America the Beautiful

Anywhere, USA, 7 February 2014 – People in America have been fighting for their right to bear arms, to self-govern, and to be treated as equals since the birth of this country.  And we are currently in the midst of a battle to be treated equally for tax purposes; frankly I’m not sure why since our newlywed status increased our taxable income and razed our once-sizeable refund check.  But we continue to desire to be treated fairly in a country where anyone who comes from anywhere can become an American.  Perhaps we should battle more for education than for equality.  After reading these examples of tweets from our neighbors you’ll come to understand  some people do not know much about what being “American” really means.

I’m not sure any of these twitter posts are fine examples of what we as Americans can achieve but they illustrate a point: If you have nothing good to tweet, don’t tweet anything.

But before you go ballistic over the sheer ignorance portrayed by these upstanding Americans take a moment, breathe, maybe go for a bike ride, and then realize how utterly simple-minded these people are.

Then, as you are laughing your head off thank some almighty being for having teachers who taught you that we speak English as a primary language in America.  Be thankful you know your “you’re” from your “your”.  And be grateful you happily know which “hole” your thoughts should emanate from.

Road Bike Party 2 – Martyn Ashton

Port Talbot, Wales, 10 December 2013 – Solid proof in this video that a disc brake road bike is capable of some amazing feats. Watching the Colnago C59 rolled downhill backward stopping on a dime consistently one gets the impression perhaps there’s something to this whole disc brake thing after all.

Vows: Mr. Duckett and Dr. Jones

Vows: Mr. Duckett and Dr. Jones

New York, NY, 46 Years Ago – This video and the relationship it highlights is exceptionally important in ways most people would never consider. In the past almost 50 years the difficulty of any couple to survive the stresses of life had a 50% chance of success. These gentlemen break the mold on several fronts. Enjoy the video for what it says about perseverence and consider the things they’ve endured the next time you’re thinking of not attempting to attack a seemingly insurmountable hill climb.

Together 46 years, Lewis Duckett and Billy Jones wrote coded letters to each other during Dr. Jones’s deployment in Vietnam. They adopted a baby, became grandfathers and then, finally, got married.

Save Your Local Bike Shop

Small Town America, USA, 9 October 2013 – After watching this video we can reasonably conclude hydraulic road disc brakes will be the savior of the local bike shop. Currently Shimano and SRAM offer hydraulic disc and caliper brakes on their higher end group sets. The two target customers for these components are often wealthier cyclists who spend their discretionary funds on their hobbies (often named Fred) and hard-core cyclists who want the latest groupo for their Italian-heritage race frame.

The hard-core cyclist will most likely have a fully stocked shop in their garage or basement requiring the purchase of the requisite tool and accessory kits to maintain their new hydraulic systems. Hard-core guy will never watch this video. He will have a friend who served as the assistant to the assistant mechanic for SRAM at this year’s CX championship races tutoring his brake fluid bleed sessions. Off-season-Friend works at the LBS and will cut Hard-core a deal on the maintenance kits as well. He will ride carefree and bubble-filled on his newly upgraded frame.

Fred on the other hand will have little or no understanding of the function of the hydraulic system aside from the knowledge that should he be caught in a drizzling rain his trusty S-teed will stop on a dime; though he would never consider actually riding in the rain deliberately. Fred will follow the recommendations of his LBS’s chief mechanic returning regularly to the shop for the prescribed maintenance of his hydraulic system.

According to the National Bicycle Dealers Association (NBDA) the number of specialty bicycle shops in America dropped from 6,195 in 2000 to 4,089 in 2012, a 34% decrease in the number of bicycle shops serving American towns in the past twelve years. The economy, big box stores and weather factors affect sales at these shops. Competition from large chains and the Internet cut into the profits of small retailers in every industry and affect the bicycle market two-fold. A bargain bicycle bought at a big box store has little intrinsic value to the buyer; the low cost of the bicycle translates into little concern for maintenance. The buyer simply discards the bicycle when it no longer serves its original purpose. The small town bicycle shop loses not only the sale, but the profits from regular maintenance visits from the customer as well.

Small mom & pop shops by necessity often charge higher prices for their goods to stay in business. This drives cost-conscious customers to larger retail chains as well. Bicycling blogs and magazines often tout the advantages of shopping local, but Internet retailers offering free shipping and deep discounts win the price wars.

Road hydraulic and disc brakes may be just what the doctor ordered to save local bicycle shops. The complexity of the system necessitates some degree of expertise with maintenance chores. And the potentially harmful nature of DOT 5.1 brake fluid used by SRAM in their hydraulic system adds another level of intricacy to their upkeep. Few home mechanics are willing to entertain the possibility the fluid will spill on their costly carbon fiber frame causing irreparable damage.

The bicycle industry may not yet understand the potential boom it’s created for the specialty bicycle retailer with the advent of this evolutionary technology mounted to a road frame. Whether a buyer orders his hydraulic brake appointed bicycle from an on-line retailer or their local bike shop, a majority of bicyclists are likely to be ill prepared to maintain these systems. Most home mechanics are able to manage clincher brakes maintenance that requires only periodic cable tightening and pad replacement. Hydraulic systems, on the other hand, require greater skill, various tools and syringes, and the handling of potentially harmful fluids thus guaranteeing visits from every Fred in a 5-mile radius to their local shop since no Internet retailer can support this end of the business. The well-prepared specialty retail bicycle shops will be the real winners in this revolutionary movement.

The Invisible Bicycle Helmet

Somewhere in Sweden, 5 October 2013 – A year ago this video was posted on Vimeo highlighting the Invisible Bicycle Helmet imagined and realized by two design students in Sweden. With all of the technology being poured into bicycle design including motors (wait what, didn’t Puch and Peugeot do this in the 70s?) why isn’t more being done to protect the rider? A year later and I don’t think I saw this in the blogosphere from Eurobike or Interbike for 2013. Instead we debate how Strava has changed bicycling forever. Why not change it with something truly innovative and ground breaking.

Support Bikes vs Cars Kickstarter campaign at kickstarter.com/projects/fredrik-gertten/bikes-vs-cars-we-are-many, WE ARE MANY.

Bike Snob Hilarity

NY, NY, 5 October 2013 – The one bicycle blog that consistently, and I mean every time I wander over to his website, makes me laugh out loud is published by NY-based writer Bike Snob (http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com). His take on everything bicycle-related is slathered in a classically and admittedly New York perspective. Having tried tirelessly to create a blog worth visiting myself, I understand the work required to make art out of words. Bike Snob makes writing as good as his look easy.

A recent post included his commentary regarding the election of a new UCI President, Brian Cookson who promised to clean up professional cycling, highlighting the attached video–Bike Snob’s suggestion for a new and improved dope-free professional cycling industry. I teared up laughing by time I read his comment to Cannondale pro rider Peter Sagan, “fancypants”, who’ll have to do much better than wheelies in the post-McQuaid pro tour. Honestly, who doesn’t enjoy a Czech boy-toy in green tights doing wheelies?!?

Official Apple Steve Jobs Tribute

San Jose, California, 4 October 2013 – This video has little to do with bicycles but everything to do with vision and the unending perseverance required realize your dreams. Today millions of people grab their iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks to do work, have fun, and escape without realizing the work that transpired to make these devices so forgettable. Steve Jobs changed our lives one device at time. He brought us the future and we hold it in our hands every day and bring it with us everywhere we go. Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of his death. When you pick up your communicator today, no matter what company made it, pause for a moment to consider how one man’s dreams fit into the palm of your hand enabling you to share your own thoughts and dreams and fears with the world in an instant.

Infobytes Tour De France Explained

Somewhere in France, 10 July 2013 – Great video describing the basics of the Tour de France.

The Tour De France Explained in Animation (by InfobytesTV)