After a cold morning ride (including a few minutes of stinging sleet falling in Hachioji and again on the West side of Otarumi Pass), what better way to enjoy a Sunday afternoon than to stop by Positivo and have Nagai-san install my new Quarq Cinqo powermeter. It works like a charm, immediately was „found“ by the Garmin 705 (ANT+ compatible) computer. Just rode it around the neighborhood, but so far, a great piece of technology. And for David J.’s benefit, I should mention that this means NO COMPACT CRANK for me during this winter/spring training. I’ll need to learn to ride again like a real man.
Archiv des Autors: bikesnob28hb
Quarq Powermeter
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Lakritz
The best food ever invented has now finally arrived on the counters of Japanese food retailers. Please note the „cyclist only“ design. I knew it right from the start that this will enhance my performance.
Cyclists in packs found to be rough riders: study
„CYCLISTS riding together in packs can take on the characteristics of a „race without the officials“, with a new study suggesting they tend to hog lanes, ride side-by-side and ignore red lights.
The authors of Cyclist Bunch Riding: A Review Of The Literature from the Accident Research Centre at Monash University examined police video footage of a group of cyclists and saw behaviour one might expect from riders in the Tour de France.
The study found the behaviour of the cyclists breached all three cycling road rules included in the research. „The cyclists were riding more than two abreast for the entire footage, almost the whole ride the cyclists were in more than one lane, and almost half of the red lights faced were ridden through,“ the study reported.“ sydney morning herald
Surely not? Via Alex K.
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Giant Voluntary Recall
More trouble with carbon steerers on super light carbon forks.
Only one actual failure (in the U.S. at least). I never liked the Giant branded aero carbon fork on my 2003 TCR carbon frame — it felt whippy on descents. It cracked on impact with a taxi a few years back … can’t blame the manufacturer for that … and the bike felt much more stable on descents after I swapped in a stronger, less expensive and slightly heavier fork. The frame, on the other hand, was and is very solid.
The CPSC press release:
NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJanuary 14, 2009Release #09-096
Firm’s Recall Hotline: (866) 458-2555CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
Giant Bicycle, Inc. Recalls Bicycles; Fork Can Break Causing Rider To Fall
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: 2009 model year TCR Advanced SL and SL (ISP) Bicycles and Frames
Units: About 1,000
Importer: Giant Bicycle, of Newbury Park, Calif.
Hazard: The density of the steerer tubes can cause the forks to crack and break, posing a fall hazard to the consumer.
Incidents/Injuries: Giant Bicycle has received one report of the fork cracking with no reported injuries.
Description: This recall involves 2009 TCR Advanced SL Team, SL 0, SL 1, SL 2, and SL (ISP) model bicycles and frames in silver, charcoal, blue and red. The words “Giant” and “TCR Advanced SL” are printed on the frame. Steerer tubes with “B”, “N” or “P” at the end of the serial number are not included in this recall. Other “TCR” model bicycles are not included in the recall.
Sold by: Authorized Giant Bicycle dealers nationwide from August 2008 through December 2008 for between $3,300 and $7,500.
Manufactured in: Taiwan
Remedy: Consumers should stop riding these bicycles immediately and contact an authorized Giant Bicycle dealer for a free inspection and replacement fork.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Giant Bicycle toll-free at (866) 458-2555 between 9 a.m. and
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Spendy
Bespoke Ultra Parlee Z1 Superbike
$32,000. OR Y2,850,000 at today’s rate.
„What’s so special about a $30,000 bike?„
Hahaha.. madness.
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SRAM – Lehman Brothers
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Chicago-based bicycle component maker SRAM and Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking (LBMB) have completed their strategic investment transaction, giving LBMB a 40 percent stake in the company for a reported US$200 million.
„Getting to the finish line, given the current state of the financial markets, is a reflection of LBMB’s role as one of the leading private equity organizations in the middle market and our strong SRAM management team,“ said Stan Day, chief executive of SRAM.
As a result of the transaction, LBMB managing directors Charlie Moore and Bill Lovejoy will join the SRAM Board of Directors. The SRAM management team remains intact.
„All of us at LBMB are thrilled to be closing our investment in SRAM,“ Moore said. „The company is a leader in its industry with tremendous momentum and a bright future. We look forward to working with SRAM’s management team to build the business and realize its full potential in the years to come.“
Prior to the completion of the transaction, seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong confirmed his return to the sport of bike racing with the SRAM-supported Team Astana. Additionally, Armstrong has made a meaningful passive investment alongside LBMB to further strengthen his ties with SRAM, said to be in the millions of dollars.
Armstrong’s use of SRAM components will become a part of the SRAM overall marketing program. He will also serve as a technical advisor for SRAM’s product development teams alongside many of SRAM’s other established professional riders.
„The entire organization welcomes Lance to the SRAM team,“ Day added. „We are looking forward to his input and doing everything we can to support his return to racing.“
Headquartered in Chicago, with product development and manufacturing facilities in California, Colorado, Indiana, Taiwan, China, Germany and Portugal, SRAM produces a full line of high performance bicycle components for original equipment manufacturers and independent bike dealers. SRAM markets its products under the SRAM, RockShox, Avid, Truvativ, and Zipp brand names. In business since 1987, SRAM expects 2008 revenues to approach US$500 million.
An article from cycling news, dated Oct. 8th, 2008. The Holding filed for chapter 11 on Sept 15th.
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Tommy Godwin
I found this article at the TCC website and thought that it may give a hint for some challenging goals in 2009 for Tom. Unfortunately we have already January 15th, so better to hurry up, 5.000km already lost.
Tommy Godwin
Imagine cycling three times around the world in a single year. Imagine getting up at 3am and spending every day in the saddle for eighteen hours covering over two hundred miles. Imagine riding from Lands End to John O’Groats and back every week, whatever the weather for nearly a year and a half without a break. Imagine riding this upon a heavy steel bike with only four gears, having to pick yourself up after injury, crashes or mechanical failures and then ride even further the next day.
In 1939, Tommy Godwin turned this into reality and entered the golden book of cycling as the greatest long distance rider in the world. He rode 75,065 miles in a single year to set an endurance riding record that will never be beaten.
Tommy Godwin, was born in 1912. To help support his family, he took the position of delivery boy for a greengrocer’s shop. With the job came a heavy iron bike, complete with metal basket. Tommy loved that bike and rode it like a demon on his daily round. The basket was hacked off and at the tender age of fourteen Tommy entered his first twenty-five mile time trial. He flew round in 65 minutes winning the race and setting a standard that would define the rest of his cycling career.
Tommy grew quickly as a cyclist and was soon spotted. He left his amateur status at Potteries CC to join Rickmansworth Cycling Club as a professional rider. After more than two hundred road and time trial wins Tommy sought a new challenge and the year mileage record beckoned.
In 1937 the Australian Ossie Nicholson had regained his year record from Briton Walter Greaves by covering a verified annual mileage of 62,657.6 miles. At 5am on January 1st 1939 Tommy set out to bring the record back home. He wasn’t alone in his attempt; two other British riders started that day, Edward Swann and Bernard Bennett. Swann crashed out after 939.6 miles, but Bennett fought it out with Tommy for the rest of the year.
The details that surround Tommy Godwin’s record belittle the modern cyclist. His bike weighed well over 30lb. As war came he rode through blackouts, his lights taped to the merest of glows. He had none of the modern cycling comforts. Silk knickers were substituted for chamois inserts and Tommy maintained his strict vegetarian diet throughout. For the first two months Tommy’s mileage lagged 922 miles behind Nicholson’s record-breaking schedule. Fighting back Tommy increased his daily average beyond 200 miles per day, and on Wednesday June 21st 1939 he completed a staggering 361 miles in eighteen hours, his longest ride of the record.
On October 26th 1939, Tommy rode into Trafalgar Square, having completed 62,658 miles, gaining the record with two months to spare. That wasn’t enough. He rode on through the winter to complete an astounding 75,065 miles in the year. Still that was not enough; in May 1940 after five hundred days of riding he secured the 100,000 mile record as well. Tommy dismounted his bike and spent weeks learning how to walk again before going off to war.
Tommy returned in 1945, keen to race again as an amateur. However, despite a huge petition signed by hundreds of fellow cyclists, the cycling governing bodies ruled that having ridden as a professional he was forever barred from amateur status, Undeterred, Tommy focused his efforts on others. He became team trainer and mentor to the Stone Wheelers, instilling his own steely brand of enthusiasm and determination to riders old and young alike.
Tommy died aged 63, returning from a ride to Tutbury Castle with friends. Recently a civic reception at Fenton Manor Sports Centre unveiled a plaque in his memory. Generations recount tales of the tough, dedicated cyclist whose generosity knew no bounds. Tommy had a fantastic story, yet his modesty prevailed. He had neither the time nor inclination to tell it himself. Tommy’s record is staggering, he deserves to be known and remembered as possibly the greatest endurance rider the world has seen. Any individual that has thrown leg over bike will understand that 75,065 miles in a year is simply unrepeatable. The Guinness Book of Records having deemed a repeat too dangerous. His record will stand in perpetuity
(C) CTC Cycle Magazine – This article was written by Dave Barter for the June 2005 issue of „Cycle“
Sun18th
How about Ebisu 7:00am, Kaminoge 7:25am, Sekidobashi 8:10am for a ride to Takao and loop back? My aim for 120km (ish) and back (in central Tokyo) by 1pm if not before. Fast-ish, flat-ish, no sledging.
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Welcome Froggy !
After all these years ( one, to be precise) Jerome has finally been able to create his own Google account and he can now blog and comment under his own name – great to have you with us.
Jerome, in case you would like to change your profile photo, here are two suitable alternative.
bikesnob28hb
fixiefanboyhb
sudi1662
there is no "I" in cyclyng 