In this issue:

May Specials – Orbea Alma MTB, Elite Crono Mag Trainer
Fusion Recycles Special – Pinnarello Opera Road Bike
Product Review – Cervelo RS
Date Claimer: Gasworks Criterium and Duathlon Sat 3 July
FREE Bike Maintenance Workshop Sun 23 May 3-4pm
Customer Profile – David Knight
Ride Log – Sandgate Loop
Cycling Tips – Winter Training
Upcoming Events
Nutrition Tips – Real foods v Sports foods

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Please click here to let us know of things you like, don’t like, improvements, suggestions…….. it would be great to hear from you!

May Specials

Orbea Alma C30 MTB
Carbon frame, Deore Groupset, Black only. 
Click here for more Orbea Alma C30 details.
RRP: $3699 Special: $3399

Elite Crono Mag Trainer RRP: $299 Special: $249

Fusion Recycles Special – Pinnarello Opera 2008 55cm

This awesome piece of equipment features a full carbon frame and Campagnolo Record groupset.  The Opera will have you riding harder than ever before because it inspires so much confidence with its stability.

This bike is designed and built for speed and handling, with the added bonus of being truly comfortable. New this would have been a $10,000+ bike.  Price: $4500

Product Review – Cervelo RS

We've all seen cyclists on high-dollar bikes with a big stack of spacers under a high-rise stem for an upright position--maybe you're one of them.

If so, Cervelo developed the RS just for you. Starting with its ProTour-proven R3, Cervelo added 20mm to the head tube, so the frame can better support the steerer for improved handling and front-end rigidity--and the cyclist can run fewer spacers. Because the rider is more upright, Cervelo lengthened the chainstays 11mm to keep the weight bias and handling the same as the R3. The RS seatstays are based on the ultrathin pieces on the R3, but are slightly curved for even more compliance.

Despite all the comfort tweaks, the RS remains a full-on race machine. It retains the R3's burly bottom-bracket area as well as its squared oval, or Squoval, tube shapes, which increase rigidity. On the road, the bottom--bracket stiffness reigned supreme, and the front end felt as effective under power as any Tour-capable ride. (In fact, some CSC pros will be riding the RS this year.) The curved seatstays may seem gimmicky, but the comfort is real. Bounce on the saddle, and you can see them bow inward. The RS steers naturally and feels balanced, and for those whose lower backs or hamstrings don't like the standard height of most high-end race geometry, the RS is a tailor-made performance machine. 

RRP: $5369 (6700 Ultegra Groupset)
(bike review courtesy of Bicycling.com)

Date Claimer: Gasworks Criterium and Duathlon Sat 3 July

Brought to you by Fusion Cycles and QSM Events, the Gasworks Criterium and Duathlon will be part of the Teneriffe Festival on Saturday 3 July. 

Early Saturday morning will see a 20min kids duathlon (bike/run) followed by a 45min adults duathlon.  Later in the morning, a Ladies Criterium and a Masters, B, and A Grade Mens criterium race will be scheduled. 

The course will be along Wyandra St in front of Fusion Cycles, down the hill into the new part of Skyring Terrace and back again.  It will be a short, fast course with tight cornering. (roads will be closed to traffic for both duathlons and criteriums)

We are very excited about hosting an inner city race with the support of the Brisbane City Council and QSM Events.  Details are being finalized in the next few weeks, watch this space and the Fusion Cycles website for more info.

FREE Bike Maintenance Workshop Sun 23 May 3-4pm

Course Content:        

• How to change a flat tyre and tips to do it fast
• What to do to maintain your bike after riding in the wet
• General maintenance to prolong the life of your bike parts
• Bike servicing – how often, what your bike will need

Bike Maintenance course is FREE and will be held at Fusion Cycles 68 Commercial Rd, Newstead.  Click here to register by email.

Customer Profile – David Knight

David Knight
Age: 50+
Occupation: Director of Neonatology, Mater Hospital

How did you get into cycling?
I cycled for fun when I was at University but then started again when I started doing short triathlons in about 1988 just to get fit. I had watched Ironman NZ and thought it was impossible to finish such an event. However, I gradually worked up distances and did my first Ironman in 1991. After finishing 17 ironmans in NZ, Australia, Canada, USA, Germany and Lanzarote, I stopped in 2000 because of bad knees.

Why did you visit Fusion Cycles?
I moved to Brisbane in 2008 and got a house at Newstead off Doggett St, then to find the best bike shop in Brisbane only 400m away. I started biking with the (not as fast) Fusion group. I remember crawling up Mt Coot-tha 18 months ago with Chelsie riding back a couple of times to see if I was still alive. I gradually got fitter and once I found that I could do 100km and recover well, I began thinking about Ironman again. So I did the NZ event in March and finished (20 minutes quicker than Tony Abbott and I am 10 years older than he is). My knees held out; I had only done 100k of running in the 4 months to protect them. 

What bike do you ride and how often?
I have two bikes, a Look 595 with SRAM red, and a Teschner Aerowave with Dura-ace and Zipp 808s from Fusion. I am a real bike junkie, hooked on Bike-Porn. I think that as soon as you have bought one bike, you should start planning for the next one (my wife disagrees). I remember Matt saying that you cannot drive a F1 car but you can ride the same bike as is used on the Tour de France. Spot-on! I love cycling.

What are your cycling goals?
I like the training and to go as hard as I can - it sets you up for the rest of the day. I was riding 300k a week before Ironman but now am averaging about 200: it's nice to sleep-in on a few mornings a week. I have entered Ironman Western Australia at Busselton for December and then will do Ironman NZ again to get to 20 Ironman triathlons. Then I can retire ... I hope not.

Bike Route – Sandgate Loop, approx 55km

The outbound trip of this ride is predominantly on main roads.  We recommend doing this ride early morning to avoid heavy traffic.

From Fusion Cycles, turn right onto Commercial Rd, crossover Ann St onto Murri Way, right onto Wickham St.  First left into Montpelier Rd, up the hill and right at the lights onto Abbotsford Rd.  Follow Abbotsford Rd as it joins onto Sandgate Rd and stay on it all the way out to Sandgate! 

When you get to Deagon racecourse turn right onto Board St and then next right at the roundabout onto Rainbow St.  Left onto Bowser St at main lights.  Head around the big island to the right and up Seymour St / Eagle Tce.  Follow Eagle Tce along the cliff front (don’t forget to take in the views….might see a whale if you’re lucky), Eagle Tce turns into Park Pde as you via right. 

Turn left at next cross road into Swan St. and around to the right into Shorncliffe Pde.  Riding down now to the waters edge on Allpass Pde, straight on into Sinbad St and pass the trawlers.  Turn left into Ashford St, straight on and onto the MBC bike way (MBC or Moreton Bay Cycle Route is marked by small green sign).  Keep following the MBC signs through a mix of pathways and back streets.  From Sangate you will next recognise Boondall and the Boondall Wetlands – Keep going!  At the end you pop out on Nudgee Rd, turn right.  You can follow Nudgee Rd all the way back to Ascot and coffee at Racecourse Rd………or……..1.5klm along Nudgee Rd turn left back on the MBC before the Golf Course.  Follow this bikeway all the way through to the end at Toombal shops, turn left.  Take next left at roundabout then right into Zillman Rd.  Follow Zillman through to Racecourse Rd for a much earned coffee.

Cycling Tips – Winter Training

Research shows that cold conditions have a detrimental effect on both high-intensity and endurance performance for a range of reasons.  In cold conditions our Vo2max and max heart rate are reduced. The reduction in our Vo2 is caused by a fall in oxygen to our muscles. A lower heart rate will reduce our cardiac output which leads to a reduction in blood to our working muscles during exercise.  Other factors such as shivering, place extra stress on our aerobic levels, which affect our performance.
So what can we do to help? Firstly the correct clothing is important. We still sweat during exercise in cold conditions and wet clothing will increase heat loss from the body. To avoid this we need to have multiple layers that can be removed when needed to regulate our temperature. We also need to use breathable fabrics/clothing to remove excess moisture away from our skin. Good gloves and shoes covers will also aid in maintaining temperature in the body and also allow the hands to operate correctly, eg braking!!.

Most importantly, a good warm up is critical.  Studies show that in cold conditions optimal warmup for exercise is around 30mins at 50% effort. This will give you the best chance of prolonging you training output and allow your body to function at its optimum for the conditions.

Cycling Tips courtesy of Adam Gill, Cycling Science.

Upcoming Events

May

Every Saturday Murrarie Road Cycling Criteriums from 6.45am, prize money for first 4 places.
Click here for more info. 

Sun 9 May Qld Cup Teams Road Racing Round 1, Tent Hill, Gatton.  
Click here for more info.

Sun 9 May MTB Orienteering, Mt Crosby. 
Click here for more info.

Sun 16 May MTB Sunshine Series Round 1, Mt Crosby. 
Click here for more info.

Sun 16 May Queensland Elite Masters Road Criterium Championships, Nundah. 
Click here for more info.  

Sat 22 – Sun 23 May OHV MTB Fiesta including Bling Day Out Demo Day; Kids Races, 3PLUS3 MTB Enduro and Mulga Muster Trail Ride, Old Hidden Vale, Grandchester. 
Click here for more info.

Sun 23 May Noosa Century Ride, Noosa.  160km or 100km road ride.
Click here for more info.

Sat 29- Sun 30 May Metropolitan Road Championships, Mt Alford and Murrarie.  Includes team racing round 2.
Click here for more info. 

Sun 30 May MTB Sunshine Series Round Two, Illinbah, Gold Coast. 
Click here for more info. 

June

Sun 6 June Balmoral Masters Women’s Criterium, Murrarie.  Open to all female divisions, includes Come and Try and Novice race.  Entries close 23 May. 
Click here for more info.

Sun 6 June Old Hidden Vale MTB Classic, Grandchester. Kids and adults MTB racing. 
Click here for more info. 

Sun 6 June Boonah MTB Marathon, Boonah.  65km or 50km. 
Click here for more info. 

Sun 13 June Avanti Classic, 80km handicap road race, Lowood.  Entries close 30 May.
Click here for more info. 

Sun 13 June 2010 Chase MTB Ride 1, Karingal, Mt Cotton. 
Click here for more info. 

Sat-Sun 19-20 June Ipswich Open Road Race, Ipswich.  All divisions,
Click here for more info.

Sun 20 June Sunshine Series MTB Race 3, Mt Cotton. 
Click here for more info. 

Sun 20 June Croc Squad Duathlon Race 1, Nundah. 
Click here for more info. 

Fri 25 - Sun 27 June Toowoomba Tour/Tour of the Downs, Toowoomba.  National Road Series Event, plus Amateur racing events. 
Click here for more info. 

Sun 27 June MS Brissie to the Bay, Southbank.  Social ride from Southbank to Cleveland and back.  50km/25km/10km ride options. 
Click here for more info. 

Chelsie is organising a group for this ride.  If you would like to join the Fusion group, enter online at above link and email Chelsie@fusioncycles.com.au for details.

Sun 27 June Dirty Duo XC Duathlon, Sirromet Winery, Mt Cotton.
Click here for more info. 

Nutrition Tips: Real foods or Sports foods - which are better?  

This is a common question that comes up all the time - for both cost conscious parents as well as endurance athletes who are conscious to eat whole foods rather than sports foods. 

What are sports foods and where have they come from. 
We follow the birth of the sports food industry out of America in the 1960’s when a college sports medicine department invented a drink to help their college gridiron team stay well hydrated and fuelled in the heat and oppressive conditions of Florida.  The sports nutrition industry was born and the drink became a worldwide phenomenon “Gatorade”. 

Basically sports foods are specially formulated foods and fluids that are made to be used before, during or after sports and have specific nutrient compositions to help drive performance or recovery.   They are usually designed to increase the delivery of nutrients in the “right amounts” in the most convenient and appropriate way.

If they are specially formulated, they must be better?
Well not necessarily.  They contain nutrients that are found in natural food and fluid sources.  They are not always far superior than real foods, in fact most of the time they are nutrients refined from real foods and incorporated into sports foods. Take protein supplements or supplements that contain protein.  The vast majority are derived from cow’s milk and are refined down to a single protein like Whey or Casein.  Both are easily available in whole milk (along with other essential nutrients like calcium) and both just as readily usable to help repair and build muscle tissue after exercise.  The main benefit sport foods offer athlete’s is convenience.  It is often easier to consume a gel on the bike than it is to eat a sandwich, doesn’t mean the carbohydrate from the sandwich can’t be used it is just harder to consume in one gulp while pedalling hard.  In fact a vegemite sandwich 5 hours into an ironman is one of the best foods you will ever eat in an ironman race.

Can I use real foods instead of sports foods?
Yes.  In fact you can even make your own sports foods using real foods and commonly available foods from the supermarket.  Knowing the composition of real foods is the starting point.  A sports gel can be made quite easily from products available at the supermarket (cordial, sodium bicarbonate and water).  A protein shake made from the right amount of skim milk powder, malt and chocolate is a very palatable and highly effective muscle building food.  Often you will see Tour de France cyclists pull out little tarts and special foods packages made by sport dietitians and other team staff from rice, egg and salt that are more palatable than sweeter sports foods.   Cyclists and triathlete’s should feel comfortable that they are not compromising performance by using real foods instead of sports foods.

So when are sports foods to be used?
It should be a personal choice.  Sports foods should be used when real foods are not convenient or are difficult to consume.  Real foods should be consumed when sports foods are unnecessary.  Frequently athletes consume sports drink and protein shakes after exercise sessions in an attempt to better recover their body when real foods can provide suitable recovery nutrients in more palatable foods rather than the sweet and chalky taste of powders and potions.

The main take home message is don’t feel like you have to use sports foods to be a successful athlete.  Use them appropriately and ensure you are able to use real foods as often as possible.   

Greg Shaw
Sports Dietitian
AIS Sports Nutrition
Australian Institute of Sport