USAPCC – Behind the Scenes of Stage 6 in Golden, CO
September 1, 2011
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Posted by swiftjesse
All Mountain Biking Basic Skills Video
July 11, 2011Whether you are a newbie to mtn biking, or seasoned pro, these video has lots of good tips on riding!
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Posted by swiftjesse
The Rules
July 9, 2011The 85 rules of cycling from http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/
The Rules:
It is forbidden for someone familiar with The Rules to knowingly assist another person to breach them.1
No matter how good you think your reason is to knowingly breach The Rules, it is never good enough.
It is, absolutely, without question, unequivocally, about the bike. Anyone who says otherwise is obviously atwatwaffle.
Your mind is your worst enemy. Do all your thinking before your start riding your bike. Once the pedals start to turn, wrap yourself in the sensations of the ride – the smell of the air, the sound of the tires, the feeling of flight as the bicycle rolls over the road.
Under no circumstances should one be rolling up their sleeves or shorts in an effort to somehow diminish one’stan lines. Sleeveless jerseys are under no circumstances to be employed.
Valid options are:
- Match the saddle to the bars and the tires to black; or
- Match the bars to the color of the frame at the top of the head tube and the saddle to the color of the frame at the top of the seat tube and the tires to the color where they come closest to the frame; or
- Match the saddle and the bars to the frame decals; or
- Black, black, black
Fair-weather riding is a luxury reserved for Sunday afternoons and wide boulevards. Those who ride in foul weather – be it cold, wet, or inordinately hot – are members of a special club of riders who, on the morning of a big ride, pull back the curtain to check the weather and, upon seeing rain falling from the skies, allow a wry smile to spread across their face. This is a rider who loves the work.
Climbing is hard. It stays hard. To put it another way, per Greg Henderson: “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.” Sur la Plaque, fucktards.4
Sean Kelly, being interviewed after the ’84 Amstel Gold Race, spots his wife leaning against his Citroën AX. He interrupts the interview to tell her to get off the paintwork, to which she shrugs, “In your life the car comes first, then the bike, then me.” Instinctively, he snaps back, “You got the order wrong. The bike comes first.”21
While the minimum number of bikes one should own is three, the correct number is
n+1, wherenis the number of bikes currently owned. This equation may also be re-written ass-1, wheresis the number of bikes owned that would result in separation from your partner.Paradoxically, the same mind that holds such control over the body is also woefully fragile and prone to superstitious thought. It fills easily with doubt and is distracted by ancillary details. This is why the tape must always be perfect, the machine silent, the kit spotless. And, if you draw the unlucky Number 13, turn it upside down to counter-act it’s negative energy.
Team-issue shorts should be black, with the possible exception of side-panels, which may match the rest of the team kit.
Black shorts, or at least standard team-kit shorts, must be worn with Championship jerseys and race leadership jerseys. Don’t over-match your kit, or accept that you will look like a douche.
Championship and race leader jerseys must only be worn if you’ve won the championship or led the race.
Wearing Pro team kit is also questionable if you’re not paid to wear it. If you must fly the colors of Pro teams, all garments should match perfectly, i.e no Mapei jersey with Kelme shorts and Telekom socks.
Cyclocross is a middle-ground. Best to wear cross-specific kit: skin suits only. No exceptions.
Cyclocross is a middle-ground. Best to wear cross-specific kit: skin suits only. No exceptions.
These are:
- If your quads start to burn, shift forward to use your hamstrings and calves, or
- If your calves or hamstrings start to burn, shift back to use your quads, or
- If you feel wimpy and weak, meditate on Rule #5 and train more!
Knickers, vests, arm warmers, shoe covers, and caps beneath your helmet can all make you look like a hardman, when the weather warrants their use.
Cycling caps can be worn under helmets, but never when not riding, no matter how hip you think you look. This will render one a douche, and should result in public berating or beating. The only time it is acceptable to wear a cycling cap is while directly engaged in cycling activities and while clad in cycling kit. This includes activities taking place prior to and immediately after the ride such as machine tuning and tire pumping. Also included are cafe appearances for pre-ride espressi and post-ride pub appearances for body-refueling ales (provided said pub has sunny, outdoor patio – do not stray inside a pub wearing kit or risk being ceremoniously beaten by leather-clad biker chicks). Under these conditions, having your cap skull-side tipped jauntily at a rakish angle is, one might say, de rigueur. All good things must be taken in measure, however, and as such it is critical that we let sanity and good taste prevail: as long as the first sip of the relevant caffeine or hop-based beverage is taken whilst beads of sweat, snow, or rain are still evident on one’s brow then it is legitimate for the cap to be worn. However, once all that remains in the cranial furrows is salt, it is then time to shower, throw on some suitable après-ride attire (a woollen Molteni Arcore training top circa ’73 comes to mind) and return to the bar, folded copy of pastel-coloured news publication in hand, ready for formal fluid replacement. It is also helpful if you are a Giant of the Road, as demonstrated here, rather than a giant douchebag. 5
If it’s not cold or wet and you are still wearing shoe covers because you’re a pussy, your name is probablyGeorge Hincapie.
This includes while discussing cycling in the workplace with your non-cycling coworkers, serving to further mystify our sport in the web of their Neanderthalic cognitive capabilities. As the confused expression spreads across their unibrowed faces, casually mention your shaved legs. All of cycling’s monuments are measured in the metric system and as such the English system is forbidden.
Or at least be relatively more expensive. Basically, if you’re putting your Huffy on your Rolls, you’re in trouble, mister. Remember what Sean said.
When photographing your bike, gussy her up properly for the camera. Valve stems at 6 o’clock. Cranks around the 30 degree mark. Not 90 or 180. No bidons in the cages.
Not too long and not too short. (Disclaimer: despite Sean Yates’ horrible choice in shorts length, he is a quintessential hard man of cycling and is deeply admired by the Velominati. Whereas Armstrong’s short and sock lengths are just plain wrong.) No socks is a no-no, as are those ankle-length ones that should only be worn by female tennis players.
White is old school cool. Black is cool too, but were given a bad image by a Texan whose were too long. If you fell you must go colored, make sure they damn well match your kit. Tip: DeFeet Wool-E-Ators rule.
Saddle bags have no place on a road bike, and are only acceptable on mountain bikes in extreme cases.
Either Co2 cannisters or mini-pumps should be carried in jersey pockets (See Rule #31). The only exception to this rule is to mount a Silca brand frame pump in the rear triangle of the frame, with the rear wheel skewer as the pump mount nob, as demonstrated by members of the 7-Eleven and Ariostea pro cycling teams. As such, a frame pump mounted upside-down and along the left (skewer lever side) seat stay is both old skool and euro and thus acceptable. We restate at this time that said pump may under no circumstances be a Zefal and must be made by Silca. Said Silca pump must be fitted with a Campagnolo head. It is acceptable to gaffer-tape a mini-pump to your frame when no C02 cannisters are available and your pockets are full of spare kit and energy gels. However, the rider should expect to be stopped and questioned and may be required to empty pockets to prove there is no room in them for the pump.
If absolutely necessary, in a converted bidon in a cage on bike. Or, use one of these.
Hydration packs are never to be seen on a road rider’s body. No argument will be entered into on this. For MTB, they are cool.
Legs are to be carefully shaved at all times. If, for some reason, your legs are to be left hairy, make sure you can dish out plenty of hurt to shaved riders, or be considered a hippie douche on your way to a Critical Mass. Whether you use a straight razor or a Bowie knife, use Baxter to keep them smooth.
On a mountain bike.
Road helmets can be worn on mountain bikes, but never the other way around. If you want shade, see Rule #22.
No Aviator shades, blueblockers, or clip-on covers for eye glasses.
No exceptions. This is for various reasons that may or may not matter; it’s just the way it is.
You should not make a habit of riding without eyewear, although approved extenuating circumstances include fog, overheating, and lighting condition. When not worn over the eyes, they should be neatly tucked into thevents of your helmet. If they don’t fit, buy a new helmet. In the meantime you can wear them backwards on the back of your head or carefully tuck them into your jersey pocket, making sure not to scratch them on your tools (see item 31).
Pro mechanics do it because it makes it easier to find the valve. You do this because that’s the way pro mechanics do it. This will save you precious seconds while your fat ass sits on the roadside fumbling with your CO2 after a flat. It also looks better for photo opportunities.
Quick release angle on the front skewer shall be an upward angle which tightens just aft of the fork and the rear quick release shall tighten at an angle that bisects angle between the seat and chain stays. It is acceptable, however, to have the rear quick release tighten upward, just aft of the seat stay, when the construction of the frame or its dropouts will not allow the preferred positioning. For Time Trial bikes only, quick releases may be in the horizontal position facing towards the rear of the bike. This is for maximum aero effect.9
If it’s preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run, it is not called a bike race, it is called duathlon or a triathlon. Neither of which is a bike race.
But if you absolutely must be a jackass, be a funny jackass. Always remember, we’re all brothers and sisters on the road.
In order to find the V-Locus, a rider’s handlebars on their road bike must always be lower than their saddle. The only exception to this is if you’re revolutionizing the sport, in which case you must also be prepared to break the World Hour Record. The minimum allowable tolerance is 4cm; there is no maximum, but people may berate you if they feel you have them too low.
A maximum stack height of 2cm is allowed below the stem and a single 5mm spacer must always – always – be stacked above. A “slammed down” stack height is preferable; meaning that the stem is positioned directly on the top race of the headset.
Handlebars will be mounted parallel to the ground or angled slightly upward. While they may never be pointed down at all, they may be angled up slightly; allowed handlebar tilt is to be between 180 and 175 degrees with respect to the level road. The brake levers will preferably be mounted such that the end of the brake lever is even with the bottom of the bar. Modern bars, however, dictate that this may not always be possible, so tolerances are permitted within reason. Brake hoods should not approach anything near 45 degrees, as some riders with poor taste have been insisting on doing.
The seating area of a saddle is to be visually level, with the base measurement made using a spirit level. Based on subtleties of saddle design and requirements of comfort, the saddle may then be pitched slightly forward or backward to reach a position that offers stability, power, and comfort. If the tilt of the saddle exceeds two degrees, you need to go get one of those saddles with springs and a thick gel pad because you are obviously a big pussy.
No full beards, no moustaches. Goatees are permitted only if your name starts with “Marco” and ends with “Pantani”, or if your head is intentionally or unintentionally bald. One may never shave on the morning of an important race, as it saps your virility, and you need that to kick ass.
You may as well get “tryhard wanker” tattooed on your forehead.
If you find you need it, try pointing your bike up the hill for a change.
As a courtesy to those around you, your kit should always be freshly laundered, and, under no circumstances should the crackal region of your shorts be worn out or see-through.
Aerobars or other clip-on attachments are under no circumstances to be employed on your road bike. The only exception to this is if you are competing in a mountain timetrail.
If you are riding down a mountain, you must first have ridden up the mountain. It is forbidden to employ powered transportation simply for the cheap thrill of descending. The only exception to this is if you are doing intervals on Alpe d’Huez or the Plan de Corones and you park your car up top before doing 20 repeats of the climb.
When wearing cycling kit and enjoying a pre or post ride coffee, it is only appropriate to drink espresso or macchiato. If the word soy/skim latte is heard to be used by a member wearing cycling apparel, then that person must be ceremonially beaten with Co2 canisters or mini pumps by others within the community.6
Never buy bikes, parts or accessories online. Going into your local shop, asking myriad inane questions, tying up the staff’s time, then going online to buy is akin to sleeping with your best friend’s wife, then having a beer with him after. Online is evil and will be the death of the bike shop. If you do purchase parts online, be prepared to mount and maintain them yourself. If you enter a shop with parts you have bought online and expect them to fit them, be prepared to be told to see your online seller for fitting and warranty help.
Ride predictably, and don’t make sudden movements. And, under no circumstances, are you to deviate from your line.
You are not, under any circumstances, to employ the use of the washer-nut and valve-stem cap that come with your inner-tubes or tubulars. They are only supplied to meet shipping regulations. They are useless when it comes to tubes and tires.
Under no circumstances may your saddle have more than 3mm of padding. Special allowances will be made for stage racing when physical pain caused by subcutaneous cysts and the like (“saddle sores”) are present. Under those conditions, up to 5mm of padding will be allowed – it should be noted that this exception is only temporary until the condition has passed or been excised. A hardman would not change their saddle at all but instead cut a hole in it to relieve pressure on the delicate area. It is noted that if Rule #48 and/or Rule #5 is observed then any “padding” is superfluous.7
Signal a left turn by pointing your left arm to the left. To signal a right turn, simply point with your right arm to the right. This one is, presumably, mostly for Americans: that right-turn signal that Americans are taught to make with your left arm elbow-out and your forearm pointing upwards was developed for motor-vehicles prior to the invention of the electric turn signal since it was rather difficult to reach from the driver-side all the way out the passenger-side window to signal a right turn. On a bicycle, however, we don’t have this limitation and it is actually quite easy to point your right arm in the direction you are turning. The American right-turn signal just makes you look like you’re waving “hello” to traffic.
This pattern continues until it falls sharply and suddenly.
Bicycles must adhere to the Principle of Silence and as such must be meticulously maintained. It must be cherished, and when leaning it against a wall, must be leaned carefully such that only the bars, saddle, or tires come in contact with the wall or post. This is true even when dismounting prior to collapsing after the World Championship Time Trial. No squeaks, creaks, or chain noise allowed. Only the soothing hum of your tires upon the tarmac and the rhythm of your breathing may be audible when riding. When riding the Pave, the sound of chain slap is acceptable. The Principle of Silence can be extended to say that if you are suffering such that your breathing begins to adversely effect the enjoyment of the other riders in the bunch, you are to summarily sit up and allow yourself to be dropped.10
Mirrors are allowed on your (aptly named) Surly Big Dummy or your Surly Long Haul Trucker. Not on your road steed. Not on your Mountain bike. Not on your helmet. If someone familiar with The Rules has sold you such an abomination, return the mirror and demand a refund, plus interest and damages.
Nobody likes a wheel sucker. You might think you’re playing a smart tactical game by letting everyone else do the work while you sit on, but races (even Yellow Sign Sprints) are won through cooperation and spending time on the rivet, flogging yourself and taking risks. Riding wheels and jumping past at the end is one thing and one thing only: poor sportsmanship.
Rides are to be measured by the quality of their distance and never by distance alone. For climbing rides, distances should be referred to by the amount of vertical covered; flat and rolling rides should be referred to by their distance and average speed. For example, declaring “We rode 4km” would assert that 4000m were covered during the ride, with the distance being irrelevant. Conversely, a flat ride of 150km at 23kmh is not something that should be discussed in an open forum and Rule #5 must be reviewed at once.7
Any walking conducted while wearing cycling shoes must be strictly limited. When taking a slash or filling bidons during a 200km ride (at 38kmh, see Rule #68) one is to carefully stow one’s bicycle at the nearest point navigable by bike and walk the remaining distance. It is strictly prohibited that under any circumstances a cyclist should walk up a steep incline, with the obvious exception being when said incline is blocked by riders who crashed because you are on the Koppenberg. For clarification, see Rule #5.7
Know how to train properly and stick to your training plan. Ignore other cyclists with whom you are not intentionally riding. The time for being competitive is not during your training rides, but during competition.
Cables should create a perfect arc around the headtube and, whenever possible, cross under the downtube. Right shifter cable should go to the left cable stop and vice versa.
Forgo the data and ride on feel; little compares to the pleasure of riding as hard as your mind will allow. If you are not a Pro or aspire to be one, then you don’t need a SRM or PowerTap. To paraphrase BSNYC, an amateur cyclist using a power meter is like hiring an accountant to tell you how poor you are. As for Garmins, how often do you get lost on a ride? They are bulky, ugly and superflous. Cycle computers should be simple, small and mounted on the stem. And preferably wireless.
Remove it from your frame before the next training ride because no matter how cool you think it looks, it does not look cool. Unless you are in a race. In which case it looks cool.
When not worn, helmets are to be clipped to the stem and draped over your handlebars thusly.
Cycling is not an excuse to litter. Do not throw your empty gel packets, energy bar wrappers or punctured tubes on the road or in the bush. Stuff em in your jersey pockets, and repair that tube when you get home.12
When racing in a criterium of 60 minutes or less the second (unused) water bottle cage must be removed in order to preserve the aesthetic of the racing machine.13
Whilst riding in cold and/or Rule #9 conditions replete with arm warmers, under no circumstances is there to be any exposed skin between the hems of your kit and the hems of your arm. If this occurs, you either need to wear a kit that fits you properly or increase the size of your guns. Arm warmers may, however, be shoved to the wrists in Five and Dime scenarios, particularly those involving Rule #9 conditions. The No-Gap Principle also applies to knee and leg warmers with the variation that these are under no circumstances to be scrunched down around the ankles; Merckx have mercy on whomever is caught in such a sorry, sorry state. It is important to note that while one can wear arm warmers without wearing knee or leg warmers, one cannot wear knee or leg warmers without wearing arm warmers (or a long sleeve jersey). It is completely inappropriate to have uncovered arms, while covering the knees, with the exception of brief periods of time when the arm warmers may be shoved to the wrists while going uphill in a Five and Dime situation. If the weather changes and one must remove a layer, the knee/leg coverings must go before the arm coverings. If that means that said rider must take off his knee or leg warmers while racing, then this is a skill he must be accomplished in. The single exception would be before an event in which someone plans on wearing neither arm or leg warmers while racing, but would like to keep the legs warm before the event starts; though wearing a long sleeve jersey over the racing kit at this time is also advised. One must not forget to remove said leg warmers. 16
Unless you are followed by a team car, you will repair your own punctures. You will do so expediently, employing your own skills, using your own equipment, and without complaining that your expensive tyres are too tight for your puny thumbs to fit over your expensive rim. The fate of a rider who has failed to equip himself pursuant toRule #31, or who knows not how to use said equipment, shall be determined at the discretion of any accompanying or approaching rider in accordance with Rule #84.17
Consistently with The Code Of The Domestique, the announcement of a flat tyre in a training ride entitles – but does not oblige – all riders then present in the bunch to cease riding without fear of being labelled Pussies. All stopped riders are thereupon entitled – but not obliged – to lend assistance, instruction and/or stringent criticism of the tyre mender’s technique. The duration of a Rule #84 stop is entirely discretionary, but is generally inversely proportional to the duration of the remaining time available for post-ride espresso.17
All descents shall be undertaken at speeds commonly regarded as “ludicrous” or “insane” by those less talented. In addition all corners will be traversed in an outside-inside-outside trajectory, with the outer leg extended and the inner leg canted appropriately (but not too far as to replicate a motorcycle racer, for you are not one), to assist in balance and creation of an appealing aesthetic. Brakes are generally not to be employed, but if absolutely necessary, only just prior to the corner. Also see Rule #64.18
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Posted by swiftjesse
Photo Friday – 2011 Team Jersey
July 8, 2011The “white” version of the 2011 Peak Cycles/Bikeparts.com Team Jersey is in! Check it out!
The “black” version will be coming in shortly!
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Posted by swiftjesse
Maverick Durance 69er
June 23, 2011Three guys on Team Bikeparts.com have the Travis Brown 69er singlespeed as well as they have a Maverick Durance. After many discussions about how awesome the 69er ride… they asked, what do you get when you cross a Trek 69er and a Maverick Durance? Well, Colin answered that question!
After riding the it on the usual Chimney Gulch/Apex trail, he reported that despite the slacker head tube angle, the bike rode just as awesome!
“Going down Apex last night was amazing. I think I am keeping this setup. If Super D races didn’t cost $60 I would enter, win, and wait for everyone else at the finish line with beer handouts.” – Colin M
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Posted by swiftjesse
Biking Words of Wisdom
June 22, 2011Credit to the kind and not so gentle folks over at Surly
http://surlybikes.com/blog/2514/
- If you think your bike looks good, it does.
- If you like the way your bike rides, it’s an awesome bike.
- You don’t need to spend a million dollars to have a great bike, but if you do spend a million dollars and know what you want you’ll probably also have a great bike.
- Yes, you can tour on your bike – whatever it is.
- Yes, you can race on your bike – whatever it is.
- Yes, you can commute on your bike – whatever it is.
- 26” wheels or 29” or 650b or 700c or 24” or 20” or whatever – yes, that wheel size is rad and you’ll probably get where you’re going.
- Disc brakes, cantis, v-brakes, and road calipers all do a great job of stopping a bike when they’re working and adjusted.
- No paint job makes everyone happy.
- Yes, you can put a rack on that. Get some p-clamps if there are no mounts.
- Steel is a great material for making bike frames – so is aluminum, carbon fiber, and titanium.
- You can have your saddle at whatever angle makes you happy.
- Your handlebars can be lower than your saddle, even with your saddle, or higher than your saddle. Whichever way you like it is right.
- Being shuttled up a downhill run does not make you a weak person, nor does choosing not to fly off of a 10 foot drop.
- Bike frames made overseas can be super cool. Bike frames made in the USA can be super cool.
- Hey, tattooed and pierced long shorts wearin flat brim hat red bull drinkin white Oakley sportin rad person on your full suspension big hit bike – nice work out there.
- Hey, little round glasses pocket protector collared shirt skid lid rear view mirror sandal wearing schwalbe marathon running pletscher two-leg kickstand tourist – good job.
- Hey, shaved leg skinny as hell super duper tan line hear rate monitor checking power tap train in the basement all winter super loud lycra kit million dollar wheels racer – keep it up.
- The more you ride your bike, the less your ass will hurt.
- The following short answers are good answers, but not the only ones for the question asked – 29”, Brooks, lugged, disc brake, steel, Campagnolo, helmet, custom, Rohloff, NJS, carbon, 31.8, clipless, porteur.
- No bike does everything perfectly. In fact, no bike does anything until someone gets on it to ride.
- Sometimes, recumbent bikes are ok.
- Your bikeshop is not trying to screw you. They’re trying to stay open.
- Buying things off of the internet is great, except when it sucks.
- Some people know more about bikes than you do. Other people know less.
- Maybe the person you waved at while you were out riding didn’t see you wave at them.
- It sucks to be harassed by assholes in cars while you’re on a bike. It also sucks to drive behind assholes on bikes.
- Did you build that yourself? Awesome. Did you buy that? Cool.
- Wheelies are the best trick ever invented. That’s just a fact.
- Which is better, riding long miles, or hanging out under a bridge doing tricks? Yes.
- Yes, you can break your collar bone riding a bike like that.
- Stopping at stop signs is probably a good idea.
- Driving with your bikes on top of your car to get to a dirt trail isn’t ideal, but for most people it’s necessary.
- If your bike has couplers, or if you have a spendy bike case, or if you pay a shop to pack your bike, or if you have a folding bike, shipping a bike is still a pain in the ass for everyone involved.
- That dent in your frame is probably ok, but maybe it’s not. You should get it looked at.
- Touch up paint always looks like shit. Often it looks worse than the scratch.
- A pristine bike free of dirt, scratches, and wear marks makes me sort of sad.
- A bike that’s been chained to the same tree for three years caked with rust and missing parts makes me sad too.
- Bikes purchased at Wal-mart, Target, Costco, or K-mart are generally not the best bang for your buck.
- Toe overlap is not the end of the world, unless you crash and die – then it is.
- Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
- Yes, you can buy a bike without riding it first. It would be nice to ride it first, but it’s not a deal breaker not to.
- Ownership of a truing stand does not a wheel builder make.
- 32 spokes, 48 spokes, 24 spokes, three spokes? Sure.
- Single speed bikes are rad. Bikes with derailleurs and cassettes are sexy. Belt drive internal gear bikes work great too.
- Columbus, TruTemper, Reynolds, Ishiwata, or no brand? I’d ride it.
- Tubeless tires are pretty cool. So are tubes.
- The moral of RAGBRAI is that families and drunken boobs can have fun on the same route, just maybe at different times of day.
- Riding by yourself kicks ass. You might also try riding with a group.
- Really fast people are frustrating, but they make you faster. When you get faster, you might frustrate someone else.
- Stopping can be as much fun as riding.
- Lots of people worked their asses off to build whatever you’re riding on. You should thank them.
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Frame Repair – Mail Style
June 21, 2011Former Peak Cycles and Bikeparts.com employee, Ben T, is now working in the greater Yanfolila area in Mali (punch it into google maps if you’re curious). Here is a recent email he sent back to the US about a crack in his Surley Singlespeed.
Family and Friends,
As most of you know, I am an avid cyclists. I brought my mountain bike with me to Mali in a giant box. I got it assembled and have since been for some fantastic rides. Africa is a land of endless footpaths and poorly maintained roads. Perfect for mountain biking – no trail building required!
Yesterday I left my office, and went quickly to my room to change and prep my bike. I was lubricating the chain when I saw it, a crack in my frame. OH NO!!! This bike has been through hell and back. I bought it used about five years ago. Since then, it has been all over Colorado, Utah and even spent a summer in Ghana. My dear bike has been thoroughly abused and it was only a matter of time before it finally broke. If I was in Colorado, this crack would quickly warrant replacing the frame entirely. Here, I don’t have that option. However, there are other resources at my disposal.
Thankfully, my bike frame is made of steel. Thankfully also, we have a steel welder on the exploration site who makes all of our camp’s furniture, fixes car parts, etc etc etc. I disassembled as much of the
bike as I could and brought it down to Laperre’. In about 10 minutes he had the frame welded back together. The paint is a little worse for wear and the weld isn’t the cleanest weld I’ve ever seen, but I expect this will keep me going for a while.Find the photos attached.
–
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Don’t forget to buckle your helmet.
June 21, 2011
Leave a Comment » | BMX, Peak Cycles Bicycle Shop, Photo Friday, Races | Tagged: Helmet, pikes peak BMX, safety | Permalink
Posted by wrturnerjr
Joe’s Brakes- lever bites the dust
June 15, 2011
Memories…..
Bought sometime around 1994, mounted on many many of the bikes I have owned and seen a lot if miles-
Mtn Cycles San Andreas
Gary Fisher Pro Caliber
Brad C.’s Dean for a couple of weeks while waiting for parts.
Specialized Deja Two Tandem
My single speed MTB
Stolen by a neighborhood kid and returned many months later.
On one of the boys little mt bikes briefly.
Then recently on my oldest son’s race BMX bike.
Crash on Sunday at the Lyons Outdoor Games Pumptrack Comp resulted in a fatal break of the handlebar band.
RIP
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Posted by wrturnerjr
20 Years of MTB
June 12, 2011
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Posted by wrturnerjr
A third choice
June 6, 2011There has been a battle growing on the trails, in the bike shops, on the internet forums, and on the race line over the past 5+ years. 26″ wheels vs 29″ wheels… While we were all taking sides, distracted and focused on which wheel we thought was better, we never saw the 3rd alternative creeping in… the 28″ wheel! It is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
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Posted by swiftjesse
Superior Bike Park on a 20″, 24″, and 26″
April 5, 2011Turner Boys “training” thru the expert pump track in Superior-
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Posted by wrturnerjr
White Rim Trail- Mineral Bottom Road Repaired!!!
April 4, 2011For those of you that did not know, Canyonlands was hit by a monster rainstorm last year and the road was essentially washed away!!!!
Mineral Bottom Access Road Repaired
Well now, the Mineral Bottom access on the north end has been repaired.
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To 2-9, or not to 2-9
March 23, 2011
Man, on my recent mtn bike rides, I have noticed a growing number of 29rs riden by all sorts of people… Singlespeeders, shorter women, roadies who are newly getting into mtn bikes, and even long established mtn bikers. I was wondering, was it just the low, dry, late winter trails that I have been riding that lend them selves to 29r bikes like Green Mtn in Lakewood, Marshall Mesa in S. Boulder or Coyote Ridge Trail in Loveland? Or has the 26″ wheel lost the battle and soon we will be talking about 26″ hoops like we do about 1″ stems, headsets and steer tubes? I personally haven’t switched over completely, Santa dropped off a TB 69r a couple months ago, but I do enjoy talking to 29r riders about what they like about their 29r high horse ride… I also came across this article called “Taming the 29r” on singletrack.com (see article below). Are they really a great all around bike? Steep climbs? Technical climbs? Rocky descents? or just for those flat and fast course, like Race The Bear, that have 100′ elevation gain per lap? What are your thoughts on the 29r?
Taming the 29er Trend (at Least a Touch)
At this point, it’s more than obvious that 29er mountain bikes are here to stay. And, it’s agreed that there are definite advantages to a larger-diameter wheel in certain situations.
This column isn’t intended to nay-say the existence or benefits of the big wheels, but simply to recognize that there’s more than one opinion out there in regards to mountain bike wheel diameters.
Alone on the Trail?
For a while, I thought I was mostly alone on the idea of sticking with 26-inch wheels, as the vast majority of Boulder, Colorado, riders I’ve chatted with seemed to have shotgun’d the 29er Kool-Aid. But, as more and more riders, racers and industry types have had the opportunity to put in solid time on the larger diameter wheels, the benefits of 26-inch wheels have come back as the hot topic in some circles.
Usually, it’s a general agreement that 29-inch wheels have specific advantages in specific environments, but have an equal or greater list of negatives that, with said riders, make the choice easy between the two.
Why 26?
So, what’s the argument to stay with the good ol’ two-six? Generally speaking, the more aggressive riders with tendencies of throwing a mountain bike around underneath them will most likely appreciate the ride of a 26-inch-wheeled mountain bike, in comparison to a 29-inch-wheeled bike of similar design. The actual size of the wheels themselves have a lot to do with this, but the geometry of the bike plays a big part in feel between the two bikes as well, especially when factoring in a rider’s size.
Comparing wheels to wheels first, and keeping in mind that we’re talking apples to apples and not NoTubes to CrossMax SX’s or 1.9 semi-slicks to 2.4 all-mountains, a 26-inch wheel is going to be lighter — period. And as far as weight is concerned, cyclists as a whole have always put the utmost importance on light wheels and tires. Even downhillers appreciate the benefits of reduced rolling weight, and constantly try to find the lightest wheel setup possible while remaining reasonably durable (ever see what Greg Minnaar runs for wheels at World Cups?)
The lighter the wheel the better it will accelerate and climb (short of building a set of wheels so light that they’re too flimsy to properly transfer power, of course). In addition, suspension has a tendency to work better with lighter wheels, braking can be arguably more responsive with less rotating weight, and overall handling ultimately becomes more responsive as well by offering a more nimble feel.
A smaller diameter wheel, again when compared directly to a similar wheel of larger diameter, will also offer a stiffer, less flexible feel, which can offer a rider a more precise and accurate feel. With suspension, this factor can be key in improving steering accuracy. In addition, the reduction in leverage with a smaller diameter wheel makes for a more durable wheel, as well.
More specific to handling differences, the fulcrum point for getting a bike with 26-inch wheels to wheelie is much more manageable with the higher bottom bracket position in relation to the lower rear axle, the shorter wheelbase and shorter chainstays. Obviously, there are variations in different designs on both sides of the wheel diameter fence, but all three usually add up to a more “grounded” effect on a 29er. On the more timid side, riders will say that 29ers feel more stable on drops at slower speeds, as there’s more wheel in front of them, and the bottom bracket-to-axle ratio adds a more stable-feeling position.
But, back to more aggressive trail tendencies, riders who like to hit drops of any height with speed have a tendency to wheelie, manual, or at least pull the front wheel up enough to set up for the next drop/rock/root, or to keep it from pole-vaulting them OTB upon landing, which is more difficult to do on big wheels (the pulling up, not the pole-vaulting).
To some riders of 29ers, there’s also a feeling of being stuck “in” the bike. This opinion is often variable in relation to a rider’s size, increasing with smaller riders, but affecting larger riders as well. The best analogy to explain this sensation, albeit exaggerated, is by comparing the ride of a big cruiser-style motorcycle to that of a sport bike. If you were to take a sport bike rider and put him on a cruiser, he may initially appreciate the smooth, cushy feel, but will most likely complain about how slow and sluggish the heavier, more relaxed cruiser handles. Kind of like riding a big Hog, the feeling of being more along for the ride than actually controlling the ride can set in on 29ers.
This sensation is more geometry based, and has a tendency to be more noticeable with smaller riders, but has been observed by all sizes.
Personal Experience
A classic example of variation in wheel diameter performance, and a story I’ve told many times this year, happened this spring in Moab. A buddy of similarly matched skill and I rode LPS and Porcupine together, he on a four-inch travel bike with 29-inch wheels, and myself on a five-inch travel bike with 26-inch wheels.
Up high in the twisty singletrack that constantly interrupted momentum, he dangled off the back and was generally out of sight. But when we hit the open, straight doubletrack of Porcupine that’s riddled with embedded rocks, he and I rode bar-to-bar almost the entire time. Then on the road back to town, he and the other guys on 29ers dropped me like a rock.
The next day we rode a trail that was consistently twisty, tight, technical and varied in elevation constantly, not offering a single arena where 29ers generally shine the entire day. With each passing mile, I found myself waiting longer and more frequently for my buddy (who happens to be an amazing technical rider) to catch up.
Another example that surprised even myself was at a mountain bike time trial earlier this season where I brought my favorite five-inch travel trail bike (with 26-inch wheels), and a hardtail with 29-inch wheels. The idea was to race the 29er, and spend the rest of the weekend playing on the trail bike.
The course was a few shy of 20 minutes, started with a long, mellow and non-technical double-track climb that ramped up towards the end to fun, flowy singletrack contouring around to a fast, fluid and smooth descent back to the finish. For kicks, I took a timed hot lap on each bike before the race, all but assuming the 29-inch wheels would be the sure choice beforehand, but it turned out that, even though the 29er somehow felt faster on a good majority of the course, I’d knocked just over three minutes off its time on the 26-inch trail bike.
Don’t Forsake 26ers
Currently, the industry is still abuzz with 29ers, and if that’s what it takes to breathe some stimulation into the local shops, then fantastic. And, as mentioned before, 29ers definitely have their place in the market. But, if you’re thinking of getting a new bike, or if you’ve ridden a 29er and feel like maybe you’re missing something that your buddy is going ga-ga over, just know that while the big wheels may be good for some, they’re not the end-all, be-all for all of us.
Noted: I do have a 29er hardtail, and plan on keeping it in the fleet. It’s essentially turned into my “road bike,” and is great for long doubletrack/fire road climbs, and rides linking bike path and road with slivers of singletrack and/or sections of mellow doubletrack. There are also a handful of short-track races and smooth-coursed endurance races that’ll warrant picking the 29er for, but generally speaking, it hangs in the garage on days that are spent on what’s considered “real” trail riding.
http://singletrack.competitor.com/2010/10/29er/taming-the-29er-trend-at-least-a-touch_10872
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Posted by swiftjesse
2011 so far
March 22, 2011
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Posted by swiftjesse
103 and still riding
March 21, 2011
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-long-beach-tricyclist-20110314,0,6508824.story
From the LA Times…
It’s time to ride, but Octavio Orduño, stubborn as ever, won’t put on his glasses.
His wife, Alicia, insists: “But you can’t see without them.”
“No,” he tells her. “I don’t want to.”
Then he starts to head off, on his way.
If it were up to Orduño, he would still be cruising the streets of Long Beach on a two-wheeler.
But a few years back, Alicia insisted he add another wheel and get a tricycle. After all, he was 100 and beginning to lose his balance.
He turns 103 on Monday, so he’s probably the oldest cyclist in Long Beach. The city, which wants to make him an ambassador for biking, likes to call him “the oldest in the world.”
Orduño lives half a block from the beach. Nearly every day, he toddles from his third-floor condo to the garage where he keeps his red Torker tricycle. On it, he pedals around the neighborhood — to the park, the beach and the farmers market — in a ritual honed over nearly 40 years.
Not long ago, the city’s bike coordinator, a gregarious, gray-haired Texan named Charles Gandy, took notice. He befriended Orduño and shared his story online, posting two videos of him coasting down the bike lanes, propped up by his self-installed blue velvet backrest. And that’s only the start of Gandy’s plan, if the old man is game. He’d like to have him cut the ribbon at bike-friendly ceremonies and appear in television and radio ads.
“He’s our poster boy for healthy, active living around here,” Gandy said, just what people need “to shake themselves out of a rut.”
Orduño loves the attention. But his riding around town isn’t any sort of campaign.
“It keeps me going,” he said. “And it’s better than sitting in the den all day watching cars go by.”
Alicia is right. With his glasses off, it’s clear he can’t see too much at all.
No matter. He knows the six-block route to Bixby Park by feel. Aside from a few potholes that rock his hunched frame and make him yell “Ayyyy!,” the voyage is smooth.
“I can ride this bike all day long,” he says as the world whizzes by in a blur: the grind of lawn mowers, the sour smell of garbage, two growling pit bulls — one black, one beige — and a pretty girl in a flowery skirt.
The retired aerospace mechanic can’t recall how old he was when he first started riding. He just remembers it took him a long time to persuade his father to buy him a bike.
The two used to argue all the time over school, which Orduño found boring and pointless. So at 16 he ran away, hopping freight trains from Oregon to Wisconsin to Chicago. For years, he says, he labored on farms and laid railroad track, stashing his cash in an old tobacco tin.
When the Great Depression struck in 1929, the trains he rode filled up with desperate men — former doctors and lawyers who had lost it all.
His first marriage lasted 20 years and gave him four children — three boys, one girl. With Alicia, he had two more girls. Next year, the couple will celebrate their 60th anniversary.
His kids, grandkids and great-grandkids are spread across California and as far afield as New Mexico, Indiana and Missouri.
A few times a year, his son Eddie, 79, visits from his home north of Fresno. At the sight of him, Orduño lights up.
“I don’t know how many days he has left, how many months, how many years,” Eddie said of his father. “But he’s had a full life.”
Alicia wants him to keep having one. There are days she has to scold him. When he turned 100 and the state took away his driver’s license, she thought he’d be safer. But he returns from his tricycle rides scraped up from falls.
Not long ago, on his way out of the garage, his foot slipped going uphill and he flipped over. His face hit the concrete. The bike landed on his leg. He lay on the ground for half an hour before a neighbor came to his rescue.
Once, he and the tricycle came home in a police car.
“That time, I thought I was clear, so I let it roll,” he says. “I think I was going about 30 miles an hour when I went over the curb and some guys came to help me.”
A day or two later, he was back on the street, “like nothing ever happened,” Alicia said.
A few minutes into his ride to Bixby Park, the grassy knolls come into view and Orduño proudly calls out: “We’re here!“
He waits in a driveway for the light to turn green so he can cross busy Ocean Boulevard. Just then, a giant Suburban comes up behind him, waiting for him to move. But Orduño, caught uphill without momentum, can’t get his ride to budge.
The driver takes in the scene and laughs.
“Puchenlo! Puchenlo!” he teases out the window. Somebody push him!
At the park, Orduño speeds past the grass and the picnic benches, where seniors lounge in the sun.
He goes straight to the back, to his favorite place: the skateboarding zone.
There, on an open stretch of concrete, young guys with shaggy hair and saggy pants zoom around, grinding the ground with ollies and flips.
Orduño hits his brakes and takes it all in. His mouth drops open in a smile.
They return the favor, singing his praises.
“Hey, sweet ride, man!”
“Yo, check him out! He’s down.”
Nick Tarrant, a 21-year-old with a stubbly goatee and a low-slung action bike, asks him his name, practically yelling so Orduño can hear him.
“Hey, it’s OK. I’m deaf too,” Tarrant tells him, pointing to his own earpieces. The two talk bikes and hearing aids, and then Orduño says goodbye.
He is ready to ride home, to Alicia and his usual dinner of beans, brown rice and vegetables.
“Sometimes,” Orduño says, as he reaches his block, “I feel stronger than the year before.”
With his birthday approaching, there’s been talk of getting him an electric wheelchair. Alicia thinks it will make it easier for her husband to get around.
But Orduño has grown attached to his three-wheeler and has no plans to give it up.
“Why would I?” he said. As for the wheelchair, “I think she can use it and follow me when I ride.”
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Posted by swiftjesse
Turner Posse Visits Superior Bike Park
March 20, 2011The recently opened Superior Bike Park is packed full of fun and variations for all riders. The guys from LeeLikesBikes designed and build the track for the City of Superior. The park has 2 pump tracks, one beginner and one expert; also two flow trails, one beginner and one expert. Having spent a few days on at the park, I feel good saying that the expert pump track is the best in the state- HAND DOWN!!!
The park is located just south of Hwy 36 and McCaslin Blvd- on Rock Creek Parkway.
Get out and pump!!!!
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Posted by wrturnerjr
A Hill in Spain
March 10, 20111 word.
skills.
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Posted by swiftjesse
Gunbarrel in the Limelight
March 8, 2011Golden rider, Shelby Smith, headed up to Boulder and made a nice video of the hard work and sick riding happening at Gunbarrel! http://www.pinkbike.com/video/184042/
In The Limelight by Shelby Smith
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Posted by swiftjesse
