12, August 2008

Greetings -

I think I am going through the opposite emotion from Post 'Cross Traumatic Stress Disorder, that
condition I suffered through once the energy from the trip back from the 2007 Natz in Kansas City
took hold, and my life without the long weekends, the racing, and of course, my pals-slash-family-
slash-teammates on the Richard Sachs Cyclocross Team (this is a long ^%$# sentence atmo*)
returned to a dull routine of filling orders and surfing the Internet. Note: if you are a client reading this
and waiting for a frame from me, that last bit was levity. Well, these past few days have been very
busy, and, while 'cross is at the front of my mind, not alot has been going on - yet. It's like the calm
before the storm. I am very happy to report that all of the parts from our newest industry supplier,
SRAM, have arrived and we'll soon get them on the 2008 team bicycles. This year we'll be a well-
oiled squad and our team bicycles will be sporting the latest components from the Rival and Force
groups. This season marks the first time the RS 'Cross Team will have matching drive trains and all
that goes with them. We're psyched atmo.

On a personal note, some of you may know that I decided to kinda sorta take the proverbial phone
off the hook starting on August 15th. I made a small edit to a single page on my website (see:
http://richardsachs.com/rsachsfaq.html ) and,before I knew it, the "news" of my retirement had
a life of its own. I saw mention of it in many forms, mostly on the forums and message boards that
populate the Internet. It was hard to read the stuff, and equally hard to refrain from same. So much
misunderstanding (he's gonna start playing golf and have the frames made in Asia), and some
vitriol (what kind of idiot would wait that long for a bicycle?) was present that, for a week or two, it
was better than television. No matter. I have it all under control, and that's part of the not-so-grand
plan. Close a door, another opens. Of all the versions anditerations of what I am supposedly up to,
one of the better ones lives (click) here. Moveitfred gets it. Well okay then...

Team news-wise, I plan to visit our clothing sponsor, Verge Sport, late this week to do some last
minute revisions to the 2007 outfits and turn them into this year's edition. Among some of the
changes needed, new sponsors Boathouse, Inc.and Svelte Cycles have some very cool graphics
and they'll look great on our 'cross world versions of the LBD. On thefront end, I plan to get all the
skinsuits ordered, as well as a medium weight wind jacket, and then I'll follow up with an order for
the long and short sleeve jerseys, the bibshorts, and all the other much needed accessories so that
we remain the best looking squad out there.

Hey - fork in the road coming. Did you ever wanna hear me, e-RICHIE, curse? I'm involved with a
separate, but kinda sorta related project with pal Jeremy Dunn, he of Embrocation fame. Jeremy is
part of the Rapha Continental Breakfast team that does epic rides all around the country and then
waxes eloquently about same online. Here's a sample of their recent weekend together. Click around
that site for more information. For my part, I was interviewed about my liaison with Jeremy and the
part I play as the bicycle maker, and that text lives here. Prudes and church ladies beware: some of
my words start with the same letter than "fun" starts with, and they can be considered a fun thing to
do too, depending on your, er, bounderies. It is what it is atmo.

I'll leave you with some words from Pookums, a.k.a. Matt Kraus (that's with one S). Pookums starts
his second season with us, though, in our hearts, he's been with the team for many years. Matt
embodies 'cross, the 'cross season, and the proverbial poster-boy for all things RS 'Cross Team. In
a nutshell, he's the kind of guy who makes me wish that the season was 26 months long rather than
five. In Matt's own words, or maybe from one of his team bicycles, here are some thoughts:

It has been six months since my red shiny paint has seen the light of day. Each time I think we are
near that moment he comes in and reaches for my neighbor, that wiry kid with the skinny tires. Man I
am starting to dislike that graffiti artist. Thinks he is all that, just because he's got some saddle bag
on him. Oh no, wait, maybe it's those new shiny white SRAM hoods. Thinks he's too cool for this
school. I don't care how fast he goes on the smooth stuff, he can't hold a candle to the stuff I can do.
Damn, I thought we were all past that high school stuff. Each day when I get skipped over it reminds
me of some grade school kickball games when I would never be picked first. It was always the fatty
tire dudes that got chosen. Those dudes are chubby and bloated if you ask me. But those days are
old school.

Right now I am resting atmo. But I heard this rumor the other day from the fixie guy; he told me in
another month and a half it will be my turn again. Yo! That time of year is what I am here for man.
That means real soon my boy will be pulling me and my twin off the rack and putting some love into
getting us in shape. I feel bloated just hanging here. And check this, soon after I will be headed out
to the dirt to do what I do best. I wonder what new stuff I'll be getting for cross Chanukah? For
Crosschukkah I'll be gettin some SRAM action, some new tires, handlebar tape, oh snap, its gonna
be real. You know, I was hanging here the other day and just felt like it was too quiet. We could all
use some more cowbell around here. I got to tell ya, another thing I miss. I miss the action man. Not
only the laps around the track, but I miss all my brothers and sisters. When we showed up to races,
we all get to hang. I got a crush on denty, she's got this cool dimple like me but don't tell anybody.
And that dude, whats his name…well his boy is Justin, he's got some crazy cool routing going on,
looks real tight. Maybe this year I'll get some of that. Oh yeah, remember that ghetto superstar with
the beige tape? That mess looked so crazy. Oh dang, and my friend who belongs to the boss, he's
always dirty and stuff. Haaa. I can't wait to hang around the parking lot with my friends. It's been so
long. But the thing I miss most, okay I can admit it, I like being looked at. Man, all sorts of folks
check me out. They get this look in their eye, wide open and I can feel the respect. It's mad proper.
They look at me like they want a piece of this steel. Like they wanna touch me but aren't sure if they
can. If I were not into my boy, I'd be a major full time player. But then again, not many would take
such good care; I'm smart enough to know that. But I like them looks, oh yeah, they inflate me and
make me feel like I am the red carpet.

So here we are, waiting on all that to start. Yes ya'all, it's the eye of the storm and the eve before the
bell tolls. I know he's getting ready for me, he must be, I see him grabbing all sorts of bike instead of
me. You could think I'd be jealous, but I got something on them they don't quite get. All that stuff he
does with those tricksters and trackstars…its all preparation for me and my twin. All those days the
wiry kid gets taken out for four hours and comes back with sweat smeared over his stem and grime
on his tube, that's all about us man. He's saving it for us. We're the ones whose got what it takes to
bring it home, and we're the ones who makes glory, and we're the ones who make memories happen.
Without us, it just be a bunch of skinny kids in a parking lot. But in a few months, we'll be taking
laps all up and down this place and showing those believers what it means to be the cool kids.

Cool, huh! Thanks, Mattmo!

For the record, the season starts in less than a month. If you can bear with just a few more of these
missives, by September I will be filling you full of race results, news of podium spots, links to action
packed pictures, tales of woulda', coulda', shoulda'...

Until next time, thanks for reading.

e-RICHIE©™®
www.richardsachs.com
http://rscyclocross.blogspot.com
Richard Sachs Cycles
No.9, North Main Street
Chester, CT 06412 USA

* according to my opinion