Think this guy ever takes his expensive Eurobike on an actual road? I mean, what is the point of having a road bike if you're going to piddle around on some candy-ass bike path?

(I'm not going to make fun of his fall, because the same thing--right down to the sand--happened to me a few years ago. Of course, I didn't have a Secret Service chase car, so I simply straightened out my front wheel and rode home.)

Serotta is actually an American bike maker. They just give them Euro/Italian sounding names to impress folks who don't realize that Trek and Waterford make darn good bikes right here in America.

"Bicycle unleashes savage attack on John Kerry's patriotism"

This man is a lousy athlete. I sure won't be voting for him.../sarcasm

John Kerry is the Democrats' Bob Dole and Gerald Ford rolled into one hapless, boring package.

They're called "Serotta" because that's the name of the guy who makes them.

They're nice bikes, and often made to custom dimensions to fit the rider. That's important for someone like Kerry, who's 6'4".

Serotta made their name by making bikes for the 7/11 team back in the day. Personally, I think they're pretty deep into the "more money than sense" sales demographic these days, like Litespeed, but that's me.

BTW, he's apparently done some charity centuries and did the RAGBRI ride across Iowa. That's not all that bad for a geezer. This article: http://www.bikeiowa.com/asp/hotnews/newsdisplay.asp?NewsID=540

claims he was 37th out of 3000 in a 110 mile charity ride. I call bullshit on that. Usually those charity ride things have a smattering of people looking for low times, so unless he was pulling through on a paceline with some slumming racers out for the miles and some club riders there's no way he was top 50.

where are the pictures of the fall?

where is the video footage?

I want to see Kerry do the Hotter 'N Hell 100. Without drafting a Secret Service car.

OK; I guess he just looks like a poser.

I love the commitment to evidence on display here.

Blogger says Kerry's jersey looks French while asserting Kerry should have stuck it out like he was riding the Tour. Commenter says his bike is probably European. Fair minded blogger says bike is American but named to sound European. Even more fair minded commenter says the bike is named after the American maker. Same most reasonable person then doubts Kerry's finishing place in a charity ride, without any evidence to the contrary besides his own gut feeling.

Thanks, guys, for confirming this:

http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~gcharter/iq.txt

Yeah, I have no evidence to back up my skepticism about his claimed high finishing place. But I've done a bunch of those rides. There are ALWAYS some testosterone-poisoned guys in the big ring who are convinced they're going to gain immortal glory by doing a sub-four-hour century. The paceline forms from the start and they're relentless.

I'm willing to believe Kerry is an OK recreational cyclist. He probably even likes it, rather than it just being a photo-op. But if he's spending the time to get enough miles on his legs to hang with the hammer dogs, I'd question his commitment to the Senate.

And (contrary to the same article) I think Greg Lemond has seen worse cycling conditions than a cold day in MA. Like, say, Paris-Roubaix, or any one of hundreds of Belgian spring races.

Ernst,

Like I said, you are the most fair minded person on this thread. As for whether Kerry lied about his place, the field was unusually shallow, or Kerry is better than we would guess, it's all speculation. I could tell a story about each.

For example, I maintain that many cyclists waste too much time riding at low intensity. A daily 600 calorie half hour on the gym's AirDyne, coupled with some longer weekend rides, would keep anyone already fit in good enough shape to complete a longer ride. For all we know, this is what Kerry does.

Maybe we should demand he release his VO2 max.

Matt,

When I said Serotta names their bikes to sound European, I was referring to their model names. Some of their models have Euro-ish names. Link. I wonder if Kerry's is the one that sounds French.

Kerry didn't neccessarily lie about his placing. I think it far more likely that the article quoted got it wrong, or mangled it beyond recognition.

You can get a good cardio workout with high intensity work. I tried some spinning at the gym, thinking it would be a cakewalk. It turned out to be surprisingly intense. But for centuries and other long rides you usually need the miles on your legs. You won't get that with half-hour workouts.

Hobbs: "Serotta is actually an American bike maker. They just give them Euro/Italian sounding names"

Matt: "Fair minded blogger says bike is American but named to sound European. Even more fair minded commenter says the bike is named after the American maker."

Some actual Serotta model names: Coeur d'Acier, Concours, Fierte.

Amusement value of Matt complaining in the same post about the lack of "commitment to evidence" in others (while bragging about how the average IQ by state supposedly correlates with political viewpoints, and implying that those posting here are confirming his expectation of low IQ): Priceless.

By the way Matt, correlation does not imply causation (and that "study" doesn't even do a particularly good job of proving the correlation that you want to imply). If you want your "commitment to evidence" to be taken seriously, don't throw around crackpot theories without meaningful evidence to support them.

Kerry? In the HH100? Never! He's the consumate New Englander, hits the Great Indoors whenever it gets above 90.
Heck, it ain't hot in Texas until it hits three digits and the first two are ones! I might start thinking about spending the day near the water then.

(OK! I like my comfort as well. But I don't let a little sunshine ruin my day.)

I actually rode the HH100 once in 87. I can proudly say I finished the course. Now you've got me wondering if I could finish the thing again. I'd have to get a new bikeycicle to even think about it. Haven't ridden since my last bike was stolen a couple of years ago.

Joel,

The most prominent label on any bicycle is the maker, which is why Hobbs attempted to draw the contrast by mentioning maker names Trek and Waterford in the portion of his quote you conveniently dropped. His implication was clear, and this is why Ernst felt the need to clarify.

And, about your last, it seems irony is lost on you.

Of course, now I am feeling like a complete moron for getting baited into this childish discussion about whether the name of Kerry's bike sounds European or his yellow t-shirt looks French. And why did I respond to someone whose main rhetorical device is an ancient Visa commercial?

To be a bit more generous, I think Hobbs was baited into this snarky post by Instapundit, and, as a cyclist, he's probably somewhat ashamed of it.

What a snotty post.

I wonder if Kerry blamed the Secret Service again?

"I didn't fall, that son-of-a-bitch PUSHED me!"

"Uh, sir, he was in the car...."

Kerry is such a fake, trying to impress us all with his athleticism. Cant stay upright, and wants to blame everyone else, seems to be the real theme. Loser.

"He's the consumate New Englander, hits the Great Indoors whenever it gets above 90.
Heck, it ain't hot in Texas until it hits three digits and the first two are ones! I might start thinking about spending the day near the water then."

Yeah, and all native Texans shiver and whimper when the temperature hits 40 deg F.

I see lots of comsumate (sic) New Englanders riding around Boston at sub-zero temperatures. Then there are the folks who commute year round in Minneapolis. So you ride around when it's hot outside, big deal.

a few things.....
anyone who rides a bike enough will fall down, if you are not falling, you are taking the turns like a sally
as for kerry vs doppy hamilton or armstrong...their job is to ride a bike while kerry's job is to be a politician
if being political was getting in the way of cycling, lance would do less political work
now switch the metaphor
yes...his photos opts are trying to catch the attention of the young and active
but please
ANYBODY BUY BUSH!

a few things.....
anyone who rides a bike enough will fall down, if you are not falling, you are taking the turns like a sally
as for kerry vs doppy hamilton or armstrong...their job is to ride a bike while kerry's job is to be a politician
if being political was getting in the way of cycling, lance would do less political work
now switch the metaphor
yes...his photos opts are trying to catch the attention of the young and active
but please
ANYBODY BUY BUSH!

sorry about posting twice
but while I am here....

it is better for someone to ride a bike poorly than to not ride a bike at all!

oh....
did not realized I had stumbled into a republican camp
my ANYBODY BUT BUSH statement was not to anger or incite
just thought that anyone, well actual
I did not think
just typed without thinking
guess as a mountainbiker I find it rare to find a Republican mountainbiker
but it appears that in the road sector it is not so odd
either way
biking is pure and true
maybe there is hope for some Republicans
and we may have some similar goals

my dream is for a better tomorrow
maybe we can all work for that same goal

"my dream is for a better tomorrow
maybe we can all work for that same goal"
Well gwadzilla if you really think that re-read your own posts. Do you think the arrogance and ignorance displayed is going to encourage anyone to work together with you? Do you care, or is this just more typical, liberal, feel good talking points?

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20040522-1923-bush-bicycle.html
(Unlike Kerry, W finishes his ride)

Is it a coincidence that you display the same level of arrogance that Kerry does?

“President fell off bike Saturday.. Kerry told reporters in front of cameras, 'Did the training wheels fall off?'... Reporters are debating whether to treat it is as on or off the record... Developing...”

Maybe you rarely find Republican mountain bikers because of the circles you travel in. I know I wouldn’t slow my pace just to hear the kind of drivel that you posted here.

P.S. Try thinking first typing second.

If republicans are so into mountain biking, why arent they doing more to protect there enviroment. And just cause you own a shiny, expensive Mt. Bike dosent mean your a mountain biker. I thought republicans had better things to do, like take money from the poor and middle class, and recieve money from big business, and we cant leave out, killing in the name of christianity, and hating on gay people. Can I keep going?

What?
>>"If republicans are so into mountain biking, why arent they doing more to protect there enviroment. And just cause you own a shiny, expensive Mt. Bike dosent mean your a mountain biker."

Bush was the most environmentally active governor in the history of Texas. Look up "brownfields". The anti-environment stance is a farcical impression foisted by the anti-establishment left who would rather we revert to pre-industrial revolution standards. The words "shiney, expensive mountain bike" only further reinforce this fact.

I was poor once, riding a el-cheapo 18 speed mountain bike. I got good riding it, then bought a Barracuda and now I ride a Cannondale Scalpel. Why? I got good and I also improved my earning capacity by getting an education. I didn't have a rich family to back me, only a desire to do better.

John Kerry is such a jerk.

That famous line of hs was definitely unnapropriate.

Just goes to show you what kind of guy he is, LOL.

If that is a Kerry's gonna do, don't vote for him.

VOTEBUSH04!!!!

www.waradventure.clicksitebuilder.com (please donate!!)

Merrick

Well Matthew, I'll bet you could go on!

Unfortunately, I'm sure whatever else you have to say would be more typical democratic clichés that you apparently are gullible enough to believe (Did I miss the sarcasm?). Or maybe you think others are not smart enough to know BS when they see it and you don't mind shoveling it to make your point. Oh, I get it; you’re a Franken wanabe. Guess what, he's working for free and your not as funny...don't quite your day job.

By the way, I was mountain biking before they were invented and my bike isn't shiny because it gets used. Also to second Sly Putz's point, I didn't marry a rich wife (or two) to get my bike.