Flashback Friday – Road Components in 1987

July 11, 2011 3 Comments

Inspired by today’s date, 7/11, we’ve decided to make today Flashback Monday, instead of waiting for our usual Flashback Friday. In today’s post we’re going to look back at road components in the Performance Bicycle catalog of the late 1980s (1987, to be precise).

So why did we post on today’s date? Well, we couldn’t resist paying homage to the 7-Eleven team, the first professional American cycling team to compete in the Tour de France (in 1986). Organized by Jim Ochowicz, and with a fun-loving group of riders including Alex Stieda, Eric Heiden, Bob Roll, Ron Kiefel, Chris Carmichael and Davis Phinney, the 7-Eleven team laid the groundwork for the growth and success of American professional cycling. But, as you can see in the following video, they had a bit of a roller coaster ride in their very first Tour:

So with the 7-Eleven team in mind, we thought we’d delve into our archives to share a few pages from our Summer 1987 catalog, to see what kind of components you could get after you were inspired to ride by watching America’s first pro team in France:

But before you got your components, you first had to get a kit that looked the part. We had you covered with our own pro-inspired gear featuring the top teams of the day (like 1986 Tour winner Greg Lemond‘s La Vie Claire team):

 But we’re here to talk parts, so let’s get started with cranksets.  In 1987 you had many manufacturers to choose from, including Suntour, Sugino, Campagnolo and Shimano, all with elegant cold-forged style crankarms. Of note was the Sugino crankset, which featured a carbon-fiber reinforced outer chainring:

As we move on to brake levers and brakes, you’ll find no integrated shift/brake lever setups, as road bikes were still using downtube-mounted levers to handle the shifting duties. But you could choose from brakesets made by Shimano, Campagnolo and Modolo, an Italian brand whose brakesets had a definite sense of panache (or maybe we’re just suckers for black):

When it came time to complete your component setup with a rear derailleur, your options were manifold, as evidenced by our offerings from Suntour, Sugino, Mavic, Campagnolo, Shimano and Huret. Of note here was the increasing prevalence of indexed shifting systems (where one click of the shifter meant one gear shift), instead of the old-style friction shifting (where you had to listen for the chain as it shifted gears). Also interesting is the (at the time) “worlds lightest derailleur”, the Huret Jubilee, item K below. At 146 grams, it would still be lighter than SRAM Red or Campy Carbon Record!

After all this focus on components, though, we couldn’t resist sharing a few pages of the road bikes we had on offer in 1987. Hailing from our own Performance brand of bikes, we had the Corsa frameset, featuring lugged aluminum tubing. Available with an array of custom build kits, the Corsa was a true race-ready steed:

But if your taste was for a bike with European flair, we had you covered there as well, with beautiful bikes from Eddy Merckx, De Rosa and Pinarello. In case you’re wondering, the lovely paint job on the Pinarello is called “Spumoni” after the tasty Italian dessert:

We hope you enjoyed our quick trip back in time to check out road components from our catalog during the time of the 7-Eleven team. It’s always fun for us to look back at where we came from as we work to bring you the best cycling value and selection in the present day!

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Ready for Le Tour

July 1, 2011 Leave a comment

What can we say, other than we’re ready for the Tour! We’re ready for all 3 weeks, 21 stages and 3471km of the La Grande Boucle; from the Passage du Gois on Stage 1, to the Team Time Trial, to the sprint stages, to the Alpe d’Huez and the 100th anniversary of the mighty Galibier, to the finish on the Champs Elysees:

We’re ready for exquisite photo albums from legends like Graham Watson, with shots of gorgeous scenery, of epic suffering, and especially of dream-worthy bikes, all immaculately clean and ready to ride before every stage:

We’re ready for the favorites, the underdogs and no more excuses:

We’re ready to read expert analysis, BikeSnobNYC, and anyone else who’s sharing their insight and opinion!

We’re ready for our daily dose of  Bobke, Paul, Phil and their suitcase of courage.

We’re ready for the scenery, the fans, the publicity caravan, and the excitement of seeing the Tour in person during the Europeds Tour Trip, presented by Performance Bicycle:

We’re even ready for Didi the Devil with 1km to go!

Yeah, you could say we’re ready… bring on the yellow, green, polka dot and white jerseys! It’s time for the biggest stage in cycling. It’s time for the Tour de France!

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Cycling Stories: NC State Time Trial Championships

June 27, 2011 Leave a comment

We’re passionate about cycling, whether it’s riding around the neighborhood with our family, or racing in the local criterium.  So every now and then we like to share cycling stories from our own employees, in their own words.  This week Bob and Erik, product distributors at our HQ in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, are sharing their day at the NC State Time Trial Championships:

Bob and I [Erik], two members of the Garneau Custom p/b PowerBar team, decided to try our luck at the North Carolina State Time Trial Championships. Although it’s my 3rd year racing, I had never been on a TT bike until this spring. I was hopeful & confident going into the event, but Bob’s been racing his bike since the late 70s, so this was pretty much routine for him. He knew what he could do and what his opponents could do, so all he had to do was execute and hope for a tailwind!

Ed.: photo proof that Bob's been racing for a while

We loaded up Bob’s truck with our gear and headed up one day early to give the course a good pre-ride. After a loop with a local (to us) rider, we headed into downtown High Point, NC to watch the North Carolina State Championship Crit races. The crit venue was great; a covered, outdoor bus terminal was transformed into the start/finish line, with a stage, bleachers, food vendors, P.A. system, big-screen TV that popped out of the top of a van (with a video feed of the race from numerous roof-top cameras), plus a VIP area that Bob and I somehow got invited into! Nothing like sitting in the shade, eating free food, drinking free beer, and watching some bike racing! This must be what Phil Liggett and Bob Roll do year round; what a job!

Bob on top of the Master's 50-54 podium

The next morning we staged at a local high-school and set up our trainers. As a testament to the difference in experience between Bob and I, I spent the night prior carefully pinning my race number to my jersey, while Bob simply pulled out a can of Elmer’s spray glue to affix his number just before hopping on the trainer! We started warming up for the atypical TT course, discussing mental notes from the prior day’s recon ride. The course was a true 40k, but it wasn’t as flat as most, which I preferred. Bob, on the other hand, wasn’t quite so happy with it, going so far as to say, “this isn’t a TT course!”

Erik on the Cat 3 podium

Bob went off first, shortly after 8:35 am, and I started about 10 minutes later. I won’t bore you with the details (since hearing a play-by-play of a time-trial is only exciting to the one telling it, and even that’s a stretch) but as I rolled across the line, 40k later, I looked for Bob to see how he rode. Not sure of our exact times, we traded stories of how the race went and waited for the announcement from the race organizer. I was able to put down a time of 56:22.327 (26.45 mph avg), good enough for the silver medal in Cat 3! But Bob was the big winner, with a time of 58:47.759 (25.37 mph avg), putting him atop the podium in the Master’s 50-54 category! So congratulations to Bob for a great effort and well earned win! All that was left to do was load up the truck, find a good Mexican restaurant to grab lunch, and head home.

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Burn 24 Hour Challenge 2011 Recap

June 6, 2011 1 Comment

Over Memorial Day weekend, a team of 4 from our corporate HQ (in Chapel Hill, NC) set out for the Dark Mountain trails (in Wilkesboro, NC) for the 2011 Burn 24 Hour Challenge mountain bike race.  If you’ve never raced in a 24 hour mountain bike race before, it’s a pretty simple proposition: ride as many laps as you can in 24 hours, all through the day and night, either by yourself or as part of a 2-person or 3-5 person team.  As you might imagine, it’s part endurance, part speed, part madness, and completely fun (well, maybe not for the solo riders)!  The organizers and volunteers of the Burn 24 Hour Challenge really work hard to put on a first-class event, so all you have to do is get on your bike and pedal, and pedal, and pedal….

Here’s our crew at the start of the race (that’s Chris, Greg, Tom and David from left to right), posing in our intimidating all black Performance Ultra II jersey and short race kits while standing next to our equally intimidating Access Stealth 1.0 29er mountain bike.  While we were at the race, Tyler from Bikerumor.com dropped by our tent to take a look at the new Stealth 1.0, and you can check out his post about our sub-21 pound trail rocket here.

To get a sense of what the race was like, we asked both of our 24-hour race rookies to write up a few words about their experiences – first up is Greg, our freeriding, dirt-jumping expert:

The race was a blast. I always love riding new trail, even if Dark Mountain offered way more climbing than I was used to. But the atmosphere was what really sold the whole experience. The folks at Burn put on one heck of a race. Sure, there were a few people out there with their eyes on the podium, but there were plenty of racers just content with alternating decent laps with some chill time sitting in the pits cooking dinner and cheering on the constant stream of riders.

I’d have to say my favorite part was the final descent. As you dove down the ridge, you’d start to hear the cheering and cowbells. The pace picked up quickly, and the trail would start throwing in massive berms and a few doubles just to keep things interesting.

Our other rookie racer was Tom, a former triathlete who has lately found his true passion riding fat tires:

24-hour racing is a blast.  As a newbie I was concerned I wouldn’t get enough riding in sharing the load with 3 strong riders…but I got all I could handle.  This was the most fun I’ve ever had suffering.  It was hot and hilly and great company for all.  I was a bit disappointed to see the compression sock phenomenon spilling over though!  Thought I got away from that when I left triathlon.

It was a great atmosphere, and a fantastic way to spend the weekend. Highlights… guilt-free Nathan’s hotdogs, night riding, and the amazing scenery.

Our team may not have been turning the fastest lap times,  but we definitely had a great time and made a bunch of new friends, as folks dropped by our tent to check out the Stealth 1.0 or snag some free samples of PowerBar Gel Blasts and PowerGels (the green apple flavor gel was a crowd favorite).

We also took the opportunity to test out a slew of cycling headlights in real racing conditions, from tried-and-true favorites to some brand new options.  We’ll share some of our light testing results here on the blog in the coming weeks, for those looking for a new setup to hit the trails at night.  Even if you don’t try out 24-hour racing, you should definitely give night riding a try – it makes riding trails that you know like the back of your hand a whole new, and exhilarating, experience!

To see more photos from this year’s Burn 24, head on over to the Performance Facebook page and check out our Burn 24 Hour Challenge 2011 photo gallery – be sure to log in and let us know what pics you like!

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2011 Giro d’Italia – Riding in the Vittoria neutral support car

May 23, 2011 1 Comment

Eric, one of the buyers here at Performance HQ, was lucky enough to fly to Italy last week to check out a few days of the Giro d’Italia, and he shot some amazing video footage that we’re sure you won’t  find anywhere else.  Eric was able to score a seat in one of the Vittoria neutral support cars during Stage 9, which ended high atop smoldering Mount Etna, and he was doubly lucky to be in the car that followed the leaders for the entire stage!

Eric was there, video camera in hand, to watch the breakaway, along with the mad dance of cars, motorcycles and fans that accompanied them as they led the way up the mountain.  And he also had a front-row seat as Alberto Contador launched the attack that would put him in the pink jersey at the end of day (the famed maglia rosa of the overall race leader).

So enjoy our behind-the-scenes view into a day in the life of a Grand Tour stage, as seen from inside the race:

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Tour Trip Profile: David Martin

May 13, 2011 1 Comment

Have you been watching the Giro d’Italia and wondering what it’s like to experience a Grand Tour in person? Then don’t miss your chance to see the action up close and personal with a once-in-a-lifetime cycling experience, through our partnership with premiere bicycling tour operator, Europeds!

We’re proud to offer exclusive access to the 2011 Europeds Tour Trip, a dream trip for any cyclist. The 7 day/6 night trip includes five nights on the summit of the fabled Alpe d’Huez, the chance to watch three action-packed Tour stages in person, along with the opportunity to go on some of the most breathtaking bike rides you’ll ever experience.

To give you more insight into the trip, we’ve put together a little Q&A with the head of Europeds, David Martin, a man who knows his cycling and his French cuisine!

How long have you worked for/run Europeds?

I’ve worked at Europeds since 1996. I started as a guide, working primarily in France. In 2000, I bought the company and transitioned to more managing than guiding.

How many times have you been to the Tour?

I’ve been to the Tour de France around 14 times. This year (2011) will be my 12th year of guiding trips to the Tour.

What’s your favorite part of leading trips to the Tour?

To be honest, the best part about leading trips to the Tour is being able to be at the Tour. It’s just the greatest and craziest sporting event ever. The atmosphere, the mix of cultures and the drama that always unfolds makes it an event like no other.

I take pride though in being able to offer people a unique glimpse into this great event. Throughout the years I’ve learned how to best design and operate a Tour trip. The most important aspect starts with the hotels. Once you’ve secured the accommodations in a great spot, the rest is pretty easy. For this year’s Tour trip for Performance, we’ve got the best hotel location possible – literally at the top of the Alpe d’Huez. We’ll be there for 5 nights and we’ll ride every beautiful road within reach. That’s the best part about leading a Tour trip!

What’s it like riding in the Alps? Have you got a favorite ride from the Tour trip?

Riding in the Alps is the best thing in the world if you’re a cyclist. The beauty and magnitude of the climbs make it just breathtaking. On the upcoming Tour trip for Performance Bikes I’ve put together an amazing itinerary that focuses not only on some of the classic and well-known climbs, but also some lesser known yet equally as beautiful roads. We’ll get the chance to ride up the Galibier early in the morning of July 21st, the Galibier stage.

At the Alpe d’Huez, you are surrounded by all of the classic Tour de France climbs such as Galibier, Lauteret, Glandon, and the Izoard.  My favorite rides, however, are probably some of the lesser known climbs. Although some would argue that the Pyrenees are prettier, the Alps are more intense and the climbs are steeper.

One of the more beautiful roads in the area, and one that many people don’t know about is the road that goes out the back of the Alpe d’Huez. It is called Col de Sarenne. It is the most breathtaking road you will ever ride. Seriously. It is not to be ridden if you are scared of heights.

Besides the Col de Sarenne, there are a couple of other rides that are my favorite in the area, and we’ll ride them both on the Performance Tour trip. I think my favorite ride is probably this great out and back ride up to a very small village called La Berarde. It’s very cool to start the morning off with a 20 minute downhill ride off of the Alpe d’Huez. Once in the village of Bourg d’Oisans below, it’s a classic, gradual climb up to La Berarde where you can get a great meal in a small café on the side of the road. The cruise back down to the bottom of the Alpe d’Huez climb is world class, then the pain begins. The total distance for the day is about 55 miles.

What’s it like being on top of Alpe d’Huez on race day?

It’s really hard to explain what it is like at the Alpe d’Huez on race day. Think mayhem. It is one of the more exciting days you will ever experience. The energy is palpable. This year, we will most likely see between ½ million and 1 million people on the switchbacks and on the route. Being at the top, as you wait for the riders to arrive is like being at the center of the universe. This year, on July 22nd, we’ll wake up and take the day off of riding as we’ll let the pros do the riding today. Most people will probably choose to walk down the switchbacks and find a place on the hill while others will simply walk the short distance to the finish line and stake out a place among the crowds.

Have you got any favorite local food or wine specialties?

When you’re in the Alps, you have to eat Fondue. There are tons of choices for delicious, hearty Alpine cuisine. Another local favorite is a dish called “Tartiflette” – which is a gratin filled with potatoes, onions, bacon and cheese of course. Great riding food.

In terms of wine, the Alps aren’t really known for their wine, but my favorite red wine comes from the Cotes du Rhone, which is nearby. Many of the cyclists on the Tour trip tend to like beer too, but there is never a shortage of quality red wine.

Who’s your pick to win this year’s Tour?

Tough question. Much probably depends on whether or not Contador will be present, but even if he is, I suspect we could see a dark horse emerge. I’d like to say Chris Horner as he’s one of my favorite riders, but Andy Schleck is probably a good pick too. OK – truth be told, I have no idea. You’ll have to come and see for yourself.

Don’t miss your chance for the trip of a lifetime.  Book your spot on the 2011 Europeds Tour Trip today!

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2011 Giro d’Italia Preview

May 6, 2011 Leave a comment

The 2011 Giro d’Italia, the first of the 3 Grand Tours of the cycling season, starts on Saturday.  Known for its unpredictability and excitement, not to mention the rabid tifosi, last year’s Giro will be a tough one to outdo.  Don’t remember the crashes, lead changes and climbing exploits that led to Ivan Basso’s victory of the final pink jersey last year? Then check out this race highlight reel to get caught up on what happened:

This year’s route promises more outstanding bike racing, with a route celebrating the Risorgimento, or unification of Italy in the 19th century.  This year’s Giro will roam all over Italy, in a wide-ranging route from the Alps all the way down to the slopes of Mount Etna on Sicily.

Many people are proclaiming this edition of the Giro as one of the toughest Grand Tours in history, and one look at the stage profiles bears out that assessment.  With 8 mountain stages on tap, including an uphill time trial, this is a Giro for the climbers (not that Tyler Farrar, Mark Cavendish and Alessandro Petacchi won’t battle it out in the sprints when they get the chance!).  Alberto Contador has said that this Giro would be the hardest 21-stage race of his life.

And yes, and we did say Alberto Contador; participating in his first Grand Tour since his infamous drug test during the Tour de France, Contador will be vying for his 6th Grand Tour title.  But he’s not the only one with a shot at the final maglia rosa in Milan this year.  Ivan Basso may have opted not to defend his title this year, but his young teammate Vincenzo Nibali (seen below in the pink jersey) will try to build on his triumph at the 2010 Vuelta a Espana, while Italian Michele Scarponi and former winner Denis Menchov will also be contenders for the overall (and don’t rule out Menchov’s Geox-TMC teammate and 2008 Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre).

But knowing the Giro, all we can be sure of is that the race will be filled with the twists, turns and surprises that make the Giro d’Italia so entertaining.  If you want to dress the part while watching the race, you can always pick up a pro jersey from Katusha, Vacansoleil or (a personal favorite) the always distinctive Lampre-ISD kit:

And you might as well pick up a pro-level helmet while you’re at it, like the sleek Lazer Helium or the brand new, and super-light, Giro Aeon:

Or you could just go all out and pick up a pro-level ride in honor of the Giro, such as the Fuji Altamira 3.0 road bike, or the race-tested Focus Izalco Team Replica road bike:

So are you excited for this year’s Giro d’Italia yet?  We sure are, and we hope to have so extra-special, behind-the-scenes footage and stories to share with you during the second week of the race!  Stay tuned for details!

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Wordless Wednesday

March 23, 2011 Leave a comment

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Performance Bicycle Presents the Europeds Tour Trip

March 23, 2011 Leave a comment

Le Tour… that’s all you really need to say and any cycling fan knows what you’re talking about!  With the history, the prestige, the endurance, and the sheer pageantry of cycling’s biggest race, Le Tour is the ultimate cycling experience.  Last year, in partnership with premiere bicycling tour operator, Europeds, we sent one of our own employees, David, to France to see first-hand what it’s like to watch the race in person and ride some of the same epic climbs as the pros.  So what did he think?  He’s still raving about the experience, from the riding to the food, and you can read all about it right here on the blog, of course!

This year we’ve partnered with Europeds once again, but this time to offer this once-in-a-lifetime cycling experience to you! We’re proud to offer exclusive access to the 2011 Europeds Tour Trip, with only 16 total spots available.

And what a trip it  promises to be!  The 7 day/6 night trip includes five nights right on the summit of the fabled Alpe d’Huez, plus the chance to watch three action-packed Tour stages, along with the opportunity to go on some of the most breathtaking bike rides you’ll ever experience.

You’ll experience everything the Tour has to offer from a base camp perched at the top of the famous 21 switchbacks of the Alpe d’Huez, in the Southeast corner of France.  The itinerary for the week includes watching 3 Tour stages in person, miles of fantastic Alpine riding with a small group of only 15 other riders, plus the chance to be exactly where every cyclist wants to be on July 22nd, with a front row seat on the slopes of the Alpe d’Huez!  You’ll be there, along with thousands of cycling-mad fans, lining the mountain as the 2011 Tour thunders up to its last mountaintop showdown!  And after the stage is done, you’ll be hanging out in the midst of the racers and journalists while almost all of the other fans fight their way back down the mountain, as you stroll to your hotel atop d’Huez!

If you want a little bit of the flavor of the Alpe d’Huez on Tour day, check out this video of the finale of Carlos Sastre’s victory atop d’Huez in 2008 (which propelled him to the yellow jersey):

Watching the Tour in person is truly an experience that every cyclist needs to do at least once in their lifetime.  From the chance to watch the pros up close and personal:

2010 Tour passing over the Col du Soulor

To the opportunity to challenge yourself on some of cycling’s sacred ground with new friends:

David and the Europeds group on top of the Tourmalet

To riding on some of the most beautiful roads you could ever imagine:

David in the Pyrenees in 2010

We can promise that it will be an experience you won’t forget! So we hope you’ll join us on the 2011 Europeds Tour Trip, presented by Performance Bicycle.  Spots are filling up fast, so don’t miss your chance to see “Where great rides begin… in France!“

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2011 Races – Milan-San Remo

March 18, 2011 Leave a comment

This Saturday, all eyes in the cycling world will be focused on Milan-San Remo, or La Classica di Primavera, the first cycling monument of the season and also the longest one-day professional race all year at 298km.  Although known as the sprinters’ classic, Milan-San Remo has been won by an impressive array of cycling champions, from Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi to Eddy Merckx, Laurent Fignon, Erik Zabel, Mario Cipollini, and, in the last few years, Fabian Cancellara, Mark Cavendish and Oscar Freire.

While not known for extreme altitude, Milan-San Remo is  famous for 2 short but steep pitches near the end of the race (which loom even larger after 6 or 7 hours of intense racing), the Cipressa and Poggio climbs.  The March issue of Cycle Sport magazine has a great article on the Poggio climb in Milan-San Remo, where they described it as “the crux of the opening Classic of the year, Milan-San Remo. The Poggio is not as steep, long, hard or beautiful as any of the other climbs we’ve ever featured, and for 364 days a year it is a quiet suburban drag. But on Classicissima day, it is one of the most intense spectator experiences in cycling. Its slopes have been consecrated by the greatest champions, from Eddy Merckx  to Mark Cavendish.”

Last year, 3-time World Champion Oscar Freire won Milan-San Remo for the third time, out-foxing the best riders in the world with a vintage sprint finish:

So who’s going to win this year?  Will Cavendish find his form again; will Freire dig deep for another win; will Cancellara motor away; will the 3-headed Garmin-Cervelo monster of Tyler Farrar, Heinrich Haussler and current World Champion Thor Hushovd muscle their way to a win?  Who knows, but we’ll be watching!

We’ll leave you with one of our favorite photos from La Classicisima, this perfect shot of Eddy Merckx, 7-time champion of Milan-San Remo, winning on the Via Roma in 1966 (which is featured in “The Spring Classics“, an in-depth history and visual tour of some of cycling’s classic races).

If that photo doesn’t get you inspired to get out there and ride this weekend, we don’t know what will!

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