Bike Hugger 

Finished the race pedaling with one leg

A flukey crash into the barriers yesterday when grass clogged the left cleat, couldn’t get out fast enough, and my right foot rolled underneath me at Seattle CX #2.

X-ray

Finished the race pedaling with one leg and spent my afternoon in the ER with this X-Ray machine. So no CX photos from us for this week and the ankle is OK! No break or fracture. Just strained.

Like a ride through a spa with a mud bath

Elsewhere, a muddy Gloucester GP was photographed by Nick Czerula Photography while Mathowie photographed the Blind Date at the Dairy in Oregon.

Suffering in the Dark

Toro CX

Tucked these tubulars away in a suitcase after meeting with Hutchison Tire at Interbike last week. They’re seen here outside the shop were Mark V has them stretching on a rim and ready to glue up. Note the treads and most importantly, a rubberized sidewall. For where we ride, that’s mandatory. Exposed cotton sidewalls you have to treat with tent sealant just doesn’t seem right to me, here in a region where it rains so much. We’re running Tufos, a couple Challenges, and now these too.

Hutchinson brought them back to the States after a long absence and good. We need more choices and they feel like a fine pair of Italian shoes in your hand (if made of rubber).

Considering how massive Hutchinson is, as a company, these were made cause a product manager also wanted better CX tires in the States. Check with your LBS for availabilty. The MSRP is 119.99.

Hutchinson is in the sport, cause they love it. Like you and me.

Another park in the Emerald City

After a long road ride, lowered the tire pressure on the D-Plus and rode into this park. Took a break on Sunday and 1/2 a Monday after two Cross races, the Mobile Social, and Interbike last week.

Was on assignment for Wired while in Vegas. That story and my take on the bike is in progress. This Phat Cruiser was memorable in a year without any new hotness, where bikes are reflections of each other, like pill-shaped cars in that industry, morphing into similar shapes and sizes.

Meanwhile, Mark V scoured the tradeshow floor like one of those truffle sniffing dogs to find the best gear and is posting now.

The grass at CrossVegas robs you of power and a bit of your soul

Racing on the grass at CrossVegas is like pedaling your bike across wet concrete. You sink into it down to the rim. The effort you’re used to putting out is reduced by say 20, 30, and then by the end of the race 100%. Some are running street tires at 80 PSI and others want the low-pressure grip for the tight turns and transitions. I was racing a Redline Single Speed built up just for this race in the Wheelers and Dealers category. On the warm-up lap, the seat rails broke, and I was corralled into the starting grid with 156 other starters. I had some time to rush out to the team van, bang on the doors, and swap saddle/post but would lose my 8th row starting position.

They talked grass-race strategy while their wives hung out with the kids

A Dangling Nutter

I decided to stay in line and ride straight to the pits. As I turned towards it, the SRAM mechanics yelled, “here’s your bike” and I did a bike change like a PRO! Well, that was f’ing cool. The USCF official had told them I was coming. Not as cool was the bike had some whack seat with a long nose on it that grabbed my shorts, as I remounted. A dangling nutter resulted in front of the gauntlet crowd and I was much more careful for the next remount. On the next lap, I returned to the pit for another PRO! bike change and back into the race on the Redline with a replaced saddle. Knowing I was off the pace now and in the back, I listened to where the finishers were, eased up a bit and waited. Then powered through stragglers back into a respectable finish a lap down on the leaders in the Single Speed Category. I was in the pack somewhere overall.

As someone handed me a beer and said good job, I replied, “did I look good on those bike changes!?”

“You did.”

Awesome!

Photos from the Womens Race

After changing out of my kit, took photos of the Womens Race and packed the camera up to watch the Elite men in the VIP area.

Sonya Looney had fun too like me

Lea Davison finished second

Best Show in the Business

As I wrote in my first post about CrossVegas 12, it’s the best show in the bike business. Many reasons for that, including the industry letting their hair down for a night, but the main one is the crew that runs it.

Props due and given.

See how the Pros raced in super slo-mo. More photos in high-rez and lightboxed on G+.

I raced over those barriers too in the Wheeler Dealer’s race, but didn’t bunny hop them.