Wednesday March 17, 2010
Though it's called a race, the Race Across America is no ordinary cycling competition. Instead, this is an epic challenge for even the most hardy ultra-endurance riders, who press themselves to pedal 3,000 miles from the Pacific to the Atlantic in just over 12 days. Finishing itself is an accomplishment: most years, about half of the participants drop out along the way due to exhaustion or medical issues that come as a result of riding 20 - 22 hours round-the-clock in the mountains, the desert, the heat and the cold and the rain.
Film maker Stephen Auerbach and his crew followed the riders of RAAM day and night over the course of the nearly two-week race to capture just what it is that makes people take on this seeming insanity. The resulting documentary, BICYCLE DREAMS, is terrific and certainly worth watching - for bicycle fans and for anyone who wonders just what it is that makes people attempt the impossible.
Read the whole review of the movie BICYCLE DREAMS
Image, right: Solvenian Jure Robic has won RAAM four times. In the film BICYCLE DREAMS, we watch as he rides ceaselessly, rarely sleeping, pushing himself past the point that hallucinations set in. Photo credit - Chris Milliman.
Sunday March 14, 2010
Each spring a series of one-day historic bike races help shape the field and define the leaders for the coming season of professional cycling. In rain, on cobblestones, in the mud, in the mountains, with spectators screaming all the way. These are the Spring Classics -- legendary races that have been run in some cases a hundred years or more -- where some of cycling's most memorable performances have been seen. You have the chance to follow them over the next month and a half via lots of streaming over the web - don't miss out.
- Milan - San Remo, March 20
- Ghent - Wevelgem, March 28
- Tour of Flanders, April 4
- Paris - Roubaix, April 11
- Amstel Gold Race, April 18
- Fleche Wallonne, April 21
- Liège-Bastogne-Liège, April 25
Learn about all the these historic, tradition rich Spring Classic races here.
Additionally, Lance Armstrong will race at least a few of the Spring Classics, according to Team Radioshack manager Johan Bruyneel, including Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, the Amstel Gold Race, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. During most of his career, Armstrong has avoided the brawling classics in order to train or ride in other events more in line with getting ready for July's Tour de France, so it should be fun to watch him in these conditions.
Links
Thursday March 11, 2010
Have you ever heard of silvercog.net? It's a cool site, and a cool concept. At the site, anyone can submit a design for a cycling-themed t-shirt with the basic requirement that it contain the silvercog word or logo in it. Each quarter, a winning design is selected through popular vote, and the designer gets $100 plus a chance to see their artwork put onto a really swell shirt then sold through the silvercog.net online store.
Stefan Downing is the owner of the site, and he's started it less than a year ago to combine three things that maybe seem to flow naturally together.
"I am a t-shirt fan, as well as a bicycling fan," he says. "I have been in the cycling industry for over 10 years and know that there are a fair amount of cyclists that have graphic design skills. I thought that tying all of the elements together in a contest format would make for a unique place to go."
The current contest closes March 31, so check out the designs here and make your vote if you're interested. The entry that appears on this page was submitted by Kim Giovanni, and is one of about a dozen in the competition.
Links
Monday March 8, 2010
Philadelphia--the city of brotherly love is also home to the Pedal Co-Op, an innovative business that celebrates both bike culture and environmental awareness to fill a unique niche.
"It's an environmentally friendly hauling service," says founder John MacDuffie "Woody" Woodburn. "We use bikes with trailers attached to haul compost, recyclables, moving stuff, bread, you name it."
The co-op uses a fleet of trailers mounted to 80's and 90's era steel frame mountain bikes to service the recycling and compost needs of their 80-85 clients, which range from small businesses to larger supermarkets. Other serves include package pick-up and delivery and even delivering croissants to coffee shops every morning from a local bakery.
"My favorite part of the Pedal Co-op is riding. Riding around the city, being a part of something awesome," says Jason Rivera, one of the co-op's haulers.
Click here to find out more on this great story about people making a difference, filling a need and having fun in the process.
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