Race prep for Syracuse

Bike racers are anal, lets be honest.  The team is heading down to the Tour de Syracuse in a few days and we are all chatting about equipment, gearing choices, what wheels to use, if we should bring TT bikes for the massive 3 mile TT or just say f'it and do it on just one bike cause it is just 3 miles.  This doesn't mean we can't wear funny looking aero helmets.  Oh and how could I forget about hotel choices?  Cheaper hotel vs free breakfast?  Free breakfast won that battle. 

After swinging by the shop earlier to pick up my new wheel bag I did what any respectable bike racer does in preparation for a race, take apart the bike and put it back together.  This year I am riding a Specialized Tarmac which I LOVE.  I started my cycling career on a 2004 Specialized Allez while living in NH and am happy to get back to where I started after a brief hiatus with a crappy overseas no name bike which I ended up flexing out in a matter of weeks.  The Tarmac is a blast to ride, stiff, responsive, and looks awesome (last part might be the most important). 

The frame pre cleaning and spare wheels in the corner

 

So what is part of the pre race treatment on the bike?  Well it starts with a cleaning via pledge and lots of paper towels.  FD adjustments, RD adjustments, tossing the race wheels in there with the cassette I will be running for the crit (11-23), tighten every bolt that I can find and torque it to spec, checking brakes, switching out brake pads, cleaning the chain, cleaning the cassettes, cleaning the cassettes on the spare wheels, finding the spare wheels, making sure the spare wheels are still actually functioning, and then finally the brief test ride.  All in all not to much work, maybe 30 mins when all is said and done.

The race set up

Tomorrow I am off from work which is great for the reason, well, I dont have to work.  I have plans to meet up with Matt Russell for a ride and then get to help him with his swim at the St Lawrence pool.  Matt is fresh off of a great performance at Florida 70.3 this past weekend. 

Stayed tuned on race updates from the weekend, we will try and toss something up Saturday night and then if I am still alive Sunday night too.  Next week will be tricky training wise, all day meeting on Monday, Philly on Tuesday, and back home Wed.  Good times.  At least we have the weekend off from racing so can really get in some good miles before the CT Stage Race (crit, 10mile TT, and 91 mile RR).