MAILBAG: Into the Abyss!
What’s a Friday without a little back-o-the-bunch banter? It’s been far too long since we sent the PEZ-Probe deep into the digital abyss lovingly known as our Mailbag – and like every mission to explore uncharted lands, you just never know what you’ll find…
FACEBOOK FOULS
Thank you for calling attention to the hateful Facebook page which supports, allows, and facilitates violence and violent attitudes toward cyclists. I have reported the page to the Facebook administrator, and have included the following comment with my report:
I don’t think Facebook should allow itself to serve as a forum for those who promote violence against others. You would IMMEDIATELY take down a page that promoted violence based on gender, race, ethnicity, or national origin, yet you allow this page to remain when there are clear indications of malevolent intent toward a particular group in society: cyclists. While I support freedom of speech and expression, that freedom carries with it responsibilities. Please review this site and take appropriate corrective action.
Thanks again for all you do in the cycling world and your efforts to make it safer for middle-aged guys like me to commute to work safely and to enjoy my weekend recreational rides with my friends.
On an unrelated note, thank you also for the Daily Distraction which helped me to discovery the Art4Racing site with the wonderful paintings and prints. They’re lovely and I plan to purchase one of the prints of one of my favorite cyclists, George Hincapie. My biggest problem is that she has two different prints: I want both, but cannot afford both. What a dilemna! Keep up the good work!
– Paul A. Landry
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This was my plea to Facebook: “this is not what facebook is about. please remove this page asap for the benefit of all facebook users–cyclists or not. thx” good work pez!
– Jeff 🙂
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There is also a group on facebook promoting the removal of the anti-cyclist group:
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=235515394023 – check it out. It’s growing fast.
– Aaron
Cow Pies Not Cool
Is it just me, or can we say that Milram has overtaken 1990 Castorama as the WORST kit EVER!!!?
– Michael Elmer
PEZ Sez: gee Michael- I actually used to like that Casto-kit…
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Why would a great cycling website with so much great information bother to have smut like the daily distraction on their site. Get rid of it! Whatever you get financially isn’t worth it. Do you have any idea how many men struggle with pornography. Do them a favor and drop that advertiser. Thanks for your consideration.
– Todd Hensley
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Okay, I have to say, the Daily Distraction photo of Meghan is by far the best you have posted. Who is this girl? Anywhere we can see more of her?
– Luke
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Do you not think there are women reading your website who might like to see some hot men photos? If YOU don’t like looking at sexy men photos, then maybe you see my point…
-McTavish
Now THAT’s A Story
A Christmas Message From Spain
One of the great stories on Pez chap. Sounds more like Medellin than Spain. And what is all this Valencian at the bottom, speaking that now are you?
– Tim Harris
Graham Webb: Speed Merchant
I was totally blown away with the story about Graham Webb. What really got me was his comment that he could ride 25 miles in 53 minutes on a standard road bike. That is 28.2 mph average! WOW. It’s hard to read emotion in a printed story, but that comment came across as a fact and not in a boasting manner. He was dead serious about his results and had probably done it on several occasions. I would love to see a piece about the bike he would have ridden in 1967 versus one of today’s models. That kind of effort would make him a world champ in any era regardless of the technology.
Thanks for the Pro insight on Pez. Keep it coming.
– Terry Stewart
Papp Smear
I have never written to an editor before but feel very compelled given the recent article on Joe Papp. If he has come clean and regrets the doping, why does his own website still list his “accomplishments” from those years full of EPO, HGH, etc? Seems a little two faced to me.
In my book, he ain’t no hero. He’s a cheat and will be labeled as one.
– Bryan Crement
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Excellent interview. Disturbing, but enlightening.
One of the best interviews I’ve read, anywhere.
– Bill Edmonds
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ED Sez: ‘Hero’ defined by the Chambers dictionary as; ‘someone much admired for their bravery.’ I’d say Joe Papp matches that description. In a cycling world where the pattern is deny, serve the suspension, then return with all forgiven – here’s a man who held his hands up and said; “yes, I did it.” He cooperated with the authorities, talks frankly and is trying to get his life back on track. That sounds brave to me.
Shack Training in Wrong Kit?
Guys: I have a question on the recent PELOPICS and I don’t know who else to address it to: It shows a pic of Lance and company wearing Astana jerseys (actually, Lance is wearing Mellow Johnny jersey but all the others are wearing Astana clothing). But the caption below describes this as a ride in Arizona for the new Radio Shack. Something’s wrong here and I believe this pic is taken out of context. Am I wrong? Please correct this! Lance and Company want nothing to do with Astana @ this juncture. Can you blame them?
You guys do a great job.
– Mike J. Stone
PEZ Sez: Hi Mike, most of the pros are under contract until Dec. 31 with their current teams, which means they still have to wear that team’s kit until the new contracts take effect Jan. 1st. Since the RadioShack team camp in Tucson was in mid December, and they didn’t even have the new kit yet, this was how the riders were dressed on their training rides.
More Black & The White
I have not yet seen an article on Tyler Hamilton that mentions the total lack of scientific evidence supporting DHEA as a performance enhancing drug, especially for cycling. It angers me that a man’s career, that has already been abridged due to doping scandals, be cut short. If DHEA would have given any sort of advantage to Tyler, it would be a totally different story. If you would like, I could send you copies of studies on DHEA and sport.
Regards,
Dylan Howell
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Come on guys. “What is cool in pro cycling” is definitely not washed up, proven cheats and liars who let down themselves, their families and thousands of cycling fans. What would be cool is if the Tylers and the Floyds and the Chickens were simply left to their own devices and not given more opportunity to hurt the sport. Perhaps another website, “What Sucks in Pro Cycling” could be started and anyone who wanted to read about self inflicted losers could go there. There is too much going on that is positive, too many people trying to bring the sport back from the brink to offer even one line of text to those who through stupidity, self interest and greed, are attempting to ruin the sport.
I guess I feel strongly about it….
– Peter Howe
Six Days Rocks
I really, REALLY enjoy the stories and pix from the six day races. Ed’s coverage of the racing, the entertainment, the crazy crowds, and his duties working for the riders paints a wonderful picture of the entire scene. PEZ is clearly the leader in six day coverage. Thanks for providing great entertainment.
– Mike Cizek
I saw the picture of fully kitted out Thibaut Sven and laughed at first but on second thought feel incredibly sorry for him. Perhaps his father should read D. Elkinds “The Hurried Child”.
– Hilary
Just a few words to say that Leslie’s review of Jean Bobet’s book is spot on ! I’ve read the book (albeit in French… much easier for me !) a few weeks ago, and it is one of the best cycling books I’ve read. I found that it depicted this “golden age” of cycling with great accuracy and a lot of humor ! A very pleasant book to read, which should be enjoyed my many riders.
I’ve also read Laurent Fignon’s memoirs (“Nous Etions Jeunes et Insoucients”), which is also very well written and gives a very good insight of cycling in his area and how drugs starting to get used more and more towards the end of his career. I truly hope it will be translated in English as well.
Continue the good work on Pez ! the best cycling website !
– Fabrice Dachicourt
ToolBox Works!
Just thought I would drop you a line, I really enjoy reading your articles because it gives energy and endurance, I might have given up cycling and figured it’s not for me. Well since buying the Ultimate Cyclist cd 3 years ago things are changing on a general basis . The main thing that has become increasingly clear is the quality of riding not the distance or speed. For example a short 10km tt the best times where set with an effortless ease it was like there is no time . This year I bought a set of power cranks. It is like a new beginning, every day there are just so many things to discover. Like going downhill playing around with various positions instead of just hanging around on the bottom stroke hook up on top like a jockey on a thoroughbred.
– Peter
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Pez Sez: Thanks to everyone for writing – and reading. We do try to respond to most of the emails we get, but we’re now getting more than we can keep up with on some days. So if we don’t reply, or reply right away… don’t think we don’t appreciate you thinking of us and taking time to drop a line, because we do!
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