Lazer O2 RD Helmet

Having just kicked the new team off once the season was already underway, we had a fair bit of catching up to do, so we decided to end the season and kick off the new one with as much matching kit as possible, team helmets are an obvious one. The Belgians love their Lazer hats, a step away from the UK's usual of Giro, Specialized or Bell, that fits the bill.
Looking at weights and vents that are in the normal area for a race helmet, we went for the Lazer O2 RD from Solid Rock Cycles. The added advantage that they have a fitting system that allows head sizes from 53 to 61cm to fit, so the one size they make in this model should fit the majority of our riders.

We've been riding these for a couple of months now, changed the livery a bit to match the team. So we'll give you an idea of what we've found, as it may be a different brand to what most folks are used to.

Weight:
I was riding a Giro Ionos, so a quick scale measurement for this blog & I found the Giro was 285g, the Lazer 278g, so lighter than a hat £50 more expensive. It also appears to have just as many vents, which keeps the weight good, obviously not had the chance to test it in the hottest Scottish conditions, but it looks like it would be just as sweaty as anything else.

Fit & Comfort:
The retention system is operated by the red rolling toggle in the top rear of the helmet, so that adjusts the cage around your head. I find the fit very comfy and solid, I take a medium in a Giro hat. We did find somebody in the team this doesn't fit, he is outside the maximum size range, so a different white matching helmet beckons for him. It looks as if the size range goes from half way up an equivalent Giro small to the end of a Giro large, based on that if you're wearing a small Giro, or finding a large Giro tight, try one of these on first before you buy it. Otherwise you'll be fine. Strap fitting is a doddle, each one has a locking clip where the two straps meet below the ear, so the adjustment is pretty easy. The strap length adjustment I always find a pain, as they allow enough strap for big heeded growlers, I always end up folding the straps over and using the rubber ring provided to hold it in place, always meaning to cut them to length. I'm not sure I've ever bothered to, this one is the exact same, too much strap for me, so folded over in the same way (must cut them this time!).

Wear & Tear:
Even though they're white, it's almost a kind of matt finish, doesn't seem to dirty up, even though it's been lying on the road upside down, it's still not marked. You get a wee bag to put it in when you're taking it to races, so that also helps keep it looking nice. I'm not getting much of the salty strap marks, but that's perhaps down to not riding hard enough than anything else, but the hats still look good as new.

Other stuff:
We have no info on crash testing it, nobody has done yet. The vents fit the glasses well, a pair of Oakley Radars fits in nicely while you're strolling about the race HQ or you're needing to sweep the sweat away on a climb. It also has some extra pads with it, plus the helmet bag as mentioned previously.


So overall, good light, aero, vented helmet, if you've got a normal size bonce, but if you've got a funny shaped bonce, check the size first. Or have a look at what else Lazer have to offer, a lot of pro's riding them, the Genesis looks very nice.

You can buy online here @ £79.99, it comes in 3 other colours, go to Products>Helmets>Road.
www.solidrockcycles.co.uk

Review: Tacx Antares Rollers

It is an unwritten rule that track racing requires you to be able to use rollers. Therefore I had to avail myself of a set, not only to prepare properly for the rigours of the oval, but to improve my pedalling technique through the winter months. So with this in mind and noting that Colin had recently purchased this same model I spoke with Mark at Solid Rock Cycles who swiftly placed an order for me.

On collection the box was unpacked and the various parts laid out on the carpet for assembly, three parabolic rollers, two adjustable side frames, one very large rubber band and six allen key bolts (plus allen key). Using the very easy to follow set of instructions (unlike a certain swedish furniture store) and five minutes later they were assembled.

The next task was to adjust the extended length of the rollers to suit the wheelbase of my track bike, again a very simple task using the allen key bolts on the underside of the framework and that was it, out of the box and ready to roll (so to speak) in about fifteen minutes. I was pleasantly surprised at the weight and build of the finished article they felt rock solid and the feet have substantial contact with the ground, there is a great weight in the cylinders without making them to heavy to carry around and once placed onto my training mat they just weren't moving anywhere.

Onto the real test, how did they feel under the bike? Tacx claim that is almost impossible to fall off the rollers due to the parabolic shape of the roller itself. Fortunately as yet I haven't yet tested that theory, I can say however that the design gives you confidence to ride unassisted and that the feeling once up to speed is smooth. I also like the feel of the surface of the rollers it has a slight grip to it which all adds to the secure feeling as you spin at higher revs. I have found the noise from the bearings far less than that of my turbo and as I use them on a tiled concrete floor in the kitchen it is far less intrusive for the better half whilst the T.V. is on next door.

So the ride is good, smooth and comfortable and I quickly felt at home on them. After my session it took a matter of seconds to stow them into compact mode. The quick release levers on the inside of the frame allow the two parts to slide into each other and reduce the overall length to just over 800mm then closing the levers to lock the frame into position you simply pull the rubber band around the neatly designed groove on one of the levers, twist it and pull the band over the other lever to keep it all neat and tidy. This means they can fit neatly into the boot of your car ready for the track meet or as in my current situation under the stairs ready for my next winter spinning session.

I really like these rollers they give you that little bit more of a real ride than a turbo trainer with the added benefit of working your upper body, improving your pedalling action and balance. They will also prove a valuable assest at the summer track meets allowing you to properly warm up (especially at Meadowbank's Tuesday night track league!) prior to taking to the boards, which after all is what it's all about.

Review: Ridley Oval Track Bike

Vortex RT is going to become more and more involved in track racing, so did I need another track bike, I think so....
Then while chatting to Solidrock Cycles I was handed a catalogue by Mark and saw the Ridley. Not sure I'd remembered previous to that, but I'd seen Ridley track bikes at Gent during a visit to the 6 day the previous year, I'd more associated them with road bikes, but then a Belgian company knowing a bit about track bikes makes sense really. It's an aluminium frame, what I'm after, not sure I want to be riding a carbon bike at track leagues, so ideal.
Here's the link to the Ridley info on it.

If you're looking for one, check the sizing chart & geometry on that link, what they call a 52cm, is a 56cm in traditional measurements, so bear that in mind, all the info's there but you need to read it.

I did a bit of research on the net about what people were saying, lots of street 'fixie' types riding them, not too many reports on how they handle on the boards, but a bit of confusion with some numpties and their interpretation of frame angles and handling. So I had basically ignored the majority of it and used my own experience of frames to decide what I needed, a good handling rigid endurance riders bike. I also got a recommendation from somebody I found who was actually racing one on a 250m track, that settled it for me. I ordered one through the shop, frame only, had most of the other kit, plus a pair of old school track wheels getting built by big Al.

First ride was setting it up on the rollers, feels stiff, tracks fine, nothing significant to report, but apart from that very hard to tell, obligatory matching white bar tape and saddle for a track bike (see rules). Looks nice. The only curious thing is that the forks have no hole for a brake, but the rear has a brake bridge with a hole for a brake, this doesn't really bother me, but I passed the info onto the rep and he said he'd get it sorted with future frames, so any coming out now won't have the brake fitting, but another thing to check.

So onto actually testing the thing, took it to Manchester, a 250m indoor wooden track, my feeling on the stiffness was correct, I'm not a big guy, so my opinion doesn't say how a sprinter would find it. It has some ovalised tubing, changing along the length, which probably adds to the feel of it, the chainstays and seatstays are extra beefy, but in the correct direction, so they remain aero. It holds the black line well at speed and isn't twitchy, I don't like overly twitchy track bikes that flick you off your line when you move your head, I like something that tells you what it's doing, and does what you tell it. To be honest, I wasn't going too well at Manchester, but I was on the front for a crazy line bit of training, taking everybody through.. you guessed it, crazy lines. This was the first opportunity to really give the thing a test, so diving off the banking, switching, the thing really comes into it's own on this kind of stuff, where the surefooted handling come in, it really does do what you tell it. I was more worried I'd stuck my tubs on correctly. The look of it went down well, with another fair few, "I didn't know Ridley did track bikes".

Roll on the Meadowbank track league, another 250m wooden track, but this time outside, so the added problems of wind and whatever the Scottish weather system can throw at you. Once again, the bike handles great, really responsive, by the time I'd started going ok during the season, I'd tested everything, seated accelerations, sprinting, running off the banking flat out and I've got absolutely nothing bad to say about it, a great track bike, even the paint is fine after a season of being chucked in cars with 2 or 3 other track bikes, rollers etc.

So in summary, a good all round endurance track bike, light, very stiff (probably good enough for most sprinters), handles well, accelerates well, looks good. Really looking forward to getting some form and seeing what it can really do.
They've also brought out a ridiculous new carbon track bike now, have a look...
Ridley Arena
They're all available, plus the full Ridley range at SolidRockCycles in Balmore.
www.solidrockcycles.com

How did that happen?

So there I was March 2010, slightly disenchanted at the thought of a year of no real direction, having done a shed load of base training since being removed unceremoniously from my bike back in September by an inattentive driver which had left my arm dangling weirdly from my shoulder, wondering what I was going to have a go at in the year ahead. I'd done ok in 2009 nothing earth shattering though and thought that I should really attempt to do something better. It was at that point that Colin came to the rescue with the idea that we should have some fun, break from the establishment and have some fun racing together, it was the best conversation we ever had.

Over the next few days we discussed what we'd like to achieve and effect in Scottish Cycling in the year ahead and beyond. At that point we had a chat with Tom and quickly discovered that he was of the same mind, time to sit down and discuss it properly. Colin, Tom and I hooked up at Tinderbox Cafe in the Merchant City and over a few coffees formulated the the plan to run a small race team with a modern approach who would race for each other and have fun doing it. I left that meeting on an absolute high, totally enthused (nothing to do with the caffeine intake at all!)

The speed with which things happened after that will never cease to amaze me, ideas flew around via a flurry of e-mails and everything fell into place as if someone had suddenly turned the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle up the right way so that you could finally see the picture that had been there all along. There was one however one rather important thing missing, the name.

Our embryonic team had come together so fast we thought it'd be easy, but naming it was probably our most elongated decision, seemingly endless suggestions were made some good, some not, ones that someone else somewhere had dropped onto. We were spiralling into frustation and then it finally landed in our laps I can't recall where it actually came from or who suggested it but Vortex Race Team just seemed to capture the frame of mind we were all in and that as thay say was that.

It was at that point that we suddenly realised that the season was upon us and we'd left it rather late to launch the team as we were in no real shape to compete as a unit through one reason or another, what the heck we thought we'd give it a go and see what happened with our refreshed enthusiasm. Next step sponsorship.

We wanted relative sponsors though and partners who would "get" what Vortex was all about, so we approached a few people that we thought may be interested and enjoy the concept. So with our three year plan in hand we set out to track them down. First up was Stewart at Conquest Bikewear, Tom had worked closely with Stewart previously in preparing race kit and when we ran the idea past him over a West End lunch it became immediately apparent that we had both been looking for what each other had to offer, we needed kit and Stewart had been toying with the idea of a race team to test his clothing, perfect, who says there's no such thing as fate? Mark and the Solid Rock Cycles guys offered their assistance as well and we'd have been plain stupid not to invite them on board, a vast pool of bike and racing knowledge to be tapped into. Finally and by no means least Robert offered some much needed financial assistance through Millersport Architecture (if you're wondering where the cycling connection is, just think Olympic Velodrome) and so we were all set to launch into the racing season.

It only took a few weeks to get it all together, idea to race team in about four weeks!

Next up, time to race.............