Thanksgiving!

With the fam for turkey day. As such I shall simply leave you with a cool pic ripped from good ol' Trackosaurusrex.

Bike Art!

I've always had an affinity for good design, and naturally if it includes bicycles thats a plus! The other day, the folks at Hipster Nascar posted some of James Straffon's cycling art. Straffon composed a collection of headtube badges from quite a few great vintage frames. It's great to see art communicating the rich history and tradition surrounding the sport of cycling. All else aside, its just a really cool piece of art to look at! check out some more of his art, including a cycling cap collection, at http://www.james-straffon.co.uk/

Fairwheel Bikes

Bike shops are funny things. Ask ten people about one bike shop and you will get 10 different opinions. Some will rave, and no doubt some will rant- having wrenched in a shop for a few years, I've been on the receiving end of both. Occasionally, however, you come across a shop that has nothing but accolades to its name. One such shop is Fairwheel Bikes in Tucson. Tucked in the shadow of the University of Arizona, Fairwheel is a great local bike shop catering to all levels of cyclists. Whether you just need a tube, or are looking to order a custom built Parlee or Pinarello, the guys at Fairwheel will treat you right and get you what you need. Additionally, Fairwheel has been the source for some of the most unique custom builds in the industry: from 6 pound road bikes to mountain bikes with electronic shifting. In an age of online bicycle sales and marked-up accessories at many local shops, its refreshing to find such a true to form pocket of bicycle culture. Check out their forum for some cool photos and notes about some of their projects.

Humbug

Winter is finally upon us, and even for us people of the desert, temperatures have already started to drop. Even though we may have it milder here in the valley than most areas, knowing how to stay warm on rides is critical to keeping up with training through the winter. A few key articles of clothing such as arm and knee warmers, and a winter cycling cap can basically extend your riding season through the winter. Another great option for when the temperatures drop is a lightweight, windproof vest, and some full finger gloves. To check out some unique cold-weather riding gear, check out La Gazzetta Della Bici, a blog devoted to the finer points and rich tradition of the sport of cycling. There is some pretty neat content on some of their other posts as well!

More dream bikes.

In the greater scheme of cool bikes, custom bikes are generally hit or miss. The owner of the bike has so much control over the details that a lot of times the bikes can develop somewhat of a weird personality. On the other hand, some bikes such as this here beaut' are truly works of art. The integrated seatpost and one-piece bar/stem give it a performance oriented edge, while the tubing and traditional headset give it a more classic feel. The edge wheels and campagnolo componentry are just icing on an incredibly expensive cake.

12 year old spaniard implicated in doping investigation

I am so tired of seeing this face. Even when it was simply racing in the Tour de France, I always was turned off by his arrogance and seeming lack of respect for the sports' greats. Some may argue that having a degree of confidence to the point of arrogance is critical to competing on the top level of the sport, but there are guys who have been successful with being complete ass holes. Take for example Fabian Cancellara, Andy Schleck, Levi Leipheimer, Thor Hushovd, or even George Hincapie. All these guys have accomplished major feats in the world of cycling, yet remain (at least publicly) fairly humble athletes. As if his greasy disposition wasn't enough, Contador has been implicated in a doping scandal for several months now (less so publicly). Personally, I think Contador's actions have taken one step further toward destroying our sport, but Alberto alone is not solely to blame; the current anti-doping measures do nothing to stop this. A two year ban and slap on the wrist simply reinforces the notion that you can dope, be successful, and get away with it. In order to truly stop doping, the UCI must make the penalties for doping much more severe than the potential benefits of doping: a lifetime ban for convicted dopers. Nuff said

I wouldn't consider myself much of a mountain biker ( I decend like an awkward baby giraffe might), but I recently found a video of some downhill guys doing some really incredible riding while perusing Hipster Nascar. These guys have some truly incredible bike handling, and definitely some serious needs for adrenaline. The video gives some great views of both the technical side of downhill, and some of the plain crazy side of the sport. watch it here: http://vimeo.com/15448170

More Street Wear

After posting the Rapha and Outlier jeans yesterday, I figured it would be appropriate to continue the riding gear trend through the remainder of the week. Although the hype over these shoes has somewhat subsided, they remain a great option for those looking to ride the same pedals to the bar or work as on a training ride without bringing a spare set of shoes. Mission Workshop's spd compatible sneakers give you the ability to use clipless pedals with a more or less standard sneaker, allowing you to leave your road or mountain bike shoes at home. No longer are you stuck with traditional cages and straps on your townie or commuter! check them out at Mission Workshop

Start em young! It's always cool to see kids getting involved in cycling, and it looks like this kids off to a great start- its a tiny little euro-pro!

After a nice day of riding yesterday, I found it timely that I post this picture, taken from Bianchista of some serious climbing. The author of Bianchista is one of the riders from the Rapha Continental Project, and as such has some really cool material on his blog. Take a peek!

Street Threads

So often in cycling, riders are forced to choose apparel that is either comfortable for the road or acceptable for the street. Even with the surge in "urban cycling," there have been few companies producing products to bridge the gap between performance wear and casual attire. Outlier has taken the initiative, pioneering a line of casual attire designed with riding in mind. From jeans to jackets, Outlier makes clothes for every climate and every occasion. For those hoping for a more designer look, English cycling fashion magnet Rapha recently released their own take on denim cycling apparel as well.

You've got to feel it- its electric!

Last year, Shimano came out with their revolutionary DI2 electronic shifting componentry. Despite initial skepticism in the industry, the new system met rave reviews across the board. Not to be outdone, Campagnolo has finally come out with their version of an electronic shifting system. Based on their 11 speed campy record group, the new system is still in the development stages, but will be raced by some campy- equipped teams this coming spring. Check out a sneak peak at some pics at Velonews.

Interesting Photo Journal

Once you get into cycling, the sport more or less consumes your life and house (ask my non-cyclist roommate!). I always find it interesting how bikes become part of one's home, and almost serve as art. The Blue and Red is a photo journal of one such cyclist living and racing in southern California. The guy does a great job of recording every aspect of a cyclists life. Here are a few

The Real Cycle Life

Bike storage is one of the age-old problems of a car-free lifestyle. Whether in tiny urban appartments, or in fairly spacious homes, its tough to find a good way to store bikes that make them easily accessible, but not a blight. I recently came across this entry from Design Sponge with some creative ways bikes are stored in different environments. I personally was able to pull some inspiration from some of the photos and thought it might be of some interest; enjoy!

Off season itch

Even though I havent been putting the training volume in that I would like, Im starting to feel the itch to race. The recent rain in AZ has made me want a cross bike with renewed vigor as well, though the practicality of a cross bike in the desert is questionable at best. Regardless, these pictures from Embrocation get the blood flowing and heart pumpin a lil faster!

Bike Lust

lately I find myself thinking bout getting a new frame for my main ride. The components have all been upgraded, and although the frame is more than sufficient for what Im doing, I've been lusting over some Titanium whips lately on various blogs and forums. Although I've been focusing on Lynksey, this Indy Fab peaked my interest in the worst way!

SRAM!

You pretty much have to have been living under a rock for the past several years to have missed the ascension of Sram's to the top level of competition in the road market. Over the past year, I have had the privilege of running into some of the guys at Sram at some industry events, even riding with a few of the marketing and product development guys this past summer. I recently found a cool website/blog run by Sram that chronicles all the successes of teams and riders sponsored by Sram. check it out @ http://www.theroaddiaries.com/?page_id=16

2011 Tour de France Route Announced!

I will literally stab you with my front tire

That got your attention didn't it! This is a video Ripped from Prolly of a team Ritte rider discussing his use of Prolong energy supplements. I never realized that Fes from That 70's Show was a professional cyclist. Good for a quick laugh before a long day! Keep an eye out for these guys in the 2011 race season!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV-jj7-a5Dg

Vive Le Tour

With the recurring talk of steroid use in cycling, its easy to get discouraged about the future of cycling. Its times like these you have to look back at the memories and traditions of the tour that make it such an incredible event. Every year, millions of people play "wheres waldo" with the devil, a guy who has made appearances all over France during the tour for as long as I've been following the race. Keep your heads high cycling fans, and Vive Le Tour!

Cyclocross!

Now that fall is upon most of the Northern Hemisphere (we in Phoenix don't get much of a respit till October), the cyclocross season is upon us. It seems like this year, the cyclocross following has hit fever pitch, with most major companies carrying at least one frame devoted to 'cross. Here in Arizona, the first cyclocross race starts this weekend. To kick things off, here is one of my favorite photos of the sport, ripped from a Mens' Health article this past spring.

Vintage wool jerseys seem to be the holy grail of cycling apparel. If you're skeptical of this, try to find a jersey made of merino wool for less than a buck and a half. Now I don't personally partake in any bike polo, but I think this jersey is a great example of cycling apparel that looks decent on the street too

Inner Tri-Geek Unleashed

With the Ironman World championship race in Kona a week or so ago and the road cycling season over for the most part, I figured I would unleash my inner tri-geek before the cycling community turns to full bore cyclocross. This is the 2011 Scott Plasma. Although technically a time trial bike, some triathletes have been using the older models to really take some off their run splits. Stay tuned for some pictures before the triathlon season comes to a brief hiatus in the southwest desert.

Bicycle Art

This may seem counter-intuitive after spending a few minutes on this blog, but I really don't like bicycle art. I've seen a few too many bike reflector chandeliers in my day to have any taste for such work. There is, however, one genre of bicycle art that I absolutely love; vintage bicycle posters. These works of art somehow capture the tradition and eloquence of cycling; these creations highlight the beauty of our sport, leaving the true suffering to be discovered out on some steep mountain road. I could go on and on, but instead let me leave you with one of my favorite pieces by Georges Massias (just a coincidence there is a naked lady hanging on to that bicycle!).

le Velodrome

With the urban fixed gear craze at fever pitch, its nice to see some good pictures of true track bikes in the element: tearing it up on the velodrome. This is a photo from The Big Picture, taken at the Commonwealth games in New Dehli

Milano Red Hook Criterium

This past weekend played host to the Milano Red Hook Criterium; a race modelled after NYC's own Red Hook Criterium in Brooklyn. A technical crit course on brakeless track bikes sounds scary enough, but make it at night and you've got quite an event! Pictures have been popping up all over the web in the last day or so. check out more on Prolly.

Tour De California Route Announced!

The official route for the Amgen Tour of California, the United States' largest and most well known professional bicycle race has been released to the public. With a growing number of American racers in the professional ranks and a number of changes in the pro peloton, it should make for an exciting event!

Hot Bikes

I am not, generally speaking, impressed by specialized road bikes; they tend to be a dime a dozen, and I just cant seem to hop on the bandwagon. That said, every now and then I come across a tarmac that really strikes a chord with me. This Specialized Tarmac strikes the perfect balance of color coordination, and is built with an incredible build kit comprised of some of the nicest components. Originally posted on Weight Weenies.

Latest From Rapha

One of my favorite websites is the Rapha page. In addition to their full line of mens' and womens' apparel, Rapha has chronicled rides across the United States through their "Rapha Continental" project. They often include short films of these trips filled with breathtaking scenery, and fantastic footage of cyclists in their element. Here is the latest.