Bike Intelligencer » twisted spoke

News Cycle: As the wheel turns

BikeIntelligencer staff — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:49:50 +0000

In a curious case we’ve been following all month, the British mountain biker exchange student in Virginia, Jonathan Dorey, is still missing. Now his parents have gone on TV to appeal for information. It’s a bit of a mixed message as to whether he’s still alive (or at least whether they think he is). How does a kid disappear into thin air? One more reason to read, if you haven’t already, Jon Krakauer’s “Into the Wild.”

Wow. We all know the bike biz is hurting but an 8-year low in imports? No wonder there’s so little new stuff coming out. I asked a local shop if they were going to be doing any demo days and the wrench said, “Not much to demo — nobody’s coming out with anything new.” Guess it’s still hunker-down time.

SeattleLikesBikes wonders where bikes will get routed during construction of the Alaskan Way viaduct south end replacement project.

For the simple reason that you have a lot farther to fall, you stand a much bigger chance of getting injured riding a bike.

The Northwest Trail Alliance and Oregon State Parks are teaming up to put in new mountain biking singletrack west of Portland. Three point five miles ain’t much, but it’s a start.

Twisted Spoke assesses Lance’s Radio Shack commercial.

Good lord, they’re already back to racing again in Port Angeles — this weekend, bro!

What a senseless waste of human endeavor. Man throws bicycle though big-screen TV. There are so many other ways to destroy a TV that do not include risking misalignment of a perfectly good bike frame, to say nothing of scratching the finish.

News Cycle: Just riding along

BikeIntelligencer staff — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 07:58:07 +0000

BikePortland.org is asking how cyclists feel about a small bike excise tax. Our response: Define small.

It’s time for the 22nd annual Old Bike Swap Meet and Show this Sunday down at the Kent National Guard Armory. A great show if you can make it for the simple reason that you always see something you’ve never seen before, even when (like at my age) you think you’ve seen it all.

It’s still snowing up at Whistler, which will amaze all the snowless Olympics attendees out there, but the official Mountain Bike Park opening is just a month and a half away. Lots going on up north as well: A new Web site, new races, and a fleet of new Maxxis Minion DH tires. More at PinkBike.

Gertrude Stein said, “There is no there there.” Cyclists are saying, “There is no Bike There.”

Drat it all, Andy Schleck’s knee just ain’t coming around. Guess it won’t be his big year for the Tour after all.

BonesOverMetal has results from Double Down Hoe Down on Beacon Hill in Spokane, one of WA’s unheralded gems.

When we hear officials float a very small, quite tiny really, excise tax, we think of the Monty Python’s Holy Grail witch scene, where very small rocks are said to float.

Lance’s Chances: Brer Armstrong he lay low…

Paul Andrews, BI editor — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:13:48 +0000

Today’s Lance is Lance the Poor Mouth. Followers of Bike Intelligencer know that we appreciate Lance Armstrong as much for his strategic ingenuity and personal charisma as for his athleticism. Today word comes from Madrid that Lance is downplaying his odds in the Tour de France 2010. And while what Lance says is true — he’s getting old and Alberto is just too dang good — we also know that Brer Fox he don’t say nuthin’ when there ain’t no percentages in it. Right now it’s best to sound creaky and tired and unenthusiastic. No reason to say anything that will get The Pistol’s barrel smokin’.

But just wait. When Radio Shack whispers in his ear that it’s time to start juicing the wires with trash talk, then we’ll be hearing from Lance the Big Mouf. When Bobke and Phil & the crew start stirring the Clash of Titans refrain for Tour TV coverage, then we’ll be hearing pronto from Swashbucklin’ Lance. Right now, though, it’s way too early. Right now, Brer Lance, he lay low.

Twisted Spoke: Buck up man!