http://us.mg1.mail.yahoo.com/dc/launch?.gx=1&.rand=6b4s73ltiold3

theses wheels are on sale...I have them and love them...if u are thinking of getting some carbon tunulars for race day wheels...you can not go wrong at this price...yacks

http://www.neuvationcycling.com/Dealsoftheday.html

oops...heres the link

In case you're unfamilair wit the BMX world, its common for start riders to do a "Bike Check" video where they rattle off and point out (in all seriousness) the "cool" components on their latest ride. Austin rider Sean Burns used some local Austin friends for a bike check on his Metal Bikes Bloodwolf. It's worth checking out. I would love to see something like this in the road world:

http://vimeo.com/3370272

Neil, there are really no words for that. However, Yacks just got a new ride. Maybe he'll oblige us with a "bike check."

Agreed Jeff. Yacks? Norm? Please can we get a Spooky bike check like this one?

As long as your bike check includes some fine-ass stripper dancing.

Fyi- for those, like myself, who use Manhattan bridge all the time, this started today.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/manhattan_bridge_walking_biking.pdf

Wowsers!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z1fSpZNXhU&feature=player_embedded

@ bill: oh the joys of Canal St.

i will never understand how/why so many "extreme" sports videos are paired with these completely limp-dicked songs about high-school heart ache sung by guys with asymetrical bangs.

ugh

spot on about the songs William, but this video is badass, I don't care if some guy could do the same on a carbon fiber road bike.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o

OK so Mr MacAskill is king, but c'mon! Fey song aside, dude does a 360 flip on at the end. No fat tires, road bars.
Respect!

No fat tires, no road bars, no bike...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeY0T7wvczI&feature=player_embedded#at=30

Don't mean to be wayyyy off topic BUT:

Does anyone have any hiking/ trekking poles I could borrow for 10 days starting this weekend?

you could email me directly: wojciechplata@aol.com

Thanks Neil!

@WP I think this is the place to be off topic. No hiking poles though.

LBS anyone?
http://www.neo2.es/blog/2011/08/pave-barcelona/

Just got a call from a certain team asking if I want to join a "real team"

Haha thought that was worth sharing as this "real team" isn't all that good

I wonder what people think a "real team" is. I think to a lot of people, it just means one that's "not open."

A different kind of race this labor day weekend.

http://online.wsj.com/video/tug-boats-battle-on-the-hudson/C37BE5EA-B2C7-4B45-80FD-291AF07F6269.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_mpvidcar_2

Posted By: Wojciech PJust got a call from a certain team asking if I want to join a "real team"

Haha thought that was worth sharing as this "real team" isn't all that good

Lol ouch.

That's so hilarious and sad that people out there still think Kissena isn't a "real team." How many leader's jerseys do we have to win? How many fields do we have to shred? How many breakaways do we have to start? How many KOM and Sprint points do we have to collect? How many regular, weekly morning training sessions do we have to run? How many workshops and lectures do we have to give? How many group training rides do we have to host?

If being a "real team" means not organizing/sponsoring any open races, paying ridiculous membership/coaching fees and/or riding matching bikes, then yes I guess we're not a "real team."

Of course, it seems that our "fake team" is doing a pretty good job of helping develop riders who are good enough to get calls from the real teams. Oh, the irony. Seriously, do you want to be a part of team (real or fake) that just doesn't get irony?

On a side note, I get that every year people will want to leave Kissena for one reason or another. And that's fine, I understand sometimes you just need a change. Maybe your buddies are on another club and you want to race with them. Cool. But it just doesn't make sense that it would be because "we're not a real team." We're as real as they get folks.

They mentioned team as opposed to the "club" that we are. I think if we drop the word club and make our name fancier... Like "kissena cycling/cycle-ops-ritchey" we will be considered a "real team"

It's just another negative aspect of NYC cycling I guess. Screw 'em

I know we're killing it at the races. It would be great to get an accounting.

Click on this spreadsheet and enter your results
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=tyc0h-2x4RLfcis2P74hu6w&authkey=CMDEg9cK#gid=0

It's pretty simple. We want all 2011 results. Road, Track, CX, MTB, Tri', Endurance, Alley Cat, etc. Any competition. Results are defined by any time you placed in the top ten of a race, with or without prize money. If you finished lower than 10th, but received a prize, we want that as well. Like if you're 15th and got $10 for it, put that in. If you were 3rd, but got no prize, put that in as well.

What I think is very interesting, is that most of these "teams" get very little from their sponsors, if anything, at least from what I've heard. I'd be curious to know what EMS has to offer. Free carabiner to each rider? Seems silly to poster yourself with advertisements for no good reason.

Another downside of these niche teams, is that you will be dragged into the CRCA club race scene. There seems to be so much drama in those races I don't know why anyone would want to be a part of them. I think the idea of having a "closed" race is just silly.

At the same time, some of them have fulfilled their apparent mission. BH is a very good cat 3 / masters team and tend to do well in those races. Adler has stepped up their game considerably. That being said, I think Kissena stacks up against them just fine without having to define ourselves as just a "cat 3 team" or what have you. We can remain an open club that develops riders and competes well at all levels of racing.

Whatever. Haters gonna hate.

They "Hate" angle was one of the main drivers for me to leave CRCA, along with the strange "exclusivity" the seemed to permeate things. On the occasions when we did race in open races (Battenkill, etc) the guys were like kids from a Private School at a public park; awkward to say the least.

I think the exclusivity of CRCA teams works against them because the riders are always under a distant cloud/threat of expulsion.

And yeah, the sponsorships from what I could tell were token at best. I never so much as got a sample of that Yogurt...

yeah . . . the yogurt was reserved for cat3 and up

Well, even then, I've talked to a bunch of CRCA cat3 and up peeps who never received some of the gravy that was dangled like so many carrots. From discounts to race fee reimbursements and travel costs.

Again, sponsorships come and go and things fall through, that's understandable. But if you promise things and use those perks as one of the main reasons for recruiting to an exclusive team, I get it why people get annoyed when they aren't provided.

In case of EMS, those kits are absolutely lame. If we're going to peddle around in tight clown outfits, at least try to keep the garish fashion in check. I will submit my top ten local kit acceptance list soon. Outside of the top 5, it gets pretty bad!

I actually left the predecessor to EMS (NY Sketches) to join Kissena. I joined it because the guy who ran it, Henoch, was an old friend, and I was responsible for the blindingly colorful clothing. I must admit that when I was riding with NY Sketches, the deals he put together for a small squad were impressive. Seigler bicycles and Bicycle Habitat were great sponsors. I think that sort of thing varies widely from team to team.
But I was always the only Cat 4 on the team. I missed having people to race with and for. I also wanted an environment that offered things like group training. I still consider Henoch a friend and applaud his efforts, but am much happier now that I am on Kissena. I've joined old friends here, and made a lot of new friends. There is a positivity to what we do that I think adds to our success, a success that is much more enjoyable because it is shared. My favorite moments of the last couple years were laying it down for teammates, and seeing them succeed.

As for calling us a club, I think there is no shame in that. After all, we are clubbing them with results.

curious to hear the top 5 best kits in NYC

my top 5, IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, are:

Hudson
BH/Garneau
Adler
Merril Lynch (defunct - became BH)
Mengoni

kissena . . . not one of the tops, but holds a "special" place in my heart

speaking of which, would there ever be interest in a dramatic kissena jersey redesign? maybe not as teh standard jersey, but as an "alternate" jersey like they do in hockey (the alternate being the "third" jersey in addition tot he home nad away colors).

adler did an AWESOME alternate jersey that was full of hilarious fake sponsors like rolex and louis vuiton.

i would be interested in an ASYMETRICAL design

thoughts?

NY sketches is also a dope kit

Posted By: Nathaniel MillerAs for calling us a club, I think there is no shame in that. After all, we are clubbing them with results.

BON MOTS!