I haven’t posted anything about the economy lately, because my terror alert meter has been primarily focused on swine flu and I can only freak out about a single thing at a time. But I thought it was important to point out that Portland decided to showboat for the Wall Street Journal last week, bragging about its “hipsters” and its “vibrant music scene “and “87% unemployment rate” and its “mopey underemployed bike messengers” and who did they get to pose as Melancholy Messenger #3? Scotty O! He’s on the far ...

I don’t usually talk about upcoming events. But this one had Burt Reynolds and Dom Deluise on the flyer. They even put Dom in the Captain Chaos outfit that I loved so much growing up. So this event is already the best bike race that has ever not yet been raced in the history of future bike races. The race is on May 2nd and is a benefit for Chicken. She needs to pay for some overpriced non-government subsidized medical care. She deserves it. I once gave her a can of ...

Adnan Kadir, cycling coach to the stars (and by “stars” I mean some of my friends) is leaving town for a year. He mentioned that Spand and Deliver was THE MOST FUN HE’D HAD AT A RACE THIS YEAR. So I decided to qucikly come up with a farewell race in his honor. Everything was coming together perfectly…until I discovered that there were a ton of other cyclocross-related things going on the same day I had hoped to have my race (I looked at the OBRA calendar and saw no ...

I had been hearing rumors all year that these wheels sucked, but apparently they suck so bad that you can get your money back. According to the CPSC, the “rim surface and spoke hole plugs on the wheel can cause a puncture to the inner tube, resulting in a flat tire.” They add, “this can cause the rider to lose control and fall.” There are so many things in the world that cause me to lose control and fall (my love of marshmallows, new episodes Americas Top Model, rejection, etc) ...

According to Yahoo Sports, cyclists caught doping in ‘09 face 4-year bans, doubling the current ban of 2 years. International Cycling Union president Pat McQuaid plans to double the current penalty of two years in “aggravating circumstances.” This now puts hopped up cyclists on the same schedule as the Olympics, US Presidential elections, El Nino, and earthly hunting visits from the Predator (for the scifi geeks out there). Cyclists lacking natural abilities are urged to switch to over-the-counter remedies from 7-11, including NoDoz, 5 Hour Energy, and BUZZZZ! “There is a bit more ...

There is nothing I love more than getting my news about the cycling industry AND my news about the impending global economic doom at the same time. Something about the time saved warms my heart. So it is with great joy that I break the news that Lance Armstrong has thrown himself behind SRAM, and then breaking the news that Lehman Brothers last month purchased 40% of SRAM. And as we all know, Lehman Brothers just went belly up. I assume you’re following my train of thought. You’re with me. ...

Proving that Oregon will not be satisfied until we have a handbuilt bike show for every builder, details have ermerged about the newest one: Manifest. Coming just after the Southern Oregon Handbuilt Bike Show and just before the Jeff Phillips Semi-Annual Lugged Extravaganza bike show, Manifest promises to have… a lot of handbuilt bikes. We’re told that Weiden and Kennedy will be involved, so the posters will probably look really nice. And there is a rumor that Chris King will start making frames again. And all of the builders that always ...