The Tour de France begins July 4 in Utrecht. Who’s in top form and in the running for the ultimate prize in cycling? Here’s the top contenders…
The Program: Movie on Lance Armstrong Pulls No Punches
Out soon in the UK, is a new movie based on Armstrong critic, David Walsh’s book “Seven Deadly Sins.” Here’s the trailer…
Find out more at the movie website:
https://www.theprogrammovie.com/
Cyclist vs. Toaster
Olympic track cyclist Robert Förstemann takes on a toaster. This is really “earning your breakfast.”
If Förstemann and his 74cm quads has this much trouble making a slice of toast… I guess it’s bread for the rest of us. And those eggs will have to wait until another time.
How the Backwards Bike Busts Your Brain
When I was in England last year, we stayed in a hotel that had a mirror in a corner of the room. When you looked at yourself in it, everything was reversed. No big deal right?
I stood my daughter in front of it, stood behind her and told her to block my slaps to her head. (I’ve taught her some Krav Maga/self defense.) With my right hand I slapped her right ear, but in the mirror in front of us it looked like my left hand was coming at her left ear. She instinctively raised her left hand to cover, but got slapped. Every time. We took turns and I did no better.
Occasionally we did block a blow but it was accidental, 95% of the time we got whacked on the head. It was frustrating but hilarious at the same time.
It demonstrated how automatized a lot of our behavior is… and how hard that can be to change.
Riding a bike is really hard at first, there’s the balancing, and the steering dynamic which changes how you need to balance and lean, then the pedaling on top of that.
It’s a bit like rubbing your stomach, patting your head, and reciting the alphabet backwards.
So what if, like in the double mirror case, you reversed one aspect of riding a bike. What would happen?
Here’s what…
Crash Culprit in Giro – What Was He Thinking?
The Giro is rolling, and after only 2 stages there’s drama.
Stage 1, the team time trial, gave some riders a kick in the butt and others a kick in the teeth. Here’s how the top GC podium contenders fared:
Cycling Weekly: Winners and Losers of the Giro Stage 1
Drama in Stage 2 – Crash Caused By Spectator
In the final kilometers of stage 2 yesterday, a spectator on a bicycle, rode into the road and caused a 30-rider pile up. I snapped some stills from the point in a video where all hell broke loose…
And then he nonchalantly rode back up onto the sidewalk and cruised on surveying the carnage he’d left behind.
Here’s the full video of the incident, see if you can spot the “crash dummy.”
Protected Intersections for Cyclists
Here’s an interesting and well presented idea from from Nick Falbo, on making intersections safer for cyclists.
Learn more at ProtectedIntersection.com
Bombs and Bicycles – The “Skid Kids” of Postwar London
In the years after World War II and unlikely sport arose from the ashes of London’s bomb sites, cycle speedway.
Kids from as young as 13 put London’s many bomb sites to productive use by turning them into speedway tracks and racing their bicycles around them.
Well I use the word “bicycles” but according to reports, most of these bicycles were not roadworthy, and many were homemade, sporting old wheels and frames, and bent gas piping for handlebars.
That did not stop the “skid kids,” who blasted around the dirt tracks dreaming of one day racing real speedway.
Cycle Speedway Boom in Postwar London
According to Wikipedia, the sport actually goes back to 1920s, but it really took off in London in 1945 with the abundance of bomb sites providing dirt tracks for the city’s daring youth.
Intercity tournaments commenced in 1946, and in 1950 the international clash between England and the Netherlands drew 10,000 spectators.
In it’s heyday in 1950, there were over 200 teams in East London alone. The total number of racers across the country is estimated at between 30,000 and100,000.
This emerging sport was a significant milestone in history, according to sports historian Simon Inglis:
“It was the birth of youth culture that hadn’t existed before, which enabled kids to have a completely separate identity to their parents for the first time – cycle speedway was something that no adult did.”
After 1950, the bomb sites were cleared and the sport declined rapidly, going back to it’s local roots at a few scattered tracks around the country, but essentially fading into obscurity.
BBC Magazine has an interesting article on the sport with comments from some of the original racers, one of whom at 84 is still racing his bicycle today (on the road).
Cycle Speedway is still going today in the UK, administered by British Cycling, and it is practiced in Europe and the United States.
Sources: Wikipedia, BBC Magazine
New Affordable Power Meter in the Works
A new power meter looks to hit the market soon. Invented by British cyclist, Ken Norton, “Limits” power meter promises to be one of the cheapest power meters available, selling for a mere $385 (260 GBP), ridiculously cheap compared to most power meters available.
Limits is specifically designed to be affordable and within reach of most cyclists; and it’s designed to be easily interchangeable, so you can switch it between any bike easily, including your mountain bike.
How It Works
Installation is quick and easy.
Limits is attached to the bike between the pedal and the crank, and uses 4 strain gauges to measure the power being applied by the rider.
The power meter also houses an inclinometer (with a resolution of 1 degree), so it can tell when a pedal revolution has completed, so you get cadence as well. Torque data is also included.
Currently Limits only measures power on the left side, but a future release will measure power on both sides.
Limits uses Ant+ so will work with any Ant+ head unit or device. Limits is waterproof and has a battery life of 1 year, so you won’t be switching batteries out every week.
At sub $400, this power meter should bring power training within reach of most cyclists, and with the flexibility of easily moving it from bike to bike, it should be especially attractive to cyclists who ride and race across disciplines.
Limits is a crowdfunded project launching April 20, 2015.
Bikes Made From “Nature’s Carbon”
Renovo make bicycles out of wood, using hollow wooden tubes. Seems kind of primitive, considering we have all these fancy materials today, titanium, aluminum, carbon fiber… So why wood?
Some amazing things have been made from wood, including the world’s largest wingspan plane, the H4 Hercules… all wood!
And according to Renovo:
Wood has unique engineering properties that deliver superior ride quality and durability compared to man-made materials, and…it’s sustainable, unlike other common frame materials. When the right wood is combined with an array of advanced technologies, it becomes a high performance material that will forever change your understanding of ‘wood.’
Renovo say that wood has superior damping ability, is light, stiff and durable. In short you get a smooth ride, excellent power transfer, superior handling and a bike that will last.
Plus wood makes your bike a one-of-a-kind handcrafted masterpiece.
The frames are significantly heavier than today’s super light frames, coming in at around 4-5 lbs, so not your best option if you do a lot of climbing.
Renovo offer a wide range of bikes, from commuter, road, mountain, touring and even time trial/triathlon. Prices vary by type, model and options, but prices start around $4,800 for a road bike.
Check out RenovoBikes.com
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From Novice to Pro, Bicycle Upgrade, Maintenance and Repair Instruction You Can Trust
Whether you want to learn more about your bike, feel confident on the road, save money, or you're considering becoming a pro bike mechanic, this bicycle repair course has got you covered.
Taught by pro bike mechanics and packed with insider shortcuts and tips, it covers everything from minor repairs to the heavy stuff... and makes it easy to follow along, step-by-step, so you're never confused or wondering what to do next.
If you want to have an entire video encyclopedia of bicycle repairs at your fingertips, that covers you in every situation, then this package is worth a close look.
"Much easier to follow than a book, comprehensive, and loaded with insider tips and shortcuts... these DVDs belong on every cyclist's bookshelf." -Velo Logic
Learn more about the DIY Bike Repair Course
Bicycle Camper
Cycling and camping go together like peanut butter and jelly. Typically this means loading up the car with a tent or camper, and hauling the bicycles along.
Or for the more adventurous… touring on the bike while pulling a trailer loaded with gear, including a tent.
Now there’s another option. Just you and your bike… and the Wide Path Camper, a lightweight bike-friendly camper designed specifically for cyclists.
The hard shell camper provides protection for your gear, a poor weather refuge when need to cook or just want to get out of the elements, and a bed that sleeps two.
The Specs
When collapsed, the camper measures 3ft 3in x 4ft 3in. Fully open for camping it measures 3ft 3in wide by 8.5 ft. Inside you have a height of 4ft 3 in, you won’t be walking around in there, but adequate for sitting at the table and sleeping.
The camper includes a table and seating inside, a bed that sleeps two, with fairly generous under bed storage (10.5 cubic ft / 300 liters).
The Wide Path comes with additional options, including a solar package with a battery and USB ports; an ethanol cooker; and custom color options.
Learn more about the Wide Path Camper and pre-order:
http://www.widepathcamper.com/
Essential Gear for Cycists
