Required reading...

For all you group riding and racing roadies - Here.

Food for thought going into Spring. My favorite one is this:

'When you see a hole in the road, it is absolutely NOT acceptable to yell “HOLE” at the top of your voice, then weave around it at the last minute. It is also unacceptable to yell “SLOWING” when you slow down. If you can’t see the riders in front of you are slowing down, then maybe you should stick to monopoly on a Sunday afternoon."

I have noticed in every Crit that I have done here in Wisconsin some bonehead is constantly yelling about slowing down! It drives me crazy. I learned the fine art of subtle hand signals from the King himself Crusty. No words just a quick wave of the hand, perfect. I am sure he will have a post of his own on the subject, here.

Maybe that's why I haven't done much group riding since moving up here - it's all the noise. Even the first Cross Country MTB race I did there were guys yelling "Slowing" going into every swithcback - Holy Crap! Really do you need to announce that!

I'll jsut keep riding solo, until I find somone with a scooter...

Last Week...

Rode outside.

Was forced back inside.

Got some new sneakers.

Not a bad week. I also ate here twice on Saturday while sneaker shopping. Yes I have a horrible diet I know, but at least I still beat this guy last year in spite of all his good eating habits. Brian Matter is getting ready to kill it on a Blue CXC at Cross Worlds next weekend. You too could be the proud owner of a Blue CXC in the exclusive My Wife Inc livery. LeBam was obsessed with being on YouTube on Saturday and was making music videos all day so she could be famous. She wanted me to give her fashion advice so she could look professional. I told her she shouldn't worry about looking a certain way and to rock her own style. Her response "That's excellent advice Dad. Thanks!" Are all six year old girls like that?

Is it Spring yet?

Rumor Mill...

So I was planning on selling my mountain bike, as I do just about every year, but I might just hold off a year and wait for the bike I have been dreaming of since my first 29er! Looks like I may have to put some endurance MTB races back on my calendar for 2010.

Let's just say 2010 with be an Epic year!

Oh and there is a chance Blue Competition Cycles will have someone on their CXC at Worlds even if JP isn't racing.

Today's show is brought to you by the letter "D"...

Dermatone.

Dumb, Dumb.

Finally got my sorry butt outside for only the second time this year. Way to much trainer time for me already. With the windchill in the single digits it meant breaking out the Dermatone. A hold over from my Mountain Man days this stuff rocks for keeping your face comfy. It acts as a wind barrier when applied to your exposed skin and lips. Its from Sweden so it has to be good right. Anyway it's the real deal, you should pick some up, your LBS can order it from QBP so no excuses!

So I thought I would come home via part of the Oak Leaf trail and avoid some potholes, Dumb idea. The winter walkers hadn't packed it down quite enough yet to make it "easy" going, really they have just chewed it up so that it is unrideable. So I forged fresh tracks, which was a blast until you hit a buried hole, log or frozen squirrel and came to an immediate stop every 50 feet or so. Luckily I wasn't on it too long. It was really nice to be outside, off the trainer enjoying the crisp winter air.
Now if the snow will jsut stay away so the streets stay clear maybe I can make it out for #3 this year.

Enjoy it when you can get it...

Anticipation...

I have a somewhat unhealthy obsession with sneakers. If only bike parts didn't cost so much I would have to build a sneaker room to store them. Currently I am not so patiently awaiting the Spring release from my favorite sneaker company - Onitsuka Tiger.

I really need the weather to break so I can go outside and ride.

Awesomeness...

Punk buttons courtesy of Chad's wife. Super sweet - THANKS!

We have brought another one into our fold - Paul "Chili" Warloski will be flying the Jackalope in 2009.

Last chance to order kit for Spring, the final order is being submitted next week.

Now if I could just get some double digit temperatures so I can venture outside.

Best account of the Euro experience...

Will Dugan of Team Richard Sachs gives an amazing account of his adventures at Euro Cross Camp and beyond.

"HOLY MOLY those guys are so fast. They know how to just attack attack attack. They'll attack just to blow up. It's crazy. But they'll also wait. They don't do that long tt effort. They just snap and bridge."

"The biggest contest is against your own head here: how to you keep the fight at 100% every race, every turn. "

"...but i know what to do in the future. it's a little better to race in the group than to drill it solo and blow completely, and the race isn't over until it's over- sprint to that line!"

Read his entire account here -

http://www.velocipedesalon.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4526

And major CONGRATULATIONS to Wisco Pro Brian Matter for making the US Cross Worlds Team!!

Favorite Bike of 2008...

This was one of my favorite bikes this year. Lisa Strong's custom Titanium Black Sheep. Lisa races for Tough Girl Cycling and is a friend of mine. I snapped these pic at Jingle Cross this year and was hoping to get some better shots at Nationals, but after Lisa's stellar performance in the Masters race she got a little stomach bug and was out of commission the rest of the weekend and I missed my chance. Lisa had James do a titanium fork, which to some may seem odd because of the added weight. Lisa mostly races on super bumpy courses in Colorado and the added comfort from the Ti fork is worth any added weight. The coolest part about having a Ti fork is that you can persuade the builder into welding on an integrated cable hanger for your canti-brakes. How RAD is that!? I often get the question in the shop as to why someone would buy a custom frame if they don't have specific geometry needs - well this is the answer, to get Trick details made for your riding location and style. Lots of people spend time every year trying to build a better mouse trap when it comes to solving front brake cable routing/chatter/shudder issues and this is the best solution I have seen yet!

Super Rad detail!

Custom all the way.

Love it or Hate it...

Well I sent the templates off. So that makes it final right? All it really means is it will take longer for the kit to arrive if I make any more changes. So the "Crusty" orange is a new addition this year. I like that everything on the kit has some sort of story behind it and Crusty begged and pleaded to have some orange on the kit this year (Really he just said "How 'bout some orange?") and I can't let my boy down, and love it or hate it MWI went a little orange. The response to the orange has been... Well my favorite description is - Deliciously Hideous.

Decide for yourself.



Order is going in ASAP! Please send me what you want, next order won't be until July. I have been asked about knee/arm warmers, and it's not a problem I just need a minimum of 10 orders to add them.