Extreme Momentum

I thought I would post the current configuration of my Isaac Joule Aerotic TT bike. I have really enjoyed racing this bike over the past season. I’ve changed the components, but the cornerstone is the phenomenal Isaac frame.  I’m sad to see the company go under, since their carbon was of such high quality.  I have yet to find a frame that matched it for stiffness and compliance.  Maybe not the most aero, but it provides an amazing ride.

The biggest shift (pun intended) in the configuration was switching from Shimano to SRAM and the wheels/aerobars to Hed.  I can’t complain about the Shimano components, but I’m beginning to prefer the SRAM.  The Red crank is amazing and the TT rings are much stiffer than the standard chainrings. Shifting is very similar between Shimano and SRAM when it comes to TTs, but the SRAM seems to engage a little better.

My favorite parts have been Hed.  Wow!  I liked my older Zipp wheels, but the Heds are amazing.  I have a Stinger 9 with Powertap for a rear wheel, which I mainly use with a disc cover.  My front wheel will either be a Stinger 9 or 3C depending on wind conditions. Best wheels I’ve ever had.  The new Hed Corsair aerobars are also real nice.  Much more finicky to setup than my Profile Design bars in hte past, but better once you’ve got them dialed in.

As you probably know, this is a work in progress…

Frame = Isaac Joule Aerotic (Small)
Fork = Isaac tapered carbon
Headset = FSA Orbit integrated, asymmetric
Handlebars = Hed Corsair integrated carbon aerobars (UCI approved, 31.8 mm, w/integrated levers)
Stem = Generic carbon  (80 mm, 31.8 mm)
Crank =SRAM Red (172.5 mm, 54-42 TT chainrings)
Cassette = Shimano Dura Ace CS-7800 (11-21)
Chain = SRAM 1090R
Front Derailleur = SRAM Force
Rear Derailleur = SRAM Red
Shifters = SRAM Red TT
Brakes = SRAM Red
Seat =Selle San Marco Aspide Triathgel
Seatpost = Integrated seatmast
Pedals = Speedplay Zero (stainless)
Handlebar Tape = Deda
Racing Wheels (Front) =Hed Stinger 9 or Hed 3C depending on conditions
Racing Wheels (Rear) =Hed Stinger 9/PowerTap 2.4+ with Wheelbuilder.com disc cover
Racing Tires =Vittoria Open Corsa CX tubular, 700×21

Well, not really, but it gets frustrating when your luck doesn’t hold out.  Many of my coworkers had been sick the past couple of weeks.  I was hoping to escape, but I guess I couldn’t.

I was pretty excited when I packed up the car Friday night for the Garden Prairie 40K TT the next AM .  My motivation had come back during the past week and my legs were feeling good.  With decent weather expected for Saturday AM, I wanted to end the MATTS series on a high note.  Well, things didn’t go the way I planned.

I woke up Saturday AM with the chills and sore throat.  Great.  Probably not  a good idea to do a 40K TT.  I went back to bed and woke up later that morning.  I was disappointed, but happy I didn’t a race.  A 40K TT can wipe you out for days.  I also know I would have been upset with a bad performance. I was feeling better, but far from 100%.

I got a good indication of my bug when I went for an easy run in the afternoon.  My heart rate was close to 190 bpm even though I was only averaging a little over 7:00/mile pace.  My usual HR for this pace would be about 170 bpm.  Yikes, that’s a significant difference.

To make things even more frustrating, my peroneal tendonitis has been getting worse and I’m starting to think I’ve got a torn tendon.  Well, at least it’s the end of the TT season.

Ironically, I did have some luck this weekend.  After biking home 15 miles in a downpour from volunteering at my team’s CX race, I came back outside to put my bike away only to find a flat front tire.  I must have gotten a puncture just a few blocks from home. Whew…the was lucky.

As my enthusiasm for the road season wanes and I struggle with some nasty tendonitis, I decided to tackle renovating out master bathroom.  Rose and I had talked about it for 4 years and I finally decided to make the leap once she went to visit family for 2 weeks.  I haven’t gotten much training in, but my legs need a break and my body is getting beaten up just from the renovations.  Will post more about the IL State TT championships later.