Is this you?

AFTON
Originally uploaded by kerkovej.

Yep, that's me. Some dude just e-mailed me this picture and asked if it was me. Said he found it on the net....scary! This picture was taken by the Star Tribune Newspaper out of Minneapolis. The location of this picture is the 24 Hours of Afton from 2003. It's one of my fav's.

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:35 PM :: ::

Light Shootout.

Over on MTBR.com, they tested a bunch of different HID and non-HID lights. So, if your in the market for new lights for chasing the local cat, scaring your neighbors, digging for earthworms, or even 24 hour racing, swing on over to the site link below. They have picture comparisons of the beams for each light that are priceless when comes down to choosing a light setup.

CLICK HERE TO BE EN-LIGHT-END

Jeff Kerkove said at 4:59 PM :: ::

Todays Training Ride Stats

Weather: Cloudy, 35 degrees, ESE wind at about 8 mph.

Bike: Giant NRS Air

Workout: 30 minute warm up...20 sets of 2 minutes hard followed by 2 minutes recovery....30 minute cool down...about 1 hour of tempo riding at 150 HR.

HR Information: Average...153, Max...184

Calories Burned: 2854

Miles Ridden: 57

Time On Bike: 3 hours 8 minutes.

What did you do today?

Jeff Kerkove said at 1:12 PM :: ::

How good is FOX....

Well, FOX is this good. I am getting ready to go outside for some longer miles. I am going to take my Giant NRS Air. I pumped up my tires to 35 PSI in the back, and 32 PSI in the front. I then went to air up the rear FOX shock, and low and behold, the shock is still holding the same air pressure I put in it at Moab back in October! I then moved to the front fork...F100X...and the same thing!!! This is unreal!! Needless to say, the FOX suspension line-up is top notch gear. Does your Rock Shox or Manitou hold air for 4 months straight? I think not.

Off to rage in the elements.

Jeff Kerkove said at 9:04 AM :: ::

New computer from CatEye.

The Micro is CatEye's newest wireless computer. It has 10 functions and 12 features, including LED backlight (great for 24 Hour racing), manual odometer re-set, and a bracket that will mount on both stem and handlebar (sweet!). Available in both silver and black, this is the wireless computer for any style of riding.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:45 PM :: ::

Proposed 2005 Race Schedule

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:49 AM :: ::

It's so tiny.

Well, after doing a ton of research on the net, and checking out the local camera stores, I have come to the conclusion that the Casio Exilim series of cameras is what I would like to get my hands on. They have a ton of different models within the Exilim series at different price points. Prices vary from $200-$300. These cameras are about the size of an Apple Ipod. Way tiny. Just checkout the picture. If you would like to donate to my camera fund, e-mail me. I can't wait to start posting pictures from training and racing. Oh, the other cool thing is that this camera has a nice enough picture quality that I could also use it for design work....bonus!




On the training front...
Yesterday was weights and rollers. Waits were good as always. My legs were a bit tender so I did the structured workout, but I kept my HR below 130 during the intervals, and rather than push a huge power gear, I worked more on leg speed. As I type this, my legs feel 100%, so I am going of to the YMCA to rage onthe spin bike for a few hours. I normally shun away from the spin bike, but you can crank the resistence down pretty tough on that bike. Great for hill climbing workouts....and blowing out your knees.

I hope to get outside on Sunday. They are forecasting upper 30's. I am planning on 3-6 hours on the mnt bike on the county blacktop roads. I need to start getting used to sitting on the NRS again. Trans-Iowa is closer than you think.

FYI...
I have added about 6 new links to Racer/Team Sites on the right side of this blog. There is a Seattle racer, a few Durango guys, and everyones favorite...Tinker.

Time to consume some more black goodness, then off to the YMCA.

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:10 AM :: ::

ATTENTION RACERS!!!

This is just a reminder, so don't forget about the Racing Clinic being presented by Quixote Cycling Programs. In attendence will be the newly formed Kona Midwest Enduro Team. Hit up this clinic for the "411" of everything gear'd towards bicycle racing. For all the information visit QCP website or call...515-729-3727

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:27 AM :: ::

The Official Trans-Iowa Mascot

Yes, we have come up with an official mascot for Trans-Iowa. It's the always popular Gnome. These little guys will be on course, so if you see one, just let me be the first to tell you that "No, you are not bonking." For a good Gnome laugh, check out this site. CLICK HERE FOR GNOMES

Off to the YMCA for pain and pleasure!

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:30 AM :: ::

It's a record!

Tonights indoor ride at the House of Pain set a new PR. There were 15 cyclist who showed up to pound out the toughest workout of the year. We even had one dude get a flat tire on his stationary bike. What's up with that?

Anywho...
The workout was tough. We did 4 sets of 7 minutes. The 7 minutes were at about 75-80% of your max. During the 7 minutes we would do short 5 second power bursts every 20 seconds. The recovery time between the 7 minutes was 3 minutes. Needless to say, everybody was cooked. And the amount of sufferage on the floor showed the amount of work that went into tonights efforts.

The rest of the week is supposed to be really warm for Jan.....35 degrees. I hope to get outside for some 3-6 hour road rides on the mnt bike. Nothing lights out, just easy tempo riding. We'll have to see.

Want another blog to check out? Check out Blue Collar Mountain Bike. It's a bike site by regular cyclists for regular cyclists. Plain and simple!

Off to rub the legs down. Ahhhhhhh....

Jeff Kerkove said at 7:37 PM :: ::

The other half of Cateye Enduro.

FYI...
My teammate Sloane has be pounding out the miles out in the Seattle area. He has been updating his blog a ton lately. Swing on over and post a comment. Check out the picture! There is green grass. When was the last time you saw green grass? Really?

Also, rumor has it that the other 2 Cateye Enduro riders from 2004 (Eric and Lou) are going to be racing on the Maxxis Team for 2005.

Off to work. It's me and Ted till close.

Jeff Kerkove said at 9:12 AM :: ::

Just another day in Iowa

SNOW
Originally uploaded by kerkovej.

Here is a picture of the blizzard downloaded from the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier website. I am glad my drive was in town and only to the shop (4 miles away). There is no way i would have braved the elements outside of town. I bet the guy in the ditch is thnking the same thing.

Jeff Kerkove said at 2:51 PM :: ::

Slacking...

Sorry for the lack of posts, but I have been busy with work, training, and design work.

All day yesterday I work'd at Europa with "The Man." It was pretty slow, but I stayed busy by building up a single-speed road bike with 700x32 tires. I took all the parts off the Pink Panther and build them up on a older Univega frameset. The Univega should fit better, cause it's a 57cm frame versus the 60cm hand-me-down frame from T-Kish. Can't wait till the road clear up a bit so I can go out and rage on it.

Training is still on track. Yesterday was my day off due to spending all day at the shop. Today I was going to head over to the House of Pain for some rollers, but since it was 23 degrees this morning I opted to head over to Look-Out Park Hill for about 10 hill repeats on the Surly 1x1. The repeats sucked cause of the 1 inch of slushy-packed snow on the road. But, I survived, and my legs feel good.

Speaking of design work...
The Irwins-Toyota Kits will be finalized in a few days. Which is cool, cause I can't wait to see these kits in 3D rage'n down the road. Also, I have a few other design projects in the works, that are top secret. The cool thing is that all the projects are cycling related which is of more of my design interests.

I think with the cash that I get for the design work I might buy a digital camera to haul around to races and training rides so I can post on this site. Plus, I could use it for design work if needed. Do you have a digital camera? What do you suggest? I just started hunting. Please post a comment as to you like or dislike.

Off to be creative.

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:36 PM :: ::

The Crap We Ride

Hey there, y'all! Sorry about the abscence, but Trans Iowa details are taking alot more of my time in my brain! Today's subject is Surly's soon to be classic, the Karate Monkey frame and fork. First of all, this bike has got to have THE coolest name for a MTB- EVER! So, hands down a great bike! Review over!

Nah! Just kidding! Here is the 411. web- www.surlybikes.com Approximate retail- 'round $400.00 or so. Gets you the frame, fork, and seat collar. Available in brown mettalic, or black. Takes 2.1 inch wide, volumnous knobby tires, on a 700c rim. (That's 29 inchers for those in the know!) Disc brake, or rim brake compatible. Horizontal rear drop outs= single speed capable. Rear derailluer mount= gears for those who like that sort of thing! Full compliment of braze-ons.

Okay! Backround for ya! I got the KM as a frame/fork set-up new in early '03, right after they came out. Mine is the original Campstove Green. Now, there are as many ways to build up this bike as there are people! I decided on single speed, MTB, disc brake, and kept the rigid fork, which is suspension corrcted, by the way. I'm not going to get into detail on the parts spec here- this is about the frame and fork!

The Good: This frame and fork is an outstanding value, as is most everything Surly makes. Construction was quality, paint was pretty good, and everything was straight and true. Build up was a breeze. After many, many miles, the paint still looks pretty good. Very durable, as is the frame itself. The ride quality is okay- for a steel bike. It could be better, alot better, but then the tubeset would have to be WAY more expensive! So- for what you pay for, it's pretty decent. One thing for sure,this frame can take a beating! Frame geometry is often a hard thing to relate to others of the bike. Let me just say that this bike can singletrck with anything I have slung a leg over in my almost 20 years of offroading. It's also the most stable bike I have ridden in a long time. This being attributed to the wheel/ fork trail combination. Over-all this is a really good frame/fork. The fork has left some reviewers scrabling for their suspended forks, or more flexible rigid counterparts. It's just fine for me, as I don't like flexy front steerers.

The Bad: Weight! Ugh! This frame/fork weighed in at 7.2lbs, on my un-official Europa shop scale. But, as I said above, a lighter tube set would have increased the price dramatically. The ride quality suffers a bit as a result of this as well. Horizontal drop-outs made tensioning, and adjusting the chain a breeze, but taking the rear wheel out becomes a pain. With disc brakes, Surly made a special disc brake mount that allows you to loosen the caliper mounting bolts and swing the caliper up out of the way to remove the rear wheel. That's cool, but it's an extra step and requires you to always have a 5mm. allen handy in case of a flat. I would have preferred an EBB. Of course, that would have increased the price, AND the weight! Gearys will experience their own peccadilloes with this frame, as well. But, I don't have direct experience with that, so I reserve comment.

What I Say: This is a value packed, durable, WAY VERSATILE, and decent riding frame and fork. Surly NAILED the geometry for offroading. You could build up the frame as a geared, single speed, roadie, touring, cyclo-crossing, MTB-ing, townie mutt, or anything else bike your heart desired. Did I mention building up as a fixie? It's cheap, durable, and cheap and durable! It is what it is. It COULD be better- but at a greater expense to you. What do you think?

Well, back to Trans Iowa planning for me! Later!

Jeff Kerkove said at 8:26 AM :: ::

I'm Cooked!

Wow! My legs are officially cooked. I did my weight lifting this AM, and tonight I did the roller workout at the House of Pain. The intervals we did were long and the rest was short. Most guys worked on power since it's roller race season, but I did the workout doing leg speed work instead. I feel that leg speed is the most important aspect of endurance racing other than consistency. Anyway, I think I spun my crotch raw. Oooooooooo. Tomorrow, I am planning on some spinning a the YMCA, but my legs and the weather will be the deciding factor. I say the weather, cause we are in a Winter Storm Warning .....AGAIN!

Last night I went to Wal-Mart to pick up some Omega-3 supplements and some of the black goodness. I have come to the conclusion that Wal-Mart has a customer dress code. The dress code is as follows...

1. Sweat Pants...earth tones only
   
2. Bedroom Slippers
3. Disneyland and/or Pro Wrestling T-shirt....black or off-white colors only
   
4. NASCAR Team Issue jacket

All these items need to be worn while shopping at Wal-Mart. Don't believe me. Go see for yourself.

Got some of my new gear for the 2005 season. Cole Wheels sent me their new and improved prototype disc mountain bike wheels. This years wheels have a few upgrades...

• Alloy nipples in hub flanges.
• Alloy nipples in rim.
• Hub flanges now point inwards on the hub a bit versus being perpendicular.

Overall the weight seems to be a lot lower. Which is a good thing, cause that was one of my complaints last year. These wheels have a 6 bolt disc hub. We are to get a 2nd wheel set later that is to have the shimano-like splined disc hub. The splined hub is to be even lighter. I just wish they would put sealed bearings in the hubs versus ball bearing.

Jeff Kerkove said at 7:59 PM :: ::

This one I might do!

Just found this while looking for races for the 2005 season. It's the Breckenridge 100 on July 16. I did the Breckenridge Firecracker 50 2 years ago, and loved it. Whats another 50 miles? That's only about 8-9 hours in the saddle. Anyone want to go out for it? It's like a 3 or 4 day weekend. If the price is right, I am there!!!!!

Just going to have make sure that the Salsa Queen stays home, cause she has been known to wonder into private parties, and steal boxes of Clif Bars while in the nice town of Breckenridge.
:-)

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:03 PM :: ::

Hell has frozen over.

This looks insane!
Who's sign'n up?
How much clothing will you have to wear?
Peeing on your hands will keep them warm....I think?
Bear bells required?
Uhhhhhh?
To survive just think Arizona, beaches, sunshine, coffee....

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:26 PM :: ::

Need a FOX fork?

The guys over at Kona Midwest Enduro have 2 brand spank'n new Fox RLT 100 forks for sale. Click on over to pick one up and help support their season. Just give a shout out to them via the e-mail link. I think they are running it as a "Best Offer Takes it Home." What are ya wait'n for? Get over there!!!

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:50 AM :: ::

Indoor training Mr. 24 Style

This is the only way, hands down, to train indoors. If you can turn 53 x 11 over with minimal effort, you are well on your way.




KREITLER ROLLERS

Jeff Kerkove said at 8:50 PM :: ::

Heat Wave!

We are in the clutches of mother nature again! Now it's as hot as all get out. Today was nice balmy 31 degrees. Compared to the -18 degree high when I went to the YMCA yesterday it's freak'n hot as crap out. Break out the shorts!

I finally got to get the Surly 1x1 out again. It feels good to ride again versus driving the car. I rode to YMCA this morning and did a 30 minutes stairmaster warmup. Follow'd that up with 2 hours of my current weight lifting phase, then cool'd down with a 20 minute treadmill walk.

Right now I am consuming some whole wheat pasta topped with a bit of chicken breast and p-cheese. I just got back from "The House of Pain". We did about 2 hours of roller riding mania. The intervals were tough as always, but then again they are supposed to be hard. Feel the burn!!!!

Got an e-mail from my Cateye Enduro teammate Sloane. He was wondering if I was up for teaming up with him for Trans-Rockies. HELL YEAH!!!!! Who's pay'n? I'll keep you posted on that. Sloane is also getting ready for the 24 Hours Old Pueblo in late Feb. But then again, who isn't? Seem likes a ton of cold weather folks are heading out for a little fun in the sun.

Well, time to stretch out a bit and hit the sack. Tomorrow is 2 hours of tempo on the spin bike.

Oh, I almost forgot! The Dirtram stop in the shop tonight. And he left Whizbang some special Cheeseland Brew.

Jeff Kerkove said at 7:19 PM :: ::

Another good blog.

I wish the season would start, or atleast the weather warm up so I can go outside to write up some more entertaining blogs. I hate blogging just to blog.
Anyway.....
Check out this new blog that I stumbled across. It's for pro mountain bike racer Jason Seager. It's drop-dead funny!

CLICK HERE.

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:58 AM :: ::

Can it be.....

Holy Cow! I found Nirvana!
Click the link to be stimulated.
STIMULATE ME!

Jeff Kerkove said at 2:06 PM :: ::

The Crap We Ride

CRAFT BASE LAYER
Originally uploaded by kerkovej.

Time for some more kick-ass product reviews. I totally dig the Craft base layers. They come in a variety of colors (white, grey, black) and styles (sleeveless, short sleeve, tank). They also offer base layers for specific temp. ranges.

I own about 7 of these...one for everyday of the week. Whenever I work out or ride, I am wearing one of the Craft base layers. Wick, wick, wick, wick.......

They help to keep you cool when the temps rise, and warm you up when the temp drops. The coolest thing about these layers is the way they wick moisture. I have wore'n these layers on 100 degree days and actually stay dryer than if I was to just wear a plain jersey.

I'll bet'cha the Dirtram gives these a "Hell yeah!"

COOL FEATURES: Great fit on and off the bike, wick moisture, soft feel, Craft quality, assorted colors and styles

NOT SO COOL FEATURES: $32 and more depending on material!

Check out CRAFT for more info.

Jeff Kerkove said at 10:13 AM :: ::

Apple does it again!

Check this out! Apple now has a new MP3 player that is a bit more affordable. For less than $100 you can get a 512 MB flash drive style player which wil play up to 12 hours of tunes.

What does this mean to you? As an athlete, this is ideal for raging tunes during your workouts. It fits in your jersey pocket. It's way tiny. Plus, it's an Apple product.....is there anything else?

I am tempted to take back my Rio Chiba, and order one of these. I am a big fan of Apple. Right now I am using a G5 with a 21 inch cinema display. I have never had problems with an Apple product.

Jeff Kerkove said at 8:29 AM :: ::

The back of a cop car....

has plastic seats. Did you know that? I didn't. Well, I got to sit in the back of a cop car at the YMCA today. Why you ask? Cause the school bus that comes to pick up kids for school brushed up against Mazda. DAMN! The one day that I decide to drive my car, some crazy shiznit has to go down.

I had been on the bike for about 30 minutes when a lady that works at the YMCA comes up to me and says...."Are you the owner of the black Protege?" And I say...."Yep." Then she says..."Come with me please. The cops will be here shortly." I was thinking....."What the Crap!"

Anyway, the a Waterloo School Bus was making a wide sweeping turn at the far end of the parking lot and caught the front passenger side corner with the bus's rear tire. The Bus driver was in tears. The good thing, is that the damage isn't bad. It just looks like someone took sandpaper to a 2 foot section of the plastic bumper. But since it was a school bus on private property, the cops had to come and fill out an "Exchange Report". That's when I got to sit in the back of the cop car.....COOL!

Anyway, that is how my day started. How about yours?

Jeff Kerkove said at 10:27 AM :: ::

Holy Crap it's cold!

First let me say Congrats to the newly formed Kona Midwest Enduro Team. Two local knuckleheads are going to tackle the National endurance scene in '05. Good Luck! Also, I just gave their blog a bit of Kona flavor. CLICK HERE to check it out. Feedback is always good!

Training is rock'n! I just wish the season would get here so I can apply my newly found power. These new workouts are making a huge difference. Did I say new workouts? Damn! I need to keep my mouth shut.

OK, now if you live in the Midwest I am sure you are getting a solid kick in the face from the bitter temps. Tonight's low is supposed to be like -10 with -30 windchill. What the poop!? Tomorrows high is going to be 0. How can that be? Not sure if I am going to do much bike commuting. I really don't own the clothes for the extremely looooooooow temps.

Time to hit the sack. I am up about 1.5 hours later than normal so I could get the Kona Enduro blog designed. Feel'n sleepy. [insert yawn sound here]
Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 9:04 PM :: ::

The Crap We Ride

So, it seems that some of you, ( or SOMEONE- you know who you are!) does not think we are "negative" enough in our reviews. Not everything can be perfect, you say? well here's one for YOU!

Subject: Planet Bike Super Spot 1 watt LED light. website: www.planet.bike.com Special Features: 1 watt LED technology, Over 30 hours battery life, Quick release battery compartment, "Quick Cam" bracket allows mounting, adjusting, and removing in seconds, and the "Vision Optics Beam". ( more on the "beam" later.)

I needed a reliable, no fuss, easy to use commuter light. This one seemed to fit the bill. I liked the promise of long battery life, and LED technology sounded good to me, as I,ve read that it is the future of bicycle lighting technology.

The Good: Battery compartment is slick. Truly easy to obtain access, even while the light is mounted to the bike. No fumbling with a screw driver, and no fasteners to keep track of. Yay! The quick release mounting system was a breeze to use, again- good! The unit came with four AA sized batteries, already installed. Upon mounting it was clear to see that it was a unit ready for anything my commute could throw at it. The mount was solid, and wasn't about to let go of the bike. I have launched other bike lights in the rough stuff in the past. The light; however, was a MAJOR LETDOWN despite all of this. See the following........

THE BAD!!!! Rememberthe "Vision Optics Beam"? The one with the "specifically engineered to illuminate your path" beam? I say, WHAT BEAM?!!!!! I couldn't believe how poorly this "light" performed! It was barely brighter than the light of the moon. No.....wait.....it wasn't even that bright! Check this out, when I would pass a street light, and the street light was behind me- THE STREET LIGHT WOULD CAST MY SHADOW WHERE THE "BEAM" OF MY LIGHT SHOULD BE!!!! Only if I was away from any light pollution(pitch dark or close to it) could I say that the Super Spot illuminated my path to a decernible degree. I was dumbfounded! I thought that the provided batteries might be to blame. So, I replaced them with some fresh Rayo Vacs. Nope! Still heard a massive sucking sound when I hit the switch! Wow!

What I Say: DO NOT BUY THIS LIGHT!!! It Blows! No! Wait! IT SUCKS! No!....Its gone from SUCK to BLOW!!!! Whatever! Just do not waste your hard earned cash-ola on this one. I would recommend a Cat Eye OptiCube light, instead. Jeff has one of these, and it's GREAT!

So, not everything we ride is GREAT! Some of it really is CRAP!

Jeff Kerkove said at 7:09 PM :: ::

The Crap We Ride

Ok, It's my turn to give some feed back on some "Crap" I have been using. Let's get one thing straight....the Tifosi Siff optics are NOT crap. These are one of the best pairs of shades I have wore during my endurance races and training rides. For less than $50 you get a hard case, cloth to clean them up with, and 3 sets of lenses....YES! I said 3 sets of lenses. They fit like a glove, and they look cool. Well, I think they look cool. To each their own. In the race picture to the right, under the Trans-Iowa ad shows me racing wearing these shades. Below is the specs for the shades.

• Weight: 21g
• Grilamid TR-90 - A homopolyamide nylon characterized by an extremely high alternative bending strength, remarkable toughness, exceptional resistance to chemicals, low density, and a remarkably high resistance to UV damage or breakdown. Translation - almost indestructible!
• Hydrophilic nose and earpieces - Special rubber pads designed to stress comfort but that also increases their grip when they get wet (i.e. perspiration) and resistant to aging.
• Polycarbonate Decentered Lens - Used for its high impact resistance due to elasticity, and optical clarity characteristics. The lenses flex versus shattering pon impact. Optics are further enhanced by the "decentering" which eliminates any false optical alteration (magnification, distortion, etc.).
• Glare Guard™ - Reflective coating on lenses that provides glare reduction and decreases eye fatigue.

These optics are A-OK. I have no negative comments. Check out Tifosi Optics to look through their entire line.

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:23 PM :: ::

Here we go again...

As I type this, the radio is saying that we are supposed to get the following: rain, sleet, snow, sleet, rain. And yes, it that order. Could make for some epic bike rides here in the next few days.

Got a ton of feed back on the Irwins-Toyota team kits that I posted a few days ago via e-mail and this blog. It appears a lot of people dig the look. I am pretty happy with it. I just hope that it doesn't change too much.

Speaking of team kits, the Discovery Team had its official press launch yesterday. The public got their first look at the new rides and kits that Lance and the boys will be rage'n in this year. It's also cool to see an Iowa boy making it to the big show. Go, Jason, Go!!

Today I started my next phase of training. I can't wait for Spring. I want to get out and attempt to lay wood to the other local riders. Who knows, maybe I might get the wood lay'd to me. It seems that everyone is working pretty hard this off season. We'll just have to wait and see.

That's all. Time to work on the Irwin boy's kit.

Jeff Kerkove said at 10:45 AM :: ::

How to Read a Review

Guitar Ted here, with my take on how to read your "garden variety" mtb reveiw. This example has been taken from an article published on Velo New's website, ( www.velonews.com ) entitled "Tech Report: Hone- ing in on Shimano; High Fiber braking". Written by Andrew Juskaitis, this embodies a "typical" mtb reveiw- in this case, Shimano's new "Hone" brakes, and gruppo. I'll give you some excerpts, and the "everyman's" interpretation afterwards in an effort to help you cut through the "crap".

Example 1. " I quickly noticed the improved crankarm stiffnes provided by the Hollowtech II arms and bottom bracket, comparable to Saint by my own "scientific" seat-of-the-pants estimation." Interpretation: Shimano says these are stiffer, oh yeah! I can feel it! ummm.....whatever, dude! I guess the BIKE they are connected to has little to nothing to do with that "feeling"!

Example 2. "I asked Thorpe if this lighter action and audible click would make its way up the food chain to XTR and he hinted that it probably would. "We're currently working on a couple of improvements for XTR....." Interpretation: XTR has some serious short comings in it's current form that need to be addressed. Shimano got it wrong- AGAIN- people. Same 'ol story!

Example 3. Think I was being harsh? check this little qoute out. ""When Dual Control first was shown to the press, Shimano didn't do the best job in explaining why they were offering this new design." That was straight from the Shimano reps mouth. Interpretation: Shimano didn't have a good reason for the rider to make a change from a "riding" point of veiw; as this was all market driven. You'll get the hang of it eventually.

Example 4. This one has to do with Shimano's "Rapid Rise" rear derailluer technology. Check this out."Where a rider used to force the downshift with their thumb, the rear derailluer's return spring now applies just the right amount of force to move the chain to a larger cog." Interpretaion: Well, really a question. If this is true, what happens when you need "just the right amount of force" to shift to a higher gear? What happens when dirt and contamination enter the picture in regards to the "right amount of force"?" What is the "force" anyway? Should I use it?
Jedi knights needed to answer my mtb-ing questions?

Well, I hope that this small look into a typical reveiw will have you taking a second look at what you read in the major mags. Think about this stuff they write. You'll get through the crap, and find out that there is not much substance to be had. But- at least you'll be able to keep what is good, and toss the crap!

Guitar Ted! Slush in a DQ cup= good. Slush tossed at me on the road in January= bad! Keep Ridin' an' Smilin'!

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:43 AM :: ::

Feel'n Creative & Slush

Like I said in an earlier post, the Irwin's-Toyota Cycling Team based out of Des Moines contacted me about design'n up their team kits for the 2005 season. Below I have posted a picture of the jersey and shorts that I came up with this morning after consuming a pot of coffee. Coffee + Early AM = Creativity. Look it over and leave a "comment" below as to what you think. This is just the first "proof" so I am sure things will change....they always do. And Hey!...If you or someone else needs some design work, send them my way.
CLICK HERE TO SEE LARGE JERSEY PICTURE.
CLICK HERE TO SEE LARGE BIB PICTURE.





Yesterday, I worked all day at the shop. It was just me and the Boss. It was crazy! We rented out about every set of xc skis we had, plus we have almost sold through our entire xc ski inventory. Lets just say it was a good day. Good days are hard to come by in a bike shop in January.

After I finished designing the team kits posted above I went to the YMCA and did 3 hours on the spin bike. Did some muscle fiber recruitment drills, leg speed work, and tempo work. It was a great work out.

The ride to and from the YMCA was a mess. It was like 35 degrees today, and after the foot of snow we had a few days ago, it made for super sloppy roads. The crap was flying everywhere. I had to be careful when a car would come by, cause they would shoot out slush at like mach 5 in my general direction.

That's all for today. Time to surf the net.

Jeff Kerkove said at 4:36 PM :: ::

The Crap We Ride

Todays subject: Burley Rain Pant Website: www.burley.com Approximate Retail Price $75.00

Okay, here goes! Got me some rain gear for the commute to work. I didn't want to take the car, just because of some wet weather. I've had these pants for about a month now. So, are they good? YES! Here is a run down of what I like about them.

1. Light weight, tough fabric. Easy to clean in a washer. Waterproof/ windproof, without a doubt.
2. Easy to put on. They've got a zipper on each leg from the cuff to midway up the calf. Makes getting feet with shoes through easy.
3 Velcro adjuster at cuff to tighten the pant down around your leg. Keeps chain goo off the pant.
4. Scotch Brite accents. So I can be seen at night.
5. Easy to ride in. No bunching up in "undercarriage" area! Legs are long enough, and don't creep up.
6. Packs down to a very small size. You could get these into a jersey pocket, if you wanted to.
7. VERY WARM! These pants keep me plenty warm, even in sub zero windchills.



Okay, how about what isn't good? Well, there are some things.

1. Waistband has poor "gripper" thingy on waistband string. You know, those gizmos that most backpacks have that cinch down a string, and hang on for ever? Well, Burley's thingy sucks! It doesn't hold! I'll have to get some "braces" to hold'em up!

2. VERY WARM! I had these on for about two minutes in the shop and I had instant swamp ass conditions! I guess it's the price you pay for 100% waterproofness. Which these are! Just be aware when you layer up!

Burley raingear is tested and designed by people that really ride the stuff. It shows. Available in performance fit, and relaxed fit. ( I got relaxed fit to go over my jeans/ Dickies/ shorts- whatever!) I hope that they get their gripper thingy updated, cause it really was a letdown. I'm still glad that I got them, though. I wore them XC skiing today, and they work great for that too. Heck, you could go do a million things with these pants on! I like the versatility!

These pants get my "cautionary" recommendo, only because of the gripper thingy on the waistband. Otherwise, they are great. The versatility, and ease of use on the bike won me over.

Thanks for reading this Crap!

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:58 PM :: ::

Random Blog

Well, I finally got my car out of the huge pile of snow that accumulated on it. In true white-trash fashion, I grabbed my broom from the kitchen and swept away a foot of snow from around my car and on top of the car. Yep, all 1 foot of it. I don't own a shovel. What else was I going to do?

Now does this make sense to you....

1. Load up car with road bike and rollers.
2. Fill up car with $25 worth of gas.
3. Drive 2 hours to roller race.
4. Pay $20 entry fee
5. Warm up.
6. Race for 6 minutes....on rollers...starring at a computer screen.
7. Pack up car.
8. Drive 2 hours home.
9. Unpack.

...Welcome to the roller race season. I just don't get it? Do you?

My tires on my Mazda Protege 5 are not really snow tires. Needless to say, I had to get a running start to get out of my apartment complex's driveway. The speedo read like 50 mph, but I was only going like 4 mph. I think I'll just stick to the Surly 1x1.

I have to work all Saturday with the "Boss." Just me and the "Boss." Pray for me!

With all this new snow, the XC skiers are coming out in the masses. We are renting out about every pair of xc skis we own. Plus, we are down to all odd sizes in the new skis. Tomorrow, is going to be a mess at work....no xc skis to rent, and no xc skis to sell. There will be a riot at Europa on Sat.

My new favorite website.....CLICK HERE

I am officially part-time part-time.....does that make sense? Damn the slow months!!! Please send all financial donations to:
"This Cracker is Poor"
Thunder Ridge Blvd
Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613

I applied for a design job in Hudson, but it was already filled the day before they got my fancy resume...Damn! But, on a good note, the fine folks on the Irwin's/Toyota of D.M. are letting me design their team kits. I had a certain D.M. local suggest a camo style similar to Geoff Kabush's National Championship kit by Sugoi. That would be cool.

Look for some new blogs from Guitar Ted and myself. We are going to call it "The Crap We Ride." It's going to be product reviews from cyclist for cyclist. No B.S. Just the God honest truth.

Stay tuned.

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:57 PM :: ::

BIKE RACING CLINIC

QCP Bike Racing Clinic…
You’ll be given skills to improve your training and racing!
Learn how to manage training time effectively!
Easy steps to ensure you’ll achieve the goals you set!
Quick tips to maximize your nutrition!

You are invited to attend a bike racing clinic hosted by cycling coach Donny Quixote. He held this same clinic last spring and it recieved some great responses from everyone who attended!

Saturday, January 29th 2005, 10:00am – 2:00pm

This clinic is packed with information useful to bicycle racers of all abilities and is an essential part of any spring training program. Perfect for competitive cyclists, tri, road and mountain or any avid cyclist looking to make great improvements in their performance.

The clinic will be held at Rasmussen Bike Shop 301 Grand Avenue in West Des Moines, IA, a block west of 63rd and Grand

Along with what is listed above, here’s what you’ll get from the QCP bike racing clinic:

• Master the 4P-Principle of competition
• Use drafting and pace lines to maximize your energy
• The greatest tricks to cornering, positioning, and advancing
• Understand the 5-4-3-2-1 methodology of attacking
• How to read the race and other competitors
• Gain strong tactical presence and knowledge
• How to use poor conditions in your favor
• Gain confidence in your sprinting, climbing, and time trials

This clinic is sponsored by Rasmussen Bike Shop and thanks to their sponsorship the following discounts apply:

• General Admission: $20
• QCP Sport Athletes: $15
• QCP Expert Athletes: $10
• QCP Professional Athletes: Free

To learn how to become a QCP athlete visit www.quixotecycling.com

Everyone who attends this clinic should bring a notebook and pen. The clinic will take approximately four hours with two 15-minute breaks.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:29 AM :: ::

It's over....

Finally, the snow has stopped. The official total according to the radio is 13 inches. Hmmmm, lucky 13. Pretty much every school in the area is closed. Even the colleges are opening up way late, and that hardly ever happens. If you live in this large band of heavy snowfall you are going to want to read THIS.

Yesterday I did all my commuting on the Surly 1x1. It was pretty tough. A lot of mashing through the soft snow in my 2:1 gear ratio. I can feel it in my quads and butt. But, it's not that bad. Not as bad as after the 3 hour spin bike session the other week...Oooooooooo.

On the way home from work last night, I laid the Surly down at about 18 mph. I can hear Phil Liggett saying it now..."Jeff Down! Jeff Down! Oh, he's riding out of his skin!" I was on one of the CF side road that had a bit of ice left over from the ice storm. The road that I was on was NOT flat. For some reason this road is a bit off camber. Anywho, I hit a section of ice, the bike slid out from under me, and I hit the ground and slid like 15 feet. I was actually pretty fun. I was down and out before I knew what happened. Oh, the joys of commuting......in 13 inches of snow.

Today is more training. Weight lifting in the AM and roller workout in the PM. The specifics are my secret. If you ride your bike to my apartment today, I will give you all my training details in Microsoft Word format for your effort :-) Good Luck!

Remember to train hard, and to rest even harder!

I am out'a here.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:04 AM :: ::

Mr. 24 Weather Report

Current Conditions at 7:04 PM, Wednesday.

Stopped snowing......for now.
4-5 more inches by the AM
Wind is blowing.
11 balmy degrees.
Roads are darn slick
Winter Storm Warning is in full effect till Thursday in the AM.

This weather forecast was brought to you by the fine folks at the Red Green Show.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:04 PM :: ::

I think it's snowing.

Snow!
Originally uploaded by kerkovej.

For those of you who live in the nice warm areas of the world, this is what a Winter Storm Warning looks like. So while you are sunning your butt cheeks while wearing that new thong swim suit you got for X-Mas, I am riding in 5 layers to and from my destinations. This is the first big snowfall of the year. We are supposed to get 12-16 inches of this stuff.

I rode the Surly 1x1 to the YMCA this morning to do my recovery bike ride. The ride was pretty fun. A little sketchy at times, but nothing you don't see on a super muddy XC race....kind of like Snowshoe, WV. I plan on riding to work today also. The looks from people that are either shoveling or driving by is priceless when you go whipping by faster on a bike than in a motorized vehicle. Atleast with all this snow, the ice we got the other day is no longer a problem.

I just had to share this weather with the internet community. Enjoy!

Jeff Kerkove said at 11:44 AM :: ::

Mr. 24 Weather Report

Current Conditions at 12:03 PM, Wednesday.

Still snowing like it has never snowed before
Sitting at about 10 inches or so.
Wind is now blowing.
22 balmy degrees.
Forecast is still for up to 1 foot.
Winter Storm Warning is in full effect till Thursday in the AM.
Stay Tuned.

This weather forecast was brought to you by the fine folks at Surly.

Jeff Kerkove said at 11:03 AM :: ::

Mr. 24 Weather Report

Current Conditions at 6:19 AM, Wednesday.

Still snowing like a mother f@%#$er.
Sitting at about 6 inches.
17 balmy degrees.
Forecast is still for up to 1 foot.
Winter Storm Warning is in full effect.
Stay Tuned.

This weather forecast was brought to you by the fine folks at LIVEWRONG

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:19 AM :: ::

Mr. 24 Weather Report

Current Conditions at 8:32 PM, Tuesday.

Snowing like a mother f@%#$er.
About 3 inches so far.
25 balmy degrees.
Forecast is for up to 1 foot.
Stay Tuned.

This weather forecast was brought to you by the fine folks at Tifosi Optics.

Jeff Kerkove said at 7:27 PM :: ::

Things are getting interesting.

This could make for an interesting next couple of days. Two days ago we had 1/4 inch of ice. Tonight and tomorrow, we are to get 8 to 12 inches of snow. This could make for some great commuting stories. I wish I had some studded tires for the bike like Guitar Ted does so I could commute by bike right now. The roads are still death traps witha fine layer of ice. Hopefully if we get all this snow it will cover the ice, so I can get the Surly 1x1 back out.

This morning I did some more weight lifting. This is the final week of the "phase" that I am in. Tonight I am going to hit up the group roller ride to do some fun intervals. The training is coming along a lot better than last year. This next season is going to bring some great things.

I picked up some more sponsors for the Trans-Iowa race....Mt Borah, Thomson, and Park Tool. All these companies were thrilled to get their hands into this event.

I really don't have a ton to write about. Check back after the snowstorm for some interesting stories.

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 10:22 AM :: ::

New Year- New Changes

Guitar Ted here with the first post of the year. Time for a few changes. Seems to be the thing to do about now. First, I will not be one of those people that makes a "health" related promise today, only to sink it with a medium sized Brownie Batter Blizzard in the third week of January. Nope! I'm not going to put off that Blizzard for another day! I'll just have to ride my bike more to burn it up. (Dang! I HATE having to ride my bike MORE! wink, wink, nudge, nudge!) Second: I WILL do the best job I can for Trans-Iowa race. I am fully committed to this baby, and nuthin' is gonna stop me now. ('cept maybe the recent ice storm, which prevented me from doing course re-con this weekend!) Anywho! I am really excited about this deal, and I can't wait to get working on it! Third: I here-by crown "Bear" the reigning musical clue guesser of the year '04! I will now CEASE and DESIST from providing anymore "musical" clues, or references! ( Dream on!) Fourth: I promise not to take in anymore lonely, lost, or abandoned bicycles even if they have purple anodized chi-chi's on them. ( Must......RESIST........TEMPTATIONS!!!!!!) My wife will be "pulling" for me on this one! (Oh! Will ya' jest look at 'em! In his wee'ittle boots!) I took in a total of three this year! ahhhhh! the madness! Fifth: I plead it! Sixth: I'm gonna get my home shop re-stocked with tools before years end! ( Sacked all my tools and took them to work when I started at Europa. I never replaced them! Kinda hard to tweak on the rigs without the right tools at home!) Seventh: I will try to return to writing about cycling related tips and not "rant" so much, unless provoked to do said ranting! Eighth: I will continue to contemplate a return to racing my mountainbike, but only if all the stars align, and everything falls into the right place. Racing is okay, but I can live without it. ( At least I have for the past 8 years!) I have not ruled out racing again- just not holding my breath, if ya' know what I mean! Ninth: I'm going to try to fillet braze my own 29" wheeled mtb frame. Yeah, I know, why bother when you could get a new frame for under 700 bucks. But, hey! Like Patrick O'Grady says: "It may be wrong, but we're gonna do it anyway!". Tenth: And finally.....no more "What I Say" at the end of each blog. Change is good! So, look for some changes in '05. Meet the challenges. Don't get too comfy! Try something new this year. And...Most importantly, HAVE FUN!

Jeff Kerkove said at 7:35 PM :: ::

Ice + Surly 1x1 + Jeff = Bloody Carnage!!!

As you all know, we had a major ice storm yesterday. About 1/4 inch of the shiny stuff. Since yesterday was New Years day and the YMCA wasn't open, and because of the ice I couldn't ride outside, I sat on my arse all day. Today, I was NOT going to sit in the apartment all day. I figured I would wait till noon when the YMCA opens then head over and do some bike work.

Well, 11:30 roll'd around and I geared up in my NEMA gear and did my first attempt to ride down the road. You know when you watch those nature TV shows, and a horse has a baby, it plops out onto the ground and it can barely stand up. Yeah, that was me. My body was contorted into a bunch of different forms that I didn't even know I could do. Maybe I should join the circus? Maybe not.

Anyway, the first 300 yards were the worst. I fell on my side once. I got up and dropped my tire pressure to about 25 PSI. I got back on and went on my way. I took all the major roads in town...Rainbow Drive, 12th Street, Black Hawk Rd. Traffic was slow, so I could mingle right in. I had a Cedar Falls PD pull up along side of me at a stop light and with a smirk said that I was very daring. Well isn't that nice.

Needless to say, I made the ride to the YMCA and back a success, providing that I only fell once. I wonder if anyone saw it?

Tomorrow they are forecasting even more ice. What ever happened to snow?

Ted, are you rage'n the Karate Monkey to work tomorrow? Studded tires?

I'm out'a here!

Jeff Kerkove said at 3:08 PM :: ::

I'm bored.

Isn't it amazing what you can do with a 4 year degree in graphic design, and 15 minutes of free time.

I know some of you can't see what I have posted. It might be either your computer or your browser. I am using Firefox browser and the all mighty Apple G5 computer.

If you really want to see what I have posted CLICK HERE.

Jeff Kerkove said at 7:34 PM :: ::

Ice, Ice, Baby!

Dang! I have a day off from work, and I can't even get outside to ride. Why you ask? Because there is a quarter inch of ice covering everything. The theme song for today is Ice, Ice, Baby by Vanilla Ice.....ya know ya want to sing it! We are in the midst of a freak ice storm. Travel is not advised....that's not good. This must be a sign from God to be inactive today and to recover. I suppose I could try to go outside and ride, but I don't want to risk crashing and breaking a hip or something. That would be a major set back in what has been successful training so far this off season. So since I am stuck in the apartment all day, I am going to get some of the Trans-Iowa paper work taken care of.

I am out'a here!

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:52 PM :: ::