Back in the 80s Shimano raised the bar in metallurgy and component technology and Campagnolo had to struggle to close the gap.  It’s been a brutal battle ever since; attack after attack.  However, today, Monday, November 7th, Campy reportedly had a press release in Sicily for their much talked about electronic gruppo.

Bicycling Magazine has published an article in their current issue: The Italian Job. You’ll find the article on the website; www.bicycling.com {the publication has been timed very well with the press release}.   Follow the link to see more photos of the EPS components.

Also visit Road.cc to read an even better article {with great photos} [that's where I got the picture on the  left].

The gruppo weighs an estimated 1,938 grams {1938 grams = 4.3 lbs} [~200 grams lighter than Di2 and claims a longer battery life] (200 grams = 7  ounces | ~1/2 lb) [that must include the battery].

Note: Apparently Stage 6 of the Giro d’Italia (May 12, 2011)  was won by Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi on a bike equipped with Campy’s EPS {electronic gruppo}.

Yo lo quiero. B’Animaux.

This tiny video camera can record continuously for up to 10 hours.   When you’re dropping everyone up the climb or crushing’em in the sprint, you’ll have to flip the camera backwards to record everyone’s suffering.   Or when your legs have turned to rubber and you’re getting dropped like you’re going backwards, you can send the last 30 seconds of going OTB to Facebook, Twitter or YouTube via your smart phone in your back pocket.  $180-$200.  (Apparently, it’s limited to 30 second clips.)

Looxcie has helmet strap accessories; buy two & keep one pointed back and one forward.  Or go all the way with two GoPro Heros*. Two Heros will give close to 360 degrees of coverage.

Visit www.looxcie.com for camera details.

*The GoPro Hero has a battery life of 2.5 hours. The biggest memory card you can use is 32GB and the largest file you can record without stopping and hitting record again is 4GB.  According to GoPro stats that’s approx. 1 hour of recording (4GB) at low resolution at 30fps or ~40mins at low res at 60fps. [See review for details]

Campagnolo: 75 Years of Cycling Passion

List $39.95.  You can’t afford not to have this book in your reference library [right next to your Helmut Newton collection].

It’s  a cool coffee table book that surveys the evolution & development of componentry, the cycling industry and racing:  the quick release, the Simplex lever, the dual-rod gear changer,  the Gran Sport derailleur [1950], Tullio Campagnolo,  Ernesto Colnago, Cino Cinelli, Faliero Masi, …

Find facts like:
1860 First pair of brakes fitted to a bicycle
1878 Introduction of the bicycle chain
1891 Michelin brothers invent replaceable tires
1895 First true derailleur by Jean Loubeyre

Read Animaux!

In the mid-80s, after the Los Angeles Olympics and with the new velodrome at Dominguez Hills College, Southern California was abuzz with Velo-Fever. At the time, Deborah Shumway was at the center of a lot of cycling talent that came through Long Beach.  One year, some of her team-mates came to town for a few weeks and it was a big party.

I’ll never forget Eileen Furey.  She was all of about 5′ 3″, a petite fire-plug of a women with a mean sprint,  loved weight training and infected me with her enthusiasm for squats.  She couldn’t have weighed more than 110 lbs.

Feel the Weight:  She loaded the olympic bar with 8 plates.   Eileen said “We’re just gonna feel the weight. Put your shoulders under the bar and push. Don’t try to move it, just feel the weight.  Nudge it, but don’t fight it.”  Then she took a couple plates off and left 6.  “Ok, feel it? Push it, go ahead, lift it and stand straight!” she said.  What a great introduction.  I didn’t actually squat the 6 plates, I just lifted it off the rack, but it was the start.  I loved it.  I’ve not seen Eileen since but I think about her every time I press the bar against the top of the shoulders and feel the weight.

Squat Animaux!

Mr. Bubbles Clears the Air.

[the dialogue in this video is reproduced from an email sent to Los Freddies]

B’Animaux!

Saturday [10-29-2011] 6am 48°F

When do you wear leg warmers?

Since school girls wear short skirts with bare legs in the freezing cold, cyclists believe it must be ok to ride with bare legs in the freezing cold too; after all, cyclists are tougher than cute school grrrlz.  N’est-ce pas?

According to [Fr]Eddie B, if it’s 65°F or cooler, it’s time to wear leg warmers.*
{mais bien sûr:  you already knew that}

Wikipedia:  Who’s {Fr}Eddie B?

Edward ‘Eddie B’ Borysewicz (born March 18, 1939) is a cycling coach who brought the United States to world prominence. The US team, under his direction, won nine medals at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984. It was the first time Americans had won medals since 1912.

Nous sommes mas Animaux!

Today [Thursday 10-27-11] the thermometer read [red] 51° at 6:00am.

Time to get your head gear all pimped out.

In general, heat loss through your scalp accounts for about 7%.

Apparently though, before you start sweating, heat loss through the scalp can account for as much as 50%.  Therefore, when you’re just getting started on the morning ride, it’s a good idea to keep your head covered and you’ll find your hands and feet have a better chance of staying warm when it’s really cold out there; for us Southern California weather wimps, that’s somewhere around this morning’s temp.

This also means when stopping [for coffee] at the end of the ride, it’s best to keep the head covered so the rest of your body stays warm.  I like to carry an extra beanie or a dry hat to wear for the coffee stop [nothing like a wet hat to put the chill in you].  When uniform regulations are strictly enforced this is your opportunity to show a little personal style & flair with après-ride head adornment. [Wearing cycling head gear during a post-ride event is strictly in accordance with the rules [22].  Don’t break the rules.]

Below is an excerpt from the study:

The cerebral blood flow does, however, vary based on cardiac output – the harder your heart beats, the greater the blood flow to the brain.  And as you increase the blood flow to the brain, you also increase the percentage of heat loss.  As it turns out, when you begin to exercise, there is increased cerebral blood flow. This increases the percentage of heat lost through the head to about 50% of total body heat loss.  But as the person continues to exercise, the muscles demand more oxygen which increases blood flow. To ensure thermoregulation and maintain normal core temperature (exercises increases body heat), the skin vasodilates which increases blood flow to the skin to cool the blood. The net result is a decrease in the total blood flow to the brain and a decrease in percentage of total body heat lost through the head to about 10%.  Once sweating begins, the percent lost through the scalp returns to 7%.

Note: The study does not take into account wind-chill-factor which can be considerable at 18+ mph.

You can read the details of the study at www.wildernessmedincenewsletter.wordpress,,,

B[eanie]‘Animaux!

Cold weather season is approaching.  Granted, this is Southern California, land of weather wimps, but nonetheless, it’s our weather and we gotta dress for it.

It’s always best to wear two layers regardless of the weather; a base layer and a jersey.  A good base layer keeps you warm when it’s cool [adds insulation] and keeps you cool when it’s warm [traps moisture].

My favorite base layer is a thin, short-sleeve, merino wool t-shirt by SmartWool.  Wool is naturally anti-bacterial and helps keep da’stink off; bacteria is the biggest cause of stink {not including your breath}.  There are many new synthetic materials available with anti-bacterial agents blended into the fabric but essentially the goal is to emulate the qualities of wool; wick moisture away from your skin, maintain loft [insulation] when wet and prevent odor.  The most frequent complaint about wool is it’s too itchy, however, SmartWool produces fabric that is very soft and comfortable against the skin [in warm or cool weather].  SmartWool makes both a thin and medium weight undershirt.

For early morning training rides that start and end within a narrow bandwidth of  temperature fluctuation,  between 50° and mid-60s, I find 2 layers to be sufficient; a thermal jersey with a short or long sleeve wool base layer.  If the ride stretches into the late morning when the cold edge gets tempered, I’ll wear a short sleeve base layer and jersey with thermal [thicker] arm-warmers.  When you peel off the arm warmers, the bare skin acts like a radiator and helps keep your core from over-heating even if you’re wearing a thick base layer and heavier jersey to keep you warm against the early morning cold.

A third layer and a perfect cool weather complement is a thin, sleeveless vest to shield you from wind chill factor.  As it warms up, you can take it off, fold it up and stuff it in a back pocket or slide it under your jersey.  However, don’t disregard the base layer; it’s what buffers you against moisture and provides insulation that’s essential to keeping you warm when it’s cool and cool when it’s warm.

B[aaaaa]‘Animaux!

Photo Courtesy Tim Kok

They’re reporting weight in the video in kgs ( 1 kg=2.2 lb /  375 kg = 826.5lb ).

ee’z squat season ma chiw’ren. Get mOvIn: B’Animaux.