Velominati Super Prestige:
Giro D'Italia 2013
Archive for August, 2009

The Dahon

by Gianni / Aug 30 2009 / 26 posts

My friend Robbie is no slouch on a bike. He is a former Mass-Rhode Island district road race champion, he has been beaten by the likes of Steve Bauer and Davis Phinney. The man can always get on a bike and haul ass, he always will. He drove by two days ago and was hot to go for a ride. I looked in his car to see only cycling shoes, a helmet and a s...

Di Luca Confidential

by frank / Aug 27 2009 / 13 posts

I’ve been a fan of Danilo Di Luca a long time, and to tell the truth, was much more suspect of Menchov’s performance at the Giro than I was of Di Luca’s; Menchov rode the last few days of the Giro like it was a Sunday spin, while Di Luca seemed to visibly tire with each attack.  It’s always a shame when a rider I like tests...

The Golden Era: Downtube Shifters and Delta Brakes

by frank / Aug 25 2009 / 35 posts

I miss downtube shifters.  I miss them in the same way I miss the days before the widespread use of race radios, when races were less choreographed and more unpredictable.  Racing on downtube shifters, a rider had to be seated and take one hand off the bars to shift.  Shifting had to be planned into race tactics.  These days, we can enter a hai...

Rock Hoppin’

by jim / Aug 24 2009 / 2 posts

In keeping with the retro thread from Frank and his MB-Zip, here is the bike I spent my weekend on:For those of you squinting, it’s a Specialized Rock Hopper, circa 1988.  This museum piece is my ride of choice when visiting my in-laws in Boise, ID.  It’s perfect for the miles and miles of dry single-track in the foothills outside of...

Can I Nod Snob a Kid?

by frank / Aug 23 2009 / 83 posts

I am a nod snob.  The fact is, I’m a bit of a cycling snob all-around.  I am not a “biker” and I do not “like to bike”.  I am a cyclist and I like to ride.  What’s more, as I outlined before, there are very loosely defined parameters under which I will bestow a “nod” upon another rider.  For exam...

Johnny T and The Lung

by brett / Aug 22 2009 / 9 posts

Things were always better in “the good old days”. That’s what my mate Johnny Klink always says, especially when we’re talking about mountain biking (which is 99% of our conversations). Continue reading...

La Volupte: I Was Flying Today

by frank / Aug 19 2009 / 16 posts

About a year and a half ago, as I was just starting to get really serious about cycling again after dabbling for about a decade, Michelle bought me every past issue of Rouleur and got me a two-year subscription.  This is not a bike magazine.  This is a quarterly publication for cyclists.  It is printed on thick, heavy paper, and each issue is ri...

Maiden Voyage: Grand Ridge

by frank / Aug 17 2009 / 4 posts

Michelle and I hit the trail on Saturday to take our newly acquired mountain bikes for their maiden voyage on the Grand Ridge trail near Issaquah, Washington.  We were pleasantly surprised with the quality of the trail, and elated with our bikes.   The only trouble we got into was with me going a bit too fast on some of the descents and learning...

Ultimate Bike Love: Customize Your Ride

by frank / Aug 15 2009 / 19 posts

Despite their obvious utility, I’m not a big fan of Fixies.  I understand they have minimal maintenance – which make them great for commuting – and the fixed gear forces excellent pedaling technique.  But the wide-spread adoption of these bikes has less to do with those two considerations than they do with fad.  But fads aren&#...

Breaking Away

by brett / Aug 14 2009 / 20 posts

Whenever anybody asks me “what are your favourite films”,  when my answer is proffered I’m usually met with a blank stare akin to a dog being shown a card trick.Along with the likes of Fargo, Being John Malkovich and Easy Rider, one of the first names out of my mouth is usually Breaking Away. Continue reading...
Older Articles