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Quintana Roo/Hed Road Show

On January 10 -11, the Quintana Roo/HED Traveling Show opened with its first stop in Austin, Texas.  With Austin only about 5 hours from Lake Charles, we were tempted into going and we were not disappointed.  The show hosted an expo which included Quntana Roo, Hed, Saucony, Gu, Ultima, Computrainer and Traithlete Magazine. During the two-day expo, a list of seminars included talks by  Dan Empfield and Steve Hed.

Diane, Steve Hed and Mark.
Here, Steve shows us the newest addition to his wheel line.

Steve Hed, president of Hed Design, also instructed two very informative and popular seminars, “Comparing Disc, Deep Dish and Carbon Spoked Wheels” and “Race Wheels: 26″ or 700c.” Steve Hed and John Cobb of Bicycle Sports of Shreveport have spent much time testing in the wind tunnel which included time this past week. Their studies have come up with some amazing conclusions about wheel design, aerodynamics, and efficient riding. I was most amazed at the amount of science and technology involved in this sport. I now have a better understanding on the effects that wind and air resistance have on the cyclist. Once Steve’s allotted time would expire, the discussion was seen to follow into the hall. At any time, we were encouraged to ask questions and learn more, even during the expo time.
Darren Wood, a QR pro athlete spoke on theuse of incorporating indoor trainers with your training. Computrainer is a show sponsor and several Computrainers were set up and athletes were encouraged to test rides. Darren also addressed a group concerned with triathlon basics.

Another popular seminar was John Cobb’s “When Being Aero Makes you Slower.” Again, wind tunnel testing and John’s expertise on bike fit were covered. John also has a tape “Wind Tunnel Magic” which covers the studies conducted in the wind tunnel. Excellent video and we do recommend you purchase your copy if you are interested in aerodynamics and cycling. John was also availble to give individual fit assessments to those that brought their bikes.

Cal Rifkin, president of Ultima, covered the two seminars that dealt with fluid replacement. Linda Buchanan, world class triathlete, covered nutrtion as well as topics that concerned women’s issues.

The seminars left us exhausted as there was a wealth of information that was covered. Personally, there was much information that was already familiar to us but there were also many points and techniques that were items we had not thought about or considered. While there was information that was familar, it was reassuring to know that we have been doing something right and that we may be on the right track. It is also reassuring to hear this information from Dan, Steve, John and the others and have the opportunity to ask questions and even discuss these items one-on-one.

As we drove the 5 hour trip back home, we reflected on the entire seminar and what is had meant for us. When we stop and think about other manufacturers, we do not see them doing for the age-group triathletes and “giving back” to the sport in the way that these show sponsors are doing. While many sponsor top pros and invest money in big name events, it is the one that speaks to the triathlete that is important to us. One example is that QR has a race director’s program in which we can get water bottles and swim caps for the races. I also believe that QR wants to work with the clubs as well. Yes, they sponsor pro’s but they have not forgotten about the age-group athlete who does purchase their products. Another example is that the president of QR, Dan Empfield has utilized the internet by being the first bike manufacturer to have a website. Dan also has a great amount of input on the triathlon newsgroup. Whenever we see a posting by “QRman,” we are always sure to check it out.

I think that one of the best parts that Mark enjoyed about the roadshow was the opportunity to meet and converse with Dan and Steve. We had the opportunity to see that these are real people with real lives. Even if their “real life” includes traveling the world to compete or train, it was still fun to listen to their stories. We think that one of the seminars should just be an open forum where we can just listen to Dan talk about training, the start of his company or those they train with.

If the show comes anywhere near you, be sure to make every attempt to attend. You will be sorry if you miss it. We felt like the triathletes in Austin were very fortunate to have this opportunity and we expected to see more of them. If you are so lucky to have the show in your home town or even a few hours aways, be sure to show some support back so that we will continue to see these shows in the future.

For more info on the QR Road Show, check out the QR site.