LeMond Fitness Trainer

Two years ago I visited Greg LeMond at his home in St Paul. Wonderful guy. He took me to his test lab to see the new LeMond Revolution wind trainer. His company is donating some to Echelon to give away as awards. Greg is also riding in our Palo Alto gran fondo so when I say this you might think I am biased but this new trainer really is "Revolutionary"

• Feels like you are riding your own bike. You are
• Does not wear out your tires or your rear free wheel (cog)
• It is priced competitively
• for more go to http://www.lemondfitness.com/

Having Cramps?

I am spending much of my summer on the east coast where the humidity can take the heat index up to 114 as it did last year at US Nationals in Kentucky where I was dropped in the 50+ category trying to bridge to Thurlow Rodgers. I CRAMPED.  That desert monger! Maybe he is just used to thick air living in LA.

Anyway,  Hammer's Endurolytes are a sure saver in the heat. Ask Mike Vella from Webcor Alto Velo who just came back for Tour of the Catskills NY. He was blown out by cramps on day 2 and limped in for 16th place. One bottle of Endurolytes coming your way for registering for the Echelon Palo Alto Gran Fondo Mike.

Follow Hammer's instructions and or just take some capsules before your ride and during. Check out the new fizz tablets too. We give out tons of Hammer samples at all of our fondo's.  You can have all you want but for my Hammer Cashew Coconut Chocolate Chip bars.  Every time Hammer sends me a box for our participants they end up in my stomach. Sorry

Hunter Ziesing for Echelon

Di2 Follow up review

Shimano and other sponsor/partners are kind enough to sponsor our gran fondo series and well as provide us some product to try, review and share with our participants including Shimano's Di2 electronic shifting system. I have been riding the Di2 now on a Wilier Cento Uno road bike as well as the Wilier Cento Uno Crono TT bike.

Here is a quick mid year review after some hard use riding and racing all season.

The lighter shift levers are noticeably lighter on climbs and better for maneuverability. The bike just feels more snappy and responsive. (I will brag about Wilier later--what a bike).  The Di2 shift levers might look like the old ones but there are no guts inside, just some electronics to send the signal to the derailleurs. Shifting only requires a tap of your fingers and you can shift under full power.

The TT Di2 has shifters on the bar ends

and where you brake

The road bike has shifters in a single spot.

Rumor has it, Mark Cavandish has a sprint button 

on the drops. 

The Electronics so far have been flawless. No cables, just wires that are internal so maintenance is zero. It never goes out of tune and the front derailleur self adjusts automatically no matter what freewheel cog you are on in the rear, i.e., you front derailleur never rubs. Rain? no problem. I wash mine with a hose often too. 

The battery blows me away. I charged it in February, then a gain in June even though it did not need it. If only the iphone could do that.

Complaints--none really, well maybe the price but they recently announced that an Ultegra version is coming. I would like to see a wireless shift system using ANT. Seams easy to me. The battery is not bulky or heavy as it is now but I bet they can make is smaller since the charge lasts nearly 3 months.

Conclusion: I was skeptical coming in to this electronic thing but now I see. Say goodbye to external cabling. Just for the lack of maintenance, Di2 is worth it alone.

Hunter Ziesing for Echelon Gran Fondo

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Wilier Di2 ready Cento Uno