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Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (206)This may be the coolest video ever.
This may be the best Two Johns Podcast ever too!Or maybe not, it depends how much time you have and how much you like listener feedback. Since we’ve been away for a little bit, we have many, many emails to go through. This installation of the podcast is paired down to Giro talk, Listener Feedback and a segment where we talk about whether old Brikos are cool or uncool. In our bag of emails this week we read a few race face emails- then the Two Johnic Kaibosh is issued to race face talk- putting it on a shelf next to over-under talk and some other what-not littering the out of reach high shelf we will no longer discuss, Hot Beth wants to know whom to ride with, Puking Guy asks about taking EPO so he can crush his chums, Johns are corrected about Chris King & Campy, Church of the One Way Bianchi fixie to be & the list goes on and on- as we defy one of the Drill Seargent’s suggestion of shorter podcasts- but wait there’s more! A special bonus email at the very end. Eventhough this is not our season finale, despite all the questions that are asked, there may be more unanswered questions at the end than existed 3 hours before you started listening. Sit back, lift a glass of your preferred beverage and say “Ya Bone-eh, the Two Johns are back!” and get ready for the Two Johns reading your emails- what could be better?
May 18th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Ha! I’m glad you’re over that ‘top 20′ emails non-sense.
May 19th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Milram was also on Colnagos last year before they made the switch to Focus bikes this year.
May 19th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
The artist who did HWSNBN’s bike was the same guy who did the Obama poster and the Andre the Giant “Obey” posters.
May 20th, 2009 at 5:12 am
About time, I was going through withdrawl and it was killing me. Downloading the podcast right now!!!
May 20th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Great Podcast! It can never be too long…
May 21st, 2009 at 11:08 am
Good call on Menchov for the TT win. He’s looking pretty good going into the second half of the Giro. Shame that Horner crashed out. He was on fire.
May 21st, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Splendid return, guys AND word from the Recumbulator Dater. Come on then, was she a filly with a willy after all???
A word on the pre-race abstinence thing: I’m riding “10 Under the Ben” in Fort William, Scotland next weekend. What say I crack one off the wrist before my first lap and then see how times compare throughout the day?
Right, that’s me banned then…
May 21st, 2009 at 12:50 pm
A good explanation of the Giro paint scheme. We’ve been getting a lot of tweets and emails about it.
“Lance’s road bike is decorated by the artist Shepard Fairy, whose most widely known work is probably the iconic blue and red Obama “Hope” poster. You’re right, there are images of Andre the Giant on the bike, an image Fairy’s been using for about twenty years. Here’s a bit from Wikipedia regarding the origin of the “Andre the Giant has a Posse” image:
His “Obey” Campaign draws from the John Carpenter movie “They Live” which starred pro wrestler Roddy Piper, taking a number of its slogans, including the “Obey” slogan, as well as the “This is Your God” slogan.
Personally, I don’t think you can read anything into the Propaganda stuff, as far as a message that Armstrong himself wants to convey. I think he just gave Fairy free reign, and he went ahead and used the motives he’s employed throughout his career.”
May 21st, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Wow, I never would have imagined the movie ‘They Live’ would give us two pop culture references. The above mentioned “Obey” slogan & the inspiration for the infamous ‘Cripple Fight’ scene of South Park.
JK
May 22nd, 2009 at 6:26 am
I JUST DISCOVERED THAT LISTENING TO YOUR PODCAST WAS A GREAT WAY TO GET MY “JOHN” FIX! LOVE, YOUR MOM
May 22nd, 2009 at 6:43 am
My mum says the same thing…
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:02 am
Your Mom listens to your podcast? Did you guys just jump the shark? Kidding of course. Like BBB stated above, it can never be too long.
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:55 am
Thanks, Mom.
JK
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:37 am
when do i get to sit in on the next podcast?
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:38 am
sorry….. i didnt put up my nickname… sounds like “sleaze”
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:39 am
or like this….
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:54 am
Are you ashamed of Le Gimp? You never bring your folks down to the man-cave for an introduction.
I’m going to have to clean up my act now that the moms are on board. I just emailed Mother Gimp so she might start posting too. Next podcast needs a shout out to the moms, yo.
May 22nd, 2009 at 11:03 am
Here are the real answers to the email re. how, why, when, and what Pro Teams do with bike companies when selecting their mounts. Answers from Nic Simms, Head PR guy for Specialized. Thank you Nic!
Hey Two Johns
I’ve got a curiosity question that I wanted to see if you guys could shed some light on.
This past year I’ve noticed a big switch up of bike sponsors for pro teams. For example, Rabobank is now riding Giant instead of Colnago, Saxo Bank is riding Specialized instead of Cervelo, Columbia is now riding Scott, and Rock Racing switched from DeRosa to Fuji, to something else, and now I’m not sure what they ride. Also, does Specialized provide both QuickStep and SaxoBank the same technology?
NIC SAYS: “I think most companies know who they would like to have riding their bikes and they will make contact with those teams in advanced to find out when the current sponsor deal ends, then you must wait for that contract to finish, that is why you saw a lot of changes this year as other bike manufacturer contracts finished. As for the technology we work very closely with our teams to provide them with the best equipment and that means lots of trips to training camps and races to collect all the rider feedback. You may have seen recently Cancellara testing a TT bike at the Giro and the Tour of Romandie, this is from their feedback and us wanting to constantly push the bike development. Our teams, Quick-Step and Saxo are very different in the way they ride and are managed, Saxo is very technical and they want every little advantage they can get from the BG FIT that we did for them in Majorca to the bikes and equipment the ride. Quick Step are the Belgian hard men and that is there riding style they are all about the one day hard races so their equipment has to stand up to that. As you know we have worked with Quick Step closely and developed to race winning bikes already the Tarmac SL2 and the Roubaix SL2, so we have a good track record with our teams.”
Anyway, I’m really curious how these deals get made, and whether or not a brand like Colnago is bummed that no big pro teams are riding their brand this year. They have such a legacy, I wonder if they really care?
NIC SAYS: “I am sure they care but in these economic times investing in teams is a costly business and for someone like Colonago they are already a recognized brand worldwide so although teams give them good visibility they could focus their efforts on grass roots programmes and product development.”
And in comparison, how does Fuji, which has been a sporting goods store brand, all of sudden makes it into the big leagues?
NIC SAYS: “Sometimes you get a lucky break and for Fuji to prove they are race winning brand it is important to get a team to help with development and get the brand out in front of the fans.
I’m curious how these brands approach teams, and do you guys know what kind of deals or incentives they make with the teams?
NIC SAYS: “We would approach teams years in advance of actually acquiring them you need to find out when current bike sponsor deal end and also constantly keep in contact, also if your bike is winning races that is a good thing as they then start to think that it is good bike. The teams also talk to other teams to see what they hear about manufacturers. So the whole process can sometime take a few years. For companies like us who have all the products we will try get teams on product first then move onto bikes when the other sponsor finishes. As for deals we make agreements that we will work to develop bikes for their needs e.g Tarmac, Roubaix and TT.
And, do the riders have any input at all?
NIC SAYS: “Yes most definitely as I said early working with Quick Step we developed the SL2 and the newer Roubaix sl2 and you will see us working with Saxo on TT projects some of these things may make it into to production some may not it all depend on rider feedback UCI etc”
Just a curious observation.
kb in so-cal
May 22nd, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Kinda freaky video. Did I see “The Badger” back there or was it “The Mongoose”?
Glad to have you back Johns. Have a great Memorial Day, hope you get in a good ride.
May 23rd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
I just rode into the back of a car. Smashed the rear windshield with my head. Needed 2 stitches in my face. Always wear a helmet people. And keep your eyes peeled when in busy traffic.
May 23rd, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Ouch! Pulled a Phinney eh? At least the mug’ll heal but how’s the bike?
I did the same last year. Was looking over my shoulder to see what idiot driver #2 was doing and idiot driver #1 decides to brake hard and turn right (left in Scottish). I was lucky and just rolled up on the trunk (that’s boot in Scottish). Gotta prioritize your idiots correctly. Don’t panic, the bike was fine.
Just realizing that I might speak fluent Scottish, Ya-Bone-eh!
-LeGimpe
“Remember boy, bones heal and chicks dig scars” -Captain Lance Murdock (who seemed a hell of a lot like Evil Knievel), The Simpsons
BTW, I checked my Knievel spelling on wikipedia, check out the picture! That belongs on the blog Johns.
Looks like a really bad Natty Champ getup!
May 23rd, 2009 at 5:18 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_Knievel
May 23rd, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Not my first bike, but one of the many I had growing up
http://www.evel1.com/Shop/gallery.php?rpd=fifth&rrr=1&namezzz=sterio_hifi.jpg
May 28th, 2009 at 10:34 am
I just rode into the back of a car. Smashed the rear windshield with my head. Needed 2 stitches in my face. Always wear a helmet people. And keep your eyes peeled when in busy traffic.