RunTri

This Changes Everything: Dahon Speed Pro TT Folding Bike Demonstration

RunTri has been putting the Dahon Speed Pro TT folding bike to the test. In this case, the test was to see how the bike, well, folded. It was a breeze.

The bike can be folded down in less than 15 seconds, and with a little hex wrench work on the handlebars, it's completely collapsed to approximately 30" x 15" x 11" in less than a minute. Separate the wheels from the frame, and you can pack the whole bike inside Dahon's Airporter Mini suitcase. Take the bike on your next trip, no extra baggage fees.

This changes everything. It's huge. It opens up a completely new set of training possibilities. Now you can take a performance bike almost anywhere -- to the office, on business trips, on vacation.

Wherever you go, you can ride. Imagine that. To see how easy it is to collapse the bike, scroll down for our guided tour.

1. Locate lever on right side of handlebar stem.

2. Flip handle 180 degrees down.

3. Fold handlebar stem toward right rear.

4. Stem connects to frame. See the manual for details, but you'll know when you see it.

5. Find the center-frame lever.

6. Flip the lever 180 degrees to the right.

7. Fold bike as show below.

8. A magnet holds the folded frame in place.

9. Loosen the seat post clamp.

10. Push seat downward toward the frame

11. Use hex wrench (supplied with bike) to loosen handlebars.

Fold bars perpendicular to ground, brake/gear handles facing inward.

12. Folded bike should look like this . . .

. . . and this . . .

. . . and this.

Chicago Marathon Weather Impact on Finish Times

By Raymond Britt -- The 2010 Chicago Marathon was a hot one, temperatures soaring into the 80s. A total 36,159 runners made it through high temperatures to cross the finish line. While the heat did not rival 2007, and the cancellation of that race, the 2010 race was marked by a much higher than average finish time -- 4:43:38 -- and roughly 2000 runners dropping out. And this result was consistent with an analysis we had conducted before the event.

Before the race, we wondered: how do differing temperatures impact average finish times? We plotted the average finish times and average race-day temperatures for the last 11 years to find the answer. And it seemed to be generally good news for runners as long as temperatures stay below 65 degrees. However, when the average temperature soared over 65, average times would drop, we noted.

And that's just what happened in 2010: high 70s average temperature, and a 4:43:38 average finish time.

In earlier years, when the average temperatures are between 40 and 65 degrees, average finish times may vary within a range of between 4:19 to 4:27. Only an 8-minute difference. Not bad.

Of course, everyone's race experience and acclimatization is different, so above all else, don't take chances with the weather; follow any and all race organization alerts, suggestions and warnings.

Temperatures for the Chicago Marathon since 1994 have ranged from a low of 28 degrees in 1999 to a high of 89 in 2007. The 2007 race was canceled after it started, due to extreme heat. Only one race was not run due to weather: Could be worse: the 1906 Chicago Marathon was postponed due to rain.