A moment of reflection and panic.

So we are wrapping up the catalog for the next product range. I hesitate to use the moniker "model year" since we are striving diligently to get away from such labels. It is our goal to simply introduce bikes when they are ready, versus relying on a model year paradigm. Since the current model bike is still good, why should it be devalued by a "newer" bike if there is little to no change? But I digress...

It is warp-factor 9 right now. Between getting pictures done, text written, spec's confirmed and production issues hashed out... it's enough to make you want to go for an all day ride and not come back to the office. To say things are busy would be a gross understatement... that's why I'm writing this after 10:00PM... because I've been staring at spreadsheets for the past few hours.

I have to say, as this is the first line of bikes I have been intimately involved with producing, I am very excited to see the fruits of the collective labor of all involved. I will go into further detail as the next few weeks roll along, but I can't tell you how much work and coordination went into the process.

What a ride...
My ride Sunday was punctuated, or should I say punctured, by a series of flats and minor mishaps. Still, it was a gorgeous day and I had a great ride along the coast for about 60+/- miles. I had three flats in the same tire, which is not the fault of the tire, since I had ridden it so long that it was no longer round and was now square with little threads from the casing showing through. I had been riding on Ritchey WCS Race Slicks and I have to admit that they are probably among the very best tires I've ever ridden. So good, I just bought some more (and I can get tires for free if I try...). I just really like the way they ride and the road feel is very much like a sew-up. Well, I finally put an inch long sheet metal screw through the tire and had to use a boot to limp my way to a friend's house to get a spare tube. Fortunately for me, this friend is a former pro rider and sales rep (Shimano, Bianchi, GU and more)- thanks for the tube and GU! I limped to the shop and bought a new Vittoria Diamante Pro tire. This is another very fine tire and I highly recommend them. I have always had a soft spot for file tread patterns. This tire has a slick center and file pattern sides for grip. I like it so far.

Happily, I can say that my legs held up a bit better than I expected for the distance and all the climbing. I'm not much of a climber anymore and my training mileage is almost all done at work at lunch. Needless to say, I'm not likely to win too many long road races...

And the nerves are cracking...
Tomorrow night is the Keirin qualifier for Nationals and I am just a little anxious and excited. Just a little... as in I get sweaty palms every time I even think about it. I love Keirin and I would love to qualify for Nat's in the Keirin. Sprint would have been cool, but Keirin would be special. We'll see what happens. There will be some very motivated folks at the track tomorrow night, just like when we did Sprint. Maybe I'll get lucky and inch my way across the line in a qualifying spot. I promise, if I make it, I'll be posting the news immediately afterwards!

Now I'm going to try and grab a little shut-eye so I can get back to the craziness in the morning.

Tim