Within the feedback on yesterday’s submit, a reader talked about this surprising story:
And by “surprising” I imply I used to be shocked it didn’t occur on the Gran Fondo New York:
Clearly, evading doping controls at beginner races is turning into a biking self-discipline unto itself.
As for this newest story, right here’s what occurred:
I in fact wished to know extra about Giovambattista Iera, bike owner and former actor. If you consider it, dishonest to win beginner bike races is a pure development after not making it as an actor, since each arenas let you construct a pretend persona round your self, although in the event you suck at performing you suck at performing, whereas in the event you suck at biking you possibly can cheat and in the event you’re fortunate possibly you’ll get away with it for awhile. Actually, he suits the FBI’s Rogue Douche Profile nearly to a T, and the one factor lacking is a stint as a restauranteu–oh, wait, sorry, he did that too:
And sure, I checked images from information tales to ensure that’s him:
Wouldn’t need to smear an harmless restauranteur.
In the end, I believe his solely mistake (moreover operating down the race director, you actually shouldn’t do this) was not styling himself as a gravel privateer and influencer on Instagram, as a result of that’s the actual development space for bold bike fans with borderline persona dysfunction lately. Simply ask my new using buddy and life coach Alt Street Overshort:
And his good friend who will need to have laundered his clothes in a detergent that’s actually wreaking havoc along with his eczema:
And sure, because the varieties of people that put on MAAP clothes know, gravel is completely over. Now it’s all about sand, which is simply gravel, solely a lot smaller:
Both that or I assumed I used to be on the MAAP web site however was truly on a web page for the brand new Dune film:
Jesus. Get some solar. Crack a smile. Eat some freaking Chipotle. LIVE, GODDAMN IT, LIVE!
I do actually like that gravel dais although:
The brand new Alt Gravel Dais is simply $2,500 from MAAP and it lets you put on your Alt biking wardrobe always, even if you’re off the bike, as a result of standing on a patch of gravel will nonetheless preserve your outfit in context and let everybody know you’re a vogue sufferer gravelista and simply not somebody from a dystopian close to future who slipped via a wormhole in time. You possibly can stand on the Alt Gravel Dais whilst you’re ready for the subway, hanging out on the bar with mates, or struggling via a lecture out of your mother and father earlier than they lend you $15,000 for that six-month bikepacking journey. (It’s an funding, it’ll create content material, you’ll monetize it!) Or you need to use it on the bike too for when there’s no gravel round–simply cease, throw it down, experience over it, and repeat. The Alt Gravel Dais from MAAP, it permits you to take your life-style with you.
As for the forgotten ghost world of non-gravel bikes, as of yesterday I’ve formally taken the rehabilitated ‘Noner for its first experience:
However earlier than going any additional, I’d like to handle the stem. Certain, a commenter yesterday mentioned I might have chosen a classier one, however this one has totally different settings! It goes from 3 (Slammed) all the way in which to 0 (Woosie):
Anyway, in setting out, I donned a jersey to honor the bike’s Canadian heritage:
Between an end-of-the-weekend gastrointestinal freakout and my sundry “tasks,” I hadn’t been on the bike since Saturday, and I discovered that whereas I used to be gone summer time had arrived:
It meant enterprise too, as a result of not solely was it scorching, however the air was thick with bugs and this cottony crap:
I don’t know what tree or plant these items comes from, however it was completely all over the place:
All of this conspired to imbue the day with a sense of lethargy, and even the bunnies couldn’t be bothered to hop away if you bought near them:
Each the climate and the bike had come a great distance since our first experience:
The ‘Noner felt nice:
Although after a number of miles I finished to examine it over:
Total, the 8-speed Refrain shifters are working nicely, and I hope they proceed to take action for awhile as a result of I like the way in which they really feel and it’s enjoyable to have Campagnolo Ergo once more:
There’s a softness right here and there that leads me to surprise how rather more life the internals have in them, however it’s onerous to inform how a lot of that’s simply me not getting used to them and paying an excessive amount of consideration to stuff, and for all my troubles with the cassette the shifting is easy* and correct:
*[If you can call Campy smooth; it’s more a “ker-klunk” with Campy, but you know what I mean.]
The hubs nonetheless want service and the underside bracket must be changed, however in any other case the components appear to be in good condition:
The headset is easy:
So are the brakes:
And each the Athena “9 pace” (if I’m studying that appropriately) rear derailleur…
…and Centaur “10 pace” derailleur are doing what they should do:
Although I do solely consider one factor after I hear “Centaur:”
As for the body, there’s this complete state of affairs, which looks like it might have occurred in transit since that’s the place the wheel axle likes to rub towards the body if you pack a motorcycle in a field:
Then there’s the dinged high tube:
And an total smattering of rust:
However it’s significantly more healthy than it was when it confirmed up on the Tan Tenovo Dwelling For Wayward Bikes:
We’ll see the way it holds up.
