Saturday, June 28, 2008
Indiana Represent
I know some people from Indiana. They are not in this video. But the video is still pretty good. Now, get off the internet and onto your bike.
Ireland to Race at the Olympics!
Fantastic news! It has just been announced that Irish national road champion and Pezula Racing rider David O'Loughlin has qualified for the 4km Individual Pursuit at the Beijing Olympics! Feckin' brilliant!!
David O'Loughlin, of Ireland and Pezula Racing, at the Track World Championships in Manchester this year. Photo by Stephen McMahon for BikeRadar.
I've been following David's attempts to qualify for some time. He smashed the Irish national 4km Individual Pursuit record at the recent World Championships in Manchester, where he came 6th overall and moved up into 6th place in the UCI world rankings. But, even that great performance wasn't enough for the Irishman, who only took up track in 2006 and who has to train in England because Ireland doesn't have a velodrome, to qualify. David missed out by one place! There was a slight chance that he might qualify as first reserve if someone dropped out, but no one was really holding out much hope. Well someone has dropped out, and David is now going to the Olympics!
The news gets even better. Apparently, David has improved his 4km time to 4 minutes and 20 seconds, 9 seconds faster than the time that got him 6th place at the Worlds, and only 2 seconds off Bradley Wiggins' World Championship winning time. So, he has a real chance of a medal in Beijing. I'm delighted for him and his team, because they've really been working hard for this, and it will be great to have someone to cheer on while watching the track racing. I'll be giving it loads of olé olé, don't you worry!
David O'Loughlin, of Ireland and Pezula Racing, at the Track World Championships in Manchester this year. Photo by Stephen McMahon for BikeRadar.The news gets even better. Apparently, David has improved his 4km time to 4 minutes and 20 seconds, 9 seconds faster than the time that got him 6th place at the Worlds, and only 2 seconds off Bradley Wiggins' World Championship winning time. So, he has a real chance of a medal in Beijing. I'm delighted for him and his team, because they've really been working hard for this, and it will be great to have someone to cheer on while watching the track racing. I'll be giving it loads of olé olé, don't you worry!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Heroes, Villains and Velodromes
Richard Moore, whose biography of British cycling legend Robert Millar won all kinds of awards last year, examines how Britain managed to make itself the dominant force in track racing. "By shadowing Chris Hoy through a season with the British track cycling team, Richard Moore has gained an unembellished insight into the mind of a world champion. He has also attained unprecedented levels of access to the key members of the all-conquering British team (which smashed all records and dominated the 2007 and 2008 world championships) and support staff, including top coaches, world-renowned psychiatrists, doctors (where the subject of drug abuse is an ever-present shadow) and the pivotal characters behind the scenes. Combining his forensic knowledge of the cycling world with his acclaimed skills as a tenacious investigative journalist, Moore captures the mood of the British team and explores an area of professional sport that has rarely been seen before." It sounds like an incredible book, and should probably be required reading for anyone interested in track racing.
It Comes Full Circle?
Skating in Dublin about 8 years ago.
Wrong foot skid in Chicago about a year ago.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Chicago Cyclist Killed After Being Doored
Clinton Miceli, a 22 year old graphic designer, was killed this month after being struck by a car door that someone opened in his path. The Chicago Tribune reported that Clinton "struck the SUV's door, flew off his bike and was run over by a passing vehicle that eventually stopped. He suffered severe head injuries and was pronounced dead Monday night at Northwestern Memorial Hospital." He was the second Chicago area cyclist killed in as many days, bringing the number of cyclists killed on the streets of Chicago this year to at least seven... It's hard to keep track... And then, just the other day, a friend of mine and xXx rider Robin was doored as she rode along the street. The impact threw her into one of the steel columns that supports the El tracks, and she was left with broken ribs and other injuries. I mean, she was literally left, lying in the street; the bastard who opened the door in her path fled the scene without checking to see if she was okay. Unbelievble. Get well soon, Robin.
Shocked by Clinton's death, some people on ChiFG.com have started work on an anti-dooring campaign, to raise awareness of the vulnerability of cyclists and to try to get people to check their mirrors before they open their car doors. ChiFG member TrinedyN made this design, which will hopefully be made into stickers and flyers. I'll post more info as the campaign progresses.
[update] In response to my post about his death, Clinton Miceli’s sister Keiko sent me this email:
“I saw you posted a blog this morning about the Chicago biker who was doored and killed... Clint was my brother. I just thought I would let you know that Clint did ride a fixed gear, and that was the bike he was riding when he was killed. Some people are posting online that my brother was an idiot to have a bike that doesn’t have brakes, but actually Clint's bike had a front brake, and anyway the witnesses said that he didn’t even have time to try to stop…
I want people to know the truth. Clint was wearing his helmet, and he had a flashing light on the back of his bike and a flashing light on his backpack strap on the front of his body. The newspaper article says that they cannot confirm if he was wearing a helmet, but the police report says he was, plus he told me he always wore it, and all his co-workers and neighbours said anytime they saw him riding he had the helmet on. According to witnesses, the helmet got ripped off when the car hit him, which may be why they can't confirm he had it on. By the time the cops got there, a man had gathered Clint's bike, bag, glasses, and helmet and set them on the sidewalk. But I believe that in 99 out of 100 crashes, a helmet will make a difference.
My family wants to spread the message about looking in your mirror and also wearing a helmet. Clint was really big on wearing a helmet when he biked. I wish we didn’t have to pay so high a price for people to listen to the message though.
It really means a lot to me and my family and Clint's friends that so many people are rallying behind him. It is frustrating that he wasn't doing anything wrong, and he still died. But that seems to be the case with bikers..."
More details on the anti-dooring campaing to follow. Everyone ride safe, and remember Clinton in your thoughts.
Shocked by Clinton's death, some people on ChiFG.com have started work on an anti-dooring campaign, to raise awareness of the vulnerability of cyclists and to try to get people to check their mirrors before they open their car doors. ChiFG member TrinedyN made this design, which will hopefully be made into stickers and flyers. I'll post more info as the campaign progresses.
[update] In response to my post about his death, Clinton Miceli’s sister Keiko sent me this email:
“I saw you posted a blog this morning about the Chicago biker who was doored and killed... Clint was my brother. I just thought I would let you know that Clint did ride a fixed gear, and that was the bike he was riding when he was killed. Some people are posting online that my brother was an idiot to have a bike that doesn’t have brakes, but actually Clint's bike had a front brake, and anyway the witnesses said that he didn’t even have time to try to stop…
I want people to know the truth. Clint was wearing his helmet, and he had a flashing light on the back of his bike and a flashing light on his backpack strap on the front of his body. The newspaper article says that they cannot confirm if he was wearing a helmet, but the police report says he was, plus he told me he always wore it, and all his co-workers and neighbours said anytime they saw him riding he had the helmet on. According to witnesses, the helmet got ripped off when the car hit him, which may be why they can't confirm he had it on. By the time the cops got there, a man had gathered Clint's bike, bag, glasses, and helmet and set them on the sidewalk. But I believe that in 99 out of 100 crashes, a helmet will make a difference.
My family wants to spread the message about looking in your mirror and also wearing a helmet. Clint was really big on wearing a helmet when he biked. I wish we didn’t have to pay so high a price for people to listen to the message though.
It really means a lot to me and my family and Clint's friends that so many people are rallying behind him. It is frustrating that he wasn't doing anything wrong, and he still died. But that seems to be the case with bikers..."
More details on the anti-dooring campaing to follow. Everyone ride safe, and remember Clinton in your thoughts.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Problems at Northbrook Velodrome?
I don’t really like to do this, but I feel I have to. I’m going to devote an entire post to talking about some problems at Chicago’s local velodrome, the Ed Rudolph Velodrome in Northbook, IL. I love that track, and I’m thankful that people in Chicago have access to a velodrome, but lately some interesting issues have arisen.
The problem, in a nutshell, is upgrades. For people who don’t know what I’m talking about, let me explain. Amateur bike racers in the USA are ranked according to their skill, experience and performances, with the beginner riders ranked as Category 5, and the best and most experienced riders ranked as Category 1. Usually, a Cat5 rider can only race with other Cat 5 riders, and so on. To progress from one category to another is called “to upgrade.” The USAC, the organization that runs cycling in the USA, has a set of guidelines outlining the different upgrade requirements. Here they are:
Track Upgrades
All track upgrades are processed by the Velodrome Managers using the following criteria (ATRA guidelines):
Cat. 5 to Cat. 4 Complete a Velodrome Class or 4 race days.
Cat. 4 to Cat. 3 5 race days and 20 points
Cat. 3 to Cat. 2 5 race days and 25 points
Cat. 2 to Cat. 1 5 race days and 30 points
Northbrook velodrome, however, has its own requirements, even though it’s a USAC sanctioned track. It requires that a rider complete not 4 but 10 events, either track clinics (basically velodrome classes) or race nights (with a maximum of 5 clinics). 10 events. That’s a lot. Why does Northbrook require so many events of its beginner riders? Are Chicago riders more dangerous than riders in other parts of the US? Is that why they need twice as much experience as the USAC deems necessary? Or is it because there are more and more riders heading to Northbrook to race track, thanks to the proliferation of track bikes on the streets of Chicago? Are there so many riders hitting the track that Northbrook is being overwhelmed? I don’t know.
But, there’s more. After each track event at Northbrook, an official has to sign your upgrade form to show that you attended, so you need 10 signatures on your form before you can upgrade. But, and here’s the kicker, the signature is given at the discretion of the official, meaning that an official doesn’t have to give you a signature. I suppose that sounds reasonable, so why is it a problem? At the Friday night Cat5 races (Cat5 riders are not allowed race any other night) it’s a problem because no one really knows what criteria the officials are using to judge whether a rider deserves a signature or not. After races last season, Cat5 riders were told that to get a signature a rider must have demonstrated an ability to hang with the Cat5 pack, and demonstrated an ability to ride safely.
That seems pretty straight-forward, right? If you can hang with the pack, and you ride safely, then you will get an upgrade signature. But, is it really that straight-forward in practice? What does “hanging with the 5s” even mean? Does is mean staying in the pack for every race? No one really knows. It’s up to the official on the night to make the call. Whether you get a signature is thus down to one person, the Friday night official. At the first night of Cat5 racing this season, a whole bunch of riders were denied signatures. One rider, who had come 8th in his first race, stayed with the pack in his second race, and then got lapped in his last race was denied a signature. He was told that he was too slow, even though he’d done well in two of the three races! When he pointed out that he’d only been dropped during the last race, the official responded by saying that the race “hadn’t even been that fast.” Charming. Another racer, who has apparently been to a lot of clinics and is a very safe, if not a very fast rider, was told by the official, in front of his kids, that he’s “too slow to race.” What a great attitude, and what a helpful, encouraging and respectful atmosphere for the first night of the season! Incredible.
It’s also an attitude that’s as arbitrary as it is rude. A Cat5 rider needs 10 signatures to upgrade, such that upgrades are supposed to be about a riders's performance over the season as a whole. Riders are not showing up to the first night of 5s racing and expecting to get an immediate upgrade to the 4s, so this whole thing of holding riders back doesn't take into account the way all riders improve and progress as the season continues. A rider is going to be faster and better on the last day of the season than he is on the first day of the season. Having one or two signatures denied early in the season might prevent an able rider from upgrading, even though by the end of the season he has demonstrated an ability to ride quickly and safely.
If Northbrook persist in demanding 10 events of their Cat5 riders then at the very least there should be a weighting system where good performances late in the season outweigh weak performances at the start of the season.
Oh, and did I mention that your signatures don’t carry over? Yep, that’s right. If you don’t get 10 signatures in the space of one season, then you have to start all over again the following year. 10 events might not sound like a lot, but it is, and when you take rain-outs into the equation, it can be really difficult for a rider to get to 10 events, quite aside from the seemingly arbitrary signature denials. Did I also mention that Northbrook just this year decided to no longer accept signatures from other tracks? So, if you miss a night at Northbrook, or you get denied a signature early in the season, you can no longer drive to another velodrome and race to get a signature. This makes it even more difficult to upgrade.
And finally, and this is probably my favourite fun-fact, we recently learned, through some unofficial channels, that the folks at Northbrook want us to know that Friday night races are serious, sanctioned races… but that they will also deny signatures to anyone who is too fast. No, for real. That’s what I heard. Seriously. Apparently, they want to judge how well you ride in a pack, so if you’re really fast and you go off the front, they’ll deny you. But, they also want you to take the racing seriously. What a strange and contradictory position! Either Friday is about racing, or it isn't. Make up your minds. If you only want to see if people can ride in a pack, then have upgrade officials go to the Monday and Tuesday clinics and judge riders based on their ability to ride in pack drills. If you want people to race, then let them race. But telling people that they won’t get an upgrade signature if they’re too fast just doesn’t make any sense, especially not when you’re telling people they should take the races seriously! I don't know if anyone has yet been denied a signature for being too fast, but there has only been one night of Cat5 racing, so the season is still young...
So, we come to the end of my rant. In my opinion, and in the opinion of many people who race there, Northbrook have made it entirely too hard to upgrade from Cat5 to Cat4. 10 events needed, no other track experience recognized, signatures denied for no good reason and often in a rude and insulting way.
Why is it like this? I’ve no idea. Maybe the problem lies with a velodrome management committee who seem unable to deal creatively with the growing popularity of track racing? Have they made it more difficult for people to upgrade from 5 to 4 in order to keep the size of the 4 field manageable? If so, this is just unfair. Instead of restricting access, how about putting on more race nights to deal with the increased demand? Instead of trying to cram all of the Pro/1/2/3/4 races into one night, why not split it up some more, and have a Pro/1/2/3 night and then a 4/5 night? That way more people could race, and there wouldn’t have to be such a strange and inhibiting upgrade procedure.
Anyway, this is not meant to take away from the incredible work done by the volunteers at Northbrook. Many, many people selflessly give their time and their effort to organize and run races at Northbrook. Without the work of those volunteers, there would be no track racing in Chicago. But, at some level, decisions have been made that seem to be more about making it hard for people to race track, and not about getting more people involved. That’s why a bunch of riders are now trying to set up a meeting with the committee to express our frustrations about the situation. Hopefully, it can all be worked out amicably. After all, it’s all about the love of track racing. Cat5 racers just want to be treated with a little more respect.
[edit] Just to note, I use "he" throughout the post to refer to Cat5 riders because there are no women Cat5s. Women's racing starts at Cat4.
The problem, in a nutshell, is upgrades. For people who don’t know what I’m talking about, let me explain. Amateur bike racers in the USA are ranked according to their skill, experience and performances, with the beginner riders ranked as Category 5, and the best and most experienced riders ranked as Category 1. Usually, a Cat5 rider can only race with other Cat 5 riders, and so on. To progress from one category to another is called “to upgrade.” The USAC, the organization that runs cycling in the USA, has a set of guidelines outlining the different upgrade requirements. Here they are:
Track Upgrades
All track upgrades are processed by the Velodrome Managers using the following criteria (ATRA guidelines):
Cat. 5 to Cat. 4 Complete a Velodrome Class or 4 race days.
Cat. 4 to Cat. 3 5 race days and 20 points
Cat. 3 to Cat. 2 5 race days and 25 points
Cat. 2 to Cat. 1 5 race days and 30 points
Northbrook velodrome, however, has its own requirements, even though it’s a USAC sanctioned track. It requires that a rider complete not 4 but 10 events, either track clinics (basically velodrome classes) or race nights (with a maximum of 5 clinics). 10 events. That’s a lot. Why does Northbrook require so many events of its beginner riders? Are Chicago riders more dangerous than riders in other parts of the US? Is that why they need twice as much experience as the USAC deems necessary? Or is it because there are more and more riders heading to Northbrook to race track, thanks to the proliferation of track bikes on the streets of Chicago? Are there so many riders hitting the track that Northbrook is being overwhelmed? I don’t know.
But, there’s more. After each track event at Northbrook, an official has to sign your upgrade form to show that you attended, so you need 10 signatures on your form before you can upgrade. But, and here’s the kicker, the signature is given at the discretion of the official, meaning that an official doesn’t have to give you a signature. I suppose that sounds reasonable, so why is it a problem? At the Friday night Cat5 races (Cat5 riders are not allowed race any other night) it’s a problem because no one really knows what criteria the officials are using to judge whether a rider deserves a signature or not. After races last season, Cat5 riders were told that to get a signature a rider must have demonstrated an ability to hang with the Cat5 pack, and demonstrated an ability to ride safely.
That seems pretty straight-forward, right? If you can hang with the pack, and you ride safely, then you will get an upgrade signature. But, is it really that straight-forward in practice? What does “hanging with the 5s” even mean? Does is mean staying in the pack for every race? No one really knows. It’s up to the official on the night to make the call. Whether you get a signature is thus down to one person, the Friday night official. At the first night of Cat5 racing this season, a whole bunch of riders were denied signatures. One rider, who had come 8th in his first race, stayed with the pack in his second race, and then got lapped in his last race was denied a signature. He was told that he was too slow, even though he’d done well in two of the three races! When he pointed out that he’d only been dropped during the last race, the official responded by saying that the race “hadn’t even been that fast.” Charming. Another racer, who has apparently been to a lot of clinics and is a very safe, if not a very fast rider, was told by the official, in front of his kids, that he’s “too slow to race.” What a great attitude, and what a helpful, encouraging and respectful atmosphere for the first night of the season! Incredible.
It’s also an attitude that’s as arbitrary as it is rude. A Cat5 rider needs 10 signatures to upgrade, such that upgrades are supposed to be about a riders's performance over the season as a whole. Riders are not showing up to the first night of 5s racing and expecting to get an immediate upgrade to the 4s, so this whole thing of holding riders back doesn't take into account the way all riders improve and progress as the season continues. A rider is going to be faster and better on the last day of the season than he is on the first day of the season. Having one or two signatures denied early in the season might prevent an able rider from upgrading, even though by the end of the season he has demonstrated an ability to ride quickly and safely.
If Northbrook persist in demanding 10 events of their Cat5 riders then at the very least there should be a weighting system where good performances late in the season outweigh weak performances at the start of the season.
Oh, and did I mention that your signatures don’t carry over? Yep, that’s right. If you don’t get 10 signatures in the space of one season, then you have to start all over again the following year. 10 events might not sound like a lot, but it is, and when you take rain-outs into the equation, it can be really difficult for a rider to get to 10 events, quite aside from the seemingly arbitrary signature denials. Did I also mention that Northbrook just this year decided to no longer accept signatures from other tracks? So, if you miss a night at Northbrook, or you get denied a signature early in the season, you can no longer drive to another velodrome and race to get a signature. This makes it even more difficult to upgrade.
And finally, and this is probably my favourite fun-fact, we recently learned, through some unofficial channels, that the folks at Northbrook want us to know that Friday night races are serious, sanctioned races… but that they will also deny signatures to anyone who is too fast. No, for real. That’s what I heard. Seriously. Apparently, they want to judge how well you ride in a pack, so if you’re really fast and you go off the front, they’ll deny you. But, they also want you to take the racing seriously. What a strange and contradictory position! Either Friday is about racing, or it isn't. Make up your minds. If you only want to see if people can ride in a pack, then have upgrade officials go to the Monday and Tuesday clinics and judge riders based on their ability to ride in pack drills. If you want people to race, then let them race. But telling people that they won’t get an upgrade signature if they’re too fast just doesn’t make any sense, especially not when you’re telling people they should take the races seriously! I don't know if anyone has yet been denied a signature for being too fast, but there has only been one night of Cat5 racing, so the season is still young...
So, we come to the end of my rant. In my opinion, and in the opinion of many people who race there, Northbrook have made it entirely too hard to upgrade from Cat5 to Cat4. 10 events needed, no other track experience recognized, signatures denied for no good reason and often in a rude and insulting way.
Why is it like this? I’ve no idea. Maybe the problem lies with a velodrome management committee who seem unable to deal creatively with the growing popularity of track racing? Have they made it more difficult for people to upgrade from 5 to 4 in order to keep the size of the 4 field manageable? If so, this is just unfair. Instead of restricting access, how about putting on more race nights to deal with the increased demand? Instead of trying to cram all of the Pro/1/2/3/4 races into one night, why not split it up some more, and have a Pro/1/2/3 night and then a 4/5 night? That way more people could race, and there wouldn’t have to be such a strange and inhibiting upgrade procedure.
Anyway, this is not meant to take away from the incredible work done by the volunteers at Northbrook. Many, many people selflessly give their time and their effort to organize and run races at Northbrook. Without the work of those volunteers, there would be no track racing in Chicago. But, at some level, decisions have been made that seem to be more about making it hard for people to race track, and not about getting more people involved. That’s why a bunch of riders are now trying to set up a meeting with the committee to express our frustrations about the situation. Hopefully, it can all be worked out amicably. After all, it’s all about the love of track racing. Cat5 racers just want to be treated with a little more respect.
[edit] Just to note, I use "he" throughout the post to refer to Cat5 riders because there are no women Cat5s. Women's racing starts at Cat4.
3Rensho Designer Toy Thing...
Does anyone understand the appeal of these Japanese "designer" toy figures? I don't get it at all. But, here's a 3Rensho one I saw over on SashaE's blog. Nope, I still don't get it...
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Monster Track DVD
[update] Just got another email from Mike, and the new website is up. Check it out at MonsterTrack8.com.
Back in March people were talking about the Monster Track DVD by Play In Traffic Productions, but no one was 100% sure where to get it from. Well, I got an email from Mike the other day, letting me know that the DVD is available from Urban Velo and from the MonsterTrack DVD site. If you haven't already, go grab yourself a copy, not least because the race looks so cold that it'll make you appreciate summer all the more.
Also, check out Mike's excellent Bike Blog here.
Back in March people were talking about the Monster Track DVD by Play In Traffic Productions, but no one was 100% sure where to get it from. Well, I got an email from Mike the other day, letting me know that the DVD is available from Urban Velo and from the MonsterTrack DVD site. If you haven't already, go grab yourself a copy, not least because the race looks so cold that it'll make you appreciate summer all the more.
Also, check out Mike's excellent Bike Blog here.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Northbrook Track Racing Pics
It's in the eyes... Ziggy Demel of the Polish American Cycling Team (PACT) looks at the leaders and gauges his chances in an Unknown Distance race. Photo by Ed White.
99% of the bikes that get posted on the internet as Bike Porn are utter shite. This one is not. Photo by Ed White.
Jeff Perkins and Stanley Schultz of the Chicago Cuttin' Crew, just back from the Cycle Messenger World Championships, transferring in the Madison. Photo by Ed White.
Henry Loud of Team Pegasus riding high and catching his breath after a transfer during the Madison. Photo by Ed White.
Val Brostrom of Team GetAGrip giving it socks on her way to a win. She should have a race report up soon here. Photo by Ed White.
Michelle Dykstra of Team Pegasus riding in the combined Pro/1/2/3/4 field. Check out her brilliant race report here. Photo by Ed White.Thursday, June 19, 2008
Laek House ELVS Rims
This isn't exactly fresh news or anything, but the Laek House ELVS Rims are finally out! These things are so sweet. Get them at Ben's Cycles and other good bike shops.
Laek House ELVS Rims in normal light. Stylish.
Laek House ELVS Rims with flash. Reflective.
Laek House ELVS Rims in normal light. Stylish.
Laek House ELVS Rims with flash. Reflective.Paolo Bettini Interview
Bettini in his World Champion kit, hanging with Danielson and Cancellara before a stage of the Tour of California. Photo by Team Pegasus rider Chris Padfield's Dad. More of his excellent photos here.
Bettini clowning around with a tray of pastries and cakes that he distributed to other riders in the peleton. This is during a stage of the Giro, by the way... Photo borrowed from cyclingfans.com.Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Frame x Frame
To kick-off this year's Bicycle Film Festival Minneapolis, One on One Bike Studio and the BFF present FRAME x FRAME – an exhibition of bike photographs capturing local bike culture. Kelly has more details over on her Flickr.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Tom Boonen Out Of Tour!
Tommeke has tested positive for cocaine! Look at the state of him, over here on the left. Clearly coked out of his box... It was out of competition, so the UCI didn't sanction him, but that didn't stop the Tour of Switzerland banning him, and now the ASO have followed suit. The former World Champion and last year's Green Jersey winner will not be at the Tour de France. Great. One less reason to watch it. (Also, I hear Cav might not be there either, because he's focusing on training for his track events at the Olympics. At least he's got his priorities straight!)Good move, Tom. You're a professional sportsman in probably the most drug-tested sport in the world, and you go off and have a little bit of charlie on your holidays. Genius. Personally, I don't really care. I'd be more upset if he was caught doping, but a bit of recreational coke use doesn't really surprise me, especially not by a bloke who has his own techno song (skip to 2mins, the start is woeful). As someone else said "Classics wins, cocaine, schoolgirls, Lamborghinis, alcohol, world championships, multi-million euro contracts..... Where did it all go wrong?"
Where indeed? Thankfully, Josh of Team Pegasus whipped up a bumper sticker so people can demonstrate their support of Tommeke. I don't speak Belgian, but he assures me it says "Let Tom Ride."
CMWC 2008
Best of luck to all the Chicago messengers who are in Toronto right now to compete in the Cycle Messenger World Championships 2008. We're expecting great things from them, especially from the Chicago Cuttin' Crew, who are rolling deep, and traveled up there in the latest addition to the squad, the Cuttin' Cruiser.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Cadence Doublizers 2.0
Sweet new toe-strap doublizers from Cadence almost make me want to bin my MKS doubles. But not really. But almost...[update] A whole bunch of new Cadence stuff, including some new t-shirts and caps, has just been put up on their page. I'm too lazy to do a full post right now, so check it out for yourself here.
Track Racing at Kenosha
Scratch race field, with Cale from Team Pegasus right in the center with his amazing pink front wheel. Photo by Ed White.
For a detailed report, check out the brand spanking new chicagotrackracing.com
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Track Racing at Northbrook
Check out this video, by Naz Hamid of Half Acre Cycling, of some track action from last Thursday's races at Northbrook Veldrome. If you look closely you'll see Henry, in his styling new Team Pegasus skinsuit, win the race. Way to go, Henry! Leave some for the others? Naaaah!
And, on the same night, Michelle from Team Pegasus destroyed the women's Cat4 field, winning both races. Then, she proceeded to kick some ass in the combined Pro/1/2/3/4 points race, winning a prime and getting 5th overall! Incredible. Head over to her blog here to read her excellent race report.
Riverwest 24hr Bike Race
I just got an email from a guy called Jeremy about a 24hr bike race in Milwaukee that he's organizing. 24hrs? In Milwaukee?? Not even I like bikes that much! I'm just kidding, I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun. You can ride solo, on a tandem, or as part of a team. It's on July 25th and 26th. Go to the website here for details and to register.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Cog Mag 3
A package arrived at our apartment in Caracas yesterday, and the contents made me smile. A copy of the new issue of Cog magazine, sent all the way, via Puerto Rico for some reason, from Ben's Cycle in Milwaukee by Pegasus teammate and all around top bloke Andy. He also included some cool Milwaukee Bicycle Co. patches. Thanks, Andy!If you haven't gotten your smelly track mitts on the new issue of Cog, then you should get on it. Pester your local bike shop to get some in, because this is a great magazine. This issue contains the third part of their feature on Keirin racing in Japan, a piece on the Milwaukee Messenger Invitational by Ben Feitz, and a great article on Tokyo's crazy trick kids, plus a ton of other good stuff.
One of my personal favorite things about Cog is the number of my friends whose faces I see in it. I'm not saying this to be all "Hey, look at me, I know people in Cog and that makes me cool and therefore better than you." If I wanted to do that, I'd just casually mention that my own mug made it into the very first issue. But I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that it makes me smile to see my friends faces in Cog. I know I'm missing a lot of stuff there right now, but reading about what those kids are getting up to makes me feel a little bit better about being so far away. So, thanks Cog and thanks Andy. I love this magazine!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Yojimbo's Garage
The building doesn’t look like much, but behind that red door lies an Aladdin’s Cave of track bike treasures, presided over by one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Yojimbo’s Garage is the shop, and Marcus is its owner, manager, master mechanic, coffee-drinker in chief.The shop is stacked, literally, with everything a track racer or fixed-gear trickstar could ever want. An amazing range of frames, from the classic to the cutting edge, from the affordable to the expensive, hang from the ceiling. (He just got in some Dolan DF3s, for Jaysus’s sake!) An incredible array of components, from NJS stems to Phil hubs to San Marco saddles are strewn across every available surface in a storage system that probably only makes sense to Marcus. Throw in exclusive colour runs of Velocity rims, some track bike history on the walls, and, of course, Gary and Gracie, and you’ve got the best bike shop in Chicago. The best by a long way.
Marcus behind the counter of his shop, Yojimbo's Garage.
Just a small selection of the bikes at Yojimbo's Garage.What can I say about the shop that hasn’t already been said? Everyone in Chicago already knows and loves Yojimbo’s. Cog did a feature on it in issue 2, and I already feel like I’m repeating a lot of what they said. But honestly, Yojimbo’s is a difficult shop to describe, because it’s not like most other bike shops. It’s unique. And even though, when you call, Marcus answers the phone with his familiar refrain of “Bike shop!”, Yojimbo’s is much more than a bike shop. It’s the center of the track scene in Chicago.
Frames, bottle cages, rims, wheels and boxes of B125s and B123s.
Colnago Pista in front of one of the component cabinets.If you need to buy something, chances are Marcus has it. If you need to know something, chances are Marcus knows it. It doesn’t matter if you want to build a bike to do barspins, or if you need to know who the current Kilo record holder is, Marcus can help. If you want a full carbon cyclocross frame, well, Marcus has those too. One time a bunch of us were driving to Kenosha velodrome and we got lost, so we called Yojimbo’s and asked Marcus for directions… he had us there in minutes.
History above the door.
Gracie. The real boss.Thoughtful, knowledgeable, helpful, Marcus will chat about bikes like it’s going out of style. His shop is amazing, and even the recent addition of Brean to the crew hasn’t managed to tarnish the shop’s reputation. Ha! On top of all that, Marcus has recently started a track racing development team for highschoolers, called Yojimbo’s Trackcats. Check out their team page here, and check back with me early next week for a full feature on the Trackcats.
Chicago is extremely lucky to have Yojimbo’s Garage. If you’re ever in Chicago, a trip to Yojimbo’s is an absolute must. I’m feckin’ serious. If I hear you’ve been to Chicago and not been to see Marcus, then I’ll be forced to administer a swift shoeing, the likes of which you won’t quickly forget. I’m not joking. Try me.
Yojimbo’s Garage
1310 N. Clybourn
Chicago, IL 60610
www.yojimbosgarage.com
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Chicago Pegasus Pics
Aaron, Ben, and Henry wearing the new Team Pegasus track skinsuits and Tristan and Andrew wearing the new team kit at Andrew's birthday party. Haha! I love it!
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