ajfortin.com » Cycling

Now That’s Bike Power!

Fred Fortin — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:28:28 +0000

Thanks to BArPH:

Armstrong to do the Giro d’Italia

Fred Fortin — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:28:18 +0000

This is so sweet. The Giro is a great race. No matter whether he wins or not; no matter whether he does the Tour de France as well, the man will generate massive interest in cycling again and for cancer awareness.

Lance Armstrong is Back in the Game

Fred Fortin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:42:03 +0000

He’s Baaack! And boy does cycling need him. From the man himself.

Opinion: Armstrong’s quest for 8th title no breeze

Floyd Landis Loses it All

Fred Fortin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:08:55 +0000

Well it’s over. Floyd has lost it all. The international sports court upheld the doping charges against him and that is that. I’ve hung in there for Floyd over the past two years (here, here and here) but my loyalty has now been fully and decisively exhausted. I know, maybe it was foolish and naive to hang on, but that’s in the ‘lessons learned’ column of life’s little challenges.

Floyd, Floyd . . . we hardly knew ya.

Neat Cyclist TV Ad

Fred Fortin — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:52:25 +0000

With thanks to Cognitive Edge:

We Need a Picture of Obama on a Bike

Fred Fortin — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:50:29 +0000

Since cyclists (or at least these guys) are supporting Obama due to his now newly discovered support to “create policies to incentivize greater bicycle and pedestrian usage of roads and sidewalks”, we need some kind of image that makes it real to all the cyclists out there. I mean, damn, look what Edwards did with Lance!

Bike in a Box — A Good Safety Concept That Needs to Spread

Fred Fortin — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:30:17 +0000

From World Changing, “Bike Boxes”: A Simple Idea that Could Save Lives.” A great example of new thinking in making bike travel a bit safer in Portland, Oregon. It’s an idea that ought to get more attention by local safety officials.

Beijing Bikes vs Cars

Fred Fortin — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 06:19:32 +0000

Just keeping up on China’s modernization wars between bikes and cars. Simon Elegant of the China Blog writes, “It seems impossible that Beijing traffic could actually get worse–and crazier–than it already is but now we’ve shifted from something like 1000 new cars on the streets every day to 1500, believe me, it is getting worse by the week.” He also noticed his first loaner bike out on the roads and observes that this may be a scheme worth considering given the problem of bikes being stolen on a regular basis.

China’s Bike Theft Prevention Program

Fred Fortin — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 21:46:23 +0000

China’s press announced a new program to prevent bike theft: every bike produced in China will have a number engraved on it to deter thieves and help trace it if it is stolen.

“Known as the “bicycle kingdom”, China is home to a 470 million bicycles. Almost four million bikes, including 700,000 electric bikes, are stolen every year in China, costing bike owners a collective two billion yuan (267 million U.S. dollars).

China launched a nationwide campaign to crack down on bicycle theft in the first half of this year. More than 393,000 stolen bicycles were recovered by police from March to June 15, and about 195,000 were returned to their owners. “

Interesting. All the bikes I own have serial numbers engraved in the frame. The difference may be — I hope — that this is a single numbering system rather than the hundred different ones used by world bike frame manufacturers.

See my past posts on cycing in China.

Landis Pursues His Final Appeal

Fred Fortin — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 07:35:55 +0000

New York Times reported that Floyd Landis will pursue his last chance to prove his innocence of the doping charges that have lost him the title of winner of the Tour de France. In my previous posts I’ve taken the position of supporting Landis (here and here) and I guess I’ll stick with him until the bitter end. The Court of Arbitration for Sport will take one last look at the evidence in the case. Its decision will be final, with no possibility for an appeal. I wish him well in the difficult months ahead. On his website he says,

“Knowing that the accusations against me are simply wrong, and having risked all my energy and resources – including those of my family, friends and supporters – to show clearly that I won the 2006 Tour de France fair and square, I will continue to fight for what I know is right. Doping in sport seems to continue to get worse under the current anti-doping system, and this is only a part of the huge amount of proof that the WADA/USADA system needs a total overhaul. I will continue to work to clear my name and fight for change in the name of fairness and justice. No matter the final outcome of my case, there must be change in the current system if athletes can ever hope to compete on a level playing field and return to the joy and inspiration that sport can bring all of us.”