Crankstar does “individual” in style
Our Brisbane retail partner, Steve at Crankstar in Camp Hill, continues to shine in consistently delivering outstanding individual bikes to his clients.
Here are three teasers from his Blog which can be found here at www.crankstar.com.au Enjoy!
How do you measure your race bike?
Do you assess your bike in terms of frames per season or seasons of sustained performance per frame?
When you “ride a bit”, “race a bit” and love to have a real go… what you expect to do with your bike after a solid 2 years and countless kms?
Replace it? Repair it? or can you just touch up the paint and strap on your ” RIDEWISER legs” and give it another season of flogging? and another…and another…..
PARLEE Z3 product proving rob@ridewiser style!
Thanks to PARLEE for the bike, Rob Crowe for the output and Aaron Upson for a great photo!
Faster Scottsdale Az
In March after NAHBS I visited Paraic McGlynn to see what was happening with this concept. My prime interest was continuing education around bike fit but the idea of a fully integrated centre of cycling excellence was compelling. In March it was a factory shell with some framework up.
So having introduced Kung Fu and the travelling VIS Tri squad to FASTER, eight months on it was time to get first hand experience to see how things have changed. As indeed it has.
Remarkable progress, a stunning and cohesive complex, a lot of “Secret Squirrel” IP that isn’t yet for public consumption and a business model that is just charging forward.
Beg, steal, borrow just make a booking with your future success!
Crankstar dance card
The bikes are racked and ready and the kit is ripe for the picking….don’t let the dance card fill before your turn on friday through Sunday at Crankstar in Brisbane.
Show and tell at Crankstar now!
We arrived today at Crankstar in Brisbane with a selection of IF, Moots and Parlee bikes and frames. So come and see Steve what some options for your next bike – key word is “your”. Built for you just the way you want it.
Get (a)HED on PARLEE
Currently on display at Ausbike in Melbourne is our PARLEE TT bike featuring a full compliment of HED wheels, Corsair bars and “Lazy S” extensions. The build also features the new Vision bar end shifters which at first blush work extremely well.
The display also features our new stand in black.
Embargo broken on Speed Strip technology…on show at AUSBike
With the assistance of SunGraphics, not much research has been done in the development of this new aid to Triathletes and TT riders with a view to improved performance by enhancing prolonged riding comfort.
Featuring a hard to find, modified polymer and specially developed technology, the textured strip is applied to the top tube and aids in managing the barrier layer along the tube.
The Speed Strip, shown below, is on display at Ausbike this weekend and will soon be forwarded to Slowtwitch.com for exhaustive evaluation.
Meanwhile, work continues to evaluate athlete declarations that the “patent pending” genital cooling effect of “The Speed Strip” can be enhanced by building up the top tube height with multiple applications.
Note: No athletes were harmed and no research or science was employed whatsoever in the development of this technology, only graphic skills.
And its not even April 1… but it is AUSBike.
PS It even covers paint chips on the Top Tube!
Jarrod Owen takes the next step in Seoul 70.3
Jarrod went to Seoul on the back of some strong results at St Croix, Cairns and a local Townsville race with the objective of moving into the top five outright. It was a frustrating day with a misdirection by police that sent him and two pros 5 km out of the way on the bike leg. Here is a short note from him:
“A bit about race day: A still, foggy start to the day meant for a quick swim in calm clear water. It also helped keep the temperature down for the first portion of the bike leg which included a tough 2-3 km climb straight from transition followed by rolling hills for the next 50-60km. However, as the wind picked up, the fog cleared and the temperature rose making hydration in the last section of the bike crucial. I found myself coming into T2 equal 6th, but after some confusion as to where my bag was hanging I found myself about 30secs down in 7th. At the 10km turn around point I had ran into fifth, with temperatures rising and hills ahead, I had plenty to do before crossing the line.
In the end 5th overall and first age grouper (by about 8mins) was where I ended. This was a great result for me to finally crack into a top five position on a day where many athlete’s found their limits both mentally and physically in testing conditions.”
Jarrod not only races the Parlee TT but
Jarrod Owen does well at Challenge Cairns
19th Overall and 3nd in Age Group is a great result for someone stepping up to the Ironman distance for the first time, but What could it have been!
Few win on the bike and you can certainly lose it there. Be fast, be efficient and be able to run fast off the bike.
We have worked with Jarrod to refine his position and action on his PARLEE TT to facilitate just that and he has discipline in maintaining it for the whole distance.
You can’t however beat a shredded tubular which started around the 90km mark and a resultant 20+ minute loss! The consequence at the end of the bike leg was that Jarrod was 126th Outright and 18th in his age group, 25-29.
Not one to give up, he certainly did deliver on the run with a time of 3.07.32 that was the 6th fastest overall and fastest in his Age Group at every split.
Jarrod’s summary was “Position feels great, really good to run off too!” – no kidding.
Well done Jarrod – hello Korea!
A great event – do yourself a favour!
On Sunday morning the Richmond Boulevard was closed to traffic, turning points were marked and serious faces and slick electronic timing we deployed!
Why? Yarra Tri put on their first Time Trial event for the season and it was fun to watch and, judging from the smiles and “if onlys..”, fun to participate. The organisation and facilities were absolutely spot on.
There were events for both individuals and teams and there was a wide mix of skill levels in both. I had a chat with Grant Rice from Richmond Cyclery and we both see enormous potential for such a well run concept in a great, easily accessible venue.
Some weeks ago this event was launched for 2011 with a presentation/information night with Jonathan Hall at Richmond Town Hall. Inspired by this, the next day I decided to pick one of our customers who had no experience with a TT (bike or event) and convince him to “give it a go”.
We’ll call our test subject “Bruce”, principally because that’s the name his parents gave him. Bruce, known for his focus (polite term), had 4 weeks to prepare (plus two weeks on a beach somewhere). He is fit and had recently completed the Chain Reaction charity ride from Sydney to Melbourne and so had a few kms under his belt. Best of all Bruce is disciplined, structured and loves a number! “Let’s measure it and beat it” could be his motto. Therefore it was easy to prepare and execute the plan and measure (every aspect of) progress as there was never any doubt Bruce was going to do it anyway.
We put Bruce through a full TT fit and it took him sometime to reconcile his 195mm drop to the pads with his “comfort” on the saddle. We fitted him exactly to UCI regs to our PARLEE TT that had been used by Nick Mitchell before he err …had to leave the country…. Bruce then went to work on familiarising himself with position, power, efforts, obscure internet sites etc. etc. discussing the minutae of the TT with the goal of having a bit of fun (Bruce talk for trying to win).
Along the way we played with a few variables (some intentionally and some not) and got more avenues to pursue than answers in some cases. We added a helmet and found out its contribution to the numbers and how silly it looks when not on the bike.
So on Sunday at 8.47 the flag dropped and the b—s— stopped. Just under 37 minutes later it was done! Bruce had finished 13th out of 58 starters and won the 51-60 age group by just over 3 minutes at an average of 38.9kph.
Bruce’s immediate reactions were “it was over very quickly” and “I pushed myself (heartrate) harder than I can ever remember and maintained it – I am surprised”… “what a great event!” “Did I beat the guys in the team?”
Bruce returned the bike today. We discussed the fact that despite his amazement around his heart rate, he must have been asleep at the start as he not only negative split each lap but got faster every lap! It took two minutes to turn this into the next steps plan. He was and is concerned that he has misplaced some power, we have some scope to refine the position, his youngest son will be handed responsibility for monitoring dad’s frontal area (diet) and we will explore some potentially “faster” bits and pieces which will certainly include “noisier” wheels. The fun has just begun!
Finally, while everyone sucking in that cold morning air deserves acknowledgement, I must congratulate Shane Miller for his performance in posting the fastest average (42.5kph) it was just great to watch and the result was never in doubt to those watching.
Grant Rice had it right though, the real potential is with teams.What a spectacle it will be to see more of those stylish shop/group kits riding as teams rather than cliques! There were even “best presented” awards.
So get a team together and start practicing – you will need to!
Now to form a couple of Cycling Edge teams… volunteers required for a “road bike” team just to show what can be done with minor changes and for the TT team? - tough choices for later in the year …. Bridie, Mitch, Brendan Sexton, Crowie, Jarrod Owen….what are you up to Drew? - sorry Jono you’re out!
Smiles and sunshine for some!
I am not sure whether the photo quality is due to the camera phone or the state of the subject as it was “Beauty and the Beast” day in St Croix and Jarrod Owen had a tough but productive day as he says below:
“Hi everyone at PARLEE and Cycling Edge, I had a tough, tough race not quite as I wished, really rough roads so kept losing water out of the back cages and then “enjoyed” a slow front tyre leak which made the last 30km a little scary as it was a really hilly course, mixed with *&%# roads! The run was also hilly which was tough as did 3hr15min on monday but with 4weeks to China thats life!
All in all testing, tough race and a good change from the flat stuff at most places and you know what Im in the Caribbean:-)
Again the Parlee and set up felt great and legs were good of it too!”
End result for Jarrod was 9th Outright and second Age Grouper by a minute…..he achieved his goal of an Invitation to Kona and a bonus invite to Las Vegas. Next stop Ironman China.
Aussies were prominent on the podium with Luke Bell second by 16 secs with Ritchie Cunningham third with Mirinda Carfrae on the podium in the women’s event.
“Mitch” lives the Dream
Nick Mitchell has “parked” his Parlee Z5 with us and is now back racing in Belgium for MARCO POLO. We wish him the very best and if, like us, you want to follow his exploits, you can find his blog at :
http://born2ride.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/back-in-business-%E2%80%93-part-1/
He is shown below charging into Falls to finish this year’s 3 Peaks.
Go Mitch!
Kung Fu officially a Parlee Pilot!
Well I know he got excited and punched it out on the social networks earlier today, but here it is from us. Brendan is now riding in partnership with, and enjoys the direct support of, Parlee Cycles in addition to that from Cycling Edge.
As such he joins Bridie O’Donnell, Rob Crowe and Nick Mitchell.
His new Parlee Z5 is pictured below with his new PARLEE kit and his first ride reaction was predictable. Brendan had been enjoying every minute of riding our custom painted “ENVY” and “‘BEER” Z4′s (see Maloolaba an Sydney ITU races) and he sat patiently while this bike was built today. He even nodded politely while Paul (proud owner of “The very Limited Z5 SL”) and I told him that he would notice that the new bike was a significant step up.
About an hour after he left the Studio he sent us the following text message:
“I didn’t quite believe you when you said (the Z5) was even better than the Z4. It actually is!! It rides like a dream”.
Note to self: Keep him away from Z1, Z2 and Z3!
The “bands” and PARLEE logos on the bike cleverly blend green and gold in one and avoid the difficulty of having to match his gleaming new MAVIC shoes! We feel certain (well sort of) that his hair colour will catch up at some stage of the season!
Brendan also enjoys the support of the team from SRAM thanks to Rob Eva and will use our custom built wheels to train (above) and race on this bike and his new PARLEE TT which he will pick up in the US.
Those of sharp eye will note the top tube name detail and there are exciting extensions of this theme brewing which will be carried forward to the custom paint of his TT frameset and “all things Sexton” going forward.
Brendan will fly out on tuesday with the VIS team and head to Scottsdale AZ where they will enjoy the hospitality and support of Paraic McGlynn of FASTER.com and his network of specialists as they overcome jetlag and prepare for Mexico.
Our aim is to arrange for Brendan to pick up some “free” speed later in the year as we work with Paraic and FASTER’s bespoke, cycling specific Windtunnel and associated FIT methodologies and facilities.
Faster will also be able to provide you with a PARLEE to your individual requirements in the very near future.
Parlee does a Di2 take!
We are excited to announce that effective immediately, any PARLEE Z1, Z2, Z3, CX, Tour can be ordered with internal wiring for Shimano Di2.
Along with the announcement of this (frequently asked for) feature we are also announcing the immediate availability of Press-Fit 30 (PF30) standard on the Z1, Z2, Z3, CX and Tour models. The larger 46mm, all carbon bottom bracket standard, released last year by SRAM has the widest range of support from crank set vendors and allows for the clean internal routing of the Di2 wiring.
Campagnolo cups are now shipping from all major distributors and Shimano crank sets can be run using Wheels Manufacturing spacers with the SRAM bearings. It is our intention to release our own native Shimano cups as we did when we first launched BB30 on the Z5 range, but we do not have a date yet available.
FAQ:
Can I get English threaded bottom brackets still? Yes, we continue to offer English as a no charge option on the Z1/2/3, CX and Tour models but internal wiring is not available with an English BB as there is simply not enough space for the cables to pass. Elect Press-Fit 30 (PF30) at time of order if internal Di2 wiring is desired.
Is BB30 still available? Technically, yes, but we are recommending Press-Fit 30 as an enhanced version of BB30 on our custom bikes. Bearing installation and service is easier and ultimately the larger bore (46mm vs 42mm) is lighter as the bore removes the sleeve that we needed in our all carbon implementation of BB30 in the Z1/2/3, CX and Tour models.
Can my existing Z1/2/3, CX and Tour be retrofitted for internal Di2? At this time, no. We co-mold in specially designed composite reinforcements inside the tube sections where the Di2 wiring enters the frame. Any Z1/2/3, CX and Tour made prior to April 2011 is not specified with this and should not be retrofitted for internal Di2 wiring.
Is the external Di2 wiring package still available? Yes, we are still offering the dedicated Di2 wiring package that we introduced last year. This can be specified at time of order. The custom battery mount introduced in 2010 is standard in both wiring packages.
What wiring harness do I need for this? Can the frame be pre-wired? We have the complete specs on all the necessary harnesses and we can sell them as part of the frame kit, no problems. We can also pre-install the wiring harnesses as needed.
What cups do I need? For SRAM, just order a SRAM Press-Fit 30 (PF30) Bottom Bracket, Stainless or Ceramic. For Campagnolo, order OS-Fit Cups 46mm. For Shimano order a SRAM Press-Fit 30 (PF30) Bottom Bracket and wheels manufacturing BB30 to Shimano 24mm spacer kit. We will be stocking a limited number of all of these parts if there any any issues sourcing them.
What happened to not drilling holes? We still try to drill as few holes as possible for structural integrity. This has been one of the reasons why Parlee frames last so long. Durability is not an afterthought. Holes are OK if they are properly engineered for, which in the case of our internal Di2 wiring set up, they are. We use a specially designed composite backer that reinforces the areas where the cable passages are located to prevent any hidden damage. The cable passages are precisely located and cut using diamond tools which do not break the fibers the way normal drill bits can.
Do you offer internal wiring for mechanical (cable) systems? No, at this time we still prefer the ease of use and performance of externally routed (mechanical) cabling on our road bikes. We have spent a lot of time refining our carbon fiber/titanium cable stops and think that there are few parts that match their refinement, so we are not changing them at this time.
Is this offered on Z4, Z5 or Z5 SL? At this time, no. These models are not able to be run with internal Di2. We do offer our custom carbon battery mount for clean, chain stay mounting of the battery which prevents any disruption to the main triangle water bottle cage mounts.
How about internal Di2 on the TT? Yes, we offer internal Di2 on both out custom and stock TT frame sets.
What is the cost? There is no additional charge at this time on the Z1,2,3, CX or Tour models for the Di2 internal package or PF 30 bottom bracket. Both are defined during the order process and specified in our CAD drafts.
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St Croix here I come!
Arguably Australia’s fastest Age Group Triathlete over 70.3, Jarrod Owen dropped in yesterday to collect his new Parlee Cycles kit and ensure his Parlee TT was correctly matched to his fit data before he flew to the US this morning.
Jarrod will be training in Boulder for a couple of weeks before he hits the carribean for the St Croix Half on May 1. This race features a climb called “The Beast” with a gradient of upto 21% and 27% out of the hairpins which apparently some find quite challenging! (You can see a youtube video by copying and pasting the following into your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygZwjzySuAw&feature=related).
We will try to get him some more speed through time with Paraic McGlynn at Faster.com in Scottsdale AZ while he is there.
He will then travel directly to Ironman China with the aim of qualification for Kona. He commented that he continues to adjust to his new position and his comfort and speed off the bike just continues to improve.
As Joey Trebianni would say “How you doin?”.
Jarrod Owen uses Parlee TT to deliver
On consecutive weekends, in two countries, over two different distances Jarrod achieved the same result – Fastest Age Grouper and First non Pro home. His bike of choice is this PARLEE TT.
Here is his overview of a challenging week:
“After finishing 2010 with 2 DNF’s due to back problems , I entered my first race of 2011 at the NSW long course champs in Huskisson with a new PARLEE TT frame, new riding position (and technique) and a new coach!
As always Husky drew a quality field with a large contingent from Sydney making the short trip down. Race day brought a picture perfect day and due to calm conditions some quick times.
I exited the 2km swim in a little under 30mins which I was quite happy with and spent the first lap of 3 on the bike getting settled and finding a good rhythm. The undulating terrain and rough roads were challenging but also conducive to fast times for those who had the strength. I found myself in second position coming off the bike, with some work to do. However my new riding position (courtesy of Cycling Edge) allowed me to not only have a strong ride but also to get off the bike feeling much better than in previous races and ready to run.
The results are the proof of the pudding!
After the initial hustle exiting T2 I found a good tempo and focused on chasing first place. Thanks to a great second half of the run I managed to finish 1st non-professional, and 8th overall in a time of 3hrs 52mins. Also recording the second fastest run only to the overall winner Pete Jacobs!
In contrast to Huskisson the previous week, Sunday in Singapore the course for the 70.3 was flat but very technical, and with the organizers claiming the race to be the biggest 70.3 ever held outside Europe or North America it was going to be interesting to see how things unfolded!
Unfortunately I was in the 5th wave to start meaning the 2 loop swim was very crowded and due to some strong currents, saw a lot of people off course. After a not so great swim I set off on the bike with some urgency only to find some congestion coming out on to the course and to compound things a slightly confused marshal sent me the wrong way! Once back on track I resumed my effort to regain the lead.
Although some drafting was clear for all to see, things did spread out, only to have marshals call a truck through on me during lap 2, then same people called a bus through on lap 3! As I entered T2 I was just happy that me and my Parlee were in one piece! With conditions being very hot and humid the run was all about getting fluids on! Again I had a little time to make up on first place however with another strong run I managed to real him in and in the process come in 15th Overall, 1st non-professional in a time of 4hrs16mins, 3 mins clear of the next age grouper. Considering the quality of both professional and non professional fields I was very satisfied.
Just to note this was a new course for Singapore and although some clear problems were found on the bike I will return in 2012 if the opportunity arises!”
Bridie scores Silver in Oceania iTT
Just received a text from Ms O’Donnell saying she had a great race finishing with Silver and a “PB” on output! Can’t ask for much more from yourself when someone is better on the day.
You can read her view on the day here.
Well done Bridie and best of luck in the Road Race on Saturday.
Handmade Bike Show Day 1
Lots and lots of stuff… all a blur really here are the first snaps. Tomorrow it may come into focus!
Above Category gets another one!
Chad and his crew in Mill Valley have done a great design job with this Parlee TT.
I guess the there is a lot of real estate to play with and this one shows another way you can make it your own..Nice colour choice and clever integration of their logo.
The Parlee TT is available in six toptube lengths, each with the “flexfit” option of two headtube heights to achieve your personal “stack and reach” more easily.
Order Parlee 2011 kit here, now
We are taking orders for the new Parlee kit by Capo to be delivered in late Feb. The design is shown below and the Tees will be available shortly.
Phabulously, Phast Phil!
Well the fast is yet to be proven but the quality shines through in strong, light and stiff wheel with not a lot into the wind!
Thanks and a Happy New Year to Peter, Garrett and the team at Phil Wood and Shifter Dan for the unbelievable spoke tension (sorry about the bruises!).
2011 Parlee Z5
New for 2011 is the Z5 painted finish shown below. You can ofcourse finish your bike just how you like it. Give us a call to discuss the options and associated pricing and leadtime.
You can view the entire Parlee range by following this link to download the latest Catalogue.
Christmas Jewels from Phil Wood
It wasn’t santa but the the UPS man, however the result is the same. An ear splitting grin and that sensation of “I can’t wait to see how it goes!”
These jems came out of a conversation with Peter while having a tour of the factory and learning how they do what they do, and why. For example, the spoke holes are shaped by a method that, once an initial hole is machined, involves no further material being removed in achieving the final diameter and profile – the result is greater strength where you need it.
Now just have to get the finished wheels in the right hands…..
Slowtwich – a misnomer(!?)
While I have posted bits and pieces about the Slowtwitch Course I participated in earlier this month, I thought I would elaborate a bit on my working group.
Hands on practice is absolutely essential in order to internalise the theory and when the class broke into work groups I feel I came up trumps as our group had a great mix of experience and knitted well.
Our four comprised:
Jeff Lohr a fit instructor with the Trek Factory “school”;
Robbie Ventura, former US Postal and Saturn Pro and Owner of Vision Quest a Cycling Training system based in Illinois;
Stu Waring, proprietor of John Howard Sports Mid Atlantic out of Annapolis and a very experienced rider and fitter and;
me – green as!
The two shots below show Stu working with Robbie as we exploded quite a few myths around TT/Tri position, with the second being Jeff being fitted for his first ever ride in a TT position – and he loved it!! Robbie goes hard..very hard, even at the 4100ft altitude.
Great guys and a very productive session.
