On Friday, Oct the 27th, the first competion of the popular training series Bahn-o-Rama in Vienna was held. It’s the second year for the Series on the
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Chase GmbH: In the heart of Maria Enzersdorf directly on the border to Mödling, our workshop is located with our own carbon part production. In Laut + Luisa’s great Magazin, which introduces the living worlds of the St. Gabriel site, you can get a nice impression of the small colorful world behind the beautiful brick walls of the monastery – including some insights into the company Chase!
For Austrian triathlon, the Ironman in Klagenfurt (Carinthia) is one of the biggest flagships in the scene. The race is internationally known and renowned. The long distance competition covers 3.8 km of swimming, followed by 180 km of cycling and completed by a 42 km long marathon. Each of the disciplines offers a special scenic feature. Swimming through a turquoise-blue Wörthersee with drinking water quality. The two 90 km laps of the bike course lead along the southern shore to the Fakeer See, over the Carinthian hinterland with a great panoramic view, back to Klagenfurt. Along the canal and through the heart of the city, the participants are constantly fighting against exhaustion and time.
In the short term there was the possibility to get a spot for the sold out spectacle. So it came to the Chase debut at an Ironman event. For Felix, basically a bike specialist, this meant full concentration on a good cycling time.
The aerodynamically optimized material should form the basis for a fast wheel split. A skinsuit with an accurately pinned starting number, a disc wheel in a striking and matching design, fitting the Rams Cycling time trial bike and the newly developed Chase APS – Aero Performance System– a handlebar cockpit for time trial, track and triathlon bikes that enables an aerodynamic and at the same time power-saving posture.
Over a distance of 180 km, the management of forces as well as the fluid and energy balance is of the highest importance. Turning into the red area once too often or skipping a feed zones could affect overall performance.
The first lap was marked by many overtaking manoeuvres, but did not reduce the average speed. The Pacing was around 220-225 watts and felt good until halfway through the second round. Both the ascent to the Faker See, as well as the Rupertiberg with more than 300 watts could be attacked to immediately return to the aeroposition and to bring the bike up to speed.
After an average of 4:53 and 36.5 km/h Felix was able to park the bike in the transition zone.
The great magazine”Terra Mater” brings impressive reports from all over the world. Die FFG (Forschungs Förderungs Gesellschaft) advertises the student internships. The innovative young company Chase is also there.
At the end of April, the Ferry Dusika track bike stadium closes its doors for a summer break. The track bikes are transferred from the cabins to the cellars. Only the intrepid Fixie riders are still on the road in Vienna on their city bikes with a rigid transmission.
Both types of cyclists met at the first “KonCrit” Fixed Gear Criterion on May 26th in the popular Cyclodrom. On the 900 m stretch with a wide, flat and a narrow, sloping left turn, road criteria are usually used. A relaxed atmosphere and wonderful summer weather brought many spectators and some courageous participants to the Danube Island.
Chase KonCrit Warm Up
For the Giant Omnium track wheel with Felix’s Chase Track track wheels it was the first contact with real road surface. From the start flag on, the 30 laps were tackled. At first quite restrained, after some rounds getting faster and faster.
The day before the last time trial of the Wienerwald Cup took place, perfect warm up for the 40-minute race. The average speeds in the Cyclodrom were again as expected high – 39.5 km/h Average – Fixed. Repeated attacks and vehement speeding led to a reduction of the field of participants, overlapped drivers were taken out of the race. It came to the finish sprint between Felix and two other drivers. On the home stretch there was a noticeable headwind, the position at the top was a disadvantage. With constant acceleration and the closing of the right line, the target sprint became a matter for the stiff Chase wheels. A victory.
photos Martin Granadia
Manfred started his Cross-season 2017 yesterday. He chose an event in Traun in Upper Austria for his kick-off.
“Until the end of the second round I managed to catch up from the rear position that I had to start from. I now reached the leading group. From then, I could overtake the leading position every now and then. Due to some speed attacks the group got smaller. In the second half of the race there was a strong offensive by Philipp Heigl. I needed a whole round to catch up again. After that we were two at the leading position, but Andreas Hofer was only a few meters behind us. In this formation we started into the two last rounds. Most of the time I was cycling in the front position and was trying to keep the distance between me and my opponent. But he was cycling right behind me like a shadow.Finally, in the last bend, 300 meters to the finish line, the most important seconds followed. Philipp Heigl started to speed up amazingly and I couldn’t follow him – this gap remained and I wasn’t able to catch up anymore. Obviously, there was a narrow distance and missing the victory so shortly is teasing. My opponent was better today – huge respect to his performance – and the second position is also a good result.”
Of course it’s a pity to miss the victory shortly, but gratulation though to the excellent performance of Manfred.
Our Chase athlete Manfred Zöger took part in this 3-days-event at the croatian cost region close to Porec and used this opportunity for the finish of his MTB-season like many other mountain bikers.
MTB Parenzana, handcrafted in Austria, Carbon, Felge, Grenzgasse 111 9/6/6, St. Gabriel, Felix Schneider, Peter Fröhlich, Chase, Manfred Zöger
At The first day, on Friday, a short but fast stage waited for the bikers. Due to the short distance of only 28 kilometers and the very flat track, it was a pulsating competition. The excitement among the cyclists could be felt and there were multiple offensives on the track. Finally, the bikers cycled an average velocity of 30 km per hour and the critical meters were in the final sprint. Manfred was part of the leading group and reached the sixth position. For the overall result, the next two days could still change everything.
The second day a 45 kilometers long course followed. Manfred was lucky that some cyclists in the leading group loosed their track. He finally finished as third biker. That helped him to be lifted up onto the second position after day two in the overall standings.
MTB Parenzana, handcrafted in Austria, Carbon, Felge, Grenzgasse 111 9/6/6, St. Gabriel, Felix Schneider, Peter Fröhlich, Chase, Manfred Zöger
The marathon on the third day was a very exciting race. Manfred tried very hard and managed to stay with the leading group und headed onto the winner’s podium. The wheather conditions were not as good as on the first two days, it soon started to rain and after a while a powerful thunderbolt started. That was not enough: Manfred was not lucky on that day. After a stony downhill he lost pressure in his rear wheel and had to stop to repair this harm. Thus, he finally arrived the daily finish after the first six cyclists and was thrown back onto the forth position in the overall standings.
All in all, it was a successful season closing of the MTB season. The turbulent race course showed once again that good and bad luck are very close to each other.
About 250 cyclists from nine different nations faced the challenge in the Bike Night Flachau. Due to a lot of rain and bad wheather conditions prior to the 7th edition of this event on 12th of August, a slippery track could be expected. To attain a fair and above all a secure competition the jury decided to shorten the course. The very heart of the track, the downhill through the Hermann-Maier-Weltcup-course, was only cycled in the first round. As a consequence, the race was even a closer competition between the first three bikers.
Felix Ritzinger, handcrafted in Austria, Carbon, Felge, Grenzgasse 111 9/6/6, St. Gabriel, Felix Schneider, Peter Fröhlich, Chase, Bike Night Flachau
Felix Ritzinger wins the spectacle under floodlights in the ski resort Flachau! Partly, with times below 7 minutes per round and 300 starters on the track, dodging the other cyclists that he had overtaken and avoid collisions was the bigger challenge than the slippery and wet meadow. The leading position changed in nearly every round, but in the end after all 18 rounds Felix succeeded in the final sprint in the night and won with 2 hours and 8 minutes – after the disappointing results in previous competitions this was a very important victory for him!