Cycling

[OCMO]

Does anyone here pays attention to beautiful sport that is cycling?

At least some of you guys and gals from Benelux should be excited about the spring classics.

Two questions to see if this topic goes anywhere:

1) What do you members of revleft think about the sport?

2) Who do you think is winning Paris-Roubaix? I hope is Flecha, but Cancellara and Boonen are very strong at the moment.

For those that don't know Paris-Roubaix:

http://www.letour.fr/2010/PRX/COURSE/us/le_parcours.html

It's 259km with 27 cobblestones segments in a race that will last over 6 hours and ends in a Velodrome.

And this fierce cobblestones test the physhic and mental strengh of the riders. One distraction and you may be severly injured. That a look of the cobblestone section on Arabenrg forest, think riding it with those little tires at speeds of 40/50 km/h.

http://froggy100.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/paris-roubaix.jpg

And these year the riders are lucky, because it should be sunny this Sunday. When it rains, the riders end the race covered in mud.

To end this post, see the final km of Ronde van Vlaanderen won by Cancellara, 2nd Boonen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKjBnjLtXhE

[The Grey Blur]

holy shit. i was actually wondering about this yesterday, the sport of cycling, as i cycle a lot everywhere and find myself more and more occupied with the idea of doing it competitively or timing myself/what have you...on the way to my university there are two huge hills that i go up every day so that is enjoyable.

[Invincible Summer]

I posted a cycling thread here awhile ago... no one really seemed to be into it.

I've been cycling for awhile, although never got into any competition or anything. That might change this fall, as I'm planning to enter a couple of cyclocross races for fun. In case you're not familiar with cx: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRZOa_E9Qs8&feature=related

Never really got into watching other people cycle though...

What are your guys'/girls' set ups?

Lefty cyclists ftw! I'm glad I'm not the only commie who indulges in this bougie sport :thumbup1:

[OCMO]

Being in a mediterranean country, i don't know much about cyclocross, the only race í saw was the Cyclocross WC in 2008, i guess. It was nice, seeing the riders lifting their bike and walk up stairs.:D Apart from that, i only know that Lars Boom and Sven Nys are great riders in this cycling category.

[Invincible Summer]

And this fierce cobblestones test the physhic and mental strengh of the riders. One distraction and you may be severly injured. That a look of the cobblestone section on Arabenrg forest, think riding it with those little tires at speeds of 40/50 km/h.

http://froggy100.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/paris-roubaix.jpg



I never understood how their wheels withstood all that jarring. They don't ride w/ carbon wheels for Paris-Roubaix, do they?? :blink:

[OCMO]

Yes, they do, and in some bikes, even Kevlar is used to bind the carbons sheets.

[OCMO]

What an incredible race Paris-Roubaix was!

The winner was the swiss champion, Fabien Cancellara, who attacked alone with more than 40km to the finish line and wasn't caught since. What display of effort, it's the reason I love this sport. The 2nd was norwegian, Thor Hushovd and 3rd, the spaniard, Antonio Flecha.

To show some of the best moments:

The move: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7xjsPqHg3o

The difficulty of cobblestones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzENZsYrW0M

The celebration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6IIvIFX78k

Next big race is Amstel Gold Race or Maastricht-Valkenburg, very very hilly, 250km of walls.

[The Grey Blur]

thanks for the highlights, i missed the eurosport coverage as was hanging out with some friends.

[Guerrilla22]

I'm a cyclist and I follow pro cycling as well. Paris-Roubaix is my second favorite race next to the tour.

[No pasarán]

when I was a messenger I used to follow cycling a lot more, but now I only really pay attention to track. I've raced track before but I don't live anywhere near one now.

[Invincible Summer]

when I was a messenger I used to follow cycling a lot more, but now I only really pay attention to track. I've raced track before but I don't live anywhere near one now.

I love watching track racing. It's fast and to the point. I get to envy massive quads.


http://rushracing.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/chris20hoy20legs1.jpg

The closest velodrome is like 1.5 hours away though, so that puts me off from going. I've only done a couple of "learn to ride" sessions and it was so goddamned fun.

Do you own a sexy bike?

[No pasarán]

they ain't so practical for wearing your trousers though...

[Guerrilla22]

Fabian Cancellara owned this year's Paris-Roubaix
http://d.yimg.com/a/p/afp/20100411/capt.photo_1271008447482-1-0.jpg

[No pasarán]

Do you own a sexy bike?

Well the main one has good parts, but it deliberately doesn't look nothing special. My track bike is a little more shiny but still not too flash.

[Invincible Summer]

If you own a track bike, it is a sexy bike.

Do you still do messenger stuff? I know a guy who rides a full carbon Ridley Damocles as his mess bike...

[Guerrilla22]

Do you own a sexy bike? http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gifhttp://farm3.static.flickr.com/2137/2094976648_5b93e421b0.jpg

[OCMO]

Nice bike!:thumbup1:

[Guerrilla22]

Thanks, it's a Lemond, which is the company started by former Tour de France winner Greg LeMond. The weather is now nice I can't wait to get out and ride it.

[The Grey Blur]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs490.snc3/26793_1398898662723_1539960297_31006069_6968075_n. jpg

an old peugeot road bike i picked up a few days ago, it needs a bit of work but i think it's very pretty.

[Tavarisch_Mike]

Now when the spring is here I will start hiking and I will cycle to get to the hiking area, then I often compet against myself by checking how long time its take each run and offcourse try to improve the results. Its a great way to endure your leg muscles, btw is there anyone els who also rides unicycle?

[Sasha]

At least some of you guys and gals from Benelux should be excited about the spring classics.


cycling as in a sport is for the strange talking ppl under the rivers, we drive on these kind of things:
http://zepaltaswines.com/files/imagecache/photo-page/files/Amsterdam-bike.jpg

(small part of whats parked everyday at amsterdam central station)

and even that is to much like sport for me, i'm working now on sommething that should end looking like this thing;
http://www.straatjutten.nl/files/zunbak.jpg

[Guerrilla22]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs490.snc3/26793_1398898662723_1539960297_31006069_6968075_n. jpg

an old peugeot road bike i picked up a few days ago, it needs a bit of work but i think it's very pretty.

very nice

[Invincible Summer]

My cross bike in roadie getup, and my mountain bike which I sold recently: http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/2636/bikesf.jpg

[Muzk]

cycling causes impotence

[Bilan]

Cycling is more fun to do than watch. Just sayin'.

[Bilan]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs490.snc3/26793_1398898662723_1539960297_31006069_6968075_n. jpg

an old peugeot road bike i picked up a few days ago, it needs a bit of work but i think it's very pretty.

That's beautiful!

[Il Medico]

I have an old bike, kinda of like that red one above. Never use it any more though. Mostly because I have a car.

[Invincible Summer]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs490.snc3/26793_1398898662723_1539960297_31006069_6968075_n. jpg

an old peugeot road bike i picked up a few days ago, it needs a bit of work but i think it's very pretty.

Judging by the seat height and frame size.... you're short like me? I'm 5'5"

That would make a lovely singlespeed/townie bike conversion!

[The Grey Blur]

Nah this is as it was bought, at the moment I'm working on getting rid of the rusty bolts but after the seatpost will be adjusted a lot higher. I'm uncertain with regards to the frame size but judging by the tyre size (590mm) and seatpost it does seem to have previously been set up for either a very short person or a junior rider.

[bcbm]

just stripped, cleaned, painted and got a few new parts on my bike today. going to finish it up tomorrow. i'm excited to ride it.

[Invincible Summer]

just stripped, cleaned, painted and got a few new parts on my bike today. going to finish it up tomorrow. i'm excited to ride it.

Pics?

[bcbm]

Pics?

its at my friend's shop right now. maybe when its all ready to roll.

[OCMO]

Just to say that the amazing Phillipe Gilbert (belgian) won Amstel Gold Race (or Maastricht-Valkenburg). Another great display of power. It was sad to see the russian rider, Kolobnev who was trying to win solo, losing the the race in the final km.

I don't ride much because my bike has a gear problem that makes almost impossible to ride uphill, and i live in a hilly town.:(

[Guerrilla22]

Just to say that the amazing Phillipe Gilbert (belgian) won Amstel Gold Race (or Maastricht-Valkenburg). Another great display of power. It was sad to see the russian rider, Kolobnev who was trying to win solo, losing the the race in the final km.

I don't ride much because my bike has a gear problem that makes almost impossible to ride uphill, and i live in a hilly town.:(

replace the drive train

[Invincible Summer]

replace the drive train

It might be something simpler & cheaper than that :lol:

[What Would Durruti Do?]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/-Helix-/bike3.jpg

old picture but its still pretty much the same i guess

[Invincible Summer]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/-Helix-/bike3.jpg

old picture but its still pretty much the same i guess

Nice!

[Wanted Man]

cycling as in a sport is for the strange talking ppl under the rivers, we drive on these kind of things:
http://zepaltaswines.com/files/imagecache/photo-page/files/Amsterdam-bike.jpg

(small part of whats parked everyday at amsterdam central station)

Well, a lot of sports fans do follow competitive cycling on TV and the like. Tour de France, or even Paris-Roubaix mentioned in the OP. I don't care much for it either, though. To be fair, a hellish ride on the cobblestones like in Paris-Roubaix does look pretty cool. Maybe I'll watch it next time.

What's also funny is that in other countries, cycling regularly is like a lifestyle, with expensive bikes with all kinds of flashy crap on them, helmets, stuff like that. It's also sometimes associated with middle-class lefty-liberals, especially in the US. Like only some liberal would ride a bike to work. :p Of course, in many other countries, there are no cycling lanes, and you'd have to be pretty suicidal to ride a bike in big cities.

Over here, you'd have to be pretty dumb to spend hundreds of euros on one bike. Chances are that it will get stolen anyway. In that case, you can always buy a new one second-hand for cheap. :) Some cities, like Groningen, are really full of bicycles, although I'm not sure "bicycle-friendly" is the right word, if only because it can be very busy. I guess it is fine if you're confident. Reactions of Americans are always pretty funny:

f2iG0CsOfM8