The TriSports.com Solar Open House and Commissioning Ceremony.

Seton Claggett cutting the “grand opening ribbon” with several key people from Tucson Electric Power, Pima County, Technicians for Sustainability (the folks that put in our system) and the new Mayor of Tucson (Jonathan Rothschild).

As the economy turned in south in 2008 we forged on and were able to stay focused on the first core value in our company – Sustainability.  Here are some facts on our system:

• 128 kW powered by 416 SunPower panels.
• Produces the equivalent energy of 20 average sized homes in Tucson, AZ.
• Saves about 9,000 gallons of water every month that would otherwise be used to make energy in a coal fire plant.
• The system is currently producing 120% of our power requirements (this will go down during the summer months and we should net out 90-100%) and has produced a total of 51.2 MWh of energy since we turned on the system.
• In the first three months we have saved the equivalent of:
  • 3,960 Gallon of Gasoline
  • 1.86 Tons of Methane
  • 39 Tons of Carbon Dioxide

A glimpse of the dashboard that monitors all aspects of our solar and water harvesting systems.

Swim, bike, run, powered by the sun.

]]> http://blog.tri-sports.com/2012/03/19/solar-update-4/feed/ 0 http://blog.tri-sports.com/2011/11/30/raising-the-bar-or-seat/ http://blog.tri-sports.com/2011/11/30/raising-the-bar-or-seat/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:16:47 +0000 Seton http://blog.tri-sports.com/?p=5417 We are once again raising the bar on what we feel a true triathlon store should offer in the way of amenities.  You must have an indoor pool (check), you must have a dedicated bike fit studio (check), and you must have a treadmill to do foot strike analysis (check).  Our newest addition – Port ‘o Potties.

Only at TriSports!

Seriously, how many of us practice using these things?  You really need to know the ins and outs of these giant plastic stink tanks. Sit or squat?  Use TP or run it a bit dirty?  Share or wait in line? These are all decisions we have to make when racing and we think it is important to practice every aspect of racing.  So, next time you are at a store that says they are a triathlon store you know what to ask them – Where is the pool, fit studio, treadmill AND Port o’ Pottie.  See you in line at the races!

Our wetsuits that keep us warm.

Our super aero bikes.

Our running shoes that help us go fast.

Don’t forget to check out our Facebook on Monday for Cyber Monday deals!

Retail manager, Erik Jacobson, volunteers at the 2010 Ironman Arizona.

I have to say that we are very fortunate to work in our facility because it really does feel like the entire TriSports.com staff is behind you.  They understand when you had a hard day on the bike, a great run or a meeting in the Pain Cave.  Most of the time when you see someone dragging in this building, it is because they just tortured themselves on some epic workout.  Why?   Because we live the endurance lifestyle, it is what we do, it is who we are.  See you up in Tempe!

2011 Ironman Arizona finisher, and Team TriSports athlete Matt Grabau.

]]> http://blog.tri-sports.com/2011/11/17/ironman-arizona-%e2%80%93-a-group-effort/feed/ 0 http://blog.tri-sports.com/2011/11/15/fighting-for-solar/ http://blog.tri-sports.com/2011/11/15/fighting-for-solar/#comments Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:00:07 +0000 Seton http://blog.tri-sports.com/?p=5330 There are three things in life I will fight for:

1)      My family and friends.

2)      My business.

3)      The environment.

This is a story relating to #3 on my list.

Earlier this year we made the decision to install solar on our building. By June we had selected a vendor (Technicians For Sustainability) and by early July we had started the permitting process. This also included submitting plans to our BOA (Business Owners Association – it’s like a Home Owners Association but for the area our facility is located – the Butterfield Business Park). Fast forward to October and all of the permits, structural drawings, etc. were completed, which included getting a variance from the city because one of the structures holding the solar will go a couple feet into the easement of our property. We were contacted by TFS that they were ready to begin, what an exciting time – STOP! The day before we were to start construction we were contacted by our BOA that the architectural review committee, headed up by a local architect here in Tucson, decided to decline the installation of our project.  Why? They stated a couple reasons, but mainly because you can see the solar panels from the road.

Yes, bureaucracy (and complete arrogance) at its best. Luckily the state of Arizona has a law that protects us – A.R.S. § 33-1816; however, it is a fight that I didn’t think we would have to address, especially considering the BOA had over 3 months to address the issue. Needless to say, we are proceeding with the project without the blessing of our BOA. This is for the environment, this is for my kids, this is for our future.

Maher Salah of the TriSports Tri Club (upper left), Sylain Lebreton (upper right) also of the TriSports Tri Club enjoy an autograph session with Angela Naeth, Eneko Llanos and Nico Ward of BH Bicycles at the TriSports.com Ride with the BH Pros on Saturday November 12, 2011 at TriSports.com in Tucson, Arizona.

Antonio Soto of TriSports.com’s retail staff showed exceptional form as he applied pressure over the rolling terrain of the McCain Loop on the west side of the Tucson Mountains near TriSports.com. Top BH pro Eneko Llanos (black jersey) sits second wheel.

Basque triathlete Eneko Llanos of BH Bicycles competed in the first ever Olympic triathlon in 2000 and returned to the 2004 Summer Olympics. Llanos is most remembered for his dramatic dual- and handshake- with Chris McCormack in Kona at the Ford Ironman World Triathlon Championships in 2008. Llanos is also the winner of the first ever Abu Dhabi Triathlon at the famous Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi.

TriSports.com Cycling Club members joined triathletes for the ride that crossed Gates pass for some of the riders and completed a circuit of the rolling McCain Loop on the west side of Tucson. These riders show the effort of a spritely pace among the lead group.

A select group of eight riders negotiates the winding McCain Loop outside Tucson, Arizona on the TriSports.com Ride with the BH Pros on Saturday November 12, 2011. The ride covered approximately 40 miles on some of the best roads in the desert Southwest in Tucson’s “Winter Trainnig Capitol”. BH pro Eneko Llanos sits at the head of the group in this photo.

The TriSports.com Ride with the BH Pros on Saturday November 12, 2011 gave TriSports.com customers a chance to see the latest BH models including this new G5 road bike with ultra-short chainstays and unique rear end geometry for optimal climbing and handling.

Photos by Tom Demerly.

He hollered through a broken smile that looked like his brown teeth had chomped down on rock.

“Hey- how much was ‘saht bike? I seen ‘em bikes ‘sat cost eight hunder dollars and weigh three pounds. You kin pick ‘em up with yer pinky finger…”

Every morning on the commute in, and again on the way home, I see the men at the corner. They live under the bridge and sell papers to people stopped at the traffic light. Most people sitting behind safety glass in temperature controlled distance ignore them. Some buy papers, mostly tan men in pick-up trucks with ladders and tool buckets.

On a bike you are connected to the world, the environment. You sit on a bike, not in it. There is a greater level of interaction, intimacy even- with your surroundings. The interaction is both beautiful and sobering.

So it was that one morning I decided to ask one of the paper men; “How did you start selling papers on the corner and living under the bridge?”

This would seem an inappropriate question. It’s none of our business. We turn up the radio, crank the air and look away. Mind our own business. How much are tinted windows? And the Nietzsche quote, “If you stare into the Abyss long enough, the Abyss stares back” came to mind just a second after I asked him the question.

“Awww…” He started. “I’s ridin’ the buses. You ‘kin stay on ‘em all night. But they threw me off. I had a bed up in Phoenix- they let ya keep it fer a month. You get all yer own stuff, a locker too…”

The light changed. I got up on the curb with him. “But ya gotta find a job, and I ain’t had a job in eight years.” Cars were turning left now, passing inches from us. No one looked at us. It was as if he and I didn’t exist.

“Where you goin?” He asked me. I told him, “work”, pointing up the street to about where TriSports.com is. “You make bombs?”

“No, no, we sell triathlon stuff- bikes and shoes- mail order.”

“Ahhh. Bikes. They make bombs over there for the Air Force Base.”

He didn’t answer my question. What I wanted to know was, “How did you wind up here? What led to this? Do you ever dream of getting out- getting a job, getting an apartment?” and perhaps most importantly, “Are you happy this way- have you made this ‘work’?”

The light turned green and I had to get to work. I told him, “Listen Man, have a good one…”

“OK Man,” he said through the broken tooth smile. “I’ll see you later buddy…”

It was unrealistic to believe I could gain an understanding of why people are homeless in one conversation between stoplights. Like most issues in society it’s more complex than a four minute, two traffic light conversation. But it is a start. And that start is reflective of how riding a bike can connect us to our surroundings.