STU Day 1

After a morning run 6,000 feet above what I am use to (man this air is thin), I made the short walk from my hotel to the SRAM development building. Upon entering the "classroom" I was instantly amazed at what I saw. I had just entered one of the most technologically advanced classrooms I had ever seen. Pictures are to come but we are talking about amps for the instructors with mics, multiple projectors being fed video from a micro lens camera, shop "lab" tables that would put most LBSs to shame, an entertainment system, pots of coffee ready to drink, and bike parts that were waiting to be broken down. You are right, this is the bike industry that we are talking about and not a presentation by Steve Jobs (Apple CEO). Impressive!

Moving along...after all formal introductions we immediately dove into the theory side of why SRAM develops product the way they do. But this is what I really like: our instructor, Hercules, first asked us what is it about SRAM that we didn't like or had questions about. I think that question is very important because not only do they want feedback from riders and shop owners but also the actual grease monkeys that make their stuff work. Bravo!

Even though I ride SRAM X.O and Force I can already tell I am going to be totally brainwashed by the time Friday rolls around. Everything just makes soo much sense. Let me digress for a moment. Here is the deal: assuming I get the go ahead from SRAM I am going to share all info that I can just not here all at once and not now. Each day I'll post the basics of the day and maybe really cool stuff I learned during that time period. Then later on I hope to get on some podcasts as well as publish some documents with detailed info. But back to the events at hand.

Today; wow there is no way I can "sum it up" because so much was discussed in theory followed by lab time of totally disassembling a Rival shifter followed with rebuilds, bleeds, and hose sizing of Juicy brakes. But here are 3 tips: check your bike's chain line, always put your dual suspension bike at its max travel point when installing a new chain, and keep your cables and housing clean. Contamination is the worse possible problem for a shifting drivetrain.

I'll leave you with this: some people really like Campagnolo because of the "ease" of servicing the shifter. I officially challenge that statement or rumor and will proclaim that any mechanic with 1± year of experience could break-down/re-build a SRAM road shifter blind-folded. It is that easy. Good evening...