Keeping up with Lance

So here's the thing. You've probably heard Lance is coming back. Let's keep score, shall we?

This is no one-race publicity stunt: Lance will race the Tour Down Under, the Tour of California, the Tour de France and maybe squeeze the Giro in there too.

He's already finished second in the Leadville 100, his team won the Snowmass 12 hour race and he finished 22nd at CrossVegas just an hour after arriving via plane from New York.

He will ride for Astana and will not create his own team. He will join up with longtime director and friend Johan Bruyneel from the Disco days.

Lance is not BUYING the Tour de France (and the ASO)

Astana has 13 Grand Tour podium finishes by my count. Did I miss any?

Alberto Contador is not happy. Frankly, he's the best cyclist on the planet right now and has every right to be. Will Lance be his domestique?

Despite his career-long ties to Shimano, he will ride SRAM Red (unless something changes for next season). He has been spotted riding SRAM over past year. He will also have to suck it up and ride the "girl's bike."

Next year's Tour is going to be cRaZY! Lance vs. Contador vs. Basso... maybe even Floyd?

Astana will have a U23 team directed by Axel Merckx with Taylor Phinney as the star rider.

Dick Pound still hates Lance. (Scroll down)

Greg LeMond still hates Lance.

Lance still gets the hottest toys.

I N T E R B I K E !

Forget Christmas, Interbike, the week-long bicycle industry trade show in Las Vegas, is the most wonderful time of the year. Manufacturers bring out their latest and greatest goodies to unveil to the groveling masses (us).

I'll keep adding to this post all the coolest things I see online. I feel so left out this year, seeing as I finally scored a press pass - the show isn't open the public - but couldn't afford the trip. Thanks economic "slowdown"!

Full carbon Scott Addict cyclocross bike: [via Velonews]

Chris King bottom bracket cups: [via Carson Blume Photography]

Salsa's Fargo super-adventure-off-road-touring bike: [via Quickrelease.tv]

Salsa's Scandium/carbon singlespeed 29er, the Selma: [via twentynine inches]

Civia Loring commuter/grocery bike: Nice Rack!! [via EcoVelo]

Cervelo P4 (yes, that's an integrated water bottle above the bottom bracket) [via BikeMatters]

BikeMatters also shows us the new Mavic pedals:

And Speedplay platform converters. Because nothing is more PRO than buying extra gizmos so you can ride your clipless pedals in regular shoes.

New bike lanes in St. Pete

Some riders have been grumbling about the torn-up pavement on 4th and 6th Streets South lately. Well, I can tell you your patience will be rewarded as the city is putting down smooooooth pavement and a fresh bike lane.

It's kind of a shame in a way. I grew to love that bumpy section of pavement as you turn on to Pinellas Point Drive. It was a tiny taste of the Spring Classics.

Take Google Maps along for the ride

So far it only works for Blackberry phones and not the iPhone, but it's still pretty cool.

Going somewhere?

Many of us may be planning a vacation this fall and what good is time off if you can't bring your bike along. Cyclelicio.us put together this awesome list of airlines and their bicycle carrying charges. Some seem outrageous ($175?!) but most are in the $50 range, which is what you'd expect to pay for a quality shipping service. Boxes must total less than 62 inches in all three dimensions to avoid being qualified as oversized, and most will not allow boxes larger than 80 inches.

• Air Canada: $50, plus checked baggage fees.
• AirTran: $79.
• Alaska / Horizon: $50.
• Allegiant Air: $50.
• American: $100 in addition to the applicable checked baggage fee.
• Continental: $100.
• Delta Airlines: $175.
• Frontier Airlines: This document says $50, while this page says $75.
• Hawaiian Airlines: $100, unless you're doing intra-island travel in which case the fee is only $25.
• Jet Blue: $75.
• Northwest Airlines: $100.
• Southwest Airlines: $50.00.
• United Airlines: $85.
• US Airways: $100.
• Virgin American: $50.

Second monthly Tour de Pizza

If you weren't there the first time around, here's your chance to make the second meeting of the new monthly Tour de Pizza. We meet at... Tour de Pizza, of course, this Sunday at 6 p.m.

I don't think I'll be able to make it this week. I'm going to be trying my hand at some road racing in San Antonio. Wish me luck!

The Recycletron 1000

Bicycle commuter and cycling blogger Jack Sweeney couldn't stand the sight of so much litter along side the road during his rides. He decided to put his Xtracycle to good use and created the Recycletron 1000:

Read about its creation and how it works over at BicycleCommuters.com.

Benefit Dinner for The Joshua Kuck Memorial Scholarship

The inaugural Benefit Dinner for The Joshua Kuck Memorial Scholarship is being hosted by USA Cycling Development Foundation, The Columbia Restaurant and The Family and Friends of Josh Kuck.

On October 21st 2007, while riding The Hilly Hundred in Dade City with his USF cycling team, Josh Kuck was struck by a vehicle and taken from family and friends. His life ended long before he was allowed to achieve all of which he was capable.

His family and team honor his memory with this scholarship and support the efforts of those working to keep tragedies like this from taking anymore of our fellow cyclists.

Join us for an evening of good memories and camaraderie as we launch the new Kuck Memorial Scholarship Fund. The Kuck Fund will award annual scholarships to Collegiate Cyclists who do exceptional work in the area of cycling safety and advocacy.

When: October 19, 2008 7 pm
Where: The Columbia Restaurant Ybor City
2117 East 7th Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33605

$75 a plate - corporate table prices available

Contact Kristy Acuff or the Foundation for more details, RSVP and tickets:

JoshKuckScholarship@gmail.com or smccauley@usacycling.org
719-866-4856

[via Alan Snel]

He's baaaaack

The best and worst states for riding

The League of American Bicyclists has released their rankings of the friendliest states to ride. Check out their cool interactive map here.

Florida currently ranks.... 20th. St. Petersburg holds a bronze star for its engineering accomplishments. Gainesville is the most decorated Florida city. The stated reasons for the ranking: "Florida has an excellent complete streets policy. However, the state has no cell phone use restrictions and high crash and fatality rates."

So, I'm not really sure what to think of this. Sure, Florida has a long way to go to get to the top of the list, but it's amazing how well it fared in relation to other Southern states, notable Georgia, which is ranked 49th. With the Tour de Georgia, plenty of hills and a strong Atlanta cycling community, I would think it would have ranked higher.

Maybe we don't have it so bad after all.

Top 5

1. Washington
2. Wisconsin
3. Arizona
4. Oregon
5. Minnesota

Bottom 5

46. North Dakota
47. Mississippi
48. Alabama
49. Georgia
50. West Virginia

[via RoadCycler.com]