Archive for category: News

Firmware upgrades for Viiiiva and PRECISION are on track and testing is nearing completion. The updated apps will be submitted to the app stores shortly and, as always, active customers will receive direct email notifications regarding the release. We’ll also update you on the Friday File.

As PRECISION customers move their performance to a whole new level with the addition of power data, here’s a view of a dedicated cyclist. Meet mathematician Paul Savala, a keen numbers guy who used his brain as much as his legs to win his first race.

Name: Paul Savala
Age: 31
Race Bike: Lynskey Cooper, titanium road bike with PRECISION power meter on left crank and Garmin Edge 500 head unit.
Profession: PhD student in Mathematics at the University of Iowa; part-time blogger
Cycling History: Bike racing for three years; recently upgraded to Cat 4
Why Cycling? In high school, I tried a bunch of sports like baseball and weightlifting. Because of my smaller physique, I was having a hard time thriving in those sports. One day, a friend invited me for a bike ride and it was an immediate fit for me.
What’s your motivation?
As an analytical person, I love the structure of competition and training. It’s an aspect of my life I can control and push myself in. Cycling also makes me a healthier human being.
What secret formula did you use for winning your first career race in July 2015:
As you can read on my blog titled “How to Win Without Being Fast”, I’m extremely strategic in choosing which races I enter and make sure they complement my strengths. I carefully study each racecourse I compete on and try to plan my training to emphasize the key course features. Training with PRECISION has been essential to making sure I train exactly the way the course will challenge me. That means that if a course ends with a huge hill, then I’ll make sure all my training rides end with a heavy load. The combination of all these elements, from the races I chose to my training approach and tools made a huge different for me this summer.
How has riding with a power meter changed how you train and race?
Monitoring my power has been key to helping me get stronger, faster and smarter about my training and racing. Overall, having PRECISION has motivated me to be more strategic about my cycling and given me the data to quantify my efforts and improvement.
How do you integrate all your training and racing data?
I use Golden Cheetah. I’ve written a blog post on how I do this.
Why a blog?
It started as a tool for cataloguing my race experiences. It’s evolved into extensive discussions about how I make the most of my training and racing – especially using the power meter.
Favourite ride?
I enjoy all the fall riding in the Midwest US. The colours are bright and the air is crisp.
Bucket list?
Everywhere! I’d really like to bike in Belgium and experience the deep cycling culture there.
Fall and winter training?
Like most North Americans, I’ll be hitting the trainer to get ready for next season. I’ll continue to use my PRECISION throughout the off season.

If you’re you an enthusiastic 4iiii product user with a great story to share, let us know at info@4iiii.com.

Testing of dual side PRECISION is going very well and is currently targeting early 2016 production.   Firm dates will be announced as soon as they are confirmed.) In the meantime, check out a sneak preview posted today on DCRainmaker’s blog!

Next week we’ll be posting information about the upcoming PRECISION firmware release.  The upgrade offers new usability features and also addresses the unusual pedalling styles exhibited by a few riders.  This will be helpful to those of you who are comparing multiple power meters.   It should be mentioned that for those who only use power-based training plans, an unusual pedalling style is of no consequence because PRECISION measurements are consistent and relative from day to day.

Now, if cracked ribs and separated shoulder have you stuck on the couch like our Cross Crasher Karel, here’s a view of what’s happening in the global cycling world. The inaugural Abu Dhabi Tour is underway and well worth checking out (https://www.abudhabitour.com/home.php).  The race is mostly a sprinter’s delight with flat finishes, racing through unique landscapes that aren’t often seen in pro cycling.

Keener triathletes are also chomping at the bit to see the results from the Ironman World Championships in Kona.  The big race is tomorrow with many athletes braving the choppy waters, the heat and the wind of the event.  Kona is one of the rare events on the tri calendar that is renowned for windy conditions – to the extent that disc wheels are prohibited.  Slowtwitch.com has fantastic coverage from the week leading up to the big event.

And finally on home turf, a 4iiii relay running team will compete in the Grizzly Ultra Marathon in Canmore, Alberta this Sunday. The team will take on the five legs of pretty technical terrain, running a combined 50km.  Our motivation is simple:  run enough to justify a trip to the Poutinerie (aka the restaurant that serves poutine) post race!  This day’s activity will also serve as a great antidote for our big turkey dinners on holiday Monday.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you north of the 49th!

You definitely know it’s cross season when conversation turns to pumpkin spiced lattes, modular clothing and embrocation cream. For those of you south of the equator, you’re leaving these favs behind but for us up north, road racing is over, cyclocross is in full swing and riders are out to ride for fun before winter arrives in earnest.

The most marked difference between summer and fall riding in our part of the world is the need for different clothing systems. Rides can start in very chilly morning conditions and end in almost summer-like heat in the afternoon. Dressing in tights and winter riding boots (fatbikers rejoice!) for the morning will leave you sweltering later on in the day. Obviously, the reverse is also true and dressing in a jersey and shorts might be comfortable in the afternoon, but you’ll have to suffer through the morning to the heat of the day.

Without question, the key to transitioning between seasons, regardless of your hemisphere, is the modular clothing system. Ideally, this consists of arm warmers, leg warmers (or knee covers), shoe covers and full-fingered but light gloves. The most important component is a nice, light vest with pockets. This combination leaves you toasty-warm in the morning, but the shoe covers, leg warmers and arm warmers can be removed at various times to always maintain the perfect body temperature. The vest we talked about is required because you need the pocket space to stow all of this extra gear later in the day.

The other approach is to use embrocation cream directly on your skin when you don’t have room to stash your clothing pieces. Creams, such as that made by Mad Alchemy provide a nice warming sensation by increasing blood flow to the anointed areas. I use the medium strength on my legs and hands – it’s kind of like having a cushion of warm air around your exposed skin. Caution should be taken as embrocated areas feel like they are burning when hit by intense sunlight. You’re best to only use the cream on long rides when the forecast is for overcast skies. And whatever you do, don’t get the cream in your eyes. One last tip is to wipe applied areas with dish soap before showering. This helps to remove the cream that can burn a little when hot water hits.

Happy riding and remember to use your lights as the days get shorter!