2013 Update, 616 Fab, Training Etc.

So 2013 is well underway and things are shaping up to be another fun season of mountain bike madness. The big news is for me is the new bike sponsor, 616 Fabrications. They’re a custom frame fabricator right here in the good ol’ state of Michigan.

As a matter of fact they whipped me up a sweet stainless steel 29er rig outfitted with the latest and greatest XX1 components, topped off with bits from Thomson and Magura. I’m really digging the way stainless steel rides. With the super high tensile strength of stainless steel, the tube wall thickness can be reduced to an absolute minimum which makes for slightly lighter tube sets over conventional steel. And who could discount the ride quality. The smaller diameter tubes yield excellent compliance, and the springy-ness of steel ensures any flex you put into the frame is given back. Stainless also doesn’t require paint or a coating. So it keeps the frame looking sharp for years and also eeks off a few more grams. Combine that with custom tailored geometry and you get one sweet Michigan made machine that will last for years. Granted there’s lighter frames made from other materials, but I prefer to ride something that represents more of who I am, where I’m from, and what I believe in. It’s a bike that has its own little character… one of kind… a bike built for a Simonster.

 

I also gave myself an early birthday present… a set of DT Swiss Carbon tubular wheels. At 1250 grams for the wheelset, these things are stiff and light. Combining the tubulars with the stainless steel frame gives a ride that is unbelievable. Most races I won’t even need suspension. The bike feels much smoother and controllable. It’s something you have to experience. The CX’ers out there know what I’m talking about.

On the racing front, I’m switching it up a bit. I plan on doing Mohican and Lumberjack (100 mile MTB races), but I don’t think my body could possibly hold up to another full season of NUE races. So with that being said, I’ll be focusing more on races like Barry Roubaix, Ore to Shore, and Iceman.

Along with that new focus, goes a new training strategy. In years past I would grind out 6-7 hr training marathons to stay competitive in the NUE series, but this years base/build hasn’t had me on a ride longer than 4hrs. I’ve been doing a ton of “sweetspot” training, and it seems to be yielding good results. I definitely feel a lot fresher. I also had some extra vacation time I carried over from last year, so I set up three 10 day training blocks where I’ll crank out the daily hrs uninterrupted with work. One was in December, one in January, and I’ll have one down South in Georgia for February (huge thanks to Mike Livingston!). Each of these blocks has a rest week before and after, and during the 10 days, I’ll look to rack up about 35hrs. Not having to go to work and focusing solely on training is like a dream. I can sleep 10hrs a night, train 4hrs and then catch a nap in the afternoon. No wonder the pro’s are so dam fast! I really hope it helps, and I would be over the moon if I got a little bit of that speed back I used to have.     

 

So here’s to what hopefully turns out to be another great season. First race of the kicks off this weekend at Southern Cross in Dahlonega Georgia where I’ll get a chance to ride with Paco Mancebo. I should have my work cut out for me trying to stay with this guy. I’ll keep you all posted on what happens. Thanks for reading!