The Diplomat, Part 2

Here's a shot of a pre-production TOMAC DIPLOMAT frame. Pretty frikkin cool how it can go from this...


...to THIS! this the new 29er full-susser from TOMAC BIKES. Jeff "Tookie" Williams has been quietly greasing himself up like a hog
in anticipation of this bike. I am quite sure he will be asking for this one for Christmas..

Vegas Bob's 'Cross Report.

*Thank you for supporting this prime demographic! :) Vegas Bob post-race.


Backbone's World Famous Vegas Bob didn't earn that name because he's normal. Far from average, VB's race calendar is also far from average...like never-freaking-ending not average. He races everything, every weekend, and typically spits in the face of the common "recovery" idea. Racing and medaling everywhere from Sea Otter to the U.S. Cup, Cal State 'Cross to the Tour Of Utah, this Ginger is mucho-loco.



The only time you won't see him on fabulous Tomac Carbide is during cyclocross races. There he runs a beat down and highly bastardized (read as "modified") road bike. Last weekend he was out tearing it up short track style during a So Cal 'cross race, and aout of a field of OVER 100 RIDERS, he took 10th! How frikkin' awesome is that?


Check out the wicked "Pirate Cut" sleeves on VB's 2009 team jersey...makes ya wanna' swab the Poop Deck! OK, maybe not.






Thanks to everyone for the help looking after the team...they earn your loyalty every day!

Vanessa's New Clothes

*Vanessa Humic pictured at Interbike's Outdoor Demo, behind the Tomac/Backbone Team Booth. She won the Cal State Series this year, and landed third overall in the U.S. Cup!


Vanessa is not your average Cat 1 lady mountain bike racer. That's why love her. That's why Roger always has a puke bucket and some Tumms nearby. That's also why she WON THE CAL STATE SERIES, YO! Hard work and hard play can sometimes converge and create "The Perfect Storm." Vanessa's race season was just that this year, placing 1st in Cal State, 1st in U.S. Cup West, and 3rd for the U.S. Cup Series National Title! That's frikkin rad.


Wearing the Cal State Series Champ jersey (pictured below) is like wearing a giant target on your back..but that's cool. We are kinda used to that around here....Thanks to all of our amazing sponsors for the help getting this rag-tag group of should-be-prison inmates to stay out the stoney lonesome...even if only for a little while.

Sean C's PA Race Update; Dueling Carbides!

Chris, I wanted to let you know that I went to the race in PA, I placed 12 out of 30. That's freakin awesome. I hit some trees but nothing too serious. The Tomac Carbide was awesome! Nothing broke and had no flats. We were waiting for start, and somebody behind me asked a guy if that was the same bike, to my amazement, right beside me was a TOMAC Carbide XC2. Holy Shit! Anyway, he loves his.. that guy placed 15 ha ha ha ha. Talk to you later.

The Fuzziest Race Report!

Hey Chris,

Finally got to race the Tomac Type-X at the Kenda Cup Final at Bonelli. Finished personal best 7th out of 13.

First of all the course was really good with some rough singletrack. The course was shortened to just over 4 miles long but suited for powerful riders. Steep short inclines with steep short declines. We had to do 5 laps and the late race start time was going to have a major affect on the riders.

First two laps were brutal for me. Super-fast start and being stuck in the back does not help. Moved up to mid-pack but fumbled behind a rider that had slipped his rear tire so we both went down on the steep climb. On the downhill went way too fast and blew off the course, didnt crash tho, but had to hike a bike back to the course. Blew myself up trying to catch up. 2nd lap was recovery.

Third, fourth, and the final fifth lap were much better. Slowly caught a couple of my category riders who were struggling in the heat. Many had dropped out already and it was super hot on the exposed areas.

Felt good to be competitive again. Got alot of work to do in the offseason but this boosted my confidence tremendously. Never been in the top 10 of a Cat 1 race, always been in the back.

The new bike is amazing. The carbon hardtail Tomac Type-X is responsive and quick on the accelerator. It was amazing to have a working front suspension and gears that shift whenever you need them to. XX shifting and the 2X10 gearing is perfect.

Thanks to the sponsors : Tomac- bad ass carbon racer, Spinergy Wheels - PBO technology is amazing , X-Pedo pedals, Sigma Rox 9.0, Amino Vital, Royal gloves and socks, and of course Kenda Tires.

Shout out to Roger for again feeding us each lap. Shortstack for chillin with us. Big Al for scaring the crap out of me when he was cheering. My brother, his wife,and my 5 month old nephew at his first mountain biking event. Mr. Sarquiz and his two daughters for the support.

Oh yea... Vegas Bob was late for his race start even though it was at 1:54 pm!

Fuzz

US CUP FINALS REPORT FROM ROGER!

Hi Captain,

It was another hot day in Bonelli, no suprise there, I have to mention for all the old timers like us the Bonelli course has changed over the past 6 years into one brutal muther F'er. This latest mod made the couse into 4 mile loops that seem give no relief or rhythm for the riders, there was about a 25% DNF rate for the day.

The big news for the days was special appearnce of Ara "FUZZY" and his new Tomac Type X all blinged out with Sram xx!!! And also the special absence of Vegas Bob on the start line of his race, its tough with a 1:52 PM start time... it reminds me of the old James Cross days... :) Well CAP'N you missed the bbq and the beer drinking again, you ever coming out this way again??? You know Interbike is coming back to cali next year how about you?????

results
mark thome cat 3 7th place, mark was really tired from doing all the races this year plus doing all the local tues night races
jaime espinoza cat 2 dnf, he raced in tecate on sat and tried this one on sunday 3 laps out of 4 aint too bad
cheyne mckeever cat 2 dnf, broke his chain on last lap, we suspect he used a chain tool to do it...
ara fuzzy cat 1 7th place, not bad for roadie
vanessa humic cat 1 3rd place, she did beat somebody
humberto castro cat 1 8th place, had a slight mechanical but finished good
vegas bob cat 1 1st place in the im going to use cheyne number plate and race against the sigma rox 9.0

much love roger

thanks to short stack for coming out and laughing at ara during the race

US Cup Finals Pix!

Backboner Humberto Castro Takes Top 10 At Finals!

It was a nice hot day at the U.S. Cup final race... according to the race announcers. It was a fast race. I finished 8th place after some mechanical problems. Thanks to the team suport, and Roger. Go Backbone!



**Yesterday's US Cup final in California was for all the marbles. GREAT finish Humberto, a top 10 at the finals is awesome!

Sean C's Farmland Adventure.

Chris! Just getting back from the farm. I made the top 10 again! Not bad.. at least I finished. The first lap was a little rough, the second lap was like something had entered my body and was talking to me. Guess it was Tookie's voice, saying "suck it up and pedal your ass off." So with that in mind I did, and passed four people. Three had flats, and one had a bent wheel. Of course I laughed as I flew by them. All in all it was a good day.


Luchy

SIGMA and Eurobike!

Charles Libolt Update; First Backboner To Race In Europe?

Hey Chris!
Okay, so as promised here are some little updates from me. I got back from an epic three day weekend of riding in Mammoth just recently. If any of my fellow Backboners haven't been up to Mammoth this year, hurry up because the weather has been perfect and the trails are in great condition!
The crowds in town over the holiday weekend picked up considerably compared to last year, which seems to be a good economic sign. Over the weekend, the rental shop at Mammoth Mountain had to put customers on a "wait list" for rental bikes, because they rented out EVERYTHING they had in stock! It was great to see so many people out and enjoying the holiday weekend.

Now for my second update that I think most people are already familiar with- Ive been hiding out and laying low these past couple of months just trying to get my undergrad degree finished up and get into a good grad school. I put racing on hold for the rest of the year to just devote my time to this, and it looks like it paid off. I was offered admission at both of my top pick schools, and have formally accepted the offer from King's College London for 2011.
So it looks like as of next summer I will be packing up and moving to London! I'm already trying to figure out ways to bring at least one bike with me- especially since I don't plan on trying learn to drive on the wrong side of the road in one of the most congested cities on the planet... So if all goes well, hopefully I can be the first Backbone rider in the UK! I'm extra pumped on this offer because it means I will have an apartment in London during the 2012 Olympics... Should be awesome! Maybe I can score tickets to one of the cycling events?
Anyway, thats it for now! I might be heading to Mammoth again this weekend to celebrate my birthday and get some good DH runs in on my Primer 220!

-Taylor

Atlanta By Bike

I will never, ever, ever ride by a sign like that without stopping. Ever.

Imagine Columbus a bit larger. O.K., a LOT larger, and with about ten different neighborhoods like The Short North, but each one having it's own very distinct identity and flavor. Now link them all together with public greenways and bike paths, and you have Atlanta. Bike culture here runs deep, and the city knows it. Restaurants like Decatur's "Leon's Diner" have ride-up service, and an arugula salad that is not to be missed.

Downtown Decatur has a very prominent Civil War history, and the numerous plaques will tell you all about it.


Atlanta is a music town, and even if you aren't seeing someone play to hundreds in a dimly lit bar, the street performers (called "busking") are great. They will make you stop riding and listen, even if you are late for work.


Everyone in Atlanta rides, and they ride to do everything. The bike paths are hundreds of miles deep here, so driving on a cool and sunny afternoon is not an option.



The Music Room on Edgewood East is a new (but amazing) live local music venue, and it sits below Pizza Vesuvius. This artisinal pizza joint has an indoor, UPSTAIRS bike rack...


...and it is used by everyone who eats here. Located right in downtown, it's a very popular local spot.


We were there for the long weekend for the wife's show, but spent a TON of time cruising the city on bikes when we had the time. Road bikes were everywhere in Norcross, riding out Spalding Avenue by the hundreds Sunday morning.


Riding out to "Little Five Points" is always fun, and the shops, foodie spots and street performers are always crazy.


Fixies and geared bikes alike dotted the bike corrals. No one style dominated the others in Victoria Highlands, where bike clubs would ride for hours to get brunch on a Sunday.


Popular bar "ELMYR" in L5P always has interesting bike culture items inside and out. This place has some of the best fish tacos you'll ever eat.


Rickshaws are as popular in Victoria Highlands as they are in The Short North. They are a great way to move from one neighborhood to another.


Cycling is everywhere here in Atlanta...








...and the artistic community is very busy. Atlanta is still holding on to some of it's Antebellum past, but manages a good bit to look towards the future.


Open spaces can deliver the goods for nature lovers...


and clutches of old barns can hold secrets, like this well preserved vintage Rolls Royce tucked next to artist Sal Brownfield's studio in Norcross.


Just a nine hour drive south along 75, you can drive to a city that loves it's cyclists, both road and mountain (just like Columbus!). Be sure to plan on at least three days of non-travel time to take in all the museums, bars, restaurants, parks and neighborhoods.

The fall here is amazing, so get packed