Can the Giro surpass the Tour?

Of course the Giro can surpass the Tour! With all the propaganda the Tour puts out on all the lucrative aristocratic voyeurism on the doping scandals, A.S.O seems to have their heads in the wrong place, exploiting the stories and lives of these athletes, while forcing themselves into contention. I just don’t see where they have the gall to pull off such acts. The Giro will overcome and surpass the masses insuring pure dominancy while still maintaining a high level of elegance and class whilst taking the cycling hierarchy to a whole new level of pundancy*.

Actually I don’t even know, or care, if The Giro can surpass The Tour. It’s not much I care to think about. What’s on my mind this week is that in February, we lose our beloved service writer Joe. It would be a sad day for me, we have grown quit fond of each other, but since he will be exiting out of our humble shop to pursue a long time dream of his, I am ecstatic! We are all pretty excited for him actually. And dare I say, proud? I do dare. I do.

Joe will be leaving the “normal” day to day grind to live life on the road chasing the U.S. Cross Country circuit from state to state, living, eating and training out of his piece of crap station wagon. For 6. Straight. Months. That’s pretty amazing I’ll say!

So who will fill his shoes you may ask? Though I do love talking to you guys, in a most awkward fashion, it will not be I. The guys here seem to think I can’t multitask on such a high level, and rightly so of them to think this, so they have not extended the six figure raise in my direction. But it’s been my plan for oh so long to hang low, lurking in the shadows of those in higher powers, letting them take all the glory for my hard work. Actually it’s hiding in the shadows as they fix my clerical errors.

They did offer it to Herman though but he “politely” declined. “My work is best back here. Working proudly, side by side with Jamers. Fixing all that is wrong and wronging all that is right!” he said poetically as he threw a fresh pot of coffee in the faces of upper management! At least that is how I remembered it.

Actually, we both love helping people out and giving them the best possible advice for their unique and personal dilemma. But since we are both in debt, paying the Snap-On Man with our souls and first born, we could not justify a life up front with out our tools and proper work stations. Plus we take pride in what we do back here in the confines of our work shop.

But nothing warms my highly rhythmic heart more than somebody taking risks and chances to do what they love most and live the life the best they know how. Which is what Joey is doing. Stretching his dirty little wings and embarking on an unforgettable journey into the world of racing. The best way he knows how.

God speed Sir mighty Joseph.

Jamers!

*Editor’s Note: Pretty sure that is not a word but Jamers pushed the whole “artistic vision” and “creative control” upon us….

Let's get Digital

Garmin Vector Pedals

Let’s get digital. Digital. Let’s get digital. Diiiigital….

Everything on bikes is going all Edison on us. Or Tesla depending on the kind of conspiracy theorist you are. Last year Shimano introduced to us the Ultegra 11 speed Di2 and now SRAM has an Electronic group in the works. We have electronics in wheels, cranks, shifters, clothes and now…. Pedals!!! I know, I know, I have no room to talk. After all I am the one that gave the world the Di2 BS. Electronic shifting in your saddle. You are welcome.

But for $1,699.99, you too can have a set of pedals that tell you what we already know, your left leg is much weaker than your right. But not before spending at least an hour connecting, syncing and updating everything on the bike that can be synced, updated and connected to.

I’m well versed in tri-bike maintenance and building and I get a lot of heat for it here at the shop. “Those aren’t even bikes anymore” someone will yell out from the bathroom. The funny thing is though, TT bikes or closer to traditional bikes than mountain bikes, and we all know how SG loves some mountain bikes. Mountain bikes have hydraulic brakes, suspension parts, and linkages and soon there will be electronic shifting. Officially. Not the K-Edge mod.

Sort of seems the only bikes that are traditional may be those silly hipster kids and their new-fangled gearless bikes with their lack of brakes and gears. Now if only they would do away with the lights and affix kerosene lanterns to the fronts like they did in the hay day. Then they would be truly old school and tra-dish.

But now, I’m not just a bicycle mechanic, I am also a bicycle electrician and programmer. I now have to read lines and lines of code, tracing wires back and forth and in circles, all whilst trying not to let all the smoke out of your Garmin units.  I hear the smoke is imported from Eddy Merckx ass high above the Swiss Alps.

But still, with all these R&D studies and wind tunnel testing, integration of man, bear and pig and machine and electrons and hydro-pneumatic shenanigans, I am left asking myself, and Herman, this question day in and year out. “Why am I still using zip ties on this $12,000 bike?”

Wrap that around your head Sheldon Brown.

Yours Truly,

Jamers!

To now Jamers

It's 5 in the a.m. and I am wide awake. The sun is barely even out at this hour but what is out is peaking through the trees. 5 am comes fast as all hell when you don't get to bed till 11 pm. But here I am, making my way down the mountain to get to the shop for some bike fixing action. And who needs there bikes at such an early hour you ask? Pros. Pros need there shit this early in the morning.

Too Little Time

Jo Lawn receiving her 2013 P5 I just finished building

These past two weeks have been crazy for me. Not only has the head mechanic been out due to his wife having a baby, I have had to do customer builds and repairs, plus pro builds and repairs and preparing for Vegas Worlds. And on top of that I am trying to move. Oh and I have been working on a new site with fellow co-worker Alex Kerh called The Radsport. You can check out some cool new gear that the pros are riding and the stuff I actually get to work on there.

On top of all that, I just got finished building, up and coming elite/pro athlete Angela Naeth 2012 BH, which you can read about at my new site soon, and she asked me to be her personal mechanic. Pretty exciting and sick! Hopefully she get the 2013 BH Aerolight.

Stay tuned for some more posts, when I get time, on getting ready for Vegas and the tools and parts I'll need to maintain 7 pro athletes bikes!