Gear

This is the bike I spend countless hours on, my S-Works Ruby. It is fully outfitted with SRAM Red and Mavic Ksyrium ES wheels. It fits perfectly and really makes the road hours fly by. I can’t wait to get my new Amira though! Specialized really took women’s specific design to another level and didn’t merely “shrink and pink” a men’s bike, which makes fitting these bikes really easy for most people and really sets them apart from the other large brands.

My S-Works Era is the best mountain bike I have ever ridden, period. It was already light and fast, and then we changed to the new SRAM XX gruppo, and dropped a ton of weight. This bike really is faster over most courses, as the suspension keeps putting power to the ground instead of bouncing over rough terrain. One of the biggest things I notice with full suspension is how much less fatigued I am after a long ride. Go ride one, you won’t want to switch back.

My newest baby, the S-Works 29er Carbon hardtail with SRAM XX. It is my first 29er, and I raced this bike at Leadville. These things roll, and they roll fast! It smooths out the small bumps and powers through fast trails with aplomb. I almost feel guilty not keeping it in my bedroom! As this bike sits it is a sinfully light 20 lbs which puts it way ahead of the competitors. It also comes with my favorite Syntace bar that has 9 degrees of sweep, so it feels perfect right out of the box.

Conveniently there is a new pump track a block from my house. Thanks to a close friend here, I am now slightly addicted to riding this P Bike around. it takes some getting used to, but once you figure out the geometry it makes you feel like a 12 year old again. I am definitely spending more time riding wheelies behind my house on the baseball field than ever before, and plenty more grass stains on my jeans!

This pic is of the stuff that came out of my pockets after a 5 hour stage at the Cape Epic in South Africa, including my S-Works 2D helmet.  Hammer Nutrition products are a key part of my race and recovery nutrition program.  I use their products because they are super easy to digest, they taste good and are scientifically proven to provide your body with the calories, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals needed to reach peak performance.   Training, equipment and fueling are the three critical components of endurance athletics.  So many athletes focus their time and energy on the first two components and neglect the third.  Want to learn more about how to get the most out of your training and racing through proper nutrition, check out Hammer Nutrition Endurance Athlete’s Guide to Success or 15 Simple Ways to Improve Your Athletic Performance on their website.