DIY LED bike light still burning

August 28th, 2010 Kevin Posted in DIY, Mountain Bike Racing | No Comments »

Three years ago I posted detailed how-to instructions for making your own high output LED bike light.  At the time, commercial bike light manufacturers were, for the most part, just beginning to retool their catalog to feature LED lights.  Their top-of-the-line models were HID/NiMh units retailing for close to $500USD.

Pro-level racers could justify a $500 light, but the rest of us needed an alternative.  High output LED lights and drivers were available for a reasonable amount of money, so I ordered some material and constructed my own bike light.  The 3 Watt Luxeon light I built cost around $88 and I used generic rechargeable batteries that I already had.  The light worked really well and proved to be exceptionable durable.

Earlier this month I competed in a 24-hour MTB race and used the same light I made three years ago.  It worked great and I plan to continue to use it in the future.

Since making this light, commercial handheld LED lights have flooded the market.  Many of the cheap ones feature multiple low-output LEDs arranged on a reflective disc.  (This is a really inefficient way to build a light.)

But, a few manufacturers, like Brinkmann, have gotten it right.  I picked up a Brinkmann 3 watt Cree LED headlamp at Home Depot for $9.90.  It even included 3 AAA batteries.  I mounted this light to my helmet for the 24-hour race and it worked equally as well as my homemade handlebar-mounted light.  Together, the two lights lit up the trail and gave me plenty of confidence riding the night laps.

Other like-minded individuals have been inspired to make their own bike lights.  Fellow Instructables member, s3ntinel, created an improved version of the DIY bike light from racedaynutrition.com.  Below are several photos from his Flickr photo set:

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Kep’s Pollen Balls

August 21st, 2010 Kevin Posted in Bars, Organic | No Comments »

Feast your imagination on this ingredient list:

Semisweet Chocolate Honey
Natural Peanut Butter Bee Pollen
Organic Almonds Organic Espresso Coffee Beans
Organic Golden Raisins Sweetened Dried Cranberries
Organic Quinoa Organic Rolled Oats
Orange Juice Organic Chia Seeds
Organic Sesame Seeds Dry Toasted Organic Sunflower Seeds

Doesn’t that sound delicious?  I think if I were given a choice of 14 foods to live on for the rest of my life I would submit this list.  Amazingly, they’re all packed into one product called Kep’s Pollen Balls.

I was introduced to Kep’s Pollen Balls last Friday before the 2010 Leadville 100 MTB race.  A small group of high energy folks were buzzing around 6th Street in black and yellow striped socks handing out silver foil packages.  Inside each package was a chocolate covered bee pollen energy ball.

It tasted fantastic!  The first flavor I noticed was the espresso coffee – like eating a chocolate covered coffee bean.  But the coffee wasn’t overwhelming.  Next came the unique taste of pollen and cranberry followed by the slightly crunchy texture of sesame, chia, and rolled oats.

I found the promoters and talked them into giving me one more sample to bring home (thanks!).  The ball was flattened a bit in my suitcase, and after snapping a few photos, it tasted just as good the first one.

Full nutrition information as well as a link to purchase Kep’s Pollen Balls are at http://www.kepsballs.com.

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2010 Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race

August 16th, 2010 Kevin Posted in Mountain Bike Racing, Race recap | No Comments »

I crewed for my brother at this year’s Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race. It was the first time for both of us to experience the event and it was incredible.

The race was won by Levi Leipheimer in a record-setting 6 hours and 16 minutes.  Local favorite and six-time winner, Dave Wiens, finished fourth with his fastest time.  Complete results can be found here.  Read Dave Wiens’ race recap here.

My brother, who trained on flat ground near Chicago, finished “The Race Across the Sky” in just over 11 hours.  He used Hammer Nutrition products primarily and this strategy turned out to be ideal.

I prepared two water bottles to hand off to him at each aid station – one with Heed and another with Perpetuem.  Hammer Gels, bananas, and a few Race Caps filled out the rest of his calorie intake.

Weather conditions were good this year.  The morning started off with clear skies and a temperature of about 40 degrees.  Clouds and sketchy weather stayed away for the entire event.  The sun heated things up to nearly 80 degrees in some areas.

Crewing was an event in itself – especially for a first-timer like me.  My brother and I had planned four contacts during the race.  Two at Pipeline and two at Twin Lakes.  I missed seeing him as he passed through Twin Lakes for the first time.  This was not helpful as the next ten miles climbed over 3000 feet.

But he did very well and we managed to find each other at the next two aid stations.  After the second Pipeline handoff I returned to Leadville to watch the finishers arrive.  It was pretty exciting and inspiring to see one rider after another feel the elation of completing 100 miles through the Colorado Rockies.

Race founder, Ken Chlouber, is quite a character.  This year he fired his shotgun off to signal the end of the race while wearing a biking jersey, purple running shorts, and an orange ball cap.  I really hope he sticks around as the new corporate sponsor, Lifetime Fitness, increases its involvement.  It just wouldn’t be the same without Chlouber.

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Wausau24

August 7th, 2010 Kevin Posted in Mountain Bike Racing, Race recap | No Comments »

Racedaynutrition.com assembled a team to compete in the 2010 Wausau24 mountain bike race.  We competed with three riders in the 24-hour 4-man team category. Being short one rider hurt us in the final standings, but didn’t prevent us from having loads of fun.

The course for this year’s race at 9-Mile County Forest in Wausau, WI was one the most technical that I have experienced in seven years of racing there. There were rim-scraping boulders and greasy rock gardens that challenged even the most skilled rider.

While there was some serious racing going on, there was also a notable return to a more relaxed atmosphere.  The organizers did this intentionally and the participants soaked it up.  Where else could you race with a 6-man all Surly Pugsley team???

The event was hosted by Muddy Paws Racing after Granny Gear stepped aside. MPR did a fantastic job. In fact, even with short preparation time, they managed to add in a few unexpected perks for racers… free beer from Red Eye Brewing Company, free pizza from 10pm-midnight, and many door prizes.  Looking forward to next year!

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Free Rokit Fuel sample

July 12th, 2010 Kevin Posted in Bars, Organic | No Comments »

For a limited time you can request a free sample of Rokit Fuel from their website: Rokitfuel.com.  Look for enticing flavors such as Stud Muffin, Holy Pinole, Pumpkin Chocolate, and Spice Cookie.

Recently launched, Rokit Fuel claims to be unlike any other energy food product on the market.  The Rokit Fuel company pledges to “Produce and market products that are made from whole, natural and virtuous foods; that are better for the human body than 99% of the available food on the market today.”

Rokit Fuel website tries to distance the product from energy bars declaring, “This ain’t no stinkin bar!”  The website doesn’t describe the consistency of the product very well, but one suggested use is to mix it with liquid right in it’s own pouch.  More details when my sample arrives!

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Running 101: The 8 Basic Types of Runs from Competitor.com

June 25th, 2010 Kevin Posted in running | 1 Comment »

If you want to run your best, you’ve got to do a variety of workouts.  Competitor.com explains how by clearly defining 8 basic types of runs:

Recovery Run
Base Run
Long Run
Progression Run
Fartlek Run
Hill Repetitions
Tempo Run
Intervals

Read all about them here: http://running.competitor.com/2010/05/training/running-101-the-8-basic-types-of-runs_7984

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Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park coming to Milwaukee

June 7th, 2010 Kevin Posted in Mountain Bike Racing | No Comments »

From a June 7, 2010 Press Release

RAY’S INDOOR MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK ANNOUNCES NEW MILWUAKEE LOCATION
Partnership with Trek Bicycle Generates Expansion, Second Location Opening November 2010

Greetings fellow riders!

After an extensive search, the location for a second Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park has been secured and Milwaukee-­‐area mountain bikers can now rejoice! The 110,000 square foot former Menards Home Improvement Center is currently undergoing the transformation from empty warehouse to the most exciting indoor mountain bike park the world has yet to behold.

Building upon the success of the our original Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park of Cleveland, Ohio, Ray’s of Milwaukee will provide cyclists from across the Midwest an unrivaled place to ride, train, and develop their skills throughout the long winter months when local trails are closed or often unridable.

Ray Petro, founder and namesake of Ray’s Indoor MTB Park, had quietly planned the opening of a second Ray’s Milwaukee locale for the past few years. When financing stalled at the last minute, Trek Bicycle stepped in to purchase the business and ensure the continued expansion of Petro’s indoor MTB park vision.

“Without Trek, Ray’s Milwaukee could not have happened,” explained Petro, “I’m very grateful for [Trek’s] involvement and excited about the work that’s already going on at our second park. I’ve have been really excited about all the great new bikes that Trek has put out over the past few years and I’ve ridden the world class private trails they’ve built, so I know their dedication to mountain biking and riders everywhere. The most exciting thing for me about this partnership is that I can now focus all of my time and energy on the design and creative direction of the parks.”

“Bringing Ray’s to the Midwest has been a dream I have participated in with Ray for some time,” explained Joe Vadeboncoeur, Vice President of Product Development and Marketing at Trek.

While Ray’s new Milwaukee location is currently under construction, with opening ceremonies scheduled for November of 2010, as riders of the original have come to anticipate, Ray’s in Cleveland will be renovated throughout the summer. Wait until you see what we have in store for you this coming winter.

“I’ve loved riding at Ray’s in Cleveland since it opened,” continued Vadeboncoeur, “With Milwaukee, Ray will be able to implement the things he has learned over the past five years and have them in place from day one. The new Ray’s is going to be unlike anything anybody’s ever seen before.”

For more information about Ray’s Indoor Mountain bike Park, visit http://www.raysmtb.com/.


ChaseLife 5 (Rays MTB XC Loop) from Aaron Chase on Vimeo.

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Bike crash story serves as a reminder to put safety first when cycling this summer

June 7th, 2010 Kevin Posted in Road Biking | 3 Comments »

The following story was provided by my coworker after he completed the Spindletop Spin in Beaumont, Texas this weekend.  The Spindletop is a 600+ rider event covering multiple distances in genuine Texas refinery-land.  The story seems an appropriate reminder to put safety first as we increase our miles and get comfortable in our bike saddles.

They say there are two kinds of bike riders – those that have wrecked and those that are going to wreck. How true. It was really strange or either a premonition that about 4 different times during the ride I was thinking about wrecks and how I have been so lucky to not have had one of any consequence.

Well, there was the finish line, less than 100 yards to go; soon to be another successful ride and good time in the bank with food and drink ahead for my just reward. Cruising along at about 18 mph through old downtown Beaumont with the finish in site, I realized that I was in the turning lane, “oops better get over.” Then as I gradually eased over, oh no! The crack between the two lanes and slabs of concrete paving was just the size of a 23 mm tire. Instantly I was airborne as if a giant hand had picked me up and hurled me down the road.

Still clipped to my pedals I hit the paving sideways landing on my left side slamming my head to the concrete. At this moment things went into slow motion – I distinctly remember thinking, “please stop sliding” and I could hear my helmet grinding on the pavement. Then I stopped, a quick surveillance of my condition while lying on the road – still conscious, appear to be able move everything without pain, no broken bones, ok – get up. Other than feeling like I ran into a giant belt sander, things seemed to be relatively good – all things considered.

The traffic attendant comes over to me – “you alright?” I said, “I think so.” I say to myself, “Alright get back on the bike and finish the ride – it’s not that far to go!” I get back on the bike, clip one foot in and then about fall off the bike again – oops, the chain is off. I get off, bend over to put the chain back on and blood runs down my arm into the grease on my fingers and chain. “How did I cut my arm?”  I get back on the bike and cover the last 60 or 70 yards at a more leisurely pace. I reached down to apply the brakes and realize the brake / shift levers are canted 45° inwards – “ah, better fix that”. “Whew, at least they still worked”. I look up and there’s part of my group I was riding with. Miranda asks, “Hey, did you have a flat?” I reply, “Well, sort of……”

I spent the next couple of hours with friends telling lies, sipping beverages and eating some great spaghetti served by the ride sponsors, but first getting some first aid and a couple of Advil. Final damage assessment – road rash evenly applied to the left side of my body’s calf, knee, hip, forearm, and shoulder. It is never a good thing when you finish the ride with a shredded jersey!

The whole purpose of telling this long winded story is to make a couple points, and hopefully reinforce the safety that we sometimes take for granted.

1.) None of us are bullet proof, not even if you’re in your 20’s. An accident can happen when you least expect it. Try to be alert of your surroundings at all times.

2.) Wear a helmet when you ride. Not to sound melodramatic, but my helmet most likely saved my life. I hate to think what would have happened to me if I had not been wearing one. Wear a helmet not only for yourself, but your family.

3.) Try not to ride alone. Make sure that someone knows where you are and is expecting you to return at a specific time. I would hate to have something occur off by myself and no help. It’s hard to use a cell phone if you are unconscious.

4.) Always make safety your first priority when riding.

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Characters from Born to Run

April 20th, 2010 Kevin Posted in running | 1 Comment »

A roundup of web sites, blogs, and photos of the characters from the book, Born to Run by Christopher McDougall:

Christopher McDougall (El Oso)

Caballo Blanco (Micah True)

Scott Jurek (El Venado)

Sunny Blende

Billy “Bonehead” Barnett (El Coyote)

Jenn “Mookie” Shelton (Brujita)

Barefoot Ted

Ken Chlouber (Leadville 100 founder)

Jenni Blake (naked runner from Idaho)

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Pinole and Iskiate

April 9th, 2010 Kevin Posted in Organic, Supplement, running | 2 Comments »

On most every ultrarunner’s bookshelf sits a Christopher McDougall tome called, “Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen.”  I’m about nine months behind the rest of the world in having read the book.  Regardless, no good nutrition website should miss the curious energy food described in the book.

Inlaid between exciting chapters about the Badwater Ultramarathon, anthropological theories of the human foot, and tales of the fearsome Mexican drug cartels, there are a few enticing descriptions of high energy wonder food of the Tarahumara tribe.

The Tarahumara tribespeople are a reclusive set of natives that have settled in the deadly Copper Canyon in Mexico.  They are an amazing breed of humans that have made the most of the bipedal ability to run for long distances over extreme terrain and in extreme conditions.

While McDougall focuses primarily on the awkward attempts outsiders have made to get to know the Tarahumara, he mentions some dietary staples that are credited for the tribes athletic endurance.  You probably won’t be surprised to learn that they aren’t PowerBars or Atkins Protein shakes.

As you might expect, the Tarahumara have developed a menu of food suitable for where they live and for their lifestyle.  For energy and endurance they turn to Pinole and Iskiate.

Pinole is ground corn that is mixed with water to form a watery paste.  According to McDougall, pinole is, “a low-fat, whole-grain food (that) can slash your risk of diabetes and a host of digestive-systems cancers.”  He points out that the seeds for growing your own corn (which can then be ground into authentic pinole) can be purchased from Nativeseeds.org.  Below is a photo from their online catalog.

Iskiate, or chia fresca, consists of chia seeds dissolved in water and seasoned with lime and a dash of sugar.  Chia seeds form a gel with water thus suspending the particles and making it a little less awkward to drink.  Visit this link from No-meat-athlete for an excellent Chia Fresca recipe.

If what Dr. Weil says about about the nutritional benefits of chia in his 2006 Chia for health post, I’ve been using flax seed incorrectly.  Flax seeds must be ground in order for your body to take advantage of their nutritional benefits.  I always used whole flax seed, but I may not even have to worry about that now.  Turns out chia seeds can be used without being ground and your body will still digest the nutrients they have to offer.

Plus, chia is more nutritionally rich than flax. Ounce for ounce, chia seeds have nearly 3 times the omega 3 fatty acid content of flax.  Check out Raw Reform for more nutritional info as well as a sack-load of chia seed recipes.

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