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Twittering in the peloton

Lance Armstrong somewhat famously started using Twitter recently which seems to qualify him to give speeches at Web 2.0 conferences. Say what you will about Armstrong (and people say a lot, not all of it nice) he does know how to work the media. He’s now getting his friends involved too.

Johan Bruyneel has hopped on the bandwagon and now the two of them are twittering from their crackberries from Tucson to Kazakhstan, a fact that excites the fake Tom Boonen.

Ivan Basso too is giving it a go though hasn’t set any records yet. Two updates, two words so far for Ivan - ‘prova’ (test in Italian) and ‘Training’. Wow. Armstrong does at least confirm that it is the real Ivan Basso, via Twitter of course.

Meanwhile George Hincapie’s updates are so dull, they have to be real. He too enthuses about the way LA is revolutionising the interweb.

At least Dave Zabriskie’s updates are sort of interesting. Although it does sort of grate that i’m not hanging out with Guillermo Del Toro…

As much as I sneer, I am enjoying the adoption of technology like this. How long is it before we’re getting Twitter updates via voice recognition during races? I’m really looking forward to riders saying some impulsive, foolish things. Let’s hope this happens before the Nike reps start doing the Twittering for the riders.

Tags: bike, twitter, web

RIP Sheldon Brown

I am deeply saddened to read that Sheldon Brown, the doyen of web bike mechanics, has recently passed away. Sheldon’s wonderful site is the antithesis of the surly condescending guy in the LBS. It answers every question you’ve never asked about crazy Italian bottom brackets, how to weld your own tandem and, of course, how to build the now de-rigeur fixie. He managed to do this with the delightful, easy wit of your favourite uncle.

Tributes have been rolling out like roadies in summer and you can read many of them here. Even the bikesnob was able to put his cynicism aside for a whole post (!) in honour of Sheldon. I went on a ride for the sheer pleasure of it today and made a point of fixing all the little niggles on my commuter, which I probably wouldn’t be in a position to do without Sheldon’s help.

Anyway, I could go on forever without saying anything that hasn’t been said better already. What I will say is that anyone that loves bikes should go lose themselves in his site. Check out his zany bikes, marvel at his encyclopaedic knowledge and enjoy his generosity and warmth. Most of all though, go out and ride, I think he’d like that.

Tags: bike, sad

My life as a fakenger

I ride a singlespeed (lamely), own a crumpler bag and from time to time, I even roll up my trousers. Unfortunately I have a desk job, only do a few paltry miles a day and don’t have the most chiseled thighs or even suffer from erectile disfunction. How, you may ask, can I live with myself? Easy I tell you, with god’s help I get by. She’s good like that, she’d be even better if she was real (and hot). I digress however and need to abandon theology and get back to my confessional.

I currently ride an old steel roadie that I’ve converted to single speed. I have for some time checked out passing bikes to see if they had doffed their real derailleurs but my hand was finally forced when my old, but not classic, Holdsworth popped it’s flywheels halfway down Leith walk. In the event I got home but the prospect of not riding to work the next day filled me with horror. I decided it was time I learned how to use a chain breaker. Several butchered links later and plenty of time on Sheldon’s site, I had a dodgy yet functioning bicycle running a shameful 39:15. The track wheels are now in the mail. I had better change that ratio before I post to fixed gear gallery…

The crumpler I’ve owned for years. I’ll admit that it was the early rumblings of fakenger leanings that made me buy it. Despite the scorn it has drawn my way, it is quite practical. It’s a pity it possesses anti-Tardis qualities though, in that it seems smaller on the inside than it looks on the outside. It is well built though and has served me through many a muddy mile. Furthermore it’s a fetching orange and brown number and identifies me as a cyclist. I should have realised that it was the cycling commuter’s answer to a Shakespearean fool’s cap!

For the rolled up trousers incident I have no excuses. My descent into this vice was a direct result of having seen people on bike’s doing it. One day, instead of tucking my trolleys into my socks like normal, I rolled them up. To my surprise the sky did not fall in, nor did a purple thundlebolt strike my down. I got all the way home without an attempt on my life by a crack smoking taxi driver. I took this as a sign that any gods out there were too busy to disapprove of my actions. I also think I look slightly more attractive rolling instead of tucking.

So there you go, I’m a fakenger, posenger or whatever else you want to call me. I like riding my bike and I’m glad it’s not a grey hybrid. I’m fond of my bag and I’m glad it’s not a grey backpack. I sometimes roll up my trousers and prefer that to using cycling clips (do they really exist?) Hell, there’s probably a few bands I liked before you liked them. There’s perhaps even the odd author you like that’s totally derivative of someone that I liked, first. Sorry I’m all defensive but can’t we just abuse people that drive whilst talking on their mobiles instead?

Besides, I haven’t seen too many like me round here. Maybe I could be the only fakenger in Edinburgh. Better start a group on facebook or something…

Tags: bike, rant