Bikepedia

Bicycles Recalled by REI Due to Fork Failure

2009-06-04T23:10:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: 2005 Novara Trionfo Bicycles
Units: About 260
Distributor: Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI), of Kent, Wash.
Hazard: The fork can separate from the steerer tube which can cause the rider to lose control, posing a fall hazard.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received two reports of forks separating causing riders to fall. Injuries reported include a fractured clavicle, broken teeth, facial damage and head injuries.
Description: This recall involves 2005 Novara Trionfo bicycles with Aprebic carbon fiber forks. The bicycles are blue and white with black forks, and have the name “Novara” printed on the bars.
Sold at: REI retail stores nationwide from January 2005 through August 2006 for between $720 and $1,900.
Manufactured in: Taiwan
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bicycles and return them to an REI retail store a free repair.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact REI at (800) 426-4840 between 7 a.m. and 2 a.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at http://www.rei.com/

Norco Recalls Bicycle Frames Due to Crash Hazard

2009-05-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

Name of Product: Norco Bicycle Frames
Units: About 3,600
Manufacturer: Norco Performance Bikes, of British Columbia, Canada
Hazard: The bicycle frame can crack and separate, causing a rider to fall from the bicycle and suffer injuries.
Incidents/Injuries: Norco has received one report of a rider who fractured their collar bone after falling from the bicycle.
Description: The recalled bicycle frames include the following model year and model names: 2007 Team DH, 2008 Team DH, Aline Park, Aline, Atomik, Shore 1,2,3, 2009 Atomik (without gussets). All colors are included in the recall and the model name is printed on a decal on the top tube of each frame/bike.
Sold at: Various bicycle distributors nationwide from September 2006 through February 2009 for between $2,000 and $7,000.
Manufactured in: Taiwan
Remedy: All owners should immediately stop using the bicycle frame and contact a local Norco dealer or Norco directly for information regarding receiving a possible replacement frame.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact your local Norco dealer or call (800) 663-8916 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday PT or visit the firm’s Web site at www.norco.com or e-mail at recall@norco.com

Trek Recalls Bicycles; JD Forks Can Lose Alignment, Posing Crash Hazard

2009-05-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

Name of Product: Bicycles with JD suspension forks
Units: About 16,000
Importer: Trek Bicycle Corp., of Waterloo, Wisc.
Manufacturer: JD Components, of Taiwan
Hazard: The recalled bicycle’s fork can lose alignment causing the front wheel to turn unexpectedly. This can cause the rider to lose control of the bicycle and crash.
Incidents/Injuries: There have been four reports of misaligned forks. No injuries have been reported.
Description: The recall involves model year 2009 Trek 7300, 7300WSD, and 7500 bicycles. The model name is printed on the bicycle’s frame. The bicycles have a suspension fork with the words “Bontrager SPA” printed on them.
Sold at: Trek bicycle dealers nationwide from August 2008 through April 2009 for between $640 and $940.
Manufactured in: Taiwan (the forks only)
Remedy: Consumers should stop riding the recalled bicycles immediately and contact their dealer to arrange for a free repair.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Trek at (800) 382-2453 between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday and between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Saturday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.trekbikes.com

Cannondale Recalls Bicycles; JD Forks Can Lose Alignment, Posing Crash Hazard

2009-05-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

Name of Product: Bicycles with JD suspension forks
Units: About 1,500
Importer: Cannondale Bicycle Corp., of Bethel, Conn.
Manufacturer: JD Components, of Taiwan
Hazard: The recalled bicycle’s fork can lose alignment causing the front wheel to turn unexpectedly. This can cause the rider to lose control of the bicycle and crash.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: The recall involves model year 2008 Cannondale Adventure 2, Adventure 3, Adventure 2 Feminine and Adventure 3 Feminine bicycles. The model name is printed on the bicycle’s frame. The bicycles have a suspension fork with the words “cannondale AT35 adventure trail” printed on them. Bicycles equipped with the Rock Shox i-ride fork are not included in the recall.
Sold at: Cannondale bicycle dealers from February 2009 through April 2009 for between $600 and $800.
Manufactured in: Taiwan (the forks only)
Remedy: Consumers should stop riding the recalled bicycles immediately and contact their dealer to arrange for a free repair.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Cannondale at (800) 245-3872 (BIKEUSA) between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.cannondale.com

Dahon and REI Novara Folding Bicycles Recalled Due to Fall Hazard

2009-05-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2009
Release #09-214

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: 2008 model year Dahon and REI Novara Folding Bicycles
Units: About 11,500
Importers: Dahon California Inc., of Duarte, Calif. and Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI), of Kent, Wash.
Hazard: The hinge on the handlepost can crack, posing a fall hazard.
Incidents/Injuries: There have been 25 reports of the handlepost hinge on these bicycles cracking, including one minor injury involving scrapes and bruises.
Description: This recall involves model year 2008 Dahon and REI Novara folding bicycles. The models included in the recall are as follows:

Dahon: Ciao P8, Curve D3, Curve SL, Glide P8, Jetstream P8, Mu P8, Mu P24, MU SL, Mu XL Sport, Vitesse D7 HG, Speed D7, Speed P8, Speed TR, Speed Pro TT, Mariner D7
REI Novara: Buzz FlyBy and FlyBy Shuttle

The words “Dahon” or “Novara” and the model name are printed on the bicycle. Hinges with an “R” embossed on the face of the upper handlepost hinge and/or a “Radius Handlepost” sticker on the handlepost are not included in the recall.

Sold by: Authorized Dahon California dealers and REI stores nationwide from March 2008 through April 2009 for between $430 and $1,300.
Manufactured in: Taiwan and China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop riding these bicycles and contact any Dahon California dealer or REI store for a free inspection and repair.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Dahon California at (800) 442-3511 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.dahon.com.

New Canadian Distributor for Profile Racing

2009-02-27T12:42:00.000-08:00

From the ProfileRacing.com website:

(St. Petersburg, FL - 2/27/09) US based Profile Racing, Inc. today announced the appointment of 1664 BMX Ltd. as their exclusive distributor in Canada. Through the agreement, 1664 will distribute Profile BMX and Mountain Bike components from their Edmonton headquarters and offer their customers the high end USA made bicycle components that Profile Racing manufactures.

Jim Alley, Profile Racing's owner/operator, called the agreement a step forward in strengthening Profile's Canadian market. Alley said, "1664 BMX is very much like Profile Racing where Bernie (Tomaszewski - 1664 Owner) doesn't just own it, he is a hands-on, roll up your sleeves, go to work everyday owner." We could not think of a better fit with Profile and our way of doing business.

1664 BMX Ltd has been in business since 1998 and is rider owned and operated. The distribution company is an arm of the 1664 BMX brand that produces, pedals, frames, rims and various other small parts. Tomaszewski acknowledged there are a lot of BMX rider owned and operated BMX companies, "But, what underscores 1664 BMX Distribution is our passion for the industry and a focus on customer service. Our company is designed to serve the needs of our customers keeping them aware of current stock and informing them about new products." He concluded that, in the end, through consistent communication, both shop and distributor can be successful.

Known for being the Best Canadian BMX distributor, Profile's product line will be added to over 25 widely recognized BMX companies exclusively distributed in Canada by 1664. The distribution agreement will start as soon as the first delivery of product arrives in Edmonton. In the meantime, 1664 is taking pre-orders for their first shipment from Profile Racing.

The original article here.

Mike Aitken back on his bike

2009-02-27T12:33:00.000-08:00

Aitken isn't pulling the biggest of tricks in the above video but they are remarkable given that he was in a coma & was knocking on deaths door just 5 months ago.

Keep the rubber side down and stay safe kiddies!

Safety Recall: salsa Cycle CroMoto S.U.L. Bicycle Stems

2009-02-27T11:42:00.000-08:00

Dear Bicycle Retailer:

We recently discovered a manufacturing defect that may affect some of our Salsa CroMoto SUL threadless and quill stems. To date we have received two reports of a stem breaking in use. One rider crashed and suffered a broken wrist. We are cooperating with the Consumer Product Safety Commission in this recall, and a nationwide press release will be issued very soon alerting consumers to this safety issue.

These stems were painted to match and included as original equipment on the following complete Salsa bicycles: La Cruz, Casseroll Singlespeed, Casseroll Triple, El Mariachi, and Ala Carte. These models were sold by QBP from November 5, 2007 to December 31, 2008 (QBP Part Numbers BK0050 to BK0081).

The recall also includes both road and mountain aftermarket stems in all extensions and rises, except the 60mm, 70mm and 80mm extension lengths. Aftermarket stems were painted black and were sold from March 31, 2008 to December 31, 2008. The affected QBP stem part numbers are: SM0001 through SM0028.

If you have any of these affected stems or bicycles in your store, please do not sell them.

A copy of our Recall Procedures is enclosed and this information will also be available on www.salsacromotostem.com and qbp.com . We have also included a consumer poster that can be displayed in your shop. Because production of these stems has been suspended, exact replacements are not available at this time. QBP will therefore provide a credit to your store to enable consumers to purchase a comparable stem. Stems returned by consumers should be returned to QBP using our RM process.

We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause you or your customers, and sincerely appreciate your cooperation with our recall effort. If you have any questions about the recall or need to request a credit or make a return, please call 877-774-6208 for assistance.

Please print and display the CroMoto SUL Recall Poster as soon as possible.

CroMoto SUL Recall Poster (8.5" x 11" PDF)
CroMoto SUL Recall Poster (11" x 17" PDF)
CroMoto SUL Recall Procedure (PDF)

Sincerely,

Jason Boucher
Salsa Brand Manager
Quality Bicycle Products, Inc.

Take Action To increase Opportunities for Bicycling in National Parks

2009-02-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

There's still time to make your opinion known. I've included the entire text of the original IMBA media release or you can check out the online petition that they have set up here.

From IMBA.com:
For Immediate Release
12-18-08
Contact: Drew Vankat, Policy Analyst
drew@imba.com
303-545-9011

At long last, the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has proposed a rule change which will make it easier for parks to open trails for mountain biking. IMBA urges mountain bikers to register comments in support of the rule change. IMBA has been asking for this change since the 1990s. We now enter a 60-day commentary period to make the change official.

Take Action Now! Customized letters are most effective.

You can read IMBA's white paper analysis of the proposed rule change and view the entire text in the Federal Register online. We know that several groups are working to defeat this proposal -- it will take thousands of comments in favor of the rule change to ensure it stays intact.

As the proposal explicitly states, none of the NPS procedures for environmental review -- or opportunities for public commentary -- will be diminished by this change. What it will achieve is a much more manageable system for adopting mountain biking trails. The proposal states, "As a general matter, the proposed rule provides park superintendents with a more efficient and effective way to determine whether opening existing trails to bicycles would be appropriate in the park unit they manage."

IMBA believes that this measure will enhance national parks and deserves your support -- please file your comments today!

Sample Letter

Thank you for accepting my comments concerning RIN 1024-AD72, the National Park Service rule change for bicycling. I fully support the proposed rule.

The special regulations process that restricts bicycling on trails is unduly burdensome and duplicates protections that are already addressed by the NPS General Management Plan and the National Environmental Policy Act.
This proposed rule would give park superintendents better tools for opening trails to bicycling. It would also treat bicycles like other non-motorized trail uses, such as horseback riding.
Independent scientific studies, including those conducted by the National Park Service, have shown the environmental impacts of mountain biking are similar to those of hiking, and far less than other uses.
The best research regarding social interactions on trails reveals those who encounter other user groups report very favorably on their interactions. Claims otherwise are unsupported by scientific data.
Shared-use trails are a successful management tool worldwide. NPS staff are skilled at selecting appropriate trails for shared-use by hikers, bicyclists, and equestrians.
This rule will aid visitor enjoyment for both children and adults. Bicycling broadens the recreational offerings and gets Americans out of their cars and into the natural world. It connects people of all ages with the natural environment and is a fun, low-impact activity.
Improving opportunities for bicycling and promoting trails tourism could benefit economic conditions for nearby communities.
Mountain bikers are prolific volunteers--conducting nearly one million hours of trailwork on public lands annually--and could help build environmentally sound, sustainable trails.

Thank you for considering my comment. Bicycling is a wonderful way to explore our national parks and I hope the proposed rule change will be implemented.

General Mills Recall on LaraBars & JamFrakas Bars

2009-01-20T10:36:00.000-08:00

General Mills Press Release: General Mills Issues Coluntary Recall of LÄRABAR and Jam Frakas Peanut Butter Snack Bars

01/19/2009

Recall is Limited to Two Flavors of Snack Bars

No Other General Mills Products are Involved

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – General Mills announced today a voluntary recall of LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Cookie flavor snack bars and JamFrakas Peanut Butter Blisscrisp flavor snack bars because peanut butter in the products was sourced from Peanut Corporation of America, and may be contaminated with salmonella.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with LÄRABAR or JamFrakas products, and no other types, varieties or flavors of LÄRABAR or JamFrakas products are being recalled.

No other General Mills products are involved or impacted.

Peanut butter produced by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) has been implicated in an outbreak of salmonella. As the scope of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation into this outbreak expanded this weekend, Peanut Corporation of America expanded its recall to additional lot codes of peanut butter. PCA supplied peanut butter to one of General Mills’ suppliers, including some lots that were part of the expanded recall, prompting General Mills to issue its own voluntary national Class I recall of the two LÄRABAR and JamFrakas products potentially involved.

LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Cookie flavor snack bars and JamFrakas Peanut Butter Blisscrisp flavor snack bars are distributed nationally under the LÄRABAR and JamFrakas brands, and are sold primarily as individual bars in grocery and specialty retail stores.

The specific products in this recall include:

LÄRABAR Peanut Butter Cookie Individual Bar	UPC code number
Individual Bar	54818-00014-7
Caddy (16-bar sleeve)	54818-00064-2
6-bar pack	93759-00298-8
6-bar, 6-pack case	93759-00299-5
UPC Case Code	54818-00085-7

JamFrakas Peanut Butter Blisscrisp snack bars	UPC code number
Individual bar	93759-00212-4
Caddy (18-bar sleeve)	93759-00213-1
UPC Case Code	93759-00214-8

A combined 15,000 cases of product are involved. This includes all production of these two particular flavors, which were introduced in June.

The FDA has indicated that Peanut Corporation of America is the focus of an investigation into salmonella-related illnesses thought to be caused by tainted peanut butter. Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly in young children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and/or abdominal pain. For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site at http://www.cdc.gov.

Consumers who have products covered by this recall are urged to dispose of the product, and to contact LÄRABAR or JamFrakas for a full refund. Consumers with questions or concerns about the recall may call the toll-free hotline at 1-800-543-2147.

Q&A on the recall.

Clif Bar Recall

2009-01-20T10:29:00.000-08:00

FDA Press Release:
Clif Bar & Company Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of CLIF and LUNA Branded Bars Containing Peanut Butter Due to Possible Health Risk

Contact:
Clif Bar & Company
1-800-254-3227

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- BERKELEY, Calif., Jan 19, 2009 -- Clif Bar & Company today announced a voluntary recall of CLIF(R) and LUNA(R) branded bars that contain peanut butter because the products have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products contain peanut butter manufactured by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). PCA is the focus of an investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concerning a recent Salmonella outbreak thought to be caused by tainted peanut butter.

The following Clif Bar & Company products with "Best By/Sell By" dates ranging as shown below, in all sizes and packages, are included in the recall:

Clif Bar Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch
BEST BY/SELL BY: 21JUN09 to 01OCT09, and 03NOV09 to 28NOV09

Clif Bar Crunchy Peanut Butter
BEST BY/SELL BY: 21JUN09 to 01OCT09, and 03NOV09 to 28NOV09

Clif Bar Peanut Toffee Buzz
BEST BY/SELL BY: only 13SEP09

ZBaR Peanut Butter
BEST BY/SELL BY: 07JUL09 to 05SEP09, and 12NOV09

Clif Builders Peanut Butter
BEST BY/SELL BY: 19JUL09 to 30SEP09, and 05NOV09 to 18NOV09

Luna Nutz over Chocolate
BEST BY/SELL BY: 29JUL09 to 03OCT09, 11NOV09 to 14NOV09

Luna Peanut Butter Cookie
BEST BY/SELL BY: 02OCT09 to 03OCT09, and 11NOV09 to 14NOV09

All Clif Mojo Bars
BEST BY/SELL BY: 30APR09 to 21JUN09

These products were sold in grocery, warehouse and other retail stores throughout the United States.

No other CLIF or LUNA products or flavors are included in this recall.

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis. For more information on Salmonella, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/ or call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).

Consumers who have purchased the recalled products are urged to destroy them but retain the "Best By/Sell By" code found on the back of the package. Consumers with questions or who would like a refund may contact Clif Bar & Company at 1-800-CLIFBAR (1-800-254-3227). Details also can be found at www.clifbar.com.

"With an abundance of caution and given the FDA's ongoing investigation of PCA, we're doing all we can to ensure consumer safety and trust," said Gary Erickson, owner and founder of Clif Bar & Company.

Bikes for Goodness Sake

2008-12-08T11:35:00.000-08:00

$2 for 2 Wheels campaign from Bikes for Goodness Sake.
Just $2 from 50,000 people like you gets 600 children a bike, a helmet, a safety lesson, and the memory of their first bike!

Start a ripple that turns into a wave of generosity and goodwill from 50,000 people to these children. Just $2 from each of us gives a child a memory that will last a lifetime - that memory of a first bike.

BFGS is working with the Texas Military Forces State Family Program to give 50 bikes and helmets to the children of deploying soldiers in Dallas, Fort Worth, Temple, Austin, Tyler, San Antonio, Houston, Lubbock, El Paso, Laredo, Weslaco, and Corpus Christi for a total of 600 bikes and helmets in the state of Texas.

Please donate. Find the red Donate button and share that feeling of a new bike with a child.

You can also mail a contribution to BFGS, PO Box 201504, Austin, TX 78720-1504.

Trek Announces Title Sponsorship of Women's Triathalon Series

2008-11-20T08:58:00.000-08:00

Trek Announces Title Sponsorship of Women's Triathlon Series

(Waterloo, WI) – Trek Bicycle announced today its title sponsorship of the new Trek Women’s Triathlon Series. Aimed at breaking down barriers for women athletes, the Trek Women’s Triathlon Series is a collection of "race" events around the country designed to provide a fun, non-intimidating atmosphere for both aspiring and experienced triathletes. With events planned in a dozen markets across the country in 2009, the Trek Women's Triathlon Series anticipates nearly 25,000 participants in its first year, making it one of the largest multi-sport events in the world.

"When Maggie [Sullivan, Director of the Danskin Women’s Triathlon series for the last 17 years] asked me if Trek WSD would be interested in being title sponsor of a new women’s series, I was thrilled," said Krista Rettig, Trek's Women's Specific Design (WSD) Brand Manager. "Knowing the amount of experience behind Maggie and her team, and the quality of race she puts on, there was never a doubt we wanted to make it happen. And having an incredible asset like Sally Edwards on board as the spokeswoman for the new series aligns perfectly with our WSDmission."

"I’ve dedicated my life to encouraging women to become more physically active; to use triathlons as a means of achieving their life goals," noted Edwards, a Hall of Frame triathlete, CEO of Heart Zones USA, and best selling author of 22 books on triathlon and fitness training. "I am so proud to be joining this series with Trek and to take our efforts to a whole new level."

In addition to its title sponsorship role, Trek WSD plans to support the Women's Triathlon Series with its "Fit For Women" Demo team, who’ll be on hand during each event to offer test rides of the latest Trek women's bikes, provide product advice, and discuss proper bike fit. Trek WSD will also develop special promotions in conjunction with the events for its Ride Club members, giving them VIP access and special product opportunities. Finally, members of Trek's "Women Who Ride" crew will be on hand at the events to blog their experiences with the rest of the on-line community.

Owned and operated by The Xxtra Mile, a New York-based company focused on promoting active lifestyles for women and girls, the Trek Women’s Triathlon Series is built around the sprint distance format (a 1/2-mile swim, 12-mile bike, and 3-mile run) and includes events scheduled for California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, New York Metro, North Carolina, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. Selected cities within the Series will also include "youth focused" triathlons. The first Trek Women’s Triathlon will debut in Florida 2009.

A final 2009 schedule is expected to be announced by December 31, 2008.

http://www.trektriathlon.com

Shimano Releases Dura-Ace Di2

2008-10-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

From the Shimano website: Dura-Ace Di2 for Time Trial and Triathlon

Recently we have announced the electronic road racing components DURA-ACE with Di2
technology. Now an important addition: electronic shifters especially for time trial and triathlon usage. These products eliminate the need to change hand position for shifting. The rider can change gears at the base-bar as well as at the bar extensions from now on. The direct result is saving time and a better concentration on the ride.
ST-7971 is the model number of the Dual Control Levers for time trial and triahlon. They feature a carbon lever blade that reduces the weight to 127 grams per pair. Compatible with the new FLIGHTDECK cycling computer with integrated buttons in the hoods.
SW-7971 is the model number of the electronic satellite switch that can be integrated easily into time trial bar extensions. The shift wires are guided through the bars for optimal aerodynamics.
Weight is 103 grams per pair.
These shifters are compatible with the new DURA-ACE Di2 derailleurs FD-7970 (front derailleur) and RD-7970 (rear derailleur). They will be available in the market around three months after the availability of the regular 7970 series.

Do you want increased access for bikes on Bart?

2008-10-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

There's a petition here.
The text of the petition:

We believe that bicycles are becoming a greater portion of public transportation participants, and as such, deserve increased access to public transportation. As the price of gasoline raises, businessmen and soccer moms alike are leaving their automobiles in the garage in favor of a more cost-efficient, smog-reducing, and healthy mode of transportation. Part of this transition includes bicycles and part of it includes public transportation - and we believe they can co-exist.

Increased overall community health and wellness, reduced pollution, and money savings could go a long way towards BART's own public image. BART could follow, by example, international cities like Paris and Amsterdam, that leverage the bike commuting population's support to expand its system. Even national cities like Portland and Pittsburgh are already following suit, with the idea of stimulating public support during environmental campaigns. Children and adults alike would benefit from greater independence and access to new destinations within the Bay Area, benefiting the smaller businesses that make up the cultural communities that the Bay Area is known for. BART stations would become strong hubs of these communities.

We ask BART to mark one car on every train as "bike-friendly":
accessible to all bikes (not simply folding ones),
accessible during all operating hours,
permitted in all stations.

Such a car could be modified to fit more bicycles, without obstructing paths of travel, and have standing sections for cyclists dismounting the train at their departure.

We believe BART can be part of the solution by increasing access for Bikes on BART.

Schumacher Positive for CERA

2008-10-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

From L'Equipe.Fr:

Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner), vainqueur des deux contre-la-montre lors du dernier Tour de France, dont il porta le Maillot Jaune durant deux jours, a été contrôlé positif à la CERA, une EPO à effet retard.

Campagnolo 2009 Product Range

2008-09-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

We've got the technical information of the 2009 Campagnolo groups here (it's a large PDF file).

There's some nice photos and diagrams of the ErgoPower levers and some great descriptions about the design objectives.

They also have a detailed analysis of the Veloce, Centaur, Super Record, Record, and Chorus groups and their new 2-Way Fit wheelsets.

Cyclocross Goods from Rapha

2008-09-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

For Rapha's Autumn/Winter winter collection will include two 'cross specific items, the Cross Jersey and the 3/4 Cross Bib Shorts, were designed with input from the well-regarded American frame-builder Independent Fabrication.

Their Cross Jersey was "inspired by the hardy cyclocross racers of Europe and North America, the Rapha Cross Jersey has been constructed for the unique demands of the sport" and is "versatile enough for everyday use". Their Cross Jersey, like all of the other Rapha garments, has a couple of well thought out features; e.g. a small amount of padding stitched into the right shoulder and one well-designed rear pocket. The rear pocket should be easy to open and get to, even with full fingered gloves, as the zipper has a large ring pull and is set in at an ergonomic angle.

Their Cross ¾ Bib Shorts have a full back and are constructed from Italian Thermoroubaix, a polyamide/polyester/elastane fabric, and Rapha's Cytech chamois. The Cross ¾ Bib Shorts sport a small, neoprene-lined, zippered key pocket placed on the back of the shorts & slightly above the waist line. I'm tempted to describe it as a Rapha tramp stamp, but it's placed a little further up the back than most tramp stamps are and Rapha could never be considered trampy.

Several Tour de France Riders Retested for EPO

2008-09-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

From the AP:

Several Tour de France riders are having their blood samples retested for traces of the banned blood-booster EPO.
The head of the French Anti-Doping Agency told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the testing involved riders who were already under scrutiny for suspicious urine samples. Pierre Bordry declined to name the cyclists.
The new blood tests will look for CERA, a third-generation variation of EPO. Italian rider Riccardo Ricco tested positive for the substance during the Tour.

Shimano Initiates Rowing (Boat Race) Equipment Business

2008-09-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

From the Shimano Corporate website:

In 2009 Shimano Inc. (President: Yozo Shimano) will initiate a rowing (regatta) equipment business, taking advantage of the Corporation’s exceptional manufacturing technologies, developed in the production of bicycle components and fishing tackle.

To begin with, Shimano plans to develop and launch rowing shoes and foot stretchers* during 2009, through effective use of its original technologies for producing cycling shoes and bicycle pedals. In five years, the Corporation plans to grow its annual sales of rowing equipment to approximately 3 billion yen.

Momentum Magazine at Interbike

2008-09-10T08:50:00.000-07:00

Momentum will be presenting an urban cycling fashion show at Interbike.

The "Urban Legend" Art + Fashion show, which is presented by Interbike and Momentum Magazine, will take place at 5pm on Thursday, September 25th in the Venetian Ballroom G of the Sands Convention Center.

This promises to be an interesting event as the fashion component of the show will focus mainly on urban and relaxed cycling clothing. Furthermore, as an urban themed art and fashion show, it is only fitting that the models will be riding bikes: urban bikes, townies, city bikes, commuters, basket bikes, beater bikes, grocery getters, cafe cruisers, etc.

And like any proper Interbike function, there will be beer and other assorted tasty, cold beverages available for consumption.

Vanity Fair: Lance Armstrong Rides Again

2008-09-09T13:59:00.000-07:00

So the rumors are true.
From Vanity Fair: "Lance Armstrong Rides Again"

With respect to the rumors that he might run for Governor: “Down the road, something like that might be possible. Probably in 2014.”

His intentions: “I’m going back to professional cycling. I’m going to try and win an eighth Tour de France.”

With respect to his age [38]: “Ultimately, I’m the guy that gets up. I mean, I get up out of bed a little slow. I mean, I’m not going to lie. I mean, my back gets tired quicker than it used to and I get out of bed a little slower than I used to. But when I’m going, when I’m on the bike—I feel just as good as I did before.”

The revenge factor: “There’s this perception in cycling that this generation is now the cleanest generation we’ve had in decades, if not forever. And the generation that I raced with was the dirty generation. And, granted, I’ll be totally honest with you, the year that I won the Tour, many of the guys that got 2nd through 10th, a lot of them are gone. Out. Caught. Positive Tests. Suspended. Whatever.… And so I can understand why people look at that and go, Well, [they] were caught—and you weren’t? So there is a nice element here where I can come with really a completely comprehensive program and there will be no way to cheat.”

Jay Sycip Joins Chris King

2008-09-09T08:50:00.000-07:00

From BikeRadar:

Jay SyCip has joined King Cycle Group and will work as a Product Manager for Chris King Precision Components and Cielo Cycles in Portland, Oregon. Jay comes to King after 17 years at SyCip Designs in Santa Rosa, California where, along with his brother and business partner Jeremy, he became a fixture in the modern frame-building community. Noted for his creative design style and elegant fabrications, Jay is a graduate of the Art Center of Pasadena.

Deda Elementi Stem Recall

2008-09-09T08:44:00.000-07:00

From Deda Elementi:

Deda Elementi and Bianchi Recalling 2008 High-Gloss Finish Deda Forza Handlebar Stems
As a result of four reports of cracking, none of which resulted in injuries, Deda Elementi, in
cooperation with FIV Edoardo Bianchi, have undertaken a Voluntary Recall of all Bianchi highend
bicycles with 2008 Deda Forza high-gloss finish carbon fiber handlebar stems, and will
replace the stems with Deda Zero 100 forged aluminum stems. The recall is being handled
through Bianchi dealers world-wide.

In addition, about 100 of these Forza stems were sold after-market, primarily in the U.S.A. These are being recalled and replaced through the retailers who sold them. Earlier production, matte-finished Deda Forza stems are not affected by this recall.

Do not ride a bicycle with a handlebar stem that is subject to this recall.

Instead:
If you are an individual who bought the stem either as part of a new bicycle or as an
upgrade for your bicycle, please return the stem to the retailer from whom you bought it. If you are a bicycle retailer and the stem is on a Bianchi bicycle, please get in touch with your Bianchi representative.
If you are a retailer who sold a Deda Forza high gloss finish stem after-market, please get in touch with the Deda distributor from whom you bought the stem.

Camelbak Water Jersey

2008-09-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

Camelbak is now testing a compression-fit baselayer jersey with an integrated 72-ounce hydration sleeve called the RaceBak. The RaceBak is still in the research & testing phase but if all goes well in testing, it is expected that the RaceBak should reach stores for 2009.

More at Outside Magazine's Blog.

From Pro Cyclist to Spin Instructor?

2008-09-03T08:46:00.000-07:00

It's nice to know that even though Riccò has made some serious mistakes, there are still people willing to give young Riccò a job.

Ricardo Riccò istruttore di spinning.

Katusha & Ridley

2008-09-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

The new Russian cycling team, Katusha, will be riding Ridley bikes next year. I'd expect to see Katusha have a great 2009 season given that Katusha has been snapping up all kinds of talented riders & that they now have a top-end bike underneath them.

Read more at TuttoBiciWeb.

Yumeya

2008-08-29T08:54:00.000-07:00

Shimano is introducing aftermarket titanium & carbon fiber bits to upgrade XTR groups. They'll be releasing more information about the Yumeya parts at EuroBike and at Shimano.com September 1st. I'd also expect to see the same information at InterBike. Originally found at Singletrack Magazine.

Vuelta by the Numbers

2008-08-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

TuttoBiciWeb has the start lists & bib numbers for the Vuelta a España here.

Sastre's pinned #1. No Voigt, Cancellara, A. Schleck, or F. Schleck for the Vuelta. CSC-Saxo bank is the team with the most nations represented by their riders (Spain, Russia, Denmark, Ukraine, Belarus, the Netherlands, & Argentina). By my count, there will be riders from a total of 23 nations riding in this year's Vuelta. Leipheimer, riding for Astana, is the only rider from the United States in this year's Vuelta.

You can check out the official Vuelta sight at lavuelta.com.

Which bikes for Saxo Bank?

2008-08-24T18:20:00.000-07:00

If it is indeed true that Cervelo will be sponsoring a new team next year (as discussed August, 21st), which bikes will Saxo Bank be riding?

USA Cycling Professional Championships

2008-08-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

Athletes for the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships have been announced:

GREENVILLE, S.C. (August 19, 2008) – Race organizers confirmed today that George Hincapie (Team Columbia), Christian Vande Velde (Team Garmin-Chipotle presented by H30), David Zabriskie (Team Garmin-Chipotle presented by H30), and Fred Rodriguez (Rock Racing) are among the professional cyclists who will compete this year at the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championships over Labor Day weekend (Aug 30-31, 2008). Three of these elite athletes (Hincapie, Zabriskie, Vande Velde) recently represented the U.S. at the Olympic Games in Beijing. Over 125 professional cyclists are expected in Greenville to compete for both the Individual Time Trial and Road Race Championships.

Other names mentioned in the article: Hamilton (Rock Racing), Wherry (Toyota-United), Danielson (Garmin-Chipotle), and Lewis (Team Columbia).

Read the article in it's entirety here.

New team for Sastre?

2008-08-21T09:48:00.000-07:00

From Tuttobiciweb:

Christian Henn, attuale direttore sportivo della Gerolsteiner, sta lavorando attorno ad una nuova squadra, la Cervelo, noto marchio di biciclette canadese. Radiomercato dice che il capitano della squadra sarà Carlos Sastre, fresco vincitore del Tour de France, e che al suo fianco ci saranno il tedesco Stefan Schumacher e l'austriaco Bernhard Kohl, che proprio ieri ha informato la Quick Step ed il suo team manager Patrick Lefevere di non essere interessato ad un passaggio nel team belga.

So, if my limited Italian skills are correct, essentially the article states that Christian Henn, the DS for Gerolsteiner, is working on forming a new team, Cervelo (a well-known Canadian manufacturer). Radiomercato stated that the captain of the new team will be Carlos Sastre, who just won the Tour de France, and that by his side will be Stefan Schumacher (Germany) & Bernhard Kohl (Austria). Yesterday, Kohl had informed Quick Step's team manager, Patrick Lefevere, that his was not interested in a transfer to the Belgian Team.

Keep in mind that I don't actually speak Italian (yet). I do believe I got the main details of the article, but if I've missed something or made of muddle of it, please let me know.

If this is indeed true (that Sastre is going to be leaving CSC-Saxo Bank), it does solve what could have been problematic in the CSC-Saxo Bank future, namely the team leader dilemma.
C. Sastre? F. Schleck? A. Schleck?
What a problem to be had!

Sneak Peak of Bianchi 2009

2008-08-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

Via Bike Hugger.

Steel celeste Domomiti with chrome lugs?
Ohlalalala!

Vans Fixed

2008-08-19T17:45:00.001-07:00

Some of you may have already seen this, but Vans is going to be making Era Fixed shoes. As you can see from the pictures below (from sneakerfreaker.com), they are based on the Era model but made with a ballistic nylon body and a leather toe (to prevent premature wear that usually arises from Toshi doubles). The shoelaces have been enhanced with reflective twining.

Last but not least, the shoes come with a matching seat bag. This will surely reduce the number of "shoes, belt, & bag must match" fashion rule violations.

How to use a bus bike rack

2008-08-19T15:24:00.000-07:00

An instructional video set to music.

Bike Lane Fail

2008-08-19T14:53:00.001-07:00

From failblog.org.

Cyclocross at Interbike's OutDoor Demo

2008-08-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

Attention all Interbike OutDoor Demo attendees: There's going to be a special cyclocross course set up in Bootleg Canyon during OutDoor Demo.

Hup! Hup! Hup! Hup!

Portland Bike Boxes

2008-08-18T11:37:00.000-07:00

Yet another entry about bicycle commuting & city streets that are safe & usable for cyclists. We like to ride our bikes to work, can you tell?

Recently, we've noticed that bike boxes have been popping up on both coasts. What is a bike box?
The City of Portland Office of Transportation says that:
A bike box is an intersection safety design to prevent bicycle/car collisions, especially those between drivers turning right and bicyclists going straight. It is a green box on the road with a white bicycle symbol inside. It includes green bicycle lanes approaching and leading from the box.

How do you use a bike box?

I know that New York, Portland, San Francisco, & Copenhagen have installed several bike boxes, but are there any other cities that have them as well? (As a side note: Portland is stalling on the installation of several bike boxes that it had previously promised to install. The reasons given for the hold up on the installations vary & you can read the whole story at OregonLive).

But, even though they may be dragging their feet on installing more bike boxes, Portland seems to be on the right track with respect to making the streets & city more accessible & safe for city cyclists.
This diagonal intersection looks lovely!

Fixed Gear Tricks

2008-08-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

As it turns out, fixed gear tricks are nothing new.

Did you catch the wicked bar spins in there?

Another reason to wear a helmet.

2008-08-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

Bike Commuting By the Numbers

2008-08-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

From U.S. News: Bike Commuting By the Numbers, Compared to Americans, Europeans are way out in front.

From the article:

In Portland, Ore., 3.5 percent of trips to work are made by bike, the highest share among the 50 largest American cities. The lowest: Kansas City, Mo., at a paltry 0.02 percent.
37 percent of short trips (under 2.5 kilometers, or 1.5 miles) are made on a bicycle in the Netherlands, compared with 2 percent in the United States. 1.1 cyclists are killed per 100 million km cycled there; in the United States, 5.8 cyclists are killed per 100 million km.

Everybody ride & drive safely & hooray for Portland!

Thomas Dekker to Garmin-Chipotle

2008-08-14T08:59:00.000-07:00

Via SportWereld: Thomas Dekker onderweg naar Garmin-Chipotle.

I'm not going to try to pretend that I understood the whole article, but I was able to gather that Thomas Dekker will most likely be heading out Garmin-Chipotle way next year. Thomas Dekker, who was uninvited to his country's Olympic squad and subsequently broke with his team Rabobank, is an interesting choice for Garmin-Chipotle.

Garmin-Chipolte has a strict anti-doping policy & a stringent in-house testing program while Thomas Dekker, according to the UCI, returned an anomalous blood-test result. Please note that an anomalous blood-test result is not a positive/non-negative test result and that thus far, Thomas Dekker has never been suspended for a non-negative test result.

Specialized Concept Stores in Europe

2008-08-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

Specialized opened up their first concept store on the continent. Their first continental concept store is in Goirle, the Netherlands.

Women's World Champion & Non-Negative Drug Tests

2008-07-31T21:29:00.000-07:00

From CyclingWeekly:

Current women's world champion Marta Bastianelli has tested positive for the banned substance flenfluramine, the Italian Cycling Federation confirmed on Monday. Traces of fenfluramine were found in a urine sample taken after Bastianelli finished third in the Europeean Under 23 road race championships on July 5 in Verbania, Italy.

As a side-note, I do believe it's fenfluramine. I wasn't able to find much information on flenfluramine but there was quite a bit of information about fenfluramine (aka Fen-Phen) on the web, including this Wikipedia article about it.

As another side-note, there are some differences in the translations of the statements released by the Italian Cycling federation. In the CyclingWeekly article, Renato di Rocco, the president of the Italian Cycling Federation, is quoted as saying:

She's been incredibly ingenious, she was positive for fenfluramine, that is in dieting products. She's obsessed with her weight. She only eats salad.

Whereas CyclingNews quotes Renato di Rocco as saying:

She's been incredibly naïve. Marta is really obsessed with her weight. She eats only salads.

There's quite a difference between being ingenious and being naïve, but without seeing the original quote, I am inclined to assume that the more accurate translation is "She's been incredibly naïve".

Dekker dropped from Olympic team

2008-07-26T21:56:00.000-07:00

From DutchNews.nl:

Cyclist Thomas Dekker has lost his place in the Dutch Olympic team, reports ANP news service.
The 23-year-old cyclist is out of form and virtually asked to be removed from the team, Olympic coach Egon van Kessel told ANP.

Ouch.

2009 Specialized City Bikes

2008-07-26T20:06:00.000-07:00

I find it very heartening to see, when looking through the new 2009 Specialized bikes, that Specialized is not messing around when it comes to offering cyclists & riders a plethora of city-bike options.

One of the collection of models that I particularly noticed was the Vienna collection, specifically the Vienna Deluxe 5 and the Women's Vienna Deluxe 5. It seems to me that the Vienna collection is a quite a nice addition to what was an already great line of bikes from Specialized as they provide riders with a very functional city-bike.

I know that some people may argue that there's not much of a functional difference between, say, the 2009 Specialized CrossTrail and the 2009 Specialized Vienna 2 as it is more than likely that both bikes will be used in many similar situations (e.g., to the farmer's market for some fresh summer tomatoes, to the video store to drop off last night's movie, and to the coffee shop for the morning motivational).

I would argue that however similar the usage of the two different bikes may be, the CrossTrails and the Viennas are different tools for different jobs. It seems to me as if the CrossTrails would be more appropriate for riders who are looking for a versatile sport/fitness bike whereas the Viennas would be more appropriate for riders looking for a sporty city-bike.

I admit that I am splitting bike-usage hairs here. As a certifiable bike-nut, however, this bike-usage hair-splitting has been invaluable for if I didn't split hairs such as these, how would I ever be able to justify to myself and to others the large and growing collection of bikes that I own?

Team Astana Terminates Vladimir Gusev

2008-07-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

From Roadcycling.com:

The Astana Cycling Team management has terminated the contract of Russian cyclist Vladimir Gusev due to irregular values.
...
“Vladimir Gusev has been officially notified that he no longer represents Team Astana”, said General Manager Johan Bruyneel. “Though his results do not indicate the use of forbidden substances, Vladimir’s values exceeded the normal parameters established by Dr. Damsgaard and were not compliant with the strict agreement signed by all thirty riders. Our Kazakh sponsors have also been made aware of this decision and are fully supportive.”

There's also a brief bit about it over at l'Equipe but it's in French.

2009 Specialized Langsters

2008-07-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

Remember back at the beginning of this month we posted a couple of pictures of some of the 2009 Specialized Langsters?
Well, now we have them all.
Enjoy!

The original Langster.

The Langster Seattle.

The Langster Tokyo.

The Langster Las Vegas.

The Langster San Francisco.

The Langster Monaco.

The Langster New York.

And perhaps the baddest of the bunch, the S-Works Langster.

2009 Specialized Bikes

2008-07-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

Here's all the info on the 2009 Specialized bike line.

I told you today was going to be a special day.
We'll try to give you some highlights of the new bikes later on today & into this weekend.

Friday is going to be a very special day

2008-07-24T14:36:00.000-07:00

Very special. You might want to wander on back over here tomorrow & check out the party.

Apple & Trek

2008-07-23T11:28:00.000-07:00

Trek Bicycle Corporation. Communicating their message:

Trek Bicycle Corporation, a global leader in bicycle design, innovation, and manufacturing, produces and sells a wide range of bicycles to match the needs of virtually every rider. Whether you’re a professional bike racer—like 2008 Giro d’Italia Champion and Trek-athlete Alberto Contador, a recreational rider, or a commuter who uses a bicycle as a daily mode of transportation.
...
Trek Bicycle Corporation, in conjunction with design agency Planet Propaganda, takes designs created in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator and combines them with video in Final Cut Studio to deliver video podcasts.

You can read the rest of the article & watch a pretty interesting video at the Apple Profiles: Trek link.

Trek's Go By Bike Challenge

2008-07-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

Trek will be giving away a Trek 7.2 FX (approximate retail value of $500) every day to a Go By Bike pledger. 46 lucky pledgers will win a new Trek 7.2 FX.
You can find more information & sign up at the 1world2wheels website.

Trek will be heavily promoting the Go By Bike Challenge. Trek's independent bicycle dealers will be taking people's in-store pledges and Trek will be running a couple of full-page print ads in USA Today.

From the 1world2wheels website here are 6 things you can do:

Ride your bike, especially for trips under two miles. Why? The emission controls on your car are not operating effectively in the first few minutes thus short trips create more pollution.
Get your kids to ride. In 1964 50% of kids rode to school and the obesity rate was 12%…in 2004, 3% rode to school and the obesity rate was 45%. To learn more, check out www.saferoutestoschools.org.
Get your friends to ride their bikes. Challenge them to find out where they can pedal within two miles of their house, then encourage them to take a bike for short trips.
Contact your state bicycle advocacy group and support their efforts.
Like to ride mountain bikes? Join the IMBA and support their efforts to open new trails and maintain existing trails.
Keep updated on important issues and events. Sign up for 1world2wheels.org.

Trek & 1world2wheels scores bonus points with me for including SafeRoutesToSchools. I think that the SafeRoutesToSchools program has the potential to be one of the most effective bike outreach programs out there.

I am sure that we all have heard that "Great minds think alike" and so it should not be surprising to note that there are some similarities between Trek's Go By Bike Challenge & Clif Bar's 2 Mile Challenge.

Clif began their Two Mile Challenge at Interbike 2007 & the heavily promoted it with a team of people van touring the country on bio-fuel, smiles, & Clif Bars trying to get more people out of their cars and onto their bikes.
More about their bus:

They also have a pictures of the bus from Interbike 2007 and a photo set from their 2007 2 Mile Challenge bus tour.

So, tell your friends & buy some baskets for your townie because those groceries won't get themselves!

More EPO: Ricardo Ricco

2008-07-17T07:18:00.000-07:00

From L'Equipe: "Les urines de Riccardo Ricco présentent des traces d'EPO."

Hincapie on Ricco via CycingWeekly:

“I was definitely shocked. He's one of the big riders in peloton. It's a disappoint for sure. It's a clear disappointment but you got to look to the future and say we're catching the cheats. Maybe other sports aren't, I think our sport doing more than any other sport to clean up its act.”

I think Hincapie's statement that cycling is doing more than other sports to clean up its act is a pretty accurate. Ironically enough, I believe that the crackdown on doping in cycling will lead to cleaner riding but that it also strengthens the general publics perception of the cycling-doping link. While I don't want to come off as a cycling apologist, I think that there are sports in which doping is even more widespread but because the testing protocols are not as rigorous and dopers are not caught, those sports are not perceived as having doping issues.

Congressional report or no, I'd bet a dollar that there are more drugs in professional baseball or football than there are in professional cycling.

Félix Cárdenas Abandons the Tour

2008-07-16T14:13:00.000-07:00

I would think that under different circumstances, Félix Cárdenas (Barloworld) abandoning the Tour in today's 11th stage would pass by unremarked; However, Barloworld seems to be struggling as a team.

Multiple crashes, a non-negative doping test result, more crashes.

It's hard not to notice when one of their riders abandons, especially when that rider, Félix Cárdenas, was Moisés Dueñas' roommate.

Moisés Dueñas & EPO: Positive or Non-Negative

2008-07-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

From CyclingWeekly:

Team Barloworld has revealed that Moises Dueñas was caught with a "considerable amount of banned medicines" in his room during a search by French Police. The 27 year-old Spaniard was taken into police custody in Tarbes on Wednesday morning after police searched his room following the announcement that he had failed a doping test for EPO after the stage four time trial in Cholet."

From Cyclingnews:

Spanish rider Moisés Dueñas has become the second rider to register a non-negative test for banned blood booster erythropoietin at the Tour de France. The results came from a sample taken from the Barloworld rider after the Grand Tour's first time trial, Stage 4 on July 8 in Cholet, according to head of the French Anti-doping Agency (AFLD) Pierre Bordry.

According to CyclingWeekly Dueñas' test result was positive, whereas according to Cyclingnews Dueñas' test was non-negative. The net result, be it positive or non-negative, is that Moisés Dueñas (Barloworld) was pulled from the Tour de France & has been suspended from Barloworld.

Preliminary Agreement Reached on Marzocchi's Future

2008-07-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

Press release from Marzocchi:

The Marzocchi management entered today into a preliminary agreement to start an acquisition procedure by the multinational Tenneco Inc., in order to provide additional opportunities for growth and to continue the tradition of a brand that contributes to writing some of the most exiting pages of the motorcycle and mountain bike history.
...
Marzocchi today means reliability and no compromise performance and is a symbol of the Italian industry that goes right to the hart of the passionate riders all over the world.

Marzocchi is currently carrying a debt that back on April 30th, 2008, was roughly calculated to be around $15 million, which Tenneco, a Fortune 500 corporation, will assume responsibility for.

I think that this will work out well for Gruppo Marzocchi. When I began working at a shop many years ago, it was impossible to discuss forks without praising the ride quality, the reliability, & the seviceability of the Marzocchi forks. Over the past several years, however, it seems as if the Gruppo Marzocchi has become less of a presence in the American suspension market. I would think that with Tenneco's financial backing of Gruppo Marzocchi & the extensive engineering resources Marzocchi forks will see a resurgence in popularity in America.

Did Someone Say Cyclocross?

2008-07-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

There's a new kid on the cyclocross series block: The North American Cyclocross Trophy and you should check out CXmagazine for more details on the dates.

I'd expect to see some big names showing up for these UCI C1/C2 races because this new 8 race series has a prizelist topping the $40K mark.
The dates are:

September 20th-UCI C1-Redmond, Washington
September 21st-UCI C1-Lakewood, Washington
October 10th & 11th-UCI C2-Gloucester, Massachusetts
November 1st & 2nd-UCI C1-Boulder, Colorado
November 22nd & 23rd-UCI C1-Southampton, New York

Tim Johnson has already written the series into his racing schedule and I'm eagerly anticipating hearing about who else will be coming out to play in the North American Cyclocross Trophy series.

'Cross Vegas will be Wednesday, September 24th, right after the first of the two races in the North American Cyclocross Trophy series.
Remember 'cross Vegas?

Now do you remember 'cross Vegas?
Hup! Hup! Hup!

ProTour Exodus

2008-07-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

From the Guardian:

All teams are to leave the International Cycling Union's elite ProTour series, the 17 teams on the Tour de France said on Tuesday. "It has been decided unanimously not to renew the ProTour licences for the 2009 season," the teams said in a joint statement.
...
"If everybody decides so, I can't imagine Astana will not follow," Astana chief press officer Philippe Maertens told Reuters.

The 18 current UCI ProTour Teams: AG2R La Mondial, Astana, Bouygues Telecom, Caisse D'Epargne, Cofidis, Credit Agricole, Euskaltel-Euskadi, Française des Jeux, Gerolsteiner, Lampre, Liquigas, Quick Step, Rabobank, Saunier Duval-Scot, Silence-Lotto, Team Columbia, Team CSC Saxo Bank, Team Milram.

Beltran Video

2008-07-12T21:09:00.000-07:00

Here's a telling video of Beltran trying to evade the doping control squad.

Beltran Positive for EPO

2008-07-11T11:36:00.000-07:00

Manuel Beltran (Liquigas) has tested positive for EPO. Testing of his A sample taken July 5th, after the first stage of the Tour de France, indicated the presence of EPO in his system.
Source: L'equipe.fr, Damian Ressiot.

How do you suppose Dorel feels about this given that teams face a €100,000 fine if a link can be established between a rider who returns a positive doping test and his team. Furthermore, Dorel had just renewed their sponsorship agreement with the Liquigas team. What are the potential implications of this positive test with respect to the team's sponsorship?

Already there's the potential that because of this Liquigas may not ride La Vuelta a España.

LA Road Rage Incident

2008-07-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

From LAist.com (warning: pictures are a little gruesome):

Christian Stoehr recounts "We were riding downhill at approximately 30 mph when a car came up behind us, must have been doing 50 mph, and the driver started honking at us. We moved to the right in single file within seconds and the motorist pulled along Ron and started screaming at him. He then pulled in front of us with 3-5 feet to spare and slammed on his brakes, giving us no time to stop. I swerved and almost made it, clipping the car and flying through the air and landing in the street. Ron had no room to move and he went straight into the back of the car, putting his face through the back window."

There's more about the incident here and this is being treated as a road rage incident rather than a collision. The driver will be charged with a felony assault with a deadly weapon.

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You!

2008-07-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

The Eighth Annual Bicycle Film Festival 2008.

It's currently in Minneapolis until July 12th. The next stops are: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Tokyo, Austin, London, Vienna, Zurich, Paris, Sydney, Melbourne, Milano, and finally PDX.
Check the BFF site for more details.

At 2min12sec in, in the background of the video I saw a 3D bike print that I really liked.

VIMBY - Bicycle Film Festival

And a clip about the documentary film "Adventures For the Cure."

If any of you get a chance to check out the BFF when it hits your town, we'd love to know what you think!

More on Electronic Dura-Ace

2008-07-10T12:39:00.000-07:00

VeloNews has a brief article about the electronic Dura-Ace time trial bits that were spotted at the tour. There's not all that much more info at VeloNews than there was in our short snippet on the electronic Dura-Ace time trial parts, but there are some great pictures.

Our brief bit about the electronic Dura-Ace time trial parts is here.
VeloNews' brief bit about them here & their photos of the parts are here.

Specialized 2009 Carbon Epic

2008-07-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

Specialized released their Epic line of full suspension mountain bikes in 2003. The new line was well received from the beginning & has become a popular choice for riders looking for a cross-country oriented full suspension bike.

Now, for 2009, Specialized has drastically revamped the Epic line. There's a great review of the bike over at CyclingNews but the nutshell version is that the new 2009 high-end Epic comes in under 22lbs while still retaining a similar ride quality as the 2008 Specialized Epic Marathon Carbon.

However, we hesitate to use the phrase "comparable model" as the 2008 Epic Marathon Carbon was not full carbon but rather a FACT carbon front triangle & an M5 aluminum rear triangle whereas the new 2009 Specialized Epic is going to be a full carbon frame.
Yes, that's right, a carbon front end & a carbon rear triangle.

Specialized didn't stop there though; They've outfitted the 2009 Epic with their proprietary FACT integrated crankset. Please note that while Specialized's road FACT integrated crankset is compatible with the BB30 standard their new mountain FACT integrated crankset is not compatible with the BB30 standard.

Specialized re-engineered the placement of the shock (under the top tube at the top tube & seat tube junction) and the Brain unit (above the rear non-drive axle). Specialized claims that these modifications will produce a more balanced ride. Specialized will be using their Futureshock E100 1^1/2" to 1^1/8" forks on the new 2009 Specialized Epics.

Ever since Specialized took on Mike McAndrews, they've been pushing the suspension envelope. McAndrews has been in bicycle industry for a quite a while now and by looking back on his employment history, he always seems to be working at fork & suspension companies when those companies were breaking the mold.
Remember RockShox and the Mag 21? The Maverick Duc32?
McAndrews was there.

After a 10 year hiatus between the original carbon Epic, Specialized recommitted to carbon fiber in 2004 with the S-Works Tarmac and the Roubaix line. It appears that Specialized's commitment to carbon will only increase into 2009 for the CyclingNews review of the 2009 Epic states: "All of the new Epics and Eras will be carbon-only; there are no aluminum models for 2009 although a slightly less expensive Marathon version will use aluminum chain stays".

If the 2009 Epic is any indication of what other companies are going to bring to the table for 2009 then 2009 promises to be a banner year for new cycling products.

More About Tubeless Road

2008-07-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

We've mentioned Specialized's new release of their S-Works Turbo Tubeless road tire and we have also discussed Campagnolo's production of their new 2-Way Fit wheels for 2009.

There's now a little more information about both, this time courtesy of Bicycle Retailer:

"The tubeless wheel will use a Campy rim with the exact outer profile of the ALX alloy clincher. What changes is the internal rim shape has been made to conform to the tubeless road standard,” said Josh Knoll, who handles equipment research and development for Specialized. “This shape will still allow riders the ability to run a normal tire and tube set up if they so desire. Options, options, options."

So, Specialized S-Works Turbo Tubeless road tire will be made for them by Hutchinson and their tubeless rims will be made for them by Campagnolo.

Mosaic Touring Bike

2008-07-08T17:57:00.000-07:00

Great pictures of a mosaic art bike here.

Shimano Electronic Time Trial Bits

2008-07-07T11:26:00.000-07:00

Some new Shimano electronic parts were spotted at the Tour. Sighting Shimano electronic shifter is not surprising given that Shimano has been working on its electronic parts for years now. What does make these shifters interesting, however, is that they were electronic time trial shifters.

The electronic shifters that were seen at the Tour allowed for the rider to shift gears while riding in the aero bars or on the bullhorns as there are shift buttons at both locations.

Originally found at Cycling Weekly.

Amtel-Vredestein Tires

2008-07-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

Sibur Russian Tyres has purchased a 70% stake of Amtel-Vredestein for about $370 million.

Amtel-Vredestein, a Dutch manufacturer of bicycle and auto tires, had been struggling to turn a profit and to retain market share over the past few years. Sibur's Russian Tyres controls a little over 30% of the Russian tire market and by acquiring Amtel-Vredestein will become one of the top ten tire manufacturers world wide.

Given that Russia currently is, population-wise, 9th in the world and that Russia has seen considerable economic growth over the past decade, Sibur's acquisition of Vredestein should work out well.

To Be Discontinued

2008-07-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

Campagnolo will be discontinuing their Mirage and Xenon gruppos for 2009. No information yet on what might be taking their places in the Campagnolo family.

Goldilocks & the Three Gruppos

2008-07-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

Here at Bikepedia, one of the first things about the 2009 gruppos that we discussed at the water cooler was the shape & ergonomics of the new Double Tap, Ergopower Ultra Shift, & STI shift/brake hoods. We, like every other rider out there, had our own distinct hood-shape preference, including some retrogrouchy comments about how maybe we liked the old 8spd levers the best.

"This one's too long."
"That one's too short."
"Oh, if they would do X, Y, & Z to the hood, this one would be just right."

Now, we don't want to be the only ones having fun, so get your friends together, take a look at the pictures below, and let the fun begin!

The 2009 Sram Red hood.

The 2009 Campagnolo Super Record hood.

For comparison: The 2008 Campagnolo Record hood (image size is much smaller!)

The 2009 Shimano Dura-Ace hood.

For comparison: The 2008 Shimano ST-7800 Dura-Ace hood (image size is much smaller!)

So, what do you all think?

Gap Fire Photos

2008-07-02T17:32:00.001-07:00

Courtesy of Ray Ford, here.

Goleta Gap Fire

2008-07-02T14:42:00.000-07:00

Exciting times here in Goleta. The Gap fire, which started Tuesday night around 6pm, has now consumed around 250 acres. There are mandatory & recommended evacuations for areas that are but a few miles from us.

The fire is in the rugged, steep parts of the Los Padres National Forest and as of right now, the fire fighting is mostly aerial.

For more news, you can visit InciWeb.
The Gap fire is incident #1384.

Further Discussions Regarding EPO Testing

2008-07-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

Cologne lab responds to EPO study.

We mentioned this study in our brief post about the Landis decision on Monday. The original International Herald Tribune article: "Study shows problems with Olympic-style tests".

The International Herald Tribune has also published what we assume to be a follow-up to their first article: "IOC says Beijing anti-doping program will be the most comprehensive in sports history".

Rasmussen

2008-07-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

Rasmussen suspended:

"A UCI spokesman said the UCI had received notification of the ban from the Monaco federation, with whom Rasmussen has a licence, during the day Tuesday. The ban will run from the date of his exclusion of last year's Tour and hence will run till July 25 2009."

Rasmussen scores a win in Dutch court:

"Rasmussen, who lost his license for two years on Tuesday for lying about his whereabouts in the lead-up to the 2007 Tour de France, won a partial victory in a wrongful dismissal suit he filed against Rabobank for kicking him out of the race and firing him within days.
The 34-year-old Danish rider had instituted proceedings for unlawful dismissal against his former team sponsor, demanding damages of 5.5 million euros. On Wednesday, a judge in Utrecht ruled that while Rabobank had been entitled to dismiss Rasmussen from the team, it had failed to follow procedures in doing so."

Some of the 2009 Specialized Langsters

2008-07-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

The Specialized Las Vegas Langster.

The Specialized San Francisco Langster.

The Specialized Tokyo Langster.

These images are now all over the place but we originally found them at The Bicycle Escape's blog.

Specialized S-Works Turbo Tubeless

2008-07-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

Specialized is going to be producing a road tubeless S-Works Turbo tire and a Tubeless Roval wheelset for 2009. The Turbo Tubeless tire will be compatible with all currently produced road tubeless wheelsets (including the Campagnolo Two-Way Fit Shamal Ultra & Eurus).

Initial details are limited but the S-Works Turbo Tubeless should tip the scales at 290gms & retail around $60.

Rock starts catastrophic injury fund for cyclists

2008-06-30T14:55:00.000-07:00

Rock starts catastrophic injury fund for cyclists: "Rock Racing owner Michael Ball is creating a professional cycling catastrophic injury fund, and the edgy, often-controversial fashion magnate and former bike racer is challenging other teams to join him in his latest pursuit.

Ball will not reveal his personal contribution, only saying it's "in the hundreds of thousands,'' and that he'd like to see the fund collect $20 million over the next two years."

Originally from VeloNews.

"Bear mauls girl during mountain bike race"

2008-06-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

"Grizzly suspected in attack along trail during 24-hour event in Alaska."

As someone who has participated in a couple of 24-hour events, I'm glad to say that my exposure to wildlife at 24-hour races is limited to small rabbits and field mice darting through the singletrack at 3am and wandering members of Team Hamana.
All pretty tame compared to being mauled by a bear.

We hope that the rider heals up & is able to get back on the bike soon.

Landis Etc.

2008-06-30T08:49:00.000-07:00

From Cyclingnews.com, "The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland announced today its decision regarding ex-Tour de France winner Floyd Landis vs. US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). The court ruled against Landis, ending his fight to clear his name and regain his Tour victory. Landis will have to serve the full two-year suspension that is back-dated to January 30, 2007. Additionally, Landis was ordered to pay $100,000 in costs to the USADA."
The full CAS judgment, should you care to read all 58 pages of it, can be found here.

From the International Herald Tribune, "Study shows problems with Olympic-style tests", namely, "a urine test that is supposed to detect the drug [EPO], and that will be used in the Tour de France next month and in the Olympics in August, is likely to miss it, the study says."
The article describes testing procedures that will be used during the upcoming Olympic games as well as during the Tour de France and discusses the problems, both real and potential, in the testing procedures.

2009 Campy Wheels: Two-Way Fit

2008-06-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

Two of Campagnolo's high-end aluminum wheelsets, the Shamal Ultra (preliminary gram count ~1440gm) and the Eurus (preliminary gram count ~1550gm) will be compatible with both clincher tires and with tubeless tires. Both of these wheelsets, aside from the changes in the rim section, will remain relatively unchanged from 2008 to 2009.

This does however lead to wonderings about what Shimano & Campagnolo know about road tubeless that the general public has yet to hear about. It seems logical to assume that if both Shimano & Campagnolo are now producing road tubeless wheelsets then the availability of road tubeless tires is bound to increase.

B:C:Clettes

2008-06-25T15:43:00.000-07:00

More about 2009 Campy

2008-06-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

So, from what we've been able to gather, 11spd Super Record has been in the works for a while. The Campagnolo engineers have been working on it & perfecting it for the past 3 years.

There will be three 11spd gruppos: Chorus, Record, & Super Record.
The initial gram counts:

Super Record is freakishly light at ~1970gm
2009 Record is ~2015gm
2009 Chorus is ~2150gm

Super Record & Record will both have ceramic bearings throughout. All 11spd gruppos will have a 4 year warranty (instead of the current 3 year warranty).
Super Record will have limited availability beginning in the middle of September and increased availability into October.

Centaur & Veloce will remain 10spd. There are some rumors that Campagnolo may be releasing some additional new gruppos at Interbike, but as the rumors have not been confirmed, we may have to wait until Interbike.

Preview of Team Columbia Kit

2008-06-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

From WVcycling.com.
It's interesting to compare the decidedly less retro new Team Columbia jersey to the old Highroad jersey.

It will also be interesting to see how the Garmin-Chipotle kit shapes up.

Gita Teams with Armstrong for Livestrong

2008-06-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

"Gita Sporting Goods is teaming up with the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) and Nike to market and distribute Nike's new line of Livestrong cycling apparel.
...
These new Livestrong cycling pieces will be available through Gita's normal distribution channel of independent bicycle dealers and through LAF at www.livestrong.org. They are scheduled to be in bike shops across the country beginning July 5 to coincide with the start of the Tour de France."

Read the full article at Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.

"Trementa caduta!"

2008-06-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

Frank Schleck's spectacular crash at the Tour de Suisse.

Still in Mexico.

2008-06-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

More on 2009 Dura-Ace

2008-06-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

Dual Control Levers:

Both brake & derailleur cables will be routed underneath the bar tape
Decreased (I've heard by 20%) right shift lever throw
Increased cable pull so that, theoretically, the shifting will be less finicky
Unidirectional or carbon weave levers? There's pictures of both out there, but I think that the production levers will be unidirectional carbon fiber, just don't hold me to it.
Adjustable reach on the levers to accommodate more hand & bar combinations (this is especially good news for riders with smaller hands who currently struggle to reach the levers)
Longer & more shapely levers will be easier for riders to reach while riding in the drops
Wider & flatter brake hoods than those of the hook-like 7800s

However much the prospect of shifters with increased cable pull may excite you, please be aware that this means that the 7900 shifters & the derailleurs will not be compatible with 7800 & previous 10speed Dura-Ace shifters and derailleurs.

Crankset:

The 7900 (53/39 with a 130bcd) will be standard gearing
The 7950 will be the compact gearing crankset (34/50 with a 110bcd)
The crankset will be an unbelievably light 725gm (this weight includes the bb)
The Hollowtech chainrings are ooh la la! and Shimano has radically increased the ramping, pinning, and milling for quicker, cleaner shifting
The new cranksets are said to be 20% stiffer than the 7800 cranks (which themselves were much stiffer than the previous Dura-Ace iterations)

Front Derailleur:

Redesigned cage profile and linkage so that no trim will be required
Shimano has reduced the spring tension on the front derailleur so that shifting forces needed to shift from the small ring to the big ring are decreased

Cassette:

Aluminum cog carrier shaves off a little more weight
Increase in available ratios (11-28, 11-27, etc.)
Reshaped teeth & shift gates for better use with the new Super Narrow chain

Super Narrow Chain:

Hollow pins & perforated plates is a first for Shimano
The outside plates have been shaped to reduce potential chain suck
The inside plates have been shaped and engineered to reduce drive train friction (this reduction in drive train friction is said to be "noticeable")
A master-esque link (Whoo-hoo!)

Rear Derailleur:

Carbon fiber pulley cage
Reduction in weight by 16 gms
The chain wrap capacity had to be increased to accommodate those of us who will use Shimano new compact crank with their new 11-28 cassette
There is marked increased material at the rear derailleur pivots which should improve the stiffness (and therefore the shifting response) of the rear derailleur
An added pin between the derailleur cage & the pulleys

Brakes:

Radically machined brakes and modified brake arches for better braking performance
Lower profile cable stop (for easier cable routing!)
New brake pad materials for better overall braking performance and less wear while braking in the wet

Slipstream/Chipolte on Flickr

2008-06-13T09:06:00.000-07:00

Original photo here. The team's entire photostream here.

2009 Gruppos

2008-06-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

2009 Dura-Ace:
By now most of you have probably heard and read about the 2009 Dura-Ace and if you haven't, the Shimano Dura-Ace site has a couple of downloads to answer your lingering questions. There will be some compatibility issues between Dura-Ace 2009 and Dura-Ace 2008 and previous. You can check out the compatibility flow-chart here.

2009 Campagnolo:
Hot on the heels of SRAM's revised Rival & the new Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 comes Campy's bombshell of 11 speed Super Record. Most of the buzz that I've read out on the interweb has focused on the new Super Record, but it is clear even from the initial leaks that almost the entire Campagnolo family has been retooled and upgraded for 2009.
The Super Record has stolen the spotlight for good reason: the few photos out there show a dramatically textured brake hood, a new 11 speed cassette which necessitates the new 5.5mm wide chain, ceramic bearings throughout, & a new brake lever shape.
The new Chorus and the new Record will also move to 11 speed. Centaur will be produced in carbon or aluminum variations. Veloce will be ErgoPower and UltraShift Ergo. The exact meaning of "UltraShift Ergo" has yet to be determined, but the rumor mill has initially decided that "UltraShift Ergo" will involve a new shift lever & ratio mechanism.

2009 FSA:
It appears as if Shimano, Campagnolo, & SRAM will soon be welcoming FSA into the ranks of gruppo manufacturers. The FSA gruppo information is in even shorter supply than the information about Shimano and Campy, but the new FSA gruppo will be 11 speed and is scheduled to make its debut at Eurobike. We'll keep you updated as we learn more.