Team Helmet

Thanks to J.S. and all the people at Bell for keeping us safe and comfortable for the 2008 Cyclocross Season.  We'll be sporting the Bell Sweep in style.  I hoping for this one but I don't have as much pull as Cancellara or Thor.    Next year!  

Tires!

First shipment is in house.  Challenge Griffo's in 32 and 34, and Challenge Griffo XS's in 32's.  I'm hoping to get through the season on 3 sets of tires baring any issues or flats.  One pair of the XS's, one pair of std, 32's and either the new Fango from Challenge or the DuGast Rhynos, which I have in the basement aging.  I want to open a store that has a walk in humidor filled with Tubulars.   That would be sweet.

Brush Up

Who knows what these are?  OK, I can't keep a secret these are a couple hundred acid brushes waiting for some gluing action.  I have my secret stash of brushes, glue, tape, valve core extenders, aquaseal sidewall sealant, rubber gloves, and a couple dozen cans of pit stop repair sealant set aside.  Tubies are on order and should be in by the end of this month.  I will have Challenge Griffo and Griffo XS's in stock in both 32's and 34's.  I also hope to have the Challenge Fango Mud tire in stock as well, although I haven't seen these in the flesh just yet.  It's possible that I will have a select number of Dugast Rhynos in if the Fango's don't come about.  I thought a lot about the FMB's again and got to practice my french in emails back and forth with Francois, but decided that for the cross racing we do that the Challenge's provide a tire that will work well.  They are durable and not overly expensive. 

If you have any gluing needs please feel free to email me or stop by the shop.  I am happy to store your wheels at the shop if you need gluing until your select tires are in, this allows proper time for cleaning the old glue off the rim, stretching your new tires, and then the gluing process takes about 3 days to complete.  I glue dozens of tires every year and have refined the process I use over the last ten years.  Hope things are well, and I hope everyone has cyclocross dreams, I always do but that could be from inhaling too much glue before bed.

2008 Chicago Cyclocross Cup

The Chicago Cyclocross 2008 Series schedule has been announced, as well as the schedule there are some new start times as well.  There will be 10 or 11 races in 2008!   Wow, getting a bit nervous already.  Between Cross Vegas, a couple wisconsin races, and nationals, that makes a very busy fall.  

Are you getting ready?

Tip from Brian at BSC Coaching:  "Cross is just around the corner.  If you are not racing the road, now is the time to get serious and start training.  Start those LT's.  --BSC Coaching."  Contact Brian at bconant@msn.com now to get set up on a plan for Cross season!  It's not too late......now is the perfect time to get rolling.  

Sven Rides the Fat Tires

Sven riding dugast tubular mountain bike tires at the mountain bike World Championships 2008.  He DNF'd the race, but his tires look awesome.  photo cred.  

BIKE 1

Motivation

Mike Sherer has provided me with some much needed motivation.  I've been seeing little bits and pieces on the order sheets I enter during a hectic week.  TRP, Fizik, 42's, 12-27's, mostly ordered in quantities of 2 or 4.  We open at 11, but Mike has been rolling through at 9 am on most mornings to sneak in a coupe hours of work on his bikes.  Mike is a Category 1 road racer and in the heat of his season, he's had one weekend off in the last 4 months, but he's in early working on these.   They're stunning bikes really, just slightly different, but so esthetically pleasing.  Mike runs one double and one single.  He has the legs and does the nationals where a 42 just isn't going to cut it, wish I had that problem. 

I walk past these two bikes at least twenty times a day, just taunting me.  I packed up both my cross bikes in bike boxes and put them in my basement at home in January last year (this year I guess) but needless to say I couldn't resist the temptation any longer.  They're out and one is all built up, spun it around today, feels crazy strange.  I'm used to SRAM Red now and the DA is so odd, my thumb feels trapped on the hoods somehow.   I have it in the window so I can stare at it while I work.  Two more cyclocross bikes to build, the training bike with power and the A bike.  Can't wait to start gluing up some fat tubulars.

2007 Series Champion

Got this in the mail today.  This is the jersey that is presented to all of the overall winners of their perspective categories in the Chicago Series.  It is an awesome looking piece that has a lot of Chicago Style.  It is kind of nice because it really rewards consistency, it doesn't depend on just one day.  I have to thank my family more than anyone for this.  Getting all these days to ride away from home is truly a gift, and I appreciate it.  Thanks also to everyone involved in the Chicago Cyclocross cup, without your hard work we wouldn't have a series.  I remember 2005 I think there almost wasn't a series at all.  It was mid September and we were still all looking at each other wondering if it would happen.  The cup has come a long way since it all started.  Thanks again.  

PRO Cross Style

It doesn't get any more pro than this.  I have been looking for one of these for years.  Maybe I should run two rings?

KIT

2008 Pony Shop Cyclocross Team.  Jersey pictures, skins will be the standard of course.

Double it up

Since cross season is still a couple of months away I keep my body occupied with the road, but thoughts of the cross bike keep creeping in.  I keep starting to build them back up but something tells me to hold off just a bit longer.  I still have to figure out what I'm building up with parts wise.  Doing new Crank Bros pedals and headsets this year for certain.  These or their white brothas are going to be a must for the stoppers, even though stopping in cross is so not important.  I'm considering setting one bike up as a double and one as a single, ala Mike Sherer.  I am just such a nerd for having the two bikes be the same.  I used the pit bike a lot last year, more than I would have thought, and it was nice for them to be identical.  

Once the parts are figured out then the training has to start.  People are already talking about it.  Mike's lining up parts for the fall even though he has another 50 road races to do this year, Mark and Jim were talking today about when we started cross practice last year and if we could move it up to July this year.  I'm really getting tempted to try and sit in on the Judson ride on the cross bike in lieu of some actual motor pacing.  I was talking with RF today and actually kind of got reminiscent about doing some cross intervals that Brian set me up with last year.  Man those are going to hurt.   Anyone who is new on the BSC Cyclocross train I promise you will be ready for this year after these workouts.  Riders ready.....

Sponsor News

The Pony Shop sponsor list is complete for 2008, introducing our newest sponsor World Point.  World Point is the premier source for educational and training aids for CPR and many other life saving procedures.  They are an official distributer of product for the American Heart Association.  If you have taken a class on first aid or CPR, chances are you have used products and materials from World Point.  

New Sponsor!

The team welcomes COMMA music.  COMMA music composes original music for commercials, the web, TV, and film.  Check out everything they do and listen to some of their award winning work here.  Thank you again for joining the team.   

Belgian Mafia

Check out our man Luca riding the pave in Belgium.   Cross season awaits those Euro legs in Chi town.  If you run into Sven over there say what's up from The Pony Shop.

New Sponsor!

We want to say thank you and welcome to our newest sponsor, City Soles.  City Soles is the location in Chicago for the world's best designer footwear for men and women.  They have stores in Wicker Park and Buck town, and offer free domestic shipping.  Check them out online or in person, you can never have too many shoes or bikes!  Thanks again City Soles! 

Brakes

Wow these brakes are really nice, they're so light they feel fake when you first pick them up.  I'm hoping TRP will do something for the team this season because these are unreal.  The coolest thing is they weigh exactly what TRP says they weigh.  That never happens.  Things are coming together well for the team.  I'm hoping to have some more sponsor announcements shortly.  Working on the clothing, looks like more of a Euro trashy flavor for this year's kit.

2008 partners

I'm very pleased to announce that crankbrothers will be joining our list of sponsors for the 2008 season.  Thanks very much guys.  

Glue

I've been gluing lots of tires for roadies and TT guys recently, nothing fatter than a 24 sadly.  The fumes and slight head rush are bringing me back to cross season again.  How many days till cross practice starts?  

Nationals Video

Tim Johnson Cannondale/Cyclocross World winning the 2007 National Championships.  Watching him float through the mud and icy ruts is unreal.  Nothing was stopping him from the jersey that day.