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Saturday, August 25, 2007FAST/IF places 4th at Chris Thater Amateur Race
What's up everyone. Shortly after a 4 week hiatus from racing due to a shoulder separation, I seem to have found some new, late season racing motivation. I made a solo trip out to Binghamton, NY for the weekend for the Chris Thater Memorial bike races. Today was the Cat 2, amateur only race, and tomorrow is the US Pro NRC crit, one of the final races on the US PRo Crit series calendar. I thought it would be a fun challenge, and as it turns out, it is a good thing I made the trip.
Today's race was a 35 mile, cat 2 only race on a course of approximately a mile. We raced 35 laps. Following an early race prime, about 7 laps in, a group of 3 of us rolled off the front and punched it a bit up the short power climb and opened up a gap. The field seemed a bit hesitant to close the gap and we rolled as a threesome within striking distance of the peloton for a lap or so. The gap hovered at 15-20 seconds for a couple of laps and then a Kelly Benefits amateur team rider bridged up to us and we pulled away from the 60-70 rider field at a solid pace, slowly but surely gaining time on the field. The break was cooperative, and before we knew it, the time gap went up to 48 and then 50 secs. By this time we were more than halfway around the course, and were gaining back on the tail end of the field. It was cool because the race promoters were throwing us 50 dollar primes every 5 laps or so, so we were snatching up some prize money in primes. Once it was clear that our break would stick to the finish, we kept roling steady but smooth in a good rhythm of even pulls. With 2 laps to go, the Kelly rider attacked us and soloed for the win, leaving the three of us to duke it out in what would be a bit of a track style, strategy and positioning race. I tried to jump early before the final turn, opened a gap and then was blasted by a stiff headwind on the final straightaway. I was 20 or so meters from the line for 4th place, but all in all a good day. $200 dollars total on the day for the team and good hard, clean racing. Tomorrow will be a 50 mile sufferfest. I can't wait. Until then. . . Adam Branfman FAST/IF powered by Lionette's elite cycling team Newton, MA Monday, August 20, 2007Fool's Gold 100 and 50 MTB races
Patrick and I were at Georgia's only backcountry endurance, the inaugural Fool's Gold MTB races and festival. Despite the stifling heat that's been hitting the entire US, over 100 racers lined up Saturday morning, with most opting for the 50 mile race with over 30 miles of sweet mountain singletrack. The 100 mile racers did 2 loops of the course. I finished 2nd in the 100 mile race, only 4 minutes behind winner Sam Koerber. Patrick finished 5th in the 50 mile race.
Ian Leitch and Sean Sullivan racing at The World 24 Solo Laguna Seca - Rallying cry to join us!
Heh,
On 1st and 2nd September, Ian Leitch of Brighton in England and Sean Sullivan of Santa Cruz California will be racing in the Elite Class at the 24 Hour Solo World Championships at Laguna Seca, California. Representing Independent Fabrication we invite all IFer's down to support and enjoy. Pit 40 and 41 will contrast with the stop-watch toting workstand loitering pro-teams by offering up an excellent cocktail bar experience as Ian and Sean go round and round and then round again. We need to ensure that IF own the pits as well as the trail! Sullivan 2nd in the World Solo Singlespeed in Atlanta last year will be taking on the big guns in the geared class on his Ti deluxe 29er and Leitch will be sporting a 26" Ti deluxe and a special 29er for the occasion. Come down and support us and our beautiful bike company! Ian Friday, August 17, 2007OOOOOHH!!!! Scaaarrrrryyy!!! The Salem Witches Cup took place this last Wednesday evening and FAST/IF powered by Lionette's placed, and performed well in front of sponsor James Lionette.  That's James in the green IF hat, the blur right in front of Bruno who was racing to get into a break.FAST/IF pb Lionette's put on a show for James, proving our worth against some of the top Pros in America. Four Professional Teams where represented at the Witches Cup, Sierra Nevada, Colavita, NERAC, and Clif Bar (Mark McCormick). Mark's brother Frank was also there representing Hot Tubes along with three current National Champions. With such a deep field we (Adam, Greg, Jon, and Luke) knew it would be a tough race around the streets of Salem and we were not wrong. The pace was high from the gun with riders dropping off the pace on every lap. Attack after attack off the front, nearly all of them with a FAST/IF pb rider in the group. We played a perfect race, sending one rider after the next into the small breaks that formed off the front of the blisteringly fast race. After the halfway point a group of 5, with 3 pros, slipped off the front. Bruno, along with 2 pros and a Hot Tubes rider worked hard for over 5 laps to bridge across to the lead break. The nine riders continued to push the pace and expanded their lead to a comfortable margin ahead of the peloton. A mishap saw probably the strongest rider, Chris Jones (NERAC), rip his dérailleur off. The group was now 8 and the finish was fast approaching. In the second to last corner of the last lap one rider, a national champion, nearly took out the entire break as he misjudged his line. The ensuing chaos saw a gap open splitting the break with less than 500 meters to go. Bruno lead the second half of the break to the line, outsprinting them to take 6th, passing one Pro on the way. A nice result and some money in the coffer for the team. Thanks to everyone especially James Lionette for coming out and watching the race. Tuesday, August 14, 2007Tour of Christiana I managed to pack in the following this past "weekend": A stage race, A visit to our stainless steel manufacturer, Carpenter Technologies A visit with Harlan and wonderful Philly, A visit to Grandma (in-law), Getting 4th to a World Champ, Ellen and her Applebee's fix, Visit with Doc and Chou-Chou Amazing in-laws, Borrow expensive wheels from a stranger who wasn't that strange and owed one to Tom Vinson, Amish Amish Amish, Buggy Buggy Buggy, Learned the three variations of Mennonite, Trip to AC (that's Atlantic City to you ignorant types) to visit mom in-law and long lost Greek cousins, Got adjusted by Dr. ? Missed the Wiez again, Missed Shaughn and Ed and Max, Drove till my butt was numb, And nearly fought over the the term "regular" and it's over-association with coffee, Ebay, Friends in need and Ommegeddon Wednesday, August 8, 2007
I am going to Lancaster, PA on Friday with Harlan to visit Carpenter Technology.
Who the heck is Carpenter Technology, you ask? The are the awesome folks who make the stainless steel that Reynold then makes into tubes, that IF then makes into awesome bikes. The three have been working on this project for a few years and the bikes are now available for you. The FAST/IF powered by Lionette's team has been riding and racing them for over a year and boy to these bikes rock. CJ SSR Go to your local bike shop and order one today. DO IT!! DO IT!! We'll post about our trip, next week. Tuesday, August 7, 2007Wilderness 101! Price takes 2nd, to Bishop; 9 IF riders throw down and up Indy Fab had the power of numbers at the Wilderness 101 this past weekend. 9 riders showed up to the 6th stop in the NUE series. Harvey, Lloyd, Mike, Greg, Chris, Alex, Kerry, Jeff and Harlan. For Harlan the day went really well, getting 2nd to Jeremiah Bishop by 5 min, and breaking the old course record. Greg, Mike and Chris got 7th, 9th and 24th in the Single speed division with 44 contenders! Jeff was riding strong before breaking a seatpost going into station 4. Young Alex came from Utah to put in a sub 9:30hr time. Lloyd and Harvey had what we all have some times: a bad day. In a hundred miles of off-roading the unpredictables are numerous. Kerry gutted it out and finished as the only female Indy Fab rider there. Monday, August 6, 20072nd for Ian Leitch at the Bontrager 24 Hour Solo - UK Well another race over the full 24 and this time I came soo close to victory! Damn. The Bontrager 24/12 is the UK's third biggest 24 of the season. Around 40 solos, various teams and a more technical course than others I was out for the win. From the off the situation was comic... My 1966 Volvo Amazon loaded up for the journey decided to shed engine parts acrcoss the road.. but as luck would have it we managed to fix the engine using a large adjustable spanner! - By the time we'd made the race site - most of the good pit stops had gone, plus it was getting dark, raining and the wind was howling! - Nice! I was joined by 1989 Bontrager OR riding Jon, a fellow Brighton rider and we set about putting up our shabby big top of a tent. steak and pasta ensued a quick beer and then off to bed. Cue 3 o'clock and I was running around our circus tent hammering in extra pegs as what seemed like 50mph winds flexed and bowed its structure to breaking point. All good prep for 24 hours in the saddle! Come the morning the weather was good and in the "reserved area" next to our tent and pit came the Extreme Endurance team. Hot favourite Rob Lee came in well rested as his pit crew of 4 pitched up what can only be seen as a contrasting set up. Workstands, masseuse, endless Turner bikes and activity as Jon and I sat on cheap chairs eating cereal. By noon I was ready for the off - with my one man pit crew still to show. at 11.57 he greeted me on the line and we spent 3 minutes discussing our game plan... impeccable! ... and we were off... now this race had a twelve hour in it too so the field was uber quick and as ever I just took it steady to bring it back later. It was kind of fun... lots of twisting and turning with exposed roots and then at the end of the lap a Keith Bontrager designed 1 mile maze which confused everyone! After 6 hours I was in third and about 30 minutes down on Rob Lee and Trek pro Matt Carr. All was good but our pitting was poor we just hadn't planned it the way we should have done. Yet come nightfall and the extreme endurance boys were twitchy as I had Mr Lee back to 20 minutes and started to get bullish. yet then the fun as ever begun. A lack of real food and too many gels led to stomach churning and then a bout of hallucination had me seeing things in the woods. Yet on 14 hours I moved into second place - then the heavens opened. Sheet rain turned the course into an absolute quagmire! Holding Rob at 30 minutes and keeping Matt Carr only about ten behind it was full on racing. Dawn came grey and by nonw I was soaked through churning on the mud tyres. The morning involved the usual lap count down yet it could so nearly have been different. Information was scant and now looking at the results I simply should have won.. After 19 laps I had Rob Lee down to around 20 minutes yet didn't know. I finished Lap 20 at 11.50 and waited the 10 minutes to cross the line in second. A great crowd roared me in covered from head to toe inn thick mud, Keith Bontrager shook my hand and BBC Television interviewed me.. it was all rather surreal!.. but then I found out that as I came in at 11.50 Rob Lee had only been 7 minutes ahead and had buckled massively... If I had gone out I would have taken the win and beat the big pro set up. Damn!!!! double Damn! But I picked up real good money for the event and saw Rob Lee absolutely ruined at the finish. As ever the Ti Deluxe was running real well and big thanks to Bruno for the new kit.. ! Now a choice either 24 hour Worlds if I can afford it or I am going after the South Downs Way 2 -way record in the UK.. 212 miles off road, 25,000 feet of climbing - 22 hours 15 minutes to beat.. I'll keep it posted.. Also - Harlan - are you going to try and get to Beijing 2008 for Indy Fab.. you're beating Eatough and holding Jeremiah Bishop - way to go! Mayhem%20shot.bmp
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