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Weird and Wild Campagnolo Gran Turismo
Many cyclists, when they think of Campagnolo, think of great racing bike componentry. Nuovo Record. Super Record. C-Record. Not always or necessarily the most technologically advanced parts, but light,...
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Motor Doping - On 60 Minutes
"The sport of cycling is notorious for its culture of cheating—made most famous by the rise and fall of Lance Armstrong and his use of performance-enhancing drugs." That is the opening of a recent...
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Bike Safety 101: Police Safety Council Bicycle Death Manual
Ahh, the 1950s. A simpler, more innocent time of sock hops and drive-ins, pig-tailed girls in their poodle skirts and saddle shoes, boys in letterman jackets, pompadours and penny loafers, and Greasers...
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New Workshop Find
What do libraries and bicycles have in common?Nothing, actually, unless you count this awesome new storage addition I found for my bicycle work area. My wife works in the Kent State University library,...
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Wheelbuilding
I had a day off from work this week and took it as a good opportunity to lace together a new set of wheels. The intent of these wheels is that they be an extra special set of lightweight, high...
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The Cyclist and the Hair
Let's talk about hair for a moment.Am I the only one who's finding Peter "Mr. McFeely" Sagan's current look to be . . . well . . . a bit "coarse"?He's kind of got that mountain-man-moonshiner look...
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Riding a Bike: You're Doing It Wrong
Look at some of the recent headlines you'll find in the mainstream cycling magazines and websites:Why Everyone Should Take a VO2 Max TestGet The Perfect Pedaling StrokePain Is The Cycling Coach You...
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Free Speed?
I'm always skeptical when I hear bike and component manufacturers tout the idea of "free speed." In fact, I'm more skeptical of "free speed" than I am of the proverbial "free lunch."The Dutch firm M5...
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Shattering Wheel Deals
Right after I posted about the amazing 2-Spoke wheels (that supposedly generate speed in crosswinds) I caught "wind" of this other high-tech wheel-related story - about Shimano 3-spoke aero wheels...
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Shortening a Silca Frame Pump
Despite the popularity of mini pumps, which now are often small enough to fit into a seat pack or even a back pocket - sometimes a classic frame-fit pump is a great way to go. And when it comes to...
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Wabi Woolens Jersey
Regular readers of the Retrogrouch know how much I enjoy a classic wool jersey. For the last couple of months or so I've had the pleasure to wear the Wabi Woolens Winter Weight jersey for some of my...
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Retrogrouch Reading: Brooks Compendium of Cycling Culture
Brooks Saddles has been in business for 150 years - essentially going back to the beginning of bicycles as we know them. To celebrate that history, the iconic company has released a book, The Brooks...
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Teasing
Just got a package the other day. A pretty big box, about the size of a flat-screen TV. Opened it up and found a heavily bubble-wrapped bundle inside. Much better than a TV.I started peeling back some...
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Unpacked
All unpacked and unwrapped.The frame is a 1979 Mercian 753 Special, completely refurbished by Mercian. I took the time to install a bottom bracket, headset and fork, and a seat post before snapping a...
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Step Back In Time - '94 Bridgestone Calendar
While searching through eBay recently, I spotted a fun little bit of Bridgestone memorabilia for sale: a 1994 Bridgestone Endangered Species Calendar, at a buy-it-now price of $50. As of right now,...
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Mercian 753 Special
It's my spring break from work, so I've had some time this week to work on a pretty awesome project: a 1979 Mercian 753 Special. It's now mostly finished and ready for some photos.As mentioned in an...
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Retrogrouch Reading: Giro d'Italia
The 2017 Giro d'Italia begins on May 5th and will be the 100th edition of Italy's famous grand tour. Just in time to mark that special milestone, Pursuit Books has just released Colin O'Brien's Giro...
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Michigan Steelhead Ride
This past weekend I managed to get out with my new Mercian 753 Special, just recently completed, and I got to enjoy it with a group of fellow vintage bike nuts in Michigan.Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus...
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Bicycle Shorts: Lego Bicycle Shop
Short Films, that is. . .Tired of hearing about "1x" drivetrains, dropper seatposts, fatbikes, mid-fat, enduro, gravel, and more? Do you even know what people are talking about when they're debating...
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I Get No Respect: The Campagnolo Velox
Cheap Campy gets no respect.I'm not going to try to argue that Campagnolo's cheaper offerings for entry level bikes are worthy of much respect, though that's mainly because they are often such a stark...
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