Rebecca Rusch is back at it again. Events across the country to encourage women to get on their bikes and ride!

2012 SRAM Gold Rusch Tour

The Sea Otter Ladies Lounge at the Sea Otter Classic: April 19-22

Drop by the SRAM booth and meet your favorite female pros. Ask questions, check out new gear and listen in on our mini tech clinics. Rebecca and the other pros will also host short ride clinics and pump track sessions. For more
information on tour specifics and updates, please visit www.goldruschtour.com.

Dirt Rage Dirtfest Dirty Girls Clinics in Raystown, PA: May 17-20

Join Rebecca and SRAM/Specialized female athlete, Katie Holden for Specialized demos and free ride clinics during the three-day mountain bike festival.

Sun Valley Media Camp in Sun Valley, ID: July 4-9

By invite-only, eight lucky female representatives will meet Rebecca, Katie Holden, Meredith Miller and Lea Davison for a personal tour of the world class riding in Sun Valley. The camp coincides with USAC XC National Championships in Sun Valley (July 5th-8th) to allow the attending media to cover the event and experience Idaho riding at its best.

“Wheel Girls” Mountain Bike Club in Sun Valley, ID: June through July

Rebecca and her local female mountain bike posse will coach a 6-week teen riding camp for the second year. The classes will meet in June and July for weekly riding sessions on different trails in the Sun Valley area. The camp will focus on riding skills, trail etiquette and volunteer trail work.

Kokanee Crankworx Dirty Girls Clinics in Whistler, BC: August 13-19

The biggest freeride festival in the world, Crankworx is a magnet for the world’s best riders. With a collection of some of the best trails and parks on the planet, Rebecca and SRAM/ Specialized female pros will guest instruct and lead rides for all ability levels throughout the week.

Levi’s Granfondo Ladies Lounge and Media Camp in Santa Rosa, CA: September 29

Activities will include a pre-event social hour with complimentary bike fit and equipment check at NorCal Bike and ride tips from the pros. Rebecca and other female pros will offer a pre-ride preview of some of the toughest parts of the course. Post-event activities will include a SRAM/Specialized VIP reception for women and their guests with refreshments and GU recovery drinks.

Roc D’Azur Ladies Lounge and Dirty Girls Ride Clinics in France: October

This French mountain bike festival is open to riders of all levels and hosts races, fun rides, a huge bike expo and parties. Each day at the SRAM booth, female pros will be available to answer questions and lead mini-tech clinics. The pros will also be hosting short ride clinics and pump track sessions.

I won’t lie, the Airborne Delta CX was the most exciting part of becoming a member of the Airborne Flight Crew this past spring. I was going to have the inside scoop, test ride and ride for a season a wonderful cyclocross bike that hopefully would crack open a huge “hidden nut” in the bicycle industry. A budget priced, disc brake, cyclocross bike. As a lover of cyclocross bikes for the utility and functionality, this bike fit right into my arsenal to refer friends and followers to.

Why a Cyclocross Bike?

Cyclocross bicycles to me don’t require you to race cyclocross, or even to know what cyclocross racing is. Instead, I’ve always looked at them as utility road bikes. You are able to run skinny tires (most cross rims can go down to 700×23) with more clearance for fenders, racks and all in a more upright position for commuting or those starting to ride on the road. These bikes are often equipped with more durable wheels, easier gearing and sometimes more durable frame/forks. The person buying one won’t have to worry about staying only on the pavement as ‘cross bikes handle gravel and light off road very well.  Before the “comfort” fits that companies started coming out with 6-7 years ago I would put customers on ‘cross bikes for the more upright and comfortable fit.

Initial Thoughts of the Airborne Delta CX

The first time I rode the Delta CX was commuting from Monterrey California to the 2011 Sea Otter Classic. Straight up a huge hill, with the very aggressive tread cyclocross tires that come stock on the bike. I knew the bike wasn’t really setup for me, and all I had was 9 miles of trying it out but I really enjoyed the bike, especially the mountain bike cassette on the rear!

Fast forward a couple months, my second ride on the Delta CX was again a commute, 27 miles from my work in Charlotte North Carolina home to Mooresville North Carolina. Unfortunately it was a commute from hell. A flat in the middle of the worse part of town, a slipping seat post, and a creaking bottom bracket. All of these things are my own fault, a demo bike that was used in Sea Otter deserved a complete overhaul before a serious first ride. I didn’t give my little bike that luxury.

On my commute I did realize a few things on the bike quickly:

• I love disc brakes on cyclocross bikes
• The handlebars were super narrow
• Installing a standard rear rack on this bike would be difficult, time to look at disc brake specific rear racks.

Initial weight of my 55cm without pedals or bottle cages was 23.5 lbs

Critical Highlights Important to Me

In no specific order there is several things I feel folks should know about the bike when they are looking at it.

Obviously is the SRAM Apex drive train (minus cranks) which gives you 2×10 technology with gearing of 46/36 cranks and 11-32t cassette. Perfect for someone looking for a do all bike, and someone getting into cyclocross.

Next up is the disc brakes. This is something that is becoming a trend now that the UCI (main rule makers for pro cyclocross racers) have approved disc brakes starting this coming season. We will see in the next couple seasons a ton of manufactures expanding or switching their current cyclocross line up to disc brake equipped or at least disc brake ready frames and fork. You should know that the front disc is 160mm, standard disc brake sizing. The rear is a 140mm, which is perfectly fine for this usage but you normally only see this size on XC weight weenies.

Ability for fenders and a rear rack. The main guy behind product development, Jeremy Mudd, wanted this bike to be able to a little bit of everything. With rear rack mounts on the top of the seat stays and mounts for fenders at the bottom bracket chain stay bridge, and fork drop outs. You will need a disc brake rear rack, the guys at Airborne recommend the Blackburn EX-1 Disc that comes with a skewer to mount the bottom of the rack to.

Well equipped and well priced. Airborne Bicycles takes out the bicycle shop from the equation, saving the end user the extra margin that the bike shop would need. At an MSRP of $1,199 I can guarantee you won’t find a well equipped bike like this, with proper research and development behind it.

A warranty. Do I need to say more? How many “mail order” companies deliver a warranty with their bike, and a customer service line to call with any questions.

Swapping Parts on my Delta CX

Quickly I needed to change a few things out, saddle (immediately), handlebar, handlebar tape, tires, and seatpost.

Tires were swapped to my normal Kenda Small Block 8 that I live on other than muddy races. I’m able to pump up the tires to 80lbs and ride the bike on the road while still having the ability to hop off road when I need.

Handlebar was swapped mainly due to size. The 42cm FSA handlebar that comes stock on the bike measures 38cm center to center, causing shoulder pain and making the bike feel very twitchy.

When I swapped handlebars I installed Lizard Skin DSP 2.5 in Pink, but kept the stock stem.

Seat was immediate to a WTB Diva demo saddle, and the seatpost is a Ritchey WCS aluminum.

After swapping out these parts and installing Crank Brothers Candy SL (in pink) the bike currently sits at 22.1 lbs

Long Term Feelings of the Delta CX

Overall I am really enjoying the Delta. The disc brakes are encouraging when I hit some single track on the bike, and the mountain bike sized rear cassette has bailed me out on some steep mountain bike climbs. Now that I’ve swapped out all of the “touch points” I can say that the bike is handling and riding as I want. The last large upgrade will be the wheels, in hopes to bring the bike under the 20 lb mark for hauling over barriers this fall and winter during cyclocross races!

The Avid BB5 disc brakes do take some time to setup and be proper. Part of that is the long throw road calipers and disc brakes, part of that is the close tolerances I like to run on my disc brakes.

If you are in the market take the time and go check out the Airborne Delta CX before they sell out for cyclocross season. The bike might not fit your needs, but it will crack open that nut of the cyclocross market like no other mass producer will have the ability to do so.

Visit Airborne Bicycles, tell them I sent you.

FTC Disclaimer : I was not paid or bribed for this review.  The Airborne Delta CX was loaned to me, Arleigh Jenkins,  for free for the 2011 entire season.  I was flown to Sea Otter for an all expense paid trip with Airborne Bicycles but hopefully you know from reading my reviews that the trip, nor the bike would change how I feel about the bike.

I’m a color freak. Ask anyone that I’ve built a bike for, I love things to compliment, match and fit pieces together well.  Colored housing, grips, zip ties and spacers – they all matter for the end product.   For women especially, wanting to ride a bike is almost as important as how well the bike rides.  While walking the grounds of the 2011 Sea Otter Classic I spied color, ProTaper XC colored handlebars from Answer to be exact.  There aren’t enough bike components made in green, and we all know my love of pink.

Answer ProTaper XC MTB Handlebar

I was caught taking photos by one of the Answer guys, I inquired if they were making a flat bar in pink.  29ers ride very well with flat bars… The nice guy said “Yes, yes I do! How about you check out the matching gloves?”

How could I turn this nice guy down?  White gloves, pink accents, and a clean subtle feel to the palm.   The graphics on the handlebar and gloves are matching, the main graphics will be hidden under a grip other than the very prominent brand and model logo’s displayed in the middle of the stem.

The gloves have been used daily for riding and a couple times for wrenching, they work perfectly so far.  Longer term I’ll document the fit and a full 360º of the glove as well.  The handlebar will be installed this week and tested for fit, weight and awesome color flare!

This product was given to me at no charge for reviewing.  I was not paid or bribed to give this review and it will have my honest opinion or thoughts through out.

Warm, inviting, and cozy are not words you associate with booths at the Sea Otter Classic.  To be able to make people feel welcome, even kids and women, it is a great compliment! A quick peek in photos of the Cyclelogical Gear booth.

Hangers made out of rims, spokes and shrader valves.

Sara Stearns is a reader of Bike Shop Girl and is an inspirational woman through and through.  While at the Sea Otter Classic I was able to meet Sara face to face.  She’s a pilot for an air ambulance that services the Sea Otter Classic every year.  One of the days she was working she landed her helicopter and walked in to the Ladies Lounge in her pilot uniform!  When I asked her to be one of my motivational Monday features she bulked, why would anyone find her motivational?  She is your normal middle age (don’t take that personal Sara) woman, she has a job, she enjoys riding with her friends and rocks an awesome bike stable.  Sara shows you what it is to live life everyday.  Follow her on Facebook and you’ll see!

What’s your name and location?

Sara Stearns, Seaside, California.

What type of cycling do you enjoy?

I’m a rabid roadie, but as of late, a interest in off road has taken seed.  I am not a competitive rider, although I might try a criterium one day to see what it’s like.  Believe me, if I do, I’ll stay towards the back and stay out of everyone’s way!

What is your first cycling memory?

Ha!  My dad taking the training wheels off of my first bicycle and sending me down the sidewalk for my first solo flight!  I could only go straight.  I was afraid to make turns – but, it was such fun, and I could do it!

Who in the current cycling industry inspires you, and better yet WHY?

Georgena Terry for her advocacy, her courage, and determination.  She builds bikes, apparel, and she offers advice and inspiration.  I also admire Evie Stevens for her come out of no where talent, and she’s such a sweetheart!  She’s also a voice for safety and reason, and that’s so cool.  I admire Fabian Cancellara, because he’s a huge talent, a nice person, and well – he’s pretty easy on the eyes, too.  LOL!  I also like Jim Felt, because his company built my first road bike and my tri bike.  He also sponsors Sarah Hammer, and well – wow!!  Above all, I am indebted to the local women riders whom I have come to know as I learn my way into and around the sport.  Each and every one of them has offered advice, encouragement and has been a huge part of my enjoyment and bliss on my bicycle.  I owe them HUGE…

What was your best moment on a bike in 2010?

My first triathlon!  It was me against the clock, and all of the training I had done, plus the courage I mustered to do it, all came to fruition on that 12 mile course.  It was a blast!

In the next year, what are your goals with cycling and pushing yourself forward in 2011?

More triathlons, century rides, solo rides, more fitness, more enjoyment, more socializing, more empowerment.  I love to see other women getting involved in the sport, and it is a delight when they take a loving to it.  I also so enjoy watching gifted athletes, female and male, as they struggle and then excel in this beautiful endeavor.  More inspiration, that!

My bikes:

A 2009 Look 566, a 2004 Felt B2, and a 1996 Cannondale M500 (about to see the dirt for the first time!)

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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!

Often I come back from industry events like the 2011 Sea Otter Classic and people ask me what the coolest thing I saw was.  I try to highlight all of those things on Bike Shop Girl and keep the fluff to the rest of the internet.  One of these things were hardwood bicycles from Renovo Hardwood Bicycles.

From Renovo

Why Wood?  We chose wood not because it’s different, not because it’s sustainable, but simply because we believe its engineering properties suit the requirements of most bicycle applications better than any other material. The performance of wood in applications more structurally demanding than bicycles has been well proven over many years. The most successful fighter bomber of WWII was the all-wood 400 mph British Mosquito, of which some 7500 were built.

Details in Photos

The frames were beautiful and it would be very cool to have one as a cafe cruiser.  Clean, sleek and thought out. The drop outs worry me, as they are simply bolted into the wood.

A Frame Cut in Half

Amazing.

As I started my Thursday off dragging through the Sea Otter venue trying to find a bathroom and coffee, yes in that order, I was stopped by Tall Tyler of Nuun.  A little hand slap and a what’s up “bro”.  Tyler then whispered in my ear that he had some new goods to show me at their booth when I had time.  Soon the California sun was beating down on me and the coffee was wearing off.  I needed hydrated and I knew where to find it.

Tall Tyler whipped out some fresh colored nuun canisters.  Gone was the all white with only a small colored trim to differentiate and now there was a new, cleaner logo, with fun colored labels!  With that, thank god, there were new flavors.

nuun Strawberry Lemonade

Let me introduce you to one of my new loves in life.  Strawberry lemonade flavored nuun.   In a 16oz glass of water or bottle it is the perfect hint of tart and sweet, amazing for the long ride or when you are quenching your thirst

The rest of the Sea Otter Classic I literally LIVED on nuun Strawberry Vanilla.  They kept a few water coolers full of their new flavors for people to test, I kept testing over and over anytime my water bottle was low.

There are other new flavors as well : Lemon Tea, Fruit Punch, Grape, and Tropical  I haven’t gotten to those as I am in love with the above.

A full review will be posted of all the new flavors, including how my kids and non-cycling friends like the flavors/concept.

This product was given to me at no charge for reviewing.  I was not paid or bribed to give this review and it will have my honest opinion or thoughts through out.

When I was first notified that I had made the cut for the Airborne Flight Crew my selfish first thought was “when do I get to try out the bikes?”

No longer do either the dreaming of bikes, or critically going through the specifications or grams of a bicycle do it for me. Every bike is built different, and other than the geometry of a bike your early can’t know how all the ingredients of the end recipe will turn out. Every piece of the puzzle matters and even in sales I often would tell a “upgrade crazed” consumer to simply give their new ride a few weeks as stock.

Some great examples :

I cycle through 4 different saddles. Depending on the bikes reach, drop, handlebar width, seat tube angle and “cush” I may fit on one saddle better than the next.  There are 3 tires I prefer on my mountain bike. If it’s a suspension bike, full suspension bike, 29″ or 26″, and finally how aggressive the fit is. All of these things change the handling of your bike, which will change how you ride your tires. Do you have more weight on your front tire through the turns, are you able to run lower air pressure, will you ride rockier trails (all mountain style) and the list goes on.

The First Taste of a New Bike

Where was I? Oh yes! I know the generic spec off paper of how the bike will be built. I don’t know how all of those spec’s in this “bike recipe” will taste, and I can’t wait to get my butt on the bike to taste my new bike!

Today’s the Day

As I walk into the 2011 Sea Otter Classic I have a few things on my mind, and a few things to take care of but I am ultimately excited to be testing out what I’ll be riding the rest of 2011. Between the Airborne Goblin 29″ and the Airborne Delta CX my butt will mostly be rotating between some variation of these two bikes.

Look for an initial preview of my first test ride

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The main purpose of my recent trip to the 2011 Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, CA was a homecoming of sorts for the 2011 Airborne Flight Crew members.  It is the one time a year that we are brought together from across the country.  Some of us race, some of us banter and we all work the Airborne Bicycles booth for a couple hours a day during the festival.

The team has already been introduced over on the Airborne Bikes Blog, they do it better than I so click on over there to read!

Round Up of Events

Day 1 (Wednesday) :

Some members were flown in a couple days early to get become Airborne models for the website and print use. From my understanding the photos were taken by Ian Hyland of PinkBike fame. There was a ton of hiking, re-doing shots and back and forth shuttling.   (This is also the day I was flying all over the country getting to Monterey.)

Day 2 (Thursday) :

Every day started off with unpacking the trailer we had packed with bikes the night before. This is the official first day of the Sea Otter Classic. We were all given our Airborne Flight Crew gear. Dickies work shirts, hoodie, beanie, long sleeve jersey, a couple XC jerseys, shorts, and a downhill jersey.

It is “industry day” so it is the day most vendors are getting their booth’s properly setup, running through demo bikes again and it is also a good time to split up booth duties to walk the festival.   Airborne Flight Crew members test rode all the models, for most of us it was the first time to test ride the new Goblin 29er, Wingman DJ and Delta CX.   From 2-4pm I was found over at the Ladies Lounge. Then it was time to start shutting down and putting all the bikes and goodies back in the trailer.

Thursday night we went out as a group for authentic mexican food and really started to get to know each other.  Several folks stayed out in the hotel room, I went back to my room to recover from the past 48 hours of travel and going.

Day 3 (Friday) :

Woke early to go over the Delta CX I had brought back from the festival to ride in. Grabbed breakfast with a few Flight Crew members and started riding.  9 miles = 1.5 hours = a crap load of climbing! It was a beautiful ride, but very humbling thanks to the long sustained climbs on the cyclocross knobby tires. I look forward to having a geared cyclocross or 29er bike to take it to Pisgah for the fire road climbs that I miss being able to ride.   My legs were miserable the rest of the day, but it was a good feeling even though I regretted it during the long walk back to the car at 6pm.

The day consumers really start mingling.  It was a really good fit with most Flight Crew Members. It is a very even split between the gravity style riders and XC. I think I’m one of the most “dedicated” cyclocross racers, so I tried to pinch hit as much as possible on that one.  It was also very helpful to have so many knowledge folks of the Taka and Wingman bikes.  A good amount of bikes were test rode and talked about.  Several magazines and websites came to take photos or chat about the bikes.  This included someone from 650b.com to check out Tony’s custom Zeppelin that he converted to 650b.

I can’t forget the Ladies Lounge with Rebecca Rosch and other pro-super star ladies.  There were tons of tech questions, I ended up greasy after it (always a great sign.)  One of the readers of our site (link/name?) who’s a pilot for a heli-ambulance landed her helicopter to come to the show and join Ladies Lounge!   That was such a great treat to meet someone with an amazing story and a friend of Bike Shop Girl.

Tuesday through Thursday was the BLC (link) which many vendors and “who’s who” in the industy were at.  Friday those folks finally made it to the Sea Otter Festival, including my dear Pam Sayler from Kurt Kinetic (link.)   After the festival ended for the day I spent a couple hours catching up with her and then we all went to sushi down at the Wharf.    If I have a chance to make it back to Sea Otter next year, I will go a day early to fully experience Monterey.  The wharf alone was amazing with the seals on the coast, the boats in the harbor and the mountains in the background!

Day 4 (Saturday) :

The busiest day of the festival, my last day of the festival and the day I became inspired to get to more races to photograph.  All our downhillers were racing and running around frantic in the morning, parking was crazy and included another long walk up hills but it was a great day.   I walked every inch of the show it seemed!

Our downhillers had great success in their racing.

Results :

Tony learned that 650b.com was the brainchild of the one and only, Bike Shop Girl.  There wasn’t any “scoping” of his bike and Airborne Bicycles wasn’t going to change their mind this season on NOT having a 650b Zeppelin.

Unfortunately I wimped out and didn’t go out after we closed down shop.   With a long day of traveling the next day, I stayed behind at the hotel to eat in and pack.   From what I hear our team husband, Jim Davis, stayed behind at the festival and has some wild stories to tell.  (Including hitch hiking home!)  Wendy and I talked racing a bit before bed, and I had to say my final goodbye to many of my teammates until the next time I see them (probably 360 days!)

Other Notes :

While I wasn’t present for the last day of the festival, there was still tons going on.    Wendy placed 10th in her race!  First race on the Goblin and gears (from my understanding), she rocked it!  Other Flight Crew members also had snafu’s with their flights and spent way too much time with airlines..

Jerry Hazard

Hopefully all my teammates can understand this when I say it…   When I learned the roster for the 2011 Airborne Flight Crew the one thing that I was jumping up and down inside about was the name Jerry Hazard.   Jerry is an amazing photographer that I followed almost 10 years ago on Deviantart.com.  His photo’s have been featured in many magazines and his personality around photography and riding is a treat to be around.   To be able to pull from that type of fountain was alone something to fly to California for!   During my trip he allowed me to borrow his fish eye lense, evidence is above and on many photo’s through out the Sea Otter post you’ll see.  Walking me patiently through the settings and recommendations.   It was humbling and inspirational to see his photography coming from the event!

A quick status and “what the hell are you doing?” update!

It’s 7am in Monterey and I’m slowing getting my crap together to go grab some food and head out to the venue.   Today’s my last day at Sea Otter as I fly out tomorrow morning.   I plan on getting a ride in (if possible) and take a crap load of photos and pictures.   I figure I have 12 hours of travel tomorrow to actual put together all the post.

Today is also the last day of the SRAM Ladies Lounge. Yesterday the tent was packed and we had a ton of great questions and feedback from women and athletes.  If you are at Sea Otter, this is a must.  And you don’t even have to be a guy!

Trying to stay on East coast time but have been failing.   Instead we go out to dinner at 8pm most nights and  I get back to the hotel exhausted to pass out in bed!

Thank you to everyone that has introduced themselves in person, visited the Airborne or Ladies Lounge and reached out about Bike Shop Girl!