JUNE 2014 FREE Shifting Times BY PAUL JOHNSON, CLASSIC CYCLE hese days, modern engineering greets us every time we walk into a Tlocal bike shop. Steel tubing is a rare sight compared with the amount of carbon fiber littered about the showroom floor. Many bikes now utilize hydraulic fluid to activate disc brakes and modern suspension keeps the tires on the trail. Once clunky mechanical contraptions, derailleurs are now sleek and smooth, some with battery-operated electronics control- ling the action. Nowadays you can get a couple dozen gear choices all operated by push buttons. Ever wonder how we arrived at this point? Let’s take a look at the technological progression bicycle derailleurs have made over the decades. A truck can come in handy for shuttling large groups of riders and their bikes. The payoff is getting to check out the views on the way up and having fresh legs for the miles to come. Photo courtesy of Chad Cheeney Tales from the Syncline Trail and How to Deal with Poison Oak A. The Vittoria Margherita: a simple and elegant style. Photo courtesy of Paul Johnson BY CHAD CHEENEY In the beginning, bikes were direct-drive and the only way to get a was lying there on my back, tan- different gear ratio was to change the size of the wheels. One gear dictated Igled up in both bike and bushes. the action, but since the days of the high-wheeler, it was obvious that a All my riding friends could do single gear was less than ideal when faced with big hills or stiff winds. was laugh and point with mouths The earliest multiple-gear bicycles usually employed flip-flop hubs agape while I squirmed in the ill- with two or three cogs or internal gear boxes in the rear hub or the bot- placed foliage. My wife and I, new tom bracket shell. These designs still survive 100 years later but have to the Northwest, had just gotten never offered much gear range, and they sure don’t offer the visual fun the seven-minute debriefing about that external derailleurs give us. the seriousness of poison oak from Devices we would recognize as derailleurs really started to appear our Portland friends Rachel Bagley in the 1930s. Two popular shifters were the Vittoria Margherita (a) and and Ira Ryan, yet there I was, rolling the Osgear. The Osgear, fully known as the Constrictor Osgear Super around in it. The first words out of Champion(b), was named after designer Oscar Egg, a famous Swiss- Ira’s mouth were, “I think you’re French cyclist from the era. The system was light yet sturdy and fairly fine. The green, three-leafed plant See “SHIFTINg” oN PAGE 9 doesn’t look like poison oak.” Turns out I should have fol- lowed Ira, our ride guide for the PERCEPTIONS day, when he pulled out at the last Getting some air time with the Columbia River in the background. Photo courtesy of Chad Cheeney minute before a skinny bush-lined, How judgmental are you of other bike wood-planked stream crossing. I and boosting roots to step-ups to back sides over rollers, I was in the commuters? instead went for it, then ended up zone. Pretty sure everyone else was, too. See Page 4 crashing and christening myself on Let me get to the point: the Syncline Trail network is radical, giv- this amazing trail called Syncline, ing mountain bikers that “photo shoot on top of the world” feeling the located on the Washington side of entire ride. Sections of the trail include waterfalls, the jagged cliffs of WED NIGHT WORLDS the Columbia River. Coyote Wall with huge Columbia River views below, singletrack that Spark Plug Promotions brings mountain is so perfectly single, and ample little yellow and white flowers are It was fine by me, as I was bike racing back to North SeaTac Park. humbled but not broken. At the lined up at trail’s edge to see the action up close. The dirt is packed and time, I had no idea what was in slippery up top and takes riders through narrow rock-lined portions in See Page 7 store for me during the next three between serious high-speed, full-throttle-type sections, finishing with weeks, so we rolled on, Ira gift- some loamy ex-goat path tight turns through a lush little gnome of a MAYNARD forest. The trail keeps riders on edge the entire time. ing me the final lead through the There is no substitute for a good bike technical and rocky bottom section For this particular ride, we shuttled up to the top of Courtney shop; every cyclist needs one. of Hidden Canyon. Arching turns Road, then took the double track east until we reached upper Crybaby like Sam Hill down steep chutes, where we hit an incredible photo opportunity jump before traveling See Page 15 straight lining over volcanic rock See “SYNCLINe” oN PAGE 8 Bicycle paper • since 1972 Bicyclepaper.com TRIVIA / NEws 2014 JUNE / BICYCLE PAPER 2 The Giro d’Italia June, 2014 he first Grand Tour of the season is held in one of the world’s most beautiful countries. With incredible food, wine, Volume 43 • Number 4 spectacular scenery and history, cycling mad fans, and both stunning geography and topography, it is time to see how much T Publishers Jay Stilwell you know about the Giro d’Italia. Ryan Price Associate Publisher Claire Bonin Q1. So it goes without saying that the most successful nation at the Giro is Italy (68 wins out of the 97 editions), but can you Editorial name the winningest region? Q2. Colombian Nairo Quintana is an impressive climber and not only a favorite to win the overall at his first Giro, but the King Editor In Chief Claire Bonin Associate Editor Darren Dencklau of the Mountains (KOM) title as well. After all, he was King of the Mountains at last year’s Tour de France. Who was the last rider to take home both these prestigious jerseys from the Giro? Who was the last foreigner? Contributors Claire Bonin Q3. Australian Cadel Evans, recent winner of the Tour of Trentino, is a favorite to claim the 2014 Giro crown as well. However, Dave Campbell history is not in his favor, as an Australian has never won the race, and Aussies have only taken home two jerseys over the Chad Cheeney last 97 editions! Can you name who, which jersey, and when? Ellen Chow Darren Dencklau Q4. Joaquin Rodriguez of Spain won the Points Jersey in 2012 based on his high finishes on mountain stages (the Giro scores Christian Downes the points title differently than the Tour, which favors flat finishes) and is also a perennial overall and mountains contender. Maynard Hershon Has anyone ever won all three of these jerseys at the Giro? Paul Johnson Q5. Two riders from the hilly but decidedly non-mountainous United Kingdom have claimed KOM titles here. Can you Üma Kleppinger Sonia McBride name them? Samantha Shimogawa Answers on page 14 Jill Von Buskirk Photographers Bicycle Paper Dave Campbell has been writing race trivia since 1992. He began racing in 1982 in Wyoming, moving to Oregon in 1987. After years Chad Cheeney Christian Downes of racing triathlons, he returned to his roots as a competitive cyclist, now racing in the Masters category. Dave is a high school science and Lara Ferroni health teacher and cross-country coach in Newport, Ore. Paul Johnson, Classic Cycle NWMTB Series Moo Motion Optum / Circuit Sport Reolights A Successful Year for Pedaler’s Fair As one of the organizers and vendors at the event, one of the highlights for me was BY SONIA MCBRIDE Art and Production reconnecting with the returning vendors, Design and Production Amy Beardemphl some of whom I’ve only seen at this event Printing Wenatchee World Printing eld on May 3 in Seattle, the 3rd Annual weather didn’t cooperate, Elysian Brewing in years past. There is a strong sense of Advertising HPedaler’s Fair was a smashing success Company made the Dayglow. community among those participating and according to the organizers and many of the A variety of products and services were visiting, but it’s also an open atmosphere Contact Darren Dencklau Claire Bonin vendors and attendees. Visitors were able represented by vendors participating in to welcome the uninitiated Pedaler’s Fair Phone 206-903-1333 to participate in a full day of programming the fair and included panniers and bags, goers or people who are new to cycling and Toll Free: 1-888-836-5720 between visits to the roughly 20 exhibitor’s reflective iron-on patch- looking for prod- Email [email protected] booths. es, clothing, jewelry, ucts, resources, or [email protected] [email protected] To kick off the day, The Levee Breaking leather accessories, mud more often than hosted a screening of the Gigantic Bicycle flaps, and custom bike not, new friends Distribution Film Series, a collection of bicycle inspired frames and wheel builds. to ride with. Distribution & Mailing Seattle Publishing independent and short films from the Pacific Protected from the rain in The fair is also Northwest, which will be playing around the the Russian Community often a place for region this summer. Following the screening, Center on Capitol Hill, small business- Pedal, Stretch, Breathe es to debut new Kelli Refer, author of , many visitors stopped Calendar Powered by hosted a bike-specific yoga class covering by and Critical Lass lead merchandise. “I poses for stretching and rejuvenating and a ride to the event.