FLASH-POINT BLOGGER: RICHARD NEFF

 I just turned 29 years old. I am now less than 363 days away from the BIG BAD 3-0!! And I don't care. In fact I'm not even depressed. Why?
Because I am in the best damn shape of my life. For that I thank sport. I love to fight for a spot in the water, to track down that cyclist far down the road, and hold off the heavy breather hovering over my shoulder with less than 200 yards to go to the finish. Sometimes it works, sometimes... Well we've all been there too.
And that unpredictability is what makes competion great.
My first full tri season is pretty much over. And I'd rate it as a success. I had modest goals and accomplished most of them. Sub 20min 5k-check. Take 5 minutes off my fav 40k course-check. Win some Ag group hardware-check. Of course it wasn't all a love fest. I've raced in sleet, donated some skin to a roadway, and nearly drowned in my first open water swim.
Through it all I've had my flashpoints.Like I said in previous posts, you don't plop these on your bike and see your splits go from 18 to 28mph. Or even 18 to 21. You still have to put in the work. Zipp does not put in what you leave out.But these wheels will make a difference.
We are talking wattage reduction --in that you go faster with the same effort. Is there a nastified headwind and your competeitors are using standard wheels? You might as well be holding five aces in a hand of poker.For even if they go faster than you, they are using alot more energy to do so. So unless they are way out of your league, using wheels like the flashpoints will keep your legs fresh thus giving you an advantage in the run.
And what the hell, since you only live once, there's nothing wrong with winning the bike leg or the race flat out and guess what? If you put in the work this wheelset will go a long, long  way to helping you out there as well.
So what does my future hold. Well my daughter, my God they grow up way too quick, will be turning one in 3 and half months. Next summer I'm going to try to get her on a tricycle. (She's advanced-I think). But in the short term I have some 5k's. and at least two time trials.
You can bet that my flashpoints will be invited to those events. Until then I'll be running and biking (swim is on pause) And just enjoying the end of summer with family, friends and a cold beer.
Keep riding fast

It seems like this wheelset is finally catching on with the masses. In my race last weekend I saw numerous FP60's in the transition area. And in just the past week I've had three different riders ask me about my carbon wheels.
I say that it's about time. This is truly a high-value wheelset at a moderate cost. I can't imagine another clincher-- even zipp's dimpled 404-- offering much more to a rider. If you put in the work you can fly with these shoes. The results don't lie:
I finished last Saturday's multisport race with the 2nd fastest bike split. Which, with the help of a solid 5k run, helped me wrangle 3rd overall. Now I wasn't exactly racing against a field of Olympians but that's the best I've ever done and I'm proud of it. Further more this is all the wheelset that you most likely will need. As I out rode those who shod their steeds with some HED 3's, a Blackwell 100 and even a brand new 909 set.
Finally on the new FP60's in the transition area I saw some revised decals. And I must say they made me a little jealous as the new decals look smokin' compared to mine. So now with performance and looks I expect these wheels to start to dominate the market.
But one piece of advice to Zipp. Everybody knows that you make these wheels. Why not put your name on them? I don't forsee a product dillution. Just call them Zipp Flashpoints, and keep the number designation for your premium set. Also how about a link from the Zipp website to this one.  

My God! Those boys in France sure can ride a bike. They churn the big gear like they are whipping butter out of the country air. It is 95% inspiring and 5% damn depressing. For if I tried to keep their pace for even 30 minutes, you'd likely find my lifeless body collapsed on the side of the road--probably still clipped into my speedplays.
Of course, when I'm out there pedaling I try to tuck down deep like Mr. Landis, or (since I ride a Cervelo) like David Z. I pass the mountain bikers and those cyclists on their rented, 30-pound cruisers and in my head I can hear Phil chanting, "There goes Rick, dancing away in his pedals!!! Look at that breakaway speed! Here is a fine young rider coming into his own at the tour!"
But at 28, aproaching 29, I'm not that young. And the tour is never going to happen for me. (Despite the obvious truth of that statement does any cyclist really abandon that dream?) So what do I do? I work out hard every day and try to get better. It's baby steps.
Last July I'd average 19 mph for a 20 mile ride near my house, now it's closer to 23mph. In my mind that's a hell of an improvement. I'd certainly chalk up some of that performance to the Flashpoints. Because as I and other posters have said, this is a fast wheel set. (DO YOU GET IT YET!!)  But the majority of my improvement has been due to me getting out on the roads on a regular basis and beating my legs and lungs into oblivion. And that is also partially due to the Flashpoints
When you have a nice wheelset likes these FP60's you feel like you have to ride UP to them. Because let's face it, nobody wants to ride a deep-rimmed aero wheel AND suck. Being a posser is just no good. And the best way to stop being a posser is to ride--ride like you are escaping from hell. Or in my case, almost 23mph for approximately 20 miles. It's all relative, or so I hear.
So this week we have a bit of a heat wave in the 'Burgh. 90+degrees and 70some% humidity. I weighed myself and then went on a 30 mile ride. In the interim I had two bowls of cereal, a can of Dr.Pepper, and a protein shake. After the ride I stepped back on the scale and still weighed two pounds less than when I woke up. That's some real fluid loss. It's suffering to be over 100 degree pavement right now but that's what it takes to get better. I'm making those baby steps toward whatever plateau God decided to give me, and the flashpoints whether through motivation, or by physically cutting through a nasty head wind like a katana are helping me get there. 
Have fun. Ride. Beat you self up. And have a beer.