apparently, he's riding a scott plasma



SCOTT | News | Bike | Jenson Button talks about SCOTT bikes

Cycling is an integral part of Jenson Button's training regime. Whether at home in Monaco or at one of his regular training camps in Lanzarote, the Honda Racing F1 Team star regularly uses his Scott bikes to build up his cardiovascular fitness.

At Silverstone recently, Scott handed over two new bikes to Jenson, the 'Scott Spark' mountain bike and the 'Scott Plasma' triathlon bike.

Here's what Jenson had to say:

What is it that you like about Scott bikes?
Their bikes are extremely light; the carbon frame of the Plasma is only 980 grams, which is pretty amazing! They also give me great service. If I have a problem, they solve it as quickly as they can, which is fantastic.

Do you prefer Scott's road or mountain bikes?
I've always done a lot of road cycling, and I really love it. It's not a speed thing; I like the feeling of being quick through the air. When you're on the tri-bars and you're doing 75-80 kilometres per hour, it's quite exhilarating.

Now that you have a Scott mountain bike, will you do more off-road mileage?
Some of the terrain around Monaco isn't suitable for off-roading because it's too steep. But I'm looking forward to trying something new, although I won't be doing anything too crazy.

How much cycling do you do each week?
I do most of my training in Monaco, where it's very hilly. As a result, it's not the distance I cover that's important, but the intensity of my workout. A ride normally lasts from between 1.5 hours - the length of a grand prix - to 2.5 hours, and I try to be flat-out for that amount of time. I'll do that several times a week.

Do you vary your training programme when you go to Lanzarote?
Lanzarote is a training camp. It's the place where I find out how much my fitness has improved year-to-year. It's like a test bed and, as a result, I do lots of different exercises. I do some long rides and some short time trials, which can be as little as 20 kilometres. On a time trial, my heart rate is constantly up at 170-175 bpm, which is very high, whereas in Monaco it will fluctuate according to the hills. Uphill it'll be 180 bpm, but it will come down to 150 bpm on a level or downhill stretch.

How does your work on the bike help you in the car?
In the car I'll never go through the level of pain that I experience on the bike, so cycling is a good way to toughen up mentally. But the biggest benefit of cycling is the gain I make with my cardiovascular fitness. The more I do on the bike, the fitter I get; it's as simple as that.

Do you get a chance to ride while you're travelling?
At all the European races I have my bike on the truck, which means I can go out and have a play whenever I want. At fly-away races, like in Australia and Malaysia, I'll rent a bike to ensure I keep my fitness levels where they need to be.

Have you met any pro cyclists?
I met Lance Armstrong in Monaco a few years ago. He asked me to go for a ride with him, which we still haven't done. My fitness is improving all the time, so it won't be long before I'm ready for him! While in Lanzarote before Christmas I met the world champion triathlete, Daniel Unger, who was awesomely fit, and I met David Millar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed Time Trial last year. It's pretty cool to have met these guys and it was interesting to witness their commitment to their sport.

Do you train with other F1 drivers?
I don't train with any drivers currently, but I have done so in the past. I've trained with Mark Webber, Fernando Alonso and Jarno Trulli, but the only driver I train with now is my old friend Chris Buncombe, who won the LMP2 Class at Le Mans last year.

How has your riding technique improved over the years?
I've definitely improved, both in terms of technique and overall fitness. But there are still areas where I can improve some more. For example, I don't have big leg muscles and I probably use a higher gear than I sometimes should.

What's been your most memorable ride?
It's from Cap d'Ail, near Monaco, up a climb called La Madonna. It's a very famous climb and it was one of Lance Armstrong's most enjoyable sprints, I'm told. It's ‘balls-out’ all the way up and some sections are almost vertical. It takes us more than an hour to complete and I guess it's memorable because of the pain it causes me! It's like one big qualifying lap.

What scares you most: F1 or descending a mountain road on your bike?
I don't go fast downhill, unless it's a big open road. The speed that some people descend at is crazy and I've seen some people come a cropper. I won't mention any names, but one F1 driver almost disappeared over the edge of a cliff! I need to be in tip-top condition when I get into the car and that doesn't involve falling off a bike at high speed.

How much does your physio help you with your fitness?
My physio is vital to my preparations. Phil Young, my physio of seven years, has just left to live in Australia, and while he was very good at his job, his fitness levels were never as good as mine. Mike Collier, my new physio, is more on my level on a bike, which is good because we ride together. He's also a very good masseur and he knows what I need both in and out of the cockpit.

 

here's one with a TT setup

 

I think this was Erich's attempt at humor . . . .

 

I'm actually shocked Brawn would let him compete in these types of public events. Similar to how the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels don't let their pilots ride motorcycles, etc. during the show season (elevated risk of injury). If he's injured in the race, some crazy Tifosi comes out of the crowd swinging a horses head, etc. Too many possibilities that can cause huge problems for Brawn if he is taken down.

 

Every sport has those types of restrictions. Remember when Jeff Kent broke his leg riding his dirt bike but lied and said he tripped over his dog! Hilarious.

 

And I thought getting ready for a marathon this year was tough - I may have to shoot for a triathlon in the next year or so.