Olympics London 2012

Peter "I've had my derny license for 15 years" Deary

I managed to see the women's omnium and the only Olympic event which features a motorcycle, the men's keirin.  The racers follow a pacer derny for a few laps then it breaks away and they leg it to the finish.  Chris Hoy won and the crowd went mental.  The pacer's 2-stroke fumes were making people cough, unhelped by the velodrome's air-lock double doors which prevent breezes entering.  Hoy must be a closet smoker.

$10,800 bicycle

I have been out of the bicycle world for a couple of years now but I still have a couple of saved sellers on eBay and one just sold this for 10k.  Crazy to think that you could get a K-model for that money but it must be one of the most beautiful bicycles I've seen.

1940s Alex Singer 56cm.

"Great bike from one of the greatest French makers of the Golden Age."

ROSSIN

 

 

Mutant

http://cyclebicycle.com/?page_id=169

If you can't go fast then at least dress for the job

Peg Leg

The twat in orange is vaguely amusing but the real viewing candy comes at the very end of the vid.

Stayer bikes

Check out these crazy bikes, evolved (as the best looking do) through the specialised competition of pacing.

Popluar in the 1920s onwards this was sort of like the European version of board track racing.  Teams consisting of a motorcycle and a bicycle (or 'Stayer' bikes) would race around a velodrome at up to 75mph.  The bicycles keeping up with the motorbikes which provided an aerodynamic slipstream, often 'regulated' through the leather suits worn by the riders.

 

Both riders recieved medals though it wasn't unknown for the motorcyclists to fix the races.  Crashes were painful and once a fuel tank exploded in Berlin killing nine spectators.

The motorcycles had a roller behind them to control how close the bicycle could get.  They were also MASSIVE in both engine and size.  They had to accelerate smoothly (for obvious reasons) and so scrapped gears or clutches and just chugged up to speed.

1928 Anzani 2400cc ioe (above).  Next three are by Meyer and also 2400cc:

 

Recognise those forks

 Cool cylinder fins

 

Three cylinders.  Mad seat position and handlebars.

Tandem motorcycle!

 

The bicycles were also specialised and designed to get the rider as far forwards as possible into the slipstream. Small front wheels  and minimal rake helped and reversed forks gave extra trail for high-speed stability.  Highly geared, no brakes.  I also love the saddle and handlebar braces.

 So ugly I want to *ahem* ride it.

 

Moser's stayer bike.  He almost died during a pacing race.  Didn't stop his career though.

 Nice ear protectors.

More pictures at yesterdays and vintagetrackbikes.

Drink driving

Still one of the fastest ways through central London.

One-way streets, red lights, riding on the pavement, bus lanes... What they gonna do?  Take your number plate down?

 

This is the fastest bike I have ever owned or ridden.  Extremely rigid and light TT track frame.   As track frames are de-raked compared with normal bike frames it's agile through traffic.  And less leverage is needed so narrow bars give the best control.  Carbon-fibre front wheel is aerodynamic and has a low moment of inertia.  It also runs a tubular tyre which can hold about 200psi so there's almost no tyre rolling resistance (the main form of drag on bicycles).  48x15 gearing.  Pedal cages.  I run a rear brake only but combined with a fixed gear gives great braking feedback and sense of traction.

It's cold in London.

TAKHION

 

Happy Birthday to me.  A Russian track frame.  Thanks Mum!

 

Rise of the bicycle

 
       Bicycles have been trendy for a while now but only recently have prices got to silly levels.  Here's one that just ended on eBay:

       I bought my first track bike on eBay for £50 including postage from Newcastle.  I could probably sell one its pedals for that now.  Instead I'll just keep it until it corrodes away or until the hipsters are riding penny-farthings and nobody wants it.  I'm smart like that.

LASER

Gintautas Umaras shifting on a Cinelli Laser.  Such a tight frame.

Pornarello

Reading an Italian bicycle blog I found a post about my very own bicycle!  The picture is when the last owner had it, he's a Hungarian racer and sent me that very pic when we were e-mailing.

It's an Italian Pinarello Prologo (Lo-Pro in English) track frame.  The smaller front wheel design is for time trials and gives better aerodynamics.  The curved tubing is for sex-appeal.  Speaking of which, donne nude..

http://www.milanofixed.com/pornarello/

Photoshop Practise

Angelo Coppi

 

Angelo Fausto Coppi.  Nicknamed Il Campionissimo, he was one of the most successful and popular cyclists of all time.  Twice won the Tour de France (1949 and 1952), and five times the Giro d'Italia.  Plus the man had style for miles, check those tights! 

Speedholes