28 December 2015

+5 days

Situation report :
We're at +5 days on the knee surgery. It was no fuss, no muss.
I've had NO pain at all. I'm up and walking...well, limping, around the house. I had PT today, and have 5 more PT appointments. I must also do the PT exercises at home a few times a day.
No big deal.
The swelling in my knee is going down. It looks like a knee now, and not like a boa that swallowed a piglet.
The only things that hurt are the GD stitches. It feels like they want to pull out.
They're coming out Thursday...
Bob, my PT, says I'll be able to ride the trainer in about 3 weeks. WhoooHoooo!

I guess I should start working on the Ridley, eh? Maybe the CX bike is the better choice, b/c of the little gears.

When being a hipster goes bad. Sometimes access to a drill press should be highly restricted.

Zolder Women (KFC 2nd place)


Men


Diegem (Working on some night moves...)


I like Diegem b/c A) It's at night. B) It runs all through the town. They basically take over the village...and the entire village comes out to watch! And the finish...WHOOOO!

And Al-Jazeera has done an expose about pro sports and drugs...


You mean guys who are 6'5" and weigh 250 aren't supposed to be that big and fast? NOOOOO!
And of course, people are already commenting that they don't believe the story about Peyton Manning simply because Al-Jazeera produced the piece. Like that's how ISIS will take us down. Expose pieces about football.
'Merica...
Everyone can come back from debilitating neck surgery to play football with just some PT? Cool...get me his "therapist".

Cyclists are dirty cheaters who dope. Ball and stick athletes use the same shit to come back from injury...it's cool...

I'm out. Time for a nap. Limping around is hard on a brother...


21 December 2015

Another Monday

And no bikey over the weekend. Surgery is Wednesday, and to be honest, I'm ready today. Let's get this shit done!
Didn't even mess with the Noah repaint, as it's just too cold to be applying decals, or spraying clearcoat. Yeah, I know it's not COLD, per se, but 50 degree temps is too cold for paintwork.

I did burn time watching a bit of CX, and a lot of futbol.

Antwerp


Namur


And remember my friend Amanda? She was on the top of the podium AGAIN this weekend...both days.
And it seems there may have been a quick start to the race yesterday...
A video posted by A. Amin (@saywhatamin) on


Nothing says big fun like approaching a curb at high speed on high dollar carbon wheels and high dollar FMBs.
And Amanda won 5 of the 6 "Southern Cross Series" races in TX and OK, stacking some UCI points in the process. Good show Panda...

And from the "Shut Up and Take my Money" files :
 When money is NO, and I mean NOOOO object...
Ti Baum tandem with S&S couplers? If you have to ask the price...you know the rest.
Yes please. 56.5 top tube. 73.5 HTA. 73 STA. The check is in the mail...

And sometimes, four wheels good...
E-Vil, the like Fru-its of the Dev-il. Needs to be lower though...

Should be a fun week. The Boss is on her broom, as is her M.O. around Christmas. Surgery is Wednesday, and Christmas is Friday.
If there is an upside to having surgery two days before Christmas, it's the fact that it gets me out of having to deal with the In-Laws...well, actually, that ENTIRE side of the family.
Cut me Mick....

18 December 2015

Friday schtuff

 There IS a bike in this photograph. Seriously...there is...
 Not a big disc brake guy, but I dig this bike...
 You know who this guy is? If not...SHHHHHHHH!
And let's talk about the Briko Stingers. They should bring those back! If Oakley can sell the giant blades, these would sell like hotcakes.
Cannondale's new "gravel/adventure" bike. 650b wheels. Single chainring. Lefty fork. Discs.
Here's a thought...
Just put drop bars on a mountain bike.
Order a Baum, and it comes packed properly. Double boxed? No thanks...

If you haven't heard, American track hope Bobby Lea tested positive. And before people start losing their collective shit (they already have), and start calling BL a "doper", let's look at the situation.
Yeah...he got popped after track Nationals...for Oxycodone.
Here's his "Open Letter to Cycling..."

I have to say, for ME, more questions are raised, than answered.
Oxy (Percocet)? I've taken that shit before...after surgery. Knocks me CLEAN out. And I wake up looking for the cat that crapped in my mouth. It's terrible stuff. Lovingly referred to by dope fiends, and Law Enforcement alike, as Hillbilly Heroin.
Arguments have already begun about it's use. Bobby says he took it to help him sleep. Sure, ok...I get that, but DAMN man, that's like killing a spider in your house with a flamethrower. The spider is dead, but your kitchen is charred.
Take a Benadryl.
And not to mention that it's on the Banned List.
Tramadol is being used in the peloton now, and word is that oxycodone, and even oxycontin, are making their way into the bunch.
Gotta say...better dudes than me to take that stuff and get on a bike.
And so, so dumb...
The real question that is being discussed is addiction. I TRULY hope this isn't the case. By all accounts, Bobby Lea is a stand up, completely honest guy, from a good family.
If addiction is the reasoning, the story is even more tragic.
And speaking of tragedy, USAC and USADA banned him for 16 months. This has effectively ended his career...at 32.
Meanwhile, Tom Danielson, who has doped throughout his entire career, took a 6 month ban for snitching out others, and is currently being investigated for use of T, hopes to race next year.
There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of equity, nor reasoning, in the application of punishment from USADA. I think a ban is necessary, but 16 months? How about 90 days that includes some counseling?

More will come of this, I assure you...

Now to lighten the mood...
 Except bankruptcy Laws, right Donald? His autobiography has 4 Chapter 11s.
Some Star Wars funny....

Have a good weekend! Get your shopping done. It's what I'mma do, considering Tuesday is the last day for me to get anything done...

14 December 2015

SSDD

Perfect weekend. 70s. Sunny. No wind. Yeah...I sat on my ever fattening ass, and took it all in.
I did get some work done on the Noah though.
Base paint is down. Waiting for the decals I had made to arrive. Once decaled up, I'll clear coat it. Can't decide on satin clear, or sell out and go full gloss...
The color? Since Lanbo Titanio Grigio was $50-ish per ounce, I went with Ford "Magnetic" Gray. Pretty close, and WAAAY less expensive. I mean WAAAAAAAY less...
As is my life lately, I'm just waiting...

 Matching Pegorettis. Full Super Record. Boras. Special done-by-Dario paint. If you're gonna be a bear, be a grizzly...
 Katusha's new kits. That's a lot of red...
Full Belgium Baum? Make it a 56.5 TT, and box it up...I'm good for the money...

Euro CX
Zilvermeer


Spa Highlights


Like running thru chocolate pudding...

9 days until knee surgery. Oh joy. Merry Christmas to me.

It's Monday. It's raining. Stay inside...and in bed if at all possible.



11 December 2015

Friday quickie

The Eriksen is done, so I limped down to Service Course, and tore down the Ridley...
Sanding was a chore. A dusty, dusty chore. There's no paint stripper and wire wheel action on carbon. It was hand-to-frame combat.
5 hours of sanding, water and acetone wipedowns later, the frame was ready for primer.
That's four coats of primer kids. Some light sanding in next on the board, to even out the surface, followed by a bit more light sanding (800-1000 grit), and THEN we'll put color and satin clear on it.
Hopefully get some color laid down this weekend, as it's supposed to be warm.
Decals are on the way...

There's riding the boards, then there's RIDING THE BOARDS...

This is my friend Amanda. She won not one, but TWO UCI points bearing races last weekend. She's sort of a badass, and will be dancing on a larger stage soon, mark my woods.

Danny MacAskill dropped a new video yesterday...
The boy has weapons grade testicles...


Say what you will about Tinkoff, but they always come up with something for training camp.

You had me at hello...

And today's funny GIF...
Tells one what they need to know about Iowa...

And I guess ALL of Team Sky are Estonian Champions...

Enjoy your weekend...for those of us who cannot...

07 December 2015

Watching the days go by...

This whole "no riding" thing is starting to get to me. It was pretty nice all weekend.
I worked out, and threw the football with the Junior Management. Just not the same...

I did get to play with bikes a little bit though.
Tear down, overhaul, clean, rebuild...
The Eriksen came by the house, and in the midst of fettling it, I was reminded why it's such a nice frame.
There's no dicking around with it. It just accepts parts easily. No grinding. No tapping threads. No thinking about how to affect a fix.
It's just...right.
The old parts came off, and were placed in a box, to be used later on Dean's beater bike...a Ti Dean.
The King InSet headset was indexed. Everything apart and cleaned. The top bearing was crunchy, so it came out, and got an oil bath, followed by a heaping helping of SRAM ceramic grease.
It's once again smooth. "They" say a King H/S cannot be rebuilt. Yeah...okay...
And the new D/A 9000 BB? Yeah...that's smooth design. Same size as the BB shell. No fuss, no muss.
I'm about halfway done with the overhaul. The new Ultegra 11v is going on without issue.
I know that D/A is the benchmark, but the new Ultegra mechanical is super nice. Good fit and finish, and MUCH lighter than 10V Ultegra...especially the cassettes. And honestly, it's all most of us (99%) will ever need.
It'll be done in a few days. I'll post pictures...

Rouleur posted an opinion piece about Lance. It's dead on the money.

 Gosforth 953 Stainless. Stock. Off the peg. $1350-ish...shipped to the US. Add a King headset, and an Enve fork, and you're STILL under $2k. Bargain.
One could add an Ultegra kit, decent cockpit, and nice wheels, and still be just a TICK over $3k. FOR A STAINLESS BIKE!!!
But you go ahead an go buy that Tarmac...

Same deal with this Genesis 853 frameset. WAY oversized 853. Big fork. <$1500 frameset. Again, $3k for an Ultegra bike. Crazy talk...

1982. Brompton wanted Raleigh to buy them, and their designs. Raleigh, in their politely British way, declined.
Today, Raleigh is no longer a British company, while Brompton is going strong. Seems that it worked out for Brompton.

I'm not here for the cash!!!

Essen and Druivencross were last weekend...



Druivencross


Essen looked like a fun course. Flowy.
Druivencross looked heavy. MvdP ain't care. At the end, he was RAILING corners like he was racing a kermesse.

Have a happy Monday! 18 shopping days left...

04 December 2015

Mark your calendars

Knee surgery is scheduled for December 23rd. Merry Christmas to me.
Arthroscopic clean out of the right knee, and a repair of the medial meniscus. Outstanding!
No riding for another 10 weeks or so. I should be really easy to get along with by then. And as skinny as Chris Froome...

Speaking of Froome, he (his people) released his data...finally. To be honest, it tells us nothing. And the fact that it's published in Esquire adds to the fluff factor.
He hasn't tested positive...yet...

Go HERE...read for yourself.

Remember when the magazines were doing pieces like this about Lance? Uh huh...

And since the riding is on hold for a while, the repaint of the Ridley is a go. I'll probably gimp down to Service Course this weekend, and strip it down. Might even get after the wet-sanding.
Settled on Lamborghini Titans Grigio with some silver & yellow accents. There will be the obligatory Belgian flags and Flandrian lions as well.
Should keep my little brain occupied for a while...

3 minutes of "Holy crap...that's beautiful...."


Guess I should really get on the whole "shopping" thing, as surgery and Christmas are both looming...

30 November 2015

Another Monday

One kid is home sick. I was up with him half the night. I'm tired.
Once the caffeine started to do it's thing, I looked up the Broncos/Patriots score, and my Monday got better.
Not only did Baby Hands Brady get beat, but Gronk got a boo boo.
Is everyone in Boston wearing black this morning? I know a watermelon-shaped person up there, and I'm sure she's apoplectic. Gotta snicker...

Still not riding. Thought about going out Saturday, but the lure of sleeping until 9am was too strong. I went outside and ran the leaf blower for 2 hours instead. If I can't get on the bike, my outlet will be irritating my hungover neighbors. It's good fun!
Yesterday, I strapped up the bad wheel, and took Corpo on a little adventure.

 The Palmetto Trail is a great resource for folks here in SC. It cuts from the Upstate, all the way to the beach. Most of it is open, and most of it has some historical significance.
We went up to Peak, and wandered on the old rail line.
The bridge is 1100' long, and was built in 1904. The entire section is 11 miles, and is open to hikers, and cyclists. It would be big fun to ride on the CX bikes. Just sayin'...
Back to a little history...
This bridge replaces a wooden RR bridge that was burned by retreating Confederates in Feb. 1865., in an effort to hinder Sherman's progress North, out of Columbia. When the water level is low, the bases of the old bridge are still visible.
This section was a stop in Peak, SC, on the trip from Greenville to Columbia roundtrip.
Gotta say, it was a nice walk in the woods. And we saw a beaver swimming in the river...

 How I've been getting in bed lately...
Don't know what this is? Then SHHHHHHH....

Fun race in Hamme yesterday. Muddy and tres Belgique...


Sven got a bad start, nailed in back, but just couldn't get there.

Appointment with the Surgeon on Thursday afternoon to figure out the plan for the knee. Ready to do SOMETHING...

Although, I did get some TRX straps. People say you can't get a good workout on them. Those people are wrong. Done correctly, it kicks your ass.
Just because I'm hurt doesn't mean I can't do work. #WUKAR

Time to get ready for a good crack and stretch. Enjoy your Monday.



25 November 2015

This and That

I'm riding tomorrow. If it hurts...it hurts. I need to get outside and get some sunshine on me. It'll probably be a short ride, and definitely won't be very hard, but I'll be on the bike.

Going back to the disc brake discussion...
There's are pluses and minuses.
Yes, there is a lot of stopping power. Yes, they'd be better with carbon wheels, as the chances of de-lamming a wheel would fall to zero.
That's about it for me.
In my eyes, it's marketing, and planned obsolescence.
Sorry, but they just aren't needed. One can see that a LOT of pro CXers are back on cantis this year...even in the mud/wet.
Here's why WE, as weekend warriors don't need them...
The VAST majority of riders could change caliper/canti pads. It's not hard to figure it out. Most can also adjust them if necessary.
Hydros? I'd be willing to wager a sizeable roll of bank notes that 90% of those with discs can't change the pads, adjust the calipers, nor bleed the lines.
If a person shows up to a ride and tells me that they just bled their brake lines before the ride, I'm going home.
A fair number of people don't take care of their bikes as it is. Discs are not something that one can say, "Oh, I'll do it next week...after this mountain ride..."
The other thing is ability. Disc brakes do not impart knowledge, nor ability. They do not allow you to do things that properly set-up calipers/cantis will do.
Someone in town stated that they're going to get discs because they will allow for later braking on descents.
That's REALLY not how descending works...
You just cannot stab the brakes right at corner entry. One must brake BEFORE corner entry, and roll the apex. Grabbing brakes, and scrubbing get handfuls of speed will cause crashes. The rider will eat it from too much brake, or get run over from behind by riders who are faster.
Modulation, and the learning thereof, is the key.
And road discs are failing. You won't read about it in the magazines because the rags are betrothed to their advertisers, many of whom make/market/use the brakes. Money talks.
I can tell you though, guys who are using them out in Colorado have had failures. Disc, caliper, and line failures from overheating.
One guy had a failure on a gravel/road ride...on a descent...and had to Fred Flintsone it across a T-junction intersection, and ended up in the woods on the other side. Not hurt, but his sphincter didn't un-pucker for a solid hour. Thankfully, there were no cars...
These instances are not rare, nor anecdotal.
My friends who ride out there? Calipers.
Will I get discs? Maybe. For now, I have too many wheelsets to warrant going to a different standard.
That being, if I go, it'll be on the CX bike first.
I'm not against them. Just do your due diligence, and ask yourself the hard questions before throwing down Benjamins.

Townie bike by Primate. Yeah, it has discs. I can see them being useful on a townie, when one MIGHT have to stop quickly to avoid getting flattened by a sorority girl.

How about an Alu race rig?
The guys at VYNL are channeling the old school. I like aluminum bikes. I like feeling what's going on...
Or how about a LUGGED stainless rig?
Hand-cut lugs, and a MAX fork from DEMON. Enough said...

And if you like/appreciate handbuilt things, check out the "Jet-Hot Double Down" from Bryan Fuller @ FullerMoto
Custom. Handbuilt. Fully engineered. Beautiful. Crazy.
835hp and < 1000kg.
Better have it pointed in the desired direction of travel...

And with that, I need to go outside and gather leaves.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

24 November 2015

Hurry up and wait...

Second MRI was last night. To be honest, the tube doesn't bother me. I know people flip out when inside of the machine. I like it.
Probably says more about me than others...
Two words though : Satellite Radio.
Listening to shitty country music for 45 minutes without the ability to get away from it is far more mentally taxing than ANY claustrophobia.
Appt. at the Surgeon is early next week. Joy...

I'm getting even harder to get along with after 4 weeks of NO riding.
I'm gonna need a project if knee surgery happens. I think I'm going to tear down the Noah, and paint it. I'v gone thru several schemes in my little squirrel brain. Thinking the main color will be Lamborghini Grigio Titans...
Silver decals and some other graphics...

Koksijde CX


Masterclass taught by the Professor. Just watch the race. It was like watching a fight between an experienced fighter, and a young buck. And Sven showed EXACTLY how to win a race before it comes to the sprint.
Brilliant...
Here's how ONE of his bikes finished...
Betting the sounds coming from drivetrains was heartbreaking.
Ritte shop car...yes please...
Roger had style. Period.

As an aside, it looks like the UCI is going to allow discs in road competitions in 2017. They can yap all they want about safety, but it's about marketing, and selling bikes. Just more planned obsolescence.
Calipers have worked just fine for a century.
Cannot WAIT to see the carnage caused in a high-speed, 50 rider pileup during a Grand Tour.
Wheel changes will be REALLY fun for neutral support...

Have a good Thanksgiving kids! Go outside and ride, for those of us who can't...





16 November 2015

And so it begins...

So the knee is obviously injured worse than previously thought. A visit to the Orthopedic Surgeon is on the docket this afternoon. Wonderful...
As my relative inactivity has done little to alleviate pain, or leaven any sort of healing, the thought is that I've torn my ACL. Lots of clicking, popping, and instability.
It's great! Please don't ever try it...
If the ugly spectre of knee surgery DOES raise it's head, I think I may tear down the Noah, and send it of for a repaint. Time to break out the crayons....

Monday time suck...

Asper-Gavere CX (Women)



(Men)



And as we know, politics are verboten on this dumb-assed little page. I'd rather think of Paris like this :



Or '09 when HTC delivered Cav to the line...



 Remember, Aero has been around for decades. How about this Mercury train in Chicago? 1938...
Rob English makes tasty things...
If you're gonna be a bear...
...be a grizzly.

 Time to take The Duke to school. Enjoy this sunny Monday.


09 November 2015

Enough already...

Yeah...planned to ride yesterday. Didn't happen...
I went to sleep in Mid-October, and woke up in the North of England. It's 52 and raining today. The sun hasn't broken through the clouds in 12 days. We've had nearly two feet of rain in the last month.
Supposed to break tomorrow. I'm gonna ride ether way. I'm not letting the terrorists win...

Got my Shimano RS81 wheel back on Saturday. Props to both Shimano, and Outspokin', for the service. Probably would have gotten little more than a ration of shit from that other shop.

Oh, you discovered riding dirt? So did these guys...in the 1936 Vuelta.
 $1500 Specialized Allez. $3000 Bora wheels. Priorities...
 Seriously...it's a Mapei Dream w/ Campy. Level your saddle.

Ruddervoorde
Women :


Men:



Be careful if you ride outside today...


06 November 2015

Back on the bike

Sort of...
Figured I'd go out yesterday. Haven't been on the bike in almost two weeks, just to let the knee heal up a bit.
The knee feels fine. Everything that stretched out on the back of my leg...not so much.
I could ride, but there was a little discomfort. Oh well...

We haven't seen the sun in a week. Seriously...it was last Friday. Welcome to the North of England.
I got on the Salsa, and headed out in the 65 degree gloom.
I figured The PowerStation would be underwater...and it was...
 This is high ground, about 200m into the road. No sense going any further...
The stream under this bridge is usually a trickle, and a SOLID 8-10 feet below the bridge...

I tried to sneak through the paved trail to get out. Nope...
The water got deep in a hurry, and was cold. Nothing to do but turn around head back out they way I came in.
And special thanks to the City of Cayce. They are out there trimming limbs, but didn't bother to remove them. Piles of limbs are covering the first part of the road. Good job guys. Way to render to road useless for recreation.
Up thru Cayce, Gervais, and the 'hood. An easy 90 minutes.
And honestly, the knee feels a bit better today. Supposed to rain this weekend...again...
Maybe I'll ride...maybe I won't...

New Scott Foil...it's a sexy beast...
 Skinsuit?
 BunBun wasn't quite quick enough. He's lucky it was the non-disk brake side...

And remember, even if you think you're the "cool" parents...


Have a peaceful weekend kids.