Shortened Tour of America announced

We laughed, we mocked, we were incredulous, but the indomitable spirit of bike racing doesn’t give up. The organizers of the insanely ambitious Tour of America announced they still plan to hold a coast-to-coast race in September 2008, but they’ve decided to cut down the distance and stages.

“We realized our first plans were perhaps too ambitious and that the original race schedule didn’t fit within standard racing protocols,” said race organizer Frank Arokiasamy. They’ve decided to cut the race down to 21 stages and 2,200 miles, beginning in New York’s Central Park and winding across 18 states before finishing up in Palo Alto, California. Read more at VeloNews.

More bike stuff below…

Photo by Alex Draude is from “Shakariki Knight” (or “Trick Night”) in Okazaki Park or Takaragaike Park, Kyoto, Japan. See the photoset of Japanese boys on their fixed gear bikes.


Does anybody else have this problem? I always lose my handlebar end caps on every road bike I’ve ever owned. Is there a secret to keeping these?

My front brake lever came loose so I did this today.

Thanks for the link love from:

14 Comments

  1. The caps come off when there's not enough bar tape left over and tucked into the bars. If you do the wrapping yourself, leave a bit extra (though you'll probably end up less at the top of the bars) and if mechanics do it, you can take out a cap and wrap the part that goes into your bars with electrical tape.

    Instead, I like to take corks from nice bottles of wine I have when traveling or with friends and use those instead.

  2. The caps come off when there's not enough bar tape left over and tucked into the bars. If you do the wrapping yourself, leave a bit extra (though you'll probably end up less at the top of the bars) and if mechanics do it, you can take out a cap and wrap the part that goes into your bars with electrical tape.Instead, I like to take corks from nice bottles of wine I have when traveling or with friends and use those instead.

  3. …is the guy on the bike w/ the green deep-v's & saddle training for the new 'tour of america' ?…

  4. …is the guy on the bike w/ the green deep-v's & saddle training for the new 'tour of america' ?…

  5. If he is going on the Tour de America, I hope he shaves his legs first. It wouldn't do if he was the only one with hairy legs.

    Regarding the bar end plugs, I agree. There is no surefire way to keep the damn things in there.

  6. If he is going on the Tour de America, I hope he shaves his legs first. It wouldn't do if he was the only one with hairy legs.Regarding the bar end plugs, I agree. There is no surefire way to keep the damn things in there.

  7. SiouxGeonz,

    I love the shots where the traffic is all backed up and the cyclists just go flying past it…

  8. SiouxGeonz,I love the shots where the traffic is all backed up and the cyclists just go flying past it…

  9. Thanks for the tip about the end caps — I'll mess with the bar tape and see what happens.

    2,200 on fixed — that would be something.

    Sue, love that shot from Boston!!

  10. Thanks for the tip about the end caps — I'll mess with the bar tape and see what happens.2,200 on fixed — that would be something.Sue, love that shot from Boston!!

  11. i like those old velox plugs that expand into the handlebar via screwdriver. other than that i use bar-end shifters. and yes. i read the rivendell reader.

  12. i like those old velox plugs that expand into the handlebar via screwdriver. other than that i use bar-end shifters. and yes. i read the rivendell reader.

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