HE'S the reigning national road race champion and now Jack Bobridge has his eye on the time trial crown as well.

Two months after a stunning ride to claim fifth place in the time trial at the world championships, Bobridge has signalled his intent for Buninyong in January.“I’ll give it my best and I really want to target the time trial next year,” he told The Advertiser.“And if I’m time-trial fit, I’m always going to be road-race fit so I’ll go to the nationals with hopefully good form . . . if I don’t perform, there it’s still a building block to the track world titles and Tour Down Under.”Unlike last season, Bobridge won’t race in January’s Bay Criterium Series in Victoria, in favour of completing all his pre-season in Adelaide.it follows an outstanding season for the Adelaide 22-year-old on the road and track. it started with victory in the national road race where he produced arguably the greatest ride seen on the Buninyong circuit and continued with two track world titles in the Netherlands.In between, he broke the individual pursuit world record in Sydney then closed his season with fifth place in the TT at the world championships and second overall at the Herald Sun Tour.Yet Bobridge still rated 2010 as the better season.“Last year, I won national titles, two Commonwealth Games gold and still broke the Aussie individual (pursuit record),” he said.“I think if I had to put it down, I’d say last year was my best because the Comm Games topped it off.“This year was still good but it was only sort of early-season stuff.”As good as his year was, Bobridge was still disappointed at being axed from Garmin-Cervelo’s team for the Giro d’Italia amid speculation he was moving to GreenEDGE next year. The speculation proved correct but Bobridge was disheartened at missing his second Grand Tour.“The Giro (was the main one I missed). This year, I got ready for it, knew what to expect then to get dragged at the very last minute was very disappointing,” he said.he said joining new team GreenEDGE was the logical choice because it would support his road and track ambitions.“It wasn’t about the money. it was about who looks after you the best and where they’re going to take me,” Bobridge said.“GreenEDGE being the first Aussie team as well was pretty hard to knock back and I think it will be pretty spectacular next year.”Bobridge is hopeful of a start in January’s Tour Down Under before turning his attention to the nationals then world track championships and London Olympics.he said success in the Olympic teams pursuit would require a ride in the low 3:50s and he was confident Australia had the depth to get the job done.“We’ve got a great little group there now and it’s going to be a fantastic line-up,” he said.“Everyone’s probably good enough to go there but it will be the finer touches that get you the start.”twitter: reecehomfray

<a href="http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/other-sport/jack-eyeing-the-clock/story-fn34oii8-1226207342469tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/other-sport/jack-eyeing-the-clock/story-fn34oii8-1226207342469Sun, 27 Nov 2011 05:35:02 GMT”>Jack eyeing the clock

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Birmingham, MI (PRWEB) November 17, 2011

Victorywatches.com, retailers of popular GPS running watches, heart rate monitor watches, triathlon watches and watch accessories, recently announced a sale on the top running watch gift ideas for 2011. just in time for the busy holiday shopping season, the site has reduced prices on some of the most-wanted running watches of the year, including styles from top selling brands like Timex and Garmin.

For a limited time, holiday shoppers can enjoy heavy discounts on select styles at victorywatches.com, including the Timex Men’s 1440 Sports Digital Watch, the Garmin Forerunner GPS Receiver with Heart Rate Monitor, and the Timex Men’s Ironman FLIX System Watch. Selected for both their high level of functionality and durability, the watches featured in the top running watch gift ideas for 2011 sale are some of the most popular on the market today and are well-known for being providing highly accurate data, even under severe weather conditions or in water.

Those looking for the top running watch gift ideas for 2011 will find it easy to find everything they need at victorywatches.com. Designed for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, the site offers a large selection of athletic watches that provide data on the user’s heart rate, GPS information and even data on the latest weather patterns to help athletes get the most out of their outdoor adventures. With these latest price reductions on select styles, holiday shoppers will find it even easier to find the perfect running watch for everyone on their list – from the weekend warrior who enjoys the occasional hike, to the serious pro who trains for competitive sports.

Victorywatches.com makes it easy to quickly browse through the most popular styles, and complete the purchase using the site’s fast, secure payment system. Victory Watches specializes in athletic watches designed for a variety of activities, including running, swimming, biking and skiing. the company sells popular styles from top watch companies, including Suunto Watches, Garmin and Timex. for more information, please visit http://victorywatches.com.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/11/prweb8967264.htm

<a href="http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/495320tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/495320Thu, 17 Nov 2011 18:07:25 GMT”>Victorywatches.com Announces Sale on Top Running Watch Gift Ideas for 2011

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Sharon Laws ready for London 2012 challenge

7:20pm Wednesday 23rd November 2011

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SHARON LAWS will not be able to relax until June 7, 2012 has been crossed off her calendar – that’s the date the GB women’s road race quartet is announced for the London Olympics.

Sharon is the ultimate team player, a mountain specialist who does the hard miles to break down the opposition until the team’s No.1 comes through to claim the glory.

it worked at the 2008 Beijing Olympics when Sharon was part of the team which helped Britain’s Nicole Cooke to gold; it worked at the World Championships the same year with the same result.

but Sharon admits she will have to prove herself all over again ahead of selection next summer.

Speaking to the Standard on a brief pre-Christmas visit to her family home in Bourton-on-the Water, the much-travelled Laws sounded positive about her prospects for 2012, not least because after breaking a leg, dislocating a shoulder and cracking a collarbone in her previous three seasons, she went through 2011 injury-free.

There were no race wins in her first year with the powerful Garmin-Cervelo team, but a number of eye-catching performances including third place in the National Road race Championships and a runner-up slot in the second stage of the Giro d’Italia Donne.

“Perhaps my results did not reflect it, but I feel I have ridden better than ever this year,” said Sharon.

“First of all, it was great to get through a season without breaking something.

“I was delighted, but also disappointed, with my second place finish (to Australia’s Sharon Gillow) in a stage at the Giro Donne, which is the biggest race in the women’s calendar and our equivalent of the Tour de France.

“I so wanted to wear the (leader’s) pink jersey if I had won that stage.

“Then I was really pleased to finish eighth in a sprinter’s stage in Verona, because one thing I am not is a sprinter.

“I was just disappointed that I did not hold on for a top ten finish, but I was sick for the second half of the race.”

Sharon now lives in Girona, Spain, close to some of her Garmin-Cervelo team-mates, and said: “The move has been really positive on so many fronts. it has made such a difference to have a proper base.”

Living overseas comes naturally to Laws, who was born in Nairobi in 1974 and grew up as an only child with mum Joy in idyllic Bourton after her dad died when she was six.

after graduating from Nottingham University with a degree in biology and a Masters from University College London, she has worked on countless conservation projects in places like Zimbabwe, Uganda and South Africa before moving to Australia to work for the Rio Tinto mining company.

it was there in late 2006 that this mountain bike enthusiast discovered road racing and so successful has been her transition that she decided to (temporarily) give up her high-profile career for the precarious life of the international professional cyclist.

“GB is the fourth ranked team in the world and we have a strong medal chance next year,” she said.

“I think Lizzie Armistead will one of the favourites to win the gold, while Nicole (Cooke) and Emma (Pooley) are almost guaranteed their places on the team.

“That leaves myself and three or four other younger girls, including my Garmin-Cervelo teammate Lucy Martin, going for that final place.

“The challenge is to peak in the early part of the season – to justify selection – and then peak again for the Olympics.”

after a two-week end-of-season break, including some hiking in the Pyrenees, the hard graft of gym work has begun, although there are some winter compensations.

Sharon heads to South Africa for three months on December 1 for road race training, with a little mountain biking thrown in for some variety. and she leaves with a message for the cycling selectors: “I know I can still do a really good job.”

Let’s hope they continue to reward Bourton’s ultimate team player.

Read these Sport stories

<a href="http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/sport/latestsport/9379090.CYCLING__Bourton_s_ultimate_team_player_pitches_for_Olympic_slot/tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/sport/latestsport/9379090.CYCLING__Bourton_s_ultimate_team_player_pitches_for_Olympic_slot/Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:29:37 GMT”>Sharon Laws ready for London 2012 challenge (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

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Mixing the old and new, the 2011 Charger continues as a rear wheel drivecar, yet gets an infotainment system with a big, 8.4 inch touch screen.

The name Charger evokes early ’70s muscle, but the 2011 model we drove was modest in the power department, using Dodge’s 3.6-liter V-6. That did not keep it from being a thoroughly competent car, a multi-purpose big sedan useful for the daily commute and weekend road trips. In Rallye Plus trim the cabin showed a surprisingly tilt toward luxury.

But what had our tech-happy hearts fluttering was the new infotainment system and Alpine audio system. an 8.4 inch touch screen sits in the dashboard, its menu strip precluding the need for an array of ugly plastic buttons littering the cabin.

Garmin navigation software, integrated with the system, delivered excellent route guidance, and Dodge included useful data from Sirius, such as gas prices and a weather forecast. We found the stereo very usable through this interface and enjoyed the sound from the Alpine system.

Our only caveat is that the 2012 model should be even better, as it will have an eight speed automatic transmission.

Check out our review of the 2011 Dodge Charger.

<a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-57319090-48/2011-dodge-charger-review-big-screen-included/tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-57319090-48/2011-dodge-charger-review-big-screen-included/Sat, 05 Nov 2011 00:30:22 GMT”>2011 Dodge Charger review: Big screen included

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Thursday November 17, 2011

By ELAYNE CLIFT

Boston Women’s Health Collective,

“Our Bodies, Ourselves”

Touchstone, 40 Anniversary

Revised edition

It began in 1969 when 12 women met during a women’s liberation conference in the early days of the women’s movement. a workshop on “women and their bodies" provided an opportunity for the women to talk about their own bodies and their experiences with doctors. Sharing this information led them to form the Doctor’s Group — forerunner to the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, to research and discuss what they were learning about themselves, their bodies, health and women.

The discussions and research led to a course booklet titled “Women and Their Bodies,” a stapled newsprint edition published in 1970. the booklet, which put women’s health into a radically new political and social context, became an underground success. In 1973 Simon & Schuster published an expanded edition, renamed “Our Bodies, Ourselves.” the rest, as they say, is “herstory.”

The newest edition of OBOS focuses on women’s reproductive health and sexuality and includes dozens of personal stories and essential, up-to-date information about gender identity, sexual orientation, birth control, abortion, pregnancy and birth, menopause and other health issues such as breast and ovarian cancers and sexual health as women age. It also addresses changes in the health care system, safer sex, environmental health risks, body image and local and global activism. And for the first time, it offers an entire chapter on relationships based on women’s conversations which took place online over the course of a month.

Another first is the new cover which features 52 women’s pictures, from young to old, who have been influenced in some way by reading OBOS. One woman wrote with her submission, “I first picked up Our Bodies Ourselves for a human sexuality class in college. since then, the book has been my ‘go to’ book. Even in a time when I can just plug in questions into Google, it is so much more meaningful when I can open a book that I know has touched the lies of many women. that common experience means so much more than a search engine.”

Gloria Steinem is among the many women everywhere who can relate. “Within these pages, you will find the voice of a women’s health movement that is based on shared experience. Listen to it — and add your own voice,” she wrote in a cover quote.

The challenge of putting together a nearly 1,000 page book that is accurate, accessible, and empathetic is enormous. “Creating a book of this size and scope, one that provides evidence-based information and addresses the political, economic and social forces that shape women’s health, takes an incredible amount of work and collaboration,” Managing Editor Christine Cupaiuolo says. “More than 300 women and men shared their knowledge and expertise to ensure the book’s accuracy and comprehensiveness.”

That effort is deeply appreciated, and applied to the 25 translations that now exist in countries as diverse as Senegal, Turkey, Israel, Nepal, Chile and Japan.

“We’ve come a long way from our origin as a Boston-based collective talking around the kitchen table, to a thriving global presence with a place ‘at the table’ — alongside other powerbrokers — in countries around the world,” says OBOS co-founder Sally Whelan.

Byllye Avery, founder of the Black Women’s Health Imperative, agrees. “In the 1970s we knew nothing about our bodies, doctors were gods, and we didn’t ask questions. Then along came the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective. Our Bodies Ourselves became our bible and it’s still our bible, giving us trusted information. we were being challenged and we challenged right back. the entire country was going through a collective consciousness change. And we’re still here!”

We’re still here because as Avery says, “women’s health is being demoted” and “reproductive rights are being stripped to death. we cannot sit by. we must continue this work worldwide. as activists we are a force to be reckoned with. we are the ones we’ve been waiting for!”

Thankfully, women around the world know that now. we also know that, armed with a powerful new version of the timeless and important “Our Bodies Ourselves,” we can take the fight for women’s health and human rights forward, confident that we are not alone.

Elayne Clift, a columnist for the Brattleboro Commons and the Keene Sentinel, is a frequent contributor. Visit www.elayneclift.com.

For Love of Books is a column written by readers of notable books which may be found in local libraries and bookstores. “Guidelines for Reviewers” may be requested from Brooks Memorial Library at 802-254-5290 or brattlib@brooks.lib.vt.us.

<a href="http://www.reformer.com/ci_19353106?source=most_viewedtag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.reformer.com/ci_19353106?source=most_viewedFri, 18 Nov 2011 10:14:59 GMT”>FOR LOVE OF BOOKS: ‘Our Bodies Ourselves’ at 40: The book that changed women’s lives

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Autumn offers a smorgasbord of sports to satisfy almost every appetite, outdoor pursuits among them.

With a wide assortment of big-game hunts, small-game hunts, waterfowl, upland birds, fall turkey and some stellar fishing, the table is set for a sportsman’s feast brimming with variety. It’s nearly impossible to take it all in.

It’s during this potential upheaval of our autumnal equilibrium that we give thanks for inventive folks like the guys at HuntingGPSmaps.com, who have taken it upon themselves to help hunters manage their time more effectively by simplifying what can be one of the most confusing parts of the whole process: figuring out where to hunt.

While it could be rightly argued that many modern outdoorsmen have become overly reliant upon gadgetry such as GPS units, Hunting GPS Maps is a hunter-built product designed to enhance the hunt with no promise of saving your life. Their maps are primarily made for Western hunters, crammed with relevant details in a simple package.

If you bought an elk or deer tag in Colorado this year, you were probably among the 30,000 hunters who received a promotional postcard for the local map that plugs into most Garmin GPS units. the color-coded map identifies land ownership throughout the state, displaying its status — private, state-owned, BLM, National Forest, National Park, etc. — just by toggling over a parcel. That alone is enough to make the map worthwhile, as evidenced by a similar (albeit less useful) electronic map of accessible land currently being produced by the state of Wyoming (onanypc.com/StateLandAccess).

The private sector takes it to the next level by combining basic boundaries and topography with hunting-specific data including game management units, trailheads for hikers, horses and motorized use, names of surrounding mountain peaks, rivers, intermittent streams and lakes, even Forest Service cabins and mining claims. A downloadable version offered through the HuntingGPSmaps.com website lets users build their own map collection to download directly to a portable GPS at a topo scale down to 1:24,000.

It’s a useful tool for anyone with a compatible GPS, even if all you’re looking for is a good place to car camp.

Pheasant update.

“Between last year and this year, I’ve probably seen more birds and had more success than I have since the early ’70s,” Berry said after he and his friends bagged 16 ringneck roosters in a day and a half. “We probably should have had twice that. My German shorthair was just putting on a clinic.”

The downside to all that success, of course, is increased pressure. Berry says his morning commute as manager of the Yuma Shop-All included five or six times the typical traffic last week, attributed to hunters. the birds are getting spooked as a result.

Moose abuse.

Further commentary on the “moose abuse” problem of elk hunters mistaking the two unrelated species 11 times so far this year comes from Aaron Gaskins, 28, who weighed in on the notion of increased fines and lifetime hunting bans: “I really doubt someone lining up their shot will pause and think, ‘Oh, well, the fine was just increased to 30 grand; I had better double check. If it was 10 grand, I would totally be taking this shot.’ . . . the one benefit in increasing the fine would be an immediate (though likely very short, considering people’s attention spans) uptick in public awareness.”

Increasing penalties across the board — especially hunting bans — could lead to fewer people owning up to their mistakes since there is less incentive to do the right thing.

To encourage confessions, perhaps increased incentive should be offered to other hunters in the field instead. they will always hear and see more than thinly stretched game wardens simply because there are more of them. Bounties often succeed where morals fail.

Scott Willoughby: 303-954-1993 or swilloughby@denverpost.com

<a href="http://www.denverpost.com/willoughby/ci_19375040tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.denverpost.com/willoughby/ci_19375040Sun, 20 Nov 2011 08:08:09 GMT”>Willoughby: Online GPS maps great help for hunters

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BOULDER, Colo. (VN) — Danny Summerhill will be back with the Chipotle development team in 2012 and is frustrated to miss a place in the WorldTour after a three-month stint with Garmin-Cervélo this year. Team boss Jonathan Vaughters told VeloNews that Summerhill impressed in 2011 and will have an opportunity with his top-tier squad in 2013.

Summerhill, 22, rode with the Garmin ProTeam in a number of races this fall, including the Tour of Utah, USA Pro Cycling Challenge and Paris-Tours. the former junior world cyclocross silver medalist supported Christian Vande Velde’s runner-up finish in Colorado and narrowly missed the podium in Denver, finishing fourth in the final-stage bunch sprint.

“The final stage of Colorado was when we really started to look at the possibility of bringing him up to the ProTeam, and that is a decision we take very seriously,” Vaughters told VeloNews. “We all know he’s an incredible cyclocross rider, but we needed to see what a full season on the road looked like for him so we decided to send him to some races in Europe in the fall with the ProTeam, to give him some additional experience and to see how he did.”

Following his European assignment, Summerhill said he was under the impression that a move to the ProTeam was likely and that he did not receive final confirmation that he would not make the jump until late October. Chann McRae, director of Garmin’s feeder team, made space for Summerhill for 2012 and he will return to the squad that has been his home his entire career. Vaughters said that the plan from early on in Summerhill’s stagiaire assignment was to make a decision following the Giro di Piemonte on October 13.

“I have a lot of respect for Danny, as a rider and a person. He’s grown up with this program and I’m really happy he is staying with us on the Continental team,” said Vaughters. “If there was a misunderstanding, I’m sorry for that but we made the decision after his last European races — Paris-Tours and Giro di Piemonte — as planned.”

Summerhill said he was disappointed to return to the Continental level in 2012, but at the same time was thankful to have a job in what has been a tough market.

“I’m a little disappointed. I was hoping to get a shot with the big boys, but granted I was lucky enough to get to race with them at the end of the season when I stagiaired with the big guys at Utah, Colorado and some European races. That was a phenomenal experience,” he told VeloNews. “At the end of the day I just have to be thankful that I’m making money somewhere. It’s tough times right now.”

This fall has provided a mix of success and disappointment for Summerhill. While he rode well with Garmin, he missed a place on the U.S. national team for the U23 world road championships in what was his last year of eligibility.

“It was definitely a substantial blow not going to worlds this year,” said Summerhill. “Roll with the punches I guess and better luck next time.”

Summerhill said he has struggled with focus since late October, even daydreaming at the start line of the Boulder Cup ‘cross race before the whistle blew, but that he was coming around to setting his sights on 2012. For a rider who spent much of the year in the shadows of teammates like Lachlan Morton and Alex Howes, Summerhill said he will be looking to spend more time in Europe and rake in UCI points.

“I’m finally in the last week coming to grasp what’s going to happen with my season next year,” he said. “I think this year I’m going to focus on being a great team player; I took that to the nth degree last year. I’m going to focus on doing well for the team, but for myself as well.”

Vaughters said that Summerhill will see a strong road program in 2012 and that keeping him in the development team an additional year will ultimately benefit the rider he has put six years into.

“He will have a great race program next year, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on him. We’re happy he is staying with us. Danny needs to compete in a full European season in the Continental level before he does it at the pro level and we’re going to give him that opportunity,” said Vaughters.

“Ultimately our decision was to place him on the Continental team, which is where we feel he will benefit the most, and we are happy that he will be there. our goal is to do our best for our young riders, and we are excited to see what he does on the road next year. we will be keeping an eye on him.”

The Garmin ProTeam and its full 2012 roster will be presented Thursday night at the Boulder Theatre.

<a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/11/news/summerhill-laments-refocuses-for-continental-return-in-2012_198016?utm_medium=whats-hottag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/11/news/summerhill-laments-refocuses-for-continental-return-in-2012_198016?utm_medium=whats-hotTue, 15 Nov 2011 19:18:28 GMT”>Summerhill laments, refocuses for Continental return in 2012

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<a href="http://www.proactiveinvestors.com/companies/news/20499/garmin-boosts-full-year-outlook-on-strong-q3-earnings-20499.htmltag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.proactiveinvestors.com/companies/news/20499/garmin-boosts-full-year-outlook-on-strong-q3-earnings-20499.htmlWed, 02 Nov 2011 19:04:45 GMT”>Garmin boosts full year outlook on strong Q3 earnings

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Editor’s Note: VeloNews tech editor Nick Legan is a former ProTour mechanic who most recently wrenched for Team RadioShack at the 2010 Tour de France and elsewhere. His column appears here every Thursday. You can submit questions to Nick at asknick@competitorgroup.com, and be sure to check out Nick’s previous columns.

Q. Nick,Pro cycling is different than most other sports in that there are no entrance fees for spectators to attend events and very few televised races therefore little or no money coming in for the teams.

How then do the owners of cycling teams earn a profit or do the team sponsors provide enough funds to cover all expenses plus something for the owners. Where does the prize money come from for races?— Rick Mallett

A.Rick,It’s true that very few races charge an admission fee to attend. That’s part of the beauty of the sport; its accessibility. I would argue that many pro European races are televised, even if we don’t get to see them in the U.S. (and that’s changing). but that’s a moot point as the teams don’t see any money from television.

In truth pro cycling teams DON’T make a profit. They simply have a budget and do their best to stay within it. Most owners make a decent wage, but they are not rolling in profits.

As you mention, team sponsors and financiers (like Garmin-Cervélo’s benefactor Doug Ellis) cover the team’s financial needs. once riders and staff are paid, travel expenses are covered, and team vehicles are purchased and maintained, there is usually very little, if anything, left in the team coffers.

Q.Hey Nick.Alas, it’s almost time for us Midwesterners to throw our bikes up on the trainers for the majority of our winter training, but I still plan to make it outside for rides as often as possible.

For those of us not lucky enough to live in year-round warmth what would you do to get your bike winter ready? I’ve already gone to more durable 32-spoke 3-cross wheels and wider tires to handle the bad road conditions and a set of fenders to keep dry, but what else would you recommend to keep my bikes functioning well in the cold and wet?— Andy Payne

With modern bikes there isn’t too much to do regarding bearings, though a check on them is always worthwhile. Sealed cables are a big help and I run them year-round on my personal bikes.

I think that lights are a really good idea. As daylight hours wane the likelihood of getting caught after dark increases. A flat tire can become a potentially dangerous thing if motorists can’t see you. so throw some small blinky lights on both front and back of your bike.

The other piece of advice I have is to figure out a wash area now for your bike. Wet roads and grime can quickly cake your bike in winter. If you have your workstand and wash bucket sorted, you’re more likely to use them. find the brushes and sponges that you like. same goes for degreaser, soap and lubes.

This isn’t always easy, especially for apartment dwellers. Consider asking your local shop if you can wash your bike a couple times a month using its workstand and hose (BYO-Bucket unless you’re going to pay for the degreaser/soap/lube the shop has in the area)

Q. Nick,I’m looking at bikes for Cairo to Capetown. Would you recommend the Salsa Vaya Ti version? Also, can’t make out everything you’ve got in your gear bags. what are the top items you need? thanks,

A. Enrique,Sounds like you have one heck of an adventure planned. Because I’ve never been to Africa and I’ve never done long-distance touring, I’m not sure that I’m the best resource for you. but I’ll do my best.

From what I know of world bicycle tourers, 26-inch wheels are the way to go. it is the most prevalent tire diameter in the world and makes finding replacement parts easier.

Surly’s Long Haul Trucker is a great, inexpensive touring bike that is offered in both 26-inch and 700C wheel sizes. Many touring bikes are also outfitted with bar-end shifters as they are very robust and you can swap Shimano bar-ends to friction if something goes wrong.

The Vaya Ti is a great bike (Related: My Dirty Kanza bike) but I’m not sure that I would recommend it for touring Africa unless you know you can find parts. I’m sure the frame and fork are up to the task, but I’m not sure that outfitting it with the latest/greatest in components is a good idea.

The gear I carried in my bags was assembled for a very specific event — the Dirty Kanza. If I was riding the length of Africa I’d carry a bit more kit. but here’s what I did carry:

Q. Nick,I have wide hips and require a greater Q factor than most pedals provide. I recently switched from Speedplay Zeros with extended axles to Time iClic.

I lengthened the axle by placing spacers in between the pedal axle and the crank, however, I am recovering from a crash when the pedal came unthreaded. Is there any way to increase the Q factor without getting custom axles made, such as a bottom bracket with a longer spindle?— Brock Helms

A. Brock,I too run slightly longer Speedplays. I’ve also used pedal washers (luckily with no accidents). I’m not sure how much wider you’re looking to go, but Specialized makes a set of pedal extenders as part of its Body Geometry (BG) fit bag of tricks. They increase Q factor two centimeters EACH side for a total of four centimeters. That’s a pretty big increase.

For smaller increases, up to four millimeters, I use the thin (approximately one millimeter) pedal washers that come with SRAM cranks. I’ve collected them for years and treat them like gold. Your local shop might have some. If you have a fit studio or shop that performs bike fits they should have them too.

I’m not sure why your pedal came unthreaded, but pedals do need to be tight. (But NOT overtight!)

A longer bottom bracket spindle is not a great option as that will affect the chainline of your chainrings and cassette. If you’re riding an external bottom bracket and crank it simply isn’t possible.

Best of luck and heal quickly.

Q. Nick,I just spent a very enjoyable extended weekend of road riding at the Jersey shore. no traffic, but a lot of sand and one very wet day.

I’ve been following the steps in your article “ask Nick: Mechanics in the off-season and tools of the trade” and the bike rides great and looks nice to boot.

I usually don’t need to do much to clean my drivetrain — wipe it down and re-lube — but with the sand and grit I decided to use some degreaser this time. I tried using Simple Green, but it just made a gunky mess. any recommendations for a degreaser that won’t gunk up and is safe for the painted carbon fiber frame?

A. Jeff,I like Pedro’s Oranj Peelz, finish Line’s Citrus Degreaser and Park’s Chainbrite Cleaner. I prefer to use a cut-off water bottle and a small 2-inch paintbrush to literally paint the degreaser on the chain, chainrings, cassette and derailleurs. I scrub it all using the paintbrush and sometimes use Park’s GSC-1 cog brush for caked-on gunk.

Then I rinse it with water and go wash the entire bike with sponges and soft brushes. Rinse again, dry and lube.

I’ve had very little luck with spray-on degreasers. They don’t find their way into the nooks and crannies that collect grime. And if you do prefer to spray on degreaser, I would still recommend using a paintbrush to scrub a bit.

Rinsing and washing with soap and water help eliminate any residue as well. Best of luck and thanks for reading.

<a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/11/bikes-and-tech/ask-nick-team-income-degreaser-tips-wide-q-factors-and-more_196969?utm_medium=whats-hottag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/11/bikes-and-tech/ask-nick-team-income-degreaser-tips-wide-q-factors-and-more_196969?utm_medium=whats-hotThu, 03 Nov 2011 17:01:39 GMT”>Ask Nick: Team income, degreaser tips, wide q-factors and more.

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LinkedIn IPO demand could be very strong tomorrow, but a possible irrational valuation of $45 per share could stall things a little. This would value the social networking company at $4 billion, that’s an increase of $10 a share. however, the early signs show that investors will pay that price.

WSJ say that this is one of the most anticipated initial public offerings in years, but they cannot help but think how much interest would be generated if Facebook had already had their IPO? LinkedIn only had a revenue of $243 million in 2010, but only managed to make a profit of $15.4 million.

The worrying thing that investors will have to take into consideration is the fact that LinkedIn is not expected to make much of a profit this year, as they have already made plans to invest heavily into the technology to help its growth. We can be certain that the likes of Facebook and Groupon will be watching tomorrows IPO very carefully, just to see if investors are prepared to buy into such a business. what makes LinkedIn different to other social networking services is the fact that most of their subscribers are somewhat wealthy, as they are mostly business types. This means that they will be more beneficial to the advertisers – something that investors will consider.

Do you think that LinkedIn is worth $4 billion? will the IPO prove popular?

<a href="http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/10/27/android-fragmentation-shows-many-handsets-abandoned/tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/10/27/android-fragmentation-shows-many-handsets-abandoned/Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:02:49 GMT”>LinkedIn IPO Demand: Possible Irrational Valuation

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