Tucked in close until needed.

Colorado front range mountain bike rides require cyclist to be prepared for flats. Tubed tires are subject to pinch flats bouncing over rocks or slamming 3 foot drops and slow leaks caused by goatheads or the occasional prickly pear cactus encounter all spell doom.   Even the sealant ready tubeless followers burp a bead on a switchback or don’t outrun multiple punctures from off trail excursions. Use tubeless,carry a tube.

The need to carry a tire pump is not debated. But which one?  The Topeak Race Rocket MT introduced this year has a boatload of  advantages when it comes to pumping up a dead tire on the trail.   The 4 ounce Race Rocket MT features high volume strokes to 90 psi and  includes a bottle cage boss side mount bracket.  The pump mounted solidly on my Yeti Big Top 29er bottle cage brackets and missed the crank by over a half inch. 

Dual head featues mount directly to Presta or Schrader valves.

Fears of breaking off a tire stem are eliminated with the flexible hose available on the MT.  Hands down, the Topeak Race Rocket MT beats anything offered on the .com world for trail ready pumping systems.

At the end of another great race season, major sponsor Topeak’s Byron Tsai joined founder Stephen Lechner and Dave Strouse for a Rockies game in Denver.  Byron and friend Jeff were in the Mile High City following the Las Vegas Interbike show.

Yeti’s Steve Hoogendoorn also treated the pair to a round of golf before their 12 hour trip back to Taiwan.  Topeak furnished COMOtion Sports with new canopies, tools and team products once again in 2011.

The team was driven by some of the very best mountain bike racers in Colorado including Katie Sodergren. Katie was the top COMOtion racer and lead the  series point standing in the Cat 1, 19-29 group with 3, 274 points.  She competed in 13 of the 16 events.  According to rules, two of her scores were dropped from the tally.

She is currently a student at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  Sodergren will graduate as a  math major next spring and then return in the fall to student teach at a front range school.

Katie’s parents are very supportive.  Scott and Debbie Sodergren are her number one fans.  “They were at every race and have always supported me through athletics and academics”  said Katie.   “My dad used to play football for the University of Missouri back in the day and instilled a love for sports in me. Throughout the years, he has been my basketball coach, track coach and lately, my bike riding buddy” noted Sodergren.  “We have a great time together and I wouldn’t be where I am today without him”  she stated.

Katies’ current biking goals are now focused on the collegiate season.  ” I would really like to podium at Nationals this year down in Angel Fire.  After that, I hope to get my pro license for the following summer and just see where it can go” commented Sodergren.

” I am so thankful to have the COMOtion team behind me. It is a great group of people who love to ride and race bikes. I loved having the support of a team at every MSC race and am so glad to have met everyone” she said.

Katie stated,  “Previous to this season, everything I used was a hand me down or through the CU team. Sponsors like Topeak,  Pearl Izumi, Smartwool, Optic Nerve, Yeti and Crank Brothers made my season possible.  It has been a great summer and I am really going to miss seeing everyone”.

We wish Katie the best in the future and know that the team would not exist without spirits like hers.  See all the team member’s MSC  efforts here.

Let’s get ready for Cross season.

Although the Roger offers removable side shields, leave them on for cycling.  The protection served up for the peripherals keeps dirt, stray light and tree branches at bay without fogging or heat buildup. Prescription lense friendly, these glasses are a perfect match for on and off the bike activities. Just get some.

Roger That by Optic Nerve

Not satisfied with dominating the Mountains States Cup Series , COMotion racers lapped up  Breckenridge’s ultra-endurance races like they were ice cream. 

Over the 4th of July holiday, 4 of 5 COMo racers finished on the podiums.  Holly Wade (5:38), Single Speed Women, 1st place, Gary Peterson (6:12), Cat. 1 -60+ 2nd place, Mark Thompson (4:38), Single Speed Men, 2nd place, Stephen Oliver (4:46), Cat. 1 35-39,  2nd place. And Ben Truitt (5:38) 11th ,in the tough Cat 1, 30-34.  WE ROCK Even On Slack Time!

As for our Junior racers and Cat 2 men and women they were treated to a shorter race in mileage, but still ultra challenging with lots of climbing and steep rocky descents that wouldn’t let you relax.  Even though this ski area race course was shorter it still packed a punch to our Cat 2 and Junior racers.  Crested Butte has always been known to have the hardest XC race on the MSC circuit every year and they certainly did not disapoint this year!

Finisher’s for Comotion were the following:

Will Lewis – 6th Cat 1 Men’s 19-29

Ben Truitt – 14th Cat 1 Men’s 30-39

Ryan Schultz – 15th Cat 1 Men’s 30-39

Brian Nesbitt – 9th Cat 1 Men’s 40-49

Chad Sensenig – 10th Cat 1 Men’s 40-49

Katie Sodergren – 2nd Cat 1 Women’s 19-29

Jenny Gilkerson – 4th Cat 1 Women’s 19-29

Lynne McDade – 4th Cat 1 Women’s 40-49

Justin White –  2nd Cat 2 Men’s 19-29

Melissa Archey – 3rd Cat 2 Women’s 40-49

Adin Baird – 4th Junior Men 14-Under

We did have one tragedy on course, Chris Taylor (Cat 2 Men 30-39) was trying to chase down a competitor when he came into a technical section a little (LOT) to fast and went superman style over the bars.  He gathered himself to get down the mountain, but has a broken Collarbone and some nasty scrapes and bruises.  Unfortunately he’ll be out of commission for most of the rest of the MTB season, but that just means he’ll be a lot fresher for cyclocross season in the fall!!!

Trailer extraordinaire Dave Strouse represented Comotion on the gravity side in Sunday’s Super D race.  Even though Dave was competing against guys 20 years younger then him, he still finished a respectable 14th.  I heard he didn’t get the hole shot, but did plenty of passing!

A few tools that helped Comotion racers during the Wildflower rush came to us from Smartwool, Optic Nerve, and Powerbar.  With trail conditions changing from dense forrest, to wide open fields the Optic Nerve Photomatic glasses were definately beneficial during this race.  When conditions are uncertain, these are always my go to glasses.  The len’s actually change intensity based on the light conditions you are in so they are not to dark when you drop into the trees, but you are not blinded by the sun when you come out of the trees into an open field.  These glasses are well vented so fogging never effects their performance.

The Smartwool ultralight cycling socks were ideal for this race.  Starting temperature was kinda cool around 50 degrees, but when the race ended the temperature was well into the upper seventies.  Even though my body was tired my feet stayed comfortable during the entire race.  Even after numerous shoe deep creek(river) crossings my feet felt comfortable with no irritating rubbing or hot spots.  Best yet was even though these socks ended up brown from all the river crossings they went though, one trip through the wash and they look and feel good as new!!

With over 4 hours in the saddle for our Cat 1 and singlespeed racers, having enough nutrition to stay strong during the race is essential.  For me the Powerbar gels and blasts keep me feeling good all race long.  First I empty a few gels into a flask for easy consumption on the bike.  My favorite is to take 3 chocolate and 2 vanilla’s and mix them up in the flask.  This way you get a smooth consistency, but still really good flavor.  Before the race, gel blasts are key.  They are easy to eat and taste really good.  My favorite are the cola ones pictured.  They taste just like you are chewing on a coke!  Sustained energy is key during a race like this a Powerbar provides it to me though their gels and blasts.

Next up for Comotion Sports will be Full Tilt In Telluride on July 8th.  Then look for Comotion to be hosting the hospitality tent with to

Toolsticks Chosen Over Three-ways

Over  85% of the tools needed to maintain and tune a modern mountain or road bike can be found on two tools.  The historic choice among bike shop and race team mechanics was a pair of blue and green three-ways.  Topeak  has obsoleted that duo.  Eight versus six.  Do the math.

The Topeak Toolstick  11 and 22 offers the 7 most commonly used hex wrench sizes plus  a # 2 Phillips screwdriver in a pair of pocketable  bike wrenches.   From a 2mm Fox Shox top cap check to the  installation of an 8mm Crank Bros. pedal, the Toolsticks handle the range.  High and low derailleur adjustments don’t require another dig through the toolbox.

Three-ways don’t fit in a pocket or bend to allow engagement on tight access hex heads.  The Toolsticks rotate straight out to perform quick multi-revolution tasks then folds to a perfect 90⁰ for a final precise tightening.

Sorry blue guys, the Topeak  11 and 22 Toolsticks are now my favorite multi-function quick tool duo.

I’ve ridden a few 29′ers in recent years and can honestly say that Yeti did their homework on this one. I wasn’t too sure about the aluminum front at first…  I thought, ‘why not all carbon?’ Having ridden all carbon 29er’s before  I thought going to aluminum would seem harsh and unforgiving. Not the case with this bike. It’s a precision instrument for carving single track, and the carbon rear acts to take the edge off rough terrain. What it adds in weight (in the front triangle), it makes up for in high speed stability and neutral handling. This bike can take a beating and come back for more. I really notice it’s forgiving handling capabilities on more technical riding when I’m tired. It seems that the bike can ride itself with very little input from me. The front end is a good mix of travel (100mm Fox fork) for a 29′er hardtail, and made stiff with a 15mm thru axle.

I have mine set up as a singlespeed, and the sliding rear SS drop-outs are a joy to behold. After using various other SS set-ups over the years, this is the best I’ve used. They are easy/quick to adjust, solid, and quiet. You can take the wheel off, if need be, without having to adjust your chain tension, or your disc brake. Also, there is enough adjustment that you can run several different cog sizes up or down and not have to adjust your chain length. Overall, this is what I’ve come to expect from Yeti… a well thought out design followed by careful execution. This is a great first foray into what I hope will be many more 29′er models coming out of the Yeti factory!