My Blue is red . . . Bike Photos!

You're my boy, Blue!

It actually arrived about a week and half back, but I've been far too busy to do a whole lot with it.  Over the last couple of weeks, I've carefully attached the handlebars, connected the front brake, added the pedals, elbow rests, and a done a few other tweaks and adjustments.  Because it's made of carbon, and I don't own a torque wrench, I haven't really tightened anything as I don't want to damage the frame.  Besides, I want to get a professional fit done, so that it's dialed into my specifications and it's as comfortable as possible.  Maybe at that point, I'll look at acquiring a torque wrench as well.

The Triad AL, a good looking bike, but not the right size for me.

I've been browsing triathlon bikes for the last three years when I did my first sprint triathlon.  But I really had no immediate plans to get a bike, and then I stumbled across a Blue Triad AL on closeout from all3sports in Atlanta.
 My brother rides a Blue Triad SP and likes it a lot, so I was intrigued by this bike as an entry into an aerodynamic frame.  Even though the AL has an aluminum frame, it seemed like it might be a good option given my limited budget.  I think Melisa may have finally gotten tired of hearing me talk about bikes so much, so she finally green-lit my purchase of a bike.  She refers to this strategy as "chipping away" at her will, which I suppose is a fairly apt description of the process.  But, she did say yes, and I wasn't going to chance that the family CFO might change her mind so I took the plunge and ordered the bike.  I was stoked.

This is the 2012 version of the Triad SP

 A day or two after ordering the bike however, the store contacted me to let me know that the size I'd requested was too big.  Unfortunately, they didn't have a Triad AL in the size I needed, but that they did have an SP on closeout for only a fraction more.  In this way, I'd be able to get a carbon frame triathlon bike after all.  Hey, why the hell not? Let's do it.  A few days later, a large bike box sat on my front porch when I came home from work one afternoon.  Although it arrived quickly, at that point I was in full ultra mode and readying things for my trip to Buena Vista and the CPTR 50, so I didn't get to do much more than pull the bike out of the box and stare at the pieces.  Over the next few weeks, I spent a few minutes here and there putting all of the pieces together.  Finally, this afternoon, I brought it outside so that I could snap a few pictures to share.

Photos courtesy of Maya Maes-Johnson

 I know these aren't the best pictures, but please keep in mind, my hobbies are endurance sports and beer, not photography.  Thanks to Maya for helping out with a few of these shots using her i Pad. Even though I haven't taken a single turn of the pedals yet, I really am excited about this bike.  It's so light, so aero, and when you let the back wheel spin, it just purrs like an Italian Sports car.  For my first ride, I'll take it out to the test track east of town.  It's a wide open road where I can really open it up and get a feel for it without having to worry about traffic, etc.

 This is still an entry level triathlon bike and so the components aren't the fanciest.  It consists mostly of SRAM parts with FSA cranks and a front derailleur.  The cassette and chain are from the  Shimano 105 group.  That said, all of the components are an upgrade from my Specialized Secteur which currently has Shimano Triple components.  Don't get me wrong, I have a great, reliable road bike, but it's as basic as it gets, so everything on this bike is just a little better.  For my next adventure however, I'll be riding my Specialized.  In fact, I plan on doing most of my summer riding with the road bike, and using the tri bike for more specific training.  Since my triathlon season won't officially kick off until later in the summer, I've got a lot of time to get adjusted, and when I start using it more regularly, it will be great to have the strength built up from riding the aluminum road bike.   The adage is true, that no matter the bike, it's the engine you have that makes the biggest difference. 

In terms of events, up next for me is the Mountain Top Cycling Club's 2nd Annual Experience Ride.  This ride will take place in about 6 weeks in Florissant , Colorado.  I'm signed up to do the 106 mile century ride which will be my first ride of this distance.  As you can imagine, I will be shifting my focus from ultra running to cycling now, as I prepare for this event.   I know that I have the aerobic base for the ride, it's just a matter of getting to cycling conditioning.  I'll be cutting way back on the running, and focusing more on the riding and swimming (my next running event isn't until mid-August).

 Speaking of Triathlon season, today was the kickoff here in Pueblo with the Ordinary Mortals Triathlon.  This is a sprint triathlon that's done in reverse order: run, bike, swim.  I had decided a while back not to race this event, so instead, I volunteered for a couple of hours this a.m.  I arrived at the CSU-Pueblo recreation center a little before 6:00 a.m. which is about the same time as my weekly swim.   Volunteering was a good experience and really makes you realize how much work goes into putting on an event.  Most of my efforts this morning involved posting signs, mixing sports drink, and cutting up dozens of oranges.

The Southern Colorado Triathlon Club, which sponsors the event, and of which I'm a member had a great turnout today.  I must say that I'm a little remorseful that I didn't buy the club triathlon kit, as it's pretty cool looking.  If they put another order in before Austin, I may have to get set up.

Yes, that's Doug, the family Zombie, playing guitar in the background!

Tomorrow, Melisa and the girls are going out for an afternoon "Tea" on Mother's day.  I've been feeling a little sick, but if I'm up for it, I plan on heading out for a ride in the afternoon for a couple of hours.