What's In a Name?

With the uprising of Facebook and Twitter, people are able to find just about anybody they miss or haven't seen in ages and get an instant update. Old friends, old schoolmates, old girl/boy friends or just old people. Things have gotten so instant nowadays, even sending an email now is old school. 

Well, some people still like old school. Take my new friend Nicolas Aeby for example. He's on Facebook and found me. Now, granted he thinks I'm someone else but I don't really care about that. Here's the message he sent me:

Dear Mr. Deaton

First, I have to express large praise to you. Mountainbiking is my passion and I’m absolutely fond of it. I do cross-country-races myself, I’m licenced. and I also train 6 days a week. Unfortunately, I did not yet get world-class-level. But I’m very fascinated by all the successful riders as you are. But I’m absolutely able to understand what ambition and deprivation it needs to get a pro and win a medal at the worlds, as you did in 1992 with your 2nd place at the world championship. I really admire you for that. 
Downhill is the discipline that really stokes me and I’d love to try that too (to do races), but unfortunately, its not popular enough in our region an there aren’t many possibilities/ spots to train it. 
And I too think, that it would be much too late to begin, as I’m “already” 22 years old. 
But anyway, I love this sport, even if I don’t practice it very often. 

That’s also why I’d like to ask you the following question: wouldn’t it be possible, that you could send me a signed card of you? That would just be great. And if you could even write a short dedication, it would be even greater. 

Then, I have to excuse myself for contacting you by facebook, it’s just the only possibility I found (knowing that usually, facebook is only for private use) . And I too know, that there are, if you want to fulfil my wish, expenses for you to send an envelope to Switzerland. So I’m absolutely satisfied if you could just tell me a postal address, so that I could send you the postage. 

In any case thank you very much for your time an I wish you all the best and still many happy hours on the bike.

Best regards from Switzerland

Nicolas Aeby

Expect that photo anytime old friend. Anything for a fan.

Techie Nerd

If you haven't guessed, I like all the bike tech.. I love the new stuff and the technologies. Some people think this makes me a bike snob. Whatever. Whether or not I buy it, I always like to see what's coming up and what's out there, and how it works. Even when I go to one of Karen's' tri races, I check out the bikes. The guys in Speedo's I could do without though.

The new Campy Super Record 11speed has been showing up for a little while now. Campy uses more carbon on their groups than any other shifting company. And their stuff is re-buildable. Very ergo and textured shift levers, lots of carbon and all ceramic bearings.

According to Cervelo, this is the first new P4 in the country. It changed a little from the early versions. The headtube is shaped a little different and the decals are now silver not white...

The new Mavic Carbone SLR. Uses the same spoke setup as the Ultimate tubulars but in a clincher version. The new carbon spokes are bladed and run from rim, thru the hub, then back to the rim. 

A Pinarello Prince in Matte black with gloss black accents. Very hot!

U.S.E Tula aero bar. This is the bar that Kristen Armstrong used for a Gold medal in China

The brake levers run parallel to bar to be streamlined in the wind

Wilier Cento Uno was under Ballan when he won the World Championships last year.

Even tools have carbon on them these days...

Bad ass mountain bikes are still hot. The Ibis Mojo SL would fit in that category.

The new Dura-Ace cranks. They call the chainring hollow because it's made in two pieces. You have the outer ring with the teeth and the inserts for the bolts to thread into. Then the inside section with some shift ramps are pressed and bonded on it. That makes this chainring something like 30% stiffer and you can feel it if you hold a ring and try to twist it. 

Yep, It's Time For a Change

I guess a picture is worth a thousand words. 

What do you think?

So, Karen and I just got back from Florida. She was going to relax a little bit with her mom, so I followed along. Warm temps was what I was looking for. We planned to do some mountain and road riding, so we brought everything. 

So...I thought we should do some road riding the first couple days. That would give the cut on my hand a little more time to heal. The stitches were to come out on wed. and they did with no problems. We were told about a stretch of paved bike path called the Suncoast trail. Completely blocked from traffic and pretty much nobody else on it. Pretty good riding.

So we are heading back and about a mile from the rental when a Chris Horner wannabe cruises past us. He turns to Karen and says "Your hips are moving from side to side a little. You should lower your seat a few millimeters."

Are you fucking kidding me?

So, what was this douche trying to do?

1- Flirting. 

She is a good looking woman on a bike, but seriously, I was right there.

2- Trying to actually help. 

If he was a shop rat, especially a newbie, he's dying to help anyone riding. 

Don't want people riding around hurting their knees.

3- Trying to make me look bad.

This is what I think. We may never see him again but maybe he can look

like Mr. Cool to a hot chick and make her tool boyfriend look 

inexperienced. 

4- Trying to make himself feel better.

His life sucks and if he can help someone, anyone, maybe his life won't suck so

 much.

The best part was Karen's answer to this guy. "Are you looking at my ass?" Great one baby.

What do you think? What was he up to?

Hello old friend

Meet my latest pal Larry the laceration. OK, he's more of an incision but he still comes around from time to time. Kinda uninvited, though. This time he's visiting my left pinkie finger. Brand new blade in the razor knife will do it. I've never really had a lot of stitches in my life, but this was one of those times. I saw the gash and had no question, the ER was awaiting me.

Larry's funny, always keeping me in stitches. 4 to be exact.

Have a good holiday?

I swear I have been asked that about 1000 times since I've been back to work. Of course, I run into people all day and they are just trying to be nice.


So, the big plans I had for New Years fizzled fast. Party New Years Eve, sleep late, do the Miles4Meredith ride at Freedom park on the 1st, yada yada. I got off New Years Eve and had no interest in drinking. I just wanted to sleep. How lazy and fat is that? Let me answer for you. VERY. And I think it's affecting me. Different nights at dinner at different restaurant's and the waitress' asked if I wanted a refill on my diet soda. DIET!! Are you kidding me?



January 1st brought bitter cold temps, so sleep I did. 'Tis the season for the trainer. It got it's first good workout this winter and it didn't suck as bad as I remember. It's been all about mountain bikes lately and I'm loving it. For pete's sake, did I just reference McDonald's, I am getting fat.

Say Goodbye to My Little Friend

Dec. 24th will be Clovis Anderson's last day at Conte's. He got a great offer that he couldn't refuse from the Conte's up by D.C. He's a great mechanic and, in fact, they have been hounding him for a while. This was the 3rd attempt to get him. If you know him, you know how much fun he can be. Always trying to find the right words in English. Waving his hands around as he talks. Substituting sounds for words. We've had some fun times hanging out. During work and after. I'll miss ya buddy.