The archetyal American bike bum of the time.
Posted on 02/28/2017 9:00:06 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT
Next year's Tour de France will begin on a notorious, slippery passageway linking an island off the west coast to the mainland, organisers ASO revealed on Tuesday.
The Grand Depart of the 105th edition of the world's most prestigious cycle race will start on June 30, 2018 on the 4km Passage du Gois - a natural periodically flooded land-bridge from the island of Noirmoutier to the Vendee department in the Loire region with a 195km flat stage.
(Excerpt) Read more at sport24.co.za ...
No pharmacists or Tesla bicycles allowed!
They tried that a couple of years ago and as I recall, Alberto Contador and Chris Froome both crashed hard because of the ridiculously slick surface.
If it was me, I’d be talking to the other riders about a strike. Cycling is dangerous enough without idiots creating unnecessary hazards in the parcours.
Used Google earth to look at it.
Narrow cobble stones (like)road with mud shoulders.
Dangerous, perhaps, but not as dangerous as going down steep mountains with hundred feet drops off the edge.
Paris–Roubaix, one of the few things that attracts me to Europe!
Cobblestones!!!
I would like to ride on them, while I still possibly can!
And the see the race, oh my.
The output of any of the competitors is difficult for me to comprehend. And then the weather goes bad.
“It’s a bollocks, this race!” said de Rooij. “You’re working like an animal, you don’t have time to piss, you wet your pants. You’re riding in mud like this, you’re slipping ... it’s a pile of shit.”
When then asked if he would start the race again, de Rooij replied:
“Sure, it’s the most beautiful race in the world!
Reply #4 was for you note on cobblestones.
I remember Theo saying that.
Had a buddy, maniacal bike racer (unlike slow dog me) who went to the section of Paris Roubaix in the Arenberg Forest.
Took one look and left his bike in the car.
Narrow cobbles with mud shoulders. The Paris Roubaix has that, but no where near the start, the field has a chance to spread out. This would be worse than the race for the hole shot at the bottom of the Paterberg (Ronde van Vlaanderan).
Doing the cyclosportives for Flanders and Roubaix are on my bucket list.
He probably had lightweight wheels as well. I wouldn’t attempt Arenberg with anything less than 32 spoke 3 cross wheels.
Who cares?
Did you see Sagan’s bunny hop over the crash during the race last year? Amazing.
And I’m with you on the awe I have for these guys. I can manage a wattage of up to 600 ... for about a second and a half. Then I collapse and die. They can do it for hours. All the way up the Ventoux or the Alpe d’Huez.
“Took one look and left his bike in the car.”
What a sad tale of woe.
Some years back, I remember watching a short steep uphill in the snow.
It was wicked!
Then why click on this one?
Who cares?
He had 32 spoke 3X Nuovo Record low flange with Mavic GP4. I built them.
“Did you see Sagan’s bunny hop over the crash during the race last year? Amazing.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zftjhsTHjw
“Doing the cyclosportives for Flanders and Roubaix are on my bucket list.”
Go for it!
The archetyal American bike bum of the time.
And I forgot to add, DT SS 14 gauge.
I have enough wheel problems with them simply rolling along?
Just last year, I had a chunk of rim come out on the end of a spoke! Miles from home, you know the drill, tie it off and make some ‘adjustments’.
Velocity was good about it, but better it never happened.
I only weigh 190 and check them with a tensiometer?
This set only had a few thousand miles and never had a wrench on them. Always the rear.
By the way, do you realize that the "hell of the north" isn't even a real road? It's too rough and narrow to carry traffic, so it's only used by carts and tractors to carry crops to and from the surrounding fields.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.