join us on Sunday, June 27th, 2010 for this charity bike ride. Together, we can make a difference.

Event Details

• June 27th, 2010, 7:30 AM
• Depart from the Cove Restaurant
• 33 or 65 mile ride options
• Online registration: A Ride for Josie