Weight Training Program

I need to HTFU in a big way, since I registered for the Open Men’s Single Speed category in the Gravel Race at the 2015 State Games of America, so I’ve added weight training to the mix. 

The Trap Bar Dead Lift is a favorite of strength coaches: it combines most of the benefits of the Squat and Dead Lift, avoids most of the pitfalls and injury tendencies of both, and allows you to lift heavier, more safely. 

  

The Trap Bar Progrssion I’m using is the T Nation 100 Rep Trap Bar Workout 

Trap-Bar Progression (pick a weight that allows you to complete the work sets)

  • Week 1: 6 x 8 
  • Week 2: 6 x 10 (same as wk 1)
  • Week 3: 7 x 8 (+ 10 lbs)
  • Week 4: 7 x 10 (same as wk 3)
  • Week 5: 8 x 8 (+ 10 lbs)
  • Week 6: 8 x 10 (same as wk 5)
  • Week 7: 9 x 8 (+ 10 lbs)
  • Week 8: 9 x 10 (same as wk 7)
  • Week 9: 10 x 8 (+ 10 lbs)
  • Week 10: 10 x 10: (same as wk 9)

Soma ES Build

    

No shit, I idealized, and then built this bike around a vintage Campagnolo Chorus Aero seatpost. Sorta like that faucet commercial: “Build a house around this.”

Soma ES Frame, it’s my second Soma. Soma did a great job with this frame: it’s light, smooth, and takes fat rubber for a caliper road bike. I put a blingy Chris King headset on it, so I’d be taken seriously. 

Soma Highway One bars, Soma stem, and Fizik VSX saddle, cause I need the peepee groove. 

Campagnolo Record Ultrashift 10 sp drivetrain, long cage rear, Chorus front mech, Record UT compact crank with Rotor 50/34 rings. KMC X10 chain. It has a chainkeeper on the downtube, because sometimes shit happens on bumpy gravel roads. 

Velo Orange Grand Cru long reach caliper brakeset. I generally think caliper brakes are a joke, but it’s because I’d never used anything like these before. Uh-maze-ing. 

HED Belgium C2 hoops, laced to Hope hubs. They sound like a swarm of angry bees. I wrapped 32mm Panaracer Pasela PT tires around them. These things roll well on pavement, broken pavement, gravel, evrything. There’s room in this frame for even bigger rubber. I’m running a 12-30 cassette, because I’m fat, and it’s hilly in this part of the state. 

I’m very happy with it, it came in at 9.8kg, 10kg was my target. Campy brifters shift like a rifle bolt, there’s almost unlimited front mech trim in them, The completed bike is light’ish (I’m 100kg, so light is relative), it rides nice, shifts well, I love it. 

Campagnolo Record Crank cleanup

I don’t recommend ordering used cranks, especially used cranks that take $300 chainrings. But, if the price is right, (like $189 for Campy Record CT crankset), and you’re planning on replacing the rings anyway, (like with Rotor Q Rings), go for it. 

Before: 


After new rings, bearings, seals, and cups:

New Rotor Q Rings, ordered from Deutschland, $190 instead of $280 domestic. The Dollar is strong right now. 

Total cost:

  • Used Record CT Ultra Torque Crank $189
  • Rotor Q Rings 50/34 110/113 BCD $189
  • New Campy ceramic CULT bearings $35
  • New UT BB Cups $26

Total: $439 for a Campy Record crank with new rings and BB. I’m happy.