The lonely (g)narwhal rides again! I was really psyched to try out the new cam. I had time to get a quick ride in on the 23rd and a hot lap around Antelope Flats and Moose-Wilson on the 24th. Looking forward to some worthy adventures!
In an open letter to the UCI, posted on The Inner Ring, America’s greatest cyclist Greg LeMond said that it is time for the corrupt UCI leadership to get out of the way.
I want to tell the world of cycling to please join me in telling Pat McQuaid to f##k off and resign. I have never seen such an abuse of power in cycling’s history- resign Pat if you love cycling. Resign even if you hate the sport. . . Pat McQuaid, you know damn well what has been going on in cycling, and if you want to deny it, then even more reasons why those who love cycling need to demand that you resign.
LeMond also called for all cyclists to avoid purchasing a USA Cycling license and to support the Paul Kimmage Defense Fund in his fight against the UCI. For the rest of the strongly worded letter and great commentary click the link.
Those without kids should turn away immediately. But for the rest of you troubled with toddlers listen up. We can’t even tell you how many times we’ve wondered why no one a bike like the Angelino Assista E-Bike. According to a story on The Atlantic Cities, it is perfect for parents with kids and has already sold 300,000 in Japan.
It’s specifically designed for parents to cart one or two kids around the city. After performing unnamed “scientific experiments,” Bridgestone formulated a baby-transport pod that sounds like it could withstand a head-on collision by garbage truck. It’s called the “Super Angel Seat 2.0 (the 1.0 prototype was prone to spontaneous combustion… just kidding), and features a reclining back, a seat belt and a urethane head protector. When not housing a child the seat folds into a shopping basket.
The bike has an electric motor with a 37-mile range and it ranges in price from $875 to $1,775. Now, if we could just get all the cars off the roads. . .
This edit of the extremely talented 16-year-old Sindre Harbak pretty much sums up everything we detest about BMXers posing as mountain bikers including (but not limited to) skateboard helmets, tight brown corduroy pants, dropped seats, and flat pedals. Call this what you will, but just so you know, this is not mountain biking.
The UCI has completed its review of USADA’s ‘Reasoned Decision’ and appendices in the case against Lance Armstrong. . . The UCI considered the main issues of jurisdiction, the statute of limitation the evidence gathered by USADA and the sanction imposed upon Mr. Armstrong. . . The UCI confirms that it will not appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and that it will recognize the sanction that USADA has imposed.
Oakley, the last of the Armstrong major sponsor holdouts, officially cut ties with the outlaw biker today saying: “When Lance joined our family many years ago, he was a symbol of possibility. . . We are deeply saddened by the outcome, but look forward with hope to athletes and teams of the future who will rekindle that inspiration by racing clean, fair and honest.”
As for us, we’re giving Armstrong one last opportunity to speak on the topic and then we’re striking his name from future postings and will instead replace it with our new name from him: The BLOAT i.e. Biggest Liar Of All Time.
At the dinner for the opening of the 15th Annual Livestrong Challenge in Austin, Texas tonight (October 19, 2012), Lance Armstrong spoke to the gathered supporters. Like all of the sponsors who dropped him in the past week, Armstrong remained committed to Livestrong. He said that “The mission absolutely must go on. . . we will not be deterred.”
Armstrong’s only slight nod to the USADA report and ensuing media storm was when he reminded everyone of something Martin Luther King said, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” When he added that the people on the stage behind him had “infinite hope”, it was hard not to chuckle. They obviously have blinding, infinite hope or they would realize their entire organization is built on lies. Which must be hard to come to terms with.
What Mr. Armstrong appears to have skipped was directly mentioning anything to do with what the entire world is talking bout. Offering up further proof that he will never come to terms with reality. Which just makes this story sadder and sadder by the day.
Snowboarding hero Jeremy Jones (street) does a little fall cross training on his Specialized bike. Good to see some of the skills translate in this edit titled Rushing Hours by Seth Huot.
Strava has reportedly filed a counter lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court against the family of deceased cyclist William K. Flint Jr. claiming that “when Flint Jr. joined Strava on Oct. 7, 2009, he electronically signed and agreed to Strava’s terms and conditions, a part of which excludes Strava from responsibility of legal claims or demands arising from a user’s connection to the site,” according to a story on Bicycle Retailer.
In the countersuit, Strava contends that it is not liable for damages in Flint Jr.’s death because it was the result of his negligence, not the company’s. Strava claims that Flint Jr. was riding recklessly over the posted speed limit on the wrong side of the road when he crashed.
Flint Jr. died while attempting to claim a downhill king of the mountain in Berkeley, California and his family believe Strava is to blame. We tend to agree with Strava on this one, though we feel for the Flint family. Strava is a painful addiction.
Tomorrow (Friday, October 18, 2012), at the 15th Anniversary Livestrong Challenge fundraiser in Austin, Texas outlaw cyclist Lance Armstrong will reportedly make his “first public comments” since the USADA released its damning doping documents, according to a story in the Deccan Chronicle.
His speech on Friday will be witnessed by a nominally friendly crowd of Livestrong backers, with organizers releasing a video recording afterwards on YouTube — so there will be no tough questions about his fall from grace. . . Armstrong faces a speech before those who were his most inspired supporters, a group that might now be among those who feel the most betrayed to discover his spectacular feats were accomplished by doping.
During this speech Armstrong will have a choice: confess, apologize, and get on with his life, or once again ego up, play it off, and be forever damned in the face of the public as the biggest cheater the sporting world has ever encountered. Seems like a pretty simple choice to us, but then again, we thought it was a pretty simple choice back in August and Mr. Armstrong never fails to surprise us with his egoism.