The 07 Sponsors!
I am very excited to announce the sponsor line up for 2007!
Kona Bicycles & Apparel:
Once again I will be riding on the an amazing Kona rig. This year the Hei Hei will be the bike of choice. It’s a Scandium frame and with 2.5″ of rear travel that offers the perfect balance of traction, shock absorption, durability and weight. I’ll be shaving close to 2lbs off the bike I raced last year…look 24 hour freaks, Eddie O just went on a diet. I’ll also be styling in my Kona jersey, shorts, gloves, socks, arm warmers, underoos….oh, I was not supposed to tell you about that one. You get the picture.
55nine Performance:
Wobble-Naught Laser Precision Bike Fitting plus Physical, Mental, and Nutritional Coaching. Having a Wobble-Naught fit and learning to stoke the pedals properly yielded some huge improvements in my 06 season. I was able to go from “how do I hang with the big dogs” to “how do I get them off my wheel.” I’m looking forward to being able to do more miles with less recovery and bigger results this year. In addition, Namrita O’Dea, has been helping me fine tune my nutritional needs by keeping me focused on my with-in day energy balance.
Light & Motion
Super bright, super light, super durable, super people. I love Light & Motion, yes because their products kick butt, but also because everyone there is just the coolest. It has got to be a great place to work. I’ll be running a combo of Solo Logic and ARC lamps with varying combos of Li-Ion batteries…the Cub, the Standard and the Ultra.
American Classic Wheels:
Freaking light! The American Classic 350 Disc is my weapon of choice. These light weight rollers have seen me through many a mile and I expect many more. In addition I’ll be rolling the Sprint 350s on my road rig as well.
Wingnut Gear:
Experience Pack Amnesia. During races I’ll be using the minimalistic Assault Pack…50 oz bladder, pocket for tools and super lightweight. In the back country it’s the Hyper 2.5 all the way. 100oz bladder, WingPockets for easy access, large center fuselage, waterproof sail cloth & zippers…and I can load this pack down with 20 lbs of stuff and forget it’s even there.
Tifosi Optics
You will not find a better value in sunglasses period. Tons of styles and features at a price that even I can afford. Features in interchangeable lenses, light sensitive/variable lense, sport models and some cool casual wear models as well.
BURN Energy Drinks
Awesome citrus taste, serious energy and ingredients that athletes want & need. Plus they support the BURN 24 Hour Challenge! My crew and I will be chugging BURNs at all the races.
AKorn Photography
Andrew Kornylak can tell a story. His photos have a way presenting the facts and leading your imagination along for the ride. It has been a pleasure to work with Andrew in so many setting including races, staged shots and even my wedding. Andrew has been published in many magazine including National Geographic Adventure, Outside Magazine & Men’s Journal. Sponsors pay attention: This guy is good.
GNC at Plantation Square in Lakeland, FL
A GNC that actually caters to cyclists? This is the one. My friend and former racing nemesis, Kevin Parker, owns it and rather than hold a grudge that I’m a little faster on a mountain bike these days he sponsors be with all kinds of nutritional goodies.
Georgia Sports Chiropractic
Dr Josh Glass has always be honest with me….even when I don’t want to hear it. Like when he tells me I should rest and ice or do more core work or even the worst of all “don’t ride”….but he is usually right and has my best interest in mind. The bottom line is that I trust him and that the most important trait you can find in any professional. Georgia Sports Chiropractic is located in the Bell South building in downtown ATL near the Fox Theater
Collette at Sports Massage and Integrated Therapies
Collette Ragan is certified in Neuromuscular therapy and clinical massage therapy. She has been practicing massage for over 7 years and is an athlete herself. She has participated in mountain biking, adventure racing and running events, but is now focused on triathlon. She understands the stresses of an endurance athlete and has offered some great advice on how to limit those stresses. I try to plan my visits at the beginning of my recovery weeks and within a few days after the big races to increase my recover time and reduce the impact of the 100+ mile events.
Cartecay Bike Shop
Located in the riding mecca known as Ellijay, GA, the Cartecay Bike Shop is one of the best shops in the southeast. It’s owner Mike Palmeri may be the most passionate cyclist I’ve ever met. Cartecay bikes offers a full line up of road, mountain and BMX bikes, parts and service. Ellijay offers some of the best riding in the southeast including some of my personal favorite epics.
SRAM, Rock Shox, Truvativ & Avid
I am just psyched to have opened the door with this group. I have been a huge SRAM & Avid fan for years. The Juicy line of disc brakes have been so solid for me in the worst conditions like that Southern Lights 24 hour when the tropical storm hit in the middle of the night. My SRAM drive trains have been just as solid plus the ergonomic bonus is that can run my favorite combo of a Grip Shifter in the front and the super crisp 1:1 ratio trigger in the rear. This was a change I made as I entered into endurance racing 4 years ago to alliviate cramps in my left thumb. It’s worked so well, I’ve replicated it on all my bikes since. This sponsorship will also allow me to run the lightest forks available with Rock Shox and some sweet competents with Truvativ.
Wicked Fast Sports Nutrition
Wicked Fast currently offers two great products with Recover-Ease and Energ-Ease. The Recover-Ease formula combines 8 natural nutrients into a research-proven and patent-pending blend that gives your body what it needs to repair damage following intense exercise. What does that mean? Faster and more thorough recovery so I can get back to training even sooner. Energ-Ease is the ONLY pre-exercise energy/endurance/stamina capsule that delivers both a powerful charge of quick energy and a longer-lasting enhancement of endurance performance. “Get up… Get going… Keep going…” …No Joke!
Extreme Steering Inc:
ESI Grips reduce hand fatigue and that’s pretty darn important to any endurance rider. These things also offer unmatched grip…my hands stay put even in the worst conditions….like the 06 24 Hour Nationals. I’ve tried most every grip out there and ESI is by far the best.
Chainwheel Drive Bike Shop
While I do not visit Chainwheel Drive all that often any more, but when I’m in FL and I need help these are the folks I call. Brian, who is now the manager at the Palm Harbor store, has been helping me since I was just a grommet in this sport. He has taught me a lot about turning a wrench and equipment choices. Tom Jessup, the owner, took a chance on me as a sponsored rider when I was barely a beginner and for that I will always be grateful.
I’d also like to recognize my support crew: Richard Walker, Dan O’Dea, Namrita O’Dea, Jimmy O’Dea & Kyle O’Dea….and of course Mom & Dad!
Thank you all for making my racing passion a reality. I might race solo, but this is never a one man show.
Eddie O