"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Book excerpt

http://www.velogear.com/prodinfo.asp?number=VP+ROAD

Here's a short excerpt from "Roadie". This is a true story that I'm guessing you can relate to. If you have a similar story, let's hear it!

"After a long and very hard solo training ride at an area park, a friend, George, peeled himself off his bike and leaned it against the back of his car. He slumped in the driver’s seat and slowly changed out of his cycling shoes and into something better suited to driving a car. He was completely wiped out after spending three hours hammering around the park.

When he was done changing his clothes, he started the car, pulled away straight through the parking space, and drove the 28 miles to his house. He then went inside and fixed himself something to eat. About an hour later, he went outside to feed his dog, and he saw his bike leaning against the side of his house.

“That’s weird,” he thought, “I don’t remember putting my bike there.”

Indeed, he hadn’t put his bike there. In his post-ride funk, he had left his $4500 bike lying in the parking lot at the park. After his ride, he had leaned the bike against the back of his car while he sat in the driver’s seat to change his shoes. He forgot all about it, started the car, and drove off without it.

Quite some time after George had left the park, another friend, Dave, noticed the bike lying there in the middle of the parking lot and recognized it as George’s. Dave gathered it up and drove twenty miles out of his way to deliver it to George’s house. Then, not wanting to disturb George, he just leaned it against the house and left without making his presence known. Needless to say, George eventually came outside, saw his bike, and went through a period of great confusion as he tried to piece together the events. It wasn't until many weeks later that he got the full story from Dave.

This, I remind you, is a true story, and it shows a number of things about the cycling community. First, it shows that Roadies can identify each other simply by the bike. It also shows that Roadies will go out of their way to reunite a rider with their bike. Most importantly, this shows us that a rider can put himself into such debt that he can lose some brain cells.

Ask any Roadie. They probably have a similar story."

Makes you wonder how he drove home...

I've left a wheel leaned against my truck a few times, but I've always remembered before it became to late.

i would probably do this half the time i took my bike anywhere to ride. thats why i always just ride from home... oh the luxury of living in kentucky!

i remember you writing about that before.

kind of reminds me of a guy i vaguely know here, but with a less happy ending.

the guy was going on a family vacation. as one would expect, it got a little stressed, packing the car with everything needed for two weeks to be spent in france with one's wife and children. once everything was in, and the kids buckled up in their seats, he drove off. after 5 blocks he realized that he hadn't put his bike on the thule, and that it was leaning against his building, so he took a U-turn and drove back. Bye-bye Colnago.

Good memory.
I was more pimping the book than the story.

Here's a more typical story:

The cyclist got creamed by the soccer mom. He was killed. No citations were issued. The end.

He drives 28 miles in his car in order to ride his road bike. Huh?

... Brad

I've left a wheel leaned against my car a few times, and drove over it once.

Corrected for my own experience.

Do all of your friends here at BF have to wait until March to get their hands on this thing? Sounds like it would make a nice Christmas present for my puzzled friends....

Here's a more typical story:

The cyclist got creamed by the soccer mom. He was killed. No citations were issued. The end.

Honest to god, Pcad, that's what my second book will be about. Seriously. I'm already working on it.


And George drove 28 miles to ride because he did that on his way home from work. If you know metro-Detroit, you'll understand.


We tried to get this out in time for the holidays but it got bumped back one too many times.

Sadly, I read stories about cyclists and motorcyclists being killed daily by motorists and so help me, they don't even issue tickets for reckless driving. Life is cheap on two wheels boys. Read it and weep.

http://www.velogear.com/prodinfo.asp?number=VP+ROAD

Here's a short excerpt from "Roadie". This is a true story that I'm guessing you can relate to. If you have a similar story, let's hear it!

....

Ask any Roadie. They probably have a similar story."

BTDT!!! :p Cost me a pair of Oakley M-frames and almost my IF on another occasion in my 1st year of ownership.

I have since instituted the "Idiot Check" walkaround of the vehicle. Im never too burnt out to remember to do it. If its not on the ground near,or on the hood or roof of the Cherokee, Im safe to drive off.

R3 on the roof rack. Park car in garage.

R3 on the roof rack. Park car in garage.

<cringe>

R3 on the roof rack. Park car in garage.

Solution: insure garage is too messy to park your car in. That's the only reason my garage is too messy to fit more than my wife's car. It has nothing to do with my general affection for clutter.

R3 on the roof rack. Park car in garage.

I've done it twice, once with a Kona MTB and once with a serotta road bike. You'd think I'd learn. The MTB was at like 25 mph into a parking garage. I destroyed that frame along with my rear window.

Edit: I did learn, I bought a tahoe so the bikes go inside not on top of the car.

I've done it twice, once with a Kona MTB and once with a serotta road bike. You'd think I'd learn. The MTB was at like 25 mph into a parking garage. I destroyed that frame along with my rear window.

Edit: I did learn, I bought a tahoe so the bikes go inside not on top of the car.

Hi,

I put a trailer hitch on my Prius and carry the bikes on the back (held by the wheels -- not the frame).

Regarding EventServices' story, I have a clubmate who drove off without his Cervelo P3 aluminum. Bike wasn't there when he got back since we're talking about LA. However, insurance covered a good chunk of the loss and now he has a P3 Carbon. :)

Just the other day, I left my Look outside leaned up against my garage door by mistake for about 45 minutes. I was in the garage, realized what happened, panicked, and ended up relieved to find the bike was still there. :o

Overall, I find that cyclist are generally very kind and honest -- really. :p :)

I recognize people by their seat stays.

Yes, I'm a wheelsucker.

I can't count the number of people who I could never recognize in street clothes but could recognize at a distance on a bike from the way they rode, or close up on a bike from behind.

On the subject of losing brain cells from a ride, one time my carpool partner and I were headed home from a particularly hard track workout. We missed our exit so we got off some time later and had to figure out how to navigate surface streets back to where he had parked his car, which isn't always trivial given the various hills and arroyos that lead to the street routing. Eventually we got to one of the major blvds that runs east/west, but we had managed to lose track of which way we were pointing. We drove for a while, trying to decide if we were headed the right way or not, and only realized we had been going in the wrong direction for quite a while when I started to recognize the segment of road that is used on one of the big local group rides.

You, my friend, are a true Roadie.
You also probably call them by their bike, as in "blue Trek guy" or "carbon Giant dude" until you get to know them really well. That's normal and accepted.

You, my friend, are a true Roadie.
You also probably call them by their bike, as in "blue Trek guy" or "carbon Giant dude" until you get to know them really well. That's normal and accepted.

In a land where I can never remember names (if I even understand them when they say them), every rider is known as "<insert name of bike/color of bar tape> guy"

I know Carrera Guy (and Carrera Wife), Trek guy, Pink (bar tape) Specialized Guy, Merlin Guy, Big Bianchi Guy and Little Bianchi Guy. The amazing thing is if I hook up with a rider out on the road and remember to get some bike details, my LBS can almost always tell me the name of the rider.

You, my friend, are a true Roadie.
You also probably call them by their bike, as in "blue Trek guy" or "carbon Giant dude" until you get to know them really well. That's normal and accepted.

Oh so true.

This Spring I rode the local "hammer" ride and realized that I had ridden with one of the guys before (Yellow Giant with a filthy frame and an immaculate drive train) the previous summer.

It isn't always about the bike, though. A long time ago I was on a local bike club ride during the dead of winter and a woman came up along side and said that she recognized me from a year ago (we get a fair number of "snowbird" riders down here) by my calves.

R3 on the roof rack. Park car in garage.

Even better; hotel valet drives a car with a Parlee on the roof into the parking garage.

Even better; hotel valet drives a car with a Parlee on the roof into the parking garage.

???
Profit? I'm guessing not.

-bullseye

???
Profit? I'm guessing not.

-bullseye

I'm not sure I ever heard the end of the story. All I remember is seeing the top tube on the floor next to the frame and having to ask what the heck happened to it. It got replaced, but I have no clue by who. If I had to guess the hotel handled it.

Owner and valet must of both been completely unaware. I'm not sure how either of them let it happen. I guess if all you do is park cars all day, you get into such a routine you do not even realize something on the car roof, but then you would think the owner would say something. Whoops.

i remember you writing about that before.

kind of reminds me of a guy i vaguely know here, but with a less happy ending.

the guy was going on a family vacation. as one would expect, it got a little stressed, packing the car with everything needed for two weeks to be spent in france with one's wife and children. once everything was in, and the kids buckled up in their seats, he drove off. after 5 blocks he realized that he hadn't put his bike on the thule, and that it was leaning against his building, so he took a U-turn and drove back. Bye-bye Colnago.

I call BS. Sounds like National Lampoons Vacation, except replace the Colnago with tying the dog to the bumper.:p

hitch racks ftw

It was a dark and stormy night. Nothing the Pearl Izumi booties and the L&M HD light can't handle.

In a land where I can never remember names (if I even understand them when they say them), every rider is known as "<insert name of bike/color of bar tape> guy"

LOL... entries in my cell phone include:

Blue Colnago Dude
LBS Owner
Silver CAAD 9 Guy

Sadly, I read stories about cyclists and motorcyclists being killed daily by motorists and so help me, they don't even issue tickets for reckless driving. Life is cheap on two wheels boys. Read it and weep.

i havent ridden my motorcycle since a local guy was killed and im selling it soon. its just not worth the risk to me anymore.

cycling on the other hand, is worth the risk. :D

left gloves on top of car :(

I call BS. Sounds like National Lampoons Vacation, except replace the Colnago with tying the dog to the bumper.:p

i'm sure albert wished it was only a movie too.

i'm sure albert wished it was only a movie too.


Yeah, the difference was that the movie was funny, and your mate albert is probably a better actor than Chevy Chase.

Yeah, the difference was that the movie was funny, and your mate albert is probably a better actor than Chevy Chase.

who isn't?

The friggin gopher in Caddyshack out-acted him.

The friggin gopher in Caddyshack out-acted him.

have you seen this? http://crackle.com/c/Funny/steven_colbert_roast_chevy_chase/1460429

The friggin gopher in Caddyshack out-acted him.

That gopher should have gotten a special Puppet Oscar for that performance.

The part about people knowing someone by his or her bike is something I wouldn't have believed until today. I dropped my bike off at the local Performance Bike shop the other day. First time I've used that place for maintenance but I started hearing good things about their head wrench.

Anyway, the guy calls me up today to say my bike is done and says "a couple guys came into the shop while I had your bike on the stand. They took one look and said 'hey, that's Zimbo's bike!'" I have no idea who it was, but they apparently recognize my bike.

Me, I recognize the jerseys.

--Steve

The part about people knowing someone by his or her bike is something I wouldn't have believed until today. I dropped my bike off at the local Performance Bike shop the other day. First time I've used that place for maintenance but I started hearing good things about their head wrench.

Anyway, the guy calls me up today to say my bike is done and says "a couple guys came into the shop while I had your bike on the stand. They took one look and said 'hey, that's Zimbo's bike!'" I have no idea who it was, but they apparently recognize my bike.

Me, I recognize the jerseys.

--Steve

bikes, then helmets for me.

That gopher should have gotten a special Puppet Oscar for that performance.
The gopher was a puppet? :eek:

http://www.dvdtown.com/images/displayimage.php?id=5363

bikes, then helmets for me.

The funny thing is how many guys I meet while I'm riding, and then I don't recognize them when I see them for the first time in baggy clothes without a helmet and wraparound shades. I have some riding partners whose hair and eyes I couldn't describe. One guy I had ridden with several times didn't recognize me when he first saw me helmetless, 'cause he somehow had it in his mind that I was bald under my everpresent Giro and my hair threw him off.

The gopher was a puppet? :eek:

http://www.dvdtown.com/images/displayimage.php?id=5363

No different than Ryanf.

The funny thing is how many guys I meet while I'm riding, and then I don't recognize them when I see them for the first time in baggy clothes without a helmet and wraparound shades. I have some riding partners whose hair and eyes I couldn't describe. One guy I had ridden with several times didn't recognize me when he first saw me helmetless, 'cause he somehow had it in his mind that I was bald under my everpresent Giro and my hair threw him off.

yeah. you're the not the first person to tell that tale.

but the bigger question is...
would you drive out of your way to return their bike to them if you were to find it in the parking lot?
Or would you just call them and tell them to come get it?
Or would you just call them and say, "Dude, your bike is laying in the parking lot at the park."

but the bigger question is...
would you drive out of your way to return their bike to them if you were to find it in the parking lot?
Or would you just call them and tell them to come get it?
Or would you just call them and say, "Dude, your bike is laying in the parking lot at the park."

depends.

but the bigger question is...
would you drive out of your way to return their bike to them if you were to find it in the parking lot?
Or would you just call them and tell them to come get it?
Or would you just call them and say, "Dude, your bike is laying in the parking lot at the park."

Depending on who it was it would be a great opportunity to pick it up and play a joke on them letting them think it was stolen for a while. I would of course make sure they didn't call the cops before saying 'gotcha'!

It was a dark and stormy night. Nothing the Pearl Izumi booties and the L&M HD light can't handle.

Have you entered that in the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction contest?

Have you entered that in the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction contest?

I don't need no stinking contest. All I need is my dog.

http://jswynne.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/05/25/snoopy_typingmobmsg11526220357.jpg