Category: Mountain Biking

43 Tour de France Riders Test Positive for COVID-19

jimmymac

Okay, that is a total click-bait headline but who is going to be surprised when a number of Tour de France riders test positive for COVID-19 over the next few weeks? Days? Team personal and TDF event personnel tested positive but no riders? That seems unlikely until you consider that professional cycling has a long and illustrious history of looking the other way when they believe it is in the best interest of the sport and its sponsors. Except for the Baja 1000 and rallying, I can’t think of another…

Concept Bicycle Helmet That Tucks Into A Water Bottle – UPDATED 9-18-2020

jimmymac

UPDATE 9/18/2020: The Park & Diamond company posted another “update” and “sneak preview” on August 28th. The update says the company has “secured agreements with a new contract manufacturer [and] several new suppliers.” They go on to say that the company is “firming up new shipping logistics” that should ship the first production by the end of December 2020. “Secured agreements” and “firming up” is, in my opinion, public relations mumbo jumbo. Backers want to hear that manufacturing has begun, not that Park & Diamond has “agreements” to manufacture and…

Davis Phinney Teams With Trek Domane+ LT E-Bike To Keep The Legend Rolling

jimmymac

The story from Trek Bicycles, “How Davis Phinney finds freedom in the saddle of his Domane+ LT,” caught my attention and brought back memories of an interview I did with Davis in 1994 for Road Bike Action Magazine. Davis had just retired from racing when he, his wife, Connie Carpenter, and their son and future professional cyclist, Taylor, welcomed me into their home for hours of conversation. It would have been a killer Podcast if iPods had been invented in 1994! I just dug out the issue and the interview…

No Sea Otter Classic For 2020

jimmymac

It comes as no surprise that the Sea Otter Classic promoter is pulling the plug on their rescheduled 2020 event. The event that is traditionally held in the Spring of each year was shifted to October for 2020 due to concerns over COVID-19. As it became clear that the pandemic is still a concern for any event that draws large numbers of participants (except for the Sturgis Motorcycle rally and social justice protests), the Sea Otter promoters have pulled the plug on the 2020 event and are pinning their hopes…

The Birth Of Gravel Bikes

jimmymac

Gravel bikes are all the rage, along with e-bikes, and why shouldn’t they be? Road bikes have become as use-specific as mountain bikes. Maybe more so. Today’s road bikes are created to do one thing really well and not much else. While bicycle companies would love it for you to create a road bike stable (next to your mountain bike stable), most riders, and their bank accounts, get burned out on this approach. And the garage gets too crowded. Along comes the Swiss Army knife of bicycles; the gravel bike.…

Dave Miller Benefit Face Masks Back In Stock – UPDATED

jimmymac

UPDATE AUGUST 4, 2020: So many people have continued to request the Scott Face Mask that Curt Evans (the artist behind the project) agreed to produce another batch. Here is Curt’s message and how you can get a few masks… Wow! Thanks so much for your interest in the Scott Face Mask and helping out Dave Miller’s family. We appreciate your patience. We didn’t think the response would be so great after our initial run of over 400 masks allowed us to donate over $3,500 to help his family! (Unfortunately,…

Ask Jimmy Mac: Finding The Perfect Mountain Bike Match

jimmymac

I receive unsolicited queries and I try to answer them all. I’m retired, for Pete’s sake. I’ve got the time. And I’m honored my opinion still matters to some riders. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner, but why not share the Q&A on Jimmy Mac On Two Wheels? So here you go, my first Ask Jimmy Mac. LOVE AT FIRST RIDE How long does it take to get used to a 29er? I am 5’11” and weigh about 215 pounds. I currently ride a large Devinci…

Mountain Biker Appears On Commemorative Stamp

jimmymac

I’ve always been a sucker for the USPS’s commemorative stamps. I usually buy two sheets. One to use as postage (I still like sending letters and cards instead of emails) and the other to stuff in the bottom of a desk draw with the intention of saving it for posterity (or maybe making a million bucks on it at auction). I’ve got cartoon characters, hot rods, motorcycles, dinosaurs, rock stars, monsters and historical figures (many of whom have been cancelled in today’s culture). I have to wonder if that will…

Dave Miller Face Mask Sales Generate $3,550 For The Miller Family

jimmymac

It started out as a fun idea to create a COVID-19 face mask that looked like the iconic Scott Face Mask worn by racers before full-face helmets were widely used by motocross racers. Long-time friend and cartoonist Curt Evans came up with the artwork and coordinated a limited-production run. That’s when we realized there were plenty of old-time motocrossers who wanted one too. We decided to make another batch to raise money for the family of Dave Miller (pictured about in a photo shot by Curt), who passed away recently…