I had an original BigWheel(TM) which I loved as much as anyone could love anything with wheels.  I want one of these.  It's on kickstarter.  They need to get another ~20K in pledges by midnight tomorrow.  $649 gets you one, domestic shipping included.

There are plenty of three wheelers of various sorts out there, but this is from the Big Wheel crazies--the purists--the people who are to Big Wheel(er)s what PdC is to cycling, and then some.

Is this fanpost worthy?  Well, it's off season--hello stringbike post. There's no time to spare. My (and maybe your) entry drug to cycling needs the love and the money.  And you (c'mon) know (c'mon) that you (c'mon) want one (do it, do it, do it). 

Comes with tassels, bell, and replacable & recylable rear wheels that last for over 200 miles worth of craziness and power slides. 

This is a "dear god can we keep it out of the live posts no matter how many reputable sources are engaging in broad hints" thread.  Someone look like they have fresh legs when everyone else dies?  Was this his childhood training ride, or are we counting days until the tests come back, or both?  Have at it here, if you must.  Also a place to rehash anything else you've been too polite to bring up elsewhere.  Let's consider this the Vegas of threads, and state right up front that this is all rampant speculation, and could and should not be taken as news by any lazy third party looking for an easy story. 

I came darn close (or stepped over the line) as live threads trailed on for a long while after the ends of stages.  I was not alone.  So think of this as the "outside" (or the little room out back) that you can take yourself off to for a few minutes, if the urge pops up during the rest of the Giro, CA, or any other random time.  Anxiety over current riders, disillusionment or vindication about past riders?  Feel free to stink up this little thread on the side, and avoid the embarrassing faux pas of pungent venting in the live threads.

Continue reading this post »

Here's the SoCal special weather warning, if you find others, post 'em. I figure if it's from the (public) weather service we can post stuff in full as a public service.

Issued by The National Weather Service Los Angeles, CA

Mon, May 16, 2011, 4:01 AM PDT

Late season storm is taking aim at Southern California. A strong late season pacific storm system will move into the region later this afternoon and overnight. This system is expected to tap into a large plume of moisture. Which will enhance the rainfall totals. In addition. There will likely be fairly strong southwest low level flow which will enhancement the rainfall. Especially across the foothills and coastal slopes of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.

Continue reading this post »

The "who's too superhuman" discussion is one that comes up naturally and repeatedly.  FMK posts wonderfully informed posts on the history of the problem, with erudition, supporting documentation, and an even and measured tone--so much so that it would seem impolite to hijack his threads to talk about people who make us anxious, and why.  In addition, international libel laws set us all up, regardless of our country of origin, for being sued in the UK, where talking bad about someone is actionable even if it's true, even if they are a public figure, etc. etc.  While paying attention to said laws--please, nobody, if you like yourself or any of us, do NOT post something that says, "Joe Blow is a doper"--I'm providing this thread for people to vent and dissect superhuman performances and superhuman riders.  For those who find a thread like this distasteful?  Well, be glad it is here, not in the live threads.

Six day racing in germany has been hit hard by anti-doping sentiment (transfered, somewhat ironically, from the road racing world, despite the even longer history of substance use in track racing itself, which is consistently and conveniently ignored). Well, really, it's not the moral issues, it's the related--and/or unrelated--drop in six day attendance at some of the major events.  Thus, goodbye for this season, and forever, to Munich and Dortmund, as reported about a year ago.  

However, there's also a push to bring back six day racing at some of the abandoned sites (Hanover and Köln, next season and the one after, respectively).  Places where the old is new again, and the local population may welcome the chance to "stand up" for the heady mix of cycling, so-bad-its-good disco glam, hokey-folky nostalgia acts and derney fumes.  Köln, in particular, seems like a place where any excuse for a party can bring a colorful crowd, and where the last 6 day was run....looks like ~1997-98 season. Sounds great (hope it'll happen).  Will this be a larger track or a smaller temporary like Herne (in a tent, hope there's no windstorm!)?  Anyone know more?  

On the sport side of the spectacle, the doping controllers are showing up early, and making their presence seen, and known--either they're fans, and want to watch the racing, or they're making a not-so-subtle point to both the riders and the fans. (And then the fans can get thoroughly smashed with the comforting conviction that the riders, at least, are tolerably/passingly clean.  Or maybe when the disco ball lights up, nobody cares.)

So, discuss--will these new ventures launch?  Will they succeed? It's a relatively cheap ticket for a very long show, which has got to be a selling point in tough economic times.  Will a new generation of indoor cycling fans help to re-launch a taste for road racing in Germany?  Do you feel the same way about doping in six day racing as you do for road racing?  Will the IOC be proved wrong in cutting track races? 

Links to upcoming races:  Bremen Jan 13-18  ,  Berlin, 27 Jan-Feb 1 (no link for Herne).  Calendar here. 

If anyone has better links for dates / broadcast info for other six day races this season, (Peter) Post 'em!

A couple of months back, I posted for suggestions and feedback on a Santa Fe to Albuquerque ride, plus possible side trips.  Here's how it went!

day -2: eat lots of good NM food ("red or green?") and fight down the vague vestiges of a not-quite 'flu.  Green chiles cure almost anything.

day -1: as before, and pack the bikes.

From New mexico Nov 2010

day 1 (where'd zero go?)...Santa Fe via bike trails and coffeeshops to the open road, passing the garden of the god(s and goddesses) 

From New mexico Nov 2010

From New mexico Nov 2010

to Madrid..

From New mexico Nov 2010

for dinner (buffalo burger and local free range wagyu burger) and music by the Ruebarbs ("soulful blues," actually very good country roots music) at the Mineshaft Tavern...

and a little beyond (side of the road, behind a juniper, between the prickly pear).  

From New mexico Nov 2010

30 miles, +522 ft, -1365 ft. Feeling fine.

Continue reading this post »

I know nothing beyond this

Sunday, 21 November: Gavere - Superprestige

The 250th Superprestige race will be in Gavere on the 21st of November. There's a fair bit of asphalt, which is not to my liking. In the field and in the forest though, it's up and down with fast and technical descents, difficult climbs and lots of jumping off and on the bike, which makes up for some.

(with a thank you to gstgirl's fantastic preview series)...

...and the fact that I spotted the same start time on the BVLS link.  So I'm sticking this up, as it's an hour before, and maybe no-one else is doing it. 

Scared off by talk of asphalt? How can that be? ;-)

Looking again... still nothing.  Ok, this minimal effort will have to do, as the cats demand breakfast.

I'm hoping for a bit more than what i can glean from Mapmyride.  

Given the wide open spaces and the not-a-lot-of-water landscape, knowing where there's an open grocery, water, or BLM/camping-allowed land would be a big help, as well as routes to search out or avoid.

We'll probably be on a couple of folders plus a trailer, unless we decide to ship the tandem.  Pavement or good quality hard pack dirt is fine, gravel or singletrack isn't.  Prefer gradients 4% or less (uphills) and 6% or less (downhills) given camping gear,  technical limitations, and general laziness. 

Starting point is Santa Fe, end point Albuquerque.  Alternatively, we could just start and end around Albuquerque, instead of starting in Santa Fe...but I'll take some free downhill where I can get it [grin]. Side meanders to rivers, canyons, rock formations, hot springs, etc. all a fine thing.  Yes, we expect to carry a lot of water.

Willing to walk / push bikes up any gradient for brief stretches as needed, or a bit longer for truly excellent views or cool stuff.  We've already seen Soda Dam, tent rocks, a couple of hot springs and Bandolier by car.  (They were all excellent, BTW.)

This is what we've concocted as a backbone on Mapmyride.  Comments and alternatives welcome. We're thinking 3 to 4 days, 30-50 miles a day, with time for sightseeing. We're not planning to cook (i.e. cold meals or restaurants--suggestions on actual open restaurants of any sort very welcome). 

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to carry out an active transportation investment program to encourage a mode shift to active transportation within selected communities by providing safe and convenient options to bicycle and walk for routine travel, and for other purposes.

Links to status, cosponsor list and full text here.

I'm trying to bring up this bill (intrinsically a political act, I suppose, though one hopes not intrinsically partisan) without violating the sites "no politics" guidelines.  Help me keep it all within the spirit of the PdC rules.  If you are of a political flavor that does not want federal money spent on [whatever], please content yourself with telling that to your congresscritters, rather than starting a political discussion here. If you are of the flavor the does want federal money spent on bike and ped-friendly streets / infrastructure...same deal.  

Let's focus, here, on what sorts of changes, give most bang for the buck, in terms of getting the greatest number of people to make the greatest number of short, practical trips, safely and comfortably, on a bike or on foot. Please, if you are a US citizen and/or resident, and you have strong preferences as far as safe street design vs. marking bike lanes.... safe intersections / bike specific lights at intersections... shared bike/ped vs. bike/car vs. "low speed" routes... bike parking, racks, storage... if you care enough to post it here, pass it along to your representative as well.  And if you're not from the US, but from someplace where bike-ped travel is well planned-for, you could write something in a way that is clear even to a non-cyclist, and then this page could be a resource.  Sure, we've done this sort of thing before, but this time, there's an actual bill in play.  Feel free to dig through the archives for older posts that are relevant.  Ideally, boil any big suggestions down to something a busy congressional staffer will be able to read and understand in a few minutes.

You can find your congresscritter contact information here and here.