Champion of the 2010 Giro d'Italia. Hero of the Tour of California. At just 890 grams, with unmatched stiffness-to-weight and an alive, communicative ride-feel, SuperSix is engineered to win.

Carbon frame, Shimano 105 groupset, available in matte black and white or Cannondale Liquigas Team replica colours. 

RRP: $3000 Special: $2699 + special ready-to-ride accessories package available instore.

Entry level at Mavic doesn't mean low end. This wheelset provides you with top Mavic technologies. Straight pull aerodynamic spokes, new versatile and lightweight rims, serviceable cartridge bearings… At a very attractive price, the Aksium will make any bike better. Black or Silver version.

Fantastic training wheelset, RRP:$389 Special $315

Hot off the Press.... we received this yesterday......

Cervelo has extended innovations achieved in aerodynamic TT/triathlon and Road bikes into the ultimate road bike.  The Cervelo S5 is 12% stiffer than the already stiff Cervelo S3. The S5 frame weighs as little as 990 grams (VWD edition, with paint and all metal parts). This is the lightest and stiffest aero road bike Cervelo has ever produced.

The Offical Release Video http://s5.cervelo.com/

Release on Cyclingnews http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cervelo-unveils-new-s5-aero-road-bike

For the season the S5 will be available in these build kits, plus frame set options: DA DI2, Sram Red, Ultegra DI2, Ultegra 6700, Rival.  Pricing yet to be released.

Rudy Project have invested heavily in designing sunglasses for cycling.  Below is a list of benefits of riding with Rudy Project sunglasses but what we have found to be the most impressive feature is the photochromic lenses. 

Photochromic lens technology—the ability of a lens to darken in the presence of invisible UV light. Photochromic lenses change from clear to dark based on the intensity of UV radiation. Remove the source of UV radiation from the lenses, and they return to their clear state. Rudy Project cycling sunglasses utilise this technology in a range of different coloured lenses depending on the environment. The Genetyk glasses featured above have the Clear photochromic lenses in them which is perfect for our Brisbane winter when you start your ride in the dark and then its bright sunshine by the time you finish. The Rudy Project photochromic sunglasses range start at $299 for the Swifty and up to $379 for the Genetyk.  

Rudy Project cycling glasses guarantee:

- protection from falls and knocks thanks to the Safety Project system
- perfect stability on the face thanks to the total comfort system, with adjustable temples and nosepiece
- the lenses do not mist over thanks to the ventilation systems, Air System, Air Channel and Vent Controller
- optimum vision in any environment thanks to the interchangeable lenses systems, Quick Change and Flip Change.
- Super lightweight, thanks to the use of innovative materials such as kynetium, grilamid, carbon and titanium.
- protection from wind, dust and shocks due to falls thanks to ImpactX technology lenses, guaranteed unbreakable for life
- perfect vision in all weather and light conditions with multilaser lenses that offer total protection from the sun, and photochromic lenses, capable of handling light over the whole day.

For more info click here or come in and chat to the Fusion team. 

Online entries for the Fusion Games Duathlons, Social Ride and Team Crit close Sunday 10 July.  Click here to enter.  Late entries and race day entries will be available for these events with a $10 late fee.  Online entries for the Fusion Games Elite and Masters Crits close this Sunday 3 July. Click here to enter. No race day entries for these events.

We need Volunteers to help on race day with course marshalling, drink stations, timekeeping and a million other jobs.  If you would like to help out on the day, please email chelsie@fusioncycles.com.au.  Please include in the email what time you can volunteer and for how long.  The day starts at 6am with road closures and will finish up at 4pm.  The majority of help will be needed in the morning for the duathlons.  Volunteers will receive a Fusion Games t-shirt! 

Top Gun Conveyancing is a division of Colwell Wright Solicitors and offers a guarantee of the lowest conveyancing fees in Queensland. Top Gun Conveyancing has a 24hr enquiry line for clients and a commitment to personalised service and no legal jargon explanations. With over 25 years of commercial and residential property expertise, Top Gun Conveyancing will deliver a professional and efficient service.  For more info, visit the Top Gun Conveyancing website.

Mirvac Waterfront Newstead is the new development along Skyring Terrace and includes 1,2 and 3 bedroom residential apartments that are currently for sale. Waterfront, Newstead includes swimming pools, parkland, gymnasiums and walking and cycle paths.  Pier apartments are completed with Park apartments now under construction.  For more info, visit the Mirvac Waterfront Newstead website.

Group riding is something that most of us do but sadly it is something that is rarely done well. The important thing to remember is that correct group skills will improve the safety within the group, provide a relaxing atmosphere and improve your handling skills. As a bonus your group will look great out on the road!

1. Riding 2 Abreast

· When riding at the front of bunch your front wheel should be level with the rider next to you. This will ensure a few key things

o It will provide a constant steady pace in the group

o It will allow easy communication with the rider next to you

o If you happen to make contact with the rider next to you it will avoid handle bars etc becoming entangled!

2. When riding at the front of the group you need to be constantly pedalling, this includes down hills as well. So no freewheeling!! Remember small changes in pace and speed at the front will have a dramatic effect at the back of the group

3. When riding at the front of the group maintain a constant effort rather than a constant speed. Many riders try to maintain a constant speed which is ok on the flat but will split the group when on small rolling hills.  A good way is to set yourself a target eg. I will ride at an effort at 8 out of 10 regardless of hills, road surface or head wind.

4. When riding at the front of the group ensure that you ride half a metre to a metre (max) from the curb. The rider next to you should be an arm’s length away. This will ensure a few things:

o That the group does not consume the entire road.

o It provides cars with plenty of room to pass if required

o It will keep the group compact, motorists will see your group as a vehicle on the road rather than random cyclists spread across the road

5. When riding at the front you need to provide clear communication to the group and motorists of where you are going and any obstacles on the road. This is done by HAND SIGNALS! Remember motorists can’t hear riders screaming “turning left or hole!” You may hear plenty of calls from riders out on the road but hand signals are the best way to communicate.  If something is a real danger to the group you may also use a verbal call. This will alert the group to something unusual! Please remember it is everyone’s responsibility to use hand signals to ensure everyone’s safety.

6. When changing lanes or turning into a street think about how you would turn in a car. This means if you are turning right, you move the group to the far right hand side of your lane. This will clearly indicate you are turning so motorists and other cyclists won’t try to overtake the group when turning. Remember to use your hand signals.

7.  Rotating the riders at the front. There are many ways to do this but the safest way is to stay 2 abreast. The rider on the outside slowly increases his speed until he has gained a bike length in front of the rider who he was beside. When there is a clear gap he then moves across in front of the rider. The second rider on the outside simply follows the rider to the front of the group and we have 2 riders parallel again at the front. This can be repeated when needed. An extra advantage to this is that you will find yourself riding with someone new throughout the ride!!

The key now is to practice, practice and practice. Your group rides will increase in speed, become safer and will create a relaxing atmosphere. Most importantly you will be looking like a Pro Team before you know it. 

Good luck. Gilly

(Tips courtesy of Adam Gill, Cycling Science.  Gilly is heading to Tour De France to guide a cycling group.  You can follow his adventures at:  www.gillyheadstotdf.blogspot.com)

This is one of my favourite rides, mainly because of the two climbs – Mt Mee and over the range into or out of Samford.

You can do the loop in either direction, and neither way is really any easier than the other. I chose to go out along Lutwyche Rd, heading onto Gympie Rd, then following that all the way out through Strathpine. This is pretty quiet on a Sunday, and usually has a tailwind. Take care to single out after you pass through the intersection of Gympie and Beams Roads passing the big Caltex service station. Take the exit to Bald Hills, and follow that around past the guide dog training centre, up the hill, veer left at the roundabout and go past Bald Hills Primary School till you join back up with Gympie Rd. Going through Stathpine, Lawnton and Petrie is fairly straightforward, but take care as you cross the bridge at Petrie as it down to one lane in either direction. Once you get to the roundabout at Petrie, take the left exit towards Dayboro, and you can’t go wrong. The road has some pretty big lumps to get over in this section, and the speed limit is 80 and 100, but there’s plenty of shoulder and you can rest on the descents. Once into Dayboro, turn right to head up the mountain!

The climb itself is one of my favourites, as it is long, but the gradient isn’t too steep and it allows for a lot of possibilities.  If you’re feeling keen, do a couple of repeats, or if you really want a challenge, turn right up Ocean View Rd half way up. It takes on a spectacular loop that joins back up to the main road at the top of Mt Mee - be warned though, it hits 20%+ in places, so make you’ve got a 25 on the back. The view is pretty awesome though, you end up looking way down on the other cyclists going up Mt Mee to your left, and way out to Moreton Bay on your right.

Once back to Dayboro, time for a coffee, the bakery is pretty good and there are facilities at the park such as taps and public toilets. After a rest, head through Dayboro village in the opposite direction to the way you came in, then turn left onto the road that will take you the 23kms back to Samford.  At Samford, go through the village, turn left at the roundabout and you’ve got one last climb to tackle. It’s really smooth tarmac though, and the steepest part comes early, and once you get past this, just spin up it at a nice tempo then cruise over the top and down the nice descent. Stay on Samford Rd all the way in to the Alderly Arms Hotel where you’ll turn right onto Enoggera Rd, follow this around until you left at the Newmarket Hotel onto Newmarket Rd, follow it to Lutwyche Rd where you turn right and head back up towards the RBH, and I’m sure everyone can find their way back to the shop from there.

If you haven’t done this ride before, it’s definitely a good one to try, especially for the triathletes looking at doing half or ironman training rides who need a steady, consistent pace with some nice hills thrown in.

Here is the link to the ride log:  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/94865116

(Ride Log courtesy of Ryan Wilson - Team Fusion.)

Sat 2 Jul Noosa 000 8hr MTB Challenge, Noosa. Click here for more info.

Sun 3 Jul Team Road Series Round 4, Kingaroy.  Click here for more info.

Sun 3 Jul Avanti Plus 6hr MTB Challenge, Canungra.  Click here for more info.

Sat 16 Jul Exact Radiology Cyclo-cross, Ipswich.  Click here for more info.

Sun 17 Jul Fusion Games, Newstead.  Social ride, duathlons, criteriums.  Click here for more info.

Sun 17 Jul Maxxis MTB XC Sunshine Series Round 3, Samford. Click here for more info.

Wed 20 Jul Chasing Legends Movie, Schonell Theatre, St Lucia.  Tour De France documentary - fundraising for Smiddy. Click here for more info.

Sat Sun 23-24 Jul Tour of the Scenic Rim, Boonah.  Road races and Time Trial.  Click here for more info.

Sat Sun 23-24 I-Adventure Adventure Race, South East Queensland.  Kayak, MTB, Run.  Kayaks provided by I-Adventure.  Click here for more info.

Sun 24 Jul TQ State Series Race 1 Duathlon, Lockyer Valley.   Click here for more info.

Sun 31 Jul Pensar Charles Coin Memorial Road Race, Mulgowie. Click here for more info.

From a nutrition stand point there are a finite number of practices you can do to enhance the performance of a one off event less than 1hr. Most of which we have spoken about in the past. What hasn’t been addressed is how do you maintain performance from early in the morning to late in the afternoon on days when you have more than one event. These types of competition situations are becoming more popular and a perfect example of this is the upcoming Fusion Games. So how do you get the best out of yourself in all events across a whole day and not just one. 

Starting with the right environment.  Recently scientists have become more interested in pacing. The body seems to have an inbuilt mechanism by which it can gauge how prepared your body is for exercise before setting out (do you have enough energy, is the body hydrated, is the environment too hot etc.). If the environment (both external and internal) is not optimal then the body will hold you back, “saving itself” in a way to ensure you don’t reach a catastrophic end point. This is best illustrated by the difference in pace when running on a hot 35°C day in summer compared to a 10°C morning in winter. You don’t set out at the same pace when it is hot compared to when it is cool. It is this environmental feedback that can affect pacing if things are suboptimal. 

So for short duration events of between 30min-1hr it is important that you start the race with suitable carbohydrate and fluid in the body. This can be achieved by ensuring you have eaten before competition. Your pre race meal should contain some form of carbohydrate, should have a suitable protein content and contain a good fluid source. The timing of this is highly individual, but the goal of this meal is to ensure the body knows that there is food in the system, energy is not an issue and you are well hydrated. This is not the time to experiment. Keep the foods simple and familiar. 

During races. As nutritional intake during events of <1hr has little impact on performance the best nutrition tip for shorter duration events is only take out what you will definitely use. Don’t take out 2 x 750ml water bottles of fluid if you aren’t even going to have the opportunity to use them. If the race is short duration, very high intensity then try taking a gel or swig of sports drink on the start line and then consume nothing during the race. Plenty of time to replace what you use after the race. 

Recovery between races. The best rule for between races is - keep it simple. Focus on foods that are easily digested and contain nutrients that are needed in the short term. This is often mainly carbohydrate and fluid. Protein can be added to enhance glycogen replenishment but remember the higher the protein content of the meal the greater the risk of GI issues in the next race. Aim to consume mainly fluids and fibre free foods if there is less than 30min – 1 hr between race. As the time frame between races increases so too can the meal complexity. Greater than 2 hours between events, whole and more complex recovery foods can be added. This leaves more time to clear the food from the stomach and into the body. 

The goal of multi-event one day competition nutrition is performance across the day, by minimising accumulated fatigue.  Ensure you start the day with the body prepared to perform, maintain an intake appropriate for the duration of the event and avoid the over consumption of nutrition products unnecessarily, focus on simple and familiar recovery foods between events, starting recovery but not causing GI issues.

Greg Shaw
Sports Dietitian
Australian Institute of Sport