Comments on: Il Pirata’s 1998 Bianchi: The Elusive Stallion http://www.velominati.com/blog/racing/il-piratas-1998-bianchi-the-elusive-stallion/ Keepers of the Cog Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:09:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: brett http://www.velominati.com/blog/racing/il-piratas-1998-bianchi-the-elusive-stallion/#comment-915 brett Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:40:31 +0000 http://www.velominati.com/blog/?p=2131#comment-915 "lighter, stiffer, often stronger" “lighter, stiffer, often stronger”

]]> By: frank http://www.velominati.com/blog/racing/il-piratas-1998-bianchi-the-elusive-stallion/#comment-912 frank Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:20:04 +0000 http://www.velominati.com/blog/?p=2131#comment-912 <a href="#comment-900" class="comment_response" style="text-decoration: none; color: #606060;" rel="nofollow">@all</a> OK, lets identify the "Huangisms": <a href="http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/torque-wrenches-why-you-need-one-and-how-to-use-them" title="" rel="nofollow">http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/torque-wrenches-why-you-need-one-and-how-to-use-them</a> I'll start. "it's become increasingly common to see cracked parts and broken bikes" "the fasteners are no longer the weak link like they used to be" "close approximation of reality" @all
OK, lets identify the “Huangisms”:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/torque-wrenches-why-you-need-one-and-how-to-use-them

I’ll start.

“it’s become increasingly common to see cracked parts and broken bikes”
“the fasteners are no longer the weak link like they used to be”
“close approximation of reality”

]]> By: john http://www.velominati.com/blog/racing/il-piratas-1998-bianchi-the-elusive-stallion/#comment-900 john Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:06:11 +0000 http://www.velominati.com/blog/?p=2131#comment-900 <a href="#comment-898" rel="nofollow">@brett</a> <blockquote cite="">His reviews are full of what we call “Huang-isms”, cliches and bleedin obvious statements that tell us nothing.</blockquote> Beautiful. I'm learning something every day. Can I work that into my vocabulary? I will endeavor to. @brett

His reviews are full of what we call “Huang-isms”, cliches and bleedin obvious statements that tell us nothing.

Beautiful. I’m learning something every day. Can I work that into my vocabulary? I will endeavor to.

]]> By: brett http://www.velominati.com/blog/racing/il-piratas-1998-bianchi-the-elusive-stallion/#comment-898 brett Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:09:57 +0000 http://www.velominati.com/blog/?p=2131#comment-898 Don't get me wrong John, I love looking at the cool stuff as much if not more than anyone, and would love to be able to get where he does to see that stuff. But his reviews are full of what we call "Huang-isms", cliches and bleedin obvious statements that tell us nothing. As I said though, it's not easy writing that stuff, and I'm glad it's him and not me trying to come up with fresh Huang-isms every article. Don’t get me wrong John, I love looking at the cool stuff as much if not more than anyone, and would love to be able to get where he does to see that stuff. But his reviews are full of what we call “Huang-isms”, cliches and bleedin obvious statements that tell us nothing. As I said though, it’s not easy writing that stuff, and I’m glad it’s him and not me trying to come up with fresh Huang-isms every article.

]]> By: john http://www.velominati.com/blog/racing/il-piratas-1998-bianchi-the-elusive-stallion/#comment-895 john Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:03:19 +0000 http://www.velominati.com/blog/?p=2131#comment-895 <a href="#comment-884" rel="nofollow">@brett</a> A muppet? That can't be good. I'll leave it alone. What I like about "the Muppet" is when he is inspecting the bikes with camera before, say, Paris-Roubaix and putting out great detailed photos and text of bike set-ups. I don't read his reviews much as I can't afford all the expensive shiet he is reviewing. Now I can't wait to call someone a muppet... @brett
A muppet? That can’t be good. I’ll leave it alone. What I like about “the Muppet” is when he is inspecting the bikes with camera before, say, Paris-Roubaix and putting out great detailed photos and text of bike set-ups. I don’t read his reviews much as I can’t afford all the expensive shiet he is reviewing.

Now I can’t wait to call someone a muppet…

]]> By: Marko http://www.velominati.com/blog/racing/il-piratas-1998-bianchi-the-elusive-stallion/#comment-893 Marko Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:48:36 +0000 http://www.velominati.com/blog/?p=2131#comment-893 @frank and Brett Dave Groll's imitation of Scott Stapp's Arms Wide Open is worth a listen. Very funny. @frank and Brett

Dave Groll’s imitation of Scott Stapp’s Arms Wide Open is worth a listen. Very funny.

]]> By: frank http://www.velominati.com/blog/racing/il-piratas-1998-bianchi-the-elusive-stallion/#comment-888 frank Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:07:08 +0000 http://www.velominati.com/blog/?p=2131#comment-888 <a href="#comment-884" class="comment_response" style="text-decoration: none; color: #606060;" rel="nofollow">@brett</a> Where do I start? These two comments are worth their own post. "How many ways can you re-word “vertically compliant, laterally stiff?". Brilliant. How about, "Comfortable and doesn't suck"? Incidentally, in a tangential relationship back to this post, my EV2 was obviously designed for a 125 pound Italian climber, and not a big fat Dutchman. Although I love that bike, it climbs like a pile of spaghetti under my immense weight and formidable power. Nickelback or Creed. Jesus, I haven't thought of those idiots in a long time. I believe it was Marko that pointed out to me that Creed was just a Christian Rock band. I had never noticed that until that day. In Huang's defense, as retro bike geeks, we go right to the pictures and just reference the article to fill in whatever gaps the pictures leave; his ability to write is irrelevant. When's the last time you read the article and then looked at the pictures? Retro Bike articles are like Playboy. @brett
Where do I start? These two comments are worth their own post.

“How many ways can you re-word “vertically compliant, laterally stiff?”. Brilliant. How about, “Comfortable and doesn’t suck”? Incidentally, in a tangential relationship back to this post, my EV2 was obviously designed for a 125 pound Italian climber, and not a big fat Dutchman. Although I love that bike, it climbs like a pile of spaghetti under my immense weight and formidable power.

Nickelback or Creed. Jesus, I haven’t thought of those idiots in a long time. I believe it was Marko that pointed out to me that Creed was just a Christian Rock band. I had never noticed that until that day.

In Huang’s defense, as retro bike geeks, we go right to the pictures and just reference the article to fill in whatever gaps the pictures leave; his ability to write is irrelevant. When’s the last time you read the article and then looked at the pictures? Retro Bike articles are like Playboy.

]]> By: brett http://www.velominati.com/blog/racing/il-piratas-1998-bianchi-the-elusive-stallion/#comment-885 brett Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:22:27 +0000 http://www.velominati.com/blog/?p=2131#comment-885 Having said that, writing reviews is fucking tedious and difficult to make sound interesting. I just reviewed a bike and had to tone down my criticisms, because the companies pay for advertising, and advertising pays for the mags/websites. So that's why reviews generally pander to the manufacturers; plus how many ways can you re-word "vertically compliant, laterally stiff"? Having said that, writing reviews is fucking tedious and difficult to make sound interesting.

I just reviewed a bike and had to tone down my criticisms, because the companies pay for advertising, and advertising pays for the mags/websites. So that’s why reviews generally pander to the manufacturers; plus how many ways can you re-word “vertically compliant, laterally stiff”?

]]> By: brett http://www.velominati.com/blog/racing/il-piratas-1998-bianchi-the-elusive-stallion/#comment-884 brett Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:55:22 +0000 http://www.velominati.com/blog/?p=2131#comment-884 Huang is a muppet. And that post on the alleged Pantani bike just confirms it. If <em>you</em> could spot all those indiscrepancies Frank, then he should've too. His 'reviews' are nothing but cliche-riddled re-hashs of manufacturers press releases. If he was a "rock star", he'd be in Nickelback or Creed... Huang is a muppet. And that post on the alleged Pantani bike just confirms it. If you could spot all those indiscrepancies Frank, then he should’ve too.

His ‘reviews’ are nothing but cliche-riddled re-hashs of manufacturers press releases.

If he was a “rock star”, he’d be in Nickelback or Creed…

]]> By: frank http://www.velominati.com/blog/racing/il-piratas-1998-bianchi-the-elusive-stallion/#comment-879 frank Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:54:06 +0000 http://www.velominati.com/blog/?p=2131#comment-879 <a href="#comment-877" class="comment_response" style="text-decoration: none; color: #606060;" rel="nofollow">@john</a> Yeah, James is a rock star, and he's been super cool about the feedback. That's the way it should be; no one is right all the time, but being open to getting info and feeback is what makes it feel like they care about their readers. He mentioned he's working on another retro-bike write-up. Can't wait. I agree regarding the results; at this point, I don't care if it was all jet-fueled. It was a level playing field and there was really no more exciting racing than in 1998. From the classics to the Giro to the Tour and onwards, it was just awesome. @john
Yeah, James is a rock star, and he’s been super cool about the feedback. That’s the way it should be; no one is right all the time, but being open to getting info and feeback is what makes it feel like they care about their readers. He mentioned he’s working on another retro-bike write-up. Can’t wait.

I agree regarding the results; at this point, I don’t care if it was all jet-fueled. It was a level playing field and there was really no more exciting racing than in 1998. From the classics to the Giro to the Tour and onwards, it was just awesome.

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