Battenkill Bike Set Up--2010

Most races require minimal bike prep. Usually a simple clean, tune and lube will suffice. But Battenkill is different. Racers have been geeking out about bike setup for Tour of the Battenkill since it was a reasonably priced event called Battenkill-Roubaix. Since over a third of the course is unpaved, durable equipment is in order. Tire selection is of paramount importance, since what little wheel support on offer is overtaxed from the starting gate. If you puncture, your race is over. Prudent riders bring spare tubes (plural) and CO2 cartridges (plural).

Normally, my equipment selections are closely guarded secrets, since I don't want to give my competitors any fancy ideas. As many of you know, almost all of my decent results were garnered partially on the back of canny equipment choices. Remember those muddy cross races I slayed?

But at this point (4 days from race day), I figure most riders are locked into what they have in hand. Furthermore, when Dieter Drake split the fields, he isolated me and my team with all New York teams. This is a local blog, so I doubt that any New Yorkers will be using my knowledge against me. Actually, I miswrote. We have one local guy in our field: Paul Curley. Paul doesn't need my advice on anything but off-the-bike pants selection...In short, there is no harm in my releasing my nuggets of wisdom.

My two biggest concerns are puncturing and durability of my wheels. I debated whether I should buy some 25mm or even 26-27mm tubulars and glue them onto one of my bombproof, yet lightweight aluminum cyclocross wheelsets. I passed on this option for a number of reasons. These tires would basically be glued, raced and removed until next year. It just didn't seem worth the cost and hassle.

I settled on running my Zipp 101's (great aluminum clincher) with 25 mm Michelin Pro3 Race tires.

I am vacillating between latex and regular butyl tubes. Latex tubes are lighter and have less rolling resistance, while I am used to butyl tubes and trust them because of familiarity.

I am confident in my wheel choice, as the 101 rim is slightly wider than standard rims. They are feel stiff and solid. These wheels are bombproof. Furthermore, these wheels are fast and aero.

As for tires, Michelins are always a good choice and the Pro3 Race is dependable but not durable. I am running a brand new pair. 25mm seems like the correct width for this event,as there is likely to be loose gravel, loose sand and maybe even mud. While 25mm tires will be slightly slower than standard 23 mm, if lend me added stablity in a loose section, they will be worth the Watt I gave up over rest of the race.

Computer, I am running one.



Normally, I don't bother with an odometer, as that data is often useless. At Battenkill it is very helpful to have the locations of the climbs and dirt sections memorized so that you know when you need to turn the screws.

Hoods: up.



While I didn't do anything special with my hoods, I have switched to Campagnolo Centaur with the new Campy shape since they have more material to prevent you from slipping off the end of the hoods. This is critical when road conditions deteriorate.

Chain: Greased. Instead of dry lube, I am using Chain L No. 9. This lube smells like an oil refinery and has the consistency of honey at room temperature. You heat it up and soak your chain. It lasts a month. You can ride in the rain every day for a month and your chain remains lubricated. Since I am praying for rain in upstate New York this weekend, I figured that my drivetrain had better ready to handle it in case Jens Voigt answers my prayers and brings his blustery wrath down on the race.

Bottle Cages: King Stainless steel cages. Simply put, King cages are the most dependable bottle cages made. Chris Igleheart puts these on every frame he makes. That was all the endorsement I needed. I won't be loosing any water bottles.

I hope that your preparations are going well. Unless you are from New York. If you are a new Yorker, I hope your rig falls apart. If you are Paul Curley, I hope that your bike stays together and that you and I get over the final climb in the front group and both of us refuse to work while the New Yorkers drag us to the podium.

Product Review: Road Tire Mini-Reviews

I have been racing for 4 seasons and riding road tires for about 10 years.   I have used many different tires and have had something to say about each tire.  In this post I offer some of the knowledge about road clinchers that I have accumulated over the years.  I base all of these reviews on my experiences.  In the future, I may post a  "word on the street" guide so that I am offering a more comprehensive guide to tires.

I hope that the comments section will offer a lively discussion so that future readers can benefit from your knowledge too.

 

 

Michelin Pro 2 Race 700 x 23:  Prior to 2008 these were the top of the Michelin line.  I think that they still are.  These tires have excellent grip in fast corners, wet and dry.  They have a relatively low recommended pressure (116 psi), which lends itself to plush ride.  These tires last a relatively long time.  They have a tendency to collect road debris and they slice easily.   They don't come in white.

 

Michelin Pro 3 Race 700 x 23:  Michelin claims that these are grippier than the Pro 2 Race, I disagree.  I think that if you push either tire to the point that they will slip, gravity will take care of you instead. Michelin made the middle “long wear” section wear more quickly.  Let me be clear: these tires wear out quickly.  You can watch them wear out, week by week.   They offer the same supple, plush ride as the Pro 2 Race, but with half the life expectancy.  If you are considering Pro 3’s, go buy a set of Pro 2 Race on clearance before they run out.

 

Kenda Kaliente 700 x 23- These tires came attached to a bikesdirect.com bike that I bought to strip for its components.  Given their source, I was very skeptical of these tires.  In fact they are very durable and offer a nice ride.  Over time and mixed usage, I have become confident in their cornering grip.   They resist flats and have no slices despite 1000’s of winter miles.  I have even been using these on the trainer and they still show no wear.  I cannot speak about the rest of the Kenda line, but these are great training tires and inexpensive to boot.

 

Vittoria Open Corsa EVO CX 700 x 23—I have nothing good to say about these.  I bought them because they are available in white.  They are expensive and they flat frequently.   I used these briefly last season and flatted so frequently that I changed these out before they were close to worn.  Do not buy these!  Actually, perhaps you are interested in buying a set of these in white with low mileage…

 

Vredestein Fortezza Tricomp 700 x 23—In my opinion, these are the best road clinchers available.  They grip really well, wear slowly and look sharp in black and white (other colors available).  They resist flatting and slicing.  They wear out a little slower than a normal “race day only” tire.  They claim to be handmade, which may explain their high quality.  I am ordering a few sets of these for the 2009 season. 

 

Specialized All Condition Pro Bike Tire 700 x 23—I have been using these on my fixed gear for 5 years.  These are grippy and wear very slowly.  They resist flats well.  Seriously, when I get the tweezers out to pick the glass out of these tires, I am shocked at all of the stuff that I pull out and that it failed to cause a puncture.  Once these get the flat spot in the center of the tire, they begin to flat more frequently, but that is expected after many 1000’s of miles.  I have ridden these in rain, sleet, slush, ice and snow and have always been happy with the handling.  These are not race tires, but they are great for a training bike or a fast commuter. 

 

Michelin Lithion 700 x 25—I recently got these tires for my winter training bike (Basso Loto with Campy 8 Speed) and to use at Battenkill Roubaix.  I haven’t tested their durability, but I can attest that they offer a smooth ride.  They have a lower recommended tire pressure than my race tires.  Consequentially, they have improved handling in adverse conditions, such as slush with intermittent ice like we experience regularly here in New England.  I am enjoying the less jarring ride over potholes and icy patches.  I have not flatted on them yet after 500 miles.  Once I have ridden these for a season, I will update this review to reflect my experiences.

Schwalbe Stelvio 700 x 23—I didn’t buy these tires.  In fact, I found one in my dumpster.  I fished it out and put it on my commuter.  It has been a great tire.  It doesn’t flat (none yet after 5 months of urban abuse).  I have been happy with the grip in wet corners and have become increasingly confident in its performance.  If I was able to get a “below MSRP” deal on these, I’d consider trying these on my race bike.  They come in front and rear specific tires which theoretically means you get higher grip in front and longer wear in the rear, which seems like a great idea.  Based on my experiences, these tires are worth a try if you are unhappy with the offerings above.