NOVA, team camp & 29ers

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I snuck out of Wisconsin and headed to the Arizona desert to work on a sweet sunburn.  With my pssty Wisconsin winter complexion, it only took about an hour for tanlines to set in, so we got on with the business of why I was really in Arizona- the Subaru-Gary Fisher team camp. 

The team was racing NMBS event #2, the NOVA Classic, just outside of Scottsdale, AZ.  We used the event as an opportunity to get team photos as well. The riders were great sports and fantastically patient as we set up and tinkered with the shots. In the photo of JHK with his Superfly you can’t hear the generator roaring in the background or see the cactus needles we’ll be pulling out of the photographer’s backside, but the finished photos look really good. 

Anyway, the prevalence of 29ers here at the NOVA is undeniable. Big wheeled bikes are everywhere.  In Friday’s marathon race, 29″ wheels were the rule, rather than the exception.  Nat Ross of the Subaru-Fisher team took fourth on his Superfly. (Nice job Nat!) 5 out of the 6 Subaru-Fisher riders chose their Superfly for the Friday afternoon Super D as well.  Matt Opperman (SGF team mechanic and 29er Crew rider) and Jon Rourke (SGF team manager) preped team Superflies for the race.

Lookinng down the rack of team bikes, it’s an even split between 26″ and 29″ wheels and if this weekend is any indications, the Superfly is going to be a popular bike in the team quiver. 

I’m off. I have to work on evening out these tanlines before heading back to Wisconsin.