I've gotten some requests over PM for an update on the build and specifically on the wheels. Here's my general impressions of the year since this bike was built in February: I've ridden more this year than I ever have and am in the best shape of my life (and was no slouch previously). In my first season of racing, I've lined up for 25 races and have just two to go. I'll have about half the points I need to make Cat 3 by season's end, and that's with my mid-season hiatus with a broken wrist (scaphoid) bone. It's been a blast - I keep thinking of next season, and the season after that, and five year category upgrade goals. This bike has done everything I need it to, with some modifications to the build along the way. Here's some changes:

Cockpit: switched out the Arione, it was driving me nuts (pun!). I had the 143mm Toupe but wanted to go slimmer and when I saw the Phenom SL it looked like such a more solid build than the Toupe. Gone were those stupid plastic end caps and it had a stiffer, flatter shell which made perfect sense to me. I've spent some serious time on this saddle and can attest it's not really MTB specific. If Specialized just labeled it the Gen2 Toupe it'd be flying off the shelves. I also changed out the stem to get another 1cm of reach. I plan on switching out the bars, going all the way to the Easton SLX3's because I want short flat reach, a curving - but not fully traditional - bend, and a 130-135mm drop. (Any sub-$200 recommendations?)

Frame: Nothing! Awesome frame. I suffer no carbon-envy whatsoever (not saying I won't take advantage of my team's Giant sponsorship in 2009 though ). My bike is right at 17lbs, feels rock solid and does everything I ask it to. There's a reason why CAAD9 almost always wins the "bike1 vs. bike2?" showdowns.

Components: SRAM has been good. I'm not too enthusiastic about how precisely it needs to be dialed in to get quality shifting up and down across the range. But as long as I keep an eye on it, it doesn't let me down. I haven't dropped a chain in a single race (knockin on wood right now). I did switch out the 1090R chain well before its life expired for a Dura Ace chain and saw a noticeable improvement in shifting. Next I think I'll try one the KMC chains. Other than that, the SRAM Rival/Ultegra SL build functions just as it should.

Wheels: The Solitude wheelset turned out to be the weakest link. I'm frustrated with the level of build quality from a company like Reynolds. I bought these wheels to do everything, race, train, and just ride. I thought they were the best bang for the buck, by the numbers, and had some schwag factor to boot. But after about 600 miles, I broke a NDS rear spoke. Now, part of the reason I went with Reynolds is because I thought their J-bend DT Swiss Revolution spokes would be easy to source. I live in a metropolitan area and called no less than 6 shops, not a single one stocked these spokes. About half of the mechanics I talked to did take the time to tell me DT Revolutions were spaghetti string spokes just used to bring wheel weight down and they weren't surprised they were breaking on me. My recommendation on buying Reynolds is to pass on anything that doesn't have the Aerolites and 240 hubs. I can't believe there's $1000+ wheelsets with these hubs and wheels (Assault, Attack)

So I had to call Reynolds and have them ship me spokes from Utah, which took about 2 weeks for them to be in my hand. If I didn't have a teammate with an extra set of wheels I would have been SOL. Reynolds sent me 3 NDS rear spokes. About every two months, I broke a NDS rear spoke again. My mechanic had the Reynolds tension specs, was de-tensioning before replacing the spoke and bringing them all back together, etc, just like Reynolds specified. To their credit, Reynolds has agreed to hand-rebuild them for me with 100% new spokes. I will take them up on this, but when that third and last spare spoke went in, I bought a pair of Easton EA90SLs. I need clinchers I can trust. The EA90SLs have been terrific. 24/28 spoke count, but lighter than my Reynolds, stiffer feel, world-class hubs. I paid about $425 for them, but even MSRP seems like a good deal. The things I notice most is sprinting and descending. I've got these up to about 50mph and I feel glued to the ground, and when I wind them up in a sprint or climb they keep me feeling solid and predictable. I've decided I'll keep the to-be-rebuilt Reynolds as my wheel pit/van wheels. I'm not expecting a broken spoke from these Eastons anytime soon, if ever.

That's that. Here's a pic of the latest incarnation of my bike. At the top of the Westernport Wall, in Westernport, MD, while on vacation. For those who don't know, its 31% at its max pitch. You're damn right I got up that wall.