I first saw this Mercedes SLS AMG commercial during last year's F1 weekend. And it has been stuck in my mind ever since!:) IMHO, this is the best car commercial ever! It really displays the power that is inside the car! I believe that the stunt performed is real. But for it to really happen, a lot of factors need to come into play; the speed of the car, the angle at which the car "climbs" onto the tunnel walls, the precise control of the steering wheel etc etc. Now, if I have that kind of money to throw around, this is one hot car I will buy:)
Well, I can continue to day-dream. For now, I get to enjoy my new ride, the 2009 Fuji SST, which I built up recently.
with aero wheels
with training wheels after this morning's ride
I've owned many road bikes in the 14 years that I have been biking on the road. I am always looking for that perfect bike, that perfect ride; and I think I can safely say that I have finally found it! :) The Fuji SST is very much like the Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon, which is my favourite bike for triathlons. It is stiff, yet super comfortable. The Fuji SST was originally known as the Fuji Aloha CF, which was designed for use as a TT/tribike. However, it was not popular with triathletes who favour steeper seat angles than those found on the Aloha. So Fuji decided to give the Aloha a new name, re-marketed it as an aero road bike, and the SST was born.
In one week, I have already done 3 rides on this bike. This is one bike that just begs to go faster everytime I hop on it. I felt comfortable on the bike from the very first ride, despite it being quite different from what I have been riding the past few years. When I first got the bike, I found to my horror that this bike came with a fork steerer that had been pre-cut. This will put my handlebar 1 cm lower than what I have been used to and I was worried that I might not be able to adapt to the new position. My fears proved to be unfounded as I really like my new position a lot! I am lower and more aerodynamic on the bike, and the tighter hip angle seems to allow me to generate more power from my glutes. The other main difference is the saddle. Ever ridden on a saddle that you never notice while riding? I have never until now. The Fizik Aliante is an amazing saddle!! It allows me to concentrate solely on driving those pedals hard! When the speed went up, I was able to position myself at the nose of the saddle, and yet remain comfortable!
The real test was during today's fast Kranji. The bike simply responded to whatever input my legs gave it! My partner and I were taking some very strong pulls at the front of the group! The aero profile of the downtube, the massive BB area, the stretched and low position, the comfort of the saddle, all added up to make it the best road bike I have ever ridden! Period. Despite clocking a high ave speed of 36kph from Longhouse to home, I was still able to go out and run 4k after that!
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