my favorite so far has got to be, "Some people wear superman pajamas. Superman wears Chuck Norris pajamas. Chuck Norris wears Jens Voigt pajamas."
Showing posts with label Tour de France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tour de France. Show all posts
7.30.2010
7.02.2010
Le Tour!
©A.S.O. from www.letour.fr
Don't miss it. Prologue is tomorrow in Rotterdam, an ITT... While I certainly hope Fab-man Cancellara does well, though it is a rare thing for the one wearing the maillot jaune on stage 1 to keep it until the Champs Elysees in three weeks.
So check it out, I'm a nice guy so I'll save you a "spot by the finish" so to speak, by directing you to places that show it for free or otherwise. While I'm usually chagrined to pay for anything, really, it's way more entertaining to watch the grand tours with Phil Liggett (2 ligget 2 quit) and Paul Sherwen commentating than watching it in silence, another wacky language, or, as I've become fond of doing, playing a smattering of Slayer, Anthrax, Metallica, Cannibal Corpse, and Megadeth really really loud. I reccommend the last approch the most.
Anywho, I can't find links to live sites yet because today is only the teams presentation and I think that's over with by now... Of course you can go check out Universal Sports (with "non-ligget" commentary) or Versus (with "ligget" commentary), though it's entirely possible that you'll have to fork over like $20, which considering the quality of coverage and the fact that you can log in on the site from anywhere, including your telephone is a negligible cost.
Oh, and have a yoke-casting-off-y independence day if I don't get back to y'all before then...
9.17.2009
...keepin it real Thursdays
I got distracted today by absolutely nothing at all (aka surfing the internet), so for your general amusement, I give you this awesome example of keepin' it real from the '92 Tour!
Zing!
Aside from the obvious, you kinda have to marvel at the sensibilities of people back then; note the exaggerated bill on that blue hat and the frighteningly emotive leer from the balding guy at center.
(found on FGB via tracko)
Zing!
Aside from the obvious, you kinda have to marvel at the sensibilities of people back then; note the exaggerated bill on that blue hat and the frighteningly emotive leer from the balding guy at center.
(found on FGB via tracko)
7.31.2009
...a good day for a brewski
Since around 9000 BC, man (and occasionally woman) has imbibed himself with grain-based alcohols, arguably the most popular of which is beer. Being the third most popular drink in the world (behind water and tea, apparently), beers are numerous in kind and vary widely in flavor and content, yielding very specific tastes and preferences amongst those that enjoy the foamy beverage.
This was evidenced yesterday, when our man Bam shared a chat over a cold one with Henry Louis Gates Jr. and the Cambridge police officer that arrested him for disorderly conduct, Sargent James Crowley. Also in attendance was VP Joe Biden, but he had a non alcoholic brew (either he previously had problems with drinking, or he needed to drive somewhere later), so he can't really claim participation in the 'Beer Summit'.
Gates and Crowley were in good form, choosing Sam Adams Light and Blue Moon, respectively; though Obama once again donned his 'everyman' persona opting for Bud Light of all things... Biden drank an ironic brew called Bucklers.
I must tip my hat to Obama... It's no secret that I'm a fan of his, but a chat over a beer to cool the hot hearts of those at the center of a media-hyped 'controversy' on a beautiful summer evening seems to me to be a great way to make amends and quell animosities. I have rarely been in the mood to start shit with people while drinking beer, and can attest to it's friendliness-inducing nature.
Speaking of how yummy and awesome beer is, It is important to note how nutritious it is and its recognized usefulness to athletes; cyclists in particular. One 12 oz bottle of beer typically contains about 150 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrates, and a gram of protein. It's also is chock full of vitamins and minerals essential to bodies taxed by exercise, they include impressive amounts of B3 (niacin), and B9 (folate), to name a few, and being about 90% water, beer also makes it an excellent beverage for re-hydrating oneself after sweating profusely.
This interesting 1962 Tour de France documentary, forwarded to me by a reader, is testament to this. Note the "pub raids" about halfway through.
I wondered if the fans of a given cyclist would try to bar his rival from raiding their pub in hopes of giving their man a lead...
I really admire the cyclists who competed in the tour prior to the advent of race radios, team cars, air-conditioned lodging, and high tech sports drinks. It took true grit to complete the tour back then, and doping was done more so to dull the pain than it was to increase performance. In fact, it was a generally accepted fact that professional cyclists pulled a Tom Boonen every now and again to keep going under such strenuous conditions.
After I go riding tomorrow, I can guarantee I'll recuperate with a frosty friend or two... you should too!
This was evidenced yesterday, when our man Bam shared a chat over a cold one with Henry Louis Gates Jr. and the Cambridge police officer that arrested him for disorderly conduct, Sargent James Crowley. Also in attendance was VP Joe Biden, but he had a non alcoholic brew (either he previously had problems with drinking, or he needed to drive somewhere later), so he can't really claim participation in the 'Beer Summit'.
Gates and Crowley were in good form, choosing Sam Adams Light and Blue Moon, respectively; though Obama once again donned his 'everyman' persona opting for Bud Light of all things... Biden drank an ironic brew called Bucklers.
I must tip my hat to Obama... It's no secret that I'm a fan of his, but a chat over a beer to cool the hot hearts of those at the center of a media-hyped 'controversy' on a beautiful summer evening seems to me to be a great way to make amends and quell animosities. I have rarely been in the mood to start shit with people while drinking beer, and can attest to it's friendliness-inducing nature.
Speaking of how yummy and awesome beer is, It is important to note how nutritious it is and its recognized usefulness to athletes; cyclists in particular. One 12 oz bottle of beer typically contains about 150 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrates, and a gram of protein. It's also is chock full of vitamins and minerals essential to bodies taxed by exercise, they include impressive amounts of B3 (niacin), and B9 (folate), to name a few, and being about 90% water, beer also makes it an excellent beverage for re-hydrating oneself after sweating profusely.
This interesting 1962 Tour de France documentary, forwarded to me by a reader, is testament to this. Note the "pub raids" about halfway through.
I wondered if the fans of a given cyclist would try to bar his rival from raiding their pub in hopes of giving their man a lead...
I really admire the cyclists who competed in the tour prior to the advent of race radios, team cars, air-conditioned lodging, and high tech sports drinks. It took true grit to complete the tour back then, and doping was done more so to dull the pain than it was to increase performance. In fact, it was a generally accepted fact that professional cyclists pulled a Tom Boonen every now and again to keep going under such strenuous conditions.
After I go riding tomorrow, I can guarantee I'll recuperate with a frosty friend or two... you should too!
7.28.2009
...the weekend madness (installment 6)
So continuing with coverage of this weekend's epic rides, Sunday saw the peloton roll through eastern Paris to the Place de la Concorde, Jardin des Tuileries, and the Avenue des Champs-Élysées for a rousing eight lap finish to this three week long bike race.
The final stage is more of an exhibition stage where the riders are all smiles and camaraderie, in stark contrasts to the days before when the rivalries reared their ugly heads. Take, for example Contador and team Astana having a toast of champagne as they rode into town:
I'm not sure if that's actually champagne or if its apple juice. Drinking alcohol while racing a bicycle (even on a not so 'important' stage like this) seems like a bad idea to me. however, apple juice and a slice of toast with some nice marmalade would be lovely in my opinion. I think they should have a toaster in the team cars that plugs into the cigarette lighter so that team coaches can keep their racers fed with warm and crispy snacks. And maybe some cheese too; Brie maybe?
Speaking of Brie, while the peloton zipped toward the center of Paris, they passed through a region called Île-de-France, a place fairly reeking of the eponymous spread. The announcers oddly chose this moment to comment on the first two Japanese riders to complete the tour (apparently there were a few other guys who rode it long ago, but didn't finish); Fumiyuki Beppu and Yukiya Arashiro.
Perhaps it was an veiled jab at asian people's prevalent lactose intolerance, though we can't let this distract us from the real issue here: Why is it that the tour de france is hugely dominated by riders from the USA, Australia, and European countries?
Lets take a look at the podiums after stage 21 for reference shall we? First we have the first second and third placed riders (Contador 1st, Schleck 2nd, and Armstrong 3rd):
From left to right we've got a Luxembourger, a Spaniard, and an American. Seems fairly white-washed doesn't it? Lets see who else got up there:
...ah, yes; Franco Pellizotti, an Italian (obviously), won the King of the Mountains. The leader for sprint points was Thor Hushovd, A Norwegian...
...and lastly we have none other than the 'Mark Cavendish, winner of the day's stage:
Of course the 'Dish is from Britain, another stronghold of white-ness.
Because I don't know of any theories generally accepted by race scholars to this effect; I can only surmise that the elite of competitive cycling are selected from the ranks of each nation's top cyclists, and as such confuses me how there are virtually no (for instance) black cyclists in the grand tours.
Using my semi-regular trips to do laps in Prospect and Central Parks as a litmus, I would gather that cycling is quite the multi-ethnic sport, considering the number of roadies one encounters of all shapes and colors.
I'm not sure where I'm going with this... I just thought it odd that, for instance, the great majority of the world's greatest foot racers are black guys and gals, though that experience with stamina and power output wouldn't segue into a sport such as cycling, where such talents are essential. The fact that the race announcers spent a good fifteen minutes marveling at the foreign-ness of Beppu and Arashiro both baffles and worries me. I'm a firm believer that in order to combat racism, one must simultaneously accept it and ignore it where appropriate (the opposite of what the announcers were doing).
Anyway the conclusion of the tour, as I noted earlier, was pretty uneventful. Cavendish's victory on the Champs-Élysées was not only forseen by everyone, but anticlimactic as he and his lead-out man, Mark Renshaw, obliterated the peloton in the last turn and flew across the line a full three bike lengths ahead of the next riders.
This enormous gap and preemtive victory salute reminds me of another recent display of masterful sprinting ability. Though 'Dish's salute wasn't perhaps as creative as his previously noted SSS, It was one of sheer happiness, which is always nice to see, no matter the color or accent of the grin.
This is the 'Dish's sixth win at the 96th tour, and the most tour victories of any briton ever... Brilliant riding by the man x missle. To win in Paris is the pinnacle of acheivement for sprinters the world over.
The final stage is more of an exhibition stage where the riders are all smiles and camaraderie, in stark contrasts to the days before when the rivalries reared their ugly heads. Take, for example Contador and team Astana having a toast of champagne as they rode into town:
I'm not sure if that's actually champagne or if its apple juice. Drinking alcohol while racing a bicycle (even on a not so 'important' stage like this) seems like a bad idea to me. however, apple juice and a slice of toast with some nice marmalade would be lovely in my opinion. I think they should have a toaster in the team cars that plugs into the cigarette lighter so that team coaches can keep their racers fed with warm and crispy snacks. And maybe some cheese too; Brie maybe?
Speaking of Brie, while the peloton zipped toward the center of Paris, they passed through a region called Île-de-France, a place fairly reeking of the eponymous spread. The announcers oddly chose this moment to comment on the first two Japanese riders to complete the tour (apparently there were a few other guys who rode it long ago, but didn't finish); Fumiyuki Beppu and Yukiya Arashiro.
Perhaps it was an veiled jab at asian people's prevalent lactose intolerance, though we can't let this distract us from the real issue here: Why is it that the tour de france is hugely dominated by riders from the USA, Australia, and European countries?
Lets take a look at the podiums after stage 21 for reference shall we? First we have the first second and third placed riders (Contador 1st, Schleck 2nd, and Armstrong 3rd):
From left to right we've got a Luxembourger, a Spaniard, and an American. Seems fairly white-washed doesn't it? Lets see who else got up there:
...ah, yes; Franco Pellizotti, an Italian (obviously), won the King of the Mountains. The leader for sprint points was Thor Hushovd, A Norwegian...
...and lastly we have none other than the 'Mark Cavendish, winner of the day's stage:
Of course the 'Dish is from Britain, another stronghold of white-ness.
Because I don't know of any theories generally accepted by race scholars to this effect; I can only surmise that the elite of competitive cycling are selected from the ranks of each nation's top cyclists, and as such confuses me how there are virtually no (for instance) black cyclists in the grand tours.
Using my semi-regular trips to do laps in Prospect and Central Parks as a litmus, I would gather that cycling is quite the multi-ethnic sport, considering the number of roadies one encounters of all shapes and colors.
I'm not sure where I'm going with this... I just thought it odd that, for instance, the great majority of the world's greatest foot racers are black guys and gals, though that experience with stamina and power output wouldn't segue into a sport such as cycling, where such talents are essential. The fact that the race announcers spent a good fifteen minutes marveling at the foreign-ness of Beppu and Arashiro both baffles and worries me. I'm a firm believer that in order to combat racism, one must simultaneously accept it and ignore it where appropriate (the opposite of what the announcers were doing).
Anyway the conclusion of the tour, as I noted earlier, was pretty uneventful. Cavendish's victory on the Champs-Élysées was not only forseen by everyone, but anticlimactic as he and his lead-out man, Mark Renshaw, obliterated the peloton in the last turn and flew across the line a full three bike lengths ahead of the next riders.
This enormous gap and preemtive victory salute reminds me of another recent display of masterful sprinting ability. Though 'Dish's salute wasn't perhaps as creative as his previously noted SSS, It was one of sheer happiness, which is always nice to see, no matter the color or accent of the grin.
This is the 'Dish's sixth win at the 96th tour, and the most tour victories of any briton ever... Brilliant riding by the man x missle. To win in Paris is the pinnacle of acheivement for sprinters the world over.
7.24.2009
...on sprinting
After lazily pedaling to work this morning, I fired up the 'ol computer and went to get coffee while the processor warmed up (yeah, it's that crappy of a machine... think of it as the Pinto of personal computing [sorry, I linked the wrong pinto]). Tuning in to watch stage 19 stream online, I was surprised that I nearly missed the action. Lately the stages have been ending around 11:30 - 11:45 am, so I thought I had a while to wait before things started to get interesting.
Not today.
Once the video started flowing, I saw the sprinters getting paced to the front of the field for a showdown to the line, and knew I had missed the drama of todays stage. Fortunately for me, I apparently caught the only interesting or game-changing event of the stage: Mark Cavendish's 5th win!
And of course the podium shot comes next:
Since Contador, Schleck and Armstrong are saving their legs for the climb up Mt. Ventoux tomorrow, none of them (or anyone else in GC contention) did much rank shuffling, leaving the finish to be contested by the sprinters.
While Cavendish took the win today, Thor Hushovd is still in the green jersey and could hang onto it until Paris on Sunday, though he'll have to work hard to keep the man-missle ('dish is from the storied Isle of Man, in addition to being rather missle-like, hence the nickname) away. Considering the ride into Avenue des Champs-Élysées is long, straight, and flat; we could see the 'dish snag the green at the last possible moment.
Sprinting like your life depends seems rather like the 6th ave leg of my morning commute, so that in mind, I present the next installment of the BLRI (whopee!).
After cutting cross-town on 13th street every morning, I turn north onto sixth avenue to head up to Herald sq. to get a coffee from my favorite coffee cart. This stretch of my commute represents the absolute epitome of scary city cycling. If you're not quick on your toes and light on the pedals, the chances you will ever ride this avenue again are slim to none. While many commuters use the bike lane on 6th, I refuse to; it is not only littered with road debris, but is also routinely used as the left-turn lane for taxis who are oblivious to the numerous cyclists they seem to enjoy cutting off.
For that reason, I usually take the leftmost lane for myself so that I can slide to the right of turning cabs should they decide to get in my way. Sometimes this results in me getting stuck between lanes and I have to keep pace with traffic that is simultaneously agressive and fast-moving.
There are also many construction sites along 6th, where the sidewalk is diverted under the incomplete building, causing many people to assume that the bike lane is their new sidewalk, regardless of how dangerous it may be to stroll against traffic that is moving at 30+ mph.
Though there is a silver lining to this mayhem; when you finally manage to blow past a wave of cars, you are rewarded for your masterful sprinting with a wide avenue all to yourself:
This is my paradise. Clear sailing from here on out. Though that doesn't save 6th Avenue from the wrath of the BLRI:
Now it is important that we recognize the purpose of a BLRI rating of 'F'. As it is the Bike Lane Rideability Index, what is being judged here is 6th avenue's pitiful example of sharing the road. The bike lane on 6th might as well not even exist since nobody cares to respect it's demarcations or users. Bits and pieces of broken cars populate EVERY intersection here and flat many an unsuspecting tire. Salmon are unfortunately rather common here, especially between 23rd St. and 30th St.
Earlier this week, as a matter of fact, I was riding along this route (in the evening for a change) and saw a salmon get his back wheel tacoed by a left-turning cab. Usually I will stop and offer assistance to downed cyclists, but in my mind, Salmon are no cyclists at all... They are self-serving idiots who deserve to be hit.
I rode on as the salmon filed a 311 report. He gave me this "won't you please stop to be a witness?" look, but was met with only my stony silence and penetrating glare reserved only for offending bike salmon. Poor cabbie, he even had his blinker on.
Though never fear, despite it's plethora of drawbacks, 6th avenue is a pretty efficient way to get to midtown fast, it definitley gets you in shape trying to out-gun cars and trucks bearing down on you from behind. Plus, being last isn't all bad; as occasionally-worth-reading blog Cycling Tips has noted, the one who comes in last often worked the hardest. Well, thats true in the tour at least.
Ride safe this weekend, and look forward to photos (I swear the camera is coming along this time) from a sure-to-be-epic grind up to Bear Mountain.
Not today.
Once the video started flowing, I saw the sprinters getting paced to the front of the field for a showdown to the line, and knew I had missed the drama of todays stage. Fortunately for me, I apparently caught the only interesting or game-changing event of the stage: Mark Cavendish's 5th win!
And of course the podium shot comes next:
Since Contador, Schleck and Armstrong are saving their legs for the climb up Mt. Ventoux tomorrow, none of them (or anyone else in GC contention) did much rank shuffling, leaving the finish to be contested by the sprinters.
While Cavendish took the win today, Thor Hushovd is still in the green jersey and could hang onto it until Paris on Sunday, though he'll have to work hard to keep the man-missle ('dish is from the storied Isle of Man, in addition to being rather missle-like, hence the nickname) away. Considering the ride into Avenue des Champs-Élysées is long, straight, and flat; we could see the 'dish snag the green at the last possible moment.
Sprinting like your life depends seems rather like the 6th ave leg of my morning commute, so that in mind, I present the next installment of the BLRI (whopee!).
After cutting cross-town on 13th street every morning, I turn north onto sixth avenue to head up to Herald sq. to get a coffee from my favorite coffee cart. This stretch of my commute represents the absolute epitome of scary city cycling. If you're not quick on your toes and light on the pedals, the chances you will ever ride this avenue again are slim to none. While many commuters use the bike lane on 6th, I refuse to; it is not only littered with road debris, but is also routinely used as the left-turn lane for taxis who are oblivious to the numerous cyclists they seem to enjoy cutting off.
For that reason, I usually take the leftmost lane for myself so that I can slide to the right of turning cabs should they decide to get in my way. Sometimes this results in me getting stuck between lanes and I have to keep pace with traffic that is simultaneously agressive and fast-moving.
There are also many construction sites along 6th, where the sidewalk is diverted under the incomplete building, causing many people to assume that the bike lane is their new sidewalk, regardless of how dangerous it may be to stroll against traffic that is moving at 30+ mph.
Though there is a silver lining to this mayhem; when you finally manage to blow past a wave of cars, you are rewarded for your masterful sprinting with a wide avenue all to yourself:
This is my paradise. Clear sailing from here on out. Though that doesn't save 6th Avenue from the wrath of the BLRI:
Earlier this week, as a matter of fact, I was riding along this route (in the evening for a change) and saw a salmon get his back wheel tacoed by a left-turning cab. Usually I will stop and offer assistance to downed cyclists, but in my mind, Salmon are no cyclists at all... They are self-serving idiots who deserve to be hit.
I rode on as the salmon filed a 311 report. He gave me this "won't you please stop to be a witness?" look, but was met with only my stony silence and penetrating glare reserved only for offending bike salmon. Poor cabbie, he even had his blinker on.
Though never fear, despite it's plethora of drawbacks, 6th avenue is a pretty efficient way to get to midtown fast, it definitley gets you in shape trying to out-gun cars and trucks bearing down on you from behind. Plus, being last isn't all bad; as occasionally-worth-reading blog Cycling Tips has noted, the one who comes in last often worked the hardest. Well, thats true in the tour at least.
Ride safe this weekend, and look forward to photos (I swear the camera is coming along this time) from a sure-to-be-epic grind up to Bear Mountain.
7.23.2009
...keepin it real Thursdays (late ed.)
Fortunately for this blog, there have been lots of crashes, smashes and bucket kicking of late and I am proud to commence this edition of KIRT with a tribute to the unforgettable Taco Bell bitch (yes, turns out it is a female... who knew?), Gidget the Chihuahua, who is now dead.
I'm sure that while Mexicans the world over are throwing lavish fiestas now that the poster-dog for the bastardization of the Spanish language is dead, Americans are feeling a little bummed about the loss of yet another icon of tasteless advertising.
In the Tour de France this Tuesday past, Jens Voigt crashed at extremely high speed while descending the Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard, resulting in a fractured cheekbone and a concussion. Unfortunately for him, he's being kept at a hospital in Grenoble and will no longer be able to contest the remaining stages of the tour (not that he really had a chance at GC contention, but still). Velonews reports:
Ouch... all face. Now, I couldn't help but notice that not only did that look fairly painful, the part of his head 'protected' by his helmet never really came into contact with the pavement; as usual, the skull's fall was cushioned by his chest, face, and shoulders hitting first. Don't believe me? watch it a few more times.
This further supports my opinion that cycling helmets are simply what non-cycling legislators have latched onto as something that 'saves lives' though they are rarely (if ever) the focal point of impacts.
The fearmongering our government (and many others) utilizes in effort to be absolved of wrongdoing has very lasting and negative effects on our society. For example, isn't it strange that when you tell someone about a cycling accident where someone broke their leg (just pulling them out of the air here) the first thing they'll ask is "well, were they wearing a helmet?" as though a styrofoam basket on your head will prevent taxis from merging into you or will somehow make concrete easier on the knees.
Yo Quiero menos restricciónes.
update: real sorry about that video being gone... This always happens with late-breaking video from eurosport, versus, and universal sports. look forward to a curt tirade about copyrighting and other affronts to the freedom of knowledge.
I'm sure that while Mexicans the world over are throwing lavish fiestas now that the poster-dog for the bastardization of the Spanish language is dead, Americans are feeling a little bummed about the loss of yet another icon of tasteless advertising.
In the Tour de France this Tuesday past, Jens Voigt crashed at extremely high speed while descending the Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard, resulting in a fractured cheekbone and a concussion. Unfortunately for him, he's being kept at a hospital in Grenoble and will no longer be able to contest the remaining stages of the tour (not that he really had a chance at GC contention, but still). Velonews reports:
Voigt apparently hit a dip on the road to knock his equilibrium off as he rode at the tail of the group of GC riders. His front wheel violently jolted and the veteran German landed hard on his face and chest as speeds topped 70kph.
Ouch... all face. Now, I couldn't help but notice that not only did that look fairly painful, the part of his head 'protected' by his helmet never really came into contact with the pavement; as usual, the skull's fall was cushioned by his chest, face, and shoulders hitting first. Don't believe me? watch it a few more times.
This further supports my opinion that cycling helmets are simply what non-cycling legislators have latched onto as something that 'saves lives' though they are rarely (if ever) the focal point of impacts.
The fearmongering our government (and many others) utilizes in effort to be absolved of wrongdoing has very lasting and negative effects on our society. For example, isn't it strange that when you tell someone about a cycling accident where someone broke their leg (just pulling them out of the air here) the first thing they'll ask is "well, were they wearing a helmet?" as though a styrofoam basket on your head will prevent taxis from merging into you or will somehow make concrete easier on the knees.
Yo Quiero menos restricciónes.
update: real sorry about that video being gone... This always happens with late-breaking video from eurosport, versus, and universal sports. look forward to a curt tirade about copyrighting and other affronts to the freedom of knowledge.
7.22.2009
...Stage 17
Today the tour got considerably more interesting... After much to-do within the Astana squad (Lance and Alberto's team) in the past few days, this mountainous stage through the French Alps was destined to shake up the top ten standings.
Apparently Armstrong and Contador are 'two stallions in the same barn', so to speak, causing Astana's teamwork to falter somewhat, though it seems as though the official declaration of intent from Astana is that Armstrong is prohibited from making any moves to jeopardize Contador's lead, which essentially forces Lance into a domestique's role (which IMO is total fucking bullshit).
Understandably, Lance can do much better than dealing with whiny little brats who want their turn in the sun, so word is that he's, a. going to race the tour next year as well, and b. he's taking the Astana team manager, Johan Buyneel, with him to create a new team that will probably rob Astana of other strong riders like Levi Leipheimer (who, like Bruyneel, is a good buddy of Lance's).
He's going to announce the sponsors of this new team tomorrow, velonews reports, and I can safely surmise that Livestrong and Trek will be among them.
Today's stage saw Armstrong diligently holding back a chase group from catching up to the lead group which consisted of Andreas Kloden, Alberto Contador, and the Schleck brothers. The Schleck brothers had hinted that they would make some moves in the Alps today, and boy did they ever. After repeated attacks by the Schlecks, Contador thought he might try the same, and attacked...
...but of course, the Schlecks weren't going to let him get away with that and quickly caught him.
But what Contador failed to realize is that in attacking the Schlecks, he forced his teammate off the back of the group, leaving himself with a 2-1 disadvantage on the descent to the finish. Oops!
The finish saw Andy Schleck give his older brother the stage victory to position themselves squarely on the podium behind Contador and ahead of Armstrong who is now in fourth place overall.
Well, tommorrows stage is an individual time trial where Lance may make up some time, though likely not enough to do any damage to the yellow jersey. We'll have to wait and see, I guess.
Apparently Armstrong and Contador are 'two stallions in the same barn', so to speak, causing Astana's teamwork to falter somewhat, though it seems as though the official declaration of intent from Astana is that Armstrong is prohibited from making any moves to jeopardize Contador's lead, which essentially forces Lance into a domestique's role (which IMO is total fucking bullshit).
Understandably, Lance can do much better than dealing with whiny little brats who want their turn in the sun, so word is that he's, a. going to race the tour next year as well, and b. he's taking the Astana team manager, Johan Buyneel, with him to create a new team that will probably rob Astana of other strong riders like Levi Leipheimer (who, like Bruyneel, is a good buddy of Lance's).
He's going to announce the sponsors of this new team tomorrow, velonews reports, and I can safely surmise that Livestrong and Trek will be among them.
Today's stage saw Armstrong diligently holding back a chase group from catching up to the lead group which consisted of Andreas Kloden, Alberto Contador, and the Schleck brothers. The Schleck brothers had hinted that they would make some moves in the Alps today, and boy did they ever. After repeated attacks by the Schlecks, Contador thought he might try the same, and attacked...
...but of course, the Schlecks weren't going to let him get away with that and quickly caught him.
But what Contador failed to realize is that in attacking the Schlecks, he forced his teammate off the back of the group, leaving himself with a 2-1 disadvantage on the descent to the finish. Oops!
The finish saw Andy Schleck give his older brother the stage victory to position themselves squarely on the podium behind Contador and ahead of Armstrong who is now in fourth place overall.
Well, tommorrows stage is an individual time trial where Lance may make up some time, though likely not enough to do any damage to the yellow jersey. We'll have to wait and see, I guess.
7.20.2009
... its all the same
As promised, I rode up to Nyack this weekend (almost twice), though I'm sorry to report that I failed to bring my camera with me, I swear, I had it in the pile of things to be stuffed in my jersey pockets but still managed to leave it behind. To that end, I'll have to appropriate other people's pictures to illustrate my synopsis.
The ride was nice as ever and the roadies were out in full force (which is to be expected), peddling diligently toward this quaint little riverside village near the Jersey border. There was a street fair happening on Broadway as we rode into town, so we dismounted and walked a block or two through it to the Runcible Spoon Bakery.
After scarfing an egg-salad wrap and a ham, cheese, and lettuce sandwich; I reclined in my seat, pondering whether the egg salad might have been better between the slices of rye that the ham and cheese came on and vice-versa.
After my compatriot finished eating we went outside to fill our bidons and free our bikes from the tangle of bikes on the rack that is so generously provided by the cafe for weary travellers and weekend warriors alike. I like this rack because it proves yet another unsurpassed efficiency that bikes have. In the photo linked above, you can't see the whole series of racks, but I assure you they occupy a space no longer than one car would use, and hold no less than 30 bikes during the busiest hours of the day.
Remarking at some of the fancier looking rides, my friend made the obvious but true observation that at a certain point, it all amounts to dick-measuring. Of course this can be said of anything with a subcultural following, though it is glaringly obvious in cycling and comprehension of it comes in waves of disturbing realization.
Earlier, when riding along the Hudson on a beautifully shaded drive up and down the palisades, I took note of a woman riding a Felt TT past us as we stopped to eat some fruit and take in our surroundings. My first reaction was one of awe and excitement, but that quickly reverted to my furrowed brow of cynicism as I pondered the necessity of a $6500.00 wonderbike on these roads. Certainly the only those who intend on racing in time trials or triathlons could feign need for equipment like this, right?
Even so, if one is out to 'train' on rolling hills, why ride a bike that is essentially useless on anything but the flattest, straightest roads? Being in a TT tuck position is inherently unsteady, as I showed in a recent KIRT post, and the nature of the route prevents one from attaining any appreciable speed where a TT bike would begin to show its usefulness. Furthermore, If you are pro, you likely have a multitude of bikes and are hopefully skilled at selecting the right bike for the right terrain.
This aero/carbon obsession also defies the conventional logic regarding training... Wouldn't it be smarter to train on a heavier bike that has few of the aerodynamic or material advantages of a TT rig? In my thinking, if I can grind up a climb on a 25lb bike, shouldn't I be able to conquer that same hill with much greater ease on a 15lb bike? "Training" on a bike like that will only plateau your fitness goals faster, so why do it?
The only reasonable explanation left to us is the ego massage... As I said before, it's all about dick measuring (which is funny, for one because the rider of the Felt was a woman; and two, she was slower than christmas on climbs); the attempt to impress ones peers with an assumed air of skill and mavenhood. Ironically, as with most subcultural trends, this backfires easily, rendering you a poseur, devoid of any credibility from the peers you so hope to impress, highlighting your hypocracy.
This is important because while other sports (skateboarding, for example) suffer from the same gear-obsessed affliction, none are as seemingly oblivious to the rediculousness of it all as cyclists. Bicycles we see today are as much a product of advancing technologies as they are resulting from clever ad campaigns and manufactured jealousy. Suddenly, the branding of your bike preempts your 'cred' amongst other roadies as does the 'colorway' of your handlebar tabe and tires.
I'm of the mind that equipment must be used to its limit to exact maximum efficiency from it. If you buy an ultra-stiff Roubaix with vibration dampers, you should take it to the cobbles in Soho, or go try to win some field sprints at the local criterium races. If you have a bike that has a really big front wheel and a really tiny rear wheel, are you prepared to don tweed knickers and coif your facial hair? Therefore, one must ask themselves when gazing at the motorcycle-priced carbon frames gleaming in your LBS's window display, "can I fully realize the potential of this bike?"
Speaking of realizing potentials, I missed both stages of the tour this weekend since I was busy critiquing people's logical missteps. I came home yesterday, sweaty and tired, only to find that el pistolero won the days stage in the tour.
Diatribes flow easily from my fingertips when writing about people like Alberto Contador, though that is not to say that I don't feel some amount of contrition for talking smack about talents I don't have and things I can't do.
The first of many things that annoy me about contador is the grossly unimaginative victory salute he does whenever he wins, which unfortunately for my aesthetic principles is a lot.
The Finger-gun? honestly? Why would you use the trademarked douche salute on purpose? perhaps it holds some meaning for Al here; it could signify his shooting down of his opponents, but perhaps he's more esoteric than I originally credited him for... Maybe it is intended to be a threatening gesture, meant to strike fear in the hearts of his opponents, lest they get in front of him and be finger-banged from behind. Then again, the most likely explanation is that Contador is one of those whiny people that yearns to be known by some witty nickname like all the other golden-boys of cycling, but noone came up with one for him so he makes up his own and starts telling people to call him that. Sorry dude, it doesn't work that way.
Lastly, Contador's puny bag-o-victory-salutes is contrasted by Mark Cavendish's extensive repertoire of salutes, from which a new one (as reported by BSNYC) will be drawn on the occasion of his 100th career victory (this is all hear-say as I've no hard evidence this is in fact the case, though I hope it is). Being an unbeatable sprinter I can only hope that day is not far off.
Remember, don't be a poseur... ride for your own reasons lest you earn the ire of Bernard Hinault.
The ride was nice as ever and the roadies were out in full force (which is to be expected), peddling diligently toward this quaint little riverside village near the Jersey border. There was a street fair happening on Broadway as we rode into town, so we dismounted and walked a block or two through it to the Runcible Spoon Bakery.
After scarfing an egg-salad wrap and a ham, cheese, and lettuce sandwich; I reclined in my seat, pondering whether the egg salad might have been better between the slices of rye that the ham and cheese came on and vice-versa.
After my compatriot finished eating we went outside to fill our bidons and free our bikes from the tangle of bikes on the rack that is so generously provided by the cafe for weary travellers and weekend warriors alike. I like this rack because it proves yet another unsurpassed efficiency that bikes have. In the photo linked above, you can't see the whole series of racks, but I assure you they occupy a space no longer than one car would use, and hold no less than 30 bikes during the busiest hours of the day.
Remarking at some of the fancier looking rides, my friend made the obvious but true observation that at a certain point, it all amounts to dick-measuring. Of course this can be said of anything with a subcultural following, though it is glaringly obvious in cycling and comprehension of it comes in waves of disturbing realization.
Earlier, when riding along the Hudson on a beautifully shaded drive up and down the palisades, I took note of a woman riding a Felt TT past us as we stopped to eat some fruit and take in our surroundings. My first reaction was one of awe and excitement, but that quickly reverted to my furrowed brow of cynicism as I pondered the necessity of a $6500.00 wonderbike on these roads. Certainly the only those who intend on racing in time trials or triathlons could feign need for equipment like this, right?
Even so, if one is out to 'train' on rolling hills, why ride a bike that is essentially useless on anything but the flattest, straightest roads? Being in a TT tuck position is inherently unsteady, as I showed in a recent KIRT post, and the nature of the route prevents one from attaining any appreciable speed where a TT bike would begin to show its usefulness. Furthermore, If you are pro, you likely have a multitude of bikes and are hopefully skilled at selecting the right bike for the right terrain.
This aero/carbon obsession also defies the conventional logic regarding training... Wouldn't it be smarter to train on a heavier bike that has few of the aerodynamic or material advantages of a TT rig? In my thinking, if I can grind up a climb on a 25lb bike, shouldn't I be able to conquer that same hill with much greater ease on a 15lb bike? "Training" on a bike like that will only plateau your fitness goals faster, so why do it?
The only reasonable explanation left to us is the ego massage... As I said before, it's all about dick measuring (which is funny, for one because the rider of the Felt was a woman; and two, she was slower than christmas on climbs); the attempt to impress ones peers with an assumed air of skill and mavenhood. Ironically, as with most subcultural trends, this backfires easily, rendering you a poseur, devoid of any credibility from the peers you so hope to impress, highlighting your hypocracy.
This is important because while other sports (skateboarding, for example) suffer from the same gear-obsessed affliction, none are as seemingly oblivious to the rediculousness of it all as cyclists. Bicycles we see today are as much a product of advancing technologies as they are resulting from clever ad campaigns and manufactured jealousy. Suddenly, the branding of your bike preempts your 'cred' amongst other roadies as does the 'colorway' of your handlebar tabe and tires.
I'm of the mind that equipment must be used to its limit to exact maximum efficiency from it. If you buy an ultra-stiff Roubaix with vibration dampers, you should take it to the cobbles in Soho, or go try to win some field sprints at the local criterium races. If you have a bike that has a really big front wheel and a really tiny rear wheel, are you prepared to don tweed knickers and coif your facial hair? Therefore, one must ask themselves when gazing at the motorcycle-priced carbon frames gleaming in your LBS's window display, "can I fully realize the potential of this bike?"
Speaking of realizing potentials, I missed both stages of the tour this weekend since I was busy critiquing people's logical missteps. I came home yesterday, sweaty and tired, only to find that el pistolero won the days stage in the tour.
Diatribes flow easily from my fingertips when writing about people like Alberto Contador, though that is not to say that I don't feel some amount of contrition for talking smack about talents I don't have and things I can't do.
The first of many things that annoy me about contador is the grossly unimaginative victory salute he does whenever he wins, which unfortunately for my aesthetic principles is a lot.
The Finger-gun? honestly? Why would you use the trademarked douche salute on purpose? perhaps it holds some meaning for Al here; it could signify his shooting down of his opponents, but perhaps he's more esoteric than I originally credited him for... Maybe it is intended to be a threatening gesture, meant to strike fear in the hearts of his opponents, lest they get in front of him and be finger-banged from behind. Then again, the most likely explanation is that Contador is one of those whiny people that yearns to be known by some witty nickname like all the other golden-boys of cycling, but noone came up with one for him so he makes up his own and starts telling people to call him that. Sorry dude, it doesn't work that way.
Lastly, Contador's puny bag-o-victory-salutes is contrasted by Mark Cavendish's extensive repertoire of salutes, from which a new one (as reported by BSNYC) will be drawn on the occasion of his 100th career victory (this is all hear-say as I've no hard evidence this is in fact the case, though I hope it is). Being an unbeatable sprinter I can only hope that day is not far off.
Remember, don't be a poseur... ride for your own reasons lest you earn the ire of Bernard Hinault.
7.17.2009
... the Friday madness (rarely seen!)
It was a dark and dreary day at the tour today as the riders ascended to the 1183m high summit of the Col du Platzerwasel near the German border this morning... Of course, this doesn't mean that the fans were any less thick or annoying than on other famed climbs.
I have to say, however, that I'm getting a tad bored with the tour so far. Now that the flat stages are largely over, Cavendish has few opportunities to drop creative new victory salutes and it has fallen to the big-shots of pro cycling to create some action.
But the "cycling elite" (as the announcers like to call Lance, Alberto, Fabian, et al.) aren't doing much of anything. Today they let a breakaway go clear of the field before the first climb and never got around to reeling them in. Lance didn't push the tempo, Nocentini (maillot jaune) didn't try anything risky, and Contador just wasn't as aggressive and assholey as he usually is.
The guy who ended up winning the stage today was also visibly upset by the lack of action from the peloton:
Actually, In case you can't tell, I was only kidding with the previous statement. This is Heinrich Haussler and he rode magnificently today. Haussler obliterated the breakaway group almost thirty km out from the finish and stayed away, increasing his lead with every pedal stroke.
I can't blame the man for being overcome with emotion like this, the Tour de France is decidedly the most prestigious race in the world, and to win a stage in it is a coveted and elusive goal for nearly every competitive cyclist.
That said, I'd cry too.
Spending so much time recently scoping out the absolute cream of the sport of cycling, I find it neccessary to also probe its dark underbelly. Take this seemingly innocuous craigslist post for instance:
As I've underlined, and visibly questioned with a BADA55 'colorway', this ad is rife with inconsistency and beguiling language. Perhaps the poster is simply a once-in-a-while rider (or god forbid, a salmon) and knows very little about cycling nomenclature.
First of all, I think most bicycles are unisex these days, especially since the days of women's modesty have gone and rendered the double-drop bar frame an antiquated convention that is today more stylistic than functional.
Secondly, The poster may be interested to note that velodromes do not allow the use of multiple gear ratios or brakes, as is evidenced in the growing urban fixie fetishism. Therefore, "21 speed" and "track bike" are mutually exclusive terms and to put the two together in a strange portmanteaux is an oxymoron, moron.
Thirdly, though not lastly, I've never seen, heard of, or even dreamed about 700cm tires (i'm not going to even get into the "track tire" faux pas). I believe they mean 700c tires which roughly means tires that are 622mm in circumference. A wheel 7 meters in circumference must be a real track machine indeed, especially considering the UCI's limit on gain-per-pedalstroke is barely over 7 meters to begin with, though I suppose that could give creedence to the handlebar motto I blogged about recently.
Then again, perhaps cycling is in fact moving toward larger and larger wheel sizes as evidenced by Bike Snob's recent sighting.
Lastly, I hope the above post intended to say carbon fiber fork, instead of fiberglass fork because fiberglass has a famously poor track record when it comes to resisting the dynamic forces of impact.
Anyway, steer clear of the rediculosity this weekend and ride safe!
P.S. Look forward to epic pics and coverage of my slog up to the roadie-verse on Monday!
I have to say, however, that I'm getting a tad bored with the tour so far. Now that the flat stages are largely over, Cavendish has few opportunities to drop creative new victory salutes and it has fallen to the big-shots of pro cycling to create some action.
But the "cycling elite" (as the announcers like to call Lance, Alberto, Fabian, et al.) aren't doing much of anything. Today they let a breakaway go clear of the field before the first climb and never got around to reeling them in. Lance didn't push the tempo, Nocentini (maillot jaune) didn't try anything risky, and Contador just wasn't as aggressive and assholey as he usually is.
The guy who ended up winning the stage today was also visibly upset by the lack of action from the peloton:
Actually, In case you can't tell, I was only kidding with the previous statement. This is Heinrich Haussler and he rode magnificently today. Haussler obliterated the breakaway group almost thirty km out from the finish and stayed away, increasing his lead with every pedal stroke.
I can't blame the man for being overcome with emotion like this, the Tour de France is decidedly the most prestigious race in the world, and to win a stage in it is a coveted and elusive goal for nearly every competitive cyclist.
That said, I'd cry too.
Spending so much time recently scoping out the absolute cream of the sport of cycling, I find it neccessary to also probe its dark underbelly. Take this seemingly innocuous craigslist post for instance:
As I've underlined, and visibly questioned with a BADA55 'colorway', this ad is rife with inconsistency and beguiling language. Perhaps the poster is simply a once-in-a-while rider (or god forbid, a salmon) and knows very little about cycling nomenclature.
First of all, I think most bicycles are unisex these days, especially since the days of women's modesty have gone and rendered the double-drop bar frame an antiquated convention that is today more stylistic than functional.
Secondly, The poster may be interested to note that velodromes do not allow the use of multiple gear ratios or brakes, as is evidenced in the growing urban fixie fetishism. Therefore, "21 speed" and "track bike" are mutually exclusive terms and to put the two together in a strange portmanteaux is an oxymoron, moron.
Thirdly, though not lastly, I've never seen, heard of, or even dreamed about 700cm tires (i'm not going to even get into the "track tire" faux pas). I believe they mean 700c tires which roughly means tires that are 622mm in circumference. A wheel 7 meters in circumference must be a real track machine indeed, especially considering the UCI's limit on gain-per-pedalstroke is barely over 7 meters to begin with, though I suppose that could give creedence to the handlebar motto I blogged about recently.
Then again, perhaps cycling is in fact moving toward larger and larger wheel sizes as evidenced by Bike Snob's recent sighting.
Lastly, I hope the above post intended to say carbon fiber fork, instead of fiberglass fork because fiberglass has a famously poor track record when it comes to resisting the dynamic forces of impact.
Anyway, steer clear of the rediculosity this weekend and ride safe!
P.S. Look forward to epic pics and coverage of my slog up to the roadie-verse on Monday!
7.16.2009
...Sejr for Danmark!
Today was a great day for Danes everywhere as former danish national road racing champion (twice, once in 2003 and again in 2008), Nicki Sørensen, destroyed the breakaway with an attack at just over 5km to the finish of stage 12. Though this is the first Tour de France stage victory for Sørensen, he is no stranger to the podium as evidenced by his growing list of wins. Here he is celebrating as he crossed the line more than thirty seconds ahead of the breakaway and six and a half minutes clear of the peloton:
Of course, I can't rob you of the requisite podium shot:
This excellent cycling by Sørensen has moved him from 39th place to 26th place in the GC standings!
In other tour news, today versus' filler shots were not opulent chateaus as they were yesterday but instead they focused on the hay bale art along the route that farmers (I assume) put
together to commemorate the race passing by. Most are fairly standard fare, bicycles being the most popular subject matter:
Though I do tip my hat to some other crafty individuals who weren't content with using only bales of hay to show their enthusiasm. This one was crafted with not only hay, but matching threshers and a clever implementation of colored bale bags:
Well, At least there were enough of these that they could show us a different one each time.
No major crashes on my radar today, so stay tuned next week when I'll be sure to have found some stomach-churning gore (your'e fairly warned) for the next KIRT post. Hopefully by that point we'll also have a better idea of who will emerge as the overall winner in the tour, and will finally be able to get some sleep and stop worrying about Lance's time deficit.
Of course, I can't rob you of the requisite podium shot:
This excellent cycling by Sørensen has moved him from 39th place to 26th place in the GC standings!
In other tour news, today versus' filler shots were not opulent chateaus as they were yesterday but instead they focused on the hay bale art along the route that farmers (I assume) put
together to commemorate the race passing by. Most are fairly standard fare, bicycles being the most popular subject matter:
Though I do tip my hat to some other crafty individuals who weren't content with using only bales of hay to show their enthusiasm. This one was crafted with not only hay, but matching threshers and a clever implementation of colored bale bags:
Well, At least there were enough of these that they could show us a different one each time.
No major crashes on my radar today, so stay tuned next week when I'll be sure to have found some stomach-churning gore (your'e fairly warned) for the next KIRT post. Hopefully by that point we'll also have a better idea of who will emerge as the overall winner in the tour, and will finally be able to get some sleep and stop worrying about Lance's time deficit.
7.15.2009
...LBSR and new toys!
This past Sunday a few friends and I took a delightful little jaunt down to Coney Island. Except for one flat, it was a nice, uneventful ride with an easy pace that ended with hot dogs at Nathan's (for in-depth coverage of our gastronomical excursions, be sure to hit up that moohare). As I mentioned yesterday, several of the people we rode with had just bought bicycles that day, though one person rented a bike from a nearby bike shop that I had no idea existed.
We understandably had a tough time getting it back to the shop before their closing time of 6:30pm, so I opted to just return it in the morning since I learned it was along my usual route to work. Walking the two bikes, one in each hand, I decided to snap a quick photo of the rented bike for posterity:
As you can tell from the relaxed position of the bike, and the lazy dandelions I included in the 'composition', it is built for comfort, not speed. This is by no means an attack on comfort bikes or those who ride/rent/sell them, its just not my style. I prefer to stay light and quick as such are the demands of city riding.
What struck me about this bike the most was its weight. I don't know exactly how much my bike weighs, but I think its somewhere just under the 20lb mark. This bike seemed to be two, if not three times heavier. Seriously, I have to hand it to the girl for riding this 20 miles on Sunday, she's a champ.
I got there and handed over the behemoth without incident and continued on to work, surprised I had never before known about this shop:
Ride Brooklyn
Yesterday I decided I was sick of my shitty stock brakes and set out to find a new pair of calipers. After finding Bicycle Habitat out of stock (unfortunately an all too common situation for them in the summertime), I tried this store out. Having taken note of the ubiquitous 'Brooklyn' cycling caps displayed in multiple 'colorways' in their window, I knew this was a well stocked shop indeed.
Pete and Jessica, the owners (or so I was led to believe), were extremely helpful and sold me not only a new set of calipers, but a wireless cateye cyclo-computer as well.
Considering Brooklyn Bike & Board boasts awesome mechanics but lacks the scale of other LBS's inventories, I doubt the two stores will step on each others toes too much, despite their being less than two full blocks away from one another. I will definitely continue to patronize both stores given their respective fortes.
Speaking of forte, Today's Stage 11 of the Tour de France ended with yet another victory for the 'dish. He snatched the victory from Thor Hushovd after the latter initiated the final sprint. In doing so, Cavendish has tied the record for number of stages won by a briton in the tour (8).
And of course this means he's back in the green.
There's not much to look forward to from Lance & Co. until this weekend, but perhaps the 'dish will keep us entertained until the race gets to the Alps and Versus can stop glazing over the post-race interviews with shots of the many chateauxs the race passes.
I'm always interested to see the aerial shots of little french villages and castles, but versus uses them as a crutch, which bothers me. I screen-capped the above shot because it was about the thousandth time they showed that same damn building.
I can hear the helicopter radio conversation now,
"Super-five-five, this is ground control do you copy? over."
"Copy that ground control, this is super-five-five, everyone's over the line... Any word from the network? over."
"Nothing yet super-five-five maintain a holding pattern over something pretty and shoot that until something happens on the ground. over."
"Copy that ground control, We've got a stately home with manicured lawns in our sights, good enough? over."
"Good to go super five-five, the winner has a british accent so network says no interviews allowed. over."
"Roger that ground control, we'll keep shooting this building 'til word comes down. over."
We understandably had a tough time getting it back to the shop before their closing time of 6:30pm, so I opted to just return it in the morning since I learned it was along my usual route to work. Walking the two bikes, one in each hand, I decided to snap a quick photo of the rented bike for posterity:
As you can tell from the relaxed position of the bike, and the lazy dandelions I included in the 'composition', it is built for comfort, not speed. This is by no means an attack on comfort bikes or those who ride/rent/sell them, its just not my style. I prefer to stay light and quick as such are the demands of city riding.
What struck me about this bike the most was its weight. I don't know exactly how much my bike weighs, but I think its somewhere just under the 20lb mark. This bike seemed to be two, if not three times heavier. Seriously, I have to hand it to the girl for riding this 20 miles on Sunday, she's a champ.
I got there and handed over the behemoth without incident and continued on to work, surprised I had never before known about this shop:
Ride Brooklyn
Yesterday I decided I was sick of my shitty stock brakes and set out to find a new pair of calipers. After finding Bicycle Habitat out of stock (unfortunately an all too common situation for them in the summertime), I tried this store out. Having taken note of the ubiquitous 'Brooklyn' cycling caps displayed in multiple 'colorways' in their window, I knew this was a well stocked shop indeed.
Pete and Jessica, the owners (or so I was led to believe), were extremely helpful and sold me not only a new set of calipers, but a wireless cateye cyclo-computer as well.
Considering Brooklyn Bike & Board boasts awesome mechanics but lacks the scale of other LBS's inventories, I doubt the two stores will step on each others toes too much, despite their being less than two full blocks away from one another. I will definitely continue to patronize both stores given their respective fortes.
Speaking of forte, Today's Stage 11 of the Tour de France ended with yet another victory for the 'dish. He snatched the victory from Thor Hushovd after the latter initiated the final sprint. In doing so, Cavendish has tied the record for number of stages won by a briton in the tour (8).
And of course this means he's back in the green.
There's not much to look forward to from Lance & Co. until this weekend, but perhaps the 'dish will keep us entertained until the race gets to the Alps and Versus can stop glazing over the post-race interviews with shots of the many chateauxs the race passes.
I'm always interested to see the aerial shots of little french villages and castles, but versus uses them as a crutch, which bothers me. I screen-capped the above shot because it was about the thousandth time they showed that same damn building.
I can hear the helicopter radio conversation now,
"Super-five-five, this is ground control do you copy? over."
"Copy that ground control, this is super-five-five, everyone's over the line... Any word from the network? over."
"Nothing yet super-five-five maintain a holding pattern over something pretty and shoot that until something happens on the ground. over."
"Copy that ground control, We've got a stately home with manicured lawns in our sights, good enough? over."
"Good to go super five-five, the winner has a british accent so network says no interviews allowed. over."
"Roger that ground control, we'll keep shooting this building 'til word comes down. over."
7.14.2009
...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.
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.
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