Giant Riders - Rejoice!

Since becoming the owner of a Giant TCR-C2 last summer, I quickly became an erstwhile fan of Team Columbia, the Pro Tour squad that grew out of the rubble of the former T-Mobile team. Aside from being an early fan of Mark Cavendish and a longtime fan of Eric Zabel (and sadly, I was duped into being a fan of their doped-up Kazakh beast), I was never really excited about the squad. But since owning a bike of the same namesake as those of team Columbia, I suddenly felt an affection for the revitalized and now American-based team. In fact, I even made the purchase on the same day Marcus Burghart won a stage of the Tour de France on a Giant TCR Advanced.

So imagine my sadness when I learned that Columbia would no longer be aboard Giants, but switching instead to Scott. It happened at a time when seemingly every team played musical bike sponsors, including Saxo Bank on Specialized and Silence-Lotto on Canyon. Then a silver lining appeared on the clouds of Giant riders everywhere when Rabobank, the legendary Dutch squad and one of my favorite teams, announced they would be riding Giants in 2009.

That's right all of you riders out there on TCRs and OCRs, even if you're not aboard a TCR Advanced SL, you still will share the same namesake as Oscar Friere, Juan Antonio Flecha, and Robert Gesink, whom The Complete Jewish Cyclist pegs as a future Grand Tour winner. And yes, you can check out the Giant line of bikes at The Bike Rack (link to the right). The Rabos had a down season last year despite some great riding by Friere, Flecha, and Gesink, but they're a refocused team this year with some smart goals, and as any Giant owner will tell you, they will be riding some really awesome machines.

(Update: Nick Nuyens will also be riding for Rabobank in the 2009 season. Nuyens is a killer Classics rider, and expect to see him as the Rabo's key man in races like Het Volk and Kurne-Brussels-Kurne. Flecha will still be their man for races like Ronde van Vlaandaren and Paris-Roubaix, but expect to see Nuyens placed up in any move Flecha goes in, with Nuyens either being the solo break set-up guy or the main rider is Flecha has a bad day. And no matter what, he'll be doing it on a Giant!!!)

Bikes of the Jewish Peleton - Tom's Kona Jake

While Tom Jones' Kona Jake is the second bike to be featured here on The Complete Jewish Cyclist, it shares the dual distinction of being the first cyclocross bike and the first race bike (yishar koach!). Though mainstream cyclists may not be familiar with the Kona brand, serious enthusiasts and racers have an almost cult-like affinity for the Ferndale, WA-based company. Perhaps the best known Kona is the bright orange Major Jake of newly-crowned U.S. national cyclocross champion Ryan Trebon, and the Kona line of 'cross bikes, including the Jake, are a popular sight on any local cyclocross circuit such as the MAC/MABRA series, which Tom races as part of the Proteus cycling team.

Tom's Jake is the entry-level model amongst Kona's three 'cross bikes, but shares the same geometry and 7005 butted aluminum frame as the mid-level Jake the Snake, differing only in the use of a steel fork versus a carbon fork. Still, even though the Jake is geared towards a broader range of riders than the top-of-the line Major Jake, which is geared towards racers only, the Jake itself is very much a race-ready bike and is the race bike of many local cyclocrossers. With its versatility, however, the Jake also makes for a fine commuter or long-distance touring bike.

Tom himself put the Jake through its paces in his first-ever cyclocross season this year, and pulled it (and himself) through in one piece with some pretty gutsy performances in some very demanding races. He also plans to put the bike to an equally demanding challenge by riding all 186 miles of the C&O Canal in one day later this year, a ride which The Complete Jewish Cyclist is also giving serious consideration to doing. You can follow Tom's riding and racing at his blog (www.528k.com).

Thank you Tom for submitting your rig to Bikes of the Jewish Peleton, and be sure to keep it nice and muddy.

If you have a bike you would like us to feature on The Complete Jewish Cyclist, send an e-mail with some info on the bike and a picture of the bike pasted into the e-mail (sorry, no attachments or downloads) to jewishcycling@gmail.com.

Bikes of the Jewish Peleton - Neil's Specialized Roubaix Comp

While the term "Jewish Cycling" is still up for definition, no matter what it involves or how it evolves, one thing's for sure; bikes will be a part of it. So for the time being, I'll leave others to work with Jewish Cycling's more esoteric aspects (such as Hazon, which includes using cycling in bulding "sustainable Jewish communities" and Bike n' Brunch, which focuses on social rides for singles), and we'll focus on what we love best; bikes and riding.

With that in mind, welcome to the first installment of "Bikes of the Jewish Peleton", where we profile some of the bikes being ridden by all types of Jewish cyclists. Our first bike is Neil Feit's sweet new Specialized Roubaix Comp, an everyman's version of Tom Boonen's Paris-Roubaix winning Roubaix SL2. Based on Specialized's revolutionary "plush" model, a design which revolutionized the cyling industry by adapting high-performance road bikes for endurance riders and racers, the Roubaix Comp shares the same basic geometry as the top-end Roubaix models while using Specialized's mid-level FACT 7r carbon with monocoque fork and Zertz elastomer inserts in the fork and chainstays. Combined with a taller headtube for a more upright position and a longer wheelbase to relax the bike, the Roubaix provide a silky smooth and very comfortable ride.

Neil began riding only a few years ago, and with a growing list of long-distance rides behind him, he has graduated from a older retooled Schwinn ten-speed to a newer hybrid to this new Roubaix. The bike itself was purchased from Toga Bikes, a shop which I used when living in NYC and highly recommend, and was custom fitted by Will, which I also highly recommend (I forgot his last name, but he did the fitting on my cyclocross bike and I haven't changed it in three years now). With this Roubaix, Neil rolls on a full Shimano kit - including a 105 gruppo and RS-10 wheelset - and sits on Specialized's highly-praised Toupe saddle while resting his hands on thier cushy Body Geometry Bar Phat tape. I had the same tape on my Specialized Langster, and I reccomend it to every roadie and 'crosser out there.

'Nuff said. Thanks to Neil for submitting his bike, and we hope (and know) he's gonna put plenty of miles on this sweet rig.

Got a bike you want everybody to see. Paste a picture of it into an e-mail (sorry, no attachments or downloads please) and send it to jewishcycling@gmail.com, and get the velo "nachas" you deserve.

Happiness is...

...freshly-wrapped handlebars.

Mazel Tov - it's a New Bike!

There is a scene in the classic Jewish movie "Fiddler on the Roof". Set in an old Russian shtetl, the poor town's tailor finally acquires his much sought-after, hard worked-for sewing machine. The sewing machine draws the delight and excitement of not only the tailor for all it will allow him to do, but also draws a special blessing from the revered Rabbi, whom wishes that the Almighty will allow the tailor to derive joy, pride, and expected benefits from his beloved new purchase.

I feel the similar sentiments with my new bike.

In fact, I even received a similar blessing for my new Giant TCR-C2 Composite from my father-in-law; black hat and all. Much like the tailor's sewing machine, this bike was a worthy budget-stretcher. If you know about this bike, you're response is anything from "man, I've heard awesome things about that bike" to "yeah, you and like ten thousand hundred other riders out there - bet you're a big Team Columbia fan, eh?". Well, I am indeed a Columbia fan, especially of Mark Cavendish and Andre Griepel, but more so the mere fact that this bike is indeed awesome.

True to form, the Giant carbon is not only great bang-for-the-buck value, but the ride is incredible. Giant, along with Look, are the only manufacturers who source their own carbon fiber. The bike has a feel which is not only light, fast, and comfortable, which is typical of carbon frames, but also a unique characteristic of confidence and stability. Not only is it a great climbing and sprinting bike, and a comfortable all-day rider as well, but it's true brilliance shines as the bike tracks beautifully through high speed descents and maneuvers. With an Easton SL50sc wheelset, Shimano Ultegra shifters and derailleurs, and Fizik Alliante Ti saddle, this bike is all about fast.

Also, this bike is from The Bike Rack in Washington DC. The Bike Rack is an incredible shop which is new to the DC cycling scene, but has done more than any local shop to reach out to and embrace the local racing scene, from their cyclocross team for whom I race for, to their road and triathlon teams, to their rides and classes for all levels of recreational cyclists. They were patient and attentive in helping me select this bike, masterfully built it, and did a great job of fitting my complicated body measurements to the Giant's tricky geometry. If you live in the Washington DC region, I highly recommend this shop (check 'em out: www.bikerackdc.com). They are friendly, very knowlegable, extremely charismatic and fun, and they have dogs in the shop. What more can you ask for?

And as for me, I'm ready to reap the possibilities of this awesome new bike. Speed, fun, and a technically beautiful bike - sounds like "simcha and nachas" to The Complete Jewish Cyclist.