Steve's Say

CAUTION: In this section I will be giving my personal opinions concerning riding, current events, products, companies, etc. Topics may be provactive and the language may be strong. If you have a differing opinion make your own webpage and see if anyone visits, the fact that you have read this far means you care about my opinion so read on if you can handle it.

MUSINGS (December 7, 2008)

It is amusing to me when people compare their resting pulse. RP is often used as an indicator of one's general fitness, although it is not a completely accurate method of comparing fitness between 2 individuals. Bjorn Borg (tennis player) and Migual Indurain (5 time TDF winner, Olympic Gold Medalist, & World Champion) had RP rates of under 30 beats per minute. An average male is 60 to 80 bpm. When I was in my late teens and swimming competitively mine was also under 30. In my 20s and as a competitive triathlete it was still in the low 30's. Now, at 40, about 22 lbs heavier than I was 20 years ago it is in the low 40's. However, I do have the bragging rights that at one time it was as low as 0 (zero, nada, nothing) bpm - I was dying at the time. It is a very odd, and impossible to explain, situation - to be aware of your body shutting down. Having people work to resusitate you, every breath they put in and then pump giving a little reprieve from the clouding over. At some point there was a choice; let go or fight back. Telling your own heart to beat, beat, beat until finally you are hit with a couple of jolts of electricity and suddenly you are aware you have a new beginning.

Not too long ago someone said to me that I could ride any junk bike and still be better than them on a top-of-the-line bike. This was coming from someone younger than myself, apparently in good shape, probably does not have the shoulder and leg troubles that I have, not the stiff neck or the stabbing chronic back pain. Which begs the question - how is it possible that I can get my body to perform the way it does? Let me tell you right now - it isn't easy to figure out. Perhaps when the muscles used for breathing were paralyzed or when I had my long bout of pneumonia in the hospital, my body adapted to less oxygen - who knows.

Anyway, while I was in hospital and the rehabilitation center I read a book about Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi. It was, to say the least, inspiring and motivating. Amoung his many profound citations to me was "Strength does not come from physical capacity but from an indomitable will", when I race I repeat this countless times.

So, as near as I can explain it, perhaps my ability is like a lemon, while another's is like a big grapefruit. You squeeze both and you get one glass of clear, sweet tasting grapefruit juice, I have a bigger glass of lemonade because it is filled with sour lemon juice, pulp and even a few seeds.

Another quote I like is "Be the change you want to see in the world". I will explain the significance of this one in a future writing.

Re: CYCLIST RAMMED BY TAXI DRIVER LOSES LEG (Globe and Mail, Saturday, Nov 15, 2008)
Note: I have the article at the store for anyone wanting to read the full story.

This SOB taxi driver should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. He deserves some federal prison time for this assault with a deadly weapon that has resulted in grevious and permanent injury to his victim. Furthermore, this POS must be given a lifetime driving ban, and be required to commute by bicycle and public transport for the rest of his life. I hope there is an avid cyclist who is also a personal injury lawyer willing to take the victim's case, and sue, not only the perpetrator, but also the owner of the cab (he leased the cab) and the taxi company, Beck Taxicab.

RIDE FASTER WITH A LIGHTER CONSCIENCE (November 13, 2008)
You are one lucky SOB, you get to live in one of the richest countries in the world, you can say whatever you want about your government without repercussions, you likely even make a liveable wage, good on ya mate. And you support companies that choose to manufacture their products if free countries too! Oh what is that, your bike is made in China - Congrats, you then support a country that has a terrible human rights record, supports the rape of women and murder of children in the Darfur region of Africa. You have sold your soul to the lowest bidder just like Cervelo, Specialized and others. Scott Tinley, one of the BIG 4 of Triathlon's early days, has said " -we can always vote with our equipment allowances. If a bike company has a plant in non-compliance with environmental and labor laws, pick another bike. You'll ride faster with a lighter conscience." (March, 2007, Triathlete Mag). Ben Serotta has built his frames in North America since 1972 "We pay people what we think they're worth. We couldn't expect the same level of workmanship if we were paying $2 an hour overseas" (Framebuilders Guide, Procycling). Do you want to work 12 hours a day at $2 per hour? Did not think so. I am proud to say that every bike that I have ever owned, and currently have, have been made in a free country, currently I have 4 bikes handmade in the USA, 2 handmade (Custom) in Canada, and 1 made in Italy. Do they cost more? Well if I were to compare a Guru Magis to a Cervelo P2k there would be no comparison. The Cervelo comes in only one color scheme per season, the Guru I can pick from a number of paint schemes and colors giving me 100's of options, the Guru also allows me to customize the fit of my frame, a custom ride is faster - a custom aluminum frame would be faster than a standard sized carbon any day, also if you are paying almost $3000 do you want to have the exact bike as someone else? I would not. What about the enviromental cost (Chinese factories are famous for their enforcement of environmemtal regulations right?). Guess what, over the past number of years I think the only bike that ever beat me in a race was also made in a free country - go figure, I guess a lighter conscience is just as effective as a light bike, and why not have both?

QUIT THE EXCUSES AND JUST ENJOY YOURSELF (November 5, 2008)
Nothing burns my behind more than a sandbagger, except a sandbagger that turns around later and offers excuses as to why things should have been different. In case you did not know, a "sandbagger" is at the start of every race complaining that they are not ready, did not have time to train, etc, as if to psychologically prepare their delicate souls in case performance does not meet expectations. When said expectations are not realized there is nothing more annoying than to listen to the sandbagger whine about how this mistake or that mistake cost them the race, as if the person who won the race was perfect and made no mistakes. Do not attempt to belittle someoone else's accomplishment, everyone makes mistakes in a race and I do not think that anyone who works and has a family has an "ideal" build-up to a race. Just race for the fun of it and save the excuses.