NEW! Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance 4th edition

Boulder, CO, USA – February 21, 2013 – Lennard Zinn has updated his best-selling book Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance, the world’s most helpful and comprehensive guide to bicycle repair and maintenance. From basic repairs like how to fix a flat tire to advanced overhauls of drivetrains and brakes, Zinn’s clearly illustrated guide makes every bicycle repair and maintenance job easy for everyone. Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance, 4th Ed. is now available in bookstores, bike shops, and online. To preview the book and see what’s new, visit http://www.velopress.com.

* Basics: How to fix a flat tire, lube a bicycle chain, adjust the brakes
* Emergency repairs: How to fix a broken chain, tighten loose spokes, repair a bent derailleur
* Easy shifting: How to clean, lube, and adjust shifters and cables for smooth shifting
* Wheels: How to install a new tire, change a cassette, true a wheel, replace broken spokes, build your own wheels
* Overhaul: How to repair pedals, chains and chainrings, saddles, handlebars, stems, headsets, forks
* New tech: How to maintain 11-speed systems, electronic shifters, disc brakes, new bottom bracket formats
* Cyclocross: How to set up a ‘cross bike for racing, select the right components, and make quick repairs
* Troubleshooting: How to figure out what’s wrong with any bike and fix it

Click here to read the full description

I got my first win at Valmont Bike Park!

I got my first win at Valmont Bike Park on Saturday Nov. 17 in the 55+ cyclocross race. Click here to see more.  It was very satisfying to finally win on that course, especially since the course was set way differently than it has been in the past, and it didn’t have much in the way of power sections where you could pass other riders, so it did not suit my strengths. I also don’t think I had ever beaten Gary Thacker before, the guy who has been dominating this category for the past few years in Colorado and is a former national cyclocross champion. All in all, a very good day in what has been a great season for me. I have four wins and four second places out of ten race starts this season. And in US Gran Prix of Cyclocross races I have two wins (in Ft. Collins, CO) and a 3rd and a 4th place (in Louisville, KY).

-Lennard

Lennard on the Podium at the USGP in Kentucky

Lennard just got back from the US Grand Prix Cyclocross race in Kentucky. While he made it onto the podium, his bike was blown over while on a repair stand and his carbon handlebar broke. At least his custom magnesium cyclocross bike made it unscathed. Check out the pics. Here is a link to Lennard’s column in Velonews with more information about the event. http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/11/news/cyclocross/lennard-zinn-gallery-neutral-support-and-podium-dangers-at-the-derby-city-cup_264915

 

Lennard Zinn sweeps the USGP races Oct. 13-14!

The US Grand Prix of Cyclocross, the biggest cyclocross race series in this country, came to Colorado the weekend of October 13-14 in the form of the SmartWool USGP in Fort Collins. My daughter Emily and I raced on our magnesium custom Zinn Magster ‘cross bikes, and both of us had successful weekends. I won both days in 55+ Masters men, and Emily placed mid-pack both days in Category 2&3 women despite fighting a cold and having just moved up from Category 4 (she is still in her first year of racing).

Saturday started cool and dry and turned to pouring rain in the middle of my race. Fortunately, I had opted for tires with good tread (Dugast Typhoons) rather than fine tread, which would have been faster in the conditions at the start but which would have been sliding all over the place in the mud that formed rapidly the last two laps. I had lots of catching up to do in both races, since I started in the very back row both days. Unlike local races, in which riders are called to the line based on their points totals, the USGP in my and Emily’s categories do not have a points category of their own and don’t honor any other. Call-ups are based entirely on order that registration was received, and we registered late.

The challenge of passing all of those riders in my group plus lots of singlespeeders who were on course at the same time and had started 2 minutes ahead was great practice for me for upcoming national and world championships I’ll be doing in January. Being able to advance through traffic on a tight and technical cyclocross course is a crucial skill for success.

I am in my fourth season of racing cyclocross, and this season, since I just moved up to 55+ and will be the young guy in that category, added to the fact that the world cyclocross championships are in the USA–in Louisville, KY (the first time ever outside of Europe), I have been training for cycling for the first time in 30 years. I started racing cyclocross as a way to stay fit for cross-country ski racing in the fall, but now it has become an end in itself. And I got an early jump on the cycling season by tearing my triceps muscle in the Finlandia Hiihto and Vasaloppet ski races in Finland and Sweden in late February/early March. Instead of skiing into May, I hung up my skis after the first weekend in March, and I raced my first road season since 1982, in order to prepare for cyclocross season. My goal is to be on the podium at state, national and world championships in cyclocross this season. I am encouraged by this weekend’s results and am taking them as evidence that my training plan is working.

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Cyclocross Nationals 2012

This past weekend was the Cyclocross Nationals in Wisconsin. Not as much snow as we were used to from racing cyclocross in Colorado this season, and overall a great event. Here are some photos.

Here I (Lennard Zinn) am with my longtime buddy Dag Selander (in the orange jacket) who pit-crewed for me. I switched bikes four times during the race; one time because I had a stick jammed in my rear derailleur (see photo). Dag power washed my bikes and gave me a nice, clean one almost every lap.
Last photo is with my teammates (who race different categories than me); left to right: LZ, Brandon Dwight, Pete Webber, and Greg Keller.

My custom lightweight magnesium Zinn Cyclocross bike with custom cranks, Enve carbon fiber rims, and all the lightweight components.

 

 

Following in her father’s tire tracks – Emily Zinn is kicking butt in the local ‘cross circuit.

It’s great to see a father and daughter team racing ‘cross together. Emily decided to join Lennard this year to train and race in the local Cyclocross series. Despite a snowy start to the season, the two of them have been out training together at dawn at least once a week, and racing on the weekends. Both are riding custom Zinn magnesium cyclocross bikes, and the lightweight, smooth riding bikes have helped keep the energy levels to the max. (Emily isn’t quite lucky enough to have two bikes, like her dad,  yet. Christmas is still not here……)

Emily Zinn after her victory Saturday in the Bowl of Death at the Louisville Rec Center

On Saturday, she was psyched for her home course advantage (the Bowl of Death is just over the hill from her house and where they train at least once a week) and for the foot of snow and plenty of mud, in which she loves riding. She had lots of Bowl of Death Wednesday morning training group regulars, cheering her on, as well as her mom Sonny and cousin Leif and Delilah (her faithful hound).
A bike change would have made a big difference; on the last lap, her rear wheel froze in place on the last run-up so it wouldn’t turn for remounting.
Saturday she beat a big field as it was part of the Colorado Cross Cup series, and she beat the woman who’s leading the series by almost a minute.

Emily on the top step after winning the Adrenalin Cross in Highlands Ranch

She also won the Adrenalin Cross race on Sunday against a smaller field under much colder temperatures (24F; Saturday must have been 30F or so during her race, as the sun was out).
Way to go Emily, the whole Zinn crew is rooting for you. Especially since there is no way the rest of us are going to go out there and race bikes in the snow.

Emily on a challenging, snowy climb. hope she brought toe warmers

Emily on the Adrenalin Cross course in Highlands Ranch, Colorado

This is why cyclocross racers have two bikes.

Emily still relishing her first win at the Bowl of Death after the others have left.

Here is a link to the race results: http://www.americancycling.org/results/cross#year=2011&eventId=905&resultsetId=7606