Ultra Rider: In Search of the Ultimate Long Ride RSS

Biking is one thing. Bicycling 100 miles is entirely another. But what about the bicycle ride that last all day and all night? At some point, you cross a line and at that point, cycling, becomes ultracycling.

This blog chronicles the story of a guy, his bike and a strange obsession with finding the outside edge of his personal limits.

In this chapter, having broken the UMCA record, recovered from a bone-crushing crash and achieving a top 15 finish at the inimitable Furnace Creek 508 we find our hero grappling with the realities of completing a 100km foot race.

For the complete story, follow this link, and read from the back to the front. The story won't make anymore sense when you've finished, but at least you'll know as much as the rest of us.

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Topolino Technology

Last August, I broke a spoke on my cherished Topolino C19 Revelation II’s.

These wheels are awesome - strong enough to support my big frame (at peak, I’m 190 pounds, during training, I can range from 200-215 depending on the time of year), but light enough to really help me spin up quickly and stay there.

Unfortunately, I was so wrapped up with training for the ride across Canada, that I never made the time to arrange to have these wheels repaired. One of the downsides with Topolino wheels is that the construction requires factory repair if a spoke breaks. A bit of a hassle, but the price:performance ratio and awesome weight (just 1390 grams) offset any inconveniences.

I just called them to arrange to have the wheels repaired and the service was awesome. Rafe, one of the founders, picked up the phone on the first ring, heard my story and put me right through to Lou who was able to quickly get me set up with what I need. Rather than opting for a repair, I instead took advantage of a special offer they had to upgrade to the newer CX2.0 - a lighter version of the older C19. I can’t wait to see how they perform.

I’ll definitely be using these wheels on The Next Big Ride. I’m also going to check further into their VX4.0 wheelset (1120 grams!). I’ve been looking for an aero wheelset, and I’m definitely interested in tubular. It might just be that these wheels are exactly what I’ve been looking for.

I’ve always been a fan of Topolino, and this latest experience really reinforces why I do business with them and love their products. They are a small company, but what they lack in size, they make up for in customer-focus and awesome products. If you are looking for lightweight wheels at a fair price, you should definitely check these guys out.

Posted at 12:25 - Comments (View)

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