Happy Easter!
 |
| The G&O Cyclery ((Seattle WA) announcing they’re closed because they’d “Gone Egg Hunting.” |
I haven’t posted during the past week because of a change in my life. I hinted at it in recent posts. I’ll tell you more and return to regular posting soon.
Sometimes collectors pay hefty prices for bikes because of who rode them.
I imagine that if you want to own anything Eddy Merckx or Bernard Hinault pedaled to victory, you would need to win a lottery jackpot or two—that is, if such machines are available.
Nearly three years ago, a humbler mount—a 1970s Raleigh Traveler—ridden to work by a young woman named Diana Frances Spencer fetched 44000 GBP (about 62000 USD in the exchange rates of the time) at auction. The young lady had a change in her life circumstances and was advised that riding her bike to work—or, for that matter, her job itself (nursery school teacher)—would be “unbecoming” for someone in her new station.
I am referring, of course, to Princess Diana. Even if she hadn’t ridden the bike, it probably would’ve gone for a lot of money just because of its association with her.
Similarly, another bike up for auction won’t go cheap because of who owns it: Jorge Mario Bergoglio. To the best of my knowledge, no one has seen him riding it. That’s understandable when you consider his age (87 years) and the vestments he’s expected to wear.
He is, of course the Pope. The Pinarello Dogma (Can you come up with a better name for a Pope’s bike?) has a starting price of 9000 Euros. Experts expect the price could go as high as 25000 Euros. That it probably won’t go for as much as Diana’s wheels has less to do with the Pope’s or Diana’s popularity than with how the bike market has softened since the early days of the COVID pandemic.
 |
| Egan Bernal giving Dogma to the Pope |
It’s ironic that the Dogma derives more of its value from who owns it than it does from who gave it to him: Colombian 2021 Giro d’Italia winner Egan Bernal, who is reportedly a devout Catholic. Bernal actually had it made for the Pontiff and painted blue and white to honor his Argentine heritage.
That got me to wondering: Would the bike(s) Bernal actually rode command such a price?
When you get to, ahem, a certain age, you become very skeptical when you hear the word “new.” It seems that every genre of bike introduced and every “innovation” coming down the pike has been done decades, or even centuries, earlier.
I am thinking about all of the new and “revolutionary” bike and component designs and materials that appear on the market every year. Carbon fiber frame’s didn’t appear during the ‘90’s any more than the first aluminum frames were made by Alan during the ‘70’s. Likewise, “rapid rise” derailleurs and disc brakes appeared on bikes decades before they attained their current popularity.
It could also be argued that “mountain” or “off-road” bikes are derivatives of earlier machines made to be ridden away from pavement. Oh, and the newest and latest trend—gravel bikes—is really six decades old, at least.
As a teenager in 1953, John Finley Scott drew a design for a “cow trailing” bike that reflected his interest in riding dirt, gravel and railroad grades. At that time, few Americans rode bikes once they got their driver’s licenses. So he looked to England, where there was a culture of “rough stuff” riding.
 |
| John Finley Scott, with his Jim Guard bike as it came from England |
In 1961, he contacted British framebuilder Jim Guard, who brazed together Reynolds 531 manganese-molybdenum steel tubes with Nervex lugs. That was standard for high-quality, high-performance frames of the time. So was the geometry: 72 degree head and seat tube angles on a 22 1/2 inch frame.
Little did Guard or Scott know that configuration would become standard for gravel bikes six decades later.
Of course, the frame was outfitted with components very different from today’s. Disc brakes for bikes were years away. So Guard brazed on bosses for the most powerful brakes of the time: the extra-beefy cantilevers made for tandems. They, like the Specialites TA Pro Vis 5 (Cyclotouriste) cranks and chainrings Scott chose, would grace early mountain bikes two decades later.
The brakes were originally configured for 27 inch wheels, typical on quality touring bikes in the Anglophone world. Later, Scott had the brake bosses moved to accommodate the smaller-diameter 650b wheels, which allowed him to use wider tires.
Scott rode his proto-gravel bike on and off trails. He thought it was the perfect way to explore the wonders of the American West. He continued his adventures until 2006, when he was a 72-year-old retired University of California-Davis professor of sociology. He hired a handyman he befriended to trim the trees around his property. That handyman cut down branches—and Scott’s life.
I would love to imagine a 90-year-old John Finley Scott tearing down a mountain pass with riders young enough to be his great-grandchildren on bikes that they probably don’t even realize he conceived, however unwittingly.
For the first two days of Spring, we’ve had the coldest weather—and strongest winds—we’ve had in a couple of weeks!
And I’ve been busy with my latest transition. More about that later.
So how did I spend St. Patrick’s Day?
After attending to a couple of things having to do with my upcoming life change, I rode to Point Lookout.
March is known for its wind. I was reminded of it when I pedaled against it on the return part of my trip. But the day was otherwise lovely: enough sun lit the sky to highlight the constellation of clouds spread over flickering waves.
From what I understand, we are not in the path of the upcoming solar eclipse. We will, however, get to see a partial eclipse. Perhaps I will watch it. Whether or not I do, I will be happy I saw a galaxy of cloud formations.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!
Somehow, leprechauns look like they belong on bicycles. Maybe it’s because they always look happy, and bike riding makes people happy.
That said, should we admonish them to wear helmets?
Kids (and adults) who are neurodivergent often have lots of physical energy but few socially-accepted outlets for it.
One such child is Mallory Siegman of Cape Coral, Florida. The 11-year-old looks forward to her adaptive physical education session at school, where she rides a specially-designed tricycle.
As much as she loves to ride, she can’t venture out on her own because she has autism. It’s especially important for her to get exercise, her mother Danielle explained, because she was recently diagnosed as a borderline pre-diabetic.
So, she is entering Mallory into The Great Bike Giveaway, presented by The Friendship Circle of Michigan, a non-profit that provides programs and support to individuals and families with special needs. Turns out, Mallory has two siblings who are also autistic. Planning activities, Danielle says, is a challenge.
She hopes to win an ET 2611 tandem from Freedom Concepts, which retails for $10,000. One way it differs from other tandems is that it can be steered from the rear and the front steering can be disabled. That means Danielle or her husband can ride in the rear (what is often called the “stoker” position on a traditional tandem) while Mallory or one of her siblings rides in the front (often referred to as the “captain’s” position). Most important, according to Danielle, is that she is “always right there” for Mallory and is “able to help her so she doesn’t get hurt.”
More information about the Giveaway—and to donate, go to the Friendship Circle page. Mallory has her own page, where you can vote for her.
Armed conflicts often lead to a form of hyper-vigilance I’ll call “war paranoia.” (There’s probably a clinical term for it.) Everyday people, objects and situations are seen as threats or dangers and met with brutal or deadly force.
Such was the case in Gaza, where an Israeli military strike targeted what was believed to be a rocket propelled grenade launcher.
It was bicycle, and its rider died in one of the most horrifying ways possible.
Over the past week and a half, what little riding I’ve done has been for commutes or errands, the latter of which has to do with an upcoming life change. More about the latter soon. All I’ll say, for now, is that it will include a view of something I’ve ridden to and by many times:
The late, great Tom Cuthbertson--author of "Anybody's Bike Book" and "Bike Tripping"--wrote that stealing a bike from someone who loves and depends on it is one of the lowest things one human being can do to another.
As someone who loves and depends on my bikes, I agree. But I also believe that some forms of bike theft are lower than others.
On 23 February, some time between 5:30 and 6:30 pm local time, a young cyclist fell off his Carerra Vengeance mountain bike and suffered serious injuries.
Two men in their 20s stopped by on the premise of helping him. They did indeed help him to his feet and waited with him until medical help arrived. They were not, however, the Good Samaritans they pretended to be. The victim's vulnerability became an opportunity for them to get a free bike--which they took with them as they fled into the York (UK) city centre.
A police spokesperson is urging anyone who might have information to contact Constable Eleanor Stevens.
During my youth, there was a joke: If you want to clear out an East Village club, all you had to do was walk in and yell, “DEA”—meaning “Drug Enforcement Agency.”
The East Village has gentrified enough that I doubt any of those clubs still exist. About fifteen years ago, Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood was more or less like the EV of my memory. I guess it’s a sign that I really am well into midlife that I don’t know where the current epicenter of the club scene is—or whether they can be cleared out by yelling “DEA!”
I was reminded of that old joke when I read about an eight-day stage race in Spain. One week ago, on Day/Stage 6, 130 of the 182 riders bailed out because of “flat tires” and other maladies that coincided with the arrival of Spanish anti-doping authorities the way plane crashes, defenestrations and “accidental” poisonings follow expressions of dissent from, and other opposition to, authoritarian regimes.
Alvaro Marza, a former time trial champion who finished eighth in the race, noted that relationship between flat tires and the arrival of the anti-drug officers. “It is not a complicated mathematical formula, but it is the harsh reality,” he wrote in an Instagram post.
Today is International Women’s Day.
Whatever your gender identity or your anatomical configuration, if you are a cyclist, you should recognize the importance of women in cycling and, well, the world. For one thing, we are the majority of humanity. For another, there have been many great female cyclists, most of whom have ridden without recognition and support. A few, including Beryl Burton, have even beaten men’s records.
But perhaps the most important reason of all is that anyone who cares about gender equality needs to recognize the role the bicycle has played in the long journey toward that goal. After all, Susan B. Anthony said that the bicycle did more to liberate women than anything else. (That is why oppressive regimes like the Taliban forbid or discourage women and girls from riding them.) Bikes provided, and continue to provide, independent mobility. They also released women from the constraints of corsets and hoop skirts which, I believe, helped to relax dress standards—and thus make cycling easier—for everyone.
Today also happens to be the anniversary of two events that occurred during my lifetime. One is one the greatest aviation mysteries of all time: the disappearance of Malaysia Flight 370 ten years ago. Such an incident would have caused consternation in any time, but have become much rarer over time.
While that tragedy may not seem to have much in common with bicycles or bicycling, the other event is somewhat more related. On this date in 1971,”the fight of the century” took place between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali. Joe won that bout, but Ali would win two rematches.
To this day, I can’t recall another sporting event-and very few events of any kind-that were preceded by as much anticipation and hype. I’m no boxing expert, but I doubt that there has ever been a title match between two opponents so equally matched in talent and skill but so different in style. Also, Ali had been stripped of his titles—and his boxing licenses—for three years because of his refusal to register for the military draft that could have forced him to serve in the Vietnam War.
So why is “The Fight” worthy of mention on this blog? Well, as I mentioned in a previous post, a boy named Cassius Clay might never have grown up to become Muhammad Ali, “The Greatest,” had his bicycle not been stolen. In recounting his loss to á police sergeant, he vowed to “whup” the thief. The sergeant, who just happened to train boxers on the side, admonished young Clay that he should learn how to fight first.
So..did you ever expect to see Susan B. Anthony and Muhammad Ali mentioned in the same post—much less one that includes Malaysia Airlines Flight 370?
The New York City Department of Transportation has reported that 2023 was the deadliest year for cyclists since 1999. A total of 30 people lost their lives on two wheels. That represents a more than 50 percent increase from the fatality rate of the previous year, or the year before it.
(Source: New York City Department of Transportaion)
The number of cyclists who were killed while riding traditional non-motorized bikes (7) actually declined from any of the previous 15 years. So, the vast majority of the city's cycling fatalities were on eBikes. Moreover, those 23 deaths in eBike crashes is more than double the number of any other year for which records have been kept.
That number is, in part, a reflection of the degree to which eBikes have, as some cyclists and pedestrians say, "taken over." Indeed, no eBike casualties are recorded before 2014 because, before that time, there weren't significant numbers of motorized bikes on this city's streets.
(That era--the early to mid 2010's--was also, interestingly, when the popularity of motorcycles was at its lowest ebb in at least half a century.)
But one theme has remained constant in the past quarter-century. About half of all bicycle and eBike deaths are a result of crashes with trucks. A major reason for that, I believe, is that truck drivers simply don't see cyclists. Also, delivery trucks often pull into bike lanes or the rightmost traffic lane, which is used by cyclists when a separate bike lane isn't present. Some drivers, I imagine, don't know how else to make deliveries. Plus, there is simply more traffic of all kinds on this city's streets, in part because of ride-share services that began to proliferate at around the same time as eBikes.
Yesterday’s high temperature (68F or 20C) in NYC broke a record for that date, which was set some time before I was in midlife.
I pedaled to Point Lookout and experienced something I normally encounter a few weeks later. As I crossed the Veterans Memorial Bridge over Jamaica Bay, I felt the temperature drop precipitously. At least, that’s how it seemed. At this time of year, the water temperature of the Bay and ocean is only 4 to 5C (38 to 40F). So the wind was invigorating or brisk, depending on your point of view.
A mist shimmered over the ocean waves at the Rockaways and Point Lookout. Lovely as it was, I know it was the smoke, if you will, of a conflict between the warm air and cold water, magnified by bright sunlight.
Until recently, I thought “goat” denoted an an animal that lives in the mountains and has horns.
Only a few years ago, I learned that “GOAT” is an acronym for the “Greatest Of All Time.”
That title has been bestowed upon Michael Jordan, Tom Brady and other record-setting athletes. It’s commonly agreed that cycling’s GOAT is Eddy Merckx.
More than one of my old cycling buddies probably thought of themselves as the “GOAT.” Of course they weren’t.
But they were goats in one other way:
Did cycling make them horny?
“Very well then, I contradict myself (I am large, I contain multitudes)”
Walt Whitman may have given us one of the best definitions of good mental health. A corollary to that might be that maturity is understanding that we all have our contradictions: After all, who tries to live by any book or idea, to the letter, once he or she has had to hold down a job
Anyway, I won’t try to assess whether, or how well, some Hasidic men in Brooklyn understand their own internal (and sometimes external) juxtapositions. I do, however, find it interesting that when Citibike went online just over a decade ago, the Ultra-Orthodox community of South Williamsburg included some of the bike-share program’s most enthusiastic users—and some of its fiercest opponents.
While “Williamsburg” became synonymous with “hipster” and “gentrification,” the area south of the eponymous bridge to Manhattan remained one of this city’s two major Hasidic enclaves. (Borough Park is the other. East Williamsburg is, arguably, the heart of the Big Apple’s Puerto Rican community.) One notable difference between Hasidim and the hipsters and Nuyoricans is family size. That leaves little, if any room, for a bicycle in their living quarters.
Another visible difference is that from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday, streets on Hasidic neighborhoods are deserted, except when people are walking to or from shul. And, of course, there is sartorial style: It, shall we say, leaves much to the imagination.
That last point was an argument against installing Citibike ports in the neighborhood. Some Hasidic rabbis and other community leaders complained that those blue bikes streamed “immodest” riders—or, in thr words of one Reddit commenter “sexy ass hipster girls” —down their neighborhood’s streets.
A result of this tension was the “Hasidic hole” or, as one wag put it, “black hat hole” of Citibike availability. Hasidim were walking as much as a mile to access the bikes.
 |
| The map on the left reflects Citi Bike last year. The map on the right is the current coverage. (The green zone is the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which is not a public area) |
Recently, freshman City Council member Lincoln Restler, who is Jewish but not Hasidic or even Orthodox, has been doing what his predecessor Stephen Levin (also Jewish but not Orthodox) couldn’t. He has negotiated with Hasidic leaders to shrink that “hole” and make Citibike—which now includes eBikes—more accessible. He is also working to bring more bicycle infrastructure to a part of the city that is better-served than most.
His efforts might allow a community to accept its contradictions: People might profess shock and dismay over “sexy ass Hipster girls” (who, I assure them, don’t include me!) but they appreciate the convenience and fun of cycling.
Cannondale is recalling some “Dave” 26-inch bikes due to two reports of frame failures caused by damage to the head tube/down tube weld. No injuries were reported.
The recall encompasses 660 bikes sold in the US and 113 in Canada during the model years 2021 through 2023. The bikes and framesets were finished in deep teal and stealth gray. “Dave” is painted on the top frame tube and “Cannondale” on the down tube.
If you think you have one of the affected bikes, call Cannondale at 800-245-3872 from 9 am-6pm ET Monday through Friday. Or you can email C’dale at ridersupport@cannondale.com or go to http://www.cannondale.com/en/safety-and-recalls and click on “Recalls & Notices” at the bottom of the page.
