SRM Power Meter with accessories

Above are all of the parts that I am selling with my SRM device.  This device fits on any bike with a BB30 bottom bracket.  All of the devices data signaling and receiving devices are wireless.  I forgot to add the spoke sensor magnet (no biggie, I'll send that with the device when I mail it to the new owner).   The red items are the threaded bolts that attack the crank arms to the spindle (the spindle is not included, but I have two that I can sell if requested.  They are available on ebay or your local bike shop).  The top right black item is the cadence magnet.  It is required for the SRM to turn on when pedaling.  It's super easy to install.  It goes under the cable guides located under the bottom bracket..  The other black item just below the cadence magnet is the handlebar mount for the SRM control.   It is notable that I am including a Cyclops heartrate strap instead of the Suunto heartrate strap.  This is because the The Cyclops device works much better.  Because it's a "wireless ANT + sport" device it is easily synced with the powercontrol device. 

Above is my receipt for the standard annual battery replacement and calibration (or every 700 hours of use).  I didn't expect it to cost so much, but I also didn't expect them to install new firmware, so that's a bonus. 

Keep in mind that this is professional and even scientific grade equipment.  It's pretty advanced and accurate stuff.  It's the best you can buy....... well you can buy a new one for a little over 3 grand (SRM sells their device for 3 grand without the chain rings and crank arms...... I'm selling mine with them).

 The above image is the SRM  control charger and the USB cable that connects the SRM control (display device and recording unit) to your computer for downloading data.  I am selling this with my SRM.  I meant to include it in my top photo, but forgot.  This is an important item.  Small, but important.  I won't forget to ship it. 

Also pictured is a magnet sensor.  It is designed to fit on bladed spokes. (yes, it comes with the SRM).

Pictured above is the spindle that fits inside  any bike frame with a BB30 bottom bracket.  This spindle is 30mm diameter (all BB30 openings are 42mm).  I am planning on selling this item separately, but you will need it if you don't already have one (with two .5mm spacers).  On the left is a wave washer.  It must be slightly compressed once the cranks are bolted on.    The silver ring (bearing shield) has a slight grove and it slides onto the spindle so that the grove fits neatly with the flange of the spindle. This is so that the spindle has a stop and will not drive/tap through upon insertion into the bearings (not pictured) which are already pressed into the BB30 shell.  The spindle is tapped with a rubber mallet, through the already pressed in bearings from the non-drive side.  Then the red bearing shield goes on followed by the wave washer (brass colored), followed by 2-3 plastic spacers, followed by the crank, followed by the crank bolts (pictured in the SRM photo.  they are red)  Note that these bolts have very thin metal washers (these are important for proper tightening and removing).  The bolts are tightened with a torque wrench to exactly 25 foot pounds.  Tada!  Done.  See my video below.  It's actually easy, once you've been shown how and have done it once.  



Hi this is David Henderson from My World From A Bicycle.  In this following video I'm swapping out my SRM crank between my Cannondale Slice Time Trial Bicycle and my Cannondale Supersix Road Bicycle.

 First let me tell you a little about this SRM device that I have just mentioned.  It's an amazing technological device that records true power output in the form of wattage which is calculated from multiple strain gauges built into the crank.  These gauge strips deflect when force is applied to the pedals.  The material deflection registers the force thus created (also known as torque) as well as cadence (also known as angular velocity).  These parameters are converted into a digital electrical signal which is wirelessly sent out to the SRM control device that's mounted onto the handlebars.  The control device can also record heart rate data, speed, temperature, time and altitude data every single second.  This data is easily downloaded to a computer for analysis.

For the techie's out there this SRM crank weighs 721 grams with crank, chain rings and bottom bracket.  The bottom bracket is a BB30 SI-Hollogram and weighs 128 grams.  My complete race ready Supersix bike weighed in at 15.4 pounds on my bathroom scale and my Slice bicycle weighed in at 17.6 pounds.

Wattage or energy output data is extremely valuable for a serious cyclist.  It provides a true measurement for how hard a cyclist is working.  This data can be used to determine power thresholds for racing and training.  Additionally it can help determine if an athlete is improving over time or not.

Old school training data included speed and heart rate measurements.   Unfortunately the measurements don't tell the full story of training.  Speed is highly subjective to wind resistance and road grade or pitch, etcetera.  Heart rate, on the other hand, is subject to conditions such as temperature, hydration levels, conditioning, diet, etcetera.

 The SRM device combines all of these data fields previously mentioned for a more complete picture of performance. 

The only draw back of the SRM watt meter is the cost.  The one that I am switching between bicycles costs $3,000, which is why I only own one and transfer between bicycles.

 Now let me tell you a little about the bicycles in this video.  Both are top of the line professional level race bicycles.  The first is a Cannondale Slice Time Trial Bicycle with a Zipp Sub-9 Rear Disc wheel, and a Zipp 1080 front wheel.  Both wheels have dimpled surfaces to increase aerodynamics, and both wheels are very expensive.  The sub-9 retails for about $2,000, and the 1080 for about $1,400.  I run Zipp 404 tubulars which retails for about $2,000 on my Supersix Road Bicycle, which has a Dur-Ace groupo and an upgraded Specialized Barmac Wedge carbon stem/handlebar combination.  Both bicycles with SRM devices and race wheels retail for about $20,000 combined.  Basically, damn expensive.

Oh, I almost forgot.  The tires which are about $100 apiece are extra.

 In conclusion, high end race bikes are stocked full of engineering and technology.  As a result they are lighter, more aerodynamic, stiffer, handle better, and are just plain fun to ride.

To learn about the best video camera in the world for videoing cycling (which is the cameras that I use for my videos) click here.
 

Tour de Grove

[Special Note:  I have a "Music Player" gadget, 4th down to the right. You may run audio from it or the video as you see fit by pausing the music player or muting the embedded video. Enjoy!]

I've finally finished editing my Tour de Grove race video.  This one took some time for several reasons.  One, I had to finish the race the day before this one.  Two this race was very long (scheduled 89miles) and so was the video footage.  I have almost 5 hours of footage if you count the front and back together.  Additionally I had some technical problems to deal with.  My front camera fell off my bike while racing.  Actually the camera stayed mounted to my SRM device, and the SRM device fell off (which is even worse).  My camera/SRM device was happily recovered.  The SRM device is fully operational and the camera did have a badly scratched lense (which is replaceable for only $20).  I did lose one video file (related to the fall/impact or the camera).  It recorded, but won't open with my current software. 

I didn't finish with the main group, which I find to be a bummer.  Not only does it mean not placing well, but it means I don't have finishing video.  So, in order to account for this I tried something new.  I used photos taken by Paul Pate to tell the complete story of the race.  I personally feel that it is FANTASTIC!  I sooooo appreciate that Paul took these photos for many reasons.  Not only are the photos great, but they collectively tell the story of the race.  And of course they fill in for my missing video.  Thank you sooo much Paul.  Great Job!!!!

Now a little about the race:  This was a Professional and category one Bicycle race.  This was also the biggest money race in Missouri this year ($25,000 cash & prizes).  The turn out (both competitors & spectators) was low.  The competitors was low because this was a first year race and another NRC (National Racing Calendar) was scheduled on the same day in a different part of the country.  The spectators was probably low due to the weather....... 93 degrees which turned into a heavy rain storm during the race.  Still it was very well operated.

There are two things I want to mention about this race.  One is my poor cornering.  I had slide-out in a wet turn the day before and also slide out on dry turn the week before that.  Both crashes surprised me.  I didn't see them coming.  My skin hadn't fully regenerated for this race (still stinging in fact).  At any rate, this temporarily killed my confidence for the high speed cornering required of this race, and I suffered as a result.

I was still hanging on.  The final two nails in my coffin were almost concurrent.  It started to rain and I was already spooked in the turns and then I noticed that my front camera and SRM device had fallen off my bicycle.  The combined replacement for these items is about $1000.  That was it.  I fell off the pace and began searching for my equipment as I rode around the course in the driving rain.

That leads me to my second thing.  As I was riding (sometimes hard) around the course in the rain by myself during the closing laps I had an unique experience.  Spottedly around the course from under umbrellas, and doorways of buildings I heard shouts of encouragement.  This really surprised me.  I was basically out of it.  I was just trying to find my stuff and finish the race.  I thought I was completely unnoticed.  These race fans were genuine and sincere.  I really didn't think I deserved their support, yet some of the things they said really hit me in the heart.  I really really appreciate that.

Thanks all, and happy biking!

To learn about the best video camera in the world for videoing cycling (which is the cameras that I use for my videos) click here.

How to Glue on a Tubular Bicycle Tire

How to glue on a new tubular tire. 


1st.  Get a good tubular tire glue such as shown left.


2nd.  Get a good tubular.  I prefer Vittoria tires. Also add a valve extension (pictured below) for deep rims such as the Zipp 404.

The instructions for the glue pictured above are on the left. They are photographed right off the box of the Vittoria glue. 


A slight variation that I was taught, and have used successfully for years,  is putting the glue on the tire's rim tape and letting the glue dry to the touch.  First,  slightly  inflate the tire so that the tire will rotate itself, rim tape out so that it is easier to glue.


Another trick that I use is to prestretch the tire by dry fitting (without glue) and airing up the tire on an unglued rim.  This prestretching will make it easier to fit on the tire later.

Put the glue on the rim quickly and neatly.  You can use a small brush.  I used my finger on this one.


Notice that the picture above shows an arrow on the tire which indicates the correct tread direction for the tire.  This is important for the rear wheel.

Don't worry if you get a little bit of glue on the tire and rim when you are pulling on the tire.  It will clean off easily with Mineral Spirits.

The above image is an "after" picture of a cleaned tire and rim, from using Mineral Spirits and a cloth rag.


That's all there is to it.  Allow the glue to dry for 24 hours before racing.

To learn about the best video camera in the world for videoing cycling (which is the cameras that I use for my videos) click here.

Street Sprints and Drag Queens

Sometimes bike racing shouldn't be taken too seriously.

I was talked into participating in the Street Sprints at the "Tour de Grove" by my friend Cory Redmond (pictured right).  I wasn't going to, but how could anyone say no to Cory.

Anyway, it was totally fun.  It was Cory's first street sprints and she was like a little kid.   

And she did well to boot.

Super happy.

So I bumped into my favorite Drag Queen, Tim Ranek.  I'm 99.9% sure he's straight, but this could be evidence against (just saying).

I did the street sprints dressed as pictured and placed top 1/3 of the sprinters.  (I had crashed just a few hours earlier)

Basically it was all about the fun.  Maybe next year I can get a win in the Drag Queen division.  I'm pretty sure that Cory would loan me one of her dresses.



















To learn about the best video camera in the world for videoing cycling (which is the cameras that I use for my videos) click here.

Mid Town Alley Grand Prix, (AKA The Hipslapper)

[Special Note:  I have a "Music Player" gadget, 4th down to the right. You may run audio from it or the video as you see fit by pausing the music player or muting the embedded video. Enjoy!]

I just received the following questions from a concerned reader:


"How was everything after the crash?
Bike?
Body?
Pride?"

On the first one:  Pretty good.  I popped up immediately and saw bike racers coming at me and I sprinted (as best I could in cycling shoes on wet pavement) to get off the course.  It was a close one! 

On the second one:  I surveyed the bike and found it to be entirely intact with the exception of the new handlebar tape and a tiny bit more saddle abrasion on it's sliding edge.  Oh, and I lost a water bottle down a storm drain.  It was as if my bottle said, "I've had enough of this crap.  I'm getting the hell out of here now!"  It skidded across the wet pavement and went directly down into the mouth of the storm drain.

On the third one:  I landed on my left side which  was unfortunately  the same injured side from the week before.  My skin is still growing back from that one.  A couple of spots are still tingling and burning a bit.  Happily they are unaffected.  The bulk of my impact was absorbed on my rear/hip.  I received almost no road rash.  Only my coccyx hurts a bit and the styloid process of my left foot.  Both are minor injuries and just like Wolverine I will regenerate (just not as quickly).

Lastly:  I don't feel too bad about the crash.  I of course wish it didn't happen.  The absolute best thing is that I didn't take anyone else down.  To me that is the most important thing....... well that and not getting seriously injured....... oh, and not destroying my bike/wheels. 

I sorta regret not finishing the race, but not much.  I easily could have taken a free lap and gotten back into the race.  I debated that for several seconds.  On one hand it would be brave to jump back in and finish.  Some people believe that it is good for a racer's psyche to immediately get back on the bike after a crash.  I do not disagree with this, but often crashed rider's are more likely to crash again because their confidence is also damaged. 

I decided not to continue racing for several reasons.  I didn't want to press my luck.  I was basically ok and I hadn't caused anyone else a crash.  I didn't expect to do well in a rain race even before a crash, and now I would be worse off.  Plus I had an 89 mile professional race the following day.

I was extremely surprised that I had crashed.  I did not expect it at all.  I've gone through countless corners at higher speeds, during which I was almost sure that I was going to go down hard, but didn't.  Crashing unexpectedly shakes my confidence a bit.  Happily I have it on video and I can study the elements of the crash.  I believe that my mistake was applying too much torque while beginning a turn.  My rear wheel broke traction and instantly laid me and my bike down.  Solution:  don't pedal through wet turns.

At any rate, I'm fine and my racing will continue.  I think that the best is ahead of me, in fact.

I did want to mention that I was running 100 psi in both my front and rear Vittoria Tubulars on Zipp 404 wheels.  I should have run my tires at 85/95, due to the conditions, but most importantly I should have not been trying to pedal into the corner that I went down in.

Below is some supplemental information from Thomas McDaniel concerning cornering and correct tire pressures for racing.  Thomas is currently working on his Master's in exercise physiology and most importantly was a professional bike mechanic for the Pro-bike racing team, Jelly Belly.

"Thomas McDaniel June 2 at 3:24pm

Dave, I read your blog about cornering and felt compelled to add commentary. You make reference several times about keeping weight over the center of gravity, but then later add to point the knee into the turn, which in fact moves valuable weight outside the center of gravity (or more importantly, away from above the contact patch of the tyre). The reason pointing the knee towards the inside of a turn helps is because it facilitates the hips rotating, which guides you through a turn. Bicycles are steered with hips, not hands. Unfortunately most cyclists are so tight through their hipflexors they cannot keep their knee above the tyre while rotating their hips into the turn, thus losing the benefit of additional weight atop their contact with the road.
As for other ideas....tubulars are not meant to be run @ highest of pressures. In fact, I would run tyres for the team @ 90 front and 105 rear on techincal courses like Downers Grove, but only 85/95 if raining. My riders absolutely loved it, and rarely crashed because of it. The supple nature of the pressure allows the tyre to soak up lots of the effects of cornering, and keeps the tyre consistently in contact with the road, which is great for high speed cornering and power transfer. The energy potentially lost is neglegeble compared to the security and performance of properly inflated tyres. Keep in mind, this is from 284 days of racing with 9 bikes worth of tubulars per day. Never a rolled tyre, and significantly fewer punctures and crashes, especially in wet conditions."

Lastly, I briefly encountered Brad Huff    while warming up the following day at the "Tour de Grove" and expressed that I was having trouble cornering.  He said shortly, "Push down hard with the outer leg", and  that the previous race (the one in this blog, WHICH IS THE ONE HE WON, BTW) was "ok, you just couldn't pedal through the corners."

To learn about the best video camera in the world for videoing cycling (which is the cameras that I use for my videos) click here.

How to produce a video from Adobe Premiere Elements 8 from a HD Hero camera

Hello viewers/readers.  You may be thinking, what is this non-bicycle related subject?  I see your point, but this post is very germane to the contents of this video based cycling blog.  I feel that it could be of great value to some. 

I experienced a frustrating learning curve trying to learn the idiosyncrasies of the Adobe Elements Premiere Elements 8 and I thought it would be very valuable to share with others what I have learned.

One of the biggest things that I learned was which settings were most ideal, both on the the set-up and the output side of video editing for YouTube uploading and general archiving purposes.    I covered this fairly well in the video, but I didn't have time to discuss some of the aspects of high definition videos and this software.

One of these big aspects is that Adobe Premiere Elements 8 does not upload true high definition videos directly from the Share portion of their software.  DO NOT UPLOAD TO YOU TUBE DIRECTLY FROM APE8 (Adobe Premiere Elements 8) IF YOU WANT HIGH DEFINITION.  Instead just follow my guidance on my video.  Save the file to your computer as a MPEG2 1920 x 1080i 30 (even if you use different camera settings).  This is preferable even if the APE8 worked correctly because now you have the video in a format ready for archiving.  Additionally, YouTube does not have an upload manager (this fact may have changed), so if an error occurs you have to start the upload again.   It will save you tons of time to upload from a saved file because otherwise the software has to add additional unnecessary rendering times (which produces poor You Tube videos anyway).

Another huge issue that I had was producing a high definition video on a DVD.  Let me save you a ton of time figuring this out.  YOU CAN NOT PRODUCE A HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO ON A DVD DIRECTLY FROM APE8.  In fact, you can not produce HD videos on DVDs from most software.  Their default video size is more like 640 x 480, and not 1920 x 1080.

One software that will produce HD videos on DVD is Roxio 2010, and can only be viewed on blue-ray players.  The advantage of DVDs over Blue-ray Discs is simply cost and sharing (most people don't own blue-ray players yet).  The big disadvantage is that it takes more time to produce and especially the size limit of the disc itself.  A DVD will only hold about 16 minutes of high definition video compared to about 100-200 minutes on a 25 or 50 GB Blue-ray Disc.

The above image is from the Roxio 2010 software that allows encoding AVCHD files to DVD for high definition quality.

I should point out that APE8 will produce Blue-ray disc directly from the software and the image quality is stunning.  I still prefer to save the file first and then burn the file to a Blue-ray disc later.

Another helpful tip for new users is to use re-writable DVDs/Blue-ray discs to practice your first burns so that you don't unnecessarily waste discs.  This simple idea took me a while to figure out.

I hope this is helpful.  I do not claim to be an expert.  I may have some errors and appreciate correction as appropriate.  I do think that on the whole, this information is very helpful to new users of the HD Hero camera and Adobe Premiere Elements 8 software.

Regards,
David Henderson

Update (10Nov2010):  I am still learning how to use some of the features of APE8.  I finally paid the "Upgrade" fees to see some of the tutorials for the software that I use (there are some free tutorials and others require a fee to view).  I was basically shocked to learn that I have a substantial music library with my software.  Not only is it substantial, but I can use it without fear of copyright infringement and as a freaky bonus the software will customize the length of the music down to the second that I enter.  This means that the music is composed exactly to the length of my chosen clip, complete with intro, body and ending to the musical clip.

I am adding a video to this post below.  The purpose of the clip is to show some of the capabilities of the APE8 software that I use and a few cases I am testing or learning some of the effects.  My personal favorites are animating objects such as text, still images and even video.  I am also excited to know that I can zoom/crop on clips.  Another new discovery for me is that I can sharpen the image with the software as well.  Oh yeah, the green screen effect is pretty cool as well.

If anyone who uses APE8 would like to know how to use a specific effect, just comment below and I will answer.  I might even produce a short tutorial video if time allows.

Update (14Nov2010):  I just published a post that details how to use "SmartSound" software that comes with APE8 (and many other video editing software).   "SmartSound" is a big deal for individuals who are serious about editing video.  It customizes the length of musical compositions precisely, complete with intro, body and ending.  Additionally the music is royalty free and their internet music library is huge (APE8 comes with 26 tracks with several variations for each piece).    I also added a clip and some information about producing 3D movies.  It can be found by clicking here.


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How to Treat and Care for Road Rash

Well, if you ride bicycles long enough or race them even a little, "how to treat and care for road rash" is a topic that should be addressed.

I should mention that I have a background in wound care.  When I served in the United States Navy, I was a hospital corpsman (medic) and laboratory technician.  As a result, I received training in basic wound care, and I have some associated practical experience treating these injuries, which has come in very handy after a few of my own crashes. 

It is important to act quickly after a mishap.  Being treated immediately can help stave off infection and shorten heal time.  If you are at a race there may be a first aid station/ambulance.  It is best to start here, especially because the medics are trained experts, and  the treatment and bandages may be free (care may not be compulsory).  If there is no first aid available, you should treat your wounds yourself as soon as possible.

• First,  clean the wound.  Ideally the wound should be irrigated for several minutes with sterile saline solution.  If necessary, clean water sprayed from your water bottle can be used.  It is not advisable to use hydrogen peroxide or detergents on the wound, or to aggressively scrub the wound, these all can cause more harm than good, and can further damage cells and tissue.  Aggressive wound scrubbing may actually push microorganisms (primarily bacteria) deeper into the damaged tissues.   Do clean the unbroken skin around the wound thoroughly and gently blot/wipe the wound of major visible contaminants with a sterile gauze and some antiseptic wash (such as those pictured).  Don't overly worry about the wound being perfectly clean, because  (1) A healthy person's  immune system is very impressive and is literally designed for cases like this; (2) the wound will naturally self clean by oozing; and (3) the triple antibiotic ointment that you will be applying will provide an environment where the vast majority of bacteria can not survive. With that said, if your tetanus shot is not current (a booster shot should be given every 10 years), you should consider getting one.

• Next slather a generous amount of triple antibiotic ointment on the wound.  This is very useful stuff.  It will help prevent infection, which is extremely important.  Additionally, it will help keep the wound moist, instead of scabbing over.  You do not want your wound to scab.  It takes longer to heal and will produce more scarring. Also the ointment will help prevent the dressing from sticking to the wound and as a result will make dressing changes much less painful. 

• Finally, cover the wound with a sterile non-stick pad (such as shown).  You can tape the dressing or use tubular stretch bandage, which is ideal for elbows, ankles, and calves. Keep the dressings dry and change them at least once a day or whenever they become wet or dirty.  If they become wet or dirty, change the bandages as soon as possible, and always change your dressings after exercising.  

An alternative dressing is called Tegaderm TM, which is a semipermeable membrane dressing made by 3M.    Click this link for a full description of how to apply tegaderm.  It's bit of a hassle to apply properly, and works only on smaller rashes, but it reduces the amount of dressing changes. 

 
That's pretty much it.   Treating and caring for road rashes are no big deal, as long as you know what you are doing.  I would also suggest taking the recommended dosage for ibuprofen or acetaminophen  shortly after you are injured, especially before sleeping (see below warning).   It also helps a bit with the edema (fluid build-up; swelling) and/or inflammation associated with the trauma of the impact.

That being said, infection is a primary concern.  Seek immediate medical attention if you develop a fever.    If the wound begins to drain yellow or greenish fluid (pus), or if the skin around the wound becomes red, warm, swollen, or increasingly painful, your wound may be infected and you should seek medical care. Any red streaking of the skin around the wound may indicate that you have an infection in the system that drains fluid from the tissues, called the lymph system. This infection (lymphangitis) can be serious, especially if it is accompanied by a fever. Prompt medical care should be sought if you notice streaking redness from a wound. 

Note:  use ibuprofen or acetaminophen judiciously because these can mask (or hide) a fever. 

I hope nobody needs to apply this info either to themselves, teammates or friends, but if you do here it is.  Stay safe my friends!

To learn about the best video camera in the world for videoing cycling (which is the cameras that I use for my videos) click here.

Winning and losing at the same time.

[Special Note:  I have a "Music Player" gadget, 4th down to the right. You may run audio from it or the video as you see fit by pausing the music player or muting the embedded video. Enjoy!]

The good, the bad and the ugly.  It's all in there if you look for it.

The O'Fallon Grand Prix Criterium started out great.  The temperature was reasonable.  The field size was very small.  Tracey Smith cracked a joke on a train being on the course.  Aaro produced a masterpiece painting that was up for grabs as a prime.  Everyone laughed.  And then it was race time.

Zack Reed came ready and took off like a rocket and I jumped on his wheel and bang.  We were gone.  Eventually we lapped the field.  Turns out a couple riders were off and soon two more from the field jumped.  I saw Zack chasing them solo and responded and caught up with him and then the next two riders which included his team mate Justin Maciekowicz.

There was a tiny bit of confusion when a race official indicated to us that Zack and I could not help them catch the next two riders.  Actually, I am still a little confused by this.  In the old days lapped riders could work off the front with the riders who lapped them.  Apparently the rules have changed.

No matter, Zack and I both decided to fall away from those two riders in order to have a safer finish for ourselves (or so we thought).  It turns out that I pulled a bone head move.

Zack was waiting to jump me for the win.  I couldn't talk him into pulling at the end (totally fair).  I was (almost) certain to get beaten by him in the sprint.  So I thought it would be best to try and surprise him by jumping him through a corner to see if I could produce a gap and then try a time trial with only a couple laps left.

Well, the surprise was on me.  My bike slide out from under me and Zack ran into me and fell from his bike in a fairly bad off cambered turn coming out of a narrow roadway (less than seven meters wide).  It was totally my fault, but still extremely accidental.  If you watch the video, you can see that the speed and line were hardly any different from the previous runs through this corner.  I believe I was just shifting my weight to start pedaling and then WHAM!  No warning.  Just a sudden slide out.  

I saw that Zack appeared uninjured and without the slightest hesitation I jumped back on my bike and took off to continue racing.  I spent no time evaluating the condition of myself or my bicycle.  I was only thinking, "Go, go, go".  The race was still on, no free laps and riders were chasing from behind.

It wasn't until the race was over that I realized that I was a total douche bag for not waiting for Zack after accidentally crashing him.  Zack was of course rightfully furious  and for this I sincerely apologized (as I do now).  I asked him if he was ok, and luckily he was fine (unlike myself) and had very  little effects from the crash.  He was of course screwed out of first place.  The only way I felt I could make a wrong right was by offering my sincere apology and awarding him the difference in prize money that he would have received otherwise.  I believe he accepted my apology. 

If I could do it over again I would have happily taken second place and not crashed over winning as the result of a crash that I caused.  That's why I sorta feel like I actually lost instead of won.  I most certainly lost some skin.  But that's bike racing. 

I'll be fine and racing again this coming weekend.

To learn about the best video camera in the world for videoing cycling (which is the cameras that I use for my videos) click here. 

One of the cooliest places that I have ever biked

[Special Note:  I have a "Music Player" gadget, 4th down to the right. You may run audio from it or the video as you see fit by pausing the music player or muting the embedded video. Enjoy!]

This is one of the coolest places that I have ridden.  It's at St. Joe State Park.   It's used by the locals for swimming, off road motor sports, picnicking camping, walking, running and most importantly biking.  My favorite feature is (of course) the eleven mile paved biking (and foot traffic) trail that runs through the Missouri wilderness and parts of the sand flats.

This trail is not heavily used and generally I don't see other cyclists.  Typically I will see a few walkers at the first mile of the trail and then nothing but trail and occasionally deer and turkey.

Incidentally,  my childhood home is only a couple of miles away from this Park. 

If anyone is down in the Farmington area they should consider a leisurely bike ride at St. Joe Park.  It is very nice.

To learn about the best video camera in the world for videoing cycling (which is the cameras that I use for my videos) click here.