Thursday, December 14, 2017

A Penny For Your Thoughts, A Dollar If You Keep Them To Yourself

The day has slipped through my fingers like a drinking glass proffered by Mario Cipollini (because it's all greasy obviously) and so as a shiny distraction I present you with this video about bespoke bicycles:



I gather we're supposed to think the bike is expensive but it doesn't really seem like that much:


Then again testing a $10,000 wooden bicycle may have totally blown the bottom out of my perspective.

Also, I'd just like to state publicly that while I'm profoundly happy for anyone who survives a bad crash I'm also not interested in your helmet anecdotes:

In this particular case I felt compelled to point out that descending Mt. Ventoux in no way warrants comparison to everyday cycling--I mean sure, by all means where safety gear when riding down a giant mountain--but that only prompted more anecdodes:

Again, I'm very glad anybody who takes a nasty spill is up and tweeting, but in this particular case I think more frequent pre-ride checks may be in order.

And finally, I've mentioned GoldenGate both here and on the Bike Forecast, and I'm pleased to see that the story has now made the New York Times:


It can't get enough attention as far as I'm concerned.

See you back here tomorrow to close out the week properly

34 comments:

Lieutenant Oblivious said...

Podio?

Unknown said...

Podiumist!

Cat 404 e-Racer said...

e-Podium

Lieutenant Oblivious said...

Two podiums in one week? Glad the season is coming to an end! I need a new supply of albuterol!

Billy said...

That's a nice bicycle. I got my "dream bike" but I used an off-the-rack frame. Saved a fair bit of cash by that standard.

Sadly, now I'm unhappy with it, but mostly due to my own incompetence at maintenance. The rear IGH won't downshift anymore, but I'm too lazy to replace the cable. I put new brake pads on, but they're adjusted poorly, the fronts squeal, and the barrel adjuster in one of my brake levers is broken. I've also lost a bolt out of the rear rack, so it pulls at an angle when I put my panniers on.

I keep telling myself that someday I'll have a whole weekend with nothing to do but bicycle maintenance, but it never seems to happen. I hate to take it in for simple stuff I should be able to do, except for my amply demonstrated incompetence.

BamaPhred said...

If I am ever found unconscious, may I wake up in the same circumstance as your helment tweeter. More than likely, I’ll be being mauled by some free range ferals.

Skidmark said...

Puffed out for fourth place

N/A said...

I think the takeaway from Lee Shipley's tweets is that he's not very safe on a bike. Sheesh.

Hahaha, I kid. Who among us hasn't taken a trip over the handlebars and broken a collar bone? Raise your hands, if you can.

streepo said...

Scranus

bad boy of the south said...

Yeah,i wore a healment.hellment.helemet.whatever.on the mtb excursion i brought upon myself. It was also required to do so at the park i rode at.if it wasn't,perhaps....

Knüt Fredriksson said...

I'm not an EMT, but I doubt that bracing your feet on someone's shoulders and yanking their helment off is proper first aid after a hard crash...

Houston said...

I've broken a finger, wrist, collar bone. I've had whiplash and bruised my spine. I wear a helmet, but I'm yet to use one.

Serial Retrogrouch said...

...I don't think the bottom of your perspective on bicycle cost has been blown. You're just looking at the horizon through a distorted lens.

Grump said...

As Snobby knows, you can get a nice steel frame made in Waterford Wisconsin. 9 out of 10 people can use an "off the shelf" frame.

Anonymous said...

my subscription is worth every damn penny.
after head injuries, some neurofeedback might be in order, costs about the same as new stretchy pants.

captcha was ID all cars pictured. lumped SUVs in there too

Porteur icycle said...

Posted this late in the comment trail of yesterday's post, but repeating it here to try to get all the smugness out of my system.

All you people claiming a heavy weight in front of the handle bars has a negative effect on bike handling should try riding:

a bike like this

or like this

or this

or even this

Winky said...

Bike building video was great,

Knüt Fredriksson said...

p-icycle,

That's nothing. Try this: equinox

Pist Off said...

@porteur icycle
I’m a big proponent of loaded bicycles so don’t take me wrong. Probably splitting nerdy hairs here but: Not sure what you’re posting supports what you’re trying to say. Schwinn Cycle Trucks have a fixed load rack that doesn’t turn with the front wheel and long steer tube with 20” wheel to help loaded stability. Newspaper porteur bikes were one of the main applications for low-trail old French geometry which was supposed to handle best with front loading. So in fact all your examples support the idea that front loads need some accommodation in design. I have a mid-trail Bridgestone that hates any front loading. Two pounds in a handlebar bag feels noticeably horrible. Food for thought.

Michael said...

Youtube embedded video is incorrect for me. I see the exercise bike from some days ago.

I hear nothing of value said...

Until the helmet worshippers are willing to talk about the dangers of helmet wearing like risk compensation, they really have nothing to say.
They also never talk about the FACT that there have been only 2 fatalities in the U.S. on Bike Share Bikes (which are the closest thing to removing all the other extreme variables of bike riding) and both of them were wearing helmets. In general Bike Share Bike riders use helmets less often than average, yet have by far the safest record; safer than the Netherlands, where once again: very few helmets.
Even some of the helmet worshippers say you should wear a helmet, but ride like you're not wearing a helmet. Haha, like that is going to happen, and you're much better off riding like you're not wearing a helmet, because you're not wearing the false sense of security devise.

Dooth said...

I'm not a buying a bike from a builder who started cycling in his late teens, yet Reynolds tubing has been part of his life for so long as he can remember. Reynolds, Columbus, Tange, True Temper, Ishiwata...I've ridden 'em, and any bike builder worth his salt better have too.

Bogusboy said...

News flash - you don't have to spend $4500 for a bicycle that you'll really enjoy riding. True. Honest.

McFly said...

That is one romantical ass biekcycel making vid. I was swept up in it then I went back into this nasty machine shop and got over it. WORK SUX.

Hal Kitzmiller said...

Laurent Fignon once fronted the band "suicidal French pebble".

dop said...

Winky and McFly:

More British bike building

JLRB said...

helmets, lights - I use all the talismans

George Krpan said...

He wears a helmet but uses tires that will blow from hitting a pebble.

I Wear Reflective Clothes at Night said...

The woman in the pic birthed a full-grown Fred right in the middle of the road!?!?

janinedm said...

1) @Knüt Fredriksson, I don't think she was pulling off his helmet. I think she was trying to find a comfortable position to hold his head still

2) @I hear nothing of value, Unfortunately, those numbers have changed. I don't feel like looking up the cross streets, but an NYC cyclist was killed this year on the west side and wasn't wearing a helmet. He was squeezed from behind by an impatient bus driver who tried to pass without there being enough room to do so, so a helmet wouldn't have made a difference, but you should keep your stats up to date.

3) I am usually a wearer of helmets. I think they do what they claim to, but people don't understand how limited that claim is. The mediate brain injuries when your head impacts something at under 25 mph. That's it. They don't maintain your bike. They don't protect you from the forehead down if you get squished by a bus. etc. etc. erc. 90% of safety is active. Bike maintenance, defensive cycling, and handling skills.

BDC said...

I was descending the stairway to my basement this morning and whacked my head on a beam. I foolishly made the choice not to wear a helmet. I should have known better.

Ricky Bobby said...

Mr. Golden seems very full of himself. But then again, as a member of the GOP it's perfectly natural for him have such a puffed out sense of entitlement. Hiding behind a visor, sounds more like Pepe le Pew was in the passenger seat. 38 traffic violations in 4 years, hard to match that record. Three seperate tickets in one day for speeding in school zones - serioiusly (and you still have a licence?). Small wonder he's against traffic cameras in school zones - WHAT A JERK.

JLRB said...

I am here to collect my $1

blunchbelly said...

The wife and I are doing the GAP and C&O-Pittsburgh to DC, our first ever bike pack trip. We will not be wearing helmets for rail-canal trail. I will give the outraged comments we receive to the commentariat in late spring. Of course chances are we won’t make it out alive because of not using rail trail specific bikes.