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Now here's a fun little interlude in the battle of the wheel-sizes ... NOTE: these photos are re-enactments. |
 From Bike Friday Dealer Tom Wurth, Urban Bicycle Gallery, Texas (Pictured right: His garden-variety $1095 Pocket Sport) One day my good friend Teresa D. walked into my store pushing her Guru tri bike ahead of her. It was brand new and had her name painted on it. It also bore the name of a local shop owner who sells tri bikes in an expensive strip center. She was buzzing around the shop like a bumblebee in a field of flowers picking up Gu, Nuun tabs and other energy supplements. I began to tease her about her ridiculously expensive bike and how I could beat her on a folding bike with 20” wheels. She puffed up and said that she would stomp me and leave me choking on her dust. Realizing that I had a fish on the line, I began to reel her in ... First, I had to get some money into the deal to make it interesting so I bet her $10 that I would beat her in a race. Then I made sure I had the home court advantage by setting up the event as an extension of our regular Wednesday night ride in town. I knew that our in- town ride would give me an advantage because the little Bike Friday was super nimble and her tri bike was not. In addition I know that Teresa doesn’t have a lot of experience or skill dealing with urban traffic and I do. She probably could have dropped me on an open country road with few stops and starts because she is pretty fast and her Guru is perfect for that style of race. After much good-natured smack talk , the day finally came . Teresa and I began in a pack with 20 other riders working our way through downtown , through the Zoo area past Rice University. I tried several times to create a gap and hit a traffic light at the right time to leave her behind but she surprised me with her speed and alertness. Finally we rolled onto a busy street with two turns and three traffic lights before the finish line. I knew I could outsprint her, especially with all the complexity of traffic and the signals [and the acceleration of the 20" inch wheel? - Ed]. She caught me at the start of this section at a traffic light. We waited for the green and I exploded from the get-go , blasted through the next light while it was still green and left Teresa who was slowly building speed but too late to catch me. [Yup. The acceleration - Ed]. We set up those photos at the end because there wasn't a photographer at the actual finish and I had left her so far behind we couldn’t have gotten us both in the frame ... |
For Facebook addicts, here's the leadup to the challenge:
The Urban Bicycle Gallery wrote at 5:57pm on August 3rd, 2009: Teresa Demetriou wrote at 4:24pm on August 5th, 2009 I just want to thank all of those that are supporting me. Tom, I hope you ate your Wheaties today cus I see a can of "wup ass" opening up ... P.S. Help! I can only hope that Tom cramps up in this heat. Judy - do me a solid - lace his water bottles with Exlax!
Equipment: Teresa D. will be riding a $5000 carbon time trial bike that she bought from some "tri bike guru" . Ranking: Teresa is the 3rd fastest female triathlete in her age group in the state . Aerodynamics: Teresa is 4'11" and measures about one foot across at her widest point. Experience: Both riders are the same age. Rules: Both riders will obey all traffic laws and will wait till the lights are green before hauling ass through them.Drafting is allowed behind anything-other riders , city buses -anything that moves.The race with start and end at The Urban Bicycle Gallery Spectators are encouraged to bring their bike and ride along the route to catch all the action. And in this corner: TTTTOOOOMMMMMEEEE WWWEEEERRRRRTHHHHH-At 200lbs ,Tommie is a robot bike welder with a thick covering of body hair. He is undefeated against sub-100 lb women in all sports. Let's get ready to RRRRUUUUMMMMMBBBBBUUUUULLLLLLL! In this corner cowering behind her ultra expensive time trial bike at 95lbs is Teresa D.- one time third place finisher in one of those triathalon things (you know where people swim, run and ride a little bit on a bike in their underwear). |
Of course, Tom, this story would be even better if it was the petite Teresa on the Friday and you on the tri-tosterone Guru, and what's more, you own a bike shop! C'mon man! But in the interests of corrected-politically-correct reverse-reverse sexism, let's just say ... you go, guy!
RELATED LINKS
Petite Bike Fridays Would one have given Teresa the edge?
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