# Palo Alto Bicycles presents Tom Ritchey Night!



## thien (Feb 18, 2004)

From the Western Wheelers Newsletter... 



> Palo Alto Bicycles has enjoyed a great
> relationship with the Western Wheelers Cycling Club. I feel that your
> members will enjoy a meet and great with one of the local pioneers of
> our sport, Tom Ritchey.
> ...


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## grrrah (Jul 22, 2005)

hmm.. Considering I work 2 blocks away, I may have to stop by..

Happy hour at 5:30 at the Old Pro before hand?


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## thien (Feb 18, 2004)

grrrah said:


> Happy hour at 5:30 at the Old Pro before hand?


Good idea! :thumbsup:


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## CrankyMonkey (Jul 8, 2007)

AWESOME!!!! I might have to figure out how to attend.


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## CoLiKe20 (Jan 30, 2006)

cool. Will try to come out.


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

> hmm.. Considering I work 2 blocks away, I may have to stop by..
> 
> Happy hour at 5:30 at the Old Pro before hand?


If I can get a commitment from a few of you, I'll come down for the Happy Hour. They'd be fun. I don't want to be the only RBR'er there though. 

I'm really on an anti-carbon weave carbon parts quest now, and glad to see some component makers are too. I absolutely love the look of the new Ritchey seatpost (please don't look at the price). Do you think he'll be giving away free samples? This and the new Speedplay carbon cages are on my short list for unadulterated bling. Does RBR have one for review?


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## thien (Feb 18, 2004)

Dr_John said:


> If I can get a commitment from a few of you


I'm in.


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## rj2 (Jun 22, 2005)

thien said:


> I'm in.


Me too.


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## grrrah (Jul 22, 2005)

I have a night meeting on one of the nights that week (yet tbd), so I have a 1 in 4 chance of not making it.


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## wchane (Aug 8, 2006)

there!


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

OK. See you at the Old Pro about 5:30. :thumbsup:


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## MTK (Sep 25, 2002)

*Guy's,*

the Old Pro is gone. I'm think'ing you all have not been there in some time. There
is a Very Big New Empty Building there now. 

I did see Tom just a few weeks back in Woodside coming home from work,he was
on his Road Bike heading home. Peace.


MTK


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

I thought the El Camino site was closed and the Old Pro moved to the Ramona location. So the Ramona location is closed too? Website's still up.


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

I just called. Yes, the place on Ramona is still open for business, and by the sounds of it, quite busy.

See you guys there tomorrow.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Dr_John said:


> See you guys there tomorrow.


Dr_John - the event is next Thursday, not tomorrow:



> Palo Alto Bicycles presents Tom Ritchey Night!
> Thursday January 22 from 630pm-830pm
> 171 University Ave
> Palo Alto, CA 94301


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

Whoops. Good point. Thanks.


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## MTK (Sep 25, 2002)

*Gentlemen,*

so Sorry,I realized my mistake going back to the Shop today. I said to my Boss 
as we pass'ed the building, "the Old Pro is gone right?" "Yeah, but they might have
Moved it?" Oh great I say! Of course they moved it,they got a good some of money
for that plot of land and continued the tradition. Carry on Boy's,I'm out.

MTK


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## grrrah (Jul 22, 2005)

friendly bump.

I'm in. Not sure that I will stay until 8:30, but will be there. Likely in my annoying Hi Vis commuter clothes (unless its raining). Maybe I should change afterwards.


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## thien (Feb 18, 2004)

Im in too... 5:30 old pro?


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## grrrah (Jul 22, 2005)

thien said:


> Im in too... 5:30 old pro?


Shirley :thumbsup:


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

Good deal. I have a meeting in South City until 5 PM, but I'll try to skip out early to get to the Old Pro by 5:30.


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## BlackSteel (Jul 10, 2007)

*I'm in*

I will be at the meeting. Not the bar. PA bikes website has an RSVP link for this.


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## Jeffh (Oct 4, 2006)

I'll try and make the Old Pro by 5:30, I'm only 10min away.


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## grrrah (Jul 22, 2005)

BlackSteel said:


> I will be at the meeting. Not the bar. PA bikes website has an RSVP link for this.


Thanks for the tip.. I rsvp.

I'm about 100 steps from the bar.


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## BlackSteel (Jul 10, 2007)

Just talked to Jeff at PA bikes and they are expecting about 100 people for this event. The reason I called was to ask whether I could bring my bike in. The answer is that if all 100 people show up it may be hard to fit more than a few bikes in the limited space they have left. I guess I will drive.


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Jul 15, 2005)

Does Tom Ritchey still have a mullet?


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## otterpop (Aug 5, 2008)

Yes, he does. I noticed that too.


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

...and don't forget the 70's porn-star mustache.


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## Kwantani (Sep 26, 2002)

hmmmm.... you refering to John Holmes?



Dr_John said:


> ...and don't forget the 70's porn-star mustache.


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

> hmmmm.... you refering to John Holmes?


Not specifically... take your pick.


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## 95624 (Oct 23, 2007)

More like a mini-mullet


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Getting back on track ... I thought the presentation was pretty neat. I enjoyed the stuff about racing, Jobst rides and Rwanda. Like a long hill climb, Tom started off pretty gingerly but soon got into a nice relaxed pace. He sure likes to talk, so much so that it was difficult for the bike shop guy to intervene so that everyone could get some food. The end fizzled out rather disappointingly though. I was looking for some Q&A and some audience interaction, but Tom went straight off into a third epic set of vacation slides. He offered the audience the chance to leave before he continued, and it appeared that most of them did, me included. Nonetheless, an impressive rider and racer, an all round nice chap and very cool to hear about the good work that he is doing, rather than resting on his laurels.


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## CrankyMonkey (Jul 8, 2007)

ukbloke said:


> Getting back on track ... I thought the presentation was pretty neat. I enjoyed the stuff about racing, Jobst rides and Rwanda. Like a long hill climb, Tom started off pretty gingerly but soon got into a nice relaxed pace. He sure likes to talk, so much so that it was difficult for the bike shop guy to intervene so that everyone could get some food. The end fizzled out rather disappointingly though. I was looking for some Q&A and some audience interaction, but Tom went straight off into a third epic set of vacation slides. He offered the audience the chance to leave before he continued, and it appeared that most of them did, me included. Nonetheless, an impressive rider and racer, an all round nice chap and very cool to hear about the good work that he is doing, rather than resting on his laurels.



I was hoping for Q&A too but had to leave after with the rest of the crowd.


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## grrrah (Jul 22, 2005)

same here, left shortly into the croatia slides.

Anyone going next thursday for Bruce Hildenbrand? I might stop by for a bit since its really convenient for me, but not gonna stay quite as long.

http://www.paloaltobicycles.com/events.html


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## thien (Feb 18, 2004)

I dunno about the event, but if we're having happy hour again, I'm there!


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

Me three...

Not to dis Tom's significant involvement and contributions to cycling, but I was hoping for a slightly different format too. Regardless, it was fun to see you all, out of cycling gear for a change, and Palo Alto Bicycles really did it right.

I'd like to go to the Bruce Hildenbran event, but I'm not sure I can afford it: all the beautiful bling there got me thinking (and shopping), and the result coincidently arrives the day of that event.  And while a compact would suit me and the new rig better, I couldn't pass on one of these, since Colorado Cyclist is practically giving them away:


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## thien (Feb 18, 2004)

nice dr. john! That's a beautiful crank.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Dr_John said:


> I'd like to go to the Bruce Hildenbran event, but I'm not sure I can afford it: all the beautiful bling there got me thinking (and shopping), and the result coincidently arrives the day of that event.  And while a compact would suit me and the new rig better, I couldn't pass on one of these, since Colorado Cyclist is practically giving them away:


I know that feeling. I've already pre-spent my next birthday and christmas presents, and my discretionary spending for quite some time! But if that crank comes up in the right size below a certain price threshold it will be very hard to look the other way.

Of course, the real question is what is Dr_John going to be connecting that crank to? It is hard to see a gap in his fleet of Specialized bikes for a new rig. My guess is a new commuter frame and for all the Allez bling to be moved over, but I'm probably wrong.


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

> My guess is a new commuter frame and for all the Allez bling to be moved over, but I'm probably wrong.


 Good call! :thumbsup: Most of my current mileage is from my commute, and the Allez just isn't doing it for me. I never really noticed or cared that much until I started riding 160 miles on it during the week, and then ride the Tarmac or Roubaix on the weekends. It has served me well, but it's always been too big (me, on a 56?), and I'm just not enjoying the ride. Until there's light in both directions so I can commute on my Tarmac or Roubaix, I'm looking for something a bit more fun to ride, and a little more unique. I wouldn't necessarily consider the make rare - I've seen a few around - but it should be quite an improvement over the Allez. I've always loved their look. Plus, due to the bad economy, close-out prices, and a few chips in the paint, I got it for a great price. Will post a photo when I have it together.


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