Zinn Cycles Blog

117 miles is in the books for my longest gravel race ever, and what an absolutely epic experience it was! The Rule of Three 117 mile course in Bentonville, Arkansas was a true mixed-terrain challenge, throwing everything imaginable at me. We had 30 miles of challenging singletrack – often loose, twisty, and technical – interspersed with 40 miles of diverse gravel, featuring both relentless climbs and exhilarating fast descents. The rest of the 40 miles were on the road, providing moments of swift cruising before dipping back onto the rough stuff. Through every single twist, turn, climb, and descent, my new Clydesdale BFG 32er gravel bike not only handled it all, but it truly crushed it.

I have been 6’ 8” for roughly 30 years, but a cyclist for only a dozen or so. When I decided to get into cycling, I quickly learned the challenges of finding a bike that actually fits. After a failed attempt with the largest bike that could be ordered from the local bike shop (a 64cm Trek that just wasn’t big enough), I was fortunate enough to find Zinn cycles. The custom bikes were out of the range of what I could afford, but fortunately the KHS 747 offered an affordable option and introduction into real cycling. The 747 was a great starter road bike, had good enough components, and allowed me to actually ride comfortably for the first time in my adult life. Even though it was a budget-friendly option, Lennard Zinn was still helpful in helping size and fit me on the bike which I was grateful for. After a number of years, I decided I was cycling enough that I could justify moving up to something even better, and graduating college after 25 years of continuous enrollment (not a typo) I decided to treat myself to a Clydesdale as a graduation gift. Living only a short drive away from Zinn Cycles new retail store, I was able to visit in person and Lennard was again able to provide his guidance and assistance for the pre-sales and the final fitting, and Nick was able to help with spec decision making to make sure the bike had exactly what I was looking for… and the Zinn team has been helpful ever since with maintenance and minor repairs after the fact.

Tall triathletes know that smaller athletes have inherent advantages over them on the run portion of the event and that it’s advantageous to gain as much time on lightweight runners as possible before donning running shoes. The Clydesdale Tri is designed to do just that for riders who are too tall to fit on stock-sized triathlon bikes from any other brand. The Tri also offers tall riders more speed in time trials.

“Aerodynamics matter greatly”, at least that seems to be a common thought among triathletes, if social media is in any way reliable. Balancing aerodynamics with power and comfort is a necessity for long course races such as the 70.3 and 140.6. This year I am riding a bike which provides a better share of aerodynamics and comfort than anything else commonly available for someone 6’4 and over.

Sorry piggy, but it was worth every penny! I filled in all my measurements on the Zinn sizing page on their website, and then got a call from Nick to just ask a few more questions about my riding style preferences. Apparently a 3XL was going to be just right for me. When the biggest bike box I’d ever seen was delivered to my house a few weeks later, I knew there was something special in there. I pulled out the frame, wheels and assorted other parts, assembled everything, and when I got on it … it fit! I mean it actually FIT me! Like a bike fit me the last time when I was a teenager and still under 6′ tall. Wow, what a feeling!

Zinn Duro Carbon Fork – 47mm tire clearance You can replace your fork with the new Duro carbon fork and you will be able to have 43mm tires front and rear or you could even do a 43mm rear tire and 47mm front tire. Many gravel bikers like to use this size for more rugged gravel roads and trails, so this easy upgrade will bring your Draft or Team to a new level of gravel riding.

Drop Down Handlebars – What Are They? Drop-down handlebars, also known as “drop bars,” are a type of handlebar commonly used on road bikes. They get their name from the hand grips that offer lower positioning than the straight portion of the handlebar, allowing the rider to “drop” down into a more aerodynamic position. Manufacturers use carbon fiber or aluminum to make drop-down handlebars. The distinctive shape of drop bars allows for multiple hand positions, and more experienced cyclists looking for speed and more control while riding use them.