The R3V Bicycle Thread

[kway]

Aw, I wish. I grew up in a rural part of CT and there wasn't much of that going on around there. I just had an old Schwinn BMX, used to have a blast on the dirtbike trails in the woods. On the street, nobody could touch that Diamond Back though. As a kid, it was like having a Porsche.

I still have my original one, been slowly rounding up parts for it and I'll be doing a custom build once I have everything.

[M-technik-3]

Minor off topic here but How many are dismayed about what appears to be huge con job of Lance Armstrong. Sad I still don't want to believe it but stuff is seemingly overwhelming the doubt.

The sport has to get away from stuff like this.

[lambo]

Minor off topic here but How many are dismayed about what appears to be huge con job of Lance Armstrong. Sad I still don't want to believe it but stuff is seemingly overwhelming the doubt.

The sport has to get away from stuff like this.

You have no idea how much this hurts me. I looked up to this guy all throughout my childhood. I did numerous reports on him and followed him through all the Tours.

Feels bad man.

[kway]

Minor off topic here but How many are dismayed about what appears to be huge con job of Lance Armstrong. Sad I still don't want to believe it but stuff is seemingly overwhelming the doubt.

The sport has to get away from stuff like this.

It definitely sucks, I mean I would have liked to believe he did it on his own. At the same time though, the couple people I know who were deeply involved in the sport have been telling me that they're ALL cheating, even before this latest "revelation".

Viewed in that context, it's a level playing field, and it was still a monumental acheivement on his part. I'm disappointed for sure, but it's kind of like I knew already, so I still admire the guy even though he might have gone down a couple notches.

This USADA guy had a vendetta against him for whatever reason, and he finally got him. No way do I think Armstrong should be stripped of his Tour de France titles, unless they're prepared to subject all the competitors behind him to the same level of scrutiny.

[UNCL3AN1]

It's because Lance isn't a Frenchie. They hate him overseas. That's why he's spit on while he races, or while he raced.
I'm pretty bummed. Now i read that they're trying to go after him for his winning $$$. That's crap.

[BlackbirdM3]

You have no idea how much this hurts me. I looked up to this guy all throughout my childhood. I did numerous reports on him and followed him through all the Tours.

Feels bad man.

I'm guessing you never had the displeasure of meeting him. I have, and the guy is a total prick. I got to ride with the USPS team in 2000 at their training camp. Every guy on the team made an effort to at the very least say hello. As we were riding along in a rotating paceline, I rode up alongside Lance and said "Good morning Mr Armstrong." Not Good morning Lance, but Mr Armstrong. He totally ignored me and pulled out of the spot. He couldn't even be bothered to say hi. I went and talked with George Hincapie for the next 10 miles or so.

I knew Lance was on dope from '99 on. Prior to getting cancer, he had never finished a tour let alone won it. (I don't think he even had a stage win, but I might be mistaken, I can't remember.) To go from pack fodder to beating cancer, to becoming a tour winner doesn't add up unless you are higher than a kite. Oddly enough, what are the odds that EPO happens to be a cancer drug? Oh yeah now he has an alibi for why EPO is being found in his blood. What better way to hide the stuff?

Honestly, I'm glad he got nailed.

Will

[M-technik-3]

Odd met him some years ago and I got along fine with him.

[UNCL3AN1]

Eh, maybe Lance just straight didn't hear him.

[beta14ok]

well.....It sounds like everyone in the tour was cheating........it's a sad thing anyway you look at it!

As for me, I'm getting ready for those shortened days........also kinda a sad thing....if I wanna ride before or after work, I'm gonna need lights.

I've had this Nightsun light unit laying around for about 20 years, so I thought maybe I shouldn't let the darkness be an excuse. I recently dusted it off and mounted it with a bracket made from two Evo Spacebar clamps and a 5" section of PEX tubing on my ol' C'dale. This thing is still plenty bright to kill the darkness. I think it turned out well.....very solid & stable.

[theox69]

^That looks awesome. Really well done!

I need to take and post some pics of the fixed gear I recently built. Made from a mid-70's steel Vainqueur frame.

[lambo]

As for me, I'm getting ready for those shortened days........also kinda a sad thing....if I wanna ride before or after work, I'm gonna need lights.

I'm in the same boat...I like to get a nice ride in after dinner and I like to catch the sunset by the pond but it's getting darker earlier so I find myself eating dinner quicker each time :\

[lambo]

I'm guessing you never had the displeasure of meeting him. I have, and the guy is a total prick. I got to ride with the USPS team in 2000 at their training camp. Every guy on the team made an effort to at the very least say hello. As we were riding along in a rotating paceline, I rode up alongside Lance and said "Good morning Mr Armstrong." Not Good morning Lance, but Mr Armstrong. He totally ignored me and pulled out of the spot. He couldn't even be bothered to say hi. I went and talked with George Hincapie for the next or so.

I knew Lance was on dope from '99 on. Prior to getting cancer, he had never finished a tour let alone won it. (I don't think he even had a stage win, but I might be mistaken, I can't remember.) To go from pack fodder to beating cancer, to becoming a tour winner doesn't add up unless you are higher than a kite. Oddly enough, what are the odds that EPO happens to be a cancer drug? Oh yeah now he has an alibi for why EPO is being found in his blood. What better way to hide the stuff?

Honestly, I'm glad he got nailed.

Will

That's unfortunate to hear :\

[BlackbirdM3]

That's unfortunate to hear :\

It is sad. I've been riding and racing since 6th grade. I've been watching the TDF since the Miguel Indurain days. Since then, it seems like every tour winner has been nailed for dope use. I think Indurain was implicated as well at one point.

When Lance broke out in the pro peloton he was my hero and I thought yeah, this guy is going to win the tour some day (this is back about '91-'92 or so). The guy who was my pseudo coach said he will never be a tour winner, he is too big and heavy. (My coach/friend was one of the guys who started both the XC and DH at Mammoth years ago.) Sure enough Lance never made it out of the first week before getting dropped and ultimately dropping out of the race. Year after year he did this, and then got cancer. Suddenly he comes back and is superman? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It just didn't add up. Was I thrilled that he finally won? Yeah, but then I started to question it. When I got to meet him, he was a dick, and that really put a damper on things.

Closer to home for me, I've had several friends who I thought were the real deal who have come forth saying they were on EPO. I never knew. Its now got me wondering how many of the people I used to race against and beat in college (who have now gone pro) were/are on dope? I was legitimately fast in a sprint or time trial, I couldn't climb to save my life, but you give me 250 yards of clear road to the finish, the odds were in my favor that I'd win. Heck, when I was on, I could lead the field out for the sprint and win it. I had my good days, my great days, and there were times where it didn't matter what I did, I couldn't get out of my own way. I however never took any sort of drug to boost my performance. I was fast because I put the time and effort into making myself fast. Life however took a turn for the worst and I had to call it quits (Lost my job and my place to live all at once) because I couldn't afford to play anymore. That pretty much killed my motivation to ride.

The doping in cycling all needs to stop. I don't care who you are, what class you race, if you are a doper, GTFO! There is no place for cheaters in cycling.

Will

[gwb72tii]

Hi, I'm trying to identify an old bicycle that my father in law bought somewhere back in the 60's. These types of bikes (older) are getting popular again.
Anyways, the pics are below. The only identifying marks are the name on the front "Hermes" and a sticker saying "made in Italy". The shift levers are from "Huret"
I haven't been able to find any info on any Italian bikes manufactures named "Hermes" and I can't be certain the bike was made in Italy, other than my Father in law would not be one to place a sticker on the bike to make it look better or whatever.
Anybody recognize this?

[MikeDE]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZmJtYaUTa0&feature=share:daumen: