La Vuelta Puerto Rico 2014 - It is a about the Bike

La Vuelta Puerto Rico 2014 - It is all about the bike!

La Vuelta Puerto Rico is an amazing event and far more than just a “ride around the island”. Rain, wind, pot holes, pace lines, climbs and descents… make it an endurance ride like non other I have ever done. The organization is excellent with amazing location selection for rest stops and an abundant supply of food. Be assured that it will push you well past your comfort zones but you can’t help but grin the whole way round - it is just a great time.

The Parlee Z-Zero getting ready for action

Last year I was using a borrowed bike that was not set up for long rides and I paid the price. It was my decision to use the bike so I had no one to blame but myself and the result was some short term nerve damage in my hands that took a couple of weeks to go away. I was nervous about this happening again this year and took steps to try to ensure that it would not be a problem again. So this year’s Vuelta Puerto Rico was all about the bike!

Many of us have a bike in the garage or back room that is literally a work of art. It never sees rain, it is pimped out with ti bolts and light weight bottle cages and is only brought out on special occasions. I have to confess that I am lucky to have a couple of these machines to ride. So when it came time to pick the bike to go to Puerto Rico to get abused, the selection was easy – my Parlee Z Zero. I had this bike designed and built last summer with this event in mind. Geometry is just a bit on the comfy side, a bit taller in the head tube and able to take 28mm tires. I had it built up with DA9070 (50/34 and 11/28 drive set up) which currently in my opinion has no competition, some Mavic Cosmic Carbone wheels and Hardshell 28mm Gatorskins. Then to make sure I did not have hand problems again, I had Joey add some pipe insulation to the top of the bars and then double wrap some Lizard skin around it.

The set-up this year was awesome.....perfection

The result – perfection. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that my Z Zero is the smoothest, most forgiving frame that I have EVER ridden. It nearly floated down the road. No saddle sores, no hand numbness, no nerve damage and I felt great every day. The bike was simply amazing and outperformed all my expectations so much so that I have only had one day off since the event and am already back training this week.

I want to thank the guys at Parlee Cycles for doing such a great job on this frame. Ride quality for any kind of endurance race/event is unsurpassed with the Z Zero. I plan to keep this set up through the spring for training so stop in, have a look at Parvilla Cycles and take it for a spin and see for yourself. The proof is in the bike!

Interested in training and racing with Power? Stages Cycling Power Meter could be the option

After seeing the Stages Cycling powermeter at Interbike in 2012, we were sold.....as long as it worked! 15 months later we are still sold and have been seeing great results in terms of reliability and customer uptake. Without doubt the Stages Cycling power meter has been our best selling power meter in those 15 months.

Can you spot the powermeter?

When there are competing power meters on the market, the ability to provide options at lower cost and lower weight are a major plus. The weight is one of the primary reasons that Team Sky just announced that Stages Cycling will be the team's choice in 2014. The meter only adds 20 grams to the crankset and the non-drive crank can be purchased individually to fit your existing crankset. Additionally, with the Ant+ technology it can be paired with any Ant+ computer.

 Stages Cycling and Team Novo Nordisk

Carsten Jeppesen, Team Sky’s Head of Technical Operations, said: “The power meter is one of the most important tools for the team – giving us the perfect insight into how a rider is performing, which is crucial for the coaching team. We’re very excited to team-up with Stages, who are not only innovating the power meter market, they are also making the real-time on-bike measurement of power more accessible and affordable to a larger cycling population. We look forward to working closely with Stages in the future and also helping to develop further products with them.”

One of the advantage's of the sponsorship deal with Team Sky is that it adds serious cache to Stages Cycling’s product design philosophy, and will serve to accelerate further development of the Stages Power meter.

“We are so pleased to announce that Team Sky will race with Stages Power this season; this sponsorship, and what it means for Stages Power, is very exciting for our company,” said Pat Warner, Stages Cycling’s Senior Vice President.

Along with Team Sky, the staff here at Parvilla Cycle & Multisport have been impressed by the ease-of-use of the Stages Power meter, not to mention its now proven prowess as the category’s benchmark for consistency across rapidly changing environmental temperatures. 

Tim Kerrison, Team Sky’s Head of Performance Support, said: “As a team, we see the power meter as a very useful tool. The results that we get, both from training and racing, help us to quantify how our riders are performing, which then allows us to make informed coaching decisions. Stages have worked hard to develop a high quality product that is extremely lightweight, reliable and simple to use whilst retaining the precision and accuracy that we require at Team Sky." 

If you are thinking about entering the market for a power meter as you look to take your training and racing to another level, Stages Cycling should be near, if not at the top of your list.  If you have questions please come into the store where we can discuss all the power meter options and perhaps more importantly see what your needs and demands will be. 

Product Review: 2XU PWX Thermal Compression Tights

Are you one of those people that run in shorts even in the depths of Winter? Yeah me too......until now! I always used to come back with bright red legs from the freezing temps let alone the windchills.  This Winter I have been testing out the PWX (Power, Weight, Flex) Thermal Compression Tights from 2XU including during the recent Polar Vortex, which means in single digits temps and windchills way below freezing. The PWX range uses superior medical-grade compression, giving you flexible, lightweight, performance-enhancing clothing. 

We all know that compression garments work on the basis of allowing for faster recovery, due to stabilising the muscles (less movement=less fatigue) and increasing circulation (transporting deoxygenated blood and lactic acid away from working muscles faster). Specifically the benefits are:

• Greater oxygenation of blood for faster recovery
• Reduced fatigue through less muscle oscillation
• Reduced muscle soreness
• Reduced long-term overuse injuries
• Faster muscle warm up pre-exercise
• Greater power output
• Heightened proprioception – awareness of limb placement for agility

They are all performance boosters and why not take advantage of any boost we can get? Thanks to its superior performance, the compression range for 2XU has become their best selling products. Importantly, however, these tights look good and to be honest as men we need help to look good in tights. For women, if you run, these should be a part of your wardrobe!

 

Let's be honest, we need help looking good in tights!

The thermal pieces use brushed PWX flex fabric which gives a soft, fleecy feel on the inside, without feeling heavy. I found them particularly comfortable when I put them on, but how did they fare during exercise?

The restriction is minimal: the leggings have a barely-there feel that means you may have to trust them....they keep you warm! Far from being thicker and heavy, the thermal tights stand out compared to other brands' models in that full range of movement can still remain unrestricted. Great temperature regulation means that even if the sun comes out, you'll still be comfortable thanks to the high breathability factor.

The tights provide all benefits of compression, with all important warmth, and are perfect for running in cold conditions. I also have non-thermal PWX compression tights which are great down to about 40 degrees, after that the fleece-lining becomes your friend.

Now that I have made the switch to these tights in the Winter, I won't be running in shorts very often. Save the bravado for something else, your legs will appreciate the warmth and importantly your muscles will be able to perform and recover better.  At $129 they are a worthwhile investment that are built with quality to last a long time.

These come highly recommended and are available at Parvilla Cycle & Multisport

Review by Parvilla Elite Tri Team Member Iain Banks