2012 in America – Rossetti Devo Cycling Team

by | Mar 21, 2012

Union City criterium - Image ©Copyright Beck Cycling

After a tough world cup in Beijing where I got quite sick, I took some time off to balance the options for the 2012 season. It became clear I wanted to be in races that best suit me; criteriums and fast races. I got in touch with Emile Abraham who runs one of the best amateur teams in the USA; Rossetti Devo Cycling Team.

Emile is himself an excellent rider, he’s put together a strong core of cyclist from six different nations;

Emile Abraham – Trinidad
Gevan Samuel – Trinidad
Daniel Asconeguy – Uruguay
Ricardo Giraldo Sierra – Colombia
Jean-Michel Lachance – Canada
Benjamin Bryant – USA
Franco – Puerto Rico

The calendar is still in the oven, but promised to be filled with some of the best races around USA, Canada, Trinidad, Puerto Rico and other countries.

Our sponsors includes Rossetti bikes which are simply amazing, the best bike shop in Atlanta Outback bikes, EDA construction, SauceBox cyclewear and a few others.

For this venture, I drove a crazy 2250km in two days to finally arrive on wednesday 14th. The following day, was one of those days… building the bike, adjusting the position and finally a short ride which ended up being a long four hours. The next weekend, we had two races on the program. I was a bit anxious about my fitness with a few weeks completely off trainning and a good three and half month off the road. Speaking about winter trainning, it was pretty much the first time in four years, I spent the whole winter in Quebec city. Preparing for a road season in the cold is never easy and it takes a lot of motivation to train at high intensity on the trainer.

Anyhow, I took part in both races; a one hour crit on saturday and a seventy-one mile road race on sunday. To be honest, I was happily surprised with my form. My legs were still sore from the two previous rides in the days before. I tried to go away a few time in the crit and won one prime after the breakaway lapped us, I went on a gruelling 40km solo breakaway in the road race.

Next on the program is a race in Tampa, Florida.
 
 
 
 
 

The Bike Planter…. how come we never thought of that?!

by | Mar 11, 2012


My best friend illustrator Steve Try often sends me cycling design oddities he stumbles across while browsing the internet. Today I received a link to this rather bizarre design for the off beat eco cyclist who wants to take the herbs from the kitchen windowsill with them when they leave for the office. The little pots attach to your bike frame or handlebars with elastic cord. They were the imaginings of Colleen Jordan an Atlanta, GA based designer who came up with these tongue in cheek planters taking influence from the equally strange flower vase on the dashboard of the new generation VW Beetle. Collen describes, “Putting a plant in a car like that seemed to be contradictory. A lot of cyclists seem to be plant lovers as well, so the combination just seemed right in my mind.”

Personally (as a designer and cyclist) I would say that just because I like something doesn’t necessarily mean I want to attach it to my bike,… but it’s eye catching, cute and certainly less odd than the car vase. Treat your succulents to some fresh air and a bike ride! It’ll be a talking point when you roll up at work. The range also contains wearable planter jewellery.

Colleen 3D prints the planters from a porous polyamide which means excess water drains away from the plant which makes them ideal for cuttings from succulents or an air plants. I’m not sure they will catch on in the pro peloton or be seen at your next sportive but at least in a tiny way you’re doing your bit to offset your fellow commuters carbon footprint as they sit at the lights revving in their luxury saloon or spluttering white van.

If you fancy a bit of herbage fixie fun this summer you can purchase the Bike Planter in a range of colours to pimp your ride at Colleen Jordan’s Etsy store for $45.
 
 
 
 
 

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