Doug gets high

Dougy Fresh is a little strange.

Doug likes to climb things.
Doug rode La Ruta de los Conquistadores in Costa Rica last year. Climbing over 14,000 feet across sixty miles during just one of the legs of the race.
He took second place overall (single-speed) last year in the National Untra-Endurance Mountain Bike Series.
He likes to climb things over a long period of time. 100 miles on dirt? Not me -- maybe in the old 'Rover.
He entered a Cat. 2 Cyclocross race on a 40/20 single-speed.

So what's he up to now?



Climbing Mount Mitchell on a single-speed. It's down in North Carolina and it's the highest peak east of the Mississippi. Why? He'd already done Mount Washington.
Get more pics at his blog.



Just for that, Doug, I'm going to ride farther past the bar than I have ever ridden tonight!



More about Doug here.
More about Doug's sponsors here and here.
More about Doug's other crew here.
More about La Ruta here.
More about ultra endurance mtb here.

Unicycles

We heard the crew over at Elm City Unicycling were jealous of our fancy color-coordinated track bikes, so we got 'em these for xmas...



stolen from Jussi, Helsinki

Bootleg Gear

The Ghostship X Scorchers hoodies went fast, so we're looking to do another run.
In the meantime you can get bootleg gear at Skreened. It's not the dope Ghostship gear, so don't get all pissy when it starts falling apart in a year. Hey, it's bootleg.

Bike Mare

We miss Dan Nicely. He moved away.

Denver

Street Tumblers. What.


Street Tumblers Winter Teaser from Street Tumblers on Vimeo.

They've got a quasi-local contingent in NYC, the BroPants, or Broadway Panthers.

Who's Got Hoodies?

These guys...

Scorchers Xmas

Yes, Virginia, Santa is a Scorcher.

As seen around town...

Found this on the WalkBikeCT Blog...

Merry Xmas

Gesëende Kersfees
Een Plesierige Kerfees
Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Gezur Krislinjden
Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Feliz Navidad
Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Selamat Hari Natal
Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Shuvo Naba Barsha
Vesele Vanoce
Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo
Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Pace e salute
Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Sretan Bozic
Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Glædelig Jul
Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Gajan Kristnaskon
Ruumsaid juulup|hi
Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Hyvaa joulua
Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
Joyeux Noel
Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Bo Nada
Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
Froehliche Weihnachten
Kala Christouyenna!
Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Shub Naya Baras
Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Gledileg Jol
Selamat Hari Natal
Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Nollaig Shona Dhuit or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Buone Feste Natalizie
Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Linksmu Kaledu
Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Sreken Bozhik
IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Meri Kirihimete
Shub Naya Varsh
Merry Keshmish
God Jul
Pulit nadal e bona annado
Bon Pasco
Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Maligayan Pasko!
PWesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia
Feliz Natal
Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Sarbatori vesele
Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Buorrit Juovllat
La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Hristos se rodi
Vesele vianoce
Buorrit Juovllat
Nollaig chridheil huibh
Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Ett Gott Nytt År
Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Sawadee Pee Mai
Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Srozhdestvom Kristovym
Chung Mung Giang Sinh
Nadolig Llawen
Cestitamo Bozic
E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!

The Kings Are Coming...

Remember a few years back when we challenged New England to a three day alleycat that covered over sixty miles? We're bringing it back. Late August. New Haven confirmed (duh?) with a possibility of a night in Boston and/or a stage race from Middletown to New Haven.

Last time, Jersey Dan took first, Matt & Doug from Ghostship took 2nd and 3rd.
Must've been that paceline...



Edit: I should've mentioned Tony Tyrant took that photo. Where are my manners?

The Granddad Returns

No official date yet. Or is there? Got a little out of hand and "cancelled" last year, only to be resurrected word-of-mouth to those in the know. 200+ yokels on brakeless bikes in Manhattan can be a bit unnerving to a race organizer...

Monster Track 5...

...

Boldsprints, Boston

We mentioned yesterday that the OPEN Bicycle crew are hosting another Boldsprints event. Now we hear through the grapevine (Euphoria Before Total Implosion) that the main prize for the event is a sweet set of Deep V's laced to Formula. Top that off with the fact that they're in Yoda's DeBernardi Gold (yes, that's an actual color). Add yet to that the fact that I'm currently snowed in with nothing to do and you get a guy setting his bike up 53/14 with delusions of grandeur...


Photo from Euphoria BTI :: Prize by Cambridge Bicycle




Yoda's DeBernardi. Hard to start. Impossible to stop.



The BostonFixed.us Forums are reporting that out-of-towners will be generously compensated (hopefully with that wheelset).

...

Todd over at Teaessare Design does good work. He starts waaay early in the season on our little Grand Theft Velo poster. You'd probably have to be from New Haven, but the backgrounds are all Elm City landmarks, sponsor logos end up on spokecards, and many of the riders are variations of locals (a black dan nicely??). Here's some from years past...


GTV I




GTV II


We can't wait to see what Todd pulls off this year...

Boston, Round Two

Scorchers 2009

We've set up yet another blog.
Scorchers 2009 will keep you posted on all the happenings for the summer-long series of events we're bringing into the grand Elm City. Check back often.

Baller!

How ctDrew gets down during a studio rebuild...



note that Krug costs about as much as a set of Suzue Pro Max...

Rock Racing gone? Scorchers finally only "bad boys" of cycling?

Bike Snob is reporting that Rock Racing, Rock & Republic Jeans' cycling team, might be on their way out.
While everything on their site leans toward, "still racing in '09", Bike Snob points out that they don't say what they'll be racing.
Can we get a bailout?!

I'd hate to see the Scorchers as cycling's only bad-ass hope...

Rock Racing...






Scorchers...




Rock Racing...



Scorchers...



Rock Racing...



Scorchers...











Cycling News says they're staying around, but tightening the ol' recession belt. Tyler must've been expensive. Or was it the Lambo?

Madison, WI Polo Tournament

Details Courtesy of Tom and madbikepolo

"Tournament Jan. 2, 3, and 4th

Format is to be determined, but with three days of polo with both indoor and outdoor games, competitive and friendly.

Special mini-tourney hosted on Jan. 1st, teams must consist of three players all from different cities.  First team to 100 goals wins.

$1000 cash prize for winner of NYC in Madison. $250 for the destruction of Team Doug et al and Team Stoners from Ottawa, $10 to Philly if they even show up."

Hurry Up Volume

After seeing this video on Prolly's blog and getting a good laugh I realized that trick specific fixed gear frames and forks are lacking.  One company seeking to fill this void is Volume Bikes, and who better since they already make sick BMX frames. Myself and a few other Scorchers are anxiously awaiting the new Volume Cutter frame and fork supposedly coming out in February, check out the prototype photos.


Note the gussets and BMX style fork.

700c Barspin capability 

Rumor has it that the frame and fork will be sold for under $400, and have a lifetime guarantee.   How can you beat that?  The fork itself will be sold separately for around $80 to anyone who can't afford the frame and has had, or wants to avoid, a catastrophic fork failure.  

Boston

The Scorchers got coverage up in Boston. Check it!:



Was CT Drew impersonating Matt? Or is it that guy behind Nick? (sorry Drew!) Which one of you inked up the deal for getting shirts in their store in the spring?:

"Good looks fellas, we’ll have Ghostship tee’s for sale in the shop come spring!"

I love you guys! My team reps the hardest!

WTF?!?!

A night after Al shows up with a "Sarah Palin is a See You Next Tuesday" t-shirt, this shows up in my e-mail...


She rocks a Bailey?!?!

Boston Update

No Scorcher deaths reported at the Poker Race in Boston.
One fancy bike tree, though...

Mustache approved

Headed to Boston

After a planning meeting last night at Al's (how effing official?!)...



...and breakfast at Raf's (thanks, Kat!)...




...and the prerequisite snowball fight...


(show up late like the Nuge and you get snowballs with fireworks in 'em)


...the Scorchers mounted up...



...and disassembled...



...piled into the van...



...and headed for Boston...



of course, with Drew driving, who knows if they'll make it there alive...

Snowed In?

Snowed in? Chilly? Feet wet?
I've found the perfect thing to keep you warm today...

update on boston race

looks like we've gotten confirmation on the checkpoints -- thanks, eric!


View Larger Map

See the whole shebang here.

Sunday! Sunday!! Sunday!!! (read in best Monster Truck Announcer Voice)

at least 8 Scorchers attending (hit the mb for ride info)

weather???


and a map of the most plausible route...
google maps, son.

View Larger Map
I-90, anyone?



Rumor has it, Yoda will come out of retirement for this race, that is of course unless it snows, rains, or is less than 75 degrees.
Catch the first 5 seconds of the following for a preview of what his racing will entail...





edit: just realized Ghostship posted The exact same headline on his blog. rats.

Do I bore you?

If you haven't grown tired of reading about New Haven's chapter of Scorchers yet, you can head over to the Bike New Haven blog for a post about, yep, us. Bike New Haven is a slightly more PC blog than ours, while still being less PC than the Elm City Cycling listserv. And the writer, Bill, is damn fast.

Rad Rob's, Shelton closing

It's Deja Vu all over again, as I went out to check out Rad Rob's in Shelton, CT today. Like the DG II satellite, Rad Rob's is closing after about 20 years in the business. If it gives you gray hair, I got my first "pro" skateboard at Rad Rob's while I was in grammar school. Rad Rob's had been in the skate and BMX scene forever. The owner told me today that it wasn't the economy -- he sold his house last year with the intent of moving to his summer home in Florida.
They officially closed yesterday, but the owner was there and let me browse a bit. The store is still fairly stocked, mostly with BMX/Skate/Mtn gear, and he's offering everything at 20-90% off. They're putting most everything up on eBay, so get in there quick, before some tool from Oklahoma bids $100 on chain tensioners.

90 Bridgeport Ave., Shelton.
If you're riding, take Rt.34 (not so safe) to the Shelton-Derby Bridge and take a left. Go over the bridge and take a left, then your first right onto Bridgeport Ave -- it's about 1/2 mile up on the left.
Google Maps

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