New toys for this season: Hawk Racing Tubular wheels!

With Hawk Racing kindly helping me this season with my race wheels, I had a tough decision to make: should I stay with clinchers or give tubulars a shot? It is a tricky decision to make because I have ridden with clinchers my entire life (and by life I mean in the past 4 years). Clinchers give you the comfort of knowing what to do in case you get a flat tire, it is easy to maintain and replace, and doesn't require much practice. On roads like the ones we have here around New York, riding clinchers make more sense because we are more subject to a puncture (roads are terrible!). Plus, from the wallet standpoint, clincher tires are cheaper than tubulars.

My new set of speed demon tubular wheels

Tubulars, on the other end, are a lot trickier and require a LOT more work. I am saying all this, but I don't know much about tubulars yet. Give me a few months to learn more and I'll probably laugh at how little I actually knew :)

Learning the technique of gluing a tubular tire, having the patience of going through the 3-day long process, and acquiring the right technique to glue the tire onto the rim are a lot to take on. On top of this, learning the technique of removing the tire and changing it in race conditions takes even more time...I presume. 

After asking my friends and training partners, I found myself in the same situation: what should I do? All of them have valid arguments, and neither of them felt strongly about one or the other. Both have pros and cons, but for some of my friends, learning how to replace a tubular and the daunting process of gluing a tire makes clinchers a better option. I was still curious to give it a shot, but I can't deny it, I was/am anxious about the unknown risks of using tubulars. I had the chance to "chat" with Frederick Van Lierde on Twitter (yup, you read it right, the 2013 Ironman World Champion), and he kindly gave me his perspective, saying that "............" Sorry, I can't finish this sentence... Bottom line is, he rides tubulars. 

Veyron 80 (front and rear) and 55 tubular wheels!

My discussion with Sven

Ultimately, I spoke to Sven Folmer, the founder of Hawk Racing, and his view was clear: Tubulars are the best wheels you can find out there. The rolling resistance is less than with clinchers, and repairing a tire does not take more time, if anything less, it takes less time than with clinchers. In addition, tubulars remove the risk of pinch flats since the inner tube is sowed into the tire itself, and are significantly more resistant to flats. 

The only downside is that you'll have to carry an extra tubular tire with you on race day (they are more resistant to flat, not puncture-proof), which can be bulky and less aero. It will take more practice to perfect the technique. Tubular tires are also more expensive and you'll also need glue, but as Mariesa says, practice makes perfect. 

Sven convinced me to get tubular wheels, and after talking with him, I pulled the trigger. Not only did I get a pair of Veyron 80T, but I also got a Veyron V55 in the front for the climbs of Zurich. 

I am thrilled and anxious at the same time, but I feel like you have to make those decisions sometimes. I do believe that it is a good decision, and that with practice I will be more comfortable with the idea of riding tubulars. Who knows, maybe I'll train on tubulars one day :) 

First Impressions...

Veyron V55T Front wheel glued! 

They look amazing! They are incredibly light, and the finish touches look amazing. Of course all I can say for now is about the aesthetic of the wheels, but I cannot imagine them not being great on the tarmac. Matty Reed now rides on Hawk Racing, which proves that the brand is making its way to the creme de la creme in triathlon. And not to mention, they are MADE IN USA! I cannot wait to try them out at Harryman Olympic triathlon next week. 

And of course, a huge thank you to Sven for all the swags that came with the order: T-shirt, Ipad holder, and a great wheel bag! THANK YOU! Let's play with them, now! 

You can check my first attempt at gluing my wheels by clicking on the below links...please don't judge :) I'm a rookie! 

Gluing the rim right before putting the tubular on: http://youtu.be/p8U8fwPcjYE

Finally putting the tubular tire on after 3 days:  http://youtu.be/gTFsfXcQnXk 

PowerBar Wafer Bars are the BEST!

Going to Lititz with the intention to try out new combinations for my nutrition, I think I found the winner for Ironman Zurich...POWERBAR WAFERS!

Here is why I liked them so much...
Easy to swallow...
I was looking for a food that would have a different texture than the traditional gels or energy bars, and something that would be easy to chew and break. It was important to me that the food did not "stick" in my mouth or oesophagus like some thick gels do. I wanted something I could chew on and rapidly swallow, with no residue in my mouth. The Wafers were perfect for that. They are easy to take in, and don't "stay" in your mouth where you have to rinse it 3-4 times by swallowing your saliva, or by taking a sip.

Easy to digest...
I know that I can easily get GI issues, and finding a food that would fill me without requiring too much digesting is key. This is obviously specific to my needs and cannot necessarily apply to everyone, but it is something I learned about my body through all the training of this winter, and through my racing last year.
On a long race day like IM Zurich will be, I need all the blood possible to be sent to my muscles, not to my stomach.

Perfect option with liquids....
Water bottles heavy in calories and electrolytes work for me for shorter distances, but for long distances, I realized that I will need a more balanced combination of "food" (if you consider gels and chews food) and liquids.
300 calories per bottles would most certainly lead to a disaster on race day. Wafers give me that balance. with 170 calories per package, it gives me the flexibility of having a light bottle of water with roughly 100-120 calories, and food I can chew on and digest easily. The wafers are very easy to chew and give that crispiness that makes your feel like you are eating real food...only difference is that it is jammed with the necessary calories! At least I like the sensation of eating something and not
swallowing something like gels. I notice after the first hour that my stomach was not upset, and did not require much work either. I had another wafer in the 3rd hour of the ride, and felt great. I was able to maintain my form all throughout the 7-hour ride, and had 4 wafers todal (720 calories), and alternated with some gels and Powerbar Perfrmance Energy Blasts chews.

Lastly, it tastes great...
The berry yogurt ones tasted great! I'd be interested to try out the chocolate peanut butter ones. Though not a big PB fan, I think the savory tastes that will come with it will be much appreciate at around mile 100 on race day...let's try it in training!