...Bastille Day!

Being one of the most important french national holidays, Bastille day is a time for enjoying all things french; baguettes, red red wine, croissants, and cycling! Of course, this holiday coincides with a flat stage of the tour through the middle of the country past yellow fields of grain and quaint pastoral cottages. Needless to say, everyone in France has the day off and takes the opportunity to come out and cheer on the riders who are racing toward the start of the Alps and the decisive stages of the tour. Watching the stage stream online, we could catch glimpses of the french revelry. First there were people waving plants...


Then we saw people waving sheets from horseback...


And then there were two soon-to-be-escargots just getting their fill of the sporting occasion, waving nothing at all....


Funny thing is, this snapshot was taken directly before the breakaway passed them, and the commentators expressed hope that they would not try to venture out onto the road lest they become unusable as escargots later in the day. Then, as the main field of riders passed that spot, they showed the snails again, just chilling, watching the race go by.

I'm not sure if these fellas ever got served up in some fancy french dish, though I hope if they do, they're served up for the 'dish, winner of today's stage (and two others so far this race).


According to the race announcers, Cavendish has had a 90% win rate on sprint finish races and stages this season. Allow me to put that another way: If Mark Cavendish is in a sprint to the line with any number of other riders, he essentially has a 90% chance he'll beat them to the line. That's the epitome speed if I do say so myself (a little British-ism to commemorate).

And I do....

In addition to bringing you critical reviews of local bike lanes with the semi-regular BLRI posts, I feel the need to relay my experiences with local bike shops that I frequent. Starting close to home, Today's LBSR (local bike shop review) will be about a new face in Prospect Heights:

Brooklyn Bike and Board


BByB Just opened up a little while ago on Vanderbilt Ave. btw Bergen and Dean Sts. While more of a repair shop than anything, they run a good business and everyone I've met working there has been super cool and helpful... Even on weekends in the summer, which is saying a lot. Every time I've gone there with annoying little problems (like a creaking crank), Chip the mechanic torques everything down or straightens everything up and then refuses to take my money.

I can only guess that this is because they make enough money off all the junky mountain bikes and dutch bikes being brought in for complete overhauls that its no big deal to throw my road bike on the stand and wrench everything down real quick. Seriously, I've been to that bike shop numerous times and never been charged except when I bought prody. maybe I should bake them a cake or something...

They also sell new and refurbished single-speed bikes, fixed gear bikes, and geared cargo bikes, which are becoming much more commonplace around yuppieville. Two of my friends recently bought bikes from them, one of which being the Torker U-District bike that I can safely say is a great deal for the paltry $400 or so that they cost.

Anywho, Give 'em a try next time you're in the area, I promise you won't be disappointed.