Raising Awareness

Last week I mentioned that Floyd Landis will be racing once again with the newly formed Bahati Foundation Team which had its kickoff Saturday night in LA.  The goal of the foundation formed by Rahsaan Bahati is to inspire inner city youths to accomplish great things through cycling and music.  Certain esthetic elements of the team have been so designed in an attempt to connect with the young people of urban LA, such as the graffiti-styled new team kit.  According to VeloNews, the jerseys were designed "to reach urban youth and provide a positive message."

In a further attempt to connect with inner city youngsters, Bahati has hired a number of cyclists who can personally identify with the challenges these kids face, again, in attempt to give the team a "face" with which they can relate.  Like Art Garfunkle.

Oh, I kid.  This of course is Alex Hagman, formerly of Toshiba-Santo Pro, and now new Bahati Foundation signee.  Now, I know absolutely nothing about living in the inner city, (of any city) really, so know precious little of the struggles that occur there, but wonder how much a professional cycling team can really help out troubled kids no matter how pure Bahati's intentions are.  There is just a difference between raising awareness and raising help.  For example, I'm acutely aware that I suck the big one on the back of a bike....but that won't help make me any better.  Or consider the recent onslaught of highly publicized celebrity outdoor excursions meant to raise awareness to some cause....like the Summit on the Summit project where Jessica  Biel and somebody named Kenna climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise awareness that over 1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water. 

What in the hell does climbing Kilimanjaro have to do with the water crisis?  If they really wanted to exert a physical effort in Africa to raise awareness to the lack of clean drinking water, why not help dig some wells in Kenya?  I'm guessing the cost of just one of their Ascent climbing jackets alone could have probably paid for more than just a few shovels.  Maybe that wouldn't be as sexy for their MTV special, though.

But I digress...Rahsaan Bahati himself credits cycling and music as providing roads to a better life, so perhaps with interactions between the team and some kids needing direction, something good can come of it all.  After all, if Floyd rode out of his Mennonite ghetto on the saddle of a bike...it could work for anyone!  My only criticism is that maybe Bahati could have picked some additional members for the team that have a bit of existing street cred to foster a more rapid bond....say like Bob Roll.

Bob Roll talks about Jailtime and Embro. from j. dunn on Vimeo.

I wonder if the jailtime he experienced occured as a result of the 1987 Tour of Switzerland, in which Bob was sent on a mission to protect 7-Eleven team leader Andy Hampsten at all costs.  Check out the threat he lays down at minute 4:50.

Pedal on!

Less is more; Of Jeeps and Maseratis

Yesterday's post shed some light on the elusive, naked cycling ninjas that are prowling our streets.  But in reality, as more and more cold days descend upon us, only the most stout-of-heart continue to brave the frigid wind on their bicycles for endeavours other than commuting.  This of course leaves lots of time for other cycling-related shenanigans such as the recently reported roller races, which is a feigned attempt to make indoor training sexy, which in my opinion, is an impossibility.  And yet, we force ourselves onto the torture machines that live in our basements, spinning the cobwebs out of our legs, and there is nothing sexy about it.  But as we stand on the brink of the holiday season and all of the excesses it brings, moderation it would seem, is a powerful concept to remember.  At first glance, the concepts of "less is more" and sexiness would seemingly oppose one another, but perhaps this winter, this is not so.  Especially in the department of clothing.

Take these new Vermarc Wamup Tights I discovered on CyclingNews:

At first glance, they would seem to be normal tights.  That is, until you advance through the gallery of thumbnail images and you arrive at this shot:

Now I fully admit that I might be reading into the attempt at suggestiveness of this photo much as a Victorian gentleman would be excited by the accidental appearance of a young woman's ankle due to the fact that we are now in the heart of winter, and visualizing cyclists' bare skin is a rarity these days.  However reading the associated text accompanying these photos reveals some kind of overtones as well...

"In literally 10 seconds...you can strip these off and toss them aside (to a waiting partner...)leaving your muscles warm when the gun goes off, and yet still properly attired for full-blown efforts..."

After all, one should always possess the proper attire whilst executing full-blown efforts and certainly when the gun goes off....Quarter or half-blown efforts require nothing so formal (or expensive) however, which is probably why mediocrity abounds in today's cycling circles.

Interestingly, these pants aren't the only item in the cycling world looking to reveal a little cyclist skin this winter, as the Italian Mr. Cycling 2009 competition was recently held in Cardano al Campo, Italy which pitted some of the top names in Italian cycling against one another including Petacchi, Simoni, Chicchi, Corioni and Pellizotti among others.  The last three of which engaged in a strip-tease battle to decide who would take the crown.  Each shedded their clothes and struck epic poses in attempts to woo the judges.

First Francesco Chicchi threw himself into an Oompa-Loompa-esque forward lunge...

Then Franco Pellizotti attempted The Thinker pose....

But neither could compete with Claudio Corioni's Elvis point which won the show.

Perhaps moderation this winter, therefore, actually refers to the costs of laundering, thus promoting more excuses to minimize clothing as an inspiration to stay on the bike, or trainer, as the case may be.  Take this story regarding new "Naked Gyms" in the Netherlands.

Important to note is that in each of the above photos, the individuals so ready to shed their winter clothing and prance about in all their glory (or lack thereof) are dudes.  The irony of this is that the male figure is really rather similar to an appliance, and is in this way, much as Elaine pointed out in an episode of Seinfeld, not unlike a Jeep.  In fact, the most famous of Jeeps were actually called 'Willys'.  And yet speaking as a Jeep, we find it quite amusing to flaunt our plugs and tailpipes about, as though we were, say Maseratis, when in fact, we are not. 

So with full respect to the female readers, and more specifically to all the male eyes that suffered through this post, just remember that if you are riding your indoor trainer this winter and need something to ignite that full blown effort, try keeping your clothes on instead and hanging this calendar on your wall with 12 months worth of real gear-mashing, ass-kicking Maseratis courtesy of cyclepassion.

Pedal on!