image scooped from pedalfar
...but it is... while I prefer to be riding, sometimes I dig being all cozy inside with hot coffee, chilled out tunes and something to keep busy with. The rain just stokes the productivity.
Showing posts with label track bike. Show all posts
Showing posts with label track bike. Show all posts
2.23.2010
...wish it wasn't rainin'
...but it is... while I prefer to be riding, sometimes I dig being all cozy inside with hot coffee, chilled out tunes and something to keep busy with. The rain just stokes the productivity.
2.10.2010
... 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...
11.24.2009
...the weekend madness (installment 14)
I guess as long as the AutoCAD is fired up at the office, you may find the frequency of posting relegated to the "whenever I get a free moment/have something worth saying" status.
In a rare turn of events this weekend past, I actually went out and socialized with other people!
Three bars in two nights, check.
$150.00 of bike-stuff money spent on booze instead, check.
Splitting headache both Sunday and Monday mornings, check.
Seems like it was a pretty fun time, unfortunately I can't seem to recall the last and middle parts of those evenings. Since I typically stick with beer and am frequently broke as a joke, going to a bar or saloon (which only occur in the Southwest US and are marked by their double acting entry doors and unsavory clientele) is for me a rare opportunity to remind myself why I don't drink liquor.
I wouldn't go so far as to say I get blacked-out, but I definitely wake up in the morning panicking that a lamp shade may still be affixed to my noggin, or wondering how many people I offended with my tomfooleries. Since I'd consider myself fairly mild-mannered, the answer is likely none, but that doesn't stop me from ruing my decision to down that fifth or tenth shot of Jameson and shakily ride several miles home after reassuring the pensive crowd that I am actually quite skilled at handling a bicycle (that's the booze talking, just to keep you up to speed... And the "crowd" was probably just one disinterested stranger).
At any rate, I went out for a ride in the park Sunday afternoon and as usual, after five or so laps I noticed I had four remoras in my slipstream. I don't really mind if people want to subvert their workout by letting me work out for them, but I do find it pretty irritating when those guys (female cyclists, I find, are much more docile) decide it's alright if, after sucking my wheel for a few laps, to start yelling and generally ruining my nice, Sunday ride.
This particular instance really got me pissed:
As I crested a minor hill, remoras all still attached, I saw, about 100m ahead of me in the road, a couple lazily pedaling along on heavy looking cruiser bikes. I gave a friendly whistle and they turned, noticing the five of us bearing down on them from behind. Being gracious park-goers, they attempted to move to the left to allow us to pass on their right, which unfortunately is the wrong side for passing. Since I was already well to their left I called out, "on your left!" which caused the lady to wobble a bit and frantically veer to the right (well out of our way, mind you).
At this point the dickhead sucking my wheel decided to verbally abuse the poor woman who was only trying to be friendly and lend us some road space. I can't remember word-for-word, but I think his curt tirade went something like this: "GAWDDAMMIT! STRAIGHT LINE! AWWW JEEEEZ! FUCKIN BITCH!"
The reason I'm relating this unpleasant experience here is that it typifies precisely what happens every time I happen to be deeply interested in a given sport, hobby, profession, etc...
When I was a skater in my more youthful years, this same shit happened. Invariably I'd go to Southside Skatepark or the local spot, and there'd be a bunch of archetypal skate-rats fucking up a good time for everybody by living up to our negative stereotypes of malfeasance and anarchy.
When I decided to pursue the trade of architectural design, I likewise found that If my colleagues weren't metrosexual, sophomoric, orange-shoe-wearing, ninnies; they were likely to be of the bribe giving/taking, hooker-employing, government-bureau-cheating, architect-way. (that's right, I just called you out)
Now having to deal with this crap in cycling, I'm getting fed the fuck up.
Fortunately I'm not alone, someone called Steevo recently cobbled together this humorous tete-a-tete between two hipsters looking to break into the cyclocross scene with their haughty sense of entitlement and fixed gear bicycles:
This reminds me of another alarming subcultural phenomena, hipsters ultimately destroying other esoteric activities like cyclocross.
Though I take solace in the fact that where I want to go in cycling is where hipsters are unwittingly coming from; namely, track racing. I guess actually using an object or tool for it's intended purpose is against the hipster code of ironic conduct, so I can feel confident that they will be delightfully absent from the velodrome come springtime (fingers and toes crossed, I don't wanna be lumped in with anyone anymore, least of all noobs or freds, even though technically I am one).
Hopefully these territorial conflicts will be resolved more civilly than are rear end real estate disputes on the subway.
Speaking of track cycling (and of sitting around waiting to be accosted), I was delighted in the past few days to see that "TC" over at Fyxomatosis posted some sweet pics of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Melbourne, just at the time when my patience for roadies was wearing to it's thinnest yet.
If you're like me, and require your computer's desktop-way (which one never really sees any-way) to be cool and ever-changing, these two images are in super large format for just such a purpose. Check out the rest of the eye candy here, here, and here.
At any rate, it seems as though the anniversary of my birth is a mere seven days away, so if you feel compelled to congratulate me on being that much closer to death, please e-mail me directly or send a self addressed and stamped deep-fried turkey (ironically, deep-fried turkeys have a longer lead-time than 14,000 cubic feet of concrete, so good luck).
Until next time friends, steer clear of the zealots.
In a rare turn of events this weekend past, I actually went out and socialized with other people!
Three bars in two nights, check.
$150.00 of bike-stuff money spent on booze instead, check.
Splitting headache both Sunday and Monday mornings, check.
Seems like it was a pretty fun time, unfortunately I can't seem to recall the last and middle parts of those evenings. Since I typically stick with beer and am frequently broke as a joke, going to a bar or saloon (which only occur in the Southwest US and are marked by their double acting entry doors and unsavory clientele) is for me a rare opportunity to remind myself why I don't drink liquor.
I wouldn't go so far as to say I get blacked-out, but I definitely wake up in the morning panicking that a lamp shade may still be affixed to my noggin, or wondering how many people I offended with my tomfooleries. Since I'd consider myself fairly mild-mannered, the answer is likely none, but that doesn't stop me from ruing my decision to down that fifth or tenth shot of Jameson and shakily ride several miles home after reassuring the pensive crowd that I am actually quite skilled at handling a bicycle (that's the booze talking, just to keep you up to speed... And the "crowd" was probably just one disinterested stranger).
At any rate, I went out for a ride in the park Sunday afternoon and as usual, after five or so laps I noticed I had four remoras in my slipstream. I don't really mind if people want to subvert their workout by letting me work out for them, but I do find it pretty irritating when those guys (female cyclists, I find, are much more docile) decide it's alright if, after sucking my wheel for a few laps, to start yelling and generally ruining my nice, Sunday ride.
This particular instance really got me pissed:
As I crested a minor hill, remoras all still attached, I saw, about 100m ahead of me in the road, a couple lazily pedaling along on heavy looking cruiser bikes. I gave a friendly whistle and they turned, noticing the five of us bearing down on them from behind. Being gracious park-goers, they attempted to move to the left to allow us to pass on their right, which unfortunately is the wrong side for passing. Since I was already well to their left I called out, "on your left!" which caused the lady to wobble a bit and frantically veer to the right (well out of our way, mind you).
At this point the dickhead sucking my wheel decided to verbally abuse the poor woman who was only trying to be friendly and lend us some road space. I can't remember word-for-word, but I think his curt tirade went something like this: "GAWDDAMMIT! STRAIGHT LINE! AWWW JEEEEZ! FUCKIN BITCH!"
The reason I'm relating this unpleasant experience here is that it typifies precisely what happens every time I happen to be deeply interested in a given sport, hobby, profession, etc...
When I was a skater in my more youthful years, this same shit happened. Invariably I'd go to Southside Skatepark or the local spot, and there'd be a bunch of archetypal skate-rats fucking up a good time for everybody by living up to our negative stereotypes of malfeasance and anarchy.
When I decided to pursue the trade of architectural design, I likewise found that If my colleagues weren't metrosexual, sophomoric, orange-shoe-wearing, ninnies; they were likely to be of the bribe giving/taking, hooker-employing, government-bureau-cheating, architect-way. (that's right, I just called you out)
Now having to deal with this crap in cycling, I'm getting fed the fuck up.
Fortunately I'm not alone, someone called Steevo recently cobbled together this humorous tete-a-tete between two hipsters looking to break into the cyclocross scene with their haughty sense of entitlement and fixed gear bicycles:
This reminds me of another alarming subcultural phenomena, hipsters ultimately destroying other esoteric activities like cyclocross.
Though I take solace in the fact that where I want to go in cycling is where hipsters are unwittingly coming from; namely, track racing. I guess actually using an object or tool for it's intended purpose is against the hipster code of ironic conduct, so I can feel confident that they will be delightfully absent from the velodrome come springtime (fingers and toes crossed, I don't wanna be lumped in with anyone anymore, least of all noobs or freds, even though technically I am one).
Hopefully these territorial conflicts will be resolved more civilly than are rear end real estate disputes on the subway.
Speaking of track cycling (and of sitting around waiting to be accosted), I was delighted in the past few days to see that "TC" over at Fyxomatosis posted some sweet pics of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Melbourne, just at the time when my patience for roadies was wearing to it's thinnest yet.
If you're like me, and require your computer's desktop-way (which one never really sees any-way) to be cool and ever-changing, these two images are in super large format for just such a purpose. Check out the rest of the eye candy here, here, and here.
At any rate, it seems as though the anniversary of my birth is a mere seven days away, so if you feel compelled to congratulate me on being that much closer to death, please e-mail me directly or send a self addressed and stamped deep-fried turkey (ironically, deep-fried turkeys have a longer lead-time than 14,000 cubic feet of concrete, so good luck).
Until next time friends, steer clear of the zealots.
10.26.2009
...the weekend madness (installment 12)
Unfortunately, I never made it to the Goldsprints Friday. I got home, armed myself with marshmallow essentials (bicycle, beer, and bud), and was all set to head over to hipster central when the sky opened up and a deluge of precipitation came down on NYC for the next 24 hours or so...
I really need some fenders.
Anywho, since Saturday was a flop for riding (for the aforementioned reason), I packed my sparse belongings into boxes, preempting my move back to Bed-Stuy, and watched youtube vids of bike races all day.
As I mentioned recently, I'm becoming quite the track racing fan and can't wait 'til I've got a bike worthy (and legal) for the velodrome. So of course I'm spending countless minutes in front of the computer watching races, studying tactics, and drooling over impossibly pretty bikes.
We all know (or if you don't you will soon) that track racing originally gained popularity right here, in NYC, over a hundred years ago; and Madison Square Garden, in its original 'sportway', was a velodrome that garnered widespread attention and created it's own event, called of course, the madison.
Sadly, track cycling lost much of it's popularity with the american public in favor of newer, more intense "sports" like Nascar and football. Fortunately, the sport held fast in other parts of the world like Japan, where it has enjoyed the status horse racing holds in the west, as a venue for state-run betting.
They organized thier own special event called the Keirin (ケイリン) where 6-9 cyclist sprint for 600m or so after being paced by a motorized bike for the first 3/4 of the course.
Needless to say, its a ripping good time and really fun to watch the color-coded racers muscle for position behind the pacer before all hell breaks loose and they fly to the line.
Like this:
I don't read Japanese, but I'm pretty sure all the writing is just betting odds and finish times.
Of course, like all state approved vices, gambling won't maintain continued financial success without manufacturing some desire... Check out these commercials I found for Keirin from Japan:
Pretty seductive, huh? I wish I could understand the speech and text to know if it's cheesy, epic, or epically cheesy.
Anyway, if that doesn't get your pistons pumping for some high-cadence action, just check out this viddy of a Keirin racer training:
Wow. The Japanese will conquer us all... on the track, at least.
I really need some fenders.
Anywho, since Saturday was a flop for riding (for the aforementioned reason), I packed my sparse belongings into boxes, preempting my move back to Bed-Stuy, and watched youtube vids of bike races all day.
As I mentioned recently, I'm becoming quite the track racing fan and can't wait 'til I've got a bike worthy (and legal) for the velodrome. So of course I'm spending countless minutes in front of the computer watching races, studying tactics, and drooling over impossibly pretty bikes.
We all know (or if you don't you will soon) that track racing originally gained popularity right here, in NYC, over a hundred years ago; and Madison Square Garden, in its original 'sportway', was a velodrome that garnered widespread attention and created it's own event, called of course, the madison.
Sadly, track cycling lost much of it's popularity with the american public in favor of newer, more intense "sports" like Nascar and football. Fortunately, the sport held fast in other parts of the world like Japan, where it has enjoyed the status horse racing holds in the west, as a venue for state-run betting.
They organized thier own special event called the Keirin (ケイリン) where 6-9 cyclist sprint for 600m or so after being paced by a motorized bike for the first 3/4 of the course.
Needless to say, its a ripping good time and really fun to watch the color-coded racers muscle for position behind the pacer before all hell breaks loose and they fly to the line.
Like this:
I don't read Japanese, but I'm pretty sure all the writing is just betting odds and finish times.
Of course, like all state approved vices, gambling won't maintain continued financial success without manufacturing some desire... Check out these commercials I found for Keirin from Japan:
Pretty seductive, huh? I wish I could understand the speech and text to know if it's cheesy, epic, or epically cheesy.
Anyway, if that doesn't get your pistons pumping for some high-cadence action, just check out this viddy of a Keirin racer training:
Wow. The Japanese will conquer us all... on the track, at least.
10.21.2009
...Bike Porn (decisions decisions)
Like all people "into cycling" I've recently come to the realization that I have far too few bicycles in my 'stable'. So scouring craigslist, ebay, and local shops for a new frameset, I became increasingly confused about what sort of bike to build [first].
As the winter months approach, I know a beater bike would be ideal considering the amount of salt, snow and grime brought on by foul weather riding.
My initial thought was that I could get a crappy Panasonic or Myata, ride it through the hell that is New York winters, and then repaint the frame and build it up into a nice ss/fixed bike for the springtime. Something like this maybe (disregard the 'colorways'):
However, I frequently fall victim to my own good taste and end up only perusing frames costing way more than I can reasonably afford or ones unfit to be ridden in anything but the nicest weather, like this one I recently saw on the 'Bay.
Also, growing up in a mass-produced generation, I salivate over rare or custom things so I was elated when I found this website, that boasts a gallery of vintage bikes (of course, all exquisitely lugged, pantographed, yadda, yadda, yadda...) and a thorough history of the racing bicycle.
Now I want this 1979 Colnago Pista
yeaaaah, zero fucking clearance to the crown.
Or how about this Vintage Chesini X Uno:
Alas, I'll probably never be able to even come close to affording a bike like either of these, but fortunately, there are a few frame builders that make not so commonplace frames at more mass-produced prices.
I've been looking at Leader Bike a lot recently, And I think I'm going to settle on the 725TR as a base for an upcoming track setup. I know a couple of people with Leader frames who are quite satisfied with them, so hopefully I'll succeed in building a track monster that, while maybe not being the rarest bike on the road, won't fall into what I like to call the "nike bike" category.
I knew this was a good choice because upon opening an image of this frame on my monitor, Mr. Bernard stuck his ears up straight and gave a nose-wiggle of approval before hopping onto his throne.
While one should always have decisions blessed by a miniature bunny, I can't say I'll definitely get the Leader; who knows, maybe I'll find something good on craigslist one of these days...
As the winter months approach, I know a beater bike would be ideal considering the amount of salt, snow and grime brought on by foul weather riding.
My initial thought was that I could get a crappy Panasonic or Myata, ride it through the hell that is New York winters, and then repaint the frame and build it up into a nice ss/fixed bike for the springtime. Something like this maybe (disregard the 'colorways'):
However, I frequently fall victim to my own good taste and end up only perusing frames costing way more than I can reasonably afford or ones unfit to be ridden in anything but the nicest weather, like this one I recently saw on the 'Bay.
Also, growing up in a mass-produced generation, I salivate over rare or custom things so I was elated when I found this website, that boasts a gallery of vintage bikes (of course, all exquisitely lugged, pantographed, yadda, yadda, yadda...) and a thorough history of the racing bicycle.
Now I want this 1979 Colnago Pista
yeaaaah, zero fucking clearance to the crown.
Or how about this Vintage Chesini X Uno:
Alas, I'll probably never be able to even come close to affording a bike like either of these, but fortunately, there are a few frame builders that make not so commonplace frames at more mass-produced prices.
I've been looking at Leader Bike a lot recently, And I think I'm going to settle on the 725TR as a base for an upcoming track setup. I know a couple of people with Leader frames who are quite satisfied with them, so hopefully I'll succeed in building a track monster that, while maybe not being the rarest bike on the road, won't fall into what I like to call the "nike bike" category.
I knew this was a good choice because upon opening an image of this frame on my monitor, Mr. Bernard stuck his ears up straight and gave a nose-wiggle of approval before hopping onto his throne.
While one should always have decisions blessed by a miniature bunny, I can't say I'll definitely get the Leader; who knows, maybe I'll find something good on craigslist one of these days...
9.15.2009
...you gotta be kidding me
It seems the universe has been teasing me lately by dangling tantalizing possibilities in front of me and then letting reality snatch it away just as I reach out for it...
I know it still too early to tell, but I'm a little worried that I haven't heard anything from the construction company I had interviewed with last Friday. I fear that I'll forever be stuck in this unproductive rut and also that as the first to feel the effects of a failing economy, the architecture industry will likewise be the very last to recover from it.
Considering the tenuous nature of my current employment, I can't be too cavalier about spending my paychecks (when I get them) on things that aren't absolutely essential. That's why when browsing the bikes section of Craigslist last night, seeing this bad boy on sale severely depressed me.
At first I thought the posting was surely a mistake because nobody in their right mind would be hawking an S-Works track frame for a measly $380.
In a fit of excitement I e-mailed the owner who reaffirmed the price to me and offered I take a look at it tonight as it had not yet sold. Realizing blowing nearly $400 on a track frame that has no possibility of accepting brakes of any kind just a few months before winter might not be the smartest move, I let this deal go...
Still curious about how much a nice bike like this costs, I consulted BikePedia, where I learned that the complete build from Specialized retailed for $3,800 in 2007.
Of course the red bike, unlike the black version above, is being sold without the Zipp 404 wheelset, drivetrain, seat, or handlebars, but its going for only 10% of the MSRP.
If I owned this bike, instead of trashing it on the street by flying around recklessly, I'd use it on the track next spring and sign up for a track racing class at the Kissena Velodrome; which pretty much means if I did have the grapes to blow $400 today, it would just sit on my wall for the next six months, teasing me.
The irony didn't stop there, it seemed, because this morning I saw this thing "chained" to a light post outside the office.
Yep, that's right... a Strida spotted in the wild. I have to admit I had doubts that anyone would ever actually purchase one, much less ride it around. Though I suppose folding bikes are all the rage among commuters recently, I always assumed this thing would go the route of the penny farthing, an antiquated symbol of the days of yore when cycling hadn't yet matured into its present form.
I must applaud the owner of this triangle-with-wheels for continuing the spirit of irony by not only locking the compactable bike outside, but doing so with the puniest lock and chain I've ever seen on a bike.
Though the chain is square-section and cloth covered like every hipster's favorite theft prevention device, this chain is curiously in proportion to the miniscule Strida it supposedly protects from theft.
...Not that anyone would go out of their way to steal this bike anyway; shit, I bet you could leave it completely unlocked and it would sit there untouched except in the case of a passing leprachaun, (which, strangely, is the only character I could imagine seeing atop it without chuckling to myself for hours).
Anyway, bike trends could definitely be a lot worse, as evidenced by this day-glo monstrosity I spotted on CWMD the other day.
I'm not 100% certain what the deal is with the 650c front wheel or if this bike is even rideable, but I've been seeing more and more set ups like this on fixed-gear blogs such as prolly, tracko, and FGG.
Maybe I'm jumping the gun with my criticism, but unless that set up is specifically for riding at the velodrome, this bike not only looks retarded with it's BBC/Ice cream shop 'colorway', but looks equally uncomfortable. This bike is to track racing as funny cars are to drag racing.
I wonder what they'll come up with next...
I know it still too early to tell, but I'm a little worried that I haven't heard anything from the construction company I had interviewed with last Friday. I fear that I'll forever be stuck in this unproductive rut and also that as the first to feel the effects of a failing economy, the architecture industry will likewise be the very last to recover from it.
Considering the tenuous nature of my current employment, I can't be too cavalier about spending my paychecks (when I get them) on things that aren't absolutely essential. That's why when browsing the bikes section of Craigslist last night, seeing this bad boy on sale severely depressed me.
At first I thought the posting was surely a mistake because nobody in their right mind would be hawking an S-Works track frame for a measly $380.
In a fit of excitement I e-mailed the owner who reaffirmed the price to me and offered I take a look at it tonight as it had not yet sold. Realizing blowing nearly $400 on a track frame that has no possibility of accepting brakes of any kind just a few months before winter might not be the smartest move, I let this deal go...
Still curious about how much a nice bike like this costs, I consulted BikePedia, where I learned that the complete build from Specialized retailed for $3,800 in 2007.
Of course the red bike, unlike the black version above, is being sold without the Zipp 404 wheelset, drivetrain, seat, or handlebars, but its going for only 10% of the MSRP.
If I owned this bike, instead of trashing it on the street by flying around recklessly, I'd use it on the track next spring and sign up for a track racing class at the Kissena Velodrome; which pretty much means if I did have the grapes to blow $400 today, it would just sit on my wall for the next six months, teasing me.
The irony didn't stop there, it seemed, because this morning I saw this thing "chained" to a light post outside the office.
Yep, that's right... a Strida spotted in the wild. I have to admit I had doubts that anyone would ever actually purchase one, much less ride it around. Though I suppose folding bikes are all the rage among commuters recently, I always assumed this thing would go the route of the penny farthing, an antiquated symbol of the days of yore when cycling hadn't yet matured into its present form.
I must applaud the owner of this triangle-with-wheels for continuing the spirit of irony by not only locking the compactable bike outside, but doing so with the puniest lock and chain I've ever seen on a bike.
Though the chain is square-section and cloth covered like every hipster's favorite theft prevention device, this chain is curiously in proportion to the miniscule Strida it supposedly protects from theft.
...Not that anyone would go out of their way to steal this bike anyway; shit, I bet you could leave it completely unlocked and it would sit there untouched except in the case of a passing leprachaun, (which, strangely, is the only character I could imagine seeing atop it without chuckling to myself for hours).
Anyway, bike trends could definitely be a lot worse, as evidenced by this day-glo monstrosity I spotted on CWMD the other day.
I'm not 100% certain what the deal is with the 650c front wheel or if this bike is even rideable, but I've been seeing more and more set ups like this on fixed-gear blogs such as prolly, tracko, and FGG.
Maybe I'm jumping the gun with my criticism, but unless that set up is specifically for riding at the velodrome, this bike not only looks retarded with it's BBC/Ice cream shop 'colorway', but looks equally uncomfortable. This bike is to track racing as funny cars are to drag racing.
I wonder what they'll come up with next...
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