Push/Pull is positive cycling .com

I started noticing this trek ad in the last week of the tour. Kinda blows cervelo and specialized’s ads right out of the water. I’m not really a big fan of trek in general, they always seemed too much like a giant impersonal corporation to me, and I’ve always hated bontrager’s logo. But this one really does it for me. The dude on the madone at the beginning? “we believe in long rides” cutting out of work late, throwing on the gear and going riding on a weekday night. Putting in the miles, late summer, alone. perfect. On a side note I was at our local trek shop the other day buying up all their nike cycling stuff at 40% off and I saw one of those new madones. It was the pro 5.5, yellow and black with sram stuff. Looked pretty ill. Anyway the whole “simple solution to a complex problem” sequence is pretty great too - gotta shout portland out in a bike commercial hahah. Overall a great look for trek as a whole.

check http://www.trekbikes.com/au/en/story/believe/ for a higher quality clip and some “making of” stuff.

I think most cities with a sizable cycling scene have some sort of weekly crit series during the summer. In Grand Rapids we have grattan raceway. Grattan is a road racing course open to sportbikes, go karts, and sportscars most of the week - except wednesday evenings in the summer. Wednesday evenings grattan hosts road races(A and B groups, 40ish miles).

I raced in the B’s at grattan last week, my first road race ever. Been working up the courage to go out there for a while. Asking everyone I know who has raced there annoying questions like “how tired will I be?” “how tired were you?” “How many clif bars should bring?” “how much i am going to get yelled at?” “what does holding your line mean?” “am i going to get dropped?” etc.

Driving out my stomach feels hollow. I keep going through the race in my mind. Got my restaurant shift covered, kit packed in a my bag next to me. bottles topped off. Granola bars in the jersey pocket. Bike spotless in the back of my truck. The ipods in, cruising through the country northeast of the city. Pull into the lot all too soon. Change into my kit and unpack my bike. Pick up my number and eat a granola bar. at 6:45 ish warm up starts. Brian, the owner of the shop I work at, takes me through a lap or two - “start pedaling at the bottom of this corner and you can make up a few places without wasting too much energy (#3)” “this is the hill (#11)” “don’t drop a pedal here(#10)” etc. I pull off near the start finish line to stretch and say hey to the few people I know. Then they’re ringing the bell, lining the 2 groups up (B’s on the left side of the straight, A’s on the right) yelling out rules and guidelines and counting down to the start. A’s start first, and then B’s go, maybe a minute later.

The first half of the race I ride terribly. Make every mistake possible. Wobble through a few corners, pull the field up to a breakaway. Go on a two man break, but luckily realize what I’m doing and sit up before I completely blow up. I finally start to get the hang of riding in the field about midway through. I’m sitting in - recovering after being an idiot on the front. Just feeling kinda stupid, like I don’t belong. In the A race, 2 bissel pro riders are off the front, they’d passed us already. Coming through turn 3 one of the other dudes from our shop (riding in the A’s for priority health) blows past us. Yelling at people in his way and scaring the crap out of everyone. I just had to laugh. Put me in a good mood see him trying to bridge up alone.

I sit up and cruise to the back of our field. Eat my other granola bar and drink. We get passed by the A’s and Brian yells to move up. I feel better. The race is well past half over. I start riding smarter - staying near the front, not taking long pulls. I find my gear for the hill, and get in a groove. 3 to go. 2 to go. then the bell - last lap.

I ride in top 5 or 6 for the last lap. the pace is slows at turn 10 - nobody wants to lead out. We crest the hill and i’ve worked my way up to second position behind a bigger dude in an orange jersey. We make the slight left onto the straight and someone breaks and passes from the left. A kid in pearl izumi kit on an older klien, mashing some huge gear. I jump on his wheel as he takes off. I’m waiting for the the rest of the field to come around on the right but they don’t. I’m second guessing the crap out of my gear choice - it feels too heavy - to late to shift. shit. We’re halfway down the straight and the kid looks back at me. I go - staring at the open air next to his bike. Stomping my pedals. Trying to save a little spurt because I’m still waiting for the field to catch us on the right. They don’t. I gap the kid. Win the sprint. Win the race. I can’t believe it.

I coast through the first few corners and then back on the service road in disbelief. Brian meets me at the line laughing - “i can’t believe you actually did it”. I ask if that was really it, no breaks, the real deal. Yeah he says. “you won”. I still can’t believe it. I ask the officials if i can keep my number, pack up my gear, change into shorts, and start the drive home. legs aching, summer sunset, windows down, cool breeze blowing. a perfect night.

Cleaning out the parts bins, and throwing a bunch of stuff on ebay. Had to get a little serious with the photos.

Power seller status here I come. Hahaha.

Cinelli had their packaging game down in the old days - check the little hash marks that let you know what size the stem is. And the different colored spacers for the stem!? I bought an easton EA 90 stem the other day and it came in the same ugly box the EA 30 comes in. What a letdown.

Teamwork Bags put on an alleycat this weekend, to launch to their company, and in support of the ever-growing Grand Rapids cycling scene.  Weather was great, with a great turnout.  Tough route, hot and humid. Team P/P pulled through with the win. All about that teamwork today.

Daniel Kort, fixing a flat, midrace, in under a minute. magic hands. hahaha.

Definitely check Teamworkbags.com.  All of their bags are made unique, and recycled from second hand nautical sails, cleverly cut and finished.  Very nice quality, and a great look.  Great guys too.  Check back for a spotlight on Teamwork, once I can get some shots of their space/studio.

Did the sf fixed tuesday ride this week. checked the route out online beforehand and it didn’t look too serious - only 13 miles. but after checking their forum and finding 4 pages of comments about how many hills there were, how steep the climbs are, and how scary the descents might be I started to wonder.

I show up 20 minutes early at the meeting point (a giant sculpture of a bow and arrow) on the embarcadero near the bay bridge. A few people are there already - more gradually show up. It was definitely a weird feeling to not know anyone, not know where we were headed, or even how hard the ride would be. Plenty of nice bikes - a few bareknuckles, lots of vintage track frames, a couple hed 3s. a few road bikes too - glad I’m not only one. We leave at about 7:50 - pretty casual, one dude in a rapha coat on a nicer old track bike just kinda yells “lets go” and we all gradually roll out.

We cruise down the embarcadero, keeping a good pace into a headwind - the dude in rapha leading at the front. We roll thorough fisherman’s wharf, pier 49, and past the historic park, when I realize (too late) we’re going to smash up this nasty short but steep hill. Feeling a little guilty, I fumble into my inner ring and stomp on it, dodging tourists and the group. We wait at the top for everyone and then descend through the park to marina blvd. I’m pretty far back in the group because I was late leaving the top of the hill so I get a perfect view of a kid running into a jogger. Pretty terrible to see. It was a complete accident, both parties were unhurt and no-one seemed mad - both were just a bit shook up. Bit of a wakeup call.

I work my way back up to the front of the group as we get closer to golden gate park. A littler guy with a mustache on a yellow track bike passes me to take second wheel behind an asian dude on an IRO. We turn left into the presidio and the dude on the IRO drops back. I follow the yellow bike as we climb past historic military buildings before riding into woods on rough two lane blacktop. Mr. IRO is back on the front and we continue climbing. I stop looking at the scenery and concentrate on the wheel in front of me as my legs start to burn. I can’t believe how fast these two are climbing on fixed gears, I’m getting dropped and I start to get passed by a few riders, before we stop, thankfully at an old building on storey ave.

I pound water, catch my breath, and then pound a clif bar. I’m pouring sweat in 50 degree weather with just a hoodie on so it strip down to a teeshirt and armwarmers. We wait again, longer this time for everyone to make it. We continue up a ways and then start descending - I’m riding my brakes, trying to give people space and the amazing view on my right sneaks up on me. The pacific ocean, deep blue, crashing on rocks far below us. The road winds and curves as we pick up speed. my legs are still rubbery.

The road flattens, we spin through a neighborhood and then we’re climbing again. I’m working my way back up to the front as we exit the neighborhood and enter lincoln park. The ocean is in view again on our right side as we suffer up to the legion of honor. I catch my stride and grind it out - in pain but managing, 5 or 6 riders from the front. we make it up to sit and wait, then drop down out of the park. Next we climb clement st. up to fort miley. Then build speed on the descent to race down past the cliff house, tight turns, big ringing it, low over the bars, side by side with the other roadies down to the beach.

The group starts to splinter up as we ride through golden gate park back into the city. My bottle is emtpy, it’s dark, I’m tired, satisfied and really happy.

Thanks to all the sf fixed riders - to turpe for organizing, and to everyone I met. If you’re even in grand rapids - on a wednesday night, we’d like to see you. Hell, we can probably even find you a bike to ride.

Tourist status.

San francisco sun.

Choices.

Traffic - post & mason.

Alamo square - climbing.

UCSF.

Mission - too much good food.

Bike advocacy.

Been riding, doing lots of eating, hitting all the shops. Monster hills - epic decents. Oak street past the panhandle, catching like 9 green lights, passing traffic at 30 plus. too much fun.

Grand rapids to chicago to minneapolis to san francisco.

Joe macs fuji track. DA crankset and everything.

Twin peaks.

Atlantic.

Got into town tuesday night - put the bike together wednesday morning after breakfast. traffic is craze, the city is craze, and the hills - yikes. super fun.

The prettiest cannondale track ever. I remember finding pictures of this bike before I even had my IRO. It single handedly introduced me to fi’z:ik saddles, campy wheels, and cannondale track bikes. I don’t even care that its a midget frame size - it looks perfect. Streeted out, all scratched up with some super narrow risers and I just realized it has a record crank!? geez.

bigger photo here.

My roomate michael put me on to this site called steepandcheap a while back. Its run by backcountry.com. its basically just insane deals for a limited time on random outdoor type gear.

Then the other day I found out that they have a bike version of the site now called chainlove. I was pretty mad when a pair of smith vTi sunglasses popped up and the price was cheaper than I can EP them through he shop I work at. Anyway all the good stuff goes real quick so I would sign up for their updates or whatever unless you want to stare at some XXXL oakley mtn. jersey everytime you check the site. And if you really want to get caught up in this whole mess check gearattack.com

I guess I’m a ‘roadie’ now. Clip-in shoes, gears, brakes, coasting…and even bib shorts. I got a great deal on a 07 Colnago Arte, which is one of their mid-range entry level rides…couldn’t pass it up. I’m a sucker for heritage, you know? Size 56cm, Campy Khamsin wheels, Campy Mirage groupo except the crank which is a pretty basic FSA and will be getting swapped out pretty quick here…In fact, I’m thinking a Centaur or maybe Chorus groupo. Feel like I have to ride Campy on a Colnago, you know? Anyway, in the mean time I’ve got a bike I’m pretty thrilled with. Just love the nude aluminum.

I’ve been riding fixed gear for about 1-1.5 years and it was time to give a proper road bike a try. Feels good. So here’s to gears, brakes, long distance, spandex, maybe even shaved legs…and I promise not to be the jerk roadie that doesn’t wave/nod back when the fixed gear kids roll past. (I’ll still be riding fixed too by the way!)

I brought it to my man Daniel Koert’s ‘26 Portsmouth Bike Shop’ in Heritage Hill to have it built-up with his skilled hands. Thanks again Dan…good times. Figured I’d document it.

Daniel Koert stands by his work…after a relaxed 2 hour session of build-up, smoke breaks, chilly beer, and good chats.

My man Daniel’s rates are pretty affordable…$35 worth of Guinness, Coors Light, S. Pellegrino, Twizzlers, and Chex Mix from Martha’s Vineyard in Heritage Hill. Quite the deal if you ask me. And, to be honest, the Coors were more for me, ha.