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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.
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.
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.
2021 Trans Am Gear List
Clothing:
Tools/Repair:
Personal:
Electronics:
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/