May
14
The Post-Doping World of Pro Baseball
Filed Under Deep Thoughts, Racing | Leave a Comment
Doping has been somewhat less of a hot topic lately in the cycling world, but I always find it incredibly interesting to look at the extent of the doping problem in other sports and how the media and public view it as compared to cycling. Mainly it’s because I believe that cycling gets an unfair share of the negative media attention and that there’s a perception by the general public that pro cyclists have been more doped up than other sports’ athletes. Pro baseball, here in the US, has been helping take some of the negative headline burden off of cycling’s shoulders, lately, as a result of some government inquiries, confessions and just plain old “I know steroid use when I see it” skepticism by observers as players bulked up and power hitting numbers skyrocketed since the early 90’s.
I was listening to a sports talk radio show this morning before work and heard some amazing analysis of how pro baseball has changed as a result of (finally) stronger drug testing and the government’s recent Mitchell Report that resulted from investigating the use of drugs in baseball and incriminated many high profile current and former players. While immunity has been granted for the many players named in the report, the statistics for this first season following the release of the report indicate that there has apparently been a strong reaction amongst the players that has led to a dramatic reduction in steroid and HGH usage. As the host of the program said, “when the lights were turned on in the kitchen, all the rats and cockroaches went scurrying for cover.”
The big statistic that struck home for me, was the expected total number of home runs for this season - the home run being the play most likely to be positively affected by an increase in strength. A former Major League Baseball executive, who is now an analyst, said on the program that, at the current pace and about 40 games into a 162-game season, the league will hit 1,000 fewer home runs this year than in 2006. Considering that in ‘06 there was a total of 5,386 home runs, the difference is staggering - nearly a 20% drop.
Additional evidence of a change in drug use is a drop in average pitch speeds and anecdotal evidence of smaller physical stature and more frequent injuries so far this season.
So pro cycling is the only sport that was rampant with dopers? I think not.
May
8
If you are a bicycle industry retailer, registration for Interbike 2008 is now open! Follow the link in the right hand column (attendees) or right here to register. (Exhibitor and media reg coming soon)
Remember, Interbike is still a trade-only event and is not open to the public. Sorry guys…
And don’t forget about your hotel and travel needs. There are still rooms available at special Interbike attendee rates here.
Blatant sales pitch over…
Apr
24
Sea Otter Video - GoPro Helmet Cameras
Filed Under Exhibitor News, Gear, Video | Leave a Comment
In my Sea Otter coverage, I really tried to stay away from the well-traveled territory of most of the cycling media, magazines and blogs: cool new gear. I know, “isn’t that what Interbike is all about?” Well, I could debate that, but, regardless, I can’t compete with Lennard Zinn and James Huang on their own turf. I can talk gear and tech all day and love a good Zinn tech article as much as the next bike geek, but I think I’d do better carving my own niche. I intended for this to be topics and subjects of interest to the industry including interesting new programs, how companies are using Web 2.0, advocacy, etc. I hope these have been of some interest.
So forgive me if this next video interview seems a bit tech heavy. While I think the tough and tiny GoPro is a cool gadget, I really only started to take interest in it after considering all the social media possibilities that it opens up. Think sharing point-of-view videos of your commute, trail, race course or group ride. GoPro have apparently sold a lot of cameras, but I don’t think the potential for sharing has been really exploited.
We’ll be getting a few cameras here for our office soon to film our rides, waves, powder, sails, rock climbs, etc. to share. I’d love to hear of some interesting uses for one of these.
After finishing this interview, I ran into the folks at Vholdr who make their own helmet/bike/gear-mounted POV camera. Look for that interview shortly.
For more info on GoPro, visit www.goprocamera.com
Apr
23
Guess the Gas Price…
Filed Under Deep Thoughts, Interbike | 3 Comments
If you guessed “obscene”, you win! (I know, Carlton, it’s still a pittance compared to UK and Euro prices…) And we’re all riding our bikes to work and store so it should be irrelevant, right?
The station around the corner from our office in San Juan Capistrano, California, had these prices posted this week as I walked to lunch. We’re well on our way to $5/gallon and there still seems to be no major shift in driving habits. Minor adjustments and more hybrid car sales, yes. But no major impacts that I can see on true alternatives to car use at this point.
Speaking of shifts in driving habits, at Sea Otter I overheard someone commenting on how places with poor weather seem to have more utilitarian bike use than those places with more agreeable weather. Think Portland, Seattle, New York, Boston… Now think L.A., Miami, Phoenix. Which ones come to mind when you think “city with lots of bike commuters”?
Apr
23
Sea Otter Video - Guitar Ted on the Latest from 29′er-land
Filed Under Exhibitor News, Industry News, Video | Leave a Comment
Ran into Guitar Ted of twentynineinches.com fame at a press event at Sea Otter and thought I’d tap his passion for 29′ers for IBTimes. Here he is with a brief roundup of the latest and greatest in big wheels.
Ge t more of Ted at:
www.twentynineinches.com
www.g-tedproductions.blogspot.com
Apr
22
Sea Otter Video - Trek’s Women Who Ride Club
Filed Under Advocacy, Blogging, Exhibitor News, Interbike, Video | Leave a Comment
More video from Sea Otter. This time I had the pleasure of sitting with Krista Rettig of Trek Bicycles. Krista is the brand manager for their women’s division and Sea Otter was her first duty back on the job following maternity leave. The tent we were sitting under was for their new “Women Who Ride” club program that they were launching in a few days time. From the jackets we’re wearing, you can see that the weather was turning a bit more Sea Otter-like on day two. Day three would bring a high of 52F.
The new club is designed to encourage women to overcome real or perceived challenges to riding by being a part of an online community of fellow women cyclists. Members can share stories and successes and follow the blogs of 5 women selected from a writing contest to describe their journeys in cycling.
Programs to encourage greater women’s participation in cycling are important to me not only as the father of a girl, but as the husband of a Cat 2 racer (semi-retired) who credits a women-only, season-long race series as getting her started in racing. If it weren’t for her racing, we never would have met on that Tuesday night training ride.
Along with their “One World, Two Wheels” advocacy program (which I called “Two Wheels, One Planet” in the interview), this new effort shows Trek’s continuing commitment to getting more people riding.
You can read more about the club here: www.trekbikes.com/women
Apr
21
Sea Otter Video - Tim Blumenthal of Bikes Belong
Filed Under Advocacy, Deep Thoughts, Interbike, Video | 1 Comment
In light of my recent introduction into local bicycle advocacy, I thought I’d go to the source for some expert advice. As I mention in my intro in the video, I have some experience with some pretty big advocacy efforts like the National Bike Summit, but when it came to actually effecting some advocacy close to home, I really had no idea where to start. I guess the nitty gritty of the work had been left to the professionals at the League of American Bicyclists, Bikes Belong or IMBA, to name a few, in the advocacy that I had been a part of.
Tim Blumenthal, executive director of Bikes Belong, kindly accepted my request for an interview during his busy schedule at the Sea Otter Classic when I called him a few days prior to the event. Tim is always a pleasure to speak with and I’ve been lucky to be able to spend time with him at the last two Sea Otter events now. He’s a great advocate and representative for the industry. And he tells a great story.
The theme of this interview is advice for cyclists wanting to effect bicycle advocacy on a local level. Good stuff.
Technical note: I need to figure out how to turn my left channel only sound (from my mono microphone plugged into the stereo input on the camera) into left and right mono. Not so bad through speakers, but very noticeable with headphones. Maybe I just need to invest in some better video editing software.
Apr
18
Sea Otter Video - Pedro’s Chris Zigmont
Filed Under Deep Thoughts, Exhibitor News, Green Efforts, Industry News, Video | 4 Comments
Man, doing the video thing is alot more work than just posting. Finally after some quality time in the Sea Otter Media Center, I’ve got something to show. I interviewed Pedro’s current GM and soon to be CEO, Chris Zigmont, about their efforts to be green and a socially responsible company. Good stuff from a passionate member of our industry. Also includes news about the management buyout of Pedro’s back from Swix. (Please excuse my noobi-ness as an on-camera interviewer…) More videos to come.
Apr
14
Local Advocacy Opportunity
Filed Under Advocacy, Cycling | 2 Comments
I have a chance to be a part of bicycle advocacy efforts starting tonight. While looking up some unrelated information last Friday on our town’s web site, I was surprised to learn that the city (Vista, 35 miles north of San Diego) was inviting residents to join the “Pedestrian and Bicycle Trail Visioning Team.”
“As part of the General Plan Update, we are evaluating the City’s existing network of pedestrian and bicycle trials(sic) and examining how this network can be improved. Ultimately, we will be creating General Plan policies meant to promote walking and biking as safe, viable and appealing transportation options for both residents and visitors.”
The first meeting is tonight. By the quote above from the linked flyer on the city website, things sound encouraging. Then again, since they failed to respond to my email to them last week indicating that I wanted to volunteer, I hope that this isn’t just lip-service and they’re, in fact, just hoping that it will go away quietly. We’ll see. I’ll refrain from condemning them until after the first meeting.
There are four scheduled meetings over the next month listed on the flyer so, at the very least, this should make for a few interesting post topics. Having participated in a number of national advocacy efforts like the Bike Summit and working with groups like Bikes Belong and Trips for Kids, I’m looking forward to actually having a local impact through advocacy.
“Act Locally” as they say. I’ll keep you posted.
And, sorry about the late notice, but… if you live in Vista, California (or work here in the bike industry, for that matter: Haro? Masi? Canari? Electra? Trek Bike Superstore?) come on down. The meeting’s at 5:30.
Apr
4
This is a Good Thing, Right?
Filed Under Deep Thoughts, Green Efforts | 1 Comment
Leaving work at the end of the day earlier this week, I snapped this photo while stopped at a light just around the corner from our offices here in San Juan Capistrano in Southern California. This particular station has always had obscenely high prices, but now premium gas is well beyond the $4 per gallon threshold. And this morning I noticed that they’ve adjusted the price up to $4.13 with super at over $4 now.
While I never buy from this station, the overall trend is now REALLY starting to play with the economics of bike and mass transit commuting options versus driving. SoCal is not exactly designed for easy mass transportation use given the infamous suburban sprawl of the region and car-centric mentality of the original urban planners (effectively the developers and politicians), but I think it will finally start to noticeably affect pocketbooks and wallets.
I’ve got to start up the bike commute again now that there’s enough daylight at the end of the day for the 14 mile bike leg of my multi-modal commute (which includes a train ride up the coast to Orange County). With my kids’ school schedules in the morning and wife’s work, I can only do it two days per week, but gas prices should now make it a financial win as well as a Wilford Brimley-esque “right thing to do”?
So the high gas prices are painful, but it’s a good thing for the bike industry, right?