Sarah shared this video from MOHAI on our Facebook page yesterday (you have liked the new page, right?):

Maybe it’s waking up to public television for years in my childhood, but something feels right about watching this first thing in the morning, with its enthusiastic and a bit unpolished dialog that can only mean you’re learning something.

Not only does Seattle bike polo make a cameo:

But it also reminds us of how bicycle advocacy has lost touch with what’s really important to cyclists over the years. Namely lunch stations.

Anyway, check out the video and get your learning over with! Then your brain can take a break for the rest of the day.

This past Saturday, the Marymoor Velodrome Association invited Emerald Sprints to run a roller racing event for the 2012 season kick-off party and fundraiser. It has been over a year since Seattle’s last roller racing event, and it was great to bring it to a new and competitive crowd.

For those unfamiliar with our kit, we pit two racers head to head on fork mounted stationary bikes for an indoors race to the finish. We set the track to 500m, and the audience can cheer as they watch the racers progress on the screen directly behind them at speeds closing in on 60mph.

By the end of the night, we had plenty of tired legs and great times (full breakdown after the cut). The best of the night went to Tony Cordova, who took the Men’s Open championship belt with a time of only 18.997 seconds. The MVA also provided belts for the top Women’s Open (Amara Edwards), Men’s Masters (Adam Cerullo), and Women’s Masters (Alexie Montaland).

There were some fantastic times out there but don’t go resting on your laurels just yet! Looking back into the results from our last major series (the 2010 Championship Series that led to a final in Vegas), a few of our top locals were getting times down in the 17-point-somethings on the exact same setup, including Saturday’s Men’s Open finalist Patrick Monteith. Will you be the one to break the 18 second barrier next time?

As commuters, enthusiasts and other non-occupational cyclists, it seems like a lot of our collective bicycle knowledge comes from The Ones Who Came Before: those folks that – at least at one point – knew more about cycling than we did. So we accept what they have to say, and by the time other wide-eyed fledglings come to us for advice, it has become so engrained in our bicycle background that we probably have then passed it on ourselves. It is the lore of the basement home shop, the bards’ song of the bicycle lane, some of which is incredibly useful and can save a new cyclist from having to learn tough lessons on their own.

BUT. I was born in Missouri, the Show Me state. I blame this for my inability to accept anything without question. I call it being healthily incredulous; my girlfriend uses other words. When someone tells me something that doesn’t sit well with what I know – or think I know – I have learned to mostly hold my tongue. I’m not sure Grant Petersen has ever held his tongue, and I think we’re all a little better for it. His new book – Just Ride: A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike – is an attempt to undo much of what many of us think we know.

Lunch time bicycle stories! Turns out that even 100+ years ago awesome female riders were getting unwanted attention from creepy dudes with ironic facial hair. And yeah, that’s probably a freewheel up there, but being that our man appears to be taking it for a walk (have you ever tried to ride a bike carrying your sweet cane around?) it seems to at least be a “fixie” in spirit.

It’s been awhile since we’ve had any major design changes around here, and – with things about to get really busy with the Nine to Five and Tour de Watertower on the horizon – I figured if I didn’t do it now it would probably wait until Fall. We’re still working out the kinks so be sure to let us know how the new site is working for you!

I love it when hardcore and bikes cross (as you’ve probably noticed), but it’s not always a common occurrence. In this case, I originally met both John and Connor via loud music years ago in California and have been lucky enough to play the same stages once or twice. This video was produced beautifully, and I think it gives a very personal look at what it means to be a cyclist.

This is only the second video in John’s My Friends Are Talented project, so be sure to check back for more in the future.

The third Tour de Watertower is a wrap! I’ll post a full write up come Monday or so, but thought I’d share the raw feed from the computer. A little more work and I could’ve streamed the results for those following along at home (or on boat), but hey. Next year.

And now onto the results:

Name	Start	End	Time
Robert Kittilson	13:42:00	15:52:31	2:10:31
Theodore Schwartz	14:33:00	16:56:45	2:23:45
Adam Ales	14:36:00	17:07:49	2:31:49
Michael Archambault	13:57:00	16:30:43	2:33:43
Eric Cockrell	13:21:00	15:54:48	2:33:48
Philip Buffington	14:27:00	17:05:01	2:38:01
Nicholas Franzen	13:09:00	15:49:06	2:40:06
Max Shalitmontagne	14:42:00	17:24:59	2:42:59
Alan Bergeron	14:39:00	17:27:12	2:48:12
Jake Langdon	14:24:00	17:21:06	2:57:06
Robin Lee	13:06:00	16:07:04	3:01:04
Brad Hawkins	13:06:00	16:07:04	3:01:04
Joseph Diedrick	13:30:00	16:32:58	3:02:58
Alice Lippitt	13:36:00	16:42:16	3:06:16
Steve Maluk	14:15:00	17:21:40	3:06:40
Muugi Maxwell	14:12:00	17:20:19	3:08:19
Robin Ley	14:00:00	17:09:20	3:09:20
Fred Marshall	14:03:00	17:13:06	3:10:06
Brandan McAuliffe	14:06:00	17:20:29	3:14:29
Peter Van Wesep	13:18:00	16:33:16	3:15:16
Jessica Wahlund	13:24:00	16:45:50	3:21:50
Tara Stewart	13:12:00	16:39:52	3:27:52
Andre Kivijarvi	13:33:00	17:13:34	3:40:34
Peter Blunk	13:03:00	16:47:50	3:44:50
David Shapiro	13:00:00	16:46:44	3:46:44
Alec Billroth-McLurg	13:39:00	17:27:43	3:48:43
Soyoung Shin	13:51:00	17:56:57	4:05:57
Margaret Berger	13:27:00	17:57:41	4:30:41
Katy Anderson	14:18:00
Benjamin Runge	13:15:00
Justin Marshall	13:45:00
Mark Kerrigan	14:21:00
Scott Wegner	14:30:00

I have a few times for those of you that came in after the comp was packed, will update soon.

Thanks to all the folks that raced, helped, donated prizes, and hosted us. I will thank you properly come next week, but I hear there is a party to get to.

If you haven’t pre-registered for the Tour de Watertower yet, you still have time! Pre-registration continues through tomorrow evening. All pre-registered racers will receive their start times via e-mail on Friday, and only need to show up with enough time to check in and ride. Your time is counted from your assigned start time whether you’re there or not, so be sure to give yourself a few minutes to check in.

Can’t pre-register but still want to race? Not a problem! Show up at the start (Cool Guy Park – along the trail starting at Lakeview Blvd E & Belmont Ave E) by 12:30 with your $10 and you’ll be assigned a time after all the pre-registered racers.

Not planning to race at all, but still want to contribute? We’re still looking for volunteers, both at the start and finish and throughout the course. Let me know that you’re interested in helping out, and we will find something for you to do!

Don’t forget that riders will be finishing at Victory Lounge on Eastlake, where we will be keeping track of the standings as each comes in. Later in the evening, those that can still ride will be heading over to Fremont to party through the night at Rubber Side Down, benefiting Seattle Bike Polo.

And don’t forget to check out our sponsors, who are generously donating some prizes in addition to the cash payout. Be sure to let them know you appreciate their support!

Portland Design Works | Mopha

 

For the past two years, Ryan has been challenging Seattle’s street riders in July (during that other race in France or somewhere) to ride to the cities highest points with no one but themselves to rely on – the Tour de Watertower Guerilla Time Trial. Riders are turned loose on an announced course to put in the best time the can manage for glory (and cash). Did you think you were getting off easy this year just because he is off fishing in Alaska? TOO BAD. With a course beamed in straight from the Gulf of Alaska I present to you… the Tour de Watertower 2011.

 

As before, riders will be released minutes apart from one another so that each is facing only Seattle’s best climbs and their own limits. New for this year, we’ll be taking preregistrations , so you get you can get your start time before race day and not have to wait around. The first racer will be scheduled out the gate at one o’clock. Please plan to be at the start 10 minutes before your leave time to insure you can be checked in. You can still register in person on race day, but you will be given a slot after all the preregistered racers. Preregistration ends at 11:59pm, Thursday, July 21.

Registration is $10. Cash beyond expenses will join into a pot with other $$ for the fastest guys and gals. Payouts and depth will be determined based on participation. Get your friends to race, then win their money! We also have some non-cash prizes, too, details to come.

You can preregister here. Don’t want to race but feel like hanging out? Come by the start, or head over to Victory Lounge at 3pm to start checking out who’s in the lead. There will also be some after-partying in Fremont into the evening, so be sure to check back for details. We will also need some volunteers to keep our riders honest and keep things running smoothly, so if you’re interested please get in touch.

But before you celebrate, there is the training. And since we’re getting such a late start on announcements this year, we’re going to give it to you straight (we reserve the right to make very slight changes to the exact location as needed to manage the check-in’s, but you will be notified ahead of time):

• START – Cool Guy Park – along the trail starting at Lakeview Blvd E & Belmont Ave E
• High Point – 35th Ave SW & SW Myrtle St
• West Seattle – SW Charlestown St. & 39th Ave SW
• Magnolia – 38th Ave. W between Dravus and Prosper Across from 3218 38th Ave. W.
• Observatory Court – Queen Anne – Lee St. @ Warren Ave N Across from 1420 Warren Ave N. At sign in front of tennis courts adjacent to Fire Station #8
• Woodland Park – Phinney Ave. N. between N. 53rd st & N 54th St.
• Maple Leaf – Roosevelt Way NE and NE 86th st.
• Volunteer Park – 1247 15th Ave. E located on Volunteer Park Road, near entrance at E Prospect St.
• FINISH – Victory Lounge – 433 Eastlake Avenue E

See it on Google Maps

All stops must be completed in the order listed above, but your route between them is up to you. All travel must be done on bicycle (you hear that, Rob?).

Need that pre-register link a few more times?

PREREGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
PREREGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
PREREGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

And don’t forget to check out our sponsors, who are generously donating some prizes in addition to the cash payout. Be sure to let them know you appreciate their support!

Portland Design Works | Mopha

Just a reminder that tomorrow our friends and organizers of the White Trash Sprints will be bringing head to head sprints to the asphalt where they belong for the fourth year in a row. Meet up at Red Square at 1pm to ride out to the sprint location at 1:30pm. That not enough for you? They’ll also be arranging a BBQ and festivities after, but you gotta show up to find out where.

It’s looking like it’s going to be a beautiful day. No matter what you choose to do, get out and two wheels and stay safe!