Published February 27th, 2010 in Cycling Photography, Shoots
Chester (Chet) Kyle officially retired in 1984, one year before Mark Cote, Specialized’s aerodynamicist was born. The elder statesman of aerodynamics appears everywhere in the literature. Designer of the US team bikes at the 1984 Olympics, co-founder of the Human Powered Vehicle Association, and consultant to Specialized, Nike and others, Chet asks probing questions and [...]
Published February 15th, 2010 in Cycling Photography, Road Bike Gear
Mooresville, North Carolina is NASCAR country. Thirty minutes north of the high-banked turns of Charlotte Motor Speedway, the A2 Wind Tunnel is the little brother of a larger facility that plays host to round-the-clock testing by Sprint Cup teams. I'm flying out with Specialized engineers on the red eye tomorrow night for two days of [...]
Continue reading about Tunneling into the Future and Dreaming About the Past
Published October 4th, 2009 in Cycling Photography, Rides
It's not light yet. There's a breeze stirring the trees above Furnace Creek and a couple of sleepy crows are cawing halfheartedly about the coming day. They'd be wearing black again, a bad choice in one of the hottest places on earth. Much to my delight the Specialized peloton would be back in pink.
There had [...]
Continue reading about Specialized Ride to Vegas – Cross Winds and Courage
Published October 2nd, 2009 in Cycling Photography, Rides
As the ride turned left towards Death Valley, the sun was just beginning to impose its will on a cloudless sky. For now its light fell softly on the plain and painted the hills in purples and ambers. The ribbon of asphalt stretched out to the East, and the peleton rode as one towards the [...]
Continue reading about Specialized Ride to Vegas – Into the Furnace
Published September 30th, 2009 in Cycling Photography, Rides
Six thirty am and our encampment in front of the Cinnamon Bear Inn was fully engaged in the morning routine of food, gear, ablutions and bikes. Andy Schiffer was meticulously detailing machines with pink ribbon nameplates, tweaking shifting and generally checking the road worthiness of his flock.
Riders circled back and forth to the Penske truck [...]
Continue reading about Specialized Ride to Vegas – Express Train to Lone Pine
Published September 30th, 2009 in Cycling Photography, Rides
I dreamt fitfully about Yosemite a century ago, a quieter place before the tour buses and visitors in the millions descended on nature's great cathedral. Our night was full of sound: clanging bear-proof garbage cans; vehicles on the perimeter road; the mysterious rustling of little feet (racoons) and the muffled chatter of insomniacs. If there [...]
Continue reading about Specialized Ride to Vegas – Yosemite to Mammoth Lakes
Published September 29th, 2009 in Cycling Photography, Rides
It was still pitch dark when the sound of pots and pans woke me up on Day two. Mark and the Western Spirit Crew were getting breakfast started. Their headlamps arced back and forth over the roof of my tent as I pulled on my trousers and shoes, grabbed a towel and headed to the [...]
Continue reading about Specialized Ride to Vegas – Lake McSwain to Yosemite
The Specialized van was fully loaded and ready to roll at 5:30 am. The photo gear had been checked and rechecked: three bodies; seven lenses; 2 tripods; 1 monopod; 2 magic arms; 60 GB of CF cards; laptop and 2 external backup drives; and enough neutral density filters to completely block out the sun. The [...]
Continue reading about Specialized Ride to Vegas – Morgan Hill to Lake McSwain
Published September 23rd, 2009 in Cycling Photography, Rides
Wednesday morning and it feels strange to be waking up in the opulent excess of my room at the Venetian. I'd gladly trade these digs for another day on the road with the Specialized/Western Spirit convoy that rode/traveled with grit, humor and style from Morgan Hill to Las Vegas over these last six days. It [...]
Continue reading about The Specialized Ride to Vegas – A Magnificent Journey
Published September 15th, 2009 in My Bikes, Road Bike Gear
Even standing still the SL3 has an aggressive lean to it. The muscular head tube, massive down tube, and arching top tube strung taught like a bow hint at a potential for speed we all dream of. Looking every bit like an air force skunk work's stealth fighter, the Superlight version of the Tarmac SL3 [...]
Continue reading about Flying the Specialized Tarmac SL3 “Blackbird”
Published May 18th, 2009 in Cycling Photography, Races
Sunday morning it was pitch dark when I grabbed my cameras and set out for a 5:30 am rendezvous with Specialized's Bobby Behan at the Uvas Reservoir. Bobby is Global Sports Marketing Director for Specialized and an accomplished triathlete, DS and coach. At an athletic 6'5" the affable Irishman now living outside Capetown, SA is [...]
Continue reading about Morgan Hill Triathlon – Photographing Chris ‘Macca’ McCormack
