PPWTF

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/south-africa-wants-world-cup-slot-back-22134

http://www.velonews.com/article/93023/kelly-benefit-representing-on-new-gary-fisher-carbon-road Hard to understand why Trek would offer up this opportunity to an MTB legend, and not to Bontrager, who are already expanding their product portfolio..... "Hard on the heels of the news in April 2008 that Trek would stop producing road bikes using the LeMond brand name, was the news that the Gary Fisher line would pick up the slack in the road product line. On the surface, it would seem to be as simple as creating a new downtube decal, and swapping out the ?LeMond? for a ?Gary Fisher.? However, the company made a commitment to completely redeveloping a line of road bikes to do justice to the new nameplate, and the evidence was on display this past weekend in the streets of Philidelphia" PPWTF2009-06-13 06:13:01

if yours is Anthem 1 then the bike was originally spec'd with an 80mm fork, which then became 100mm (not yours personally, the Anthem range) Now quite a few reviews said the increase to 100mm made for a small but noticeable slowing of the pin sharp handling the bike was praised and loved in many reviews for. Going to 120mm will further slacken the head angle and further slow the steering response, plus you'll still only have the 3.5Inch rear travel, but with more weight over the back of the bike..... I'd say stick with 100mm, or go with Anthem X.... If that's not an option then blow the cash you've set aside for the fork on an RP23 shock (assuming you're running RP2) or maybe a wheelset upgrade (ZTR's with tubeless etc) PPWTF2009-06-06 09:44:24

Came across this on Pez cycling, looks awesome http://www.culinarycompetitor.com/ Culinary Competitor Alternative Meals for Active Lifestyles Eat Well - Race Hard

Mercedes-Benz Back in Bike Business http://www.bike-eu.com/public/Image/Bike%20Europe%20Website%20Mercedes-Benz%20Limited%20Edition%20234.jpgSTUTTGART, Germany - Mercedes-Benz is known for its exclusive and luxurious cars. In the past the German manufacturer already took the first steps in the bike business. Today Mercedes-Benz launches the Limited Edition Road Race bike. It is styled in white and anthracite and only 100 bikes will be marketed worldwide. The Mercedes-Benz Limited Edition Road Racer features a lightweight carbon frame, SRAM Red group set and DT?s Mon Chasseral wheel set. The exclusive bikes will be available at Mercedes-Benz dealerships at a retail price of ? 6,553. Can just here the salesman now, "would Sir like the matching umbrellas, luggage and some carbon bicycle with the E65....."

Thing that gets me excited about this tread is that slowly but surely SA consumers /. customers are getting to see what real standards of customer service are about; companies that call you back when promised, with the info you requested. End of the day your either in business to do the best possible or you're just waiting to go slowly (or possibly very quickly) bust! In the current economic climate anything but the very best customer service is just speeding up the hanging of a 'closing down sale' sign in the shop window - maybe the down turn will actually do some good....!? Good on Fox for showing how it can, and should, be done

Awesome little article from VeloNews http://www.velonews.com/article/92654/j-pow-s-journal-jeremy-powers-talent-scout But one of the coolest things I?m most excited about is an idea I followed up on during my break. The story goes, I was doing an opening-up work out for an upcoming 'cross weekend last November: five minute efforts at 400 watts and I noticed this young dude with a cut off t-shirt, Vans sneakers, Camelbak and a 1980?s Motobecane with down tube shifters. I rode by and said ?yoooo?, focusing on the task I had in front of me. After five minutes I glanced back and I hadn?t lost my man with the Motobecane. ?WOAAAH. REALLY? Could that have just happened?? I thought to myself,"I need to get this guy's info because he?s talented ? he just kept up with me on a 30-pound Motobecane and Vans sneakers. ...... and untrained he puts out well over 5 watts per kilo and he?s won every race he?s entered this year. Bam! So imagine this tiny guy who can puts out 350 watts at about 130 pounds. Untrained. On a 30-pound Motobecane and Vans sneakers. PPWTF2009-06-01 11:14:21

another day, another reason to smile - must be bloody amazing riding along with this lot

that's the thing, we've been lead to believe Arione is the only way to go, and now this little Fizik revelation goes and blows a hole in that carefully crafted message - kinda like when you find out your much loved team bike is actually not the same frame (or even made by the same manufacturer) that the pro rider is riding, normally because the very same pro rider thinks the factory supplied frame is a dog.......! Aaah, the wonders of marketing

Given the amount of friendly 'banter' between squeaky clean white shoe and sock roadies and the mud plunging grey socked MTBers here on the hub I couldn't resist posting this little revelation, found, of all places, on the Fizik Antares web page..... http://www.fizik.it/TheThirdDimension/meet-the-riders.html#david-zabriskie "In effort to make the transition smoother for the new-to-fi?zi:k cyclists arriving to the Garmin-Slipstream team, in 2008 saddle choice was open. The idea was to offer as many choices as possible since so many had been riding different saddles. Infinite choice meant that many of the guys ended up using an old mtb model on recommendation from Danny Pate who?d been riding the same saddle on his road bike for the better part of eight years." Gotta Laugh when a company who makes the 'ultimte' road saddle admits some of it's sponsored riders find an old MTB saddle better than its range topping road saddles...! PPWTF2009-05-16 23:48:41

If ever there was a shirt that made a statement about how you feel about cycling this is it http://www.bike-pure.com/bike_pure_jersey_mk2.html

Full body scan is the way ahead if you're seriously concerned about set up and/or biomechanical issues. It's is the only way to actually tell if the discrepancy is 'real' or if a joint has simply become 'compacted' (non technical description) Eg. Hip joint; the head of your femur becoming withdrawn further up into the pelvis as a result of (for example) excessive muscular tightness/contraction, resulting in a biomechanical issue such as perceived leg length discrepancy. Muscular imbalances then potentially lead to a variety of potentially long term issue, as the body finds compensatory ways to continue working.... (I'm no sports science guru, but that's how it was explained to me by a guy who really knew his stuff)

Not totally sure but the pictures of the promo look like a London underground station. Looks awesome With regards the FDA, remember that Red Bull is on sale in the USA, but not Canada, most of Europe, except Norway (who have a local version with less of the not so great ingredients) called Battery..... My point in all this, If it's on sale in the UK then it's hard to imagine that in sensible amounts there would be any major issue with the product. Eg. I've a very good friend who was shocked to suffer from heart palpitations after drinking Red Bull an vodka - we guesstimated he'd had about 15 or 16 cans between 8 in the evening and 8 the next morning.... common sense is a wonderful thing!!!!!!! (..........and before people ask, "no I don't work for / have anything to do with Whasp or Colin")

Here's the link that started the post :-) https://www.bikehub.co.za/forum_posts.asp?TID=50182&PID=777775#777775 There are two secrets to the recipe: 1) You must use bananas that are over-ripe (the ones you normally throw away). Over-ripe bananas are sweeter, because as the fruit ripens, the complex starches turn to sugars. A mature banana can often taste a bit overpowering, so next time you consider binning it, throw it in the freezer instead. 2) Wrap your banana in tin foil, because nothing else will work. If you?re looking for an explanation I can?t give you one, but it?s just one of those little mysteries of the universe OK. Oh yes, and make sure that you peel your banana before wrapping it.

http://fairwheelbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=77&t=5991 (no point posting text here, follow the link for the magic numbers....)

Trek also has..... they're calling the EZ head tube Seem to remember reading it's about loads carried at top and bottom of headset being very different, making it possible to lighten the bike where stress is smallest etc blablabla Cannondale have a lot a to answer for in my eyes. The current route Specialized is going down 'our product and only our product' is very similar to what started with Headshox, spawned BB30 (fair play they made it 'open source') and Lefty

It's far to say that those who know me will most likely call me a spotter (as in train spotter, only for me it would be bike spotter ) So I'm wondering, who can tell me what about the trend that is smaller top cup and larger bottom cup head tube designs that we're seeing on so many mountain bikes now. There we go, question asked (please go easy on me and my quest for knowledge ) PPWTF2009-05-10 04:16:00

Town planning may often have the best of intentions, but it doesn't always lead to the most practical of outcomes.......!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/may/09/mark-cavendish-giro-ditalia-columbia-garmin funny how normal he comes across here, compared with so many other articles which give the impression of a gobby idiot who's got a bad case of verbal diarrhea.

Columbia - Highroad 20.5km in 21.50 (56.3kph) 2. Garmin-Slipstream, at 0:06 3. Astana, at 0:13 4. LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini, at 0:22 5. ISD, at 0:27 6. Team Katusha, at 0:35 7. Rabobank, at 0:38 8. Liquigas, at 0:40 9. Lampre-NGC, at 0:42 10. Team Milram, at 0:49 11. Cervelo TestTeam, at , at 0:49 12. Barloworld, at 0:54 13. Team Saxo Bank 0:55 14. Caisse d'Epargne 0:58 15. Bbox Bouygues Telecom, at 1:01 16. Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni, at 1:06 17. Quick Step, at 1:14 18. Xacobeo Galicia, at 1:19 19. Acqua & Sapone, at 1:21 20. Silence-Lotto, at 1:22 21. AG2R La Mondiale, at 1:35 22. Fuji-Servetto, at 1:37

Basso to RAI: "Today our goal was to be do as well as possible and I think we can be satisfied. You have to remember that Columbia is a specialist in time trialing, so in respect to the others on GC, I am content. We have a team here to fight for three weeks, so things went today as well as expected. We're just in the first day of a three-week fight. We're happy.

Columbia-Highroad, 21:50 2. Garmin-Slipstream, at 0:06 3. Rabobank, at 0:38 4. Liquigas, at 0:40 5. Barloworld, at 0:54 6. Bbox Bouygues Telecom, at1:01 7. Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni, at 1:06 8. Quick Step, at 1:14 9. Xacobeo Galicia, at 1:19 10. Acqua & Sapone, at 1:21

http://velonews.com/live/2009/giro-d-italia/stage-1/ Here are the finishing times, so far (I'm sure I'm far from alone in following online) 1. Columbia-Highroad, 21:50 2. Garmin-Slipstream, at 0:06 3. Rabobank, at 0:38 4. Barloworld, at 0:54 PPWTF2009-05-09 08:23:28