Grammo News

Time to say Hello.....

2012-02-24T17:38:00.001-08:00

Yes its out with the old in with the new time at Grammo.

Check out the pre-season deals on Toa and all the new F series wheels.

For a limited time we are offering the Toa 29er carbon frame with a free carbon fork, that's a saving of $175. But it doesn't end there, buy before the end of February and get free shipping in the continental US or 50% off shipping anywhere in the world !

During the same crazy pre-season we are also offering any of the F Series wheels with a free tire package from Continental, that's a saving of $197, and yes you guessed already, in does not end there. Buy before the end of February and get free shipping in the continental US or 50% off shipping anywhere in the world !

The Tire package is available now , but the details will not show on the site until Monday. The frame package is also available now and is derived by the frame being discounted by $175.

The shipping deal is available in both cases by using the coupon code "preseason" at check out.

Watch out for new deals including Toa and a wide range of suspension forks coming to the site very soon.

If you don't see a deal to match your needs, give us a call.

Time to say farewell..

2012-02-23T13:26:00.000-08:00

The time has come to say farewell to a trusty product from the Grammo catalog.

After 5 years of service the Viper line of carbon wheels is finally come to the end of its production.

With the internal development of the Flow Wheels and their latest version the F Series, Grammo now have wholly owned and developed rims and wheels that will take them forward for the foreseeable future.

The Viper line has been globally successful, and while not a unique product, they have been everything they were destined to be. Part of race success stories all over the world.

With the initial testing of their successor back in 2010, some may think that the new models have been slow to hit the market, we would say they have been tested and proven in the lab and in the real world for just the right amount of time to consider them now the correct replacement for the trusty Viper range.

From a distance they look the same (round and black) but get up close and you see the differences that make the new F Series wheels out perform the older Viper wheels in every area.

The rim is a wholly owned and produced design that features a new slippery profile, rim depth and width. The attention to detail does not stop at sheer looks, the rim was tested in software (computational fluid dynamics) then in the wind tunnel at Auckland University, before finally being fit to bicycles and tested in the real world.

The results speak for themselves, with documented proof that the F Series wheels out perform the Viper wheels, it is not a leap of faith to realize that they also out perform much of the competition.

So to the initial point of this message, the Vipers are now at the end of their career, and we are offering them at around 50% off the MSRP.

They won't last long at that price.

Bicycles Away!!

2012-02-18T18:34:00.000-08:00

Hey all! So last weekend I raced a crit. As many of you know, I am not an experienced roadie at all. I have grown up on the dirt, I love the dirt, I know DIRT. I use the road bike for training, more and more as time goes on, but I have raced very little road.

This was my 3rd ever crit, and my very first racing E 5 with the adults. I was a little nervous, but very excited because I have honestly enjoyed the speed and tactics of crits. My mom, on the other hand, does not like them. She would rather have me competing in Red Bull Rampage or Crankworks Slopestyle, because at least then I would be padded up, on the dirt, and in full control of whether or not I crash, with no outside interference. But I wanted to race it, and my coach said race it, so I did.

I was really happy to have some friends in the race, and went into it planning on working with them. Off the line, I got up into the front with my friend Scott Hooper and another friend Jared Kessler. We all stayed up in the front for most of the race taking turns sitting in on each other and other riders and attacking and reeling in other attackers.

It was cool for me to race with Jared. He’s a Pro mountain bike racer for BMC, and most of my races I end up in another category because I’m high school expert/varsity. It was fun to work with him, and he and Scott gave me some good pointers after the race. Anyway, I digress.

So we were all up in the mix until 2 laps from the finish. Shit hit the fan. There was a crash on the turn before the start/finish, and another on the next corner! I didn’t know about the first until after the race, but I can’t believe I didn’t go down in the second. Apparently one of the riders behind me dove the corner too hard or slipped on the paint (it was misting lightly), got squirrely, and took out riders in front and behind him. Someone hit my rear wheel hard enough to leave a rubber mark all the way down the decal on my Grammo 580 wheel (wheel is fine, rubber cleaned off easily). One of the riders next to me said he saw it and he can’t believe I stayed up. My girlfriend was standing on the corner while this all happened, and watched me almost crash. I don’t think it makes her want to race crits at all.

But I stayed up, and tried to catch the front of the race, but I had lost a lot of speed in the mayhem, and couldn’t get back up in time for the sprint. I was a little bummed that I finished mid pack. Jared won the sprint finish, and Scott was up in the top 10 as well. I had fun and learned a lot from this race. Big thanks to Alex Chiu for the awesome race pics, he's a great photographer!! Thanks again, Alex! I’m excited to race another soon, and hopefully get my upgrade to E4. Tomorrow I’ll be racing TBF, then the NorCal High School XC season opener the following Sunday. Both are at Folsom Lake and on my home course. The NorCal opener is going to be a massive race. This will be my first Varsity NorCal race, as well as my first NorCal race on my Grammo Toa 29er! Hope to see you all there. I’ll keep you posted.

Grateful for Grassroots

2012-02-15T22:49:00.000-08:00

Every winter since I was 6, I’ve started my mountain bike season with TBF, a local, grassroots racing series based just 20 minutes from my driveway. The first few years, when I was little (I know, I still am little) these races were the biggest things I did. I looked forward to them all year; they were my own little World Cups. I raced 6 miles, and it kicked my little butt.
Over the years, I moved up through the ranks from the 6 mile juniors all the way to the 24 mile expert women. As I advanced, I started going farther away to bigger races. All my important races became travel races that are in cool places, on cool courses and with cooler venues. These big races became my A races, and the local ones became less and less important. Sometimes I’ve even considering skipping these races and going on training rides instead. But I never do; I race them every year. These races have taught me so much and somehow they always feel like home.
This year at TBF, I was confident for race #1. I raced 18 miles in High School Expert girls, and felt strong with a 2nd place. Race #2 added a lap, and I was a little more nervous for the longer distance. In the end I felt pretty good, my Grammo 29er was rolling perfectly, and came in 2nd again. For the first time ever in race #3, TBF is lengthening the course and my division will be racing 32 miles. I’m not so sure about this; I’ve ridden more than 32 miles in training but to race that long is a tall order. It would be my longest cross country race of the season, and in February. As of right now I’m pretty conflicted. I don’t know if I’ll be racing this one or not.
I’m so grateful for these local grassroots races, but I might just have to skip this one.

Announcing

2012-02-06T19:25:00.000-08:00

As I have mentioned in my earlier blogs I've been doing some announcing at some local races. Well, it's earned me some notice and I'm tickled to be recognized. I have been nominated as a candidate for "Best Local Announcer of the Year". Thank you Mary Maroon. Then today I found out I've been included in a Facebook photo album entitled "The people behind the scenes of bike racing." By Alex Chiu (Albums) Part of the comment reads as follows "This includes photographers (such as myself), team captains, announcers, USAC officials, and other dominant figures." Wow dominant figures!! Go figure. Thank you to all those that have recognized the small part I play in Nor Cal racing. And a special, heart felt thank you to all the members of the bicycle tribe for letting me feel like I truely belong to something very cool. I love you all.

Kickstarting 2012

2012-01-26T18:52:00.000-08:00

The first race of the season was a success for me. I was going to race High School Expert girls, even though I’m in eighth grade. It was a small local race, but I was there with something to prove. This would be my first season as a 15-18, and I won’t even be 15 until December. All I wanted was to start the season and prove to everyone there that I've stepped up my game to race with older competitors.
The TBF Kickstart was on Sunday the 22nd. The venue was dry early in the morning, but it was freezing and overcast. High School Expert girls would do three laps on a six mile course. I got in a pretty good warmup on the trainer, and despite the cold I was warm on the start line. The Highschool Expert boys and girls were started in the same wave, so the start was pretty crazy. I got stuck behind some of the boys until the first wide open muddy section, where I took the far inside line and passed a few of them. I was in second when I hit the main climb, and I could see first ahead of me. By the end of my first lap, I was about 30 seconds back from first.
It didn’t start raining until I was halfway through my second lap, and my hands were getting stiff on my handlebars. But it was okay, because my legs were still going, and I was still catching and passing riders from other categories. The rain was coming down when I rode into the neutral pit (ran by my parents) at the farthest point on the course. I got a fresh bottle and before I knew it I was back to the start/finish, heading out on lap three. My legs were burning pretty good by now, and it showed on the climb. I was tired, and I started making stupid line mistakes on easy technical sections I’ve been riding for years.
The last half of my third lap was pretty brutal. I was cold, muddy, and tired. I could barely see through my glasses from all the mud and water. The final descent and flat section couldn’t have come sooner, and I was happy to shift up into my big ring to pin that last mile or so.
Crossing the finish line felt good. I came in 2nd, and I knew I’d proven that I could hang with the older riders. All in all it was a good day, with Wyatt coming in 4th in the High School Expert boys and some of the other Placer Foothill MTB club riders’ completing their first race.
Keep chasing…

Grammo Takes on Xterra World Championships

2012-01-23T09:42:00.000-08:00

Coming into my first Xterra World Championship triathlon I was anything but confident in my ability to perform well. With a little bit of work, sweat, and blood I managed to take #1 in 25-29 F West Region for 2011, which laid down the brickwork for a strong-newbie to WORLDS. CRAZY!

Making it through the whole Xterra season on my pony: Specialized Safire- 26er”, I branched out and feel in love with the Grammo Tao 29er”, which I refer to as: Shamrock.

Kapalua, Maui is the new home for Xterra World Championships. Kapalua provided a wonderful bike course of coffee fields, twisty-turns single track, loose rock descents, and of course- LOTS OF CLIMBING.

All to say that “Shamrock” is a climbing rock-star! I remember the conversations I had with fellow racers climbing uphill: “what kind of bike is that? If it climbs like that, I NEED to get one of those!” Their comments made my heart smile.

I gave my valiant effort at Worlds where I finished intact and with a huge smile on my face.

I am a WORLDs Finisher!

Also, much love to my bike made my experience amazing and excited for the future races I will embark on Shamrock.

Cheers!

Stephanie Miller- Woodland, CA

Let the Storm Roll

2012-01-20T21:51:00.000-08:00

Hey all! So, the storms are rolling. All across the country, winter is finally hitting, or almost here for some of you. There is a huge amount of weather coming, or so we’ve been told. The rain just started yesterday for me, conveniently right before I started a solo road training ride. I have a race this weekend, and it was my easy day, so I was only going medium for an hour and half. The first hour was alright, cold and wet. The last half hour was brutal, though. Frozen numb, past the point of caring about getting wet because I was soaked. But I still got it done, and that is what I talked about in my last blog. I have been trying to live up to that standard I set for myself a few months ago, and I have been training hard. I just got home from the gym, and Sunday is my first race of the season. The TBF MTB Kickstart. Granted, it is a training race, and I will still be in hardcore training mode for many months to come, yet I am still nervous and excited. This will be the first time I have raced against many of my friends and competitors in many months, some of them haven’t even raced against me on the lightning fast Toa yet. It’s gonna have a super fast build on it this weekend, fully rigid with my race wheels. Later in the season I’ll be adding a 2x10 XO race groupo, and the World Cup SID by Rockshox. All in all, I’m going to be running a wicked race rig this year for XC. I’ve also been practicing becoming super smooth with the rigid fork, and I’ve watched myself get smoother and faster. All in all, I am so stoked for this years’ racing season, even with the inclement weather. Hope to see you all on Sunday, thanks for your continued support and encouragement; I couldn’t do it without you all. I’ll keep you posted!

2012 new models

2012-01-12T18:47:00.000-08:00

12 days into the New year and we have the dates for the 2012 Grammo C4 road frame and the new model wheels.

The new 580 carbon/alloy clincher, the revised 540 and 840 tubulars are all in stock now and available for immediate shipping. We currently have 5 color options for the graphics: Silver, Orange, Yellow, Blue, Pink, Gold.

The new Race derived Grammo C4 road frame is also, nearing completion. This frame is the flagship model for 2012 and features press fit BB, Taper, integrated headtube, full internal cable routing and 989g.

The most up to date design and race winning geometry make this a frame worth the wait.

Watch the site and news pages for pre order offers on the C4, availability expected March.

Big Girls Don't Cry

2011-12-15T19:15:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, things go wrong. When you’re racing, you have to make a decision: do I push on or do I throw in the towel? The answer to this question has always been so clear to me.
This last weekend was Bay Area Super Prestige #4 at Coyote Point. It was the final race in the series, and I was hungry for a podium. I had a great start position; with the fourth call-up I was on the front row and set up to take the inside line on the first turn. It played out perfectly. I was on the front of the start and as we rounded the turn and headed up the hill, I was in a solid 3rd. Coming into the long sand section, I lost one place and another as I was running through the sand. I picked these two back off on the pavement section. I was catching 2nd as I hit a little rise at the very back of the course. I stood up out of the saddle and snap-my bike slipped from under me and my face plowed into the grass (which, if you’re wondering, doesn’t taste too different from dirty spinach). I picked up my bike in a hurry, and to my heartbreak-my broken, wasted chain lay tangled in my spokes.
My first thought? Disbelief. No. Way.
My second thought? Anger. NO EFFING WAY!
My third thought? Sadness. No way…
I started running my bike along the side of the course, and a little chunk of my heart died as each rider passed me. I felt like crying. Cut it out, you little sissy. Time to take off those Huggies and put your big girl pants on. I kept running, and as I came into earshot of the announcers, I realized that people had stopped passing me. I was in last. I put a strong face on and forced myself to keep running.
Big girls don’t cry…
I finally reached the finish chute and saw the neutral bike pit just 50 yards ahead. I switched out my CX bike for my Grammo Toa 29er, jumped on and pedaled hard. I knew what it would take for me to get back into the race, and I forced myself to believe that it was possible. But my cross country bike wasn’t designed for cyclocross; it couldn’t get around the turns the way a CX bike can. Halfway through the course, there was still no one in sight. I was still in last.
Big girls don’t cry…
I grabbed a bottle from my dad, and hammered the flat back section. When I reached the finish, The SRAM guy had put a new chain on my CX bike and was holding it on the side of the course. I switched back and yelled thanks to him as I rode away. I immediately felt worlds faster on the light, agile Grammo Paru cross bike. I finally started picking off riders. 1, 2, 3, 4. I wasn’t in last… but that wasn’t nearly good enough.
With one lap to go I could see the next two girls; 5, 6. I caught 5 and then 6 soon after. At the second to last turn, 7 was in sight. But I was too far back, and I finished 20 yards behind her. I was crushed, but I’d fought hard. I stopped to thank the pit guys again and then rolled off to cool down.
I finished 13th.
Big girls don’t cry…
When I picked up my cross country bike, the guy put my broken chain in a bag and gave it to me. Honestly at that moment I would have been perfectly happy throwing it at a wall and screaming some unpleasant words. But instead I’ll keep it, and it will sit in my garage as a reminder to never give up.
So, when I was faced with the decision to push on or throw in the towel, the choice was clear. Never give up. You never know just how strong you truly are until your only choice is to be strong. Failure isn’t falling down; failure is staying down.
Keep chasing….

Click, click, BOOM

2011-12-05T18:54:00.000-08:00

Hey all! So last weekend I raced BASP #3 at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. The BASP CX races are the biggest cyclocross races that I go to, so I always bring my A game and lay it down. This time I had a call up, and got to start in the second row of my race, which was again 100 B men. The online cap gets full so quickly, I pre-registered 2 weeks prior to the race. Anyway, I was on the line with my friend Sean, who finished one spot ahead of me last race. I was happy to be able to race with someone that I know and could work with.

The countdown, the gun. The race was on. The start was crazy, just because of the number of people going into the corner at the same time. Then someone fell in front of me, but I was able to get around the mess. There was brief mayhem, as I fought around the other riders, then I was through, into the next corner, and the top 10. In the next laps, the real race became clear. The 1st and 2nd riders disappeared off the front, never to be seen again. The real head to head racing was in the 3rd through 11th racers. I was in the mix, and we were all red lining and racing as hard as we could. We all swapped places repeatedly, playing a bit of tag.

Early on in the group of riders battling up front, we very nearly suffered a fatality. As we came through the paved start/finish at high speed, the rider in front of me suddenly swerved, for no apparent reason, and stuck his derailleur in my front wheel. In that instant, I thought that I was going to be catapulted face first into the asphalt, and go meet the local EMT’s. However, the medical personnel had to do without my acquaintance, as my wheel rattled and clanged on his derailleur, but I was able to swerve and save myself. Fatality averted. Everyone in our pack of riders yelled at him, and then in the next lap, we strung out, and I dropped him for the remainder of the race. Afterward, Sean told me that this guy, “the Menace”, repeatedly caused problems for him, blocking, cutting him off, and taking him out. I guess he was able to get free of him, because soon I heard Sean (and his screaming brakes) catch back up to me.

Now, I was in 4th, the racer in my sights was in 3rd, and Sean was on my wheel, 5th. We all played tag until the last lap. As we came off the single track onto the pavement road before the finish, I was in 5th, with Sean 5 yards ahead of me, and the racer in 3rd 10 yards ahead of him. As soon as we hit the pavement, I was up, going after them with everything I had. Click, click, boom. I was hammering away, sprinting as fast as I could. I was making up ground, I passed Sean, I was gaining on third, gaining, gaining, but the finish was close. I wasn’t sure if I could take him… huge bike throw… but it was not to be. I crossed the finish line with my front wheel almost even with his front hub. My momentum rocketed me past him, and down the straight, before I went to cool down with the guys.

I was so stoked to have my first BASP Cat B podium!! 4th out of 100 B men is excellent, I am very happy with that finish. Final BASP is Next Sunday, and then I will be solely focused on training for a few months. Hope to see you all at Coyote Point Sunday! I’ll keep you posted.

Things That Go Bump In The Night

2011-11-22T21:56:00.000-08:00

Most people wouldn’t think of San Francisco as a place to have a bike race. A Cyclocross race, at that…but San Francisco (and the Bay area) is home to the Bay Area Super Prestige Cyclocross series, one of the biggest CX series in California. The second race, a night race, was at Sierra Point Park just outside of the city. I guess it would be kind of a curious thing, night racing, to someone unfamiliar to the sport, but what can I say? Cyclocross racers; we go bump in the night. It’s simply our nature.
I was pretty stoked on BASP, and even though the competition’s stiff I was hoping for a top ten finish. The sun was setting while I was on the trainer, watching my brother’s race from the parking lot. He did awesome, getting 12th out of 100 Cat B men.
It was fully dark buy the time I lined up for the start with the Cat A, Master Cat A, and Cat B (me) women. The race officials had decided to start all 3 categories at once. Whose idea was that?! There would be over 100 racers in the start with a tight, sketchy turn just 100 yards ahead. I would be towards the back of the start, since I was cat B and because I didn’t have a call-up. I didn’t like the concept; I was used to being on the front two lines at every race.
When the starter blew the whistle, it was partially a mad dash for the hole-shot and partially everyone riding through the crowd like lost goats…the best (and nicest) word for it would be… interesting. All at once, the top A racers were dukeing it out at the front of the race and us B’s were trying to figure out where the front of our race was.
I decided to hold on to the wheel of one of the Sac CX regulars who I knew was around my speed. But this wasn’t the kind of course that complimented me. I’m more of a climber and descender, but this course was mostly flat and twisty with a few rises and drops.
By my 3rd lap, I knew I was still top ten but I was also off the podium by a few spots. I was in no-man’s land, with the next few riders a ways ahead but the riders after me also some ways off. But when I came through start/finish to start my final lap, I was getting tired. I heard 3 other riders coming up behind me, but I knew I didn’t have enough engine left to hold a gap. My only option was to stay with them and hope I could out-sprint them. When they caught up to me, I couldn’t hold on.
I was only able to hold one of them off in a sprint finish for 8th place. I’m super stoked on getting that top ten, but one of the women I’ve raced with at Sac CX was 4th. The next BASP is this coming weekend, and I know that if I’m on my game I can place better.
I’m sure that night racing would seem a little strange to some people, but like I said: it’s what us Cyclocross racers do. So beware, the next time you go out in the dark…beware of the things that go bump in the night.
Keep chasing…

FACEPLANT (take two)

2011-11-22T19:44:00.000-08:00

Hey all! So, I raced Sacramento Cyclocross on Saturday. This race was in Ione. It was great to have good weather this year, last year the rain was falling sideways and it was a little miserable. This year we had almost perfect weather, sunshine, and I raced in a jersey and shorts. My race ended up just going OK, though. It wasn't really bad, but it didn't go how I wanted it to.

I officially am not ready to ride barriers in cross. There was a log barrier on Saturday. I cleared it the first time in practice. Then, I went to practice it again, faster. This time, the success was that of the log. I was totally fine, but I was a little frustrated. I am officially putting my barrier-hopping attempts on hold. I need to spend some more time honing my CX skills with some of the longtime CX riders I know. I would like the ability to ride these smaller barriers, as well as faster mounts and dismounts in general. Other than that, though, my cross has been OK. I just can't seem to get the speed I want. That's probably because my body is in base training mode, not racing mode. My training focus now is to get strong for mountain bike and downhill season next year. I am still racing cross, and I can still do well, but I know that I would do better if this was what I was focused on. This is one of the dilemmas you run into when racing multiple disciplines. Yes you can do well in all of them, but to really excel you have to pick one or two and FOCUS on that. Right now I am spending time building strength, and spending long hours on the bike, because my focus is on the 2012 mountain bike race season.

It's very funny, because since I am training so much, coupled with the whole, "being a teenage guy" thing, I am always hungry. I finish a meal, and I'm hungry half an hour later. It's like I never stop eating. After my long morning mountain ride in the rain yesterday, I absolutely decimated my Thanksgiving dinner. And then, I was still hungry later.

Regardless of the amount of training I am doing, and the lack of barrier-hopping abilities, I am very excited to race BASP CX in Golden Gate Park on Sunday. My field, Open B Men, has been full for a while now, capped at 100 riders. I would like to do as well, or better, than last time. I really enjoy racing BASP, they are very well done events. And I will continue base training and eating all the food in my house. I hope to see all of you at BASP Sunday, that you all had an excellent Thanksgiving, and enjoyed the opportunity to be with loved ones. Now I'm gonna go find a snack. I'll keep you posted!

Stop Signs are Optional

2011-11-14T20:52:00.000-08:00

It has now officially been 2 weeks without a cast. I'M BACK!! And it's good to be back.

5 weeks off the bike was BRUTAL. I've already hit 5 Cyclocross races since I've been back. Cross is just a ton of fun. However, even though I was still running on my little break, jumping right back into riding was a little frustrating. My first two races back I was a little bit behind the guys I was with before. Even though I knew that's just what happens with time off the bike, it was still maddening as hell! But that 3rd race, day 2 of the Sacramento Cyclocross double weekend, was much better. A true Cross race in the mud, I finally felt better and came in 7th in the B men. I was so stoked to finally be feeling better.

Of course, then last Wednesday I went and put my pride in a sling at Rodeo Cross. I came into a set of barriers with the intention of riding them. First one was beautiful, but the second, something happened, and I was up, up, up,....... FACE PLANT! Compound fracture to the pride and the ego, right in front of friends!!

The rest of me was fine, and my pride miraculously healed Friday with some downhill shuttling with my buddies. I had missed DH so much on my time off. I was feeling great, boosting high, riding smooth, and trying some new tips from my super good downhill friends. This was where my title for this blog came from. One of my friends who was driving missed a stop sign on the hill, swore, and then said, "S'ok guys, stop signs are optional up here" It got me thinking about how awesome it was to just come back from my injury right into racing and riding. I've seen people take it super slow after injury. I understand being careful after an injury and riding smart, but it was so great to not wait to jump into the swing, and it paid off on Saturday.

Saturday night, I raced my first Bay Area Super Prestige Cyclocross race of the season, the second one in the 2011 series. It was at night, at Sierra Point, in Brisbane (Just outside of San Francisco). These races are MASSIVE! The cap for the Open B Men was 100 guys, and it was full on Tuesday, shortly after I signed up. This was my biggest mass start of the year. I got out of the car and hopped on the trainer. After some good, zoned out iPod time warming up on the trainer, they opened the course to pre-ride. I got one practice lap in, and then I was behind in the pack on the start line. They call up the top 24 riders from the week before, so I ended up starting about mid pack. Off the line, across the pavement, hopping a curb and the race was in full swing. I was instantly passing and fighting through the rest of the adults, fighting for positions. We hit the power section across the back, and I came into my own. The were three straight aways with hairpin turns in between. I hit this section, and put the power down. I motored around packs of guys, going at breakneck speeds at the corners, then slamming the brakes and whipping around the corners (without the amateur-ish burning of rubber, of course). While doing this I would drop gears, then shift like a drag racer as soon as I had space to go. I repeated this each lap, powering around groups, and then further putting distance on them in the twisty grass, filled with more turns, a ton of short, sharp rises, and barriers. There was even a stair run up with a wooden ramp on the other side. I just kept hammer down for the entire race, passing a couple of people each lap, until I finished in 12th place out of 100 B men. I was super happy with this result, and hope that the call up will equate to an even higher finish next race. My sister, Avery, also did well after me in the B women.

Then it was up the next morning for a 60 mile base road ride, and then gym training Monday. Stop Signs are Optional. It's good to be back. I'll keep you posted!

Double Crossing

2011-11-14T19:00:00.000-08:00

Finally! My broken finger has healed and I’ve gotten back into the swing of things. And by the swing of things, I mean weekly gym workouts with Coach Paige (the best coach in the world), long training rides and races every weekend.
In my last Cyclocross blog I mentioned aching to put some wins in on my carbon Grammo CX bike, and I’m proud to say I’ve done just that! On November 5th and 6th, Ace Course Design and BicyclingEvents.com put on two back to back Sacramento CX races; One at Lembi Park and one at the Folsom Rodeo Grounds.
Saturday, the morning of the Lembi park race, was bitter cold. The Lembi course was almost entirely on grass and was for the most part flat. I was stoked though, I’d had a win at the Condon Park race two weeks before and I’d been doing well (winning the B's) at the Wednesday night RodeoCross races. I really wanted to land another win at Sac CX. There were a few new faces on the Women’s B start, but I was still hoping for a top spot.
I had a good start and by the end of the first lap I had a little gap. It wasn’t big, but it was certainly enough. The last thing I wanted was a sprint finish. As fun as they are to watch, they’re stressful and it can be embarrassing if you don’t come out on top. All I had to do was hold them off…for four more laps. Easier said than done, eh?
With 2 laps left, I was still in the lead but at every hairpin turn I could see second place gaining fast. I was gonna have to hammer my last few laps. I started to shift into my big ring, and heard something no racer ever wants to hear. Click, click, crunch. Click…crunch. My chain wouldn’t shift up. I tried again. Nothing. I stalled out in my third attempt and saw second fly past me. I gave up on my shifters and chased after her, but I needed those gears.
One lap to go and she wasn’t ahead by much. But again, it was just enough. I was almost around the last turn as she crossed the finish line. I was happy with second, but I had that nagging feeling in the back of my head…What if I’d had those big gears? What then? Fortunately, the next morning I’d get to see.
When we arrived at the Folsom Rodeo grounds on Sunday morning, it was drizzling rain and freezing cold. But lo and behold, my lovely Mad Cat teammates had set up a four pop -up, walled off, food-stocked team compound complete with a space heater and carpet.
I liked the course at Rodeo a lot better than the Lembi course. It was muddier, but it also had more climbing, like the course at Condon that I’d done well on. I got another really good start and was off the front from the very beginning of the race. But I knew that this first lap could make or break my race; I could make a solid gap or I could blow myself up early.
By my third lap my lead was holding up, and I was right on long-time friend Robert Terra’s wheel. I felt really good, and my Grammo CX bike’s light and stiff build allowed me to bunny-hop the low set of log barriers at the end of the course, buying me some valuable time.
With one lap left, I pressed my SRAM shifter and my chain went straight up into the big ring-thankfully-and I pushed through the short, twisty grass section and down the sketchy descent before the steep climb. Afraid to shift back into my little ring, I destroyed what was left of my legs on the climb; but all I had left was the last set of barriers. I crossed the finish line muddy, tired and pretty stoked.
Paige (best coach in the world) and her son Will had come out to watch and cheer, as had Marianne from Placer Foothill Mountain Bike Club. I’m super thankful for all their support through the different race seasons.
I’m also stoked that I’ve finally gotten some good results and some solid wins this CX season.
Thanks to Grammo and Unreal Cycles for my amazing Grammo CX bike!
I’ll keep you up to speed on the 2011 Cyclocross season as we finally get some real CX weather.
Keep chasing…..

Well, That Was Awesome (Sierra Nevada State Champs)

2011-10-31T22:10:00.000-07:00

It felt weird to get up for a cross country race in October. Even weirder to get there four hours early to watch my Dad run the half marathon (Go Dad!) before all the races started. I actually got an extra hour of sleep in the car before I went to pre-ride the course. The Granite Bay course had finally dampened with the heavy rain a few weeks before, so the trails were nice and moist, which was a nice change from the summer dust. I felt awesome, and the weather was also…awesome. My bike? Awesome. The turnout? Awesome.
So, if it’s not too obvious, I was pretty stoked on the Sierra Nevada State Champs. It was on my home course and pretty much everything that day went awesome. There were 5 other 13-14 girls on the start line with me, and I’d never raced against any of them before, so I didn’t really know what to expect. My category also started with the cat 3 high school girls, and I didn’t know if I’d get to race with them either. But when the starter yelled “On your mark...Set…GO!” I hit the big ring on the sand start and found myself off the front of the pack immediately.
I didn’t look back when I hit the main climb, and in the first rock garden I was already passing the junior guys who’d started in the wave ahead of me. I learned (or was reminded of) the poor sportsmanship some young boys show when they realize they’re about to get passed by a girl (OH NO!!!!!!)
At the top of the course I was feeling awesome (yes…awesome). My Toa’s racy stiffness is perfectly crafted to destroy the climbs. I was feeling fast and loose on the descent, barely in control of my rear wheel around the turns. If it weren’t for that rad tacky dirt, I’d have crashed for sure. I didn’t know how far ahead I was, but I did know I wanted to be farther. I was pushing a huge gear on the flat section coming into the start/finish, and my legs were just starting to get to the point where I was feeling my gear choice.
I was still fighting my way through the junior boys all through my last lap, but I needed to pick up the pace. Easier said than done considering how difficult some of the boys were when it came to getting passed (by a GIRL!!!!!). By the top of the course I was through most of them and I was ready to pin the descent and flat into the finish. I knew this course so well I was fully willing to take some serious risks. I’ll admit that the downhilling I did at Northstar over the summer saved my butt a few times.
It was an awesome feeling to cross the finish line and hold my hands above my head. This would be my last cross country race as a Junior. Next year I’ll be a Cat 2 15-18. A State Championship win was a great way to end my last Junior season. I’m so proud of my accomplishments in Junior and I’m stoked to move up to 15-18.
After the racing was done I cooled off in the lake with some friends; Ventana racer Cayla Crockell and Mad Cat teammate John Bickel. We ended up headed to the podium completely soaked after an epic splash fight (you know, ‘cause we’re 5 years old and everything)
By the end of the day I was sore, exhausted (probably stinky) and pretty freaking stoked. It was an awesome day and I had an awesome race.
Congrats to Cayla for her 11-12 girls win and John for his 2nd place finish in the 11-12 boys. Thanks to my sponsors, teammates and family for the support and of course my Toa for once again delivering me to the finish line in one piece and taking the win.
Keep chasing…..

The final race of the season, Maui

2011-10-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

It has been a long season, this was my first entire Xterra season yet. 10 months ago I set a goal of getting to Maui and having some fun along the way. It wasn't an easy season, had its ups and downs but man it was sweet. October 23rd came fast and before I knew it I was packing my gear for Maui to race against the worlds best in one of the prettiest places on earth. I have to thank Grammo and Standing Stone Brewing Company for their on going support this season because with out it there is no way I would have been able to get to half the races I did.

The night before my flight was out I still wasn't packed for Maui. I got home from work around 12:30 am and needed to leave the house by 2 am to make my flight which was out at 8:30 am leaving from Portland. I decided I should probably check the Stan's sealant as I hadn't changed it in 3 months. Man was I glad I checked that . . .

It was all dried up, I added some sealant packed everything up and was on my way to the airport. I didn't account for rush hour traffic in Portland and ended up missing my plane. The best they could do was get me out the next day. No biggie just had to kill a day in Portland. I phoned a friend and set up a place to stay. I'd like to thank Erin for that as well as Barbra for hosting me.

I made it to the airport with lots of time to spare and made it on the plane with no issues. I was headed to Maui. I had never been to Hawaii before, I was excited to see Maui and get in some warm water. Stepping of the plane and making my way towards baggage pick up I was greeted with this view . . .

My good friend and racing buddy was on his way to pick me up from the airport and head back to the condo. One stop before the condo, I managed to forget my pedals so new ones where needed. The drive to the condo was gorgeous. When we arrived we decided to set the bikes up and just take it easy for the day and go out and do a very lite pre-ride on Saturday.

The pre-ride was interesting, we hit a little single track and decided to keep it to 4 miles to make sure we didn't burn ourselves out. The course was beautiful, however it did not play to any of my strengths. Not a technical bit on the entire course and 80% jeep road with tons of climbing. Something around 4,000 feet and then the run course had 1300 feet of climbing in just 6.2 miles. On top of all this climbing it was hot. Coming from Southern Oregon I was not ready for the humidity.

Bike Course Profile

Run Course Profile

After seeing the course and riding for just a bit in the heat I knew it was going to hurt, I just under estimated the level of pain I was about to experience. Race morning and it was crazy 675 ish of the best in the Off Road Triathlon world were toeing the line getting ready for the mass start swim. Crazy, I've been in some pick swims this year but nothing like this . . .

The cannon blows and nothing else matters, its time to race. The swim was insane, the entire first lap I was in a pack of what felt like 75 constantly hitting and kicking everyone around me. By the second lap we thinned out a bit but was still in a pack. The water was gorgeous and crystal clear, you could see the ocean floor the entire swim. I exited the water and was a little bit better than middle of the pack. I felt alright but as always I was exited to get on the bike.

The bike started with a climb on pavement, I decided I was going to try to pace myself for this race because of all the climbing. Up the road to the single track there must have been a pack of 50 people. A racing buddy of mine passed me and I jumped on his rear tired. Kept on it for the first 2 to 3 miles until we hit the jeep road. I just couldn't keep his pace. Slowly I watched him disappear. This would be the case for the next 6 or so miles, people would pass I'd hang on, heart rate would spike and I would have to let them go. At mile 8 we hit the down hill. Time to catch some people back. I was passing people by the dozen, my gps read top speed of 38, I was hanging it all out there trying to catch all those that passed me. After the big decent we had a lot of small up and downs. I found myself exchanging places with a lot of people for the next 6 miles. They would catch me on the climbs ( Due to my lack of fitness) then I would reel them in on the downhill. There was this one girl in particular who hollered out as I was bombing past her on a decent " I'll see you on the next climb" I just smiled. And sure enough the next climb there she was. At this point of the race I was just out there to have a good time and I was. The bike was coming to and end and the run was right around the corner.

Heading into transition for the run I had a few supporters cheering me on. It was great to have a friend and riding buddy from home at the race. John just happened to be in Maui the same time as the race. My goal for the run was just to survive. That is exactly what I did. I could not believe how hot it was, the humidity was killing me. I was taking my time at the aid stations making sure to get as much fluid as possible to keep the cramping at bay. About half way thtough the run the helicpoter that was videoing the race was right above the pack I was in and this for some reason motivated me to pick up the pace a little. The run course was essentially straight up for three miles then down with one little climb at the end. I have to admit I did more walking than I have ever done before, it was painful. I wasn't able to open it up on the downhill like I normally can. With the beach in site and the noise of the crowd I was thrilled to be on the verge of finishing. The beach run was extremely hard and I saw a age grouper just ahead and knew I wanted to catch him. And I did, I pushed and left everything I had out there.

Man was I excited to be done. That was a hard course, on a hot day. During the race I questioned what I would be doing next season, but as I cooled off after the race slightly disappointed with my results I told myself I'll be back. It was an awesome experience and seeing Lance Armstrong race and being out there racing the same time as him was awesome.

I ended up 16th out of 27ish in my age group and 327 out of 675ish. A ways of my goal with a time of 3 hours and 42 minutes. This race left me hungry for better results. I am a little relieved that the season is over and I can go back to just having some fun for a little while before I have to start working on base training. Coach said I can take 3 weeks to do nothing. YAY . . . next season I think I am going to do the entire Oregon Super D series and 5 Xterra's most likely making the Canadian Championship my A race. Towards the end of the season I got a little burned out, next season I am going to do my best to keep that from happening. However right now I am itching to get back to training. It has been a little over a week with nothing, I'm already putting my schedule together for next year. Man this stuff is addicting !!!

Here is a short video put together by the great people with Xterra TV reviewing the race . . .

In the Interim

2011-10-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

Hey all! So, I'm still Casted. I know last week I said I was hoping to have it off and race Sacramento Cyclocross #3 at Condon Park , but the doctor thought otherwise. He told me that he wouldn't take the cast off until November first. All my feelings about the cast that I expressed about the cast last week still apply (I hate it, it's terrible, it's messing up training, I hate it, it's annoying, oh, and, I HATE IT) I was hoping to get the cast off this week, so I could race Folsom Rodeo Cross #2, and ride this weekend, but alas, here I am typing with a cast still shackled to my arm.

On the bright side, I did very well on my finals in school, pulling out a solid 4.0. Also, last night I had my final high school cross country running race of the season. I ran an 18:16 3 mile XC race, 47th out of 87 varsity guys. I am finally getting back to the times I was hitting before I was sick a few weeks back. Our HS team has continued to destroy this season, we had 6 guys in the top 10 of the varsity race last night, our boys and girls winning 2 more league banners for our school. Now over half of the banners our school has have been won by Cross Country or Track. Hopefully next year will be even better, and good luck and congratulations to our guys and girls moving on to sections and state.

I, however, am now fully into CX mode. I have still been hitting gym workouts with my coach, Paige Ramsey, while I haven't been able to ride. I have also still been running and working on my bikes. Since I haven't been able to race CX yet, I have been volunteering at all the local events. I got to try my hand at being an announcer last weekend, as well. Supposedly I was a big hit, everyone said I was a natural, and fun announcer. I had a great time. I filmed a bunch of the Folsom Rodeo Cross this past Wednesday night, and a friend is going to make it into a video. I will share it with you guys, my awesome readers, as soon as it is ready. It has still been very weird to be at all these races but not race, I cannot wait to get this cast off on Tuesday and go shred. I am hoping all the running will make for super fast barrier running next week. I'm planning on racing Folsom Rodeo cross on Wednesday, then there is a double CX weekend. On Saturday the is a race at Lembi Park in Folsom, and on Sunday there is a race at the Folsom Rodeo Grounds. It is gonna be a wild and crazy weekend of Cross, I hope to see you all out there! I'll keep you posted! Have a happy Halloween!

Improved Customer Support

2011-10-25T16:10:00.000-07:00

Grammo is always striving to better our customer experience and today we've taken the next step.

We've added click to chat to our website http://grammo-bici.com

Whenever you see the icon above in the lower right corner of the website, http://grammo-bici.com, there is a customer service representative available to help you.

You can now have quick questions answered as well as receive updates on your order without having to make costly international calls or wait for a response by email.

As well as chatting with us on our website you can join fellow Grammo-Bici supporters on our facebook to ask questions, show off your bikes, and share stories about your rides.

https://www.facebook.com/GrammoBici

Final prep for Maui

2011-10-19T17:37:00.000-07:00

David, sponsored Xterra athlete, prepped and packed his Toa 29er into its Polaris bike case today ready for his trip to Hawaii.

He leaves tomorrow morning and will be competing in the 2011 Xterra World Championship in Maui, HI.

Read more about the event here: http://www.xterraplanet.com/maui/index.html

Stay tuned for updates on David's Progress.

Best of luck David!!!

Casted

2011-10-17T22:17:00.000-07:00

Hey all. So, a few weeks ago, I broke my arm. Remember when I said that I raced downhill? Well I didn’t mention that I crashed in my practice run, and then raced on it anyway. It kept hurting really bad, so I ended up going and getting it X-rayed the next night. And what do you know, it was a hairline fracture to the radius. A week later, I had to go back in and get it casted, after the swelling went down. And then, I got to discover just how much casts SUCK!

So, with this cast, I am not allowed to ride. Only ride the spin bike, at the gym. I wasn't able to race the last cyclocross race, so I volunteered to work registration. That is a hectic job! It was very strange for me to be at the event but not racing, but I still had a good time. It’s a good thing my doctor is letting me run, beause otherwise I think I would go crazy from lack of training. The cast does start to smell after a while, though, from the sweat of working out. But I am still running in it, and I have even raced in the rain with it! That is the bright side of the cast. The doctor had said that if I didn’t get it casted, he wouldn’t let me do ANYTHING!

However, I am right handed. The cast is on my right wrist/hand. See the problem? It is very hard for me to write. When you are taking 3 college level courses that are writing intensive (AP Language and Composition, AP US History, and AP Calculus), struggling to write is maddening. All we do in AP Lang & Comp is write essays, practice writing essays, and talk about writing essays. AP US isn’t as bad, only tons of notes. But everything in Calculus has to be written out. So, this is incredibly irritating. And all of this was happening going into midterms. I ended up doing pretty good on my midterms though, so that’s good. It’s also hard to use utensils, which took some learning. Good thing nothing can keep me from a good meal! Even with the cast, I still remain in good spirits and grades, and full of good food.

I may have cheated a bit on the whole, “no riding” thing. After we finished a bunch of renovation/reclamation on a friends pump track, I might have jumped on a bike and shredded a bit. Maybe ;) It was fun! But that’s about all I have riding wise. I’ve been a little frustrated, and I would be even antsier to ride if I wasn’t still running my butt off. My last high school Cross Country running race should be coming up shortly, just as cyclocross season is getting going for me. Hoping to see all of you out at the next Sacramento Cyclocross race on Sunday, it’s gonna be awesome!! I may be able to race this weekend, if the doctor takes my cast off this week. My advice to you this time: Don’t break bones! Other than that, keep shedding, my friends. I’ll keep you posted!

It Began With A Dream

2011-10-14T10:43:00.000-07:00

I get asked all the time how I got into bike racing…and I honestly have a foggy memory of it. I can’t remember far enough back to a time that I didn’t race. It’s a part of me…without it I would never be the same. But when I was 7 years old, racing a bright yellow Kona Makenna, I never thought I’d have the opportunity to go as far as I have. I never thought I’d get to go to Nationals someday. But I had a dream...and here I am.

I can’t do justice to the way my heart swells when I walk into my garage and see the three beautiful pink Grammo bikes that I have the privilege to race. In some ways, these bikes are my very best friends. They will always be right under me when I need them, they’ll never abandon me. Bikes are one thing that can make me smile when I feel like crying. And no matter how many times I crash, or have a bad race, nothing could ever make me love racing less. Nothing will ever be able to make me happy the way racing does.

I know how hard it’s going to be, how much blood, sweat and tears…how many hours in the saddle, how many early mornings and how many 10 hour drives. But in the end it’ll all be worth it. And I know I’ll do whatever it takes to live my dreams of being a pro mountain bike racer.
So, when people ask me how I got into racing, maybe I’ll just say two words. A dream …and that’s what keeps me going still today. A dream.
Keep chasing…

The New Guy: Love at First... Ride?

2011-10-11T14:41:00.000-07:00

Whoever said that love at first sight doesn’t exist is probably right. Love at first ride, however, is a different story. Now, now! Don’t be dirty; I’m talking about a bicycle.

I first laid eyes on the pink C3 when I saw Asa’s and Avery’s bikes at a local criterium. Was I jealous? Yes. Did I want one? Uh, yeah! Pink and black are my favorite colors, but I wasn’t on the market for a bike just yet. Later on, I decided that I needed an upgrade and after several different rides on many different bikes and plenty of heartbreak, Avery’s mom, Kris, offered to let me ride and race Avery’s bike.

Since I obviously didn’t decline the offer, I rode it a few times and then took it to the Winters Road Race in, you guessed it, Winters, CA. Avery’s a bit taller (okay, okay… so I’m short!) so the bike was a bit too big for me, but it had a great feel to it and it was light. The uphill was fine (though she has a standard crank on it and I usually ride a compact. Found that out on the up – whoops!), the handling was amazing, and the descent was even easier.

I was sold.

A couple of weeks later, Kris gave me the okay to ride the bike at the Folsom Cyclebration Criterium. Once again, the bike was too big and I definitely felt it after being in the drops for 40 minutes, but the handling, cornering, and speed surges were no problem on it.

Actually, the cornering was amazing. (I know, the stem is too high. The whole bike was too high!)

I also took the bike to Sac State to attract more people to join our cycling club. It worked. People loved it, others couldn’t stop from touching it, some drooled over it, and many asked questions.

Very importantly, as a 24-year old college student, I have to say, awesome dude magnet.

Did I mention I was sold?

So, I did the natural thing and called Peter and ordered a bike. As far as components I got full Sram Force and a compact crank. Pink brakes, pink skewers. Pink, pink, pink! I just need to get a pink/black saddle and

I’ll be golden! I didn’t get the awesome wheels that Avery’s bike has because I want those to be my carrot for when I get enough points for a category upgrade. Hey, gotta have something, right?

After [im]patiently waiting for my bike to arrive, taking it out of the box, and jumping like a little school girl, I took it to Asa’s and she built it for me because, as we all know, she’s awesome. Once I got the message that it was done, I once again jumped like a school girl while smiling like a fool and went to pick it up. Got a quick fit and off I was. I got a new toy!

I’m looking forward to the race season. I’ll be racing collegiate again, and, as far as I know, I’ll be the only one on a Grammo out there. Not only on a Grammo, but on an awesome pink and black Grammo! On a frame that’s just my size, too. This is my very first nice race bike. I predict that there will be some hurt being thrown out there.

I was wrong... Love at first sight exists.

(Cyclo) Cross My Finger

2011-10-09T11:05:00.001-07:00

Cyclocross…it’s a pretty crazy sport in the first place, but combine it with a broken finger and you get pure insanity.

The first Sacramento CX was last Saturday, and the day before I’d broken my finger. Honestly, I was in denial over my broken finger and I just kept telling myself it was fine and I would hardly notice it. Boy, was I wrong.

My finger felt pretty good when I got on the trainer, but I still had my splint on. For the race, I taped my broken finger to it’s neighbor in hopes it would help stabilize it. When I got to the start line I was still optimistic about my finger, and on my first lap it felt pretty good. The finger didn’t really start to give me any trouble until my third lap. As much as I hate to say it, I wasn’t surprised. It was a bumpy, rough, technical course on a fully rigid Cyclocross bike. By the time I got to my 5th lap pain shot through my finger with every little jolt. It was pretty humiliating, to be honest, to be seen by so many people when I was looking like I was about to cry. Trust me, I was. It was a lose-lose situation for me, because if I gripped the bars too tight my finger hurt, and if I didn’t grip hard enough the bars would wobble around and jar my finger.

I ended up finishing 7th in the Women’s B, which wasn’t bad but I expected better. It was a bummer, to be there on a beautiful day with an amazing bike and for one finger to mess it up. Ironic, though, that the broken finger happened to my middle finger. At the time I would have liked to give a middle finger to my broken middle finger.

But no more of Ms. Grumpy Gills, it’s time to talk about this amazing bike I mentioned. My full carbon, light-as-a-feather and totally pinked out Grammo C3CX. It’s got Mavic Ksyrium wheels, a full SRAM Apex group, anodized pink Grammo Cantilever brakes, and hot pink IRD Crossfire tires. The frame is full carbon with pink graphics with a blackish composite base. It’s just plain beautiful. But what is beauty worth when you’re soaked in mud? Nothing. But this bike rides like a dream. It’s a super stiff frame, so it’s snappy and provides me with amazing acceleration.

Anywhoo, hopefully my season turns sunny-side-up and I can put some wins in on the C3CX. Until then, keep chasing…

Air Time

2011-10-02T12:15:00.001-07:00

Hey all! So, last weekend was Air Time weekend. The first Sacramento Cyclocross of the season. The venue and the course were awesome, I had never caught that much air on a CX bike, ever! There was also a good power section along the back of the race. This was my first CX race in men's B, and I did alright. I took off with my customary start that I honed during mountain bike season, it is indispensable for hole shots. I led about half the race, or took turns pulling with someone else. I was feeling really good, and having a ton of fun. There was a really cool pump track section on the course, which even had a bridge going over another section. A lot of people were able to catch air off some of the lips, which I personally had never done on a CX bike. I had a blast, and I can't wait for the next race.

Afterward, I got to hit up the indoor pump track on my dirt jump bike. This resulted in some fun hang time, using up my remaining energy. That was a workout!! But it was worth it, there were a couple of cool wall rides, and about a million wicked lines. I also got to watch this crazy kid on a bmx bike bust out 360s.

The next day, I had my very first downhill race, the Tara Llanes Classic at Northstar. I had blast, but my race didn't go quite as well as I had hoped. I still had a great time, and got to see some of my good friends, and had a great day riding with great people. I was pretty happy with my riding later in the day, I had never hit a lot of the jumps as big as I did. Practiced some very nice show air coming down live wire, boosting higher than ever, and I finished every run of the day with a giddy smile and laughter. I really enjoyed my weekend of flight, I wonder my total time off the ground? Anyway, more CX to follow, I'll keep you posted!