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Wheels MFG Employee to tackle 4,200 mile Trans AM Bike Race

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On June 6th, 2021 Wheels Manufacturing employee Mateo Ramos will be taking on the Trans AM bike race. In this blog post, we learn a little more about the Trans Am bike race, Mateo's plan to complete the route, and what gear he will be bringing.

Mateo RamosMateoMateo Ramos

What is the Trans AM?

A 4,200 mile long self-supported bicycle race from Oregon to Virginia. Unlike RAAM, I will have no support vehicle and must do all my own navigation, repairs, food acquisition, etc.

Race Start Date – Estimated Finish Date:

June 6th to the 23rd ish of June.

How long have you been training for the Trans AM?

4 years

What do you do at Wheels MFG?

I am a CNC mill programmer. I am working on overhauling our automation processes to enable 24/7 machining of rear derailleur hangers and tools.

Mateo Ramos

What part of the Trans AM course do you think will be the most challenging for you?

Wyoming and Kansas - because of the high crosswinds. My rig is very aero for headwinds and descents but the trade-off is it catches crosswinds pretty heavily.

What is your plan for hydration and food?

Eat and drink as much as possible! I can’t afford to be too picky when burning 10,000 -12,000 Calories per day. I expect my digestive system will only be able to handle about 8,000 - 9,000 calories per day, which will result in some weight loss. I will need to add a couple of pounds before the start to keep myself from dropping much below 5% body fat before the finish.

Favorite part of your kit on the bike?

I like the way I was able to get the computer, front light, bottle, and aero bars all tucked in together to make for fairly clean airflow around the cockpit. Normally you see people clamping those things all in a row along the tops of their drop bars with clip-on aero bars added in the middle; this means each item is punching its own hole in the wind which is not good for speed. This was also the thinking behind getting the rear bottles and bag tucked in together right behind my pelvis.

Bottle MountElectronics Mount

2021 Trans Am Gear List

  • Bike – (Cervelo P3 2014)
  • Front Wheel – (Hope Pro4 hub / Zipp 404 firecrest rim)
  • Rear Wheel – (Hope Pro4 hub / Zipp 808 firecrest rim)
  • Skewers- (TriRig Styx)
  • Crankset – (Rotor 3d+ crankset with 56/42t carbon fiber chainrings)
  • Cassette- (Shimano R8000/XTR mix 11 speed 13-40t- required custom shims for correct spacing)
  • Chain – (Connex 11sx chain)
  • Derailleur – (Sram Red etap 11 speed derailleurs)
  • Bottom Bracket – (Wheels Mfg. BBright30 w/ AC bearings)
  • Tires – (Rene Herse Cayuse Pass 26mm)
  • Brakes – (TriRig Omega X w/ Delta aero front fairing)
  • Headset – (FSA)
  • Saddle – (Specialized Power w/ Mirror)
  • Seatpost – (Cervelo)
  • Aerobar – (TriRig Alpha One)
  • Pedals – (Speedplay Zero Ti)
  • Saddle Bag – (Apidura Expedition 17L)
  • Bottle cages – (XLAB Gorilla)
  • Top Tube Bag – (Jpaks FarvaPak)
  • GPS – (Lezyne Mega XL)
  • Tracker – (SPOT Gen3)
  • Headlight – (Exposure 6-pack)
  • Rear Light – (Planet Bike superflash65)
  • Other interesting gear – Custom machined front and rear bottle holders, rear bag mount, computer mount, front and rear light mounts; plus a 3d printed toolbox that nestles in with the frame

Bike CerveloBike Cervelo Side

Clothing:

  • Rain jacket and pants
  • Wool and summer weight socks
  • Waterproof gloves and liners
  • Shoe covers
  • Reflective vest
  • 3 skinsuits- two summer weight and one for cold weather
  • Arm and leg warmers
  • Thermal headband
  • Merino wool top
  • Arm and leg coolers

Tools/Repair:

  • Hand pump and CO2
  • Multi-tool
  • Master links
  • Tire lever
  • Patch kit
  • Valve extenders
  • Spare tires and tubes

Personal:

  • Wallet
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • First-aid kit
  • Food
  • Electrolyte mix
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen
  • Bivy

Electronics:

  • Phone
  • 20Ah power bank
  • Etap battery charger
  • Wall outlet adapter

Areo Bars

Where can we track your progress on the course?

You can follow me here for live updates of my position on the course and the relative positions of everyone else http://trackleaders.com/transam21

Mateo thanks for sharing your 2021 Trans AM bike race planning with us. We wish you the best of luck on the course. Stay safe and we will be cheering you on. 

For more information on the Trans Am Bike Race visit: https://transambikerace.com/ 

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