We use Slack as our workplace communication tool at Pinkbike and we have a #randoms channel which we use to share an assortment of videos and stories from all corners of the cycling world and beyond... We thought a couple of the moments from the past week were too good not to share with a wider audience, so here are some of the highlights.
Another Cyclist Falls Through the IceJust a couple of weeks after we posted a video of
EWS racer, Vojtěch Bláha, falling through the ice, now another cyclist has done it. This time it's a vlogger, Lucas Brunelle, a bike messenger who spends his time drafting lorries and weaving in and out of traffic. He made it about 800 feet into his ride on the Charles River before the ice gave way and his riding partner fell in too trying to rescue him. We probably don't need to repeat how it's not a wise move to be cycling on ice unless you're sure it's thick enough but that message probably won't get through to Brunelle who
told Boston.com, "I ride my bike the same way I trade stocks. It’s my nature to take high risks and high return."
RST Resurrects the Suspension StemSuspension stems are nothing new from the Girvin Flex Stem to the Redhisft Shockstop but the latest to have a go at reducing vibrations via the stem are RST. Their Stem Shock has just been awarded a Taipei Design and Innovation Award. Primarily designed for gravel bikes, it plugs into your steerer tube and allows you to mount a standard stem.
This does add 50mm to your stack height but provides 20mm of travel to dampen vibrations and also offers an adjustable angle of 0 or +/-4°. The Stem Shock weighs in at a claimed 380g.
More info,
here.
Zachary Kulp's Huge Stair GapZachary Kulp hit this huge 45-foot stair gap on the Tampa Riverwalk last weekend and it looks like there's a full edit to come, we can't wait.
A Bizarre Crash from the UAE TourWe're still scratching our head as to what happened when Antonio Tiberi skidded across the line on Tuesday's UAE Tour time trial.
Pro Mountain Bikers' POVs Gets Turned into Video GameIf you've got some time to kill this weekend, how about trying this new game that features real POVs from pro riders. The game is called Overplay and Andrew Neethling, Scotty Laughland, Glynn O'Brein and more all feature on various terrain. The game is available on the App Store and Google Play, more info,
here.
Petr Vinokurov Gets a Headshot$1,200USD Fines for Speeding Cyclists in AustraliaSearching for the Fastest Descents in Southern CaliforniaSafa is about as badass as it gets.
Someone will have to explain to me where the high return is when riding on flat ice, 'cause I'm just not seeing it.
Anyone seen the video of him rocking up to a group ride and the ride leaders telling him he wasn't welcome to ride with them?
I’ll give you one guess as to whether he respected that, or whether he joined the ride anyway and drafted cars.
The complete disregard for the safety of others is astounding. They make it out as though it's cyclists vs cars, but in reality a group of 10 drunk cyclists would run red lights straight through crowds of pedestrians on cross-walks.
They are all skilled riders, but they're complete jerks and give everyone else a bad name.
e.g. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xphlt0i0Lz4
But then I watched the end. I’m pretty sure no lessons were learned. In fact, I’m fairly convinced they did it on purpose, which is why they had the old, crummy bikes and the ice picks. A piece of work, this guy.
Definitely a great example of how now to be.
Almost as dumb as his quote from below the video:
Brunelle who told Boston.com, "I ride my bike the same way I trade stocks. It’s my nature to take high risks and high return."
What exactly was the high return here of riding your bike on ice Mr Brunelle?
this guy is a fricken bean
Backdoor into your cell phone for the government to snoop, Australia's fine with that.
Lockdowns and police beating you down, Australia's fine with that.
Now $1200 fines for cyclists because they are bored with beating up on covid deniers I guess.
Don’t get me wrong. Your country is awesome generally. But. Every country has its pain points.
I expect it’s actually similar, but they were only handing out leaflets. There be all packed up on gone the next day, maybe checking on old folk in those crazy buggies they ride on.
1. Cycle path being treated as extended parking space (even by police)
2. Cycle paths being generally unsafe, because they are just put there to say: "We have made x kilometers of cycling path, look how great and eco-friendly we are." We need good, wide and maintained cycling paths ffs, not that rubbish painted on line!
3. There being no f*cking cycle path in the first place.
Not a far off assessment of Oz. Australians in general are very apathetic towards politics, an over a generation have blissfully allowed the country to turn into a revenue raising mild authoritarian police state.
As far as lockdown. That is working great. Most people are out and about (rides the last 4 weekends, driving around the state for work, etc) It might sound bad from elsewhere but the lockdowns initially were bad, but it means now we are free to get on with life now.
As far as backdoors to cell phones and police violence, a majority of us are not good with that. That sort of stuff is being pushed through by the right leaning government.
perhaps it is best not to comment on countries which you don't know much about.
$1200 fines for going over 10km/h would be a bit of a joke, but as other commenters have mentioned all they're actually doing is handing out leaflets warning people that the maximum fine for speeding is $1200, and the whole purpose is a bit of free media.
Lockdowns - yeah, we actually _are_ fine with that.
As a result of those "go early, go hard" lockdowns, life is pretty much back to normal where I am. Seeing someone wearing a mask in public is as rare again today as it was 12 months ago, I went in a mass participation fun-run on the weekend and don't think I saw a single person wearing one.
Or often people just cycle on them because it's the shortest most convenient way - who wants to do a big loop around on a bike path or road when you're actually heading somewhere that's right on the pedestrian path?
I'm not defending the state of cycle paths in Australia or anywhere else, the problems you're pointing out with them are manifestly true, but simple convenience is usually my #1 factor in selecting a route.
To get home from work, I have a choice between a road that goes right past my front door that is a nice steady climb, or a flat bike path that goes past only two blocks further away, from which it's a short steep climb to my house. I almost always choose the road, and getting abuse "use the bike path!" is not uncommon, even though it's completely hypocritical of them given there's a freeway two blocks past the bike path which they should be on...
What we really need more than bike paths is for everyone to treat everyone else with proper care, courtesy and respect...
If you are trying to get from point A to point B from the south bike path past the Casino into the CBD, there are like 5 bridges to take well before the sidewalk gets really narrow. Including a dedicated super wide foot bridge. (Did I mention Casino/shopping tourist foot traffic?) The bike path on the north side of the river doesn't have all those restaurants and tourist traffic.
If you want to go fast on a bike in that area, you need to be on Main Yarra trail going the other way past the boat houses, or going south on the dedicated bike paths out past the beach towards St. Kilda. If you really have to power through that area fast, there is always City Road south of the river.
If you want to go fast, either go north, or stay further south. Otherwise let up for a few blocks and join the tourists at tourist pace through a major tourist attraction past the casino and chill out and relax a bit and keep it under 10.
If you are doing a Moonee Ponds Creek/Royal Park/Inner City Trail/Merri Creek/Yarra loop, ya just have to know you are going to have to get off you bike and climb a long set of steps, and you are going to have to go slow for a couple of blocks when going past the tourists. Both are just part of the local flavor.
Anyway, I think that this is traction related. It looks a lot similar to how a motorcycle high side goes. I wonder if he broke loose or washed out on a big enough spot of grit or sand on that straight (it is a desert after all) with the power being put down. Mechanical doesn't look obvious enough and that big cloud of dust when he touches down lends some credence to my theory.
*slaps suspension or pseudo suspension on bike*
What's next, adding 29" wheels and fatter tires?
www.instagram.com/p/CLAWAA6H40X/?igshid=6vn6jjs08g7w
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www.instagram.com/p/CGeUpjpn5rI/?igshid=k7ng15o3uaeq
Don't knock it until you try it broski
How they could think this was a good idea??? beyond idiotic