29 September 2014

Wait...did we have a weekend?

It's Monday already?
I guess that happens when the days are full speed...

Men's WC highlights...



Funny that the #fauxperts on Twitter were so quiet yesterday. Is it b/c they didn't know who Kwiatkowski is, or is it that they couldn't spell Kwiatkowski?
The conditions looked lovely in Spain too, eh?  One year from yesterday, these same guys will be in Richmond.

Women's WC "highlights"



As Phil and Paul are wont to say, it seems a lot of the ladies crashed out of sympathy. And Dean's GF won!

Now usually, the TT isn't terribly exciting. Not this year...



Good stuff!

And finally, some Euro CX action kicked off in Neerpelt. And Nys won w/o discs (gasp!) and sprinting from the tops (double gasp!). Heads are gonna asplode!!
As for yours truly...
Saturday was an exercise in 'How fast can I get this loop done, and get back for soccer"?
Flew out of the house on the CX bike, did two big loops of The Powerstation, thru Cayce, up Gervais, across 5 Points/Shandon, and home.
2 hours hard.
Inhaled a sammich and a Coke, then loaded up to spend the following 2 hours at the soccer fields.
Upside? After soccer, Junior Management went to the Lexington Field Office for the remainder of the weekend!
Not that we did anything while they were gone...
Sunday rolled around, and the group deferred to Roxy for route choice. She chose flat. She chose poorly.
The ride was long. Out to Kingsville, around thru Eastover, and back home.
I hit the door with 117km. And to add insult to injury, it was done on the CX bike. Sure, I changed the wheels and pedals, but that thing is NOT what one would consider compliant. My upper extremities are less than happy with me this morning.
I learned a few things :
-Always have a enough spare parts in Service Course.
-Deda flouro bar tape looks cool, but has the cushioning properties of Quikrete.
-When riding the CX bike on the road, lower tire pressures...a lot...
The highlight of the ride? Getting right hooked by some old lady in a Kia. She just came on over, without a thought. TVH followed her into the BP to explain her transgression. Her response?
"I had my blinker on..."
Yeah, right before you almost ran down three people. Dumbass.

 I took two pictures yesterday. This one was taken inadvertently when trying to put my phone back in my jersey pocket.
And...
This was parked on Heyward St.  I must have one of these...
It's called a Chinook Baja. It ain't inexpensive! But then again, what else does one really need?

Time to get the day started. Nothing says "Welcome to Monday" like driving out to Lexington to pick up a beloved stuffed animal that was left at Grandma's house!
WhoooHooo!



26 September 2014

(Sad Trombone)

Well, it seems the shifter was actually dead. Not so much dead, as paralyzed. (Sad Trombone)
It shifts just fine going DOWN the cassette. Unfortunately, once it reaches a point of cable tension (the 14t cog) while trying to shift back up, the ratchet inside the shifter doesn't grab.
It shifted on the way to the ride last night, then gave up. I left it in the 16t...once I got it there, and turned off early to head home...again.
Stripped the dead soldier off the bars, and said a small prayer to the Cycling Gods.

Gone too soon...

I took the corpse up to Outspokin' this morning so they could send it back to Shimano for warranty. And yes, I know I could simply wait for the new lever, but Dog only knows how long that will take, so I bought a new one last night. Always good to have spares, right?
And while at the shop, I picked up the new "Stories 02". It's meant to be the de facto Trek catalog, but it's so much more.
Outstanding photos, enthralling stories, AND the bikes. It's brilliantly produced. In all honesty, it doesn't read like a catalog of any sort. It's more like a publication that also gives information about some bikes, and the tech behind them. The actual bike info is almost secondary.

Marketing professionals should use it as a primer on how to get their information out in printed form.
Sure, a website can give you all of the information you need, but something tangible like "Stories 02" draws you in a bit more.
Go get one. Thank me later.

 THIS is brake modulation. When you can do this, then, and only then, will I listen to you about disc brakes!
Oh Maggie Grace...(could this photo be any more right?)
And for you old schoolers....
Grace Kelly...and a REALLY cool cruiser. 

24 September 2014

The ride that wasn't...

I thought the shifting issues had been remedied with the installation of new cables. I was incorrect in this assumption.
Yes, the bike worked perfectly on Sunday. I put it away, and didn't look at it again until yesterday afternoon.
In that time of stationary storage, the right shifter decided it was done.
About halfway to the spot last night, the lever gave up. It would shift down the cogs, but not back up.
This meant, if I planned on participating, I'd have two gears. 39/14 and 52/14.
I tinkered with it in the parking lot, to no avail...so I rode home.
I ended with a very slow 45 minutes on the bike. All in the 39/14. Super.

Seeing that the lever itself is less than 18 months old, I was a little pissed off that :
A) It took a dump.
B) It would need to come off and go back to Shimano for warranty, taking Dog knows how long to return.
C) I'd JUST replaced the cables and tape.
D) All of the above.

Then I remembered the trick that has been passed down through generations...
Hose the lever body out with WD40/cleaner. Shimano grease, coupled with an untold quantity of sweat, assumes the consistency of peanut butter after a while.
Bike in stand, hood pulled off, faceplate pulled, and the inside cover of the body removed, I hosed the body out with Finish Line Speed Degreaser. Three times. The sheer volume of gunk that dripped out of the lever was appalling.
While allowing the degreaser to dissipate, I pulled the BB out of the Salsa, regreased everything, and slammed it back together. No more creaky...
I blew the lever out with canned air, re-assembled, and VOILA...it shifts again...
Hopefully it will remain operational for a while, as I don't want to disable the bike...or buy 11v.

 Assos' new Winter hat. Pricing wasn't given, but I'm guessing it's not priced like the simple cotton caps of old.  Oh, and those little loops? They're to run your glassed through...I shit you not.
 Not responsible for Cipo-related seizures...
 Is it just me, or does Cookson look like he left his teeth in the glass beside his bed?
 The new Atmos black and flouro. I may need one of these...or the new flouro red...
The new Silca Super Pista pump. Pretty cool right? Still fully rebuildable. Still the benchmark. Now, just $450. For that money, it better froth my damn mocha too. Of course, I paid $100+ for my Super Pista 15 years ago, and it still works just fine. Then again, so does my $35 5 year old Park pump...

Last road ride Thursday. The Urban Ride is firing up next Wednesday. Bring good lights, and a good attitude. The bullshit that is tolerated on the road rides won't be on the Urban Rides.

And filed under ; "Cycling News that makes Me Excited" :
Both Wiggins and Phinney are eye-balling shots at the Hour Record next year. Hey, Tony Martin...where you at?

Cuba Libre!

  Havana Bikes from Kauri Multimedia on Vimeo.

It's very PNW today. I'm staying inside...

22 September 2014

Coming in hot...

Rabobank's Women came in a bit warm during the Worlds TTT yesterday...



Teo Geoghegan Hart never had a chance...



Here are a couple other views. The spectator footage is insane. The guy BURIED the barrier, and a few fans. Hurts my back just watching it!

And FWIW, Specialized-Lululemon won the Women's TTT. They rode smart, and rode well. It's a shame the #fauxperts will bring up their kits...

Good stuff this past weekend...
Nice CX ride with Charlie on Saturday. Just sort of rolled at a tempo-ish pace on the dirt. He was even so nice as to take a soil sample at the washout...you know, just to make sure the pH levels are okay out there. I didn't know that sort of thing could be done with one's face.
The THIRD time through the washout, I guess he didn't see the 3 foot hole in the road. I didn't say anything, because it was THIRD time through that section.
He was beside me, didn't slow down, and sort of disappeared. Thankfully, he augured into the only soft spot surrounding the hole.
Did I mention it was the THIRD time past the hole? And the hole has been there for months...
Contacts Charlie...Contacts...
And thanks to SCDOT for fucking up 12th St.
This is why we are forced to ride IN the lane people.

Sunday was an outstanding ride. Good group. Nice, even, tempo pace. Everyone stayed together, and we clipped right along.
We did lose Roxy at one point, but it wasn't until later in the ride that she admitted she stopped to talk to the ponies we'd passed out on the other side of Swansea. Chatting with ponies is allowed on Sundays. 
And I rode my newly repaired Williams WS28 rear wheel. It's as it should have been from the beginning. Josh @ Williams replaced the guts of the hub (all bearings, the axle, and the freehub body), and turned it around in less than 24 hours. Of course, UPS took a week to get it back to me...
Something was amiss with the wheel for jump. It just never rolled correctly, and the bearings felt like garbage. It eventually ate itself on a Sunday ride.
Now it's fixed, and good to go.
I got back to Service Course with 107km in 3:30. Not a bad day in the saddle. But it wasn't over...
After a 60 minute turnaround, I loaded up The Beast, and Junior Management & I went out to the PowerStation for another ride.
 They ride more dirt than those who talk about riding dirt!
 Break time.
Back in thru the new trails.
It was another hour, and another 16km.
I love the fact that the boys love to ride so much. I don't care how tired I am, or how grumpy I am...I will always take them riding when they want to go. It's time well spent.

Gotta jet. Getting cracked and stretched shortly.


19 September 2014

This and that

Fun ride last night. Went out SLOW, and the pace picked up as we rolled. I'm glad I'm not the only one who is seemingly a little burned out.
Time to start changing up the routine a bit methinks...
As I was saying...or typing, as it were, the pace picked up greatly on the run back into town.
As the normal jackass couldn't take a pull...well, he could, but chose not to so he wouldn't get blown out the back, Dr. Jones nailed it, young Mathis followed, and I chased the gap. Did I mention all of this happened at 65kmh?
Yeah...the shit hurt...
Dr. Jones nailed it again under the airport bridge, and split the group. Once again, it was the three of us...but...
The shifting on the Ridley has been suspect for a few weeks. I know I need new cables all around, as I haven't changed them since I built the Noah last June. That's 15 months, probably 15k kilometers (or more). and untold shifts.
On the way TO the ride last night, my shifting ostensibly stopped. A little jiggle of the housing, and everything was seemingly back to normal.  Seemingly...
Once onto the flat after the airport bridge, I went to shift, and that was that. Cable failure.
I tried to stay in the group with 2 gears (39/12 or 52/12), but seeing as suplesse is something lacking in my skillset, I sat up, and mashed it alone.
No sense endangering the group...
The Noah will be getting new cables today/tomorrow. Just need to go get some new bar tape.  I should probably drop the fork too, as the headset feels a little crunchy. Maybe a partial overhaul?

Jens broke The Hour record yesterday. It was pretty cool to watch the effort, even if one isn't a Jens fanboy...which I am decidedly not.
51.115km in The Hour.
The UCI has changed the rules of The Hour more times that an OCD diaper changer washes his/her hands, so comparing Jens' effort to Merckx, Moser, Indurain, or Sosenka is little comparing apples to fungo bats.
His position was closer to Boardman and Obree than Merckx and Sosenka.
The effort was outstanding anyway. 204 laps of a 250m track? Made me dizzy watching. The physical effort is admirable, but the mental toughness is astonishing.
And begs the questions...
Will assaults on The Hour begin? Will Wiggins, Cancellara, and Martin put it WAY out there?
Consider this...
In the last TT of the 2014 Tour, which was 54km, Tony Martin put 9:32 into Voigt. NINE THIRTY TWO.
If one were to run the math, that comes out to 32 laps of a 250m track @ 17.7 seconds per lap, which was Voigt's average. Or 8km!!
Martin averaged 49kmh in the Tour TT, and Voigt averaged 43kmh, so Voigt rode 87% as fast as Martin.
Yeah, I know it's purely hypothetical, but if the gap were to be the same on the track, Martin would put The Hour out to around 57kmh.
Ruminate on THAT for a moment...
I know the guys at Specialized have run the numbers, and will likely cut the rear end off of a Shiv to fit 120mm track ends in the near future.
Trek got A LOT of marketing out of Jens' effort, and Specialized is nothing if not marketing savvy. Or whores...potato/potatoe

Other stuff...

Victoria Pendleton. British Track Cycling star. Winner of the British version of Dancing with The Stars. I'll let you guys come up with your own comment(s)...

Custom Buell. Sort of reminds me of an A-10 fighter jet. The A-10 is a plane built around a gun. This custom is a moto built around a 1203cc modified Harley motor. Wonder if it's fast?
I'd be dead the afternoon it got delivered...

And I picked up a Giant Numen Aero blinky light. If you have an aero bike, with a teardrop shaped post/mast, this is really the only answer.
It fits the Noah post perfectly, is plenty bright, and just doesn't move, nor bounce around.
And it looks far more elegant ON the bike than other lights. No ugly brackets, no exposed screws/bolts...just a rubber attachment, and the light. Clean and simple.
I bought the battery version. It takes (2) CR2032 batteries. Giant also makes a USB rechargeable version. 
I got mine from the guys at Summit....

Time to make a Publix run, and go get some new bar tape....

This rain should end today, and the weekend looks outstanding. Go outside and play!













17 September 2014

Not much

It's gonna be a little thin today...
No ridey last night, as I'm single parenting at the point. Such is the life of the stay-at-home parent, when the wife is a high-powered corpo type.
Then again, I got to stay here, while she traveled to...Mississippi.
Nothing says romance like Jackson in Autumn.
Oh, the glamour...

Two wheels good...
A custom Triumph Bonneville...
I know I've linked Deus Ex Machina before, but these guys simply know how to take something old, and possibly worn past it's prime, and make it simple and cool. 

The guys from BreadWinner take "riding to the ride" next level. Plus, they make really nice stuff!
Simple...

Sorry, but this is just funny...

And don't forget, Jens is making an assault on 'The Hour' tomorrow.  Cyclingfans will have live streams, and I believe Trek will be streaming it on their corpo website as well. 
The bike...

The Boss is coming home today, and I should probably make it appear as though a troupe of orangutans hasn't been living in the house.

Fall is falling...get outside.




15 September 2014

Seriously?

First thing this morning, let's go back to the beer spraying at Cross Vegas.
The guys who actually threw the beer, and generally acted like assholes, well, they sacked up, and apologized. It was sincere, and to the point.
I honestly believe them, and they seem like good dudes who genuinely love cycling, and cyclocross.
I respect that. Own your fuck up, and move on.
On the other end of the spectrum were both the photographer that documented the events, and the organizers of Cross Vegas themselves.
The photog, whom I will not name, as he does need any more attention than that he is already given, actually tweeted out that he wanted an apology for being blamed for instigating the situation.
We're sorry! Sorry you're a dick!
And the organizers went on Twitter and, in the words of some very Southern gentlemen I happen to know, shit and fell back in it.
They had the Everest-sized balls to say the racers themselves shared in the blame. WHAT? Are you serious? How the FUCK do the pros, who were out there killing themselves in 100 degree heat, bear ANY responsibility for having beer, among other things, thrown on them?
That's as stupid as trying to put your pants on over your head.
The organizers' argument was that the racers who participated in some early races took the beer handups, and this behavior led to the beer spraying.
Huh?
That's in the same vein of, "She was wearing a short skirt, so...." (And don't take umbrage to this statement! If you can't figure out the VERY loose association, then it's a YOU problem!)
Handups don't lead to beer throwing. I've been to myriad races that haven't devolved into fraternity parties. Hell, I've been to myriad Frat parties that didn't involve the base behavior that occurred at CXVegas.
One argument was that the racers should "Stop taking it so seriously...", in reference to the racing, and the beer throwing. Really? Top level pros should just lighten the fuck up?
I guess these folks won't mind in Sven Nys, Lars Van Der Har, and Katie Compton come to their jobs, and spray beer all over their cubicle...
It's little more than an attempt by Cross Vegas organizers to defer blame.

They said the would be releasing a "statement" today.
If they have a brain in their Vegas desert, sun-baked, little brains, it should be a very sincere apology, and an admission that they should have acted to end the abhorrent and disrespectful behavior as soon as possible after it began. (It didn't happen for 5 or 10 minutes. It went on thru the entire evening.)
Admit more security, and less booze, were needed, and move on.

Blaming the very folks who were wronged doesn't help ANYONE!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

TVH and I met Saturday morning, and did a ride that could only be consider damp, and muggy.
It never rained, but between the wet roads, and the 439% humidity, we were both soaked once the 70km was complete.
And the dumb was strong Saturday morning. Between the fat women in the minivan, and the FratBro in his daddy's Infinti, who ran the stop sign in the middle of the neighborhood, I'm shocked we made it home in one piece. Or two, as it were...
I guess gameday brings out the DERP in people...
Once back to SC, I worked in the yard for a while, then took a nice nap. It was good.

A nice little group met Sunday, on a cool morning. It was spitting rain, but not enough to be concerned with...until...
Once on 12th, the actual rain started, and grew stronger as we pushed South. Kevin and Tim had planned to turn around at the end, as it was Kevin's first ride outside since being nearly smushed by a car a month ago, and they did. TVH turned with them.
The rest of us went about 250m further.
Once we saw that there was an entire crew working on the bridge, and took the rain and wind into account, it was decided that The Cycling Gods were sending us a sign to go home.
So we did.
We chased back the other three, and we all rode in together.
A planned 100km turned into 40km. I was cool with that.
And as normally happens, the rain stopped, and the sky cleared about 30 minutes later.

 Firefly CX bike. All top shelf and custom...but FSA cranks...?
 Firefly road. Plain, clean, simple...what else is needed?
 Adam Hansen from Lotto Belisol finished his 10th straight Grand Tour. Hardman...
 I'm liking this LaPierre! And Raleigh is distributing them for 2015, so they are actually attainable!
And the Vuelta ended Sunday. Yawn. I watched about 15 minutes of it. Sorry...just couldn't get interested.  A guy who broke his knee at the Tour won. A guy who broke his wrist at the Tour came second. And a former Classics rider, turned GT rider rounded out the podium.  Okaaaay....

Have a solid Monday! I have stuff to do...


12 September 2014

What's wrong with you?

So it seems that CX is approaching the shark tank.
At Cross Vegas, several morons decided that it was cool to spray beer at the pros as the rode under the Shimano fly-over.


No, it's not cool. No it's not funny. It's disrespectful, and makes you, and American CX fans in general, look like asshole soccer hooligans.
Good natured heckling is cool...Always. Throwing beer on racers? Nope...Never.
I don't care if the racers are Euro pros, or the lowliest of category schmoes.
If I'm racing, and someone throws something at me, I'm going to get off, come through the barrier, and beat them into a puddle. Same applies to if I'm merely watching a race.
I will walk over to you, ask politely if you threw something at the racers. If the answer is in the affirmative, expect a punch in the throat.
And if you think I'm blowing hot air, try me...
As for CX Vegas, the assholes in question seem to be involved with The Radavist. It seems they had a good time, and up until LATE last night, even published pictures of themselves throwing beer on the racers. The pictures have since been taken down.
What's wrong guys? The Courage of your Convictions weaken overnight? Or did you figure out, once sober, and once you got called out on the Internet, that what you did was asshole FratBro behavior?
The worst part? People defended the behavior. Of course, it was probably the same people who Columbus things, and didn't know what CX was 5 years ago.

The Rev may have summed it up best

CX is fun. CX is cool. CX is a relaxed atmosphere. Disrespect under the auspices of "we're just having a good time" is still disrespect.

I remember going to the Athens Twilight in the mid-90s, and some FratBro decided it would be funny to start throwing things at the racers as they streaked by at 30mph. It's didn't work out so well for him after a certain well-known SC racer (who used to race for Outspokin'), punched the guy squarely in the side of the head.
After the FratBros took umbrage, and took a small beating from a bunch of dudes with shaved legs, nothing else was thrown.

Just don't do it! Sven might come after you...



====================================================

Fun ride last night. Methinks the rides are petering out, as the group was pretty small.
Chasing the sun has picked the pace up as well.
It was a decent ride, except for the shite riding of the usual suspect. I'd be embarrassed if I rode in that manner, but I surmise that he's as clueless about his riding as he is about most things.
The "attack" through the red light in South Congaree was the best. Can't put a nose to the breeze, but will stomp through a red light that everyone else slowed for...




I guess I should dig the lights out, as it was DARK by the time I hit Service Course last night...@ 7:45. 

Time to get my Friday started...with a trip to Target. Oh joy...











11 September 2014

9/11

Never Forget...

==============================================================

Fun ride Tuesday night. Smaller group, but still pretty quick, and generally steady.
There were a couple of incidences of dumbassery, but we've all pretty much come to expect them from certain folks.
Although I will say that fouling up the rotation of the line when one isn't even in THAT line is some next level stuff.  Yeah...sure...just jerk it left into the line that's passing you 5kph faster.  It's cool.  No one will mind.
And the guy who decided to join us at the end of the ride, even though he had NO idea of how to ride with other people...
As Big John said, it turned into a shitshow over the 26 overpass.

If you don't know what you're doing, please stay out of the dynamic.

As an aside, and a bit of a pro-tip, please bring out your blinky lights.  Darkness is falling quickly, and the long shadows create difficulty for drivers.

Not many more of these evening rides left until it's just too dark.


A couple of Cipo's bikes from Eurobike.  Interbike is happening in Vegas right now, so we'll all get to see some cool stuff very soon.

Follow Peloton Magazine on Instagram for an early peek...and just generally cool photos.

Video for the new Cipo TT bike. Only Cipo...



And profi CX has started in earnest with CrossVegas going off last night. I would have enjoyed watching it had the pro races not started after 11 Eastern time.  Some of us have to get up in the morning...
Here's the last 2 laps of the men's race.  Feel free to mute Dave Towle. (I did)



Have a good Thursday...



08 September 2014

You can go now...

Talking to YOU head cold!
Just a simple, little, allergy-related cold that has been living with me for a week now. Feeling better every day, but damn! Enough already...

Want to see how professional neutral service guys work?



Those Shimano cameras make pretty pictures...



Um...ok...
The new Swobo Scofflaw. Reynolds 531 steel. 44mm headtube.  Comes as a singlespeed, but will include a slider drop out to run gears.  Yeah, it has discs, but that's the way things are headed. Upside? The wheels are 30mm tall and 23mm wide. Should make for some cushy Clements.
In talking to El Jefe, it won't be blue though. They'll be a lime green color.
Pricing is very kind to one's wallet as well. $1199 as shown. No, that's not a typo...
I've already reserved mine.

If you're gonna Rep, Rep hard...

Two Wheels Good.
Custom. BMW. 
Not really feeling the front fairing/light cover. Needs a simple, round headlight, or a couple of small, round LED headlights.

Fun rides this weekend.
Saturday was my normal CX loop, as I have things to do that pertain to life. 2 hours, including a couple of traverses of The PowerStation, which is fabulous shape these days.
I decided to do a hard effort, just to blow some of the snot carbon out of the pipes. It was going swimmingly until I shellaced one of the three washouts at about 35kph.
Hitting it was no big deal, and quite easily survived. My phone, however, was lashed to my stem so I could run MyTracks for GPS.
Upon striking the washout, my homemade Garmin mount decided to lay down on the job, and the MotoX took a flyer of into the trees.
Thankfully, it was easy to find.
Up through campus, down to the stadium to see who was tail-gating 8 hours before the USC game, and back to SC. Two hours on the ladder followed, which hurt my legs far more...
Sunday was the normal Lex/Cal route...or one of them at least. Good group too. And the heat didn't crop up and smash us until the very end.
I had a small, easily rectified mechanical towards the end, and rode home with greasy hands. It was new kit day, so there was no wiping them on the bibs, nor jersey. The white tape took a small hit however.
It was good 100km...except for the headwind. All day. In every direction. Whichever way we turned, the wind shifted.
We all felt a little like Grandpa Simpson...




It's a bleh day out there today. Stay inside. Get some things done. I'm out...








05 September 2014

It's Friday...


Short weeks seem to last forever. Of course, it could be the headcold with which I've been locked in battle all week. 
Fortunately, it was little more than a simple cold, and it's nearly run it's course. I think I was about due anyway...

Fun ride last night. The group road rides are winding down for the season, as it's getting dark EARLY.
Bristol and I went out with the group, and turned onto the dirt, then took a tour of Columbia.
It was good fun, and I got rid of some "stuff" that was in my head from my little cold.

Two things :

1- If you are 18 years old, and a noob triathlete/cyclist, don't talk shit to the veteran roadies. This holds especially true if you've crashed, and bloodied yourself ON THE WAY TO THE FUCKING RIDE!!! (Yes, I yelled that part!)

2- As we rode through campus last night, it was hard not to notice the sheer number of college kids who have NO idea that anyone else in the World exists. Put your GD phone in your pocket, and walk with your eyes up people.
I honestly had the urge to start smacking phones out of their texting little paws.

As has been documented here for years, I'm no mountain biker. Sure, I've had mountain bikes, and sometimes enjoy riding in the woods, but I wouldn't check the "MTBer" box on any surveys.
However, this appeals to me...



And as it happens, the UCI is ending the Eliminator series in 2015. Figures.
Something cool and exciting? Nah...we don't need that...

Here's the women's race. It's almost cooler b/c you can hear her breathing...



Another week ends...
Go outside and play...




04 September 2014

03 September 2014

No...no...no...no....



Yes, Quintana broke the saddle off the bike with his crotch...

I'm just going to sit here with my legs crossed for a moment.

02 September 2014

Nothing like easing back in...

So after the longest continuous break I've taken in 2014 (six days), I got re-acquainted with the bike(s) this weekend.
Saturday - 2 hours on the CX bike out thru the PowerStation a couple of times. The first 30 minutes was really odd. They say one never forgets how to ride a bike, and that's probably true, but after a week off, the legs tend to wonder what the hell you're doing to them.
Highlights?
The dirt is in fantastic shape. It was shielded from the flesh burning sun/heat that we've experienced as of late. And I saw a rattlesnake that was large enough to take down small deer.
Well, I saw his body. The tail and head were on opposite sides of the trail, hidden by the underbrush. He was large...
Sunday - a good group met for the usual ride. The decision was made to do an easy 80km or so, as Monday was Labor Day, and we'd planned to do the Flat 50, including the commute to and from the meeting point.
Well, the best laid plans...yada yada...
It turned into a 105km ride out thru Cal/Lex. And it was harder than it should have been, as I was dragging a dying albatross behind me.
The hub new Williams WS28 rear wheel decided to begin ingesting itself about an hour into the ride. Once home, the hub felt like someone smashed all of the bearings into a not-so-fine powder. Emails have been sent...
After a quick turnaround, the entirety of Corpo went to the pool...
Monday - A few of us met @ 7:15 (too GD early), and wandered out to the Labor Day Flat 50. (80km, since I go by kilometers...)
Charlie and I kept tabs on things until we got to the Swamp. The whole group rode 30-34kmh, together, and fun was had by all. Once out of the Swamp...well...
All hell broke loose, and the ride averaged damn near 40kmh until we got to Eastover. Honestly, it was fun, albeit a bit dodgy at times...and it was silly.
Once out of the store stop, the lead group pressed on at high speed, while the bulk of the group rode in together...at 30-34kmh.
Once back, and bottles filled for the umpteenth time, the four of us rolled the 15km back to the 'hood. 
Yeah...I went to the pool again...
Another day, another Metric.  110km for Monday, and 265km for the weekend. I'm tired...
Now for my editorial :
These Flat 50 rides that Becky is nice enough to organize have gotten out of control.
I understand people's innate need for competition, but there's a time, and a place. These rides aren't it.
Big, fast-ish group rides are really fun, but they shouldn't turn into road races.
The first one we attended was a 30-35kmh affair. Everyone stayed together. Those who were strong did the work. Those who were not as strong, rode the wave. This is the way the Flat 50 should be.
The ride has devolved since then...
There are folks out there who aren't interested in biting their stems for 2.5 hours. The group should stay together, both for safety's sake, and for the camaraderie gained by riding with folks you normally wouldn't ride with.
 Words to this effect will be spoken at the next Flat 50.
If this makes me the asshole, so be it. I've been the asshole before...what's another day?


Donhou Stainless with visible brass brazing. You are now on my list...

 Two of my favorites from Eurobike
 Caterham will only build 73 of these. Even if you don't have to ask the price, you probably cannot afford it.
And this Cinelli piqued my attention. Purple has been missing from bikes...

And Rapha released their "Lightweight Climbing Shoe". Let it be known, to man and beast alike, if you show up to a ride with these, I will ridicule you...OPENLY.

And this is why one, unless a PRO, should run mechanical on a CX bike. I wonder if, when the derailleur sheared off, it sounded like $100 bills tearing? And notice the crank? Yeah, that's a Quarq.  Nothing like fucking up your $2000 crank in the mud.

Fourth ride in as many days tonight. Ride time has moved up to 6pm. See you there...