Philadelphia, PA - The former Scott-American Beef (Saunier-Duval) team, registered with the UCI last week under the name of GM Bikes, has announced today that the team has acquired title sponsorship for the 2009 season from the Fuji bicycle company and Servetto, an Italian company which manufactures accessories for wardrobes. The Pro Tour team also will also be supported in 2009 by TMC Transformers, designer and manufacturer of electric transformers, and of the government of Cantabria.

For Fuji bicycles, the largest brand of Advanced Sports, Inc., headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this will be its first foray into the Pro Tour ranks. Previously the sponsor of U.S. Continental team Toyota-United, Fuji continues to expand its presence in the elite sports arena. In addition to Fuji-Servetto, Fuji bicycles will sponsor the Pro Continental team Elk Haus, based in Austria. Fuji also continues to sponsor Equipe Nurnberger, the top-ranked women’s pro team out of Germany as well as U.S. Olympian and current National Champion in triathlon, Matt Reed.

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Trek 2.3 WSD Pro Review - By Karen Cooper

• Frame - Trek Alpha Black aluminum w/TCT carbon stays
• Fork - Bontrager Race, carbon
• Wheels - Bontrager Race
• Tires - Bontrager Race Lite, 700 x 23c
• Groupset - Shimano 105 (w/an Ultegra Rear Derailleur)
• Brakes - Aluminum dual-pivot
• MSRP - $1809

Meet the Trek 2.3 WSD
When I first started riding road bikes, the woman’s specific design movement hadn’t really gained much momentum. Over the last few years, the trend has really taken off, with lots of manufacturers thinking about what we women need in a bike and designing equipment that fits those needs.

The Trek 2.3 WSD (Women’s Specific Design) is a good example, filling a spot midway in the full WSD product line-up. The next jump up the line moves into Trek’s base Madone WSD. Below the five Madone WSD models, Trek offers a 1.2, 1.5, 2.1 and 2.3 WSD spec levels with prices ranging from $880 MSRP for the 1.2 to $1809 for the 2.3 we tested. For reference, the lowest equipment spec level of the Madone WSD jumps to $2,469 MSRP.

The 2.3 WSD comes in a wide range of frame sizes: 43cm, 47cm, 50cm, 54cm, and 56cm; I tested the 47, listed as an XS. Compared to the seat tube height, the top tubes start out with slighter longer on the smallest frames, and gradually transition towards shorter top tubes on the larger frames. The head tube angles are relaxed for a comfortable, stable ride, a confidence inspiring choice for beginner to intermediate level women riders. With full sloping top tube and seat tube sizes down to a 43 (the only WSD size to run a 650c wheel), the Trek WSD line allows even the shortest of us girls to get into a perfectly sized sporty road bike.

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Beverly Hills High School and Team UTAC join to raise awareness on Worlds AIDS Day, December 1

Santa Monica, Calif. - On Sunday, November 30 at 6 p.m., Cyclist and AIDS Activist Brian Hodes will begin a 24-hour bicycle ride to raise awareness around prejudice and stigma associated with AIDS and HIV. The event will take place at Beverly Hills High School with the help of the faculty and student body.

“The students and the faculty of Beverly Hills High School have embraced this beyond my wildest expectations,” said Hodes. “From the moment I pitched the idea to Principal Guidetti, they ran with it. I’m happy to say tolerance is alive and well at Beverly Hills High.”

Hodes’ daughter, Sophia is a senior at BH High who along with the 2,500 plus student body will participate in the World AIDS day event on Monday, December 1st. Students will hear from people living with HIV at a special Monday assembly and panels from the original AIDS quilt will be on display. The Service Learning Class is promoting the event, hanging posters on campus, creating red AIDS ribbon pins, and recruiting students to walk 28 laps around the track along side the cyclists to commemorate the 28 years of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

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Colorado Springs, CO – Carmichael Training Systems is excited to announce the release of two new titles to their already successful line of training DVD’s. Due out on the retail sales shelves in November of this year, athletes will be able to maintain and improve their fitness level with Carmichael Training Systems Core Strength for Cyclists and Triathletes and the Progressive Power series DVD’s.

Carmichael Training Systems Progressive Power ($34.99 MSRP/each or $149/set) is a series of five (5) DVD’s, each containing three 1-hr power-training workouts recorded over 8-weeks of sessions at the CTS headquarters in Colorado Springs, CO. Designed specifically to improve power output on the bike, each Progressive Power DVD can be used independently or combined to get 16 power workouts that research proves can increase your overall sustainable power by 12% (Klika, et al., 2007). Included free with each order is the Progressive Power Field Test DVD which will allows athletes to establish personal HR or Power ranges to be used with each workout.

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Vancouver, WA - Protech Composites has put the finishing touches on its new carbon fiber clincher rim for road bikes and they are now ready for sale. With over two years of careful design, engineering, and testing, along with some tough riding, assure that the R.30 Full Carbon Fiber Clincher Rim is ready for the most demanding cyclist.

Employing innovative manufacturing techniques, Protech Composites is able to offer these rims at only $349 retail. Optimization of the production process, and not substandard materials or design, allows Protech Composites to offer these rims at such a competitive price. Protech Composites General Manager, Chris Bailey said “ Our carbon fiber rims are second to none in terms price and quality. We are proud to offer such an outstanding product designed and manufactured right here in the U.S.”

Dealers or consumers interested in a set of your own please contact Protech Composites at (360) 573-7800 or via their website www.protechcomposites.com

Protech Composites is a Vancouver Washington based composites company that produces high quality carbon fiber products. Founded and operated by a couple of Aerospace Engineers well versed in Aerospace composite design and fabrication, Protech Composites brings a wealth of experience to carbon fiber composite product fabrication.

By Steve Cooper

• Frame: R6 Double Butted Alloy
• Fork: Carbon Fiber With Alloy Steerer.
• Sram Rival shifters and derailleurs
• FSA Gossamer 46×36t crankset
• Ritchey Pro wheel set with Hutchinson Bulldog tires
• Available in 7 sizes

The call came in Friday afternoon. “The Redline has arrived”, I repeat “the Redline has arrived”. Mostly set-up, the Conquest Pro didn’t take much time to finish building and match positions to my CCX race bike. I did a test ride in Nisene Marks Saturday morning, and then raced today. Whew, that’s fast. Maybe too fast to work all the kinks out – that’s okay, cause this is going to be a great review ride throughout the hectic CCX race season we’re in the middle of.

In the meantime, here are my first impressions.

Spec: 95% Brilliant. It’s all built around a Redline R6 aluminum frame and a Redline carbon fork. Rival derailleurs front and rear with 09’ Rival shifters make me smile. An FSA Gossamer crank in 46/36 with the SRAM 1070 12-25 rear cassette is my gearing of choice. Avid shorty cantis do the trick, unless the front straddle cable slips loose on lap three (totally attributable to the short set-up window). Other FSA goodness includes a carbon wrap seat post, shallow drop OS bars and stem. Tektro top mounted levers are a new treat for me; I think I’m going to warm up to the option of braking from the flats. The Ritchey DS Pro wheelset looks good and tough. And the rubber? It’s a set of Hutchinson Bulldogs, one of the fattest (but not fastest) set of knobbies you can find these days.

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Boulder, CO, USA - Just in time for off-season training, VeloPress is pleased to announce the release of Weight Training for Cyclists: A Total Body Program for Power and Endurance by Ken Doyle and Eric Schmitz. The book is now available in the U.S. and Canada in bookstores, bike shops, and online.

Cyclists need more than just powerful quads and chiseled calves. Cyclists need total body strength-a strong core and solid upper body-to ride with power and endurance. Put simply, stronger muscles last longer and stabilize the body, improving technique and efficiency.

Weight Training for Cyclists is the only book available that shows cyclists how they can get stronger to ride stronger. The authors explain how strength training in the weight room translates to endurance and power on the bike.

New in this second edition are easy-to-follow drawings that clearly demonstrate strength training exercises. Doyle and Schmitz update exercises to include the newest weight training equipment and present the latest information from new research on core strength, nutrition, stretching, and warm-up.

Weight Training for Cyclists presents a series of training plans that require only a fraction of the time that cyclists spend in the saddle. For newcomers and veterans alike, Weight Training for Cyclists will become their fundamental guide to better performance.

Weight Training for Cyclists: A Total Body Program for Power and Endurance, 2nd Ed.
Ken Doyle and Eric Schmitz
Paperback | 6″ x 9″, 224 pp. | VP-WTC2, $18.95 | 978-1-934030-29-5

• This is the only book on weight training for cyclists.
• All-new illustrations for clarity and ease of use
• Includes new chapter on stretching and warm-up
• Expanded coverage of core strength and lower-body strength exercises

Ken Doyle, a licensed coach with the U.S. Cycling Federation, is an exercise physiologist certified by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He’s a competitive road racer, coaches a road and a mountain bike team, and is also the head coach of the Santa Barbara Special Olympics Cycling Team.

Eric Schmitz has a degree in Exercise Physiology and is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He is a Level I USAT triathlon coach and the creator of two strength and conditioning DVDs.

Bicycling has become a major adult sport over the past 20 years. However, the men are having most of the fun. PV Bicycle Center is opening a new store with the goal of attracting more women to the sport. The networking begins November 21 at 7:30 pm

Specialized Bicycle Company is sending its Designs for Women demo team to offer a clinic on cycling from the woman’s point of view. Diva Night will take place at the brand new PV Bicycle Center store in Rolling Hills Estates. There will be plenty of opportunity for those who attend to establish new friendships and set up future meetings, rides, or events. Refreshments will be served. Pro cyclist Anna Lang from Aaron’s Pro Women’s Cycling Team will lead road rides Saturday and Sunday morning, and the women’s demo trailer will also be available from Friday through Sunday for test rides on the full line of Specialized women’s bikes.

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In part 2 of this two part series of videos, Karl wraps up his overview of trainers with a quick glimpse at the 1up trainer, the Tacx Cosmos, E-Motion Rollers, and the Lemond Revmaster fitness bike.

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Karl Etzel of Silicon Valley Cycling Center

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With the autumn fully upon us, and winter headed our way soon, most of us are looking for indoor training options to retain the fitness we’ve been working so hard to achieve all year. Karl Etzel of Silicon Valley Cycling Center is going to be going over a few trainers and other indoor training options you might like to try.

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Karl Etzel of Silicon Valley Cycling Center