Velominati Community Profile Archive

Velominatus: Flying Crowbar

Order: Level 2 Velominatus

Location: H-Town

Former road racer who now races vicariously through live feeds of Le Tour, PR, etc. I ride about 20% as much as I want to. Kids will do that to you. I currently ride a Giant TCR Advanced in T-Mobile colors. Yeah, it probably violates a Rule or V, but it is one nice ride.

@Flying Crowbar's activity:

V-Announcements: The Way of the Cycling Disciple

We interrupt the current programming for the following announcement:The more clever among you might have noticed slight shiftings of the sands, a new scent on the breeze. Indeed, the Velominati Boardroom has been bristling with activity of late; the meetings longer and more regular, the pints downed in quicker succession, the views shouted in loud...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. @actor1 Hilarious! My oldest son’s soccer coach sounds about like that, without the F-bombs. »

Velominati Super Prestige: Mens World Championship Road Race 2012

I’m quite upset about it, actually, all this racing that’s been going on in perfectly good weather. Vlaanderen, dry. Roubaix, dry. We were nearly guaranteed shit weather with the Olympics in London, but even then, only the women got to get all Rule #9 on our asses – and only for one race. Damnit, I want Epic, and if we keep insis...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Gilbert 2. Sagan 3. Boasson Hagen 4. Martin 5. Boonen »

Velominati Super Prestige: Women’s Road Championship 2012

It seems like just weeks ago that Cav won his rainbow stripes, things were said, umbrage was taken. Luckily we have found more umbrage so we are good to go. This course is not like last year. It’s not exactly a sprinters finish. It’s a 128 km rumble in Valkenberg and the Dutch team is there for Marianne Vos. She has finished second in...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Vos 2. Arndt 3. Pooley 4. Brozini 5. Stevens »

The Rides

The Ride. It is the cathedral of our sport, where we worship at the altar of the Man with the Hammer. It is the end to our means. Indeed, The Bike may be the central tool to our sport, but to turn the pedals is to experience the sensation of freedom, of flight. It is all for The Ride.The world is overflowing with small, twisty roads that capture ou...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. @jimisurf Holy crap! Well done! Sounds like that was a race for the hardmen, which is what you definitely are after finishing that ride. »

  2. @sgt Dang! How did I miss this post? I have no complaints about the weather during our ride, given that it is usually 30-35C with 90% humidity in early August in Houston. Plus it is a lot more scenic in Santa Barbara, unless you like looking at refineri… »

The Rules

We are the Keepers of the Cog. In so being, we also maintain the sacred text wherein lie the simple truths of cycling etiquette known as The Rules. It is in our trust to maintain and endorse this list.See also The Prophet’s Prayer. Continue reading...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. @frank I notice The Badger is holding the bars the same way Fignon is holding them in the Defining Moments: My First Kit lead photo. »

The Gear

Our products represent the spirit of Velominati; every product we offer is made with the utmost attention to detail – no compromises were made in their selection or design. Whenever possible, our products are made my small, locally-owned businesses who share our passion for quality and we make every effort to ensure they are made in an enviro...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. @Steampunk To keep this sub-topic cycling-related, I noticed that an ersatz YJA makes an appearance at about the 1:42 mark. »

Velominati Super Prestige: Vuelta a España 2012

One of the loveliest things about the Grand Tours is that you get a feel, by the nature of the route, of the country’s landscape and physical qualities. Italy is littered with mountains and coasts, France is bordered by mountains with large swaths of open landscape throughout, and Spain is like Tatooine; mostly desert with some rocky outcropp...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. I’m still hoping to secure a top-100 finish overall. VSP PICKS: 1. Clenbutador 2. Froome 3. Cobo 4. Roche 5. Menchov »

The Bikes

The Bike. It is the central tool in pursuit of our craft. A Velominatus meticulously maintains their bicycles and adorns them with the essential, yet minimal, accoutrement. The Rules specify the principles of good taste in configuration and setup of our machines, but within those principles lies almost infinite room for personal taste.It seems in s...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. @sgt Thanks. Your Izoard is a thing of beauty, as well. »

Reverence: Speedplay Pedals

I’m old as dirt. My first two race bikes employed toe clips and toe straps and that set-up was bad. For many reasons it was bad and any retro-hipster who thinks otherwise is wrong. When Lemond and Hinault started racing on the white Look clipless pedals, everyone but Sean Kelly quickly switched. Talk about a quantum improvement, it was long o...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. @itburns You, @monkeyscat, @JiPM and I need to get together some weekend for a ride. »

The Bikes

The Bike. It is the central tool in pursuit of our craft. A Velominatus meticulously maintains their bicycles and adorns them with the essential, yet minimal, accoutrement. The Rules specify the principles of good taste in configuration and setup of our machines, but within those principles lies almost infinite room for personal taste.It seems in s...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. @sgt I could not agree with this more. I’ve had my #1 for five years now, and I like it more with every ride. »

Defining Moments: My First Kit

As children, none of us were given an allowance. Instead, we were taught from a young age that if we wanted to buy something, we had to earn the money in order to do so. To facilitate the model, and possibly to avoid child-labor law infringement, we were paid to do chores around the house in exchange for a cash payment directly proportional but not...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. @The Oracle Ha! I did the same thing the first few times I watched that commercial. »

The Rules

We are the Keepers of the Cog. In so being, we also maintain the sacred text wherein lie the simple truths of cycling etiquette known as The Rules. It is in our trust to maintain and endorse this list.See also The Prophet’s Prayer. Continue reading...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. @Blah Hmmm… I may need to look into the sewing machine upgrade for my bike. I wonder if they come in full carbon? »

Look Pro: En Danseuse

Clad in skin-tight clothes and cleated shoes, we walk with all the grace of a chicken with a repetitive stress injury. Yet once astride our machines, hovering above the tarmac and enraptured by the sensation of flight, we are transformed into a picture of Fluidly Harmonic Articulation which belies the power and skill that drives us forward. Years...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. @Flying Crowbar Well, I contemplated, cogitated, and ruminated on my form while climbing with @sgt this morning, but I was so far into the red zone that I couldn’t do much about it.  »

  2. @Cyclops Happy birthday! »

  3. Two brief stories about my oldest, now 17, who is a huge sports fan. When he was probably five years old, we were over at a friend’s house to watch a mountain stage of the Tour. As different cyclists appeared on the screen, he would immediately identify … »

The Bikes

The Bike. It is the central tool in pursuit of our craft. A Velominatus meticulously maintains their bicycles and adorns them with the essential, yet minimal, accoutrement. The Rules specify the principles of good taste in configuration and setup of our machines, but within those principles lies almost infinite room for personal taste.It seems in s...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. @Monkeyscat Looks awesome. I hope you are worthy of that bike, otherwise there will be an intervention. »

Look Pro: En Danseuse

Clad in skin-tight clothes and cleated shoes, we walk with all the grace of a chicken with a repetitive stress injury. Yet once astride our machines, hovering above the tarmac and enraptured by the sensation of flight, we are transformed into a picture of Fluidly Harmonic Articulation which belies the power and skill that drives us forward. Years...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. Great article. I will contemplate on my climbing form during the ride tomorrow. »

The Gear

Our products represent the spirit of Velominati; every product we offer is made with the utmost attention to detail – no compromises were made in their selection or design. Whenever possible, our products are made my small, locally-owned businesses who share our passion for quality and we make every effort to ensure they are made in an enviro...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. I received my Zwarte V-jersey on Monday and am looking forwardi to an inaugural ride on Saturday with @sgt. As El Mateo said, the fit is perfect. »

Velominati Super Prestige: Women’s Olympic Road Race 2012

What a difference four years can make. In Beijing, Nicole Cooke was the dominant rider in Women’s Cycling, taking wins in every important race on the Women’s calendar for several years running. Fast finish, good in the hills, good against the clock, she helped give context to what we mean by the term “all rounder”.Four year...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. I figure Vos will be tough to beat. After that, I got nothing. VSP PICKS: 1. Vos 2. Armstrong 3. Cooke 4. Bronzini 5. Stevens »

Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s Olympic Road Race 2012

You can all wave “goodbye” to your Post GT Depression Syndrome, because the Men’s Olympic Road Race is only three days yonder. I don’t typically give two shits about this particular event; while contested by national teams, unlike the Worlds it appears as just another one-day race on a calendar filled with events that carry...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. I would love to see Cav win it. VSP PICKS: 1. Cavendish 2. Greipel 3. Sagan 4. Gilbert 5. Boonen »

Zoo Hill Time Trial: Triple Dip into the Pain Pool

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks but you can grab a beer and watch that old dog do the same stupid thing over and over again, which is almost the same as a doing trick. On an unrelated note, I find myself, for the third year running, staring down the business end of the week approaching the Climb4Cancer time trial up Zoo Hill in Issaquah...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. @frank I predict you will shatter the 12:00 barrier if @marko simply texts the message, “I just posted an emoticon.” Your rage will take care of the rest. »

Guest Article: Velo Love

Even Wiggo said it’s just a bike race. Bike racing may be just that but Cycling is life. And Love is life and it’s amazing when they all get tangled up together. We first heard from @Farzani months ago; a Belgian in training. She said she had an on-going story to tell and asked if we were interested. It’s an honor we can share the...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. Yes, thank you for sharing your story. You told it beautifully. Stories like this remind me that I need to savor every ride, as should we all. »

Zoo Hill Time Trial: Triple Dip into the Pain Pool

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks but you can grab a beer and watch that old dog do the same stupid thing over and over again, which is almost the same as a doing trick. On an unrelated note, I find myself, for the third year running, staring down the business end of the week approaching the Climb4Cancer time trial up Zoo Hill in Issaquah...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. 14:10 »

Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2012

We are proud to announce a change to the Velominati Super Prestige moving forward: sponsorship. We are delighted (if a little surprised) at the interest our partners showed in this endeavor, despite the short notice we gave them. Four sponsors will be gracing the sides of our team bus for this year’s race: fi’zi:k is our Super Domesti...

@Flying Crowbar's posts:

  1. Just as the race starts to get really interesting, I’m going back country hiking for twelve days. No rider/Ryder swaps for me.  Fortunately I’ll be back in time for the last stage, so at least I can tune in then and wonder what all transpired in the inter… »

    2. Older Posts