bicicletas

[dosoner]

i wish my bianchi was that color, i alway dug it too.

[alkaline]

Me just before the Giro d'Ghetto on the "Slice of Miami" (my commuter)

 

Giro d'Ghetto, Day 1

 

The Giro d'Ghetto is a six day stage alleycat race organized by my friend Brian. Tonight was day one.

 

Flats, flats, flats. Todays stage started at the old shop at 8PM. Since this was the first day, everyone showed up and registered. Five dollars were put in, and numbers and spoke cards were given out. We were all told that today would be a "mountain time trial." we were to all ride as a group through town to the back side of Mount Bonnell. There was a flat before we even left the parking lot. Once we got under way, things went fairly smooth. I got a little bit of a late start from the group, so I spent the first ten minutes of the "cruise" at a full sprint (which on my bike is not exactly what you would call fast). Once I caught up, we continued to cruise north through town until we turned onto 2222 (which isn't a highway, but with the speed of traffic, it may as well be). Then it was an all out free for all through traffic and up the hills (keep in mind that it's dark while all this is going on). We got to the actual start point and rounded everybody up. There had been at least two flats on the way there, so we had to wait for a couple of people. After we had everyone all together we got started. One rider left every 30 seconds up a mile and a half hill. I took off and started well, but I got passed by three people on the last hill. The actual racing wasn't the fun part, so I'll skip all that. At the top, I waited with all the others to finish. My friend Kris came flying across the line on his Xtracycle and pulled a thirty foot skid that ended with his back tire blowing out. Then the party began. Brews and buds. We hung out for a while and made the nice cruise home. Tomorrow is the crit stage.

 

Updates coming.

[trackstand]

Oh how I miss my bike.

[SteveAustin]

awesome alkaline...looking forward to the updates...its been awhile mang.

[defyoner]

a bike ride sounds like a good idea.

 

i am about to repaint my khs. that yellow screams "steal me" too much. so yea some rusto flat black should do the trick.

[alkaline]

I don't want to spoil it or anything, but of all the people that are actually racing the race, I'm in last (that's the "last place" flag that I'm holding ... which seems fitting for me since they all call me blackbeard anyways).

 

 

Updates coming when I get home from work.

[SteveAustin]

DFL huh?

 

ha-ha...keep representin'. looks like you're at least having fun.

 

keep those updates coming.

[48:16]

Originally posted by trackstand@Aug 15 2005, 09:11 PM

Oh how I miss my bike.

Quoted post

 

 

wha happen?

[alkaline]

Here we go.

 

Day 2

 

The crit stage. We organized at the old shop parking lot at about 9PM. There were a few more people than the first night, so everybody was pretty happy about the turnout. We hung around drinking a couple of beers and talking until it was time to cruise to the crit course. The course was pretty small this time around. Through a neighborhood around eight or nine blocks long. There was a slight uphill in the begining of the lap and some knarly potholes in the middle. There were also a couple of really good turns. Six laps was the call, first one done wins. Go! After the first turn there was a group of people sitting on the roof of a house cheering us on. I don't know if they knew any of us, or if they were just hanging out on their roof and noticed us riding by a bunch of times. I was all the way in the back (of course), but having a blast fighting it out for last with one other guy. On the last lap I sprinted to the finish and beat him by about half a wheel. "One more lap to go!" somebody says, so we keep going ... reluctantly. Another sprint finish, but this time I lose and get my shoe sucked under my pedal in the last turn (I wear Vans slip-ons and have flat pedals on that bike). Oh well. I'm still having a blast. The non-racing class and the grrls race their crit next. Two people throw up during that race, which narrows down the field real fast. On the way back to the old shop, all the fixie guys give us a show going down this huge hill. Some of it was good, but one guy couldn't stop and almost got nailed by the cross traffic at the bottom. We finished the night with more beer and lots of talk. Tomorrow is the long climbing stage, and it's gonna be hard.

[alkaline]

Day 3

 

The "mountains." The night starts out as usual. Everybody hangs out and has a couple of beers. The race will actually begin a couple of miles away, so we all cruise together to the start point. The race starts with no delay, and we were off. Tonights course takes us north on a local bike route that your average joe would never use. It's got some really tough hills, and it has almost no lighting. Then we head east, and then south on one of the more commonly used bike routes, through campus and into downtown, finishing up by riding up a parking garage. The race started fast. With so many people on fixies, I though, for sure, that I had a chance to catch a few people after they blew up. I worked my way through the hills and caught a couple of people, and we rode as a group for most of the rest of the way. As it turns out, the was a lot of action going on. We were one of several groups that took a wrong turn. We all ended up in the same place, but mostly by different routes. The lead group go pulled over by the cops after blowing through a light, but the cop just wanted to know why they were riding so fast that late at night. Going up the parking garage, I was neck and neck with the same guy from the crit. In the end I let him have it since he didn't get lost. We hung out on the top of the garage for a while (there are some pictures at http://www.onechick.com with the capitol building in the background) and had some fun. There is a high-rise apartment building a couple of blocks away from the garage, and everyone was treated to some naked vaccuming by one of its residents. Then it was up the street to take over a local bar. Thank god we get to rest tomorrow.

[alkaline]

Day 4

 

Rest. So in the points standings. I'm tied with like five other people, but because of my miserable showing on the first night, I'm offically last. I still hold the flag after three nights of racing, and the race organizer, Brian, asks me if I'm still having a good time. "When I'm not having a good time, I'll stop showing up," is the only thing I have to say.

He knows I'm loving every minute of this race.

[alkaline]

Day 5

 

The loooooong stage. Tonight was the longest of the stages. At 50 miles, there was a pretty strong feeling that the lead could change tonight. It was a really good route. There were hills to make you tired and the were hills to make you go really really fast. I spent the whole night riding with three other guys and having some fun. We basically turned it into a hard cruise. There was no real action to speak of though. The field was pretty spread out, so by the time we finished, most of the lead guys had gone home. Everyone is looking forward to tomorrows stage as it's a true messenger alleycat, complete with packages and all that. Should be fun, and no doubt there are some people that won't do as well as they would on a course-type ride.

[trackstand]

Originally posted by 48:16+Aug 18 2005, 11:50 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (48:16 - Aug 18 2005, 11:50 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-trackstand@Aug 15 2005, 09:11 PM

Oh how I miss my bike.

Quoted post

 

 

wha happen?

Quoted post

[/b]

 

Karma came back to haunt me.

[shai]

(to the moderators- i know this is a shameless plug, but i truly believe that this belongs here- if you feel it belongs elsewhere, please let me know- i'd like to post results here afterwards, as well- plus, if 12 oz. were ever looking to sponsor a race...we should talk.)

 

 

 

 

ATTENTION BAY AREA TOUGH GUYS AND GALS!!!!

PROPOSAL FOR "BREVET THE BAY, VOL.1"

TARGET DATE- EARLY-MID SPRING 2006

 

-a randonneur-style ride around san francisco bay in the spring

 

- flexible 300k route to be covered within 48 hours- eight controls spread throughout the ride

 

-lots of sights, history, nature, and of course, some graffiti

 

-prizes for best time/best story/best photos/hardest luck/closest finisher to 48 hours...my version of dfl.

 

-sponsors to be determined/announced

 

-field limited to riders who can ride 150k in qualifiers (see below)

 

THE CONCEPT- i've always thought that the true test of your everyday cyclist should not always be based on speed alone. randonneuring is the ideal way for cyclists (not pros) to prove that they can ride competitively and still be able to hang out cooperatively at the end of the day. brevets (what the rides are called) are not a balls-out, take-no-prisoners type of race-randonneuring is like timed touring, pretty much. the idea is that you should enjoy the ride, not endure it. there is a set of controls (checkpoints) where you are encouraged to stop and get a signature/stamp and rest. if you feel that you must, or you are far ahead of the pack in time, you can skip controls....however, this results in time penalties and if you miss three checkpoints you get disqualified. paradoxically, if you complete all eight controls you get a time bonus. (DISCLAIMER-these are my rules, not the official ones. http://www.randonneurs.bc is a good resource for the real deal. this is just for fun, and i'm making it up as i go along.)the other keystone is that randonneuring is entirely self-supported. therefore, you should plan to carry everything on you or your bike that you would need for the ride. this is where the spandex guys usually lose interest, but they shouldn't....i think a lot of folks who are messengers and anyone of a creative nature ought to be challenged by this aspect. limited and/or emergency sharing of resources is fine, but mooches will be frowned upon. credit card or fast touring (very light, little or no bags/gear.... think of a ride supported by visa or mastercard) is all well and good....just not in this case. what i want to see is how creative, prepared and resourceful you can be, not what your credit limit is or how quickly you can complete the ride.

 

REQUIREMENTS- a bike adequate to go long distances while carrying all of your stuff. i would recommend a touring or cyclocross bike, or any decent non-racing road bike in good working order (repairs are your responsibility- think ahead) with at least one rack. oh, and a rack w/ some kind of way to carry stuff on it. larger (700x28+ or 26x1.25+) tires are highly recommended.

 

mountain bikes are fine, but should be set up comfortably. however, i don't think anything with dual suspension will be a) neccessary, and b) fun after the first two hours. but, if that's what you've got...

 

i'd love to see someone ride a fixed gear on this ride. i'm not saying it can't be done, but you sure wouldn't be making things easy on yourself. there are some climbs, descents, and dirt sections-sometimes all at once...all of which i've done on a fixed gear, but three hundred kilometers? whew. the only three conditions i have is that your bike MUST have at least one brake (sorry, riding around like that is foolhardy and an extreme danger on a group ride.), it can't be a track bike (THEY ARE DESIGNED FOR THE TRACK, PEOPLE) and you can't complain more than the rest of us. otherwise, you'll get the special "i told you so" award which consists of a picture of a crying clown...and i have a lot of them.

 

the above also applies to singlespeeds, cruisers, bmx bikes, tricycles, velocipedes, choppers, lowriders, pogo sticks, and any bike purchased at any store ending with "-mart". i plan to have a bike check-in, where a trained mechanic will give your bike a once-over to look for glaring problems.

[shai]

BTB, PART 2

 

OTHER KEY ITEMS-

panniers/saddle bag big enough for the following

tools. what you usually carry should do it. if you don't have any, at least get the following- extra tube or patchkit, small pump, tire levers, allen/screwdriver combo tool, 4" crescent wrench, a dollar bill (tire boot), roll of electrical tape, a couple zipties, and a rag.

sleeping bag (optional- bivy sack or tent) w/small tarp

extra pair of bike shorts/socks/gloves

rain gear

warm clothing/hat

sunscreen and any meds you may need

some food (optional-small stove)

at least two 16 oz. water bottles

front and rear lights

helmet

lock

id and something w/emergency contact/medical info

camera/ sketchbook/ pens

cellphone, if you have one

it seems like a lot, but all this weighs less than 10 lb. and easily fits into a saddle bag or one pannier.

 

what NOT to bring- spray paint or lots of supplies. it's a ride, not a mission. i always carry a streaker with me on rides, but that's it. take notes, and come back later.

 

drugs other than pot, since i can't post your bail.

 

weapons won't be needed, since we're not looking for trouble, right?

 

the idea is to seem as legit as possible. and, if anyone asks, we're on a training ride. stick to that.

 

TENTATIVE ROUTE-

leave oakland or berkeley saturday morning. ride on bay trail to richmond to bart. cross san rafael/richmond bridge somehow. san rafael- ride southeast around near san quentin to east end of sir francis drake. take sfd west to fairfax to bolinas road. bolinas road to/through marin water district. take road leading to mt. tamalpais to peak. gawk at view from mt. tam, then descend via old railroad grade to e. blithedale/mill valley. thru mill valley and estuaries to sausalito. shoreline through sausalito to alexander. climb out to golden gate bridge. cross bridge into presidio, trail route to arguello gate. arguello to golden gate park. through park to sunset blvd. sunset south to sloat, sloat to great highway/ zoo. great hwy to county line/ skyline. skyline south through daly city, south sf, san bruno. pick up sawyer camp trail at san bruno ave. sawyer camp trail north to crystal springs in san mateo (near the dam). east on crystal springs to el camino real. right on ecr to 4th ave. left at 4th ave. 4th ave. to bay trail. follow bay trail to marine pkwy. left onto marine pkwy/holly. holly to old county, left on old county- follow bike path into redwood city/ broadway. follow b'way to page, and page to bayfront. bayfront to dumbarton bridge. dumbarton east to union city/fremont. left at toll plaza to bay trail. bay trail through coyote hills to union city blvd. uc blvd. to industrial, left on industrial. industrial to clawiter, left doubling back on clawiter to breakwater/ bike path to bay trail next to hwy 92. p/u bay trail at ecology center. bay trail north thru hayward shoreline park to williams/sanleandro. williams to doolittle, left on doolittle to harbor bay. harbor bat to bay trail, around bay farm to doolittle (bridge). over bridge, follow bike path nw to park st. right on park, east to blanding. right on blanding to 29th ave bridge. east over bridge to e. 7th st. e. 7th to e. 19th, e.19th to embarcadero. north on embarcadero to jack london square/ ride end.

 

two preliminary rides are required- one 50k, and one 100k. this is to get a idea of where you're at as a distance rider., and gives you a chance to have second or third thoughts. rides should be done no later than march 15th. routes TBD.

 

CONTROLS- eight controls (checkpoints) will be part of the race. missing one results in a 10% time penalty, two is a 25% time penalty. three is an automatic dq. penalties are a percentage of the finishing time added to the finishing time. checkpoints will either be a signature or a stamp. five minutes are deducted at each control (for signature and rest) thereby increasing the incentive for riders to stop.

 

RULES- do unto others....you know the rest.

 

cheating is possible (good luck) but, if i catch you, it's a 25% penalty. and a scowl from me.....so mainly, don't get caught.

 

good sportsmanship is a must- see the first rule.

 

teams of two are allowed, however, i'll add the team times and divide by two- not simply take the best time.

 

lawbreaking/recklessness is strongly discouraged....i can't tell you not to blow stop lights, or not pass on the right, or bomb on fire roads at top speed. or ride at night w/o lights... it's your call. i personally try to follow all the rules of the road, and i hardly ever get pulled over or have to deal with road rage these days. plus, i won't vouch for you.

 

TERRAIN- from sea level to 2600' (mt. tam). most grades are long but gradual and less that 5%. some short, steep climbs. the bay trail is flat. about 40% will be on hardpack, fire roads, or trails. or, dirt, but not loose dirt. NOTE-old railroad grade, one of the best parts of the whole ride, is occasionally closed after rains for erosion control- i'll try to hold the race after mt. tam has a chance to dry out. lots of coastal marshland/ tidal areas along the bay trail, and forested areas acsending/descending mt. tam and along sawyer camp trail. and, of course, city, rural, and residental streets.

 

WEATHER- bring rain gear and warm clothing- early spring can get nasty, be prepared- plus, at times, we will be at elevation, so warm gear is necessary. layers are best.

 

REGISTRATION AND FEES- TBD- $10, includes a map and something else. i'm working out registration details right now...pm me if anyone is interested. bear in mind, this won't be for six months.

[trackstand]

I lost the key to my Pinhead locking skewer and I need to get my wheel off, any idea on how one might go about doing this? I'm thinking crimping tool maybe? Needle nose pliers didn't wrk.

[The Dude]

Originally posted by oh so modern@Jul 19 2005, 10:18 PM

has anyone taken the decals off of an 05 bianchi pista?

is there a clear coat over them?

one love.

 

ps - the plan is to take off the 'pista' on the top tube if it isnt too intensive

Quoted post

 

2 dudes i work with have those bikes, think the "bianchi" is actually painted on the bike, he got it off somehow but it took the shine off the chrome, so he painted it. if i had one of those shits, id just throw masking tape over the bianchi and paint the whole thing white, and change that fucking fork....

[trackstand]

The decals are not painted on. They are screened on then the frame is clear-coated over. If you strip the clearcoat off and file off the letters yourself, you're not going to just be able to spray over the frame with Krylon clearcoat and give it a day to try. I've heard a few horror stories about people fucking up their frame trying to rid it of Bianchi's name. But I've also seen it done sucessfully. Off hand I don't really know how you would go about it.

 

I'd just tape the frame in electrical tape or wrap it in innertube.

 

my -.02

[SteveAustin]

Just bought a Rock Lobster 29er....Gunnar Ruffian SS frame for sale soon.

[H. Lecter]

 

 

-

 

 

 

[trackstand]

That thing is ugly looking.

[H. Lecter]

Anyone into trips / touring?

 

I'm planning a few cycling trips and am interested in stories /experiences as well as

any preperation or maintinence tips~Websites, books , etc.

 

Particularly, I'm going to do a Netherlands tour in November.

I'll be going at Holland(Noord&Zuid), Utrecht and Zeeland provinces,

making a few detours to do some trails.

I've found some excellent dutch language guides, sites and maps,

if anyone is interested in any of them, let me know and I'll link.

Also anyone has anymore links of cycling maps of anywhere,even in any romanesque-latin language (English,French,Spanish,etc.) please let me know~

 

 

Lonely Planet makes some nice cycling books that I've seen~worth a recommendation.

however there is none for my particular and immediate points of interest, BeNeLux & Japan.

They have "Cycling:.." France,Italy,Britain,Australia,New Zealand,Ireland,Vietname/Laos/Cambodia and WestCoast USA editions.

[H. Lecter]

Function>Aesthetics

[courtorder]

that first specialized looks like a fucking moonbike.

[H. Lecter]

30 years ago taking a bicycle into the woods was just as crazy as walking on the moon

[trackstand]

Originally posted by H. Lecter@Aug 27 2005, 11:01 AM

Function>Aesthetics

Quoted post

 

Sure. I agree, but there's a balance in my opinion, and I wouldn't feel the function on that Specialized road bike to the point of not caring about the fact that it looks so ridiculous. That's all.

[mindvapors]

holy fuck, this is what this thread is about? i remember seeing the title of this like way back wen it was started and thinking:

"bicicletas...

 

latinas...

 

latinos...

 

THESE...

 

"

 

i just recently had a sudden interest in mountain bikes/biking. i think its due to my decrease in wanting to skateboard any more, but still wanting a little 'thrill', if u will, mixed with transportation. ive been biking around the city late at night a lot now on a mountain bike i got off of sumone i dont know who i 'met' thru the internets. i noticed i just like being able to get to parts of the city i havent been to yet and in a swift and fun manner. im actually just rambling now because im kinda stressed about my girl leaving for college and all so please excuse my attempt at making myself smile.

[TRUE]

Tonight.. just 30 or so minutes ago, my bike's rear innertube (just replaced today) popped while the bike was resting in my friends yard, causing the bike to fall over, along with all of my plans for tonight. Damn I need a new bike.. one that is NOT cursed. One that does not ruin my weekend! fuck I'm bitter.

[mindvapors]

wow, that sounds like my friend and i's awesome coincidental luck.

[Joker]

Originally posted by trackstand+Aug 27 2005, 10:22 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (trackstand - Aug 27 2005, 10:22 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-H. Lecter@Aug 27 2005, 11:01 AM

Function>Aesthetics

Quoted post

 

Sure. I agree, but there's a balance in my opinion, and I wouldn't feel the function on that Specialized road bike to the point of not caring about the fact that it looks so ridiculous. That's all.

Quoted post

[/b]

 

 

However, I've ridden this bike and I can attest to it's strength... sprinting. The Roubaix as well. The bike is a powerhouse and weighs nothing, which is rare.

 

But I agree with the looks. I think if you lost the red and gave it a regular seat tube... the aesthetics would be greatly increased.