Back then they had “real” jobs in the offseason.

I was just looking at Le Tour the other day at the uni library, a big photo book covering the entire history of the Tour. I couldn’t believe how stocky and thick-legged many of the riders were in the 1960s and 70s. A lot more farm boys I suppose.

Those Twiggos are strange looking.

happy fat thanksgiving everyone!!!

You too! For anyone celebrating the holiday, Happy Chow-Down Day!

@DerHoggz: those are killer climbs, the pave’ going up like that must be like a million speed bumps in a row
@Chris O@ChrisO

@DerHoggz

Is there a way to edit posts? I just had to show you guys this video I ran across with the “ultra-climber”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgIL6eHHgZU&feature=related

Rarely am I appalled and transfixed at the same time but that climb video managed both.
7.5 gear inches. If that’s what it takes to get up a hill… why not just walk ? It would be faster.

now now, why not walk?? Because we are cyclists, velomanti…created in the very image of Eddy, thus we ride and NEVER walk…because eddy doesn’t walk, thats why. Its like giving up. Even if its faster, thats not the point. I know you weren’t thinking that…ride on

That, and Rule #69.

@Souleur
AWESOME STORY.

Is there a way to edit posts? I just had to show you guys this video I ran across with the “ultra-climber”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgIL6eHHgZU&feature=related

Amazed and confused at the same time here. Amazed that someone took a shit ton of time to think up and then assemble that two wheeled contraption. Confused as to why.

@Nate, yes they do have those ‘tummy ticklers’ here. I have never heard it called that, but that seems right on. Short steep climbs all day long, short down, short up. Buddy and I call it the poor mans interval, hill repeat, breath, hill repeat, breath..ignore the burning, just go. Although, at times, the riding here is really beautiful and part of the beauty is I have it all to myself, relatively speaking.
@mblume: Alps, traded for the ozarks, thats like trading from ford to mercedes, right? Not bad. My family lineage is actually swiss, so maybe i have family in switzerland. Nice. Enjoy.
I did have the privilage to work w/the Tour of Missouri as a technical stage director and when they came through, i picked out the absolutely hardest parts for them that day, rouled out 150k for them. Tommy Danielson called it ‘fuckin ridiculous’ afterward on velonews. Thats what I thought too BTW, they smoked the thing, german team Gut had never rode any faster all year they said. The peloton used the ‘hills’ as a build up for momentum every time, literally hitting the next hill and just smashing it, finished the 150k in 3hrs and change. Micheal Barry won that days stage dropping Louder in a breakaway and lone wolfed it to the line.

My sister and I called them “tummy ticklers” when we were little. Never have ridden them, but the thought of riding hills like that over and over sounds like a hell of a workout.

I remember that stage. When I first heard there was going to be a Tour of Missouri I thought they should hit those kinds of roads. Awesome work, there was a lot of the V going on that day!

@DerHoggz: those are killer climbs, the pave’ going up like that must be like a million speed bumps in a row
@Chris O@ChrisO

@DerHoggz

Is there a way to edit posts? I just had to show you guys this video I ran across with the “ultra-climber”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgIL6eHHgZU&feature=related

Rarely am I appalled and transfixed at the same time but that climb video managed both.
7.5 gear inches. If that’s what it takes to get up a hill… why not just walk ? It would be faster.

now now, why not walk?? Because we are cyclists, velomanti…created in the very image of Eddy, thus we ride and NEVER walk…because eddy doesn’t walk, thats why. Its like giving up. Even if its faster, thats not the point. I know you weren’t thinking that…ride on

I’m with @ChrisO on this one, if you have to do that to a bike to get up a hill then walk. Eddy wouldn’t have walked but I’m sure that if he’d found himself going that slowly the world would have ceased to exist.

I’m all for carrying on in the face of advancing years but one must also recognise ones limitations and seek more suitable routes in the same way that there comes a time when one should acknowledge that ones hair line is not what it used be and reach for the clippers.

@mblume: Alps, traded for the ozarks, thats like trading from ford to mercedes, right? Not bad. My family lineage is actually swiss, so maybe i have family in switzerland. Nice. Enjoy.

I did have the privilage to work w/the Tour of Missouri as a technical stage director and when they came through, i picked out the absolutely hardest parts for them that day, rouled out 150k for them. Tommy Danielson called it ‘fuckin ridiculous’ afterward on velonews. Thats what I thought too BTW, they smoked the thing, german team Gut had never rode any faster all year they said. The peloton used the ‘hills’ as a build up for momentum every time, literally hitting the next hill and just smashing it, finished the 150k in 3hrs and change. Micheal Barry won that days stage dropping Louder in a breakaway and lone wolfed it to the line.

@Chris O@ChrisO

@DerHoggz

Is there a way to edit posts? I just had to show you guys this video I ran across with the “ultra-climber”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgIL6eHHgZU&feature=related

Rarely am I appalled and transfixed at the same time but that climb video managed both.
7.5 gear inches. If that’s what it takes to get up a hill… why not just walk ? It would be faster.

now now, why not walk?? Because we are cyclists, velomanti…created in the very image of Eddy, thus we ride and NEVER walk…because eddy doesn’t walk, thats why. Its like giving up. Even if its faster, thats not the point. I know you weren’t thinking that…ride on

@DerHoggz
That’s a strong argument for banning bearded people. I’ll bet he has a recumbent, wears socks with sandals as part of his casual attire along with one of those belts with a little bag. I hadn’t realised my dad was still into cycling.

That’s a beard? I thought it was a full face-mask. And why is he wearing a fake-muscled Captain America suit?

@DerHoggz

Is there a way to edit posts? I just had to show you guys this video I ran across with the “ultra-climber”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgIL6eHHgZU&feature=related

Rarely am I appalled and transfixed at the same time but that climb video managed both.
7.5 gear inches. If that’s what it takes to get up a hill… why not just walk ? It would be faster.

Actually, in the second climb, using 8.6 gear inches, a pedestrian does overtake him.

Is there a way to edit posts? I just had to show you guys this video I ran across with the “ultra-climber”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgIL6eHHgZU&feature=related

Rarely am I appalled and transfixed at the same time but that climb video managed both.

7.5 gear inches. If that’s what it takes to get up a hill… why not just walk ? It would be faster.

That’s a strong argument for banning bearded people. I’ll bet he has a recumbent, wears socks with sandals as part of his casual attire along with one of those belts with a little bag. I hadn’t realised my dad was still into cycling.

@DerHoggz
That’s just ridiculous.

Wow.
Is the ultra climber also the butterfly whisperer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgIL6eHHgZU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3bHNcO_Wwc&feature=related

I did move to Switzerland from the Ozarks for the exact reasons Souleur mentions- the Riding and countless alpine climbs…although I have yet to identify another card carrying Velominati. My V kit is scheduled to arrive any day- been waiting about 3 months…worse than a 7 year old waiting for Christmas.

I can attest those tummy tickler roads in the Ozarks are good fun for a 1-3 hour ride- but after that they can mentally shatter all but the hardest practitioners of Rule V

@Nate,@Souleur, @Cyclops
Here in Seattle we have 20% cobbled grades. Because Seattle kicks ass.
Oops.

We have 20%s too, on what I will now dub Caltrans Cobbles.

@Souleur
I recall from my youth parts of the Ozarks with roads we called “tummy ticklers.” Constant up and down, pretty straight. You’d fly down the descents (in a car). At the bottom there would be a “DIP” sign, and then straight back up. Do they have those in your parts? I’d imagine those would be pure suffering on a bike.

@DerHoggz
That is completely absurd.

There is a 37% on “cobbles” in Pittsburgh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canton_Avenue

-the Riding
-beautiful hors categorie climbs
-chicken bone grabbing descents
-pave’
-fellow V riders
and i would be all in!

and seattle is one of those (oh, and the java)

In the mean time, it was like my ride today, 42*, light wind which was nice, no gravel today, just a nice easy role out. No traffic, 3 dogs. No hammering this time of the year for me.

Oops.

@Zoncolan

Care of my hero, lads. Thing is, is this not the photo of him smashing his kneecap in 1998? If it is, it is true Hardman stuff. I still remember his victory subsequently in 2000 when he pointed at his knee. Tearjerking and wonderful Rule #5.

Here ’tis:

I would fall, break my ass, and otherwise completely humiliate myself trying to do that on a bike

Not really sure what you can do to prepare for the pave. I rode it this year for the first time; totally awesome!

Just amazing that the pros manage to ride it at such speed. Chapeau!

@wiscot

@michael
I think the Lion is getting pepper sprayed because he is passively sitting somewhere that the UC Davis cop feels he shouldn’t be. He is blocking a public thoroughfare and therefore “deserves” to be attacked.
Damn fine photoshopping job, by the way.

Best explanation yet.

I thought it was the Mapei vomit kit.

@michael
I think the Lion is getting pepper sprayed because he is passively sitting somewhere that the UC Davis cop feels he shouldn’t be. He is blocking a public thoroughfare and therefore “deserves” to be attacked.
Damn fine photoshopping job, by the way.

Best explanation yet.

@Mikael Liddy
@Nate
@Marcus
Go easy on Twiggo there guys… see, the point I was making is my ‘guns’ are kinda similar… but put out less firepower, obviously.

I was going to preface my comment by saying “I have no right to say this but I am going to say it anyways.” Then I remembered this is the internet.

Here’s the link if anyone wants to see:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-pepper-spraying-cop-meme

@Mikael Liddy
@Nate
@Marcus
Go easy on Twiggo there guys… see, the point I was making is my ‘guns’ are kinda similar… but put out less firepower, obviously.

If your pins (hardly guns) are that skinny: On the bright side, at least you will have no problems with dosing up on Belgian Toothpaste due to the massive amounts of beach sand that you must have ingested over the years.

I would just pray to the arenberg forest that mercy be applied upon the Rule V, gracefully that the bikes life at least be spared

but then again, somethings are just worth it

@brett, that is a killer photo
It goes to remind me that our PRO’s suffer beyond measure, and are just a walking pile of dust sometimes, catalyzed w/calcium and some iron, for others healthy doses of CERA/EPO and speed, but for mortals, they are just starving

I always look at the prologues to see who comes in form, measuring the gap between the jersey sleeve, and upper arms…they usually gap pretty good for those who arrive in form, not to mention the sunken cheeks/eyes, and prominent maxilla bones

What if Il Profetta gets rattled to death and cracks? Well, it’s meant to be, it’ll be dying in its bithplace, a return to the soil from whence it was born.

Can’t believe you thought about not bringing it. You building up tubs, or are you going with your Abrossio clinchers?

If my beloved R3 dies upon the stones, we shall make a pire of our loyal machines and allow the Lion to throw in the match. A-Merckx.

What if The Lion tells me to Rule #5 it and stop being a pussy?

Then it will be like any other conversation you have with anyone else?

Damn fine photoshopping job, by the way.

These are killing me. So funny, in a holocaust sort of humor way.

@G’phant
Seconded.

Thirded, rebel scum.

as in ….
stay calm

Classic! :D

@Nate

@Marcus

Go easy on Twiggo there guys… see, the point I was making is my ‘guns’ are kinda similar… but put out less firepower, obviously.

Care of my hero, lads. Thing is, is this not the photo of him smashing his kneecap in 1998? If it is, it is true Hardman stuff. I still remember his victory subsequently in 2000 when he pointed at his knee. Tearjerking and wonderful Rule #5.

Here ’tis:

If you haven’t seen the video, just Google UC Davis pepper spray or something like that. Then move on to a Google images search.

a trifle inappropriate, but bloody funny +1

excellent photoshopping, albeit I can’t work out what is actually the message here, other than a riot cop spraying him with orange paint – any danger of a caption?

I am also a mountain biker, but despite years of racing in mud, there are not too many things on the planet slicker for rubber tires than mud covered uneven surfaces with something solid underneath- i.e. cobblestones!

While I am unable to attend the upcoming epic keepers’ cobblefestwoodstockpalooza, I secretly have the same fear as Frank mentioned. The thought of riding over slimed covered cobbles on skinny tires scares the pavè out of me. The advice I have heard over and over from those who have made the pilgrimage to Mecca (Merckxa) is to ride fast, keep your head up, with loose elbows/arms. The more tension you have in your upper body, the more likely you are to to meet the fate of Wiggo.

@Marcus, @Mikael Liddy
Look at that thigh on the Leeuw van Vlaanderen. The Twiggo twigs are a disgrace by comparison.

Compare those “guns” to what you see in shots of the Badger or Kelly, the emaciation is scary. I don’t care if the lesser weight makes them quicker, I can’t abide a sportsman that has to look malnourished just to be competitive!

Dunno, looks easy to me:

Why are they paperboy-ing over cobbles? Doesn’t that just prolong the agony?