Bike 'N' Bean

Specialized Helmet Amnesty

2012-02-24T19:58:00.000+11:00

Win a trip to Tour De France 2012 with Garmin

2012-02-24T19:52:00.000+11:00

Buy any Garmin product between 15 Feb 2012 and 15 May 2012

and go in the draw to win.

There are two trips for you and a friend to be won to see the Paris stage of

the Tour de France with flights, five nights accommodation

and spending money included.

Terms and Conditions
Only open to Australian & NZ residents aged 18+ who can travel from 20/7/12 to 27/7/12. Retain original purchase receipt/s & original Garmin product packaging (showing serial no.). Promotion commences 15/2/12 and ends 5pm AEST on 15/5/12. Draw: 4/448 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004 on 18/5/12 at 9.30am AEST. Winner published in The Australian on 21/5/12. Prize: trip for 2 adults to Paris valued at up to AU$12,100 depending on departure point. Promoter: Garmin Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN 85 129 153 448) of Unit 19, 167 Prospect Highway, Seven Hills, NSW 2147. See www.garmincompetifor Terms and Conditions. NSW LTPS/12/144, VIC 12/77, ACT TP12/104, SA T12/65.

Safe Cycling Guide Tips

2012-02-23T02:00:00.000+11:00

Safe Cycling - a guide to safer riding

Tip 1. Avoid trucks

Never wait between a kerb and a truck at a junction. If the truck turns left, the driver may not see you. Stay well behind or preferably in front where you can be seen. And wear a helmet, unlike the cyclist in the photo!

Tip 2. Stay clear of the kerb The kerb is not your friend. Ride clear of it so that drivers steer around you. Hugging the pavement invites them to try and scrape past.

Tip 3. Show your face

Looking at drivers at junctions helps them to view you as a fellow road user they would rather not run over. Do the same to vehicles on your tail.

Tip 4. Use your neck

Learn how to look over your shoulder without wobbling and do so regularly- particularly before making a manoeuvre, when you should also stick out an arm

Tip 5. Obey the Code
Some may argue that it is safer, say, to jump a red light than wait in a truck's shadow but flouting the law endangers you and harms the image of cyclists

Tip 6. Overtake Buses
If you are approaching a bus at a stop, look over your shoulder, and move to overtake. If you can't, wait behind the bus. Never undertake.

Tip 7. Be Bright
It's more important to show your face and position yourself well, but bright clothing, strong lights and reflectors will help you get noticed.

Tip 8. Plan your Route
It stands to reason that your'e probably more vulnerable in three lanes of traffic doing 60kph than on a residential side street.

Final Tip 9. Find a friend
If you are new or lapsed cyclist, venture out with a more experienced friend. Keep a good distance behind and watch. Then let them follow you and take their advice.

Hi Vis clothing vs Road Positioning

2012-02-20T20:10:00.000+11:00

Want to cycle safely?

Stop focusing on high vis!

Found this interesting blog on hi vis clothing on the London Cyclist Blog.

By Andreas on 16/02/2012 in Safe cycling in London

You want to wear high visibility clothing? That’s fine, by all means, it’s a good idea and I hope you continue doing so. My argument here isn’t against high vis clothing. My argument is: Don’t just rely on high vis clothing.

There is something that far surpasses the power of high vis. Road positioning.

At around 8.40am, a lady in her 30’s was on a cycle hire bike cycling near a lorry. Suddenly, according an eyewitness report, she found herself sandwiched between two wheels as high as her head. Fortunately she managed to make a break for it by jumping over the handlebars.

The incident occurred during daylight hours when the rider should have been visible. However, as the below TfL video demonstrates, there is an enormous area where bikes are completely invisible to lorry drivers.

No manner of high visibility clothing makes a difference in the above scenario. However, taking your time and positioning yourself behind the Heavy Goods Vehicle would be a much safer place to be avoiding all sorts of nasty head injuries and even worse.

Sending out the right message

It’s not just around Heavy Goods Vehicles where road position can have a far bigger impact on safety than high visibility clothing. Take for example a ride I took a couple of days ago to Camden on a Cycle Hire bike.

Along the route I maintained a position away from the kerb. This signalled a number of crucial things to drivers.

The first is the distance that I feel comfortable with someone overtaking me. By giving myself extra space on the left I indicate that they should give me a similar amount of space on the right.
The second is that they shouldn’t overtake me when there isn’t enough room to do so. Along the route there are a number of pedestrian crossings with a small section of pavement in the middle of the road. If a car overtakes me here then they’ll have to sandwich me on the left or worse. However, by maintaining a good road position I indicate that it isn’t safe to overtake me.
The third is that a driver is naturally acquainted with spotting large vehicles in front of them. If I cycle too far to the left I am in the corner of their field of vision rather than closer to the centre.

When I came to a halt at the traffic lights I took a position in the middle of the lane to indicate that a driver will have to wait for me to move, before they can continue forward.

I strongly believe these actions contribute far more to my safety than wearing high visibility clothing.

It is a little too easy as a cyclist to get a false sense of safety by riding next to the kerb. I often find myself doing it but try to remember that this isn’t what cycle safety trainers recommend.

Female Sponsored Team Race report - VES- Round 1 - Ballarat 11/2/12

2012-02-15T07:57:00.000+11:00

In the week leading up to the first round of the 2012 Vic Enduro Series, the weather forecast for Ballarat went from ‘probably perfect’ to ‘possibly pouring’. Resigned to the idea of a wet race (against an all-star field), we headed to Ballarat early on Saturday morning with one goal: to have fun!

We arrived in Ballarat in light drizzle to find an almost dry track. After a couple of laps, the drizzle cleared and the track was fast and grippy. It was hard not to grin through the flowing descents, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It wasn’t until the skies opened at the 5.5 hour mark that we started looking forward to the end of the race – the track turned into a bit of a river and the grippy corners started to get slick.

But we finished happy, if somewhat muddy, in third place (out of three!) with 10 laps in the bag. It was a privilege to be racing in the same category as Jess Douglas, Amity McSwann, Melissa Ansett and Josie Simpson (even if both pairs did manage to lap us twice!).

All in all it was a great day out, and many thanks to the Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club for such a great event.

Making Australia more bicycle friendly

2012-01-30T07:10:00.000+11:00

An initiative of Bicycle Industries Australia Media Release - 20 January 2012

The Cycling Promotion Fund has welcomed the announcement of the new Urban Policy Forum by the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport which brings together a national expert group to support the objectives of making our cities more liveable, sustainable and productive. The Fund is delighted to have been invited to participate in the Forum, a move which acknowledges the contribution that increased use of active travel, especially bicycling, can bring to our cities and urban centres.

The work carried out in recent years by the Cycling Promotion Fund has seen the formation of a national alliance encompassing the bus and rail industries, the health promotion and research sector and the local government sector, work which places increased bicycling as part of the solution to a more sustainable future for our cities.

‘We are very pleased to be able to continue our national approach to making bicycling an easier and more attractive option in everyone’s lives’ said Stephen Hodge, ‘The ability to contribute our advice directly to Minister Albanese as a member of the Urban Policy Forum is a great opportunity.’ With around 80% of Australia’s GDP generated in our cities and a similar proportion of the population residing there, this focus is critical to our future. The Cycling Promotion Fund looks forward to being able contribute to this important agenda as part of the Urban Policy Forum announced today.

FAST FACTS

In an Auspoll survey conducted by the CPF and a Coalition of transport industry, health, local government and environment partners, 85% of Australians indicated they want greater support for public transport, walking and cycling to make it a safe and accessible option for travel.
Over 50% of car trips in Australian cities are under 5km and 30% are less than 3 km.
The National Cycling Participation Survey released by the Australian Bicycle Council in 2011 showed 18% or 4 million Australians of all ages are riding their bikes each week.

LinksCycling Promotion Fund: www.cyclingpromotion.com.au
National Urban Policy: www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure/mcu
Media inquiries: Stephen Hodge 0411 149 910

Cycling Promotion Fund | 616 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3004T (03) 9533 3170 | office@cyclingpromotion.com.au | www.cyclingpromotion.com.au

Indoor Turbo Trainers- not just for bad weather days

2012-01-26T07:08:00.000+11:00

It takes a truly dedicated rider to keep pedalling through the depths of winter. Owning a static trainer means you can carry on riding without even leaving your front door.

LeMond Revolution Trainer

Indoor trainers work via resistance being applied to the pedalling action, created by 3 main methods: a flywheel that rotates in a magnetic field and two fan resistance options which push a fan through air or fluid.

If you just want to keep the legs turning over when the weather is bad most trainers will meet your needs. But if you are after something that mimics riding on the road or want to meet specific training or fitness goals then you will need a more specialised trainer that allows you to carry out varied sessions: fast and slow pedalling while maintaining resistance.

At Bike n Bean we stock trainers at different budgets and training settings.

CycleOps Fluid 2 Trainer

We have the Cycleops range, with their quick release mechanism making it easy to mount your bike. Its pretty lightweight compared to other trainers, and folds down compactly. It works via progressive resistance: pedalling faster or shifting gears on your bike increases resitance. Recommended by Cycling Active Magazine (2012). Starting from $269.

JetBlack Dynometer Fluid Trainer

If budget is not an issue, but rather acheiving maximum training power then there is the JetBlack Dynometer Fluid Trainer at $699 or the LeMond Revolution Trainer. The JetBlack trainer has a calibrated Z1 fluid resistance head giving you real time information and has built in heart rate monitor to let you tailor your session precisely to your goals. The LeMond Revolution Trainer offers an amazing solid-feeling ride. It puts out serious power, we currently use it instore for our Specialized BG Fits.

Cycling related Pop Songs

2012-01-25T07:23:00.000+11:00

Thanks to our friends at 'Cycling Active' Feb issue, here's their 7 of the best cycling related songs they could find:

1. John Cale - Bicycle (2003)
Written by experimental pop legend John Cale, this track has not got alot to sing too, but a bike bell does play a lead role.

2. Mark Ronson - The Bike Song (2010)
The video shows Ronson's take on bike power, riding a retro Raleight Streetwolf.

3. Madness- Riding on my Bike (1982)
The B side on the 12" verstion of 'I Like Driving in my Car', this is a tale of the singer peddaling for charity.

4. Queen - Bicycle Race (1978)
Inspired by a stage of the Tour De France, this song is the pop worlds greatest homage to cycling and even features a bike bell solo. And we all know Freddie Mercury has a certain fondness for getting his leg over the crossbar ...

5. Kraftwerk - Tour De France (1983)
German Techno pioneers, Kraftwerk are known for their love of bikes.

6. Frankie Laine - Rawhide (1958)
More than just a 'rollin, rollin, roillin' tribute to pedal power, Rawhide is a poignant warning to those that dont invest in sufficiently padded knicks or a decent saddle.

7. Judas Priest - Freewheel Burning (1984)
Written after a rapid descent of the Galiber, this song is a rare admission of the bands fondness for all things pedal-powered.

Which is your favourite?

Rob's new steed- S-Works Epic 29er

2012-01-12T09:21:00.000+11:00

We just completed a build for a good customer of ours Rob.

S-Works Epic 29er

He had his bike stolen just before Xmas, so have sorted him out a sweet replacement.

He chose the S-Works Epic 29er with custom built wheels.

Specs:
Hope Evo Hubs with DT Swiss Spokes and red nipples
Groupset SRAM X0, BB30 X0 Carbon Cranks
Stans No Tubes crest 2TR Rims
Front Tyre Specialized Fast Trak 29 x 2.0 Control tubeless
Rear Tyre Specialized Renegade 29 x 1.9 Control tubeless

Media Release: Specialized partners with Omega Pharma Quick-Step

2012-01-01T19:38:00.000+11:00

Building on the legend: Specialized partners with

Omega Pharma – Quick-Step

Tom Boonen, Levi Leipheimer, Sylvain Chavanel, Tony Martin and all members of the new Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team are racing with Specialized bikes and helmets this year.

This isn’t the first time Specialized Founder and President Mike Sinyard and Quick-Step Manager Patrick Lefevere have partnered; the two joined forces for the 2007-09 seasons, with great results.

"During the three years that we worked with Patrick and his team the first time around, we won an amazing number of the world's toughest races," Sinyard said. “We won the 2007 World Road Race Championships, back-to-back Roubaix/Flanders victories and a Green Jersey at the Tour de France.”

“It’s true, no other team matched our achievements when we were together the first time,” Lefevere said. “And Specialized was a major part of those results by developing bikes and equipment that gave the riders a real edge. This level of excellence and team approach to creating what the riders need is why we are partnering again, for even better results.”

With the arrival of Omega Pharma, the top-level management team of Lefevere, Zdenek Bakala and Bessel Kok have assembled an amazing roster. Three-time Paris-Roubaix winner Boonen will anchor the squad’s classics team, with the French national champion Chavanel a proven performer in both big one-day and stage races alike. Current Cyclocross World Champion Zdenek Stybar is certainly one to watch — on and off the road. And Time Trial World Champion, Tony Martin, brings a new level of firepower to the squad, while Leipheimer adds his deep experience and stage-race palmarès.

Leipheimer said the Specialized partnership is like a homecoming for him. While on Gerolsteiner in 2005-06, Leipheimer rode early versions of the Specialized Tarmac SL to victory at the Tour of Germany and the Dauphiné Libéré. “I have really good memories about Specialized, and I’m super excited to go back and see all the changes,” he said. “The bikes get stronger, lighter and faster every year, it’s incredible.”

Boonen feels similarly about coming back to Specialized. “I’m very excited to be back,” said the former World Road Champion. “I know from experience, that the last Tarmac I had was the best bike I ever had. And the difference between the first-generation Tarmac that I rode and the bikes we have now is just huge. I’m very happy.”

The Omega Pharma – Quick-Step riders have a deep range of advanced bicycles and gear from Specialized’s elite S-Works division. Nothing is lighter and stiffer than the Tarmac SL4, which will be the team’s workhorse bike. The Venge, fresh off its Milan-San Remo, Green Jersey and World Championship victories in 2011, will be the perfect choice for riders looking to minimize drag. Because smoother is faster, Boonen and company will opt for the S-Works Roubaix SL3 on the cobblestones. The Shiv TT will provide the fastest ride possible in every “race of truth.” The S-Works Prevail helmet will be used in road races while TT helmets will provide aero advantage and protection in time trials.

Chris D’Aluisio, head of Specialized Advanced R&D, said the team relationship will be as significant off the racecourse as it is in the races. “The biggest benefit we expect from this partnership is building better bikes and equipment, because the best riders push us to continually improve,” D’Aluisio said. “Omega Pharma – Quick-Step will be a big contributor to the development of bikes and equipment that every rider will be able to ride.”

Visit I-Am-Specialized.com throughout the season to get photos, see exclusive video, and read reports straight from the riders themselves.

Meet the Specialized-lululemon Women's Team

2011-12-30T20:56:00.000+11:00

Team Specialized-lululemon

Specialized-lululemon includes some of the most highly decorated women in the sport: 2008 world time trial champion Amber Neben, 2010 U.S. national champion Evelyn Stevens, Olympic gold medalist speedskater Clara Hughes, and Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, who has won nearly 100 races and finished third in the 2012 World Road Championship.

The team was built from the now-dissolved HTC-Highroad team, carrying over the top-ranked team’s leadership and core group of riders. Newcomers such as Hughes, Trixi Worrack, 2010 German national champion Charlotte Becker, and Lisa Brennauer bring additional strength to the roster, which numbers 13 women.

Key staff members from the 2011 HTC-Highroad team, including sports directors Ronny Lauke and Jens Zemke, have signed on with the new program. Former HTC press officer Kristy Scrymgeour is the Specialized-lululemon team owner and manager. Co-sponsor lululemon athletica, is a yoga clothing company.

The team will ride the 2012 Specialized S-Works Amira SL4. Introduced in the past year at the top end of the Specialized product line, it offers a lighter and stiffer frameset than the previous SL3 model. Specialized has given their bikes the same striped graphic look as the team kits. For training, the women ride HED Ardennes SL alloy clincher wheelsets.

The headtube of the Amira has a rounded hourglass-like shape. Specialized claims this shaping gives the frameset a stiffer front end for better handing during out-of-the-saddle efforts. Team rider and U.S. national time trial champion Evelyn Stevens credits the bike for giving her added confidence while descending, a skill she’s made a big effort to improve over the past two seasons.

We will be building up a S-Works Amira for Bike n Bean co-owner Nicola in the next couple of months, so will post some pictures and her review when done.

Top Tips for Helmet, Clothing & Footwear Safety

2011-12-23T19:33:00.000+11:00

Pinched from our good friends at AustCycle, some good points about cycling apparel

Top Tips for Helmet, Clothing and Footwear Safety

Helmet Check:

Wear an approved helmet (meets AS/NZS 2063).
Inner and outer shell are not damaged or cracked.
Straps are not torn or frayed.
Clips/ buckles are not broken.
Fastens firmly under chin and squarely positions on head, facing the correct way.
Front rim of helmet sits 2 fingers above bridge of nose.
Straps adjusted so there are no twists and no slack when buckle securely fastened under chin.
Side straps form a "V" shape with points just under ear lobe.
Correct size - helmet to sit firmly and comfortably on head without moving forwards or backwards or side to side.

Footwear and Clothing Check:

Before

Wear footwear that has enclosed toes with firm, non-slip soles and with laces tucked away.
Wear bright and light coloured clothing to be easily seen.
Wear close fitting clothing so as not to catch in moving parts.
Wear clothing appropriate for weather conditions.

After

Our latest customers BG Fit experience

2011-12-13T22:52:00.000+11:00

Shane Miller, winner of the 2011 Cycling Australia Masters Road National Championship ITT, writes of his Specialized BG Fit experience last week with Paul at Bike n Bean. Tuesday, 13 December 2011

My Specialized BG Fit Experience

If I was offered a proper bike fit when I

forked out $2,000 on my first road bike,

I would not have purchased that

particular bike. The fit was appalling.

The frame was too big, the stem too long,

and I had to adjust the seat height 2kms

down the road. I didn't know any better

at the time. It felt like a race bike and

the 'expert' at the shop seemed to know

what he was talking about.

Why would he sell me something so

expensive if it wasn't right?

Yeah, naive as hell.

Fast forward six years - I've had a few bikes, had a few epic stacks,

and still never been properly fitted to a bike. When Paul from Bike'n'Bean

offered me a Specialized BG (Body Geometry) Fit I hesitated at first, it

was only a week out from the Tour of Bright, but last week after Bright

was done and dusted, I was onto it.

I do about 15,000kms a year with no niggles so I wasn't expecting any

wholesale changes to my setup. I also didn't want the front end changed

based on any 'comfort template' as I run a low front end to make it similar

to being on the TT bike.

I was really surprised at how extensive the process was. Initial questions

covering my riding (TT, road, crit, bank robbery getaways on BMX),

injury history (collarbone snaps x3, busted hip), then I was measured up,

laid flat, stretched, poked, and offered a cigarette afterwards.

(ok, the last one didn't happen).

Of the things I can remember, the list and my results were:

Booty size - Sit on a squishy thing and measure the width of sit bones. 118mm.

Foot size / Arch support. 43. Medium arch (whatever that is?).

Touch your toes / Hip angle flex. Had good hip flexies, thanks TT bike!

One leg squats. Foot/ankle rolls in. Normal.

Leg stretch straight/knee bent. No ballerina but it was ok.

Arms up test (shoulders/back). Handy post collarbone snappages. All good there.

On the bike - cranks at bottom-top-forward angle. Measurements taken.

Pedal motion review. Circles, not squares. All good.

The bag of tricks

The funky BG Fit stem was left in the tool box as front end was skipped.

The handlebar drop was noted and the angle of the hoods/bar was given

the nod anyway. What we ended up with was a few minor changes to my

cleats, moving the saddle back a little, and some comfy inserts in my shoes.

Nothing major to report on, and as it is my 'off season' I can't report on any

power numbers to see if the changes have made any noticeable difference.

After a few 100km the shoes are comfy and it feels like the cleat is more

centered on the pedal spindle - as for this resulting in more power, I'll know

when I start cranking into intervals and TTs in 2012.

The bike looking like a young Forrest Gump with his leg braces on.

It was good to confirm what I had was pretty close to the recommendations.

The ultimate combination would be a BG Fit in a wind tunnel, you'd get the best

of both worlds then - the art of comfort and the science to help you win races.

Who would I recommend a BG FIt to?

Someone getting their first road bike. No question. It would be a valuable addition, and exactly why a bike company offer it.
Someone getting a new road bike that is different to their current setup. ie. Punter road bike upgrading to a race bike.
Half of Beach Rd. Including those odd riders who swing a leg wildly through each pedal stroke that takes out children on the adjacent walking path. (we've all seen Kneesy McSideways, admit it).

See, wild-stroke Kneesy needs a BG Fit!

I've no doubt we'll be seeing other market dominating major players (Giant,

Trek, Huffy) offer something similar in their stores as a value add.

That was my take on things. Don't take my unbiased word for it though, head on

over to Specialized for their fully biased marketing of their own service - Movie

overview HERE in which they use a model representing the demographic they're

targeting. A dude (sorry ladies). White as a ghost (doesn't ride much). Banged up

arm (falls off when he does). The PDF on their site explains a little more.

If Andy Schleck is giving it a really cheesy thumbs up with a creepy guy looking

on, it must be good!

He's gone and done it, the SuperSix is up for sale!

2011-12-05T21:24:00.001+11:00

Paul had finally relented to selling on the Cannondale Super Six SRAM Red Limited Edition that he built up this year.

Features:
Lightweight bike (6.8kg without pedals)
Upgrade to SRAM Red Groupset
Upgrade to Zipp 101

Was $5999 brand new, now a great price of $4500

Specifications

Frame 54 cm SuperSix, full carbon, BB30, SAVE

Fork SuperSix full carbon, 1 1/8"-1/5" tapered steerer, alloy D/O

Rims ZIPP 101

Hubs ZIPP

Spokes Sapim

Tires Vredestein Fortezza, 700x23c, folding

Crank SRAM Red, BB30, 53/39

Pedals n/a

BottomBracket SRAM BB30

Chain KMC DX10SC

Rear Cogs SRAM PG-1070, 11-26

Front Derailleur SRAM Red, clamp 34.9mm

Rear Derailleur SRAM Red

Shifters SRAM Red

Handlebars Cannondale C2 Compact

Stem Cannondale C2, 31,8

Headset SuperSix, 1.5 lower bearing, 30mm carbon, w/5mm hidden alloy top cover

Brakes SRAM Red

Brakelevers SRAM Red

Saddle Specialized Romin

Seat Post Cannondale C2, UD Carbon, 31.6mm, 300mm

Specialized Tarmac Expert with Rovals

2011-11-27T22:03:00.000+11:00

Specialized Tarmac Expert with Rovals

Rob collected his Specialized Tarmac Expert this week.

He swapped the wheels to Specialized Roval for better aesthetics.

We must agree it was a good choice.

Green with Enve?

2011-11-27T20:55:00.000+11:00

We took stock of our Enve Handlebars, Stems & Wheelsets in October and thought it would be good to share our love now that we had time to appreciate the products...

Paul built his S-Works up with a few of the Enve products including a 65 T Wheelset, and had so many admiring comments, that he is now displaying the bike in pride of place, with the Venge Dura Ace having to go in a stand next to it. What has the world come to once a Venge is not seen as the pinnacle of Bike Shrines?

Give us a call on 03 9427 8501 to discuss how we can spec your bike with Enve.

Paul's S-Works with Enve components

Wheelsets

45 Tubular

Jack of all trades this “Magic Bullet” is known as the ENVE 45! When your in the market for a high end CX race wheel set, that you will not have to worry about durability and will perform in all conditions, then in the summer use for road races, crits, and hill climbs, the ENVE 45 Road Wheel is the logical choice.

Price 45T 20/24 Shimano Tub DT240 $3149

65 Tubular

Wheels are extremely responsive in race situations, acceleration from corners and pace changes are excellent. The 65 rim used in TT was very stable in gusty cross winds in aero position. Tight.

Price 65T 20/24 Shimano Tub DT240 $3249

Handlebars

Compact Road Bar

Price Compact Road Bar 42cm 144mm drop/85mm reach $459

If you were charged with designing a carbon handlebar what would you strive for and what features would

you put into your handlebar. Tough question given carbon handlebars are nothing more than a carbon tube

shaped to create adequate spaces for you to hold.

Shape, looks and three features make it stand out from other bars. It's really stealth looking and when

combined with the Enve carbon stem a killer looking, riding and lightweight option.

The Enve bar has a really natural sweeping drop. The top's of the bar are a semi flat aero shape that

is exactly the right size when wrapped with regular bar tape and the transition from the tops to the break

levers is perfect.

Cables are routed through two grooves and the shape of the grooves houses the cable housing perfectly

so it's not felt through the bar tape. No holes in the bars, no fishing cable and no questioning the

integrity of the bar because of this. The cable grooves also add to the stiffness of the handlebar and

out of the saddle there is little flex.

Enve has placed a non slip material onto the bar at the stem clamp area and both brake/shifter zones, thus

components fixed to the bar do so under way lighter torque.The third feature that is unique the to Enve

bar is the rubber bar ends that hold bar tape. So no bar plugs when using the Enve bar just flip the rubber

stopper back, wrap and cut tape and flip the stopper back into place. This bar end also feel great in your

hand when on the bike. Unlike any other bar end it's quite comfy to hang the palm of your hand over

the end of the bar.

Sweep or Riser MTB Bar

Price Sweep MTB Bar 31.8 clmap, 9 degree, sweep 0 deg, rise 5 deg tip $229

Price Riser MTB Bar 31.8 clamp, 9 degree, sweep 23 deg, rise 5 deg tip $229

The goal was to achieve the perfect balance of strength, comfort, and durability in a lightweight package.

Rider feedback confirms that the extra width and flexibility of our mountain bars provides comfort and

control for any trail condition. So when you get the chance to upgrade to this product, know that you are

in for the best experience a bar can offer.

Stem

Price 100mm Stem 31.8 clamp +/- 6 deg $359

Beautifully light and amply stiff, it's the perfect compliment to the

ENVE carbon handlebars. Featuring titanium hardware, cold forged

alloy face place, and molded-in threads, this stem is a perfect compliment

to your mountain or road bike.

Specialized Test The Best Wknd at Mordialloc

2011-11-18T14:34:00.000+11:00

Measuring Talent in the RMIT Lab

2011-11-14T13:17:00.000+11:00

Measuring Talent In The Lab

By Stephen Lane (Human Performance Technologies)

Liam being put through his paces by Dr Lane

I had the pleasure the other day of testing one of Bike n Bean's young sponsored riders Liam Hood. Being a man who loves climbing big hills on the bike myself I was glad to hear Liam won the junior mountain climb championships earlier this year up Mount Buffalo. It was now time to test the engine of this young billy goat so we could get serious about his training and make the most of his potential on the bike. The test of choice was a VO2max test. This test measures the bodies ability to uptake and use oxygen which is often thought as one of the better predictors of endurance performance.

The test would also allow me to design a training program base on a few of the physiological parameters at each of the various intensities throughout the test. The main goal was to tests Liam’s VO2max and determine his power output that corresponds to this maximum value. This would give me a good idea of his current training status and allow me to compare Liam to the various other athletes I test in the Lab.

When designing programs for younger athletes it is important to remember that they are still developing. An athlete of Liam’s age has a large potential to develop strength that will ultimately translate to power on the bike. However, adolescent athletes are also at a higher risk of structural injuries due to the rapidly developing musculoskeletal system. This makes it even more important to have the correct fitting equipment and position on the bike… That I will leave to the expert Paul who will ensure Liam’s position on the bike is optimal using his Specialized BG fit knowhow.

With a little encouragement from myself Liam gave a max effort and we got some good results. I can now develop a range of training zones to prescribe to Liam to ensure he is gaining the most out of his training. Over the next few months I will prescribe a series of progressive blocks of training that will make sure Liam is in good form to tackle his 2012 racing goals. We can then retest Liam to make sure the hours he is putting in on the bike are paying off as physiological adaptation and performance improvement.

Make sure you check back in a few months to see how Liam has progressed...

Stephen's 'Hot & Hilly' weekend race

2011-11-09T20:38:00.000+11:00

STRATFORD TO DARGO- A DAY OF HEAT AND HILL TOP FINISHES

Last Saturday saw the running of the annual CV/Wellington Cycling Club Stratford to Dargo KOM. Kosdown was represented by two mountain goats, Jason Laird and myself. Jason was in hot contention for the MAS2 win and I was hoping for a result near the pointy end of B grade.

Stephen staying cool in the shade, note the arm tan lines!

The S-Works was all tuned up thanks to Bike N Bean and it was feeling barely legal weight wise. It started as a foggy morning and the predicted 30 degree day didn’t look like it was going to eventuate…. Assumptions are the mother of all @#$% ups.. A and B grades went off together, when your working against (or with) the likes of some NRS talent such as Jason Spencer and Rowen Dever you have to be on the ball. After an assessment of the field I had a good feeling I could stick it to most of these guys up the final 15km climb (average gradient of 8%). Early on four B grade and two A grade riders got away. I decided to stick with the big boys back in the main group as I knew they wouldn’t blow there chances by letting the escapees get too far up the road…

The race had two feed zones, one at halfway and the one at the bottom of the main climb 15km from the finish. These were primarily going to be for extra fluids because of the predicted high temperatures. Right before the first feed zone was the first major climb. About 8km long at about 5%. It was enough to drop a few off the back and see who was willing to push the pace at the front. I was happy to be up near the front feeling fine and retrospectively can barely remember a hill at all.

By the time we went through the first feed zone I was near out of water and only picked up a small bidon. Hmmmm 50km to go with stuff all water… I went into conservation mode when I began to feel the salt crusting up over my face and my mouth become a desert. Could I make it to the final feed zone without popping from dehydration? Luckily I did… but by then I was seriously wondering if I could even make it to the top of this big hill. The legs felt pretty good but I was cooking big time.

As we approached the final climb I prepared for the feed zone… I zipped up my jersey to cram as many bottles down the front as I could and removed the lids from my bidons to fill them up as quickly as possible. I managed to grab three bottles of water… I skulled one and emptied the other two into my bidons all while thinking ‘damn now im gunna weigh about 1.5kg extra now’. I worked my way back through the pack to get a wheel that I knew wasn’t going to pop in the first few minutes once we started the ascent.

We strung out along the climb and I was felling OK after rehydrating. Guys were slowly popping leaving me and about 4 other guys in front with the NRS boys about 50m up the road. At this point we had been pushing the pace for a good 10 minutes and I was beginning to pay for the earlier lack of fluids. Legs OK… but body temperature soring. I was sticking to the shady side of the road and battling the mental game to keep pushing.. 65rpm in a 53-27. Yep it was pretty steep..

I broke… and decided to stop in a small shady patch on the roadside. I removed my thin undershirt and pulled down my bib straps. I hadn’t given up. I was still going to get to the top but I had to cool down a bit. I drank a whole bidon of water and got back on and pointed the bike across the hill to get the momentum started. I found a rhythm and felt 100% better with the breeze blowing through my jersey.

OK.. ‘Now to reel em back in’.. Id stopped for about 3minutes and had about 10km to go. I could see scattered riders up ahead and started reeling them in one by one. Surprising myself I reeled guys in holding a steady tempo at about 300W. I probably rounded up about a dozen guys once we got to within 1km from home. The end of the race finishes atop a final pinch of about 22+% for 400m. It looked pretty much like a wall. This was going to hurt but I always say the steeper it is the better it suits me.

Just before the Finish Line at the top of THE Hill

I pulled in two more guys in the final 800m and crossed the line with a smile… Good enough for 4^th. Jason Laird, a Kosdown team mate was battling it out for 1^st with the guy I drove up to Stratford with, Gabe Carey. Gabe 1^st Jason 2^nd in a good battle. Jason Spencer won overall, this boy will definitely go places, and Miranda Griffiths, my other travel companion took out the womens KOM.

I drove home stuck in the car with two winners (Gabe and Miranda) but happy with the legs and confident that in three weeks time Ill be smashing it up the hills of the ToB with the best of them.. Bring it on..

Get your Crit On! Sponsored rider Shannon's start of 2011/12 Criterium Season

2011-11-08T09:52:00.000+11:00

Well the crit season has started for me, a little late due to weather and been underdone for the first few races. But better to start with a bang hey?

Riding for Team Kosdown is more than just a jersey and set of knicks. It gives you confidence and direction not only with racing but training also, which to be honest is a massive part of any success. Coburg CC run their weekly crits in Campbellfield just up the road from my house, it’s a perfect 20k warm up ride there, and gives me enough time to mentally prepare for the 60min plus 3 laps of pain I’m about to endure, or on my good days pain I will enjoy inflicting on others.

Normally I’m riding to an event with team mate Stephen, but this time I had Bike n Beans tech guru Seton along for the ride, I tried to convince him to race, he didn’t this time. But he has around 15 more chances before end of season...

After rego and general chin wag session (well getting paid out for rolling up in skin suit Haha) Kosy offered his experience which is so valuable to the young guys and not so young ones like me. Even though I have had a fairly decent winter program I have only raced two A grade open crits, let alone seriously thought about gunning for the win.

First lap under control, then full gas! The second lap of the race was also the second fastest lap of the race. The heart rate spiked then settled once the nerves were burnt off. There were a few attacks, but none ever looked like staying away more than a few hundred meters. Kosy went off the front (no surprises there...) and had a few passengers that started to work once they saw the gap he gave them. 3 to go and one of the many young guns in our team Sam had some watts he wanted to burn and attacked to bridge the gap, I quickly jumped on. It only took half a lap to pull it back and then we had 3 fair evaders not prepared to work with us. The bell lap; everyone was together and it was clearly going to be a bunch sprint. A few sneaky surges lead to nothing, and then I somehow got boxed in, Rookie move on my behalf! I couldn’t get out and could only see more and more riders in front of me. Just on the last turn another of our young chargers Luca opened a gap for me. I’ll say I panicked a bit as the front row of riders was 7 wide and I was second row deep, the slightest gap appeared well I thought it did. After some bump and run action I was in the front row and just before anyone could come over and pinch me off I hit the gas and started driving the 11. Got to be honest it was good to see the shadow disappear from behind me, I maxed out at just under 72kph and went well into my red zone at 204bpm. But more importantly Team Kosdown won and Luca got up for third!

I can tick another box on my “to do” list for cycling, but rest assured there are plenty of empty boxes still to be ticked!

Huge thanks to all the crew at Team Kosdown, Bike n Bean, and of course Specialized for the S-Works Venge

The no fuss Garmin Edge 200 now in stock

2011-11-03T13:21:00.000+11:00

Bring new life to every ride with Edge 200. RRP $150

Garmin Edge 200, the no Fuss Cycling GPS Computer

Now in stock at Bike n Bean, the Garmin Edge 200 is no fuss, minimal set up (take it out of the box and pop it onto the bike mount- thats it!), and can be used on multiple bikes.

This GPS-enabled cycling computer tracks time, distance, speed, location and calories burned. The Edge 200 is ideal for training, everyday and touring rides or any adventure you want to relive later at Garmin Connect™ — free website for data analysis, mapping and sharing.

Specialized back former HTC-Highroad Womens Team

2011-11-02T12:47:00.000+11:00

Expanding the Legacy: Specialized and lululemon athletica to back former HTC-Highroad women’s team

ZUG, SWITZERLAND (November 1, 2011)—Velocio Sports announced today that the former HTC-Highroad women’s team will continue into 2012 with new title sponsors and management group. The team, which will be made up of a large percentage of the 2011 riders and staff, will be primarily supported by Specialized Bicycle Company and lululemon athletica and will be known as Team Specialized lululemon.

Specialized has a longstanding commitment to women’s cycling, having sponsored some of the best female athletes in the world over the years and dedicating vast resources into women’s specific products. In 2012, the California company will take it to a whole new level in partnership with Vancouver based lululemon athletica to the most successful women’s cycling teams in the world.

As a company focused on racing and developing bikes and equipment, the entire team at Specialized is excited to join forces with lululemon —especially with the London Olympics coming next year.

“This is such an awesome opportunity for us,” said Specialized’s President and Founder, Mike Sinyard. “We’re really excited to put our name behind these incredible athletes with an inspiring company like lululemon that makes the best women’s athletic apparel in the world. Our pro riders give us invaluable feedback to continue innovating the best bikes in the world.”

“We can’t wait to elevate women’s cycling with Specialized,” said Christine Day, CEO, lululemon athletica. “Their technical expertise, longstanding pedigree and dedication to women in cycling inspire our entire organization. Feedback from the athletes is what drives us and these amazing athletes further enhance our focus on technical product.”

The team will race on the all-new 2012 Specialized Amira, on which they took many great victories in 2011 and showcased it as a podium-worthy women’s race bike. The women will also ride the World Championship-winning S-Works Shiv, the S-Works Prevail and TT2 helmets, as well as Specialized Body Geometry Oura saddles and S-Works shoes.

Although the team will not continue to be run by High Road Sports, Highroad will be a supplier of the team going forward. “Bob [Stapleton] has been an avid supporter of women’s cycling for many years and we would like to carry on his hard work by continuing the team with much of the same structure in place,” said Director of Velocio Sports, Kristy Scrymgeour. “He has been very supportive of the project and will provide us with valuable equipment to get us going.”

Most of the team’s firepower will return for 2012, including star riders like sprint star Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (GER), U.S national time trial champion Evelyn Stevens and former world time trial champion Amber Neben (USA) An exciting new addition to the roster will be Olympic medalist of both cycling and speed skating, Clara Hughes from Canada

Other returning riders are Ellen Van Dijk (NED), Emilia Fahlin (SWE), Chloe Hosking (AUS), Ally Stacher (USA), Charlotte Becker (GER) and Katie Colclough (GBr) with new additions in Trixi Worrack (GER) and Lisa Brennauer (GER).

About Specialized:

Specialized was founded in 1974 by riders for riders. Based in Northern California, we focus on the rider’s need for functional and technically advanced products that provide a performance benefit.

About lululemon athletica:

lululemon athletica (NASDAQ:LULU; TSX:LLL) is a yoga-inspired athletic apparel company that creates components for people to live long, healthy and fun lives. By producing products that help keep people active and stress free, lululemon believes that the world will be a better place. Setting the bar in technical fabrics and functional designs, lululemon works with yogis and athletes in local communities for continuous research and product feedback. For more information, visit www.lululemon.com.

About Velocio Sports:

Based in Zug, Switzerland, Velocio Sports is owner and operator of Team Specialized-Lululemon.

Respect for the Sunnies

2011-11-01T10:02:00.000+11:00

With Summer around the corner, sunglasses are a necessity when out on your bike...

Sunglasses are one of those things we can’t imagine bike riding without.

Here’s why we love our sunglasses so much:

Sunglasses protect our eyes against damaging UV rays.
They cut the light down to a tolerable level, so we’re not squinting when riding into the sun.
Debris like dust, dirt and even bugs that come flying through the air don’t get in our eyes.
On a cold day, sunglasses protect against the wind. Without them, the cold wind makes our eyes water.
Our vision improves with sunglasses. We don’t understand why, but we can see much more clearly in our rear view mirrors, for example, with sunglasses than with our regular glasses. Maybe it has to do with cutting the light on a sunny day down to a more tolerable level?

CYCLING SPECIFIC SUNGLASSES

When you’re shopping for sunglasses, get a pair that are made for cycling. This means they should:

Wrap around your face to make it almost impossible for road grit and UV to reach your eyes, even from the side. Wraparound lenses are also more aerodynamic.
Fit snuggly, so the glasses will stay put, even on bumpy roads.
Be extra durable and resistant to cracking when dropped or bumped.

We can recommend a local optician that will specifically make your prescription lenses for your cycling glasses, just ask us when you are instore.

We stock a range of glasses for all types of budget. Our JetBlack glasses are great value starting from $40, and at $80 with photochromic lenses. We have a run out special on Briko glasses instore, and we are stockists for Oakley, the well known cycling glasses, including the popular Livestrong range.

Lens Construction…

Interchangable Lens – Some sunglasses have a non-prescription outside lens and a prescription insert that sits just behind the exterior lens. You can get several lenses so you can change the tint of the shades. You can also remove the prescription lens altogether if you want to wear contacts. Some people report problems with fogging in wet weather with this type of lens but they are helpful if you plan to ride in a wide variety of conditions and light levels.

Single Lens - The option we prefer is a single prescription lens. This tends to be more expensive because of the difficulty in manufacturing a curved lens to fit the sport sunglass frame but the quality of the glass is very high and you aren’t carrying around extra lenses. Since we always aim to cycle during the day and stop well before dusk, we rarely have a problem with our sunglasses being too dark for the available light levels.

Lens Material…

Lenses can be made of glass or acrylic but polycarbonate is the better option. Polycarbonate is excellent at resisting impacts, is lightweight and the quality of the optics is also high. Glass, by contrast, is heavy and breaks relatively easily, while acrylic lenses aren’t durable and the optic quality is also dubious.

That said, if you do any amount of bike riding, chances are you’re going to drop your sunglasses occasionally. The constant barrage of dirt and rocks will also take a toll and no matter how well you look after your glasses or what material they’re made of, you’ll eventually have to replace them. In our experience, this is after 18-24 months of daily use.

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

GET SOME NEW SUNNIES THIS SUMMER

Whittlesea Review article on the Local Cycling Hero Charity Dinner

2011-10-31T13:24:00.000+11:00

Celebrating the Cycle

CYCLING fever hit Whittlesea last week with a charity dinner to

celebrate the sport ahead of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour.

South Morang's Bike n Bean hosted the "Celebrating Local Cycling Heroes"

dinner last Monday night at Cellaroom with UCI Cycling Masters World

finalist, Shannon Johnson; Melbourne to Sydney charity ride and

Scholarship Winner, Lauchlan Denny; and Specialized and Bike n Bean

Female Cycling Ambassador, Simone Evans.

Charity Cycle Dinner (from left): Whittlesea Mayor, Rex Griffin; former pro
cyclist, Bradley McGee; Bike n Bean co-owner, Paul Davis; Melbourne to
Sydney charity rider, Lauchlan Denny; Female Ambassador, Simone Evans;
UCI Cycling Masters World Championships finalist, Shannon Johnson and
Bike n Bean co-owner, Nicola Davis

More than 80 people turned up on the night, raising $1700 which will go

towards the World Bicycle Relief Fund and Helping Hand, the chosen

charity of Mayor, Rex Griffin.

Bike n Bean co-owner, Nicola Davis, said the highlight of the night was

guest speaker, Bradley McGee, a former pro cyclist, Olympian and

Director Sportif for Team Saxo Bank, sharing his experiences and

providing inspiration.

"The ultimate aim (of the night) was to celebrate cycling in Whittlesea

in the community," Ms Davis said."They were only local cyclists but

obviously he (McGee) started out in a similar situation; smaller, minor races

and working his way up."

Ms Davis said cycling was definitely popular but needed more avenues

throughout the municipality. "I think more people would come out on their

bikes if there was better cycling infrastructure in Whittlesea and everywhere

else," she said. "That's why we also invited the Mayor; so he could get an

understanding of the cycling community."

She said it was hoped Bike n Bean could continue with the excitement

surrounding Jayco by hosting a bike ride next year.

Meet Simone our first Female Cycling Ambassador

2011-10-28T15:27:00.000+11:00

After some great entries for the Bike n Bean & Specialized Female Cycling Ambassador last August, we chose Simone Evans for her enthusiasm and great organisation skills to get more women out on their bikes.

Simone is the Centre Manager at Diamond Valley Sports & Fitness Centre. She enjoys cycling with her husband, son and son's girlfriend. She participates in organised rides such as Round the Bay, Eastlink Ride and the Genovese Kinglake Ride.

Simone chose the Ruby Comp as her Specialized bike of choice, along with some Specialized accessories to complete the look. Simone was officially handed her bike on 10th October at the Celebration of Local Cycling Heroes Charity Dinner, where she was presented an award for her enthusiasm and for being the first ever Female Cycling Ambassador for Bike n Bean and Specialized Australia.

Simone and her Ruby at the Local Cycling Heroes Awards

Here's an account of Simone's first ride out on the Ruby:

On the 16th of October I rode my 7th Around the bay in a day 100kms. This was an exciting day as it was the first ride on my new Specialized Ruby and after spending over 3 hours with Paul fitting Ruby to me I felt a little nervous but excited at the same time. It was fantastic lining up at the starting line on a brand new bike, I had not yet taken her out on the road as I wanted to ride this event as the first time on Ruby. Well within 2kms I realized everything Paul had told me I felt like I was sitting on my couch at home I was so comfortable! After 4 hours of riding in rain and head winds and 100kms down I wanted more! I cannot wait until our (myself and Ruby) next adventure!!!!

Simone is hoping to organise and lead a regular shop ride, more details to come. Follow her cycling stories as she promotes cycling on our blog and facebook.

Introducing Deda Elementi- the Component choice of Team Sky

2011-10-20T13:05:00.000+11:00

Deda Stems enjoying a cheeky latte

Wanting to stand out?

Deda Elementi take components seriously

with advance materials, innovative design,

time tested shapes, all wrapped up in the

integrity and heritage of a company that

provides answers to the demands
of winners.

Bike n Bean are proud to announce
our new delivery of Deda components

Handlebars

M35 $499

Deda M35 Handlebar

The M35 handlebar is the greatest innovation in the field of components

for high performance road racing bicycles.

No handlebar in the world has such a diameter. The large diameter allows

for better hand and lower specific pressure, resulting in reduced hand fatigue.

The moment of inertia is what defines the rigidity of your handlebars

- what all riders are looking for, as insufficient stiffness causes

dissipation of your precious energy.

The M35 is a single carbon fibre monocoque with different wall thicknesses

to put more strength precisely where it is needed. The fibre used has

features specifically designed for competition vehicles where a very

high tensile strength is married to an extraordinary capacity

for absorbing vibrations.

Zero 100 $140

Deda Zero 100 Handlebar

Zero 100 handlebar with innovative RHM shape, manufactured in strong 7075 butted alloy.

Presa Carbon $399

Deda Presa Carbon Handlebar

Deda introduces the RHM (Rapid Hand Movement) concept handlebar.

Designed to improve the quick changes of handle position more quickly

from 'upper' to 'on the ends' position.

This handlebar has a short drop (128mm) for those riders who have

more than 9cm higher saddle than handlebar position.

Very compact reach (77mm) to accommodate extra long modern control levers.

Stems

M35 $260

Deda M35 Stem

The M35 stem compliments the wide diameter M35 Handlebar.

The stem is a #D 2014 alloy forging with different wall thicknesses.

Zero 100 $130

Deda Zero 100 Stem

The innovation of physical matter in a powerful design. The most

adavanced technology of light alloy tempered by the tough experience

of the great cycling champions.

3D forged road stem, stress directional fiber orientation. 6/4 Titanium hardware.

Shannon Johnson- Three times Jayco Champion

2011-10-16T20:18:00.000+11:00

Our sponsored rider Shannon Johnson is THE Man this last week having won all three of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour Masters Support Race.

First race was at Ballarat on Wed 12th October. Here's a post race interview with Shannon:

Second race was at Geelong on Thurs 13th October. Shannon started with the Masters group, but after a short while, decided to cross the gap between Masters and Elite (who left 1 minute earlier). Not only did Shannon cross the gap but also overtook some of the Elite group too.

Third race was today Oct 16th at Lygon St, Melbourne. This time Shannon's family and Bike n Bean staff could attend to cheer on Shannon. He won comfortably much to his children's delight as this was the first bike race they had ever attended.

Shannon enjoying the win at Lygon St

Win for our sponsored female riders at Scott 24hr

2011-10-12T13:20:00.000+11:00

Scott 24 hr - Mt Stromlo, Canberra 8-9 October 2011

Weekend Run Down

Friday 7am: Packing the bikes into the car to start our journey to Canberra. Lot of driving to come, but excited about taking Kylie's new Era and Rachael's faithful Safire to one of our favourite riding destinations.

Friday 4pm: Arrived at Mt Stromlo. Raining. Waited in the car for rain to stop before heading out for a quick practice lap. We encountered something we'd never seen at Stromlo before - Mud! Luckily, most of the tracks are fast and grippy, and the course is awesome.

Friday 11pm: Raining again and there are noisy frogs croaking away right next to our tent. We eventually forget our excitement about the race and get some sleep.

Saturday 11.45am: Sunshine! Our team of 6 females (Faster Pussycat) have assembled for the start of the race. Ace to see so many female competitors at a 24 hour event. Kylie lined up for the Le Mans start. Fortunately the new S-Works shoes that Paul fitted us out with are up for the challenge of the starting sprint on bitumen!

Saturday 5pm: Holding 1st place! Kylie's first lap was a bit of a parking lot, as first laps usually are, and Rach came a cropper on a slippery bridge after a mid-afternoon thunderstorm but otherwise pulled off a very quick lap. Smiles all round.

Sunday 2am: Night laps have been going pretty well, thankfully no more rain. A slight technical hiccup with some lights, one flat tyre, and some dense fog, but the mood is good and we're comfortably still in first place.

Sunday 9am: After an awesome dawn lap watching the sunrise, Kylie's gone back to bed. Rach has headed out for another speedy lap in glorious sunshine. Trails in perfect condition and all team members still smiling.

Sunday 12pm: Race is over. Kylie's Era performed faultlessly, and Rach's Safire helped her speed through the team's second last lap to victory! Total 26 laps in 24 hours. Thanks to Erica, Jasmine and Jess (from Canberra), and Kim (from Mt Beauty) for such a great race!

Many thanks to Paul and Nicola for getting our bikes tuned up and ready to race and also for fitting us out with some great Specialized gear.

Meet Bike n Bean Female MTB Sponsored Riders- Kylie & Rachael

2011-10-12T13:04:00.000+11:00

Kylie & Rachael initially applied for the Bike n Bean Female Cycling Ambassador but were not succesful. However we were very impressed with their team and individual race results over the last few years that we wanted to help the young ladies achieve at a higher level.

Kylie writes:
I love my hard-tail cross-country mountain bike, but after a couple of years of participating in cross-country enduros, I found myself with a severe case of 'dually' envy.

Enter Paul and Nicola from Bike'n'Bean, who've set me up with a Specialized Era Comp (Carbon!). It weighs a tiny 11.3 kilos, the geometry and set-up are female-specific and best of all it's black - stealth warrior black! I couldn't wait to try it out.

Conveniently, I was heading to Canberra for a weekend of riding just after the bike arrived, so its first outing was to Bruce Ridge. It took me a little while to get used to the rear suspension, the 2 x 10 gears and the wider handlebars, but by the time we arrived at Mt Stromlo for the afternoon, I couldn't stop smiling. The bike is in its element on rocky climbs and descents, and its so easy to ride that I felt a little bit like I was cheating! On Sunday we headed out to East Kowen Forest, where the fun continued. After two days and almost 60km on the bike, everything was still running silently and smoothly, and I grinned all the way back to Melbourne.

Rachael writes:
I walked into Bike n Bean as a mountain biker but somehow managed to walk out with a shiny new Specialized Amira roadbike. Hmmm...still not sure how that happened! Anyway I was keen to take it for a spin as soon as I got home.

The initial pedal strokes felt a little bit wobbly - trying to get used to the new forward position and super skinny tyres - but once I got going it felt great. The carbon frame made for a smooth ride and I felt like I was flying along the boulevard.

Last weekend I headed to Forrest and rode my Amira to Colac. Apart from the headwinds it was a lovely ride. We had lunch at a nice cafe before returning to Forrest via quiet country roads. I think this is when I finally began to start understanding the attraction of road cycling. I was really quite enjoying it. Although, having said that, my Specialized Safire is still my #1 bike - nothing beats the adrenalin rush of steep descents, weaving through trees and negotiating obstacles at high speed!

Whittlesea Leader write up on Shannon Johnson

2011-10-04T13:10:00.000+11:00

Rider drops the engine

Whittlesea Leader
04 Oct 2011

IN LESS than 12 months, professional rider Shannon Johnson has had little trouble shifting gears after swapping motorbike racing for cycling. The South Morang man, 31, a motorbike rider for 20 years, is still driven by his thirst for speed and winning...read more...

Celebrating Local Cycle Heroes Charity Dinner and meet Brad McGee

2011-09-21T22:59:00.000+10:00

Sneek Peak at BMC TE29 Carbon for 2013

2011-09-20T15:04:00.000+10:00

Looking good for 2013

BMC TE29 Carbon

No further info at this stage, but Alex Moos is testing this at the time of writing, see link.

SRAM Quarq & SRM Powermeter Cranks- pictures and pricelists

2011-09-19T22:40:00.000+10:00

We got to see the new SRAM Quarq and SRM Powermeter cranks last week at the Monza Imports Roadshow. We will be stocking the Quarq cranks, whilst the SRM cranks will be available to order.

SRAM acquired Quarq Technologies in May 2011. Quarq is recognized as a leader and innovator in the design and manufacture of power meters & measurement devices in the bicycle industry.

SRAM Powermeter Wireless by Quarq

SRAM Powermeter Wireless by Quarq 2012 Pricelist
GXP $2300 cups not included
BB30 $2400 bearings not included

SRAM with SRM Powermeter

SRM 2012 Pricelist

Crank		BCD	Complete RRP $	PowerMeter only RRP $
Dura Ace	FC 7800	130/130	$5399	$4299
	FC 7800 Compact	130/130	$5499	$4599
	FC 7900	130/130	$5999	$4899

Specialized	With cranks & chainrings	130/130	$4199	$3199
	Without cranks & chainrings	110/110	$4299	$3299

SRAM	GXP	130/130	$5399	$4299
	GXP Compact	110/110	$5499	$4599
	BB30	130/130	$5399	$4299
	BB30 Compact	110/110	$5499	$4599

Tarmac SL4 Pro rolling out the door today

2011-09-16T21:37:00.000+10:00

Excited customer Danny picked up his 2012 Specialized Tarmac Pro SL4 today. The frame is black satin and neon red, which makes this bike stand out by a roubaix mile!

The Tarmac SL4 is the new Specialized road race machine, meant for climbers and general classification contenders.

Paul custom built the bike to Danny's spec to include:

Full SRAM Red Black
Fulcrum Racing 0 Wheels
S-Works Components-handlebar, stem etc

Happy riding Danny !

Look what arrived today...

2011-09-16T21:22:00.000+10:00

Unpacking the frame...

Our first S-Works Venge Project Black!

UCI-legal, FACT IS 11r Aero Race Design, full-monocoque carbon frame with one piece carbon OSBB/chainstay, internal cable routing, and tapered head tube provides the complete performance formula for weight, stiffness, and aerodynamics.

More photos to come as Paul builds this great bike. As yet no customer has put a deposit down, so call or email to secure this Medium frame.

Lezyne LED Mini Drive Lights

2011-09-15T09:08:00.000+10:00

We had the privilidge of seeing the new Lezyne Front LED Mini Drive Lights at last nights Monza Imports Roadshow in Melbourne.

Besides the beer and canapes, we got exclusive access to all the new Lezyne, SRAM and Enve products that we will be stocking.

The Lights look awesome, really well made and great prices too.

150 Lumen RRP $75

300 Lumen RRP $100

500 Lumen RRP $120

Tarmac SL2 with SRAM Rival Upgrade

2011-09-14T21:35:00.000+10:00

Happy customer Rod Upton took possession of his Specialized Tarmac SL2 recently. He had a SRAM Rival upgrade, Specialized Romin saddle, Look Keo pedals, Specialized Carbon Rib Cages with the Specialized Purist Bottles. Rod topped off the bike with a Garmin 500. Nice! Happy Riding Rod.

Magpie season is upon us, so is it better to train indoors or cycle outdoors?

2011-09-13T12:55:00.000+10:00

The little black & white bombs are back again for another season of cyclist carnage.

So we were wondering if stationery indoor training was better than outdoor cycling?

Results from Australian Lifestyle & Fitness website, compares outdoor cycling vs stationery indoor training (based on 70kg rider):

Time (Mins): 60	Weight (kg): 70

Exercise	Calories/hr Burned
Bicycling, <16km/hr leisure	280
Bicycling, 18km/hr light effort	420
Bicycling, 20km/hr moderate effort	559
Bicycling, 24km/hr vigorous effort	700
Bicycling, 28km/hr very fast, racing	839
Bicycling, BMX or mountain	595
Bicycling, racing	1,119
Bicycling, stationary, general	350
Bicycling, stationary, light effort	385
Bicycling, stationary, moderate effort	490
Bicycling, stationary, very light effort	210
Bicycling, stationary, very vigorous effort	874
Bicycling, stationary, vigorous effort	735
Cycling, hill climb, 30 min	204
Unicycling	350

So the answer is:

Light to Moderate stationary riding indoors burns LESS calories than cycling outdoors.

Vigorous/Racing stationery riding indoors burns MORE calories than cycling outdoors.

At Bike n Bean we can help you with either option, whether its a bike or indoor trainer, visit the website or drop in.

Road Race Day for Shannon Johnson

2011-09-12T07:37:00.000+10:00

Shannon's time 3.05.55, 14th place in Masters M30 class, 54th place in all Classes.

Well done Shannon!

Shannon was the first Aussie over the line too- Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi

A grimacing Shannon in Time Trial, photo courtesy Alan Byuck

Time Trial Day for Shannon Johnson

2011-09-10T07:45:00.000+10:00

Ok, here we go!! Count down is no longer days just a matter of hours before I experience the most important 20km ride of my cycling adventure so far. With each pedal stroke I will be a bit closer to the end & the pain will go away.....

Time Trial Results
‎4th in the World, you all know I'm not happy with that but I gave it everything I had! 7 seconds off podium. Ave HR 183 Max HR 191, not much more I could have done.... Thanks so much to everyone for their support!

Resting the legs now, coz I'm going to ask a lot of them on Sunday....

Yes that is a bucket of ice to go with the other buckets of ice already in the cold water. I'm not going to like this.......

2 Days to go, Diary of a (potential) World Cycling Champion Shannon Johnson

2011-09-09T07:19:00.000+10:00

2 Days to Race Day

I'm up early & getting a bit nervous. Normally this is a good sign for me... Would like more sleep though, but got a siesta in yesterday. Uploaded some rides to strava & felt quite happy to see some of my times considering the level of effort put in. Wont post the times as too many participating riders interested in the results! Now we just need the rain to piss right off!!

Hopefully I am the first man through here after 109k come Sunday afternoon

Could not have picked a better tour guide, this is Andre Fosse he is current Vets World Champ, and I think was also a MTB World Champ also. Very little English but cycling and pain is universal....

2 days to go, Diary of a (potential) World Cycling Champion Shannon Johnson

2011-09-08T08:15:00.000+10:00

2 Days to Race Day

‎2 hours of cleaning, checking, lubing, tightening & finally the Aussie flag. My Specialized Transition is as ready as it will ever be, actually so am I!!

The S Works Venge got the same treatment. Now I know where the morning went.. While it doesn't look as tough with 303s trust me the sections that show 26% on the final climb my legs will appreciate a little less rolling weight!!!

3 Days to go, Diary of a (potential) World Cycling Champion Shannon Johnson

2011-09-07T07:59:00.000+10:00

3 Days to Race Day

Well im happy to have finally had a sleep in!! Was woken up at 5.30 by ph call, bounced it then went back to sleep and woke up at 8.15!! What makes it even better is the sun is out & no clouds (yet). Off to enjoy the Raddisons amazing breakfast (would be so easy to pack on the kgs staying here) then a final recon of the second RR loop, the most important one! Get a massage then hit the road back to Tournai to stay with Renaud Lamarque so I can get some service work done on my bikes...

Well I'm back in Tournai, recon rides for the Worlds TT & RR done. Did another lap of second loop today to check a few things, 960meters of climbing on that loop alone.... This for the whole race there is 1.7k of vert!!! Time to give the bikes a clean and polish check every nut & bolt reload the van and head back ready to do battle!!

Just got email confirmation of my race numbers: 191 for TT 110 for RR. Start time for TT is 12.59pm Friday, so hopefully by 1.30 I will be rolling over the finish line!!! The descent of the two long climbs is wide open and require massive balls to leave the brakes off! If its dry I know I will make some time here, also from what I have learnt over recent weeks from Shane Miller about when to hit it I think will help me at critical moments!

Ride fast, Live longer

2011-09-06T19:37:00.000+10:00

Check out The Wheeler article on cycling intensity vs age at death. Men are living 5.3 yrs longer and women 3.9 years longer with high cycling intensity.

So get out there and ride it hard people!

Date	Event	Location	Type	Category	Rider/s
Nov-11
5	Coburg CC	Campbellfield	Crit	A	Shannon
6	St Kilda	Port Melbourne	Crit w Inter sprints	A	Shannon
12	Coburg CC	Campbellfield	Crit	A	Shannon
13	Preston CC	Eden Park	RR Champs	Open	Shannon
19	Coburg CC	Campbellfield	Crit	A	Shannon
20	Carnegie CC	Mulgrave	Crit	A	Shannon
26	Coburg CC	Campbellfield	Crit	A	Shannon
26	Victorian MET Track Champs	DISC	Track	U17	Liam Hood
27	St Kilda CC	Port Melbourne	Crit	A	Shannon

Dec-11
3	Coburg CC	Campbellfield	Crit	A	Shannon
3	Seymour Scratch	Seymour	RR	A	Shannon
3	GMBC Gazebo Series	You Yangs	MTB	3x3	Rachael & Kylie
3	Tour of Bright	Bright	RR		Stephen
10	Coburg CC	Campbellfield	Crit	A	Shannon
10	Victorian Junior Omium Champs	Shepparton	Omnium	U17	Liam Hood
11	Carnegie CC	Mulgrave	Crit	A	Shannon
17	Coburg CC	Campbellfield	Crit	A	Shannon
18	St Kilda CC	Port Melbourne	Crit	A	Shannon
17	Melnbourne Cup on Wheels	DISC	Carnival	U17	Liam Hood
28	Bendigo Xmas Carnival	Bendigo	Carnival	U18	Liam Hood
29	Shepparton Xmas Carnival	Shepparton	Carnival	U19	Liam Hood

Jan-12
1	Jayco Bay Crit	Geelong	Crit	A	Shannon
2	Jayco Bay Crit	Geelong	Crit	A	Shannon
2	Jayco Bay Jnr Support Race	Various	RR	U17	Liam Hood
3	Jayco Bay Crit	Port Arlington	Crit	A	Shannon
4	Jayco Bay Crit	Williamstown	Crit	A	Shannon
6	Australian National Road Champs		RR		Stephen
7	Echuca/Moama Jnr Carnival	Moama	Carnival	U17	Liam Hood
14	Brunswich Open	DISC	Crit	U17	Liam Hood
21	Victorian Jnr Track Champs	DISC	Track	U17	Liam Hood
29	Wangaratta CBD Open	Wangaratta	Crit	A	Shannon


Feb-12
4	Gravity 12 hr	Bright	MTB	Mixed	Rachael & Kylie
11	Ballarat Spokes Jnr Madison	Sebastopol	Madison	U17	Liam Hood
11	Round 1 Vic Enduro Series	Ballarat	MTB	Female	Rachael & Kylie
18	Victorian Club Teams Premiership	DISC	Crits	U17	Liam Hood
25	Ararat Track Carnival	Ararat	Track	U17	Liam Hood

Mar-12
3	GMBC Gazebo Series	You Yangs	MTB	3x3	Rachael & Kylie
4	Preston Junior Track Carnival	Preston	Track	U17	Liam Hood
9	Bendigo Intl	Bendigo	Crit	Elite	Shannon
14	Australian Jnr Tracks Champs Selection	DISC	Track	U17	Liam Hood
17	Mansfield Open	Mansfield	Crit	A	Shannon
17	Mt Buller Criterium	Mt Buller	Crit & RR		Stephen
17	Mansfield to Buller	Mansfield	RR	A	Shannon
22	UCI World Qual TT	Rottnest Island	ITT	M1	Shannon
24	Round 2 Vic Enduro Series		MTB	Female	Rachael & Kylie
25	UCI World Qual RR	Perth WA	RR	M1	Shannon
25	Victorian Jnr Crit Champs	Castlemaine	Crit	U17	Liam Hood
27	Victorian Schools Cycling Cup	Shepparton	Crit	U18	Liam Hood

Bike 'N' Bean

Specialized Helmet Amnesty

Win a trip to Tour De France 2012 with Garmin

Safe Cycling Guide Tips

Hi Vis clothing vs Road Positioning

Stop focusing on high vis!

Sending out the right message

Female Sponsored Team Race report - VES- Round 1 - Ballarat 11/2/12

Sponsored Rider Shannon takes gold for 2012 Jayco Bay Masters Support Race Series

1887 watts reached in a sprint. Photo by Leanne Cole

Day Two Geelong Gardens, Bloody Hot! 45min

Day Three Port Arlington

Day 4 Final Race Williamstown

Making Australia more bicycle friendly

Indoor Turbo Trainers- not just for bad weather days

Cycling related Pop Songs

Rob's new steed- S-Works Epic 29er

Media Release: Specialized partners with Omega Pharma Quick-Step

Meet the Specialized-lululemon Women's Team

Team Specialized-lululemon

Top Tips for Helmet, Clothing & Footwear Safety

Pinched from our good friends at AustCycle, some good points about cycling apparel

Top Tips for Helmet, Clothing and Footwear Safety

Our latest customers BG Fit experience

Shane Miller, winner of the 2011 Cycling Australia Masters Road National Championship ITT, writes of his Specialized BG Fit experience last week with Paul at Bike n Bean. Tuesday, 13 December 2011

My Specialized BG Fit Experience

He's gone and done it, the SuperSix is up for sale!

Specialized Tarmac Expert with Rovals

Green with Enve?

Price Compact Road Bar 42cm 144mm drop/85mm reach $459

Sponsored Rider Bike Sale

Specialized Test The Best Wknd at Mordialloc

Sponsored Riders Summer 2011/2012 Race Schedule

Measuring Talent in the RMIT Lab

Stephen's 'Hot & Hilly' weekend race

Get your Crit On! Sponsored rider Shannon's start of 2011/12 Criterium Season

Well the crit season has started for me, a little late due to weather and been underdone for the first few races. But better to start with a bang hey?

The no fuss Garmin Edge 200 now in stock

Bring new life to every ride with Edge 200. RRP $150

Specialized back former HTC-Highroad Womens Team

Expanding the Legacy: Specialized and lululemon athletica to back former HTC-Highroad women’s team

Respect for the Sunnies

Whittlesea Review article on the Local Cycling Hero Charity Dinner

Meet Simone our first Female Cycling Ambassador

Introducing Deda Elementi- the Component choice of Team Sky

Shannon Johnson- Three times Jayco Champion

Win for our sponsored female riders at Scott 24hr

Meet Bike n Bean Female MTB Sponsored Riders- Kylie & Rachael

Whittlesea Leader write up on Shannon Johnson

Sponsored Rider Liam Hood's Training & Race Update Sep 2011

Celebrating Local Cycle Heroes Charity Dinner and meet Brad McGee

Sneek Peak at BMC TE29 Carbon for 2013

SRAM Quarq & SRM Powermeter Cranks- pictures and pricelists

Tarmac SL4 Pro rolling out the door today

Look what arrived today...

Lezyne LED Mini Drive Lights

Tarmac SL2 with SRAM Rival Upgrade

Magpie season is upon us, so is it better to train indoors or cycle outdoors?

Road Race Day for Shannon Johnson

Time Trial Day for Shannon Johnson

2 Days to go, Diary of a (potential) World Cycling Champion Shannon Johnson

2 days to go, Diary of a (potential) World Cycling Champion Shannon Johnson

3 Days to go, Diary of a (potential) World Cycling Champion Shannon Johnson

Ride fast, Live longer