Another amazing video
What luck. First DB Cooper, and now this? I can't believe they caught this on film! I believe this was filmed in Georgia.
Strange Cyclocross Videos
I'm not sure if this is real or not, but I believe I've just seen DB Cooper steal a cyclocross bike. This is amazing footage.
Cross is Coming...Early
I'm getting a wee bit excited about cyclocross. I haven't done anything to prepare for it yet, but it's always a good time.
I can't believe the schedule we've got stacked up out here in Portland. Seriously - we will have a cross (or cross-ish) race scheduled for just about EVERY weekend from now until December. It's just HUGE out here.
Personally, I enjoy a cyclical cycling pattern. It keeps things fun and interesting. If I do the same thing with the same focus for too long, I get bored. Quickly. Here's my thing:
- January-March: 100% fixed gear rides in the rain.
- March-May: Break out the road bike, start going fast.
- May-August: Roadie Season. PIR, Crits, whatever I can fit in.
- September: Hang up the road bike, break out the cyclocross gear.
- October-November: Cyclocross...almost every weekend (sorry, family).
- December - take a break, break out the fixed gear, locate all my winter clothing.
I do not like the fact that cyclocross is edging into the summer months. The Olympic games are special because they take place every four years. Your birthday is special because it takes place once a year. Cyclocross is special because it takes place when it gets cold and wet (unless you're one of those soCal guys).
The sport is hot right now, so I guess this is to be expected. And of course, just because the races are offered, that doesn't mean everyone has to attend them. Will the sport collapse in a huge ball of fire, the result of a collective burn-out of hundreds of cyclocross maniacs? Who knows.
For me, cyclocross is a short, intense season. My family can deal with me being a little nuts for a couple months, but not much longer than that. So I'm probably going to stick with plan A.
I found this photo this morning. I don't know where it came from, but I made into my PC's wallpaper (it's double wide because I've got two monitors). To me, this is the essence of cyclocross. This is what I am yearning for:
And you? What do you think?
7900 - A Cyclocross Group?
I was reading a little write-up on Shimano's upcoming 7900 Dura-Ace. I wish I could find it now, but I can't seem to locate it anymore.
Anyway, the new brakes caught my attention. Apparently, the new levers pull more cable! I don't know if it's as much as a v-brake lever, but this could be good.
I assume this is also a feature of the upcoming electronic Dura-Ace levers. Though I doubt I'll ever shell out the cash for an electronic group, I would love to try it out for cyclocross!
I try to set my bike up for maximum reliability. I don't have the support required to repeatedly switch bikes during a race, so I decided last year that my goal should be configuring a bike that can last an entire 60 minutes in nasty conditions.
One big barrier for a 60 minute bike is the rear shifting performance. You can tweak things to help keep out the elements, like string one big length of shift cable instead of breaking it down into segments. You can adjust things to better deal with the elements, like using an 8 speed drivetrain. But the fact remains that the elements can still prevail and mess up your shifting.
But what if no shift cable was involved? The derailleur knows how far it has to move, and it moves just the right amount, no matter what. I assume that means even with increased resistance due to mud, grass, whatever, you'll still pop into gear without any troubles. Wouldn't that be nice?
I don't know if this would catch on with the PRO scene, since most of them probably wouldn't want to ride the same bike from start to finish, if just for the issue of added weight of all the mud they're collecting. However, I'd certainly like to give it a whirl!
