# A 585 stage race report..



## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

Just returned from the Huntsman World senior games where I ran my 585 in the Division 1 licensed class in all but the TT event. Hillclimb, Crit and Road Race. The bike worked wonderfully in every event, though it didn't magically make me into a winner, dang! I used a DeRosa for the time trial to save having to convert the Look back and forth. The one outstanding characteristic of the 585 was that it 'dissapeared' under me in every race..I simply forgot about the bike and tried to get me to the finish in the best possible position, without any though whatsoever about how the bike was performing...

I ran some Reynolds Cirro tubular carbon climbing wheels in the HC with a 9sp 12/23. I suck as a climber and my Garmin readout confirms that I went out way too fast and hard..the record holder was my "30-second man"..So my HR went to max and stayed there for 19 minutes..the whole hill. Bad! The Look was probably wondering, "Where's the Beef?" as I kept my feeble pedal strokes up trying to climb on the marvelously light and solid feeling bike..

For the crit, I swapped on some Reynolds DV tubular carbons and a 12/21. The bike handled like it wasn't even there..No fuss, no twitches, no thought needed to put the bike wherever I wanted it..(except at the front for the end of the sprint..) We did 45 mins on an almost square flat course, running at about 21mph average for a good hard race with a few attacks and a good sprint finish..except the bell lap was declared twice by mistake..We finshed the sprint with the anouncer saying again.."Bell Lap, guys, this is it.." He later said he thought we were the chase group(who we'ed almost lapped at the finish) rather than the lead group. So some went on and sprinted again, but most just blew him off, making for some heated discussion over the results...Still, a very fun race..

For the RR I ran the same DVs with an 11/25 that I built up specially for this course, which ended after descending the Hillclimb route about a mile from the finish..I was dangling between the lead group and the chase group just before the descent began. Got caught about a mile before the turn off to the entrance to Snow Canyon State Park, where the steep hill started with 3 speed bumps after a really sharp high speed 90deg. entering turn...The chase pack was about 16-20 riders, including some Recreational riders who'd latched on following the climbs, so I wanted no part of that! So at the entrance I jumped HARD, going around the entry booth and taking two others with me onto the closed (for us to race on) winding road..What a joy to just whip the 585 up to 40+, then to talk the other two guys into going all out to stay off the front during our descent...I hit 49 mph, stroking along through the tight corners on my 11-53 and we stayed off till the finish..Bunny-hopping the exit speed bumps was not even really scary, till I got done and realized I'd been going almost 50, jumped 3 bumps in a space of about 30 meters, with two other old guys right on my wheel..Cool stuff and the Look didn't twitch at all...

As a stage racing bike, the 585 is unsurpassed, in my opinion..Best bike I've ever raced on in all three of the disciplines..

Don Hanson


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## speedygonzalez2005 (May 22, 2005)

*A Joy To Read...*

You make it sound so easy Don.
I wish that I could have such awesome stories to tell about my weekend out with my 585, so it cant be just the bike.
Your report was both a joy to read as well as inspirational, keep doing what your doing, it's obviously working for you.

If you have the time post some pictures of your self with your trusted steed in which ever configuration you happen to find it in at the moment.

Thanks again,
Speedy


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## Woolbury (Oct 12, 2005)

Yea Don, it's great to hear you're putting the 585 (and yourself) through the paces. I've never raced and miss the buzz you communicate in your report. This weekend I did a club ride in the foothills west of Fort Collins. 80 mi with over 5000' climbing and a very fast group. On a few of the very steep grades I was feeling the 585 was just saving my a** , and on the long descents the bike is just a rocket, so smooth and confident though the corners, no problem hanging with the leaders. A few folks were talking about being burned out on the road bike this time of year, but as I pedaled the last few miles in, I just kept thinking to myself how good it felt to be on my bike.


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

Woolbury said:


> Yea Don, it's great to hear you're putting the 585 (and yourself) through the paces. I've never raced and miss the buzz you communicate in your report. This weekend I did a club ride in the foothills west of Fort Collins. 80 mi with over 5000' climbing and a very fast group. On a few of the very steep grades I was feeling the 585 was just saving my a** , and on the long descents the bike is just a rocket, so smooth and confident though the corners, no problem hanging with the leaders. A few folks were talking about being burned out on the road bike this time of year, but as I pedaled the last few miles in, I just kept thinking to myself how good it felt to be on my bike.


 Dunno, maybe the 585s are magic. I'm usually a bit burned out by this time of year, but this bike still has me "Jonesing" to ride. I even bailed out onto the highway during our drive to and from Utah to Oregon and rode a stretch of Nevada desert.

The Look got lots of admiring looks while staging for the events, too. For the RR, I had my older VW van parked right near the Porto-potties with the bike(s) on the rack mounted on my rear door/hatch where people were lined up. Mind, these are older cyclists, a fairly well to do crowd, and the Look was very much complimented...Of course, having a DeRosa and a Mondonico (my gal's bike) hanging on there with about 10 carbon wheels DID draw some extra attention, too.

Hey, I have my priorities right, eh? A vehicle worth much less than the bikes it hauls...

Don Hanson


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