In this issue:

• A Note from Kevin
• Upcoming Events
• Feature Article ñ The Making of a Champion
• BikeTech Help Desk
• Kevin Recommends
• About KGS Bikes and Kevin

A Note from Kevin

Welcome to ìPerfectly Fit,î our newsletter which is designed to help you get the most out of an active, cycling lifestyle. I have a team of pros from all over the world that will help me provide you with great info and a place for you to find out what you want to know. Your feedback is so important and we will make a place for you to be heard.

The most successful marketing and exposure program we have done to date is to go to races like the Driveway Criterium Series and CapTex Triathlon, photograph you fine folks and then put proofs on Facebook as small tokens of appreciation. You have responded so well that I will continue to seek out events to photograph and meet more friends with a common interest in bicycling. Whether it is recreational riding, triathlon, bike racing or touring, it is great to capture your efforts and then when we share them with you, it is possible that you may remember KGS when the possibility of a custom bike appears for you or a friend.

The main article in this issue gives us a mid race review of a true Champion, Dex Tooke, and a comparison with one of my personal experiences when the going got tough.

Our BikeTech Help Desk has one question this week. It is about the fastest possible way to change a tubular tire.

Donít forget to visit our blog as new stuff is posted there almost daily. It is easy to subscribe to the blog so you can get updates sent to you.

Thanks again for letting me share with you a little about cycling. I respect your time and will strive to continue to make it worth it.

Upcoming Events

Every Thursday KGS Bikes is joining Alchemy Bicycles to sponsor the Pure Austin Fitness Driveway Series Criteriums at The Driveway in Austin. We will have a tent set up and will look forward to seeing you at the race which is called the Best in Texas.

Every positioning session is an event and one which you will find most valuable. Don’t forget lead times in these custom bikes. With six to eight week deliveries, you need to factor that into your purchase plans so your season can be best utilized for success.

Feature Article ñ The Making of a Champion

KGS Bikes is sponsoring Dex Tooke in his attempt to complete the Race Across America as a 60 year old. He started out a little fast and had cramps, forcing him to really settle down in Arizona and get back on track. In the Rocky Mountains, the climbs were tough, but on the backside, when things should be easier, a major storm hit with cold rain and 30+ mph headwinds. The wind got so strong that his crew pulled him off the road until the winds subsided to a safe level, but this meant that Dex had lost enough time that on calculations at time stops, he had to make up hours or be disqualified when he reached the Mississippi River.

The crew has been posting results at each time check on Dex’s website and the true nature of a Champion emerged in Kansas. 60 year young Dex averaged over 16 mph in places to regain his positive "time bank", and at times was traveling at the pace of the race leaders. At the time of this writing, Dex is traveling across Missouri and is just hours away from the Mississippi check station.

Back in my bike racing days, I entered a race called the Spenco 500 with a team. This was a 500 mile race in Texas, starting and finishing in Waco, but winding down almost to San Antonio and back. I was on a team of five riders, three of whom were businessmen from Dallas who were not fast, but recreational riders who had a good time doing group rides. I was a full-time Category 2 rider on the road and the track and at the time was logging 700 mile weeks. We had another local racer who joined me as the "ringers" and our strategy was to go like the wind when the ringers were riding, putting enough time in the bank so the slower riders could participate and at the end of the day we had a reasonable chance of being competitive.

I was the starting guy and was to ride half of the first 250 miles with the three other recreational riders sharing the load. Then our other ringer would meet us at the halfway point and take over my post, as I would be history at that time. I was never a long distance rider, but a sprinter. I could ride very, very fast, however for 50 miles at a time.

I see parallels to Dex’s RAAM start as we had a huge starting crowd in Waco. It was raining and there were thousands of people. When the starting gun went off, I was in the lead group and a TV helicopter was buzzing overhead, and we were traveling at about 35 mph for the first few miles, then the pace settled down to about 27-30 mph average. Since it was raining, I didn’t get thirsty, but when I reached down to grab a drink about 20 miles in, I realized to my amazement that I had forgotten to fill my water bottles! They had electrolyte powder but no water. Oops!

The support crew was in a rented RV, so I saw them parked on the side of the road and I tossed them the empty bottles and about 10 miles later they passed the peloton and were waiting to hand up water. I got two bottles and was still in the lead group. Thirsty and cranky, I was in a pack of about 30 riders who was rotating in an echelon to deal with a crosswind. The lead rider stayed on the front for no more than 10 seconds and there was constant movement. I heard one guy screaming at the group to stay focused and keep people from opening gaps. When he rotated through I noticed the Brooks Team Pro saddle and the name Michael Secrest on his bike.

I didn’t think that a RAAM champion would be up with the lead racers, but there was Michael. He was fast too! I could tell by his riding that this guy was really special and I felt proud to be in the same peloton as he.

As the race progressed, I switched with the three teammates and of course, we were riding on our own at that time. Every time I got back on the bike I gave it all I had and when we hit the halfway point I had traveled 115 miles in four hours and 25 minutes. The first 40 miles was with the leaders, but the rest was alone. I knew that if I dragged into the checkpoint at the halfway mark, that I had done my best and we were actually with some much faster teams at that point.

As luck would have it, though, the other ringer got lost! I pulled into the checkpoint and nobody was waiting on us. The other riders were sleeping and I told them to get it together, and rode on another ten miles to let them wake up and collect themselves. By this time, I found out that I am not Dex Tooke, however. I got into the motor home and the three other riders were totally devastated. They each gave it a try but the thought of carrying on was too much and the race was over for us.

This heartbreak makes me even more impressed with the likes of Dex and Michael who are true champions. I don’t know how they do it, but am glad to cheer them on.

Until next time,

Kevin
President
KGS Bikes

BikeTech Help Desk

Hi Kevin,

I saw your post on using a tire tool to roll off a tubular tire in a triathlon, but want to know the fastest way to change a tire in a race.

Charlie

Hi Charlie,

Here is my "important race" protocol for tubular tires. This will minimize flats and get you back in business the very fastest.

1. Before the race, put a can of Vittoria PitStop in both front and rear tires. This stuff will seal punctures up to 1 mm and you won’t even know you hit it.
2. For holes bigger than that, the tire needs to be replaced. The odds of this happening to two tires in one race is very small, so I would bring one tire and one CO2.
3. If you are confident that you can get the tire off quickly by rolling it off with your hands, at least leave a 2" gap opposite the valve stem where there is no glue or Tufo tape. I like the Tufo Extreme tape.
4. The very fastest way to get the tire off is to cut it off. Make a "shank" with a razor blade and tape, and a sheath that can safely house the blade inside the tubular spare. Cut through the tire and quickly peel it off, saving the glue or tape on the rim.
5. Install the new tire, center quickly and inflate.
6. Go!

This can get you stopped, tire off an tire on in under two minutes. Practice putting on tires and make sure the spare tire has been stretched on a rim for a few days before you roll it up as a spare. A previously mounted tire with adhesive residue on it is a better spare. Be sure and remove the spare and properly mount a new tire when you get home and watch the corners with the spare.

Kevin

Kevin Recommends

We only recommend products, services or companies that we have actually tried or worked with personally. A recommendation, like a reputation, is very important and we do not take this responsibility lightly. The following links are to our friends at the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas. Dr. Kenneth Cooper is considered "The Father of Aerobics" and has put together a group of world class companies that have a direct impact on us as cyclists and as professional people:

• Cooper Complete- We have arranged for 10% off anything you buy from Cooper Complete if you put "KGS" in the coupon link and then "recalculate".
• Cooper Clinic- The world renowned Cooper Clinic is starting to create medical exams and services aimed at professional adults who ride bicycles.
• Cooper Fitness Center- The Cooper Fitness Center has a special strength training introductory program for cyclists.

These links are to our frame builders and other providers that make KGS†Bikes the premiere fitting studio and cycling boutique in the world:

• Co-Motion Cycles- We’ve long enjoyed a reputation for building tandems that simply handle better.
• Guru Bikes- Our approach is based on combining the best of both worlds: cutting edge technology delivered by hand and with an old school attention-to-detail.
• Kirklee Bicycles – KirkLee is an up and coming great framebuilder from Austin. We are very excited about the quality and performance they bring and are proud to offer KirkLee frames as part of our KGS custom bicycle options.
• Parlee Cycles- Simply put, PARLEE frames are the best built and best riding carbon fiber frames available today, at any price. They are functional works of art.
• Red Licorice Events – The “Sweet and Twisted” team that promotes Austin’s best athletic events. KGS Bikes is an ongoing sponsor of triathlons produced by our friends Erin and Leilani and we are thrilled with the relationship.
• River Place Country Club – This is our Austin address where we can meet in person to define your custom bike. We arranged with the folks at River Place CC to rent space on an as needed basis to offer a quiet focused environment to determine your ultimate bicycle position and then design a custom bike around that position. The New York Times describes cycling as “the new golf” and River Place CC recognizes that they can offer more than golf to the active lifestyle advocate.
• Sem Custom Paint- Dave Sem is the best extreme detail painter in the world.
• Serotta- Only Serottas have the extensive engineering of our proprietary Colorado Concept tubing design. It’s the foundation behind the unique ride of each and every Serotta.
• Source Endurance- They are teaming with us to provide physiological testing, data analysis, training consultation and long-term coaching. They have two state-of-the art labs, one in Austin and one in San Marcus. We are proud to recommend them and invite you to check them out.
• Tacx- Home of the Fortius Virtual Reality trainer. This is the trainer component of our ìUltimate Spin Bikeî. Tacx also makes many other fine products. KGS Bikes is an Authorized Tacx Testing Center.
• Topolino Technology- Our wheels embody this ethic: A fundamental redesign of wheel construction to take advantage of extraordinary materials with amazing properties, yielding a wheelset that performs like no other.
• Zinn Cycles- For more than a quarter of a century, Zinn Cycles have been working to make cycling more enjoyable for customers, and that commitment remains at the heart of everything they do.

About KGS Bikes and Kevin

KGS Bikes is known around the world as the premiere bicycle fitting studio and cycling boutique. Kevin Saunders, President, has over 25 years experience in bicycle fitting and high-end bicycles. He also has a broad knowledge of anatomy, structural engineering and industrial design. In addition to fitting services, KGS Bikes sells bicycles from Parlee, Serotta, Zinn, Co-Motion, Storck and Guru. They also feature Lew wheels, custom shoes by Rocket7 and the best available components from around the world. Visit kgsbikes.comfor more information, including beautiful photography of the bikes carefully created for their owners.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends! We appreciate your time and interest.

Was this forwarded to you? Sign up for our Ezine, "Perfectly Fit"and get our free report: ìThe Big Three ñ What Every Cyclist Needsî by signing up at the top right hand corner of our website at kgsbikes.com.

Also visit our KGS Bikes BLOG and check out new and exciting things happening in the bicycling community every week!

KGS Bikes- 16611 Huebner Rd. – San Antonio, TX 78248 – 210-849-2501