2006 archive

Great Divide mountain bike race — like an off-road RAAM

Now that the last of the Race Across America cyclists have straggled across the finish line in Atlantic City, mountain bikers are leaving Roosville, Montana, for the Great Divide Race at noon Friday.

While the RAAM racers gain our admiration by cycling 3,042 miles cross-country in 9 or 10 days, consider what the Great Divide racers try to accomplish:

With no support or team members, the mountain bikers race from the Canadian to the Mexican border. They cross 2,490 miles of mountain terrain carrying their own gear for cooking, camping and bike repair. The route comprises 200,000 feet of climbing. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2006/06/23/great-divide-mountain-bike-race-like-an-off-road-raam/

Great Divide Race

Photo from Tour Divide blog

A mountain bike crosses the Centennial Valley, a dirt route on the fifth day of the Great Divide Race.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2006/06/23/great-divide-race/

Specialized SW carbon stem with magnesium faceplate recalled

Consumers should stop riding bicycles that use the Specialized SW carbon stem with magnesium faceplate, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission warns.

The carbon stem, manufactured in Taiwan for Specialized Bicycles Components, has a magnesium faceplate that holds the handlebar in place. The faceplate can break, causing the handlebars to come off the bicycle. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2006/06/23/specialized-sw-carbon-stem-with-magnesium-faceplate-recalled/

Bicycles equipped with Specialized SW Carbon Stem

More info at Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2006/06/23/bicycles-equipped-with-specialized-sw-carbon-stem/

Vinokourov gets good news — he can race in Tour de France

Kazakhstan's Alexandre Vinokourov, last year's number 5 finisher in the Tour de France bike race, can race this year after his team got the go ahead to compete beginning July 1.

Vinokourov's team is Astana Wurth. It was formerly Liberty Seguros-Wurth until a doping scandal convinced the Spanish subsidiary of the Liberty Mutual insurance company to abandon the team. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2006/06/23/vinokourov-gets-good-news-he-can-race-in-tour-de-france/

70-year-old begins cross-country bike tour

Bill Cook's blog of his upcoming bicycle tour looks like it could be a good read.

Cook is a retired journalist who is leaving Thursday on a 7-week TransAmerica bike tour with 40 other cyclists. At 70, he's the second oldest on the trip; another fella is 73. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2006/06/22/70-year-old-begins-cross-country-bike-tour/

Bill Cook

Former Newsweek reporter bicycling cross-country. More at his blog.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2006/06/21/bill-cook/

RAAM cyclists roll to the finish

Searing desert heat; stiff Kansas winds; long grades and steep hills; and night after day after night cycling is coming to an end for the bicyclists in the Race Across America.

The teams started rolling across the finish line at the Boardwalk in Atlantic City on Monday, 3,042 miles and about 5 1/2 days after leaving Oceanside, California. The solo riders began coasting across the finish line last night, nine days after leaving the West Coast. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2006/06/21/raam-cyclists-roll-to-the-finish/

Bicycle-crazy bands — Ditty Bops and Kraftwerk — couldn't be more different

The female duo Ditty Bops currently making their way cross-country by bicycle isn't the first band smitten by the bicycling bug.

A love of the bicycle caused German band Kraftwerk to whither creatively for 17 year before reuniting a couple of years ago to create Tour de France Soundtracks.

The love of bikes and cycling has united the Ditty Bops for their road trip. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2006/06/20/bicycle-crazy-bands-ditty-bops-and-kraftwerk-couldnt-be-more-different/

Kraftwerk muscians at concert

Photo from Jan Moesen

Techno band produced Tour de France Soundtracks

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2006/06/20/kraftwerk-muscians-at-concert/