The Explainer: Close encounters of the pothole kind

Dear Explainer,
A month ago, I was riding to work on a clearly marked bike lane during a pretty bad rain storm. Nearing the bottom of a hill, a FedEx truck pulled into the bike lane to “double park” while making a delivery. It was foggy – and so were my glasses – and I didn’t see the thing until it was almost too late. I quickly moved out into the flow of traffic and I’ll be damned if I didn’t hit an HUGE, ugly pothole that almost completely swallowed my front wheel and sent me sailing over the bars. As if that wasn’t bad enough, a lady on an electric bike hit my bike and hit the deck, too.

I ended up breaking my wrist, my nose and ripping up my face pretty badly. (I didn’t make it to work that day.) The woman on the electric bike ended up breaking her forearm and completely destroyed my frame (it was carbon), too.

I was thinking about filing suit against FedEx, calmed down a little, but I just got a letter from the electric bike lady’s lawyer which, in addition to asking for my insurance information, also hinted that she might be suing me at some point along the way. What should I do? Should I respond to the letter? So far I haven’t. I’ve also ignored two messages from the guy. I know your normal advice is to hire my own lawyer, but it’s not like you people come cheap and I’m not exactly wealthy, but not poor enough to get free legal services.

Finally, I also want to mention that I am a long-time reader, but this is the first time I’ve ever submitted a question. I want to say how impressed I am with how you managed to keep your sense of humor and to continue writing (and LUGging!) all the way through your treatments. I hope you are recovering and that your medical condition stays good.
— Mitch

Dear Mitch,
Man, talk about having a string of bad luck. It was something of a convergence there, but unfortunately, the problems you encountered are all-too-common dangers out on the roads. You just happened to score on multiple fronts. I wish you a speedy recovery from your injuries.

One thing you don’t mention is whether the accident resulted in the dispatch of police (or ambulance) to the scene. From the sounds of the damage incurred, I have to guess that someone called 9-11 and the cops have a report of the incident.

If so, was anyone ticketed at the scene? The FedEx guy? The woman on the electric bike? You?

Obviously, if there was a citation issued, that may play a role in the case. It’s certainly an indication of who might ultimately be considered to be liable for damages.

And, yes, you’re right. My normal recommendation is to go see a lawyer. I understand how you might “fall through the cracks” by having too much income to qualify for Legal Aid (or similar services), but not enough to be able to afford the hourly fees of a private attorney. It’s something of a dilemma, but with another possible plaintiff making noise about potentially suing you, it might be worth making an inquiry.

It will also help to contact your insurance agent to see what, if any, coverage you have might extend to this accident. You might have liability coverage under your homeowner’s policy that would extend to a situation like this, even though it took place away from your home. In the mean time, keep doing what you’re doing and don’t respond to the letters and phone calls from the woman’s attorney. If you’re covered by insurance, let those guys handle it. If not, yes, get yourself a lawyer, even if it costs you some money.

Frankly, from what you’ve told me, it sounds as if she doesn’t have much of a claim against you. If she ran over the back of you as you went down, it seems to me that you could easily claim she was following too closely … especially for the conditions out on the road at the time. Having a police report would be helpful. It seems to me that the two of you might have similar claims against the same potential defendants than you do against each other. Again, it’s something your lawyer can help sort out.

Who to sue?
Now, as to your thought about suing FedEx, the first thing I would do is check the local ordinances regarding parking in the bike lane. Stupid as it sounds, some municipalities actually allow that kind of stuff to happen. No, I don’t mean the usual example of a poorly designed bike lane with legally parked cars along the side, just waiting to “door” you and other riders. I mean that some communities allow – even encourage – commercial vehicles to pull into the bike lane and stop while making a delivery.

One thing that was unclear from your description was when and how the driver chose to pull into the spot. If he cut you off in an unsafe manner, forcing into traffic on short notice, you may still have a claim, even if your community allows such temporary double parking in a bike lane for purposes of making a delivery.

One thing that intrigues me is the pothole you mentioned. Is it still there? If so, go out and try to get a picture of the thing and, assuming you won’t be in traffic, try to get a measurement of it.

You just might be able to file suit against the locality for its failure to address the problem, if you can show that the agency responsible for maintaining the road knew about the hazard, yet failed to repair or at least warn the public about it. The proximity to the bike lane may also lend further weight to a claim.

When contemplating a claim against the city, here are few things to consider. Was the road hazard the result of a bad repair job by the city? If it’s the result of road work and the repair was either inadequate or as-of-yet incomplete, the agency responsible probably had a duty to offer adequate warning to those who might be caught in it. Was it something that had been around for a while? If the hole out there was just the result of wear-and-tear and weathering, the city would have a “reasonable” amount of time before its duty to repair kicked in. If the pothole had been there for just a few days, you probably don’t have claim. If it’s been there for months and growing worse, a reasonable schedule of road inspections would shift the duty to the city to repair it. From the sounds of it, anything big enough to – as you put it – “ almost completely swallowed my front wheel” might have been there for a while. Have there been other accidents or complaints? A search of public records – usually available under state open records laws – should show if there had been complaints about the hazard. Accident records from the same scene would also provide you with additional firepower if you opt to sue the city.

I am assuming, from the description of the incident, that it took place within city limits. Filing a lawsuit against a city is easier than it is to sue a state agency. It’s an important distinction, because a state agency can claim immunity under the 11th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, while a local government entity can’t. Board of Trustees of University of Alabama v. Garrett, 531 U.S. 356, 369 (2001); Mt. Healthy City School Dist. Bd. of Educ. v. Doyle, 429 U.S. 274, 280 (1977). The only exception might be if a local government was carrying out duties mandated by the state, but blowing off road repairs probably wouldn’t fall under that exception, now would it?

Again, there are a lot of issues that come up in your case and I really believe you do need the assistance of an attorney, whether that’s provided by your insurance company (if the electric bike woman sues you and you’re covered) or a lawyer you hire on your own.

Finally, thank you so much for the kind words. I am not sure how impressive it was that I kept writing, but I appreciate the sentiment. I think I was largely motivated by fear, huge monthly COBRA payments and a touch of boredom. Anyway, all of that is behind me. I went for my first post-chemo quarterly check-up on Friday and the news continues to be good. I am really grateful to you and to others who have expressed support and encouragement over these past few months. Here’s hoping the subject doesn’t come up again, though.
— Charles

P.S. In scouring the mail box for a possible topic this week, I ran across one suggestion from Red Kite’s own Padraig. Long story short, Padraig is a fan of something known as the “stop-as-yield,” meaning that cyclists be granted an exception to the rule that vehicles come to a complete stop at stop signs. Conversely, I am not much of a fan. Would there be interest in a point-counter-point debate on the subject for next week’s column? If so, let me know and weigh in with your own opinions on the subject by sending me an email at Charles@Pelkey.com.

The Explainer is a weekly feature on Red Kite Prayer. If you have a question related to the sport of cycling, doping or the legal issues faced by cyclists of all stripes, feel free to send it directly to The Explainer at Charles@Pelkey.com. PLEASE NOTE: Understand that reading the information contained here does not mean you have established an attorney-client relationship with attorney Charles Pelkey. Readers of this column should not act upon any information contained therein without first seeking the advice of qualified legal counsel licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.

Follow me on Twitter: @Charles_Pelkey

Friday Group Ride #111

I was sitting in my buddy Mike’s office this morning talking about the weekend and a potential ride. There is a 100km brevet going off tomorrow afternoon, which is enticing but for the forecast of low 40s (F) and a probable rain/snow mix. For those of us who rode through an admittedly mild winter, an afternoon spinning through frigid precipitation is about as enticing as a long drink from a Belgian water fountain (see below).

It’s time for the Belgian classics, but we’re over crappy weather here.

That’s when Mike said he was sick of everything being described as Belgian something-or-other, as in Belgian toothpaste (i.e. mud) or Belgian tan lines (i.e. legs coated in dust), etc., etc. You can make up your own versions of these too, for fun and entertainment.

Belgian car wash = mud puddle. Belgian pen = a pencil. Belgian water fountain = the spray off your buddy’s rear wheel. Belgian mayonnaise = um…mayonnaise. Anyway, you get the point.

I said to Mike that I was sympathetic. I believe that wherever enough people are riding bikes there is enough cycling culture to stand on its own. We don’t need, here in New England, to borrow all sorts of Euro-isms, because we have unique riding and weather conditions of our own.

We were Belgian, when Belgium wasn’t cool.

But listen, I am NOT in favor of proscribing language. If people want everything to be Belgian or epic or PRO or whatever, it’s not for me to tell them it shouldn’t be. It’s hard enough to express yourself while employing every bit of cliché or cultural shorthand at your disposal. Life has enough rules. Use whatever words you want.

We are lucky that cycling is rich in idiom. One of my favorites is the French expression for the bonk (itself a great term), which translates to ‘the man with the hammer.’ There are also the ones commentators come out with. I’m fond of Phil Liggett’s description of a rider bridging across to a breakaway, “He’s gone across like a flea jumping on a dog.”

Hell, I even like some of the technical terms we use like torsional stiffness and vertical compliance. Or how about, brake chatter and chain slop?

This week’s Group Ride is about cycling terms and expressions. What are your favorites? Which ones are you sick of? Make some up and share them with the group. Someone come up with a meaning for ‘Luxembourg Handshake.”

 

Follow me on Twitter: @thebicyclerobot

Image: Photoreporter Sirotti

Tour of Flanders – Wild Cards for the Ronde

Before we all (myself included) run away and hand the first three places in Sunday’s Tour of Flanders to Tom Boonen, Fabian Cancellara, and Filippo Pozatto, let’s not forget that there are still 255 kilometers and about 190 other riders standing between these men and a win in one of the sport’s most prestigious monuments.

Here’s a rundown of some wild cards to consider come Sunday:

Peter Sagan – For many, Sagan’s not a wild card—he’s a favorite. But to me, his chances Sunday are bit less certain for one simple reason: his inexperience. The Ronde is a race where knowing the roads and climbs counts for a lot—knowing where to be and when to be there helps on narrow roads that crisscross the Flemish Ardennes. Sagan’s also still more of a sprinter than an attacker. While he’ll certainly be a major threat should a large group hit the line together, I wonder if he can follow the attacks of men like Boonen, Cancellara, and Van Marcke on the Kwaremont and Paterberg.

Vacansoleil – Only two teams boast having a two-time winner of the Tour of Flanders: Omega Pharma-Quick Step and Vacansoleil. Stijn Devolder finally looks as if he’s once again the rider who won the Ronde in 2008 and 2009. His teammate Bjorn Leukemans has finished 8th, 4th, and 7th in the last three editions, while Marco Marcato is proving himself to be a pretty handy cobbler as well. If they ride cohesively Sunday and use their underdog status to their advantage, they could easily pull-off an upset.

Oscar Freire – Freire’s best finish in the Ronde was 24th back in 2004, but the Spaniard finished 2nd at the E3 Prijs and 4th at Ghent-Wevelgem last weekend. His GW result was no surprise—it’s a sprinter’s race and the Freire’s won it before. But the E3 Prijs? That’s not the kind of race where we would expect Freire to perform well as sprinters like Freire often don’t survive the constant pace changes of the E3’s difficult route. That said, Freire’s Katusha squad is surprisingly strong and boasts a talented and experienced lieutenant in Luca Paolini. If he can stay out of trouble and some how survive a dense stretch of bergs between kilometers between kilometers 208 and 242, Freire could pull-off the one of the most surprising wins of his career.

Team Sky – Sky’s seemed to have a lost a bit of swagger since Bradley Wiggins won Paris-Nice and Mark Cavendish and Edvald Boasson Hagen looked as if they could go 1-2 in Milan-San Remo. They now head to the Ronde with Boasson Hagen and the Spanish cobble stalwart, Juan Antonio Flecha. Flecha hasn’t raced since breaking a bone in his hand earlier this month, but still bears watching this weekend—even if he doesn’t have the legs to be his team’s captain, he’ll certainly prove to be a valuable domestique and valuable decoy for his Norwegian teammate.

BMC – After signing Philippe Gilbert and Thor Hushovd this past off-season, BMC had a right to expect big things at the Tour of Flanders. But with Gilbert and Hushovd out of shape (Gilbert) and recovering from illness (Hushovd), the team will likely be turning to Alessandro Ballan, George Hincapie, and Greg Van Avermaet in this year’s Ronde. Of those three, Ballan’s been the most impressive so far and as a former Ronde-winner, will likely be the team’s most protected rider. There’s also the poetic justice to consider: a Ronde victory from one of the team’s “original” classics stars would add an interesting twist to the team’s off-season spending-spree.

Leif Hoste – Hoste was the Ronde’s runner-up in 2006 and 2007. That was indeed a long time ago, but something tells me the Accent.jobs-Willems Verandas rider has one more high finish in him. He’s enjoyed a trouble-free build-up; he’ll have the entire team at his disposal; and he’s riding with a chip on his shoulder as his team was (justifiably) left off the list for Paris-Roubaix.

The Weather – The current forecast calls for a mostly cloudy day with only a 20-percent chance of rain and temperatures hovering around 50 degrees. Then again, this is Belgium and we’re still a few days out—things can change quickly.

The Course – Perhaps the biggest wild card of all, the Ronde’s new course will certainly throw a wrinkle into some riders’ plans. Three trips over the Kwaremont and the Paterberg (the last of which comes only 13-kilometers from the line) will certainly make tactics interesting while negating the chances, in my opinion, that we’ll see a large group sprint. Tactics will play a tremendous role and at least one favorite could be caught-off guard by being either too aggressive or too hesitant.

So while you’ll hear a lot about Boonen, Cancellara, (Vanmarcke if you listen to me), and Pozatto over the next few days, don’t forget that wild cards often play a big role in the cobbled classics. Even with a stacked field and a new course, this year might be no different.

 

Follow me on Twitter: @whityost

Image: Photoreporter Sirotti

 

 

The Walz Wool Cap

The world is full of cycling caps, and they are not all created equal. Walz makes their hats, by hand, in the USA. Whether or not their handmade-ness or their USA-ness are behind the quality and comfort of the final product is not for me to say. What I will say is that Walz makes a great cap.

Let me start by saying what I appreciated most about this four-panel hat, is that it didn’t require breaking in. It was comfortable from the first wearing, and by the third or fourth already seemed like an old friend. I have owned all manner of cycling head wear, cotton, wool and synthetic, and without exception it takes time to break in. Not Brooks saddle time, but time. My Walz cap did not.

My wife approved it for off-bike wear despite violation of the strict prohibition against wearing cycling caps whilst not cycling. Her approval is a big deal, since any other time I summon the temerity to keep my hat on in a restaurant or at the grocery store she flashes me that reproachful glance that says, “Really? Must you?”

Another plus for this cap is that its fit is not tight/not loose, so you can fit a beanie underneath when it’s really cold, but then not end up with a distended pancake on your head when the weather warms up enough to allow for wearing it on its own. I have an average size head, and the small/medium was just right.

I also appreciated the minimal but highly effective sweat band around the interior, which kept the sweat-wet wool from irritating my forehead. At the same time, this cap breathes extremely well. The wool manages to be both thick and airy at the same time. I have not in 30-40 wearings been able to make this hat stink, which is saying more than you can imagine.

Above and beyond the quality of the hat though, I appreciate that someone makes hats that I want to wear regardless of what might be printed on the brim or the side panel. Sure, I have a collection of cycling caps that broadcast my brand preferences and all the subtle, inside jokes that mark me out as an annoying cyclo-dork, but Walz gives me the option of just wearing something for its pure function, a function it serves very well.

 

Specialized 74 Road Shoes and Gloves

Every now and then I run across a product that seems to have weaknesses equal to its strengths. As a reviewer, that leaves me in a quandary. Because I write about more than product, and really don’t want the mind-numbing job of trying to write about every single road-oriented product on the market (a task so large that it simply isn’t achievable), I’ve chosen to focus on products that excite and I believe are worthy of some attention and market share. The upshot is that I tend to get steered into higher-end products and don’t do a lot on more budget-oriented items even when there are great ones out there. Well, that and I use it as an opportunity, generally speaking, to avoid having a go at a product that I consider inferior. As my review of the Colnago CLX 2.0 last year showed, even after lambasting that bike (no matter how reluctantly) a couple of readers took the opportunity to write in to say they purchased the bike and loved it.

There’s no point in dragging this out in some overly dramatic build-up. I have a serious degree of ambivalence for the Specialized ’74 Road Shoes. I’ll do what I can to keep this simple and direct. Okay, genuine selling point: The FACT carbon sole is both stiff and light. My sense is that it’s not quite as stiff as the Easton carbon sole, but it’s stiffer than everything else I’ve ridden so far. Another genuine selling point: double Boa closures. There’s not another system on the planet that results in a more precise fit for cycling shoes. No matter how much I might like some other systems, Boa is simply better. Another selling point: Kangaroo leather. Try these shoes on and you’ll be reminded of just how soft and supple a cycling shoe can be. I couldn’t tell you the last time I wore a cycling shoe that featured leather this soft. It might be a pair of Sidis I had back in the 1980s. I can certainly list a dozen pairs of shoes I’ve worn that aren’t anywhere as soft as these.

 

Then there’s the look. The simple black leather with the red/orange/yellow tag and yellow stitching, not to mention the single Specialized “S” logo on the toe and the “74″ on the outside of the heel, makes these shoes as agreeable to look at as Grace Kelly in Rear Window—classic and classy. They are a serious departure from the typical S-Works product even though they are built on a decidedly S-Works platform.

So there’s plenty to recommend these shoes. That said, I haven’t had the shoes long enough to find out if the kangaroo leather will stretch with repeated riding. My circa 1980s Sidis stretched terribly when I switched from clips and straps to clipless pedals; the eyelets almost pulled through. But a bit of stretch could serve these shoes well for any number of people, especially those who, like me, have a high-volume foot. So that’s only a maybe problem.

What troubles me about this shoe is the last two inches of it. If you’ve seen any of the display ads for the 74 shoe, it is placed alongside an original Specialized cycling shoe from that era. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the heel cup curls down around the ankle and then rises high in back to keep the foot secure, even under the force of a sprint. The 74 shoe is cut less on a curve; it looks a lot like those other cycling shoes that were on the market in the ’70s and ’80s. While the heel rises nearly as high as the comparable S-Works shoe, it doesn’t rise as high and the difference in feel is noticeable … and disconcerting.

Look, I haven’t done a full-on sprint in these shoes and pulled out a la Tom Schuler at the US Pro Championships back in ’86. And I don’t even have the right to say I could. It might never happen. However, the feeling that my heel is not as secure as it is in a shoe that runs $40 less (more on that in a sec), is distinct and has caused me to throttle back efforts because I don’t feel secure enough. And because the S-Works shoe runs $360, that $40 premium means these retail for a not insignificant $400.

As I said, there’s a lot to like about these shoes, but my issues with the heel cup and the fact that I simply don’t feel as secure when wearing this shoe as I do when pedaling away in its sibling has the bummer factor of finding out your favorite beer is made using child labor. Really? What gives? Can’t they fix that?

But damn, they look cool.

On a brighter note, the gloves are wonderful, full stop. While many Pittards-leather gloves can go for $60 or more, the 74 glove is a long-finger glove that is only $55. Pairing the gloves and shoes with an understated kit will make for stylish appearance, there’s no doubt. It’s worth noting that the back of the hand features four Lycra gussets to improve fit and flexibility. And while they look good on my hands as i ride, they’d be an even better accessory were I driving a Porsche. On a more technical note, I tend to wear gloves like this in cool but not cold conditions; I prefer them from the low 50s to the low to mid 60s. They also have the advantage of coming in a whopping five sizes. Those of you with big hands who have had trouble finding gloves big enough to accommodate your mits might appreciate the XL and XXL sizes.

I suspect that after I return to wearing the S-Works shoes, each time I pull these gloves on I’ll continue to wish the 74 shoe fit better than it did. Of course, I can keep them around for recovery rides and those breezy jaunts when you don’t want to feel anything more than the wind in your face. For that, these shoes may be perfect.

 

State of the Blog

I’m a selfish bastard.

I needed to get that out there so that we’d all be clear about where I’m coming from. I created RKP so I could write about the things I want to write about, things that it used to be wouldn’t get traction with any of the magazines. Now that has changed, but the freedom that I took here (and before this at BKW) helped lead the way for the opportunities I’m afforded elsewhere.

But, like I said, I’m selfish bastard. That’s why RKP isn’t just my voice, but also includes Robot, Charles Pelkey, John Wilcockson, Whit Yost and Jeremy Rauch. I’m a fan of each of them. So RKP isn’t just a measure of what I’d like to write, but also what I’d like to read. You might say RKP isn’t so much a vanity press as a selfish press. I need to clarify here that Pelkey was a friend, so it wasn’t a big stretch to give him a call, but Wilcockson, on the other hand, wasn’t someone I really knew; reaching out to him felt a bit like trying to date above my pay grade. His interest in RKP was tantamount to a lingering look through long lashes by the prettiest girl in the room.

Really? Moi?

When I brought on these new voices, it was with the intention of increasing the amount of content available to you, dear reader. Publishing seven days a week with double posts on some days is what I had in mind and what we achieved, until recently. Here’s where I apologize for having been off our game—well, I’ve been off my game. If you follow us on Twitter or Facebook (or me personally on Facebook) then you might have caught that I’ve had an illness or two. The fact is, I’ve spent most of the last two months destroyed by a series of flus propagated by my young son. And for reasons I can’t fathom or explain, I’ve been largely unable to write through this. Truly, I’m sorry for delivering less content than I intended. This is less about what you expected of us than what I expected of myself. The good news is I’m better and there’s a fire burning.

RKP could be said to be an elaborate thought experiment: What happens if your first concern is the quality of the writing rather than being the first to review the latest gonkulator? I’ve never been absolutely certain that the choices I’ve made will “pay off” in any traditional sense, but part of my guiding vision could also be said to be the moral compass imparted to me by my parents. I believe that guys like Pelkey and Wilcockson have earned their stripes and have the right to be heard by an audience, rather than throttled back to monthly missives when the Tour isn’t going.

We’ve picked up a number of new readers in the last three or four months. Seeing the readership grow has been more rewarding than getting a clean bill of health from a doctor. With that new traffic has come a big increase in the number of comments some posts receive. For the most part, that has gone well. There have been, however, a few folks who believe that the duty of the commenter is to say something nasty and check out. Just to be super-explicit, I want to take a moment to say that’s not how we play here. We begin with the basic assumption that because you’re a cyclist, you’re a friend. Maybe we haven’t met, but we’re kindred spirits; in that we trust. You may have noticed us dress down an occasionally snarky comment. I can’t stress how important it is that we keep the comments section a safe place for rational, if spirited, conversation. The moment it becomes okay to insult another reader that conversation shuts down. It’s a bit like going to a dinner part and insulting the wife of your host. Really puts a damper on the evening; even the lampshade on the head loses its funny. As proof, I offer the stream of comments that have followed Robot’s last two Friday Group Rides. People wouldn’t have shared poignant memories of bikes if they had suspected they risked being ridiculed for keeping around an old Stumpjumper. And we’d all be poorer for it. I’ve relished reading about so many old bikes and what made them special.

People have come to me on several occasions and suggested that we start a forum. The Friday Group Ride is our forum. And it’s better than any forum I’ve ever visited precisely because it stays cordial. It’s a lot of work to read every comment and gently police what’s said, but what we get out of it is worth it. And hopefully, in sharing, you feel a greater sense of connection and ownership with the blog.

Which brings me to the commercial side of RKP. You’ve probably noted an increase in advertising ’round these parts. I hope that you’ll take some stock of just who advertises with us. Each and every advertiser we have has stepped forward to say they believe in what we do. It’s a true industry endorsement. And I can say that with a straight face for a couple of reasons. First, we don’t have an ultra-experienced ad sales guy plugging ads into an ad service widget that will serve up views by the thousand. We’re low-tech and unsophisticated, insofar as our ad sales strategy goes. The companies you see at the right have had their eyes on us and it means the world to me. The horsepower they bring is how I’m able to present the likes of Pelkey and Wilcockson. Even if you don’t buy a bike from Specialized or a pair of bibs from Assos, I hope that you’ll think better of them for the support they offer us. They deserve at least that, in my opinion.

Helping round out our “revenue stream” are the odds and ends we sell in our store. I’ve got a few updates on the scene.

The Roubaix shirt is back, and just in the nick of time. Also, we’re about to do another kit order. If you’d like to save 15% on an RKP kit, you can join the pre-order and get the stuff a bit quicker; we’ll have stock on the kit in case the timing of this doesn’t work for you. This order will mark the first time that we’ve offered the jersey and bibs separately. Watch for a post on this coming soon.

As I mentioned, I’m a selfish bastard. Which is how the image of a 25-year-old T-shirt came to lead this post. At the point I bought that T I didn’t fully understand how cool, how amazing, how dominant Eddy Merckx was. I just knew he was the best. My appreciation of that shirt has grown over the years, despite its ever-increasing threadbare existence. But that shirt is stylish and speaks to legions of devoted cyclists in a way few shirts I’ve ever owned could. It’s not dorky like most century T-shirts and the fact that the art is stylish and eye-catching gives it cred in a way that cycling Tees rarely achieve even when they’ve escaped dorkdom.

So, none of that proves I’m selfish. This does: I wanted more shirts like that. And other stuff, too. The stickers, the Suffer T-shirt, the kit, it’s all stuff I wanted for myself. That other folks like it is really, truly, amazingly cool. I’m letting you in on this because I want to be clear with you; most of this stuff is being sold less for the chance to make money on it than I needed to order a bunch of whatever it is just so I could have two or three of them in my wardrobe.

In the not-too-distant future we’ll be offering a few new tidbits to you; again, this is about stuff that I wanted for myself. They weren’t borne of a need to find a way to make a buck on a commemorative bottle opener. To that end, there will be a ball cap, which will look more or less exactly like this:

Except without the cat hair … and the back will say “to suffer is to learn.” There will also be a new T-shirt which might turn a head or two; those of you who were Bicycle Guide readers and recall the illustrations of Bill Cass are in for a real treat. Those of you unfamiliar with his work are in for the same treat, as it turns out.

Our other effort here is perhaps the strangest thing I’ve considered. That you are even finding out about this has everything to do with Robot; it was his suggestion—”Why don’t you sell them?”—that is the reason you’re even finding out about this little effort. And what is the effort? Well, back in the 1970s and ’80s I was really into cool belt buckles. I had a big brass Peterbilt one, plus some amazing rock band ones, my favorite being my Led Zeppelin one. God only knows what became of them. I never really stopped digging cool belt buckles, though. Well, I found a company that will do an incredible zinc-cast belt buckle of the RKP logo. It’ll be three inches wide by two inches high and a quarter inch thick. Solid and sturdy. Gorgeous, too.

This is the designer’s approximation of what it will look like. This will be a one-off effort. I’m doing a short run of them and Robot has convinced me that there are at least a few of you who might dig having one. So here’s your chance. They are not going to be cheap. Depending on just how many of you order one they’ll be between $40 and $50. If you’re interested, say so in the comments and I’ll be in touch. And let me be ultra-clear: The only way to get this is to pre-order. I will not be stocking these.

As it turns out, I’ve saved the biggest news for last. Charles Pelkey will be bringing even more of his talent to RKP this year. RKP will be running Charles’ inimitable Live Update Guy race commentary for some of the season’s marquee events. If all goes according to plan, we will begin with Paris-Roubaix, but the bulk of the coverage will be focused on, as usual, the Grand Tours. And to make sure the Charles is properly rewarded for his efforts, we’ve added another talented guy to our ad sales team, Nick Ramey. Nick‘s been in the biz for ages and has sold advertising for some of the best-respected publications out there, including Bicycling and VeloNews. How we got access to his talent is yet another mind boggling development.

Now, more than ever, thanks for reading.

Tuesdays with Wilcockson: Tales of the water bottle

 Fausto Coppi and Jean Robic ascend l’Alpe d’Huez with stem-mounted water bottles

Of all things, the water bottle has been in the news this past week. First came the loose bottle on the ground at a feed zone that caused Volta a Catalunya favorite Alejandro Valverde to crash and later pull out of the race. In Belgium, world champion Mark Cavendish accused a Katusha team rider of throwing a bottle into his wheel and making him crash near the end of the Across Flanders race. And then there was a pronouncement from the UCI that, among other new regulations, the world’s governing body will soon be banning aerodynamically shaped bottles.

This is all a far cry from the origins of racers carrying drinks on their bikes. A century ago, they’d either have a small flask in a jersey pocket or a bottle stuffed into a small bag strapped to their handlebars. The next innovation, just before World War I, was a metal cage fixed to the front of the bars that had room for two aluminum water bottles (or bidons, as they’re called in French).

Water wasn’t the only thing that bike racers kept in their bidons, of course. Some liked tea or coffee, others even carried wine or beer with them. And a hip flask in a pocket might contain whiskey, brandy … or more suspicious potions. The first big scandal involving a bidon, at least at the Tour de France, came in 1911.

Frenchman Paul Duboc was challenging Tour leader Émile Georget after winning the first of two stages in the Pyrenees. Duboc then attacked from the start of the second one, a 326-kilometer trek through the mountains from Luchon to Bayonne. Georget stayed with Duboc over the first two climbs, but couldn’t hold his wheel over the mighty Col du Tourmalet. Then, starting the next climb, with Duboc holding a commanding lead, disaster struck.

Race director Henri Desgrange later described how he came around a turn to find Duboc sitting at the side of the road “in a terrible state, struck with nausea that had turned him green, and suffering from terrible diarrhea and painful vomiting.” The rider had just drunk something handed to him at the feed zone in Argelès. Desgrange continued: “I smelled a bidon at his side and it didn’t appear to me to have the odor of tea.” A former Tour rider (probably with a grudge) was later identified as handing Duboc a drink laced with something poisonous in the feed zone.

My own first memories of water bottles date from the time my father was getting ready to ride a 24-hour time trial in England. He was mixing a concoction of food supplements including a wheat-based one called Froment, which he poured into his aluminum bottles. It didn’t smell too good, and it certainly didn’t make me want to take up bike racing!

Perhaps the strongest ingredient placed into a bottle was the lead shot that that the French team manager Léon Le Calvez inserted into an aluminum bidon for his star climber (and former Tour de France winner) Jean Robic at the 1953 Tour. Robic was lightweight, even for a cyclist, and Le Calvez reasoned that adding 20 pounds to Robic’s bike for the downhills would help him descend much faster. They would attempt the experiment on a Pyrenean stage heading to Luchon.

Robic, who was already leading the stage by a minute after climbing the Tourmalet, stopped so his mechanic could run up and fix an apparent problem, but unseen by the commissaires he’d secreted the heavy bidon in his coveralls and placed it in Robic’s bottle cage. It was potentially a great plan, but Robic couldn’t control his unbalanced bike on the short uphill stretch to the summit and toppled over, with the lead bidon tipping out on the side of the road. Robic continued without it, and despite his light build he stayed clear of the chasers and won the stage and took over the yellow jersey.

Perhaps it was poetic justice that, two days later, Robic crashed when he touched the wheel of the rider ahead of him on a fast descent. He was knocked out and ended up in the back group, losing 38 minutes and any chance he had of winning a second Tour. In any case, Robic’s “heavy bidon” was banned before it was ever used, and it would have been an unlikely scheme when aluminum was replaced by the plastic bidon in the mid-’50s.

However, a couple of plastic bidons filled with water is still heavy enough to help a light rider go faster downhill. Maybe the UCI should ban that idea, too! But at least one rider has been disqualified from the Tour de France for illegal use of a water bottle. This happened on stage 6 of the 1997 Tour, when Belgian national champion Tom Steels got incensed when he had to stop pedaling in a chaotic, mass-sprint finish, pulled a bidon from his down-tube bottle cage and threw it at French sprinter Frédéric Moncassin. The commissaires didn’t like that and threw Steels out of the race.

Bidons have become a hot souvenir item, particular for fans who position themselves at the end of feed zones. They’re hoping that riders jettison their empty bottles before replacing them with new ones from the musette bags handed up by their team soigneurs at the feed zone.

Keeping riders fueled has become one of a team’s major tasks, with sophisticated energy drinks, gels and other race food replacing those odd concoctions like my dad used in his 24-hour time trials. I’m glad that by the time I began racing, there were plastic bidons that kept water fresher than the aluminum ones. Today, there are even insulated bidons, with double-wall construction and a reflective foil layer, which keep your drinks cooler for longer.

But, reading the latest UCI regulation on bottles that comes into effect next year, such bottles may not conform to the new standard bidon size of between 4 and 10 centimeters diameter. But whatever the size, if it’s dropped on the road, falls into a wheel, is filled with poison or lead, or thrown at a rival sprinter, the bidon will still do some damage!

 

Follow me on Twitter: @johnwilcockson

Image: John Pierce, Photosport International

Five Thoughts From Flanders

 

Here are some thoughts on a terrific weekend of racing in Flanders.

1. Tom Boonen’s not fooling anyone.

Despite declaring Fabian Cancellara the top favorite for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, Boonen’s wins in the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen and Ghent-Wevelgem make his comments hard to believe. Of his two victories, Boonen’s E3 victory (his record-setting fifth) is by far the more impressive of the two, as it came in an event much more akin to the Ronde. At Ghent-Wevelgem, Boonen was much more free to sit in the bunch, make the important selections, and let his team do most of the work for him. At times, there were even questions as to whether Boonen had made the leading group at all. Then again, all of Boonen’s top rivals were present in the finales of both races—the Belgian simply proved himself to be the better sprinter.

2. Filippo Pozatto is back to where he was in 2009 physically—but tactically?

After he won the E3 Prijs in 2009 it was clear to everyone that Pippo was going to be Tom Boonen’s biggest challenger at that year’s Flanders and Roubaix. Unfortunately, word never got to Pozatto that “keeping an eye on Tom Boonen” didn’t mean marking him so closely that he marked himself out of the race as well. For Pozatto that spring, being a “wheel watcher” meant much more than being a fan of Pat Sajak.

This year, if he wants to take his first win in a cobbled Monument, Pozatto will have to start racing to win—as opposed to racing to not be beaten. He’s riding for one of the strongest teams in the race with a lieutenant (Oscar Gatto) that many teams (like RadioShack-Nissan) would love to have complementing their captains. Better still, I suspect that Pozatto’s injury and subsequent (albeit brief) time off the bike means he has more form to gain. Boonen and Cancellara—the latter especially—run the risk of topping-out before the end of the cobbled fortnight. Pozatto might continue to get stronger.

3. It’s only a matter of time before Sep Vanmarcke wins Flanders, Roubaix, or both.

If the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the E3 Prijs are any indication, the budding rivalry between Vanmarcke and Boonen will be one of the highlights of the next two weeks. A smart, aggressive rider who appears undaunted by the competition, Garmin-Barracuda’s Vanmarcke has twice been the first rider to follow Boonen’s accelerations on the Taaienberg (although just barely on Friday). He’s already been named Garmin’s captain for the cobbles and with an in-form Johan Van Summeren serving as super-domestique, the American team could easily grab its second cobbled Monument in as many years. As for the 23-year-old Vanmarcke, there’s seemingly no limit to what he might achieve. He’s one of the most exiting riders of the season’s still-young spring campaign.

4. Philippe Gilbert’s Flanders is lost and he needs to act quickly if he wishes to contend in the Ardennes.

If you follow me on Twitter (@whityost), you’ve heard me say this before: Philippe Gilbert needs to skip Flanders, fly to Spain, and complete the Tour of the Basque Country if he wishes to have any chance of defending his titles in the Ardennes. Gilbert’s obviously been lacking the race mileage of his peers and could quickly gain some with a week of tough racing in Spain. Better still, he’ll avoid the media scrum of one of the world’s toughest press corps. Lastly, BMC has more than enough talent to spare the spot—especially if Thor Hushovd does indeed return to form. Like many, I am disappointed that we will not see the Belgian drie-kleur on the top step of the Ronde’s podium in Oudenaarde Sunday—especially as the course looked to suit King Phil’s style of racing.

5. If Filippo Pozatto, Sep Vanmarcke, or Tom Boonen wins the Tour of Flanders, he will likely have Oscar Gatto, Johan Van Summeren, or Sylvain Chavanel to thank for it.

History has shown that the world’s most successful one-day riders take the line with at least one teammate capable of winning the event as well. This year, Pozatto, Vanmarcke, and Boonen can rest easily knowing that they each have lieutenants capable of easing some of the pressure by covering late-race moves, putting other teams on the defensive, and ensuring that their captains won’t be isolated when the manure hits the fan. And who knows, should things go their way, we could see one Gatto, Van Summeren, and/or Chavanel on the final podium Sunday.

One final note: I’m heading to Belgium this Thursday and will be staying through Paris-Roubaix. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@whityost) for updates and insights from the thick of the action.

 

Image: Photoreporter Sirotti

The Explainer: Spring break, TV woes and gentlemen’s agreements

Dear Readers,
As some of you might have heard, I took last week off to spend a little time with my son on a short vacation to Nebraska.

Yup, Nebraska. Sure, it’s one of the states out here in the Big Empty of America and not exactly the place that tops the list of most people’s spring break destinations, but it was spectacular.

We drove to the middle of Nebraska and worked our way up and down the roads along the Platte River between Kearney and Grand Island to watch the Sand Hill Cranes, who are out there fattening up before continuing on their way north for the summer. It’s quite a sight and it’s something I would recommend to anyone who has a chance to stop by that part of the country at this time of year. Like clockwork, the cranes, who spend their days picking up left-over corn from farmers’ fields, return to the river to spend the night, listening for the sounds of predators approaching through the water.

At dawn, they take off and head to the fields where they can see any threats that will send them up into the air on quick notice. Last Sunday morning, we were below a flyover that included between 60,000 and 80,000 birds. That alone made the trip worth it, even though my own photos of that spectacular event were blurry at best.

Anyway, in checking my in-box upon my return, I thought I’d tackle a couple of questions that allow me to stay true to my reluctance to constantly dive into doping issues. Just as a reminder, if you have any questions related to cycling, cyclists’ rights, legal issues faced by the two-wheeled crowd and, yes even doping, drop me a line at Charles@Pelkey.com.
- Charles

Has the Internet killed the video star?
Hi Charles:
Not sure if the Explainer or someone at Red Kite Cycling could tackle this one, but I’m curious about the future of cycling on TV in the U.S.

There’s been a confusing series of mergers as Versus was swallowed up by NBC, which was then eaten by Comcast. During last year’s cycling season, I could find events on both Versus and Universal Sports channels. But now as I look at the lineup on the new NBC Sports channel, I find little or no coverage of anything cycling-related (I also miss ski racing as well).

I’ve read that Versus “Epic Cycle” brand will continue with the Tour de France, Tour of California and USA Pro Cycling Challenge. But what about all the great European classics, not to mention the Giro and the Vuelta which I watched last year on Universal? Am I doomed to real-time streaming via dodgy internet links?

Thanks,
— Eric

Dear Eric,
I was curious about that, too, but from the looks of it the mergers-and-acquisitions have not killed cycling on American TV.

The Folks at Versus will be offering some coverage of the Criterium International on Sunday March 25, but it appears that will just be a wrap-up with highlights. According to their schedule, we can see the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Fleche-Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, California, the Dauphine, The Tour de Suisse and the biggie, the Tour de France, this season.

You will, in other words, get a full dose of Phil and Paul … assuming you light the blue touchpaper and get cable TV in time.

Notably absent on that schedule, of course, are the Giro and the Vuelta, grand tours I actually prefer over the Tour at times. For those, you may have to turn to Universal. If history is an indicator, it may be that you have no choice but to opt for streaming video, for a fee. I’ve actually long been a fan of streaming video and, yes, I agree it can be dodgy at times. Nonetheless, the quality has been improving over the years and with the 13mb connection I have, even out here in the wilds of Wyoming, I can often not tell the difference between that and regular TV.

Frankly, I am not sure what the future of cycling – or any other programming for that matter – might be on traditional television. With improving web technology and the à la carte menu of programming available on the web these days, we long ago abandoned cable TV in our house. I am not sure that’s a realistic option for all, since most traditional orb sports (football, baseball and basketball) tend to be limited to cable and broadcast TV. But since I never watch those anyway, it was an easy call for us to make.

Assuming your à la carte menu of programming includes a healthy dose of bike racing, it’s worth bookmarking Steephill.tv. The Steven Hill, the guy in charge of the site, works his tail off to provide you with a list of options available to television viewers, web watchers and even those who like to get a text feed on their phones (or the office computer during working hours). Indeed, Hill has even included a link to my own LiveUpdateGuy.com when I offer coverage.

Speaking of LUG, by the way, I will probably do some live coverage in advance of the grand tours this year. I am still working on the details and coordinating with friends, colleagues and photographers to get the necessary elements in line to do Paris-Roubaix. If we get the kinks worked out, you’ll be able to access that feed right here on Red Kite Prayer. As usual, I don’t offer much video (unless you count Monty Python’s “Bicycle Repairman!” sketch as cycling video), but I do try to keep a running update of current race details, strategies and the usual commentary that occasionally devolves into snark. Stay tuned to RKP or LiveUpdateGuy.com for further details.
- Charles

What happened to civility?
Good evening Charles,
Hope all is well for you and family out in Wyoming!

I read a comment today from Jose’ Azevedo about the stage 3 debacle in Catalunya that got me wondering something. Jose’ was talking about the crash that happened 5k into the stage and said something to the effect that the peloton would usually wait for everyone to get back on their bikes. “Not anymore. There was no waiting. It’s a war out there every day and there is no solidarity. It’s unbelievable,” he said.

Was / is there a “gentlemen’s agreement” in the peloton to cover things like this? I’ve heard this bit of etiquette mentioned before as in “no attacks when the leader takes a nature break or no attacks in the feed zone.

Is chivalry truly dead?
Thanks,
— Dan

Dear Dan,
Every few years, cycling turns its attention to the “unwritten rules of the peloton” or the “gentelmen’s agreement” not to profit from the misfortunes of others.

Most of us recall that the subject came up more than once in the 2010 Tour de France. Remember the peloton-wide neutralization that occurred on Stage 2 from Brussels to Spa in Belgium? With Sylvain Chavanel off the front, riders in the peloton were involved in as many as 60 crashes on narrow and slippery roads. Race leader Fabian Cancellara, with the support of many others in the field, moved to the front and slowed the entire peloton to what Britain’s Telegraph newspaper described as a “grandfatherly” pace.

Riders had concluded that it was both dangerous to ride on those roads at speed and that it was unfair to the many crash victims to attack at such an inopportune moment, especially that early in a three-week grand tour. Fans’ reactions were mixed, as I recall, with some applauding the decision and others suggesting the riders were either lazy or cowards (an easy critique usually offered from the comfort of a living room couch).

Flash forward two weeks later, on Stage 15 from Pamiers to Bagnères-de-Luchon, when race leader Andy Schleck famously dropped his chain as he neared the top of the Port de Bales. Denis Menchov and Alberto Contador moved past Schleck and we suddenly had what we now call “chaingate” (the “gate” element being Richard Nixon’s lasting contribution to the English language, I guess). Contador denied knowing that Schleck had suffered a mechanical and, if true, I certainly can’t fault his DS for not radioing him the news and asking him to wait. Schleck’s net loss was right around the amount of time by which he lost the overall Tour title, so the controversy has stayed alive … even now, since Schleck has since been declared the winner of that edition of the Tour (for reasons we all know).

I think another terrific example of how the “unwritten rules” come into play is the 11th stage of the 2004 Vuelta a España. As is common in the Vuelta, the day’s attacks started early that day and Dave Zabriskie (U.S. Postal) went off on his own by the fifth kilometer. Not long after he slipped away, there was a crash that took out Alejandro Valverde (Kelme), who was second on GC (behind Zabriskie’s teammate Floyd Landis) and leading the combined classification at the time. Out of respect for the injuries Valverde suffered the peloton rode the entire stage at a relatively moderate pace, while Zabriskie was off on his own, riding what turned out to be a 161km individual time trial.

Now contrast that stage and stage 2 at the 2010 Tour with the second stage of the 1999 Tour de France. Recall that the stage included the now infamous Passage du Gois.  Timed to coincide with low tide, the route took riders across a rough, slippery 3km road that spends a good portion of the day under water. Sure enough there was a big crash involving dozens of riders, including GC contender Alex Zülle (Banesto), who eventually finished second overall, by a margin roughly equivalent to the time he lost that day.

Those that escaped the carnage (including that year’s overall winner) didn’t hesitate for a moment. Unwritten rules or no, they punched it and they punched it hard. Early in the Tour and the GC had already been shaken up quite seriously. Depending on your perspective, it was ungentlemanly behavior … or, as they say, “that’s bike racing.”

And that brings me to the question you raised. Is cycling more or less civilized now? The problem with “unwritten rules” and “gentlemen’s agreements” is that they’re unwritten. The behavior is dictated by tradition. There are times when tradition still plays a role. There are plenty of recent examples of when it did. Other times it won’t. There are plenty of examples when it didn’t … even in the Golden Years of cycling. Competitors in any sport face an array of pressures from directors, sponsors and fans and sometimes, that can all combine to cause some to forget the dictates of tradition.

Frankly, I don’t see a significant lessening of compliance with those unwritten rules of the peloton. The history of the sport is rife with examples dating back to its origins of riders taking advantage of others’ misfortunes to move up on GC. We tend to forget a lot of those and at times recall only those memorable incidents when our long-passed heroes of the road rode and acted under a code of cycling chivalry. I think rather than a general decline in civility, though, I can attribute much of it to our somewhat selective memories.
— Charles

Photo Credit: William Walker

The Explainer is a weekly feature on Red Kite Prayer. If you have a question related to the sport of cycling, doping or the legal issues faced by cyclists of all stripes, feel free to send it directly to The Explainer at Charles@Pelkey.com. PLEASE NOTE: Understand that reading the information contained here does not mean you have established an attorney-client relationship with attorney Charles Pelkey. Readers of this column should not act upon any information contained therein without first seeking the advice of qualified legal counsel licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.

Follow me on Twitter: @Charles_Pelkey

Friday Group Ride #110

I am about to buy a new bike. Never mind which bike. It’s a bike that I will love. It’s the one I want the most right now. It’s another bike, but it’s a solution for a problem I didn’t know I had, but am now very concerned about.

Of course, I already have a bike for every reason I can think of to have a bike. I have five of them. I had more, but I gave some away, and I sold others to make room for new ones. They were all, at one time or another, the bike I wanted the most.

And because I’m like you, and you’re like me, there is always that bike, the next bike, and I am always having that internal conversation over which bike it should be and the follow on conversation about how I’m going to go about paying for it.

My latest idea is to sell my vinyl record collection. Let’s not discuss this part of the plan any further. My gatefold, lime-green version of Zen Arcade has been a prized possession since I was about 20. The idea that I am somehow “done with it” has already precipitated an ontological crisis I’m not yet emotionally prepared to share with you.

Moving on.

This week’s Group Ride is a pretty simple one: Of the bikes you own right now, which one is most important and why? Another way to think of the question is this: If you had to get rid of all the bikes you own but one, which would you keep?

I am not concerned with which bike might be the ideal, single solution to riding, racing, and commuting. We all know the answer to that question is a disc-brake cross bike with an internal hub, rear rack and dyno hub. Each of us will buy that bike next year when it makes up 65% of the new bikes on the market.

No. I want to know which of your bikes is most important to you, the one hanging in pride of place in the garage. Or maybe you don’t have a garage, and the bike lives inside with you. It’s house broken. Maybe you even have a nice wooden wall rack for it. That’s the bike I want to know about. Why is it where it is?

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