Gotta love the team deals...
 

So Specialized is a sponsor of our team for a couple years now, and we just got the annual "get your team goodies" form... I had fun doing some shopping. Did I need any of it? Probably not, but it was a REALLY good deal and we get to try out some nice stuff. I'm particularly looking forward to the shades, which are photochromic and will (hopefully) eliminate the need for switching lenses.

(gloves, glasses, helmet are red, shoes are white)

http://www.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/...Comp_All_l.jpg
http://www.specialized.com/media/equ...Team_Red_t.jpg
http://www.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/...elix_All_l.jpg
http://www.specialized.com/media/equ...Road_Wht_t.jpg

And 2 sets of Mondo S-Works Open Tubulars. Good, good times.

For all you new racers out there, yes, there are advantages to joining a team.

Glad to see you cashed in! Might as well. Nice choices. Let us know how those lenses work; I am intrigued by them.

Our sponsorship package is also excellent, and I took advantage recently with a set of new carbon wheels. That'll probably kick my budget in the a$$ for some time.

Hehe... "I know it's a lot of money, dear, but look how much I saved!" :D :beer:

I really couldn't pass up the deal. The prices were just stupidly low. Good thing we didn't have carbon wheels on the list... I mean, we still get a discount at the shop year-round but these were some special deals direct from Specialized.

I got photochromatic lenses (in Tifosi glasses) two months ago, so far they are suiting me really well and my only problem with them is on the incredibly sunny days they are not quite dark enough, but that's a bigger probelm in southern Colorado than in MD

Yeah, snowblindness is not much of an issue around here...

I ordered up the sunglasses because my Rudy Project Freeons keep developing a crack in the lens right by the nosepiece. Granted, RP will replace them for $15, but I've done it twice and it's not like they're replaced overnight.

Sweet. It's good to hear that you are getting good deals through your team. My team has numerous pro deals that are significant discounts compared to MSRP but the prices are invariably higher than what I find at ProBikeKit.com.

--Steve

Hmmm photochromic. I'll be looking to replace my Rudy Project Rydons eventually... I'd probably enjoy those... although I wonder if RP makes them for the Rydons...

Yeah, Specialized and our sponsoring shop really take great care of us. It's great that they're hooking us up with the same stuff the QuickStep boys are riding on for next to nothing. Specialized is also extremely responsive when there's a problem. A couple racers had problems with the Tarmac E5's they bought on the team deal last year, and Specialized replaced them with new CF Tarmacs in very short order.

I guess with some companies those expensive decals on the bike pay for something...

You're gonna love those shoes. There's mixed reviews on the boa design but I'm a like it. It's stiff but no hot spots and has some carbon bling on the bottom to boot. Can you order another pair of 43s? :)

Hehe... might throw up a red flag if I order 2 different sizes... :)

The shoes/helmet/gloves are ordered as a package too.

I tried a pair of the BG Pro Carbons, but I kinda think they were the wrong size (45). I tried on the 46's today and they were great, even with some wool winter socks on. The Boa thing seems pretty cool. Don't think I'll be ebaying off the Sidis just yet, but I'm definitely excited to give these a try.

DocRay, Let me know how you like the helmet. I'm looking at replacing my Giro Monza and was thinking about the Specialized Decibel for my next brain saver.

I can let you know how I like MY decibel, but I'm pretty sure DocRay doesn't have one. ;)

Congrats on the shoes. Those are the goddamn best shoes I've ever worn!

cool, so the auto-censor doesn't pick up goddamn! how ****ing cool is that?

team deals are even better when the schwag is free. boy do i miss those VERY good times. ;)

Pete, you'll like those lenses. I have those glasses and they work well in all conditions.

God damn it. The Specialized San Remo's are the glasses I've been wanting for months now. And our team is sponsored by Rudy Project instead. Lame. I can't find the Tarzo's or San Remo's at a decent price anywhere.

You lucky dog, Dr. Pete. Tell me how you like them. And if you decide you don't like the glasses, you have an eager potential buyer lined up. Cough :: me :: cough. :D

They do. You can get them in a Photochromic version or a Polarized/Photochromic version.

I have the Photochromic version for my Ketyums and I like them a lot. Some say they don't go dark enough in bright sun light, but I haven't had a problem with them.

:o Sorry about that! I was tired and just got done reading a thread by DocRay and saw "DRPete....


my apologies! :)

^^ It's all good. :beer:

Man you are going to one color co-ordinated MF'er. When they step up and get you that Tarmac SL for free! Don't they realize how valuable you are! It's time to renegotiate your deal.

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

Well, here's the update--I got my schwag today!

Helmet (Decibel in Team colors): Super comfy, and honestly better adjustment than my Giro Atmos. Also Snell-approved, which makes me feel a little better about things. The only place I'll say the Atmos is superior is in ventilation, but the Decibel is no slouch.

Glasses (Helix Adaptalite): GREAT pair of shades. The photochromic lenses really do a nice job--I tested them by driving in a tunnel with them on, and they went to almost clear. Fit is very nice and close to the brow, which keeps debris out of there when riding in the drops, etc.

Gloves (BG Comps): Good, solid gloves. Very nice fit. Too early to tell if the Body Geometry features make a huge difference vs. my PI Gel Vents, but we'll see. Either way, pretty sharp.

Shoes (S-Works Carbon): Very, very nice. The Boa system makes these probably the comfiest shoes I've worn, even compared to the Sidis. The fit is just so perfectly snug, and on-the-fly adjustment is really easy. The soles are super stiff, and the shape feels good. Very pleased so far. I switched the standard red BG footbeds for the blue ones from my Sidis, so we'll see what happens. Should dial the fit in even more.

Still waiting for the tires to show up (Mondo S-Works open tubulars) so more on those later.

All in all, very nice equipment, and Specialized totally hooked us up on the cheap with some of their top of the line schwag. It's insanely cool of them. I also got to check out some of the Tarmac Pros that my teammates ordered, and they're HOT. better paint job than the S-Works Tarmacs IMHO. Plenty of very happy racers around here thanks to the folks at Specialized. :beer:

awww you lucky!!!!!!
I love the glasses, specialy the silver ones!

Well, our team got the red ones. Hopefully some pics will follow from tomorrow's race...