After a rather lacklustre season, Paolo Bettini won a hard fought sprint to take the Worlds road race for the second time. As I type, Bettini is in tears at the post race interview. He puts the win down to great team work which, if it wasn't for Eurosport getting their published schedule wrong (again), I might have got to see. What I did see was Bettini urging the break on in the last lap and attacking on every climb. Kolobnev went early with Schleck, Evans and Schumacher rounding out the final sprint. In a situation like that everyone knew Bettini would probably take it and it looked to me like Bettini knew it too, powering past a brave Kolobnev in the final few metres.
Notwithstanding the doping rumours around Bettini over the last few months (certainly his results wouldn't indicate it but as always, who knows?) and the pre-race shenanigans, I'm pleased to see Bettini win it. I admire his conviction in not signing the UCI code. There is enough doubt in testing processes that having to give up your past year's income on the basis of a false test seems a real risk. His past season hasn't set the world on fire and the death of his brother last year must have been difficult. Plus, I just like the way he rides.
Seeing Bettini in tears at the end of end of the race and whilst singing the Italian anthem at the end of the race reminds us that even given the farce that was this years' Tour cycling is both inspiring and emotional.
Just like it always should be.
(Special thanks to Eurosport for helping me to miss the first half of the race. Nice one. Again.)
Sunday, 30 September 2007
Saturday, 29 September 2007
Cycling Crimes # 1: Not locking your bike properly
Anyway, it pays to always lock your bike - properly.
They say that there is a lot of money in the City of London at the moment. Given the number of Porsches and Astons that I share my commute home along Embankment with every evening I'd say that is probably true. High priced automobiles aren't the only evidence though. The number of people now riding expensive bikes to work has also increased. In this respect, there has also been an increase in the "cyclist with nice gear but generally without a clue" phenomena:
Either this guy didn't figure out that they are called "quick releases" for a reason and his rear wheel got stolen or he had to take his rear wheel for a puncture repair at the LBS and left a brand new Canondale Synapse sitting there, frame locked to a post, with lights on I might add, for three days. Around the corner from me at home sits a new model Specialized Stumpjumper locked securely to a lamppost but sans front suspension for the same reason.
If you live in the city, it pays to lock it properly. I saw some tips on a useful Bike forums thread. I thought these were the best ones:
- always lock it (pretty obvious you'd think but I've seen a few sitting unlocked).
- use two locks (one on each wheel and and the back one also round the frame).
- take off any other quick releases (ie on your saddle if you use one) and use bolts.
- park it where the bike is visible.
- try not to always park a nice bike in the same place (its only liable to tempt someone).
- once you have your position right, superglue a ball bearing into your saddle and stem allen bolts - they come out with some nail polish remover.
Some guys that I bought my good bike from in NY also told me to use a U lock with a smaller U as its harder for a thief to get leverage with a crow bar on a smaller lock (ie a Bulldog lock) and use these:
I bought a set of pinhead skewers a year ago and reckon they are pretty good. They also save you the need to carry two locks around and if you are a roadie/commuter weight weenie they are also lighter than most quick releases.
I also found this article which contains some interesting views:
The article is based on an interesting statistic "a more expensive bike is less likely to get stolen" as it harder to get rid of. Whilst I'm not sure about that (particularly as the store sells some pretty expensive bikes), I certainly don't agree with the statement that its fine to leave a fixie unlocked outside a shop "confident that a druggie would not manage more than 100metres before falling face flat on the tarmac". I've seen plenty of anecdotal evidence on the net that even "druggies" can ride a fixie and if you have a look at www.fixedgeargallery.com I'm sure that many fixie riders are on lsd when they construct their bikes given some of the colour combinations.
Anyway, it pays to lock your bike - properly.
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