A lot of you probably saw this one coming.
The much ballyhooed personal anti-doping program for Lance Armstrong has been scrapped because it's just too complicated.
Don Catlin, the anti-doping scientist hired to run the program, told the New York Times:
“In the real world, when you try to implement a program as grandiose as what you had in mind, it just becomes so complicated that it’s better not to try. We’re all disappointed, but it’s just not going to be possible.” …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/02/11/armstrongs-personal-anti-doping-program-forget-about-it/
Pro cycling is getting a lot of ink in California publications this week as the peloton gathers to start the 9-day Amgen Tour of California on Saturday in Sacramento.
One of the most interesting stories has been Bob Padecky's column about Johan Bruyneel, the director of the Astana team.
Bruyneel was an accomplished cyclist when he decided to retire in 1998 and considered taking charge of the pro cyclists organization. But a young cyclist named Lance Armstrong asked him if he was interested in being director of the U.S. Postal Service pro cycling team …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/02/11/bruyneels-big-decision-on-which-road-to-take-in-cycling/
Richard Masoner over at Cyclelicious was kind enough to contact me this morning to ask if I had a “fantasy bicycle shop.”
Funny, but this is something I've actually thought about. My shop would be located in a small- to medium-sized town in the midwest and cater to touring bicyclists. We'd live next door and …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/02/11/bicycle-bloggers-tell-about-their-fantasy-bike-shops/
Now is when the rubber meets the road to get funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects in the Obama economic stimulus plan.
Although the Senate passed a version of the package earlier Tuesday, it doesn't include the same funding for Transportation Enhancements (such as bicycle facilities) as is included in the House version.
Both the League of American Bicyclists and the Rails to Trails Conservancy are issuing action alerts to urge members to contact their congressmen to ensure those “enhancements” make it into the conference bill that will be hashed out in upcoming meetings …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/02/10/crunch-time-to-fund-bicycle-projects-with-stimulus-money/
Lance Armstrong's return to pro cycling on US soil adds excitement to the upcoming Amgen Tour of California, but BikingBis readers are picking two-time champion Levi Leipheimer to win the race.
The 35-year-old member of the Astana team received 43% of the votes cast in the blog poll.
Teammate Armstrong finished second in the poll, with 12% of the vote, and Christian Vande Velde of Garmin-Chipotle finished third with 10% of votes cast. Returning to cycling after a two-year doping suspension, first year champion Floyd Landis received 9% of the votes …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/02/10/levi-leipheimer-is-readers-favorite-to-win-2009-tour-of-california/
It sounds like the Velib self-service bike program is so popular in Paris that people are just loving those bikes to death.
Of the 20,000 bicycles set out when the program launched less than two years ago, 7,800 have disappeared and 11,600 have been damaged and vandalized.
A TimesOnline story says some of the damage is outright malacious. Other damage is the result of wild stunts that users perform.
In the YouTube video above, the bikes are definitely pushed to their limits, although the filmmaker assures us, “No Velib used in this video was maltreated …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/02/10/the-use-and-abuse-of-paris-velib-bicycles/
While reading that sharrow road markings were making their way to some bicycle routes in Arkansas, I was surprised to learn that they're not yet a federally sanctioned marking for roads.
Sharrows are shared lane markings designed to remind motorists that bicyclists have the right to use the roads and will be present. Many bicycling advocates prefer them to bicycles lanes.
First used in Europe about 20-30 years ago, they're becoming more common in many US cities.
The markings, however, are just now under official review for the US Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Because they're not yet officially included in the manual …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/02/09/sharrow-use-on-urban-bicycle-routes-still-under-review/
Proposed changes to the US Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices includes adding the shared lane marking, or sharrow, on routes to remind motorists that bicyclists have rights to the streets and will be present in to the lanes. It's Figure 9C-9 in the proposed MUTCD changes. See more changes and links at the MUTCD …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/02/09/proposed-standard-sharrow-design/
With less than a week to go before the Amgen Tour of California — it starts in Sacramento on Saturday — I'm curious who you all think will wear the golden jersey on the top step of the podium in Escondido when the race ends Feb. 22.
See the poll at the top of the right column and simply pick your favorite. I'll announce the results in a couple of days.
The 9-day race features the return to pro cycling on American soil by Lance Armstrong. Will he go for the golden jersey or continue to test his conditioning and work in support of 2-time defending champ and Astana teammate Levi Leipheimer?
The inaugural Tour of California champion Floyd Landis will be on hand to launch his return to cycling …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/02/08/whos-your-pick-to-win-the-2009-tour-of-california/
Here's the leader's jersey from the 2009 Tour of California. It's golden, for the Golden State. The race rolls out from Feb. 14-22.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/02/08/leaders-jersey-for-2009-tour-of-california/
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