Back in the Saddle

Alright, so I've been away from the blog for quite a while now, and I'm sorry for that.  I've been very busy recently, with training, my Montreal Canadiens in the playoffs, visitors, and life in general.  I will be more diligent with this in the future.  Maybe getting my own domain IS what I need to do.

So a few people have been asking me about my current equipment setup.  Today, I will outline my current bike setup, and the run/swim stuff will come.

As I am new to the whole biking/running/swimming/triathlon thing, I decided to buy some equipment used, and managed to get some better items, better equipped, for the same price.  First, let's go with the big ticket.  I bought my bike off of Kijiji.  It's a 2006 Quintana Roo Seduza.  It has a carbon fibre frame, and front and back forks.  The bike is UNBELIEVABLY light (well, for what I was expecting...).  For those of you who are more technically in the know, here are the specifications:  53cm top tube, Vision TT Aero bars with Ulteggra bar-end shifters.  Ulteggra front derailleur, Dura-Ace rear.  Keo Look Red pedals and a San Marco Arrowhead saddle.  All in all, this bike is WAY more than I need right now, but in time, I will grow into it, and hopefully out of it.

Now on to the less fun, less big ticket items.  I picked up some Nike cycling shoes.  Carbon fibre sole.  Not much interesting there.  Just a fairly standard pair of decent shoes.  One thing I wasn't expecting was how hard it is to walk around in them.  It has made me realize that I am going to have to practice my transitions more than I initially planned!

The bike that I bought came equipped with a Cat Strada Eye Cadence computer.  I am finding this computer invaluable.  It measures distance, time, speed, average speed, max speed, cadence and has an odometer.  These are pretty standard stats, but from what I understand, the cadence is something that doesn't often get measured.  Right now, I don't find this useful, but maybe in time I will.  Like I said, it came with the bike, so I'm not going to complain about it.

If anyone is wondering, my max speed thus far is 57.4km/h.  And yes, I was terrified.

Other than those, there aren't many other things I use for my cycling.  I have a Lazer helmet and a pair of $20 sunglasses (that I can't ride without).  I have also picked up a pair of shorts (Louis Garneau), a bib (Pearl Izumi Elite bib), and 2 Sugoi jerseys.  I LOVE the Pearl bib, and actually have ordered a PI Elite TriSuit, I loved it that much.  As for the jerseys, I have tried on a bunch of other ones, and the ones that I always go back to in the change room are the Sugoi.  I just find them really comfortable...

If you have any questions, want more information, or think I forgot something here, let me know!  Hope this post didn't put those who are not really interested in my equipment to sleep.

More to come soon, more often.  Promise.

Your Armchair Ironman