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Biking: "the new golf" (or "Wheels and Deals in Silicon Valley")

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/04/fashion/sundaystyles/04SILICON.html?pagewanted=all

the article said:
An energetic 51, Mr. Komisar says he rides 70 miles a day on the weekends and more than 10,000 miles a year on his custom-built titanium Serotta road bike. In Silicon Valley even sweat is quantifiable, so each week he is careful to log at least 10,000 vertical feet, climbing the golden hills of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

But lately, Mr. Komisar says, he does not feel quite so unusual in his devotion. Now he will often stroll into a Monday morning partners' meeting at his firm - Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers in Menlo Park, Calif., - only to hear five other top executives proudly recounting their own weekend bike odysseys. Among Silicon Valley elites, he said, it has become almost de rigueur to cap off a week of hard work with a weekend of even harder play.
 

.:Jeenyus:.

Turbo Monkey
Feb 23, 2004
2,831
1
slc


"Lisa Hazen rises at 4 a.m. to train and skips lunch to lift weights."

:eek:

I thought it was a guy in a chicks' swimsuit at first.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
chicodude said:
just another reason I am selling roadbike.....Blah
ah, but mountain biking and other such sports (windsurfing and long distance open water swimming were also mentioned) are all part of the new silly valley business culture, if the article is to be believed
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
1. I have to make a confession: I start a job with a big software company in Mountain View on Monday.

2. Forget those road fags. I might ride road, but I am from the city school: hammer underneath the highways, go light to light, and avoid getting run over by a taxi.

3. Mt biking is good in San Mateo County...
 

patineto

The RM Mad Scientist
Feb 19, 2002
935
0
berkeley, ca
Tell me about it...
a few years back i got to work at "the Real" Wheelsmith in palo alto (Before Mike's bikes purchase the name) and also at City cycle in san francisco and a few times I got to deal with some of this "Elite" of mostlly Arrongant type A a^^holes, marina Type Small PEnis Sindrome impossible to make happy no matter what costumers, actually a few of them were really cool, smart , humble and also really good strong riders, but some of them Oh my God you just want to put them Over your legs and spank the Sh^^ out of them with a Greasy campi record crankset.
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,194
4,419
.:Jeenyus:. said:


"Lisa Hazen rises at 4 a.m. to train and skips lunch to lift weights."

:eek:

I thought it was a guy in a chicks' swimsuit at first.
she's swimming in the bay w/o a wetsuit??!? please tell me that's not the bay. otherwise... that's pretty damn hardcore.
 

reflux

Turbo Monkey
Mar 18, 2002
4,617
2
G14 Classified
I didn't know this because I've just gotten into the them, but triathlons are becoming a white-collar sport. I find it intriguing.
 

-dustin

boring
Jun 10, 2002
7,155
1
austin
reflux said:
I didn't know this because I've just gotten into the them, but triathlons are becoming a white-collar sport. I find it intriguing.
i've been thinking about this lately, actually. my conclusion: doing anything bike related on a competitive level is very expensive.

i wonder what the average income of a low-level, unsponsored racer is?
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
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SF
I know the type, though. Triathletes are the worst: superdriven workaholics with no lives.
 

patineto

The RM Mad Scientist
Feb 19, 2002
935
0
berkeley, ca
I just got back from the San francisco Bicycle coaliccion winter party and to my surprise i learn that Clay mankin the owner of city cycle dye not long ago riding his bicycle, as much of a KissAss he was for the "Pretty People" at the marina , he will be miss since at least he was a good employer that strive for quality and proper service.


OH well another endless prove that the "S^^T happens sindrome" is one of the only rules that always works... like it or not
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
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SF
patineto said:
I just got back from the San francisco Bicycle coaliccion winter party and to my surprise i learn that Clay mankin the owner of city cycle dye not long ago riding his bicycle, as much of a KissAss he was for the "Pretty People" at the marina , he will be miss since at least he was a good employer that strive for quality and proper service.


OH well another endless prove that the "S^^T happens sindrome" is one of the only rules that always works... like it or not
Hey, lets not kid ourselves about this: Most of the people I ride with have never paid full retail for their stuff, including me. Actually the only bike I have paid full retail for, I was an office drone with plenty of cash to get what I wanted.

The prime market for a hi-end shop is a yuppie bastard. I don't see it as them vs. us, though. We ride and that's it, and we get plenty of customers this way.
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
The Mayor of Taos, NM is a MTBer and a class IV+ white water kayaker.

He's been known to shuttle folks to the trail head of the South Boundry trail and to the Taos Box.
 

patineto

The RM Mad Scientist
Feb 19, 2002
935
0
berkeley, ca
sanjuro said:
Hey, lets not kid ourselves about this: Most of the people I ride with have never paid full retail for their stuff, including me. Actually the only bike I have paid full retail for, I was an office drone with plenty of cash to get what I wanted.

The prime market for a hi-end shop is a yuppie bastard. I don't see it as them vs. us, though. We ride and that's it, and we get plenty of customers this way.
Amen





your are totally right on that one
 

reflux

Turbo Monkey
Mar 18, 2002
4,617
2
G14 Classified
sanjuro said:
I know the type, though. Triathletes are the worst: superdriven workaholics with no lives.
I read a small article somewhere featuring a guy who was selected for the deca-ironman championships a few years back. Apparently, he was also married and had two kids. Freakin' amazing to think that he was able to fit in his life a full-time job, a wife, two kids, and enough training to complete a ~26 mile swim, a 1,120 mile bike ride, and a 262 mile run in one go.

Yeah, most (all?) of them are Type A's.
 

patineto

The RM Mad Scientist
Feb 19, 2002
935
0
berkeley, ca
reflux said:
I read a small article somewhere featuring a guy who was selected for the deca-ironman championships a few years back. Apparently, he was also married and had two kids. Freakin' amazing to think that he was able to fit in his life a full-time job, a wife, two kids, and enough training to complete a ~26 mile swim, a 1,120 mile bike ride, and a 262 mile run in one go.

Yeah, most (all?) of them are Type A's.
one of the guys that use to be sponsor by City Cycle is Paul Solon the world record holder of the R.A.A.M. race across america (8 days 8 hours and 43minutes across the usa on a bicycle) he is also the laywer that won the $30,000,000 lawsuit agains Nishiki (I believe) about 16 years ago that create the safety tabs on the fork dropouts..

Yes Type AAAaaaaa,,, but he use to traing doing double centuries every day and will leave the "Long rides" for the weekend...
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,375
12,529
In a van.... down by the river
reflux said:
I read a small article somewhere featuring a guy who was selected for the deca-ironman championships a few years back. Apparently, he was also married and had two kids. Freakin' amazing to think that he was able to fit in his life a full-time job, a wife, two kids, and enough training to complete a ~26 mile swim, a 1,120 mile bike ride, and a 262 mile run in one go.

Yeah, most (all?) of them are Type A's.
Something has to suffer to fit all that stuff in. Either that, or he doesn't sleep but 3 hours a day. :eek:
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
sanjuro said:
The prime market for a hi-end shop is a yuppie bastard. I don't see it as them vs. us, though. We ride and that's it, and we get plenty of customers this way.
I agree wholeheartedly. I'd never criticize someone for having an expensive bike, regardless of whether or not they use it properly or to its full potential... or at all. A guy I worked with in NH had a custom Seven road bike, full Dura-Ace, etc. It basically sat on top of his SUV all summer, certainly didn't have more than a hundred miles on it.

As much as I shook my head at the waste of an awesome bike, and thought it was foolish to dump that much money into a status symbol, well, it was just that much more money in the industry. Someone made some money off of it - probably an LBS somewhere got a cut, or at the very least, a small frame manufacturer sold another frame and any money in the industry is good money.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
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SF
binary visions said:
I agree wholeheartedly. I'd never criticize someone for having an expensive bike, regardless of whether or not they use it properly or to its full potential... or at all. A guy I worked with in NH had a custom Seven road bike, full Dura-Ace, etc. It basically sat on top of his SUV all summer, certainly didn't have more than a hundred miles on it.

As much as I shook my head at the waste of an awesome bike, and thought it was foolish to dump that much money into a status symbol, well, it was just that much more money in the industry. Someone made some money off of it - probably an LBS somewhere got a cut, or at the very least, a small frame manufacturer sold another frame and any money in the industry is good money.
Uh, I own a custom Seven road bike, full Dura-Ace, etc. In the first summer I owned it I rode a double century and earned a podium in the Ct state championships.

Some people can appreciate a bike like that!
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
SkaredShtles said:
Something has to suffer to fit all that stuff in. Either that, or he doesn't sleep but 3 hours a day. :eek:
if you cut out all email, surfing, tv at home then i bet fitting in that much training wouldn't be all that crazy. still be super tiring, of course, but i amaze myself daily on how much time i can waste :D
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,375
12,529
In a van.... down by the river
Toshi said:
if you cut out all email, surfing, tv at home then i bet fitting in that much training wouldn't be all that crazy. still be super tiring, of course, but i amaze myself daily on how much time i can waste :D
If I could cut out *work* I might be able to fit in something.........

I do very little computer stuff at home and no TV. I guess I could cut out drinking wine and chillin' with my wife. Oh, and reading. And the cooking. And the 8 hours of sleep every night. That sure is a time waster. :D
 

reflux

Turbo Monkey
Mar 18, 2002
4,617
2
G14 Classified
patineto said:
one of the guys that use to be sponsor by City Cycle is Paul Solon the world record holder of the R.A.A.M. race across america (8 days 8 hours and 43minutes across the usa on a bicycle) he is also the laywer that won the $30,000,000 lawsuit agains Nishiki (I believe) about 16 years ago that create the safety tabs on the fork dropouts..

Yes Type AAAaaaaa,,, but he use to traing doing double centuries every day and will leave the "Long rides" for the weekend...
What is it that they say about these athletes? Something like, it's the fear of not excelling that takes them to such levels. Does that sound familiar?
 

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,839
15
So Cal
reflux said:
What is it that they say about these athletes? Something like, it's the fear of not excelling that takes them to such levels. Does that sound familiar?
I wish I had that fear. Then maybe I wouldn't bo such a lazy slacker.
 

ito

Mr. Schwinn Effing Armstrong
Oct 3, 2003
1,709
0
Avoiding the nine to five
patineto said:
I just got back from the San francisco Bicycle coaliccion winter party and to my surprise i learn that Clay mankin the owner of city cycle dye not long ago riding his bicycle, as much of a KissAss he was for the "Pretty People" at the marina , he will be miss since at least he was a good employer that strive for quality and proper service.


OH well another endless prove that the "S^^T happens sindrome" is one of the only rules that always works... like it or not
HAHAHA! That made me laugh. True with lots of people who come into the shop I'm at, but I'd rather kiss the ass of the rich with lots of money to spend than hold the hand of the Santa Clarian who is still tripping out from his acid OD in the 70's and is screaming at me about how i won't give him a deal on a Trek 3700 all while I back slowly away to get away from the stench of urine and booze.

I actually ride with those WebCor guys they mention and work at a shop that many of them come into. All I can say is that they are really badass riders and everyone of them seems to be working a 40+ hour work week. From the talk in the peleton their marriages seem to suffer, but I guess that is why most of the them are single.

They definitely have a good time and know how to spend money. I don't think I could push myself to that level, but it's fun to roll on two wheels in a group that includes some of the smartest guys in the Silicon Valley.

The Ito