Welcome to this week’s video roundup!
A mountain biking youtuber, Seth, purchased a Walmart bike for $140. He immediately used his bike knowledge to tune it up (the wheels were out-of-true and undertensioned, headset was overtightened), then took it to a bike shop for the final review. The video above shows a novice riding the bike, then Seth riding it. You can see that by the third video Seth completely destroyed the bike. Certainly he subjected the bike to abuse, but it doesn’t appear a bike like this would stand up to daily use. (warning: spicy language)
You’ve seen the famous Humans of New York photo series? This is similar, showing the cyclists of New York with their bikes.
This cyclist figured out how to speed up their commute- by drafting a bus. The video says the cyclist is going about 50mph on a highway around Barcelona. Look at how close they are riding!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XhDD2ypITo
PathLessPedaled published a video promoting Las Cruces NM/El Paso TX. Their videos are always pretty, and it’s interesting to consider that region of the country. Also, check out the bikey earrings!
BikePortlander Spiffy suggested this video last week. It’s the second “prank bike thieves” video from this youtube channel. It’s from Los Angeles, the anti-theft system seems to work remarkably well, and it’s mean (but I like it). At least one of the thieves would benefit form a helmet. (warning: spicy language, and some generic Jackass style scenes at the end)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XhDD2ypITo
Podia went to the Campagnolo factory and were allowed to shoot video in the factory. I’m not surprised that their factory is so clean. The anecdote of waterproofing electronics was interesting.
It’s always time for new Brumotti. He has a lot of fun doing road-bike trials here:
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Here’s video from the 2016 “CX Nats”. The terrain looks fun (to watch), especially the off-camber section.
OneUp Components is a mountain bike parts manufacturer based in Squamish, British Colombia. This video is shot in an understated style that really shows off the gorgeous terrain.
GCN tested three lengths of cranks. One set was extra-short, one was a little bit long. I was pleased on how scientific this crank length test was. It isn’t perfect, but it’s around the Mythbusters level, which is much better than “well, it felt faster”. On the other hand, there were too many variables (RPM and torque) so even though the wattage was fixed, it’s hard to draw conclusions from the threshold test. (also, 330 watts sustained power? gasp!)
Honorable mentions: GCN’s Top 10 Most Powerful People In Cycling, Carlton Reid’s son doing the inner-tube trick on rollers
PathLessPedaled’s sling pannier review, rider Jack Bauer’s recovery after last year’s TDF, and biking through Paris (which mirrors my experience).
Inclusion criteria: If I’ve missed something, post it in the comments! I prefer videos published in the last week or so. Note if there’s a specific point in a long video that is worth highlighting. Also note if there is colorful language. I will delay videos containing pro racing spoilers.
– Ted Timmons, @tedder42