Dirt Derby
Cycling Club in Austin, TX
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Flying Karate Monkey
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| The venerable Karate Monkey must be ten years old now and one of the earliest production 29ers. In honour of that, it gets a nice paint job in spangly blue. |
Friday, September 14, 2012
Peddler Bike Shop looks to build on Austin's biking culture
http://www.peddlerbike.com/
Story from the Austin American Stateman By Brian Gaar -
If you work at a bicycle shop, summer is the slow season especially in Texas.
As the employees of the Peddler Bike Shop can tell you, it's too hot for lots of folks to ride.
But business was picking up last week, as college students started to return to the nearby University of Texas campus.
"Everybody's moving in. This is the big moving week right now," said Paul Crossley, as he worked on a bike.
The Peddler is the definition of a small business. With nine employees, it was started in 2005 by A.J. Camp at a small space on North Loop Boulevard. The shop, which sells and repairs all manner of bikes, moved to more spacious digs at 51st and Duval streets three years ago.
It's a good time to be in the bike business in Austin, employees say, as it's a city whose healthy-living lifestyle dovetails nicely with cycling.
"Austin's a real bike culture city. There's more bike culture here than there is infrastructure to support it, but the culture is here regardless," said Simon Kiddell, a shop employee who said he's only owned a car for a couple of months out of his entire life. "I think it's only going to get stronger and more prevalent."
The same might be said of the country as a whole. During the past two decades, cycling has increased in the United States. The number of people commuting to work by bicyle rose by 64 percent from 1990 to 2009, according to Bikes Belong, a national nonprofit that encourages people to ride bicycles.
All of the Peddler's employees ride their bikes to work. Crossley said driving can put him in a foul mood.
"Because cars tend to make people very impatient," he said. "When you're on a bike, you always feel productive ... you never feel like, ‘I'm just wasting time, sitting at this traffic light,' you just think, ‘OK, now I get to take a breather.'"
A lot of the Peddler's customers are new riders, Crossley said. And that increases when gas prices spike.
"That's when you see a lot of people start to get into bikes, when gas gets to be over $4 (a gallon), at least here in Texas," Crossley said. "You get a lot of people saying, ‘...I'm just going to ride a bike to work."
That's a trend that was seen nationwide in 2008, when gas prices shot up. A national survey of 150 bike retailers by Bikes Belong showed that 73 percent sold more bikes compared to 2007. And 95 percent of shops said their customers cited high gas prices as a reason.
For its part, Austin's record high for average price per gallon is $3.98, set in July 2008.
Camp said business boomed back then.
"It was insane," he said. "Everybody was like, ‘Oh my God, what am I going to do? I can't afford to drive.' So it was nuts for a good 3-4 months there."
Locally, gas prices climbed to nearly $3.80 a gallon this spring.
If they keep going up, Camp said his business could see another jump.
"I think if it spikes like (2008) again, it definitely would," he said. "The negative being that everything goes up in prices when the gas goes up."
Peddler Bike Shop looks to build on Austin's biking culture
Story from the Austin American Stateman By Brian Gaar -
If you work at a bicycle shop, summer is the slow season especially in Texas.
As the employees of the Peddler Bike Shop can tell you, it's too hot for lots of folks to ride.
But business was picking up last week, as college students started to return to the nearby University of Texas campus.
"Everybody's moving in. This is the big moving week right now," said Paul Crossley, as he worked on a bike.
It's a good time to be in the bike business in Austin, employees say, as it's a city whose healthy-living lifestyle dovetails nicely with cycling.
"Austin's a real bike culture city. There's more bike culture here than there is infrastructure to support it, but the culture is here regardless," said Simon Kiddell, a shop employee who said he's only owned a car for a couple of months out of his entire life. "I think it's only going to get stronger and more prevalent."
The same might be said of the country as a whole. During the past two decades, cycling has increased in the United States. The number of people commuting to work by bicyle rose by 64 percent from 1990 to 2009, according to Bikes Belong, a national nonprofit that encourages people to ride bicycles.
All of the Peddler's employees ride their bikes to work. Crossley said driving can put him in a foul mood.
"Because cars tend to make people very impatient," he said. "When you're on a bike, you always feel productive ... you never feel like, ‘I'm just wasting time, sitting at this traffic light,' you just think, ‘OK, now I get to take a breather.'"
A lot of the Peddler's customers are new riders, Crossley said. And that increases when gas prices spike.
"That's when you see a lot of people start to get into bikes, when gas gets to be over $4 (a gallon), at least here in Texas," Crossley said. "You get a lot of people saying, ‘...I'm just going to ride a bike to work."
That's a trend that was seen nationwide in 2008, when gas prices shot up. A national survey of 150 bike retailers by Bikes Belong showed that 73 percent sold more bikes compared to 2007. And 95 percent of shops said their customers cited high gas prices as a reason.
For its part, Austin's record high for average price per gallon is $3.98, set in July 2008.
Camp said business boomed back then.
"It was insane," he said. "Everybody was like, ‘Oh my God, what am I going to do? I can't afford to drive.' So it was nuts for a good 3-4 months there."
Locally, gas prices climbed to nearly $3.80 a gallon this spring.
If they keep going up, Camp said his business could see another jump.
"I think if it spikes like (2008) again, it definitely would," he said. "The negative being that everything goes up in prices when the gas goes up."
Peddler Bike Shop looks to build on Austin's biking culture
Whatever! "Austin grapples with tricky Armstrong legacy"
This Austinite says "FORGET HIM"! It's real easy! Move on and find someone that doesn't cheat to be our hometown hero.
"For years, Austin has basked in the glow of Lance Armstrong's cycling success. His seven victories in the Tour de France helped develop a culture of cycling that has taken hold in Austin, and Austin is proud to be the home of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and proud of the work Armstrong and the foundation have done for cancer patients and survivors.
When the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency declared last week that Armstrong's refusal to arbitrate doping charges against him amounted to an admission of guilt and stripped Armstrong of his Tour de France victories, Austinites were left to wrestle with a complicated legacy."
Austin grapples with tricky Armstrong legacy
"For years, Austin has basked in the glow of Lance Armstrong's cycling success. His seven victories in the Tour de France helped develop a culture of cycling that has taken hold in Austin, and Austin is proud to be the home of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and proud of the work Armstrong and the foundation have done for cancer patients and survivors.
When the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency declared last week that Armstrong's refusal to arbitrate doping charges against him amounted to an admission of guilt and stripped Armstrong of his Tour de France victories, Austinites were left to wrestle with a complicated legacy."
Austin grapples with tricky Armstrong legacy
Comedy Mountain Bike Tour Part 2
Second installment of the Comedy Mountain Bike Tour. Different trail with a nasty wreck. Complete with a hike from the farthest point on the trail. Panther Creek Trail in the New Braunfels Texas. Not many times when you get two flats at the same time.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
2012 Dirt Derby Course
The Dirty Derby is back and starting 9-25-12 with a new course at the Austin/Del Valle Motocross Park. It's 1.1 miles of ups, downs and arounds. Come out and join us Tuesday nights. For more information visit www.dirtderby.com.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Armstrong Banned From Chicago Marathon « CBS Chicago
(WSCR) If Lance Armstrong wanted to exchange his seven Tour de France titles for seven Chicago Marathon titles, he won’t be able to.
That’s right, according to Chicago Marathon director Carey Pinkowski, sanctioning rules prevent Armstrong from running the Oct. 7 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
Here is the official statement from the Chicago Marathon.
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon adheres to USA Track & Field rules, which includes following the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) regulations, the testing agency of the marathon. USADA’s lifetime ban prohibits Lance Armstrong from entering races sanctioned by USA Track & Field, which applies to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, as well as all competitions governed by USA Track & Field.
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has had no direct contact with Lance Armstrong, nor had he submitted a formal registration to participate in the race.
Armstrong Banned From Chicago Marathon « CBS Chicago
That’s right, according to Chicago Marathon director Carey Pinkowski, sanctioning rules prevent Armstrong from running the Oct. 7 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
Here is the official statement from the Chicago Marathon.
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon adheres to USA Track & Field rules, which includes following the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) regulations, the testing agency of the marathon. USADA’s lifetime ban prohibits Lance Armstrong from entering races sanctioned by USA Track & Field, which applies to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, as well as all competitions governed by USA Track & Field.
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has had no direct contact with Lance Armstrong, nor had he submitted a formal registration to participate in the race.
Armstrong Banned From Chicago Marathon « CBS Chicago
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Sheryl Crow -- Questioned By Federal Agents In Lance Armstrong Scandal | TMZ.com
The chics will come home to roost.
If federal agents were looking for a smoking gun in the Lance Armstrong doping scandal ... they were hoping it might be Sheryl Crow -- this according to a new report.
The country-singer was called in by federal agents in late 2011 and questioned about any knowledge she might have regarding accusations that Armstrong was using illegal substances ... this according to The New York Daily News.
The move to question Crow makes sense ... she dated Armstrong from 2003 to 2006 (he won 2 Tour de France titles in that time span) -- and spent lots of time with him in Europe, traveling on private jets and in other locations where, according to the report, Armstrong allegedly participated in doping programs.
It's unclear what information Crow gave during her interview ... both the Feds and her attorney declined to comment.
As you know -- the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency recently stripped Armstrong of his 7 Tour de France Titles in late August and banned him from the sport of cycling ... after he dropped his case to fight back against doping allegations.
If federal agents were looking for a smoking gun in the Lance Armstrong doping scandal ... they were hoping it might be Sheryl Crow -- this according to a new report.
The country-singer was called in by federal agents in late 2011 and questioned about any knowledge she might have regarding accusations that Armstrong was using illegal substances ... this according to The New York Daily News.
The move to question Crow makes sense ... she dated Armstrong from 2003 to 2006 (he won 2 Tour de France titles in that time span) -- and spent lots of time with him in Europe, traveling on private jets and in other locations where, according to the report, Armstrong allegedly participated in doping programs.
It's unclear what information Crow gave during her interview ... both the Feds and her attorney declined to comment.
As you know -- the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency recently stripped Armstrong of his 7 Tour de France Titles in late August and banned him from the sport of cycling ... after he dropped his case to fight back against doping allegations.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
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