yes i remember that well!

@Ron

I went to my local uni library today to check out their cycling books. They have a fair amount on the subject, and some great photo book (albums) of Le Tour. I avoid that section when I have work to do but today I had some free time and hadn’t looked at them in too long.

I know the section well enough that I can just climb two flights of stairs and find it. Much to my surprise I saw a book on the shelf that I had yet to see. In multi-colored letters a spine read: “MERCKX.”

Oh my. What a treasure. I didn’t know that Mr. Fotheringham had written a text on The Prophet. I can wait to read it! (need to ask a friend who is a student to check it out for me, ah the lengths I’ll go to for my passion)

Also, there is an incredible photo in there of Merckx unconscious on the ground after his derny crash, bloodied, but a hand still reached out for the bars. His front wheel is bonkers, bent in half and I think his tubular is rolled off. It occurred in 1969. To think, Eddy accomplished all that, all those 500 some wins…with a bad back?! What a fucking cannibal is right.

An hour after I picked up the book I found myself halfway into a ride. I thought, “Wait, I wasn’t planning on riding today?” I guess a few photos and that colorful font lighting up “MERCKX” was all I needed. Awesomeness, looking forward to checking it out, Mr. Fotheringham!

I tried to hunt down the photo and the nearest I could come up with was this one which sounds similar which was connected to Merckx but I think this is Jean Paul Moser who was run over and died aged 22. The Prophet dedicated his MSR win to him that year…O and reading and riding is dangerous, you should be careful!

Haven’t got the book to hand to check but is this the photo?

I went to my local uni library today to check out their cycling books. They have a fair amount on the subject, and some great photo book (albums) of Le Tour. I avoid that section when I have work to do but today I had some free time and hadn’t looked at them in too long.

I know the section well enough that I can just climb two flights of stairs and find it. Much to my surprise I saw a book on the shelf that I had yet to see. In multi-colored letters a spine read: “MERCKX.”

Oh my. What a treasure. I didn’t know that Mr. Fotheringham had written a text on The Prophet. I can wait to read it! (need to ask a friend who is a student to check it out for me, ah the lengths I’ll go to for my passion)

Also, there is an incredible photo in there of Merckx unconscious on the ground after his derny crash, bloodied, but a hand still reached out for the bars. His front wheel is bonkers, bent in half and I think his tubular is rolled off. It occurred in 1969. To think, Eddy accomplished all that, all those 500 some wins…with a bad back?! What a fucking cannibal is right.

An hour after I picked up the book I found myself halfway into a ride. I thought, “Wait, I wasn’t planning on riding today?” I guess a few photos and that colorful font lighting up “MERCKX” was all I needed. Awesomeness, looking forward to checking it out, Mr. Fotheringham!

I tried to hunt down the photo and the nearest I could come up with was this one which sounds similar which was connected to Merckx but I think this is Jean Paul Moser who was run over and died aged 22.  The Prophet dedicated his MSR win to him that year…O and reading and riding is dangerous, you should be careful!

And, does Pharmstrong have his FD setup with the DT shifter in that photo? I only see his right shifter cable emerging, not a left one.

It is possible, at the top of the Alpe d’Huez one of his bikes is there, DT shifter for the front to save weight. This was for the TT up the Alpe d’Huez.

The next step is to get a grant so that the library is at home. I can highly recommend that process…

I know the section well enough that I can just climb two flights of stairs and find it. Much to my surprise I saw a book on the shelf that I had yet to see. In multi-colored letters a spine read: “MERCKX.”

Oh my. What a treasure. I didn’t know that Mr. Fotheringham had written a text on the Prophet. I can wait to read it! (need to ask a friend who is a student to check it out for me, ah the lengths I’ll go to for my passion)

Also, there is an incredible photo in there of Merckx unconscious on the ground after his derny crash, bloodied, but a hand still reached out for the bars. His front wheel is bonkers, bent in half and I think his tubular is rolled off. It occurred in 1969. To think, Eddy accomplished all that, all those 500 some wins…with a bad back?! What a fucking cannibal is right.

An hour after I picked up the book I found myself halfway into a ride. I thought, “Wait, I wasn’t planning on riding today?” I guess a few photos and that colorful font lighting up “MERCKX” was all I needed. Awesomeness, looking forward to checking it out, Mr. Fotheringham!

And, does Pharmstrong have his FD setup with the DT shifter in that photo? I only see his right shifter cable emerging, not a left one.

Does anyone else (besides Frank and I) remember when Velonews was large newsprint, the writing was fairly good, and they actually covered local racing as well as world wide events? I do. I’m even in a few issues (local races). I really wish I had held onto those.

And yes, I’ll be adding this to the cycling library.

Ha! I used to check those out at my high school’s library and read them on the bus home.

And how about books or movies or experiences as a kid that stick with you because from the isolation of your hometown you felt like you knew more about the world you yearned to join? For me it was snowboarding and lacrosse.  Both were still majorly under the radar on a national scope. I had a stack of Burton catalogues that I’d page through constantly, even though I’d seen ever photo and read every story.

I’m going to think about this the next coupla rides – how to rediscover the youthful feeling of a link to something you love but can’t enough of and how it inspires your imagination and wonder.

Thank you for the kind words, and welcome!

I’m an old fuck.

Frank, I had a subscription to Cycle Sport for many years and I let it expire last year because I read it so carefully that when I was done, a new one would arrive. That’s all I read. I’m an idiot. I miss it. Rouler does not have that wiseass british humor seeping through it and I can  actually devour a Rouler in a weekend.

I am getting his new book. It sounds fantastic.

@scaler911

Does anyone else (besides Frank and I) remember when Velonews was large newsprint, the writing was fairly good, and they actually covered local racing as well as world wide events? I do. I’m even in a few issues (local races). I really wish I had held onto those.

And yes, I’ll be adding this to the cycling library.

I do, but does anyone remember what came before Velonews? I believe it was called Competitive Cycling, also large newsprint format. It was funnier and more guerrilla than what came after it. It covered a lot of track racing(which was bigger back in the 70s) and road racing, mostly US racing. News from europe was hard to find unless travelers brought back glossy impenetrable French mags.

I couldn’t say. I didn’t really get into cycling, other than following LeMond, until the early 90’s.

@scaler911 Hey if you want one of those old velo news I’m sure I have a few down in the archive room. I’ll happily let you have one. If you tell me the issue number you were listed in I’ll look for that too. Then you have something to read in the bathroom.

BR

Appreciate the offer, but other than “summers of 94-98” I have no idea. To further clarify, I didn’t just throw them out, when the Mrs and I bought our house, we had stuff (most everything we owned) stored in the basement while I refinished the floors in the main living space. Short version is the city flushed the common sewer line and it all ended up  a foot deep in said basement. $80K later, we had it fixed, but all of our books, clothes and whatnot had to go the way of a HazMat team.

Does anyone else (besides Frank and I) remember when Velonews was large newsprint, the writing was fairly good, and they actually covered local racing as well as world wide events? I do. I’m even in a few issues (local races). I really wish I had held onto those.

And yes, I’ll be adding this to the cycling library.

I do, but does anyone remember what came before Velonews? I believe it was called Competitive Cycling, also large newsprint format. It was funnier and more guerrilla than what came after it. It covered a lot of track racing(which was bigger back in the 70s) and road racing, mostly US racing.  News from europe was hard to find unless travelers brought back glossy impenetrable French mags.

Being a small business owner, I do not get to the book store nearly as often as I’d like, but I will find a way to get a copy soon!

BR

Thanks to everyone here, by the way, for all the entertaining and useful posts!

the pack rat in me still has many of those oversized velonews publications..I think they are in the attic with piles of winning mag. Yes, the reports where months late, but that was the only way to get good coverage and killer photos..

its 19 degrees c at 2,073 meters now. I am gonna suffer today.

And yes, I’ll be adding this to the cycling library.

I also bought International Cycle Sport at Rattray’s bike shop in Glasgow (maker of the famous Flying Scot frames). Again, it was like looking at another world far beyond my ken. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for you poor buggers i the US in terms of getting info.We at least had Cycling Weekly to slake our thirst for knowledge.