In the era of buckles, and straps, and clicking ratchets seeing a pair of full race cycling shoes with simple laces seems almost absurd at first. But sometimes it takes a step back to remind us all how good the old school can be.
Giro has gone back to the future with their new road cycling shoe the Empire. During the Outdoor Demo at Interbike we spoke with Giro Creative Director Eric Horton to get the idea behind delivering a laced racing shoe in 2012. [click to continue…]
It’s always great to see so many bikes together in one place with so many people who love them. Not even a 98 degree hot blast could melt the smiles off everyone faces at Interbike’s Outdoor Demo in Boulder City, Nevada September 17 – 18, 2012.
With only 8 hours a day and hundreds and hundreds of bikes it’s difficult to even know where to begin. In fact, we were so blown away by all the product that we didn’t even ride today. We attempted to sort things out for tomorrow. We saw a 36er (yes, bozo), some 650b’s, and an electronic suspension system that we’re only beginning to get our heads around. But that could take a while.
Everyone who has ever ridden a mountain bike has at least one reason to thank Tom Ritchey. After watching this great 18 minute clip on ritchey’s illustrious career from Jay Bird Films we’re pretty sure you’ll come up with a couple more. Cycling would not be the same without Tom’s contributions.
The new fall cyclocross season kicks off on Wednesday, September 19, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada with CrossVegas and none of us have to travel to party city to watch it live. No, thanks to VeloNews we can all sit in front of our computers with a chip-n-dip and watch the whole think online.
Six-time Emmy award winning producer/director Kent Gordis will direct the broadcast. Dave Towle, billed by promoters as “the voice of American bicycle racing,” will anchor the commentary team. VeloNews.com editor Brian Holcombe will join Towle in the booth, with Simon Burney, author of “Cyclocross: Training and Techniques”, providing course-side insight.
There might be worse ways to spend a Wednesday night, right? Coverage begins at 8 PM Wednesday, September 19, 2012 right here.
Boise, Idaho’s Michael Lawrence had a busy spring, according to a story in the Idaho Statesman. Lawrence reportedly stole “as many as 50 bikes in the Boise area” before the local police matched some fingerprints and nailed him down.
So far, 29 bicycles, including 13 Exergy bikes, have been recovered. The value of the bicycles recovered is an estimated $138,730. Other items recovered including a projector from a Boise elementary school, a bike rack and $9,000 in cash from the sale of stolen bicycles, most of which went to buyers in the Portland, Ore., area.
Lawrence pleaded guilty in June to two counts of grand theft in a plea bargain deal with prosecutors. Hopefully, this will keep him off the streets and away from high-end bicycles for a while.
Josh Patterson, the former editor Dirt Rag Magazine is now a technical writer for BikeRadar US, according to a story on BikeRadar.com.
“Josh understands all the complexities of the bicycle and can clearly explain the pros and cons of any set-up to any level of rider,” said Ben Delaney, editor in chief of BikeRadar US. “He can easily distinguish hype from substance, and his enthusiasm for riding bikes is contagious. We’re lucky to have him.”
Patterson brings one more masters degree to the BikeRadar US staff. It would appear that BikeRadar is getting even more serious about product reviewing.
Santa Cruz bikes is encouraging people to help support the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship program. And for every $5 you donate to support one foot of trail building and maintenance in and around Downieville, California, you’ll get one chance at winning the Santa Cruz complete of your choice. That might even be worth a couple hundred bucks in chances, right? Click the link for all the official info.
Hey look, it’s a unicyle with a front wheel, and bars, and a front disc brake that came about by someone asking a simple question, according to their site:
Is it possible to evolve from the established bicycle design while adhering to the basic principles of simplicity, functionality, and excitement? . . This is the question that gave birth to the bicymple. By removing the chain, the number of moving parts and overall complexity is significantly reduced. A direct-drive, freewheeling hub joins the crank arm axis with the rear-wheel axis, shortening the wheelbase and minimizing the design.
In this case it appears that the designers are keeping it simple and stupid.
Outlaw biker Lance Armstrong is planning on racing the Alpine Odyssey 100k mountain race in Crested Butte, Colorado this weekend (September 15, 2012) and the cycling press is wondering is that is something he can or can’t do according to a story on Velonation.com
“USA Cycling does not permit, sanction, license, or participate in the Alpine Odyssey in any manner, and therefore does not govern whether a banned rider can ride. If the Alpine Odyssey were a USA Cycling event, Lance Armstrong could not ride,” a spokesman told VeloNation in response to questions on the matter.
That seems pretty straight forward. What saddens us most is the thought of Armstrong spending the rest of his career traveling from small town to small town like a palsied former heavyweight boxer making a living charging local c-level fighters to kick his ass just so they can say they beat the former champ.
After getting cut off by a mom on her way home, cyclist James A. Berg, 55, of Naperville, Illinois, reportedly took it out on the woman and her car, according to a story on WISAM.com.
A written Naperville police report indicated Berg that afternoon was riding his bicycle east on the 400 block of West Gartner Road when he was passed by a motorist who then made a turn into the driveway of her home. Three children were passengers in the car at the time. . . Berg “believed he was cut off by the driver’s turn and chased her up her driveway to (the) back door, yelling at her while her three children were in the car,” the report stated. Berg then allegedly “slammed (his) bike into the side of the vehicle, causing a dent and scratch.”
Having encounter the “oh, sorry” shrug from many drivers, we know how Mt. Berg felt, but he apparently took it a little too far. According to the story Berg is now facing misdemeanor chargers of “disorderly conduct/breach of peace and criminal damage to property.” That will spoil a ride/
