VELOCHICK

Rapha Continental - The Movie

2011-05-27T16:52:00.000-05:00

Rapha Continental – The Movie from RAPHA on Vimeo.

A Thought About Putting Words On Paper

2011-05-20T10:50:00.001-05:00

I read this about writing style today and it struck a chord:

"Style is not something glib - oh, yeah, she has style. It means becoming more and more present, settling deeper and deeper into the layers of ourselves and then speaking, knowing what we write echoes all of us; all of who we are is backing our writing. That is very solid ground to stand on. Hemingway said if a writer knows something, even if he doesn't write it, it is present in his work."

-Natalie Golberg

Cycling Books - "The Rider" by Tim Krabbe

2011-05-12T12:35:00.000-05:00

On some days, even though it's absolutely gorgeous outside, a day off the bike is necessary. Blame it on the sore ass, the sore legs, the hands that hurt, or on the overwhelming desire to simply sit around on the aforementioned sore ass. Today is such a day for me.

If you're as bike-obsessed as I am (or just terribly one-dimensional, depending on how you look at it) you spend the time you're not riding reading about riding. Which is how I have come to spend some quality time with a little book called "The Rider" by Tim Krabbe.

It was written in 1978 and translated into English from Dutch. The ticklish use of language and addictive readability encourages procrastination faintly disguised as productive research. At least an hour went M.I.A this morning, gobbled up by this book.

It has one of those "you had me at hello" first paragraphs:

"Hot and overcast. I take my gear out of the car and put my bike together. Tourists and locals are watching from sidewalk cafes. Non-racers. The emptiness of those lives shocks me."

That was enough. I had read all I needed to know the book would be leaving the store and coming home with me.

The story is an autobiographical account of a one-day amateur race in the '70's. Race food consists of figs stuffed into a jersey pockets ("I forgot my figs. Goddamn it, I forgot my figs."), riders wear suspenders ("Behind the car I put on my racing gear. Racing shorts, sweatshirt, suspenders, jersey."), and cogs are carefully selected after careful consideration - all six of them ("The rider from Cycles Goff picks out six cogs and fastens them to the hub. He nods to himself: the nod of someone closing his final book before an exam.").

Here are few more bits from the book that brought a smile to my face:

"I stopped doing everything else, I trained harder and harder, my body began achieving things I'd no longer thought possible. I was touched by its loyalty. I had neglected it for so long , but there were no hard feelings, it seemed only pleased to have me call on it again."

"I'm up on the pedals, after five strokes I'm already at top speed, the oxygen shouts hurrah down to my finest blood vessels, there I go hammering past the pack, past the point rider, out into space."

"We are wet, cold, and dirty. Pick someone at random and put them on a bicycle here, front wheel pointing in the direction of Camprieu, and ten to one they'll dismount and go looking for shelter in the nearest farmhouse. Why are we riding on? If you ask an alpinist why he climbs a mountain he'll reply: 'Because it's there.'"

And the last line of the story:

"At the top of the Col de Perjuret I climb out to piss."

Chasing Legends: New perspective of the Tour de France

2011-05-11T08:30:00.002-05:00

The Tour de France is an event like no other, more akin to an epic saga than a mere bike race. As much as the televised coverage of the race has improved in the States over the past few years (remember the days before Versus when we’d be lucky to see a ten-minutes clip in ESPN2?) it’s still hard to get a feel for what it’s really like.

The new flick Chasing Legends by Gripped Films – the folks behind the Off Road To Athens movie – gives us a taste of what the Tour experience is like from an inside perspective. The sneak peak below will give you goosebumps; the movie itself will forever change the way you feel about the Tour. This is one that should be on every cyclist’s shelf.

An Interview With Laura Charameda

2011-05-05T08:00:00.003-05:00

Laura Charameda is somewhat of a legend in her own time. With more than 250 wins in her career, she was one of the most successful American pros ever. Now she brings up the next generation of riders with Team Swift.

Below is an extended version of an interview I did with her that originally appeared in Bicycling magazine.

Why cycling?

I used a bicycle as transportation. Bicycles for children mean a lot of freedom. All of a sudden you can go wherever you want.

Then one day in my junior year of college I was riding to work and there all these bicycle people standing in the road. I stopped to ask, “What are you guys doing?” And they said, “We’re gonna race.” And I was like, “What’s the hurry?”

I didn’t even know it was a sport. And one of the guys said, “There’s another one in two weeks if you wanna check it out.” So I entered the race and it was the hardest thing I ever did and I loved it. I knew this was it. This was what I wanted to do. And of course there were also the cute guys…

With over 250 career victories, how did you get into coaching and how did you balance it with your racing?

I didn’t want to retire when I did. I had a team in America and a team in Italy and was racing for the United States at the World Championships and other major events. I was living a very unique experience for an American, let alone an American woman.

After the World’s in ’96 I went on vacation the off-season, picked up a grocery bag the wrong way and herniated a disc. Injury for an athlete is tough because they can train through pain, and you have to learn what’s good pain and what’s bad pain. Sometimes you have to learn that lesson the hard way. I ended up injuring something else by compensating and had two discectomies and a fusion to the area as well as a knee surgery all in one year. At the time of the fusion the doctor told me, “Laura if this doesn’t work then we have no more choices.” You just have to step back at that point and say, “I’m going to let my body heal.” So I stopped racing. And it was a long haul. It took a long time and a lot of rehab. But I feel really lucky because now I can do everything I want. And I did come back again and was able to some racing. But I know at that high of a level what it takes, to train to compete at that level, and I wouldn’t ask that of my body again. I won’t take that chance.

Just before I was injured I had just moved up to Santa Rosa, CA because it was such a great bike riding place. I’d been there for a few races and thought it would be a great place to ride and train. So there I was, I was injured, I didn’t know anybody, and I met a group of people who were interested in helping the sport of cycling. They realized that grassroots cycling in America had just ground to a halt. Back when Greg Lemond was racing, you’d show up to a junior’s race and there’d be a hundred kids in it. And at that point in ’98 there would be like five kids in them. There was no infrastructure. And so they worked with a local bike shop and formed a junior’s team, and they asked me to be involved. And even though I was dealing with all my own stuff, the energy from these kids and the excitement they had about being on their bicycles brought me back to the races. And for the first time, it wasn’t about my performance. Those kids kind of brought me back to life. And it has made me want to keep working with development and with Team Swift. Their motivation motivates me. And I haven’t ever looked back.

So you’re grooming the next generation of pros.

One of the graduates of Team Swift, Steven Cozza, has joined Slipstream and got 10^th in the prologue in the Tour of California against Levi and Cancellera. Another one of them is Nathan Miller, who is now on BMC. It’s amazing to turn on the TV and there they are! And we’re not just taking kids that already exist in the sport, we’re making them from scratch starting with their very first bicycle.

You said that you retired from racing in the late 90’s, but you did win your last National Championship title for your sprint in 2003.

I retired from professional racing, but I still like to get out there and play every once in a while. I just love riding my bicycle. To me it’s a way of life.

I got out there again and won the first NRC race in ’05. Then I promptly retired again. These days I only come out to race in the Merced Criterium. This year I got fourth. And then I retired again.

How many times have you actually retired? Do you keep a tally?

I just kind of get out there and once I’ve placed, then I’m like okay, now I can just relax and wait until next year.

What do you think is the most important thing that development programs like Team Swift contribute to the sport?

It’s not just about becoming a professional bike racer. It about learning how to ride a bicycle, bicycle safety, and what the sport is about so that they can enjoy watching it. It also gives people a better appreciation of our landscape and terrain and the outdoors. Ultimately it’s about creating more cyclists. These kids might grow up to be city planners that can make decisions to give us more bike lanes.

Small Talk

Last ride: I was at a regional race in California, the Madera Stage Race, and I volunteered to ride as a mentor in the Cat 4 women’s race. And it was great to be there because the women didn’t even have a lead car or a follow car so they didn’t even know where they were going.

Why: Women racers are so happy and grateful for the help that it makes me happy to help them and to see their excitement at that kind of event.

On staying young: I feel really fortunate to be doing something that I know a lot about and am also so passionate about. It feeds me, it keeps me young, keeps me reaching and setting goals.

Updates pending for Women's Cyclocross Racing - Thank you UCI!

2011-05-04T10:35:00.001-05:00

It's about time...

"Several new initiatives to advance the status of women’s UCI racing are pending approval and are being strongly supported by Proctor. Along with the previously announced requirement that all C1 events include a women’s race, there is now a proposal pending to create a C2 category for women’s racing. Also on the table for the following season is a proposal to increase the women’s prize lists to reduce the disparity between the prizes for women and men’s races."

Read the full story at Cyclocross Magazine.

Riding Gear For The Winter, Part 3 – Freezing Fingers, Toes and Then Some

2011-04-04T15:02:00.001-05:00

When out riding in cold temps, your hands, feet and head are the first parts of your body to get painfully cold. On fact, as much as 70% of body heat is escapes through your extremities. Investing in solid accessories to keep your digits and dome warm is something there’s just no way to get around. If you want to stay warm, that is.

Let’s start from the top…

Head

About 40% of your body’s heat is lost through you head. An awesome way to keep your face, neck and head covered and warm is by wearing a balaclava, which is kind of like a high-tech ski mask.

A great one to check out is the Sonic Balaclava from a company called Outdoor Research. It’s windproof and breathable, and the mesh breathing port protects your nose and mouth. A lighter fabric covers the ears, so you can still hear what’s going on around you.

Hands

Gore Bike Wear makes some awesome stuff for winter riding. Their Radiator II gloves are some of the best out there. They combine windproof warmth with gel padding in the palms to protect against cold and road/trail vibration. The lobster cut my look a little funny, but once you’ve tried them you won’t want to go back to five-finger gloves when it’s bitterly cold.

Feet

Products that multi-task are always nice, and that’s definitely the case with the Shine Shoe Cover from Pearl Izumi. Constructed using 3mm Neoprene, a microfleece liner and a rubber outsole, they’ll keep your feet warm and last for several seasons. The removable LED lighting system that’s integrated in to the back of the covers will make you more visible from behind, which is especially nice on winter days when the sun rises late and sets early.

And Then Some

If keeping the boys warm is ever a problem, try a pair of Craft Zerox Gunde Boxers. They have wind protection where it counts, and though I can’t speak from experience, I’ve heard that can often be a very good thing.

Riding Gear For The Winter, Part 2: The Get-up

2011-04-02T14:55:00.010-05:00

"There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing." Sir Rannulph Fienne

Going out for a ride and coming home freezing and numb in unfortunate places is a very popular excuse not to ride outdoors during the winter. Thankfully, many apparel companies offer such fantastic solutions to keep you warm that that cop-out has become a moot point.

Here are some shining stars of cold weather cycling apparel.

Craft PXC Storm Thermal Tights

These are available in a mean’s and a women’s version. They’re windproof and breathable, which is a key combination to look for.

If something is windproof without being breathable, it will feel like you’re wearing a garment made of plastic. Your perspiration will have no way of evaporating. As a result, you’ll get clammy and very cold.

These tights don’t have a chamois, so they can be used for other cold weather pursuits as well.

Castelli Primavera Jacket for women

Motorcycle-inspired styling and well thought out details make this jacket a must-have. Windstopper X-fast fabric is windproof and stretchy, making the feel simply amazing. The fit is designed for a cycling position and keeps you well covered without riding up in the back.

Castelli Stelvio Jacket for men

Made of the same Windstopper X-Fast fabric as the Primavera Jacket, and is completely windproof and water-resistant. The zipper is stubble friendly, and the storm flap is extremely effective at blocking a common place that wind penetrates many garments.

Please do share: what is your favorite winter riding apparel item?

Riding Gear For The Winter, Part 1

2011-04-01T14:18:00.001-05:00

In honor of the white stuff that has resumed falling out of the sky - yes, it's April and no, this is not a joke - I think a review of some of our favorite reasons to be a pansy is in order. So without further ado, I present:

"The Reasons We Tell Ourselves It's Too Shitty To Ride Outside (And Some Stuff To Make It Suck Less) - A Post in Three Acts"

Act One

“The roads are too slippery for me to ride during the snowy part of the year.”

A common excuse, er, reason some people don’t like riding in the winter is because tire traction on snowy and icy roads can be dicey at best. Just because there is snow and ice on the ground doesn’t mean you have to slip and slide along on your ride. What you need are some good snow tires for you bike (yes, they do actually exists).

The Nokian Gazza Extreme tire has long been the gold standard for studded tires. They keep you upright and will last for several seasons.

On the other end of the spectrum is a down and dirty DIY option courtesy of Gizmodo.com that involves the often-underappreciated zip tie. If any of you try this, please let me know what you think!

Awesome Chamois Cream For Women

2011-01-16T09:00:00.003-06:00

Using chamois cream can be a hurdle for new cyclists to get over – “You want to rub what wear??” However with very few exceptions chamois cream will make your chamois time much more comfortable. A good chamois cream will eliminate chafing and protect the skin from irritation that comes from friction between skin and saddle.

DZ Nuts High Viscosity Chamois Cream was developed for/by/with pro-cyclist David Zabriskie. Natural ingredients like Tea Tree Oil, Evodia, and Masterwort give it the anti-bacterial, anti-inflammetory and anti-chafing properties that you want.

The women’s formula, DZ Nuts Bliss, has all of the same benefits the men’s version offers but with less tingling. Can I just tell you how awesome this stuff is?? I don't just love it - I lurve it! The best chamois cream I have ever used, hands down. Pick up some of this stuff and eliminate "saddle sore" from your vocabulary.

What The Hell Should I Wear?

2011-01-14T17:26:00.007-06:00

Dressing for cycling is a skill unto itself, and it’s one that is definitely worth mastering. Wearing the right clothing will make the difference between a ride that’s a comfortable, happy one, or a ride that can’t be over soon enough.

If you’re lucky, you have a more experienced cyclist in your riding life who will tell you things like, “Today I’d wear a short sleeved jersey and pack a vest and arm warmers just in case,” or “Instead of wearing knickers, wear shorts and knee warmers so you won’t get too hot in an hour.” Without such kind guidance, a lot of riders are left to figure it out on their own through the not always pleasant method of trail and error.

A little while ago, all of that changed. Now, that voice of experience telling us exactly what and how to layer which garments for our next ride is just a mouse click away. Bicycling Magazine recently launched the “What Should I Wear” feature of its website, and it’s absolutely brilliant. Not only can you enter the weather conditions you’ll be riding in, you can also select how warm – or not – you like to feel while you’re riding. Enter in your parameters and you’ll get a list of the complete ensemble recommended for your next ride. Getting dressed has never been so easy.

Check it out for yourself: What Should I Wear?

2011: Ready, Set, Go!

2010-12-31T11:31:00.000-06:00

"Athletes shouldn't dream - they should set goals and fight for them."
- Fabian Cancellara

Happy New Year everyone. Go fucking kill it in 2011.

Underrated Gifts For Cyclists

2010-12-23T08:00:00.001-06:00

Traditionally, gift guides for cyclists highlight all the latest and greatest snazzy gear that’s been introduced over the past season. This round-up of gift ideas is a bit different. It highlights the less glamorous, the underrated, and the overlooked.

While some of you may argue that giving a cyclist on your list one of these gifts would be the equivalent to presenting a woman with a vacuum cleaner on X-mas morning, I like to think of them more as proof positive that the giver really gets the whole bike obsession thing that so many of us suffer from – I mean, enjoy.

Tubes
If the bike lover you’re buying for changes their own flats, they will think fondly of you every time they are stuck road or trailside with dead tube that needs changing.

A New Chain
One of the bike maintenance do-to’s that so often neglected is replacing the chain on a regular basis. Ask the friendly folks at your local bike shop what kind of chain you should get if you’re unsure (be sure to know the make and model of the giftees bike, and preferably how many gears it has).

Tune Up Gift Certificate
Winter is the time when a lot of bikes are relegated to the garage for a few months, so it’s the perfect time to get them tuned up. The gifted cyclist will be stoked when they pull their bike out in the spring and it’s all ready to go.

New Bar Tape
If the bar tape on the intended’s bike is looking a little ratty, spiriting it off to a bike shop to have the bars rewrapped will definitely bring a smile to their face for many miles to come.

Cycling Mag Subscription
Find out what their favorite cycling magazine is, and gift an annual subscription. Just about every cyclist loves drooling at beautiful pictures of great places to ride and new bike stuff. Plus, you’ll start getting hints for what to go shopping for next year.

P.S. What the best bike gift you’ve every received?

Summer Hiatus - Sort Of

2010-06-09T21:06:00.000-05:00

During this summer and on through the Fall and Winter, I can be found blogging once a week here as part of Lance Armstrong's Master The Shift program. What will I be blogging about? Gear, gear and some more gear...

See you there!

70 Degree Day

2010-03-31T11:12:00.001-05:00

Wake up at 6 AM without an alarm.
Open shades, see sky.
Open window, smell air.
Realize it's going to be a warm day.
Go to kitchen, turn on espresso machine.
Marvel at being coherent prior to use of said machine.
Take mental inventory of parts needed for bar swap on road bike while sipping lukewarm latte.
Wonder why making good foam is so difficult and elusive.

Go down to basement, survey bike work area.
Look at road bike.
Look at mess that would have to be removed before road bike bar could be swapped.
Think, "Fuck it."
Air up tires, bring bike upstairs.
Pet road bike top tube and say, "I've missed you honey."
Wonder if talking to inanimate objects qualifies as some kind of mental disorder.
Decide not to care.

Get riding clothes together.
Realize it is too warm to wear tights and that legs will have to be shaved.
Accept this, get in shower.
Debate the pros and cons of finally joining the local women's team while shaving legs.
Wonder if riding in large groups will ever be enjoyable.
Wonder if there is any glory in being pack fodder.
Wonder why so many bike races in the US are crits.
Shave same leg twice.

After shower, get dressed.
Wear favorite jersey.
Put arm and knee warmers in back pocket out of paranoia and climatic mistrust.
Take note of uncanny resemblance to a camel dressed in spandex.

Consider skipping breakfast in order to get on the bike that much faster.
Realize that would be stupid.
Scramble eggs, make toast.
Pull water bottles out of cabinet while eating.
Curse loudly as avalanche of water bottles falls on head.
Ponder the age-old question of how many water bottles one really needs.
Consider the merits of recycling.

Fill water bottles, find Enervit Cheer Pack.
Remember cell phone and I.D.
Head out the door, ride down back walk.
Wave to neighbor.
Get to the street, ride down hill.
Relish incomparable feeling of wind flowing through hair.
Feel gratitude.
Wonder if this is what it feels like to fly.

The Art of Lubricating

2009-10-23T12:16:00.001-05:00

Bicycle lube is a funny thing. For a lot of people, it’s just an unglamorous maintenance necessity. But for some, it transcends the utilitarian function of keeping moving parts happy and becomes somewhat of a sophistication yardstick, like the bike maintenance equivalent of wine. And just as there are connoisseurs of fine wine, there are bike lube snobs as well. And just as with wine, quality is arguably preferable to quantity. With a few high quality, long lasting lubes, you can keep your bike humming.

CHAIN
There really are two categories of “cleaning and lubing” your chain. There’s the degreaser-and-rag method done by soaking a rag with degreaser, grasping your chain with it and back pedaling while letting the chain move through your closed fist, depositing all the grime onto the rag. And then there’s the remove-chain-and-have-your-shop-run-it-through-a-parts-washer method (the home version: buy a pie pan, soak the chain in degreaser and then go to town with a toothbrush). Depending on your method of choice, here are some lube recommendations:

Degreaser-and-rag method: Boeshield® T9 Waterproof Lubrication. A light, waterproof lube produced by Boeing. To apply, remove as much grime from your chain as you can with an environmentally friendly degreaser such as Pedro’s Pro-J (this is also known as the higher calling for old T-shirts). Dry the chain and deposit a drop of T9 on the top of each link. Slowly back pedal for a few revolutions so that it has a chance to work its way into the link. Wipe off the excess.

Parts washer/toothbrush method: Dumonde Tech Bicycle Chain Lube (Original for mountain bikes, Lite for road bikes). Starting with an absolutely clean chain (if the chain is fresh out of the package, clean it thoroughly to remove the factory coating) follow the same application instructions mentioned above, wiping off the excess.

CLIPLESS PEDALS
If your clipless pedal system has a visible spring, apply a drop of lube on it occasionally to keep it rust-free and working well. T9 works well here too.

Pedal threads should be greased each and every time you install any pedals – there will always come the time when you will want to get them off. A tube of Phil Wood Waterproof Grease is all you’ll need.

CABLES
Coating your cables with a thin film of lubrication not only benefits your shifting, it extends the life of your cables by preventing rust. Since T9 is waterproof and dries to the touch it’s an ideal choice.

To lube your shifter cables, shift the rear derailleur to the lowest gear/the largest cog (or the front derailleur to the highest gear/big chainring, respectively). Without pedaling, click your shifter and upshift to the hardest gear/smallest cog (or the small chainring in the front). This will result in a nice amount of cable slack, and on some bikes allow you to slip the housing out of the slotted cable stops and coat the cables more thoroughly. Apply a few drops of lube between your finger tips and slide them along the length of the cable until it’s covered in a thin film. Wipe of any dirt from your cables, paying special attention to where they run through the cable guide under the bottom bracket. Don’t forget about your brake cables – the same lube and application method can be used.

PIVOT POINTS
A drop of lube on each pivot point of your derailleurs and brakes (except disc brakes) will keep them functioning smoothly and be less hospitable to rust. The same T9 lubrication recommended above can be used here. Be sure to wipe off the excess.

DERAILLIEUR PULLEY
An extremely popular cause of annoying hard-to-track-down squeaks, the derailleur pulleys are often neglected in the maintenance lube routine. With a rag and some degreaser, get your derailleur pulleys as clean as possible. Then apply a small drop of T9 to the bearings in the pulley’s center. Backpedal, and then wipe off any lube that didn’t work its way in.

Boeshield® T9 4 oz/$7.99 www.boeshield.com and bike shops

Dumonde Tech Bicycle Chain Lube, Original and Lite 4 oz/$12.99.www.hgnr.com and bike shops

Phil Wood Waterproof Grease 3 oz/$6.50 www.philwood.com or at your local bike shop

Pedro’s Pro-J Professional Strength Citrus Degreaser 16 0z/$14.99 www.pedros.com or your local bike shop.

Bike Shop Love

2009-02-06T13:39:00.003-06:00

“No single group within the cycling community seems to better reflect the history, spirit and enthusiasm of cycling than the local retailer.” – Eric Gruenwedel.

Few bike shops stand the test of time long enough to become legends. With lives as illustrious as those of their founders, these shops come to serve as guardians of local cycling culture and lore. With museum-like reverence for the past, they provide glimpses of cycling evolution for current generations.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, three such bike shops immediately come to mind.

Oscar’s Shop

American Cyclery sits at the helm of San Francisco’s infamous Bicycle Row, occupying two corners, across from each other, where Stanyan and Frederick Streets meet (the original store, and American Cyclery Too, respectively). The doors first opened in 1943, after Oscar Junor retired from an accomplished career as one of the countries premier six day racers in the 1930’s. Among his racing stories was the tale of snatching the hat from Bette Davis’ head before going on to win the last Los Angeles Six. A few years later, Oscar again turned heads by attempting to ride his bike across the Golden Gate Bridge a day before it opened to the public.

From its earliest days, his shop drew local racers from all over the area as one of the only places they could fraternize with “their own.” Oscar himself, selectively dispersing grains of experience to riders he deemed worthy, was as great an attraction as the fine lightweight bicycles he was one of the first to import from Europe. Along with the bikes on the sales floor, the store carried even more obscure treasures that filled the shop’s basement.

“Oscar would never let anyone down there,” chuckles Bradley Woehl, who acquired the store in 1996, the third owner in the shop’s history. “If you asked the right way, and you had proven yourself worthy of him selling you that part, then he might sell it to you. Or he might let you look at it and then six months later sell you that part.”

The nether regions of American Cyclery remain to this day the place to inquire for vintage Campy or anything else from decades past. Bradley, who also publishes Bicycle Trader magazine, has always been “into the old stuff.” His goal for the shop from the beginning was to publish the magazine, helping people to buy, sell and trade old bikes, while also having specialty items for sale in the shop. Hence the case full of vintage Camagnolo derailleurs, on display like jewelry.

Some of the fondest reminiscent of Oscar come from the racers he mentored throughout his life, those who knew the man beneath gruff exterior. Among them was Peter Rich, whose racing career spanned the1950’s and early 60’s. Peter remembers Oscar and his shop as being a central location in the world of every serious cyclist at that time.
“We used to meet at 8 a.m. every Saturday morning at Oscar’s shop. We’d hang around and talk to Oscar, then we would ride south to go see Spence. I bought my first two Cinellis from Spence.”

Spence’s Shop

Cupertino Bike Shop started as a project in Spence Wolf’s garage. After failing to find a local shop that carried tubular tires in the late 1940’s, Spence began to manufacture them himself, setting up shop in the garage next to the home he shared with his wife, Lillian. Word of Spence’s considerable prowess as a wheel builder and mechanic soon spread, and before long there were riders lining up on his front lawn every Saturday morning. By 1953, Spence and Lillian officially went into business, and Cupertino Bike Shop opened its doors.

“He built the shop on his attention to detail. He was extremely meticulous and methodical. Everything had to be perfect, it had to be right, and it had to work,” says Vance Sprock, who currently owns the store with his wife, Cynthia.

The first and only shop in the area to perform custom bike builds, as well as bring Cinellis and Singers on to American pavement, its reputation quickly grew. Spence’s ingenuity not only lead to wheels that are still on the road and true thirty years later, but also to such innovations as the “Wolf/Alpine Modification,” a pulley extension arm Spence machined to work with Camagnolo Nuovo Record rear derailleurs, allowing for a wider range of gearing. A set of arms with Campy rollers sold for $17.

Spence’s endless quest to build a better wheel resulted in scores of special orders for 24, 28, 32,40, and 48 hole rims from the French manufacturer Super Champion, as the 36 hole standard of the times did not match his own. In the late 70’s he convinced an unemployed machinist friend named Phil Wood to make a batch of 50 sealed bearing hubs ‘just to see if they’ll sell.’ Undoubtedly, we all know the end of that story.

Among many things that gives this store it’s remarkable staying power is the painstaking attention to detail by the owners, past and present.
“Things need to be done properly,” says Vance. “I’m here six, seven days a week… there’s a lot of dedication.”
“It really is a labor of love,” says Cynthia. The Sprocks have owned Cupertino Bike Shop for the past thirteen years.

The store still carries on the in the original spirit of Spence’s love for the sport by sponsoring Hellyer Velodrome, nurturing it’s own race team, and hosting one of the biggest annual swap meets in the Bay Area.

Peter’s Shop

Both of these shops and their original proprietors had a profound influence on Peter Rich. In 1962, after being mentored as a young racer by the likes of Oscar Junor and Spence Wolf, he decided to open a bike shop in Berkeley at the relatively tender age of 21. He called it Velo Sport.

His many years racing had fostered in him a love of finely crafted bicycles, which became evident when he began to bring bikes with the names Masi and Colnago on their down tubes over from Italy. “They were unavailable here back then. I brought them in ten at a time,” Peter remembers.

In 1957, Peter had put on what is now the second oldest road race in the U.S, the Berkeley Hills Race.
“The vision for the shop from the beginning was to create a forum to promote bike racing,” he says.

As the founder of what later evolved into the NCNCA, he held regular meetings in his mom’s living room with delegates from local cycling clubs, actively promoting the racing scene. One of Peter’s proudest achievements, the first edition of the Tour de California, came about in 1971.

In 1968, a man by the name of Albert Eisentraut began a stint as a mechanic at Velo Sport. Eventually, after many conversations, Peter and Eisentraut came to an arrangement.
“We agreed that I would subsidize a frame shop,” he said. “After about two years, he started making frames here.”

However, racing has always been Peter’s focus. He dispersed pearls of wisdom to fledgling racers as a coach, just as Oscar had done for him decades earlier. The room where Eisentraut once built his masterpieces now houses young racers from out of state, whom Peter gives a place to stay so they can race in the area.

Genuine Love

What sets these bike shops apart from so many others is simply the motivation for their existence. Past and present owners are not driven by hype and dreams of huge profit margins, but rather by genuine love of the sport itself. It is this passion that inspires them to work the unrelenting hours and make all the sacrifices necessary to keep the doors of their shops open. It is this passion that earned these shops their own rightful place as characters in the cycling annals of the Bay Area.

Cast of Characters:
American Cyclery, 858 Stanyan St. San Francisco, CA (415) 876-4545 www.Americancyclery.com

Cupertino Bike Shop, 10493 S. DeAnza Blvd., Cupertino, CA. (408)255-2217
www.cupertinobike.com

Velo Sport, 1650 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Berkeley Ca. (510)849-0437
www.velosportbicycles.com

Other vital players:
Stone’s Cyclery (since 1943) 2320 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda, CA (510) 523-3264
www.stonescyclery.com

Bicycle Odyssey (since 1975) 1417 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA (415) 332-3050 www.bicycleodyssey.com

Who Wants To Be Fast?

2008-11-11T19:55:00.001-06:00

When I finally went to the doctor, she found three fused vertebrae and the early stages of degenerative arthritis in my back. The nagging pain I’d been experiencing for months, the numbness in three of my fingers that would start after about 20 minutes of riding, the stuff I thought I just needed to tough out and ignore until it went away – all of it was actually something that was seriously wrong. I asked her what I could do to make it go away. The first sentence of her reply contained the word ‘irreversible,” and I don’t remember much of what she said after that. Things wouldn’t go back to the way they were before. Cycling would never again be the way it once was for me.

There was a time when one of the most important things to me about riding a bike was speed. Not breaking-records-winning-races-about-to-turn-pro speed, but being fast enough to ride with boys. Riding fast enough to appease my ego and insecurities. Every ride was a training ride, with target heart rates that were monitored and cadence that was carefully regulated. The most important thing about every ride was how far, how fast, and how soon I could do it again.

The pain I’d been enduring in my spine, arms, hands and legs for too long had already forced me to embarrassing measures like jacking up my stem to 15 degrees and larding up my handlebar with cushy tape. The pain was destined to get worse and worse, the doctor warned. And I realized what this meant; I was going to get slower and slower.

Depression soon followed the diagnosis, and riding became a rarity. My bikes began to gather dust. I put two of them into storage just so I didn’t have to look at them anymore. They had become reminders of what I was missing. I felt sorry for myself a lot.

After many long, dark months, the day eventually came when I craved the freedom of riding and the joy that accompanies it more than I feared the pain. No matter how much it hurt, I had to ride my bike.

My legs were blindingly pale. I had forgotten how self-conscious wearing Lycra can make you feel, especially since I’d come to regard my body as more of an enemy than an ally. This time around, the only goal was to ride. I didn’t care how fast, how long, or how I compared to anyone else. Simply riding my bike became the end in and of itself. I was grateful to be able to do at all.

On each ride, the inevitable pain came. The knee-jerk fear soon followed with avoidance trying to stay close on its heels. Then there was that little voice, “What is the point of this? You’re only going 15 miles an hour! Is that the best you can do? You are now officially one of those slow people all your riding friends make fun of…”

So I threw away my bike computer. I told the voice of judgment to shut the fuck up. I learned to focus on all the things that are great about riding slow. Taking in the amazing things sunlight and trees can do, getting lost and enjoying it, observing small moments of magic that I never would have noticed, and stopping on the side of the road when I see something that will only happen once in a lifetime. I learned a lot about the phrase, “Life is in the details”.

And to think, all I used to see was a blur.

Female Cyclists and Chamois Cream: A Theory, the Right Sample at the Right Time, and a Recommendation

2008-02-03T20:13:00.000-06:00

Chamois cream is, in my mind, an extremely personal choice. While I know quite a few people who couldn’t care less what brand of stuff they’re slathering on their most important contact point, none of those unselective people are women. My theory on the gender divide regarding how much the chamois cream selection is labored over comes down to the consequences of the choice: for women, some chamois creams on the market burn, some of them feel tingly (not in a good way), and some of them make it much more likely that a girl will have to deal with the yeastie-beasties. Guys don’t seem to be nearly as sensitive, and don’t really have to worry about some of these concerns all together.

After trying out a few different types of chafe-preventing goo, I got lucky with the fourth concoction I tried. It’s something I probably wouldn’t have ever chosen simply for the fact that the side of the container states, “Originally developed for use on dairy cows…” But nonetheless a little cow-spotted sample packet of Udderly SMOOth Chamois Cream found it’s way into my bag of bike clothes.

A few weeks later, after several minutes of frantic digging through my bag while getting ready for a lunch ride, came the sinking realization that I had forgotten the chamois stuff I had been using for a couple of years. And that therefore the ride would definitely be cut short. During the last hopeful rummaging, I found the Udderly SMOOth sample on the bottom of my bag, crammed into the corner with the dirty socks, and for once I was thankful that I almost never clean my out bike bag. Getting over the cow association, I decided to give Udderly SMOOth a shot. Moo.

Since that ride, I haven’t used anything else. Skin soothing ingredients like shea butter, lanolin oil and mineral oil makes it unique in the chamois cream realm of what’s available, and it’s well worth hunting down an 8 ounce cow-spot covered tub of it. I’ve had a hard time finding a bike shop that stocks it regularly, though a lot of them can special order it for you. Or you can just get your eight bucks together and order it yourself at udderlysmooth.com.

Moments on a Bike

2008-01-05T14:09:00.001-06:00

Sharp turn. Going fast. Downhill. Tread breaks free. The sensation of the disconnection shoots up through the bike, then through the entire body. Heartbeat so hard it feels like a sucker punch from the inside. It happens so fast the brain isn’t even given a chance to get itself involved. In a moment of time so minuscule it’s almost impossible to perceive, air forces itself out of the lungs, muscles let electric tension wash over but not into them, and the body decides to stay loose. The body finds itself in balance over the bike. It’s the millisecond of time in which you decide whether or not you’re going to eat shit.

YAY BEER!

2007-08-11T15:49:00.004-05:00

It had been a hot day. An extremely hot day. Despite the withering heat and retina-shredding glare of the sun, I had ridden long and pushed myself hard. I was sweating profusely enough to look like I had just stepped out of a shower. Surely I deserved a little liquid refreshment.

It was only a leveraged flick of a cone wrench away (if there is a bike mechanic who uses an actual bottle opener, I haven’t met them). I hear the bottle cap scamper away across the floor, the fizz tickles my nose ever so slightly just before my first sip, and then the cold flavor hits my tongue. At that moment, Homer Simpson comes to mind as I murmur his best catch phrase: “Mmmmm….be-e-er..”

The day I found out how many calories and carbohydrates a beer contains has forever tainted one of my favorite rituals: the after-work beer. In most other professions, when a customer greatly appreciates the service you have provided them, they tip you a few extra bucks. When you are a bike mechanic, they tip you a six pack. Whether this is due to a mass misconception of mechanics as alcoholics or is just a universal way of tipping for blue-collar labor, I will never know.

What I do know is that after a busy day in the middle of summer, once the last customer has left and the doors have been locked, the sound of cone wrenches doing away with bottle caps has rung out through every bike shop I’ve set foot in. The only way it is possible to get away with this sort of indulgent behavior is to ride it off the next morning.

Which brings me to a question someone asked me recently: what are some of the guilty pleasures you indulge in because you ride bikes? "I drink beer," I answered without the normal, healthy amount of hesitation. Do I ride so I can help keep the Anchor Steam brewery in business? Of course not. Do I relish every sip of good beer I drink without an iota of guilt because I ride? Absolutely.

Wrench Yourself

2007-08-11T15:22:00.004-05:00

It was a cool, early morning at the track, and the usual group of derelicts (who else would get up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday?) assembled, chit-chatting while waiting for the warm-up to begin. “Looks like you’ve got a flat,” someone said to me. I looked down at my front wheel which was wearing an unenthusiastic, empty tube.

After rummaging through my bag in search of a spare tube, coming up empty-handed (did I mention it was really early? On a Saturday?) and realizing that the training session was to begin in exactly two minutes, I happily accepted the offer to just throw a different, more air-friendly wheel on my bike and worry about the flat later.

Standing over the bike, I lifted up her front end, slipped out the offending wheel, and began to align the replacement with the dropouts. To my right, I hear a friend say something to me and I pause, mid wheel-change, to turn my head in his direction and respond. By the time I look back down at my wheel—about five seconds later at best—there were not one, not two, but three guys kneeling down, all simultaneously trying to put the wheel in for me.

My jaw dropped. One of them said, “Here, let us give you a hand.” Biting my tongue, all the familiar annoyance began to swell up. The things I immediately wanted to blurt out: “Thanks, but I can manage; just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I’m one of those cyclists who can’t change a flat—I fix bikes for a living!”

I know all of those would come out rude, like I’m being a bitch. So I attempt to be gracious and say nothing, letting the boys put the front wheel back in for me. Me, the girl who won’t let anyone else so much as adjust her derailleur.

Days later, the instance is still floating around in my mind. Why did they think they needed to help me? I wasn’t showing any signs of difficulty or of requiring assistance. Was it chivalry or were they operating on those stereotypes of helpless velo-femmes that make my blood simmer? Essentially, were they holding the door open for me, or were they assuming I’m bad at math? Would the same thing have happened had I been a guy?

Recently, my friend Jeanette and I were discussing my experience at the track over lunch. We rolled our eyes and giggled as we swapped stories about other such instances we’ve both encountered. She is the only other female bike mechanic I know, and she related stories of people assuming that, instead of being the shop wrench, she is the shop owner’s wife.

“The ones who are really fun are the guys who lean over the counter and start telling me how to fix their bike,” she laughed.

“Or the ones who are completely blown away that you’re back there at all,” I added. “Yes, I was born with two x chromosomes and I can overhaul your bottom bracket.”

Our laughter began to attract attention from the other patrons. We talked about how easy it is to get offended by such behavior, and how to handle it politely and with a little grace.

“Speaking of grace …” Jeanette began, “do you know Becky?”

Becky (not her real name) is a seasoned cyclist who has been riding for many years and knows her fair share about bicycles. She’s put in time as a messenger, and she is the kind of girl who fixes her own bike. While out on a long road ride several months ago, she and Jeanette had to abruptly come to a halt at the side of the road. Becky had a flat. This being no reason for alarm, they stopped to stretch their legs, and Becky began to change her tube.

“I think she had just taken her rear wheel out when a group of guys started riding past,” Jeanette continued. One of the gentlemen slowed to a stop next to Becky.

“Do you need some help with that?” he asked her politely.

What followed was a barrage of four-letter words and insults as Becky literally began screaming at the guy who had stopped.

“What the fuck?! You think just ‘cuz I’m a girl I can’t do this?! You pompous piece of...!” she yelled, at one point even holding her frame pump over her head like a baseball bat, waving it at the poor soul who had stopped to offer assistance.

The image made me laugh, and we both agreed that we’ve come close to doing the same thing once or twice on an exceptionally bad day. We also agreed that the extreme of Becky’s wrath was a little ludicrous. Besides the probability that it had scarred that well-meaning fellow for life, it was a perfect example of how not to handle the situation. We joked about forming a support group for women to provide a place to vent such frustrations, and preventing frame pump induced injuries everywhere.

As for me, when a surprised fellow cyclist’s eyes grow wide when they ask, “You’re a mechanic?” I'd think of Becky, and smile. “Yes,” I say with all the graciousness I can muster, “How can I help you?”

After all, I don’t want to be one of those cyclists.

-2003

Burt’s Bee’s Hand Salve

2007-08-11T15:15:00.001-05:00

The skin on my hands could have been mistaken for a Brillo pad in the dark, and my cuticles were nonexistent. The hangnails that remained where my cuticles were supposed to be were so severe they snagged clothing. I apologized to people before I shook their hands. I was desperate.

Having always had hands that were easily chapped by the cold and wind (not to mention degreasing solvents) I had not ended up here by being unresourceful. From lotions to oils to medicated creams, I had tried it all. Finally, salvation arrived in a little yellow tin.

Burt’s Bee’s Hand Salve first caught my attention because of my slightly compulsive collection of tin containers. Being a “salve” somehow gave it a power that lotions could only pine for. Opening it up and catching a whiff sealed the deal. I took the farmer’s friend home.

Religiously using it since, I’ve been able to abuse my hands on a daily basis without people asking me if I work in construction. Perfect pre- and post-ride love for your hands. Now if I could just get it to remove the grease from under my nails, I’d be all set. $6.50, available at www.burtsbees.com

My First Time

2007-08-11T14:39:00.002-05:00

Sometime in 2001, somewhere in San Francisco...

Last night was my first time on a road bike. It was one of Celeste’s celeste-green Bianchis that was vaguely my size. I was afraid to ride it through city traffic, slightly terrified in fact, but suggesting to two bike messengers that we take the bus was simply not an option.

"You’ll be fine," Celeste said, as she switched out the pedals from clipless to flats and I tried to suppress my nervous urge to pee. Then she, Jim, and I set out for the Great American Music Hall.

Celeste rode her red fixed gear. Jim was on his work bike, smoking a cigarette, as we rode through the still full streets of San Francisco at 10 o’clock at night. It was winter, and it was cold. The streets were already shiny and wet, and streetlights had reflections on the pavement. Hopefully it wouldn’t start raining again.

The bike was so light that it felt as though I was riding nothing. Its geometry was completely foreign to me and responded to even the slightest shift of my body weight. I had no idea what I was doing really, didn’t yet know all the subtleties of controlling something that feels so perfect. The results were numerous demonstrations of my lack of coordination.

At one point Celeste rode up beside me and yelled, "You’re doing so good...are you having fun?"

"Yes!" I yelled back and squeezed my eyes shut for a second as we caught the tail end of a yellow light. Jim looked back to make sure I’d make it. I was spinning as fast as I could, not even knowing how to shift yet, swimming in the exhilaration and fear. The soreness in the curve just above my thumbs where my hands met the hoods was screaming but I ignored it, doing my best not to get run over by the truck behind me. My only thoughts revolved around how much this felt like flying.

A few times I came close to fucking up, loosing control of the bike and falling over simply because I wasn’t used to riding something so responsive. It was nothing like pushing around my 50 lbs. pink Schwinn, the rolling lazy-boy.

Today, the morning after, I have light purple bruises on my hands in between my index fingers and my thumbs - reminders of last night. And all I can think about is wanting more.