Danny MacAskill Imaginate - You have to watch this video

filatura l'anello grande: Danny MacAskill Imaginate - You have to watch this video. Spinning the big ring. In life, if you want the break to succeed, you need to put time in the big ring.

OK the concept is a little cheesy. And the music is typical 80's/90's soundtrack to any action sport sequence that was on TV. But That makes the video even better. It's building the story of what "Little Danny" had in his mind. I love the poster of the Yeti on the wall behind him.

What really pulls the video together is the riding. It's fresh and smooth. I was watching some trials riding on the u-toobes the other day, and remembered that even though there is skill being shown, most trials is pretty freaking boring. You know, they are all hoppity-hop on this and hoppity-hop-hop-hop on that. MacAskill takes it to another level and puts on a show of it. Very little hoppity hop, and more smooth flows, killer lines and great jumps. Really amazing to watch.

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Throwback Thursday - video edition

Throwback thursday BMX and mountain biking. filatura l'anello grande: Spinning the big ring. In life, if you want the break to succeed, you need to put time in the big ring. Rochester, Minnesota.

This probably will not be a weekly post, but I came accross a couple videos that seemed to fit the Throwback Thursday theme.


This first is a classic from the 80's. I remember dreaming of racing my BMX bike and eating MC D's with friends and thinking this would be exactly how it would be.


Ah - the 90's. The colors, the sunglasses, MTV. It was a great time. Mountain biking was the darling "EXTREME" sport. Both riders riding with Sugino tension discs. H-Ball had bar-ends even though he was a "downhiller." Tomac was - and still is to this day - one of the kings of the sport.

Hope you enjoyed these. Ride safe and be well.

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Great quote on teaching kids to ride bikes.

Bicycle racing, Rochester, Minnesota. filatura l'anello grande: Spinning the big ring. In life, if you want the break to succeed, you need to put time in the big ring.

The hardest part of raising a child is teaching them to ride bicycles. A shaky child on a bicycle for the first time needs both support and freedom. The realization that this is what the child will always need can hit hard.  ~Sloan Wilson

To Heck or not?

I'm thinking of putting in an entry to the Heck of the North race happening in September.

So there you have it. Registration has opened for the Heck of the North bicycle race. I'm thinking of sending in a postcard. I've never been up to that part of the state. It would be nice explore by bike. It gives me a lot of time to be prepared. It's a free grassroots event. Not sure what the deciding factor will be yet.

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Trailwork at Eastwood Mountain Bike Trails - Tuesday, April 30

Trails are ready for riding at Eastwood, Rochester, Minnesota. Work on the trails to keep them open. filatura l'anello grande: Spinning the big ring. In life, if you want the break to succeed, you need to put time in the big ring.

Sounds like Eastwood mountain bike trails are ready to ride. Though they could use a little grooming. I'm planning on showing up tomorrow night to put in a ride and to do some trailwork. Here's what the Sandwich has to say:

Eastwood TT and Trailwork Tuesday 4/30

So reports from Eastwood are that the trail was pretty dry and overall in good condition over the weekend. So we are going to do a group ride/tt lap this tuesday. The plan is to ride a fast lap at 6, starting from in front of the small East parking lot, regrouping after the lap and then doing a little trailwork. There isn't much to be done and we will plan on working only about an hour or so. If you can make it that's great. Bring a yard rake (not a garden rake), or loppers, or a chain saw, or anything else you have. Even a trash bag and picking up trash would help. If there's rain we will plan on not riding, but still doing a little maintanance at 6. Hope to see some of you out there.
I will have a few spare tools out there if someone doesn't have anything.
-Matt

I hope to see you there too.

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Dickie Scramble - Gravel Event May 5th 2013

Dickie Scramble - Bicycle Gravel Event. May 5th, 2013. filatura l'anello grande: Spinning the big ring. In life, if you want the break to succeed, you need to put time in the big ring. Rochester Craft Beer Expo.

I'm surprised that I keep forgetting to post about this. Could be because I have other plans for that day.

I'm not sure if you can still get in, but if you're interested in riding 85 or 125 miles of gravel roads in SE Minnesota, you should contact the organizer and see if you can roll. If you are planning other gravel races (Almanzo, etc) or if you just want to get in some good training this could be the way to get your miles in.

More details on the Dickie Scramble.

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I was starting to think it wouldn't happen...

I'll be taking part in the Sandwich 50 Mountain Bike Race - Eastwood Park, Rochester, MN. May 11 2013. $10 Entry! Mountain Bike Racing in Rochester, Minnesota.

But then "BAM!" Second Encore! err, oops. Just seen the news that the Sandwich 50 Mountain Bike Race at Eastwood Park is still on. Awesome! Even better - the registration fee is only $10. That means for the price of 2 lunches you can race your bike around the Eastwood tight and twisty singletrack, as much as you can, to add up to 50 miles. No pre-registration, just show up with your bike, a cooler for your vittles and bottles, and your $10. Needless to say, I'm planning on being there.

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Hammerhead Bikes shop transitions to Switchback Bikes and giving away an industry9 Torch29 Trail Wheelset

filatura l'anello grande: Bicycling information. Rochester MN. #RochMN

Switchback Bikes is giving away an Industry Nine Torch29 Trail Wheelset (worth $1,150) as they transition the Hammerhead Bicycles Bike Brand to a Stand-Alone Bike Brand, and the Hammerhead Bicycles Bike Shop to Switchback Bikes. Drawing will take place 5/15/13 so you have about a month to enter.

Buy the way, please let me know (as a comment below, on twitter or facebook) if you like to be notified of bicycle related giveaways and sweepstakes.

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Introducing an all new hub platform and wheel system for 2013. Intended to offer no compromise performance, the wheels and hubs offer class-leading features and weight, high precision US made hubs and spokes, and the custom colors that Industry Nine is known for. The Torch series wheels and hubs are the culmination of a two year development process. We reevaluated everything about our hubs and wheels, made improvements wherever possible, and then put the wheels to test in the Pisgah National Forest – the ultimate proving ground for Mountain Bike equipment.