Categories: Evanescent Riders

Strack to Lead New V-Studies Initiative at McMaster University

La Vie Velominatus is set to become the subject of intense scholarly analysis next week, as Frank Strack will receive an honorary PhV from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario (chapeau to @ten B for the PhV). It’s been a heady week for the cycling types around these parts; Strack will close out festivities that included the Bike Snob and Mario Cipollini. Too fat and slow to overlap with and give Super Mario the reach around, Strack will settle for regaling an audience on the Rules, Lexicon, and the finer details of la Vie Velominatus as the second speaker in the McMaster Rolling Seminar: La Vie Vélo.

On Thursday, October 4, he will sit down with Herr Professor Doktor Steampunk for a conversational interview in front of an enthralled public audience in the lofty and musty confines of McMaster University’s University Club (bow ties & elbow patches are a part of the dress code and polysyllabic pedantry is the language of choice””word is Strack will be sporting an orange ascot). This is a big moment for the Velominati community; as you all know, recognition from within the ivory tower (in all its cloistered wisdom) is the quintessential symbol of success in some cultures. Of course, now that the Velominati are under the intellectual microscope, they will be scrutinized, deconstructed, and proven to be nothing more than some post-modern, fictitious expression of postcolonial angst that doesn’t really exist. Tant pis.

In addition, Strack will also spend an evening at Café Domestique to imbibe fine beers and share his wisdom with the locals in what should be a rip-roaring good time. Come one; come all. This is, in effect, an intellectual Cogal of the mind. Sort of. Not really. But it should be great.

The details:

Seminar Session (open to the public)

When: Thursday, October 4 @ 2:30pm

Where: University Club’s West Room, McMaster University

campus map

Soirée @ Café Domestique (Millers Lane, Dundas)

When: Thursday, October 4 @ 8pm

Both events are free and open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to attend. The series is sponsored by the Petro-Canada Young Innovator Award. Further inquiries can be sent to egan(at)mcmaster(dot)ca.

Steampunk

In never-ending search for la voluptÃ©, Steampunk is an unreconstructed Canadian west coaster transplanted to Ontario, where he rides on every opportunity and sometimes shows up to work as a professor of history. He is a careful student of the Rules and la vie Velominatus, but is not beyond (occasionally) distilling them down to a single path: la vie Cognoscentus. The BFGs are always locked and loaded (that sound you just heard was your soul being crushed by their power). On a more serious note, he is a staunch advocate of commuting by bike and he also fundraises for Bikes to Rwanda.

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View Comments

wiscot says:

Oct 1 2012 at 9:20 am

More questions:

Will Professor Strack begin his talk by asking:

Anyone here own a fixie?

Anyone here own a recumbent?

Anyone here believe Lance Armstrong is innocent?

If the answer is yes, get the fuck out of here.

And for the math majors: Define n when used in the following equation: n+1+?when s-1=unhappiness
wiscot says:

Oct 1 2012 at 9:25 am

@VeloVita

@Ron

There was a person in too many of my Master's degree courses who would proclaim each week that she was "taken aback by" something the author had written. To this day I get woozy when I hear this phrase. I hope Frank does indeed jump in the face of anyone trying to deconstruct The Rules.

On another note, does McMaster U. have a culinary degree program? If not, maybe these lads can co-teach it.

Looks like they're just missing Basso - they could be cooking up some "SIDI....cycling shoes".

Any of these guys ever heard of a tailor? In the name of the Prophet, look at the pant leg lengths. Way too long! With the big bucks these guys make, a wee bit of tailoring wouldn't bust their budgets. Or is this what they call "euro-style? Mind you, give Ryder credit for not wearing lumberjack boots, eh?
the Engine says:

Oct 1 2012 at 10:04 am

@wiscot

@VeloVita

@Ron

There was a person in too many of my Master's degree courses who would proclaim each week that she was "taken aback by" something the author had written. To this day I get woozy when I hear this phrase. I hope Frank does indeed jump in the face of anyone trying to deconstruct The Rules.

On another note, does McMaster U. have a culinary degree program? If not, maybe these lads can co-teach it.

Looks like they're just missing Basso - they could be cooking up some "SIDI....cycling shoes".

Any of these guys ever heard of a tailor? In the name of The Prophet, look at the pant leg lengths. Way too long! With the big bucks these guys make, a wee bit of tailoring wouldn't bust their budgets. Or is this what they call "euro-style? Mind you, give Ryder credit for not wearing lumberjack boots, eh?

Yup - trousers are all wrong here but worse Cavendouche can't afford patent leather shoes - no wonder he's looking likely to leave Sky.

The floral shirt may be by Boden - I know this because Mrs Engine makes me wear them when we go and see our posh friends and I'm not allowed to ride my bike.

Wonder if they were cooking steak - or has that gag already been done?
the Engine says:

Oct 1 2012 at 10:05 am

@the Engine

@wiscot

@VeloVita

@Ron

There was a person in too many of my Master's degree courses who would proclaim each week that she was "taken aback by" something the author had written. To this day I get woozy when I hear this phrase. I hope Frank does indeed jump in the face of anyone trying to deconstruct The Rules.

On another note, does McMaster U. have a culinary degree program? If not, maybe these lads can co-teach it.

Looks like they're just missing Basso - they could be cooking up some "SIDI....cycling shoes".

Any of these guys ever heard of a tailor? In the name of The Prophet, look at the pant leg lengths. Way too long! With the big bucks these guys make, a wee bit of tailoring wouldn't bust their budgets. Or is this what they call "euro-style? Mind you, give Ryder credit for not wearing lumberjack boots, eh?

Yup - trousers are all wrong here but worse Cavendouche can't afford patent leather shoes - no wonder he's looking likely to leave Sky.

The floral shirt may be by Boden - I know this because Mrs Engine makes me wear them when we go and see our posh friends and I'm not allowed to ride my bike.

Wonder if they were cooking steak - or has that gag already been done?

Ooh - and Nibbles for Nibbles - geddit?
Dan_R says:

Oct 1 2012 at 10:06 am

@Souleur

@wiscot

What would Eddy do?

The Prophet would ride his bike. Lots.

@wiscot
Whoa? Is Sidi coming out with new lumberjack boots? Awesome, I need to pre-order!
mcsqueak says:

Oct 1 2012 at 10:08 am

Frank better wear an orange bow-tie.
San Tonio says:

Oct 1 2012 at 10:23 am

@Steampunk

Chapeau!

BikeSnob, Cipo and @frank in the same week.

I'm jealous and I'll be waiting for the youtube clips of these talks and rides.

In the meantime there was a write up of BikeSnob's visit on his blog today.

Great Stuff

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2012/10/simplicity-money-fixes-everything.html
frank says:

Oct 1 2012 at 10:30 am

@Steampunk

@Ron

A good jacket should fit like good V-kit. Just different.

As for the bow tie...

I can't believe you put your name badge on crooked.

That's it, I'm out.
Steampunk says:

Oct 1 2012 at 1:41 pm

@frank

I think it must be the camera angle; you'll have to inspect it for yourself...
Steampunk says:

Oct 1 2012 at 3:13 pm

@San Tonio

I should clarify that Cipo just happened to be in Toronto; nothing to do with me. We tried to arrange some kind of meet-up between Mario & Bike Snob (because how funny would that have been?), but no dice. Bike Snob seemed to have a pretty good time here; he was almost disappointingly polite in today's write-up...