“You ruined a heap of photos!” Not the words you want to hear when the photos in question are ones you didn’t shoot, but were in. “How?” “You’re too low, too compressed.” At least he didn’t say I was ugly. “And you’re ugly.”
When you work with professional photographers, you pick up a few tricks of the trade along the way (and then reject them, it seems). ‘Ride slow, look fast’ is a favourite tip, but usually just ends up with me looking like someone who is slow and desperately trying to look fast, but just looking slow. Getting your elbows, knees, ass and eyes all pointing in the correct (but completely different) directions is something that comes easily for gifted riders, and not at all for the rest of us.
Joe Breeze don’t need no tips on how to look perfect for the camera. He just tells the photographer where to stand, then lays down a one-take lesson in feet-up drift cornering technique that remains the benchmark to this day. His clothes, hair and moustache, well they deserve a complete chapter in the Book of Cool all their own.
Modern mountain bikes may have come a long way, but clothing could do worse than take some cues from the 70s (not just for biking, either). This is the way to dress for a ride. Just make sure you’ve got Breeze-perfect form to back it up.
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Repack and Klunking, so venerable.
Although I was a bit too young in the '70s (and a bit too old now) to exude that kind of cool, I'm pretty sure I attempted that kind turn on my BMX bike. Although, the subsequent 3-5 seconds involved embedding gravel into my knees, elbows, and possibly arse. Clearly they were not pointing in the correct directions.
Pretty damn cool photo. How long are his brake levers?
The sad thing is that I think he's better dressed than most people I see out in public these days.
Since when did stockings become pants? It's fucking bizarre. "Psst, I think you forgot to put your skirt on over those."
@Ron
Long -- as noted here, those are moto brake levers.
That looks like he's headed down after a hard day of lumber jacking. Finished with a "sup, where's my beer?"
Cool can't be taught, but damn, people sure try to fake it.
@Nate So very cool... from very humble beginnings to today's phenomenal machines and athletes flying down the sandstone cliffs in Utah at the Red Bull Rampage site. I love this stuff even though I get dusted descending all the time. Thx for posting the video!
@Ccos
There is no faking that kind of countersteering technique.
Best writing in the month of May. Thank you...just...thank you.
As for taking 70's to the max, my hat tips to Tom Hardy, who claimed this to be his modern, easy bike. He did confess to having a modern chamios in his woolen boxers.
I feel like I know that corner; riding Mount Tam was such an honor, almost as holy as riding the cobbles (but not quite...)