Topic: Tour de France

[nccb]

Who is watching the Tour de France?  I haven't watched it in a while but always enjoy watching it for the science and technical aspects behind the rides.  Last time I watched it was when Lance was riding back in 2003 which spurred me to purchase my own bike.  I am hoping to start riding again soon, but tell me what you guys enjoy about the race or what teams/riders you are watching specifically. 

[azuredesign]

They should change the name to Tour d'ECU, if they continue running stages outside France.
I haven't watched coverage this year yet, but look forward to doing so.

[nccb]

True, first couple of stages were in England.

[faux fiddy]

I was racing bikes when the French people were calling a young American LeMonster and predicting him to win his first. I pay more attention when there is an American wearing the yellow jersey, but since I got old and fat I don't follow the bicycle racing as much as when I was doing it.

[grcamna2]

I was racing bikes when the French people were calling a young American LeMonster and predicting him to win his first. I pay more attention when there is an American wearing the yellow jersey, but since I got old and fat I don't follow the bicycle racing as much as when I was doing it.

Fiddy,
Do you still have a lightweight Road Bike ?

[azuredesign]

I was racing bikes when the French people were calling a young American LeMonster and predicting him to win his first. I pay more attention when there is an American wearing the yellow jersey, but since I got old and fat I don't follow the bicycle racing as much as when I was doing it.

Ditto as well, although my racing was limited. I have cycled cross France twice though,  crossed the Pyrenees by the route de Tourmalet, and dreamed of riding in a  randonneuse that followed the entire route. Now, 30 years later, I have ridden parts of the Pyrénées route on moto.
I also loved when Lemond was racing, but a great thrill for me was watching Hinault, wearing the yellow jersey, pass me in a small town.  I had time for a coming at me photo, and then a going away from me photo, then the whole peleton was gone!

[grcamna2]

Did any of you ever see Eddy Merycx? 'the Cannibal' ? I've seen photos in Winning mag. back in the 70's but never on Television,etc.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Ha, we were watching stage 2 last night when some bloke in the peloton gave a photog a cold shoulder.
Ouch!

[vfourfreak]

Was in Nimes today watching signs going up warning of traffic restrictions on July 20th for the Tour. Here people camp out on the side of the road from dawn, with picnic tables, wine, cheese the whole shebang, for 60 seconds of pleasure. Then they clog up the roads driving home pissed and in a bad mood.

Can't fgure it out myself.

Kev

[grcamna2]

Was in Nimes today watching signs going up warning of traffic restrictions on July 20th for the Tour. Here people camp out on the side of the road from dawn, with picnic tables, wine, cheese the whole shebang, for 60 seconds of pleasure. Then they clog up the roads driving home pissed and in a bad mood.

Can't fgure it out myself.

Kev

if they traveled light,two up w/ a light lunch that would sure help the congestion problems 

[krusty]

Who is watching the Tour de France?  I haven't watched it in a while but always enjoy watching it for the science and technical aspects behind the rides.  Last time I watched it was when Lance was riding back in 2003 which spurred me to purchase my own bike.  I am hoping to start riding again soon, but tell me what you guys enjoy about the race or what teams/riders you are watching specifically. 

Does science include chemistry?

[grcamna2]

I was racing bikes when the French people were calling a young American LeMonster and predicting him to win his first. I pay more attention when there is an American wearing the yellow jersey, but since I got old and fat I don't follow the bicycle racing as much as when I was doing it.

Ditto as well, although my racing was limited. I have cycled cross France twice though,  crossed the Pyrenees by the route de Tourmalet, and dreamed of riding in a  randonneuse that followed the entire route. Now, 30 years later, I have ridden parts of the Pyrénées route on moto.
I also loved when Lemond was racing, but a great thrill for me was watching Hinault, wearing the yellow jersey, pass me in a small town.  I had time for a coming at me photo, and then a going away from me photo, then the whole peleton was gone!

watching Lemond had me out on my bike Cranking ! also

[faux fiddy]

I was racing bikes when the French people were calling a young American LeMonster and predicting him to win his first. I pay more attention when there is an American wearing the yellow jersey, but since I got old and fat I don't follow the bicycle racing as much as when I was doing it.

Fiddy,
Do you still have a lightweight Road Bike ?

Actually I have a pretty good Centurion and a Pugeot. I had a really nice upright Simoncini made of either columbus or 531, but I had to leave it when I left Alaska.   It was very uipright, had a 75' head tube angle and turned on a dime. Short wheelbase and lots of forward for each pedal stroke.  It looked cool , too, all black,  campy and cinelli parts.

Back in the day I had a Fausto Coppi racer that a friend brazed back together for me to ride. I remember getting the wrong color because the guy wanted to mix a certain chip of a ford  instead of just making up a purple color.  Finished spraying it the night before a crit, paint was dry by 3:00 am, started putting it back together and had a short nap before racing at about 11:00 am.

[grcamna2]

fiddy, them were good days,weren't they? ! 
I have an old 83' Fuji Del Rey(one of the last 'Made in Japan' ones before they went over to Tiawan in the late 80's)that I bought off of CL and it needed everything, that only needs me to do the last little stuff to it(brakes,derailleurs,seat,chain,tape the bars)and start riding it and I AM GOING TO FINISH IT;it's sitting right here now in the same room next to my computer & the wheels are original 27's and fully trued & torqued and it's 'almost' ready to ride  ; am I in a rut or what? !!  YEAH
i'm too spoiled w/ riding my motorized 2 wheeler  Give me a few kicks,will you? !!! 

[faux fiddy]

When I first bought a real road bike I was just turning eighteen.  I went to three shops and ended up at the local best shop and got an Astro Daimler. I went in 10 minutes before close and the guy was like ,,,uhh we're closing, are you serious about getting one, does it have to be  tonight?  They had the last year's AD marked down a bit, and I said put an Avocet touring saddle on that one, and some toe clips.

Eventually replaced it with a Puch marco Polo that I toured on for week long rides. The AD ended up with a campy fixed gear and I continued to ride the crap out of it.  Went over the hood of a car with it, after it turned in front of me. I remember rolling over the hood and tseeing the bike going airborne and sailing away, pedals still cranking as it arched over the intersection.  It  landed about 50 feet down the road.

[grcamna2]

You were 'pumped' back in 'the day'...I plan on getting 'Pumped' again   

I fully agree with one of those stickers 'Ride to Live' when it comes to bicycling.I'd like to live a healthier life and Cycling will do it !

[Bankerdanny]

Yesterday's reverse Paris-Roubaix stage was about the most brutal I have seen in the 10 or 11 tours I have watched on TV. Guys were crashing like they were riding on ice.

[vfourfreak]

Was in Nimes today watching signs going up warning of traffic restrictions on July 20th for the Tour. Here people camp out on the side of the road from dawn, with picnic tables, wine, cheese the whole shebang, for 60 seconds of pleasure. Then they clog up the roads driving home pissed and in a bad mood.

Can't fgure it out myself.

Kev

if they traveled light,two up w/ a light lunch that would sure help the congestion problems 

You are indeed correct, it would. However what you suggest is logical. The further south one goes in Europe the more one finds that logic gets replaced by emotion.

That's why the roads here are a nightmare.

Kev