Shama Cycles

NAHBS 2011

2011-03-03T08:19:00.001-06:00

NAHBS 114 a photo by shamacycles on Flickr.

For the past 5 years a custom frame builder Don Walker has been putting on the North American Handmade Bike Show in different parts of the country each year. Frame makers from all over the country come together to show their craft and pride of their work. No, there are no Treks, Specialized, Cervelo, Giant, Orbea, or any big box stock bikes. What was there? Well the brands that Shama Cycles offers...Guru, Moots, Alchemy, Kirklee, and many more hand made custom frame makers. Shama Cycles went to represent Guru at the show with with the DFU (Dynamic Fit Unit) and 5 Guru dream builds at the Guru booth with Robert Pinazza from Guru. Also we brought two Alchemy bikes of ours to show at the Alchemy booth as well as the Wood Kirklee bike for the Kirklee booth. It was very flattering to be able to have bikes built up for our clients that are show worthy. It was a busy and tough 3 days but we made it through. Being able to see all the friends who drove up from Houston to Austin was great and so was being able to meet new people there and talk to them about Guru and the benefits of custom and talk about how we build these dream machines. One highlight of the show was a frame that Kirklee made for Analise Thompson which she wanted painted based on the art work of Van Gogh's Starry Night. We found the frame painter who could pull it off and got back a pure work of art. The work was so stunning that it was the most photographed frame of the show and won BEST PAINT of the entire show. With that finishing off the weekend...we left Austin on a high!

A Shama Guru CR901 at AG Nationals!

2010-10-04T08:14:00.003-05:00

I am very proud of the bikes I build and every once in a while one will grab attention that you would not have expected. Recently I built a bike for Krista and we chose pretty wild color scheme. Black with Florescent Yellow accents. A little worried about how loud it will be and did we pick it right. Well it came in and WOW its amazing! Built up even better and rolling....in a race...FORGET ABOUT IT! THIS IS ONE BAD MACHINE!!! Check out the USAT Teaser video here at about 1:20 seconds in you will see Krista and this rocket under her FLYING down the course as she blows by a guy on the right. Sure...maybe he was in the 50+ AG but still...its a hell of a pass. haha Jokes aside, its a proud moment for me to see one of my creations make a clip like this...and proud to see Krista flying the Shama colors out at such a big race. Rock on Krista!!!!

http://http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/2010/09/27/watch-the-highlight-video-teaser-from-usat-age-group-nationals/38744?ngb_id=12

A Guru Photon for Joe, a year long upgrade

2010-08-17T23:33:00.001-05:00

JoeF Photon 012
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

Joe came to me this time last year with his stock Fuji carbon frame road bike with 105 components. He was not all that comfortable and wanted a fit. We changed up the fit some and I mentioned some upgrades to enhance the fit further. See Joe was not the standard male body type at all...or the typical cyclist body type. Joe hits the gym hard and looks more like a football player than a roadie...throw in his long legs, short torso and long arms and you have a need for some changes in a big way.
We changes the cranks, then the bar and stem and with each change he loved the improvement in his weekend rides where he found more speed and comfort. Next came new shifters, brakes, and derailluers...being geeked out over the performace of the shifting, braking and the weight he has been dropping off his Fuji he decided to get some better wheels as well. By this time we have changed everything. Everything but the frame. Finally after months of change after change and increased riding enjoyment he upgraded the frame. Guru Photon...custom made to be as tall as he needed it to be while having the perfect reach he needed. The parts list included Deda bar and stem, Zero G GSL brakes, Selle SMP Carbon Lite saddle, Sram Force shifters and derailluers, Rotor 3D cranks, SABB, and Q-Rings, Arundel cages, Hed Stinger 4 FlameRouge wheels with Schwalbe Ultremo tubulars with Nokon cables. This brought his 21lbs Fuji stock bike to a 14lbs Guru Photon bad a$$ rocket ship.
Oh, and how does it ride? Well on his first outing on the new frame when he normally would have been dropped from the attacks at 26mph and up Joe chased down one of his friends at 31mph and stayed away with him till the rest stop. Which prompted from all his friends, questions as to what has he been doing differently in his training and such. His response was...its the frame.
I loved going through this journey with him and finally completing it with an amazing finished product. The only bummer is now we are done...
Time to ride!

Guru Crono Retro fitted for internal Di2

2010-08-17T23:05:00.001-05:00

Newest 012
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

When this rig was ordered at the end of 2008 Di2 hadn't swept the scene yet...so it got the best of Sram and other parts of the time. Now its 2010 and while the owner would love a new rig...its kinda like why? What would be different? This bike fits perfectly and has taken him to podiums in nearly every race he has entered. How do you perfect perfection? Ahhh...I love a challenge. In sprints and Olys you often run through tight turns that on such a short bike count for time. You can't always carry speed through them so you slow down on your base bars only to try to accelerate in the wrong gear...costing you precious power and seconds. Bring in the Di2! So Rich wanted to get crazy low and rail corners like a pro! We used the Pro Missile drop aero bars with the full Di2 set up with the shifters on the brake levers as well. The install was great with the cables all running perfectly through the frame and set up was a breeze...just perfect. OMG I love this stuff! We also used the Zero Gravity Gravitas brakes for when he needs to slow down giong into T2. The crank set up is my fav....Rotor 3D cranks spinning a QRing set on a Quarq power meter. We also used a Rotor SABB ceramic bottom bracket and Tiso ceramic pulley wheels to have a friction free drivetrain. First race...I watch him come out of T1 going to a flying mount and he eats it. That's right...he biffed the running mount and hit the ground. My mouth dropped looking from afar at this catastrophy. I can't believe he ruined my flawless machine. No...I didn't care how he was...I didn't care what he did to his bike....I cared what happened to my creation and the results I was looking for him to get. haha He picked up his pride and his bike and remounted. Headed down the road and was on his way. Now I am worried that with uber tech this frame is I am worried that something is off and his race will be over shortly. But what is this? He finished the bike in good time and with a blood running down from his knee and all over his Guru he finished 2nd in his Age Group. Long story short, after 6 stitches and some blood loss...he LOVES the new set up and will work on his cyclocross skills some more before his next race.
See ya on the road!

Great video for us bike lovers...

2010-08-10T23:16:00.003-05:00

The latest...
Way too funny...though I will still not be the one gettin durty...

http://

DANCING BEAR, MOONWALKING BEAR, CYCLIST AWARE

2010-08-04T10:50:00.000-05:00

Pretty good, had to post. Its so true as one of my good friends was crashed off the road by a truck last night. Though we are pretty sure the truck saw him and was intentional.

Kirklee Goliath

2010-06-29T23:24:00.001-05:00

Kirklee Goliath
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

What started off as a simple quest to build a better bike than his current Trek Madone slowly became a monster of its own. First we chose the frame and of course being the number one Guru dealer in the country it would seem likely that we would build a Guru instead of some of the other fine frames that I offer in the shop. After listening to my client and what he wanted I leaned him towards the Kirklee. A small company based in Austin turning out custom frames that can easily be dialed in to what I would want for my clients needs. Light, smooth, and fun. Now the hard part...what to paint it. See with Kirklee we deal with a painter and the sky is the limit. After about a week of back and forth the owner settled in on an idea or a theme...WOOD. My first reaction was "no way", done poorly it would be a really horrible looking bike. As I thought about it longer I saw the potential here. Potential for something unique and set apart from the rest. After some more back and forth with the client, Kirklee and the painter we picked the shade, finish and grain of wood the paint is supposed to represent. After that we gave the painter artistic freedom to do what he does best....make it look amazing with out our own ideas mucking it up. The one thing we wanted was a branded look for the logos and name of the bike. If you notice the name on the bike says "Goliath". No, that is not the owners name, his name is David and is not very tall. Having a sense of humor about it he and his two sons came up with the name Goliath. Of course I think its great and fitting in a way....I knew this was going to be a big bike. Now with the custom tubing and geometry figured out and being made, the paint lined up, we then chose an Edge 1.0 fork to be painted in to match as well. Next in line was the selection of the components. We talked a while about each part and basically wound up with a pretty amazing build even if I do say so myself. Sram Red shifters, front D and rear D handle all the gear changes via the Power Cordz ultralight and smooth cable system. The gold KMC chain spins through two gold Tiso ceramic pulley wheels before rolling around a Dura Ace cassette mounted on a DT Swiss 240 hub laced with DT Swiss Aerolite spokes holding onto an Edge 45 carbon clincher rim...which rolls on a Schwalbe Ultremo DD tire. That gold chain spins through the rear via the power put down onto a set of Dura Ace pedals attached to a custom set of Lighting crank arms which turn over a set of Rotor QRings. The crank set up spins nearly frictionless thanks to a Zipp BB30 bottom bracket shell housing a set of Enduro Zero ceramic bearings. The Sram Red shifters are mounted on a Zipp Countor SL handle bar which is held in place by a New Ultimate stem that happens to match the very clean New Ultimate carbon seat post that holds onto the Selle SMP Carbon Lite saddle. If and when you ever want to stop this rig a set of Zero Gravity GSL brakes will slow you down nicely. The little add ons include a Soul Kozak seatpost clamp, a set of KCNC ti skewers as well as a very hard to come by pair of Emporelli bottle cages. Wit this huge list of parts selected on this rolling work of art...what does it weigh? Well of course even though the frame is small and made very light...its still pretty heavy due to the paint work....still this bike complete as shown in the pictures here tips the scale at 13lbs 9oz. I, was not even expecting it to be that light. Yep, I gotta say it, this bike even exceeded my own expectations!

GURU CR901 #2

2010-06-29T08:56:00.001-05:00

latest 036
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

So after having mine built up and raced on it with such a great result Trent Stephens finally got his. Soon I will get a report from Trent on his CR901 and how his race at Buffalo Springs on it went (he got into Clearwater) but from what I know from riding with him on it...he is faster. I know I am faster on mine. Enjoy the pics and more info and race reports on this machine soon to come.

Shama Cycles Open House

2010-05-17T23:32:00.001-05:00

OHHGC 034
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

Its been over a year since I opened the shop and never got around to having a grand opening. First, there was not much to see. Now that there is something to see and I like things low key and no pressure I decided throw an open house. Just all my friends/clients who helped get me here and of course....open to all those who have not yet made it by. It was great, lots of friends and got to meet some new ones as well. Just what it should be...a great time for all. Oh yeah, there were some new toys to look at, several sub 14lbs bikes, Dream Bike of the Year Guru Photon and the runner up bike by Kirklee...the actual bike they tested for it...sitting in my shop! AWESOME! Also I was lucky enough to get in my Guru 2.0 to display and make some people drool...and make some try to figure out how they are going to approach their wife about NEEDING another bike! haha What was funnier yet was some of the responses I got from those who couldn't make it. One of my girls that race for me explained how her financial adviser called and prohibited her from coming. LMAO that was a good one!
Till the next excuse for a party....

The Guru Crono 2.0 is in!!!!!

2010-05-13T14:04:00.005-05:00

Well today I am a lucky man. Well kinda. I got in the very first Guru Crono 2.0 and it happened to be mine. Which is totally awesome! But I don't have the bars I wanted to use, the time to put it together, or time to ride it till next week. ARG! What a tease. Well...here are some pics to drool over for now. More to come on this one. I CAN NOT WAIT TO BUILD IT AND RIDE IT! (sigh)

Custome Ti for the planes.

2010-05-13T09:07:00.001-05:00

Week2BCcrit2010 001
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

We all love sticking it to The Man. Mostly cause The Man is always trying to stick it to us! The Man for cyclist that travel is the airlines that try to charge up to $200 each way that you check your bike in. So what do you do? Rent a bike that doesn't fit? NOOOOOO! Instead of blowing tons of money check your bike in you blow tons of money to get a custom S&S Coupling titanium Guru Praemio. This bike has two couplers that are incredibly strong and secure along with three cable couplers for when the bike separates. Now the frame and wheels can fit into a case that can be checked in as regular luggage.

Workin on a Junior's bike...World Champion ambitions

2010-04-26T20:07:00.002-05:00

We all wish we could be like the pros, maybe race like the pros, be as fast as the pros, eat like the pros...still be as lean as the pros??? haha But most of us never will be. But our parents didn't get us started in racing at a young age like a pro so we can all blame them. So what happens when your parents do start you out young...some times in the junior ranks you strike gold and a talent is recognized. Such a thing has happened in the Houston Texas area with one young racer...Lawson Craddock. Around here we have known or known of Lawson for a while as he would kick our butts at the age of 14 in the crits. Get in a break with him and his lack of draft would only add insult to injury as you struggle to keep his pace. I know from first hand experience...yet he has moved on in the ranks and I have not. Again...I blame my parents. ;-) We have watched Lawson grow and get faster and get picked up by developmental teams so he can race in Europe and see where he can take this bike racing thing. Well...the home town boy has made good so far. Last year at the age of 17 he was 2nd in the Junior World Time Trial Championships and just this month he got third in the Junior Paris Roubaix road race. Yes, 116k of the same cobbles on the same day that Fabian Cancellara displayed his dominance. A-FREAKIN-MAZING! So when his dad asked for some help with the cabling issues on his new Cervelo P4 I jumped at the chance. Not only did I know that I could help them fix the problem and make it even better, but the chance to work on a bike that is going to be raced in this years Junior World TT Championships is pretty cool for someone in my line of work. Of course I asked Lawson all kinds of questions about Paris Roubaix and how tough it really is and how awesome it was to ride into that velodrome and stand on that podium. What a memory! Ok, yeah, I worked on the bike and bars, complaining about the stupid internal routing of the frame and installing my Nokons that fix so many things. Fun stuff and will make following him and his Rainbow jersey quest that much more exciting to follow. GO LAWSON! Houston is pulling for ya!

Dr. Photon

2010-04-15T09:03:00.001-05:00

Photons 011
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

I have known Mark for some time now and watched and helped him race a little here and then. Then finally this year he joined on to the Shama Cycles Race Team and his life has been better ever since in every aspect of his life...I believe even his wife loves him MORE because of it. haha ok, maybe not really. Ok seriously, I was able to work on his beloved Colnago in February getting him ready for a training ride in Colorado by fitting up the bars, stem, lighter brakes, better cranks with a compact option and new cables...oh yeah and upgraded from 10spd Campy to 11! I pulled a trick on him on his crank size and after a solid crit race later on, he was SOLD on my work and choices on his equipment as he was loving it. Now came the work to get him off the sloppy Colnago and onto something a little better. Finally after some gentle persuasion (a chair, spotlight, duct tape and a baseball bat) he ordered a Guru Photon. The geometry wasn't that far off from what he was on, but it was slightly longer and taller in the front...but the angles and BB drop were made to be all race. even down to the rider specific carbon layup which was beefed up to give him a frame that just won't move under him. No touring geometry here...this is a pure race machine. So we pulled all the new stuff off the Colnago and installed it right on the Photon with ease. Yesterday we did a quick fit on the trainer for some quick rides before we Retul it and even then when he stood up on the trainer and cranked on it....the bottom bracket didn't move. CRAZY! Not a big deal? Have you ever looked at your BB while on a trainer cranking out serious power...they all move when the rear is fixed.
The wheels here in the photos are Hed Jet 4 FRs which are his "training" wheels since his "race" wheels are Hed Stinger 6s. As Shown here...its 15lbs. With race wheels...14lbs. What an amazing frame!

Gateway To The Bay Olympic 2010

2010-04-13T09:25:00.001-05:00

Gateway Olympic 2010 208
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

If you read my take on the Sprint below, you will see how great I though the race was put on. The Olympic was just as good! Straight to the race. The big part was the relay. The relay usually never really gets any attention in a race but not at this race...it was the focal point. WHY? Andy Potts was part of a charity relay team as the swimmer and then had a biker and a runner who gave to the benefiting charity to win their chance to be on Team Potts. Then Team Reed had a swimmer and biker as Matt ran the run leg (31 minutes). Our friend Chris Sustala is a good triathlete and even better swimmer even though he is on the Tri On The Run Team, he mentioned to me how he wanted to race Andy Potts in the water but needs a biker and runner. Sounds good to me! I got Steve Quick who can do a 56min 40K and Mitch Sanders who can run a 33 minute 10K for the rest of the race wondering how bad ass these pros would swim and run as well as how good were their other relay partners? Plus would there be any other super relay squads giving it a go. Who won? Well team Shama Lama Dot Dong won! Which was quite an honor to have our guys on top of the podium with Matt and Andy on either side. Sure, not fair in a way but its the best chance any mortal has to finish ahead of such super star athletes. ;-)
We thought we would have the fastest time but the overall winner of the day actually was a minute faster than us. WHAT A FREAK that guy is. haha Then came the Age Groupers. Watching all the guys and girls just grind through the bike and run was awesome! I road the bike course and run course snapping shots and yelling encouragement too all! I saw many clients and team members in Shama gear and it just brought me great pride to see so many out there. It was a great race! Oh...something note worthy was Waly Yarrow as he's running strong at about mile 5 I see him and he points back behind him and yells out "bike for show or run for dough" LMAO! Referring to Greg Colvin and Nigel Willerton who flew by him on the bike only to be passed back up on the run. hahaha Gotta love it when friends are your biggest competitors!
The podiums?
Shama Lama Dot Dong Fastest Relay (Crono)
Carlye Graydon Masters Female (Magis)
Lisa Y 1st in AG (Crono)
Melanie S 3rd in AG (Magis)
Robin C 2nd in AG (Crono)
Jitka N 2nd in AG
Jon E 2nd in AG
Brett C 1st in AG (Crono)

I am proud of all who raced and flew the Shama Cycles colors! Great race weekend with great people!

Gateway To The Bay Sprint 2010

2010-04-13T08:56:00.001-05:00

Gateway Sprint 2010 092
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

This is a first year race, from a new group putting on races in the Houston area. Sure I own my own business but I can kinda control who I deal with and work with each person one on one to make sure that I served them well. In race promotion you open yourself up to 200 -2000 people who you might never see and who might have a bad day and blame the race directors or anyone. We all have either been at a race or ride and either had a friend who complained or we ourselves complained about something. Being the race director can be pretty tough and thankless. Well The On UR Mark Crew and On UR Left Coaching did an AMAZING JOB! WELL DONE! THANK YOU from Shama Cycles and all my athletes. Of all the people I talked to, heard from, saw or overheard I didn't hear anything bad at all. Amazinig. Sure, athletes complained about the water being rough, (um its an open water swim in the bay...hello) and the bridge on the course (again, its a race and this is what makes it great) but really that is just all part of racing a good course.

Kemah Boardwalk was a perfect place for a weekend of racing for the athletes and families. There are two races in two days and most any triathlete could very well race both days no problem. I had several Shama athletes race both days, some even placed better on the second day! For those traveling from out of town with a family I can not think of a better place for a race since the races are done fairly early you still have the day to hit the boardwalk and enjoy tons of rides and carnival type activities and some great food as its the restaurants that seem to anchor that place. Oh yes...and there is a Starbucks that opens at 7am there so if you are spectating...you can be sipping your caffeine crack fix while you watch your delirious racer pass by a couple times over the race.
I was down there to support my clients/athletes/friends. I got there before race start to set up the tent and then get some start pics. The race starts with the invitational wave and I have three in there. Trent Stephens and Andrew Strong both rode their Guru Merus tri bikes from Memorial Park (40ish miles) to the race as a warm up since they are a month out from Ironman St. George and then there is Diann Sweeney-Hjiusman who is racing on her new Guru Crono for the first time. Since they were the first out they were also the first to finish so their story is easy. Diann swam well, rode well and ran well, she came through so fast it would be something else to see if any other women out there can beat her....of course...no one did. Diann is just a great athlete and she killed it! Fastest chick of the day! Now back to Trent and Andrew....Andrew is not that great of a swimmer so he was way back in the swim and Trent is a great swimmer. They are both good on the bike so there was little ground made up there, but then came the run. I was out there riding around to get some shots of these two training buddies racing each other and Andrew caught up to Trent and they were running together. They told me they were going to Thelma and Louise it across the line which I thought was lame but I rode ahead to get the finishing shot and as I stopped at the line to grab my camera and get the shot these two guys were sprinting like mad on each other. I rushed to get a couple shots and saw Trent just barely get Andrew at the line by sticking his tongue out or something like that. They both got the same time but Trent came in 2nd and Andrew came in 3rd. For the rest of the day there was an amazing amount of trash talk as each gave a different version as to how the race played out. hahahaha LOVE IT! Their ride back was probably tougher than the race since they rode back with a very strong Cat 2 road racer and they both were still settling the score with each other. Trent said it was "aggressive". I guess when you are super strong athletes who are peaking for an Ironman I guess you can do such a thing. INSANE.
At the finish of those two crazies and Diann was Matt Reed and Andy Potts. WOW!!!!! They were in to race a charity relay the next day as well as be there to give medals to all the first timers of the weekend. Since there was no one else around we all got to meet them and talk a little. What two great guys. They were happy to be there, they were standing up in the sun hanging out, taking pics and signing what ever with genuine smiles the whole time. Even in talking to Matt Reed about parts and bikes and such he mentioned how he loves sprint tris and loves the speed of the race, but its not in his program so can't really do them. Funny...these guys love to race and happen to make some money at it...great to see such a love for the sport and support for it. Their presence added quite a bit to the event and that was great!
Everyone else seemed to have a good race and lots of fun. I had quite a few people I worked with as well as the usual suspects of FOPs. I helped many have better races and have PRs and podium, but quickly here are the podiums.
Diann Overall female (Crono)
Trent S 2nd Invitational (Merus)
Andrew S 3rd Invitational (Merus)
Kathleen W 3rd in AG (Magis)
Susan Wallace 2nd in AG (Merus)
Nigel W 1st in AG (Crono)
Frank Lee 3rd in AG

Evolo for Dave Howell

2010-04-09T22:58:00.001-05:00

Evolos 035
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

Dave came to buy a bike from me after constantly working on his old bikes and always having issues it seemed. Then one day he was riding with a group and went down. Didn't even know what happened. But his wife was pretty pissed and he couldn't hold his son for a while due to his injuries. This was not cool. His wife didn't even want him to race again. But for those of us who have been in this situation understand that just isn't possible. So what do you do when you fall off the horse? You get back on. But what do you do when you fall of the bike? Buy a new one! With the old one broken we had to replace it along with a couple of new parts...shifters and such. This is pretty much a Sram Force build with a Rotor Agilis crank and Quarq power meter with Deda Zero 100 stem and bars. As the picture shows...it weighs 16lbs and 4 oz. Pretty awesome if you as me...especially since his old bike was like 19lbs! Oh yeah....this one is not only stiffer and lighter...its custom so the fit is WAY better! Now for the hard part...his first ride is tomorrow and he has some jitters. I have been there...it gets better...

RonVanManda, My take on it.

2010-04-03T10:11:00.003-05:00

Eric Attayi winning the 3/4 race

Meril Moen rolling in the front pack of the cat5 race, 5th that day.

Jose, Pete, Eric, and Jason before the start of the 3/4 race.
Of course the two Shama Mamas are Laura and Aimee who raced earlier.

I have had a tough time getting in training time of any sort with the shop being so busy and just getting married. But the days come and so do the races ready or not. Why race if you aren't ready? Why not? I had a mess of Shamas racing that weekend and it was Aimee's first race back since having her beautiful baby girl. Plus, last year I did this race and had a blast and did what I wanted to when I wanted to on this fairly flat course, until I let the wrong guy infront of me 2 miles from the finish and got blocked in. So even though I am not in as good of shape as last year I had to do it. I roll up same as last year, with just enough time to get my numbers and get pinned up. No real warm up to speak of but I did have 6 team mates in the race so at least it won't all be on me. haha
We start rolling and right away I realize this race is going to break apart cause it was super windy and this is a wide open course. Oh man, we go right into the wind which is fine when you are drafting in the back but that means as soon as we make a turn there is a cross wind and the gutter fest will begin. The course wasn't closed so we had to follow the yellow line rule which meant we had to all stay in one lane. Perfect for splitting the pack of almost 70 racers. I was in a bad spot. Half way through the first lap I see it breaking apart with some of my stronger team mates sitting in the back where I am. After a tough cross wind section I knew we were hitting a fast slightly downhill tail wind section. I moved up to the front of our group with Steve and Doug in it and I just gave it all I had to help get them up to the front pack. It was a big dig that I was not really warmed up for still and just as we made contact in the crosswind section again I started to get a side stitch. OH MAN! NO WAY! But I knew that in just a little bit we would hit the head wind section again and I could get some rest. Before that I got separated again and had to jump in another chase pack to gain on the front group before we crossed the start/finish section. We joined the group and I felt fine and with my new wife watching I made an effort to get up front but as I got about 1o from the front I realized the pain that would come soon after what it took to get there and after blowing a kiss and looking cool to my bride I quickly backed off and went to the back for the next little headwind section for some shelter. Now it really started breaking up and my poor choice of position started to cost me as I had to start jumpin around the gaps that started to open. Finally after several miles of cross and tail wind I found myself with 3 other guys working well together to keep it going. Over the next couple of miles we caught and dropped and regrouped...and I was feeling good. Not like it was easy, it hurt, my legs hurt, my heart was racing and my lungs were burning but I was in the zone. Finally we caught up to one of my team mates, Clark. Of course he was upset cause he was thinking of pulling out next time we pass the start finish area...as being off the front group and all that was up there who wants to suffer in this wind for 40th place. Now that I was there and while I was ready to crumble myself and throw in the towel I looked over at Clark and told him to HTFU. Just so I could hear those darn little letters out loud and hopefully inspire myself as well. Clark and I fought it out with the wind and several other guys for one more lap. Finally on that long hard tailwind section I put my head down, grabbed my drops and slowly spun up each gear all the way to the turn. I was grinding it out cause I saw Ned ahead rolling solo. I made the turn and saw I had an unexpected gap on my group and we were 2-3 miles from the finish. Oh man! So I kept it going fighting the wind hitting my right side till I got to my team mate Ned. Perfect...the two of us to the line. We took one turn and Ned said he was toasted. CRAP! I saw another guy up the road and drilled it to him. We started a couple turns and I looked back and here they come in their echelon. CRAP! So we sit up and make the right turn straight into the wind. Not sure of our speed but we had an easy mile straight into it while rolling in my 23 cog. I was getting kinda hopeful but laughing at myself for thinking of sprinting it out for back of the pack glory but hey, I am here and obviously I need the training! I was kinda feeling good and thought I should have a go at it from far out cause there is now way I am going to accelerate up that little finish incline into the wind. Clark looks back and I give him "the nod" that I am about to go. He in turn gives me "the look" that its too early. But I am hell bent on going at this time on this little down hill to let my Extra Sexyness that I carry with me give me an advantage for a little bit. So I take off sprinting out of my 25cog in the rear. Now let me just mention, I have a 54tooth big ring. We live in Texas and its flat....and I am a cat 4 which means that I need every bit of gear that guys like Tom Boonen ride on cause how can I ever be like them if I only ride a 53 tooth chain ring. (Ok, wait, let me stop laughing at myself right now) Really, I just like the way it looks on my bike. I am my own worst customer! ;-) So I was able to shift down a couple only to then slowly start shifting back up as I hit the head wind and rise before me as I see the 500 meters to go sign. Now usually it would only be a matter of seconds to the finish....though today is not that day. I am in my 25 tooth again spinning, trying to keep my cadence up as to not require my 42 inner ring...cause seriously...who sprints the finish in their small ring in Texas??? NOT I! I look behind me and I notice a 20 yard gap maybe. Oh no, I went to early. I keep spinning though cause Joy is up at the finish and I can't let her down after she woke up at 5am on a Sunday morning and stood outside in the wind in the middle of no where to watch me race. Slowly I creep up on the 200 meter to go sign. I was going so slow I would have laughed at myself could I regain any normal breathing to do so. I was maxed out, my form was horrible and I was waiting for someone to pass me at any second. I looked back again and still I saw this gap. Its like slow motion. I click down to my 23 and stand up to give that last little bit a go.....aaaaaand then I go back to my 25 as I almost locked up my quads in that stupid display of lack of strength. I grind away as if I was coming in first and cross the line with a clean set of wheels. UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE! I can not believe for as slow as I was finishing no one came around me. The wind REALLY sucked there. So Clark catches up to me and gives me a pat on the back, so do some of the other guys from our little pack of eight riders who were not smart enough to pack it in on this tough day. I see Joy who is as proud of me as if I won and we make our way back to the van. Stretching out the pain and disbelief of the day Clark rolls over and yells out 15th. I was like 15th what? He said he got 16th and I got 15th. NO WAY! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? WOW! Suddenly it seemed all of that was worth it. I was so glad we didn't give up and that I fought for that finish. Now sure, I didn't win. I am not going to upgrade off of this. I did how ever just have one of my best road race finishes and I am not even rolling like I should be. I looked at my Guru Photon with such pride and felt really really good about my race that day...or maybe stunned is more like it. I guess it just shows....to never give up cause you never really know where you are at till you are done.

PHOTON!!!!! Most amazing frame EVER!

2010-04-01T23:38:00.001-05:00

Bikes 018
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

Ok, its late and I am really tired but I can't say enough about this frame. This one belongs to one of the guys on the team, I have been riding mine since Feb and I just built the 3rd on today. More to come, but if you are looking for something that actually rides as amazing as all the marketing crap they talk...well Guru had taken the cake with this one...A-FREAKIN-MAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010 Guru Evolo for Jon

2010-04-01T23:33:00.001-05:00

Bikes 011
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

We all love to ride, triathletes and roadies alike. But at Shama Cycles it seems that the triathletes are getting faster on the bike from hitting up group rides with Shama roadies and other lycra clad friends. A triathlete showing up for a group ride usually involves them showing up on their tri bike. Well this is not ideal for them let alone for some of those in the group. We welcome all but if you want to draft and pull and have everyone around feel secure you might want to show up on a road bike. Don't have one? We can fix that just like we did for Jon. With a custom road bike of course. Now Jon can ride in the pack and work with the back and in complete control the whole time ready for what ever might come your way while following that wheel in front of you. You can ride more miles and at higher speeds and stay motivated to work harder and longer which translates to a faster bike split in the tri. Sure its a road bike but the geometry being custom we design the frame and fit to translate perfectly to the tri bike. Oh yeah, this rig looks pretty awesome too! Pearl White with Flame Red and Orion accents. This is Guru's entry level carbon frame and its so much more than entry level. Truly amazing ride for the money and probably one of the best values of a carbon frame period. You will be seeing a lot of these on the road coming this year.

Steel road training for a triathlete

2010-03-30T08:25:00.001-05:00

Bikes 010
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

I sold Rich a Guru Crono at the end of 2008...by the time it came in he ordered a Quarq power meter for it as well. This put his bike at something way more than he ever thought he would own...which I think his wife felt the same way. haha Same time in 2009 after moving out of Houston, Rich made a day trip down to me and we talked about getting a road bike that he can train, do group rides and climb and descend a little better than what the TT bike offers. Oh yeah...and with out upsetting the wife this time.
We picked the Guru Sidero, a fully custom steel frame which rides very well and is pretty cost effective. We built it up with Sram Rival using compact Rotor Agilis cranks, FSA bars, stem, and seatpost and the similar Adamo saddle that's on his Crono. Wheels....well again by the time it came in and he made it back down to pick up this gorgeous rig he ordered some HED Jet 6FR wheels that will be his race wheels on the Crono and use his Fulcrum training wheels on this rig.
Needless to say, after heading back home and getting out on some rides and climbs he is in love with his steel frame and the ride it gives. Who knows....maybe I will be able to convince him to show up to a road race or two. Otherwise I will see him at the Galveston 70.3 coming up...but on his good ol Crono...where I will try to plant into him ideas for bike #3. Just kidding....not really....hahaha

Guru Evolo road bike for a triathlete

2010-03-27T00:17:00.001-05:00

NB 020
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

Sometimes the most random things happen...like walking into a bike shop for water bottles and walking out with a new helmet. Sounds possible right? What about walking into the shop for some tubes and walking out with a new custom bike on order? NO? Well it happened to this guy here Cory. I sold him his first Guru Crono in a previous life several years ago. He came into the shop not too long ago for some tubes and was asking about some other things and saw some bikes built and then he asked "thee question". How much for that one? Insert evil laugh here. haha He walked out almost upset and in disbelief at what he had just done. The next day...he even called laughing if that actually just happened. Over the next several weeks we picked the parts which went from using the old parts of off his old road bike to ALL new parts. First, the paint, we picked the Candy Red with Orion accents to match his Crono tri bike. Of course your bikes have to match right? We chose the new Rotor 3D cranks since he loves his Agilis cranks on his Crono. We did Sram Force front D, rear D, shifters and used a Rotor SABB ceramic and Enduro Ceramic pulley wheels. The Selle SMP Saddle is held up with a scandium seat post and the front end is handled by FSA for the bars and stem. This is one gorgeous bike and now Cory can train more and ride better in road groups at higher speeds to hopefully increase his bike splits in the triathlons. If nothing else...he is going to have one of the prettiest bikes on the training rides. haha He is a great friend and is going to have a great season!

Cali custom Steel

2010-03-25T08:55:00.001-05:00

NB 011
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

In the custom world there are tons of guys out there. Some get it and some don't. I work hard to make sure that my clients deal only with the ones that do get it. When my long time friend and team mate came to me with this frame from California custom house Ahrens I was pleased with the work and geometry and could not wait to get this thing in and get him on it. See Nigel has some major back issues and has very long legs and a short torso which is only shortened more by his back issues. Nigel like most of us cyclist who care about our sport likes to look good and ride a bike he is confident in and while Nigel has always ridden top bikes, he has always had to ride very short stems with a huge stack and big rise on the stem. Whats wrong with that other than it doesn't look "pro"??? That kind of set up just doesn't handle right, sure if that is all you know but once you know how a bike is supposed to handle or can handle and the added confidence that comes with being balanced on the bike properly its a whole new world. So yes....custom is needed for more than they know. Whats so custom about this bike that looks fairly simple? Well the headtube and seat tube are pretty tall, that of almost a 58cm bike...yet the top tube and wheelbase is closer to what you would find on a 54cm bike.
What did we build? Campy Record shifters, front and rear derailleurs. Zero Gravity GSL brakes, Reynolds wheels, Edge Seatpost to match the Edge front fork. New Ultimate stem with an FSA Compact Pro Wing bar and Fizik saddle.
How does this rolling work of art ride? His first pedal strokes behind the shop were those of awe. He could not believe what he felt and how well the bike finally felt underneath him. I love my job!

A LONG BIKE

2010-03-24T22:22:00.001-05:00

NB 017
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

In the world of custom you get some people who love the fine tweaks and then you have some that need it for comfort period. Jason is one of the latter. He is not freakishly tall...but he does have a LONG torso and reach. Also...he has toxic sweat. Yes...he is the guy that during the hot Houston summer he can destroy a headset bearing and rust most cables. In selecting the perfect bike for him we first decided to go with titanium for the frame material...yes it offers a stellar and refined ride with great performance...but most importantly for Jason was that it won't ever rust out as he lays across his 62cm top tube. It was so funny to see this bike and just how off it really looks...to see him on it is amazing cause for once he looks relaxed. So far after two races and lots of rides he is loving life on the bike and that is what it is all about.

GO BIG OR GO HOME!

2010-02-27T23:11:00.001-06:00

BR Time 004
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

This is a typical Texas saying and a great motto in to mark this build. I have known this guy for years now and even been in some of the same races with him. Rich is a truck! What a motor...he gets on the front and just drills it. Loves the flat fast stuff which is what Texas riding/racing is all about. I have slowly sold him items for his old Cannondale to make it a little nicer and just loved coming by and hanging out from time to time...even though he races for another team...my doors are open to all...and so is my cash register. haha He came in one day for some tubes and walked out shaking his head in wonderment on how he just got talked into buying the most expensive frame there is. Why? He loves red and they make one of the "reddest" bikes there is. This is not a custom frame so before I really let the sale go through I needed to make sure this thing would fit. So we took measurements and looked at the geometry of the Time and sure enough we had a winner. No...not we can "make" it fit like so many shops do to their customers, this bike will actually fit him...in an XL size. Yup...Go big or go home! So now it was time to pick the parts. Well it comes with a stem and a bottle cage. Yeah...I know what you're thinking and I think it too. One cage? $6K and one freaking cage????? Ok...send me another one. hahahahaha Oh yeah and make the stem a 140mm and the limited edition red Time saddle. We went with Rotor SABB because it works well...and cause its anodized red...so yeah it works. The Rotor 3D crank spins inside that ceramic bottom bracket and turns a set of FSA chainrings. Sram Red shifters, front and rear derailleurs. We also used the new Time I-Clic Titan pedals. The bars...are Deda Presa bars and we used Nokon cables and Zero Gravity GSL brakes...not only cause they are awesome...but because they are red and black of course. What to do for wheels? With an aero frame like this you need aero wheels. HED Jet 9 with a custom spoke lacing or added stiffness and responsiveness for this 200lbs Cat3. Now usually Heds come with white decals but I of course I get my customers what they want. So HED finally started cutting colored decals. Red Heds with red Schwalbe tires held onto the bike with anodized red skewers that weigh under 50grams. What does this huge bike weight? 16lbs and we were not even trying to get it light...we just wanted it with the strongest and stiffest components there are...and yeah...some of them happen to be light. So sure...it looks good...but we all have seen alot of nice bikes that don't always ride well. So on Friday night we molded up his new Bont A-One shoes (in red of course) and did the fit. Rich went out on his weekend of riding in prep for his race season and on Monday morning he gave me a call. I was slammed at the shop and couldn't answer the call so he left a message. Later I checked my VM and his first sentence made my heart drop! "Hey man there is a problem with this bike" then there was the longest 2 seconds ever in a voicemail till he followed up with a " its just too damn fast!" and a chuckle as he rambled on about this machine that he can't believe he owns. Once again....I LOVE MY JOB!!!!!!!!!

LOWDA's new Magis

2010-02-27T22:22:00.001-06:00

Magis
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

No...that's not her name but its her nic name that suits her well. Laura Meichan is a loud one and the only thing to out do her voice is her legs on the bike. A mother of 3 and wife to 1, she has won State Crit and Time Trial championships as well as the yearly points competitions in road racing. For the 2009 season she retired (as in she only raced a handful of times) which gave her some time to do other things...like run and learn to swim. What did she do with her new found skills? She did her first triathlon and was hooked on the sport. How did she do? She has won her age group or masters in each race she has entered. Not fair you say? No its not...especially since she was on a road bike! haha
Over time Laura was able to make her kids not have seconds and start hunting for their food so she could save money for a new TT bike for her new found sport! After some time she is on her new rig! A Guru Magis with some Sram and Shimano parts. Why the odd mix? Well she had it on her Guru Geneo and we decided to upgrade her Geneo with Sram Red and kick the other parts over to the TT bike. This bike is 16lbs as it sits. Is it fast? We will find out tomorrow morning as she takes her 3rd ride on it in the Frost Yer Fanny duathlon tomorrow morning. No test like race day! I can't wait to watch her kill it tomorrow.

LSU fans die hard!

2010-02-27T21:44:00.001-06:00

LSU Ventus 006
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

I got a call from my friend Josh Foster one day saying he had a friend he was sending my way. He wasn't sure he would really be able to afford my typical creation and was wondering if I I could just maybe help him pick out a bike that he could afford if not from me. Josh knows me and knows that I will talk to anyone and love to help people get on the best bike for them...whether its from me or not. So his friend Josh Stibrich came in and we chatted about him being new to tris and not sure he can really spend the money on one of my big fancy rigs. So we talked and looked at some other options and then we hit the color options and he joked about "well if it was purple and yellow" and then it was over! haha I can get Guru to do nearly anything...including getting my customer's college colors on their bike. So Josh went home to "think about it" or as we all know...ask the wife. Next morning we were a go! Sound too easy? She went to LSU as well so it was an easy sale at that point. Sure, I did my due diligence on frame design and such but that is so boring for most. After nailing down the frame geometry with Guru, came the fun part....trying to figure out how to keep the theme of the purple and yellow frame into the rest of the parts that makes the bike. I of course turned to Zero Gravity brakes to get a yellow color they don't typically offer. Sure maybe the brakes are a bit above the rest of the level of the components but we are going for looks here on these. Then I turned to Velocity wheels for a special set up. With more purple on the frame and knowing they there are not yellow nipples, we chose a yellow rim and purple nipples. We also got some yellow Jagwire cables and purple Deda bar tape. The rest...Sram Rival cranks, front derailleur and rear derailleur. Oh yeah...Hed Vantage 8 aerobars with Sram carbon brake levers and shifters for the hands and forearms while his...errrr.....sit bones rest on a Selle SMP Forma saddle. The fit came off great and I look forward to seeing the rig at many local events this season....I don't think any one can miss this rig....its loud and proud! GEAUX TIGERS!

Finally a tri bike for a girl killing it on a road bike

2010-02-17T09:27:00.001-06:00

latest 022
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

I really get a kick out of some of the people I get to work with. Most of the time I get people who are on poorly fitted bikes and or bikes that just don't fit and they are typically mid age groupers who move up quite a bit if not podium makers with their new rigs from Shama Cycles. But what do you do when some one is already winning overall and masters in every race she enters? How do you tell some one that is winning that they need to be faster??? Easy...you say "Hey Diann, I know you are killing it on your road bike with clip on aerobars that I fitted you on 3 year ago...but its time to get a real tri bike and get really fast and start gunning down more of the men." After saying this for about 2 years FINALLY I got my way and she came in this past December to pull the trigger. OH CRAP! Now I have to deliver more performance to some one who is already very fast. Well...I have done it before so I like the challenge and will do it again. We picked the frame and parts, choosing the Guru Crono as the frame of choice, then the HED Vantage 8 aerobars for their adjust ability and Sram Force components with Rotor SABB ceramic BB, Q-Rings, and Zero Gravity brakes and Selle SMP Forma saddle. Best part of the build was the fitting and letting her learn how to shift with bar end shifters. Oh man...the irony. Oh yeah, her HED Disc, she won that at the Tour de Greune Time Trial...on her road bike! Once again my name is on the line and I look forward to being there at her first race and watching her KILL it on this new machine. Oh yeah...as you view the pics....her husband was getting on the bike to see if it can fit him as well...not quite....haha

Driveway 2010

2010-02-17T00:38:00.001-06:00

Driveway 2010 021
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

Typically the Driveway Crit is a weekly Austin crit race from March till September and its tough for most working guys from other cities to make it. Though thanks to Holland Racing myself and all my closest friends in lycra got to suit up on a COLD COLD morning and race on this glorious tarmac cutting through the land in what is probably the best course around. Today was a great day for Shama Cycles. Jason Codiane got 2nd in the 35+ 4/5 race and Joyce Baysinger got 2nd in the woman's 3s...which was her first race back from a bad training ride wreck several months ago. We also had some other great finishes and team work going in the race and I think everyone on the team had a great day and was happy.
Now if you read my posts below about Belterra Circut Race...you will remember that I had one glorious lap worth anything and just a tough day overall. Ahh...the Driveway....24hours later and a new day on a course I love and have raced many times before. First race was the Master's 35+ 4/5 race with my team mates and other friends. The race starts and I look for who's up front...from the back of course. I settle in with a friend, Marcus, from another team and we chat as the guys on the front kill each other with attack after attack. Marcus is not a crit lover as he had a bad wreck at Memorial Park like myself but a couple years ago..plus he won one of the races the day before so his weekend is good already. We are both opportunists I would say...comfortably riding the back staying out of trouble and minding front to see who's doing what and what looks real or not. First lap...we hit the power climb and there is a wreck mid pack and of course I look around for my guys and as I come up to go around it I see my team mate Clark stopping dead into it but not going down. I pause coming around the turn and think if I should stop to help pace him back up as he is much fitter than I and a better chance at a good finish, but then I question can I even pace him up...am I even strong enough to do that. Not sure and fully thinking he will take a Free Lap I keep going...and about 1/8 of a mile after the wreck...I see Clark coming up on me. HOLY FREAKING CRAP! Then he keeps going and gets right back up where he was within the same lap! (yeah I fit him, haha) So the race moves on and I am feeling good and I hear the Prime Bell and start to really look alert. We hit about 1K out from the finish line for the Prime Lap and I see a slowing in the front and stand up off the outside and go! I get towards the top 10 and begin to sit down to keep my move past the pack going and my white bib shorts get hung up on my saddle tip. FML I have to pause and lose my momentum while I "re sit" back down on my saddle and just try to keep it going. I hit the climb and hit around the corner and have one turn before the line....I look down under my right arm to see who's wheel is on mine....its my friend Dave McLaughlin of Jack&Adam's Velossimo team and this dude is riding VERY well and I know he must have grabbed my wheel as soon as I went by him in the top 5 knowing each other from racing here over the summer. So I come around the turn super tired and sit up as I see Dave just launch for the line with a couple guys trying to go after him. Yes Dave....you are welcome for the perfect lead out and I hope you tell me how great that coffee is that you won. But don't worry....I am not bitter. ;-) Heck, after the day before and just coming back into racing I was happy to show my face on the front and still get back in with ease. Not to mention...Joy (my fiance') was there watching so I had to "look cool" to her. The race moves one and towards the end I see Clark off the front with a couple other guys that get caught with in the last lap...which sets up an attack from Dave McLaughlin and this time its Shamanite Jason C on his wheel and they roll into the finish 1 and 2. That was awesome!
An hour later is the Cat 4 race. I am kinda worried about this one and I spend about 30 minutes in the van trying to stay warm and re-applying a second layer of Sports Balm Medium warming rub. Can I mention how bad this extra cold winter down here in Texas SUCKS?!?! We start off and once again I am on the back with Marcus just chillin. We flow through the turns lap after lap and with 5 to go there is a break that goes off the front with a couple of strong guys part of strong teams. Its on a long section with a slight decline and I decide to go chase it down to either make the break or help shut it down. I get down to the u-turn and I am all out and only half way to them in no mans land and I begin to think to myself "What was I thinkinig? Second race with no real race fitness??? STUPID STUPID STUPID!" So after that motivational pep talk with myself I find myself slowly gaining and right before the power climb I catch on. Now it should be a sigh of relief and feel easy in a draft...but I am so blown I am worried about staying on and the only thing that made me even kill myself that bad to get there was trying to avoid the shame of going back to the pack with my team mates who have been doing all the work for Shama Cycles thus far. We hit the top section and I think...I am in a break with 4 to go and Joy is watching. OH YEAH! So now I am a new man and two guys drop back and one guy stays committed and we come through the spectator area motoring on our own with the pack in chase. I am feeling GREAT! We hit the descent and I am killing it...we hit the turn around again and I hear the wheels and heavy breathing. I look to my right and left and I see the pack has caught us and they are gap mouthed. On a super high (or moment of poor judgment) I stand up and sprint off with all I have. I settle down with my head down and just drill as hard as I can. Fully committed I hit that power climb and shift down and it happens....I hit the wall! HARD! I am done and blown and I hear that sound again...wheels. Powerless and done I pull off to the side and let everyone pass...and I can barely think let alone pedal. Hoping I did something I just pull out satisfied with my weekend and wanting to watch the finish. Sometimes we look for the finishes...and sometimes we just look to see what we can do and where our limits are at...yeah...I found my limits...and had a blast doing it with a great group of friends and team mates.
This is why I ride....

Belterra Circut Race P/B Shama Cycles

2010-02-14T21:09:00.001-06:00

Belterra 053
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

WHAT A KICK IN DA PANTS!
This was the simplest course one could hope to race on. L Shaped, two u-turns with little hills at the U-turns. 187ft of elevation gain in each of the 2 mile laps. I thought to myself, "tough, but no problem". I mean I didn't get dropped in any of the races last year on much tougher courses. How did I prepare for such an easy Saturday race? Well I raced the Sunday before in New Braunfels. That's good right? Then I got 3 hours of sleep on Thursday night and 4 hours Friday night due to work and due to building up my brand new Guru Photon Friday to...you guessed it...race on that coming weekend. So no riding in 5 days, 7 hours of sleep in 48 hours and a new bike. Crazy? No. My first lap was crazy. We are not even a mile into the race and I see my friend (from Joe's Pro Bike) Michael Hall go off the front unchallenged. I think to myself, "why not, its the one race this year Shama Cycles is sponsoring and I have to at least show my face somewhere". So I jump like a man possessed after him and quickly find his wheel as we ascend the first climb. We uturn with a gap on the peleton and I take over on the down hill...letting God's gift of gravity do its trick. Yes, while the 14lbs1oz bike might fly away if left unattended, the 200lbs engine atop it still descends like your IQ while watching Jersey Shore on MTV. We take a turn or two and find ourselves approaching the start finish area and I get to the front (or Michael lets me) and I come in on the first lap in front of a two man break in the first lap. I am so proud! I hit the second hill with ease and begin our descent. THEE Shama is off the front on a Shama sponsored race. We make the left turn to head back away from the spectator area and I hear the carbon wheels swooshing as they grab our wheels. I quickly accept the break/rest to be given by the pack and jump in on the back. But some how I am not getting a break, I am not resting, I am still working...and working hard. The adrenaline from my GLORY LAP has faded and my large gorgeous quads are full of lactic acid that won't flush out. Oh the pain. I come through on the second lap hanging out in the back proud to see my Shama kit on better men towards the front of the pack. We start our third lap and I look up and involuntarily I am off the back. CRAP! I am tired and want to give up, but I see some other guys I know come by me and I jump in to work with them. Now begins the "off the back" race as I eat my Humble Pie. Well I would have eaten some if I could breathe and chew at the same time but sine I can barely breathe my pie will have to wait. I finally start to feel good and start laying it out working hard each lap to catch up to some of my team mates ahead of me who have experienced my same fate. I start pulling entire laps closing the gap and catching my guys. Then I wonder "hmmm, maybe if I had sat in and warmed up would I still be there?....NAAAA I got a shot of me off the front!" haha So I carry on and have some fun coming into the last lap I sit up and decide to let others take some pulls while I rest up for a final K attack. We come up to the finish line for the last lap and I am feeling good in the back of this 8 man group I help create and they call it as our last lap. Ok, now I was not going to win and I was going to place in the last half of the group anyway. BUT SERIOUSLY???? I pull these guys for lap after lap and they cut our race short as I get scored behind them? I just had to laugh at myself for being up set about it at all...well I didn't laugh right away...I was too busy yelling at the refs contesting the final lap decision. Kidding...I swallowed it and rode off the course to watch the finish. I quickly began to cough like an old man from the cold dry air in burning my lungs as my heart rate tries to slow down. Questioning what happened (dropped) from the first race...I quickly got ready and signed up for round two of punishment. I mean...I am here...I can't go anywhere else for a while and I have two legs that work. I jump into race #2 and in the first lap I see these two guys jump off the front. One of them looked like a straight up MS-150 rider with his saddle bad and basic blue jersey with black shorts and yellow helmet. There is a guy who races (cause he is wearing a perfectly matched team kit) on his wheel so I quickly jump to to catch their wheel. We hit that first little climb and OMG this MS150 guy is accelerating and I am blowing up! WTH???? Then right before the 180 team mate and killer climber Bill Krause jumps around me and goes right up to the two and so does everyone else. My one Glory Lap dreams were quickly crushed on the descent back and I just rode in the back of the pack and as we started in on our second lap and the pain crept in and my lack of fitness was exposed to all as I pulled out of the race after 1 freakin lap! Oh man. Ok, so I have not trained, slept, or anything right for racing. Oh well...that is why I have a team that races for me and that is why they did great that day with two top tens. Plus lets face it...we just flat out had a great time. The sun was out and it was some great racing with some great friends in Austin....and that is why I really race.

Guru Geneo refreshed

2010-02-14T18:49:00.001-06:00

LauraMGuru2.0 005
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

So towards the end of 2008 Laura Meichan came to me for a new road bike for her 2009 racing season. Being the super elite Cat 2 retired road racer that she is we had to choose the best and go with what she was comfortable with. We chose the Guru Geneo and of course had it made in a custom geometry to fit her better than the previous bikes she has raced on. While she did not race nearly as much as she did in years past when she did race she made it count and always did well and even won some races. Since being spoiled on a custom road bike she quickly lost love for her time trial bike and with venturing into triathlons and duathons (winning her AG or Masters in everyone) she wanted a new triathlon bike. So we have a year old road bike and wanting a new TT bike. With road being her main thing we decided to upgrade the Geneo from 7800 Dura Ace to Sram Red with Gore Sealed cables. We dropped some lbs and improved the function of her shifter area with the better ergonomics of the Red shifters and adjust ability. Her first ride was hilarious as she had crash course on a hard ride of the new shifting system.
Next up...building up her new Guru Magis with her old Dura Ace. Watch out cause she is gonna hurt some age groupers on that one!

First race back since the wreck

2010-01-31T22:14:00.001-06:00

AAA 025
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

More to come. Team Shama Cycles and ProActive had strong results and showings. I hung in no problem on the circut race hanging in with ease. I am pumped and ready to race some more!

The NEW 2010 Guru Evolo

2010-01-25T02:18:00.003-06:00

So here is the new "cost effective" custom carbon frame from Guru at only $2500 the new Evolo is selling very well. I actually just got mine in as well. Of course the hard part of what I do (other than blogging at 2am) is having to ride what I sell....which is why I only sell nice bikes. I know...its a tough rule to live by but I suffer through it. So far I have done three very hard rides on this rig and I love it. I am rocking a 15 lbs bike with out even really trying. Yet the feel is a ride that is not scary light but solid through and through. Accelerating on it is a piece of cake...and the ride is smooth as butter. Sorry, this is what I get for typing while my stomach is growling.
I was put out of commission for 3 months due to a very bad crash in a crit. This coming Sunday is the first crit of the season and I am no where near where I would want to be fitness wise. But hey, I am just happy to be able to ride again and with a new rig like this...there is no better place to test it than in a hilly crit. I can't wait!

Pegoretti upgraded

2010-01-25T02:15:00.001-06:00

latest 016
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

One day early January I had a guy walk into the shop after running into FOP extraordinaire Steve Quick at Memorial Park. He was looking for new shoes. I had some bikes to work on but no appointments so it was easy to talk to him about shoes. We chose Bont shoes. But they are so different than any other shoe out there I was worried he would not appreciate the shoes unless his fit was right which he mentioned he was not that comfortable anyway. So he rolled in his bike and it was this beautiful hand welded Pegoretti. We set him up on the trainer and heated up the shoes to get them ready to be molded. We chatted about the bike and how he came to own it and what frame he was coming off of before this one. Full Campy Record 11 and other really nice parts...but nice is only good if it fits. With new Bonts cooling on the feet we began the fit and quickly I realized some things that need to change. We did a little here, a little there, and before you know it over the period of a week of making a change, liking it and wanting more, we changed EVERY THING but the front and rear derailleur,brakes and shifters. New wheels, new cranks (Zipp ceramic BB holding Lightning crank), chain rings, chian, bars, stem, seatpost, saddle, new cables, and cages. Sure, we made it lighter but the real story is how much more comfortable, faster, and can go for longer than he was before.
Now as I work on his old bike (a Steelman) to get it a little more like this one....we joke about the most expensive pair of shoes he ever bought that one fateful day. hahaha

Pink & Black Guru Crono for a friend

2010-01-25T01:36:00.001-06:00

latest 002
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

I am a lucky guy. I get to meet great people all the time and form relationships from them all. I met Robin a while back and realized what a great person she is and also how much heart she has in racing triathlon. When she wanted a new bike she came to me out of trust and friendship and I could not have been more honored. So we began our process with the most important part first...how much pink is too much pink??? haha So sat and planned out each part of the bike almost based on color. If Nokon would make pink cables then they would have been on here too. We even have HED making us pink decals for the wheels...I will add those when they are on the wheels. Ok, the really important part was the geometry of the bike. She just had a HUGE PR at Ironman Florida (no she was not drafting, haha) and to pull her off of her Cervelo P2SL and promise her more speed on the bike and into the run. So of course my job was huge there. We designed the frame and got it all going. Mean while I even got Zero Gravity to make a pink color for the accents on the GSL brakes. She came in for her pre-fit and upon sitting on the bike she was in tears. Now usually I make people smile when they see their new bike and get to sit on it on the Computrainer. But no, not Robin, she was emotional over having this nice of a bike built up the way she wanted. While it caught me off guard seeing her tears...it reminded me what it is I really do...I help athletes dreams come true on two wheels. I can't wait to follow her this year in her races and see how far this new rig will take her and to how many more PRs.
I love my job!

GURU PHOTON

2010-01-15T09:52:00.003-06:00

The new heavy weight killer frame on the block is the lightest frame made with some of the best riding characteristics there can be in a bike. This one and my own will soon be built up I can hardly wait. Much more to come on these frames here....

DocRose's ride...something like eye candy...

2009-12-27T12:27:00.001-06:00

shama cycles 008
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

I work hard to make every bike I build just a little different. Sure...each bike is custom and as far as geometry goes...each one is absolutely different and that alone is what makes them more comfortable and faster for the owner than anything else. Lets be honest...that is not what gets attention while riding with friends...the looks of the bike is what matters. I mean...my clients spend about 90% of the decision making process on a custom frame on picking the color of it. NOT the geometry. Often I design the frame in a day or so and yet it could take a week to nail down the color. HAHAHA After all...its how we tell our bike apart from others. This bike for Carlye was no different. For some reason most of the bikes I build are painted in ways that Guru doesn't really offer as a typical menu option. But that is what its all about...making the bike "look" as unique as the geometry itself. Have I mentioned I love my job???

Carlye's Guru Magis was a build we took a gamble on. The color is bold and I had to figure a way to set it off even more. I turned to Velocity and ordered a custom set of wheels from them since she is going to keep these a while as training and race wheels. Ordering the Frost Blue rims was a bit of a risk as just the wrong shade could through it off bad. We got lucky and the blue rim was nearly an identical match and set this little build off! We were able to use Hed bars, Sram Force components which the dark metal finish there matches the Platinum accents in the paint finish. Pretty perfect if you ask me! The day she picked up this little rig I had quite a bit of traffic through the shop and EVERYONE that saw the bike commented on the wheels and how they match the bike. Carlye and I laughed each time as I really thought the frame is pretty awesome as well as the build...but those bubble gum wheels just makes ya stare that much longer.
Look for this one out at the local sprints and olys...should be easy to spot in T1 and T2...on the road...you will just see a Frost Blue Blurr!

My Crit bike...Kirklee custom road frame

2009-12-22T21:07:00.001-06:00

frames and bikes for web 087
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

So if you have seem my blog at one time or another you would have seen this bike. I love it, SUPER light and this thing corners like its on rails. I have had this bike raced at 13lbs and at 16lbs. Though I do enjoy it at 15lbs. Its been wrecked and still is great. Even been in Interbike this year for the Rotor and Kirklee booth. LOVE IT! As you look at the pics...look at the writing under the clear coat...its my tube lengths, angles, and weights for my frame made for me since its custom. Each custom frame is like this...this is what makes it custom...not choosing paint colors and stems and wheel decals on a stock geometry frame.

My Old Crono

2009-12-22T21:01:00.001-06:00

Crono
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

Loved this rig. Finally a TT rig that fit me and I could FLY on. But its gone now...while I wait on my Crono 2.0. I found these old pics and had to put them up.

14lbs Guru Geneo

2009-12-22T19:55:00.001-06:00

shama cycles 001
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

So this little rig was not really meant to be super light, but with the size of the frame its kinda hard not to get it there. Edge makes about the only bar and stem combo that I would use in carbon. Then looking at the Easton SLX wheelset, Sram RED, Tune carbon ti skewers, Selle SMP Forma saddle, KCNC TiPro seatpost, and making a Rotor SABB Ceramic bottom bracket work on a Sram crank...this bike is ready to fly and on this morning's ride I sat in a group of 9 guys and watched her take her pull at 25mph...she has been riding about a year and does not race...YET!

Sunday Recovery Ride...is there really such a thing with racers???

2009-12-20T21:09:00.003-06:00

Everyone waiting before the start of the ride.....

Some Shama Cycles team members having a meeting to discuss
the strategy for the recovery ride upon us...

It was Stephanie's birthday today....so we decorated her Guru for the ride

Amy with her new Geneo...wearing a kit from Canada for a team that Guru sponsors.

Doug's choice of "post ride nutrition" at Taqueria Aranda's

So the weather in Houston the past couple of weeks has been CRAP and totally putting a damper on my come back. Because I am a fare weather ride and loath the trainer...if it ain't dry I am not riding. I don't want to get my kit to get dirty...or my pretty bike. So anyway...finally we have a dry weekend even though its crazy cold for Houston. Saturday we did a ride through Old Town Spring and it was great. Nice long ride, good pace and great group. Sunday was the big one though. We planned out a new route and planned it as the "Sunday Recovery Ride" and mapped out about 53 miles. With bagels and coffee pre and post ride...we were set for the perfect day. I don't know what it is about starting out when its 38 degrees but I never feel like going that fast in the cold. We had a great group...at least 40 riders. We leave the shop and make a right on to N. Post Oak and look up the road and there is already a 50 yard gap. ARE YOU FOR REAL? We "surge" up the road and catch on and make the left onto Hempsted Hwy there we go again...sprinting to catch back on. Shelby (Nationaly ranked trackie) even started to complain which was pretty funny. None the less he we are flying down the road on a "recovery ride". I swear you can't put two road racers together on a ride with out them trying to "half wheel" each other while trying to carry on a calm conversation. hahaha We hit some lights on the way out and with a group this large it easy to split the group. I hung back with the stragglers that were actually doing a "recovery pace" and rolled for a couple miles before catching up with the rest of the hammer heads while they waited for us at a corner. We hit some amazing roads and great stretches. Finally the pace slowed after my friend and team mate Jeff Gardner pulled off and cut his ride short. We love Jeff and I am glad he races for me and not against me...but recovery ride for that guy is like at 24mph. Finally we hit George Bush Park and rolled through there with some speed. We ride here alot during the week so I knew where to take off and where draft. Had some fun at some good speeds and then when we hit the end at Briar Forest and Hwy 6 we shut it down and waited for everyone else. We got to hear Shelby and Laura complain AGAIN about the pace...they wanted to keep it a recovery ride or as Aimee called it "postpartum pace". This was Aimee's first group ride back after having her little baby which put out her out of racing the 2009 season. She left the 2008 season strong and was KILLING it in the training rides last off season...but her husband Trey wanted to focus on his season and needed a feedzone chic so he got his darling bride pregnant. haha Needless to say it was GREAT to have Aimee back out with us as we ALL missed her on the bike and can't wait to have her racing with us again this season.
In all we finished the ride safe and a little warmer than when we started which made all happy...especially as we devoured the rest of the bagels...donuts...coffee and whatever else was in the fridge. Great day, great ride, great friends...I love my job.

SUPER FUNNY...cause its true!

2009-12-17T03:44:00.004-06:00

So this is just something that went around during Thanksgiving. I laughed and when I showed it to my fiance' she cried...a glimpse at the years to come. hahaha
Towards the end there is an R rated word...pardon that...but its funny through and through.

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/5700021

More Pics from Interbike 2009

2009-12-15T01:10:00.001-06:00

Originally uploaded by shamacycles

I wanted to post the bigger files on Flickr since the pics load better this way. Enjoy.

Cory's 2007 Crono

2009-12-15T00:54:00.001-06:00

CoryGholson 008
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

I sold him his rig back in the day and since its been an upgrade here and there to get it to the machine it is. This rig has carried him to countless local podiums and to his first Ironman in Florida this year.
Rotor cranks, QRings, SABB, ceramic pulley wheels, Dura Ace drivetrain, TRP brakes, Nokon cables, Zipp 404s. Selle SMP saddle, Easton and Profile aerobars.
I wonder what his next upgrade will be...

Time RXR (two of them)

2009-12-14T20:49:00.001-06:00

Originally uploaded by shamacycles

So my customers usually have a very different way of thinking...or justifying certain things. Everyone that rides has one bike at least. Then you need a second one that is just different...or maybe you need a triathlon or TT bike. Maybe a cross bike. Maybe one race and one fun. Who knows...but some times you might share time between two places and if you race you might want two race bikes. So what do you do? Buy two of the identical bike with all the same parts and let the accents of brakes, bar tape, cables and cages change the look. With the change of a couple items here since pics. We have a Good and Bad version of the same bike. One has white bottle cages, brakes, bartape, saddle, and cables. The other...those items are black. Pretty awesome if you ask me especially when its Time's newest premier road bike the RXR. Being the only stock bike line I sell it had to be special for me to sell it. As you can see from the pics this bike is super sexy. The frames come with the stem and an integrated seat mast.
Side note on integrated seat masts. You have to cut them down to get the saddle height right. If you cut them too low you are done...hope to find someone with shorter legs to ride it or you just bought a frame...in this case...this is about one of the most expensive frames there is...so I took about an hour of looking at this thing before I cut it. I was talking to myself and everything....it was bad. Finally I cut it just right and I could relax once again...now do this twice. See...my job really is tough and stressful. haha
So on with the parts.
Sram Red shifters, front and rear D, Zero Gravity GSL brakes, Rotor 3D cranks, Rotor SABB ceramic, Time pedals, Selle San Marco Regal saddle, Deda Zero 100 bars, Gore sealed cable system. Elite cages. 16lbs with training wheels...

Ahhhhhh to have two bikes...two really really really nice bikes...everyone should live this well. And I am only to happy to help...

Geneo 3.0

2009-12-14T12:28:00.001-06:00

Mixed 061
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

This frame is actually 3 seasons old. Its been involved in countless wrecks and now has been repainted for a 3rd time. So no...this is not his 3rd Geneo in 3 years...just a refreshed version. Orion with Platinum lettering. The frame is good as new and fits like a glove. With Dura Ace 7900 drive-train, Zero Gravity brakes, Zipp Vuma Quad cranks, Ricthey bar and stem combo and an Easton seatpost...with Gore sealed system cabling. This bike is ready for the 2010 season and ready to make the other cat 3s hurt!

14lbs Cervelo R3SL build

2009-12-14T00:41:00.001-06:00

Mixed 064
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

So I started off with this guy refitting his old Cervelo that he wrecked on and broke his femur in a little spill in a turn. The refit helped him get back on the bike post recovery and with things going well he brought in this little gem he picked up a couple months ago. Sure I love selling new bikes but the next best thing to that is building up a frame and being able to put my touch on it.
Total this rig weighs in at 14lbs and 8oz. Pretty nice for a bike that is race ready. Sram Red shifters, Sram Red cassette, Sram Red front and rear D. Rotor 3D cranks with a titanium spindle, Rotor Qrings, Rotor Sabb, Deda bar and stem, 3T Doric seatpost, Look Carbon Ti pedals, Nokon cables, Tune skewers, HED Ardennese wheels, Schwalbe Durano S tires, Zero Gravity brakes, AX Lightness bottle cage holders, and a Fizik Aroine saddle.

Bike The Bend charity ride

2009-11-24T23:10:00.001-06:00

DSC01621
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

My longest ride yet...60 miles. This is about my 7th ride in my come back and so far so good. I have to admit I was a bit nervous....I even broke out the race wheels just to grab every advantage I could for fear of my lack of fitness and length of the ride. Starting off everyone (mostly team members) was pretty nice....they kept looking back to make sure I was there (for fear if they dropped me I would knock them off the team haha) and doing ok. For the first 30 minutes it was a slow roll and passing people and having some latch on. Finally we picked up two guys who wouldn't pull and were VERY twitchy in the line. Needless to say I was overcautious and getting a bit irritated. But I would have to think its bad form for me to be the jerk to say what everyone was thinking. After all we were all there at one time. So after one turn on to another road Eric took off...I couldn't help myself and with total disregard to my lack of fitness I launched out of the group (from the back) and chased....I caught him and even stayed on his wheel...then the rest of the group came and we started the pace that I knew would come when you do a charity ride with racers....OMG my lungs and legs were screaming but my pride would not let me quit. Finally we hit another turn in the road and we slowed down for a regrouping. Of course we looked around saw that we lost some....oops so sorry. Then it kicked up again...and OH MAN did it ever. Every long hard effort put in by what ever Shama Monster was on the front put me in the red and I had to REALLY work hard to stay on. We hit our first stop for a reload of food and drink and ran into more FOPs. Its so great to see everyone that I have become so accustomed to ride with and see...that I missed in these past 3 months. Finally in the last 6 miles with more FOPs in the mix Eric threw out a MAJOR attack. I was on the front at the time taking a VERY ill timed pull. When I saw no one really follow I though we would just slowly chase him back down....but that didn't happen. Two went off...then another two...then three. CRAP! I am blown...but I took off anyway thinking (that's what I get for thinking) that I can chase on. I get closer slowly to a well formed group of Chase 1 after the big guy. Laura was on my wheel so I had extra incentive to act tough and make it. You ever get with in 20 feet of the group but just can't close it down and trying not to totally implode only finally slow up and the group still stay the same distance from you meaning that they slowed up just as you did. AAAAHHHHGGGGG!!!!! Oh...but whats this? My free ride (Laura) jumps off my wheel and right up to the group no problem. DOUBLE AAAAHHHHGGGG!!!!!! So now I should just fall back to the main group behinf. But I don't...ether I will pick up who ever gets dropped or some one will catch up to me. After about a mile I look back and see a lone figure. Who is it....whats his name??? Its Lisa (soon to be Yarrow) coming. That is right! A GIRL! Out of a pack of guys! I was so proud of my little triathlete. I waited up and then gave her my wheel and I pulled with all I could to get us back to the school with out being caught by those chasing. We stayed away and came in just after the ones we were chasing. Of course Lisa's first comment being the pure triathlete that she is "WOW its so easy when you can draft....what an amazing difference...I could hold on at 25 26 no problem" Me? i was just happy I made it and on a pretty tough day. Everyone seemed a bit worked so I was very happy with my day.
I think we all ride or race and we all look back on our rides and get down on ourselves for different things on the ride that we didn't like or didn't perform well enough on or what ever it is. We all do it. Well that ride...I was all smiles. I got dropped and chick'd and all that...yet still I was SUPER HAPPY with my ride. I loved and cherished every second of it. What a great day! I love my team and friends and riding. So grateful to be able to do it all again.

Next up...Thanksgiving Day 70 miles. Black Friday Century from Shama Cycles. Saturday is another 60 miles. Lets see if I make it....

I am riding once again!

2009-11-15T22:59:00.004-06:00

Downtown Houston, Veterans Day Parade. I thought it was for me at first! haha

Are these ALL WHITE bibshorts or am I shortless and this is my tan line?

All right...so if you have been following my blog, or on Facebook, or happen to be in my shop in the past 3 months you would have found out that I had a life changing wreck in a race back in August. I fractured my C7 and my life and everything in it came to a screeching halt! I lived...I had some titanium installed in my neck and started my road to recovery. Since my business has grown so rapidly I can't believe it. The interior of the shop looks totally different, I have retail racks and more shelving for more inventory. I added 2 more frame lines to be able to offer 4 of the finest frames made in the world. I added more FOPs and/or team mates on the road and triathlon. I got engaged as well. I know right...she said YES to a guy in a neck brace...sober! haha
Also what has come from this is the start of a foundation to help other cyclist who have been injured while riding or racing who are without insurance. Look for more to come from the C7 Foundation. Overall its been an amazing 3 months...just missing one thing...riding a bike. This past Wednesday I saw Dr. Johnson who looked at my Xray and said that my C7 and C6 were fusing nicely and I am cleared to ride. OH YEAH!!!!! So what did I do? Well that morning in antisipation for this ride I gave myself a good leg shave with a new blade. ahhhhh....
This was I was ready to head to the shop and grab my Praemio and go for a ride! Now I am sure most of you would have been fine with being off the road cause you would have just been on a trainer. But I HATE and I mean HATE the trainer! It was only the week before I got on an eliptical and spin bike just to make sure I did not totally pass out on my first ride back. I pull up to the shop and who is there...Lowda! (Laura Meichan) It was her day off and she came down to ride with me. This was special cause Laura was one of the ones who was there for Joy and myself while I was in the hospital. I put on some lycra for the first time since my race night and got all ready to go. I strapped on my new Bont shoes and clipped into my new Time pedals with a new Lazer helmet on my head replacing the Lazer helmet that cracked in 7 places from the wreck and pushed those first pedal strokes on my Guru. (shameless product advertising) I was home...rolling with the wind blowing across my hairless legs. Laura and I made our way to Memorial Park for a couple loops and we stopped at the accident sight. Reflection you may say? No...I was looking to see if my prescription inserts were still there...they flew out of my glasses and I haven't found them yet. haha! Then Laura and I rolled into downtown via Allen Parkway. I swear there was some wind out there and Laura was letting me half wheel her the whole way in to help build my ego...she is so sweet. Even though I was getting blasted she was on her easy ride per her coach. We got into down town and saw my friend Mike Junco the bike cop and Mike Adrion. All enjoyin the day. I forgot how great it was to ride and see friends you know on the way. LOVE IT! We head back to the shop and I swear we had head wind the whole way back. ARG!!!! The next morning I wake up at 6am to meet Trent for a typical route though he made me ride the full 1.5hrs in the small chain ring...of course we did a seated sprint at one point...he won. ARG!!!! haha Still it was fun to be able to ride with the guy who got me into road racing in the first place for my second ride. Not bad...I wasn't really tired or anything so lets see how Saturday goes. Oh man...Saturday. I am not gonna lie, I was worried. 3 hours was the plan and with a group of friends/racers. I knew the pace would not be high and we are into off season base miles anyway but still I was worried. Would I last? Would get those pains you get as a new cyclist? Would I handle riding in a pack again or would I freak out with post wreck flashbacks??? Overall...I did great! I was surprised. I rode in the pack fine, drafted fine, cadence good, accelerations good. On the way back I started gaining some confidence and took a pull on a faster return pace due to time limits on the other three I was riding with. BIG MISTAKE! You know how you first start riding and you get in with a group and you are feeling good and you think you can go faster and that you are better than them and that you are single handedly going to show this peleton what pain really is? Oh yeah...I did that. I did that to a fast age group triathlete and two road racers...one being a Cat 3. So while Pete Neubig (long time friend and new Shama Cycles team member) was on the front pulling very well I moved up along side him, blew him a kiss and started my pull with the pace being a notch higher. We roll up on a light at the base of an overpass and I am winded and happy for the break the red light provides. I turn around and ask Pete how badass I am with requesting the speed of my amazing pull. 24mph he says...my world crumbles as I was sure I was feeling the pain of 29mph. What is that you ask? No bike computer? No power meter? No...not on this bike and not right now. I don't need to know how bad I suck or awesome I am not. I just need to ride and get my feel back and build up my base again. So the light turns green and we take off....up that steep mountainish overpass and I am quickly dropped...the price is being paid for my earlier misjudged effort. By the time they slowed down and I caught up I quickly let Pete know I will be more than happy to draft the rest of the ride and appreciate his superior form and free ride he is providing. Oh man...I made the biggest rookie move there is and I of all people should know better. Just shows...I lost some form and some sense. At the end of the day I was with great guys and had a great ride and while I might give my self grief and say I am fatter and slower...I am actually very happy with my lack of form for fear it couldv'e been worse. I wasn't sore and I wasn't tired. I did take Sunday off...still I feel great.
I am pumped, I am motivated and I am BACK!

Ironstar Half Ironman 2009

2009-11-09T09:41:00.001-06:00

Ironstar 2009 037
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

My first Half Ironman was this race the first year they had it. I will save you all from the pictures of myself at that race...for I did it on a road bike converted to a "tri bike" myself and I fitted myself on it. OMG I laugh at myself for that now...but I think we have all been there....and maybe some of us still are. So this race has a special place in my heart and I love that its still going. This year finally they were back at the newly remodeled Lago Vista Resort. Where all Transitions, start and finish occurred. GREAT for spectating. I hope the new venue will help this race continue to grow as it has one of the prettiest bike legs around.
Taking advantage of my last weekend of not being able to ride I got up early on a Sunday morning trying to figure out why I told anyone I would be there taking pictures of them at the race that morning. It always sounds better a week earlier...but at 6am when its not your ride or race...it takes alot to get there. But once there...its a blast! I drove the course yelling VENGA to all my FOPs out there and if I saw some one struggling I would shout words of encouragement to them as well.
It was fun watching the race...seeing the stories unfold and such.
The FOPs (Friends of Philip) represented well with AG placings and top bike splits as always. But the most fun I think for all was being able to finally pack in their season on a high note.

La Guru Grande Vitesse

2009-10-31T02:05:00.001-05:00

StephaniePage
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

Stephanie is one of my girls who race for me and this year was her first year to race. She did great and is very strong...even though she was on a bike that drove me nuts to try to fit her on and was heavier than some mountain bikes. She really just has a great time riding and loves to go as hard as possible and really challenge herself. Not to mention giving her husband a run for his money when they ride as well. See Stephanie is french and grew up riding in the Alps and loving the tough stuff. Yes...her child hard had to be awful. haha
This past September she finally came to me to say she wanted to get a new bike I could barely control myself. So how does one go about parting out a custom frame for road racing with out going crazy? Well the Geneo frame is very stiff in the bb and offers great acceleration while the seat stays still offer a great deal of comfort...not to mention its one of the nicest fully custom carbon frames you can buy. The paint is a Pearl White with Platinum. In the sun light this frame looks amazing! We chose FSA bars and stem in white for fit and looks...can't go wrong with white powder coat parts on a frame like this. We also used a white headset and spacers. Her Zipp wheels are a couple years old with the old stickers...I couldn't have that so we updated the wheels with new stickers that look MUCH better than the old. We chose Sram Force front and rear D and shifters. Sram Red cranks for the 167.5 length and Enduro Zero ceramic pulley wheels and bb. Zero Gravity GSL brakes stop this rig on a dime. New Ultimate carbon post is super light holding a Selle SMP Forma saddle. This is the first one out as I took this saddle from Interbike. Nokons of course were used for the cables and I even got in some silver Lizard Skin bartape that is not for sale since they thought the color wouldn't sell...I bought the last they had.
I really can't wait to hear about Stephanie's first ride and how great it is! Stay tuned...

Interbike finds on a Guru Crono

2009-10-31T01:28:00.001-05:00

Cinco 010
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

So here we are a month out of Interbike and already I have some new bits on a build. While having the new custom Zero Gravity GSL brakes and Rotor 3D cranks on this bike is quite impressive and fast...getting the frame in was anything but. Sure it was within the typical time line of a Guru, John wanted it for Try Andy's Tri and was tired of being uncomfortable on his Felt...of course the bike did not make it in in time. The following week the frame came in on Thursday and did the pre fit on Friday and had it built and ready to go no Saturday so he could race it on a last minute race sign up at Firethorne Tri on Sunday. So does this once again become a story about how with the first ride on a bike being race day gives the athlete a PR like my athletes have done before...that would be a big fat NOPE! See John was late picking up the bike on Saturday due to his daughter being sick...he got the bike....we did a proper fitting and he was off. He did not make it to the race Sunday morning since he choose to stay home with his sick little girl. While I was bummed not to see this bad a$$ rig race morning...I know we will see more of this little jewel next season collecting hardware.

Guru Crono, Platinum/black

2009-10-31T00:57:00.001-05:00

First Pics 017
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

So this bike was one of my built at the shop earlier this year. Brett was always a contender but since getting this steed he has been KILLING the races he enters. No only is his bike splits faster but as consistent with all my custom tri bikes, his run off the bike is also faster. He is a great athlete and person even off the bike. Its great when I get to be involved in the racing exploits of such great people. Though the same week his bike came in last January...so did Rich's and these two guys have been dishing out blows to each other at races this season that has left all the other Master's seekers settling for 2nd or 3rd in the AG. Great fun to watch. Both bikes by the way look totally different but essentially have the same components with very little differences. So really with both racing custom bikes...its all about who has been putting in the work....cause with the way these bikes are built...riding one really takes away all your excuses...

KH Ventus

2009-10-31T00:42:00.001-05:00

KH Ventus
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

Kristine came to me with a passion for riding on a old road bike that was way too big for her. She wanted to get into triathlons and time trials and needed a proper bike to get her there. She came to me recommended by a friend who has one of my Gurus already. Though this was all so new to her and her budget was not quite ready for a Guru, she quickly found a way to make it work. After waiting patiently for it to come in, it came in in time for Du The Bear...where she went down on that rainy course. After a proper break in she then redeemed herself at Try Andy's Tri with 2nd in her AG and the fastest bike split in her AG and 4th fastest female bikesplit overall. What is it and what makes her so fast so quick??? Its an aluminum frame, 650 wheels that are regular spoked wheels...but it is custom and fits her like a glove. She is comfortable...and fast! Guru Ventus with a carbon fork and seatpost. Velocity Helios wheelset. Sram Rival components. Profile aerobars. Nothing crazy fast...just fit well. Oh yeah...its beautiful too! Just like a bike should be....I mean after all. Its all about the race pics right???

Firethorne Triathlon

2009-10-31T00:20:00.002-05:00

Cinco 051
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

So this was formerly known as Cinco Ranch Tri and has moved a little further west and seems to be later in the year. What a great venue though and nice area for a tri. Though I have to say with the mess traffic was getting in and out of the neighborhood and for what the racers had to negotiate on the bike with the cars, I am sure they will clear this up for next year. I got there after the race started since it took me 30 minutes to defeat my pillow in its battle for my head. I did get there for the best part...the bike. There was some great talent out there and I was as proud as always to see my FOPs have great races.

Kathleen W 5th in AG
Diann H Masters/AG winner with fastest female time & 4th overall!
Dana B was 14th in her AG but since her refitting posted a PR here.
Jacqueline F 1st in AG
Wilmer G 1st in AG 5th overall
Jon E 3rd in AG
Greg C AG/Masters winner 6th overall.
Michael S 6th in AG
Scott P 4th in AG
Jeff G 6th in AG
Relays...
Euan M was the cyclist for the mixed relay team that was the fastest team of the day!

A note of correction...Trent Stephens was posted as winning overall...while Trent is one of my fastest guys and races as a PRO for Shama Cycles, he was not the overall winner. Along with several other early racers he was lead off course and by the time the correction was realized he was out of the race. He rolled in only behind the first bike to finish and turned in his chip..opting for an easy day while nursing a sketchy ankle for Ironman Florida. Some how he was still at the race recorded as winning though he DNFd.
I had coffee with him this week and we talked about this and him getting this corrected in the results. Guys like Trent only have their word and when he wins a race he does not need anyone to question his race ethics. Thanks Trent for being true to the sport and keeping it honorable. You make us look good even when you don't win...

Kona Concluded

2009-10-30T22:36:00.005-05:00

What a tale of real life racing. Andrew Strong pushes it all year long. Making the most of each workout in order to balance training, recovery, work and most of all family. So of course his family was in Kona with him and he was able to make it a bit of a vaca post Ironman Kona by staying in Hawaii for some family time. He killed Canada (where he got 3rd in his AG earning his Kona slot) with a sub 10 and had goals to shoot for a 9:40 at Kona. Tuned up and ready to go leading up to it, less than 24hours to GO TIME, I get a phone call from Andrew at the expo buying me a jersey for the shop and I hear the scratch in his voice. NOT GOOD! Of course we talked about how he is not feeling that great and is worried about starting in the morning with not feeling 100%. So what was the call??? In true Shama Cycles fashion he started the swim, made it through in a decent time for him but was behind last years time. Then I followed the bike and realized he was not having his best day. Ahhhh....it was painful to watch online and I know Andrew was pushing through even harder. Of course with dragging the family to Kona and the long training weekends and sacrifice he had no other option than to finish. That same drive and toughness that gave him a PR earlier this year carried him to the finish line to have his wife and two kids greet him...finishing the race and beginning his vacation and off season. Was his 10:40 what he wanted? No...but then again we all have those races...well not all of us can do a 10:40 on our best day but you get what I am saying. That is part of what makes those great days so great...knowing that you avoided a bad day. Next season...will only be better.
Thank you Andrew for your support and race ethic. You inspire us all.

Try Andy's Tri

2009-10-19T10:44:00.001-05:00

Try Andy's Tri
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

Try Andy's Tri was my very first triathlon ever. I remember all the mistakes I made and how slow I was. But I always loved this race and its a high light in the Houston area racing calendar. Same course for years and people love it! This year the C-different team was there and Shama Cycle's very own Brett Cole teamed up to compete with a C-Different athlete for the race. Unfortunately they had two flats during the bike and had to walk it in...but then finished with a solid run. Great job Brett! I got there after the swim started to watch the bikes pour out of T1. I was amazed to see how many two piece swim suits on girls and topless guys I saw...while I was in a long sleeve base layer under my Shama Tech T. It was in the 50s and I saw some bare chested guys come back red! It had to be cold! Finishes of note...
Shawn Smith's first triathlon in over a year after an injury and is on a new Guru Magis. He won Master's Male! Congrats!
Diann H, is back in form on her road bike with some mods we made for triathlon. Even though she won Master's Female, she wants to be faster and a Guru is in her future now.
Kristine Harper got 2nd in her AG and had the fastest bike split in her AG in her first tri on her Guru Ventus.
Melanie Sun won her AG and bike split in her AG on her Guru Magis.
Carlye Graydon got 3rd in her AG after making some mods and refitting her road bike the previous week....her 4th tri...only getting faster!
Cory Gholson got 2nd in his AG with fastest bike split in his AG on
his Guru Crono
Greg Witherow was back after an injury for running, 3rd on the bike in his AG and just had a nice jog in....
Walt Yarrow won his AG on his Guru Merus.
Greg Colvin got 5th in his AG with the fastest bike split in his AG on his refitted and upgraded tri bike.
Sussan Wallace got 5th in her AG but still had the fastest bike split in it with her refitted and upgraded tri bike.
Anne Ekern won her AG...glad to have her back racing in Houston again.
Nigel Willerton got 3rd in his AG with the fastest bike split of the AG....just wait till his Guru Crono is built and he REALLY gets fast!
Jacqueline won her AG with the fastest bike split in it on her Guru Crono!
Congrats to ALL the FOPs out there that put in the training and hard work for the above results.
There is a trend here. The fastest bikes are ones that fit...not the ones with the latest marketing buzz words. Don't get hung up on indoor testing numbers...follow real world real people results!

Du The Bear

2009-10-12T09:13:00.001-05:00

DuTheBear2009 036
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

What a day! Du the Bear is now a mainstay in the Houston area and its growing. Close to 500 racers signed up. Heading over there I couldn't believe I am heading out there and its raining and for the first time since last winter its too cold for shorts.I am not race so WHY ON EARTH am I doing this???? Oh yeah, I want to support my clients/athletes/friends...CRAP! With a wheel magnet and water bottle in tow Joy, my ever enduring fiance' dropped me off at the race start to get some last minute fixes to two racers. Mission accomplished I see the men go off and then just as the women are about to go it starts to rain. The crowd of families and friends began to run for cover leaving the racers out alone. As everyone comes back in from the run and out of T1 the Bike Out turns to mud and I begin to shudder as I see all the bikes I built get ready to get so trashed! Since my wreck I have pretty much been dying to get into every race I can...except for today. I was SO glad not to be racing...the weather was awful. Of course everyone made the best of it and got on with racing. There seemed to be a bit of communication with traffic control as cars were let onto the bike course and I heard later that one officer at one intersection was stopping the racers to let traffic by. I couldn't believe it. Again though...sometimes that's just racing. Everyone seemed to come back in fine, off the bike. I know one road gave alot of athletes flats and even caused a wreck...namely Kristine Harper who was racing her Guru Ventus for the first time. She was pretty banged up but her bike seemed to only suffer some ripped bartape and a scratched pedal. From there it just seemed to be a part muddy and part wet pavement run for all. Overall a great race and well run as always. We had to wait for the awards for what seemed like forever. Mostly just because it was cold and rainy and no one was really that prepared for it. The awards came and I just couldn't be prouder. Shama Cycles athletes took home the Overall Female win with Melanie, Masters Male and Female wins with Brett and Laura. Shawn and Jacqueline both won their AGs as well as Walt placing in his. I can't believe how well they all did and am so proud of them all and their hard work.
Next year...I will be back and ready to race! I can't wait!

Press for Shama Cycles at LA Tri.

2009-10-06T21:37:00.005-05:00

http://triathlon.competitor.com/2009/10/photos/la-triathlon-photo-gallery_4979?pid=2621#ngtop

Shama Cycles athlete Richard Cairns on his way to 2nd in his AG at the LA Tri this past weekend.
Best part is that even Competitor/Inside Triathlon thought he and his Guru Crono were good enough to post on the website pics.
Congrats Rich on a strong day!

Ironman Hawaii here we come!

2009-10-04T00:23:00.003-05:00

Andrew out on one of his many long training rides
the simple machine...titanium...though he will be using HED Jet 6 wheels come race day

I think the pinnacle of any triathlete is to be able to race in Kona....the Super Bowl of Ironman. Better yet is to be able to qualify. Andrew Strong did just that on his Guru Merus by coming in 3rd in his Age Group at Ironman Canada with a 9:55!!! In preparation for Kona I spent some time with him to help make sure he is as ready as he can be. I am not scared to bend the rules, go against convention, make waves, set my own trends. Today was no exception, today we Retul fitted Andrew Strong for his Lazer Tardiz helmet in conjunction with wind tunnel testing. Yes...Shama Cycles has our wind tunnel. Ok, not like at Texas A&M but I have a fan and a smoke machine...what ever its the same thing! With the careful supervision of our local Pro/Coach Trent Stephens (Trent held the smoke machine in front of the carefully placed fan) it was determined that Andrew was actually more aero having the helmet on backwards....which means that Lazer designed it wrong. Don't worry, my daughter is writing them a letter with hand drawn graphs proving our theory. We did test the Giro Advantage 2 helmet, but because I don't sell Giro it was determined after extensive testing that it was in no way aero dynamic at all. There is a video and pictures of our testing procedure but of course that is top secret and just can't be shared...unless you spend $10,000 on a new Guru from me. Just saying...
Finally you will notice in the pic the Shama Cycles Wind Vest over his Ironman Canada finishers tshirt. We choose that tshirt for two reasons. One we are hoping that by wearing an official Ironman tshirt that the officials won't penalize him for drafting on the bike. Reason number two is cotton can retain more water than a tech tee, we are hoping that the cotton tshirt will make for a good base layer to hold in the sweat to help cool him down and the wind vest will protect him from the vicious cross winds on the bike course. Wind vests protect us from the wind right??? Personally I think these changes will be the secret to his sub 9 hour Ironman. I mean we already made him faster with his Guru Merus over his old Cervelo P3C. Why not keep going with what sounds crazy and make him even faster!

Next Saturday on the 1oth follow him on his quest to his best Ironman yet. I pray he has his best day. Good luck and God's speed Andrew!

My old Geneo has found a new home

2009-10-04T00:16:00.001-05:00

WG Crono
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

So upon opening Shama Cycles I had Guru build me the ultimate Geneo. Custom for me for road racing and climbing (I am NOT a climber) in those races. Not only was it a custom in the geometry it was custom in the carbon lay up for BB stiffness and power transfer with out a real weight penalty. I had it built up with a mix of Rotor, Sram Red, Edge and TRP parts. It weighed 14lbs on race day. carbon tubulars help alot! I had my best road racing season on this frame.
But alas I can't keep these frames forever...guys who are 5'7 to 5'9" are in luck when I move off of one frame and onto another. Wilmer is one such guy. A friend of mine who I ride with often on the weekends needed a new road bike. By needed I mean he was on a Giant road bike that was 7 years old with the original saddle. It was nearly painful just to watch him ride...haha. So now...after 7 years he is on a new rig...FINALLY! The funny thing is...my Geneo part 2...I think it looks better now than when I had it. Seriously...this build is WAY TOO CLEAN! With the HED Bastogne wheelset...it looks perfect!!!
The best part is...after 5 months of hard riding and racing the Geneo frame polished up better than new...giving Wilmer a new bike...that will last him another 7 years.

Guru Crono, Johnny Cash Style

2009-10-03T23:48:00.001-05:00

Coy Connelly 005
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

By far the most popular custom tri bike is the Guru Crono. I get to do these frames in all kinds of colors...here I am doing one in plain black with white letters. While it might sound plain to some...there is still a certain look to it that still most bikes just don't have. We did what was smart and light here. Not to mention the HED Jet 6 FR wheelset.
Syntace CX base bar, Vision carbon aero bars, KCNC stem, KCNC brakes, Nokon cables, Sram Force front and rear D, shifters, carbon brake levers. Selle SMP saddle. A serious machine for a guy who LOVES to ride and race at his best...not to mention look good for the pics! haha!

Sometimes the color surprises me

2009-10-02T09:14:00.001-05:00

TRP 029
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

With all the paint options Guru has and the paint box I have at the shop to help decide some times you just don't know how its going to look when it comes in. This frame showed up and I ripped it out of the bike and was amazed. What brilliance and color. The pictures do not do it justice. From here we built it up with a basic build and HED wheels. The important thing to Mike was that he got the custom frame and as we upgrade this frame with high end components we get to kick these parts down to his old road bike which is 8speed. Yes...8 speed. But that can come later. For now...we are super happy with the set up and he can't wait to kill it at the next race. More importantly finally have his father's respect at a race....since his dad has had a Guru titanium tri bike for 4 years now. HAHAHA

The Rule Breaking Magis!

2009-09-29T23:53:00.002-05:00

Steve Quick was at the shop for a fitting on his TT bike and helped to unload her bike. I think most women would enjoy his help with their frame...haha

KW Magis
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

So here is one that I am super proud of. Kathleen is a triathlete who I have known for a couple years and as long as I have known her she has worn pink and tried to "pink out" her QR which unfortunately (not for me though) did not fit her at all. I think she first thought custom was out of her range but after looking at it all we figured out a way to make it work...as in showing her how she can live off of no food or gas for a month. haha No seriously.
So we picked out the frame, a Guru Magis which is a carbon frame that can work with the paint color she wants...PINK! But not ALL pink. We had to throw in some white to go with it. We choose the ultra reliable Ultegra SL components and went all out on the aero set up. Also of course we did out little ceramic bits with some little pink tricks.
The best part of this story is we broke the BIGGEST RULE in triathlon racing. NEVER EVER EVER NEVER EVER NEVER NEVER EVER EVER race something new on race day...let alone a whole new bike! I LOVE IT! I have done it before and will do it again. Custom works and when its right its right. Kathleen's frame came in from Guru at 1:45 pm on Thursday...as in the Thursday before Redman Half Ironman on Saturday. My friend and team mate Steve Quick pulls it out of the box and of course we start in on it right away. Just after 2pm Jon and Kathleen show up wondering if she will race on the Magis or on her old 2 gear working QR. By 5pm this was built and by 6pm she was fitted and loaded up in the car and off to OK for Redman. I triple checked every bolt on that thing as I knew the risk involved here but I have done it before and it has worked every time and with the condition of her old bike we did not have much choice. So Friday's ride report was pretty good, nice ride and nothing hurt or alerted anything. All systems go for Saturday. Saturday came and from another friend there I was getting info that they might cancel or start late due to weather and flooding. The race went on with a mandatory bike dismount in the flooded areas. WOW! Later that day while I was working in the shop with some friends I get this text message saying that the bike was awesome and that she had a 21 minute PR. OH YEAH!!!! TAKE THAT NAY SAYERS! Now, lets just be real here, her bike split was slower than before, the Cyclo Cross style tri did not make for fast splits but her run was very fast. Which if you have ever read this blog or followed my tri bike fitting philosophy you would know that while I know you will be faster on the bike...I look for faster run splits on race day before I say I have "delivered" to my clients what they came to me for. She was excited and loved it and also happy to be able to shift all her gears. haha
Look for her to get used to the new position and dialed in and start to realize her full potential. She trains hard and puts in the work...she may have bought some speed but she earns her AG placings!
Rock On Kathleen!

2005 Sworks Tarmac....Shama Style

2009-09-29T11:45:00.003-05:00

JC Sworks
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

I met Juan Carlos at the first bike shop I worked at. He came in wanting the best and being the Specialized fan that I was at the time I sold him this Sworks Tarmac. It had full DuraAce and I spent about 10 minutes fitting it to him on a trainer.
WOW! I have learned so much since then and have even kept in touch with Juan Carlos. Unfortunately for him I opened Shama Cycles directly across from his work. I can look at my front door and see his building. He thought it was great at first but is now cursing me for being so close. HAHA! I stripped this frame down to nothing and compounded and polished the frame to restore its brilliance. Then the build, new headset, ceramic bottom bracket from Rotor the SABB, Rotor Agilis cranks, QRings. Sram Red shifters, front D, rear D. Tiso ceramic pulley wheels. TRP 960SL brakes. Nokon cables. Thompson seatpost. Deda Zero 100 handlebars and stem. Lizard Skinz bar tape. New Ultimate carbon cages and KCNC skewers.
Over all we dropped this frame down 3lbs and after the Retul fitting he is finally riding with power and comfort and loving the bike.
The next upgrade. Wheels...and then a custom Guru frame.

Independat Fabrication Crown Jewel...PIMPED

2009-09-29T01:20:00.001-05:00

First Pics 011
Originally uploaded by shamacycles

So I got this frame in and immediately got excited. It was a plain old Shimano DuraAce set up with some pretty plain parts. It was 4 years old and had not been loved on. I stripped the frame down to nothing and serviced the headset and began picking out what to do. With in a week I had a Tiso bolt kit in blue shipped in from Italy and some matching Deda parts which also happen to be made in Italy. How ever the Nokon cables are German. One thing that took some time to decide on was the crank, finally I settled on function over pure aesthetics. A titanium spindle, ceramic bearings in the bottom bracket, and a 110bcd with a Rotor Qring 53/39 chain ring set. This way if we like we can go compact later with out having to change the cranks. Needless to say this frame polished up like new and with the build and new fitting this bike rides better than ever and looks better than ever.

Video from the show

2009-09-26T23:18:00.002-05:00

Interbike 2009 Part 2

2009-09-26T22:12:00.008-05:00

One of the Tibco bikes, ready for Look cleat fitting.

Di2 TT shifting. This is freaking awesome!

Time had a nice bike to show...

The Guru Photon! This bike gained a ton of press!!!
12lbs, BB30

Some of the Rotor booth. Zipp QRings. LOVE IT!

One of the rolling displays.

These are cranks they put on my bike...so NO they would not let me take them with me...its cool though...they were too long for me anyway.

EE Cycles cranks, super light and still stiff...

Thor pointing at my while I look at my bike...

Got Dave Scott to sign it as well.

RockRacing's rigs. Funny I didn't see a Rock bike in the crit but I did see a Rock racer

3D crank with Quarq and Rotor Rings.
Light, stiff, fast, power..my next crankset

The Luna Chicks were paraded around by the podium boys...

Things were pretty expensive in Vegas...like this little snack for two.
$15 for this...who can gamble after wasting money like this.
It was good though...

Shama at Interbike 2009

2009-09-25T11:36:00.005-05:00

My Kirklee shown off at Interbike 2009 at the Rotor booth!!!!

Selle SMP Forma and Carbon Lite. Brand new for 2010 and I already have them in the shop.
Yup, the latest greatest!

Dan B from Kelly Benefits on one of his countless attacks during the Pro crit. He could have won
from his breakaway of 6 but slid out in the last lap...he rolled though last to a cheer and
applause from the crowd honoring how hard he worked during the race.

The GURU Dynamic Fit Unit. Fully motorized bike fitting and more.
Guru shows why they are the largest custom bike company in the game.
Below
Guru Crono 2.0. WOW

Well its here, the biggest bike show this side of the pond. Shama Cycles is here to check out the latest greatest and get new tips and see what works and what doesn't. Especially since I am always trying to push the limits with my bike builds. I would have updated sooner but my feet hurt so bad after the first day all I want to do is lay down by the end of the night...something about walking miles and standing up (even while eating lunch) just kills in this city...not to mention how much of a rip off certain things are here. Like $8 for a tooth brush...or $5 for OJ from the Starbucks at the airport. Might as well gamble and REALLY throw your money away. Ok...enough of my rant. ;-) Bikes...and more bikes and parts! Being in custom bikes there was not alot for me to really drool over. Every manufacturer comes out here to show off the lightest, stiffest, aeroest (just made that one up) latest version of last years bike. We all look at them and go WOW if I only had that bike. Well...not any more. Now, to me, its about can you make that fit me...not can I fit that? Rotor and Kirklee was my one stop where my bike that I race (and wrecked on) was chosen to be in the Rotor booth to show off the new Rotor 3D cranks, S2 stem, and S1 seat post. I was very honored and happy to have my bike that I built as a show bike at Interbike....that is HUGE! Watching people stare, take pictures, comment on my components, pick it up and freak out on a race worthy 13lbs bike. AWESOME!!!! Last year I couldn't get some manufactures to take me seriously and this year I had a bike in a booth, and the top dealer for some of my manufactures that I sell. What a change....that came with alot of 18 our days and not much play. Now over the the Guru booth....yes that was one of the most talked about booths there. Why? Three things...Dynamic Fit Unit, Photon, Crono2.0. The DFU is a fit bike that is fully automated to allow changes in position to be made by millimeters while the rider is on the unit and pedaling. Allowing for the perfect position to be found in really time and position. Guru was the first to try to get this going, its take three years but its finally here. Funny how others came to the show with something similar, even saw a demo of one, the thing looked shaky and not quite ready yet. Guru's demos that ran all day were exact, strong, and the DFU feels like you're on a weight machine at the gym....SUPER STRONG. What an amazing break through. Oh yeah...Shama Cycles will have the first one in the country and exclusively in Houston. So for the latest in bike fitting and custom frame design Shama Cycles is where its at as well as where it will be at. ;-) I love my job! Guru also brought to new bikes to the show. The Photon is a road bike made for the serious enthusiast or racer or anyone who wants a road bike that is in the 700 gram range that performs like a dream. The Crono 2.0 is a tt/tri bike that represents the push for an aerodynamic design that is still customizable. Very tough to get both. More to come on all of these....time to get some food and hit the final day. All exciting stuff. Some though I will not blog about as these are tricks saved for my athletes and clients...sorry. ;-)

Guru vs Cervelo update (spolier, Guru won!)

2009-09-14T02:01:00.006-05:00

Andrew pre race at a local Starbucks. Gotta love it!

Several months back a posted about a project to get an already fast guy faster. From a Cervelo to a Guru to prove that custom/fitting is more important than shear aerodynamics. Yes I threw down the gauntlet and staked my business and reputation on the line.
Ironman is the distance that defines triathlon. Being in the game for a while I have had the privilege of meeting so many great people in this sport and even the honor of working with them...slow or fast...racer or rec rider, I appreciate everyone that trusts me with their hobby/addiction.
One such relationship I have had the honor to have is with my friend Andrew Strong, first of all this is one of the most honorable guys I know...but also one of the fastest. We all like riding with him...but hate it when he gets to the front cause you know its on...for longer than what you would want. Andrew in his first year of triathlon did 3 Ironmans. (sick I know) His first, he was hooked, his second he got a roll down slot to Kona and of course had to go. The next year he raced again and again got a roll down to Kona. This was all done on a Cervelo P3C that was even fitted in the wind tunnel by John Cobb himself. The guy was fast...but we wanted to be faster. So with much thought and due diligence Andrew, myself, and Robert at Guru came up with a frame that we thought would do the trick. We decided on a Guru Merus, a titanium rig for several reasons. One, Andrew is HARD on this gear, he is a busy guy trying to maintain a family along with a career and train for Ironman. When he is done with a ride he throws his bike in the back of his FJ and takes off to the next part of his day. Also with traveling to races he just doesn't want to have to worry about the frame. Titanium frames are indestructible and love abuse. Plus Guru is able to fine tune the ride of the frame for each rider through proper tube selection. We built the bike and as all the custom frames I sell the fit was pretty easy. We tweaked a little since and got it dialed in. The first test was Ironman Brazil earlier this year. At mile 70 Andrew wrecked in a turn around with a bagel in his hand and had to stop for about 15 minutes to get med check. Still he finished the bike but on the run he called it quits after a couple yards in a smart move to error on the side of caution and wait to race another day...
"another day" became Ironman Canada. A very hard course and while I have all the faith in the world in Andrew and his ability I was a little worried since, one I had not ridden with him as often as before to witness his power or heard many reports from Trent about their epic 3 jogs through Houston at 6 minute miles with surge after surge. Andrew made a big change professionally that while good for him, at first glance it didn't seem good for training at all. All you can do is what ever we have time for and hope its enough.
Race day came and he said he was ready so all I could do is log onto Ironman Live and update all day looking for splits. Swimming has been he weak spot in the past and things started off well with a 5 min pr (1:15ish) for the swim. Wow...he actually got in the pool a couple times since Brazil. Then the bike...following those updates were the best and worse. I was so happy to see the good times but stressed between each one hoping that what we did was correct...and also fighting my worse fear....that the bike I just built doesn't fall apart. Most people might wake up at night in a cold sweat thinking what if they lost their job, if their 401K dropped to nothing...I worry about client's fits. Did you see when Macca pulled out of a race due to busted rear derailleur cable or when Fabian Cancellara pulled out of Paris Roubiax due to a busted chain? Oh man...to be that mechanic to last touch that bike...talk about a bad day at the office. It drives me to pay attention to every detail of every bike I build and fit. Just my little quark on race day. haha So the bike was fast...really fast. 5:09:09 bike split, the fastest in his AG. Then his run...was sick. Good enough to get him into a sub 10. 9:55:44 which of course was a PR in every way. Third in his AG and 58th OVERALL!!!! A-FREAKIN-MAZING!!!! What a killer performance! Of course we were all happy for him, again, I got a text the next day talking about how great the bike was and what an amazing day he had. Also text messages asking when I am flying into Hawaii in October to support him there. I gotta go...just after I sell enough bikes to pay for it.
I LOVE MY JOB!!!!

Thank you Andrew for all your hard work, dedication, and your trust in me and the bike I built for you...you make me very proud!

testing is subjective...RESULTS don't lie

2009-09-14T01:00:00.009-05:00

Fred Johnson running into T1

Trent running into that finish chute...

Hardware from Summertime Blues, missed a couple for the shot but you get the point. Oh yeah by hardware I mean awards...not my neck brace. hahaha

Trent running out of T1 on his 4th Guru from me in 3 years...LOVE THAT GUY!

Rich Cairns on his way to a 2:13 oly in New York in the rain...FAST!!!!!

So every one wants to see stats...testing...marketing numbers. So and so (who always wins) won on this bike...wheels...shoes...aerobars...helmet...and so on. I do things differently, I offer something different. I don't offer what other people say you should ride...I offer what will work for YOU. Everyone is different and so should their bikes and gear. One thing should remain the same...results. I work very hard with each client to do all I can to help them reach thier goals...and occasionally they realize potential they never knew they had. Richard Cairns is one such story...I met 3 years ago at a previous store I used to work at. I sold him a road bike so he could start getting into triathlons. He did a couple sprints, had fun with having a swimmers background, yet as with everyone, sometimes life gets in the way. Some time off and some time later we reconnect in the start of my adventure into the unknown and on my own. One of the early bikes sold I got Rich started off on pretty much a dream bike. From there he started training and racing again with great success. Then came Tejas where he won his AG and a second off of Masters. With fire in his eyes and the taste on this lips the pain came. Nautica NYC Tri the guy was a killer and then in a little local sprint tri with some great local names he was racing his friend who beat him at Tejas. Summertime Blues Tri became a race for two guys, both on Guru Cronos, both coached by the same coach, both set a Master's Record for the race with Rich coming in 2nd overall and Brett Cole 3rd overall. This time though...Rich had his Master's win and Brett had to take the AG W. Later that day I got a text from Rich thanking me for the help down this road to glory. This is why I do what I do...knowing that what I do makes a difference in this sport we all love...to what ever level we all love it.
Here are some of the results from races of recent. I am sure I am missing some but I think you get the point. Custom bikes work, fitting is a must, and that with the right parts....you can buy speed!

Ironman Canada
Andrew Strong 9:55:44 with a 5:09:09 bike split on a Guru Merus. 3rd in AG and 58th overall. Kona here we come
Trent Stephens 10:14:24 Guru Crono 108 OA and 29th in the PRO ranks.
Walt Yarrow 12:01:31 Guru Crono 1st Ironman,
Lisa Tilton McCarthy 12:23:16 Guru Merus
Debbie Harrison 15:22:52 Guru TriLite
Tessie Jackson Phillips 16:35:09 Guru TriLite

Nautica NYC Tri
Richard Carins 2:13:08 Guru Crono
6th in AG out of 396 in AG. PR

Chicago Tri
Mike Shearman 2:40:22 Guru Ventus
Teresa Demetriou 2:51:31 Guru Magis, 9th in AG first race on the bike and a PR

Bridgeland Tri
Laura Meichan 1:21:38 Master's Female winner, first triathlon ever, Guru Geneo
Melanie Sun 1:17:49 Guru Magis 2nd in AG and 2nd fastest bike split of the women
Brett Cole 1:10:20 Guru Crono 3rd in AG 10th overall
Greg Witherow 1:19:53 Guru Merus hot off of IMCDA
Greg Colvin 1:14:22 recent Retul fitting and upgrades, 5th in AG fastest bike split in AG 2nd fastest OA.
Collen West 1:31:09 Guru Praemio 6th in AG

Clearlake Tri
Sprint
Trent Stephens 1:15:17 OVERALL WINNER Crono
Laura Meichan 1:28:24 1st in AG 25.7mph av, fastest femail bike split in entire race Geneo
Olympic
Melanie Sun 2:35:11 2nd in AG fastest bikesplit in AG Magis
Jacqueline Fein 3:09:11 2nd in AG
John Caffey 2:13:40 1st in AG 4th overall, recent Retul fitting with upgrades
Jon English 2:18:14 3rd in AG recent Retul Fitting and upgrades
Brett Cole 2:14:58 1st in AG Guru Crono
Greg Colvin 2:23:53 1st in Clydsdale Masters with the fastest bike split of the entire race 25.7mph

Summertime Blues Tri
Richard Cairns 1:06:38 Masters Overall, 2nd Overall, new Masters record. Crono
Brett Cole 1:07:14 1st in AG 3rd Overall Crono
Trent Stephens 1:08:22 2nd in AG 5th overall Merus (first ride on that bike was race morning haha)
Debbie Demeo 1:16:15 1st in AG and 2nd female overall, recent Retul fitting and upgrades
Dave Depinet 1:11:59 1st in AG Guru Crono
Fred Johnson 1:12:18 2nd in AG Guru Crono
Nigel Willerton 1:12:49 3rd in AG recent Retul Fitting and upgrades

East Side Tri
Trent Stephens OVERALL WIN on his Guru Merus (finally dialed in 7days after last weeks tri)
Fred Johnson 3rd in AG Guru Crono
Melanie Sun AG winner! Guru Magis

Ironman Wisconsin
Greg Colvin 12:19 and 250 places higher than IMCDA post Retul fitting and upgrades...

Chappell Hill Road Race
Stephanie Page 2nd Cat4 women
Bill Krause 3rd Cat 4 men

The C7 Factor. From wreck to recovery. The bike is ok!

2009-08-25T00:16:00.001-05:00

My first day back at the shop. I was home again. Feeling great and back to loving what I do.

Taken by my friend Ryan Korsgard who stopped my to say hi with Chau. I have not shaved my legs in a week here and its really bothering me. Also notice the Smart Water...yet I can't wait to race again...I need to drink more...

Evidence of getting back to normal. First day out of the hospital and I find myself at Crave Cupcakes. Great time to have the sweets when I can't ride or run outside. I better start to love the trainer or I am in trouble...

The CAT Scan of a plate put on the front of my neck holding my C6 and fractured C7 together.
Yes its titanium and no there is not a Shama Cycles logo on it. haha

A couple of Wednesday nights ago I started my day like any other Wednesday morning during the summer while Wednesday Night Worlds is on, our local weekly crit series. Getting my Shama Team kit in my bag, shoe covers too. Got to the shop and actually worked on my Kirklee early so I could not rush it an hour before the race like usual. Tonight I had a goal different than most nights. I have a new team mate Bill Krause who is a Cat 5 and very strong. I had noticed him riding his first couple of crits in the back with me and I just thought he is too strong for this. What am I doing in the back? Am I not strong enough to be in the front of a 4/5 crit? Isn't it harder in the back being yo yo'd? I have wrecked at Memorial Park several times, once cracking a helmet. One wreck a while back separated my shoulder which made it hard to take care of my daughter who needed me to have both arms to carry her and help her as she was not quite two. Since all of this I kinda decided that its not worth fighting in the front of some of these races and take these risks just to barely be strong enough to move up to the next level. If I am gonna make it, it will be because I am strong enough to go in a break in a road race or crit. Other wise for get it. So I spend my races in two places...off the front trying to get a break going or stay in one or on the back with a 2 second rule. You know...like when driving you give yourself 2 seconds from the car in front to have ample time to react. I believe in defensive riding. Plus I just can't take the mental work to watch wheels and fight for wheels...it just burns me mentally. I do sit in the back of the crit at times this year and find myself slowing to 19 into a turn only to sprint to 30 to get back on and am in no real struggle to do so...so why not just sit on the front? I can't out ride the whole pack the whole race so I try with attacks. I sit in through the race and wait for that moment to attack or find a break to bridge up to. Its been great in road races this year. I have had tons of fun and still finished with the lead group and in the crits well, all of my attacks have been brought back. Once this year right at the start finish area I went from the back to the front in one shot on the left and I heard a bell ring to the right, so I thought it was the final lap. I drilled it and didn't look back and when I did half way through the lap I saw I had a huge gap and just kept drilling it...last look back I saw no one and thought I finally won! I came up on the finish line solo with my girlfriend and friends there and as I looked at the line and the officials I saw the official flip the lap card to 2. Two to go! ARG! Are you freaking kidding me? Still I looked back and saw no one...I should have kept going but I was so mad that I still had two to go when I thought I won when some one out there thought it would be cool to ring a bell at the finish line to cheer us on. I just pulled out and watched the finish. I was done...and would have been embarrassed if anyone knew what really happened. Wait...ah crap everyone knows now. haha
So here we are current race. I told Bill to get to the front and attack or jump into a break. I better lead by example so I was ready to start it my attacks early instead of waiting till later. The race started off with a rain delay. Yet when the race started it was cooler (as in it wasn't 104)and the pave was dry. PERFECT!!!! The pace was kinda fast but smooth for a race with only 50 guys in it tonight. Easier to move around. A couple laps in and I was already having to chase around guys getting dropped but feeling really good. What comes next happened in 6 seconds or less.
6 laps in I see the pack slowing down and after a right turn I know there might be a gap on the right. So I begin to sprint and mash those pedals to make it around the whole group in one shot and keep it going. I get right up on the back of the group and look up at the noise ahead...a wreck and a couple guys are down. The pack brakes and spreads out across the tarmac...right into my line and I grab my brakes and scream. I knew it wasn't good because I was going too fast to stop in time. And BAM!!!! I ran right into the back of another rider while in my drops gripping both brakes with all my might. I thought I would hit his back and he would break my fall but no...I think my fork front wheel hit his rear wheel or triangle...my bike stopped moving forward and while still on the brakes flipped forward right onto my head....then rolled onto my back. There I lay in shock moaning for air. I felt my left arm twinge and this pain shot up my forearm and elbow and I thought I broke it. I moved over to the side to be sure not to be ran over when they came through again. I held my arm up a fellow racer/EMT came to my rescue. He was off the back and figured I gave him a noble excuse to pull out. We looked me over and after a couple laps I got up and eventually walked out of the race and to my car. Another friend took my bike and he was kinda looking it over and it seemed fine. Good news there. I was pretty dizzy and my neck was super sore and I couldn't really move it too well. I waited for my girlfriend to come (since it was raining I told her not to bother coming since its no fun to watch in the rain and I don't start raced in the rain) and take me to the ER. Of course I had some help to the car and to the ER from others as well. You know who you are and THANKS!
I get to a stand alone quick care ER and walk in in my sweaty cycling shorts and top. I am looking around and don't see any road rash though I can't see everything yet. The doctor checks me out...everything works, I can move my arm and my neck is sore. No road rash AT ALL! Nothing hurts to the touch and except for a stiff neck I can move everything under its own muscles. Doc thinks its a case of whiplash and I am good with some pain killers and muscle relaxers. WHAT? I can race again next week??? I am out of this joint!
The next day I took off. I was pretty sore but kinda felt ok for wrecking as bad as I did. Then Friday I went into work at 9am, closed a husband and wife custom bike sale (that's two bikes in one day!) and then worked on some more. I left early...around 8pm to go home and rest. Saturday morning came and I was still sore so I thought it best not to ride a morning ride so I slept in and got into work around noon. My head was hurting and as I greeted my noon appt at the front of the shop I was sweating from the pain and pressure in my neck. I guess it gets worse before its better? I was on my drugs and trying to work. My customers even thought I didn't look good and mentioned we could reschedule. But of course that was just silly talk to me. I blurred through my refit (which was actually a good one post race results) and another bike sale. My final fitting of the day and I was actually feeling good! I worked through it and maybe I can spin tomorrow if I feel ok??? Sunday I woke up in a daze of pain. I couldn't focus to do anything productive but pop pills that weren't working and try to eat something while watching whatever on TV in between naps that helped me forget about the pain. But the evening my eyes hurt from the pressure, I was sweating in pain and if felt like a gorilla was holding me off the ground by the back of my neck. Still it took a crying girlfriend to let her take me to the ER. Finally at Memorial Herman Sugarland I got a Cat Scan that showed I had a fractured C7. This was about at 1 am. They threw a plastic neck brace on me and threatened me with a catheter. HELL NO! I said on that thing. I will hold it. I convinced them to let me pee on my own and I did...once the nurse left the room. But now here I am thinking...how much longer is this going to take??? I want to get some rest before I go back to work and I have a 4 o'clock fitting. Plus my gf is tired and has work in the morning too. Next thing you know they are wanting to transfer me to the Med Center in Houston to get an MRI done and looked at by the neurologist there. WHAT??? I have work? I drove here I don't need an ambulance I have a car I came in! (I was not getting it) Then we get to Memorial Herman med center and get a room in their ER. I can sleep but Joy(my gf) can't since she just has a plastic blue chair. They come in and mention they might need to operate but need to see the MRI first. WAIT A MINUTE? WHAT? OPERATE? I have a business to run!
Still not getting it I took the neck brace off right before they put me in to the MRI because it was uncomfortable. The doctor who came to help me off the bed to slide me onto the MRI bed looked at me like I was crazy when I told him I undid it cause it hurt. I get back from the MRI, it was noon on Monday. I wondered if I could still make it to my 4pm fitting. Then the doctor tells me the news. He draws it out for me since I do better with pictures I guess and explains how the fracture caused at gap between my C6 and C7. This created an unstable neck and if uncorrected could heal...but most likely will cause the C6 to slide in front of the C7 and could cause a stroke by hitting the artery that feeds my brain or paralysis. I laid there in pain and a tear rolled out of my eye and past my ear. Have you seen the movie Fight Club? Towards the end Edward Norton's character asked Marla to say his name. After her response he hangs up the phone and plops down in the chair say " we have just lost cabin pressure". That right there is how I felt right then. My world just kinda fell apart for a brief moment. I was just told that these four days I was up, driving, working, and living I could have damaged my body beyond repair. Not to mention that now I have to have surgery. I sit there and think of the time off from the shop and the business. I am a one man show. If I don't do it no one else will or can. Mine and Joy's cell phones were both dead. We knew no numbers cause they are in our phones. The doctor says that I can recover fully and ride again. The surgery is optional but if I don't my chances are not too good. I elect to get operated on at 7am the next morning. All I can do at this point is trust in God to take care of my and my business. Joy and I comfort each other (she has had no sleep in 36 hours and is on my emotional roller coaster with me) and she takes off to make calls and get some rest. I wake up from a nap and who do I see. Laura Meichan, aka LOWDA! She came to Joy's call to watch me for a while till she got back to me later that night. I get to my room that evening and its a nice huge room with one bed. NICE! Immediately I start getting phone calls....for Mrs Jones who just checked out I guess. haha! Now they are finally giving me some pain meds...that still are not helping. Lowda kept me good till Joy came back that night with my phone charged (so I could at least FaceBook through my cell) and ready to get me through. I didn't sleep since they kept coming in the room every 30 minuted to "prep" me for surgery. Joy couldn't sleep cause she the chair/bed folded too far over and she could not sleep at all. The morning came and I think to myself, they say no work for two weeks? I still have not been able to contact people for this week to cancel and reschedule. CRAP! But at least when they hear I have a pretty good reason as to why they might not have heard from me. Not to mention they say they are going through the front of my neck, moving my Carotid Artery and esophagus to the side to get to my neck to put in this plate. I mean that sounds pretty crazy. Oh man.
Joy walks with me down to the pre op room and then heads to work. I roll in, say the same thing to about 4 different people and then roll into "THEE OR" some one looked at my IV and that is all she wrote....
I wake up and I am being wheeled back to my room, I feel something in my hand...its a morphine pump trigger. I hit that thing like I was setting off the fireworks at the Capital on the 4th of July. But something was different...there was no pain. I felt really good. It kinda hurt to swallow but I was better than when I went in. I get back into my room and who do I see? LOWDA and my mom who just flew in from Maryland. They told me they had to keep pumping me with the muscle relaxers cause my metabolism kept using it up too quick. That's right, I'm bad! They got ahold of Joy fos me to let her know I was out and Lowda took off to get me a Jamba Juice. Joy had posted on FB that I was out and ok. Lowda came back super fast with a large Peanut Butter Moo'd and OMG it was like heaven in my mouth. The cold felt good on my sore throat and the taste was amazing. After that the jokes came and my mom knew I was feeling better. But wait...I have to pee....whats this? A catheter? AH CRAP! Oh wait....ahhhhh. Ok...I don't have to pee any more and know one even knows. ;-) Joy gets back in and I check my phone. My voicemail is full, my text is full and I check my email on it and there are over 100 emails....mostly Facebook responses. I start to go through it all and I am holding back tears at all the well wishes and concern so many people had for me. I kill myself with late hours and long weeks trying to make my customers as happy as possible, not to mention just with friends in general and my teams I sponsor. Suddenly I am overwhelmed by this wave of care and concern for me. I am so grateful I don't know what to say. But then my battery dies again. So enough of that. Now I want this catheter out. Of course its a young cute nurse who is going to do it. I start cracking jokes to keep it from being a silent awkward moment. She laughs some and then probably thinks about getting transferred to a different floor. But then she does it...she pulls it out. MUTHER FUDGER!!!!!! That hurt worse than my wreck! I winced like a little girl! What the heck was that???? Was that catheter barbed? I finish the night and Joy stays again (on a better chair/bed this time) and we get ready for sleep. But then my evening nurse is coming in asking me if I have peed every 30 minutes. I DON't HAVE TO GO! Its so hot in this bed I am sweating so much I will never pee cause I will have sweat'd it all out. But I reminded that if I don't pee before midnight I get the catheter again. No way is that thing going back in...only to come out again. I chugged a 32oz water and waited. Ok...here it is...its time. I am ready...here it comes.....OMG! IS THAT FIRE! Do I stop, drop and roll???? It burned so bad it took me 3o minutes standing there to relax enough to fight through the pain to pee so that Urine Nazi would leave me alone. Again...my wreck was not this bad! But hey....12 hours out of surgery and I was standing for 3o minutes with no pain. Of course I lost that burning feeling by the next day and things were ok. I spent my days with visitors to the hospital, phone calls, texts, mobile FB'n, and smoke signals. My highlights were walks to the Herman Cafe only to be tempted by food I could not eat. I am so used to eating so much I had to cut back or when I could ride again none of my spandex would be able to stretch far enough to fit me. I laid in the room, reflecting, thinking, talking. My spirits high and only getting higher with each visit from a friend.
Friday afternoon they let me out! By this time I had friends that put together a two week feeding plan where I will have food dropped off each night. Guys offering to work at the shop for me to help keep me going with what ever I can't do. Not to mention 4 emails amongst the 400 that came in while I was out, wanting to set up times to talk about getting a custom bike. A-FREAKING-MAZING! Everyone I had to call or email to reset their appointments or postpone a bike pick up totally understood. Again...I was so grateful. Saturday came around and I spent my morning napping and getting calls and texts about how well Shama Cycles athletes, clients, and friends did at the tri that morning. What a great way to start my day! Then I had my first big adventure...a trip to Central Market with my mom and Joy. I ran into Diann and Ron there. Of course I heard Ron had a problem with his knee that week that I asked about but of course I win cause I am walking around with this really cool neck brace. haha! We finish off with some Crave Cupcakes (pic above) and then home. Then Joy wanted to take me on a date. Where do we go? Little Big's, a place where you can pay $6 for 3 mini burgers. They do have great fries though. Then we hit the movies to see The Ugly Truth. A movie Joy thinks I should have gotten royalties on. HAHAHA Then home. I felt great! Sunday...Church, then back to a local ER clinic cause Joy's sister had 104 fever so we spent our afternoon there. Then back to the house in time for Andrew and Trent to come by to drop off more food than I can eat and take me to the shop for the first time to get their bike box for Ironman Canada. I walked in...looked at all the bikes that need work and just walked out in a cold sweat and shaking. Had I touched one bike I would have been there all night. But again...a busy day and I felt great. I really only took the meds as said...but never felt I needed them. Now Monday. I am so excited cause I am going back to work. I get in around 11am. It feels great. I begin to work on a bike, birds are chirping, the sun is out, there is a cool breeze tickeling my hair, and all is right in the world. Then I get the mail and I see my electric bill....the record skips to a stop and send out some emails setting up fits and consultations to pay this dang bill! hahaha I AM BACK! Well not all the way.
I have three months in this wonderful (note the heavy sarcasm) neckbrace and can only ride a trainer till then and if you have read any thing on here you know I HATE the trainer. I can't lift anything over 20lbs over my head to which my mom interperets that I can't carry anything but my cell phone. Also driving will be a mess cause I have a blind spot in this thing. Thank God the shop is only 3 turns and one mile from my house. After that...I can ride...I can have 95% of my neck movement back and I can resume racing and running and swimming and really just being able to play with my daughter as much as she wants me to....

They say everything happens for a reason. God has a plan for everyone. I feel like I have a new lease on life. This has struck me in a way I would not have thought and inspired me to start something new. What that is...will have to wait to be known later. But for now I am a changed man with a new respect for how fragile we really are...and a supreme appreciation for people who know me and call me thier friend...
I love you all and see you on the road...in 2 months and 3 weeks!!!!

Another very small time trial bike!

2009-08-24T23:19:00.004-05:00

Prepping the frame for build is common place in these builds. Care is always taken with each component to ensure a perfect work or rolling art!

Yes, those are purple chain ring bolts there holding that Aero QRing onto the 165 Ultegra SL crank arm spinning on a Rotor SABB ceramic bottom bracket.

HED Classic aero bars, Nokon cables, Sram Force brakes.

Just a nice clean shot of where she will be spending her time...in the aero bars.

Just a nice shot race ready. Let the fun begin!

Special care is always taken with each bike to make sure each custom frame that comes in for each client is done perfectly...unlike bikes found at your big box stores. This is always the obvious case when you have a customer who is just too tall or too short to fit anything out there any kind of way. I often find myself taking care of the women out there who have battled their bikes and their love to ride with a hatred for their bike and how bad it hurts to ride. Custom frames to the rescue...
This Guru Merus actually weighs less with the 1380 gram Velocity training wheels on it than the Zipps. Though at speed the Zipps have that aero advantage. What does it weigh with the race wheels??? 15lbs 10oz

THEE Funniest Cycling You Tube Video EVER!!!!!

2009-08-12T14:28:00.006-05:00

Bridgeland Triathlon

2009-08-12T08:17:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately no pics yet. But what a great race. Very well run for a first time event. Congrats to the OnURLeft crew!
Shama Cycles athletes/clients/friends had a great day that day! The funniest story of the day by far was that of Laura Meichan. You might know her from the blog or out on the road as a Cat 2 road racer, former State Crit and Time Trial Champion as well. Over the past couple of years she has done a couple of duathlons which she loved and decided it was time to try a tri. Bridgeland was perfect cause it was close to home and a sprint. With the help of Trent Stephen's (www.CoachTrent.com) open water swim clinics she got her swimming in gear and kept up the running...the bike...well that is good if ya know what I mean. She had a time trial bike but sold it recently as her new Guru Magis is being made as I type. But since its not in yet she had to Merckx the bike and ride it on her Guru Geneo, a road bike. I let her borrow my HED Jet 6s and Lazer Tardiz helmet and she was ready to go. Race day! The swim started off well for her, actually getting in the front half of her wave until she felt her timing strap start to come loose. So she just took it off and put it in her Shama Cycles tri top pocket (notice the plug haha) and kept swimming for that T1 to get to her bike. She looks to check her swim time on her watch and its out...totally blank...of course it is. On the bike and pedaling away with no real data just feel she is passing girls and boys as she should until she hears this noise from the front wheel...maybe a flat. Arse! So she sees the parking lot where she parked and pulls into it since she knows she has a flat kit in her car. She pulls up, stops, and realizes that she does not have her keys on her like normal...Double Arse! So she gets off and started looking at the front tire and it seems fine, she looks closer and realizes that there is some one's helmet number stuck in her brake rubbing on the wheel. That was the noise...TRIPLE ARSE! In a fit of rage Laura mounts her Geneo and starts turning those pedals in anger. (thank you Phil Liggett) Having to re pass everyone she just passed before her 3-4 minute blunder she makes it to T2 and rushes to her shoes. Also she stops to put her timing strap back on her ankle. The run seems to be normal for her but after all the mishaps she finishes and is just beside herself. Not thinking that she will even be scored or ranked in the results due to the timing chip issue and for being one of the last waves off she called it a day and put her first tri behind her as most of us do. The drive home was one of reflection and a phone call to me to tell me her story. We both laughed and I gave her the pep talk any friend/sponsor should give. "you did great, I am proud of ya, next time you will do better" But there is more...keep reading.
After talking to Laura it was time to hit up my list of athletes racing and get their race reports. So I called Melanie Sun who was racing her new Guru Magis for the first time so I had to know how she did since I promised her she would be faster (standard sales pitch hehe) on a new bike from me. Of course she was faster...she tied for fastest female bike split of the day. OH YEAH! She told me about her race and how she loved the bike and she got 2nd in her Age Group but just could not run down 1st place who was just 50 yards ahead. Arg! But her big one is ClearLake coming up so she was happy. Then came the interesting news. She asked if I heard from Laura cause they were calling her name at the awards. What were they calling it for? 3rd in her Age Group???? Nope...Female Masters Overall. A-FREAKING-MAZING! Now I know there are some over 40 females who have been racing for years and never gotten Masters are maybe not as excited or happy for Laura as I am more like cursing her for beginners luck and not happy that there is yet one more girl out there making it harder for everyone else. Its all in good spirit right? hahaha So of course I had to call Laura with the news. NO FREAKING WAY was her response as well. We laughed and she quickly realized that maybe she will do more triathlons and next time on her new Guru Magis and hopefully not make any more mistakes.
Also out there was
Collen West, first tri on her new Praemio in prep for her first ironman next year.
Brett Cole clinched 3rd in his AG on his Guru Crono
Greg Witherow got back into the sprint spirit after Ironman CDA on his Guru Merus
Greg Bauer did not drown (swam 3 times and is a Cat 2 road racer) finished his first tri!!!
Greg Colvin who also did IMCDA hit the tri in his new position and had 2nd fastest bike split of the day.
Graham Schooley raced a Guru Crono (mine) for the first time since his bike was recently stolen and now has a Guru in his future.
John Theim rocked in a good race on his new position
Ryan Owens had his fastest bike split on his new rig...

For all it seemed to be a great race for a first time race and we will look forward to this one again next year.

Gurus, Happy Hour and child labor...oh my

2009-07-31T23:27:00.004-05:00

The fridge pre Happy Hour!

Melanie in for her prefit. measuring steerer tube an aero bar extension length. This allows for perfect cable runs and such in the build process.

The Canadian Express! Dacree helping dad...carry a frame to the car...

Above
Finished with race wheels
Below
Finished with training wheels

So Monday I decided to have a last minute happy hour. I found myself with more beer in the fridge at the shop than water, sodas, and sports drinks. I don't really drink some time to unload and have the first happy hour at Shama Cycles. Having about 15 people through the shop was awesome and everyone just kinda hung out. Though Greg and a couple others got stuck turning wrenches. I also learned something new that evening. Papa John's had $5 pizzas if you pick them up. We went through 4 that night. Fun times and I had plenty of requests to do it again so I shall. Once a month for now.
This week was exceptionally busy with Retul fits and consultations. Not to mention being able to receive and deliver a customer's bike this week. Guru knocked out a full custom carbon Magis tri frame in like 3 weeks. AMAZING! I got the bike in Wednesday, did a pre fitting yesterday and I built it last night and today. She came by this afternoon to get her Retul fit done on her completed race rig. The bike fit was pretty easy, some tweaks here and there and checking her knee tracking and such with the Retul and she was ready to try it outside. This is the part I love the most. Watching them ride away from me down the strip and then as they hit the brakes and slowly turn around I see it...the huge silly grin of just sheer delight. The kinda grin you get from being told that eating ice cream will help you loose weight or something like that. I saw the cheesy smile as she rode back towards me and as I admired my work in action! Days like today... work hard for these days and love every second of them when they come.

First real attempt at a shop ride...fun day

2009-07-31T01:02:00.002-05:00

Rolling along on a beautiful morning. All I see in this picture is the white bibshorts...so Euro Cool!!!!

Jess, Wilmer, Kristen, Chris.
It was Chris's birthday that day...so at the Shell station 44 sweaty, smooth legged, Lycra clad men serenaded him with a song. There were 6 girls there too...

Above
Its a tough job but someone has to do it.
And YES those are white bib shorts Helen is wearing....quit possibly the single hottest pair of shorts I have EVER seen.
Below
The roll out...just a little late...

With the help of my friend Chris Lockwood putting out emails and a great map. Shama Cycles had its first real organized ride from the shop. Open to all...even triathletes and their tri bikes. We did the Lake Houston route and rolled out about 40 strong at 7am. More joined us along the way creeping our number to 50. The group stayed together pretty well and the pace was rather quick for our normal group ride. In all a great ride...that was followed up by Le Tour playing on the TV and food and drinks out for some post ride recovery. A very fun day and I can't wait to do it again. Look for weekly postings on rides to come soon.

NYC Triathlon race report

2009-07-31T00:18:00.005-05:00

Great shot of an awesome bike and a great fit. Nothing....NOTHING beats custom. Proof is in the results.

Chip time...2:13:08 good enough for 6th in his AG 77th overall out of over 2000 racers.

Ripped and out of the water.

below
Notice the proper post race finishers shot. Shama Cycles tech t and Coach Trent.com hat.
Well done Rich...well done...

With the customer base I am building I am getting race reports from races each weekend it seems and pics to go with sometimes. Its always great to get and love hearing about my athletes having great race days. This one is a great one. Just started racing two years ago, took a year off, came back this year on a Guru Crono and with a vengeance! Thanks Rich for the report and congrats on the great day you had....

Philip,

Thanks for all your help in getting me prepared for the NYC Tri. First of all, your advice to use the HED Jet 6 C2s was right on. They climbed awesome and handled really well in the cross wind even though the roads were nasty wet. Dropping my position by cutting the steerer tube and narrowing the aero bars felt great. On several of the steep descents I caught some nice rest tucking and getting super aero. The guys that I kept trading position with on the ride must have been really confused as I passed them without even peddling...them cranking away in their big ring. When I got off the bike, my legs felt great allowing me to hold a 6:42 pace for 10K. I came in with a PR of 2:13:08; a 7 minute improvement from CapTex earlier this year!

Thanks again man,

Rich

Guru Magis for Teresa....

2009-07-20T09:18:00.004-05:00

This time last year I met a girl through some mutual friends named Teresa who came to me for a fitting. After some quick assessments it became clear her bike was too big for her. I did what I could we put on some shorter cranks to help her out with that ill fitting frame. Of course from then on every time I saw her at the park or out on a ride I would harass her about getting a new Guru bike. Finally I broke her down and she gave in back in June and we started the process. There are two ways to buy a Guru. One is you come in and put down more money on a completely new bike than you did on your car or you buy a frame and maybe a couple new parts....but strip the rest from the bike you currently own and ride. This is what Teresa did. We looked at the parts she had on her frame which are Ultegra but her aero bars had to go. We pieced together a great build. Her shifters, brakes, front and rear D, wheels, tires and the cranks that I sold her a while back were all used. What did we add? HED Classic Aerobars, Ultegra cassette, KMC chain, Enduro Zero pulley wheels, Rotor SABB ceramic bottom bracket, KCNC stem, Selle SMP saddle, XLab SuperWing, Elite cages and Jagwire premium cables. The build was awesome and it came out great and at 17lbs...not bad...not bad at all. Now for the best part. The bike came in and I did a pre-fit. This is to double check the stem length choice and to cut down the aero bars to perfection and already she said it was felling better. After the build she came back for her Retul fitting. She has some pretty major back issues and the bike was designed for this purpose. We spent our time on the fitting and the bike was ready. Today she rode it for the first time. Post ride I got a text from her talking about how awesome the bike was and the compliments she got on it today. This is what I love to hear and why I do what I do. I can't wait to hear about her future rides on it...

La Vuelta de Acadiana- 2009 Stage Race

2009-07-19T21:43:00.005-05:00

Chris Lowry second in the first stage to Matt Davis, current National AG champ.

Eric Attayi finishing first with Greg Bauer close behind...the pack is back there...way back!

Me on the front of the crit....that was FUN!

LOWDA on the podium after her crit win on stage 1.

Team work
Aimee giving Laura her feed. Aimee is the best team mate!!!

Well I attempted another stage race this year. This time building up a tt bike the week before the race...not the night before. The main draw was not even the race but the people going and staying all in the same house. In all it turned out to be a great weekend! For me it started off leaving the shop at 5:30pm to go home and pack and then pick up Joy and Jorge. Support crew/photography. Going out of state I was not sure if there would be a photographer and being the picture whore that I am I had to bring my own just in cases. So we made the hike into Louisiana and after missing the 1,2,3s and the woman's crit race that night we made it to the house about 11ish. Who needs sleep before a race at 8am. I found out the time of my race when we made it in. Yeah an 8am 60 mile race, then an afternoon 3.75mile time trial and a Sunday morning crit. OUCH! I was not the one taking this one serious. Thankfully I have racers who do. Highlight of the weekend...Laura Meichan aka LOWDA won the first stage which was the Friday night crit, second in the road race, second in the time trial (which put her 2nd into the final crit by 4 seconds) and then after winning back hot spot points on a solo break away and then winning the crit by drilling it out of the final turn and holding them all off for the win...LOWDA won GC!!! That had to be one of the most exciting races I have watched and most rewarding since it was one of my girls who won and yes...it was on a custom Guru! ha!
Next up...Eric Attayi won his first race as a Cat 3. Good for him you say? Yes...but this was no ordinary race. This was a SUPER FLAT 80 mile road race of which he was in a break for 60 miles. The pack brought the break back and with Eric rolling as the lone Shama in that race and since ruining GC chances with a wreck in the crit the night before...he offered to help a friend of ours who was going for GC...Chris Lowry of Sugar Cycles. Chris said for him and Greg to get to the front and lead it out in the last 5k. Eric and Greg got to the front and then began to ramp it up and line it out. Greg looked back and saw a huge gap...the pack did not react till it was too late and Greg and Eric rolled to the line with a 15 second gap. Eric and Greg were having a discussion of who would get it and Greg did not want to sprint against Eric aka The Juggernaut. Eric had won his first road race and as a Cat 3 and done it with some serious talent in the field. AMAZING! Greg Bauer (part time Shama wrench and Sugar racer) enjoyed a second place finish. From there Trey Copeland with Southern Elite finished the weekend as highest GC Cat 3. I happened to mention several people on Facebook but then got word from his wife that he felt left out when I forgot that info in my Facebook posts. HAHAHA So I am sure to list it here. ;-)
Next up...Chris Lowry...we were Cat4s together on the same team 4 years ago. Now...he is one of the more respected Cat2s in Texas and I am still a Cat 4....he takes racing WAY more seriously than me. Or maybe he is just fitter and faster than I am. Not likely but what ever!! ha So three weeks ago Chris came in with his road bike and tt bike. We hooked him up to the Retul and played with some cleat positioning and slight saddle adjustments. First test at a Memorial Park Crit his HR was lower for the same power. This weekend all of his training and hard work paid off with his first win in the final crit on Sunday. Brant Speed of Austin Flyers and a Herring Gas guy went off the front in about the first lap. They had 30seconds on the feild and disorganized attacks and efforts did not bring them back until Brant was reeled in on the final turn on the final lap. True Tour de France style. But I was routing for my Houston boyz no matter the team! Greg Bauer (team mate of Chris) attacked and drew out the studs on his wheel...Greg began to swerve all over the road trying to shake em and when he went left...Chris stayed right and drilled an open line right to the line. He held over 1000watts for 22 seconds for the WIN! His first win...yes FIRST! This made it all the more sweeter and everyone could not be happier for him!
Oh yeah...I raced too. Flat 60mile race...PERFECT! The pace was pretty easy and only got a little challenging at times so in lap 2 of 4 I started to get on the front and test the waters. I found my friends there with me (even though on other teams Houston/Texas boys were looking out) and was having a blast. From my last decent TT the weekend before I was thinking maybe I would get top 10 GC or something. We rolled into the 3rd loop and I heard the sound...the sound of a latex tube letting the air out of your tire. But it was cool...I have wheels in the wheel truck behind us and our pace was like 22 or something. I got my wheel and started chasing...actually I was not feeling that great after the stop and was hitting 24 to 25 for about 5 -6 miles getting with in 100 yards of the pack...and then I saw it happen...it went from a mob to a line...NOOOOOO!!!!!! It broke me...mentally...which for the next two loops broke me physically. There were times I road and felt I could not even do 16mph. I even stopped to stretch and have a talk with self while peeing on the side of the road. I made it in and finished so I could continue to the TT in the afternoon and the crit the next day. I was pretty bummed but what can ya do. I was riding my bike and that would just have to be good enough. I finished just in time to wait about 10 minutes to watch the 123s finish thier 80 mile race. Which was awesome cause I was able to watch Eric come through solo for the win for SHAMA! Ok....back to the house to eat and rest before going back to the TT. I was a little too relaxed about getting there and found myself slipping on my white shoe covers and new Lazer Tardiz tt helmet with 5 minutes before my start time. Who needs a warm up for a 3.75 mile tt??? (thumbs up and silly grin on face) This guy!
I get in line and I don't know the guy infront of me but he looked as serious as I looked and behind me was Todd Stamm, a friend of mine on my old team, so I quickly began to talk smack to him about how this is the last time he will see me till the finish. My time came and I quickly displayed my power by sprinting up to 30 miles per hour before sitting down and settling in to my aero bars. This lasted for maybe the first .75 miles. Then it began to hurt...bad! I had to back it down...shift...catch my breath and try to get the acid out of my legs that quickly reminded me they already gave me a 30 mile TT in the morning after my flat. I settled in again and found myself at 27 and was gaining on my 30 second man. AWESOME! I AM GOING TO KILL IT!!! I hit the line barely able to keep myself from throwing up the Raising Cane's chicken tenders I had for lunch. No sooner did I down shift and start to brake here comes Todd rolling up on me. That dude nearly caught me! Here I am feeling good about my TT and here comes this guy putting just under 30 seconds into me. No matter...I did the best I could and left everything out there. Time to party! We all seemed a bit more tired after that than the rr in the morning. Got back to the house and found the girls and Jorge drinking this wonderful frozen Daiquiri mix from a gallon jug that they got from a drive through. Yes, only in Louisiana!!!! We showered and 18 of us mobbed a nice eating establishment for dinner and good times. Probably one of the best parts of the weekend...just everyone cutting up and talking about the racing that morning as well as just about anything else. Post dinner...Sonics was calling my name and I had to get a Sonic Blast. Did I need it? No...but I enjoyed it none the less. Morning came...I got to the races in time to watch LOWDA attack for the hot spot points and then watch her sprint for the win! I was PUMPED! I saw my effort yesterday in the TT was good enough for 10th place. Had I not flatted I could be in my goal...a top ten. But I am not so what to do??? I notice my friend Todd is in first with the fastest TT. I talked to him and his team mates and said I am in for helping. I would rather see a friend keep his first GC win than try to race for myself since I am second to last in GC. I knew there were some strong teams there that would go for the hot spot and finish to take back time on him. The crit started and I waited a couple laps to warm up and feel the rhythm. Then I started having tons of fun. Attacking the other teams after they pulled, covering attacks and sitting in on them, and then I happened to be off the front when the hot spot lap bell rung. I was caught going into the last turn but then I just ramped it up even more giving it all I had to till the contenders came around me to sprint to the line...Blake (Houston boy sitting in 3rd) nipped 4th place on the line for the time bonus helping Todd keep his lead for now. That effort to the line was hard and I totally blew myself up and was expected to get dropped. As I barely turn the pedals over at 20mph I roll back into a tired group. I guess I did a good job to make everyone tired. So I recovered too and started attacking and driving the pace all over again. Finally I pulled out with two to go to watch the finish. I was done and did all I could do. The result of my sacrificed race??? Todd won GC overall and Blake Krause 3rd overall, so I was proud of that. Not to mention Jorge got some great pics of us all out there. Myself and others that raced could not have done it without the help and support of our team mates and loved ones out there. A special thanks to Aimee and her parents for letting us stay at their house and for Aimee, Joy and Lynn being the best hand up, pre and post race crew anyone could ever have. I drove home tired but happy with a great weekend of racing with great friends! Next year... I want revenge on that road race course!

OnURLeft Duathlon

2009-07-04T12:50:00.005-05:00

Above, the new Guru Crono which did me right today.
Below, Maite updating her FB status. Jorge pointing at the window treatments. Greg pondering taking up competitive bowling after I SPANKED him on the bike. haha

Time to start catching up on the blog. I am being harassed for letting nearly a month go since my last update. Lots going on. But no excuses right???
Today was a sprint duathlon, the Onurleft Duathlon. Not a bad race for the first one. I hope it grows and gets bigger for next year. The first hard part about this race was the start time. 6:45am. OMG! Are you serious? But in light of our triple digit temperatures lately actually a really good call. Ok, to the race. I have not been riding and just this past week built up a tt bike. I hadn't ridden a tt bike since Feb or March. But with a stage race next weekend I figured it might be good to get on it a couple times before the race. So I put in a huge training week finished off with pulling Dacree 55 miles yesterday just to finish me off properly. So this morning as tired as can be and with some very sore legs I made my way to the race. The only thing that made me look like I was ready was my bike. Pretty sick if I do say so myself. I got to the race a little later than planned but still enough time to get my number, bike racked, and pee before the start. Yeah, but my only warm up was the run to and from the bathroom. Had I ran any more I am afraid I would not have been able to finish the race since I have not been running except this week. haha
I am not alone at this race. I am joined by some of my faithful (better trained and race ready) Shama Tri team members and friends. The most fun is the trash talk amongst friends. I spend my time saying hi to everyone trying to keep my mind off of the pain to come. The gun goes off and I start to run. Trying to keep my friends in sight but its not easy. I keep in my mind the advice that Coach Trent gave me...run super slow on the first run, bleed on the bike and hobble in the second run. YEAH RIGHT! But that is about what I did. I cruised the first run. Got to the bike and had a hard time getting past 24 at first. But then by mile two I warmed up and started cruising. I starting passing people and picking off friends and competition. I started seeing 27 and knew not to kill myself past that or I would be stopping. Slowed down, had to drink, but found a good carrot, a fellow road racer ahead and the pain began. It took me nearly 7 miles to make the catch but it was worth it. I was not passed by anyone, the first for me in a du. Also the first time for me to ride a custom (for me) tt bike. Guru Crono. Smooth and fast. Not sure of my tt split I rolled into T2 tired and not knowing how I am going to run two more miles. I am not sure of my first half mile but it could not be pretty. I wanted to stop but I kept going. I got to a turn and some one was calling out a count of runners ahead. After being passed by 7 people before that I heard 26 ahead. WOW had I passed that many on the run? I kept it up. I wanted to come in top 50 at least. (200 racers) So I tried hard and kept a decent pace. My legs were screaming!!!! I was tired and wanted to sleep. I couldn't even keep count of those that passed me. Amazingly the finish line came up on me quickly and I came through the finish. I don't remember much of what I was thinking other than try not to suck too badly. LOL I was happy to be done saw most of The Shama Racers already done. Which is where they should be. ;-) But we still had a couple on course to cheer on!!!! As soon as we were all in...FOOD! We started making plans of where to eat. We packed our bikes and on the way out we saw the results being posted. I rushed over and low and behold I was 2nd in my AG and had the 2nd fastest bike split of the race!!!! (official web results show me knocked down one spot in each. But no worries I still got some bragging rights and with a bike split like that I could not have been happier. I was more surprised than anything. I have not had this good of a split at a race yet. I just might have to keep running and do some more of these....maybe even swim a little and dare I say do another triathlon...

The goods! Shama Team and FOPs

Kristen A 2nd in AG
Jenny H 4 in AG
Laura M 1st in AG (fastest female bike split)
Anne F 7th in AG
Dave D Masters Overall
ME 3rd in AG
Jorge M 4th in AG
Jeremy Rowe 2nd in AG
Greg B 4th in AG (I beat him on the bike!!!!! haha)
Brett Cole 1st in AG
Greg C 4th in AG
Andy A 5th in AG
Nigel W 3rd in AG

CONGRATS TO ALL on a great day of racing.

Tejas Triathlon, details to come

2009-06-07T21:53:00.004-05:00

Richard Cairns running out of T1 on his way to winning his Age Group. Passed by Shama team mate and fellow Guru owner Brett Cole in the last half mile of the run. Brett won Master's by 2 seconds. Yeah, Rich didn't spend the next week thinking about those two seconds. ;-)

Brett Cole coming in for the Master's win!

Trent Stephen's coming in 3rd over all!

Tejas Triathlon

2009-06-07T21:24:00.002-05:00

John Cascio, from the Shama Road Team, happy not to have to pin a number on his jersey...happy not to have to wear a jersey.

Euan starting off on the bike...

The frantic chip strap swap from Kim to Euan.

above
This is what the fastest bike of the day looks like coming into T2. Notice the helmet matches the bike...I can go as far as customers let me.
below
The bike split of Euan and his relay team. Yes, that says 29.4mph. The man loves pain!

2400 WATTS...can this bike handle it???

2009-06-07T21:01:00.004-05:00

Sidero, the new Steel offering from Guru.

OH SO CLEAN!

Yes, that is one very high number. Yes there is a guy who can hit that and this is his new bike. A friend of mine came to me needing a bike that he can't break. After going through carbon bikes pretty easily and eventually some other steel frames he was just wanting someone to tell him that there is a bike that can hold him for more than a season of racing. Eric Attayi is about 6'3" and weighs about 260lbs. This kind of weight can test any frame, then add in someone who races and who LOVES to sprint and you have a problem...a big problem. Bent crank spindles, cracked bottom brackets, welds broken, carbon cracking...its not even fair to mention the brands since NONE of them usually test out to this kind of rider weight. With some power numbers in one hand and measurements in another I called up Robert at Guru and had a long talk with him about this customer and bike that needs to be built. After some back and forth we decided to go Steel. Guru had in some tubing and ordered some more for the diameter and wall thickness needed for the tubes on this bike. The welder there also used a process for welding used in titanium bikes to make sure the welds are that much stronger. Along with an AlphaQ GS-40 fork this became a pretty expensive frame build but still cheaper than a carbon bike. Two goals for this build, a bike made for crits, sprinting, and a perfect fit.
The bike came in and I did my usual pre fit and just loved how it was looking. Eric of course was too excited to weight and we built it up quickly. Campy Record parts graced this classic Steel frame. Along with a Thompsosn seat post, Deda Newton handlebars and Deda Zero 100 stem. We also used Jagwire cables in white, and white Lizard Skin bartape.
With the Easton wheels as shown here...17lbs 4oz. AMAZING!
The bike being built we put him up on the Retul and corrected a couple issues in his cleats and then fine tuned his position. The word from him after riding it for two weeks...he has never ridden such a nice bike and the fit and position is amazing. First race...I can't wait till he can get out and sprint!

Weekend of Kona chances/Guru Crono part deux

2009-05-29T22:53:00.004-05:00

Sram Red rear D, Enduro Zero ceramic pulley wheels (just happened to be blue), KMC gold chain,

Rotor Agilis Cranks, Aero QRing, SABB ceramic bottom bracket

Featherweight Brakes with blue accents

HED Classic aerobars, Lizard Skins bartape.
BELOW
This frame is 2 years old and is one of the most complimented bikes I have done

Shama goes international once again. Andrew Strong, freshly off of a Retul fit on his new Guru Merus is getting ready to race Ironman Brazil tomorrow morning. This is his first triathlon for 2009 and his first attempt at a Kona slot for the year. Either way...he is in Brazil...its all good no matter what.
Then in beautiful Hawaii racing the 70.3 in the morning is Lisa Tilton-McCarthy, Waly Yarrow, and Jeanna Abbott. Lisa has a great shot at getting a Kona slot here at this race. With her newly redone 15lbs Guru Crono she is ready to take that slot and come back again in October! Walt is out for a good time...though he is getting faster and faster and a Kona slot could also be in his future some day. I think Walt's victory will come in the form of just having a faster time than Lisa. ;-)
Jeanna will be doing her first Half Ironman. The girl who loves to train and hates to race will be doing her first half, no, not as her longest distance but as her shortest. Yes, you read that right. Her first triathlon was an Ironman, so was her second and her third. Maybe a bit backwards but it works for her. What happens if she finds out that 70.3 is not for her? She will have a great time anyway...she is in Hawaii for crying out loud and she is with two of the most fun people you can hang with for a race.
This is really what its all about for alot of triathletes. Training for that one great destination race and enjoying everything about it. I might have worked early or late on their bikes, spent hours dialing in their fits and helping pack it up and stressing over every component and keeping the bikes rolling through the 1000 of miles it takes to get to a race...but knowing that I helped get them to their race with the best possible equipment and position to help them get the most out of their day...its a great feeling. I will spend my Saturday morning and afternoon checking on line and waiting to see splits and final times and wait for a text or email about the day. I can't wait!!!!!

A Saturday Ride...

2009-05-29T01:49:00.003-05:00

Can you hear that screaming...its Eric's wheels...haha

Euan sitting pretty waiting for the light to turn. Sorry you can't tell its him, but the bike is prettier. ;-)

Jeff sporting the Shama gear while Eric sits in amazement of his new Guru

Andrew Strong rolling out his last long ride before Ironman Brazil.

Another ride with the boys while the triathletes were racing the roadies were rolling a common ride out to Fulsher. Lots of fun and its great being able to be on rides and start to see more custom bikes on the road, and from the races below, at the races too!

Cap Tex Triathlon 2009

2009-05-29T00:51:00.006-05:00

Mike Shearman is all smiles pre race....
below
Lisa, Teresa, Beau, ?, Walt

Well one of the biggest races of the year for most Texas triathletes is Cap Tex Tri in Austin. Ok, maybe not the biggest but definitely the most fun...especially for Houston athletes that love to trek to Austin for a weekend to party and race on Memorial Day Weekend! I have heard some race recaps from the weekend and while I did hear about the racing...I hear more about pre race and post race than anything else. Which just means it really was GREAT WEEKEND!!!!
In the Sprint Race
Lisa Tilton McCarthy won her Age Group, not on her newly redone prized possession Guru Cron but on her new Guru Praemio, custom road bike built to be able to tri on too. Which worked great on this multi loop course.
Walt Yarrow won his Age Group on his Guru Merus. He went full aero for the sprint and killed it!!!
Mike Shearman took 13th in his AG (same as Walt's) on his Guru Ventus which he just started riding again like two weeks ago. Which isn't right since he bested his friend Spencer who works more than Mike...though we think everyone works more than Mike??? haha

In the Olympic Distance race
Ann Hughes rocked a great race in her first attempt of this distance, she was 3rd in her AG on her white with purple Guru Crono.
Jacqueline Fein cruised into 3rd place on her Guru Crono!!!!
Teresa Demetriou enjoyed her race as well.
Richard Cairns rolled to a top ten in his AG on his road bike and my Edge wheels.
Beau Freyou rocked 3rd place in his AG. Way to go Beau!!!
Kendall Gray enjoyed his effort out there.

Combat Triathlon

2009-05-29T00:26:00.003-05:00

Ahhh...another great day of racing in Houston.
Combat Tri had quite a few Shama Cycles racers representing.
Trent Stephens who was first across the line and Second Overall.
Ann Smith won Masters Women!!!
Anne Ekern won her Age Group.
Kathleen Smith had a great day on her Guru Venio

Also a special shout out to some friends of mine who raced this one.
Dianne Sweeny (who won OA woman's), Jeff Gill, Andy Stewart, Chris Phenicie, Steve Ohnimus, Dave Depinet (who won his AG on his Crono), Sam Luna, Ann Fickel, and Matilda Guerra

Silverlake Tri!

2009-05-28T23:38:00.003-05:00

Here is the recap from Brett Cole of that race...killer bike split! #1 in age group is always a good day!

Philip – a little race recap for Silverlake-

My second year at the Silverlake sprint, and with the cool weather and low humidity (and of course the Guru) I was able to drop nearly 5-minutes from last year, good for 6^th OA, and 1^st in the always competitive M40-44 AG.

My pool work may be starting to help, but still I’ve got a long way to go. Out of the water there were at least 6 or 7 AG guys ahead of me, but I was only down about 1:30 behind Tom Stus, who was in front of the AG - with the fastest OA swim split for the day.

For me the bike course is a real technical challenge, by my count 30+ turns over the 10-miles and my cornering may even be weaker than my swimming. A hard effort on the few straight stretches and I was able to get into T-2 with the top AG bike split and down to just 3 guys in front of me for the run, just under 1:30 down on Stus.

I really pushed it out of T-2 and gave the run all I could, leading to a solid 5:49/mile avg and the 3^rd best OA run split. I think I caught Stus with about a mile to go, and ended up finishing 0:45 in front of him. Still, was about 1:00 out of the top-5, and 3:00 off the OA winner, but I was really happy with the effort and result for the day.

Others of Note,
Coy Connelly rocked his race in Brett's AG on his Crono.
Jane Kang came back to racing after some time off on her Guru Merus, one of the smallest frames you will ever see!
And my friend Lisa Berman won her AG, thanks to her Speedfill no doubt. haha ;-)

Another Guru Praemio and very petite

2009-05-12T15:23:00.004-05:00

15lbs 4oz.
6/4 ti frame
Sram Red cranks, Force brakes, f&r Ds, shifters, 1070 cassette.
Stolen headset (anodized red)
KCNC steerer spacers and seat post clamp
Parlee carbon Front D hanger
Rotor S1 stem, New Ultimate seat post,
Dimension bars...not much of a name but they FIT!
Specialized saddle, KMC chain, Clark and Nokon cables
Reynolds Assault wheels, Schwalbe Blizzard tires
Tacx Tao cages, Look Sprint pedals

Nokon cables are used in a build where ever there is a tight bend since typical housing can not make the bend with out using even more cable.
Which just is not as pretty...

Keeping the red theme going on the stem faceplate, headset, spacers, and Shama Cycles stem cap really sets off the front end.

The ti frame with Kandy Red paint and clear coat all over really made this bike shine!!!!
He first impressions over her old bike that was all wrong for her???
Laughing at how easy it is to pedal, turning, stopping, unclipping, shifting...pretty much everything was way better than before. And that was just from us spinning around behind the shop. I can't wait for the first real ride.
We Retul'd the bike today, fixed some knee and foot movement issues and then we were done. As in with every custom bike so far, the fit is just too easy.

A hard day at the office...with two customers.

2009-05-10T21:58:00.005-05:00

14lbs 11oz
6/4 titanium frame, AlphaQ full carbon fork
Sram Red shifters
Sram Force Front D, rearD, brakes
Rotor Agilis Cranks, Qrings, SABB ceramic bb
Parlee carbon braze on clamp
Extralite seatpost collar
Tune aluminum seat post
CaneCreek headset
Selle Italia Diva saddle
Deda Zero 100 bar and stem
Lizard Skins bar tape
Nokon cables
HED Ardenesse wheels
Michelen Pro Race tires
KMC gold chain, KCNC skewers
Mavic Wintech computer
Elite cages

Walt, rolling on his Guru Merus, we played with his position too

Lisa, just enjoying the ride, one of the few times on the hoods.

above
Walt and Lisa sharing feelings or whatever couples do on rides.
(really she is talking trash about dropping him next hill)
below
Man that kit looks good! Oh yeah, so does Lisa and her bike. ;-)

Well today was one of those days that really wears you out. The kind of work day that when you are done you just want to CRASH and sleep and not be bothered. I had to ride my bike for work. Yes, I know what you are thinking "in this heat?". I know...but I am committed to great customer service.
HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Lisa Tilton-McCarthy picked up her new Guru Praemio today. This bike is a new frame with a couple old parts from her Crono, which is also being upgraded. Her goal is a Kona slot. A goal I have committed to helping her with anyway I can. She is an awesome athlete and just needs work on the bike. Her run is killer so if she can just stay on the bike she can seal the deal on the run. So we took her 2 year old Crono which still looks brand new, selected some upgrades for it and had to have some where to put her old parts. What to do...what to do??? Its obvious! Get a titanium road bike that compliments your tri position. I mean...everyone does that right? ;-)
So here we are. A 6.4 titanium road bike that weighs 14lbs and 11oz with out even trying.
The goal of the bike is to have something to train in, in groups and be in control a little better for those long rides. We worked with Guru to design the frame to compliment the fit of the Crono I sold her just two years ago. This way training on this bike transfers to the Crono. We also designed it to be raced as well. There are those events in triathlon were sometimes a road bike might be better. Cap Tex Tri for example, tight course, corners, climbing, and lots of people on the same course. If you are at all nervous in your aero bars around people on a course like that then you are on your bull horns and defeating the purpose of the tri bike. We chose titanium so she can put it on the trainer, use it on crappy days, rough road rides, and travel for fun with out having to worry about damaging a carbon bike. Basically a bike that she can relax with and not worry about it falling over at a rest stop or in the back of her car.

THE RIDE!
As I always try to do, I like to ride with customers on thier first ride. One its just plain fun. But really it allows me to see things that you can't see on the Computrainer or Retul. This way if we need to stop and adjust the saddle tilt or handle bars as the true position is found we can do that. We did 72 miles today and this is her first time to ride a road bike. One bike triathletes crack me up. First lesson of the day...shifting. haha Just spinning in the parking lot she was amazed at the bike but I was worried about 72 miles in a new position that she was not used to, not to mention starting out at noon in the heat of the day. We took off and about 5 miles into the ride till about mile 60 she comments "now I know why you roadies ride all the time, this is a blast" "this is so easy" I can ride in my drops and it feels just like my tri bike" "Oh my god these hills are so easy to climb standing up, this bike is so light" The only things we adjusted as the saddle just slightly up and tilted. Everything else was perfect. Needless to say she was loving life and the new bike. At every stop Walt and I would have to chase her down when we started up again cause she would just take off! We finish the ride and she was so excited and full of life, I was dead tired from logging in 9hours in two days.

The ride was actually best for me though, I find no greater satisfaction in my work than days like today. Riding with a friend/customer who could not be happier with their new bike and riding it. This is why I do what I do.
I LOVE MY JOB!!!!

Next up, her Crono reborn and ready for Hawaii 70.3 on the 30th of May!!!!

Gulf Coast Update

2009-05-10T21:36:00.002-05:00

Details are foggy as the Snoop Dog concert only 30 minutes away from the race seemed to be the main focus for Greg being out there to race. Seems that needing to have time to put on his pimp hat for the concert that night did lead him to a Half Ironman distance Bike PR! Good Job Greg!

Trent Stephens' need for speed was there, though 10 minutes slower on the bike than last year, he was 5th Pro this year where as last year he was 8th. Wind seemed to be a big factor in some slower bike splits this year but Trent sealed the deal with a strong run. Good thing too, he will need his winnings to finally buy his wife some flowers on the side of the road for Mother's Day.
Who says you should not try something new on race day???

Also, a friend of mine, John Robertson had a great race out there. After quite a few injuries over the past couple of seasons it seems he is finally back and not only completed the race but killed it! Top 5 overall. Congratulations John!

Lisa Tilton McCarthy's new Guru Praemio

2009-05-07T09:51:00.004-05:00

above
Lisa's blue Praemio and Colleen's red Praemio...pre build.
below
Lisa is on the computrainer just for a quick check on the frame, fit, saddle, stem length, steerer tube height and such. We select everything when we design the bike. Before the build happens I check what determines fit of the bike to see if any changes need to be made now or if any select parts need to be ordered. But as usual with custom and careful design and planning...everything was perfect. Now with the build to follow the cabling and such will come out that much nicer and the Retul fit will be the cherry on top.

Lisa is a triathlete that upsets overall and Master's placings at the triathlons around town. She is wanting that Kona slot this year and is taking it pretty seriously. As in she is not racing double racing each weekend all over Texas with what ever she can pin a number on for and go when the gun goes off. She is choosing her races carefully and actually trying to peak for certain races and rest a little in between. (un heard of for this athlete) This goal calls for the best equipment. She already has a Guru Crono with Sram Force on it I sold to her 2 years ago so how do you get better? Buy a Guru Praemio made out of 6.4 titanium tubing to be able to train more in group rides where the paces can be higher to work on speed...also have the geometry designed as to compliment your tri position so the training translates between bikes. Lisa also went with the ti road bike to have something to travel with, ride on crazy courses and poor weather days. This way the gorgeous carbon Crono is saved for the races and specific training days. Along with this upgrade, we are putting Sram Red components on the Crono and her Force is going on the Praemio.
More to come as these bikes get built up and evolve into the works of art they are.

GulfCoast Half Ironman and buying time!

2009-05-07T09:03:00.004-05:00

The new Rotor Agilis cranks, Aero QRings, SABB ceramic BB. I like the new red spider.

Silver Tiso ceramic pulley wheels spin so much better than stock wheels, Campy, Shimano and Sram should be ashamed of themselves....
Below, we also put on some new Elite Custom white/red bottle cages.
btw, Zipp 999 will be the race wheel of choice on Saturday...not the ones below.

Gulf Coast Half Ironman is over in Florida and well, its prettier than racing in Galveston I guess. (snickering) Plenty of Texas athletes make the trip over every year to do this race. This weekend happens to be Mother's Day weekend so I am not sure how some guys are pulling it off, though I do know that Trent Stephens and Fred Johnson are leaving Friday morning, EARLY, to get there, race, and then as soon as transition is open to get bikes out, they are packing up to haul butt back to Houston to celebrate Mother's Day with their uber understanding wives who just had the kids most of the weekend by themselves. But I am sure it will all be worth it. HA!
Trent came in finally for some upgrades I have been dying to get him to do. He is a Campy man and has been as long as I have known him. Now that I have been having my way with his Crono race bike the only things left that are Campy is the rear D, cassette, and cranks. Until yesterday...now its just the rear D and cassette. I believe the Rotor SABB ceramic bottom bracket spins way smoother than nearly any other bottom bracket out there, let alone a stock Campy BB. To change this requires a Shimano style crank. Since no true Campy man would ever own anything from that Japanese rod and reel manufacturer...the obvious choice for a crank was the Rotor Agilis crank who also makes the SABB bb and the QRings that we all ride and love. A perfect combo from a company based in Spain...which borders Italy where Campy is based...so its as good as one can get with out being Campy. ;-) Next to come will be a Quarg power meter to replace the spider in that crank.
While we were at this craze of lightening up the bike with lighter cranks, using an aero chain ring set, and freeing up some watts with the ceramic bb, we also installed a set of Tiso ceramic pulley wheels in the rear D. Tiso is made in Italy which really just means that its nice...but you are gonna pay for the privilege. With it all installed and set up and shifting dialed in I could notice right away his drive train had way less drag in it. Lets see what translates to the race this Saturday....
Oh by the way, this bike has TRP 960SL brakes, Sram Red front D, Sram TT900 bar end shifters, and now the Rotor cranks. This bike is now more of a mutt bike than anything else. But don't we all love mutts just a little bit more than pure breeds?
Have fun and check back for the updates on Greg, Fred, and Trent's race weekend.

CBI TRIATHLON

2009-05-07T01:34:00.000-05:00

Above is a pic of Brett Cole laying it down...nice top Brett. ;-)

Yes...even more racing in Houston!!!! Triathlon is the largest part of my business right now. I think triathletes are the ones who are more into buying every second they can...and they do!
CB&I is a sprint put on in the Woodlands and is a beautiful race. Though you would never notice it while racing and if you do you need to be going FASTER! haha
I had some athletes with some pretty good days.
Jacqueline went out there and nailed a solid second in her age group on her Guru Crono.
Ann Hughes put down the wood on her Guru Crono to tie for fastest bike in her group and rolled in 5th overall. Her T1 time was over a minute faster than the girls who came in ahead of her. All I can think that happened was she stopped to look at how pretty her bike was before getting on it. About the only draw back to having a beautiful custom Guru to race on. HAHAHAHA!
Brett Cole laid down a solid effort for 5th in his AG as well as 19th overall!
And finally my friend Mike Shearman decided to ride his Guru Ventus a couple days before the race and got a solid 20th in his very large very "seasoned" AG. (I hope Mike reads this)

A weekend of racing in Houston...finally!

2009-05-06T10:01:00.004-05:00

Above
Stepanie, Helen, Aimee, Trey, and Ahmed, front and center there is Dolce.
Post race at Coldspring. We are all smiling a sigh of relief and glad that is over with.
Below
Helen having to ride 5 miles through the hills to get back to her car to leave. That is a very cruel trek after you are done. But Helen is a hardcore and loved it!

Me off the front in the 2nd or 3rd lap...short lived but fun!

Finally after having to drive all over Texas to race my bike myself and the Shama Cycles Team made a trip to Coldspring on Saturday for the Coldsprings Road Race and then to Sugarland on Sunday for the Sugar Crit. More to come with the rest of the pictures are in.
For now...back to work!

The fun part of the Coldspring ride

2009-04-30T09:56:00.003-05:00

Laura, Jose and Wilmer, most likely with Jose cracking some jokes.

A toast!!!!
Wow...there are several wine bottles at that table....

The smarter side of the Shama Cycles team and friends.

Jose, Laura, Helen.
Yeah...they take their training VERY seriously.
I can't even type that with a straight face. LOL

This was not me that day. I stuck to the course and the pain with the other masochists. How ever, the ever insightful Chris Lockwood planned a side route and a post ride recovery eating/hydration session. I think this was the thing I should have done. I see nothing but smiles here. The only smiles that I saw was from the guys inflicting the pain when they would look at how I am doing. SICK SICK SICK! Next time, I am sticking with this crew...