by 
Newbike!Newbike!Newbike! My head has been wrapped around the new Voodoo frame I am getting next month. A 9’er with front suspension is a nice choice for the Mohican 100, I’ve heard. Who else is doing this race? I am also doing 24 hours of Dino in September. I need a teammate or 3 for that one because I am too pussy-ass to do it solo.
I need as much mountain biking inspiration that I can get. I watched this very cool video from Ergon of Irina Kalentieva (Team Topeak Ergon) getting ready for the Offenburg XC World Cup. Bad ass. Thanks to Harp for the video.
I had my final breathing test Monday. They induced an asthma attack with this nasty medicine called “methacholine”. Fucking scary shit. I couldn’t breathe, and I coughed and coughed and coughed. Then they reversed it with a rescue inhaler, albuteral. It worked real fast. So, yes it’s asthma, exercise induced. I got more acupuncture today. I want to get rid of this shit without meds.
Last weekend were the final two OVCX races in Indy. I was holding 4th in my cat. for the series, points-wise. I entertained the thought of racing. I had been dying to race in snowy, muddy conditions all season, and last weekend was perfect. It was even cold enough to wear my bad ass thermal skinsuit from Twin Six. Coach OB and Dominic both gave me the green light just to shut me up. But I thought better of it and didn’t even brave a ride outside. It’s not worth it. I cough just walking outside into the cold air.
I saw this video on Facecrack this morning. Unfixed fixed gear brakeless trials video:
This article is rad. Ikea says thank you to their 12,400 employees with brand new bikes:
“It’s been a good year for IKEA, so what better way to celebrate our success than to thank our IKEA co-workers who made this happen. Our big reveal today will be a fun day as we unload 12,400 new bikes at IKEA US locations. This is our way of saying ‘thanks IKEA co-workers for being strongly committed to working together.’ We hope this bike will be taken in the spirit of the season while supporting a healthy lifestyle and everyday sustainable transport,” commented Mike Ward, IKEA US President.
That’s all I got. Have a great week. Good luck to everyone racing at Cyclocross Natls in Bend. Two of my racer friends are there, representin’ KY, for the Cyclocross Nationals. Sherri, a gorgeous southern belle, 50+ with the legs of a 21 year old, and Cooper, who has kicked some fucking ass this season, even after a broken pelvis in the spring. RACE HARD LADIES and KICK SOME FUCKING ASS!!
I’ll leave ya with this great Goats video.
by 
The Ergon video is pretty steamy stuff. I took a few screenshots in the beginning of my favorite parts. Whew. Hot.
http://jackrabbitracing.blogspot.com/2010/12/burt-hoovis-inspires.html
unfixed…weak.
that was 3min and 56 seconds of my life i’m never going to get back.
Judi — here’s a bit more (QUITE a bit more, actually) on the IKEA story:
http://bikeportland.org/2010/12/07/see-the-bike-ikea-just-gave-all-12400-of-its-u-s-employees-44155
As you’ll see (if you can hang in there long enough to read the 160 — and counting! — comments), you’ll see that they run the gamut from envious to supportive to downright disdainful.
That IKEA bike looks like a good fart would make it fall apart.
@DB, dominic thought it was a lame video too.
@beth, of COURSE the PDX bike blog would be all over that Ikea story :)
@fff. the bikes do look like pieces of shit, agreed, but it’s still cool.
Judi — wait! It gets better:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Special-Edition-IKEA-Bicycle-RARE-/390270392951?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item5added9a77
Clearly it didn’t take long for this IKEA employee to become disenchanted with his lovely door prize. I dunno, maybe it’s the colorway.
(He does possess a fair amount of gall in calling it “Rare”. They gave away over 12,000 of the things, for heaven’s sake. And listing it under “Road Bikes”? Please.)
@beth, that totally ruins the story. boo.
I dunno, I gotta give Ikea credit. It would be insane to give away twelve thousand quality bikes, knowing that maybe one in four—probably less— will ever get used. Thus, they give away crappy machines.
At the risk of making it too complicated, they could offer a small cash equivalent for the fat-asses who won’t ride, and a generous trade-up program to those who would.
Woulda been insaner to actually ride one a them fuckin’ turds.
Nice like the video
as for the skin suit it is always cold in the freezer section of the Grocery stor
b4 you love ikea think on this:
http://austinontwowheels.org/2010/12/07/ikea-is-giving-away-12000-bikes-should-we-be-patting-them-on-the-back/
people in my town think about things sometimes
jimmy
Thanks for the shout out darlin’. Natz was a fun time, hard, tough and scary TT course for this newbie. Wish I’d stayed through Sunday, both to see all of the Elite and Collegiates but also so I could stay up and party on Sat night. Good Times!!!!