Trek Cycling: A Great Adventure

A trekking bike used in trek cycling is basically a touring bike with upright handlebars instead of drops. The word “trek” has African roots and means a long, painful journey on foot or by oxcart.

History

The history of trek cycling began in the late 1960s in Northern California when racing down mountain trails, also known as “Repack races,” caught the imagination of biking enthusiasts. The race trail was called “Repack” because of the twisting, torturous route downhill on Pine Mountain, California.

The route forced the bikers to use the coaster brakes of their bikes to such an extent that the smoking hubs had to be repacked with grease after each run. These races also gave rise to the introduction of mountain trek bikes, or the kind of bicycles that were suitable for the rougher terrain involved in trek cycling.

In the late 1970s, manufactures of road bicycles started producing specialized trek cycles. The handlebars of trek cycles used for mountain biking have a different design compared to regular bikes. Unlike the curved, dropped handlebar of road bikes, the handlebars of trek cycles are traverse mounted and straight. The first mass-produced trek cycles meant for mountain biking were equipped with 18 gears.

The brake being mounted on the frame or hub was universally adopted in the early 1990s This was along with six bolts being used for bolting the rotor or disc to the hub, as well as the system of using two bolts to attach the brake pad assembly or piston to the frame.

Trek Bicycle Corporation

The Trek Bicycle Corporation is a major American trek cycle and component manufacturer. Trek cycling’s high-end bicycles are built at Trek’s world headquarters in the town of Waterloo, Wisconsin, while the price-competitive models are manufactured in Taiwan or mainland China.

More trek bicycles are used in trek cycling than any other brand. Trek manufactured the Madone road bike that was ridden in three of seven Tour de France victories by Lance Armstrong.

Trek is the largest U.S. manufacturer of bicycles and related aftermarket products. They formerly supplied the bicycles for the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team and Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team of the U.S.A. Trek owns several bicycle brand names in the U.S. including Klein, Lemond, and Gary Fisher, many of which are produced domestically in Waterloo.

In Europe, Trek manufactures the Villager, Diamant, and Arrow brands. Trek also owns Wrench Force, Bontrager which was a well known and well regarded manufacturer of high end bicycles in Santa Cruz, California. They are also the exclusive supplier of Nike bicycling products.

At the 2005 Dauphine Libere, Lance Armstrong unveiled the new Trek TTX time trial bike frame. Designed for maximum aerodynamic advantage and developed in just five weeks, the company used a cutting edge software program also used to design Ferrari racing cars.

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April 20 2008 | cycling | No Comments »

In the Winner’s Circle with the Slipstream Cycling Team

For professional cyclists, cycling teams are the epitome of success. While not the same as baseball or basketball teams, they are equally important. Cycling is an independent sport, but like car racing, cyclists want their teammates to do well also. Cycling teams provide sponsorship, salaries, free gear and tournament fees. Cyclists who are not members of cycling teams will have to pay a lot of pocket to fund their own careers, but by earning a spot on a cycling team, they can sit back, relax and pedal toward victory.

One for All

In 2007, the Slipstream Cycling Team was formed in the United States. A UCI Professional Continental Team, the team is managed by Jonathan Vaughters, a professional rider himself. While many teams are owned and operated by businessmen, having a former rider in charge always helps to direct a cycling team toward the right goals: victory, not profit. The Slipstream Cycling Team wears orange and blue argyle, and is sponsored by Slipstream Sports, a sports marketing and development company. It is also sponsored by the Chipotle Mexican Grill and H30.

When the Slipstream Cycling Team first entered the Professional Continental organization, it participated in the Agency for Cycling Ethics program, a program aimed toward the elimination of doping in the sport of professional cycling. Volunteer participants are tested extensively and are given a bio-stable marker profile; in future tests, if these markers move, it is a red flag.

The rider is either sick or has been taking illegal drugs. Cyclists who exhibit changes in their profiles are unable to participate in races until the scores have returned to normal; they are also required to undergo further testing to diagnose the cause of the problem. The Slipstream Cycling Team chose to volunteer for the testing establish a solid, honest image.

The Slipstream Cycling Team was originally formed as a development cycling team in 2004, used to test both professional and amateur cyclists. The TIAA-CREF sponsored the cyclists on the team during the developmental period, and it continues to the team’s 10-17 year old cyclists who do not compete competitively.

The Slipstream Cycling Team competed on the 2007 USA Cycling Professional Tour, the 2007 UCI America Tour and the 2007 UCI Europe Tour. Occasionally, the team was also selected as a wildcard to various UCI ProTour events. In 2008, former Tour de France winners David Zabriskie and David Millar joined the Slipstream Cycling Team, along with Christian Vande Velde and Magnus Backstedt. David Millar is also slated to become part-owner of the team alongside Vaughters.

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April 17 2008 | cycling | No Comments »