Tribute to a Superleicht

I rode my Austro-Daimler Superleicht Carbon Di2 for the last time on 30 June 2014. Fit Werx 2 built it up in early 2013 with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 derailleurs and shifters, Shimano Dura-Ace cranks and brakes, 3T Rotundo Team bars and a Fizik saddle. I used a variety of wheels during that time including Zipp 303 tubulars, Zipp 202 tubulars and FOS 38T tubulars. I raced and trained 20,000 miles on it. Notable victories on this bike include 2013 Tour of the Battenkill Masters 45 plus and the 2014 Lake Sunappe Road Race Pro 123 in addition to many satisfying finishes (Silver medal 2013 USA Cycling National Championships, 11th place 2013 Tour of the Dragons, 10th place 2013 Tour of the Hilltowns). Epic rides include Mount Diablo double, Sandy Hook Ride on Washington and RideXme to name a few. The bike received heavy use on the rough roads of New England and the numerous dirt road sections in updated New York and Vermont. It held up very well through it all. 

From the very beginning of this adventure, I decided that I would not ask anyone to ride or race a bike that I would not ride or race myself. I feel that I have made good on that decision and can firmly say that the frame, fork and seat post meets very high standards of quality and durability. I did not have any speed wobbles on this bike, I never had a problem with the front fork, the head set, the drop outs or the bottom bracket and it always felt comfortable and stable. I believe that it is as well made as any other bike on the market, if not better. 

The graphics and the finish are another story: I matched the color of my steel Austro-Daimler using a Pantone board and sent that along to my supplier, along with a single schematic showing where to place the lettering. Although I was very pleased with the color, I learned that I have to send over a detailed schematic for each frame size as positioning of logos change with each frame size. Thus when the frame sets arrived I was hung up on very minor details about placement and positioning as well as some minor mistakes. These concerns faded quickly as it was the color that made the greatest impact and I was really the only one who noticed. 

The A-D Bikes adventure continues with the introduction of the Superleicht Carbon Limited. I am very pleased with this frame set both with its features as well as its graphics and I look forward to posting a review about it soon.

2014 Killington Stage Race

2014 Hunter-Greene Summer Classic

2014 Tour of the Battenkill

2013 Tour of the Catskills

2014 Killington Stage Race

2013 Tour of the Battenkill Masters

2013 Tour of the Battenkill Masters

The Internet of Bikes: 2013 USA Cycling National Championships Masters Road Race Mount Bachelor, Oregon

The Internet of Bikes: 2013 USA Cycling National Championships Masters Road Race Mount Bachelor, Oregon

The USA Cycling National Championships Masters Road Race (45-49) is the last major road race of the 2013 season for Frame and Wheel. The event is held at the Mount Bachelor Ski Area which is near Bend, Oregon. The course is a 55 mile loop through Deschutes National Forest that features a long fast descent off of Mount Bachelor, long straight and flat sections, winding roads through lush forests and long sections of climbing at high mountain elevations. The start is at an elevation of 6,500 feet. Thus conditions are cloudy, wet and windy. Temperatures are in the low fifties (These conditions are an improvement on the wild and dangerous weather conditions of the previous day that produced hail and 60 mile an hour winds and resulted in the postponement of the event). Frame and Wheel is dressed for a spring classic in New England: a base layer, a jersey, a wind vest, arm warmers, gloves and a hat. Frame and Wheel joins a field of fifty riders at the start. Frame and Wheel is riding the Austro-Daimler Superleicht Carbon Di2 and running Zipp 202 wheels with Vittoria EVO 23 tubulars. The bike is light, clean and running smoothly and the Champagne finish provides some cheerful brightness to the wet and gray.

The field sets off at 11:00 am and immediately arrives at the four mile descent off of Mount Bachelor. The road is wet, but wide and in very good condition. Frame and Wheel is at the front and moving at 55 miles per hour. The field arrives at the turn onto National Forest Road 45 and more descending follows, but the grades are not as steep.  The field now has the whole road. The attacks begin from the left and the right side of the road. Frame and Wheel maintains position near the front. The sight lines on some of the sections here are very long and straight. All of the attacks are covered. The field makes the right turn onto National Forest Drive 40, which is the back section of the course. The road narrows and winds and the road surface becomes rough. More attacks come and some riders stay away for a few moments before the field closes in. 

The field breaks up on the first climb of the race. This is a gradual climb that winds on for three miles.  Paul Bourcier (Veloce Racing p/b Smith & Nephew – Eugene, Oregon) accelerates. Frame and Wheel covers the move and soon the two have a gap. Paul Thomas (White Mountain Road Club – Tuscon, Arizona) bridges up and states “This is it!” which suggests that the gap is holding and that the field is not chasing hard. Frame and Wheel lifts the pace and uses the left side of the road to try and stay out of sight. Thomas and Bourcier are keeping up and ready to take turns at the front. The break summits and keeps up the momentum on the following descent. There is a long straight and flat straight away following the descent. The break is visible and the gap is only twenty seconds. Frame and Wheel concentrates on keeping the pace high through this section. Thomas and Bourcier are working hard and pulling through. 

The break arrives at the turn onto the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway which marks the beginning of the twenty mile climb back to Mount Bachelor Ski Area. There is a tailwind that helps move the break along. The gap increases to 30 seconds and the break is no longer visible to the field. Frame and Wheel, Thomas and Bourcier continue to work together to stay away. Bourcier has team mates in the field and the hope is that they are doing everything they can to prevent the field from bridging up to the break. The gap increases to 40 seconds. Soon after, the gap increases and holds at one minute. Frame and Wheel dimly recognizes dozens of Model T automobiles that have been halted by the marshals. These cars are lined up on the shoulder of the left lane. The occupants regard the break with muted curiosity.  Frame and Wheel, Thomas and Bourcier are keeping a steady pace. The climb by Deschutes Pond is long and it rises more sharply than previous climbs. Frame and Wheel feels the effort. The temperatures are beginning to cool again as the break heads towards higher elevations. The gap is now one minute forty seconds. It is certain that the break will arrive at the finish together. 

The break clears the final and steepest climb near Elk Lake. Frame and Wheel is at the front and accelerates up the short rise before the turn into the final one kilometer. Thomas and Bourcier are waiting. Thomas unleashes a sprint at 500 meters. Frame and Wheel slowly closes the gap at 200 meters and is in second position with Bourcier in third position. The three round the final bend and the line is in sight. Frame and Wheel breaks to the left of Thomas and sprints for the line. Bourcier breaks to the right. The gantry is less than 100 meters away, but it seems so far away. Frame and Wheel is producing maximum effort but it is not enough to hold off Bourcier who slowly but steadily moves up to clear the line first. The race is over. Frame and Wheel finishes in second place with a time of 2:10:50. Frame and Wheel is very pleased with the result. It is the second trip to the podium in as many days. It also represents the realization of a sentimental vision to compete at a national level on an Austro-Daimler Superleicht,  the same bike Frame and Wheel raced as a sixteen year old youth, and the muse for Frame and Wheel s bicycle company. Frame and Wheel congratulates all the riders on their results and thanks the organizers for putting on a great event and making all of us feel like professionals. The Road to Bend has been exciting, challenging and a great deal of fun, and it represents a deeply satisfying conclusion to what has been for Frame and Wheel a great season of bicycle racing. 

Thomas, Bourcier, Frame and Wheel

The descent off of Mount Bachelor

The Internet of Bikes: Tour of the Battenkill 2013

The Tour of the Battenkill, also known as “America’s Queen of the Classics”, is a road race held in Cambridge, New York. The race features 4,500 or more feet of climbing, dirt road sections, rural scenery and Paris-Roubaix spirit. Around 2,500 amateur and professional cyclists from all over the country turn out for this event. The race is the first major road race on the OA/Cyclemania Masters Cycling Team and a wonderful spectacle and celebration of local community and competitive cycling. Frame and Wheel and Hank Pfiefle (2012 USA Cycling Road National Champion 60 Plus) make the five hour journey through the slush covered roads of New Hampshire on Friday, which leaves time for registration and a quick preview of the course finish.  Frame and Wheel is racing on Saturday in the 45 Plus Masters category along with Ron Bourgoin and Mike Claus. This is the fifth time in five years Frame and Wheel has entered this race and the first race for the Austro-Daimler Superleicht Carbon Di2 Champagne.

The weather has improved significantly on race day. It is dry and temperatures at the start are in the mid forties. It is overcast with some wind. There are eighty-six starters. The race begins at 11:20 am. Robert Lyons (Finkraft Cycling Team) and another rider head up the road after about five miles. They are soon out of sight. The field sees the silos and the rush for the bridge begins. Frame and Wheel is swarmed and crosses the bridge in the belly of the peleton. The field continues its charge over the first dirt section. Frame and Wheel gets to the front of the field and attacks on the steep section of Perry Hill road. A gap forms. Frame and Wheel arrives at the turn onto Juniper Swamp road and can see one of the riders from the break. A glance over the shoulder reveals that the field is in view and not far behind. Frame and Wheel catches the dropped rider and  Robert Lyons and attacks again on the steep section of Juniper Swamp Road. The legs and the head are screaming and the lungs are heaving. Frame and Wheel takes comfort in knowing that a gap formed on Perry Hill Road can be increased a lot on Juniper Swamp Road. It is very quiet; there are no spectators and the pace car has scrambled up and over the hill. Frame and Wheel clears the top of the hill and with a glance over the shoulder can see that a gap remains. 

Frame and Wheel arrives on the rolling hills of Newman Road. The field will have long sight lines and will likely be able to see Frame and Wheel. There is a tail wind which makes the work of staying away slightly less demanding. Frame and Wheel consumes some nutrition and then concentrates on keeping a steady pace. The chocolate nutrition hits the spot.  Before the fast descent into Salem, Frame and Wheel looks back again and sees what appears to be the field. There is no moto advising about time gaps, and the wheel van is not lurking a few meters back, all suggesting that the field is not too far behind. The smell of manure heralds the imminent  climb of Cemetery Road. It is hard work and the summit is deceptive, but at this point Frame and Wheel has stragglers from the previous race to target. This helps. Frame and Wheel has three bottles of hydration and passes through the feed zone without stopping. The spectators there offer some muted but needed encouragement. 

Frame and Wheel attacks Joe Bean Hill. The logic is that the field is likely to attack here too. It is hard work and Frame and Wheel is feeling the effort. The final stages of Joe Bean seem to have increased in number since last year. Frame and Wheel is passing stragglers, but the speed is down. Frame and Wheel recovers and pushes on through dirt roads and rural scenes. The climb on Route 29 is rough and long and it seems new to the course. Somewhere at this point in the race, there is a navigational crisis: the pace car turns right at an intersection, but the arrows on the road, the riders from the previous race, the Battenkill signs and the police officer at the intersection are all pointing or going left. Frame and Wheel hesitates and feels a moment of dread, and then makes the left turn. Frame and Wheel can hear the pace car catching up with siren blaring and is expecting it to pull along side any moment and begin frantically issuing instructions to turn around. This does not happen. Frame and Wheel has thankfully delayed membership in an elite club of riders who have been led astray by their pace cars during big races.

Frame and Wheel passes the previous field and recognizes that this represents an advantage in addition to being out of sight and out of mind. Frame and Wheel is nevertheless feeling the effort and has consumed all nutrition and is getting down to the last bottle. Frame and Wheel concentrates on keeping a steady pace. Frame and Wheel passes through the feed zone area and is encouraged by the spectators. “Looking good”, “Keep it up, brother” and “Go Fred” penetrate the mask of concentration and caution. Meeting House Hill arrives. There is a long stream of riders on the road which provides motivation and additional camouflage. Frame and Wheel gets clear of Meeting House Hill in good shape and begins to think for the first time that the break might stick.  

The flats in advance of Stage Road go on forever. Frame and Wheel is out of hydration and nutrition and is hoping that the various concoctions consumed are enough to hold off cramps and provide the necessary energy to get over Stage Rd quickly. The first section of Stage Road sucks ups all momentum and is a reminder of the struggle this section presented in previous years. The idea of a final surge up this road is quickly dismissed. Frame and Wheel settles down and concentrates on catching stragglers who are making their way up the climb. The descent off of Stage Road provides needed rest and exhilaration as it marks the beginning of the home stretch. The final kilometers go by so slowly. Frame and Wheel makes the final turn for the finish and pushes on until the “chute”. Frame and Wheel salutes the small crowd and crosses the line in 2:55:23 (+ 3:16). The race is over. Ron Bourgoin finishes in 10th place with the chase group andMike Claus finishes in the next group in 23rd place. Frame and Wheel is very pleased with the result and surprised that what started out as an effort to create a break away turned into a solo victory. Frame and Wheel joins Robert Lyons (Finkraft Cycling) and Roger Aspholm (Finkraft Cycling) in second and third place, respectively, on the podium, and relishes a moment of glory. Frame and Wheel is very thankful for the generosity, the camaraderie and the dedication of the OA / Cyclemania Masters Cycling Team and congratulates all of them on their great efforts during this race. Frame and Wheel is also grateful for the opportunity to compete in a great category that is characterized by such fine competitors.

At the summit of Joe Bean

Go To Meeting House

 Champagne salute

Lyons Thomas Aspholm

The long road to Battenkill

Frame and Wheel reviews Austro-Daimler Superleicht Carbon Di2 Champagne road bike

Return to the peleton

The Austro-Daimler Superleicht Carbon Di2 Champagne is the modern day version of the Austro-Daimler Superleicht that Frame and Wheel raced almost thirty years ago. The technology and the materials are wildly different, but the spirit and the finish are the same (Frame and Wheel got out the Pantone Color Bridge and found the color that was closest to the finish on the Austro-Daimler Superleicht frame set that sits in the Frame and Wheel office). Frame and Wheel has been racing and training on an Austro-Daimler Superleicht Carbon Di2 for the past year (a white one) and provides some thoughts about it below.

The features

The frame set is designed expressly for electronic shifting. Cable stops are absent on the down tube and chain stay and there is an opening on the bottom bracket to accommodate wiring and junction boxes. Customers ask if it can be converted. The answer is no. Frame and Wheel learned from customers that using Shimano Ultegra Di2 requires the opening under the bottom bracket to be enlarged in order to accommodate the larger junction boxes (Shimano Dura Ace junction boxes are smaller). This can be done by an experienced mechanic with the proper tools. One customer also successfully used Campagnolo EPS on this frame set. Frame and Wheel remains an electronic shifting convert. The practical benefits include a very easy shift from the small ring to the big ring and quick and easy rear derailleur adjustment (that can be done while you are riding). Frame and Wheel notes that when your hands are numb with cold, electronic shifting is very useful. It is also very useful for masters category hands that have been weakened by a lifetime of keyboard work. There also seems to be less chain slap when riding on rough road. The battery charges quickly and lasts a very long time. Frame and Wheel learned that when the battery does run out, the front derailleur stops shifting first. This not a problem on a training ride, but if it happens in a race, it will be a problem. It is easy to forget to charge the battery and even easier to forget to remove the battery from the charger. Forgetting to bring the charger to a training camp or a stage race is also very easy to do. Frame and Wheel notes that it is easy to shift, and thus one can shift excessively or by accident. 

Smooth ride

The Superleicht has a slack geometry (71.5 degrees head tube angle and 74 degree seat tube angle) and the wheel base is long (98.4 cm for the fifty centimeter size frame).  and thus the bicycle tracks very well and feels stable on the descents and in the corners. The down tube and the chain stays are oversized and explain the bicycles wonderful stiffness and acceleration. Other features include Austro-Daimler 37SL carbon front fork, Austro-Daimler 31.6 mm carbon seat post in Champagne finish (which  creates the impression of an integrated seat post without actually having one), English thread bottom bracket, full internal cabling, asymmetrical top tube, bolt-on front derailleur hanger for braze-on front derailleurs, replaceable rear derailleur hanger and painted rear drop outs.

The voice

Every bicycle has a voice that speaks directly to its rider. For Frame and Wheel, the Austro-Daimler Superleicht Carbon Di2 Champagne speaks personally of a cycling past and a cycling future. For others, the Superleicht will perhaps speak invitingly of electronic shifting, light weight and comfortable geometry. For others, no voice will be heard. Frame and Wheel’s view is that the bicycle is a great pleasure to ride and looks forward to racing it in 2013.

Specifications

Brand: Austro-Daimler

Model: Superleicht Carbon Di2

Finish: Champagne

Material: Unidirectional high modulus carbon fiber

Design: sloping top tube

Series: Road

Front fork: Austro-Daimler 37SL

Seat post: Austro-Daimler carbon

Front and rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 Di2

Dual control levers: Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 Di2

Cassette, bottom bracket, chain: Shimano Dura-Ace 7900

Crank set: Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 170 mm 53T/39T

Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 SL Carbon

Bar and stem: 3T Rotundo carbon classic and 3T ARX Team alloy stem

Seat: Fizik Arione

Wheel set: Zipp 303 carbon tubular

Tires: Vittoria Corsa EVO CX 23-28

Total weight  as shown: 14 pounds 14 ounces (6.9 kg) size 50 cm as shown

Rider: Fred Thomas OA/Cyclemania Masters Cycling Team

Build and fit: Fit Werx 2 Peabody, Massachusetts