BikeSnobNYC's Blog, page 41
July 7, 2017
Waiting for the Axe to Fall
***Don't forget to read my new thingy on the Outside site! Yep, I'm writing for Outside now!***
Longtime readers of this blog may recall that back when it was good I wrote extensively (perhaps too extensively) about a designer camping supply and artisanal axe-bedazzling concern called "Best Made Co." In fact, my first post on the subject appeared seven years and one day ago, on July 6th, 2010. It was, characteristically, both insightful and hilarious.
By the way, if you're wondering whether or not I ever heard from Best Made, the answer is...sort of. Evidently someone named Jack forwarded my post to the axe-bedazzler himself, Peter Buchanan-Smith, and in turn forwarded me his reply, which was as follows:
Jack! Thanks so much for the link. I'll comment when he shows me his face, tells me his real name, or is willing to test drive my product... then he'll have grown a pair of balls big enough to slap down on the proverbial glass table... Thanks so much for sending the post. Always a pleasure to see Best Made inspiring such critical thinking. All the best, Peter
In my reply to Jack (which I told him he should feel free to forward to Mr. Buchanan-Smith) I pointed out that both my face and name were featured prominently in the mainstream media, and that I was more than happy to try one of Buchanan-Smith's axes and see if it was worth over two times its usual retail price because he painted the handle.
I never received a reply from either party.
Anyway, let's skip ahead to late June, 2017, when I received an invitation to "An evening with Specialized Bikes, whiskey, and Best Made Co.," described thusly:
In addition to celebrating good people and tasting fine whiskey, we’ll be displaying our new adventure/gravel bike, the Diverge. The crew from Yonder Journal is making the trip out from Oregon to talk about their latest documentary, Project Y, which aims to discover the motivations behind gravel racers, and how the popularity of gravel racing events have seemed to explode over the past few years with events like Dirty Kanza and Grinduro. It’ll be a great opportunity to dive headfirst into the experience and hear from the folks who are living it!
I like bikes, I like whiskey, and I think Best Made is freaking hilarious, so you'd better believe I RSVP'ed in the affirmative faster than a ticket-buying bot scoops up the first row of a Taylor Swift concert.
The event was last night, and so it was that on the seventh anniversary of my first Best Made post, I ventured forth into the belly of the beast:
The Best Made store is located on White Street, just off of Church Street in Tribeca, and if you're: a) a longtime New Yorker; and b) depraved, you may recognize this as the erstwhile location of the no-longer-extant Baby Doll Lounge:
Best Made doesn't occupy the actual space (it's a "modern, casual restaurant & wine bar with a creative Italian menu featuring pizza, pasta & omelets" now), but it is one door over.
Regardless, when I saw all the hip bikes parked out front I knew I was in the right place:
And so, brimming with furtive excitement like a Baby Doll Lounge patron, I entered The House that Bedazzled Axes Built:
The first thing I noticed was this showcase, featuring an item no New Yorker should be without:
I can only assume this is the American Longbow, which sells for $798:
Like The Best Made Axe, the American Longbow is a timeless instrument fabricated around a hickory core, harvested locally in the USA. Black fiberglass laminates and bubinga risers add power and beauty for an elegant merger that is equally effective on the range as it is on the hunt.
Now I'm no Archery Fred so I'll tread carefully here, but I did enter the phrase "best longbow" into a popular search engine and the sense I get is that this thing is overpriced by about $300.
If any William or Willemina Tells would like to weigh in please do so in the comments below.
Anyway, once I was finished checking out the longbow I ventured forth into the bro-down:
I greeted Derrick from Specialized, who I've known for quite awhile, and thanked him for inviting me. In turn, he presented me with a book someone gave to him to give to me like five years ago or something:
The connection here is that, like Richard Feynman, I too lived in Far Rockaway as a child. However, the similarities end there, because unlike Richard Feynman, who was a world-renowned physicist, I am an idiot. Nevertheless, I was touched by the gesture.
Book in hand, I then graciously accepted a modest pour of some artisanal bourbon:
And continued browsing the store. There was much to admire, such as this thing:
I have no idea what it is, but it costs eighteen hundred and fifty bucks:
There was also this $1,650 box:
This may seem like a lot of money to pay for a box, but keep in mind it performs two (2) vital functions:
1) You can put weed in it;
2) It makes this smaller $600 box seem like a total bargain:
But what good is a box if you don't have any gloves with which to handle it? Don't worry, Best Made has you covered:
These "rough-out" gloves are made in the USA using high-quality medium weight tannery run elkskin, which in addition to its durability, leaves natural imperfections and handsome scars that develop with age.
Sure, you could pay a lot less for Geier gloves elsewhere, but they don't come with the prose:
Best Made also carries plenty of merit badges you can use to reward yourself for your imaginary accomplishments:
Welcome to the uncomfortable place where the outdoorsy bro aesthetic and the white power aesthetic meet:
These will look great on your rucksack or bomber jacket, as applicable.
And of course there were the axes:
The handle says "courage" because after that second small-batch bourbon some Best Made axe owners actually muster up enough of it to take the thing out of its presentation box.
In any case, it was absolutely brilliant of Specialized to hold this event at Best Made. Anywhere else a $9,000 gravel bike might seem like an extravagance, but in this setting it seemed like a total bargain, and certainly it was the only object in the room I'd actually want to take home with me and use (besides the whiskey, of course):
And while ordinarily I'd be tempted to scoff at stuff like dropper posts:
And sproingy headtubes:
It all seemed positively prosaic in the context of really expensive boxes and $540 sunglasses::
Look, I'm not a rube, I know expensive sunglasses exist. But even the most expensive Fred specs Competitive Cyclist sells are under $500:
Indeed, we're deep into Bergdorf territory here:
And at least those things are genuinely bedazzled.
Plus, the Diverge even comes with a toolbox, and I'm sure if Best Made sold a bike toolkit it would cost at least as much as this entire bicycle:
It would also be made of wood and filled with straw.
As for Yonder Journal's "Project Y:"
They showed a trailer for the full-length film and answered questions from the crowd:
The project seems genuinely interesting and entertaining and I'm looking forward to seeing it. I'm also pleased to report that during the Q&A I was the first to ask "#whatpressureyourunning."
And so, having accomplished everything I'd set out to do, I hopped back on the subway and cracked open my copy of "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" for the ride back to the Bronx:
As for Best Made and Buchanan-Smith, he was right about my not having big balls, because Specialized also organized a demo ride this morning but I skipped it--partly because I was busy, but also partly because it was raining.
Then again, doing big rides in the rain is sort of like having big balls: it seems like something worth bragging about, but it's mostly just uncomfortable, so who the hell needs it?
Anyway, I'm hoping I can convince Specialized to let me borrow one of those Diverges, but I'm not holding out much hope for that axe test.
Longtime readers of this blog may recall that back when it was good I wrote extensively (perhaps too extensively) about a designer camping supply and artisanal axe-bedazzling concern called "Best Made Co." In fact, my first post on the subject appeared seven years and one day ago, on July 6th, 2010. It was, characteristically, both insightful and hilarious.
By the way, if you're wondering whether or not I ever heard from Best Made, the answer is...sort of. Evidently someone named Jack forwarded my post to the axe-bedazzler himself, Peter Buchanan-Smith, and in turn forwarded me his reply, which was as follows:
Jack! Thanks so much for the link. I'll comment when he shows me his face, tells me his real name, or is willing to test drive my product... then he'll have grown a pair of balls big enough to slap down on the proverbial glass table... Thanks so much for sending the post. Always a pleasure to see Best Made inspiring such critical thinking. All the best, Peter
In my reply to Jack (which I told him he should feel free to forward to Mr. Buchanan-Smith) I pointed out that both my face and name were featured prominently in the mainstream media, and that I was more than happy to try one of Buchanan-Smith's axes and see if it was worth over two times its usual retail price because he painted the handle.
I never received a reply from either party.
Anyway, let's skip ahead to late June, 2017, when I received an invitation to "An evening with Specialized Bikes, whiskey, and Best Made Co.," described thusly:
In addition to celebrating good people and tasting fine whiskey, we’ll be displaying our new adventure/gravel bike, the Diverge. The crew from Yonder Journal is making the trip out from Oregon to talk about their latest documentary, Project Y, which aims to discover the motivations behind gravel racers, and how the popularity of gravel racing events have seemed to explode over the past few years with events like Dirty Kanza and Grinduro. It’ll be a great opportunity to dive headfirst into the experience and hear from the folks who are living it!
I like bikes, I like whiskey, and I think Best Made is freaking hilarious, so you'd better believe I RSVP'ed in the affirmative faster than a ticket-buying bot scoops up the first row of a Taylor Swift concert.
The event was last night, and so it was that on the seventh anniversary of my first Best Made post, I ventured forth into the belly of the beast:
The Best Made store is located on White Street, just off of Church Street in Tribeca, and if you're: a) a longtime New Yorker; and b) depraved, you may recognize this as the erstwhile location of the no-longer-extant Baby Doll Lounge:
Best Made doesn't occupy the actual space (it's a "modern, casual restaurant & wine bar with a creative Italian menu featuring pizza, pasta & omelets" now), but it is one door over.
Regardless, when I saw all the hip bikes parked out front I knew I was in the right place:
And so, brimming with furtive excitement like a Baby Doll Lounge patron, I entered The House that Bedazzled Axes Built:
The first thing I noticed was this showcase, featuring an item no New Yorker should be without:
I can only assume this is the American Longbow, which sells for $798:
Like The Best Made Axe, the American Longbow is a timeless instrument fabricated around a hickory core, harvested locally in the USA. Black fiberglass laminates and bubinga risers add power and beauty for an elegant merger that is equally effective on the range as it is on the hunt.
Now I'm no Archery Fred so I'll tread carefully here, but I did enter the phrase "best longbow" into a popular search engine and the sense I get is that this thing is overpriced by about $300.
If any William or Willemina Tells would like to weigh in please do so in the comments below.
Anyway, once I was finished checking out the longbow I ventured forth into the bro-down:
I greeted Derrick from Specialized, who I've known for quite awhile, and thanked him for inviting me. In turn, he presented me with a book someone gave to him to give to me like five years ago or something:
The connection here is that, like Richard Feynman, I too lived in Far Rockaway as a child. However, the similarities end there, because unlike Richard Feynman, who was a world-renowned physicist, I am an idiot. Nevertheless, I was touched by the gesture.
Book in hand, I then graciously accepted a modest pour of some artisanal bourbon:
And continued browsing the store. There was much to admire, such as this thing:
I have no idea what it is, but it costs eighteen hundred and fifty bucks:
There was also this $1,650 box:
This may seem like a lot of money to pay for a box, but keep in mind it performs two (2) vital functions:
1) You can put weed in it;
2) It makes this smaller $600 box seem like a total bargain:
But what good is a box if you don't have any gloves with which to handle it? Don't worry, Best Made has you covered:
These "rough-out" gloves are made in the USA using high-quality medium weight tannery run elkskin, which in addition to its durability, leaves natural imperfections and handsome scars that develop with age.
Sure, you could pay a lot less for Geier gloves elsewhere, but they don't come with the prose:
Best Made also carries plenty of merit badges you can use to reward yourself for your imaginary accomplishments:
Welcome to the uncomfortable place where the outdoorsy bro aesthetic and the white power aesthetic meet:
These will look great on your rucksack or bomber jacket, as applicable.
And of course there were the axes:
The handle says "courage" because after that second small-batch bourbon some Best Made axe owners actually muster up enough of it to take the thing out of its presentation box.
In any case, it was absolutely brilliant of Specialized to hold this event at Best Made. Anywhere else a $9,000 gravel bike might seem like an extravagance, but in this setting it seemed like a total bargain, and certainly it was the only object in the room I'd actually want to take home with me and use (besides the whiskey, of course):
And while ordinarily I'd be tempted to scoff at stuff like dropper posts:
And sproingy headtubes:
It all seemed positively prosaic in the context of really expensive boxes and $540 sunglasses::
Look, I'm not a rube, I know expensive sunglasses exist. But even the most expensive Fred specs Competitive Cyclist sells are under $500:
Indeed, we're deep into Bergdorf territory here:
And at least those things are genuinely bedazzled.
Plus, the Diverge even comes with a toolbox, and I'm sure if Best Made sold a bike toolkit it would cost at least as much as this entire bicycle:
It would also be made of wood and filled with straw.
As for Yonder Journal's "Project Y:"
They showed a trailer for the full-length film and answered questions from the crowd:
The project seems genuinely interesting and entertaining and I'm looking forward to seeing it. I'm also pleased to report that during the Q&A I was the first to ask "#whatpressureyourunning."
And so, having accomplished everything I'd set out to do, I hopped back on the subway and cracked open my copy of "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" for the ride back to the Bronx:
As for Best Made and Buchanan-Smith, he was right about my not having big balls, because Specialized also organized a demo ride this morning but I skipped it--partly because I was busy, but also partly because it was raining.
Then again, doing big rides in the rain is sort of like having big balls: it seems like something worth bragging about, but it's mostly just uncomfortable, so who the hell needs it?
Anyway, I'm hoping I can convince Specialized to let me borrow one of those Diverges, but I'm not holding out much hope for that axe test.
This Just In: I've Gone Outside!
Outside:
You're no doubt familiar with it as the periodical that ran such groundbreaking features as "The Wildest Mountain Bike Race On Earth:"
And "BSNYC vs. PDX:"
Perhaps you've even enjoyed their cultural takes, such as this humorous comparison of "Premium Rush" and "Quicksilver:"
Wow, those writers were really talented.
Anyway, you'll be pleased to know you finally have a reason to read Outside one again (well, online anyway), for I will now be be appearing there on a weekly basis. Yes, that's right: more me! And here is my first offering, which is all about a bike race that's going on in France:
Read it, savor it, squirt it all over your face like it's a bidon on a hot day.
Then, come back here later today, because I'm going to tell you all about my visit to Best Made Co. last night.
How lucky are you?
Don't answer. It's a rhetorical question. You already know you're very, very lucky.
Until later,
I remain,
Yours in etc.,
--Wildcat Rock Machine
You're no doubt familiar with it as the periodical that ran such groundbreaking features as "The Wildest Mountain Bike Race On Earth:"
And "BSNYC vs. PDX:"
Perhaps you've even enjoyed their cultural takes, such as this humorous comparison of "Premium Rush" and "Quicksilver:"
Wow, those writers were really talented.Anyway, you'll be pleased to know you finally have a reason to read Outside one again (well, online anyway), for I will now be be appearing there on a weekly basis. Yes, that's right: more me! And here is my first offering, which is all about a bike race that's going on in France:
Read it, savor it, squirt it all over your face like it's a bidon on a hot day.
Then, come back here later today, because I'm going to tell you all about my visit to Best Made Co. last night.
How lucky are you?
Don't answer. It's a rhetorical question. You already know you're very, very lucky.
Until later,
I remain,
Yours in etc.,
--Wildcat Rock Machine
July 6, 2017
Frêd-à-Porter
Hello and welcome to the Official Bike Snob NYC Tour de France Recap!
Brought to you by Soft Scrub Cleanser*:
*[Soft Scrub has provided me with no compensation of any kind. In fact they're completely unaware of their "sponsorship." I'm just an enthusiastic user of their product...for cleaning, mostly.]
Soft Scrub has Instant Cleaning Action:
It's also a product of the Henkel Company:
Henkel operates globally with a well-balanced and diversified portfolio. The company holds leading positions with its three business units in both industrial and consumer businesses thanks to strong brands, innovations and technologies. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives market – across all industry segments worldwide. In its Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care businesses, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and categories around the world. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. Henkel employs more than 50,000 people globally – a passionate and highly diverse team, united by a strong company culture, a common purpose to create sustainable value, and shared values. As a recognized leader in sustainability, Henkel holds top positions in many international indices and rankings. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX.
But most of all, it's delicious**!
**[Consult with your pediatrician before allowing your child to drink Soft Scrub. If your pediatrician says it's okay, find another pediatrician.]
Okay, so with that out of the way, let's get down to the recap!
So wait...what stage are we on?
Shit.
The last thing I remember was that they kicked out Peter Sagan:
He seems really bummed about winning a stage and then going to Monaco.
But don't worry. Even though the Tour has lost its most popular rider there's still plenty to get excited about:
And that's pretty much all I know about the Tour.
Sorry, Soft Scrub.
Moving on, great news for all you Freds out there! According to the New York Times, you can now wear your stretchy clothes off the bike:
See?
From the biking shorts at Louis Vuitton to the “Tour de Ralph” racing jerseys at Ralph Lauren and an actual designer-branded bicycle at Balenciaga, this season we saw fashion merging with bike culture on the runway. Combine your biking gear (like cycling shorts) with everyday clothes (hoodies and baggy shirts) to attempt the look on the street. (It’s also one way to embrace that ubiquitous short shorts trend this summer.)
By the way, I used a popular search engine to search for the term "Tour de Ralph" and I'll be gosh-darned if Ol' Man Lifshitz didn't totally rip off Rapha:
I mean come on:
Lifshitz is lifting shit if you know what I mean.
Though I will say "Tour de Ralph" is a perfect name for the line because that's exactly what it makes you want to do:
Oh, and what about that Balenciaga bicycle?
Let me guess:
Is it an insanely expensive "collabo" fixie?
A dandy-riffic leather-wrapped city bike?
Some sort of bedazzled folder?
Nope:
For those eager to peddle into Balenciaga-branded action, it’s your lucky day. The Balenciaga bikes will be sold exclusively at colette, and will retail for around $3,900 (listed at 3500 euros), and are available to purchase in-store today.
It was only a matter of time before the New York City food delivery bike look had its haute couture moment, though you really need to jack that rear filth prophylactic up and point the nose of the saddle way down to get the full effect:
Lastly, not to ralph up content I've already shared on the Bike Forecast, but those of you who reside in the New York City area will be amused to learn that officials in Tarrytown and Nyack are plotzing over the prospect of 24-hour Tappan Zee pedestrian and bicycle access:
For those of you unfamiliar with the area, Nyack and environs is where all the Freds head on the weekends, and the locals have a long history complaining about the people who keep their cafés in business:
Hey, if my money's not green enough for you I'll just point my Balenciaga bike elsewhere...just as soon as I get my Tour de Ralph jersey back from the dry cleaner.
Brought to you by Soft Scrub Cleanser*:
*[Soft Scrub has provided me with no compensation of any kind. In fact they're completely unaware of their "sponsorship." I'm just an enthusiastic user of their product...for cleaning, mostly.]
Soft Scrub has Instant Cleaning Action:
It's also a product of the Henkel Company:
Henkel operates globally with a well-balanced and diversified portfolio. The company holds leading positions with its three business units in both industrial and consumer businesses thanks to strong brands, innovations and technologies. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives market – across all industry segments worldwide. In its Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care businesses, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and categories around the world. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. Henkel employs more than 50,000 people globally – a passionate and highly diverse team, united by a strong company culture, a common purpose to create sustainable value, and shared values. As a recognized leader in sustainability, Henkel holds top positions in many international indices and rankings. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX.
But most of all, it's delicious**!
**[Consult with your pediatrician before allowing your child to drink Soft Scrub. If your pediatrician says it's okay, find another pediatrician.]
Okay, so with that out of the way, let's get down to the recap!
So wait...what stage are we on?
Shit.
The last thing I remember was that they kicked out Peter Sagan:
He seems really bummed about winning a stage and then going to Monaco.
But don't worry. Even though the Tour has lost its most popular rider there's still plenty to get excited about:
Did you notice Taylor Phinney's shoes at the the Tour? He's wearing these new super-light Giro Prolight Techlaces. https://t.co/7wj5vSTyYW— VeloNews (@velonews) July 6, 2017Fascinating.
And that's pretty much all I know about the Tour.
Sorry, Soft Scrub.
Moving on, great news for all you Freds out there! According to the New York Times, you can now wear your stretchy clothes off the bike:
See?
From the biking shorts at Louis Vuitton to the “Tour de Ralph” racing jerseys at Ralph Lauren and an actual designer-branded bicycle at Balenciaga, this season we saw fashion merging with bike culture on the runway. Combine your biking gear (like cycling shorts) with everyday clothes (hoodies and baggy shirts) to attempt the look on the street. (It’s also one way to embrace that ubiquitous short shorts trend this summer.)
By the way, I used a popular search engine to search for the term "Tour de Ralph" and I'll be gosh-darned if Ol' Man Lifshitz didn't totally rip off Rapha:
I mean come on:
Lifshitz is lifting shit if you know what I mean.
Though I will say "Tour de Ralph" is a perfect name for the line because that's exactly what it makes you want to do:
Oh, and what about that Balenciaga bicycle?
Let me guess:
Is it an insanely expensive "collabo" fixie?
A dandy-riffic leather-wrapped city bike?
Some sort of bedazzled folder?
Nope:
For those eager to peddle into Balenciaga-branded action, it’s your lucky day. The Balenciaga bikes will be sold exclusively at colette, and will retail for around $3,900 (listed at 3500 euros), and are available to purchase in-store today.
It was only a matter of time before the New York City food delivery bike look had its haute couture moment, though you really need to jack that rear filth prophylactic up and point the nose of the saddle way down to get the full effect:
Lastly, not to ralph up content I've already shared on the Bike Forecast, but those of you who reside in the New York City area will be amused to learn that officials in Tarrytown and Nyack are plotzing over the prospect of 24-hour Tappan Zee pedestrian and bicycle access:
For those of you unfamiliar with the area, Nyack and environs is where all the Freds head on the weekends, and the locals have a long history complaining about the people who keep their cafés in business:
Hey, if my money's not green enough for you I'll just point my Balenciaga bike elsewhere...just as soon as I get my Tour de Ralph jersey back from the dry cleaner.
July 5, 2017
***Planned Service Change***
Hi!
Owing to the vicissitudes of blah, blah, blah, today's post will be delayed until tomorrow. (Though technically this is a post, so I don't know why I feel like I have to account for myself.)
And no, I did not blow off any body parts while celebrating America's greatness with fireworks yesterday, nor am I hunting-and-pecking this with my one remaining digit. I've still got the full complement, praise be to Lob:
In the meantime, I invite you to watch this:
If that thing also works as a submersible then I think we may very well be looking at the vehicle of the future.
At any rate, please accept my apologies for the truncated missive, and I'll see you all back here tomorrow--and in the meantime there's always the Bike Forecast!
Muah! I love you all,
--Wildcat Rock Machine
Owing to the vicissitudes of blah, blah, blah, today's post will be delayed until tomorrow. (Though technically this is a post, so I don't know why I feel like I have to account for myself.)
And no, I did not blow off any body parts while celebrating America's greatness with fireworks yesterday, nor am I hunting-and-pecking this with my one remaining digit. I've still got the full complement, praise be to Lob:
In the meantime, I invite you to watch this:
If that thing also works as a submersible then I think we may very well be looking at the vehicle of the future.
At any rate, please accept my apologies for the truncated missive, and I'll see you all back here tomorrow--and in the meantime there's always the Bike Forecast!
Muah! I love you all,
--Wildcat Rock Machine
June 29, 2017
BSNYC Thursday Fun Quiz! (And Long Weekend Announcement)
Well, it's that time again!
That means two things:
1) After today's post I won't be updating this blog until Wednesday, July 5th, at which point I will resume regular updates;
B) I may have to take a ride over to Jersey and pick up a bunch of "non-explosive, non-aerial" fireworks.
In the meantime, the Bike Forecast will be updated tomorrow, and if you haven't already you should read today's post about the hot new bike fine in Australia.
And now, I'm pleased to present you with a quiz. As always, study the item, think, and click on your answer. If you're right that's freaking fantastic, and if you're wrong you'll see the most humiliating thing an American can ever experience.
Thanks very much for reading, ride safe, and be sure to honor America this weekend by taking on an onerous car loan. See you back here on Wednesday the 5th!
Love,
--Wildcat Rock Machine
1) It's almost like there's a correlation between being a careless driver and running into people.
--True
--False
2) The most recent rider to be caught doping for the Gran Fondo New York finished in what place?
--14th
--114th
--258th
--DNF
3) What piece of equipment is Andrew Talansky using to prepare for the Tour de France?
--A hub that introduces friction to create resistance
--An electric fat-burning belt
--A pair of brain-stimulating headphones
--A scranus-stimulating chamois
4) Who is America's top (road) cyclist?
--Andrew Talansky
--Taylor Phinney
--Coryn Rivera
--Serge Huercio
5) Which is not a term or phrase from VeloNews's review of the Yeti SB5c?
--"noticeable bob"
--"late-stroke buck"
--"mid-stroke feels"
--"turgid shaft"
(Seems worth a shot...)
6) Fill in the blank:
"Move over, blood doping: cyclists might be '_________' soon"
--"brain doping"
--"butt doping"
--"poop doping"
--"ass-motor doping"
7) I am directly responsible for a modest rally in the stock price of Tailored Brands Inc.
--True
--False
***Special Independence Day-Themed Bonus Video!***
What could possibly go wrong?
That means two things:
1) After today's post I won't be updating this blog until Wednesday, July 5th, at which point I will resume regular updates;
B) I may have to take a ride over to Jersey and pick up a bunch of "non-explosive, non-aerial" fireworks.
In the meantime, the Bike Forecast will be updated tomorrow, and if you haven't already you should read today's post about the hot new bike fine in Australia.
And now, I'm pleased to present you with a quiz. As always, study the item, think, and click on your answer. If you're right that's freaking fantastic, and if you're wrong you'll see the most humiliating thing an American can ever experience.
Thanks very much for reading, ride safe, and be sure to honor America this weekend by taking on an onerous car loan. See you back here on Wednesday the 5th!
Love,
--Wildcat Rock Machine
1) It's almost like there's a correlation between being a careless driver and running into people.
--True
--False
2) The most recent rider to be caught doping for the Gran Fondo New York finished in what place?
--14th
--114th
--258th
--DNF
3) What piece of equipment is Andrew Talansky using to prepare for the Tour de France?
--A hub that introduces friction to create resistance
--An electric fat-burning belt
--A pair of brain-stimulating headphones
--A scranus-stimulating chamois
4) Who is America's top (road) cyclist?
--Andrew Talansky
--Taylor Phinney
--Coryn Rivera
--Serge Huercio
5) Which is not a term or phrase from VeloNews's review of the Yeti SB5c?
--"noticeable bob"
--"late-stroke buck"
--"mid-stroke feels"
--"turgid shaft"
(Seems worth a shot...)6) Fill in the blank:
"Move over, blood doping: cyclists might be '_________' soon"
--"brain doping"
--"butt doping"
--"poop doping"
--"ass-motor doping"
7) I am directly responsible for a modest rally in the stock price of Tailored Brands Inc.--True
--False
***Special Independence Day-Themed Bonus Video!***
What could possibly go wrong?
June 28, 2017
A Brief Wednesday Dispatch
I know this is real tin foil helmet stuff, but I suspect there may be a relationship between irresponsible motor vehicle operation:
And hurting people with your car:
This occurred yesterday, and you can read all about it on the Bike Forecast.
Disasters aside, yesterday was a lovely day to be on a bicycle:
So I headed downtown, where the NYPD had my customary reserved parking space waiting for me:
I then went about my business secure in the knowledge that these apiarists would dispatch a swarm of bees to sting any would-be bike thieves:
Presumably this was a presentation by the New York City Beekeepers Association:
But I didn't bother to watch because I've got enough going on in my life without having to grapple with the concept of Bee Freds.
Indeed, the deplorable state of my bicycles reflects just how busy I am. Consider the bicycle I was riding yesterday--the iconic Ironic Orange Julius Bike--whose rear hub currently looks like this:
This is probably because: 1) I have not used the fixie side of the hub since like 2008; and B) prior to yesterday I hadn't ridden the bike since my "epic" post-snowstorm citywide bike lane survey back in March, after which I put the bike away without so much as a cursory wipe-down:
Indeed, the bike was in such a sorry state yesterday morning that instead of lubing the chain I simply threw it away and installed a new one--and by "new" I mean I went to my drawer full of chains and picked one more or less at random. What's mildly concerning about this Drawer of Mystery is that I can no longer remember why I relegated most of those chains to it in the first place, so who knows what manner of defects they may be hiding. Similarly daunting is Tube Mountain, which is made of tubes I've set aside for patching, and which at this point would require at least five years in solitary confinement to repair completely.
I suspect if said it before but I will say it again: while some dream of exotic bike vacations, I would give almost anything for a week of uninterrupted bike maintenance during which I could perform badly-needed overhauls on all of my bicycles.
Pending that, I only service or replace parts when they stop working, which means riding the Ironic Orange Julius Bike in particular keeps me in a thrilling state of suspense.
Moving on, yesterday I touched upon the sorry state of American professional men's cycling, and as we head into the Tour de France this VeloNews story underscores just how sorry it is:
Two rookies and a GC hunter is the threadbare American presence in the 2017 Tour de France.
Matching a two-decade low from two years ago, only three American riders will race in cycling’s marquee event. It’s even worse for Canada, with zero representation.
In your face, Canada!
All three — Taylor Phinney, Nathan Brown, and Andrew Talansky — wear Cannondale-Drapac colors.
But only one of them wears headphones that zorch his brain.
Alas, if we're to be totally honest, who among us does not long for the heady days of America's doped-up supersquad?
I mean these riders are still doping anyway, so why the hell shouldn't America be the best at it?
Yes, apart from the fact that Alberto Contador is still being supported by a team of EPO-addled domestiques it truly is a new clean era in professional cycling.
Honestly the only thing surprising about any of this is that the Tour de France is only three days away.
It snuck up on me like that rusty drivetrain.
At this point I'm really going to have to scramble not to pay attention to it.
And hurting people with your car:
This occurred yesterday, and you can read all about it on the Bike Forecast.
Disasters aside, yesterday was a lovely day to be on a bicycle:
So I headed downtown, where the NYPD had my customary reserved parking space waiting for me:
I then went about my business secure in the knowledge that these apiarists would dispatch a swarm of bees to sting any would-be bike thieves:
Presumably this was a presentation by the New York City Beekeepers Association:
But I didn't bother to watch because I've got enough going on in my life without having to grapple with the concept of Bee Freds.
Indeed, the deplorable state of my bicycles reflects just how busy I am. Consider the bicycle I was riding yesterday--the iconic Ironic Orange Julius Bike--whose rear hub currently looks like this:
This is probably because: 1) I have not used the fixie side of the hub since like 2008; and B) prior to yesterday I hadn't ridden the bike since my "epic" post-snowstorm citywide bike lane survey back in March, after which I put the bike away without so much as a cursory wipe-down:
Indeed, the bike was in such a sorry state yesterday morning that instead of lubing the chain I simply threw it away and installed a new one--and by "new" I mean I went to my drawer full of chains and picked one more or less at random. What's mildly concerning about this Drawer of Mystery is that I can no longer remember why I relegated most of those chains to it in the first place, so who knows what manner of defects they may be hiding. Similarly daunting is Tube Mountain, which is made of tubes I've set aside for patching, and which at this point would require at least five years in solitary confinement to repair completely.
I suspect if said it before but I will say it again: while some dream of exotic bike vacations, I would give almost anything for a week of uninterrupted bike maintenance during which I could perform badly-needed overhauls on all of my bicycles.
Pending that, I only service or replace parts when they stop working, which means riding the Ironic Orange Julius Bike in particular keeps me in a thrilling state of suspense.
Moving on, yesterday I touched upon the sorry state of American professional men's cycling, and as we head into the Tour de France this VeloNews story underscores just how sorry it is:
Two rookies and a GC hunter is the threadbare American presence in the 2017 Tour de France.
Matching a two-decade low from two years ago, only three American riders will race in cycling’s marquee event. It’s even worse for Canada, with zero representation.
In your face, Canada!
All three — Taylor Phinney, Nathan Brown, and Andrew Talansky — wear Cannondale-Drapac colors.
But only one of them wears headphones that zorch his brain.
Alas, if we're to be totally honest, who among us does not long for the heady days of America's doped-up supersquad?
I mean these riders are still doping anyway, so why the hell shouldn't America be the best at it?
Yes, apart from the fact that Alberto Contador is still being supported by a team of EPO-addled domestiques it truly is a new clean era in professional cycling.
Honestly the only thing surprising about any of this is that the Tour de France is only three days away.
It snuck up on me like that rusty drivetrain.
At this point I'm really going to have to scramble not to pay attention to it.
June 27, 2017
Enhance My Performance, Please
Oh, Freds.
[SHAKES HEAD DERISIVELY WHILE CLUCKING TONGUE]
Yes, once again, the Gran Fondo New York has caught themselves a doper:
"Five positive tests in six years of testing may seem a lot for an event where the majority are amateurs," says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. "It's simple though: you can't catch cheaters if you don't perform doping controls. And unfortunately most races still don't test sufficiently or at all."
"We don't allow course cutting at our races so why would we look the other way when it comes to doping? GFNY riders train hard for races. They deserve a fair competition. We owe them controls, even if the costs are well over $10,000 each year. Not testing the athletes is the worst decision that a race director can make because it forces everyone to take drugs to try to level the playing field."
I'm conflicted. On one hand he's right, certainly everyone deserves a "level playing field." On the other hand, this is basically a $200 ride to Bear Mountain:
And you're naive if you think that's not going to attract two types of people:
1) Dope-addled third-tier pros and ex-pros looking to beat a bunch of amateurs;
2) Dope-addled corporate Freds in search of glory:
And by "glory" I mean a triple-digit placing:
If you want fair you're not going to find it at any kind of road race or Fondo, and frankly I'm not even confident the Brompton World Championships were clean:
I mean if they were I'd have won, it seems fairly obvious.
Perhaps next year they should move to a Gran Fondo format.
Speaking of competitive cycling, did you know that Andrew Talansky is using brain-zapping technology to win the Tour de France?
Firstly, if brain stimulators really worked, the first thing he'd do would be to quit bike racing, obtain an advanced degree, and get a career with a future. Because once again, it's important to remember that the most successful cyclists the United States has ever produced is now...a podcaster:
As far as digital media careers, that's almost as low as being a blogger.
Seems to me that's a cautionary tale, and Talansky should use that brain zapper to learn computer coding or prep for the LSAT.
Secondly, while I realize what the writer meant by saying "America's top cyclist" and am not trying to bust his chops, it's nonetheless important to note that America's top cyclist is not Andrew Talansky. It is in fact Coryn Rivera:
Who is ranked 12th in the entire world:
Whereas Talansky is merely ranked 72nd:
Though that still makes him the highest-ranked American male cyclist, which is kinda sad. Indeed, as far as national rankings go, American women are ranked 4th in the world, while American men are ranked 17th.
So what does all this mean?
Well, I'm tempted to say it means that Americans should pay more attention to women's cycling, but they don't even pay attention to men's cycling, so the only truly sensible conclusion to draw is that American men suck and should quit racing bikes.
But back to the brain-zapper:
There's no doubt in my mind that this thing has a big future in cycling, mostly because it's expensive so the Freds will want it to prep for the Fondo:
Players in the NFL and MLB, Olympians, and Navy SEALs are among those who have tried Halo, but Talansky is one of just two cyclists at the sport's highest level we know of using neuroscience technology. The Halo Sport headset retails for $750, and the app is free, though the company said it may eventually launch a premium version.
I'm assuming the premium version is advertisement-free, whereas if you use the regular version you will hear ads in your head every 20 minutes for the rest of your life.
So how does it work?
After you download the Halo Sport app, which controls the headset, you moisten the headset electrodes ("primers") and neuroprime for 20 minutes, during which time you feel a tingly sensation at the top of your head as the device stimulates your brain's motor cortex. All the while you can listen to music through the headphones using your phone or music player.
After neuropriming, you have an hour of "afterglow" wherein you perform your most focused workout and, according to Halo, reap the greatest benefit.
So basically it works exactly like Denorex:
Seems legit.
Anyway, for best results, make sure to use the brain-zapper in conjunction with a comprehensive poop doping program.
And if you're wondering whether this is the same brain-boosting technology that Betsy DeVos was flogging, well, does it really matter?
Neurocore offers two types of treatments in particular, each lasting 45 minutes: One is biofeedback training, which involves watching your heart rate and respiratory rate on a monitor and learning to breath to achieve consistency in these rates. The other is neurofeedback, and for Neurocore's version, this involves watching movies that pause when your brainwaves are not in your pre-determined "therapeutic range."
Today it's more charter schools, tomorrow it's putting on your government-issued headphones and zapping your brain into submission.
Lastly, I already mentioned this on the Bike Forecast this morning, but if you're a New York City bike commuter researchers want YOU to help them learn about the effects of pollution:
If you agree to participate in the study, we'll ask that you wear air pollution monitors, a special shirt that monitors your heart rate, and an automatic blood pressure cuff for six 24 hour periods centered around six morning bike commutes. This gear poses minimal risk, and should not inconvenience you or cause any discomfort. It all fits in an exercise vest, and it won't slow you down when you ride.
It's a good thing the vest won't slow me down because I can't allow anything to compromise my Cat 6-ing.
Look for me on the Manhattan Bridge in my exercise vest and a pair of brain-zapping headphones.
[SHAKES HEAD DERISIVELY WHILE CLUCKING TONGUE]
Yes, once again, the Gran Fondo New York has caught themselves a doper:
"Five positive tests in six years of testing may seem a lot for an event where the majority are amateurs," says GFNY CEO Uli Fluhme. "It's simple though: you can't catch cheaters if you don't perform doping controls. And unfortunately most races still don't test sufficiently or at all."
"We don't allow course cutting at our races so why would we look the other way when it comes to doping? GFNY riders train hard for races. They deserve a fair competition. We owe them controls, even if the costs are well over $10,000 each year. Not testing the athletes is the worst decision that a race director can make because it forces everyone to take drugs to try to level the playing field."
I'm conflicted. On one hand he's right, certainly everyone deserves a "level playing field." On the other hand, this is basically a $200 ride to Bear Mountain:
And you're naive if you think that's not going to attract two types of people:1) Dope-addled third-tier pros and ex-pros looking to beat a bunch of amateurs;
2) Dope-addled corporate Freds in search of glory:
And by "glory" I mean a triple-digit placing:
If you want fair you're not going to find it at any kind of road race or Fondo, and frankly I'm not even confident the Brompton World Championships were clean:
I mean if they were I'd have won, it seems fairly obvious.
Perhaps next year they should move to a Gran Fondo format.
Speaking of competitive cycling, did you know that Andrew Talansky is using brain-zapping technology to win the Tour de France?
Okay, two things:America's top cyclist is using a portable brain stimulator to train for the Tour de France https://t.co/DeJNstqajL pic.twitter.com/XOLwbHl2Xf
— Business Insider (@businessinsider) June 26, 2017
Firstly, if brain stimulators really worked, the first thing he'd do would be to quit bike racing, obtain an advanced degree, and get a career with a future. Because once again, it's important to remember that the most successful cyclists the United States has ever produced is now...a podcaster:
As far as digital media careers, that's almost as low as being a blogger.
Seems to me that's a cautionary tale, and Talansky should use that brain zapper to learn computer coding or prep for the LSAT.
Secondly, while I realize what the writer meant by saying "America's top cyclist" and am not trying to bust his chops, it's nonetheless important to note that America's top cyclist is not Andrew Talansky. It is in fact Coryn Rivera:
Who is ranked 12th in the entire world:
Whereas Talansky is merely ranked 72nd:
Though that still makes him the highest-ranked American male cyclist, which is kinda sad. Indeed, as far as national rankings go, American women are ranked 4th in the world, while American men are ranked 17th.
So what does all this mean?
Well, I'm tempted to say it means that Americans should pay more attention to women's cycling, but they don't even pay attention to men's cycling, so the only truly sensible conclusion to draw is that American men suck and should quit racing bikes.
But back to the brain-zapper:
There's no doubt in my mind that this thing has a big future in cycling, mostly because it's expensive so the Freds will want it to prep for the Fondo:
Players in the NFL and MLB, Olympians, and Navy SEALs are among those who have tried Halo, but Talansky is one of just two cyclists at the sport's highest level we know of using neuroscience technology. The Halo Sport headset retails for $750, and the app is free, though the company said it may eventually launch a premium version.
I'm assuming the premium version is advertisement-free, whereas if you use the regular version you will hear ads in your head every 20 minutes for the rest of your life.
So how does it work?
After you download the Halo Sport app, which controls the headset, you moisten the headset electrodes ("primers") and neuroprime for 20 minutes, during which time you feel a tingly sensation at the top of your head as the device stimulates your brain's motor cortex. All the while you can listen to music through the headphones using your phone or music player.
After neuropriming, you have an hour of "afterglow" wherein you perform your most focused workout and, according to Halo, reap the greatest benefit.
So basically it works exactly like Denorex:
Seems legit.
Anyway, for best results, make sure to use the brain-zapper in conjunction with a comprehensive poop doping program.
And if you're wondering whether this is the same brain-boosting technology that Betsy DeVos was flogging, well, does it really matter?
Neurocore offers two types of treatments in particular, each lasting 45 minutes: One is biofeedback training, which involves watching your heart rate and respiratory rate on a monitor and learning to breath to achieve consistency in these rates. The other is neurofeedback, and for Neurocore's version, this involves watching movies that pause when your brainwaves are not in your pre-determined "therapeutic range."
Today it's more charter schools, tomorrow it's putting on your government-issued headphones and zapping your brain into submission.
Lastly, I already mentioned this on the Bike Forecast this morning, but if you're a New York City bike commuter researchers want YOU to help them learn about the effects of pollution:
If you agree to participate in the study, we'll ask that you wear air pollution monitors, a special shirt that monitors your heart rate, and an automatic blood pressure cuff for six 24 hour periods centered around six morning bike commutes. This gear poses minimal risk, and should not inconvenience you or cause any discomfort. It all fits in an exercise vest, and it won't slow you down when you ride.
It's a good thing the vest won't slow me down because I can't allow anything to compromise my Cat 6-ing.
Look for me on the Manhattan Bridge in my exercise vest and a pair of brain-zapping headphones.
June 26, 2017
Whither Simplicity?
This past Friday I enjoyed a ride on a rugged all-terrain bicycle with fashionable "plus"-sized tires:
As I scampered and scurried about, it occurred to me that while it's all too easy to rail against the stratospheric cost of today's high-end bicycle-cycling machines, the truth is that from a gear perspective there's never been a better time to be a cyclist. Sure, top-of-the-line plastic bikes easily cost $10,000 now, but a bike like the one above costs merely a tenth of that, will do anything you possibly need it to do, and requires very little in the way of maintenance.
Nevertheless, human nature being what it is, even as I was savoring my blissful cycling experience I caught myself thinking: "I could probably make this bike even better by lightening it up a bit." That leads you to consider upgrading X, which in turn requires replacing Y, and before you know it you're saying "Fuck it" and shopping for a new bike:
I choose this bike as an example not because it's necessarily the natural progression from what I was riding that day, but because it happens to be the #1 mountain bike in the VeloNews Buyer's Guide. And just check out these marks!
It doesn't just get a 14 out of 15 for ascending. It gets a fourteen point one.
That's how you know they used science.
Anyway, here's what VeloNews has to say about the Yeti Whatever:
It all comes back to Yeti’s Switch Infinity, a suspension component that allows for greater tunability of the suspension kinematics. That’s a fancy way of saying it’s firm on the climbs and responsive on the descents, all the way through the suspension travel. The Switch Infinity lives just above the bottom bracket shell and works in conjunction with Fox’s Float Factory shock. Both are nearly infinitely tunable, but it was easy to find a sweet spot pretty quickly for the kind of riding I do.
Climbing is a remarkable experience: there’s nearly no noticeable bob, even when standing or pushing through a steep section. The mid-stroke feels supportive but smooth, and the bottom end feels endless, yet it doesn’t fall off into the abyss. Instead, it feels like you always have just a few more millimeters, so why not go a bit bigger? Absent too is that late-stroke buck. Whatever magic Yeti has done to make the end of the stroke sit in that sublime area between too soft and too harsh, they should keep doing it. A lot of trail bikes make claims about climbing like an XC race bike and descending like an enduro bike. The SB5c actually delivers.
Souts good, but let's look at some of the key words and phrases here:
--"tunability"
--"suspension kinematics"
--"firm" and "responsive"
--"infinitely tunable"
--"no noticeable bob"
--"why not go a bit bigger?"
Jesus. Is this a bike or a Hyundai? And I'm not even including "late-stroke buck," which sounds like the name of a porno actor:
(Noticeable Bob also makes a cameo.)
Granted, I doubt you could get two cyclists to agree what "mountain biking" is all about. For some it's about being one with the outdoors, for others it's an excuse to use air compressors and shop for truck bed liners. Still, it's remarkable the degree to which today's high-end mountain bikes are designed to provide a smooth, ultra-tuned riding experience that is essentially uncompromising in its compromise. It's also noteworthy that whether it's a review of a road bike or a mountain bike the Princess and the Pea factor is virtually indistinguishable. After all, should a bike meant to be ridden on a trail really be "infinitely tunable?" Does everything need to be not only rideable, but comfortably rideable? At a certain point should't we acknowledge the limitations of both rider and machine and surrender to the terrain, just as Late-Stroke Buck surrendered to Noticeable Bob in that steamy tire sealant scene? And if you want smooth, shouldn't you just buy a recumbent?
Maybe yes and maybe no. Hey, we all want something different out of riding a bike. Some want simplicity, others are not happy unless they can tune every bump and twiddle dials and levers like an audiophile listening to Steely Dan on a tube amp. Still, not to sound like one of those big government demmycrats, but we may have to start regulating this stuff or we could be in trouble. Firstly, all of this has already opened the door to e-mountain bikes, because we've come too far with suspension not to add a motor, and what's one more lever, anyway?
And yes, it will take a kickstand:
The option to mount a kickstand might not win the most kudos amongst more ambitious riders, but it’s arguably an intelligent feature that many will rate.
Though I'd argue if you're shopping for an all-terrain bike that takes a kickstand what you're really looking for is a Rivendell.
Secondly, what's so wrong with e-mountain bikes? I'll tell you what's wrong with them. They lead to this:
You have been warned.
As I scampered and scurried about, it occurred to me that while it's all too easy to rail against the stratospheric cost of today's high-end bicycle-cycling machines, the truth is that from a gear perspective there's never been a better time to be a cyclist. Sure, top-of-the-line plastic bikes easily cost $10,000 now, but a bike like the one above costs merely a tenth of that, will do anything you possibly need it to do, and requires very little in the way of maintenance.
Nevertheless, human nature being what it is, even as I was savoring my blissful cycling experience I caught myself thinking: "I could probably make this bike even better by lightening it up a bit." That leads you to consider upgrading X, which in turn requires replacing Y, and before you know it you're saying "Fuck it" and shopping for a new bike:
I choose this bike as an example not because it's necessarily the natural progression from what I was riding that day, but because it happens to be the #1 mountain bike in the VeloNews Buyer's Guide. And just check out these marks!
It doesn't just get a 14 out of 15 for ascending. It gets a fourteen point one.That's how you know they used science.
Anyway, here's what VeloNews has to say about the Yeti Whatever:
It all comes back to Yeti’s Switch Infinity, a suspension component that allows for greater tunability of the suspension kinematics. That’s a fancy way of saying it’s firm on the climbs and responsive on the descents, all the way through the suspension travel. The Switch Infinity lives just above the bottom bracket shell and works in conjunction with Fox’s Float Factory shock. Both are nearly infinitely tunable, but it was easy to find a sweet spot pretty quickly for the kind of riding I do.
Climbing is a remarkable experience: there’s nearly no noticeable bob, even when standing or pushing through a steep section. The mid-stroke feels supportive but smooth, and the bottom end feels endless, yet it doesn’t fall off into the abyss. Instead, it feels like you always have just a few more millimeters, so why not go a bit bigger? Absent too is that late-stroke buck. Whatever magic Yeti has done to make the end of the stroke sit in that sublime area between too soft and too harsh, they should keep doing it. A lot of trail bikes make claims about climbing like an XC race bike and descending like an enduro bike. The SB5c actually delivers.
Souts good, but let's look at some of the key words and phrases here:
--"tunability"
--"suspension kinematics"
--"firm" and "responsive"
--"infinitely tunable"
--"no noticeable bob"
--"why not go a bit bigger?"
Jesus. Is this a bike or a Hyundai? And I'm not even including "late-stroke buck," which sounds like the name of a porno actor:
(Noticeable Bob also makes a cameo.)
Granted, I doubt you could get two cyclists to agree what "mountain biking" is all about. For some it's about being one with the outdoors, for others it's an excuse to use air compressors and shop for truck bed liners. Still, it's remarkable the degree to which today's high-end mountain bikes are designed to provide a smooth, ultra-tuned riding experience that is essentially uncompromising in its compromise. It's also noteworthy that whether it's a review of a road bike or a mountain bike the Princess and the Pea factor is virtually indistinguishable. After all, should a bike meant to be ridden on a trail really be "infinitely tunable?" Does everything need to be not only rideable, but comfortably rideable? At a certain point should't we acknowledge the limitations of both rider and machine and surrender to the terrain, just as Late-Stroke Buck surrendered to Noticeable Bob in that steamy tire sealant scene? And if you want smooth, shouldn't you just buy a recumbent?
Maybe yes and maybe no. Hey, we all want something different out of riding a bike. Some want simplicity, others are not happy unless they can tune every bump and twiddle dials and levers like an audiophile listening to Steely Dan on a tube amp. Still, not to sound like one of those big government demmycrats, but we may have to start regulating this stuff or we could be in trouble. Firstly, all of this has already opened the door to e-mountain bikes, because we've come too far with suspension not to add a motor, and what's one more lever, anyway?
And yes, it will take a kickstand:
The option to mount a kickstand might not win the most kudos amongst more ambitious riders, but it’s arguably an intelligent feature that many will rate.
Though I'd argue if you're shopping for an all-terrain bike that takes a kickstand what you're really looking for is a Rivendell.
Secondly, what's so wrong with e-mountain bikes? I'll tell you what's wrong with them. They lead to this:
You have been warned.
June 23, 2017
BSNYC Friday No Quiz!
This morning, your instructor had to attend to some urgent bicycle-related business:
Therefore, consider this a reprieve from the punishing weekly testing schedule to which you are ordinarily subjected.
However, there's always more me over at the Bike Forecast, and I would be remiss if I did not send you off into the weekend without homework, so here's some assigned reading in the form of my most recent essay for Reclaim:
Please prepare a 1,500 word critical response for Monday and submit it via my online portal here.
And finally, here are some Dutch people exuding a smug sense of superiority which is entirely warranted:
With that, class is hereby dismissed.
See you next week!
Ride safe,
--Wildcat Rock Machine
Therefore, consider this a reprieve from the punishing weekly testing schedule to which you are ordinarily subjected.
However, there's always more me over at the Bike Forecast, and I would be remiss if I did not send you off into the weekend without homework, so here's some assigned reading in the form of my most recent essay for Reclaim:
Please prepare a 1,500 word critical response for Monday and submit it via my online portal here.
And finally, here are some Dutch people exuding a smug sense of superiority which is entirely warranted:
With that, class is hereby dismissed.
See you next week!
Ride safe,
--Wildcat Rock Machine
June 22, 2017
What Mircobes You Running?
Before anything else, I've been meaning to mention this for the last few days:
Apologies for my tardiness.
However, the festival runs through the 25th, and you've still got time to get in on this tonight:
I would totally go see this tonight if I could:
A Sunday In Hell Trailer Amedeo and Simone Pace Score (Blonde Redhead) from Bicycle Film Festival on Vimeo.
But I can't, so I'm not.
Moving on, a number of people have forwarded me this, so now I'm subjecting you to it:
To be a professional cyclist, one must have guts, microbiologist Lauren Peterson says, and she doesn’t just mean that in the metaphorical sense. Peterson, herself a pro endurance mountain biker, has theorized that elite cyclists have a certain microbiome living in their intestines that may allow them to perform better, and if you don’t have it, well, there may soon be a way to get it. . . .
Oh yeah, this is going exactly where you hoped it wouldn't:
Peterson hosts Prevotella in her gut, thanks to a fecal transplant she administered herself three years ago. Her donor? Another elite athlete.
So how do you pull off an amateur fecal transplant with a fellow athlete? I just assumed you'd go butt-to-butt, but in fact what you do is you perform a "reverse enema:"
But through chance, she came across a donor, an elite long-distance racer, who had his microbiome mapped and screened after a case of food poisoning, which showed he was otherwise healthy. So Peterson took antibiotics to wipe out her own gut bacteria and essentially performed a reverse enema.
“I just did it at home,” she said of the February 2014 procedure. “It’s not fun, but it’s pretty basic.”
Incidentally, "Reverse Enema" is also the name of my pop punk band, and that's exactly how Brooklyn Vegan reviewed our first album:
Anyway, the story leaves certain questions unanswered (chief among them being #whatpressureyourunning on that reverse enema), but results are results:
Within a month, Peterson said, she began feeling better than she’d felt in years. She said before her transplant she was having trouble just training on her bike; just months later, she said she began winning pro races.
Of course, there is no way to prove the fecal transplant, opposed to other changes she may have made in her lifestyle or even the placebo effect, was the cause for her rebound.
And sure, it's all too easy to laugh at stuff like poop and enemas (in fact I'm laughing even as I type this), but keep in mind this is someone who's been suffering from the effects of Lyme disease, which can be debilitating, and if this relieved those symptoms then that's no joke.
Still, my concern is that fecal transplants and reverse enemas will fall into the wrong hands. Yeah, you know which hands I'm talking about: Fred hands. Freds are like North Korea in that if you allow them access to any sort of technology or information they'll turn around and use it against society. (To wit: Strava, power meters, Zwift, the list goes on.) Given this, all it takes is for one Fred to read that certain intestinal microbiomes are performance-enhancing and before you know it they're all sticking tubeless sealant injectors up their ass before races:
Which means doctors are going to be seeing a lot of this:
Don't think this is dangerous? Well consider which publication broke the story in the first place:
Bicycling is the Fred bible, and not only do they name all the performance-enhancing microbes:
In addition to Prevotella, Petersen has identified an archeon named Methanobrevibacter smithii, or M. smithii, which she believes is also significant. Archeon are ancient microorganisms that have managed to survive for millions of years in hostile habitats like sulfur springs and deep in the ocean. They also live in the human digestive system, where they have specialized functions. Like Prevotella, Elite cyclists often have M. smithii, but it’s less common in amateur racers. That’s significant because M. smithii also appears to be a performance-enhancing microbe.
But they even mention carbon!
What does it do? In science terms, it thrives on hydrogen and carbon dioxide and other bacterial waste products in the gut. In 12-year old boy terms, M. smithii eats the poop of bacteria. Yes, everybody poops, even bacteria, and it can have detrimental effects on your health. Namely: buildups of hydrogen and carbon dioxide can prevent the other bacteria in your gut from properly breaking down your food for fuel, which is bad news if you need calories for that sprint.
Performance enhancing and carbon? That squirting sound you hear is a thousand self-administered reverse enemas.
But of course like any other cutting-edge Fred tech you pay a high price for being an early adopter:
“What we’re learning is going to change a lot for cyclists as well as the rest of the population,” says Petersen. “If you get tested and you’re missing something, maybe in three years you’ll be able to get it through a pill instead of a fecal transplant. We’ve got data that no one has ever seen before, and we’re learning a lot. And I think I can say with confidence that bacterial doping— call it poop doping, if you must— is coming soon.”
Shoulda waited for the pill.
Apologies for my tardiness.
However, the festival runs through the 25th, and you've still got time to get in on this tonight:
I would totally go see this tonight if I could:
A Sunday In Hell Trailer Amedeo and Simone Pace Score (Blonde Redhead) from Bicycle Film Festival on Vimeo.
But I can't, so I'm not.
Moving on, a number of people have forwarded me this, so now I'm subjecting you to it:
To be a professional cyclist, one must have guts, microbiologist Lauren Peterson says, and she doesn’t just mean that in the metaphorical sense. Peterson, herself a pro endurance mountain biker, has theorized that elite cyclists have a certain microbiome living in their intestines that may allow them to perform better, and if you don’t have it, well, there may soon be a way to get it. . . .
Oh yeah, this is going exactly where you hoped it wouldn't:
Peterson hosts Prevotella in her gut, thanks to a fecal transplant she administered herself three years ago. Her donor? Another elite athlete.
So how do you pull off an amateur fecal transplant with a fellow athlete? I just assumed you'd go butt-to-butt, but in fact what you do is you perform a "reverse enema:"
But through chance, she came across a donor, an elite long-distance racer, who had his microbiome mapped and screened after a case of food poisoning, which showed he was otherwise healthy. So Peterson took antibiotics to wipe out her own gut bacteria and essentially performed a reverse enema.
“I just did it at home,” she said of the February 2014 procedure. “It’s not fun, but it’s pretty basic.”
Incidentally, "Reverse Enema" is also the name of my pop punk band, and that's exactly how Brooklyn Vegan reviewed our first album:
Anyway, the story leaves certain questions unanswered (chief among them being #whatpressureyourunning on that reverse enema), but results are results:
Within a month, Peterson said, she began feeling better than she’d felt in years. She said before her transplant she was having trouble just training on her bike; just months later, she said she began winning pro races.
Of course, there is no way to prove the fecal transplant, opposed to other changes she may have made in her lifestyle or even the placebo effect, was the cause for her rebound.
And sure, it's all too easy to laugh at stuff like poop and enemas (in fact I'm laughing even as I type this), but keep in mind this is someone who's been suffering from the effects of Lyme disease, which can be debilitating, and if this relieved those symptoms then that's no joke.
Still, my concern is that fecal transplants and reverse enemas will fall into the wrong hands. Yeah, you know which hands I'm talking about: Fred hands. Freds are like North Korea in that if you allow them access to any sort of technology or information they'll turn around and use it against society. (To wit: Strava, power meters, Zwift, the list goes on.) Given this, all it takes is for one Fred to read that certain intestinal microbiomes are performance-enhancing and before you know it they're all sticking tubeless sealant injectors up their ass before races:
Which means doctors are going to be seeing a lot of this:
Don't think this is dangerous? Well consider which publication broke the story in the first place:
Bicycling is the Fred bible, and not only do they name all the performance-enhancing microbes:
In addition to Prevotella, Petersen has identified an archeon named Methanobrevibacter smithii, or M. smithii, which she believes is also significant. Archeon are ancient microorganisms that have managed to survive for millions of years in hostile habitats like sulfur springs and deep in the ocean. They also live in the human digestive system, where they have specialized functions. Like Prevotella, Elite cyclists often have M. smithii, but it’s less common in amateur racers. That’s significant because M. smithii also appears to be a performance-enhancing microbe.
But they even mention carbon!
What does it do? In science terms, it thrives on hydrogen and carbon dioxide and other bacterial waste products in the gut. In 12-year old boy terms, M. smithii eats the poop of bacteria. Yes, everybody poops, even bacteria, and it can have detrimental effects on your health. Namely: buildups of hydrogen and carbon dioxide can prevent the other bacteria in your gut from properly breaking down your food for fuel, which is bad news if you need calories for that sprint.
Performance enhancing and carbon? That squirting sound you hear is a thousand self-administered reverse enemas.
But of course like any other cutting-edge Fred tech you pay a high price for being an early adopter:
“What we’re learning is going to change a lot for cyclists as well as the rest of the population,” says Petersen. “If you get tested and you’re missing something, maybe in three years you’ll be able to get it through a pill instead of a fecal transplant. We’ve got data that no one has ever seen before, and we’re learning a lot. And I think I can say with confidence that bacterial doping— call it poop doping, if you must— is coming soon.”
Shoulda waited for the pill.
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