# cool story from slow twitch forum...



## marc180 (Feb 2, 2006)

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/gforum.cgi?post=1678871


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## bikeboy389 (May 4, 2004)

Argh. I can't believe I'm such a pathetic CSC fan that I'm actually consumed with jealousy. That's a very cool story.


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

bikeboy389 said:


> Argh. I can't believe I'm such a pathetic CSC fan that I'm actually consumed with jealousy. That's a very cool story.


He didn't know Bobby Julich??


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## bigpinkt (Jul 20, 2006)

bas said:


> He didn't know Bobby Julich??


It is a triathlon forum...I don't think any of us would know those guys running in their Speedos either.


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## bikeboy389 (May 4, 2004)

bas said:


> He didn't know Bobby Julich??


Yeah, I was a little surprised about that too, but I cut the guy some slack on the assumption that he was too freaked out to notice. Personally, I'd have heard, "Red Jersey" and thought, "Hey, why is Bobby Julich calling out to me?" even before I turned my head.

I've watched Overcoming a LOT.


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## TurboTurtle (Feb 4, 2004)

marc180 said:


> http://forum.slowtwitch.com/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/gforum.cgi?post=1678871


Great story. If he had won the stage, I bet there would have been 10 riders with WH-540 rear wheels on the next road stage. - TF


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

bikeboy389 said:


> Argh. I can't believe I'm such a pathetic CSC fan that I'm actually consumed with jealousy. That's a very cool story.


Just position yourself near the most treacherous traffic islands on the course. Mr. J seems to have a thing for hitting them.


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## TurboTurtle (Feb 4, 2004)

It looked like Cipo (EDIT: Fast Freddie - wrong Rock) got a wheel off of a spectator's bike yesterday (Stage 7). - TF


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## hank_rearden (Feb 28, 2008)

bikeboy389 said:


> Yeah, I was a little surprised about that too, but I cut the guy some slack on the assumption that he was too freaked out to notice. Personally, I'd have heard, "Red Jersey" and thought, "Hey, why is Bobby Julich calling out to me?" even before I turned my head.
> 
> I've watched Overcoming a LOT.


Yeah, I should have known it was Julich... But, at first I thought it was a race organizer going to bust me for riding on the sidewalk. So my immediate response was to keep my head down and ignore it. Once he was behind me and said, " I need your rear wheel," I didn't even look at his face and focused on the wheel. I'm also adjusting to all the roster changes this year. I saw dave Z several times and couldn't make the Argyle/stache connection.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

Hank have you heard anything from the team yet?


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## hank_rearden (Feb 28, 2008)

Creakyknees said:


> Hank have you heard anything from the team yet?


Nothing. I'm patiently waiting for a UPS box to arrive.


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## b24fsb (Dec 21, 2006)

man you should get a new set of 404's for that.


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## Sprocket - Matt (Sep 13, 2005)

TOO COOL...
I hope you get a new set of wheels out of it too...
But at least you might get a kick ass piece of wall art.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

Sprocket - Matt said:


> TOO COOL...
> I hope you get a new set of wheels out of it too...
> But at least you might get a kick ass piece of wall art.


A shadow box with both wheels and a few archivally printed photos might be cool, if big. A hundred years from now on the Antiques Roadshow it will either be an interesting curiosity worth $20, or a highly desirable antique from the golden age of cycling worth half a million bucks.


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## brentster (Jul 12, 2007)

I'm concerned that a precedent might be set here. Teams are gonna look at this incident as a way to save costs. Why have all the team cars with extra bikes and equipment, when the riders can just comandeer stuff from the spectators.

Its gonna turn the sport into a joke when someone like Tom Boonen or Robbie Mac sprints across the line for a stage victory on a borrowed Beach Cruiser.


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## Chain (Dec 28, 2006)

hank_rearden said:


> Nothing. I'm patiently waiting for a UPS box to arrive.


Did your box from UPS ever arrive?


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## hank_rearden (Feb 28, 2008)

*UPS box arrived*

Yes - 
Signed by team: cycling hat, baseball hat, bag
Signed by Julich: 3 pics
Misc: Waterbottle


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## Chain (Dec 28, 2006)

hank_rearden said:


> Yes -
> Signed by team: cycling hat, baseball hat, bag
> Signed by Julich: 3 pics
> Misc: Waterbottle


Very nice swag, and a very good story to tell for years to come.:thumbsup:


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## stevers (Aug 10, 2005)

*Cool Story...*

Hank-excellent story. I happened to read the entire thread, entertaining and distrubing at the same time. That is something to tell your kids, and you now have some great art to display in the house.

Getting Bobby J's autograph on the wheel would be the ultimate. Maybe try and hookup with him after the season...


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## Doctor Who (Feb 22, 2005)

I think it's ridiculous that people are suggesting that CSC ought to give anyone who loans a wheel a full set of Zipp 404s. Don't get me wrong, that'd be a very nice and overly generous gesture, but c'mon. It's as if people look at Hank's generosity and plain good luck as a 'meal ticket' – as something to exploit. That's unfair to both CSC and Hank. 

Anyway, that's fantastic that CSC/Bobby J have hooked you up with some awesome schwag.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

hey Hank, that's a nice wheel, mind if I borrow it sometime?


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

Doctor Who said:


> I think it's ridiculous that people are suggesting that CSC ought to give anyone who loans a wheel a full set of Zipp 404s. Don't get me wrong, that'd be a very nice and overly generous gesture, but c'mon. It's as if people look at Hank's generosity and plain good luck as a 'meal ticket' – as something to exploit. That's unfair to both CSC and Hank.
> 
> Anyway, that's fantastic that CSC/Bobby J have hooked you up with some awesome schwag.


On the one hand it is ridiculous. On the other hand, it sounds like Bobby J. was minutes from help from either his team car of neutral services. Imagine you've got the CSC manager on speed dial and ask, "How much is it worth to you to get your boy over the finish line two minutes earlier?" With CSC's budget and sponsorship deals, I bet the price goes to over a set of Zipps real fast. And the guy who loaned him his wheel got lucky. He found someone to give him a ride. If he didn't he would have had a ten mile walk in cycling shoes. I know Bobby J. wasn't thinking about anything but finishing, but he should have thought more about the guy he was stranding and radioed back to his team car- stop for ten seconds and give him a working wheel- even if it was just a loan. You don't have to install it for him, just have the mechanic snatch a rear wheel from the roof, hand it to him, and go.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

California L33 said:


> "How much is it worth to you to get your boy over the finish line two minutes earlier?"


NOW we're talking. I'd have been all "what, you want my wheel? How much cash you got on you? Nothin? Looks like you're walking downtown." 

Right.

C'mon, it's just a favor from one rider to another, different in size but along the same lines as giving a tube or lending a pump to somebody who's flatted.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

Creakyknees said:


> C'mon, it's just a favor from one rider to another, different in size but along the same lines as giving a tube or lending a pump to somebody who's flatted.


It's not exactly the same. I came across a stranded rider the other day- flat tire, old bike, no QR. I would have given her my spare tube. I would have patched her tube, but the only way to get her running was to give her my bike and leave me stranded. I didn't do that. The guy who helped Booby J. helped him and left himself stranded. That's a bit different, and requires a bit more than a 'Thanks.' At the very least a team well equipped to get him running should have done just that.


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## FTM (Feb 4, 2005)

You couldn't patch it on the bike?


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## OneGear (Aug 19, 2005)

what Hank did was great. I don't think CSC has the means to give him what everyone is expecting as reward... he sacrifaced to the greater good and someone's profession.. of which he is a fan of. A true fan would be happy with the safe return of his wheel and some memorabilia and a story to tell, not think of profiteering from this act of good will. Good will is what sparked him to give up his wheel afterall. Stick with the theme people.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Great story but I would think that CSC could have loaned him a working wheel so he could at least ride to the end. Just an honest opinion. 

Oh well, cool story nonetheless.


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