The Tri Town Times: 5/20/24

• Posted on 20 May 2024
• By Antonio Gonzalez
• Posted in the tri town times
• 0

Adopting technology in the order it was created.

Hi all,

Here is your weekly Tri Town Times newsletter:

Last week's highlights:

- Taylor Knibb, currently ranked #2 in the Professional Triathlon Organisation (PTO) World Rankings, won the U.S. National Time Trial Championships, securing a slot for both the time trial and triathlon events at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

- Matt Hanson, who ran a very respectable time of 2 hours and 22 minutes at the California International Marathon this past winter, won the 70.3 Chattanooga triathlon yesterday on the back of a 1:09 half marathon split. Emma Pallant-Browne won the 70.3 Chattanooga event, marking her second 70.3 victory in as many weeks. Danielle Lewis finished 4th on the day but retained her lead in the Ironman Pro Series standings, while Pallant-Browne moved up to 2nd place.

Shop ops:

- The shop will be closed next Monday for the Memorial Day Holiday.

- Our service team is doing an excellent job of keeping up with the seasonal rush. Our turnaround times for bicycle repairs and service are hovering around our target of 2 to 3 days.

Thought that struck a chord:

If you really want to understand something, adopt its technology in the order it was created.

For example, if you truly want to understand cycling, start with just the bike and nothing more. Back in the 1890s, when the modern "safety bicycle" was invented, that was about all the technology cyclists of that era had at their disposal.

For a period of time, just ride the bike. Develop a sense of how it feels and how it sounds. Develop an understanding of how the wind feels and sounds at various speeds. Develop a sense of how your legs and lungs feel at different speeds. In the beginning, that is enough.

After some time, invest in a basic speedometer. Then you will learn that "riding hard" means you can reach 25 mph on flat terrain, and you'll discover that descending a hill at 50 mph is thrilling, and the wind is so loud you can hear nothing else. For now, that is enough.

Soon after, consider purchasing a cadence sensor. You may learn that your natural cadence is 75 rpm, yet you've been told 90 is ideal. The sense of feel you developed early in your cycling journey tells you 80 rpm feels most efficient, despite what the "experts" say in magazines. You trust your instincts, and you ride better because of it.

As you get more into cycling, you hear that the Norwegians train mostly in Zone 2, whatever that means. You purchase a heart rate monitor and decide to test your maximum heart rate. You learn that 190 bpm is the highest number you see, and that requires a 6-minute effort at a cadence of at least 100 rpm on a modest hill while chasing friends. You test your low, aerobic heart rate and realize you can breathe strictly through your nose as long as your heart rate is below 130 bpm. You suspect that is the top end of your Zone 2 heart rate. For now, that is enough.

Eventually, you invest in a power meter. You learn that your maximum 1-minute power is 600 watts, and that you can hear your own breathing during the last 20 seconds of the effort despite rocketing down the road at 32 mph at a cadence of 105 rpm. You realize that your best 60-mile power while strictly nose-breathing at a heart rate of 130 bpm or less is 230 watts, and that you prefer a cadence of 80 rpm.

After all this, you've developed a deep understanding of yourself and the technology of your sport. Your experience was built from the ground up, in a way similar to how the tech and tools were developed over time. Most interestingly, after all this, you may realize that you most enjoy cycling when it's just you and your bike, as if it were 1892. The technology is cool, and it reveals another layer to the sport, but there is something pure and beautiful about cycling in its raw simplicity, and from time to time, you enjoy embracing it for just that.

If you have a moment to spare:

- "Breaking," also known as breakdancing, is the only new olympic sport making its debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This fascinating look at the sport provides insights into the history of breakdancing and how it will be judged in the Olympics.

Have a great week!

Antonio Gonzalez

Tri Town Bicycles

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