I would have put this under the new “Belgian Affirmations” category, but was overcome with fear that King Kelly would hunt me down and strangle me with his death stare for the crime of suggesting he wants to be anything other than Irish.
It is said that some people ride the cobbles with greater ease than the rest. It isn’t necessarily a skill that is learned; on the contrary, some simply ride with a lighter touch than others resulting in them going over the stones a few kilometers per hour faster. These are the riders who excel in the rain-addled editions of the Cobbled Classics. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, I have no choice but to assume I have this skill.
King Kelly, on the other hand, got so bored riding shit-slicked pavé that he decided to start doing tricks and stunts on his way to his second victory in Paris-Roubaix. A moment after this shot was taken, he popped a one-handed Lone Ranger, causing Urs Freuler’s mustache to grow three sizes in amazement before temporarily falling off, ultimately leading to the loss of his ch’i and the race.
Unapologetic Cobblebone continues as I find myself thinking about little else other than Keepers Tour 2012: Cobbled Classics.
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...and doing his best Hincapie impression. What's with the booties? It can't be that cold.
@Steampunk
What always gets me is climbing out of the saddle in wet weather, when you get rear-wheel slip as you lose and regain traction on the wet road surface - gotta watch your rear-front weight balance in those situations.
@MrBigCog
I just spent 4 weeks mostly off the bicycle. It was hell. Getting my strength back is one thing; getting my stamina back is a completely different beast... but I'm working on it.
@Ron
Many of my riding buddies on Strava have CX bikes. My coworkers are all MTB-ers. I've only got a single road bike (which I do know violates the rules, but I'm working on it - I'm a broke bastard), and a CX bike might just fill the gap between the two worlds. I've been considering it a lot, especially since my LBS currently has a wide selection of 'em on sale right now...
@mcsqueak
Getting out of the saddle on rollers will help with this. Forces you to focus on smooth weight distribution.
Highly appropriate for Movember
Before my first trip to Belgium a mentor/Pro who had ridden the Northern Classics took me for a ride on railroad ties. "Imagine that," he said, "but without them being spaced evenly." I had plenty of dirt, gravel and rough farm roads to ride on growing up. Rough roads were not a foreign concept. Washboard dirt descents on road, cyclocross and mtn bikes pre-suspension. But even after a few seasons, I couldn't manage to get through more than a few hundred meters without losing many places in the field. When my son is old enough and if he cares, I would love to take him over on a trip like the VM Keepers tour but I'll be walking in boots and coat through the sectors before I ever ride that shit again.
@MrBigCog
Rest well and heal well. This one was part of a total game changer for me.
1986 Colorado Springs. I walk into the hotel lobby after a evening of spectating the World's at the velodrome. I was fit at the time and wearing a cycling jacket. Across the lobby Urs Freuler is staring at me with an expression that said, "who in the hell is he?" I am all, "shit Urs Freuler is staring at me wondering who the hell I am!"
@MrBigCog
That's a shocker. Heal well.