Cycling and crashing are the kinds of things that come together whenever you liberally combine Newtonian Physics, skill, and overconfidence. In other words, I’ve been falling off my bike for nearly as long as I’ve been climbing on it.
One of the more memorable crashes of my youth involved the commute home from my high school and a lady driving into the parking lot of the local grocery store. Her car and my bicycle momentarily occupied the same space, a physical impossibility whose only opportunity for resolution lay in the boot of her car, and that’s precisely where I went looking for it. Another time, the right-front braking on my first real race bike helped me disprove the theory that I might be able to achieve sustained human flight. The resolution of this particular question also led me to learn how to re-cable the brakes on my bike and embark on my quest to perfect the wrapping of handlebar tape.
Some of these early lessons and their subsequent visits to emergency rooms and time spent nursing wounds led me to better understand where the limits lie that convert harmony between rider and machine into chaos. More importantly, it gave me an appreciation that descending and cornering at speed, while thrilling, provide limited reward with respect to the risk. Some might call this wisdom or maturity, but I like to think of it as something marginally more productive than refusing to learn from one’s mistakes.
It is the human condition, however, to become accustomed to current levels of risk and that we continue to push boundaries. We refer to this phenomenon as “progress”, and with progress comes an inherent sense of overconfidence; it is in our nature to assume that since we successfully pushed past the previous boundary, that the one that lies before us will be passed with similar ease.
It was with this confidence that I entered the first of three ninety-degree corners on lap four of yesterday’s Magnuson Park Cross race. During recon and the previous three race laps, I had recognized the risks of this first corner; leaving a fast section of tarmac, the course re-entered the mud and grass as we circumvented a tennis court. It would be easy to carry too much speed into the corner and loose traction on the flimsy, low-pressure cyclocross tires.
With each lap, the speeds increased, and with each lap, I successfully navigated the course. The riders around me were tiring, I was moving up in the field, and gaining confidence with each lap. On the section just prior to the first of the turns, I took an opportunity to pass a pack of slower riders from another category, set up for the corner, relaxed, and readied for the challenge presented by the upcoming muddy sections.
I felt it long before anything happened. It was one of those notions that enters your body somewhere between your senses and your brain and lingers there before turning sideways to make sure it’s noticed as it passes through your system. The tire in the front wheel depressed as I leaned on it – then folded over. I spent an eternity in limbo between the rider I had only just been and the rider whom I was about to become.
I aimed for the dirt, it seemed softer than the tarmac. I don’t know if I hit it or not, and I’m not sure what caused the rather deep gash under me knee, or the double-loop in my chain for which I could find no remedy at the trailside. What I do know is I was in a heap and the riders who had been enjoying my ample draft suddenly found themselves similarly on the ground, though for different reasons. Several cursed at me, one postulated that my mother had been unmarried at the time of my birth. While he may have been wrong about the specifics, he was certainly right in his sentiment: I was a fool who didn’t understand his own limitations.
It seems fitting, then, that I was the only rider I took down who failed to finish the race. Next time, I’ll aim to go just fast enough not to crash out.
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
@DerHoggz, @gaswepass
I'm not trying to be disrespectful here, but I've read all of that shit all over the web, just like you have. Hence the question to Tommy, who specializes in riding tubs. Ask 15 people, you'll get 7.5 opinions.
@frank
none taken. My point was this: a lot of promises of success borne of people anecdotally lucky. Pick someone trustworthy- i got hosed and was lucky to bot end up injured.
@frank Here Franko ... this is how Mike Zanconato does it as per Embrocation Magazine. Don't use Tufo tape, not the same thing a Begian Tubby tape.
The Pedalwan wadded it up on some gravel in a corner this morning. He was a bit scraped up but is all patched up now and looking forward to getting back in the saddle.
I regret linking to this video which features Portland, but the music is catchy.
https://vimeo.com/50762424
@frank
Ideally you should match the tubular tire to the rim.For example 32 mm Vittoria tubular would fit better on a narrow rim. Tubulars above 32 mm including most of the handmades like FMB or Dugast fits better on a wider rim like Zipp 303 FC.
It's your decision whether you want use Belgian method or not however if I was doing the wheelset for myself I'd use only Vittoria MastikOne and 3/3 or 4/4 technique depending on a rim and on a tire.3/3 and 4/4 numbers refer to numbers of thin glue layers on tubular tire and the rim.If I had a solid rim without a spoke holes I'd use 3/3 technique and for rims with spoke holes 4/4.If you want to use the rims with spoke holes go for the wider rims as they offer more gluing surface.
Now here Belgian method comes to play.If you have wide rim and want to use a narrower tire you might want to 'build up' a glue layers with a tape.You'd use Velox Jantex Belgian or similar but not the Tufo. Tufo tape is a completely different tape and I'd never recommend it.If let's say you used Tufo tape and you want to go back to the glue method,the tape has to be completely removed and this procedure belongs to the big pain in the ass category.Belgian tape method is quicker and you use less glue.It is also recommended method if your races are in constantly wet and muddy conditions.Since CX courses are different all over the place and you have a bit of gravel,sand and mud etc.(mixed conditions and course) I don't think this method is always necessary.If you have a lot of wheelsets with different tubulars on for different condition you will most likely use Belgian method as you can just pick up a wheelset and go.However if you intend to change the tubular tires for a different model mid CX season and you still want to use the very same tubulars later on a different wheelset for example, Belgian method is not a good choice.The bond is so strong that if you don't have enough experience you will most likely damage and rip the tubular base tape off.Also blisters on your thumbs are inevitable and although it's a sign of a very good glue job it's kind of painful and uncomfortable to glue new tubulars with bleeding thumbs.Cleaning the rims is also harder when tape was used instead of just the glue.If you get the puncture it's the same story.
The 4/4 gluing job is so strong when done properly that I don't think you need anything else.The disadvantage of this method is that it takes more glue and more time as the proper curing is required between each additional glue layer to create a strong bond.Once tubulars are on if they are cottons Aquaseal is a worth addition to the sidewall.Apart from sealing and protecting properties it would make your sidewall looks awesome for longer.I don't think you can go wrong using 4/4 method but it's your call mate.
I put this video together from today's cyclocross race at Cascade Cross in Bellingham. It's a two day event! Same course backwards tomorrow.
https://vimeo.com/52768923
@G'rilla
Nice work mate.Cheers.
Fourth crash today since September. The crash previous to that (which didn't involve a mountain bike) was in 2002.
Todays was a new one; cornering on the way into work and hit some black ice mid-corner. Peculiar feeling, that, when your bike just disappears with no warning and you're on the ground with little to say about it.
My Bonts took a beating; the sole is shown here. The cleat has also seen better days. Strangest was the broken buckle; I've never had to take my shoes off with a hole punch before.
By the way, the sole was undamaged apart from the aesthetics, so I just glued the torn fragments back on and everything looks pretty sweet again. Buying new cleats tomorrow, then.
@frank
That is like looking at a slashed painting. Glad a glue session sorted things.