With the arrival of my second son in October, I knew that training time was going to get even tighter than it was. With that in mind, I wanted to leave myself with as few excuses as possible not to ride. While I have never shied away from cold weather riding, the prospect of the cold and WET has often left me making alternative plans. So I stocked up on rain-specific gear that also met my budget -- reference the birth of my second son above.

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SRAM has something up their sleeve, with a teaser for a new SRAM Red group out.  Check it out after the break...

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Come in and check out the new Brooks Barbican Shoulder Bag, in stock at CycleLife in both the black and sand colors.  The Barbican Shoulder Bag features a water resistant cotton fabric construction with leather accents.  The shoulder strap also doubles as a waist strap, for additional stability and security while riding.  A stylish and classic way to get you and your personal effects from here to there.

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 We're huge nerds when it comes to clothes.

Instead of a shotgun approach to stocking merchandise, we pick each item because it has a roll to play. We put a high premium on items which can be used in different climate conditions. 

Below we've combined items from Rapha and Endura to address DC's unpredictable Fall / Winter weather.

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 I have been wanting to try a Cyclocross race for the last couple of years but for some reason the stars never aligned with training schedules, personal schedules and actually having a cross bike.

Well, 3 weeks ago someone posted on the MABRA list that they were selling a well used cross bike for $200. It was too good of a deal to pass up, and I figured for $200.00 the bike would fit the engine I was going to use to power it. Next step, I found a practice organized by a team member held on a free morning. Things were finally coming together. Nice thing is there seems to be a practice every weekday around the DC area.

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As I was on my usual day-off ride I found myself fixated on my stem. Not because it was creaking or slightly off center, or any other weird distraction that can change your focus. Instead, I was blown away by just how solid the Rotor S2 feels and performs.

All stems should hold your bars securely, look good, and be light and stiff right? And they should also reduce stress on your steer tube and handle bar.

My S2 Rotor stem has all the cool engineering one could want and all the other features a bike racer or weight weenie demands! First off, it is light, lighter than the traditional aluminum stem. Next, it is stiff, and the tapered design helps reduce flex and looks good too

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Do you have a pair of old (but working) pedals sitting around?  Ready to retire those 10 year old Looks with 50,000 miles in them? Need some motivation to upgrade?

Well ... how about trading them in?

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 I've always liked to check out new technology, be it bike or apparel. Recently I've heard a lot of talk about compression clothing and how the medical community has been using the technology for years to aid patients in their recovery. I must say I was intrigued and skeptical about compression clothing. Could clothing really aid you in recovery? The idea made sense to me; a tight circular knit fabric compresses the blood vessels to stimulate blood flow and support the muscles.

So I figured why not try it out. While on my lunch break one day I engaged in a rather strenuous lower body work out prescribed by one of the CycleLife Fitness staff. After the work out I did my normal stretching routine, then put on the 2XU Recovery Leggings.

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