May 2007 Edition


- The Tech Pages
- Favorite ride Column
- Pimp my Argon 18
- When Ahtletes Take Control

The Tech Pages
AFS : Argon Fit System

In the last edition of the Tech Pages, we discussed the HDS; this time we'll have a look at the Argon Fit System, the second pillar on which Argon 18's optimal balance rests. AFS can be summarized in a few words, actually, being the geometries of reference for our bikes. These have a twofold objective:

1) Ensure that all of our framesets display superlative handling qualities.
2) Maintain proper ergonomic balance in every frame size.

It all starts with the top tube, or rather, the top tubes, since in the Argon approach, the top tube is divided in forward and rearward sections, bisected by a line that extends vertically from the center of the crankset spindle. This is illustrated in fig.1. Both sections function differently and impact the bike's geometry differently as well.

1)Section B: rear horizontal distance, or rear top tube.

This portion of the top tube determines saddle setback adjustment. This adjustment is a function of rider preference, but rests largely on anatomical factors, particularly femur length. Practically speaking, if two persons of equal height ride an identical frame, the one with the longer femurs should normally need more setback. This setback adjustment, one of the most fundamental elements in cycle positioning, is essentially determined by the frame's seat tube angle. Argon 18 designs optimize this angle for every frame size in order to offer enough setback adjustability.

Taking the Gallium as an example, table 2 lists the angles and rear top tube dimensions for all the Argon frame sizes. As the table shows, incremental slackening of the seat tube angle entails a corresponding lengthening of the rear portion of the top tube. After all, a rider 1.80m tall necessarily has a longer femur than one who measures 1.68m. While this variation is sometimes but a matter of a few millimeters, it requires a different mold for each frame size.

2) Section A: front horizontal distance, or front top tube.

The forward portion of the top tube plays a different role entirely. It determines the effective length of the bike, which in turn, should place the rider in a position neither too bunched up nor too stretched out. Referring to table 2 again, you'll notice that the forward top tube is gradually extended along with the frame size, neither exaggeratedly short nor too long. This balanced approach offers more positioning flexibility.

Take for instance a fit, experienced cyclist 1.68m tall, with an inseam length of 79cm. This rider could be comfortable and efficient on a S size frame with a decent seatpost height and a 100 or 110 mm stem. This offers a classic, performance-enhancing position that will suit most cyclists. But let's take the same body dimensions and imagine they're the measurements of a very fit, elite racer. This rider might well choose a XS size frame for the sake of its short headtube, which affords the rider a lower, more aggressive and aerodynamic racing position. A look at table 2 will let this rider know that the XS size will let him dial in this more extreme, race-specific position by using a seatpost with a little more setback as well as a longer stem.

AFS means fiddling with a millimeter here and another there, but that's the kind of attention to detail that makes an Argon 18 what it is.

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Favorite ride Column
FRF-Couriers/NSWIS Easter Training Camp
6th-8th April 2007- While the rest of Sydney kept warm and dry over the Easter long weekend 5 of our riders faced the wind and rain at our inaugural Easter Training Camp.

Friday 6th of April saw the riders carry out specific time trial work in Centennial Park. Here we obtained valuable information on each riders 3.75 km and 13 km time while using our Argon Mercury TT bikes and Rudy Project TT helmets. With the 2007 Canberra Prologue set at 13 km this information will be used to fine tune each riders individual TT performance over the next two weeks.

Lunch was provided each day and while we ate there were a series of presentations from Team Manager Andy Portess and Sports Manager, Daniel Healey that outlined:

- Rider Code of Conduct
- Core Stability
- Flexibility
- Nutrition for Endurance cycling

Friday afternoon saw the riders head out for a 2 hour "threshold" ride around the south eastern suburbs of Sydney. With a strong southerly wind and intermittent showers this was an extremely taxing 120 minutes workout. Robbie Cater was the "driver" of the group, in part because of the wickedly strong coffee that was made for him at lunch while Dave, Macca and Anthony ensured the pace stayed high while they were on the front.

Saturday 7th April was our biggest day. Starting at 6.30 am the route was:
Centennial Park-Stanwell Tops-National Park-3 Strength Efforts (Waterfall Hill)-National Park-Clovelly

Total distance for this ride was 160km, but it was the high average speed on the flat sections and the strength shown by all riders during their focused hill efforts that made this a 5.5hr session of the highest quality.

All Sydney based riders know, tat the Stanwell Tops ride (returning through the National Park) is a solid workout. Throw in 3 efforts up the Waterfall Hill (gearing 53x19), run of at progressively reduced times (effort 1. 10.30mins, effort 2. 10mins and 3 9.30mins) and this ride takes on a whole new dimension. Peter McDonald simply flew up the climb and managed to beat each of the time targets. In fact he got quicker the longer he rode! With the NSW Hill Climb Championship scheduled for this weekend he is looking good for a podium position.

Robbie Cater was strong and managed to keep peter in his sights each lap while Dave Treacy and Anthony Bennet put in solid efforts. All of our riders displayed the kind of form that will see them finish very well at Canberra.

After a Core Stability session at lunchtime the riders headed back to Centennial Park for a high speed/high cadence workout. This session helped metabolise some of the residual lactic acid from the morning hill climbs and added a bit more distance to the day.

Sunday 8th April and this time we headed north. The "3 Gorges" ride lay ahead of our surprisingly fresh group and just like the previous two days it was cold, windy and wet.

The prescription for this ride was simple: Ride at a steady pace up the Pacific Highway and attack each of the 3 longer climbs -Galston (4km), Berowra (4.5km) et Bobbin Head (3.9 km). Unlike the day before the gearing involved the 39 tooth chain ring and the riders were encouraged to focus on high speed/high cadence climbing. Apart from being a welcome relief from the heavy strength work of yesterday climbing in these smaller gears allowed our riders to crest each hill as a group.

At the completion of the 3rd and final day the consensus among the riders was that this camp represented time well spent. The training load was varied and designed to replicate some of the harder aspects of the Canberra Tour.

From the management perspective the time the riders spent together, on and off the bike, proved to be a valuable team building exercise.

Regards,

Daniel Healey
Sports Manager
FRF NSWIS Professional Cycling team
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Pimp my Argon 18
The Pimp my Argon 18 page is all about serious cycle customizing at its artistic pinnacle, no compromises. An Argon 18 is a thing of beauty. A pimped-out, hopped-up and tuned Argon is better still; but YOUR pimpy Argon.well now, my friend, that is the ultimate right there, isn't it?

Is that a champagne color?...oh no, sir, it's pure platinum!

Since the last time around, we chose to showcase a couple of radical Radons, you might be expecting more of the same, another example of the latest hi-zoot, unobtainium-equipped speed machine.well, there's plenty more of that in the pipeline, but you won't see it here today, folks. We came across this spotless, pristine bit of nostalgia just recently and thought you might want to step down memory lane in our company.

This time, our little column takes us back to 1995, when steel was still real, and very much in use as a material for building racing frames, until the aluminum/carbon tsunami swept everything in its path. Remember when (well, some of you, anyway.) race bikes had slender, round tubes? Argon offered some of the better tubesets at the time, making them into fine racing steeds for the connoisseur. Thanks to our vast network of co-conspirators and informers everywhere, we were told of this now increasingly rare bird: a steel Argon, Colombus SLX tubes, lugs and all, in a platinum (the paint shade, not the bike!) color that suggests timeless elegance and good taste.

As the photos attest, the bike's owner, who has modestly chosen to remain anonymous, has taken the most painstaking care of her machine. Not a scratch nor a smudge to be found anywhere! Check out the accoutrements of yesteryear: internal brake cable routing, pump peg on the headtube and generous splashes of, yes that's right, glittering chrome on the fork and right chainstay.

We'll skip the discussion of its stiffness-to-weight ratio, I think.it's a steel frame, ok?

But still, sure is pretty, huh?

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When Ahtletes Take Control
In every issue of the newsletter, an Argon 18 athlete will be given free reign to speak frankly on a topic he or she wishes to deal with; it's a sort of open forum exclusive to the Argon 18 website. This week's guest is Peter Herzig of team FRF-Couriers/ NSWIS:
Long Haul
by Peter Herzig, FRF-Couriers/NSWIS

Living in Australia and racing overseas is a relationship that can only result in a serious amount of time clocked up at airports and on aeroplanes. You often hear travelling business people commenting on waking up in a hotel room and not remembering what city they were in. I think those people may have enjoyed too much of the free alcohol served on international flights, though they are not far from the truth.

My first (and longest) trip to a cycling race occurred in March last year when the team flew to Cape Town, South Africa (an incredibly interesting and beautiful city). The trip started at 6am when I woke to get to Brisbane airport for a 7:30am flight to Sydney to meet the rest of the team. We left Sydney at 1pm to fly to Singapore for a 6 hour stop and then on to Cape Town, via Johannesburg, finally arriving at 9am local time and reaching the hotel around 11am. It was an epic 22.5 hours of flying, 11 hours waiting in airports, 2 hours sitting on the tarmac and 1.5 hours of road travel, or 37 hours all up! I can't really describe how I felt after that flight; words like delirium and disorientation come to mind, but I can tell you it was ten times worse after I had a 2 hour sleep and woke up to go training.

There is just something about flying a long way east or west of your current location that knocks your body around. The best advice is to try and get adjusted to the local time zone as soon as possible, by keeping regular hours and not snoozing during the day. After 44 flight sectors last year and countless hours spent in airports I have a few other tips for airline travel.

Herzo's tips for the Long Haul:

1) Wear 'Skins' or other compression garments to maintain blood flow and reduce swelling, they really do work.

2) If travelling on Singapore Airlines; ask for extra ice creams. They have the best service and will always bring you one.

3) Drink heaps of water and carry your Argon18 water bottle with you always.

4) Steer clear of the alcohol; it may be free but the head ache isn't.

5) Get up and walk around the cabin every few hours; even if it's just a lame excuse to wake up the annoying team mate sitting next to you because he seems to be able to sleep anywhere, anytime.

6) If you are travelling via plane and you find your seat won't recline: after four hours of tossing and turning ask why your seat won't recline. If the answer is "oh no dear, you are in 17K, that seat doesn't recline', ask if there is a spare seat that does recline. If they find you a seat that is definitely vacant, say 22D, it may be wise to ask the man staring wildly at you if his pregnant wife and three young children already have a ticket for 22D before sitting in their seat.

7) Go to sleep, you can always rent the movie on DVD later.
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