Friends of the Devil News
Did you hear?
The first episode of Friends of the Devil Tri Pod is available now on your favorite podcast app. Episode 1 is all about how we got here. And look out for our next episode dropping April 10th which will feature our interview with Rip It Events Owner and Race Director, Danny Serpico.
New Merch!
Check out the new merch designs featuring your favorite friendly devil. Head over to our merch page and check them out. No minimums (and no maximums) and there’s sure to be something there for the triathlete in your life. Every purchase goes to supporting the podcast and the team.
What are you riding these days?
There is a moment at the beginning of every father’s parenthood when he beholds his little one for the very first time. It’s a magical moment when time seems to stop and you learn just what love really is. You hold your new bundle of joy in your arms and can feel its potential to make its way in the world. And in that moment you realize you will do anything to keep your precious one safe from all the dangers out there. Nothing will ever come between you two as you spend your days together traveling through this world.
Yes, it’s quite an emotional experience buying your first triathlon bike.
How many bikes do you need, Nate?
Between my wife and I we have 8 bikes under our roof. 2 folding bikes from our NYC commuting days, 2 town bikes, a busted old mountain bike frame with some sentimental value, 2 road bikes, and a triathlon bike.
My main road bike is an old (read: I need a new bike) Felt Z86. It’s an aluminum frame with carbon fork and seat post. I’ve had this frame since 2012 and have put over 15,000 miles on it. Other than routine maintenance, and upgrading wheels, I’ve had no issues with this bike whatsoever. Even when I do one day replace my Felt, it will always hold a special place in my heart. I bought it to use as a commuter bike and quickly fell in love with road cycling.
My new ride is a 2019 Argon18 E-117 Tri frame. The E-117 is a full carbon frame with a full Ultegra group set, an aero cockpit, alloy wheels, and rim brakes. I got this bike in May of 2019 leading up to our IM Maryland race. I used my Argon for two sprint races before using it for IMMD, and it performed perfectly.
I’ve got just over 1500 miles on it, and I love it. The only thing I would change (and may in the future) is, I wish I had sprung for an electronic group set.
Oh well…N+1
| Training Update | Last 2 Weeks | Year to Date |
| Swim | 3718 yds | 3718 yds |
| Bike | 186.32 mi | 501.4 mi |
| Run | 17.5 mi | 107.7 mi |
| Strength | 0h 0m 0s | 0h 0m 0s |
A little too close to your bikes, Elliott…
I didn’t learn to ride a bike until I was nearly a teenager, so I never imagined I would be the proud owner of two bikes that I love so dearly. My first bike is a workhorse Cannondale CAAD 10 named Camden (shut up, naming your bikes is a thing), I bought in 2014 when I started to plan for doing triathlons. He’s got an alloy frame and carbon fork leading down to standard RS11s with a Shimano 105 group set.
Aside from a replaced tire from an unfortunate blowout accident on the trainer and replaced cassette after years of abuse, I haven’t made any upgrades to him over the years. Cam and I (shut up, nicknames are normal) have been through a lot, whether it’s trips to the emergency room, or finally learning not to try unclipping when approaching a full stop. I love that bike. He owes me nothing and I thought I would never find another bike I loved so much.
That is until I met Quentin (yeah, I named him too), my 2019 Quintana Roo PR5 with his carbon body and Ultegra components. When we first met, we didn’t get along. After our second date, a beautiful 70 mile sunny ride in July, Quentin admitted to having gotten a poor fitting that put me an overly flexed back position. This led to a severe injury only a couple months out from our goal of completing the Ironman. We decided to take a break from each other. He sat in the garage and I went to physical therapy for 6 weeks. In the end though, we figured out how to fit together and went on to race in IM Maryland. I love almost everything about Quentin with the one exception of the Qbox attached to the back. It’s a nice idea, but the integrated signal light shorts out from the condensation dripping on it from rear mounted hydration. It also doesn’t provide much storage and the lid is very insecure leading to it being duct taped closed so as not to lose anything on an unexpected bump in the road. All in all, he’s great where it counts and I look forward to a lot of rides in our future.
| Training Update | Last 2 Weeks | Year to Date |
| Swim | 6000 yds | 15300 yds |
| Bike | 74.62 mi | 209.26 mi |
| Run | 38.82mi | 73.61 mi |
| Strength | 5h 57m 37s | 20h 05m 19s |
Friends of the Devil 