Caleb Ewan's Sprint Position - Technique Breakdown

Caleb Ewan has been disrupting the sprint scene with a "new" sprinting technique that combines the aerodynamic benefits of a super tuck with a modified pedal stroke.  Below is a still grabbed from the video (edit 7.29.24:  Need to source a new video because this one was removed for unknown reasons):

It's no secret that a forward hip position decreases drag via a lower projected frontal surface area.  It's the reason why a steeper seatpost angle in TT bikes creates such an aerodynamic position.  In Caleb's sprint position, his hips are inches forward from a normal TT position; so the only way to avoid losing power is to shift the end of his push phase to seven o'clock.  This allows him to continue using hip extension (glutes and hamstrings) for the same range of motion, and experience no loss of power.

The only disadvantage this sprint position creates is an increased workload on the muscles of the upper body.  By pushing back to seven o'clock, the force from the hips and lower body will propel the body forward, forcing the arms to push back.  Sprinting in this position essentially turns cycling into a sled-push exercise.  On that note, if you have access to a sled, this would be the perfect way to train the body for this position!

The technique required to execute this sprint technique is surprisingly simple.  However, you need to be willing to include lots of resistance training to get the upper body and core overbuilt to handle these forces.

Pro Cycling Crank Length List

Updated 7.30.2024

Below is a list of pro cyclists and the crank lengths used.  

Name	Height	Weight	Crank Length
Primož Roglič	70	143	172.5
Tadej Pogacar	69	146	172.5, 170, 165
Jonas Vingegaard	69	128	172.5
Coryn Rivera	61	n/a	170
Caleb Ewan	65	148	170
Tony Martin	73	165	175
Nairo Quintana	66	128	172.5
Chris Froome	73	157	172.5
Mark Cavendish	69	154	170
Marcel Kittel	74	190	175
Lance Armstrong	70	165	175
Alberto Contador	69	137	172.5
Fabian Cancellara	73	179	177.5
Andy Schleck	73	150	172.5
Andre Greipel	72	176	172.5
Vincenzo Nibali	71	143	172.5
Bradley Wiggins	75	152	177.5
Jens Voigt	65	168	177.5
Peter Sagan	73	163	172.5
Richie Porte	68	139	167.5
Alejandro Valverde	69	137	172.5
Joaquim Rodriguez	67	126	170
Roman Kreuziger	72	143	177.5
Thomas Voeckler	69	146	172.5
Samuel Sanchez	71	150	175
Frank Schleck	73	152	172.5
Tom Boonen	76	181	177.5
Thomas Voeckler	69	146	172.5
Robert Gesink	74	154	175
Rui Costa	72	150	175
Sylvain Chavanel	71	154	172.5

Lezyne Super GPS Review

LEZYNE SUPER GPS REVIEW

UPDATE 05.20.2016

It's been five months since I published this post on December 23, 2015 and while I was very supportive of the product, I'm feeling very disappointed due to the lack of product support this is getting.  For a new product, I expected them to be very motivated to refine it, but it's clearly being neglected.  Maybe they're not selling enough of these to justify investing time and money to improve the customers experience?  I don't know.  The last software update was released in December 8, 2015!  See for yourself in their software update page via the link below.

http://www.lezyne.com/gpsroot/gps_downloads.php

• I'm still unable to connect to my cadence and speed sensor, so I'm stuck with the unreliable GPS based speed estimates.
• The battery level indicator is now very inconsistent.  It takes very long to jump from 100% to 80%, then once it quickly drops to 30%, it only takes a few minutes until it tells me that the battery is actually at 0% and must stop recording to prevent losing the data.
• The computer frequently refreshes the data fields which often leaves me with the worry that the computer lost its connection with my sensors.
• The battery is now losing a significant amount of charge just by sitting on the bike powered off.

In hindsight, if I knew that the Lezyne Super GPS was going to get minimal support, I would have waited longer and spent the extra $100 for a computer that's doesn't function like a prototype.

ORIGINAL REVIEW

I ordered my unit from Competitive Cyclist after waiting for two months for the backordered units to arrive from Performance Bike.  Inside the box, I found the computer inside a Lezyne printed zip lock bag.

Lezyne Super GPS Zip Lock Bag

 Here's a picture of the unit outside of the zip lock bag.  I took pictures of the box from the front, back and both sides.  Scroll through the pictures if you're interested in knowing what's printed on the box.

Lezyne Super GPS Box (front)

Lezyne Super GPS Box (Side 1)

Lezyne Super GPS Box (back)

Lezyne Super GPS Box (Side 2)

Lezyne Super GPS Box (bottom).  76grams (tested below scroll down)

Inside the box, you get an instruction manual, four large heavy duty rubber bands, four small bands, one standard bar mount and a USB cable.

Here's what's inside the box.

When you first try to pull the computer from the cardboard, you'll notice that you won't be able to take it off.  Probably for demonstration purposes, they locked the computer to the cardboard with the same type of band as the ones for mounting the X-Lock mount onto the bar.  I tried using my nails/ finger tips, but couldn't stretch it enough to remove it, so I resorted to a mini flat head screwdriver.

The bands are surprisingly strong! 

Once you free the band, all you have to do is match the shapes. 

And you're free!

LEZYNE SUPER GPS SIZE

The computer is just under three inches tall and two inches wide.  It's just about as thick as my Polar CS600X, but appears to be bigger due to its rectangular shape verse the more ovalized shape of the Polar.

Lezyne Super GPS Height

Lezyne Super GPS Width

Lezyne Super GPS Depth

 Lezyne Super GPS vs. Polar CS600X (SIZE)

Sitting next to each other, the Lezyne Super GPS appears a lot bigger than my Polar CS600X, but in reality it's not by much, especially when you consider that the Polar needs a separate GPS sensor which is much larger than the Lezyne Super GPS.  I will miss the customized front screen that my Polar had.  Goodbye ESTrainSmart logo!

Polar CS600X vs Lezyne Super GPS Front

Polar CS600X vs Lezyne Super GPS Side 

Polar CS600X vs Lezyne Super GPS Stacked.
It's suprisingly not that much bigger than the Super!

 LEZYNE SUPER OUT FRONT MOUNT REVIEW

I had low expectations for the Lezyne Out Front mount due to the flexibility of the plastic.  When trying to mount the computer, it doesn't feel like a $20 mount- it feels more like something that would have been included for free in the box.  Due to the flex, don't attempt to remove or attach the computer with one hand because it will likely snap the mount.  In order to remove/ attach the computer, you need to support the mount with one hand and with the other hand, press the computer into the mount and turn until it locks.  However, once attached, it does an excellent job at securely holding the computer.  It holds so tight that the only way I can imagine the computer flying off the bike is if the mount snaps while riding.

Lezyne Super Out Front Top View 

Lezyne Super Out Front Side View 

Lezyne Super Out Front Side View 

LEZYNE SUPER GPS LOW LIGHT VISIBILITY

In the pictures below, I had set the brightness to 20 percent and contrast to 31.8 percent- it can get bright enough to warrant sunglasses.  Compared to the green glow low light feature of the Polar CS600X, I think it's pretty clear that the Lezyne Super GPS display is the winner!

In the dark, I could never see my Polar CS600X Display

LEZYNE SUPER GPS WELL LIT SCREEN VISIBILITY

The Polar CS600X is slightly clearer due to its calculator style display.  The Lezyne seems to project some shade in the "white space" which makes it a little more difficult to see the text.  The contrast setting can correct some of this, but in order to have the best compromise between the back light visbility and with the light off, this was what the screen looked like for me.  Honestly though, I haven't had any issues with reading the screen in bright conditions.  Due to the cloudy midwest weather, I haven't had a chance to test for any screen glare yet, but once I get a chance, I'll update this section right away.

Screen Visibility in bright conditions

 LEZYNE SUPER GPS WEIGHT GRAMS

Although on the box it says the Lezyne Super Computer is 76 grams, on my scale, it was 73 grams.  It's about 33 grams heavier than my Polar CS600X, BUT and this is a big BUT, with the GPS sensor, my Polar CS600X is actually double the weight of the Lezyne Super GPS.  Based on what I'm switching from, this is a huge upgrade.  I can assure you I won't miss having to strap on that GPS brick onto my arm anymore!

Lezyne Super GPS weight (73 grams)

Polar CS600X Weight (40 grams)

Polar CS600X Weight (146 grams).  Exactly Double of the Super GPS!

LEZYNE SUPER GPS FUNCTIONALITY

On my first ride with the Super, I treated it just like my Polar CS600X.  As soon as I left my house, I jumped on the bike and started riding before turning on the computer.  If you're wondering how fast the computer picks up a GPS signal, despite moving at around 20 mph, the computer picked up a signal in what seemed to be less than 30 seconds.  That's as fast or faster than my Polar's dedicated GPS sensor.

The physical buttons make it really easy to scroll with or without gloves, and it's also easy to scroll fast through the menu or fields.  However fast you click, the scroll feature will keep up.

UPLOADING TO STRAVA

It was super easy to upload the .FIT files to Strava.  In the Strava website, select upload via file and select the files from the Activities folder on the unit.  There's no need to convert the files to TCX, Strava can recognize the FIT files.

LEZYNE SUPER GPS BUGS & FEEDBACK

Keep in mind that with this being Lezyne's first computer, there are going to be some bugs.  Here are some of my recommendations that I hope Lezyne will implement into future updates.

1. Separate Pairing Options for Bluetooth Smart Speed Sensors and Cadence Sensors:  As a big aero nerd, I chose to use Polar's Bluetooth Smart independent speed sensor and cadence sensor.  They're slimmer than any other sensor on the market and more aerodynamic than the big dual speed/ cadence sensors.  I also like the ability to position the spoke magnet anywhere on the spoke.  Unfortunately, the Lezyne Super GPS can only pair with a dual speed/ cadence sensor.  I spoke with a customer representative who informed me that it would take about a month to write up the coding to allow the Lezyne Super GPS to pair with separate speed and cadence sensors.  Currently, they only allow for independent pairing through ANT+.  For now, I'm forced to only have either speed or cadence displayed on my computer.  I hope they work on correcting this in the future.
2. Heart Rate Data Dropouts on Strava:  At regular intervals, the computer seems to be either losing or separating heart rate data at certain intervals.  This could be something good to look into for the next update, but honestly, I'd rather have the ability to see my speed and cadence first.  Thanks Lezyne!
   

LEZYNE SUPER GPS SOFTWARE UPDATES SO FAR

While there are bugs, Lezyne has done a great job at updating the computer and fixing bugs.  Here are some of the things they've done so far that I've noticed.

• Corrected Speed Averages:  If you were one of the first to get your hands on this unit, you'll know that they previously had issues with speed averages.  If you'd get stopped at a light, it would include the time stopped into the average speed.  Now it seems that the averages are looking a lot more similar to what you'll see on Strava.  Check out the Screenshot below.

• Corrected Cadence Averages:  They had the same problem here, but it appears that they fixed the zero values for cadence as well.

FINAL THOUGHTS SO FAR

As a coach and personal trainer who's on his way to Cat 2, I feel that this computer has everything needed to train effectively (of course moreso once the computer can pair with BOTH speed and cadence).  If you buy it on sale like I did, this really is a steal of a deal!  It has proved to be reliable and since it picks up a GPS signal fast, you won't have to waste time standing still or riding slowly to find a signal.  Since the computer acts like a USB flash drive, it's easy to upload and get straight to analyzing the data.  The battery life and memory won't limit how long or far you can ride either, which is a huge plus since I spend several hours on the bike everyday.  If I had to quickly describe the Lezyne Super GPS, I would say that it's like those old school, reliable wired computers that you never had to worry about, but with a boost of convenience of the new tech.

Tour of Bloomington Day 2: Road Race (42 miles)

TOB Day 2: Road Race (42mi)
Second Place

The Cat 3/4 race was a three lap, 14 mile loop including a final climb involving peak gradients of 18%.  Leading up to the weekend, there was a lot of buzz about this final climb, and to prepare, I spent a good amount of time at the Crown Hill Cemetery to work on my climbing technique.

Map of the Bloomington RR course.  It's 14 miles,
but the deciding factor was the last mile.

PRE-RACE:
One of the disadvantages of being a solo rider is getting the race number on, especially when every rider needed two numbers, one on the side and one on the back.  When I saw a team passing by, I asked them if they could press my number on my jersey (I had already applied glue), but to my surprise, they rejected me and told me to go to registration.  I had to wait another 10 minutes until I luckily found a spectator walking by to press my number on.

To make matters worse, the start/finish line was literally about four miles away from registration and thanks to the delay, I was running late- so I had to time trial my way to the start/finish.  I was sort of irritated that none of the guys stopped to help me with something that would have only taken seconds to do.  As I rode to the start/ finish line, I thought I had missed the start of the race because I was already five minutes late.  I just kept riding at a ~170bpm heart rate thinking about how much energy I was wasting and whether or not it was worth rushing to the start line.

Out of breath with my legs still burning from the hard effort I just put in, I finally made it to the start/finish line and luckily, they hadn't released the Cat 3/4 group yet.

THE CENTER LINE RULE
While we were still waiting to be released, the race officials really drilled in the "Center Line Rule."  Basically, if any rider crosses the center line, he/she would be immediately disqualified.  I'm not sure if everyone else shared the same thoughts, but I visualized many situations where a crash or domino effect would push the riders past the centerline and in the direct path of an oncoming car.  That was a greater motivating factor than simply being disqualified!

LAP 1 OF 3:
The center line rule made for a very uneventful first lap.  With about 50 riders, it was a very tight squeeze to have four abreast.  With every single line moving at the same speed, it was impossible to pass.  Riders at the front were stuck at the front, so after a few miles, the pace of the entire group turned casual- many of us were just having conversation!  My heart rate hovered around 115 bpm!  This continued for the first ~13 miles until we finally reached the climb.  Unexpectedly, my heart rate jumped from 115bpm to 181bpm!  Also, where it first appeared impossible to pass, the climb reduced the group into debris- I had to weave through riders as they popped off the back.

LAP 2 OF 3:
The group had gotten split pretty drastically by the attacks during the final climb, and I had to chase back to reach the main group.  After I bridged the gap along with a several other riders, two Cutters riders attacked into a breakaway.  They managed to stay away going into the last lap.  I was feeling great going into the final climb, but forced myself to hold back.  The other good climbers couldn't resist and proceeded to show off their abilities by attacking up the climb again.  I could have matched the attacks, but decided to tempo the climb instead.

FINAL LAP:
It took about 3/4 of the final lap to catch the rest of the Cutters who broke away earlier.  They seemed to have lost their steam up the smaller hills.  As we approached the final climb, there were a few surges, but nothing serious enough to split the group up.  Unfortunately, right before we started the final climb, a bunch of riders broke the center line rule which caused me to lose a lot of positions.  I had already mentally prepared myself to put in a serious effort, so I forced myself to hold a fast tempo and pass anyone who was in my way- slowing down was not an option.  It almost felt like I was driving a car through slalom cones.  After I made it up the first serious section, I had caught the same team who rejected to help me earlier in the day.  I held their wheel for a few seconds and once I pulled up right next to them, they stared at me as if they expected me to take a pull.  In my head I said "heck no!" and right when they eased off the pedals to force me to lead, I attacked and held the hardest tempo I could hold all the way to the line.  I blew past third and second place and was probably going 5-6 mph faster than the rider who was in first position.  Unfortunately, I was too far back to catch first place before the line, so I ended up with second place.  While I wish I had first place, it was comforting to know that the team who rejected to help me earlier didn't reach the podium.  The prize money I received helped me break even, and the Scholar's Inn Bakehouse Granola was a nice additional prize too!  I'm about halfway through the bag- I've been topping my cereal with some of the granola.  They weren't kidding when they said that it's the best granola in the world!

SPONSORS:
A week before the Tour of Bloomington, the nipple in my rear wheel snapped, so I almost had to ride my stupidly heavy OEM wheel for the weekend, but luckily my sponsors at Velocity USA and The Wheel Department saved me!  As soon as they received my wheel, they rebuilt it and sent it back to me on the same day!  If they start selling sandwiches, I think they can beat Jimmy John's!  I wouldn't have been able to perform well in the climbs without their help.  Thanks guys!

Tour of Bloomington Day 1: Criterium

Day 1: Criterium

Almost DNF to 6th Place

The course was a 0.7 mile, clockwise, 6 corner circuit with a gradual climb out of the final corner, reaching its steepest grade between corners one and two.  The start/finish was located near the intersections of Kirkwood and Lincoln Streets.

The entire course itself was riddled with all sorts of road hazards like potholes, uneven bricks, untapered sidewalks and incomplete pavement.  The most dangerous corner was the final corner.  The apex of the final corner had bricks about a half inch above the pavement which would cause the tire to bounce during hard cornering.  I was just glad that they remembered to at least sweep the corners to remove as much loose dirt as possible.

The 3/4 race I signed up for was 45 minutes long and had about 57 starters.

RACE SUMMARY
The First Half: Riding Through a Mechanical
I unfortunately started towards the back of the pack and only gained a few positions before the first corner.  Since someone had planned to attack right away and hold a very fast tempo, so it was almost impossible to move up in position for the first several laps.  As the initial laps progressed, gaps would frequently form.  As soon as the rider in front of me showed some weakness, I had to jump out of the draft and begin my bridge.  While I was still bridging gaps, I encountered a mechanical mishap that I've never experienced with before- my rear shifter seized up forcing me to ride on the 11 tooth ring!

At the moment the shifter seized, the group was still strung out in a single file.  I tried squeezing the brakes and shifting up/down to release the shifter, but it wouldn't budge.  Since I had already wasted time and lost positions, the thought of forfeiting started to go through my mind, especially since I was still in the process of catching the main group.  I ended up chasing for four laps stuck in my 11 tooth ring until I finally bridged every gap up to the main group.  While drafting and trying to catch my breath, I was able to take a closer look at my shifter where I noticed that the internal lever within the shifter had slipped out.  As soon as I fixed my rear shifter, I sat in the group to recover for a few laps- I was flat out exhausted.

The Last Lap: Moving Up
Based on what I noticed from chasing the main group, I learned that the two easiest places to pass were the straightaways located between corners #1-2 and #4-5.  It took everything I had to force myself to accelerate in these planned locations, but it paid off because I managed to move up about 20-25 positions before the final corner, but I still sat about 15 positions before the final corner.  I started my sprint as soon as I exited the corner which allowed me to pass several riders.  I unfortunately missed the "payout" position of fifth place by a tire and rim!  Although I wasn't able to pull off a podium, I was still happy with my result, especially after the mechanical mishap.

The finishing picture, the parallel green lines represent the finish line.
Almost had it!

First Race of the Season & First Win of the Season! 2014 Eagle Creek Fast Criterium Race Recap

WHY I'VE BEEN M.I.A. THESE PAST MONTHS

If you follow me on Strava, you might have learned that at the end of the 2013 season, my Continental GP4000S tire blew up right after I made a solo attack and reached 33mph.  It sent me falling to the ground on my back and shoulder, gave me a concussion, plus strains and sprains at my neck, shoulder and abdomen.  The most dangerous aspect of my fall was that it was impossible to anticipate the tire failure.  The tread separated from the casing and caused an instant loss of traction- enough to send me to the ground despite travelling in a straight line.  Here are some pictures of my wounds.  Some of them went deep enough to reach my fat cells.  Check it out:

After 2.5 months off my bike to focus on rehabilitation, I was finally able to turn my head without my neck and shoulder going into spasms.  When I finally made it back on a bike, my legs and lungs hit the wall 15 minutes into the ride and forced me to stop.  Afterwards, my neck proceeded to go into spasms for hours due to the riding position.  

Continental never apologized or responded to my concerns about the tire.  My tire had no sidewall bubbling or cuts, and I actually checked my tire pressure with a tire gauge prior to its failure.  Despite riding on several pairs of Continental GP4000S tires for three years, I probably will never ride on them again.

Without my girlfriend of seven years, I wouldn't have survived the months healing and rehabilitating the injuries I sustained.  She patiently waited for me as I spent hours in the shower trying to tolerate the massive pain all over my body.  No one else could lighten the mood and help me laugh through the healing process.  The proof is in the pictures!  I was smiling in all of them thanks to her! :)

MICHELIN PRO 4 - MY NEW FAVORITE TIRE

After riding on a defective Continental GP4000S, I decided to go tire shopping to find a better tire.  After riding on the Michelin Pro 4 for almost ten months now, including three criteriums, I can confidently say that its better than the GP4000S.  I've only had one flat which was caused by hitting a deep pothole.  I've always known the Continental GP4000S to produce flat tires from hitting decent pieces of gravel.  I remember worrying on several occasions that I would flat after hitting similar objects only to find that the Michelin Pro 4 survived without a scratch.  The grip surprised me the most about the Pro 4.  I wouldn't be surprised if an independent research company finds that the Michelin Pro 4 has better grip.  I've taken corners just as hard or harder than the Continental GP4000S this season.  I have yet to experience its limit around a corner.  I always thought that some sliding was normal in a tire until I tried the Pro 4.

THE COURSE & THE LAPS LEADING TO THE LAST LAP

As usual, I got lost trying to find the parking lot in Eagle Creek, so I ended up running late.  As a result I didn't get a chance to ride warm up or practice laps.  As soon as I received my number and had it pinned, I immediately had to line up at the start line.  Since I was also late to line-up, I had to start at the back.  I wasn't too worried since I knew we had 45 minutes to race.  Plenty of time right?

When the race started, Each lap only lasted about one minute and 44 seconds long.  I basically spent the majority of the race trying to move up to the front of the group.  It was hard trying to remain at the front due to the constant rotation of the group, and by the time we reached the final lap, I was about fourth place... from the back!

THE LAST 1/2 OF THE LAST LAP

By the time we hit the bell lap, I was definitely panicking and almost accepted that I had no chance at even reaching a mid-pack finish.  That all changed about halfway down the lap.  The group hugged the inside of the road and left a moderate opening at the left.  As soon as I saw the opening, I knew that it was my last chance to reach the front, so I accelerated hard and bridged up to the front.  Once the five leaders were in sight, I noticed that I was approaching them quickly... while coasting!  Instead of coasting and slowing down to their speed, I started my sprint with an advantage and blew past the leaders.  When I crossed the finish line in first position, it didn't seem real, especially since I was almost last place by the start of the last lap!

ANALYSIS VIA STRAVA (FOLLOW ME ON STRAVA)

Looking at the speed graph in the screenshot below, you'll notice three peaks.  The first acceleration was influenced by the group being aware of the last lap.  The second peak occurred when I bridged up to the front.  The last peak was the final sprint.  You'll notice that it took more speed to catch the leaders than it did to perform the final sprint!  Everything seemed to connect perfectly today!

SPONSORS

Big thanks goes to Velocity Wheels and The Wheel Department for helping me replace my severely bent A23 Pro Build wheelset!  Your support helped motivate me to train and win the first race of the 2014 season!  Thanks guys!

Velocity A23 Pro Build Review

VELOCITY A23 PRO BUILD REVIEW

I would like to start this review with a huge thank you to Velocity and The Wheel Department for sponsoring me through the 2013 season!  In the Velocity USA website, they described the A23 Pro Build wheeset as "THE set for crits, road races, and cyclocross.  This is not an exaggeration because I rode my A23 Pro Build to three podium finishes out of five races.  Thanks guys!

When you buy a Velocity A23 Pro Build wheelset, they arrive individually wrapped inside familiarly shaped boxes.  I was too excited to open up my wheels, so I didn't get a chance to take unboxing pictures.  I only remembered to take a picture when I saw the sticker signed by the wheel builder who built my wheelset, Jacobi!  Check out his bio at The Wheel Department website.

THE LOGIC BEHIND MY BUILD:

The benefit of the Velocity A23 Pro Build is that each wheelset can be entirely customizable to the rider. Other than rim, spoke, hub and nipple color, you can choose the number of spokes and lacing pattern to fit your needs.  My top priority was on lateral stiffness.  Since I mainly race criteriums, I needed a wheelset that was predictable in the corners and strong enough for a sprint, so lateral stiffness was my number one priority.  

Since the bracing angles in the front wheel are always extremely high (most important variable in lateral stiffness), I went with radial lacing and a lower spoke count at the front to save weight while improving aerodynamics, respectively.

Lateral stiffness was the top priority in building the rear wheel.  I chose 28 Sapim CX-Ray spokes and an asymmetrical rim to allow for more uniform tension.  The asymmetrical rim allows the spokes to engage the rim more symmetrically.  This prevents the wheel from deflecting towards the group of spokes with higher tension.  To further increase stiffness, the drive and non-drive side were laced in a two cross pattern to place the spokes in a tangential position relative to the rim.  A tangential spoke position causes the spoke to pull forward on the rim versus laterally on the rim (radial lacing).  The end results is a wheelset that is theoretically very stiff.  Check out the build specifications below:

Fuji SST equipped with the
Velocity A23 Pro Build wheelset

FRONT WHEEL:

• 700c 20 hole
• Road Race hub
• Black Sapim CX-Ray spokes
• Black alloy nipples
• Radial lacing

REAR WHEEL:

• 700c 28 hole
• Road Race hub (black)
• Sapim CX-Ray spokes (black)
• Alloy nipples (black)
• 2x drive, 2x non-drive

To test whether my rear wheel was actually stiff, I placed a camera facing the rear wheel to detect deflections.  If you haven't seen my other Lateral Stiffness Test videos on YouTube, please visit the EatSleepTrainSmart YouTube Channel to check them out.

Here's the Lateral Stiffness Test video for the Velocity A23 Pro Build:

Compared to my unreasonably heavy 32 spoke Alex rear wheel, my 28 spoke Velocity A23 rear wheel appeared to perform better!  Despite riding over bumps, the impact didn't seem to induce any deflection on my Velocity A23 rear wheel.  Before filming my A23 rear wheel, I honestly thought that I was going to see some flex, especially at such a low weight!  If you're worried about lateral stiffness, feel free to copy my build.  Nothing beats the feeling that nothing is holding you back in sprints or attacks.

2013 CRITERIUM RESULTS:

Below are my race results with the Velocity A23 Pro Build.  Out of five races, I achieved a podium finish in three of them.

• Indy Criterium Cycling Race & Festival: 2nd place (89 riders)
• Mass Ave Criterium: 2nd place (56 riders)
• Bloomington Cycling Grand Prix: 3rd place (52 riders)

While the engine and the driver's skills are important, the suspension is equally important.  The wheelset definitely helped me stay calm and focus entirely on what I needed to do.  Thanks to the width of the rims, I had so much grip that I never once worried about leaning hard into corners.  I often found myself exiting corners faster than everyone else.  Imagine how much energy is saved just by having to accelerate less.  With this wheelset, I noticed that I was able to approach the final lap with significantly more energy to produce podium-worthy sprints.

PHOTOSHOOT!

Equipping my A23 Pro Build with Michelin Pro 4 tires.

Custom Fuji SST with a blue Selle SMP saddle and a blue A23 Pro Build wheelset.

Side view of my custom Fuji SST road bike and A23 Pro Build wheelset.

28 Sapim CX-Ray spokes.  Two cross lacing.

Low view of my Fuji SST road bike and A23 Pro Build wheelset.

Fuji SST with a custom blue Selle SMP saddle and A23 Pro Build wheelset.

Eat Sleep Train Smart Polar CS600x display.  Michelin Pro 4 tires and
A23 Pro Build front wheel.