Pain and scandal in the peloton: Blisters and Niggles

Yesterday we spoke a bit about how access to information has become so utterly complete and immediate in today's society.  This might imply that there is a general trend toward increasing complexity as well.  However, where one area of advancment explores ever deeper layers of connectivity and intricacy, other areas surge toward minimalism.  The "less is more" concept can explain the recent interest in brakeless, fixed gear bicycles, for example.  And really, the "less is more" movement has been afoot in many arenas, and some for quite some time....say like swimwear.  What once was considered borderline risque for a woman to wear to the beach, could now be used for Arctic expeditions....or to attend the Oscars.....whichever.

And bathing suits of today have replaced those more cumbersome and modest frocks of yore as they continue to get smaller and more revealing.

As goes swimwear, so aparently, go cycling gloves according to a photo taken at this year's NAHBS which reveals the new concept in 'less is more' bicycling handwear.  I believe this is now marketed as the "hand thong"....

The caption of the photo taken by James Huang on cyclingnews states "Among CCP's offerings is this very minimal leather glove with just a hint of padding and just enough coverage to prevent blisters."

But of course, blisters are in the fingers of the beholder, or even occasionally in the butt of the beholder and sometimes all the padding in the world (like that found in a pair of genuine Phonak replica Tyler Hamilton bib shorts) can't keep the blisters at bay.....even if you're riding a recumbent bicycle!

You might be wondering how I stumbled upon the aforementioned photo, and despite the overwhelming urge to admit that it is a self portrait, the far less interesting story is that if you Google the word 'niggle' and then hit "images", this is the 6th image that will appear on your web browser.  Now the next logical question you are probably asking yourself is, "Why am I wasting my time reading this tripe?" But if you've already gotten past that, then the second most logical question you are probably asking yourself is "Why was the PooBah Googling the word "niggle."  Obviously, the reason I had to Google this word is because my vocabulary is less robust, than say, the average Luxembourgian.....namely Andy Shleck who is blogging once again and is describing a certain condition that he has "picked up."

"...and when I picked up this niggle in January I had no idea it would take so long to clear up."

Now, I am by no means an expert on 'niggles', but I would have to say that a couple of months doesn't sound like that long of a time to shed one if you have been unfortunate enough to be exposed.  At any rate, I am very happy that Andy is on the mend and sorting his niggles out one way or another.  And now that Andy is back on the bike, he is also back to blogging but has found himself in a spot of bother over some comments he made about Filippo "Pippo" Pozzato in his last installment of the Shleck files....something about Pippo being a 'metrosexual.'

"And it seems my last blog on Cyclingnews cause a bit of a storm with Pippo unaware of the term "metrosexual."  so just so you all know, he's not any type of sexual other than hetero and thanks to Google he now knows what metrosexual means. Let's just say that chatting in the break was a lot of fun that day."

I have found solace in this comment for two reasons.  First is the fact that Pozzato is, in fact, heterosexual.  I personally have never been suspicious about his 'metrosexual' status as Andy previously alluded to, but rather that he might be 'rastasexual' so this news comes as a bit of a relief.

But the main reason I found comfort in this comment, was that now I know I'm not alone in needing to Google terms Shleck likes to throw around to figure out what he's talking about.  Just like Pippo, often times Shleck's writing just leaves me baffled and confused....but then again, it may just be a side effect of the 'niggles' I think I picked up when I was recently scandalized by another famous Italiano.

Pedal on!