Don't Shoot The Messenger.

From Lance Armstrong's "X" account.

Long time readers know my thoughts about the term "gravel" as it applies to cycling and what the idea that "gravel" embodies is something limited by the name and something that just doesn't quite hit for many people around the world. 

That's why when I saw a social media post by Lance Armstrong recently that I was encouraged and saw the brilliance of his take on how this whole gravel thing should be seen by all of us. Namely as a way to explore more terrain on a reasonably lightweight, fast bike. 

Now, you may grouse and dismiss this take because of where it comes from, but you would be unwise to do so. This summarizes exactly what I and others were aiming to do with an idea for a bike we were trying to describe by a different name back in the late 2000's. 

As the youth say, "I've got receipts", and they are on this blog if you care to find them. I don't feel the need to push all that up again, but I did think that what Lance Armstrong said, and how he said it here, was more on the mark than not. 

In fact, it is very appealing to me because of the way he carves away the racing aspects of "gravel" and focuses on the real, core reasons for this type of riding. Many cyclists and cycling journalists would do well to understand that part. That's my take.

A Thorn In Their Side

Lance Armstrong was once so revered by the Industry and Press that even his shades were worth $4.5K!

So, the "Tour" is going on now. A bike race so famous that every cyclist and many non-cyclists know it by that name only. The "most famous cycling race in the World", and that's not hyperbole. No other racing event on human powered, two wheeled vehicles is as well known. This is a point which needs to be made up front here. The Tour has "pull". Non-endemic media knows this. They want to capitalize upon this fact.

Now I've seen the outrage on social media from several in the endemic cycling media in regard to Lance Armstrong having been invited on NBC's broadcast covering the Tour this year. They point and say, "Bad Guy should not be anywhere near this event he has disgraced!" They have a valid point. But they are in the vast minority. One of the points I try to remind myself of when speaking about cycling is that I am a weirdo when it comes to this sport I enjoy. I am a "one in a million" socially. Most folks think I should die because I take up "their space on the road", and those not so inclined to violence just think I am an oddball. Guess what? That's what most people think about most avid cyclists too. The "populace at large" really don't care what we think about Lance.

All they know is that the Tour de France race was won by him and some arcane rule about drugs, (which everybody knows they all were on) forced him to fall from Grace. Time has marched on, but Lance, the anti-Hero, is still remembered by the Average Guy & Gal as that Texan that spanked the World in its Biggest Event. So he got disqualified, yada,yada,yada.... He still knows a thing or three about how to ride in this event.

And you can go see the comments on most any story or video posted about his commentary on this year's Tour. There are a LOT of supporters. In my opinion, Lance is a ho-hum media presence. His persona, on camera at least, leaves me flat, but .......he does have some insight. NBC knows this. They know Lance has a lot of fans amongst the non-cycling public, and they really don't care if the small, vocal minority of cycling freaks are screaming for Lance to "get off their lawn." Apparently neither does "Outside Online", since they are also featuring Lance's commentary.

Back in the 00's, there was this thing in the cycling industry called "The Lance Effect". Armstrong was credited with bumping up the cycling industry's sales of road racing bikes, and no doubt he generated tons of dollars for the cycling media. Both entities have since washed their hands of the man, declaring him a pariah on the sport, and specifically upon the event he so "tarnished". Now the the "Lance Effect" represents clicks and viewership for the non-endemic media, and it isn't going over well with those who formerly benefited from the man.

Lance remains a thorn in their side. Maybe its time to just let it go.

A Thorn In Their Side

Lance Armstrong was once so revered by the Industry and Press that even his shades were worth $4.5K!

So, the "Tour" is going on now. A bike race so famous that every cyclist and many non-cyclists know it by that name only. The "most famous cycling race in the World", and that's not hyperbole. No other racing event on human powered, two wheeled vehicles is as well known. This is a point which needs to be made up front here. The Tour has "pull". Non-endemic media knows this. They want to capitalize upon this fact.

Now I've seen the outrage on social media from several in the endemic cycling media in regard to Lance Armstrong having been invited on NBC's broadcast covering the Tour this year. They point and say, "Bad Guy should not be anywhere near this event he has disgraced!" They have a valid point. But they are in the vast minority. One of the points I try to remind myself of when speaking about cycling is that I am a weirdo when it comes to this sport I enjoy. I am a "one in a million" socially. Most folks think I should die because I take up "their space on the road", and those not so inclined to violence just think I am an oddball. Guess what? That's what most people think about most avid cyclists too. The "populace at large" really don't care what we think about Lance.

All they know is that the Tour de France race was won by him and some arcane rule about drugs, (which everybody knows they all were on) forced him to fall from Grace. Time has marched on, but Lance, the anti-Hero, is still remembered by the Average Guy & Gal as that Texan that spanked the World in its Biggest Event. So he got disqualified, yada,yada,yada.... He still knows a thing or three about how to ride in this event.

And you can go see the comments on most any story or video posted about his commentary on this year's Tour. There are a LOT of supporters. In my opinion, Lance is a ho-hum media presence. His persona, on camera at least, leaves me flat, but .......he does have some insight. NBC knows this. They know Lance has a lot of fans amongst the non-cycling public, and they really don't care if the small, vocal minority of cycling freaks are screaming for Lance to "get off their lawn." Apparently neither does "Outside Online", since they are also featuring Lance's commentary.

Back in the 00's, there was this thing in the cycling industry called "The Lance Effect". Armstrong was credited with bumping up the cycling industry's sales of road racing bikes, and no doubt he generated tons of dollars for the cycling media. Both entities have since washed their hands of the man, declaring him a pariah on the sport, and specifically upon the event he so "tarnished". Now the the "Lance Effect" represents clicks and viewership for the non-endemic media, and it isn't going over well with those who formerly benefited from the man.

Lance remains a thorn in their side. Maybe its time to just let it go.

The First Rule Of Cycle Club........

From Dale Jr's Twitter Feed- Guess who shamed him for his short socks?

Cycling is a weird sport. Really, truly weird. I know this because when I fell in love with the activity of bicycling when I was but a kid, it wasn't what I found as an adult. Back then no one thought about what clothes you wore or how you put your sunglasses on when you rode. You just rode your bike and had fun. That was pretty much the only rule- fun!

Things got more fun as I got older when I picked up a friend's ten speed bicycle for a bit as he couldn't find anywhere to store it while he was in transition between homes in two different states. During that time I rode his bike along trails and roads I hadn't been on. I often would ride down to hang out at an ice cream stand in a small town, eat my confection, then I would turn around and ride back home. I never heard a negative word about how I was doing all of this. Well, that is, until I started cycling with "serious road cyclists".

Now, I could blame this on "roadies", but that would be too simple. It really isn't roadies, or any other sub-culture of cycling, it is really just endemic to how males in cycling are, for the most part. I cannot speak for the females in cycling, but I do know all about the "rules" of "Cycle Club". Boy do I.....

Those guys I first started riding with on the local training loop weren't friendly. They weren't about teaching you anything, and they figured if you couldn't hang, well then, too bad. Heaven forbid that you wore something wrong, didn't "pull through", or took a flyer when it wasn't appropriate. There was a semi-secret language and all these unspoken, untaught "rules" which made riding with these jerks no fun at all.

Lance doesn't like your socks, Dale Jr. (Image courtesy of Bike Portland)

Ya know, if I hadn't had cultivated a couple of decades worth of "fun cycling" ahead of this group ride experience, I might have just quit the whole deal then and there. I had already spent a small fortune on clothing, the "right bike", and then I got treated like an unwanted step-child by these guys, which was really discouraging. Well, I went and did my own thing for rides after that and never went on another group ride for years. In fact, I still don't do road based group rides.

Ironically, Dale Earnhardt Jr just got into road cycling. He has been pretty open about the process on his social media. He says he feels odd wearing Spandex/Lycra outfits. He says he thinks the equipment "necessary" for road riding is expensive, and he revealed that he was shamed for wearing too short socks by none other than Lance Armstrong. He detailed how his first few rides have gone- he got thrown the bird by a motorist and had a flat tire from hitting a rumble strip due to an unannounced sudden move by a seasoned cyclist he was with. That's pretty encouraging stuff right there. Yep! Makes you want to jump right in and follow along, it does.

Sounds like the rules of "Cycle Club" are still in full effect. Too bad. No wonder folks get turned off by cyclists, or from trying cycling if they get into this subset of dudes that seem to have sucked all the fun out of riding a bicycle.

The First Rule Of Cycle Club........

From Dale Jr's Twitter Feed- Guess who shamed him for his short socks?

Cycling is a weird sport. Really, truly weird. I know this because when I fell in love with the activity of bicycling when I was but a kid, it wasn't what I found as an adult. Back then no one thought about what clothes you wore or how you put your sunglasses on when you rode. You just rode your bike and had fun. That was pretty much the only rule- fun!

Things got more fun as I got older when I picked up a friend's ten speed bicycle for a bit as he couldn't find anywhere to store it while he was in transition between homes in two different states. During that time I rode his bike along trails and roads I hadn't been on. I often would ride down to hang out at an ice cream stand in a small town, eat my confection, then I would turn around and ride back home. I never heard a negative word about how I was doing all of this. Well, that is, until I started cycling with "serious road cyclists".

Now, I could blame this on "roadies", but that would be too simple. It really isn't roadies, or any other sub-culture of cycling, it is really just endemic to how males in cycling are, for the most part. I cannot speak for the females in cycling, but I do know all about the "rules" of "Cycle Club". Boy do I.....

Those guys I first started riding with on the local training loop weren't friendly. They weren't about teaching you anything, and they figured if you couldn't hang, well then, too bad. Heaven forbid that you wore something wrong, didn't "pull through", or took a flyer when it wasn't appropriate. There was a semi-secret language and all these unspoken, untaught "rules" which made riding with these jerks no fun at all.

Lance doesn't like your socks, Dale Jr. (Image courtesy of Bike Portland)

Ya know, if I hadn't had cultivated a couple of decades worth of "fun cycling" ahead of this group ride experience, I might have just quit the whole deal then and there. I had already spent a small fortune on clothing, the "right bike", and then I got treated like an unwanted step-child by these guys, which was really discouraging. Well, I went and did my own thing for rides after that and never went on another group ride for years. In fact, I still don't do road based group rides.

Ironically, Dale Earnhardt Jr just got into road cycling. He has been pretty open about the process on his social media. He says he feels odd wearing Spandex/Lycra outfits. He says he thinks the equipment "necessary" for road riding is expensive, and he revealed that he was shamed for wearing too short socks by none other than Lance Armstrong. He detailed how his first few rides have gone- he got thrown the bird by a motorist and had a flat tire from hitting a rumble strip due to an unannounced sudden move by a seasoned cyclist he was with. That's pretty encouraging stuff right there. Yep! Makes you want to jump right in and follow along, it does.

Sounds like the rules of "Cycle Club" are still in full effect. Too bad. No wonder folks get turned off by cyclists, or from trying cycling if they get into this subset of dudes that seem to have sucked all the fun out of riding a bicycle.

Friday News And Views

Lance Armstrong- Image courtesy of J Maus.

So, It Wasn't Such A Big Deal Afterall:

Back on January 20th, in a "Friday News And Views", I mentioned that Lance Armstrong and some former USPS cronies of his were going to participate in a mountain biking event. But what do you know? Lance actually has already raced his bicycle in January.

Yep. He did that which throngs wished he never would do again, if you believed "what they said" back then. Of course, Lance is "banned" from any "sanctioned" (by USAC or UCI) events, but that doesn't mean he will, or would, never race or ride again. Of course it didn't. But you'd have never known that from all the calls for his demise back six or seven years ago. I think it is rather telling that the most popular post ever on "Red Kite Prayer" is a post written about the damage Lance did to cycling which was put up four years ago. Four years ago and nothing has engendered a bigger response than that? Mostly negative too.

So, anyway, Lance came in second overall at the Red River Riot Texas Chain Ring Massacre (Thanks to the commenters who corrected me on this) gravel race in Texas a week ago. 

Funny, the netherworld did not suffer a catastrophic plunge in temperature. The World spins on......

That's me climbing a MMR at Odin's Revenge: Image by Scott Redd

 Looking To Fill A Hole:

As has been lamented here before, Odin's Revenge is no more. So, my June/early July riding calender now has a big hole in it. I have nothing organized to challenge myself with during that time period.

Of course, I can come up with something on my own, but it isn't like I don't already have enough things going on to organize as it is. No, I need to let someone else do "the cooking", as it were, and I'll just show up to eat it.

So, I've been looking here at some events and I am seeing a few interesting things. There is this, and then this, and finally this. Or maybe none of those and I go somewhere to visit/ride. I don't know, but after supporting riding at two big events I'll be wanting to actually ride in one by then. We will see what shakes out.

There was some scuttlebutt around which made it sound as though some folks wanted to just head out that way to Nebraska and ride the roads of Odin's. That would be fun, but maybe a better time would be in the Fall when the dang Sun wasn't so in to cooking riders into human jerky.

Fenders remain, bar tape does not.

Bringing It Up To (11) Speed:

Part of my challenge with regard to my bicycles is bringing the fleet up to date in terms of drive train parts. No......not Di2 "up to date", but at least 11 speed stuff.

I've got two of my three main gravel going rigs running 11 speed stuff now and the third is still 9 speed! The Black Mountain Cycles rig needs an upgrade. So, I happen to have the shifters already. They were purchased last year when I was surfing the net for pricing on some other bits and I came across the 11 speed bar end shifters from Shimano.

The good news is that these shifters should mount directly to my current Gevenalle mounts on my BMC. The unknown is whether or not I will need to get new derailleurs or if I can fudge it with the current stuff I have. I think I already know what the answer will be, but as a bicycle mechanic, I must try it anyway. You see, there are things bicycle mechanics can do that not everyone else can do. Let me give you an example.....

I used to run old road bike aero levers with Avid BB-2 mountain bike disc brakes. You know that this is an incompatible pairing, if you are into techy stuff and bicycle parts. Well, there is a way you can make it work anyway, and I did. It was my go-to set up on my Karate Monkey with drop bars for years. Never could not stop. Always worked. But, you know, you are not supposed to do that. 

I have pulled off other, "you aren't supposed to do that" things in the past as well. Things you'd never do to other folk's bicycles, not in a million years. But you try it as a bicycle mechanic on your own stuff, just to see if you can make it work. Sometimes, like with the Karate Monkey, it works, and sometimes it doesn't. But that is how you learn.

That's all for this week. Stay warm and get outside!

Friday News And Views

Lance Armstrong- Image courtesy of J Maus.

So, It Wasn't Such A Big Deal Afterall:

Back on January 20th, in a "Friday News And Views", I mentioned that Lance Armstrong and some former USPS cronies of his were going to participate in a mountain biking event. But what do you know? Lance actually has already raced his bicycle in January.

Yep. He did that which throngs wished he never would do again, if you believed "what they said" back then. Of course, Lance is "banned" from any "sanctioned" (by USAC or UCI) events, but that doesn't mean he will, or would, never race or ride again. Of course it didn't. But you'd have never known that from all the calls for his demise back six or seven years ago. I think it is rather telling that the most popular post ever on "Red Kite Prayer" is a post written about the damage Lance did to cycling which was put up four years ago. Four years ago and nothing has engendered a bigger response than that? Mostly negative too.

So, anyway, Lance came in second overall at the Red River Riot Texas Chain Ring Massacre (Thanks to the commenters who corrected me on this) gravel race in Texas a week ago. 

Funny, the netherworld did not suffer a catastrophic plunge in temperature. The World spins on......

That's me climbing a MMR at Odin's Revenge: Image by Scott Redd

 Looking To Fill A Hole:

As has been lamented here before, Odin's Revenge is no more. So, my June/early July riding calender now has a big hole in it. I have nothing organized to challenge myself with during that time period.

Of course, I can come up with something on my own, but it isn't like I don't already have enough things going on to organize as it is. No, I need to let someone else do "the cooking", as it were, and I'll just show up to eat it.

So, I've been looking here at some events and I am seeing a few interesting things. There is this, and then this, and finally this. Or maybe none of those and I go somewhere to visit/ride. I don't know, but after supporting riding at two big events I'll be wanting to actually ride in one by then. We will see what shakes out.

There was some scuttlebutt around which made it sound as though some folks wanted to just head out that way to Nebraska and ride the roads of Odin's. That would be fun, but maybe a better time would be in the Fall when the dang Sun wasn't so in to cooking riders into human jerky.

Fenders remain, bar tape does not.

Bringing It Up To (11) Speed:

Part of my challenge with regard to my bicycles is bringing the fleet up to date in terms of drive train parts. No......not Di2 "up to date", but at least 11 speed stuff.

I've got two of my three main gravel going rigs running 11 speed stuff now and the third is still 9 speed! The Black Mountain Cycles rig needs an upgrade. So, I happen to have the shifters already. They were purchased last year when I was surfing the net for pricing on some other bits and I came across the 11 speed bar end shifters from Shimano.

The good news is that these shifters should mount directly to my current Gevenalle mounts on my BMC. The unknown is whether or not I will need to get new derailleurs or if I can fudge it with the current stuff I have. I think I already know what the answer will be, but as a bicycle mechanic, I must try it anyway. You see, there are things bicycle mechanics can do that not everyone else can do. Let me give you an example.....

I used to run old road bike aero levers with Avid BB-2 mountain bike disc brakes. You know that this is an incompatible pairing, if you are into techy stuff and bicycle parts. Well, there is a way you can make it work anyway, and I did. It was my go-to set up on my Karate Monkey with drop bars for years. Never could not stop. Always worked. But, you know, you are not supposed to do that. 

I have pulled off other, "you aren't supposed to do that" things in the past as well. Things you'd never do to other folk's bicycles, not in a million years. But you try it as a bicycle mechanic on your own stuff, just to see if you can make it work. Sometimes, like with the Karate Monkey, it works, and sometimes it doesn't. But that is how you learn.

That's all for this week. Stay warm and get outside!

Friday News And Views

The Lance- circa 2005. Image by J. Maus of BikePortland

Should He Or Shouldn't He?

You've probably heard by now, but just in case you haven't, it appears that Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie, and a maybe a couple of other former USPS teammates of theirs are going to do a mountain bike event coming up sometime soon. This has raised up the dander of the internetists who are concerned about the "purity of the sport". The cry of "Never!", or the alternative, and somewhat more measured calls for "live and let live", all have been noted.

Of course, it should be noted that Lance Armstrong serves a lifetime ban from any "sanctioned" events. So, there ya go folks. Cycling has served its verdict and that's that. However; you'd think that by somehow having Lance Armstrong even dare to enjoy the bicycle ever again is an affront worthy of.......I don't know. Ask these people that are getting their pants all wadded up.

It is also worth noting that despite Lance Armstrong's sins against cycling, he did raise a lot of money for cancer research and brought a lot of people hope in that realm. Maybe he was a bully, or unsavory in character, I have no clue. You can find all sorts of stories about his character on the innergoogles if you want to waste your time doing that.

All I know is that he is riding his bicycle in a competitive endurance event with some friends. I don't think that's going to hurt anyone.

Slickery!

Winter On Hiatus:

Well, I actually got back to riding the bike to work yesterday. That was a good thing and it felt awesome to ride a bicycle again after a break for being really sick. I am still not 100%, but I feel a lot better.

But in the meantime, as I stated on this blog previously, Winter has taken a flier and gone somewhere else for a while. In the meantime we have had an ice storm, rain, and more rain, with some fog, then rain. This has eradicated the snow, made a lot of standing water, and that water turns into ice.

In some cases, that ice gets pretty slick, and in some places, there is no way around it. You have to forge ahead. I chose "by foot" in the place I am showing here, but in a few other instances I took my chances. I was sideways more than once on the way to work. But, I made it! No dumps, no foot off the pedals. Then, while I was at work, the skies opened up.

Rain on January 19th and temperatures in the 40's. Wonderful. Good thing I decided to pack the rain pants.  That long stretch of ice I walked in the morning shown in the image here was drowned in two inches of water. Super slick! I was very careful when I walked back across that in the afternoon! Funny thing about frozen ground, it doesn't absorb rain water. So, there was a lot of running water and standing water puddles all over that place. The river and creeks here are all on the rise. Flooding in Winter? Could be a reality for some folks, unfortunately. Sheesh! Will Winter ever make another appearance this season?

I'm betting it will. In fact, they are talking about something possibly hitting next week. Stay tuned......

Well, that's a wrap for this week.  Have a great weekend and stay warm!

Friday News And Views

The Lance- circa 2005. Image by J. Maus of BikePortland

Should He Or Shouldn't He?

You've probably heard by now, but just in case you haven't, it appears that Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie, and a maybe a couple of other former USPS teammates of theirs are going to do a mountain bike event coming up sometime soon. This has raised up the dander of the internetists who are concerned about the "purity of the sport". The cry of "Never!", or the alternative, and somewhat more measured calls for "live and let live", all have been noted.

Of course, it should be noted that Lance Armstrong serves a lifetime ban from any "sanctioned" events. So, there ya go folks. Cycling has served its verdict and that's that. However; you'd think that by somehow having Lance Armstrong even dare to enjoy the bicycle ever again is an affront worthy of.......I don't know. Ask these people that are getting their pants all wadded up.

It is also worth noting that despite Lance Armstrong's sins against cycling, he did raise a lot of money for cancer research and brought a lot of people hope in that realm. Maybe he was a bully, or unsavory in character, I have no clue. You can find all sorts of stories about his character on the innergoogles if you want to waste your time doing that.

All I know is that he is riding his bicycle in a competitive endurance event with some friends. I don't think that's going to hurt anyone.

Slickery!

Winter On Hiatus:

Well, I actually got back to riding the bike to work yesterday. That was a good thing and it felt awesome to ride a bicycle again after a break for being really sick. I am still not 100%, but I feel a lot better.

But in the meantime, as I stated on this blog previously, Winter has taken a flier and gone somewhere else for a while. In the meantime we have had an ice storm, rain, and more rain, with some fog, then rain. This has eradicated the snow, made a lot of standing water, and that water turns into ice.

In some cases, that ice gets pretty slick, and in some places, there is no way around it. You have to forge ahead. I chose "by foot" in the place I am showing here, but in a few other instances I took my chances. I was sideways more than once on the way to work. But, I made it! No dumps, no foot off the pedals. Then, while I was at work, the skies opened up.

Rain on January 19th and temperatures in the 40's. Wonderful. Good thing I decided to pack the rain pants.  That long stretch of ice I walked in the morning shown in the image here was drowned in two inches of water. Super slick! I was very careful when I walked back across that in the afternoon! Funny thing about frozen ground, it doesn't absorb rain water. So, there was a lot of running water and standing water puddles all over that place. The river and creeks here are all on the rise. Flooding in Winter? Could be a reality for some folks, unfortunately. Sheesh! Will Winter ever make another appearance this season?

I'm betting it will. In fact, they are talking about something possibly hitting next week. Stay tuned......

Well, that's a wrap for this week.  Have a great weekend and stay warm!

Friday News And Views

That Deal With That "One Guy" On That Famous Lady's Show....

You may have noticed that the lack of commentary on what happened with a certain cyclist, ("He Who Shall Not Be Named") , has been missing from this blog for a while. You may wonder what I think about the media event that occurred last night. Well, I am not going to say a word about it. But, I do have something to point you to that I found well considered and thoughtful on the subject.

The commentary is from former frame builder and musician, Dave Moulton. His take on the situation is something that hits close to my heart and feelings on the matter, so if you wonder what I think, this is a pretty close representation of what I think right here.

What I found that was particularly of interest to me was Dave's description of riding in "The Bunch" and how the culture of cycling was something a universe away from what he found here in the U.S., and obviously light years different than the world of Pro Cycling on the road over the course of the past couple of decades.

In many ways, I would like to believe that gravel racing today is what Mr. Moulton would find reminiscent of his formative days riding in Britain. Riders looking out for one another, camaraderie, and fun with a healthy dose of adventure. Maybe I am a hopeless romantic, but that's what I love about the gravel racers I know well.

Bianchi Boardwalk- circa 1994

Another Old Friend Comes To Visit: 

My first bike shop job was at a place in Cedar Falls, Iowa called Advantage Cyclery. Well, actually I worked at their satellite store on College Hill called Campus Cyclery first, but that's another detail.... The thing is, I worked at Advantage for three years before the shop went out of business.

Shortly before that happened, I was pretty much alone there most days. My boss had kind of disappeared in the sense that he never was there during store hours, or if he did come in, he was sequestered in his office down in the basement and I never saw him. I say all of that to put the following into perspective.

My boss bought about 30 small, medium, and large Bianchi Boardwalk hybrids that were already 2 years old. Yes- he got a screaming deal on them, because Bianchi, who perennially had old stock in their warehouses, years old, would jump at the chance to ship out bikes for pennies on the dollar  just to get rid of them.   By the way- this rarely happens anymore, so don't get any ideas out there!

Anyway, these bikes were steel, well spec'ed with complete Alivio groups, but were all Men's models in Bianchi's flagship color, Celeste. Not yer most manly of colors, and perhaps why these were languishing in the warehouse for so long. The normal retail on these was something around $700.00, but we were selling them for $399.99, or something crazy like that. It was a great deal, as I recall.

I assembled every one of the 30 or so bikes, and displayed every one of them in a giant row in the middle of the store. (I was pretty much free to do as I pleased in the store by this point.) I also sold every single one of those bikes, most to men. I don't mean to brag, but I was rather proud of that feat.

So I see one come back every once in awhile these days, some 18 years past the time I sold them. It's good to see them still being ridden and taken care of. This particular one was a medium and besides some rusty chain and handle bars, was in great condition. Good to see an old friend.....

Sage Advice: 

Hey, you may not be in T.I.V9, or even any other gravel event, but these gravel events are getting more and more popular all the time. If you've ever wondered what level of geekery it takes to do something like 300 plus miles of Iowa gravel in one sitting, you should check out my buddy Ari's post here. 

It is an open letter to trans Iowa Rookies, but anyone can certainly learn a thing or three from this. If nothing else, you get the sense of dedication and passion for gravel road riding and for Trans Iowa in particular.

So, thanks Ari! I really appreciate those thoughts, and I trust your info will help a lot of folks out there.

That's a wrap. I hope all of you don't forget why you ride a bike.  Now go do it....

Friday News And Views

That Deal With That "One Guy" On That Famous Lady's Show....

You may have noticed that the lack of commentary on what happened with a certain cyclist, ("He Who Shall Not Be Named") , has been missing from this blog for a while. You may wonder what I think about the media event that occurred last night. Well, I am not going to say a word about it. But, I do have something to point you to that I found well considered and thoughtful on the subject.

The commentary is from former frame builder and musician, Dave Moulton. His take on the situation is something that hits close to my heart and feelings on the matter, so if you wonder what I think, this is a pretty close representation of what I think right here.

What I found that was particularly of interest to me was Dave's description of riding in "The Bunch" and how the culture of cycling was something a universe away from what he found here in the U.S., and obviously light years different than the world of Pro Cycling on the road over the course of the past couple of decades.

In many ways, I would like to believe that gravel racing today is what Mr. Moulton would find reminiscent of his formative days riding in Britain. Riders looking out for one another, camaraderie, and fun with a healthy dose of adventure. Maybe I am a hopeless romantic, but that's what I love about the gravel racers I know well.

Bianchi Boardwalk- circa 1994

Another Old Friend Comes To Visit: 

My first bike shop job was at a place in Cedar Falls, Iowa called Advantage Cyclery. Well, actually I worked at their satellite store on College Hill called Campus Cyclery first, but that's another detail.... The thing is, I worked at Advantage for three years before the shop went out of business.

Shortly before that happened, I was pretty much alone there most days. My boss had kind of disappeared in the sense that he never was there during store hours, or if he did come in, he was sequestered in his office down in the basement and I never saw him. I say all of that to put the following into perspective.

My boss bought about 30 small, medium, and large Bianchi Boardwalk hybrids that were already 2 years old. Yes- he got a screaming deal on them, because Bianchi, who perennially had old stock in their warehouses, years old, would jump at the chance to ship out bikes for pennies on the dollar  just to get rid of them.   By the way- this rarely happens anymore, so don't get any ideas out there!

Anyway, these bikes were steel, well spec'ed with complete Alivio groups, but were all Men's models in Bianchi's flagship color, Celeste. Not yer most manly of colors, and perhaps why these were languishing in the warehouse for so long. The normal retail on these was something around $700.00, but we were selling them for $399.99, or something crazy like that. It was a great deal, as I recall.

I assembled every one of the 30 or so bikes, and displayed every one of them in a giant row in the middle of the store. (I was pretty much free to do as I pleased in the store by this point.) I also sold every single one of those bikes, most to men. I don't mean to brag, but I was rather proud of that feat.

So I see one come back every once in awhile these days, some 18 years past the time I sold them. It's good to see them still being ridden and taken care of. This particular one was a medium and besides some rusty chain and handle bars, was in great condition. Good to see an old friend.....

Sage Advice: 

Hey, you may not be in T.I.V9, or even any other gravel event, but these gravel events are getting more and more popular all the time. If you've ever wondered what level of geekery it takes to do something like 300 plus miles of Iowa gravel in one sitting, you should check out my buddy Ari's post here. 

It is an open letter to trans Iowa Rookies, but anyone can certainly learn a thing or three from this. If nothing else, you get the sense of dedication and passion for gravel road riding and for Trans Iowa in particular.

So, thanks Ari! I really appreciate those thoughts, and I trust your info will help a lot of folks out there.

That's a wrap. I hope all of you don't forget why you ride a bike.  Now go do it....

When The Jig Is Up

Image by Jeff Kerkove

Well, after yesterday, I pretty much have to say something about this, so here goes....

There was a time when the thought of Lance going down was unthinkable. The Empire would never fade. The Money was too important, the Foundation would suffer, and we couldn't let that happen. 

No- He was unassailable. Never failed 5 billion drug tests. Champion. Patron.

What we didn't know was that he was also a Dictator, Fraud, and a Cheat. Unthinkable as it was, there is no denying the evidence is overwhelming that stands against Him. Of course, like any individual, (and as our Pres likes to point out), He didn't build that alone. No- there was collusion on many levels.

While sponsors dropped Lance like a hot potato yesterday, it was also quite evident that they had no further use for him or his image anymore. Really. Think about that for a minute. Had these same sponsors, some who had more than an inkling of what was going on, done the right thing a few years ago, this would have been cataclysmic. It would have been much different. But it didn't suit the purposes then.

As it was, it was expected. Everyone turned coat at the same time when it was most convenient. It was almost like it was choreographed to be this way. Weird, really. Even his former team mates all "fessed up" at the same time. Doesn't anyone else smell a rotten fish here?

Well, I just hope this is the beginning, and not a convenient fall guy ending. Pro road cycling is jacked up, and it'll stay that way unless they pull down the entire doping culture. You think Lance is it? Ha!

In the meantime, go enjoy the bicycle for what it is to you, and don't let this nonsense get in your way.

That's all I got to say about that!

When The Jig Is Up

Image by Jeff Kerkove

Well, after yesterday, I pretty much have to say something about this, so here goes....

There was a time when the thought of Lance going down was unthinkable. The Empire would never fade. The Money was too important, the Foundation would suffer, and we couldn't let that happen. 

No- He was unassailable. Never failed 5 billion drug tests. Champion. Patron.

What we didn't know was that he was also a Dictator, Fraud, and a Cheat. Unthinkable as it was, there is no denying the evidence is overwhelming that stands against Him. Of course, like any individual, (and as our Pres likes to point out), He didn't build that alone. No- there was collusion on many levels.

While sponsors dropped Lance like a hot potato yesterday, it was also quite evident that they had no further use for him or his image anymore. Really. Think about that for a minute. Had these same sponsors, some who had more than an inkling of what was going on, done the right thing a few years ago, this would have been cataclysmic. It would have been much different. But it didn't suit the purposes then.

As it was, it was expected. Everyone turned coat at the same time when it was most convenient. It was almost like it was choreographed to be this way. Weird, really. Even his former team mates all "fessed up" at the same time. Doesn't anyone else smell a rotten fish here?

Well, I just hope this is the beginning, and not a convenient fall guy ending. Pro road cycling is jacked up, and it'll stay that way unless they pull down the entire doping culture. You think Lance is it? Ha!

In the meantime, go enjoy the bicycle for what it is to you, and don't let this nonsense get in your way.

That's all I got to say about that!

Friday News And Views

The post about gravel grinder events the other day elicited a few responses that I think are worthy of comment out in the open here, basically to give credit where credit is due.

It has been a few years since a certain individual has been associated with Trans Iowa but it doesn't reduce or lighten the tremendous influence this person has had on gravel grinding. Many times, I seem to be the one that gets the "credit" for Trans Iowa, in particular, and for gravel grinders, such as they are, in general. While it is true I may have had something to do with what has happened out there, this person deserves way more credit than I do. His name?

Jeff Kerkove.

Need to know why? Go here and read up on it. Nuff said.....

3GR: A reminder that I won't be there tonight, but Saturday morning. A request for coffee will be granted and we'll start at 8:30am, weather permitting, at Gateway Park.

Uh...I thought Dracula did?

It's Summertime! How can you tell? Because another doping allegation has sprung up and just in time for Le Tour. This never happens in December, January, or February. Odd that. Almost as if it were timed for maximum impact and publicity, don't you think?

Well, they are after "you know who" again, and I have zero interest in this story anymore, other than to watch in amusement as folks get their hackles up and froth away about this nonsense. I'm apparently not alone.

Much of the reaction I've witnessed from casual observers is along the lines of "who cares?", or "can we move on from this finally?". In other words, people I've talked to about this just don't care anymore. But what about those who do?

Here's my solution: If he did not enhance his performance by "doping", fine. But if he did? Put an asterisk by his name in the record books and annotate it as, "tour title won by using illegal substances". Done and done. I mean, it isn't like you can rewind the clock and take the moment away from him, and he's retired now. Oh maybe a fine, whatever. But "stripping away the title"? Really? You can't erase the memories and the moments folks. They are his forever. He won the Tour seven times whether you say he didn't now or in the future. It's like saying the American Revolution never happened because you don't agree it was done correctly. Shots were fired, people died, and things changed because of it, so...you know, it is what it is.

So short of fining him into oblivion, or imprisoning him, this other "stripping of title" stuff is just weird. It doesn't work, and oh by the way.....who gets the titles? The other dopers that placed beneath him? That's rich. I say forget about it, and let's move on from here.

Update On The Clement X'Plor MSO: 


There were a few things about this tire I wasn't sure about when I got them, and communication between myself and the Clement guys was not as good as I would have liked. However; now I have learned that the tire- the X'Plor MSO- is a 60TPI tire with puncture protection. The USH has puncture protection as well. But now for the good news:

The MSO now is available in a 120TPI folding bead tire with bead to bead Kevlar puncture protection at a sub 500 gram weight. That's awesome news! I'm not always very hot on narrower tires, but the MSO is really, really good on gravel roads. Now with the nicer casing, I can only imagine how smooth it would roll, but I aim to get a pair to compare with. I'll update on the longevity of the original pair I got as well, but as of now, they are going strong.

That's it for today. Get out and ride!

Friday News And Views

The post about gravel grinder events the other day elicited a few responses that I think are worthy of comment out in the open here, basically to give credit where credit is due.

It has been a few years since a certain individual has been associated with Trans Iowa but it doesn't reduce or lighten the tremendous influence this person has had on gravel grinding. Many times, I seem to be the one that gets the "credit" for Trans Iowa, in particular, and for gravel grinders, such as they are, in general. While it is true I may have had something to do with what has happened out there, this person deserves way more credit than I do. His name?

Jeff Kerkove.

Need to know why? Go here and read up on it. Nuff said.....

3GR: A reminder that I won't be there tonight, but Saturday morning. A request for coffee will be granted and we'll start at 8:30am, weather permitting, at Gateway Park.

Uh...I thought Dracula did?

It's Summertime! How can you tell? Because another doping allegation has sprung up and just in time for Le Tour. This never happens in December, January, or February. Odd that. Almost as if it were timed for maximum impact and publicity, don't you think?

Well, they are after "you know who" again, and I have zero interest in this story anymore, other than to watch in amusement as folks get their hackles up and froth away about this nonsense. I'm apparently not alone.

Much of the reaction I've witnessed from casual observers is along the lines of "who cares?", or "can we move on from this finally?". In other words, people I've talked to about this just don't care anymore. But what about those who do?

Here's my solution: If he did not enhance his performance by "doping", fine. But if he did? Put an asterisk by his name in the record books and annotate it as, "tour title won by using illegal substances". Done and done. I mean, it isn't like you can rewind the clock and take the moment away from him, and he's retired now. Oh maybe a fine, whatever. But "stripping away the title"? Really? You can't erase the memories and the moments folks. They are his forever. He won the Tour seven times whether you say he didn't now or in the future. It's like saying the American Revolution never happened because you don't agree it was done correctly. Shots were fired, people died, and things changed because of it, so...you know, it is what it is.

So short of fining him into oblivion, or imprisoning him, this other "stripping of title" stuff is just weird. It doesn't work, and oh by the way.....who gets the titles? The other dopers that placed beneath him? That's rich. I say forget about it, and let's move on from here.

Update On The Clement X'Plor MSO: 


There were a few things about this tire I wasn't sure about when I got them, and communication between myself and the Clement guys was not as good as I would have liked. However; now I have learned that the tire- the X'Plor MSO- is a 60TPI tire with puncture protection. The USH has puncture protection as well. But now for the good news:

The MSO now is available in a 120TPI folding bead tire with bead to bead Kevlar puncture protection at a sub 500 gram weight. That's awesome news! I'm not always very hot on narrower tires, but the MSO is really, really good on gravel roads. Now with the nicer casing, I can only imagine how smooth it would roll, but I aim to get a pair to compare with. I'll update on the longevity of the original pair I got as well, but as of now, they are going strong.

That's it for today. Get out and ride!

Whelp! I Guess I Guessed Right?

Rebecca Rusch (Image courtesy of Specialized)

Friday evening I put up a post on Twenty Nine Inches that was based off a press release from Specialized that featured two of its sponsored riders, Todd Wells and Rebecca Rusch. I named the post:"Leadville 2011: Could 29″ers Take The Top Spots?".

As many of you now know, I got it right. Well, I think if you consider the details leading up to the event, it wasn't all that hard to guess correctly. Let's consider the following:

-Lance Armstrong, although he qualified to race, wasn't toeing the line this year. Had he thrown his hat into the ring, he would have been a top pick to win it.

-Six time  Leadville champ, Dave Wiens wasn't racing either. Again, you'd have to slot him in as a number one pick had he been in the race.

-Many pro roadies were already racing in the Tour of Utah, or were going to be at the Tour of Colorado. Roadies? Yup! The LT 100 suits roadies quite well, and this year they graded out rougher sections of the course, making them "B Road" smooth. Levi Leipheimer has won the event before, in record time, just last year.

-Many top mountain bike riders were overseas contesting the World Cup. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, who came in second last year, wasn't there either. This narrowed down my choices quite a bit.

-Todd Wells is in top condition right now. He just won the National XC Championship jersey, and Todd is always a top contender at any XC race he enters. Why didn't he go overseas to contest the World Cup? I can not say for sure, but Specialized has a top flite XC racer this year in Jaroslav Kulhavy who is making history every time he wins on his Epic 29"er. Keeping Todd in the US for another shot at making history might have been too good to pass up.

-Rebecca Rusch: Nuff said. Until she stops focusing on the LT 100, or starts to wane in her abilities, she will continue to be a threat to win the women's race at Leadville. This year? She lopped off even more time from her previous record at Leadville. Amazing! There was no way I would have bet against her at Leadville.

So, when you think about those things, and if there were no flat tires, mechanicals, or other mayhem for the two Specialized riders, (like there was for their competition, by the way), it was likely these two riders would contend for wins. They did, and they did. But, as I mention, it wasn't without a little "help" on the men's side, at least. Alban Lakata of Topeak-Ergon made a great race of it, coming in second on a flat tire. Had he not flatted? Well, who knows?

So, it was a lucky, somewhat educated guess, and no big deal in the end. It isn't like I could have picked the correct lottery numbers or anything magical like that!

Whelp! I Guess I Guessed Right?

Rebecca Rusch (Image courtesy of Specialized)

Friday evening I put up a post on Twenty Nine Inches that was based off a press release from Specialized that featured two of its sponsored riders, Todd Wells and Rebecca Rusch. I named the post:"Leadville 2011: Could 29″ers Take The Top Spots?".

As many of you now know, I got it right. Well, I think if you consider the details leading up to the event, it wasn't all that hard to guess correctly. Let's consider the following:

-Lance Armstrong, although he qualified to race, wasn't toeing the line this year. Had he thrown his hat into the ring, he would have been a top pick to win it.

-Six time  Leadville champ, Dave Wiens wasn't racing either. Again, you'd have to slot him in as a number one pick had he been in the race.

-Many pro roadies were already racing in the Tour of Utah, or were going to be at the Tour of Colorado. Roadies? Yup! The LT 100 suits roadies quite well, and this year they graded out rougher sections of the course, making them "B Road" smooth. Levi Leipheimer has won the event before, in record time, just last year.

-Many top mountain bike riders were overseas contesting the World Cup. Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, who came in second last year, wasn't there either. This narrowed down my choices quite a bit.

-Todd Wells is in top condition right now. He just won the National XC Championship jersey, and Todd is always a top contender at any XC race he enters. Why didn't he go overseas to contest the World Cup? I can not say for sure, but Specialized has a top flite XC racer this year in Jaroslav Kulhavy who is making history every time he wins on his Epic 29"er. Keeping Todd in the US for another shot at making history might have been too good to pass up.

-Rebecca Rusch: Nuff said. Until she stops focusing on the LT 100, or starts to wane in her abilities, she will continue to be a threat to win the women's race at Leadville. This year? She lopped off even more time from her previous record at Leadville. Amazing! There was no way I would have bet against her at Leadville.

So, when you think about those things, and if there were no flat tires, mechanicals, or other mayhem for the two Specialized riders, (like there was for their competition, by the way), it was likely these two riders would contend for wins. They did, and they did. But, as I mention, it wasn't without a little "help" on the men's side, at least. Alban Lakata of Topeak-Ergon made a great race of it, coming in second on a flat tire. Had he not flatted? Well, who knows?

So, it was a lucky, somewhat educated guess, and no big deal in the end. It isn't like I could have picked the correct lottery numbers or anything magical like that!

Friday News And Views

"Once you held your finger on the trigger.
Now the gun is pointing at your head.
Once you reigned supreme,
Over all that you could see.
Now you walk on the other
side of the street. "

"How The Mighty Fall" by The Alarm

Well, if you haven't heard by now, supposedly the most damning evidence against Lance Armstrong will be presented on "60 Minutes" Sunday as they interview Tyler Hamilton, himself a convicted doper, and former lieutenant of Armstrong's in his early Tour victories.

Look, whatever you might think about doping, Lance Armstrong, his foundation's work, and the "effects" he had on cycling, the bigger picture here is that Americans, nay- The World, loves, loves, loves, to tear down the exalted. And we're witnessing the piecemeal dismantling of "Lance" into a mere mortal. Sunday will be just one more wrecking ball to the icon. Frankly, I'm amazed it took this long for it to happen. (Disregarding "the truth", whatever that may be.)

Still, there is another, human side to this, and it is very disappointing for a lot of folks, I am sure. Lyrics from "The Alarm " come to mind once again......(From "Sold Me Down The River " )

" I don't know why,
I don't understand,
How you sold me down the river. "

Indeed!

Geax Evolution 1.9" 29 "er Tires:


In the past, I have run stories on Twenty Nine Inches about commuting on 29 inch wheeled bikes and have gotten an overwhelming response confirming that many folks are using the big wheels to get around town on.

So, it was great interest that I heard about these new 29"er tires by Geax called the "Evolution" and that they were aimed at folks commuting on 29"ers.

Now I have a pair in hand to test on Twenty Nine Inches, and I will link my thoughts here as that unfolds. Right now, I haven't gotten any details on the availability of these, or how much they might be, but that will also be coming soon. You know what? I think these could even be great gravel road riding tires too.

Good Luck Cheq 100 Riders! Saturday is the second Chequamegon 100 event up around Cable, Wisconsin. Those are some mighty fine trails up there, and by the sounds of it, the weather is conspiring to make this one epic event. (70% chance of afternoon thundershowers, anyone?) If it does rain, it'll be chilly in them thar woods, I know that much, and riders better be prepared to be layered up, and then be prepared to peel it all off the minute the sun comes back out. In fact, these conditions sound a lot like the last time I rode up there. It was showering intermittently, then the sun would shine, and the humidity would kill ya!

Well, at any rate, the stories out of this event should be good. Good luck to Captain Bob, and Mike J, who are locals going up for this ultra-mtb ride.


Have a great weekend and I hope ya'all get some bike riding in.

Friday News And Views

"Once you held your finger on the trigger.
Now the gun is pointing at your head.
Once you reigned supreme,
Over all that you could see.
Now you walk on the other
side of the street. "

"How The Mighty Fall" by The Alarm

Well, if you haven't heard by now, supposedly the most damning evidence against Lance Armstrong will be presented on "60 Minutes" Sunday as they interview Tyler Hamilton, himself a convicted doper, and former lieutenant of Armstrong's in his early Tour victories.

Look, whatever you might think about doping, Lance Armstrong, his foundation's work, and the "effects" he had on cycling, the bigger picture here is that Americans, nay- The World, loves, loves, loves, to tear down the exalted. And we're witnessing the piecemeal dismantling of "Lance" into a mere mortal. Sunday will be just one more wrecking ball to the icon. Frankly, I'm amazed it took this long for it to happen. (Disregarding "the truth", whatever that may be.)

Still, there is another, human side to this, and it is very disappointing for a lot of folks, I am sure. Lyrics from "The Alarm " come to mind once again......(From "Sold Me Down The River " )

" I don't know why,
I don't understand,
How you sold me down the river. "

Indeed!

Geax Evolution 1.9" 29 "er Tires:


In the past, I have run stories on Twenty Nine Inches about commuting on 29 inch wheeled bikes and have gotten an overwhelming response confirming that many folks are using the big wheels to get around town on.

So, it was great interest that I heard about these new 29"er tires by Geax called the "Evolution" and that they were aimed at folks commuting on 29"ers.

Now I have a pair in hand to test on Twenty Nine Inches, and I will link my thoughts here as that unfolds. Right now, I haven't gotten any details on the availability of these, or how much they might be, but that will also be coming soon. You know what? I think these could even be great gravel road riding tires too.

Good Luck Cheq 100 Riders! Saturday is the second Chequamegon 100 event up around Cable, Wisconsin. Those are some mighty fine trails up there, and by the sounds of it, the weather is conspiring to make this one epic event. (70% chance of afternoon thundershowers, anyone?) If it does rain, it'll be chilly in them thar woods, I know that much, and riders better be prepared to be layered up, and then be prepared to peel it all off the minute the sun comes back out. In fact, these conditions sound a lot like the last time I rode up there. It was showering intermittently, then the sun would shine, and the humidity would kill ya!

Well, at any rate, the stories out of this event should be good. Good luck to Captain Bob, and Mike J, who are locals going up for this ultra-mtb ride.


Have a great weekend and I hope ya'all get some bike riding in.