Light & Motion Seca 1400

1400 lumens on a light is completely amazing craziness. I remember when my previous Seca 800 was the brightest thing out there. Cars thought I had high beams on as I commuted on the road and on the trail even my sleep deprived eyes could see well with the high beam on.

I plan on doing a few test rides this weekend to get the helmet and handlebar light figured out. In my arsenal I have the Seca 1400 or 800 and Seca 600 or 300. Write out battery charging and burn time for my pit crew, probably even put the helmet light on my other Lazer helmet so that I can secure it and it ready to rock when the sun goes down Memorial Day weekend during race time.

Do You Ride at Night?

Night riding is one of my favorite things to do in mountain biking. Commuting at night I feel like people can see me better, especially with 1400 lumens shining at them!!

Tell us about your night riding, what lights do you use? Do you have questions for Light & Motion or myself about what lights you need or batteries?

Let’s take a moment, flip back to Interbike of 2005. Meet Twin Six and fall in love with the styles of Brent Gale and Ryan Carlson. For the next year Brent was a great support role and simply a good person to talk to as I traveled the roads of North Carolina finding my place in life. The Bike Shop Girl “chick” you see is Brent’s vision. We talked for many hours as I drove from building wheels at Cane Creek to home in Charlotte NC as he sat in his basement slaving away creating the company that is Twin Six. (I should mention Ryan was slaving away as well.)

Through the years Twin Six has always been there. If I put on a race, start a team, need new chamois, travel, crash, interview and so on. The guys of Twin Six have always been there. Recently Mark has allowed me to spread Twin Six goodness in shops in the southeast in hopes that my fellow spandex lovers would look better!

Before I talk about product, I want to say this. This company is owned by two very caring guys, that design nice cycling goods. They help out the cycling industry, they understand grassroots, they ride their bikes and to me they are what the industry needs.

A quick run down of  Twin Six current lineup that I literally live in

I have to first mention the Crumpler Team Bag. I’ve had this for many, many, years. Since 2006 maybe? My girlfriend took over ownership in 2008 and it is her “bag”. Work out, travel, fit a small child or animal. It is perfect and beautiful to do all of those things.

Anything Fat Cyclist. I don’t care if you think the guy behind FatCyclist.com is a jack, the cause he started during his families fight against cancer, and then losing his wife to cancer – that is something to support. The people that don’t know Fat Cyclist story love the simple name. When I feel fat I wear it and when I need motivation I wear it in honor of Susan.

The Grand Prix kit is easily the hottest kit out there this season. Sleeveless, short sleeve and matching bibs. Do it.

My latest lust is the Crank kit. Yes it is for “guys” but I swear their bibs are super comfy. Jersey, bibs and socks to match! Show up to your next race wearing logo free awesomeness!

I wasn’t paid or bribed for this ballad of love. I sometimes get free stuff from time to time but I wear it because it’s comfortable!

2012 Pisgah Stage Race September 17 – 22, 2012 5 Days, 195 Miles, 28,000+ ft of Elevation Gain

Introducing Giro DJ Gloves $34.99

Last week I was in Piney Flats Bicycles in Piney Flats, TN. On their wall a rather bright pair of gloves caught my eye. Giro DJ Gloves, the padding was minimum, the venting looked great, and the wrist wrap was very comfortable. Of course I bought them. Forever I’m looking for good gloves that fit my very long, skinny, hands.

Initial Preview

The gloves have about 4 rides on them. They are working well in the hot North Carolina temperatures. The grip is perfect. The color doesn’t match anything, but that makes it wonderful. The wrist wrap is probably more than a normal XC or roadie will like as it comes up your over your wrist. For longer rides I like the compression and for harder rides I like the grip. The gloves don’t have tons of padding, it’s more about proper contact and keeping your hands from wilting.

So far I am pleased. So much that I probably will end up ordering the orange and white ones from the Giro website. They match my bikes perfectly, that is important too.

See these and all of Giro’s gloves over at Giro.com.

Disclaimer: I purchased these gloves and my opinion is my own, no one else’s. 

Now, I don’t go as extreme with numbers around training as I do with marketing and sales..but it’s close. Normally I’m NOT tracking every movement, gear usage and PSI of tires or suspension pressure on EVERY ride. (I have my moments when I go through that cycle, mostly when I have a new bike to dial in.) For the past few years I’ve used Training Peaks for my HRM or in years past my power device, a Power Tap about 10 years ago. In roughly 2006 the invention of the Garmin GPS training unit for bicycling opened my eyes to what you can learn from data. From the ascents, decents, temperature and such, over laid with your speed, cadence and possibly power. You really turn yourself into a machine!

Welcome Strava, social media for bike rides

Two years ago I first heard of Strava. I didn’t really get it, another site to track your GPS files. They had put a bunch of pro’s on the site, and I feel like there was only a paid version when it first started. In the beginning of the year when I purchased my new Garmin Edge 800 I started uploading some files to Strava when I remembered. It was cool as it tracked my data, and also compared it to my friends.

Strava Segments are Virtual Group Rides

I ride my bike alone most of the time. My job makes my ride hours vary, and I don’t like the extra stress of having set rides too often with groups. Two months ago Strava started the coolest things called segments. Basically it overlays your GPS file with set parts of trails, roads, or whatever to show how you compare to other Strava users on that section. Some examples are from the base of a climb to the top, or a full loop of a specific trail system.

It really excites me to try different places, or when I visit new places to do rides around these segments I can find on Strava.com. Comparing myself to others that have done that ride, climb, descent or loop. You can also make your own segments to see how you are improving. If you have a loop that you use for recovery, or maybe for testing purposes – this is a great function.

Ease of Use and Design

Strava has done a few things very cool and user friendly with their design.

Uploading is super simple. The first time you click Upload Activity it asks to download this sync thing. You don’t ever have to open it again, everytime you go to upload it finds your Garmin and all activity you haven’t uploaded this far.

No software needed. As noted above it downloads (what I think is a cookie) the first time you try to upload. I am able to upload from my laptop and desktop, not needing to open any software other than the internet browser I already use.

Stats and Activities are clean. Rides, performance, averages and such are easy to find on your profile. It also will compare you to someone else when you click on their profile.

Strava on your iPhone or Android

Strava functions mostly off Garmin but they have really great phone apps that will track and upload straight from it! This is an easy way to get into the social group ride without plunking down on a Garmin.

This is super handy also as every once in a blue moon I’ll forget my Garmin or forget to charge it. I don’t miss tracking a ride when this happens!

Other notes of Strava

Follow me on Strava!

I recently upgraded to Premium mainly as I’ll be adding a Powertap to my arsenal soon, the site has a great Powertap analysis and keeper of data for later use.

You can also do all of the above for running as well! Pretty handy for triathletes or runners that want to get social with their runs!

I wasn’t paid or even asked to write this by Strava. Simply really digging the design and use of the site!

2012 Rapha Women’s Prestige from RAPHA on Vimeo.

http://www.rapha.cc/rapha-womens-prestige-2012

Film credits: http://whatwedofilms.com/

– Inaugural Rapha Women's Prestige
– Saturday April 7th in San Francisco
– 13 teams of 6 women
– Start and finish at the Rapha Cycle Club
– 116 miles, 8800' climbing

Michelle in Melbourne, Australia

What type of cycling do you enjoy?

Long distance endurance

What is your first cycling memory?

Riding in circles around our court trying to stay balanced.

Who inspires you to ride, and better yet WHY?

Dave Harrington and Peter Heals – they’ve ridden thousands and thousands of km only for the challenge

What has been your best moment on the bike so far this year?

Riding 360 km in 24 hrs on the Audax Flèche Opperman ride last weekend

Tell us all about your bikes

Commuter hack, long distance Shogun, TdF team spec Cannondale

Motivational Monday, a Monday tradition at Bike Shop Girl, my goal to keep you motivated and to be striving on the bike even during a hard week or long hours at work. Are you a woman that bicycles? Fill out this easy form and be part of our motivational movement!