2009 archive
How much bicycling is too much if you're trying to start a family?
Lengthy and frequent bicycling — like more than 186 miles a week — can cause “significant fertility problems” for men, says a report presented to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.
But bicycling to work on a daily basis wouldn't cause a significant increase in abnormal sperm.
This isn't another urological study about saddle pressure causing male impotence. The current study from the University of Cordoba Medical School finds that tight clothing that holds heat, friction of the testes against the saddle and the stress from hours of high-energy exercise can contribute to inferior sperm quality …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/30/new-study-too-much-time-on-the-bicycle-can-lead-to-infertility/
This 2009 Tour de France — starting Saturday in Monaco — might seem like old times for viewers, as many of the seven cyclists from the US are blasts from the past.
In fact, the seven spread across three teams has tallied 47 Tours de France among them.
The biggest name is of course Lance Armstrong, 37, who returns to the peloton after a three-year hiatus. A winner of seven straight Tours de France between 1999 and 2005, he needs no introduction. This is Armstrong's 12th Tour start.
Returning to the Tour de France in 2009 for his seventh start is Armstrong teammate Levi Leipheimer, 35, who had to sit out last year because he happened to be a member of the banned Astana team. Remember Let Levi Ride …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/29/us-cyclists-at-2009-tour-de-france-are-an-experienced-bunch/
Louisiana has joined the list of states where motorists are required to give bicyclists a 3-foot margin when passing.
The legislature passed the bill earlier this month and a reader informed me yesterday that Gov. Bobby Jindal signed the bill into law on Thursday.
That's not all. The bill (HB 725) contains language that specifically makes harassing bicyclists a crime:
“It shall be unlawful to harass, taunt, or maliciously throw objects at or in the direction of anyone riding a bicycle.” ….
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/29/louisiana-governor-signs-3-foot-rule-for-bicyclists-outlaws-harassment/
“I got the call — from Johan Bruyneel, our team manager at Astana — that I had been waiting for. As I had feared, his message was that I wasn't going to the Tour this year. Many reasons were given, but all I really heard was that there would be no Tour de France for me.
“Politics seemed to once again be what was holding me back from doing what I love, racing at the top of my sport. Johan gave me many reasons why he couldn't take me, and all of them made sense to me from a political standpoint, but absolutely no sense from a straight up who deserves to go standpoint.”
— Chris Horner writing about his disappointment in not being chosen to ride alongside Alberto Contador, Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer in the 2009 Tour de France. A native of Bend, Oregon, Horner's Freewheeling column appears in the Oregonian.
Horner doesn't blame Bruyneel, whose “hands were tied….
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/27/quote-why-chris-horner-isnt-racing-in-2009-tour-de-france/
Those of you who read Adventure Cyclist magazine are probably familiar with the writings of columnist Willie Weir.
Although he calls Seattle his home, Weir spends much of his time traveling the world by bicycle. As he tells it:
“I'm not an avid bicyclist, but a traveler who discovered the bicycle.”
Weir has compiled his best Adventure Cyclist writings into a book, “Travels with Willie,” that's available in paperback for $15 at the Willie Weir website, or as a download for a donation.
The former actor explains that the digital download book is offered in the spirit of live theater that often has a “pay what you can” performance.
“If it inspires you or someone you know to get on their bicycle and explore the world, then it has served its intended purpose.” …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/26/willie-weir-publishes-more-bicycle-travel-stories/
Buy it at Willie Weir's website.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/26/willie-weir-new-book-travels-with-willie/
The seesaw battle for the lead in the Race Across America finally landed in Dani Wyss's favor Thursday evening as defending champion Jure Robic had to stop to serve 60 minutes of penalties just 55 miles from the finish line in Annapolis, Maryland.
Instead of serving his time at the Mt. Airy, Maryland, time station, however, Robic and his crew decided to quit. Wyss, who is recorded as arriving at that time station at the same time, proceeded down the road to victory in Annapolis.
Robic's action is explained on his website:
“Jure was the fastest cyclist on this years RAAM. On the last time check TS51, he came few minutes before Dani Wyss. Because of the penalties, issued controversially, because of the rules not aplied always in the same manner and because of not issuing penalties to others, Jure and his crew decided not to finish the race as 2nd, but step out of it on TS51.
“Today it was written the history of RAAM. Jure and Dani staged the toughest fight ever and on the end the fastest didn't won.
“Expect more in next days when we will be relaxing before traveling back home.”
It's a shame that the closest and possibly greatest RAAM ever had to end on a sour note. It's amazing to consider that a 3,100-mile race could come down to just minutes separating these two endurance athletes until one of them bailed out ….
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/26/update-wyss-wins-raam-robic-bows-out/
Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador is the choice to lead Team Astana's 9-man squad at the 2009 Tour de France this year.
Citing his 2007 Tour de France championship and victories at all three Grand Tours, team manager Johan Bruyneel writes at the Astana website:
“… It's hard to find a better stage race rider than Alberto. He has worked very hard, earning the right to represent our team as the leader this July.” ….
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/25/contador-will-lead-team-astana-poll-results-say-it-should-be-highest-placed/
The Mad as Hell Bike Ride Across the US was an aptly named endeavor.
Jim Gafney was a 65-year-old computer engineer from Chula Vista, California, who took off on a cross-country bike ride in April to collect signatures on a petition to protest the bailouts and encourage the President and Congress to act more responsibly in these tough economic times.
Family and friends say he was upset about the government's actions during the recession and was going to deliver the petition to lawmakers in Washington DC. He hoped to have 1,000 protesting cyclists accompany him into the nation's capital.
Gafney wasn't allowed to finish his bike ride, however. …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/25/tragic-end-to-cross-country-protest-bicycle-ride/
Update: The leading solo men in the Race Across America plowed across Ohio on Wednesday at times within sight of each other as they prepared to enter mountainous West Virginia.
After Jure Robic and Dani Wyss passed through the Chillicothe time station at the same time, a punctured tire briefly sidelined Robic who was passed by Wyss. According to the time station splits in Athens, Robic arrived 3 minutes ahead of Wyss.
With Robic's 60 minutes of accumulated penalities, however, the Slovenian is actually in second place with less than 450 miles to go …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/06/24/raam-is-a-horse-race-between-robic-and-wyss/
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