Rain

So I took my new S-Works Turbo tires out in a drizzle today and I think they do provide better "suppleness" and "tolerance" and "gripsmanship" than my old Mondo Pros. So if you absolutely have to buy some new tires and they have to be S-Works Turbo clinchers then I am here to tell you that everything will be fine.

On the cute little pond loop by Napoleon Park I saw a rollerblader scare the DAYLIGHTS out of a man who was walking. The man took it in good humor. I also got chased, twice, by an adorable standard poodle. He had the doggy look of transcendent joy on his face. I think his owner was annoyed at me but I didn't want to stop and pet him and teach him that all cyclists want to say "a chew chew chew" and inspect his flews. I should write to The Ethicist, this is about his level of complexity.

Just outside my house I dropped a pretty lady on a hybrid with huge, laden panniers. I blew past her up a hill in the huge gears with my safety light blinking. This is about equivalent to beating a distracted toddler in a foot race - she was just pedaling along. About a block later I dismounted at my front door. She shouted "work that thing!" at me as she rode past - she was smiling so I think it was in good fun. Bicycling!

Old Bike me Do

A weird ride south of IC today. Spotted:

- One tandem, ridden by a rather grim couple.

- One small airplane, hovering with its nose into the wind.

- One dried frog, perched on three legs as if in mid-leap.

IC Wiener

SPOTTED on Gilbert St., near the bad Japanese restaurant: a legitimate flip-flop fixie hipster, riding an elegant old road bike with the handle bars rotated around so that the brake levers pointed directly towards the rider, as if in accusation. The bar ends consequently pointed towards the heavens. I guess this would be a great "steez" if you wanted to activate your brakes by punching instead of squeezing. Guy had some nice boat shoes on.

ALSO, south of IC I stopped to adjust my saddle and a nice guy from BIC swooped by and asked me if everything was OK. He had the best bike repair inquiry manner I've ever seen - no world-weary scorn or condescension whatsoever.

Bike Report 2k10

A wee jaunt south of IC this morning. I spotted only one recumbent, and many fine mountain bikes and hybrids. There was one completely rube-looking guy in a t-shirt and shorts on an undistinguished mountain bike who was absolutely HAULING around the little paved bike trail near Napoleon park. Specialized-Mercy Team, recruit him! He goes by the name EL GUAPO.

I also managed to flail around trying to clip in so dramatically that I tilted my saddle down so the nose was pointing at the front wheel. I did this about five minutes after getting on the bike and didn't notice until I got back home. In fact, I was thinking "wow, these new bib shorts have a GREAT chamois! The saddle feels so comfortable!" Now who's the rube, SAMSKY?

Also: only two short years ago I was lavishing praise on Brooks saddles and sneering at the fact that there are people out there who buy carbon fiber water bottle holders. Well, I got a (cheap) Cutter carbon fiber bottle cage and I have to say I really like it, though this is probably just because it has a better design than the plastic Specialized cage I was using. TWO GRAMS LIGHTER BROSEPH.

Spice 2!

Here's a report on my recent trip to Duke at Splice - you may find it toothsome, or possibly overwrought and mawkish, or maybe all three!

Spice Today!

Russ Smith at Splice did a rad Q&A about my book! Check it out.

Also, just saw The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Man was that unpleasant. Apparently the original Swedish title was Men Who Hate Women, which seems about right. Gross out to the max. I thought that the Swedes only dealt with death through chess games and comic tree-sawing but I guess they SHOWED ME!