Reinstalling While Out and About

Yes, I will admit to being Windows user and have been running the same OS for the past 4+ years. So now was a good time to format the drive on my portable allowing me to run a "fresh" version of XP. Re-loading drivers, music, and software along with updates takes a bit but obviously everything is back up and running.

All contributors will be out and about for the next couple of days but soon to come more posts regarding the Madone, the whole of the cycling world, and yes the photography that captures that world.

But wait have you seen IT? We are talking a full 36x23.9mm CMOS Sensor, 9 to 11 frames/second, and 51 focus points all coupled with 12.9 million pixels! See a great review here.

Also maybe this is why foreigners think all Americans are idiots:



Uhhh what did she just say? You know how to pick em don't you Slater?

All New TREK Madone is Here

Finally the smaller shops are receiving their much anticipated TREK Madone orders. We now have a 5.2 on the floor with something like a 6.5 en route. Expect later this evening a full "out of the box" review with pics to go around. But for now here is the beginning build and end result as a teaser.

TGIF and Friends

Ahh yes Thank Goodness Its Friday. And look at these two friends. See bikes don't ever use the "race card." It doesn't matter that one is black & one yellow or one 700c vs the other 26 inch. If only the rest of the world were the same.

Congrats to Matti Breschel of Team CSC with his stage win at the Tour of Ireland yesterday.

By the by, Team Discovery Channel and Unibet will no longer exist after this season leaving numerous skilled riders seeking new teams. Rumor has it Christophe Moreau and Yaroslov Popovych are headed to Team Quickstep.

Cycle Messenger World Championship 2007

You make it to Dublin this year for the Bicycle Messenger World Championship? Yea neither did I, so vicariously we have to experience the phase through pics and vids posted on the WWW. Look to Canada next year for the event followed by in 2009 moving the CMWC all the way to Tokyo.

Congrats to Peter Bradshaw of Boston and Jaimie Lusk of Denver as the new Male and Female WORLD CHAMPS! Yea that's right both Americans! Thank goodness it wasn't held in France or of course French scientist would have "found" EPO in Peter's and Jaimie's urine. Check out the vid below.


ALSO, check these awesome pics from e://wheeler. Notice what kind of camera was used...only the best for the best!

Democrats for Bikes

Republican Pat McHenry seems to think that riding your bike will not help conserve energy. Hmmm...and he probably drives some kind of gas guzzling Hummer. By the way Mr. McHenry you represent Hickory, North Carolina, isn't that a pretty big cycling community?

Thanks to the Democrats for their support.

Nikon Digital Learning Center

Want to learn how to take better pics directly from the company that sold you your camera? Alas Nikon can show you exactly what you should do with that camera of yours. Click on the picture above to get the Photos you really want. They even created a flickr group for those interested in keeping up with all the updated posts and discussions.

We're Back on Haleakala

Back online...Blogger was down for about an hour this morning but they say the problem has been corrected. Awesome!

Better, Best, Gnarly.

Better: riding your bike.

Best: a family that bikes together.

Gnarly: a family that goes screaming down Mount Haleakala wearing a full face helmet having to experience multiple climate changes while all at the same time experiencing some of the best scenery Maui has to offer. All that done on two wheels...righteous!

Team Slipstream Update

For an in depth analysis of Team Slipstream's Powered by Chipotle newest recruiting successes I turned to local Motorwerks Super-Domestique rider Chris L who gave me his in depth analysis of what CEO Director Sportif Jonathan Vaughters is up to.

"J. Vaughters said he wants a Pro Tour license in 2009. They do plan to start more of the classics and definitely Paris Roubaix in 2008. Vaughters is choosing all English speaking riders (one Frenchie- under 23 French champion), which looks smart as far as marketing in the US, Britain, & Australia goes. I am excited to see them grow because a couple of the young guys including Tim Duggan & Will Frisckorn, great climbers. Brad Huff, a sprinter, raced around here a few years ago. What kind of lead out could you get from Z-man, Millar, Backstedt, and Dean? I even like the argyle."

Thanks to Chris for taking time out of his training to respond to me with some in-depth thoughts. However, the argyle is still growing on me. Can't say I really "like" it yet. However I do really like Chipotle.

What I've Done

From pollution, war, destruction, and death to new life, heroes, world leaders, and peace, Linkin Park shows us things we might have forgotten, that which we should never forget, and what we all have to look forward to.

Did you ride your bike to work today?

A TT Wedding

Cheap? Yes. Kooky? Double Yes. Ok we all know that weddings are really expensive, but it is also a special time for the bride and groom to share an important day in their lives. Weddings and cycling should be kept seperate, no matter how poor or rich you are.

**Why is the groom flexing in this picture?

Velocity's Veloplugs for a Reason

A product better & lighter weight than Velox? Could it really exist? No! As a wheel builder I knew it was going to be tedious having to insert this "plug" into every single nipple hole but it seemed like a good idea...at the time anyway. I constantly check my tires for gradu, fill the tubes on a daily basis, and am very careful when choosing my line. Upon using these new veloplugs for the first time I immediately had not one, but two pinch flats where the tube was getting stuck between the rim and plug. I love Velocity rims, I have two wheelsets built with Deep V's but sorry guys you need to go back to the drawing board for your not-so-good Velox replacement.


An ending thought: All things happen for a reason. There was a reason why one restaurant was closed tonight and I had to go to another one and meet...

Spending Money on Your Bike

"Despite what the ads say, no bicycle will level the hills for you or turn the wind. No bike will fix your flats or keep Joe six-pack from scaring you on othe scenic route. No custom Parlee will get you into the break. It may get you noticied at the cafe', post-ride. One can only hope that's the sort of glory you crave.
Your wealth may equip you more distinctively, clothe you more stylishly and perhaps coach you better, but it will not turn your cranks even one revolution, unless maybe if you put a tall stack of money on one of the pedals."

--Maynard Hershon (Velonews, 8/13/07)

KONA Clothing for Africa Bike Programs

KONA bikes has always been known especially for its Downhill, XC, and Cyclocross bikes. But now they are adding a new focus to the company: clothing. However, there is more to it than that. A segment of the new clothing line will be made using 100% Organic Cotton in which proceeds of each sale will go to providing bikes to those less fortunate individuals in Africa. Already in 2007, KONA gave 200 bikes to people in Botswanna and plans on continuing their generosity in Senegal and Namibia in 2008. So get out and buy some organic threads from these guys to help support their Africa Bike Program.

CORRECTION: Previously in my "Wear Your Bonnet" post I used the word minutes a couple of times. Make sure to re-read that article and replace all minutes with "seconds. " After all it was only a 1km TT. Thanks

Wear Your Bonnet!

It is no longer considered cool to ride around with just a cycling cap on. For years pros, old-schoolers, and those trying to emulate both considered helmets an "optional" piece of equipment for the ride. But no no, not anymore. We actually label these types of people now: organ donors. Understand you don't even have to be hit by Sally who was texting, putting her eye shadow on, chewing gum, and oh yea driving at the same and never saw you. Just by taking that plunge some 70 cm or so off the ground can cause permanent brain damage or worse. Hey and when they look this good or even this good, why wouldn't you want to wear a helmet?

Also check this; it has been proven on a 1km TT, in calm conditions on a fair grade that adding an aero-helmet to your regime is more productive than adding a set of ZIPP 999s to your bike! That's right; tests show that adding the 999 wheelset will only shave 2 minutes off of your time while a Louis Garneau Rocket Helmet will decrease your time by 4 minutes. Wow! Hmm over $3000 US for a new set of sweet wheels or $150 for a new lid that shaves twice as much time? Priceless.

For TT helmet recommendations go here, here, or lastly here.

Mud and Doping

"That's the beauty of mountain-bike racing...there isn't a pill available out there that helps you ride down a mountain faster. You could transform yourself into an 800-watt monster, but if you can't put the power to the ground, and if you can't ride over technical stuff, you will always suck at racing on a mountain bike."

Quoted from Volume 36/No. 15 of the current VeloNews, Adam Craig of the Giant Factory Team makes a crude point. The article "Clean Through the Mud" explains how because of the lack of huge sponsorships and big money, pro mountain bike racers are not forced into doping to defeat their competitor. Most people would totally agree with what Craig has to say but my response would be: "but Adam there is a pill that helps your ride up the mountain faster."

Touche'!

New Equipment...Better Pics

Nikon SB-600 arrived yesterday. i-TTL Flash Control, Advanced Wireless Lighting, FV Lock, Flash Color Information and Wide Area AF illuminator. Oh yea! Images only to get better.

"BUMP" in Utah

More tragedy has struck the Crandall
Mine in Utah as a "Bump" occurred at 18:35 causing issues within the mine immediately halting and suspending the rescue effort. All rescue teams have been evacuated; 9 new miners have been injured with one of those being fatal. Still no sign of the original 6 trapped miners that have been missing in action for 11 days. God be with everyone that has been affected by all of the events as they stand strong under the theme of "We Believe." God bless and God-speed.

Team Slipstream building "Dreamteam"?

In case you weren't aware, USA Cycling Team Slipstream/Chipotle has signed Magnus Backstedt, Julian Dean, David Millar, Dave Zabriskie, and Christian Vande Velde for the 2008 season. All of these riders are coming from UCI Pro Tour teams. This makes me very curious. Hmmm???

VeloNews TV

Go here if you are interested in maybe hearing the Tom Boonen song, watching Jens state that his career goal is "to attack and make people suffer," or even seeing Dave Zab and C. Horner compete at the meow game. Good times.

Right Turn Required

Make four lefts turns and then sprint! I am sure some track champion has heard that from his/her coach before. However Kevin "Squid" Bolger, one of the most known bike messengers in the world, has a new idea for a track in the NYC. See more at cyclehawk.