Dec 19, 2024 at 01:14 AM
Good electrolytes though!
In Print: Articles of Interest
Dec 22, 2024 at 08:28 PM
GT Bicycles "Pauses" New Product Releases & Reduces Workforce
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/gt-bicycles-pauses-new-product-releases-and-reduces-workforce.htmlPundits speculate that once current inventory is sold, it might stop completely. Hope that is not the case.
Dec 23, 2024 at 12:55 AM
You'd think that a major holding firm like PON would have a more elegant way of shutting down a well known brand like GT.
Dec 24, 2024 at 03:39 PM
I think GT has been dying a slow death for probably over a decade.David Yang said:You'd think that a major holding firm like PON would have a more elegant way of shutting down a well known brand like GT.
It had been demoted to a big box brand, then they tried to come back into shops, which seemed half-assed, and then couldn't figure out its place.
Maybe they could have resucsitated the brand by doing oversize BMX bikes, like the Big Ripper wheelie bikes seen around NYC, but they didn't.
Jan 06, 2025 at 12:49 AM
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/02/brompton-profits-plunge-amid-bike-industry-turmoil
Brompton profits plunge more than 99% amid bike industry turmoil
Profits fell from £10.7m to £4,602 in the year to the end of March 2024 – less than the cost of Brompton’s top-of-the-range T Line Explore bike – as riders sought cheaper options during a cost of living squeeze.
Jan 06, 2025 at 01:28 AM
Yikessss
Jan 06, 2025 at 01:45 AM
Idk. This seems more like mismanagement than a canary. Somethings gotta be missing.
Jan 07, 2025 at 03:09 AM
I think it's more like Brompton is having the same problems much of the bike industry is experiencing.
Jan 07, 2025 at 04:13 AM
Jan 07, 2025 at 02:28 PM
Pretty great episode of Geraint’s podcast with Kristin Faulkner where she talks about her effort and strategy to earning gold in the 2024 Olympic road race and team pursuit track events
Jan 08, 2025 at 12:37 AM
The Pavel Sivakov one is pretty good also , talks about training zone 2 etc
but everyone should go back and listen to the Campernats episode 👊
but everyone should go back and listen to the Campernats episode 👊
Jan 08, 2025 at 02:30 AM
I’m halfway through the Sivakov. Pretty interesting hearing him talk about the training and tactics. Made me wonder what they actually are saying to each other during races
campaenarts was a+!
campaenarts was a+!
Jan 08, 2025 at 02:43 AM
Re: Brompton - If you find a good deal on one because they or their retailers need to move inventory - especially a model with multiple gears - jump on it, it'll be your favorite, most versatile non-race bike.
Jan 11, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Feds plan overhaul at NYC's Floyd Bennett Field after migrant shelter moves out
A set of bid requests published by the National Park Service this week called for a new operator to take over Floyd Bennett’s four massive historic hangars, which are joined together and house the recreational facilities run by Aviator. The park service also said it was seeking an operator to sign a 10-year lease to operate a pair of nearby golf courses: The Riis Golf Course, which is located just steps from the beach about two miles down Flatbush Avenue, and the Flatbush Avenue Driving Range, which is across the street from the hangars at Floyd Bennett Field.
Jan 11, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Velodrome at FB and CX on the golf courses!
Jan 12, 2025 at 01:04 PM
Classy move from Plapp
Luke Durbridge wins men's Australian road race title at home as teammate Luke Plapp sacrifices fourth win
Jan 14, 2025 at 08:32 PM
UCI to Fine Riders Cheering Teammates in Bunch Sprints
The UCI will impose sanctions on those cheering teammates in bunch sprints this coming season.
The governing body’s updated rulebook for the new year includes penalties for those “decelerating during a sprint and endangering other riders.”
Riders will be slapped with a fine of between 100CHF and 500CHF ($110-$550USD) and any of a range of other penalties under new regulations on bunch kicks. Offenders will also potentially face yellow cards, placement penalties, or deductions in points in stage-race classifications.
The UCI’s new rulebook cites “knowingly staying within the line of other riders, celebrating in the bunch, talking on the radio or taking hands off handlebars while in the bunch” as punishable actions.
Jan 15, 2025 at 02:34 PM
I'd be curious to know where they draw the line. Does someone winning a bunch sprint and celebrating at the line violate that? Though, IMO, they should wait until they've crossed the line and for sure won *ahem*, Wout and Lorena Wiebes
Jan 15, 2025 at 08:43 PM
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/nyregion/nypd-bans-high-speed-chases-for-low-level-offenses.html?smtyp=cur&smid=bsky-nytimes
Weirdly enough, the article they link to themselves gets the fact that she was struck in Astoria right. Reading is hard!
The police continued vehicle pursuits even as crashes caused by city vehicles have cost the city hundreds of millions of dollars. They also have led to deaths. In October, Amanda Servedio, 36, was riding her bicycle on the Queensboro Bridge when she was struck and killed by a driver who was fleeing the police.
I'm the first person to get that journalists can make errors in their copy, but it baffles me that NYT can publish an article that states she was struck on the Queensboro. Doesn't anyone in their newsroom ever ride a bike across that bridge? I would almost wish that path was wide enough for cars to fit on there.Weirdly enough, the article they link to themselves gets the fact that she was struck in Astoria right. Reading is hard!
Jan 15, 2025 at 10:25 PM
High speed chases have been identified as far more lethal to bystanders for over 30 years. It's absolutely criminal that they're allowed in any but the rarest circumstances.
Jan 15, 2025 at 10:27 PM
The UCI doesn't pass any rule unless it does one of the following:LennartZandbergen said:UCI to Fine Riders Cheering Teammates in Bunch Sprints
The UCI will impose sanctions on those cheering teammates in bunch sprints this coming season.
The governing body’s updated rulebook for the new year includes penalties for those “decelerating during a sprint and endangering other riders.”
Riders will be slapped with a fine of between 100CHF and 500CHF ($110-$550USD) and any of a range of other penalties under new regulations on bunch kicks. Offenders will also potentially face yellow cards, placement penalties, or deductions in points in stage-race classifications.
The UCI’s new rulebook cites “knowingly staying within the line of other riders, celebrating in the bunch, talking on the radio or taking hands off handlebars while in the bunch” as punishable actions.
- reduces the entertainment value of the sport
- reduces the safety of the riders
- creates needless complexity and contradicts another UCI rule
Jan 16, 2025 at 01:20 AM
While I think it looks cool when a rider wins and his teammate is celebrating behind, I also know that in most of these races, that teammate we see in the background is likely impeding the progress of riders around him/her, and those riders still going for it are doing everything they can to secure prize money, UCI points, and often race sprints points that will help not only them, but their teammates, and their organizations.
As I think I've pointed out elsewhere, when Cav' won his record-breaking Tour stage, the switch he pulled to get a clear shot at the line ended up leading to Mads Pedersen crashing, and costing him and his team, any shot at the green jersey--it also probably cost him quite a bit of his planned season.
As I think I've pointed out elsewhere, when Cav' won his record-breaking Tour stage, the switch he pulled to get a clear shot at the line ended up leading to Mads Pedersen crashing, and costing him and his team, any shot at the green jersey--it also probably cost him quite a bit of his planned season.
I want the races to be exciting. I want the celebrations. But I also think we should recognize that the guys immediately behind are still racing.
Is there a better way to balance the competing interests?
Is there a better way to balance the competing interests?
Jan 16, 2025 at 04:10 AM
I think the crashes behind are not typically the result of teammates celebrating, especially if the hands up are coming 20 places back as often happens.
I think the existing rules prohibiting riders from deviating from their lines or causing crashes should suffice.
I think the existing rules prohibiting riders from deviating from their lines or causing crashes should suffice.
Jan 27, 2025 at 05:52 PM
Jan 28, 2025 at 04:46 PM
Who wants to build the next English language cycling stream app?
Eurosport is closing down in the UK
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/eurosport-is-closing-down-in-the-uk-cycling-is-about-to-get-a-lot-more-expensive-to-watch
Eurosport is closing down in the UK
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/eurosport-is-closing-down-in-the-uk-cycling-is-about-to-get-a-lot-more-expensive-to-watch
Feb 03, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Feb 20, 2025 at 02:21 PM
Feb 20, 2025 at 07:05 PM
Feb 25, 2025 at 03:44 PM
I came across this by accident.
"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hopes seem hardly worth having, just mount a bicycle and go for a good spin down the road, without thought of anything but the ride you are taking."
It's from an article by Arthur Conan Doyle in 1895.
It goes on:
It goes on:
"I have, myself, ridden the bicycle most during my practice as a physician and during my work in letters. In the morning or the afternoon, before or after work, as the mood o'ertakes me, I mount the wheel and am off for a spin of a few miles up or down the road from my country-place. I can only speak words of praise for the bicycle, for I believe that its use is commonly beneficial and not at all detrimental to health, except in the matter of beginners who overdo it.
"The bicycle craze seems to me to be only in its infancy, for probably in time we shall witness the spectacle of our business men going to their offices mounted on the bicycle, instead of using the tramways.
"As for the bicycle being more popular in America than in England, I am rather inclined to believe, from what I have seen in both countries, that its popularity on both sides of the water, among English-speaking people, is a pretty even thing."
https://www.arthur-conan-doyle.com/index.php/What_are_the_Benefits_of_Bicycling?
Feb 25, 2025 at 03:57 PM
Can you talk us through where you are with the Tour?
My first year in the Tour was amazing, of course it was my first experience of it. I won a stage, G [Geraint Thomas] was on the podium. It was great. And then the last two years, to be honest, I didn’t really enjoy it. It was difficult. I didn’t win a stage, as a team we didn’t have as much success as we used to, so it was difficult and I need to refind that feeling I had in the first year to be honest.
What is that particular feeling?
Just enjoying it, feeling like I’m part of the race. I think also the expectations grew in the last two years and yeah I didn’t meet them for a multitude of reasons, and then it’s not really enjoyable. You’re always trying to reason with yourself, I guess.
Mathieu van der Poel has said something similar about not enjoying the Tour - how do you find focus and singularity when you are so ridiculously gifted at multiple disciplines?
I remember one day riding at the back in the Tour and Van der Poel was just in front. I didn’t speak to him, I didn’t say anything, but I could just see from his body language that he was kind of feeling the same as me, in that ‘this is just boring, this is crap’. He wasn’t enjoying it, even though you’re in the biggest race in the world and there’s thousands of people cheering.
It’s a bit of a pressure cooker. Every day, there’s eyes on you, there’s questions and it’s just not going how you want it to. Like, before a race you’re asked how you’re expected to go and you have to give an answer that’s positive. You can’t just go ‘I think it’s going to be crap’ and then when it is crap, you have to then answer the questions of why it’s crap.
And for him [Van der Poel], it’s probably even worse than me. He’s world champion, wearing the rainbow jersey and he’s a leadout man basically.
My first year in the Tour was amazing, of course it was my first experience of it. I won a stage, G [Geraint Thomas] was on the podium. It was great. And then the last two years, to be honest, I didn’t really enjoy it. It was difficult. I didn’t win a stage, as a team we didn’t have as much success as we used to, so it was difficult and I need to refind that feeling I had in the first year to be honest.
What is that particular feeling?
Just enjoying it, feeling like I’m part of the race. I think also the expectations grew in the last two years and yeah I didn’t meet them for a multitude of reasons, and then it’s not really enjoyable. You’re always trying to reason with yourself, I guess.
Mathieu van der Poel has said something similar about not enjoying the Tour - how do you find focus and singularity when you are so ridiculously gifted at multiple disciplines?
I remember one day riding at the back in the Tour and Van der Poel was just in front. I didn’t speak to him, I didn’t say anything, but I could just see from his body language that he was kind of feeling the same as me, in that ‘this is just boring, this is crap’. He wasn’t enjoying it, even though you’re in the biggest race in the world and there’s thousands of people cheering.
It’s a bit of a pressure cooker. Every day, there’s eyes on you, there’s questions and it’s just not going how you want it to. Like, before a race you’re asked how you’re expected to go and you have to give an answer that’s positive. You can’t just go ‘I think it’s going to be crap’ and then when it is crap, you have to then answer the questions of why it’s crap.
And for him [Van der Poel], it’s probably even worse than me. He’s world champion, wearing the rainbow jersey and he’s a leadout man basically.