...fun with diagrams

image used without permission via cycling tips

This is a real neat little example of why motorists are full of shit when they pull out the "bicycles slow down traffic" argument when rationalizing their desire for cyclists to not ride on "their road." This article was reposted by Wade at Cycling Tips (link under picture). It's nice to know that cycling to work is more time efficient (and by extension and necessity, more cost, energy, etc.. efficient) in places other than just NYC.

It really cracks me up when a car drives SUPER close behind me when I'm riding in the middle of a lane, in a blatantly passive-aggressive maneuver, passes me as close as their mirrors will allow, and then gets stuck at a red light that I can just blow through (when cross-traffic permits, of course).

One time recently, that exact situation unfolded as I was riding to the bridge on the now bikelane-less Bedford Ave. Since I was kind of in a pissy mood (pre-9am is when you get to meet grouchy erk) to begin with, I passed him at the light and muttered under my breath something to the effect of "go fuck yourself you fucking meathead jackass." Of course he couldn't hear what I said but I think he could see my lips moving because he rolled down his passenger window and said "Yo! did you say something?"

I decided to take a moment while the light was red to learn him some traffic etiquette, and to my surprise he was quite courteous and actually listened to me! He also seemed to concede the facts that (a) I too pay taxes for roadways in the city, and (b) I have just as much right as anyone to use a lane of traffic, regardless my choice of transport.

In hindsight I'm proud of myself for wiping my face of the all too typical inward disgust and loathing associated with overtly aggressive motorists, as I was able to have a meaningful exchange that hopefully benefited another cyclist riding with him later on.

I think it is important to recognize our impact on other cyclists and to not simply worry about our own well being. I've noticed from personal experience that a simple wave or nod (or combination of the two) when a motorist (or anyone else for that matter) does you right, will go a long way to improving everyone's daily lives.

Kim Jong Irrrrr. source unknown.

Gotta give respect to get respect...

Super Badass Racing Bike Buildup Status Update:  Apparently NYC Velo lied to me last Tuesday when they said my seatpost and stem were going to be here today... Therefore, unveiling photos will be posted this coming Wednesday. Sorry, I know y'all were dying to see it...

...new toys, necessary delays, and a peek under the drop cloth

Given the amount of time, effort and money (gathered through time and effort) I've invested in making a legitimate racing machine out of the Allez, I think it's only right that I resist the temptation to let it "drop" until it's complete...completely complete.

After having the most crucial components installed and taking it for a few quick spins to get accustomed with the new gear, I realized that it was missing a few finishing touches.

So tomorrow evening I will take delivery of this...

 

...and this...

 

...from the good folks at NYC Velo (anyone who supplies me with "free" espresso while placing orders qualifies as good people).

I hope to find the time to install these guys on the bike prior to the phryday festivities, after which I will get the whole set up cleaned to a sparkle and go at it with a camera and tripod for the purposes of posterity and gloating (mostly gloating).

Anyways, here are a few spy photos of the build thus far...

 

 

Ok enough titillation for one day...

RIP Alexander McQueen, Franco Ballerini, and Lino Gastaldello.

and I'm out...

Update: Sorry about the shitty formatting; blogger has this new post-composing interface that is excruciatingly inconsistent... all those photos are supposed to line up vertically, though don't worry, I'll hopefully have it resolved soon.

... girlies

 

via chicks and bikes

Just ran across this site, chicks and bikes, whilst perusing tracko. while I usually have little interest in blogs of the ccc or sartorialist blog-way; I am a fan of pretty girls. and bikes. and boobies. Of course the undisputed masters of fixed-gear-soft-core-hipster-porn is the fixfixfix.

 

via thefixfixfix

...enjoi...

... back from the land of wherever

Happy holdays everybody. And happy new year as well, for that matter.

After a lengthy sabbatical from blogging, I have decided to return to posting about shit I find here or there that piques my interest or earns my ire. Of course that presupposes my having mountains of cool stuff worth looking at which (while perhaps I do now) is not always the case; especially after divulging it in large heaps on a daily basis.

Since my last post, I've had a life filled with both tumult and elation, though (for better or worse) more so of the tumultuous.

I spent Christmas in Washington State with the folks and opened some really great gifts between traipsing around the verdant wilderness of the northwest, which I must add, is just as foggy and moist as one would expect it to be.

The non-gift highlights of that trip were finally getting to see some of Seattle, including the Pike St. Market and the space needle.

 

Worth mentioning is the EMP/SFM. While its collections were totally rad, the "architecture" in which it was housed was bile-eliciting to say the least. I found it humorous that the first thing people said to me when I told them I wouldn't discuss my distaste of the building with them was, "It's supposed to look like a smashed guitar from above."

Fortunately for Frankie, it's adjacent to the space needle so that perspective is available, though I find it odd that one would design a thing to be viewed from another thing altogether.

This is certainly a topic for the Philosoraptor to tackle at some future date.

 

Anyway, returning to the city (new yorkers are so insular that they feel it unnecessary to preface 'city' with 'new york'), I turned my attention to several pressing matters that required my immediate attention, most importantly, the rapidly advancing first race of the [road] season.

Noting that my bicycle was in dire need of some sexification, I proceeded to spend countless hours at "work" perusing competitive cyclist (the most verbose and simultaneously selectively stocked bike-parts website), posting inane questions to bikeforums, and fantasizing about all sorts superfluous bells and whistles for my ride (as a figure of speech only, every roadie knows that bells are needlessly heavy and can easily be replaced by whistling.... with one's lips, that is).

Anyway, I'll save the bike-upgrade discussion for a later date, just wanted to say, "Hello, I'm back."