Alexis and I got on the trail to meet the in-laws for lunch just as the sun came out.  We were dripping with sweat and the wind was howling.  I felt it even more on the single speed I was riding.  On the way back I got passed by a cuple roadies and quickly gave what I had to overtake one and catch the other.  The one I passed jumped on my wheel and hung on as I bridged him up to the roadie further on.  Wonder if he knew I did that in flat pedals  
 
When I got back I outfitted the carbent and took off for my team ranch training loop.  The wind seemed to really pick up even more and start gusting horribly.  Even stronger than Sebring - nearing the winds we had on RAO.  This is the first time I've ridden the zipps in this much crosswind and they were rock solid.  They felt much more stable than the lighter wheels that came with the bike.  Perhaps all the technobabble that zipp spouts is pretty accurate, after all.  But the sun disappeared so dang fast and the temperature dropped that I only made one pass on team ranch and came home.
 
Normally I coast up to around 30 on the first downhill.  This time I had to pedal hard to hit 24 straight into the wind.  Going uphill was a struggle to stay in the middle ring and not hit the granny.  My normal average on that loop is 19.5-20.3, and this time it was 18.  
 
On the way back I had the wind at my back for a stretch and gunned it to 39 on the flat, outpacing a couple cars in the other lane.  That's always fun.  heart rate was right in the zone - 145bpm average.  Average wattage went up to 205.  It took a lot of power just to make any headway up some of the long 1-2% inclines after the loop.  A few more weeks of this and I'll be ready for Sebring  
 
 
 

Greg,
 
Are you running Zipp 404's front/rear with a PowerTap hub?  I've been considering different options to begin to employ a power meter in my training this year.  I currently have Bontrager Race XXX Lite Team carbon wheels on the Metaphysic and they are, well... light!  I picked them up at a sweet price and I really like the weight savings.  I've looked into a dual Zip 404 setup with powertap hub as well as a Hed 60/90 front/rear combo respectively also with PowerTap hub.  
 
Anyone have thoughts or comments on either of these combos?  I'm concerned about the extra weight of the PowerTap hub (rotational weight ya know) so I've also looked into the iBike iPro GT wireless powermeter unit with indoor trainer add-on which would allow indoor/outdoor use while keeping my existing wheels.  Did I mention they're light?    
 
Of course, most of this is contingent on me selling the custom Rans Zenetik I have listed for sale on bentrider.  
 
 
Trey

Quote from oumed on Feb 21^st, 2010, 7:15pm:

 
I've not heard anything positive about the ibike yet, but maybe you'll be there first.  I have a zip 404/808 combo.  I think I like the zipps better than the heds.  Last time I looked, hed wheels were just carbon fairings on heavier wheels, whereas zipps imbed the carbon into the wheel.  They seem really strong and sturdy.