tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32368045532208628262024-03-12T22:10:45.187-04:00Bike CatapultAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04607837046998284042noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3236804553220862826.post-52601202755579083882012-06-11T08:28:00.002-04:002012-06-11T22:17:57.083-04:00TD Philadelphia International Cycling Championship & a Couple of Reviews<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Men's peleton rolls by, the girl on the left couldn't look up from her kindle.</td></tr>
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Less than 12 hours after returning from the <a href="http://bikecatapult.blogspot.com/2012/06/trans-syvania-epic-party-time-excellent.html" target="_blank">Trans-sylvania Epic</a>, Juliet and I continued our annual tradition of riding down to Lemon Hill to drink beer and occasionally watch the men's and women's peleton roll though. Yes its the TD Philadelphia International Cycling Championship or Philly Pro Race or the Core States race or the race formally known as the road national championship. Its had so many names though out the years but the course has remained the same. Mostly known in Philadelphia as the day you can drink anywhere you want in Roxobrough without getting hassled by the man. It's known in the cycling world as a race that used to be a big deal, but every year gets to be less and less relevant.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Al</td></tr>
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Lemon hill is a great place to see everyone you know who rides a bike in Philly. Several shops and teams set up pop up tents with grills and kegs of beer. The Philadelphia Bike Messenger Association always throws a party and Big Al parades around with a keg cup as the master of ceremonies. Its a good place to lay in the grass, get a sun burn, enjoy a warm beer and occasionally stand up to run down to the police barrier to yell at the riders blasting up the hill.<br />
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A couple of years ago I worked in a team car as a race mechanic. On the second lap I was taking a picture of a rider decending Ridge Ave when the cooler full of bottles and ice water next to me flipped over and dumped ice water into my lap. I spent the next few hours with clammy shorts, very uncomfortable. After the race when I got out of the car and I looked exactly like someone who had peed themselves. I didn't stick around for the post race team meeting. I did have a great time and I also got to live the bicycle mechanics fantasy of working on someones bike while leaning half way out of a moving car. I got a couple of video's from that day.<br />
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Up the Manayunk Wall and though Roxobourgh</div>
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Lemon Hill to the sprint finish on Ben Franklin</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn4.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2012/06/04/1/12philly029_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://cdn4.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2012/06/04/1/12philly029_600.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scotty Z chased by a shirtless Philadelphia Ciclismo</td></tr>
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Most competitive cyclists here harbor a secret dream of racing in the pro-race someday, so it was nice to see so many riders from the Philadelphia region racing. Scott Zwizanski and Bobby Lea were in a break that stayed away for several laps. Even though Nikki Thiemann is normally found on a mountain bike, she looked very at home in the women's field. Unfortunately she got caught on the wrong side of a split.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nikki on what appears to be a road bike. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max, working his day job, on the first lap, pre-pothole.</td></tr>
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I started my spectating mid-way through the race. I kept looking for Max Korus, who was riding in the pro race for the first time since being signed to a pro team ( Kenda/ 5 Hour Energy). Every time the peleton passed, I would scan for riders who were dressed like a 5 Hour Energy bottle but wouldn't see Max. A couple of days later I saw Max come into the shop with a mashed up face. He said he worked his butt off for the first lap of the race. Then while going into the second, he was taking a drink from his bottle when he hit a huge pothole in the middle of Ben Franklin Parkway (thank you City of Philadelphia). Luckily his body was mostly fine since he took most of the impact with his face and head! He was rushed to the hospital where his dad, a very renowned surgeon helped him cut the line in the ER and gave him six stitches. Later a cone was placed into the pot hole but it didn't prevent several more riders from crashing into it. Max missed out on a race in Mt. Hood, Oregon this past weekend but seems to be healing well.<br />
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As more teams avoid racing in Philadelphia each year because of low pay-out and terrible road conditions <a href="http://www.iamtedking.com/2011/06/watching-paint-dry/" target="_blank">(ie. Liquigas/ Ted King)</a>, the drunk crowds on Lemon hill and up on "The Wall" lessen every year. The race organizers put on a successful fondo ride before the race and made a butt load of money. Many people have been speculating that the fondo will soon replace the race. But it will be much less fun cheering on 60 year old men in Radio Shack jerseys on TI bikes climbing Lemon Hill.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sadly this one is the most intelligible of the ads I've seen.</td></tr>
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Pro Tour Cycling did do a marketing campaign before the race that posted ads on buses and bus stops around the city. Unfortunately the text of the ads has been written by someone not familiar speaking or writing in English. If the concept was to capture peoples attention by tricking them into thinking it is a riddle, it worked perfectly.<br />
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In non Philly Pro Race news <a href="http://blogs.bostonmagazine.com/boston_daily/2012/06/05/dead-cyclists-enough/" target="_blank">this is a article worth a quick read. </a><br />
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Also for my official last day of work at Cadence Cycling, we had a Fuji Demo. Which means that in addition to wrenching bikes I got to take out a couple different mountain bikes and lead people on quick rides into the Wissahickon.<br />
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I know my only other review so far is of a Fuji and I'm going to do another Fuji review, but I promise I will try review more then just Fuji's.<br />
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So the first bike of the day was the SLM 29er with XTR. Its a carbon hardtail with a very nice parts spec. Full XTR, nice Fox fork.<br />
This is a bike that looks fast and stiff, and its looks don't lie. It is unquestionably the stiffest MTB I've ridden. Many high-end road bikes cannot claim to have as little head tube and bottom flex as the SLM. You become very aware of the stiffness when you power up a short technical climb out of the saddle. This bike climbs like a rocket.<br />
The SLM also has a very short wheel base which gives it handling similar to a 26" bike. You can change your line with a flick. Descending on this bike didn't give me the feeling of confidence as with bikes I've ridden that have a longer wheel base. But with 100mm in travel, this bike certainly wasn't slow in tech-y descents. The bike I rode had tubes in the meaty, but heavy WTB Bronson tires. So I could only get away with running 25 psi, which is much harder then I normally ride with tubeless tires. For that reason, I'm not going to judge the lack of traction due to a bouncing rear wheel too harshly. My guess is that with the right tire/pressure combo, this bike could be as sure footed as any hard tail.<br />
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A couple small things I really liked about his bike were the stock carbon bar and the XTR cranks. The bar was a nice wide width and sweep for me and helped greatly with small vibrations.The XTR cranks are probably the best MTB cranks on the market and also some of the most expensive. Most companies would have chosen to switch out the XTR cranks to a lesser crank to save cash.<br />
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My only complaints would be the stem and seat post and single bottle cage. The stem was one of those Oval, bolts facing you, stems that are such a pain to adjust. And the seat post appears to be a rebadged Ritchey and those have a bad tendency to slip at the seat rail clamp. When shopping for a $6000 MTB you probably won't mind replacing those bits. I prefer riding with two bottles and not a camel back. So when companies manage to squeeze two cages into that tiny triangle, it makes me happy.<br />
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If you're looking for a hard-tail 29er to be a pure XC race bike, then this is a great option. Possibly not as light as a Flash, but a bit more aggressive then a Flash and a Stumpjumper.<br />
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<a href="http://www.fujibikes.com/images/bike/outland-29-10/lowres/2012_FUJI_OUTLAND_29_1.0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="http://www.fujibikes.com/images/bike/outland-29-10/lowres/2012_FUJI_OUTLAND_29_1.0.jpg" width="320" /></a>The final demo bike I rode was a Outland 29 1.0. It's a full suspension 29er designed to be a plushy trail bike. This bike came with a SLX mix and a Rock Shox Reba RLT fork set up with 100 travel and a Monarch rear shock.<br />
The parts kit was nothing to get terribly excited about. This is the highest level kit offered on this frame and with this build it comes in just a hair under 30 lbs. The rear linkage looks very familiar to anyone who knows the specialized FSR rear suspension.<br />
I first rode this bike a couple months ago, before there were leaves on the trees, for a Fuji photo shoot. I felt so confident (over confident) descending on this bike that I did a technical decent with a bit too much gusto. It resulted in me doing an endo, loosing lots of skin and taco-ing the front wheel of the bike. Even with that history I was still eager to set the shocks up right and give it another go. This bike rides a bit like a boat but it is still a boat load of fun. It has a long wheel base so you don't really dart around. You don't necessarily aim for the smoothest line but the straightest one. Roots, rocks, doesn't matter you'll blast though all of it and not lose speed. Lack of traction, even with tubes in the tires, was not an issue. I never opened up the shock all the way but I still got my best time down the golf course descent. I actually really liked this bike, it suited me very well and has sold me on full suspension 29ers. I can easily see this bike being a great all day, or all week trail bike. If it was put on a diet it would also make a pretty fast race bike. I went for a ride with my coworker, Jim, who was riding a SLM. He remarked how I was pulling away from him on many of the choppy climbs, descents, and even flats. If this bike lost 5 lbs I would be very, very fast. Jim said he didn't see much bobbing when sprinting out of the saddle but you don't do much of that on a full suspension anyway.<br />
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Rumor has it Fuji has a carbon, full-suspension in the works, with a Fuji designed suspension and new geometry. The Outland is a super fun trail bike that is almost a super race bike. I can't wait to see what they come up with for 2013. I already know my next mountain bike will be a fully 29er.<br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04607837046998284042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3236804553220862826.post-40225800023142063812012-06-06T22:03:00.001-04:002012-06-07T08:16:42.006-04:00Trans-syvania Epic - party-time, excellent.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IL-9Kl9K5x0/T9AFRYVG34I/AAAAAAAAAes/rXlKNnmFQGI/s1600/SN153113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IL-9Kl9K5x0/T9AFRYVG34I/AAAAAAAAAes/rXlKNnmFQGI/s320/SN153113.jpg" width="320" /></a>Last weekend I loaded up the station wagon, and my dog Molly and I and headed off to the Transylvania Epic mountain bike race near State College, PA. My friend Matt and I would spend the next week running a service course for Team CF (Cystic Fibrosis). I was asked to take on the role of mechanic for this event by a mechanic friend of mine who couldn't make it. It sounded like it would be fairly easy work-load and we'd have some free time for riding, swimming, reading and naps. I was excited to get out of town and enjoy some "bike-camp" time in the mountains, and also help out a great cause for Team CF.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sqeGN27KaM4/T8twl28aN7I/AAAAAAAAAdU/mxTXSdsk0nU/s1600/SN153120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sqeGN27KaM4/T8twl28aN7I/AAAAAAAAAdU/mxTXSdsk0nU/s320/SN153120.JPG" width="320" /></a>My car was carrying enough cargo to drop the rear suspension by a few inches. Molly the dog was forced to ride shot gun, and spent much of the ride sleeping and keeping the car in 5th gear.</div>
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I arrived the night before the prologue and met much of the team. Out of my car came bike stands, several tool boxes, tri racks, bike wash
equipment, air compressor and a whole lot of spare parts. I set up my repair shop in front of the very comfortable cabin that was rented for us at the Seven Mountains Campground. It was across the street from the Boy Scout camp that the race was based out of. The next morning Matt, who was helping me, out arrived with our friend Kristin - an Elite rider on Team CF. We immediately got to work getting bikes prepped for the prologue and got a taste of what the rest of week would have in-store - lots of work! </div>
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<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">Mrs Bishop and son watching Jeramiah Bishop at the start of Stage 1</td></tr>
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Every morning we would wake up just after 6am, unlock and rack the bikes, drink coffee, eat, check tire pressure, and give every bike a good shot of condition-specific lube (for muddy or dry trail), a final once-over. The riders would leave for sign-in and we would prep bottles and a checkpoint kit to drive out to the feed zones. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qamF6o8ONoY/T9AFSL6qtCI/AAAAAAAAAe0/zzB6qrPv5jM/s1600/VID_20120530_110853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qamF6o8ONoY/T9AFSL6qtCI/AAAAAAAAAe0/zzB6qrPv5jM/s320/VID_20120530_110853.jpg" width="320" /></a>The feed zones where always a frenzy of activity when the riders came though. The leaders seldomly wanted to even touch their brakes on the way though and the riders further back would often stop for minor mechanical support. This could be lubing their chain or even a wheel change. Changing a 142 thru-axle, rear wheel is nowhere near as graceful as a wheel change on a road bike. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working late into the night, often past midnight. </td></tr>
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After the stage (around 4pm), the riders would turn in their bikes and we would get to work. We would find out if they had any crashes or mechanical issues. I learned that "the bike ran great, no crashes" was code for - "the bike was crashed several times and has been practically destroyed". Matt and I would then go though every bike with a fine-tooth comb looking for any wear and tear. On average we would go though 14 bikes every night, by the end of the race there were over twenty bikes that were placed in our charge. Most bikes had chains, cables, tires replaced but we also had two bikes that had broken frames after Stage One. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt inspecting the brain on a Stump Jumper.</td></tr>
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Both of the broken frames resulted in building a total of four additional bikes and a couple of very late nights. Both frames were replaced within a few days with the help of Specialized and generous support from the shops Bicycle Therapy in Philadelphia, and The Bicycle Shop in State College. The team was also hooked up with loaner bikes by The Bicycle Shop and one of my fellow Philadelphia Ciclismo teammates Jake Wade and his mustache.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/527201_10150999351061285_1826269841_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/527201_10150999351061285_1826269841_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jake Wade's mustache.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D4jvFBJvYFg/T8tweElJLvI/AAAAAAAAAcs/ucQqWZycJOI/s1600/SN153155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D4jvFBJvYFg/T8tweElJLvI/AAAAAAAAAcs/ucQqWZycJOI/s320/SN153155.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qvFZXT4Rizs/T8twpQDa4hI/AAAAAAAAAdk/2eh_xCJIb58/s1600/SN153134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" rba="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qvFZXT4Rizs/T8twpQDa4hI/AAAAAAAAAdk/2eh_xCJIb58/s320/SN153134.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All better now, S-works Epic with XTR frame swap and a new groupo and a Stump Jumper. </td></tr>
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It rained ALOT during the week which made our jobs and the riders jobs much harder. Many mornings featured rain soaked trails with wet rocks and slippery tree roots. Bike came back muddy and generally f'ed up. Matt and I spent most nights wearing our rubber boots and Matt became excellent at <a href="http://www.belgiumkneewarmers.com/2008/10/the-art-of-the-bike-wash.html" target="_blank">washing bikes</a> in the rain. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S8qiaIzpmvQ/T8whaWwpyfI/AAAAAAAAAeg/FVJCyYfae1c/s1600/IMG_20120602_113600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" rba="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S8qiaIzpmvQ/T8whaWwpyfI/AAAAAAAAAeg/FVJCyYfae1c/s320/IMG_20120602_113600.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaitlyn looking pro</td></tr>
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Even though it was almost all work all the time - our work was fun. After we got the team their bottles at the feed zones, we would hop on the course with our new friend Kaitlyn from Team CF - she called me and Matt her
"Gay Dads".<br />
Katlyn is one of the most optimistic, positive people I have ever met and is a very good technical mountain biker for someone who has only been riding for two years. She also lives with<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001167/" target="_blank"> Cystic Fibrosis</a>. I had two of the best days I've ever had on a bike helping to pace Kaitlyn through the roller coaster trails around <a href="http://www.allegrippistrails.com/" target="_blank">Raystown</a> and the super beautiful, super fun Tussey Mountain Trail.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn4.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2012/06/02/1/forest_fire_left_tussey_ridge_with_views_all_around_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://cdn4.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2012/06/02/1/forest_fire_left_tussey_ridge_with_views_all_around_600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tussy Mountain, you can't see the blueberries and wild flowers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt, though the blueberry bushes.</td></tr>
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As I said before, Kaitlyn is one of the most positive people I've met. I saw her ride her heart out that week. Her positivity almost never
wavered, I feel like I could take a lesson from her outlook on life. </div>
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On one epically-hard day on Tussy Mountain, it turned chilly and then it started to sprinkle - I said something sarcastic like, "Oh great - rain", she responded, "Yeah, we get to feel it first!!", because we were on the top of a mountain. Talk about making lemonade.</div>
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Team CF has several talented riders both on their elite and grass roots squad. Cheryl Sornson finished First in the Womens Elite General Classification! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheryl with her leader's jersey hidden under a wind vest. </td></tr>
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Although he was 10 years older then many of the top men in the Mens Elite field, Cary Smith finished each stage nipping at their heals. He finished 6th on the GC. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BL_b4XlNnHg/T8twiffG1aI/AAAAAAAAAdE/_HveyltdsWk/s1600/SN153178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BL_b4XlNnHg/T8twiffG1aI/AAAAAAAAAdE/_HveyltdsWk/s320/SN153178.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Team CF Epic team on the podium. Jesse, Jack, Kaitlyn and Chip. (Nate not pictured)</td></tr>
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Our Epic team which consisted of five members, including Kaitlyn, finished second after professional cyclist Tim Johnson joined the Cannondale epic team mid-way through the race and started winning stages. Team CF member Chip is very fast, especially for someone with a full-time, manual labor job. But on this occasion was not fast enough to hold off a former cyclocross national champ.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r80jgXCGp08/T8twssCm7ZI/AAAAAAAAAd0/xRNOYvQBM9o/s1600/SN153151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rba="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r80jgXCGp08/T8twssCm7ZI/AAAAAAAAAd0/xRNOYvQBM9o/s320/SN153151.JPG" width="240" /></a>The last night, a storm hit. Luckily we had already finished most of our work a little early. The campground manager came around to tell us that the bath-house was a cement structure so that is where we should take shelter if one of the tornado's that had been spotted in the area should hit! The rain flooded the work shop and forced us inside to try to make the TV work and enjoy each others company. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cary getting loose before the last stage.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Py-XOVHcaFU/T8twxJBi3_I/AAAAAAAAAeM/ygWSwRiD9Lc/s1600/SN153172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Py-XOVHcaFU/T8twxJBi3_I/AAAAAAAAAeM/ygWSwRiD9Lc/s320/SN153172.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team-mates at the team sponsored bar. The single speeders rolled in and cleaned it out. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One last bike, the campground manager wanted this tuned up. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt on a test ride.</td></tr>
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All in all I had a really great time. It was great to get out of the city for a while and relax. Even though the team kept breaking their bikes and wheels and kept getting them dirty, I still really enjoyed getting to know everyone. Thank you to all the Team CF members I haven't mentioned and thanks Jesse for all the coffee. Thank you to Cadence Cycling for lending tools and stands and Mike and everyone who helped organized the TSE, an amazing event and I plan to return to State College next year to race. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All packed up for the ride home. </td></tr>
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<img height="72" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y1Mix59vxj4/T8twJDoEiEI/AAAAAAAAAbs/F5ihKEDvs5I/s320/SN153181.jpg" style="left: 358px; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 5757px; visibility: hidden;" width="96" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04607837046998284042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3236804553220862826.post-72061057267555574322012-05-24T23:20:00.000-04:002012-05-25T13:42:25.131-04:00Road Runner II RIP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">I normally do not get sentimental for material things. But I'm feeling a bit down at the loss of a stead-fast and reliable, 5lb., blue and yellow shelter that I called home more then once. I spent more nights in it I can count. I recently learned that The Northface has a life-time warranty on their tents. After 10 years of consistant use, the silicon coated fabric has developed a sticky feel, and the seam tape has started to de-laminated. </span><span style="text-align: left;">I decided to contact them to see if they can rectify the situation.</span><span style="text-align: left;"> They said no problem, so I sent out a 5lb. box to North Face and a month later received a envelope with a letter and a gift card for the value for the tent. I guess I'll be buying a new shelter, but I've really gotten my money's worth out of this tent. It does make me sad to think of my old tent that kept me dry though so many thunderstorms, warm on nights that went way below freezing, and kept the bugs out in mosquito ridden Puerto Rico, buried in a dumpster some where in California. </span></div>
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So here is a little tribute to some nylon and no-see-um mesh that I sometimes called home.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Rainy breakfast in Maine</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner in Acadia</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Greenlane cloths line. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packed up and headed to out for the weekend.<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Gorilla camping down shore NJ.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gu_8cxs1FMI/T77TqIGc8eI/AAAAAAAAAZE/TKqVWOJwcqo/s1600/IMG00042.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gu_8cxs1FMI/T77TqIGc8eI/AAAAAAAAAZE/TKqVWOJwcqo/s320/IMG00042.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All packed up, tent, pad, sleeping bag and everything else in a Carradice.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wTBRVi5LIbQ/T77Tqc4atCI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/MTHA16MmaYM/s1600/DSC00938.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wTBRVi5LIbQ/T77Tqc4atCI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/MTHA16MmaYM/s320/DSC00938.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainy morning gorilla camping in the Cascade Mountains. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6HdZVGwJtRE/T77Tq9N34ZI/AAAAAAAAAZc/yVZ7hj9bNlg/s1600/DSC00964.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6HdZVGwJtRE/T77Tq9N34ZI/AAAAAAAAAZc/yVZ7hj9bNlg/s320/DSC00964.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All packed up on my Bob trailer in the cascades headed over Rainy Pass</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MP6fCTCwFPo/T77TrU1niAI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/jIM8Cj6C28I/s1600/IMG_0133.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MP6fCTCwFPo/T77TrU1niAI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/jIM8Cj6C28I/s320/IMG_0133.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner in Lake Shasta, CA</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sOWSajAasM4/T77Tro2tLJI/AAAAAAAAAaA/3huibZWQ-cM/s1600/IMG_0166.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sOWSajAasM4/T77Tro2tLJI/AAAAAAAAAaA/3huibZWQ-cM/s320/IMG_0166.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shasta moonscape.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-odOOv4MjzQ0/T77Tr9aNJHI/AAAAAAAAAaM/IuIEti2lqHw/s1600/IMG_0157.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-odOOv4MjzQ0/T77Tr9aNJHI/AAAAAAAAAaM/IuIEti2lqHw/s320/IMG_0157.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moon rising. </td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kxQ8sKVlJgc/T77TsHpQS-I/AAAAAAAAAaY/CSPu0BGsigI/s1600/IMG_0162.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kxQ8sKVlJgc/T77TsHpQS-I/AAAAAAAAAaY/CSPu0BGsigI/s320/IMG_0162.jpg" /></a><br />
Brandon inspecting my skateboard.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cozy morning, bike camping in Marin County, CA</td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tQdnnABbTg8/T77TtRyJSxI/AAAAAAAAAa8/yDrhrTD-6gk/s1600/460641869_e4c5c587d8_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tQdnnABbTg8/T77TtRyJSxI/AAAAAAAAAa8/yDrhrTD-6gk/s320/460641869_e4c5c587d8_o.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N0LFl088chQ/T77TtvZgdyI/AAAAAAAAAbI/27xWSCgypV8/s1600/460641823_9ac773771d_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N0LFl088chQ/T77TtvZgdyI/AAAAAAAAAbI/27xWSCgypV8/s320/460641823_9ac773771d_o.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pitching the tent.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gkanfFMRZY4/T77Ts7PMsiI/AAAAAAAAAaw/LY1CeR7bV5s/s1600/460655307_2322185194_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gkanfFMRZY4/T77Ts7PMsiI/AAAAAAAAAaw/LY1CeR7bV5s/s320/460655307_2322185194_o.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All packed up.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nb_HzWuahNo/T77Ttx2tdpI/AAAAAAAAAbU/sbFeZT7kifA/s1600/460655275_77928e28d1_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nb_HzWuahNo/T77Ttx2tdpI/AAAAAAAAAbU/sbFeZT7kifA/s320/460655275_77928e28d1_o.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend Erin and I in China Camp.</td></tr>
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Thanks Road Runner II for your decade of service and may you rest in tent heaven. No Boots In the Tent!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04607837046998284042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3236804553220862826.post-28919714174214177402012-05-24T18:47:00.000-04:002012-05-24T18:56:06.439-04:00Worth the Trip: Mr Joe's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G5dJOKa_PwE/T3XhngBvYCI/AAAAAAAAG6A/xvwZXezBB-A/s640/Mr.+Joe%2527s.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G5dJOKa_PwE/T3XhngBvYCI/AAAAAAAAG6A/xvwZXezBB-A/s320/Mr.+Joe%2527s.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
If your riding in South Philly, its an easy trip to Mr. Joe's across from the famous Termini Bro's Bakery on South 8th street in the middle of the block between Dickinson and Tasker Streets. 8th runs south from Washington Ave, and when you see the Mexican bike shop on the corner, your almost there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bakery on the east side of the 8th that spawned Mr. Joe's</td></tr>
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I lived around the corner from Mr. Joe's a couple of times and have had it top on my list of favorite cafe's for a while. As a rule I avoid South Philly Italian food, and South Philly Italians but this place is my exception for good reason. When you walk in you are greeted by a small, quiet but bright and cozy dining area. The space is dominated by a bar with a remarkable marble counter top and glass cases featuring cakes and pastries baked across the street. There is lots of Italian baking memorabilia and lots of just cool old stuff everywhere. Most of the time its easy to find a empty table, only on weekends is it difficult to get a table as the cafe is full of neighborhood old folks just let loose from church.<br />
The menu is mostly panini and pasta but they always have several great specials. The prices appear to be a little expensive until they bring you a free glass of house wine, then a free salad of greens with balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing, and really good Italian bread.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UxXzAmnGc68/T76xFeJ9kmI/AAAAAAAAAYM/dmE4FKl_8oc/s1600/IMG_20120524_140125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UxXzAmnGc68/T76xFeJ9kmI/AAAAAAAAAYM/dmE4FKl_8oc/s320/IMG_20120524_140125.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I almost never order anything with marinara sauce when I eat out because it is so easy to make well but so often screwed up. Not the case here, their pesto is also excellent. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juliet's gnocchi and my pasta with Italian sausage marinara. </td></tr>
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The pasta is fresh tasting, probably sourced from one of the many places around South Philly that makes pasta daily. To top it all off you get a free desert with your meal. Here we got tiramisu cake and a fruit tart. I couldn't get my phone out quick enough to get a picture of them uneaten. The tiramisu cake was really really good, not too sweet, moist and had a really good espresso kick.<br />
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The bag is all of our left overs, plenty left for dinner tonight. My only minor complaint is the coffee isn't as good as it used to be, but its still decent. </div>
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One of the best parts of going is the service. This time while eating there, we eves dropped on the owners, Vince Termini and his wife telling a table of customers, one person visiting from Germany, the history of the Cafe and Bakery. He pulled out a photo album, and talked about how the cafe was the original bakery when Vince's father ran it, you can read more about the history of the <a href="http://www.termini.com/Our-Story-W1.aspx" target="_blank">bakery here.</a> Later it was sold to a barber who opened a barber shop there when the bakery moved across the street. When the barber shop closed Vince bought the building back, passed the bakery down to his son's and opened the cafe as his retirement plan. His wife is Sicilian 1st gen, and looks and talks a bit like <a href="http://www.lidiasitaly.com/" target="_blank">Lidia Bastianich</a>, in that she is Italian and has short blond hair and is super friendly. Vince told the German to stop back in before he left town so he could give him a box of cookies to eat on the flight home. Later we saw him give a whole cake to a woman who was eating a birthday meal there. </div>
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This place makes for an great lunch-time date or just lazy weekend meal. Treat your self. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04607837046998284042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3236804553220862826.post-74196561940170475152012-05-23T11:34:00.000-04:002012-05-23T11:35:30.953-04:00Pre EpicLess then a week from now I'll be out side State College, PA for the <a href="http://www.tsepic.com/" target="_blank">Transylvania Mountain Bike Epic</a> or the TSE. Its a week long and based out of a boy scout camp in the Allegheny Mountains. I won't be racing but I'll be running a service course for <a href="http://teamcf.org/" target="_blank">Team CF</a>. They are sending a large squad out there this year, several of which have a good chance to contend for the win. My good friend Matt and I will be cleaning bikes and wrenching. It will be great to do what I normally would be doing all week, working on bikes, but do it in a summer camp atmosphere.<br />
Preparations that started several months ago are coming together, I have a large Cache of spare parts.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KVs2po-9Wvo/T7z98JZ6UOI/AAAAAAAAAXc/Mt6ORoSpU2E/s1600/IMG_20120523_110311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KVs2po-9Wvo/T7z98JZ6UOI/AAAAAAAAAXc/Mt6ORoSpU2E/s320/IMG_20120523_110311.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And most importantly Matt's dog Jeb, and my dog Molly, went for a long hike in the woods together last night and are now fast friends. This is very important given the fact that they will soon spend four hours crammed into the back seat of my wagon. Molly also has a touch, well more like a lot of social anxiety with other dogs, so having them meet now means I don't have to clean dog blood off my car seats later.<br />
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Speaking of mountain bike racing. I while ago I heard the UCI started sanctioning XC Eliminator races. I got excited by this because it sounded like the perfect race for me. The Eliminator races are short, one laps races where you go off the line against with three other racers. Winner advances. If all cross races were one lap long, I would be nearly unbeatable. Its just when cross races end up being more then one lap, say seven laps, is when I have a problem. Bike mag reported on one of the first UCI Eliminator races and the results were<a href="http://www.bikemag.com/news/why-the-xc-eliminator-is-bad-for-mountain-biking/#.T7fULivrmqw.twitter" target="_blank"> pretty disappointing. </a> I've done crits that were more technical then the terrain they used for this race.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bikemag.com/news/why-the-xc-eliminator-is-bad-for-mountain-biking/#.T7fULivrmqw.twitter" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.bikemag.com/files/2012/05/XC-ELIM-02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Another good article that was sent my way is one you may want to share with your non cyclists friends. <a href="http://www.themorningnews.org/article/how-to-not-kill-a-cyclist" target="_blank">How Not to Kill A Cyclist</a><br />
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Lastly I've finalized designs for my new vacation home in China.<br />
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<a href="http://www.dezeen.com/2012/05/22/bicycle-club-by-nl-architects/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2012/05/Dezeen_Bicycle-Club-by-NL-Architects-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04607837046998284042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3236804553220862826.post-48182468304840101192012-05-21T23:02:00.000-04:002012-05-25T14:46:19.956-04:00How to stay alive, tips from a former courier.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7wASehRfnvo/T7_TYh_qeUI/AAAAAAAAAbg/hhiaAn7LdSs/s1600/l_bde2c27ffbdd55b82b1173c2c107ac3c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7wASehRfnvo/T7_TYh_qeUI/AAAAAAAAAbg/hhiaAn7LdSs/s320/l_bde2c27ffbdd55b82b1173c2c107ac3c.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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A few years ago I spent some time working here in Philadelphia as a bike messenger. The job is low paying, has no benefits (companies don't even offer workman's compensation), you work long hours and get taxed as a independent contractor, and most of all it is very dangerous. Most couriers that have been riding for a while have more tales of being knocked off their bikes by cars then they have fingers. There is also increasingly little work to go around as more legal services are done electronically. But you do get paid to ride your bike.<br />
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Riding bikes in the city and around cars is inherently dangerous, cars are big and heavy and move fast and a cyclist is no match in a collision. That said, there are several things you can do to avoid putting yourself in dangerous situations:<br />
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-Wear a Helmet<br />
I can speak from personal experience, helmets will save your life. You never know when you will need one so wear a helmet every time you ride no matter how short the trip. I've been hit by a car a block from my house before, I was happy I was wearing a helmet. Make sure your helmet is not too old or has decaying foam - it will not fully protect you. Go into any bike shop for a helmet fit, so you know how to tell if it's fitting you right.<br />
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-Expect the Worst.<br />
In Philadelphia, drivers tend assume that they're on the top of the food chain and that they always have the right-of-way. So assume that as you enter an intersection at the same time as a car, that they will run the stop sign or stop light. Or if you see a car start to pull out of a parking spot in front of you, assume that they do not see you. Assume that one more car will sneak though the stop light that has just changed.<br />
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-Keep an Eye Inside Parked Cars<br />
As you scan the road, keep an eye looking inside parked cars next to you so you can spot the a door that is about to open. Being 'doored' is one of the most dangerous things that can happen to a cyclist. You go from 18 mph to zero instantly and it most often ends in a hospital trip.<br />
If you are riding down a one way street with cars parked on both sides, like in most of South Philly, ride on the left. Most cars only have one person in them, the driver. So most people getting out of cars are going to be getting out on the drivers side. Theoretically, you have a much lesser chance of being doored by cars parked on the left side of the street.<br />
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-Use Side Streets<br />
It may take a few more minutes to get to work but it can be much safer. Most of the time they are clear of traffic and pedestrians. Also the small side streets are Philadelphia's hidden gems, there is so much more to look at and discover.<br />
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- Never, Ever Jump the Green:<br />
We've all gotten impatient waiting for a red light to change. But it is vital that you never start into an intersection while the light is still red (before it turns green). Although not recommended, it's far safer to run the end of a yellow light. The opposing (cross street) traffic is not yet in motion. But if you run the end of red/beginning of a green, you may very well get hit by a car speeding, trying to make it through the intersection.<br />
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-Bring Blinky Lights<br />
You never know when a short trip will turn into an all day affair, its best to keep a couple small LED lights with you along with your flat-fix kit. The next time you are in a car driving at night, pay attention to what cyclists are clearly visible from a distance and which ones you do not see until your almost on top of them. Make sure to replace your batteries regularly, and let friends (or strangers) you are riding with know if their batteries are running low.<br />
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-Look People in the Eye<br />
When approaching a car in an intersection, try to look the driver straight in the eye. Often the driver will return the gesture and you can use this information to figure out what they intend to do. I feel a driver is less likely to run you down if you are able to lock eyes.<br />
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-Don't Get Mad, Don't Get Even<br />
If a driver does something that endangers you, LET IT GO. Do not chase after them. Do not smash their rear view mirror off with your U lock. Do not scream at the driver. Do not pull up to them to argue and recite PA traffic laws. Do brush it off. Do go about your ride as usual. I have seen several dangerous encounters with drivers escalate into fist fights, hit and runs. The kind of driver who would carelessly risk the life of another person will not be educated by a person yelling at them through their window about etiquette, consider it a lost cause, don't get hung up on pride or fairness and get on with your day.<br />
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-Look for an Exit<br />
If someone does pull out in front of you, don't look at the car, look for an exit.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04607837046998284042noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3236804553220862826.post-49971894177344057812012-05-21T21:31:00.000-04:002012-05-26T11:27:10.476-04:00Product Review: Fuji Altamira DI2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-MfX0VF_W4/T7h2-G2hdzI/AAAAAAAAAV0/XhOwIYiP82k/s1600/FxCam_1337351592935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-MfX0VF_W4/T7h2-G2hdzI/AAAAAAAAAV0/XhOwIYiP82k/s320/FxCam_1337351592935.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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First impressions of the Fuji Altamira: its hard to miss the bold paint scheme. With the matching stock carbon clincher wheels and aluminum braking surface, the look of the bike is even louder then as pictured with my personal training wheels. But the way the bike handles almost is at odds with its loud neon graphics. </div>
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The Altamira has been designed as a race bike, last year Juan Jose Cobo won the Vuelta a Espana aboard this bike. The Altamira appears to be designed specifically for a grand tour. Its long top-tube and tall head-tube puts the rider in a more relaxed, upright position, keeping them comfortable when rides and races drag on for hours and hours. Fuji did a great job of maintaining a snappy stiff ride thanks to the enormous down tube, over built BB, tapered head and well designed fork.<br />
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Price-point: This bike comes in on the high end of Fuji's line at $8119. msrp. </div>
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<b>The Ride:</b></div>
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I didn't use the stock oval wheels so I could get a feel for the bike without the influence of the wheels and tires. The first thing I noticed when riding the Altamira, was the more upright position. The zero degree rise stem was slammed but I still felt considerably more upright then on my Cannondale. On flat and rolling terrain, the bike is smooth but still tight feeling. It felt solid over our local cobblestone side streets, and punchy on out-of-the saddle climbs. Overall, I'd describe the handling as neutral, stable and predictable - thanks to its longer wheel base. On a longer climb it felt snappy, but not twitchy, and floated up-hill like any feather weight carbon bike will. Where this bike really shined was going down the other side of the climb. Often, bikes with a taller head-tube sacrifice cornering for comfort. This bike is the exception to that rule. In steep switch-backs, you could really feel that long wheel base and neutral handing translate into confidence. You can move around the bike and really rip high-speed descents like no other bike I've ridden before. If I could pick any bike to ride on a 50+ mph decent, it would be this one. The longer top tube also had an added benefit of getting rid of the toe overlap I am usually plagued with on most other road bikes. One seemingly little thing that I really appreciate is that this bike works with a frame-pump. Many carbon bikes with overly designed tube shapes are not frame-pump friendly but this one is, and I do love my frame pump. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice Oval stem slammed, bonus of no backwards stem bolts!</td></tr>
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I havn't mentioned the Shimano DI2 Group on the bike because I have little to say that hasn't been said a million times by anyone who has ridden DI2. It performs with the perfection you would expect, never missing a beat. Switch rings under power - no problem. Its not the lightest group on the market but it makes up for that short coming by working perfectly, every time. <br />
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Minor complaints:<br />
- The hole on the down-tube for the DI2 cable is in a place that makes the cable drag on the wheel when it is the correct length. This problem is solved easily with piece of tape or a zip tie.<br />
- The bottle-cage bolts that come with the bike are not long enough to use a bottle-cage on the down-tube because of the battery mount. This is solved by swapping the bolts out for longer ones.<br />
- Lastly, the bold, black/yellow paint scheme may be too loud for many, but personally I'm into it. Also available in an all-black paint scheme.</div>
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<b>Who will love it:</b></div>
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Road racers who do not frequent crits. Recreational cyclists that want a snappy bike but do not want to be bent over and folded like a pretzel. Cyclists who want a bike built for comfort and handling, instead of a bike that rides like a telephone pole.</div>
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<b>Who won't love it:</b></div>
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Crit racers and cyclists that want a aggressive position. Cyclists who require a super stiff ridged bike.</div>
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<b>Final thoughts:</b></div>
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It's a well balanced, comfortable bike that doesn't sacrifice performance and is made to fly down mountains with ease. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m53Iwpz1FuU/T7h3E-q5aiI/AAAAAAAAAV8/U7FndUyI9IM/s1600/IMG_20120518_103343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m53Iwpz1FuU/T7h3E-q5aiI/AAAAAAAAAV8/U7FndUyI9IM/s320/IMG_20120518_103343.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DI2 brain and solid rotor cranks with round rings.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xCU6BVQaCd0/T7h3SpSceQI/AAAAAAAAAWM/o0W8ZPteqLk/s1600/IMG_20120518_103414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xCU6BVQaCd0/T7h3SpSceQI/AAAAAAAAAWM/o0W8ZPteqLk/s320/IMG_20120518_103414.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Single pivot oval brakes that actually stop the bike. </td></tr>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04607837046998284042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3236804553220862826.post-76191297491700317322012-05-21T13:44:00.000-04:002012-05-25T13:45:06.339-04:00Adventure Sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Early on a Sunday morning I met my friend Charlie to go seek out trails in Lower Merion and beyond. We set out with a smart phone, and some some lines I scribbled on a scrap of paper that could loosely be described as a map. I dusted off my cross bike for this mixed surface ride, Charlie took out his beautiful <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hanford-Cycles/230458813647205" target="_blank">Hanford</a> single speed cross bike. It was geared for riding city streets and was wearing slick 28's.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2At-bl8OElA/T7mvJI8gieI/AAAAAAAAAWY/mAXEiJbXwII/s1600/IMG_20120520_084207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2At-bl8OElA/T7mvJI8gieI/AAAAAAAAAWY/mAXEiJbXwII/s320/IMG_20120520_084207.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right from the start were immediately greeted by this hull of a ship beached on the side of the river.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nkpNP-hJz80/T7mvKoc4ugI/AAAAAAAAAWg/DuV0hddGC_s/s1600/IMG_20120520_085018.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nkpNP-hJz80/T7mvKoc4ugI/AAAAAAAAAWg/DuV0hddGC_s/s320/IMG_20120520_085018.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wAextW3Jvho/T7mvMgxYLUI/AAAAAAAAAWo/ifwKFFf8zG8/s1600/IMG_20120520_094440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wAextW3Jvho/T7mvMgxYLUI/AAAAAAAAAWo/ifwKFFf8zG8/s320/IMG_20120520_094440.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie at the ruins of abandoned ruins at the foot of 'Boyz II Men'</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V7tr01PKmvc/T7mvOAyhGVI/AAAAAAAAAWw/szQdvQFx-XU/s1600/IMG_20120520_095030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V7tr01PKmvc/T7mvOAyhGVI/AAAAAAAAAWw/szQdvQFx-XU/s320/IMG_20120520_095030.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many trails to choose from so little time</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xLYEZ-dlTaQ/T7mvQ7fGTUI/AAAAAAAAAW4/j-SyRnl3WYY/s1600/IMG_20120520_103310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xLYEZ-dlTaQ/T7mvQ7fGTUI/AAAAAAAAAW4/j-SyRnl3WYY/s320/IMG_20120520_103310.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many stream crossings and many miles of smooth windy single track. </td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uiZxS7qeAy0/T7mvTPIc8WI/AAAAAAAAAXA/K6pXLGCw3Fg/s1600/IMG_20120520_110131.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uiZxS7qeAy0/T7mvTPIc8WI/AAAAAAAAAXA/K6pXLGCw3Fg/s320/IMG_20120520_110131.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8L0m5ObCCZs/T7mvU6cmX2I/AAAAAAAAAXI/xHVEy1oD6wY/s1600/IMG_20120520_110246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8L0m5ObCCZs/T7mvU6cmX2I/AAAAAAAAAXI/xHVEy1oD6wY/s320/IMG_20120520_110246.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MnEsGdtBYUo/T7mvWElvBbI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/6N7cv9f7L9A/s1600/IMG_20120520_113041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MnEsGdtBYUo/T7mvWElvBbI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/6N7cv9f7L9A/s320/IMG_20120520_113041.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Letter posted on the bike path, the author best rethink their gun vs. rock fight. </td></tr>
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The ride ran longer then planned and we had to cut out a large portion of trails due to time constraints. For me there is nothing better then hours of riding smooth flowing trails with hardly any time riding on roads. I will be returning shortly to explore the roads not taken.<br />
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Numbers:<br />
27 miles<br />
2,239 ft of climbing<br />
3 hours of getting lost</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04607837046998284042noreply@blogger.com0