Entries from December 1, 2008 - December 31, 2008
Go to Masters Worlds this Year
I've had numerous emails, questions, etc from readers on details of the trip KP, Dubba and I had last year to Za Motherland and worked with CX Magazine to publish a piece on the experience with various resources on how to do it logistically speaking.
You should go. You should 'cross. You should imbibe the Belgie Brown Dubbels.
Entering the Lion’s Den: My Masters Worlds Experience and a How-to Guide
by Greg Keller
Welcome to the lion’s den…
It was by far the biggest moment in my cycling career. Oh, and if you’d humor me and call my hobby a career along with me, my ego will be indebted. I’m hearing my name being called out in Flemish. I’m seeing hoards of spectators in Wellingtons and rain jackets waiting to watch the spectacle on a prototypically dismal Belgian day. I see massive signs for Duvel and Primus. I am feeling the tension build as I get a front row call up. And yet with all this going on around me, all I could do was stare at this guy yank up the leg of his skin suit in front of everyone at the start/finish and proceed to pee on top of his White Sex Sidi Dragons.
Wednesday Worlds - Two to go!
Arctic...that described the temps out early this AM and only the true flahutes were out for our pre-work hup session. Nothing much to report other than the engine is feeling good and I am still doing my voodoo rain or snow dance for this weekend. PLEASE Santa, bring me crap weather.
On the digital celluloid tip, I upped the ante recently and upgraded my point and shoot Cannon to a big boy Nikon D90. My GOD is this thing nuts. I have been inspired (as constantly reported upon) by PDX Cross and the other photographers in the various regions capturing our beautiful sport. I'm trying to be all artsy-like and shoot b & w....

A PRO mechanics rig. Matty Opps Van Dessel
Fangos and Zipps. Must be Boulder.
The Birdman and is Snotcicles.
T Prehn. National Road Champion.
Today was 2nd to last Wednesday Worlds. One more next week to prep for Nationals. A wave of sadness is enveloping me. Looking forward to KC!
Spy photos of Sunday's CO States Course
A certain secret agent with the initials CG sent me some super secret spy photos captured from his leased U-2 Spy Plane. a bit of course is still missing form this shot but is the spirit of the course we'll face this Sunday.
I think personally the course HAS IT ALL! Stairs, sand, grass (or mud), pavement. Mmm. You want to see what this course looks like with a bit of mud, have a look at Joe S's Peloton Photos here from 2 years ago.
GAME ON!
Hippo Birdie, M & C.
Hippo, birdie, two eweeeees.
Hippo, birdie, two ewes.
Happy 2nd birthday Mud and Cowbells. Two years ago I started this thing as a means to sort of track my road to going to Masters 'Cross Worlds. It then morphed into lots of other things...mainly my rants on the three part teeter totter of life.
But more importantly than my vantage point on the scene, I learned a lot about YOU. How you share the same exact passion I do for the sport of the changing leaves. The mud. The equipment. The style. The skill and technique. The constant craving to be smoother. The improvements you make week after week in your local cycling league.
a) ...have not completed a 'cross.
b) ...should reconsider your racing and with whom you are racing.
From Portland to Boston to Bay Area to Georgia to Belgium, I get to hear from you all. Your stories and comments, observations and tubular fetishes. I relish it. And it is such an instrumental part of how I want to give back in my way to this community of, by and large, the coolest people I have met in my last 37 years. Readership is up and it still blows me out of the water how many of you stop by every day to digitally say hello.
This season is officially almost over folks. I can not wait to meet many of you in Kansas City! We will have beers. There will be talk of cross and we will geek it together. But we know that the planning, day dreaming and lusting for the leaves to change for our season is an all-year activity for us. I know how you think. And I love it.
Thanks to you all for reading my crappy blog. I'll keep trying my best.
'Cross on.
TRP Upgrade Kit: Make your current set up PRO
My main man Lance from TRP Brakes sent me the new upgrade kit which is coming to a bike shop near you very soon. I was able to converse with him this week all the way from Taiwan and he gave me an update on the upgrade kit...
There are actually two upgrade kits at the moment....the barrel adjustment kit and the brake pad kit. The brake pad kit currently retails for $79.99. We're examining the costs but these are particularly expensive to make due to the CNC machining of the post body. The barrel adjusters and straddle cables packed for one bike sell for $24.99. QBP has the pads in stock, so any shop has access to those. The barrel adjusters so far are only available at CyclocrossWorld.com, they are the only place that has both the pad kit and barral adjustment kit in stock.
I am working on getting the MSRP for the upgrade kit and ultimately all it includes. My box had a shed load of stuff (see below). The kit can be used on your TRP Euro X-style systems (magnesium, carbon or aluminum)...but truly the kit can be leveraged on similar designs to the Euro X such as Empella FrogLeggs or Spookys if you already own those systems and don't want to go PRO (like Sven) with the TRP's!
The goods....

If you haven't seen them up close, the TRP brake post system offering toe-in is absolutely awesome. No more bending brake pad posts for toe-in! If you look closely, you see that the end of the post has an allan key slot which when loosened, allows the cartridge to rock to your desired toe-in position. You then tighten 'er up and voila, toe in.
The barrel adjuster is trick. As you can see, it is designed to fit EuroX-style brake arms which leverage two arm plates that slide into each of the slots you see on the left and right sides.
Mixing the tubular gene pool
Now here is something you don't see every day! My dear friend Michel, an old friend of Dubba's whom I was introduced to last year on our trip to za Motherland, sent me some spy photos. Yummy. Now, if any of you have seen Transitions 2, you know Michel is a master mechanic (especially when he tweeeeeaks Kashi's rear derailleur hanger in his garage by hand...creeeeek. Remember that! Ha!) but our boy Michel knows his equipment. He blew me away with his knowledge and advice during our mini campaign last January. He let us try some very rare custom made FMBs for the beach sand at Worlds last year and now, working with FMB, has come up with another sweet concoction: Challenge Fango's glued to FMB casings. Boing!
The Challenge casings are good out of the box...but FMB's are not unlike Dugasts.....suppleness on the extreme side. This pattern and those casings are likely 'ta die faw'. Reports on the Fangos this weekend here on the super slippery CO courses were great. I'm still waiting to try 'em out! But Michel, I'll promise to come back soon to try 'em out on the sweet Belgian peat I long to kiss again...
Enjoy these pictures with your coffee this AM:And lastly, here is Michel himself railing it this past weekend in Limburg. Michel is a guy, readers, who I have on video mixing it up with Sven Nys and the rest of the Flahutes. Give 'em hell Michel!
Come See the 9 Ball Diaries!
Valmont Bike Park & Boulder Weekly Films
invite you to join us for a great evening!
The 9 Ball Diaries
DATE: Thursday, December 4
TIME: 7:30 PM
LOCATION: Boulder Theater
MORE: Tickets $10 General Admission
The Nine Ball Diaries stars U.S. Cyclocross National Champion Tim Johnson. Ride along with road racing's golden boy, Tim Johnson, as he wraps up his day job and makes the transition to compete in his true love: Cyclocross. Follow Tim as he tackles the North American cyclocross circuit, kicking it all off under the lights in Las Vegas. Then watch as he battles through the rain and mud of the grueling USGP series, eventually claiming the National Championship title on a brutal, frozen course in Kansas City.
Four-time Emmy Award-winning sports documentary producer and director, Don Hampton and his crew from DH Productions captured all of the drama and triumph in pristine high definition.
Valmont Bike Park
Valmont Bike Park is a destination being crafted specifically for you, the cycling enthusiast.This multi-discipline cycling park is being designed by some of the finest trail builders in the United States to support a vast array of trail networks created for their respective disciplines. Epic single-track for the mountain biker, rhythmic pump tracks for BMX enthusiasts, and cyclocross circuits designed in the style of the best courses in Belgium will be free for all to experience and allow any skill level to enjoy from beginner to expert, child to senior citizen.
To see the plans click here
Can't make the movie but want to support the Valmont Bike Park?
Consider buying a brick!
Valmont Bike Park Committee
Contact Rocky Mounts or DBC Events