FG Moscow минидроме

from here

The summer is over

Switched to winter tires today, 240 studs/tire. Should have checked the forecast though, it seems to become warmer again. 

ratamies

This posting is for readers who know Finnish. The text contains track cycling training tips published in 1939. Click on the scans for hires ones.

The scans are from a booklet promoting Raul Hellbergs bicycle shops (pyöräkirja = bicycle book). Raul Hellberg was the undisputed cycling champion in Finland of his time, with 24 Finnish championships and two Nordic championships. 

Back in the days Hellberg also organized a cycling competition in Porvoo that is still held every year. The legend tells that he organized it so that the second prize was the best one, he knew he would win and he wanted the others to race for second. A nice guy.

ride like royalty

No, this is not about Pippas ass...

It is a Finnish ad from 1939 for the Nokia King tire. Yes, Nokia was around already in the 1930's. Here is a rough translation.

"A Royal vehicle this is - my bicycle... 

No wonder, since it is fitted with Nokia King tires. They are especially tough, as they are constructed with an elastic layer beneath the strong and durable tread. Thus the King tire has a 'Royal lifetime'. The King tire turns your bike into a Royal vehicle...   

The most expensive (!) domestic bicycle tire

Ride like Royalty, choose the Nokia King tire for your bicycle"

See more Nokia bicycle tire ads here.

The Holy Grail of Finnish cycling history

Something interesting that I came by some time ago. I have heard rumors about the existence of this, but I have never seen it before. The Holy Grail of Finnish cycling history. 

Helsingfors Velociped Klubbs Marsch för piano av Harald Hedman, printed in 1897. Probably does not require translation, but it is the Helsingfors (Helsinki) Cycling Club's March for piano by Harald Hedman. Printed about 114 years ago, 20 years before Finland gained independence. Very nice details on the front page.

The back side is full of ads, mainly for bicycle (velocipede) shops. There are also ads for pyrotechnics, photography, tobacco and spirits. Cycling and photography were obviously interesting novelties at that time. The ad at the bottom says "we keep in store an excellent cognac, imported especially for cyclists (!) from the renowned company MENKOV & Co. in the town of Cognac". Cool.

The first lines of the HVK march. I should try to find a recording of this, or someone who can play the piano.

guts

Trapinka from Lina Jelanski on Vimeo.

see also kaisaleka.blogspot.com.

please go over there

Newcastle Fixed Gear Trailer from Mr. T on Vimeo.

oh sht fck sht!

bicycle tools #1 - pedal wrench

 

A drop forged pedal wrench, probably manufactured in the 1950's. The length is 400 mm. Both ends are 17 mm, not much use for it today as most pedals are 15 mm. Not that I am going to use it any way, a tool collectors item. The model was produced already in the 1930's, maybe even earlier. The original cardboard casing has been preserved, how cool is that! Sweet!

  

Bahco #376. Bahco Specialloy, this marking was probably used in the 1950's. Adjustable spanners (or wrenches) from the same period were marked V-STEEL, I think.

  

Bahco is (or was) a Swedish company, well known for high quality tools. The trademark still exists, but the company is now a part of Snap-on inc.

 

Berndt August Hjorth (B. A. H. & Co.) was actually from Finland. Finland was still a part of Russia in the late 19th century when he moved to Sweden.

A drop forged adjustable bicycle wrench, Bahco no 15 (6"). Manufactured from 1928 to the 1940's. These were made in large numbers and are fairly abundant still today. Back then they were supplied with high quality bikes. 

 

A copy from an old tool catalogue. The pedal wrench #376 is missing from the table, maybe there was not much demand for that model (17mm/17mm).

If you happen to have other Bahco bicycle tools, and you are willing to part with them, please contact me.

chill.and.go.III

Check out the rest of the cool hypnotic flyers at mexicofixed.com.

The flat

The flat. Vita Di Milano.

Tweed Run

Tweed Run now also i NY, report by Jen from BFF.

Cycling vs. Porn

I used the Google Analytics to look at the geographical distribution of the visitors on my blog.

Top ten countries are:
United States
Finland
United Kingdom
Germany
Japan
Canada
Indonesia
Australia
Chile
Italy

Thanks!

There are even visitors from Greenland! Some white spots still remain, I assume some of those countries probably have very limited internet connections. One white area on the map is Papua New Guinea (black arrow). I wondered what they are interested in, obviously not cycling. I did some quick searches with Google Insight for Search.

Well, ... above is the regional interest of the search term "porn". Don't know how Google calculates the interest index.

Top ten "porn googlers" of the World are:

Papua New Guinea, 100

Trinidad and Tobago, 66

United Kingdom, 56

Zimbabwe, 54

Zambia, 53

Pakistan, 52

Ireland, 52

Kenya, 50

India, 48

Malawi, 48

Keep on choking the chicken!

Porvoo-Murmansk

How did I miss this... spotted it at Tracko. I was born there, in Porvoo not Murmansk.

Porvoo-Murmansk 2011 from Lina Jelanski on Vimeo.

rain, wind, snow, tears & joy!

Giro d'Italia 2012 - The promo / Il promo by giroditaliaweb.

The 95th edition will start in Denmark!