New Site

Whoa, that took a few more hours than I had planned for. I had lots of help from my wife reformatting things and moving articles over to the new format.

I've got a bunch more articles done right now in the misc section, but need to add links to the basic site overall template. Probably a one hour job, but man, I need a bit of a vacation from the whole microsoft expression deal right now! :-)

Here's the super secret link to the misc section:

http://www.biketechreview.com/misc/index.htm

Anyway, you all may be wondering why it was that I reformatted things. A few reasons:

• I was getting sick of that shade of blue
• I needed a shot of a different sort of creativity challenge
• Change is good

That last one reminds me of a quote I heard recently:

"In times of change, the advantage goes to the learner... While the learned are perfectly equipped for a world that no longer exists." -???

I've probably stuffed up some details of that quote, and I'm going from memory here, so maybe someone can google this sucker and correct the details and the originator?

Expression Web...

I'm currently doing battle with Microsoft Expression Web (which is not nearly as "plug and play" as front page was, but I think I'm getting the hang of it and making the pages look the way I'd like), and finally getting around to redesigning the BTR site. It needs it!

I'll be tidying things up a bit, which probably means some articles will be removed, or links to images that have been created over the years will no longer work.

If you've got a favorite article on the site, save it now, cuz come the next few days, I'll be making the swap to BTR version 2.0, and I'm not able to guarantee what will and will not make it.

Heres a screenshot of what I'm thinking things will generally look like:


Work on the site will have to take a backseat tomorrow, though, as I'll be headin' up to Long Beach to do some bike racin'!

See you there!

BTR 2.0 - It's coming...

BTR Contributors Wanted

I just posted this on the main BTR site, and figured I'd give it a go over here. My overall goal with this idea is to help spread the BTR love, so to speak. I've worked really hard to carve out a space on the web that is continually bringing in new site visitors - so I've kind of got this platform developed where a cycling related author can plug right in to this technology oriented audience.

Anyway, here's the deal:

"In a continuing effort to help out the cycling community, BTR would like to expand its base of influential and meaningful articles. BTR is continually growing and gets considerable traffic to it's review and educational style articles such as those illustrated below:





If you are interested in contributing an article, or series of articles, to the overall BTR cause (your efforts will be compensated such that it is a "win" for BTR readers, a "win" for the author, and a "win" for BTR), drop me a note for more info."

Zipp 808 vs TriSpoke

TJS of Minneapolis Minnesota writes about biketechreview's Zipp 808 vs Trispoke wind tunnel test on a public forum (thanks to the friends of BTR for pointing this one out!):

"I wouldn't mind the $15.00 if the test was done a little better. I feel cheated after buying it and don't recommend it for obvious (to those that have seen it) reasons. :(. "

Gotta love folks who complain about how the testing was conducted when 100% of the testing methodology was described in the publicly available, free to view blurb linked to above.

D'oh!

Despite TJS' interesting perceptions, I'm always open to feedback on what the best way to test the aerodynamic properties of wheels is (as a matter of fact, I modified the beta sweep for subsequent wind tunnel equipment tests I've conducted based on feedback from the BTR insider's list).

Anyhoo, let's hear your thoughts on how I should not "cheat" folks like TJS of Minneapolis Minnesota due to poor wind tunnel based wheel testing methodology.

I won't guarantee I'll use any of the ideas mentioned here, but I will guarantee I'll take them into consideration.

BTR Turns 5 years old

Well, on August 2nd, 2002, BTR became a tiny little spec on the world wide web. That orange ad up there (Whoa, anybody else remember when BTR was orange? ha! What the heck was I thinking, and when am I going to re-design this unorganzied site???) is one of the first ads I ran as a result of working with Candice and Larry over at bike.com . It's these two that really sparked the re-kindling of my passion for bikes and technology in 2001 - without their generosity and encouragement, BTR wouldn't be on the path it is today.

Since that day five years ago, and with the help of lots of people, it has become a wee-bit bigger spec on the world wide web (but still just a little spec out there!!!).

http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?q=&url=biketechreview.com

My unbelievably patient and supportive wife is the heart and soul of BTR - what other kind of woman would help their husband do this:

http://www.biketechreview.com/misc/hangin_hub.htm

and think it was funny - yep, my wife rocks! ;-)

The Willett crew in Bendville has provided an immense amount of support, direction, and inspiration. I reckon, though, that Tina sure wishes I'd stop calling so much - but alas, there are just too many things to do and not enough time to get done what needs to be done! ;-)

Special thanks also goes out to the crew at LSWT.com (Dave, Dave, Frank, Donna, and Dave!)who have "learned me" a thing or two (or twenty) along the way.

Also, a big thanks to the many contributors on the BTR forum who provide many different perspectives for folks to consider.

I'm deeply grateful to everyone out there who takes a few minutes out of their day to poke around and explore the little nuggets here on biketechreview.com.

Lets make BTR bigger and better over the next five years!