Pain Junkies: RAW (Race Across the WEST)

Don Oliveria and his biking partner, David Huckobey, are planning on racing the RAW (Race Across the WEST) next summer. Start time is June 13, 2012.

RAW is one of the most challenging bicycle races in the United States. Unlike other well-known road races, like the Tour de France, RAW is not a stage race. RAW is a single stage. Once the clock starts in Oceanside, California it doesn't stop until the racer reaches the finish line in Durango, Colorado. RAW is the second longest endurance cycling race in the United States. The race is essentially a time trial - a race against the clock, sometimes referred to as the race of truth. The route is about 860 miles, passing through 4 states and climbing over 40,000 feet.

Don and David are raising money for the Wounded Warriors Semper Fi Fund. They are both active Marines. Don is training overseas on a Quintana Roo CD0.1 and a Litespeed C3.



"Our goal is $10,000! Very ambitious we know, but through the power of networking and mass communication we hope to achieve our goal for our Wounded Warriors through the Semper Fi Fund. The Fund www.semperfifund.org is a non profit organization that helps America's true heroes recovering from catastrophic injury. 100% of the donations go to help injured Marines.
We respectfully request two simple things:

First, you pledge to donate to the Semper Fi Fund!The easiest way to contribute is to go to our campaign page and donate securely online.

Second, you pledge to tell five people about our fundraising campaign and ask them to do the same.Via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Blogger, etc.

Team Semper Fi (TSF) was established in 2006 by the Semper Fi Fund as an extension of the assistance that the Fund provides to those who are injured in combat and training. The idea for Team Semper Fi was inspired by those wounded Marines and Sailors who refused to let their challenges prevent them from competing in athletic events, and whose drive and determination was inspirational to us all"

Cohutta 29er is Across the Pond!

First Look – Litespeed Cohutta 29er

Posted by Albert Steward | Thu 17th November

With the wagon-wheeled world of 29ers looking set to take the UK mtb market by force in 2012 you’re likely to see most manufacturers frantically trying to jump on the bandwagon. North America has pretty much accepted the advantages the larger wheel size straight from the inception and with sales of 29er bikes now far outweighing those of conventional 26” wheeled bikes in the States the ‘switch’ looks to have been firmly made and set. Without doubt 29ers are here to stay and 2012 looks to be the breakthrough year for them here in the UK.

Tennessee based Titanium pioneers, Litespeed aren’t new the world of 29ers, and were in fact pioneers and early adopters of the new standard, having released the much acclaimed Obed hardtail in a 29er version way back in 2007. It was time when 29er’s were still very much considered a niche, flash-in-the-pan fad, let alone a 29er made from Titanium!

With knowledge and understanding of 29” wheel applications having moved on significantly since those early days Litespeed deemed it necessary to go back to the drawing board…

Litespeed are proud to present the brand new 2012 Cohutta 29er frameset. A highly adaptable and versatile 29er platform that’ll happily tackle both trail and XC race duties depending on the spec and flavour of the build.

Litespeed Titanium models are always given a Native American name as a nod to the heritage of the area in which they’re based (Chatanooga, Tennessee). The Cohutta, rather fittingly, shares its name with a grueling 100-mile endurance mtb race (http://www.newleafadventures.com/Cohutta.html/) and also a picturesque forest that spans nearby Georgia and Tennessee.

Stars’n’stripes – Litespeed Titanium frames always have and always will be handcrafted in their factory in Chatanooga, Tennessee.

The usual immaculate welds and attention to detail we’ve come to love and expect from Litespeed are ever present on the Cohutta.

The Pressfit 30 BB allows for either oversize 30mm crankarm axles, standard 24mm diameter (via the used of aftermarket adaptors) or even an aftermarket eccentric BB (to fit the 46mm ID) for single speed duties. The Press Fit 30 system is similar to the concept that Shimano is using – a nylon sleeve/cup holds the bearings and thus does away with the fiddly snap rings of the BB30 system. It gives you a nice big BB shell area for which to attach larger chainstays, downtube and seattube, no counter miters and lastly does not require a tolerance that is +/- .001" as the bearings don’t sit directly in the BB shell of the frame. Neat!

The heatube on the Cohutta is oversize too, but like the BB it’s not for looks and the reasons for speccing it are 100% functional. The headtube measures 1.5"/49mm ID which ultimately makes the Cohutta one extremely versatile bike (suitable for either 80/100/120mm forks); allowing for fine tuning of the headtube angle (if used with the recommended Cane Creek AngleSet ZS49/EC49), accommodation any steerer tube standard (1.5", traditional 1 1/8" or 1.5" - 1 1/8" tapered) and adjustment of stack height (whether you choose to run an internal/external bearings/headset cups).

In addition to increasing torsional stiffness of the entire front triangle, the 49mm ID headtube allows for total freedom with reagrds to headset and fork selection. The above chart should help with selection and setup for the intended use.

Such are demands on a 29er frameset so different from that of the smaller wheeled 26” cousin, the Litespeed engineers have pulled out all the stops and specced exclusive, specially selected and sized 29er-specific tubing for the Cohutta (TT, DT & HT) milled by Litespeed in Tennessee to give optimum ride and performance characteristics.

The mech hange is a non-replaceable but judging by the thickness of the dropouts we don’t think it’s going to be an issue!

With x4 sizes available there should be a Cohutta for everyone – big or small (above geometry chart based on sagged bike w/ 100mm fork).

Headtube Size: 1.5” internally butted (49.6mm internal diameter)
Seatpost Size: 31.6mm
Seatclamp Size: 34.9mm
Dropout: standard 9mm QR (non-replaceable mech hanger)
Front Derailleur Clamp: 34.9mm (top routed)
BB Size: Pressfit 30 (PF30) 73mm x 46mm internal diameter
Suitable Fork Size: 80mm / 100mm / 120mm

Frame Weights:
S – 2018 gr / 4.4 lbs
M – 2088 / 4.6lbs
L – 2160 / 4.7lbs
XL – 2182 / 4.8lbs

We’ll be building up a demo bike as soon as we’ve rounded up all the parts so keep your eyes peeled for reviews from the usual suspects over the coming months! To view/buy the Cohutta on the Evans website please click here.

For more images and details please visit the Litespeed website here.

The Cohutta is Under Review...

Interbike 2011: 29ers Worth Riding

Written by Brian O'Connor on 21 September 2011

With so many manufacturers offering 29er hardtail mountain bikes, it can be difficult to pick one that is right for you. Just as demo days that many companies host around the country for the public, the Interbike OutDoor Demo, that occurs each year before the Interbike tradeshow, allows individuals involved in the bike industry to test the newest and latest rides on the market. Not all manufactures are present, but most of the major players are there alongside the little guys offering a fleet of bikes to ride on the trails of Bootleg Canyon outside of Boulder City, Nevada. Having had a chance to test numerous bikes, 29er hardtails were this writer’s choice to put trough the loops of loose, dry and rocky trails of Bootleg Canyon. Before you lay down your hard earned cash on a hardtail 29er, give any of these bikes a spin.

Favorite Aluminum 29er HT: BMC Team Elite 29 XO (TE29)
Why: This bike rolled smooth and fast through the trails, yet the aluminum frame did not provide a harsh ride that is commonly found on other bikes made of the same material. The geometry, along with the relatively light weight of the bike, produced a ride that seem to glide over the small jumps through the rocks with ease. This quick geometry did not produce a bike that was unstable on the descents – not once on any of the short, steep drops did the TE29 feel unstable.

Product highlights: Triple butted frame with tapered head tube, some Sram XO parts and Fox F29 fork
MSRP: approx. $3600

Favorite Carbon Fiber 29er HT: Felt Nine Series (carbon)
Why: Just as the BMC had their geometry dialed, so does Felt with their carbon fiber 29er frames. Most modern carbon fiber frames look similar with the smooth lines and light weight, but just as the old saying goes with regards to a book and its cover, the same can be said with regards to carbon fiber. Having ridden a few other carbon fiber bikes earlier in the day and not being impressed, the same was to be expected from the Felt Nine, but that was not the case. After the first few turns in the trail, it was obvious that this bike was different. The bike felt lively and very accurate in the turns, but was not too flexible, just soft enough to absorb some of the bumps on the trail. Just as was true with the BMC, the geometry of the Felt was not so steep and quick to make it feel unstable on the short, steep descents.

Product highlights: Carbon fiber, lightness teamed with quick geometry
MSRP: $2399 (frame); $2799-$5999 (complete)

Favorite Titanium 29er HT: Litespeed Cohutta
Why: Litespeed has designed the 2012 Cohutta around a 29er specific tube set which features a BB30 bottom bracket, 49mm head tube, oversized tubes and a curved down tube to clear the adjusting knobs on suspension forks. The frame has been designed to be more compact to help minimize the flex that can often occur with titanium. With some materials might translate to a harsher ride – this is not the case with the Cohutta. This bike is nimble through the turns, yet does not feel like a noodle when the pedals are hammered. The quick descents were not an issue with the geometry and the steep climbs were no match for the Cohutta as no noticeable power was lost from the pedals to the wheels. If the Cohutta did feel to quick or sluggish, the 49mm headtube allows the fork angle to be adjusted to customize to ride to your liking.

Product highlights: BB30 and angle adjustable 49mm headtube
MSRP: tbd, but is being sold as ‘frame only’

Best of the Bunch: The 2012 Litespeed Cohutta
Why: Of all of the hardtail 29ers that I have thrown a leg over, which includes a list much longer that this, the Litespeed got it right with the 2012 Cohutta. The tube set being 29er specific is truly dialed and make a frame that is a treat to ride – I was a bit sad to have to turn the bike back over to Litespeed.

Litespeed-BMW on the Podium-Roswell Recap, 2/3 Race

Enjoy the race report from the Historic Roswell Criterium category 2/3 race. Loaded with racers and super-competitive, congratulations to Litespeed-BMW racer Benjy Coil for earning third place.

125 riders stood on the start line of a fasts, tight cornered course, and this being one of the largest races in the southeast, as well as one of the USA Crits Superweek races, it all seemed to add up to some palpable pre-race jitters.

Since the race is on the national calendar, there were many guys up from Florida, who are always notoriously strong in the Spring, yet not as accustomed to the rolling hills as we are, as well as everyone and anyone from all over the Southeast. Point being, the field was packed and ready.

From our team, Nick, Calvin and Benjy started the race. Most of the other guys opted to enter the Pro/1 race later in the evening. The 2/3 event, as always, was fast right from the start. Throughout the race there were small groups of 2 or 3 that kept shooting up the road only to be quickly caught. The most active were clearly the 3 Hincapie Development riders who constantly attacked and were always in the each of the good moves. Benjy was able to ride steady near the front of the pack, but really was not feeling very strong, kind of an off day. Also, there were numerous crashes and sketchy moments. With around 8 laps to go, three riders were looking smooth together and getting further up the road. No one in the front really wanted to give a big effort to chase. Benjy felt as if he only had one all out effort in the tank, thus he chose to wait for the field sprint. Maybe the group of 3 would be caught by then?

As the gap slowly came to a close, on the final lap, we caught a rider who had just been dropped from the break. Benjy came into the final turn, a bit too forward in second position, and could see the two riders ahead. Inexplicably, the guy ahead of in first position started to soft pedal and swivel his head around (that’s called “blowing up”)! At this point, Benjy’s hand had been dealt. He had to go around then and was able to hold a long sprint to take the field sprint for 3rd place. One on the Hincapie kids won finishing 5 seconds ahead of the field.

On the podium and takes the field sprint. Great work Benjy and great support from the guys!

Litespeed-BMW Cycling Recap: Perry/Union Cty/Brooks – Benjy Gets Ornery

With big-time racing on the calendar this weekend (Athens Twilight and Roswell Criterium), here is an update on some of the racing from Litespeed-BMW Cycling earlier in the season.

From the Litespeed-BMW blog:

Whoa, has Benjy been going after it out there. The guy has obviously been too busy racing to get any updates out, so let’s knock all of these out at once. We’ve got a whole bunch of races in here, with a whole bunch of our guys…and a whole bunch of great results! Read on!

Perry Circuit race

The line up at the Pro 1,2 race was Benjy, Hank, Wes, Matt and Artur. Artur had done well earlier in the morning time trial and had committed himself to race for a strong overa ll finish in the omnium overall classification. There was representation in the field from Team Type 1, Locos Deli Iron Data and a large group of the region’s strong teams. The race played out with steady attacks off the front, all of which were quickly caught. Artur, Wes and Matt were busy at the front attacking and chasing moves while Hank and Benjy cruised in the field. With about 5 laps to go Matt flies off the front and was out on his own for about 3 laps. About the time Matt is caught by the group, everyone was trying to get position at the front. Benjy was being led toward the front by a hard effort from Hank. With Hank’s help, Benjy hit the final corner in good position and sprinted to a third place podium finish with Artur just back in 10th place.

Perry “Roubaix” Road Race

Benjy and Artur against about the same crew from the previous day’s circuit race. The Perry Robaix is really fun due to the good roads and a long section of dirt road at the latter part of the race loop. The race began with a group of six rolling slyly away before anybody was really paying attention. Turns out that the escape group contained guys from many of the strongest teams in the race…oops. Before long the group was almost five minutes ahead of the peleton. Since Artur was trying to place well in the omnium and he was racing for better than a seventh place finish, we decided the best thing to do was to work together with the other guys who wanted to chase down and catch the break. At this point I was racing for Artur and slowly cooked myself in the chase effort for a couple of loops while Artur was able to conserve energy for later in the race. Hard attacks eventually took a toll and and riders were shed off the back…including me. Artur was able to respond and remained in the group that eventually caught the six man break and then attacked each other for the rest of the race. Artur, alone now amongst the likes of Team Type 1, Locos, Iron Data, and several other strong teams, had to respond to many strong attacks. Artur escaped up the road for a while and was eventually caught. Artur battled to the end with the strong men of the race and ended up with 5th overall for the omniuim. Well done!

Union City Circuit Race

Another good day of racing with most everyone on the team lining up. We were all happy to see Oneil Samuels racing with us, fresh in from Jamaica. Tim Henry quickly established himself as one of the more aggressive riders in the race. Everyone else joined the game eventually. Attacking was constant during the race but nothing ever really stuck and it was looking like a field sprint for the line. Hank put forth a huge effort to try and get away with a small group with five laps to go, but was ultimately reeled in. With two laps to go we fought for position up front with Tim keeping us all together. Just before the last turn of the final lap Benjy sneaks into a good forward position and was able to sprint for a 7th place finish.


Brooks Road Race

Chris Chotas and Benjy Coil raced the 4 lap, 68 mile road race on a fantastic cool sunny spring morning. The Brooks course is a scenic loop through long flats and gentle hills. There were lots of strong riders in the race, most of whom had several team mates. The first lap was a typical display of constant attacking. I was able to get into a 4 man break for most of the second lap. If the three of us were as strong as the young BMC development rider in our escape group we would have been gone for the day, but we were caught. After catching us the counterattacks began and led to another break of four riders. This time Chris Chotas was up the road and I sat back to recover a bit. Chris and most of his escapees worked together like stallions for about 35 miles. The peleton caught Chris’ group with about 10 miles to go in the race. Attacks began again and I gambled and rode away from the front with one other rider. Somewhat predictably, we were caught and I had spent most of the little energy I had left. I ended up 9th place in the field sprint and Chris cruised in with the group after a strong display of strength. Better luck next time!

Litespeed-BMW Readies for 2011 Speed Week

Hold your breath...2011 Speed Week is here. Part of the USA Crits Series, Speed Week starts on Saturday with Athens Twilight and continues with seven days of big-time racing in the Southeast. Litespeed-BMW Cycling team is ready and will have a big presence in both Athens Twilight and Sunday's Roswell Criterium.

The Terrapin Twilight criterium, better known as Athens Twilight, kicks off Speed Week. While this festive weekend is known for its music, food, and fun, there will be plenty of action on the crit course. Another nightime crit like Sunny King, look for Litespeed-BMW member Oneil Samuels to rip in the premier Pro,1 race.

The race action stays hot as the riders head to Historic Roswell for a day of crit racing. Litespeed-BMW will be lining up in several of the races including the Category 2/3 and the premier Pro/1.

Good luck, Team!

For an idea of the breath-taking speeds and technical nature of Saturday's course in Athens, check out this video from last year's race.

Racing Heats Up for Litespeed-BMW Cycling Team

The 2011 road racing season is in full-swing. The Litespeed-BMW Cycling Team already has some solid wins and strong finishes on the team resume. In mid March, the team raced at the 13th edition of the Rouge Roubaix (sponsored by Litespeed dealer, Precision Bikes) and in early April, a regional race in Rome, GA.

Team member Tim Henry finished lucky 13th at Rouge Roubaix in a stacked field that included such notables as Cesar Grajales and Michael Olheiser. In what can only be described as "epic", the race is 105 miles (for all classes of racers!) that includes slow, dirt sections and steep, gravel climbs. With the winner finishing in over 4 hours and 30 minutes, you can bet there was some real suffering out there.

You can read the race report here, but for a taste of the fun, check out the excerpt from Tim below...

...The first dirt section was 8 miles long and relatively flat. No big deal until we come around a curve and there is a lumber truck parked across the road, leaving only one lane for riders to pass. This broke the field up quickly and I had to chase hard to get back to the front group of 15. I think I was the last to make it on at this point. Our tempo increased as the strong riders realized the gap we had and our group rolled along at a good pace through that first section. After we got back onto pavement, our group really slowed down. Realizing I only had 5 hours of food with me, I decided to attack to get things going again...

Wow.

April found things a lot more traditional in Rome with criterium and road races-no gravel to be seen. At the crit, Litespeed-BMW teammates Colby Millen and Chris Brown lined up in both the Masters and Pro,1,2 races for some extra race action. They walked away with one win in the bag and a top five finish. At Sunday's road race, new teammate Artur Sagat joined the guys in the Pro,1,2 road race, and the team earned a top ten finish amongst a strong field.

Action from the Masters crit on Saturday...

...The group never really got organized so Brown just kept rolling and eventually lapped the field. Once back in the field Brown tried to help set up Colby for the finish. Colby was very attentive and aggressive and took a solo flyer on the 2nd to last lap only to get caught with about 3/4 lap to go and was a bit cooked for the sprint. Brown wins and Colby pulls 6th, solid results for both guys....

Nice work, guys. For a full report on the weekend and other team items, please check out the Litespeed-BMW Cycling Team website.

Litespeed-BMW Cycling Team Heads to Sunny King Crit

Litespeed-BMW Cycling team heads to Anniston, AL on Saturday, 4/9 for the 2011 Sunny King Criterium. Team riders will be duking it out in the Category 2/3 race and the main event, the NRC Pro/1 night-time race.

VeloNews.com will be streaming the full day of racing live, along with the race website at www.sunnykingcriterium.com. The headliner Pro/1 race starts at 7:30 pm CST.

Five TV cameras around the race course will catch full course racing action, including slow motion replays of finishing sprints and any mishaps on the course.

Check out the video from 2010 Sunny King below to whet your racing appetite.

Taste of the race from 2010...

Litespeed-BMW Cycling Team-Roster and 2011 Schedule Update

The Litespeed-BMW Cycling Team is ready for a strong showing in 2011. With racing already underway and addition of 6-time Jamaican national champion Oneil Samuels, look for the team to top a podium near you.

Please enjoy the excerpt from the Team's blog:

We have a bit of exciting news to share with all. We have come in to the 2011 racing year with one of our best rosters to date, and it just got even better! The hugely talented rider, Oneil Samuels from Port Antonio, Jamaica, may be a name you’ve seen on the top of many leaderboard in recent years, as he’s won just about everything that can be won in the area. After several years of racing around the Southeast, Oneil and the LITESPEED-BMW team saw the obvious fit and have now come together.

Oneil is the current (and six time) Jamaican National Champion, a member of the Jamaican National Team, and has participated in world renowned events such as the Track World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, the Pan-American Championships, and the Central American and Caribbean Games. Oneil won a gold medal in the Central American and Caribbean Games in Colombia in 2006, and his national titles come in the disciplines of the road race, time trial, criterium, and track. He also has many wins on US soil to his credit. We look forward to a great season with Oneil on board. Welcome aboard!

Additionally, we have posted the 2011 team schedule. Please note that this is a tentative schedule, and dates may be added or deleted as the season progresses.

Thanks, Guys. Good luck at the races!

Race Report and Photos from Master's Nationals Criterium

Check out the criterium race report fresh from the Litespeed-BMW Cycling team who enjoyed lots of success last weekend at the Master's Nationals Championships. The race report can be found at the Litespeed-BMW Cycling website.

Congratulations on 3rd Place, Chad



The Fierce Team-Colby, Chris, Chad (L to R)


The Team Poses With Security

Litespeed-BMW Cycling's Chad Madan Earns 3rd at Master's National Criterium Championships

Litespeed-BMW racer Chad Madan topped of a fantastic Championship week with a 3rd place finish out of a five-man break in the Master's Nationals (age 35-39) criterium on Sunday. Solidifying this place through savvy teamwork were workhorse Coby Millen and Chris Brown, whose solo effort at the end freed him from the peloton and earned him 6th place. Like the road race on Thursday, the Litespeed-BMW team was the only team to place two riders in the top ten at the criterium on Sunday. The team rides 2010 Litespeed Archon C1 bikes.

Congratulations to the Litespeed-BMW on a strong week of racing.

Litespeed-BMW Cycling Team Places Two in Top Ten in Master's National Championships

The Litespeed-BMW Cycling Team, an amateur elite regional team out of Atlanta, sent a three-man wrecking crew to the U.S. Master's National Championships in Louisville, KY. Riding Litespeed Archon C1s in the 60 mile road race, Chris Brown (pictured left) earned 4th, Chad Madan placed 10th, and strongman Colby Millen served as the domestique extraordinaire in the age 35-39 category. Litespeed-BMW was the only team to have two riders in the top ten! Congratulations, Guys!

Up next for the crew is the Master's National criterium on Sunday afternoon.

Litespeed-BMW Cycling Racers Praise the Archon C1

The Litespeed-BMW Cycling team based in Atlanta is riding and racing the all-new Archon C1 in 2010. Initially, Litespeed sought evaluations from the team for suggestions on improving the design, ride-ability, looks, etc of the Archon C1. So, big and small, sprinter and climber, Cat 1 and Cat 5, we got all the racers' opinions.

A couple of months have passed for some of the guys, and the rave reviews are still coming. In addition to hearing the comments of racers on competitors' bikes about the eye-catching graphics (let's call it Pack Envy), the C1 is performing as well as it looks.

After a weekend of racing in Alabama, racer Christian Leask states, "One thing we can say for sure is that there is nothing on the market right now that rails a criterium corner like the LITESPEED Archon C1, and just the same, nothing the can handle a full-on uphill sprint like that bike can. Simply amazing."

Another racer praises the C1 after a grueling 6 hour ride at the Cheaha Challenge, saying, "This bike breaks all the rules. I don't know if it's better at racing or touring, or just the best at both!"

Thanks, guys. Well-said.

For more information about the Litespeed-BMW Cycling team, please visit their website at http://www.litespeed-bmwcycling.com/

Litespeed-BMW Cycling Team

Litespeed continues as a primary sponsor for the new Litespeed-BMW Cycling team, an elite amateur road team based out of Atlanta, GA for 2010. Formerly Pacesetter Steel Presented by Litespeed in 2009, Litespeed has sponsored the team since 2004.

The elite team is comprised of 17 Category 1 and 2 racers residing across the Southeastern U.S in Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. A 9 member developmental squad, primarily Category 3 racers, ensures that the winning ways of Litespeed-BMW Cycling will continue into the future.

The team will be riding the all-new Litespeed Archon C1, one of three models in a new series of aero carbon fiber road bicycles. The Archon C1 is the premier model for the line, available only as a frameset, and features unidirectional carbon fiber and internal cable routing.

Interestingly, for Litespeed-BMW racers, bicycle racing is not their primary career. All have full time jobs in a variety of fields-a couple racers work at Litespeed.

Catch Litespeed-BMW Cycling team racing each weekend in the Southeast, as well as choice national racing calendar, or NRC, events, like Athens Twilight and the exclusive, invitation-only Tour of Jamaica.

Litespeed-BMW Cycling Elite Team
Hank Beaver
Chris Brown
Ben Carter
Chris Chotas
Benjy Coil
Darren Comer
Tyler Grahovec
Rusty Griebel
Travis Hagner
Chad Madan
Matt McCarthy
Colby Millen
Doug Ollerenshaw
Clay Parks
Wes Parrish
Malachi Reid Peacock
Charles “Chaz” Rossignol

Litespeed-BMW Cycling Developmental Team
Tres Courdin
Bill Feier
Nick Gastley
Toby Grahovec
Cy Hedrick
Kip Humphries
Calvin O’Keeffe
Christian Leask
Joel Price