Cannondale's New "Super" Slice

Over Ironman Arizona, I had an opportunity to check out some of the pro's bikes. Being part of the industry it's always exciting to see what bike manufacturers are coming up with to "keep up with the Jones's". I was excited to see Michi Weiss show up to transition on his new Cannondale "Super" Slice so naturally, once he was finished biking, I snapped a couple of pictures.

The first think I noticed is the similarities it shares with most other "Superbikes"... Integrated stem, a clean front end with hidden cables, and integrated brake calipers. It seems as if whether the aero benefits warrant hidden cables/brakes is only secondary to the perception that a "Superbike" needs to have those features, or else it can't be on the same level as all the others.

Once I moved down to the downtube/bottom bracket area, I noticed, and expected, none other than the BB30 shell Cannondale pioneered and has been using for years. However if you look closely, the downtube doesn't seem to be molded around the BB shell. Given that there hasn't been much info released on the aerodynamics of the bike, it's tough to say whether or not there's a purpose for it. Also, given that this bike isn't a production bike yet, it could be an early prototype.

Looking at the integrated brake calipers, I noticed that the brakes themselves (or brake shoes at least) seem to be the same one would find on traditional calipers. While it's not unheard of to come up with a unique non-standard design (see the Cervelo P4 rear brake), it's probably the easiest way to keep brakes adjustable for good wheel compatibility.

The seatpost is another feature that stands out as it's noticeably skinnier than most TT/Triathlon bike, especially those considered "Superbikes". While I don't know for sure, it appears that the seatpost can be used as Michi had it, or as a setback post by just flipping it around.

The seatpost also looks to be well within the 3:1 UCI regulations. Cannondale has consistenly been a big sponsor of pro peloton teams, currently Liquigas/Doimo, so it would make sense that their bikes are designed to meet UCI regulations.

Finally, Michi just like a lot of other pro's, is using an SRM power meter with the PCVII head-unit. He was also running an FSA cockpit, what looked to the Speedfil A2 with a custom Fuel Belt bottle, and a Zipp Firecrest 808/Disc combo (originally I had posted it was a non-Firecrest but have since been corrected).

Superhuman

It isn’t often that I judge a book by its cover, however it does happen from time to time and in the latest instance – as in most cases, I’m reminded as to why it’s important not to.

Being around professional athletes is always fun, whether you’re into sports or not. They tend to be in the top .001 percent of their “sport” and as much as you’d like to think they’re normal people just like you and I, they’re not. Normal people can’t jump 40 inches and dunk a basketball while rotating 360 degrees. Normal people don’t hit a 95 mph fastball, and they certainly don’t run a marathon in just over two hours or finish an Ironman distance triathlon under 8 hours.

So how does judging a book by its cover have anything to do with this? Over the last few weeks I had a chance to meet and talk with a few professional athletes as I made the trip to Ironman Arizona. Sure they look different, most of them talk different as they’re from all over the world. However, take 2 minutes to start a conversation with them and you’ll quickly learn they’re humble. I don’t mean humble relative to perhaps other pro athletes from major sports in the US… I mean humble! Perhaps even more so than a lot of age-group triathlete out there. While I don’t have an explanation for it, it’s certainly refreshing, - maybe we’re constantly fed information via the media that most aren’t this way. Who knows, I don’t.

Specialized Fires Back

If you keep up on bike industry news, you know that recently Easton-Bell sports (Easton, Bell, Giro, Blackburn) sued Specialized for allegedly preventing their accounts for selling Easton-Bell products (Helmets and Shoes probably the biggest items).

In what was a surprising move, instead of tiptoeing around the allegations and responding in typical lawyer speak, Specialized issued a response that makes a lot of sense. Here's the letter sent to retailers addressed October 19th, 2011.

In particular, Specialized makes a good case as to why they've taken the stance they've taken. In their letter, The big red "S" mention Easton-Bell's association with big-box retailers such as Walmart asking whether it makes "sense to support brands that do not wholly support you? Does it make sense to sell products that are available elsewhere for less?"

Kudo's to Specialized for standing up for their retailers, and while they may need to re-phrase their request to their dealers in the near future, they're thinking along the right path.

Marketing 101: How to Avoid Being GM

While this isn't exactly comparing apples to apples, Ben Hoffman's picture (while it doesn't tell the whole story) is an example of how automakers can advertise, and make nice with cyclists, triathletes, and outdoors people in general. Yes, this is in reference to avoiding the disaster that was the General Motors "Stop pedaling" campaign... which they rolled out (and canceled) all in just the last few days. Remember it isn't WHAT you say, it's HOW you say it.

Vokswagen (VW), a company with a pretty long connection to the cycling and triathlon community recently announced a partnership with Ben Hoffman (details here). While indirectly Ben Hoffman is endorsing driving, or at least the need to drive for most people's every day life, it is done in tactful and positive way. Take notes GM, you could learn a thing or two.

The old Jetta MK3 Trek Edition

Clearly, VW and Hoffman have chosen to highlight the fact that not unlike an elite athlete, a car is a performance machine, something some triathletes can most certainly understand.

“I am looking forward to the competition in Kona and am honored to be racing against the greatest athletes in the world,” said Hoffman. “I am also grateful to have a performance-driven supporter like Volkswagen, which not only has deep roots in the athletic world, but understands what it takes to be the best at its craft.”

Furthermore, VW makes a point to make a connection between them and Hoffman, endorsing and/or embracing his multisport endeavors.

Finally, and probably just as important, VW's approach is not pushy in any way... while GM's intent was clearly a poor attempt to drive sales amongst students, Volkswagen is purely supporting Hoffman, someone who they consider a good role model, or as they put it "...embodies the Volkswagen ethos."

More on the Kona Bike Count: Is it Misleading?

Given the power of the Kona bike/gear count, you'd assume that some companies are going to try everything to increase their visibility and boost their image. So how low (or far) do they go?

Here's a few things to consider... A lot of items' counts are high by default based on the fact that they come stock. A good example is all of the vision aerobars that were spec'd on Cervelo's, Quintana Roo's, etc. over the years. Something else to consider is the fact that some companies sponsor major triathlon teams. Orbea and Ridley sponsor the Timex and Zoot teams respectively. Given the talent level needed to be a part of those teams, at the end of the year, a lot of their members end up qualifying for Kona, and therefore boost their equipment count.

Finally, there's companies that give away product in the form of "sponsorships", Quintana Roo being a goo example. Though they don't give away all of their product, they have some pro's, as well as elite amateurs representing the brand (an estimated 20%-25%). And according to an industry source, Rudy Project's campaign (see above) has been by far the most aggressive. Out of the 211 Rudy Project helmets that put them atop the Kona count, as many as 200 of them were part of their Kona plan to give away free product to qualifiers. Which poses two questions: is the Kona bike count that meaningful, that it is necessary to perform well on it? Or, is the only way to get athletes to wear/ride certain types of equipment to boost up the count to give it away for free? My guess is the latter.

GM's New Ad "Stop pedaling... start driving"

Recently over twitter there was lots of negative feedback regarding this recent ad by General Motors on student newspapers across the United States. Bike Portland had a reaction as did The League of American Bicyclists. GM issued an apology, but as any outraged group of people, it is never enough.

Seriously, is this what we've come to? Are cyclists going to turn into "THAT" group? One who overreacts to anything that doesn't promote what they're into? As a cyclist myself, I take offense to people and groups who oppose promoting safety for cyclists on the road... but an ad? I would think we'd have better things to do. Memo to all outraged: GM is in the business of selling cars! this is what they do! If you don't like it, don't buy a GM... or a car.

Furthermore, their ad, while not well done or thought out, is dead on... The first thing I wanted when I got to college was a car. Wait what? Yes, I played hockey and no bicycle was going to get me and all of my gear from point A to point B. It also came in handy when I wanted to take my dog everywhere... he went everywhere with me and typically you have to drive to get to the hiking trail. Not everyone lives in Southern California where the weather is perfect all year-round... my car came in handy when the weather was bad too. While I could find a lot more examples, I'm pretty sure that we can all come to the conclusion that a car is just a necessary evil.

Oh, and about getting into debt, If your main concern is to not have any debt, you'd skip college altogether (student loans anyone?). And just like we often don't want us, the good cyclists, to be associated with the bad cyclists, let's not do the same by assuming that just because someone has a car (in college or out of college) he or she is fat and unhealthy.

The Kona Bike Count

The Ironman World Championship in Kona over the weekend marks the unofficial end to the 2011 triathlon season. Kona, however, also provides manufacturers a chance to see how their products stacked up against the competition... or at least in the eyes of some of the most elite triathletes in the world.

The Kona Bike Count accurately registers all bikes, wheels, components, etc. (basically anything bike related the athlete takes into transition) compiled by members of the industry. Though it has evolved into recording more products in greater detail, such as drinking systems, the spirit of it hasn't changed much since it was started by Dan Empfield of Slowtwitch in 1992 (then owner of Quintana Roo).

For all intensive purposes, the Kona Bike Count is the ultimate barometer by which all triathlon equipment is judged.

Photo courtesy of slowtwitch.com

Just like we've come to expect Chrissie Wellington atop the podium in any race she enters, the Kona bike count has become somewhat anticlimactic. But it's a much more interesting story than that. It is not 4 out of the last 5 years, it's not 5 out of 6, or 6 out of 7 years. I'm referring to Cervelo's sheer dominance of the bike count over the last 7 years - winning it every single year.

Why is this impressive? for starters, competition is tough. Especially with companies such as Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, Scott, and others. Companies with bigger budgets tend to have an advantage as they have a lot more resources. Cervelo's achievement is highlighted by the fact that these amateurs are mostly paying for their bikes themselves. Unlike the pro's, who tend to ride what they get paid to ride, amateurs get to pick their equipment on what they feel is the best for them.

Cervelo has also proven that if it ain't broke, it doesn't need to be fixed. Though often criticized for having the same triathlon models from year to year, Cervelo has stuck to its guns. Why change for marketing reasons? If a frame can't be improved significantly enough for the rider to notice, it doesn't need to be redesigned.


Finally, this ongoing 7 year streak is most impressive given that as with anything or anyone at the top, everyone below is aiming to knock them down. Combined with consumers, especially triathletes, who tend to change buying habits often, Cervelo's streak speaks to the quality of the product and the vision of the company. Think it's a fluke? or a complicated formula for success? It isn't, Profile Design and Zipp are two good examples of companies who've shared that success.

Litespeed Gets Creative

Litespeed (@litespeed_bike), the sister brand of Quintana Roo (@quintanarootri) has long been associated with high-end Titanium frames, until recently. For 2012, they're expanding upon that and releasing a non-aero carbon frame, the L series (pictured above) to try and compliment their aero platform - the Archon Carbon line (C1r, C1, C2, C3 bikes).

The big surprise for 2012 however, was a couple of really nice-looking "Urban" Ti frames. The Litespeed Copenhagen (pictured with fenders, drop-bars, rack) and the Tribeca (single-speed) are are a bit out of the ordinary for the Tennessee based company, but intriguing nonetheless. It'll be interesting to see how popular these are, especially considering they will only be available as frames and retail for $2,000.

Specialized Unveils Triathlon Shiv

In what was probably one of the worst kept secrets, Specialized finally unveiled their new triathlon specific "Superbike", the Shiv. Though similar to the Shiv TT, this bike has quite a few unique features which all contribute to this bike NOT being UCI legal. My question to Specialized however: if you ignore UCI guidelines, why not go crazy with it? (Ok, somewhat rhetorical as the answer probably is, because people still have to buy it).

What does Specialized have to say about it? let's watch...

I don't think anyone would disagree when I say that Specialized has built quite a reputation in the cycling and triathlon world. Over the last couple of years, it seems as if Specialized has had a ton of momentum. Will this new project keep the momentum going? it's tough to say, and only time will tell. Below are some of the key points that caught my attention after watching the video.

"Fastest, most integrated, best fitting bike" - That's a pretty aggressive claim, and if proven, will propel this to be one of the top bikes at the Kona count in 2012. This claim however is also somewhat confusing. Typically integration and fit are not friends... even if by fit you mean your bike fitting into a travel case, which triathletes do a lot of.


"Fuelselage... traditional water bottle systems add significant disturbances to airflow" - While this is a great idea, and one that's been discussed as a possibility in the past, Cervelo just recently released a study that water bottles between the aerobars and behind the saddle may in fact, make you more aero. Did Cervelo strategically release that info once they knew Specilized had an integrated bike?


"4:1 Cross-sections" - Sure, 3:1 is aero, so does that automatically make 4:1 more aero? Specialized seems to think so. Still, some testing would go a very long way. By testing, I don't mean against previous Shiv models or Transition models, I want to see testing against all other leading triathlon/TT bikes.

"Five Frame sizes, and virtually everything on it can be adjustable in multiple ways" - Ah, stack and reach. According to the new Shiv's stack and reach, it qualifies as a "Short and Tall" somewhat similar to the Cannondale Slice (at least in a size 56). This is definitely the way to go, as "Long and Low" bikes are hard to fit, and seem to be less and less common. Furthermore, the fact that this is a "Superbike" with an integrated cockpit, it typically benefits from having a higher than normal stack due to the lack of steerer.

"Wide range of vertical and horizontal adjustability" - Unlike it's predecessor and other "Superbikes", the new Shiv will follow in the steps of Trek's Speed Concept and provide a number of adjustment options. After seeing the pictures of some of Specialized's offerings, it looks like some models won't be using the proprietary bar and stem. Bottom line is, adjustability is always good.

Here's some pictures (courtesy of Slowtwitch.com) showcasing some of the Shiv's new features

The fuelselage (integrated hydration system) with the lid on. Presumably, this will be an easy, on-the-fly hydration option.

This is where the Camelbak-like bladder fits. Not sure how easy it is to take it in and out.


Bladder easily removes for cleaning. If you look closely at the picture, though this should fit about 750ml, it doesn't look like all bike sizes use same bladder (most do).


The straw will easily stay away with a magnetic "hook". The straw looks to be quite flexible unlike the Profile Design model.


Specialized looks to be using the same brakes used on the transition. One of the big questions seems to be why is there no nosecone? Of course, referring to the nosecone outlawed by the UCI on the original Shiv.


A great image on the adjustability of the base bar. Though unclear on whether there will be different length stems, this system seems to share similarities with the Look 695 stem. Need a longer stem? just flip the shim from the front to the back and increase the reach by what appears to be 1cm.

Interbike 2011

Though the annual cycling trade show isn't what it once was, it's still fun to go and see what the industry's got to offer for the year ahead. No matter what you've seen up to that point (Eurobike), there's always surprises. If nothing more, it's good to see what you otherwise would see pictures of and of course, catch up with fellow industry folks you only talk to a few times a year. Remember it's a small industry!

This year, I wanted to take some pictures at the show. It's always a goal of mine and somehow I never get around to it. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the show.

The Look "Premium Collection" certainly caught my eye. For 2012 they'll have a series of "country bikes" representing about a dozen countries with paint to match. They'll also continue to offer the "Mondrian" edition as well as a "Black on Black" and "Greg LeMond" editions.

Here's another look at some of the Look "Premium Collection" offerings for 2012.

Dario Pegoretti had some bikes on display inside the Gita Bike booth. You've got to love his work, especially his use of color and creativity on his Ciavete frames.

Here's a shot of a nice looking commuter. An expensive looking commuter no less.

The beauty of a Pegoretti is often accentuated by the fact that it's a mix between classic "old school" with modern technology and componentry. In an cycling era where carbon bikes with bad paint jobs is the often the norm, a Pegoretti is always refreshing.

Inside the Gita booth, you can also find the popular and always-crowded Pinarello booth.

The Pinarello Graal is a traditional Time Trial machine disguised as a "Super Bike". The stem and aerobars do a good job of that. The sleek lines and paint don't hurt either.

Though not as advanced as some of the other GPS enabled computers out there. The SRM PC7 is the gold standard in the Pro-Peloton, its color options are vast and offer great customization.

Guerilla Marketing or Gorilla Marketing

If you're on facebook or twitter, you've probably seen your share of lame, overly-obvious "product placement" and promotion. Here's the scenario...

• Problem: Brand "A" usually a small, sometimes local brand needs some exposure to grow their market-share.
• Solution: Instead of devoting some time and money into an effective marketing or advertising campaign, or better yet improving its products or services, Brand "A" pimps out "Brand Ambassadors" (or insert gimmicky title here) by giving them discounts or free product.

While conceptually this approach is not a horrible idea, as sometimes smaller companies have to find creative ways of reaching the consumer. It does have the potential of turning consumers off. By potential, I mean a really good chance!

Furthermore, what type of message is a company sending to its potential customers? If Brand "A" gives its product for free for following certain steps and becoming a "Brand Ambassador", is your product really worth what you're selling it for? Will Spira be able to sell a pair of running shoes for $105 when Joe-Schmo can get them free for uploading pictures and telling his friends how "great" they are? How do you build loyalty within your customer base with this approach anyway?

The answers to these questions will vary from person to person, however in my opinion as someone in the business of selling products/services, it's the last approach I would adopt. It's annoying, it makes products look second-class, and it's bad use of Twitter, Facebook, and social media in general. Would it be too much for these companies to spend time coming up with guide-lines on how "Brand Ambassadors" can promote the product? Blatant promotion does not equate to me wanting your product. It instead keeps away from your product.

Sram Red... Wait for it... goes Black!

Since we're on the social media and marketing topic, what was up with SRAM's latest campaign? For a couple of days, I thought someone had hacked the twitter accounts of the likes of @linseycorbin, @rappstar, and @mcewenrobbie to name a couple.

Basically, Sram changed the color of the Sram Red groupo from red (well it wasn't really red to begin with) to black? Let me see if I can understand... the old Sram Red, changed to all black, but it's still Sram Red and not Sram Black? Your twitter efforts and teasers left as much to be desired as your groupo's performance. I'll stick to Campy.

Oh, in case you were wondering, I'm not a marketing expert, I just play one on TV.