Cannondale Supersix 5 Road RRP: $2999 Special $2399

Orbea Compair MTB RRP: $1599 Special $1279

Cannondale Slice 4 TT RRP: $3600 Special $2880

Cannondale Quick 3 City Bike RRP: $1099 Special: $879

We have all the details instore, come in and check it out!

At the more affordable end of the new Cannondale range is the new CAAD8.  Lessons learnt from the brilliant CAAD10 have been applied to the new aluminium frame, and through tweaked geometry and a ride tuned for a little more compliance, the CAAD8 is claimed to be slightly less aggressive than the crit crashing 10.  This is down to the reworked rear end which uses the Cannondale SAVE design chainstay, designed to offer some flex.  The stays are also asymmetric to make sure they're balanced perfectly between drive and non-drive sides.  With all three models of the CAAD8 range based around the $1200-$1500 mark, this could well be the new benchmark race bike at cycle to work scheme money.  (Review courtesy of Cycling Plus, UK)

Shimano 105 CAAD8 $1599
Shimano Tiagra 10 Speed CAAD8 $1399
Shimano Sora CAAD8 $1199

Book in for any Fusion bike service in November and get a new Shimano Dura-ace or Sram 1090R chain installed on your bike for $59.95.  Click here to book in or call 3252 9997.

Greg Shaw, Australian Institute of Sport Dietitian and Fusion Enews contributer, is coming up to Brisbane to host this session for Fusion customers.

When: Tuesday 15 November 6pm
Where: Albert Bishop Park, Nundah
Cost: $250

The “Race Fluid analysis” will consist of a 1 hour performance simulation.  You will be asked to fill in a brief questionnaire about your current nutrition practices and you wil be asked to replicate your race nutrition practices during the race simulation. Your Sweat rate, nutrition and fluid ingestion rates, and your sweat electrolyte concentrations will be measured.  In the days after the session you will be provided with a detailed analysis of your fluid losses, fluid requirements, sweat electrolyte composition, and race fluid/nutrition recommendations based on the information collected.

To book in for this session, please click here.

Course Content:

1. How to change a flat tyre and tips to do it fast

2. What to do to maintain your bike after riding in the wet

3. General maintenance to prolong the life of your bike parts

4. Bike servicing – how often, what your bike will need

Bike Maintenance course is FREE and will be held at Fusion Cycles 68 Commercial Rd, Newstead. This course is a demonstration workshop, no bike needed. Click here to register by email.

Following the Bike Maintenance course, Peta Hood, Accredited Sports Dietitian and Exercise Physiologist will teach you about the basics of fuel and fluid requirements for training and competition. She will talk you through exactly which products you need and when, and you will have the opportunity to taste our Shotz and Torq range first hand.

How did you get into Cycling?
When I first moved to Brisbane for Uni, I rode from UQ to QUT in the city each day and continued to commute into the city when I finished uni.  I started swimming training at QUT with a tri squad and got dragged into triathlons in 1995.  I love racing and I love the variety of the three disciplines so I've continued to do a few triathlons each year since then.   

What do you ride and how often?
I'm riding the Orbea Diva with Dura-ace and Reynolds Assault wheels.  This is my favorite bike so far.  Really light and smooth riding and no twitchiness on steep descents.  I generally road ride twice a week with our Fusion Group rides on Thursday and Sunday and I mountain bike once a week on a Monday morning. 

Why did you open Fusion Cycles?
I found the demands of working in corporate too hard when our kids were little so we opened Fusion Cycles to have some flexibility and with Matt being a bike fanatic, it was a good fit. 

What's the best thing about running a bike shop?
There are heaps of great things about running a bike shop - my hobby is now my work, I get to try out lots of bikes, we're able to make our business a reflection of who we are, so many of our customers have become great friends..... but the number 1 best thing is being able to choose to work with people we really like!   

What are your cycling goals?
My cycling goals are really just to keep improving and enjoying the sport.  My goals for Fusion however, are much more.  I want Fusion to be a destination for cyclists, I want every customer to feel like they've had a really positive, enjoyable experience when they come here and I want our team to love coming to work each day because they've got a fun and rewarding job!  We're working hard to achieve that every day. 

We've had a great time building Fusion over the last 3 years and enjoyed working with customers who value our personalised service.  Over the next year we'll be implementing some exciting new technology and refining our product range so we can offer our customers better service and continue to support all levels of athlete!     

This ride is about 58km starting and finishing at Sylvan Rd, Toowong.  Below is the map of the ride:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/39779074

It is mostly quiet roads and once you go past mount crosby road the surfaces are excellent with the exception of hawkesbury road which has a few bumps and minor potholes but nothing too serious. The ride has loads of hills and you can add on the 3 fingers of brookfield if you need more K's. Coming back through Fig Tree Pocket means you can get back onto the bike path easily and avoid moggill road which would be busy by the time you'd be coming back. And then if you're feeling really keen you can do a lap of cootha. And I reckon by that stage you'd be well and truly ready for a coffee.

Ride log courtesy of Peter Ledwidge - Triathlon Queensland.

Cyclists tend to lack flexibility due to a limited range of movement when cycling. This can cause injury and a reduction in power when pedalling.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

• Hold stretch for 15 to 20 seconds
• Gradually apply stretch
• Stretch to the point you can feel muscle under tension

Click here to see cycling specific stretches detailed.

Cycling tips courtesy of Adam Gill - Cycling Science

Supplementation has been hot on the lips of people after the Pan Pharmaceuticals incident. Quite frankly of all the supplements that I have sampled and protein powders consumed I have yet to find one to make me hallucinate…but I keep trying…oops…consuming!

In addition to this you will find many nutritionists that will suggest that supplementation is completely unnecessary and there may well be some truth to their argument. Well, the truth be known, you can satisfy your daily protein requirements with “real foods”, but sometimes it just too hard to prepare that chicken breast in between meetings, but consuming a shake is virtually no problem at all.

I found myself laughing at a supplement advertisement in a U.S.A. bodybuilding magazine, and the caption said; “you may never eat real food again!” Interestingly enough, some of those protein supplement shakes taste so damn good, with flavors like café-moccachinno and caramel honeycomb; you just could not go wrong! There may be some truth to the supplement company’s motto!

The Facts

• Whilst engaged in regular activity you need somewhere in the vicinity of 2g of protein per kg of lean bodyweight per day (this may increase as you activity does).

• This is best divided up over 5-6 smaller meals to help absorption

• Eating your protein with your carbohydrates lowers the GI, therefore prolonging the duration of satisfaction (you get less hungry)

• Excess protein (like any nutrient in excess) will make you fat.

• Most people I assess do not meet their minimum protein requirements

• Protein shakes provide an easy way to supply your protein in a tasty and easy format.

• Protein Shakes are not only for bodybuilders or those looking to build muscle.

(protein tips courtesy of Brad Sheppard, Peak Physique)