31 May 2013

You'll Be Ridiculously Jealous of This Man's Bike Collection

Does James MacDonald have the ultimate bike collection you're sure to be jealous of? Yes, we think so. MacDonald treats his bike collection as an historic catalog and this three-minute documentary will teach you a decent amount about bicycle history—so be ready to learn a thing or two (or seven).

The Spokesman from dean saffron on Vimeo.

via Gizmodo

30 May 2013

BicyclingHub.com is Auctioning Off a 7-Eleven Jersey Signed by Davis Phinney to Benefit the Davis Phinney Foundation


About a month and a half ago, we told you something really exciting: that we'd found an old 7-Eleven cycling jersey floating around in the office, that we were getting it signed by Davis Phinney and that we'd be auctioning it off to benefit the Davis Phinney Foundation.

Well, it's finally happening. The jersey has been signed and our eBay auction is officially live today May 30, 2013 at 12pm PDT. The auction will run for the next 10 days.

In case you didn't know, the Davis Phinney Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity dedicated to helping people with Parkinson’s live well with the disease. It was founded in 2004 by Olympic-medal winner and cycling legend Davis Phinney, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2000 at the age of 40. Today, Phinney provides both inspiration for the cycling community, as well as the estimated 1.5 million Americans and 10 million people worldwide living with the disease.

The Davis Phinney Foundation is unique in the Parkinson’s community, spreading the message that it is possible to live well today with Parkinson’s disease. The Davis Phinney Foundation has invested more than $3.8 million in initiatives to support, inform and inspire people living with Parkinson’s to live well today. Over $1.2 million in research funding has been invested in innovative, early-phase studies that focus on exercise, speech, movement and other factors that affect quality of life. Tens of thousands of people living with this disease have been directly touched by one of the Foundation’s programs. 

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to create more awareness for our Foundation and Parkinson’s disease. BicyclingHub.com has come up with a great idea to help spread awareness and fundraise in support of the Foundation’s mission,” said Davis Phinney Foundation Victory Crew Program Manager Lauren Hunt. “We’re excited about reaching new audiences through BicyclingHub.com auctioning a Team 7-Eleven jersey signed by Davis Phinney.”

Since BicyclingHub.com's inception in 2002, we've made an effort to give back by contributing to nonprofits. In the last five years alone, teams sponsored by BicyclingHub.com have raised over $10,000 for the American Diabetes Association. 

“Davis Phinney has long been a hero of mine,” said Doug Duguay, owner and founder of BicyclingHub.com. “We are very honored and excited to have the opportunity to work with his Foundation and help further its mission.”

Place your bid in the eBay auction here.

And please spread the word by sharing with your social media networks, family and friends. This is an awesome opportunity to support a great foundation (and way to get your hands on a very rare jersey).

Your Pre-Ride Bicycle Maintenance Checklist



We found this cute infographic (for a larger version, click here) courtesy of the collaborative community over at GOOD, but we checked with local Portland bike shop, Gracie's Wrench, on some of the specifics just to be sure we were relaying good advice.

The founder, owner and main mechanic at Gracie's Wrench, Tori, pointed out that while these tips are pretty good, she "would get rid of the derailleur advice and instead include a tip on how to find a good bike shop ... Most of the things [included] are things the average novice rider might be able to do, but the derailleurs are way beyond that."

Tori also pointed out that new-ish riders might not know what sort of things are actually right when it comes to tightening axles, truing wheels, saddle height, etc., so unless you really know what you're doing, scope out a local bike shop to get some help. It's a good idea to get your bike tuned up every 6 months to a year, depending on how often you're riding, anyway.

And BicyclingHub.com's own little tip: wear a helmet while you ride. 

29 May 2013

Bicycles are Outselling Cars in Italy

This is exactly the news we like to hear so soon after a race like the Giro: for the first time in 48 years bicycle sales are much higher in Italy than those for cars, according to UPI.

In 2011, bike sales topped cars by about 2,000. But in 2012, Italy saw 1.65 million bikes sold, as opposed to just 1.4 million cars. This is great news, especially if you think about it from an emissions standpoint, but also in terms of general health.

"There is a silent revolution taking place in our cities," said transport undersecretary Erasmo D'Angelis, according to UPI. "It's a true and proper boom of people using bikes as a daily mode of transportation."


27 May 2013

Bicycle Sounds are the Best Sounds

Bikes are awesome. So is music. So how about a song composed entirely of the sounds of a bicycle? Music to our ears.

25 May 2013

Rocket Propelled Mountain Biker Goes 163mph, Breaks Speed Record


French cyclist François Gissy did something most of us might find completely insane earlier this week when he strapped a rocket to the frame of his bicycle in an attempt to break the land speed record for a mountain bike. He succeeded with a speed of 163mph.

The previous record was 150mph.

Check out the video below:

24 May 2013

Infographic: Cycling Makes People Happier and Healthier

People who ride their bikes to work are happier, have a lower risk of heart disease, save tons of money, and report stronger feelings of freedom, relaxation and excitement than car commuters.




23 May 2013

15 of the Best Bicycling Quotes

Who doesn't love a great quote, especially when it's about something you love? Regardless of whether it's inspirational, funny, full of good advice, what-have-you, a solid quote sticks with you. And, naturally, we're pretty big suckers for sayings about cycling. Here are 15 of our favorites- Please note- we added one more that we missed originally. 

http://bicyclinghub.blogspot.com/2013/05/15-of-best-bicycling-quotes.html

"Ride lots." –Eddy Merckx


“Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling.”  - James E. Starrs

"Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race." -H.G. Wells

"It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them." –Ernest Hemingway

"Get a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live." –Mark Twain

"It never gets easier, you just go faster." –Greg LeMond

"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride." –John F. Kennedy

"I won! I won! I don't have to go to school anymore!" –Eddy Merckx, after his first win

"The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without shocking the entire community." –Ann Strong

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." –Albert Einstein


"If it hurts me, it must hurt the other ones twice as much." –Jens Voigt

"When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments. Here was a machine of precision and balance for the convenience of man. And (unlike subsequent inventions for man's convenience) the more he used it, the fitter his body became. Here, for once, was a product of man's brain that was entirely beneficial to those who used it, and of no harm or irritation to others. Progress should have stopped when man invented the bicycle." –Elizabeth West

"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking." –Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

"Shut up legs! Do what I tell you to do." –Jens Voigt

"Bikes are almost as good as guitars for meeting girls." –Bob Weir

"Ever bike? Now that's something that makes life worth living! I take exercise every afternoon that way. Oh, to just grip your handlebars and lay down to it, and go ripping and tearing through streets and road, over railroad tracks and bridges, threading crowds, avoiding collisions, at twenty miles or more an hour, and wondering all the time when you're going to smash up. Well now, that's something! And then go home again after three hours of it ... and then to think that tomorrow I can do it all over again!" –Jack London

Did we leave out your favorite quote? Let us know in the comments section below.

14 May 2013

May 2013 Giro d'Italia Trivia with Answers

Ryder Hesjedal during the 2012 Giro d'Italia- Photo via Castelli

May 2013
In a few short days, The Giro d’Italia will commence for the 100th time.
This months Dave Campbell's Trivia Column celebrates the historic accomplishments
Of North American Riders in the Race for the Maglia Rosa (Pink Jersey)

Q1. Canadian Ryder Hesjedal re-wrote the history books with his historic Giro d’Italia victory last year. Prior to the Garmin-Sharp rider’s triumph, what was the highest ever finish for a Canadian in Italy’s grand tour?

Q2. The only American to win the Giro was Andrew Hampsten (7-Eleven/Hoonved) in 1988. Much has been written, including pieces by Bob Roll and Bicyclinghub.com’s own Doug Duguay, about his exploits on the Gavia. Despite putting over 5 minutes into all the main contenders except Erik Breukink (Panasonic), he did not win the stage, losing by 7 seconds to Breukink. Did Hampsten win any stages enroute to this historic achievement?

Q3. Other than Andy’s Pink jersey, have any other Giro leaders' jerseys been won by American riders?
 
A1. Steve Bauer, riding as team captain for Toshiba-Look (formerly La Vie Claire) was 10th in the 1987 Giro, 14:41 down on victor Stephen Roche (Carrera-Inoxpran) of Ireland.

A2. He did! The first was the 205 km 12th stage on June 3rd from Novara-Selvino. Hampsten broke away in the company of future Tour de France winner Pedro Delgado of Spain (Reynolds). The Colorado rider dropped him on the finish climb which rises 3000 feet about Bergamo to move within striking distance of the lead which he would take on Stage 14 over the Gavia. He also won the 18 kilometer Stage 18 Uphill Time Trial from Valico del Vitriolo.

A3. In 1988’s storming performance, Hampsten also took home the Combine Jersey and Mountains (then Blue, Green from the early 90s until recently returning to Blue) Jerseys. He was additionally 3rd in the Points Competition.

6 Riders to Watch in the 2013 Tour of California



The 2013 Amgen Tour of California features the hardest course yet, and the way things are going so far—what with yesterday's high temperatures—it's turning out to be a brutal race. Since the last two winners aren't competing this year, it could go to anybody.

Here are a few of our picks for who to watch out for as the race continues this week:

Peter Sagan,
via Cannondale Pro Cycling
Peter Sagan (Cannondale)

This sort of feels like a given. Of course Sagan is someone to watch this year. Sagan's the all-time Tour of California stage-win leader, having crossed the line first eight times in just the last three years—and just last year he won five stages. So definitely keep an eye out for the Slovakian phenom in the green Cannondale jersey.

Jens Voigt (RadioShack-Leopard Trek)

We love Jens. We love the things he says. We love the way he rides. The 41-year-old is still racing and shows no signs of slowing down. At last year's Tour of California, he came in second in the fifth stage, and at the Tour de France, he finished third in the tenth stage. It'll be fun to see how the RadioShack-Leopard Trek rider does this week.

Tejay van Garderen,
via BMC Pro Cycling
Tejay van Garderen (BMC Pro Cycling)

So far this season, Tejay van Garderen has had podium finishes at two races, coming in second in the Tour de San Luis and third in the Criterium International. Last year, he came in fifth at the Tour de France to take the Best Young Rider's jersey. But the winner's circle at the Tour of California has thus far eluded the 24-year-old. Is this the year he finally takes home the win? We'll just have to wait and see.

Michael Rogers,
via roadcyclinguk.com
Michael Rogers (Team Saxo-Tinkoff)

The last time Michael Rogers raced in the Tour of California (2010), he won, finishing just nine seconds before Garmin's David Zabriskie. The 33-year-old should prove to be a strong contender this time around.

Francisco Mancebo (5-Hour Energy/Kenda)

Francisco Mancebo, 37, has been riding strong since he began racing in 1998. The former Spanish national champion finished third in the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico, winning the very difficult Gila Monster stage. He also won the Redlands Bicycle Classic in April and then took second in the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon.

Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM)

Though this is Westra's first United States race, he's doing pretty well already, what with his first stage win on Sunday. The 30-year-old Dutch cyclist placed second overall in the Paris-Nice race last year and he's likely to continue to do well this week.


Giro d'Italia Mountain Stage- Physiological Challenges

What are the physiological requirements of riders during the Giro d'Italia?
InfoGraphic by Multipower Superfood

13 May 2013

How do pros rest during the Giro d'Italia.

 Today is a rest day at the Giro d'Italia.  Find out what riders do during their "day off"


Infographic from http://www.multipower.com/

Declare June 5, 2013 Andy Hampsten Day

This June marks the 25th anniversary of Andy Hampsten's epic Maglia Rosa-snagging stage in the 1988 Giro d'Italia. To honor his achievement, we're officially declaring Wednesday, June 5th, 2013 to be Andy Hampsten Day.

How does one celebrate Andy Hampsten Day, you ask? We don't expect you to head out to the Passo del Gavia and ride the stage, nor do we expect you to ride through a rough blizzard while stripping down for speed. Instead, we suggest a simple bike ride for pleasure, rain or shine, to get out there and enjoy your favorite sport. Maybe take the day off and have a BBQ?  Oh, and spread the word, because we want to make this holiday a big thing.

Have any other celebration suggestions? Let us know in the comments.

Top 8 Favorite Songs About Bicycles

Every once in awhile there's a great song that provides us bike-lovers with a new anthem to add to the collection. So last week we asked our Facebook and Twitter community for your favorite songs about bicycles. Here's what you said (plus some of our favorites too):

Queen: "Bicycle Race"
Of course the song with the opening lyrics, "Bicycle! Bicycle! Bicycle! I want to ride my bicycle," appears on this list, because is that not our rallying cry? Granted, the song does get overplayed at cycling events, as Steve S. pointed out on Facebook, but we can't deny it's a classic song—with a great music video.

KRAFTWERK: "Tour de France"
 
If you've either checked out a translated version of KRAFTWERK's scratchy electronic beat, or you speak German, you know that the lyrics literally describe the race's route. And the added sound of breathlessness—well, let's just say it seems pretty accurate in an ode to the Tour de France.

Pink Floyd: "Bike"
 
Though parts of this song are definitely on the creepier side, "Bike" has some damn good—albeit pretty silly—lyrics set to a great, psychedelic tune.

Sons of Science: "Motherf*cking Bike"
Hilarious lyrics, sick beat—what more is there to say about this song? Oh, the video is pretty great too.

The Mixtures: "Pushbike Song"
 
With a nice summer sound, The Mixture's "Push Bike" definitely makes you want to get outside and enjoy some sunshine, and you know, maybe meet someone that way. Related: this is definitely the kind of song you can serenade a special someone with.

Flobots: "Handlebars"
 
 
It's hard to say what this song is actually about, but let's just get down to basics: riding a bike with no handlebars doesn't sound very easy. I mean, riding no-handed (like is shown in the video) is one thing, but no bar altogether? That's got to be tough.

MC SpandX: "Performance"
 
"Performance" is a classic of sorts in the cycling world. When MC SpandX, aka Robin Moore, released it in 2009, it quickly reached viral status. Since then, he's put out a couple other great cycling-related songs that are definitely worth a listen: "Get Dirty" and "Le Velo."

Alex Marco: "The Bike"
A silly little French song with French people decked out in Peugeot gear doing a silly little dance that we can only assume is called "The Bike." Don't get us wrong, we're all for self-expression, but we'll take an actual bike ride over having to do "The Bike," thank you very much.

Did we miss any of your favorites? Be sure to let us know in the comments section.

09 May 2013

10 Best Cycling Movies

It should come as no surprise that we love films about our favorite sport—bicycling. As these things go, though, some of the bike movies out there are (much) better than others. So if you're looking for a good cycling flick, these are the ones most worth your while:


Breaking Away
Directed by Peter Yates

Who doesn't love a classic love story, especially one that includes a bike racing plotline? Obsessed with Italian bike culture and enamored by a pretty college girl, recent high school graduate from the wrong side of the tracks Dave Stoller masquerades as an Italian exchange student to try and win his crush's affections. But when an Italian racing team comes to town and they use dirty tricks to win a race against Dave, he drops his fake identity to build a team to race against the Italians in the university's upcoming "Little 500" bicycle race. A largely word-of-mouth success at the box office, Breaking Away also went on to win several awards, including the Academy Award for "Best Screenplay."

Slaying the Badger
Directed by John Dower

Our most recent addition to this list, Slaying the Badger is the story of one of the greatest Tour de France races of all time.   At the conclusion of the 1985 Tour de France, Bernard Hinault publicly said he would back Greg LeMond in the 1986 Tour.  In reality, the lines get blurred and it's not clear who he is working for.  Each cyclist tells a very narrative of the "Badger's" motivation during the race.  It's a gripping tale and we're proud to move it to our top 10 list of all time best bicycling films.




The Triplets of Belleville
Directed by Silvain Chomet

When Madame Souza notices her young grandson, Champion, is sad and lonely after his parents' death, she at first buys him a puppy named Bruno. But he is soon melancholic again, so, taking note of Champion's interest in bike racing, she buys him a tricycle. Years later, he's entering the Tour de France with Souza as his coach. But during the race he is kidnapped by the French Mafia. So what does Souza do? She and Bruno set off on a journey to save Champion, of course, and they meet a cast of characters along the way. This is definitely one to watch even if animation isn't your thing.




American Flyers
Directed by John Badham

Written by Steve Tesich, who also wrote Breaking Away, American Flyers follows brothers Marcus and David as they train for and compete in a bike race across the Rocky Mountains called, "The Hell of the West." Making matters a little more complicated, one of the brothers may likely be afflicted by the tendency for a cerebral aneurysm, which is what killed their father. What's extra cool about this flick and makes it a must-see for cycling buffs is it includes actual footage from the old Coors International Bicycle Classic. Oh, and don't miss the quick Eddy Merckx cameo at the start of stage 1.


A Sunday in Hell
Directed by Jørgen Leth

This is a great one for history buffs. A Sunday in Hell captures the 1976 Paris-Roubaix from the viewpoints of the organizers, spectators and participants. What sets this apart from other race documentaries is that it really reveals the atmosphere and spirit of a professional race. Following contenders Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck, Freddy Maertens and Francesco Moser from the start of the race all the way through the punctures and crashes in the muddied, slick, cobbled tracks to the finish, this film gives a realistic feel of how the races plays out. And when they're done, these badass cyclists, definitely look like they've spent the day in hell.


Stars and Watercarriers
Directed by Jørgen Leth

Another great documentary from Leth, Stars and Watercarriers is less about the story of the 1973 Giro d'Italia it covers, and more about the heroic—and downright intimidating—way Eddy Merckx handles a race. But it also reveals some of the often unspoken heroics of the watercarriers and workers behind the scenes. There's a particularly incredible scene where the glass bottles are opened with church keys and passed around.


The Bicycle Thief
Directed by Vittorio De Sica

Nobody likes a bike thief. Set in post-WWII Rome, The Bicycle Thief follows Antonio Ricci and his son Bruno, as they search for Antonio's stolen bike, which is a necessity if he wants to keep his job and be able to support his family. The film itself is really well done and, only four years after its 1948 release, Sight and Sound magazine declared it the best film of all time.




The Flying Scotsman
Directed by Douglas Mackinnon

Based on the life and career of Scottish amateur cyclist Graeme Obree, The Flying Scotsman captures Obree's attempts to become the world's fastest bike racer despite his debt, mental illness and the resentment he faces for having no real funding or backing. The script was adapted from Obree's autobiography of the same name. One of the cool things is that Obree actually stood in for Jonny Lee Miller, the actor who portrays him, in some of the cycling sequences.


The Greatest Show on Earth
Directed by Michael Pfleghar

Not to be confused with the 1952 movie about a circus, The Greatest Show on Earth does reveal the circus-like aspects of bike racing as it documents the 1974 Giro d'Italia, which is the perhaps the most insane of the Grand Tours. Oh, and the Pope makes an extra special appearance. This is a natural follow-up film to watch after Stars and Watercarriers, an overall great way to spend a couple of hours.



Bicycle Dreams
Directed by Steven Auerbach

Sleep deprivation, challenging terrain and bad weather—that's what riders in the 2005 Race Across America had to cope with (plus, you know, the part where they were racing across America). Bicycle Dreams sets out to capture the 3,000-mile race from start to finish, but when one of the riders, Bob Breedlove, a veteran racer and endurance cycling legend, is killed in a collision only days into the race, the other cyclists must figure out how to cope and whether or not they should keep going.


Honorable mentions include Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Ride the Divide, The Impossible Hour, 2 Seconds and Quicksilver.

Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us know in the comments section below.

04 May 2013

Giro d' Italia Sprint Stage- Physiological Challenges Infographic



 

Informational graphic from click here to view the original.  Interesting facts from the graphic
1) A riders body can only store enough carbohydrates for 50-70 minutes of the race.
2) Water loss can be as much as 2 liters an hour yet maximum hydration is only 1.5 liters an hour.
3) Each drop of sweat contains: 900 MG Sodium,  1MG Magnesium, 300MG Potassium, 15MG Calcium
4) Cyclists eat 6,000-7,000 calories per day.
5) Typical calorie breakdown for a cyclist: 70% Carbs, 15% Protein, 15% Fat
6) Riders can touch around 1,200 watts in the sprints

Photo courtesy Multipower Sportsfood

03 May 2013

Nelson Vails- 1984 Olympic Sprint Silver Medalist In Portland This Weekend


1984 olympic silver medalist, Nelson Vails, is in Portland this weekend to lead a ride and to host a benefit for nonprofit b.i.k.e. (Bicycles and Ideas for Kid's Empowerment.)  Vails was the first African-American to win a medal in cycling at the Olympics and was inducted into the U.S. Bicycle Hall of Fame in 2009. 

On Saturday, May 4th, Mr. Vails will speak at 6 p.m. at a fundraising event at Classic Pianos, 3003 S.E. Milwaukie Ave.  The next day, Vails will lead a ride to from River City Bicycles to Hotel Lucia.

Ticket to the event are $20.   Contact Tim Bergman at 503-936-6034 for tickets to the event. 

02 May 2013

The Best Jens Voigt Quotes

If there's one thing we love about Jens Voigt, besides the fact that he's a damn good cyclist (currently riding for Trek Factory Racing), it's his uniquely open and forthright way of talking to the media. Here are some of our favorite things he's said so far:

"Hopefully I've shown them (fellow cyclists) you just need some self-belief and that you need to take your destiny into your own hands instead of waiting for it. You have to go out and force it. You need to go out and take life, and shape your life and destiny the way you need it. I hope I can pass that message along."

"If it hurts me, it must hurt the other ones twice as much."

"No, I do not accept defeat here. I do not accept this."

"Shut up legs! Do what I tell you to do."

"Oh, you poor thing, you’ve got no chance, you’re already beaten."

"You’re all beaten; I am just laughing at you."

"I get paid to hurt other people, how good is that?"

"In the hierarchy of the family, I’m just above the dog. But I like it that way."

"Having things organized is for small-minded people. Genius controls chaos."

"While I’m not very talented at cooking, I am very talented at eating."

" I am confident that when I get really old, the human lifespan will be extended."

"Cycling is not rocket science."


"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."

The Jens Voigt Soundboard
"I think every cyclist should look a little outside, open up their horizons a little bit and listen and look into other things that are fun. Do what you like and profit from that. If you only go riding, riding, riding all year long for ten years, you will just have a tunnel vision by the end of it. It is good every now and then to get your body to straighten up again and use your upper body a little bit."

What's better than reading a bunch of hilarious Voigt quotes? Hearing them. There exists on the Internet an awesome online soundboard with soundbites of Voigt saying these quotes and more. Check it out here. It's pretty fantastic.

Did we miss any of your favorite Jens Voigt quotes?  Be sure to leave them in the comments section below!  


Quotes via CyclingTips.com.

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