Latest News 58 again – Mostly Sad

*excuse typo’s typed in big hurry and no time to proof read**

Cycling Tips staff laid off

Well, outside inc. continues to bolster its reputation. A really bad reputation.

It is with great sadness I report finding out that David Rome, Caley Fretz, Matt De Neef and more were laid off yesterday.

I could type for many pages on this, but in brief – personally I find the loss of David Rome especially to be extremely sad, and extremely stupid.

He brought so much to CT, from both a technical knowledge, technical writing & investigation, journalistic integrity, and his knowledge of tools in cycling is probably unsurpassed globally and he has a huge following in that regard, a following he brought to cycling tips.

I do not know what he was paid, whatever it was, he added much more value than that to CT.

Personally I found Dave to be a great guy, and thank him enormously for his support of Zero Friction Cycling over the years, always keen to do an article covering the updated testing results and findings, as well as a couple of podcasts – to help readers / listeners save easy watts and expensive drivetrain wear.

For long time overall I have personally just felt that CT was a cut above in their article depth and journalistic integrity, and that the strength of the CT team was the core of that. I wont name other publications but I can say when I peruse A LOT of other publications, the articles tend to be so surface level, fluff pieces, click bait, or just flat out paid glowing reviews for shite to meh products.

Like many on the CT slack channel, my first reaction is to say F#ck you outside and cancel my subscription – but then I also really want to support the likes of James Huang, Ronin McLaughlin, Abbey Mickey and more, and the cool cool cats at pinkbike- so I am currently a range of very sad, very angry, and quite conflicted on next actions – I will take a few beats and consider. This is all just initial thoughts and feelings having just found out and typing in a big rush before the day proper – so excuse poor typing- and if you just found this out from me – no doubt you will have similar emotions, and if you have strong emotions you should get onto the slack channel and vent them.

I’m about to be a temporary one armed bandit.

I’m having quite a run. A couple Sundays ago I was hurrying out to get a quick ride in before year 2 picnic, and found out just how little grip my road cleats have. I slipped dashing down my stone steps with bike, and by the time I abandoned holding bike to save my fall from being a painful smack down on the sharp edges of the stone steps – I had a little more fall time. I did catch my fall with my right arm (right handed), but I wrenched my shoulder somewhat.

After a week of still much pain moving arm, had scans, and it turns out I managed to give myself a 1cm tear of main tendon (supraspinatus). Meeting with Surgeon, it definitely needs repair, so that operation is happening on Monday 28^th.

Unfortunately the recovery for this injury / surgery is REALLY long – 6 weeks in a sling, 6 weeks of easing into rehab, then starting gently back on the road bike + rehab, then hopefully back on mtb soon after that – I really hope I can make the xc mtb race season again without missed rounds.

Oh how I have been counting down the days for the warmer weather and a lovely summer of cycling – and now – dagnabbit.

My luck continued – on Wednesday – so just 1.5 weeks of cycling left before im out for a good bit – after group TT bike ride and coffee, on way home I was T-boned by an SUV pulling out from side street to main street. It approached the intersection as normal, slowing right down, looked for traffic, obviously didn’t see me despite my lovely and bright flashing exposure light, and promptly floored to get into a gap in traffic. So just as was cycling past, not concerned as the SUV had slowed to near stop, it suddenly accelerated to T-bone me at good 10 to 15kmh.

I seem to have got away with things ok, sort of. Main injuries are very sore and swollen left knee which is currently preventing any riding, and my left hand – something is up, not swollen or bruised but it hurties to use, and that’s  bit of problem as very soon I will only have my left arm to work.

Bugger.

Re work – I will be much slower – so I am pushing hard now to get some really overdue stuff done such as the detail review for effetto’s awesome flower power wax, and the review explaining the massive flaws with Wolf Tooths WT-1.

More testing has as always been completed and an updated data update with new test data will hopefully be uploaded today.

Managing chain preps and keeping testing going with one arm is going to be interesting! But my most awesome retail manager Andrew is on standby for more duties, and a mechanic friend re resetting test machines.

Who knows, having to type with one hand, maybe I will learn to be concise!!! (don’t hold out for that though…..:))

And yes – I will be EXTREMELY jealous of you all as you keep cycling. I miss it muchly already. Insert deep sad sigh here.

STOCK

It has been not bad, sort of – but note that some items go out of stock for a long time, like shimano 12spd and silca ss drip. Ss drip is imminent, shimano 12spd – I have a few 138 link left, no eta on any 12spd – working on that.

Wax was looking not bad but will be likely out shortly, but only for about 1 week.

Ybn chains – 11spd will possible run out soon, but again only for about 1 week. 12spd some colours will be 50/50.

So if you see out of stock, just put yourself on notification for re stock, it should not be too long before it is back in – if the delay is looking less than a week will likely not bother changing status (especially for bundle packs – pain in the butt) – if there is to be a mini delay we will email you and advise.

Youtube Videos

Last quick note – thank you again as always to those who have positively engaged in the videos made thus far, it is very heartening when they appear to be of genuine help or interest to those who watch – especially as I have no idea how to present or public speaking and so am really rather average at YT, and that’s being generous, and just have so little time to focus on trying to improve that area.

Not being able to put out regularly definitely dents growing engagement big time, and that dents ZFC ability to try to ensure proper information reaches cyclists vs information from OMFG so many terrible info channels.

I am going to have a look at doing some quick bite stuff, so not a proper film day where I shoot 4 or 5 vids on the one day covering more in depth stuff- that is a) very expensive and b) I still very much (very much) struggle to prepare the presentation.

So production quality may take a dive, but I may (may) soon start trying to  dabble with quick bike info updates on key topics – just me and cheap camera – a bit like a leuscher Teknik etc with his updates. Will see. Again, time and medial skills – lacking. But its on the plans.

In the interim, again huge thanks to everyone who has supported ZFC thus far, ZFC has grown to something well beyond initial plans for a very small hobby tinker business, and your support means that more cyclists are getting much better information vs what content is normally found in this fun little area of cycling – an area that can cost or save you a surprising amount of money for great choice vs bad choice – and it can be very hard to know the difference without independently tested information from a robust control test.

Thanks for reading and as always, stay low friction, AND Stay safe out there. (and yes, for my shoulder, I am aware I hadn’t even made it to “out there” before giving myself a belting injury!! Embarrassing. But then the follow up one week later being t-boned by a friggin SUV is the icing on the cake – so yeah, stay safe out there) .