El Cyclista

04.30.09

When Advertising Was An Art

Ah…when advertising was an art, men raced in long sleeve shirts and wool jerseys, saddle bags had strawberry jam snadwiches and mud gaurds we appropriate all year round. Not a piece of carbon fibre in sight.

Condor Leggero

I used to live on Great Ormond Street in London, which was just around the corner from the great Condor bike shop. I walked past it nearly everyday for about 3 years and got to know them pretty well in the shop , dispite the fact my ratio to spend was about $20 to 10 visits. They have always been big supporters of the local racing and timetrial scene in and around London, so I was pleased to see them sponsor the Rapha team two years back. This is the latest and greatest team ride for the the Rapha Condor team. Not sure what the bike weight is, but it is a 1000g frame, so that probably makes it a 15.5lbs bike with all this Dura-Ace on. The thing that the shot doesn’t do justice to is the Condor paint job, they are thick and imaculately finished. Even in black with a touch of pink.

http://www.condorcycles.com/leggero.html

Mavic Zxellium Shoes

In a fit of retail therapy I got myself a pair of these new Mavic Zxellium shoes. Man these things are light and I don’t mean bright, even though they are white. It took me a long time to get myself convinced about a pair of white shoes (and black socks) – but looking at old photos now in black shoes (and white socks), I look really dated. Time for an upgrade. These are great two season shoes. They are very vented so on a 50 degree day you feel it on your toes. The fronts are pretty narrow so if you are broad footed these may not be for you. So far they aren’t making me ride any faster but they do look damm good! They feel pretty molded to my foot when on, without the plastic bag and oven of a pair of Shimanos. Mavic call this autofit and it is pretty automatic. They also have a inbedded anti-bacterial insole to stop smelly feet. I am not sure how the elasticated straps will hold out over time. We shall see.

04.29.09

Howies Bike®

Howies deliver another smart T for the discerning fashion conscious cyclist. http://www.howies.co.uk/product.php/1847/7/

The Passo Sella Ronda

I came across this photo (from Jered Gruber, Assistant Editor of PezCyclingNews.com) on the same day a friend sent me a link to the Sella Ronda bike day in the Dolomites. I know nothing of the Dolomites. When I have had the chance to be in that part of the world with a bike I tend to head for the Alps or the Pyrenees. But this photograph will surely get the heart rate elevated. It looks stunning. The Sella Ronda is a four pass loop with all but one of the passes climbing above the 2000m mark. This year it runs on July 12th when they close all of the roads to traffic. The Covara and Pordoi passes are the seem to be the most popular. Maybe one day when I am old and I am dedicating my days to ticking of Cols and Passo.

04.25.09

Cyfac Absalou

Cyfac launched a great custom online tool that lets you do your own custom paint jobs. The frames are gorgeous in the flesh and the finish is truely craftman like at its best. This build was done by iBike. It might a little “French” for the white and black bike riders amongst us, but the color combinations would fit nicely into any team kit. http://www.cyfac-custom.com/

04.17.09

Die Farbe Bookjacket

I recently started going through a lot of the books I brought over from London, and found a whole series that I had bought just for the covers. No idea what most of them are about as they are in languages I can’t read. This is one of my favorites, beautifully simple typography and a wonderful use of color.

04.13.09

The Brooks Swallow Saddle (LE’05)

The Brooks saddle is one of my oldest childhood memories. My father had a Mercier track frame built up as a road bike to tour on. He treated the saddle every week with a combination of linseed oil and shoe cream until the leather was as soft as his cycling shoes (yes the shoes were leather too). Brooks is making a very visible comeback as riders try to achieve original builds on old collectible frames. The reality is the brand has never really gone away. When you read the stories on their site you realize how much of an iconic global brand Brooks is (www.brookssaddles.com). This film below by Selectfilms from the Bicycle Film Festival is a great documentary on the history and appreciation of the brand. Serious craftsmanship that shoes why when you buy one of their saddles it will probably last you all you life.