Questions. So Many Questions. – Bike Snob NYC

Pity the modern cyclist. Arguably there is no other human on Earth who is beset by so many bewildering choices and counfounded by so many contradictory claims. Fortunately for the beleaguered cyclist, he has the media to help make sense of everything for him–but unfortunately they use to many words, so here’s a little “Clifford’s Notes”-type digest for you.

To start, here’s Part 2 of what is apparently an ongoing series on hookles rims:

So are there any benefits to this new technology?

Hookless rims have been back under the spotlight in recent weeks, with high-profile people within the industry questioning their safety and performance credentials.

Given this, I spoke to several key brands and figures within the bike industry, to cut through the noise and separate fact from hyperbole.

Well, I went ahead and read the article, and the answer no. They don’t do anything, and there are no benefits to them whatsoever.

You’re welcome.

A multi-article series on whether or not wheels without a crucial safety feature are a good thing is like a five-part PBS documentary on whether or not Abraham Lincoln is still dead.

Next, here’s an in-depth look at the latest performance enhancement technique:

Which is apparently to shine a light up your nose and onto your brain:

So how does it work exactly? To simplify a rather complex process, the absorption of infrared light within the brain cells seems to lead to increased blood flow in the brain, in addition to enhanced hemoglobin oxygenation (you might recall that hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissues). These factors, in turn, lead to increased activation of the brain areas targeted by the PBM.

Sadly I could not read the entire article because I am not a subscriber, but I could infer from the headline that they’ve concluded it does not work. However, in this case I wouldn’t be so sure. For example, while they may have conducted an analysis of the cycling-related benefits (or lack thereof) of shining a light up your nose, have they taken the additional step of looking into whether or not it helps to stick an LED blinky light up your ass? This seems like it would be a great excuse to go deeper into the science of photobiomodulation while conducting a Best Rechargeable Commuter Light Shootout at the same time. Stick a SRAM Wireless Blip in there along with the light and you can even execute flawless hands-free shifts while you boost your performance and stay safe on the road thanks to the eerie phosphorescent light emanating from your abdomen.

Speaking of electronic shifting, can Campagnolo stage a comeback?

Sadly–and obviously–they most certainly cannot.

How do I know this? Well, I couldn’t access the full Bicycling article either, but I did read some of the other reviews, like this one:

And while the new Super Record is getting rave reviews everywhere, it doesn’t matter, because nobody cares about Campagnolo anymore. Nobody!

Sure, Campagnolo may have managed to stay semi-relevant during the first decade or two of the 21st century, mostly because there were people who still wanted Italian parts for their Italian bikes. But now Italian bikes look the same as all other bikes, and Italian parts look the same as all the other parts. And if you put newer Italian parts on an old Italian bicycle, it looks like this:

And nobody wants this.

The upshot of this is that the only people under the age of 60 to whom Campagnolo means anything at all are the “alt” cycling types, but they’re certainly not buying the new Super Record. All they’re interested in is using 10-speed Ergo shifters to curate trendy 8-of-10 Shimergo groups, which is currently the thigh tattoo of drivetrain setups. This will last until the world’s supply of used 10-speed Ergo levers is exhausted and worn out and the alts discover the parts to rebuild them haven’t been available for like 10 years now, at which point they’ll move on to the new vintage integrated shifter of choice, which will most likely be 9-speed Dura-Ace.

They work great, they look great, the last forever, they’re easy to service thanks to the exposed cable, they work with lots and lots of different derailleurs, and best of all the replacement hoods are virtually impossible to find, which means someone can start a business making custom ones out of leather. Basically they have all the makings of a cult classic.

Moving on, the other day I mentioned French endurance Sofiane Sehili, and things are not looking good:

Not good at all:

A source who spoke to the regional outlet Govorit NeMoskva said Sehili had been turned away from the official customs checkpoint because his electronic visa was valid only at airport border crossings. “He’ll probably be convicted and imprisoned,” said the source. “And they’ll add him to the list of political prisoners who can be exchanged. They let him wash at least once a week, and they’ve given him yard time. He’s in shock, of course. But to land yourself in prison over something so stupid?”

At least he gets to wash.