Anyone that says doing triathlons is cheap, doesn't do triathlons. On a scale, I think triathlons are now more expensive than golf club memberships and competitive bass boat fishing and just cheaper than owning a Nascar racing team.
Yesterday I took my bike into "Wheels" as part of my pre-Kona preparation. I asked them to change the tires, true the wheels, give it a tune-up and check the crank because it was making noise.
As I was enjoying a nice Friday afternoon lunch with Barb, Jamie and Alice, I noticed "Wheels" had called. I called back and spoke to Peter and he essentially told me, you need new "Wheels".
What??? New Wheels??? Why??? Turns out, my Blackwell Carbon fibre clinchers, which are just over a year old where irreparably damaged. The front rim had a crack and the back had "bowed".
For those that are new to biking, when Peter said I needed new wheels, he meant new rims and Carbon fibre racing rims "ain't cheap". He asked me if I was sitting down before he gave me pricing on new Zipp 404's at $1700 for the pair.
It's a good thing I have a "stomach of steel" because I almost wanted to throw up my lunch. I felt pale. By the time everything was said and done, with the tune-up, new tubular tires, plus a spare and taxes, my wallet was $2100 lighter.
Peter convinced me to go with the Zipp 404 tubulars, he felt certain I'd average 3 kph faster. That sounded to good to be true and I asked him if that was a "money back guarantee". I actually don't mind paying $2100 if they can get my Ironman bike speed up from 33.5 kph to a 36.5 kph average. Heck, if true, I would have done it sooner and paid double.
When I picked the bike up, I offered Peter a bet that if I could out drink anyone of the guys at the shop, beer for beer, that they would half my bill or double it if I lost. He did nervously think about it until declining. Instead I took a picture of him and told him it was going on the blog, I think he was joking, "it's not my fault".
The good news is that noise I kept hearing from the bike is now gone. The irony is the sound was not coming from the wheels or the crank, it was coming from the water bottle cage. It was a loose piece that was rattling and they simply removed it.
Surprisingly, Alice wasn't as freaked out about the money as I was. I was almost at the point where I was just going to ride the stock wheels that came with the bike and forget about getting new racing wheels. In hindsight, disaster may have been averted today. Had my Blackwell wheels broke during Kona and forced me not to finish, I would have been devastated. Karma may be looking out over me after all.
I swam just before lunch time and had a great swim, especially considering it was only my 2nd swim in 18 days. I did 8 x 100 meter sets and my fastest was 1:29 and my slowest was 1:33. It was like I didn't miss a beat. I really think the weight lifting sessions helped me rapidly regain my upper body swim strength.
At the pool, I was the "chump" today. It was busy, I tried to pass one person and swam near head on to another person. The worst part was when the guy I hit decided to wait for me in the middle of the pool until I turned around and swam back just so he could give me shit. Point well taken. I apologized profusely.
Then my lane filled up so much, I jumped down into the slow lane and after one lap, one of the old grandfather dudes stopped me by hitting me on the top of the head and telling me I was swimming in the wrong lane. I don't mind being told off, but he's lucky I didn't go nuts on him for touching my head. I have a problem with people touching my head, it a pet peeve, it drives me crazy.
He was such a self-righteous old guy to boot. I was envious on one hand how he took matters into his own hands to deal with the "dick head" in his lane and I was "humiliated" on the other by him giving me shit and touching my head. I was a little sharp with him when I said, "thank you Sir, I'm so sorry, you're right" in a sarcastic tone.
I also learnt an important lesson. I don't like getting told off from a skeleton wrapped in wrinkly old skin with dentures. With that said, "he was right".
I eventually settled into a third lane and things worked out. At the end of the swim, as I was ready to get out of the water, I started talking to a guy who was swimming in the same lane as me, his name was Mike Burjaw. It turns out he's a fellow triathlete in my age group. We hit it off and he offered to join me for part of my long ride tomorrow.
It was a busy day, not a spare moment, it was 6:30 pm by the time I got back from Toronto and shortly thereafter Barb and Jamie came by for a few beers and cigars. They left at 10 pm and by 11:00 I decided to go to bed. I was "whopped". Mike had emailed me and planned to be out my way by 8:30 am.
Speed Swim - 1:09:21 / 3000
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7 comments:
Holy you know what, your wheels cost more than my bike!!! I'm betting that doesn't help you at all does it.
Better now than issues at Kona, you are right.
There is absolutely no way a tubular will be 10% faster than a clincher. If the difference from tubulars to clinchers was 3 kph average, NOBODY would ever use clinchers.
Glad you found out about this issue now. Sorry you had to drop 2 grand on it... But hey, now you have some new flashy wheels to show in Kona!
;o)
Carlos
I know what you mean about the expense of triathlons. Just before Louisville I sprang for a set or sram s80's, I love the wheels and they make my Cervello look great, but forking over that money really really hurt. i thought going to Louisville that I wouldn't see that many carbon wheel sets given the expense, was I wrong, they were everywhere, on it seemed every bike. I guess its just a standard now everyone accepts. I like to think they made me a little faster, but in the big picture I know I need to run alot better if that investment is really ever going to make a difference for me. But I love looking at my bike with those wheels on. Later Bob.
eeeek! Makes me happy I use Planet X wheels, sheesh 1700 bucks...
Still, better to know now than later.
You may have sprung for wheels on the on the high end but the cost of a DNF? How much does that cost?
Damn. I haven't spent that much money on ALL OF OUR TRI GEAR THIS YEAR! B, do I (of all people) need to teach YOU how to haggle?! Haha, I know there is no wiggle room on those babies.
Man, I agree on the karma. You have had one hell of a year. To be honest I can't see anything going wrong for Kona. It has all gone wrong already... China, poisoning. St. George, completing your lifelong goal of visiting EVER port a pot on the run course (this was impressive, I must say). You should be smooth sailing now.
Nice frickin swim times. I actually hate you right now... but I am impressed. My swim has gotten slow, and I attribute your swim fitness to lifting. Way to go man.
How do the new tires ride?!
A, hahaha, sadly you're right, it probably doesn't help me that much. I still can't believe I didn't even hesitate to pull the trigger on buying them. I need help.
C, that's what I figured. He said that and then when he learnt I was a kona qualifier I don't think he said it again. However, I really hope he's right. hahaha. True about finding it out now, versus later.
B, hahahaha, no kidding, I can only imagine KY, the bike porn is amazing. It's not about how fast they make you go, it's how good they make you feel and nowadays if you want to "fit in" they are a must have. hahaha.
J, don't remind me. Although after I bought them, I searched the net and couldn't find a better deal on Zipp 404's anywhere.
J, absolutely my brother. Even said, "expect the unexpected", my whole goal in life is to cross that finish line in Kona, regardless of the time. If I do, I'll have no regrets on the wheel purchase.
M, just you wait, you're day will come, you'll be spending money like a drunken sailor. I forgot to tell you one of the side effects of the low heart rate training and getting faster is you spend more. hahaha. I really hope you're right on nothing else going wrong and I may stop at just one or two porta-potties to do a full course comparision and evalutation for porta-pottie monthly magazine. haha. Also, you should be able to get real fast in the pool with those huge fricken "peoples elbows", you just need to learn how to catch water with them. hahaha.
B
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