Fat Guy Cycling

Journey to Bicyclopolis

2005-04-29T15:01:00.000-04:00

The Car Busters site has a work of fiction set in the post-oil future of 2076, called "Journey to Bicyclopolis". It is from a graphic novel in progress by Ken Avidor.

This bike shop mechanic in Bicyclopolis even has a cat. At least this fictional future isn't all bad.

Seat Post Problem Solved

2005-04-19T18:32:00.000-04:00

I took my seat post to B&E Cycles for analysis. Erik looked at it and determined the problem was the seat post was put on backwards. Just to be safe, he ground out the grooves where the swivel part of the seat post meets the post part for a better grip. I got it back tonight, only $9.15 for labor.

Peak Oil

2005-04-18T22:23:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking a lot about Peak Oil recently. I'm reading David Goodstein's book Out of Gas. There is even a Peak Oil blog now.

The more I read about Peak Oil, the more I think bicycle commuters are freakin' geniuses. It is a shame that suburbia is set up around cars.

Armstrong will retire

2005-04-18T16:04:00.000-04:00

This just in from CNN/SI, Armstrong says his next TdF will be his last Tour.

Lawyer Cyclist Falls Off Bike - Sues Everyone

2005-04-18T06:26:00.000-04:00

"James Leone is suing the Toronto Outing Club and its Kolapore Uplands Wilderness Ski Trails Committee as well as the Town of The Blue Mountains, the Grey-Bruce Trails Network and the province for an accident he had while mountain biking last August."

First ride of the season

2005-04-17T10:24:00.000-04:00

So I rode the bike today. It was sunny, and I figured I could get out early enough so that not many people would not see the Fat Guy cycling.

After about 0.5 miles, I had pain in the balls. I got off and checked my saddle, and it had pitched up from horizontal. I whipped out the Target hex key set, made it vertical, and off I went. Same thing about 0.5 miles later. I adjusted it back to horizontal, and banged the saddle a little forward. Seemed OK, but at the end of my ride, it still was pitched up a little. Any other large bike riders have saddle experiences to share?

Engineers love data:

Distance: 1.61 Mi
Time: 11:40
Avg Speed: 8.3 MPH
Max Speed: 14.2 MPH
HR (Before/After): 90/137 BPM, still 102 after 0.5 hours

Not a terrible ride, even if I spent more time getting geared up, getting the bike out past the cats, and down/up the stairs than I did riding.

Note: I would have ridden further, except for the extreme PAIN IN MY BALLS from having saddle pitch up after every half mile. My legs and lungs were fine, the boys weren't.

Athletics is mental

2005-04-12T21:56:00.000-04:00

This might come as a shock, but all through elementary school, junior high, and high school, I was never very good in gym. I wish I could climb the rope, and someday I'd like to do a pull-up.

Until recently, I've always though that I had a physical limitation, but now I realize it is indeed mental. I got a bike that I rode 5 miles last year because I think I am pretty bad at cycling. I joined the Y the first of the month, and I haven't gone yet because I think I will be out of place.

I need to clear that mental block.

Relapse

2005-04-12T21:50:00.000-04:00

I relapsed pretty hard today. So far I've smoked 10 cigarettes in 3 hours. One of my friends did something to piss me off, and I needed the "comfort" of cigarettes. The funny thing was earlier today I had the concious thought that I did not want a cigarette, the first time I had that thought in a while.

Oh well, guess I'll have to try quitting again.

Weave a Bike

2005-04-12T21:30:00.000-04:00

The NY Times had an article today about the Extreme Texiles exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. The article talked about fibers being woven into bicycle frames, but all I could find the Cooper-Hewitt site was some carbon fiber wheels.

If a woven fiber bicycle frame ever becomes available commercially, my bro will be one of the first to have one.

Warmer weather causing more people to hit the streets, paths

2005-04-12T06:52:00.000-04:00

From the Penn State student newspaper, here is an article about people biking more because the weather has turned nicer. Insert comment about Fat Guy being a slacker here.

New Seat Post

2005-04-05T23:39:00.000-04:00

Is it seat post or seatpost? I can never remember.

I hated my seatpost shock, so fixedgear hooked me up with a conventional seatpost. Actually, he hooked me up with the complete seatpost hop-up kit, consisting of a Solo cup of grease, a latex glove, and a handy plastic bag to carry it all in! It took me a while, but I had to install the new seatpost since he went to so much trouble. I learned a little grease goes a long way.

I decided on 1.09 x inseam as the distance between my pedal at the top of the seat, and I used my torpedo level to level the seat. I just eyeballed the seatpost yaw.

Day 4 not smoking

2005-04-05T23:32:00.000-04:00

I had a relapse about 4 days ago. I broke down and bought a pack of smokes and had some. To be fair, I reset my quit clock on my PC. I didn't smoke the whole pack, I flushed about 7 smokes down the toilet.

I've discovered (again) that even 1 smoke causes you to need to begin the withdrawl process over again. I'm jonesing now for a smoke, but 10 days into my previous quit I wasn't.

How not to be hit by cars

2005-04-03T22:30:00.000-04:00

From Fark, here is a list of 10 ways not to be hit by cars. Some of the comments about the article in the Fark forum are funny.

Yeah, you could be like me and let your bike gather dust and call that way number 11 not to be hit by a car.

Cycling Psychology

2005-03-16T22:38:00.000-05:00

This is from Part 5 of the rec.bicycles FAQ. I thought this was interesting. "Motivation, the last frontier. With enough of it any ordinary person can become a world class athlete. Without it the same person could end up begging for change downtown. Even a tremendously talented rider will go nowhere without motivation. How do some riders always seem to be so motivated? What are the sources of their motivation?"

BMW versus BMW

2005-03-16T22:19:00.000-05:00

This site compares and contrasts the Bavarian Motor Werks and the Brooklyn Machine Works.

The BMW link on the BMW vs BMW site is caput, so I provided an appropriate BMW link.

Die-Cast Bicycles!

2005-03-16T22:15:00.000-05:00

You can never be too rich, too thin, or if you're a serious cyclist, have too much bicycle schwag. Here are some nice die-cast BMW bicycles, and some lesser brands of bicycles also. The John Deere bike is $79.99?!

This guy's bicycle is faster than my BMW!

2005-03-16T21:59:00.000-05:00

From exbyte, here is a video of "SwissRocketman" and his bicycle. His rocket-powered bicycle reaches a speed of 236 km/hr (about 147 MPH). According to the manual, my Bimmer is electronically limited to 128 MPH.

To the Fatmobile!

2005-03-11T12:42:00.000-05:00

I just bought a car that has a steptronic transmission. I used my google-fu on steptronic to learn a little more about it. I came across this post: "Weekend ride: Audi A4, Daily Ride: 90 Pansonic Fixed Gear."

Fixedgears on Fark

2005-03-05T23:47:00.000-05:00

Fark has a link to a story about those "throwback" fixed gear bicycles and the nutty folks that ride them.

Podcasting

2005-03-04T22:08:00.000-05:00

Get yourself a copy of iPodder, and then listen Endurance Radio on your iPod.

One Less Car

2005-03-04T18:53:00.000-05:00

Not to be confused with this admirable group, this post relates to my car, the Sat-Urn. It has given up the ghost. It is not turning over, I hate it, so it is time for a new car.

Yes, I flirted with the idea of going bicycle only.

First Week Smoke-Free

2005-03-04T18:48:00.000-05:00

The combination of cold turkey and Wellbutrin seems to be working. I just passed a week without smoking. Sometimes I feel like a cigarette. Just one. But I know from my previous attempts that just one becomes just one pack, the just a couple packs, then a few years. So I just deal.

I've been walking to work becuase of car problems. I wore a heart rate monitor the past couple of days, and I've noticed a drop in my BPM. I do feel better, I didn't feel as winded on the walk to work.

Le Tour de France for the Playstation 2

2005-03-04T13:36:00.000-05:00

I was doing a GIS for "Bicycling 101" to see if I could pick up some tips, and I came across a link for bicycling video games, including this TDF game for the PS2. I've only seen the PAL version, so it might not be available in the States.

Day 3 smoke-free

2005-02-28T18:30:00.000-05:00

I just passed day 3 smoke-free of my most current quit. 3 days is significant because that is how long it takes the nicotine to leave your system. Also significant was that today was my first work day smoke-free.

I haven't told my cow-orkers that I've quit yet. I want to get a few days under my belt before I say something to them. Some people might have cow-orkers that would supportive of them, mine would have a pool of when I would relapse.

A special shout out to "Beer Bob", my college roommate. When he quit, I knew it was time for me to quit as well. We once had 13 ashtrays in a one-bedroom apartment. None were ever empty.

Day 1 Smoke-Free

2005-02-26T20:47:00.000-05:00

I just completed my first day without smoking. Yeah, one day is no big deal, but it is significant for me as the first few days of a quit are the worst. This time (attempt number 12 since 1999), I am trying a combination of cold turkey, wellbutrin, and medical advice.

Aside from losing weight, I think that quitting smoking is the best improvement to my health I can make. I hit 170 BPM on a test ride of a bike, and I routinely hit 130 BPM walking. I'm hoping to realize a cardio improvement by not smoking.

It got to the point where I was smoking nearly constantly. Honestly, the only way I could have smoke more was to have smoked in my sleep.

fixedgear has a new blog!

2005-02-22T18:27:00.000-05:00

fixedgear has his own blog now! While I am sad to see him go, it is for the best.

fixedgear speaks to a wide audience of people who are serious cyclists, whereas I'm just a Fat Guy who is looking to consolidate resources for those who don't know how to exercise. My intended audience is just me, and if others benefit, that's great.

Doctor Doctor, give me the news...

2005-02-20T20:02:00.000-05:00

I was thinking of fixedgear the other day. I finally visited my new Primary Care Physician, something I have meant to do since August. My PCP took a family history. Naturally, he asked about my brothers.

I told him about other brother, who is overweight, but not to the extent I am. In my mother's words "I saw [other brother] the other day. Jesus God, he's almost as big as you Fat Guy!"

I then told him about fixedgear. I said, "I also have a brother who is five years older than me. He's in pretty good shape. He rides centuries." He then proceeded to use fixedgear as an example of proper diet and exercise. But I knew that.

The visit to the doctor was productive. I got a prescription for generic Wellbutrin SR to help me with quitting smoking, some good diet advice ("Eat colorful food, like fruits and vegetables."), and he sent me for a blood test.

My blood type is Ragu. Ba-dum-bum. But seriously, I'll likely get a statin next to take care of the cholesterol. I go back to the PCP in a month. So begins an attempt at improving my health.

"So goofy that is is cool" department

2005-02-20T10:13:00.000-05:00

The Windcheetah is the world's most advanced recumbent tricycle. Didja see the episode of Monster Garage where Jesse James said "trikes are just not cool?" He might just be wrong. If you can get past the (pretty intense) geek factor, this thing is way cool. Your pocket protector won't fall out, for example. You could ride it after a few pints, no problem.

A bike theft story with a happy ending

2005-02-20T08:31:00.000-05:00

I like the way that this one turned out. Story is here. Good karma for the folks who chipped in to help the guy out, and the thief should be boiled in oil.

Ride Your Bike

2005-02-18T20:40:00.000-05:00

New seatpost standard?

2005-02-18T05:58:00.000-05:00

Are traditional metal saddle rails a thing of the past? Here is a link to an article on a new post and saddle design that saves 50 to 100 grams - two to four ounces. It is manufactured by SDG and is called the I-Beam. Premium, Titec and SDG offer their own I-Beam posts, while Thomson, E-13, Kore, S.I.C., Profile Design, Gravity Dropper, Stone Edge, Promax and others have posts in development.

Bicycles and the law part II

2005-02-17T18:33:00.000-05:00

Part 2 of the monopoly machine, featuring Col. Albert Pope and the big bad bicycle trust.

Oprah Viewers Buy 900,000 Livestrong Bracelets In 24 Hours

2005-02-17T05:40:00.000-05:00

I think she is incredibly powerful. She is like some kind of demon that can shoot lightning bolts from her fingertips. When she did the book club she could make or break an author's career with a few carefully chosen words.

Lance went on her show last week and they subsequently sold 900K Livestrong bracelts in 24 hours. Here goes a link to the story from BRIN. That is $900,000 raised for the LAF in 24 hours. I'm a little cynical, but that seems like a Good Thing.

Spinners are winners!

2005-02-17T04:50:00.001-05:00

My friend and co-worker who we'll call 'blondie' sent me this great link. I was on a ride with a guy once who said "spinners are winners" which meant use lower gears and pedal faster. It works for Lance, maybe it will work for you, too. Riding fixed gear bikes on the road has made me a better pedaller, but anyone can learn. Pedal circles. They say 'think of scraping mud from the bottom of one's shoe' as the proper pedal motion. Pull up as well as pushing down. Don't be a masher.

Armstrong is In

2005-02-16T17:37:00.000-05:00

This just in: Armstrong will be on the staring line for the 2005 edition of the greatest show on earth, le Tour de France. More to follow.

Pioneers in the Peloton: The Unknown American

2005-02-15T21:04:00.000-05:00

A terrific article on one of the first Americans to race in Europe.Pioneers in the Peloton: The unknown American is one of VeloNews' finest moments.

Wow!

2005-02-15T20:48:00.000-05:00

Or should I say Schwiiiiiiiiiing! She is around the same age as I am (I was born in 1961) and she looks marvelous. That picture is from the Grammys, and I don't know what is up with his suit, either.

She looks pretty good here, too, with the exception of those goofy socks. Too tall, just like Lance's.

What is weird is that if you cut off her ponytail she would look
almost exactly like Lance.

Another reason not to buy a bike at Wal-Mart

2005-02-15T17:53:00.000-05:00

This is not a frivolous lawsuit. The bikes were never checked for proper assembly. Wal-Mart simply opened the carton and put the bike on the shelf. People were injured when the quick release front wheel became detached. A proper bike shop would would do two things. Check the quick release skewer, and educate the consumer on proper operation of a quick release. Wal-Mart failed on both counts, and they will be made to pay.

LED Bike Lights

2005-02-14T05:10:00.000-05:00

LEDs are perfect for bike lighting. Solid state, no filaments to break, low current draw and long life. They just are not super bright, yet. There are some nice lights ot there, and this one looks interesting.

Bush, a "biking maniac," loves leaving aides in dust

2005-02-13T17:46:00.000-05:00

Drop your friends, drop your competition, or if you are the prez you can drop your aides.

Gaansari Van Cleve

2005-02-12T05:32:00.000-05:00

I'm not crazy about the color scheme, but this looks like a great bike. They will build it with Richard Sachs' lugs if you like.

A simple web site for a simple bike

2005-02-11T20:04:00.000-05:00

It really is! Features the obligatory "yes I have a white garage door" shot that I love so much.

Bikes and the Law

2005-02-11T06:48:00.000-05:00

Bikes and the legal system have a long and complex history, particularly with repect to patents.

This VeloNews article is the first of three parts exploring these interesting issues.

"Our bikes are not built by a trust!"

Armstrong and Crow on Oprah

2005-02-10T16:48:00.000-05:00

Lance will tell Oprah all about being a "single parent." Sorry, but that sounds kinda self serving. Did Kristen pass away? Does she not have the kids most of the time? Anyway, it promises to be interesting. More here.

Ullrich is illin' and on antibiotics but is expected to debut at the Tour of Murcia on March 3rd.

Facial Tattoos are the Next Big Thing in Cycling Part II

2005-02-10T16:43:00.000-05:00

David Clinger's much awaited facial tattoo. Schmuck or free spirit? You decide.

Best Fixed Gear Bikes of 2004 From Fixed Gear Gallery

2005-02-10T03:34:00.000-05:00

See the results of the poll.

Biodegradable chain lube?

2005-02-09T19:15:00.000-05:00

Remember when I said you could lube your chain with olive oil? Here is proof.

Fun Web Site of the Day

2005-02-08T18:24:00.000-05:00

It doesn't have much to do with bikes, but this is too good not to share. Just click it and mess around with it. Drag it around. It is the best of its kind.

Facial Tattoos are the Next Big Thing in Cycling

2005-02-08T05:29:00.000-05:00

That is Nicole Freedman who races for Ford-Basis Cycling

Here goes a link to her official website which unfortuately has not been updated in a while.

This comes hot on the heels of a report that David Clinger got a full-face Maori warrior tattoo, pissing off his sponsors. I still can't find a picture of his ink. I don't think it is out there, my google-fu is pretty good.

It is a joke, folks, she's a prankster. The web page was updated at 12:45 a.m. today, but aparently Clinger's is real.

Fat Guy T-Shirts

2005-02-07T20:32:00.000-05:00

fatguyshirts.com Must be a cosmic coincidence.

Quote of the Day

2005-02-07T16:51:00.000-05:00

Quote of the day from BRIN

"Portland's bike culture is amazing. Last Friday I met the new mayor...at a Critical Mass ride. Is that cool or what?"

--recent Portland transplant Jonathan Maus of Box-And-One Communications on Tom Potter

Ullrich in Tuscany

2005-02-07T05:50:00.000-05:00

www.cyclingnews.com says "Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile) is continuing his early season build up by training in the winter sun in Tuscany, Italy. The 31 year-old is being accompanied by his mentor Rudy Pevenage and training partner Tobias Steinhauser. 'I've done a lot of intense training during the last days at home on the trainer,' said Ullrich on T-Mobile's website. 'But now I'm glad to be able to ride on the road again. Blue skies and sunshine make it easier to cover the many kilometres.' Pevenage commented that Steinhauser's presence will help Ullrich. The pair plan to debut in the Tour of Murcia at the beginning of March. 'The two of them find the necessary conditions here to get prepared for the challenges ahead,' he said. 'And maybe one or another riders from the team will drop by for a training ride.'"

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly apologize to Mr. Ullrich for consistently misspelling his name. I was givivng him one 'l' when he in fact has two.

Fun cycling book of the day

2005-02-06T06:39:00.000-05:00

Don't waste you money on an Ebay copy of Bob Roll's first book, Bobke since it is mostly repeated in Bobke II. I own both, and while Bob Roll is not exactly Shakespeare, he is a highly entertaining guy. His manic style of writing is a welcome break from what usually passes for cycling journalism. Trivia: he rode a Slingshot bke in the CoreStates/First Union/Wachovia USPRO Cycling Champonship here in Philly in 1994 or so. I saw him with my own eyes.

Go by bicycle

2005-02-05T17:03:00.000-05:00

Not sure if I ever linked to this, so here goes. gobybicycle.com publishes a 'zine, with some though provoking writing. Download their .pdfs and print them and give them to all your frinds, family and co-workers.

He'll help you pick your seat...

2005-02-04T16:52:00.000-05:00

I kid, but this is a sore point for lots of people. I guess I'm pretty lucky in that I can be comfortable on a variety of saddles including Flite, Brooks B-17 and Sella san Marco. You can order a copy from roadbikerider.com in paperback or e-book. While you are there have a look around their site.

Quote of the Day

2005-02-04T15:14:00.000-05:00

Via BRIN: "Bicycle riders rely on their middle finger a lot. Some say it shows their age, others say it shows their IQ." Read all about it here.

Tribute to UK cyclist Phil Smith

2005-02-02T19:39:00.000-05:00

I had the pleasure to work with a great bloake from the UK named Phil Smith. I used to see Phil riding his bike around Goddard when Swift was in thermal vac testing. He would always give me a wave.

Phil returned to the UK recently, but he left his bike, in his words "a Wal-Mart special". I told him he should buy bikes from a bicycle shop. He said back in the UK he had a "handmade" bike, and he just bought this to ride around while he was in the States.

He left his bike here with us, and even offered to let me ride it. The first thing you now see when you enter the Swift Mission Operations Center is Phil's bike. I think we are the only NASA mission with bicycle parking in the lobby.

This just in from Punxsutawney, PA

2005-02-02T07:32:00.000-05:00

Famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and predicts six more weeks of winter. Winter hasn't even really started yet in Central PA, so predicting six more weeks of winter is a safe bet.

Around here "No winter maintenance peformed on bicycle paths. Use at your own risk."

NYC Critical Massers arrested

2005-02-02T05:49:00.000-05:00

New York, that bicycle friendly town, is at it again. There is a movement afoot to require bikes to be licensed - I'll have to dig up that link later . Here is a blog link that details random arrests of Critical Massers last Friday night (1/28) while thy were riding legally in the marked bike lane. They were charged with parading without a permit, which is a similar to a tactic used by some parishes in Louisiana. Get half a dozen cyclists together and you don't ahve a group ride, you have an illegal parade.

One week until Madri Gras

2005-02-01T22:25:00.000-05:00

It's a week until Fat Tuesday, so it's time for Gros Homme (Homme Gros?) to decide what to give up for Lent. I always give up multiple things, in case I experience multiple failures. This year I will give up: candy, sodas (all types), crackers, any "vending machine food", driving to work, and the longshot, smoking. Time for quit attempt 12. I was just reading about aneursyms at work. Yikes.

So what is former altar boy vitesse fixe giving up for Lent?

Cracked the 270 barrier

2005-02-01T22:15:00.000-05:00

My original goal was to lose a pound a week for a couple of years. I am presently short of that mark. When I started keeping track August 1st, I was 278. Some time in mid October I quit recording my weight because I had spiked up to 284. I thought for sure Christmas would put me over the 290 mark, but I was surprised that I weighed in at 272.

Today I weighed in at 269. I was pleased to be in the '60s, but I'm still above the Toby Grubnick death weight of 265.

Huffy and West Coast Choppers?

2005-01-31T16:12:00.000-05:00

Schwinn got hooked up with Orange County Choppers and the bickering Tuetels for the new Sting Ray. Jesse James went with Huffy, which is in Chapter 11 proceedngs. Read about it here.

January 2005 comments have disappeared

2005-01-30T15:54:00.000-05:00

"Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog."

Looks like any comments made in Janaury 2005 have been deleted by the recent install of the Haloscan software. Sorry to everybody who made comments.

This is really, really great

2005-01-29T14:52:00.000-05:00

This is Java based "refrigerator magnet bicycle poetry." Check it out, it is worth a click.

Fat Guy Cycling: "a tad roadiesque.... but good just the same"

2005-01-29T11:30:00.000-05:00

When I started this blog, I never thought my blog would ever be called "a tad roadiesque." I guess my decision to bring my brother onboard to provide content changed the tenor of my blog a bit, albiet for the better.

In a way, this blog has indeed turned out as I expected, "a chronicle of zero to one hundred, presently closer to zero". My actual fitness goal is to lose 100 pounds, and increasing my nearly non-extant bicyling skills seems like a good way to help attain that goal. I remain presently closer zero in weight loss and bicycling ability because personally I lack exercise skills and knowledge on how to exercise. At least I have room for improvement.

It is also my intent that my blog serve as a resource to people who are at a beginner level of bicycling and/or fitness. Having fixedgear make interesting posts that attracts input from more experienced cyclists supports that intent.

Put that thing away department

2005-01-29T07:11:00.000-05:00

Shamelessly lifted from roadbikereview.com and velorution and pinkbike.com. Please wear black shorts, there is a reason why most (male) cyclists do so.

Flickr

2005-01-28T06:40:00.000-05:00

Flickr is a free on-line photo-hosting service.

One of the cool things about Flickr is that one can search by tags, to find pictures of a certain subject. Here is a link to all the pictures tagged bicycle. Enjoy.

Three blogs for you to check out

2005-01-28T06:09:00.000-05:00

DT's Fat Boy Deluxe blog is a good read. Sounds like he is in the DC area (I used to spend a lot of time in Arlington and Alexandria for work, keeping the world safe for democracy and all) and he rides fixies. Good stuff.

Velorution is just chock full of great images (check out that Chinese watercolor!) and good links from the other side of the pond where they ride fixed wheel bikes.

Special thanks to gwadzilla who pointed me to both sites.

He's still the coolest

2005-01-27T17:42:00.000-05:00

Mario may have lost a little speed, and sure, Petacchi is a better sprinter, but nobody has more style. He can even make that hideous lime green kit look good.

Wedding Bikes

2005-01-27T17:12:00.000-05:00

Check out these great wedding bike photos.

Armstrong to go after hour record?

2005-01-27T06:40:00.000-05:00

According to cyclingnews.com, Armstrong has assembled a team of experts called the 'F-One' group to work with him on his hour record attempt. The group includes Carmichael Training Systems (CTS), Nike, helmet-maker Giro, wheelmaker Hed, Advanced Micro Devices and aerodynamicist Len Brownlie. Not sure what AMD is gonna do (they make chips) but the roles of everyone else seem pretty clear.

Here is a link to the New York Times article mentioned in the cyclingnews.com piece. Note: Registration required. Visit bugmenot to bypass registration or enter 'presurfer' as both user name and password.

There are actually two hour records. One is the 'athlete's' or 'absolute' record, which must be set on a conventional bike. That record is held by Chris Boardman. The other is the 'technology' record or 'best hour performance' which is also held by Boardman using every aerodynamic advantage possible.

Edit: Here are the hour records.

Caffeine and Cycling - perfect together!

2005-01-25T15:44:00.000-05:00

This is the definitive guide to staying caffeinated while cycling. Incredible resource. I have a cheap "thermos" bottle that I got at Dick's Sporting Goods that fits in a bottle cage and is fun to use on liesurely cold weather rides.

Fun cycling book of the day - QBP Catalog

2005-01-25T06:03:00.000-05:00

The Quality Bike Parts catalog makes great bathroom reading. I used to get them from Branford Bike or Harris Cyclery. At $16 it was a great reference work, full of pictures, specifications and information on thousands of parts. Branford is no longer carrying them, but Harris Cyclery might. Anyway, the soft cover has been replaced with a hard cover for the 2005 version. Read about that here.

Daniel Rebour - Le Cycliste drawings

2005-01-24T19:48:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to more Daniel Rebour drawings, with the captions translated from the original French to English.

Most were originally published in Le Cycliste and were later collected into the Data Book.

Lance Armstrong To Launch Signature 24 Hour Fitness Club

2005-01-24T17:35:00.000-05:00

Is there anything this guy won't endorse?

See the story here.

Let's see...Dasani, Bristol-Meyers-Squibb, Subaru, Comcast, Nike...what am I forgetting?

Major Taylor - A Forgotten Hero and Fun Cycling Book Of The Day

2005-01-23T08:45:00.000-05:00

Marshal "Major" Taylor was bigger than Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods put together. He was the best bike racer of his day.

This book by Andrew Ritchie is a great read.

More information can be found at Major Taylor - A Forgotten Hero.

More cool Brooks Saddles stuff

2005-01-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

The (limited edition and expensive!) Brooks jersey

The Brooks bar stool.

Fun cycling book of the day

2005-01-22T17:18:00.000-05:00

The Data Book.

Danile Rebour was a French illustrator whose pen and ink drawings of bicycle components are just magnificent. The book is $40, but worth it. Interesting to see such 'modern' innovations as threadless headsets, suspension forks and hydraulic brakes from the middle of the last century.

Available here.

Still more reasons to ride a bike!

2005-01-22T15:05:00.000-05:00

More reasons to ride. From VeloNews.

Fun cycling book of the day

2005-01-21T05:10:00.000-05:00

Bike Cult by Bavid B. Perry. An encyclopedia. If you can get past the slightly cheap feel of the book - newsprint-like paper, poor quality illustrations and photos - there is a wealth of great information here.

Here is a link to the Bike Cult web site, and a link to NYC Bikeworks.

RAAM on TV

2005-01-20T04:44:00.000-05:00

Like football, the best way to see the Race Across America is on TV. This Saturday, catch the 3,000-mile long 2004 Insight Race Across America in a two-hour NBC Sports show, 2.30 p.m. – 4.30 p.m. EST. Check your local listings.

Inauguration Day

2005-01-19T23:02:00.000-05:00

Tangentially related to bicycling (Get it? Tangentially.), bicycles will not be permitted on Metrorail on Inauguration Day due to the expected large crowds.

Wanna ride the world's larget bike?

2005-01-18T15:14:00.000-05:00

Here ia a link to a great story on the world's largest bike, which the article says one person can "peddle."

Why ride a bike?

2005-01-17T18:09:00.000-05:00

Ten good reasons, from VeloNews.

Sore Ass Department

2005-01-17T17:44:00.000-05:00

Italian ultra-cyclist Alessandro Colo has set a new record for riding an indoor bike (spinning), doing so for 201 hours, 1 minute and 8 seconds between December 27, 2004 and January 4, 2005. Colo covered 5819 km in his stationary ride, and along the way lowered his previous record time for 5000 km to 174 hours, 12 minutes and 29 seconds. Everything was checked with an odometer and an ergometer and during the rides he only stopped briefly to use the bathroom.

Colo, who conducts spinning classes in Rome, used the attempt to gauge his fitness for the Race Across America, which he plans to do this summer. He competed in the endurance event last year, but did not finish.

Editorial comment: Ouch.

Fun cycling book of the day

2005-01-17T08:22:00.000-05:00

The Dancing Chain

A little more esoteric than The Quotable Cyclist but a fascinating read. It covers the development of modern derailer systems, with copious illustrations. Probably not at Barnes & Noble or Borders, but you can get it here.

Wanna sponsor a team?

2005-01-15T08:44:00.000-05:00

Want to sponsor a team? Team Colavita-Bolla (yes, the Colavita Olive Oil and the Bolla wine folks) is auctioning space on their jersey. See the eBay auction here.
Read more here. Team Fat Guy has a nice ring to it, no?

Fun cycling book of the day

2005-01-15T08:20:00.000-05:00

We did bike builders A-Z, now we'll do cycling books for some wintertime diversion.

The Quotable Cyclist. Great Moments of Bicycling Wisdom, Inspiration and Humor. Edited by Bill Strickland. Available from Amazon and your local bookstore (maybe).

"If you brake, you don't win." Mario Cipollini
"Ride lots." Eddy Merckx

"I get embarrassed when I see how slim I was." Eddy Merckx

(That is a special Fat Guy one. When Eddy stopped riding, he, uhh, bulked up a little. He's since slimmed down considerably.)

"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride." JFK

Great Idea File

2005-01-13T09:07:00.000-05:00

From the "why didn't someone think of this sooner" department, I give you this. Brilliant! Particularly great if your shop happens to be located on/near a bike path or popular commuter route.

Looking for a century to ride?

2005-01-13T08:52:00.000-05:00

The century, or 100 miles-in-one-day bike ride has been a cycling staple since the days when men oiled their chains and waxed their moustaches. Or is that waxed their chains and oiled their moustaches? Either way, if you (like the Fat Guy) are looking for that perfect century to ride, you might want to check out bikecenturies.com and their new web site.

Abandoned Bikes of New York

2005-01-11T20:25:00.000-05:00

Great link to a photo site chock full of, well, abandoned bikes.

Unfortunately Named Bicycle Department

2005-01-11T08:59:00.000-05:00

Phat cycles had a great idea for a new cruiser bike. They were gonna call it the Tsunami. Ooooops.

The bikes arrived in the states right around the time of the Tsunami. So they decided to sell the bikes anyway, and donate $20 from the sale of each bike to
World Vision.

Read the full story here.

New Bobke Jersey

2005-01-10T14:30:00.000-05:00

If the Discovery Channel Cycling team jersey leaves you a little flat, you might like this one from Bob Roll's new team:

New Discovery Channel Cycling Team kit

2005-01-10T14:06:00.000-05:00

The Paceline.com has pictures of the new team kit.

Caution, registration is required. A picture is here and doesn't require registration ;-)

Or you could just look here:

I saw a few promos on Discovery Channel while I was watching the Teutels argue, errr, watching American Chopper. In one commercial, the team was shown in last year's TdF wearing their Postal Service uniforms. In another spot, the postal Service logo was photoshopped out, covered in blue.

Some folks are landing here by following Google or Yahoo web searches like Discovery Channel Jersey or Discovery Channel Cycling Team Jersey. If that is you, you can buy one here with a portion going to Tsunami relief. Leave me some comments.

Jan goes to camp

2005-01-10T08:41:00.000-05:00

T-Mobile starts training camp, Jan sez Lance will ride the 2005 Tour. Details here. From VeloNews.

Fuji, Schwalbe Join In Tsunami Relief Effort

2005-01-10T07:32:00.000-05:00

Fuji Bicycles and Schwalbe North America stepped forward to aid those affected by last month's devastating tsunami. Schwable is donating 10 percent of its January web sales to the American Red Cross; Fuji is donating mountain bikes to relief workers in Southeast Asia.

Read the full story here.

From BRIN.

Will he or won't he?

2005-01-06T13:40:00.000-05:00

In a move certain to delight his new sponsors at Discovery Channel, Armstrong told a Belgian journalist that he is not interested in riding the 2005 Tour. Details here.

Cycle 'round Oz?

2005-01-05T09:42:00.000-05:00

Join this fun couple as they set out to become The World's First Canadian Couple Under 30 to Cycle Around Australia on a Unsupported Tandem Recumbent Tricycle in Under Fifteen Months.

Via MetaFilter.

Come Mr. Tally Man, Tally Me Banana

2005-01-03T13:37:00.000-05:00

I swear I am not making this up. This is a real product, and words almost fail me.

I found this in a British cycling magazine.

Apparently this is a huge problem on the other side of the pond.

You supply the caption!

New Single Speed Bike for the Masses!

2005-01-03T10:23:00.000-05:00

The bike that made Milwaukee famous?