HumanPoweredTransport

Linkspew

The good folks of Gotham are blessed to have Dave at Bike Works NYC in their midst.  Among the groovy things you'll find on his Bike Cult site are an archive of historic, odd or wierd saddles and another of chainrings.  Speaking of chainrings, this dude in SF is collecting them as tattoos.  If you ever had your bike jacked, you'll appreciate this site.  If Chrome, Timbuk2, Crumpler and Manhattan Portage are too trendy for your baggage, try the folks at R.E.Load.  They make crazy sizes, colors, paterns, textures and styles that are all functional, plus the site also offers some great t-shirts and hard-to-find parts for your new fixie.  And if you're in the market for a new bike, this tradeshow for smallbatch builders might be worth a visit.  The Squadra is currently oogling the curvy retro lines at Curtis Inglis' shop while we wait (and wait) for the Jonny to get built, but there's dozens of other great welders out there too.  Why ride stock when you can get custom for around the same price?  Viva!

Another One Bites

Mr. September comes back with a positive B test for EPO.  No wonder the Vuelta posterboy could stink up the road in July and then stomp to victory in the waning days of summer.  Omerta keeps the peloton in line. Dicky P is on the NHL's and FIFA's tip, but will the code of silence win out?  You betcha.

Get What You Pay For

It isn't free anymore.  Welcome to your new country.

Splat!

The end of news is here.  The blogs will take over.  Meahwhile, Sony is trying to kill your computer.  Thanks to Congress, baseball finally get's tough on steroids.  Ending poverty is not as simple as Jeff Sachs would have Bono tell us to us believe.  Go ride your bike.

Bloody Rants

Here's the chorus of crows ranting about the Amgen Tour of California:  VeloNews' own foaming O'Grady, the LA Times, and an audio track from NPR.  I'm sure there will be more, we'll post them here.  O'Grady's comparison of EPO makers sponsoring a cycling race with booze makers sponsoring NASCAR is interesting, but not quite the same - sure folks drink and drive and that's bad, but NASCAR racers are not regularly busted for drinking to improve performance on the oval.

Dope Wars In The News

One of the biggest pharmesutical makers in the US is about to announce that they will be title sponsor to the biggest stage race in the US.  The company makes EPO and other drugs designed to help fight cancer, but heavily abused in cycling and other sports.  Since these guys already sponsor a racing team and now the biggest race in North America, how far will the hypocracy go?  Meanwhile in congress, pro sports like baseball and football might soon fall under Federal jurisdiction when it comes to regulating drug abuse, including a provision that would strip existing records and titles should the player in question be charged with violating drug rules after the fact.  Citing the plodding lack of action promised by baseball's commish, the bold congressmen are forging ahead on thier own.