Holiday shopping fever has fully set in across America. Finally something else to talk about besides H1N1. But in all seriousness right now is the best time to do your holiday shopping. Retailers are offering "doorbuster" deals, which is a nice way to say you can save $10 and get trampled by the 1,000 people trying to do the same thing.
We don't like reading stories of people hurt while struggling to fight their way into Wal-Mart so we do everything we can to give you the best deals without even leaving your house. Grab some hot chocolate, wrap yourself up in a Snuggie, and hangout infront of your computer to get your holiday shopping done. No elbows to the nose in that scenario.
We are offering 25% off bikes priced $599 and up. It's a sweat deal that will end today. We are also hooking up a serious 1 day offer on our Augusta D&D Blue Steel edition. Yes, that is a Zoolander reference, and yes that is a Tommaso Steel Track Bike for only $299. Happy Holidays and Happy Riding!
Tommaso just released this "spy shot" of a couple of bikes on their facebook fan page. The caption of the image is "The Tommaso carbon road bikes are almost here! Here's a peak at two of the three beauties coming your way. More pictures to come..."
This leads us to believe a couple of things:
1. Tommaso has carbon bikes arriving soon (we had Tommaso carbon bikes not long ago and sold out, obviously because they are awesome!)
2. Tommaso has 3 carbon fiber bikes (duh, it says that)
3. One is named the Tommaso Aggraziato, the other the Tommaso Corvo. Corvo is a new name in the Tommaso Line, who knows that this means for this bike though. Perhaps it is some NHL collaboration bike...
4. The Corvo appears to be a black/white bike and the Aggraziato appears to be black/silver, check that hot bartape on the Aggraziato.
5. So far these bikes look pretty sweet, we are excited and you should be too. Of course if you want to be the first to know of these bikes arrival join our newsletter or follow our deals twitter.
Tommaso Mondial Road Bike - Product Managers Review
Tommaso is proud of every bike they make and we love them for that. We are proud of the bikes they make as well. One of the bikes that we think is the best in the current production is the Tommaso Mondial Road Bike. We are fond of this bike for many reason, which we let Tommaso explain for themselves. If you ask me though aesthetically this is the best Tommaso road bike. The blue on this bike is the coolest blue I've ever seen on a bike, it is bold but not overwhelming, paired with the white logo it looks modern and sleek. Performance wise, we've always been a fan of the price to performance ratio of Shimano Ultegra (that's some crisp shifting for a petty penny) and the carbon fork adds a smooth ride. Read on for a review of the Tommaso Mondial direct from the source.
Tommaso Product Manager's Review:
Every now and then I get a moment to stop and write about a Tommaso bike that I love to ride. Of course as a Tommaso Product Manager I have the chance to ride a lot of bikes, but there are some that catch my attention for personal reasons. This has to do with time in the saddle as well as my history in cycling. Let’s just say I was racing on down tube shifters and wearing a neon pink racing kit…yeah, I’ve been in the game a little while.
One of the bikes that returns tomy attention often is the Tommaso Mondial. It comes up more frequently than Kiss songs on my iPod. The Mondial is a rock star in its own right. It has the time-tested Ultegra 6600 STI shifters, Ultegra 6600 rear derailleur and Ultegra 6600 front derailleur. There’s nothing to worry about and no need for an upgrade. The Ultegra is an amazing group that appears on a couple of my bikes. I have Ultegra on my travel bike (it’s been around the world a few times) and it comes out of the case shifting every time. One of the best parts about the Mondial spec is the FSA Gossamer crank. Most people don’t know that a certain World Champion time trial God prefers the aluminum Gossamer over the carbon FSA cranks because of the Gossamer's stiffness. We feel that if it is good enough for him it should be good enough for Tommaso Nation.
Another nice feature of the FSA Gossamer crank is the compact 50/34 tooth arrangement. Compact cranks are great for just about everyone except the most elite cyclists. Then again some pros have used them during the mountain stages of well known races. Choosing a compact crank makes good sense for many reasons. It's lighter and the gear range is better, making it much easier to use than a triple. The compact gives you all gearing options that you need, especially when the road points upward. That's where you'll really enjoy the 34 front chainring.
The cockpit of the Tommaso Mondial is very comfortable. As a product manager I have a collection of handlebars. I travel the world and have been known to amuse others as I try out every bar that I can get my hands on. I maneuver into the descending position, get into sprint mode and climbing position. I ride the tops, drops and hoods. After years of racing, training, centuries and MS-150 rides, I know what fits most hands comfortably. If you check out the Tommaso Blog you will see that I have written a piece on what is involved in choosing good handlebars. If you ever see me on a long ride I will be happy to discuss my insane testing system for cycling saddles, bar wrap and even sunglasses…I’m a little bit of a freak.
The color of the Mondial is another draw for me. In the sunlight the bold blue is killer! It looks incredible with the black paint and white decals. I do enjoy bikes that look fast even when not moving. The 12K weave on the fork legs only enhances the racy feel of the bike. The carbon TRS Tommaso fork is stout with no wimpy fork flex under the duress of white knuckle descending. I am amazed at how much vibration and deflection I have noticed in super-light (READ: Super Expensive) boutique forks that feel great in your hands but offer very little in real-world performance.
Riding a Tommaso Mondial is pure joy. All the parts come together in harmony and the ride is wonderful. The gearing allows for an all around smooth ride, the Shimano components take care of the work and the comforting shapes of the saddle and handlebar leave your attention where it belongs-on the road. The 32-hole Alex 450 rims were chosen because they are workhorse rims. They can be easily trued and the machined brake surface is a welcome comfort when the weather gets nasty.
When you step on the pedals the Mondial accelerates very quickly. The geometry allows me to sit “in” the bike and not “on” the bike. It's almost as if the Mondial is reading my mind. When I think "turn" it dives in and rips right through. If I see a hole in the pack it jumps right in and when the road goes up the bike answers to standing on the pedals with a healthy return of speed.
The bottom line is that cycling is about your time away from worry, work and traffic jams. Isn’t it nice to know when you get home you can grab a Tommaso and disappear for a comforting ride? The bike is going to last. The parts are chosen to get the job done at a price that is unbeatable. Tommaso wants you to go for a ride and not be taken for one.
After a race this summer I was asked, "Who are the members of Team Tommaso?" I replied “Everyone that is smart enough to buy a Tommaso". In reading the great comments about our bikes on the Facebook Fan Page I am reminded that we are all part of the same great team. Here’s to the long rides and journeys we take on our Tommaso Bikes.
We just received a new shipment of bikes from Tommaso. In the truck was a much needed refill of the Tommaso Imola Road Bike, which was a huge success with our customers. We now have a full size run of the regular Imola linked above and the upgraded version, the Tommaso Imola with Carbon Fork Road Bike.
While we are excited to have in stock the product our customers have been asking for, we are even more excited to offer something totally new. Tommaso got into the track bike scene years ago with their Augusta and it was hugely popular. Then they updated the standard version into a sleek stealthy version called the Ninja. They recently made some limited edition bikes and frames, all of which can be seen in our Track Bike section.
Now we have the newest incarnation of Tommaso track bikes, the Tommaso Down & Dirty Track Bike. This bike comes in a Blue Steel color with silver and black accents. While the bike has subtle and minimalist styling, it is packed with all the features you could want in a real track bike. While we appreciate neon bikes and deep dish wheels, this bike is a turn in the other direction and we think you're gonna love this bike -- both for the look and ride.
Well it was bound to happen...so much trash talk between friends that finally it erupted in a 40-yard dash challange. It seems the Ironman in training and Tommaso Product Manager TR Maloney stopped by and was going over some bike business when a certain Jeff L. stated he could run faster than TR. Of course this was countered with a "I could drop you in Birkenstocks!"(Tough words from a man who shaves his legs). As you know once the line is drawn between boys there is no backing down. A date of September 4th was set (after Ironman Louisville-God forbid a toe gets tweaked before the event). Being a kind soul TR added a PBR beer chug at the end to allow Jeff a chance in the competition. After reviewing the video one will see that a 40-yard dash is best saved for perps on Cops (not intended at you Jeff) and not marathon runners...It's all in a day of fun at the Randall Scott Company. Enjoy!
With the changing of the seasons from summer into fall a sense of anticipation fills the air for many cyclists. While centuries and single track riding during the summer is certainly breathtaking, both literally and figuratively, the fall season offers something more genre bending. Geometry similar to a traditional road bike but tire clearance and components that make the bike more versatile when it comes to varied terrain, the cyclocross (or cross bike for short) holds a special place in the heart of many.
Cross races are some of the most exciting to watch and the riders are truly the baddest of the bad in the cycling world. I've never seen a clean shoe or shin after a cyclocross race. Typically the face isn't safe from the mud either. CrossVegas which runs in conjunction with Americas largest cycling trade show, Interbike, is an extremely popular race which will receive television air play during the months of October and November for anyone who is interested in catching the action.
We at Randall Scott are excited to see this less mainstream form of cycling take off and have noticed that many people and companies are being lured into enticing and exciting world of cyclocross. We even caught a sneak peak of a Tommaso cyclocross bike at the Tommaso Bikes Facebook Fan Page. According to the caption the carbon beast will see some race action this season. We hope it goes well so we can get our hands on one of our own, and hopefully a grip of them to make available to you too.
It’s a rest day for the Tour de France which means the cycling public is forced to rekindle the love lost with a spouse over the last week, rediscover the sun and in general bathe and groom. For those who have gone off the deep end and need more time to recover you really have until Friday as the Sprinters will rule the land for the next couple days with more authority than Lance after an attack by Iban Mayo after being dumped by a spectator’s musette bag.
Come Friday most of us will be glued to the Versus channel searching for reasons to show up to work late or take a 3-hour lunch. We must see the action live as there is always some dweeb from the mailroom that blows the day’s results when we are recording the stage for when we get home. A recorded session of the Tour is like waking up to a wonderful gift on Christmas morning.
The likelihood of a cycling fan missing a stage in the mountains is right up there with the likelihood of Alberto accepting a water bottle from an overly-smirking Lance. Before the end of the Alps the drama of Team Astana will unfold and we will see who really has the ponies to hold it all the way to Paris. It’s hard to believe a team with enough talent to fill up all three spots on the podium could actually tear itself apart before they reach the Champs-Elysees.
I didn’t know Sheldon Brown personally but I still enjoy visiting his Website www.sheldonbrown.com and immersing myself in the details of internal hubs and thread pitch. The cycling community lost Sheldon last year to a heart attack after being diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. If you have a moment, take a quick trip over to his Website and poke around.
The thing about Sheldon, and the thousands of other bike people that have bearing grease soaked skin, chainring scars and bodies of all shapes and sizes that have seen many miles go under their tires is that we are “lifers.” The term “lifer” is usually tied to convicts with no chance of getting out of prison. For us the term is a badge of commitment that we have made a choice and are doing time (joyously) in the world of cycling.
Being a lifer is a wonderful way to go through life. You see and hear everything differently. I was in the locker room at the gym and I heard a ratchet sound from the next aisle. I almost called out “Sidi mountain shoes?” but don’t believe in small talk in locker rooms. Sure enough, the man from the aisle next to mine came walking by with his blue Sidi MTB shoes on his way to spin class. The Sidi ratchet just makes a different noise than the rest.
I remember pulling out my new Wound-Up carbon fork (back in 1996) from the box only hear my boss Chip (another lifer) comment “Your new fork is crooked.” I thought he was full of it and giving me grief because he was a frame builder and loved steel forks. Well we put the fork on the alignment table (damn frame builders) and sure enough the legs were off! He had just eyeballed that sucker for 2 seconds and knew. Chip was the one who hired me after cross threading a BB shell into a new carbon frame. It took us three hours to get the BB out (sawed the cup with a hacksaw blade with a rag for a handle) and he enjoyed the challenge so much he didn’t charge me. The frame survived Chip hired me a month later. I learned almost everything I know working for him.
There’s an old joke about the cycling industry that goes: How do you make a small fortune in the cycling industry? The answer: Start with a large one. No, money doesn’t fall from the sky in the cycling industry. Lifers would rather spend the day counting spokes than dollars. We can tell you the BCD (bolt circle diameter) of a Campy road crank versus a Shimano road cranks and wax philosophically about lugged steel frames but couldn’t explain Keynesian economics to save our lives. A dollar to us is a tire boot after a bad cut in the middle of a ride.
So I’m a Lifer. For the rest of my life cycling will run through my veins and my thoughts will always come back to the simple joy of pedaling. We Lifers find therapy in our shop late at night standing in front of a bike watching the chain snake through the pulleys and glide over the cogs. We enjoy the smell of chain lube and our hands are a testament to the life we have chosen. We are proud of who we are but do not boast. We are problem solvers and life savers (just ask anyone with a derailleur issue moments before a big race). We get as much reward from watching a child get his or her first bike as we do watching the pros win races on bikes we built or tuned. Most of all we have chosen a life (or did it choose us?) that allows us to be around bicycles and ride them, produce them, repair them and enjoy them. Yeah, I’m a Lifer. Would you really want anyone else making bikes for you?
Most consider road bike racing a non-contact sport. Yet check out the YouTube video (see below) of Theo Bos ‘pulling’ Deryl Impey off his bike onto the pavement during the Turkish stage race last Sunday and you may consider otherwise. However, much debate surrounds whether Bos did indeed pull Impey down or whether it was simply an unfortunate cycling accident. The footage certainly suggests that Bos grabbed Impey’s yellow jersey and used NFL tactics to de-seat Impey. However, Bos denies any intentional action. Furthermore, questions circulate the incident. Why would Bos have pulled Impey in front of his own bike? And if he did, what interactions between himself and Impey could have taken place to result in such a dangerous retaliation? In my opinion, however, the most disturbing assumption is that winning has come to mean so much to some people that they will engage in unfair, dangerous behavior. In one poll, one hundred and ten athletes were asked if, in taking illegal performance enhancing drugs (with no chance of being caught) they were guaranteed to win all their competitions for the next five years, but then DIE from the drugs, would they still take the them? Guess what….90 of them said yes! This may not be as surprising as we initially think. When was the last time an athlete received the kind of respect and national recognition that comes with winning from simply ‘trying hard’ or being a generally good person? America especially, but the rest of the world as well, honors the highest scores, the fastest times and the best results. Athletes feel this pressure and respond accordingly. When physical limits prevent meeting the public’s expectations, other measures are taken to circumvent barriers. Furthermore, high paying athletes often get off with little more than a slap on the wrist. As they come to see themselves as above the rules, it is no wonder that further illicit behavior ensues. The real issue is not whether Bos threw Impey to the ground; the real issue is that this is even a possible explanation for what happened during the race.
I woke up on Wednesday to grey skies instead of the beautiful baby blue, cloudless skies of the past week, which I had gotten used to. The first thought that flashed through my mind was, “Maybe I should just drive to work today.” I like to think of myself as a bike commuter, preferring two wheels and man (or woman, I should say) power to four wheels and horse power (if I actually had a horse this might be different). Yet that day I found myself craving a comfortable seat and a heating system. In the end, due to guilt, I hopped on my bike and pedaled to work, instantly feeling better. This mornings debate got me thinking; the vast majority of us don’t even consider using alternative transportation. I’ve watched a friend hop in his car to drive to a park about two blocks away to play some basketball. I’ve seen shoppers circle the rows in the Safeway parking lot, waiting for one of the first five spots because spot six would be too far away. And all the while, we wonder why obesity, air pollution, global warming and a myriad of other problems continue to rise!
Every gallon of gas burned produces twenty pounds of carbon dioxide. Asthma rates have increased drastically due to air pollution; most air pollution having been shown to come from vehicles. Not to mention the habitats we have claimed with our roads and highways, viewing road kill as a smelly inconvenience rather than a consequence of our continuous global take over. How would you like a gofer to tunnel three or four exits up through your living room floor? Seeing as pest control companies seem to be doing fine, I would guess most people wouldn’t be big fans. As if the future of the only world we have is not enough, let’s examine a problem that people seem more concerned with: obesity. America spends ridiculous amounts of money on diet books and pills. Everyone is looking for a ‘quick fix’ to lose weight. Well, that quick fix is sitting in your garage collecting dust (and I certainly don’t mean your new SUV). Why do we only concern ourselves with the intake half of the energy balance equation? Why not consider the output factor? Then, at least, you can still enjoy a cookie once in a while. Plus, you save the gas money, which you can always put towards diet pills if you’re still not convinced about the benefits of exercise. So next time you grab your keys, think about using the one belonging to your bike lock rather than the one belonging to your Bentley.
Tommaso Twitter Updates
Holiday shopping fever has fully set in across America. Finally something else to talk about besides H1N1. But in all seriousness right now is the best time to do your holiday shopping. Retailers are offering "doorbuster" deals, which is a nice way to say you can save $10 and get trampled by the 1,000 people trying to do the same thing.
