Comments on: A Conversation With Levi Leipheimer http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/ It's like reality TV. Except it's real. And there's no TV. Fri, 04 Mar 2022 03:21:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Bill H-D http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/comment-page-1/#comment-636294 Bill H-D Sat, 26 Jul 2014 05:05:30 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/#comment-636294 At 48:00 minutes, Levi asked me a question. The answer is yes. (And it was just short of 3000 laps) :) At 48:00 minutes, Levi asked me a question. The answer is yes. (And it was just short of 3000 laps) :)

]]> By: Jeff Bike http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/comment-page-1/#comment-635963 Jeff Bike Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:08:39 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/#comment-635963 I enjoyed the interview very much. It struck the right tone between fun and easy to serious. Thinking about it overnight I have one insight: I like that he made it clear that he made Bad Choices not mistakes. You and Levi left me thinking about my own Bad Choices and how you can't hide behind the word mistakes. I have come to the conclusion that choices are a decision made (sometimes with bad information or bad motives) whereas mistakes are an unthinking action (or inaction). We have responsibility either way. A bad choice made with bad motives (as in premeditated cheating) is the only one that people want to really punish you for. When a person says they made a mistake when it is obviously a bad choice they subject themselves to the same desire to punish because they do not take responsibility for the action. Levi has shown that he has accepted responsibility for his actions. It looks like he has learned from this lesson. I will not hold a grudge or animosity toward him. I would hope others (my wife) do not hold my bad choices against me. A famous man said "He without sin cast the first stone." I enjoyed the interview very much. It struck the right tone between fun and easy to serious. Thinking about it overnight I have one insight: I like that he made it clear that he made Bad Choices not mistakes. You and Levi left me thinking about my own Bad Choices and how you can’t hide behind the word mistakes. I have come to the conclusion that choices are a decision made (sometimes with bad information or bad motives) whereas mistakes are an unthinking action (or inaction). We have responsibility either way. A bad choice made with bad motives (as in premeditated cheating) is the only one that people want to really punish you for. When a person says they made a mistake when it is obviously a bad choice they subject themselves to the same desire to punish because they do not take responsibility for the action.
Levi has shown that he has accepted responsibility for his actions. It looks like he has learned from this lesson. I will not hold a grudge or animosity toward him. I would hope others (my wife) do not hold my bad choices against me. A famous man said “He without sin cast the first stone.”

]]> By: davidh-Marin,ca http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/comment-page-1/#comment-635928 davidh-Marin,ca Thu, 24 Jul 2014 05:23:03 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/#comment-635928 Maybe Levi will join us at the Fatty Tent at the Gran Fondo and have some pie. Or, we could have a FC vs LL pie eating contest! A variation on that 'bike race' that Fatty concocted. Maybe Levi will join us at the Fatty Tent at the Gran Fondo and have some pie. Or, we could have a FC vs LL pie eating contest! A variation on that ‘bike race’ that Fatty concocted.

]]> By: Dripslobber http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/comment-page-1/#comment-635901 Dripslobber Wed, 23 Jul 2014 22:01:45 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/#comment-635901 When I listen to Levi one word keeps coming to mind...Respect. We've all made bad choices but how many of us could be as forthcoming as he has been? The past is behind us and I would look forward to meeting him in person! Thanks for the interview. When I listen to Levi one word keeps coming to mind…Respect. We’ve all made bad choices but how many of us could be as forthcoming as he has been? The past is behind us and I would look forward to meeting him in person!

Thanks for the interview.

]]> By: UpTheGrade, SR, CA http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/comment-page-1/#comment-635832 UpTheGrade, SR, CA Wed, 23 Jul 2014 04:26:23 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/#comment-635832 If Levi wants to do 100MON in Santa Rosa, here's my suggestion: Skyfarm climb is 563ft in 0.8 miles (14%) and since Stetina has the KOM, it gives Levi a chance to win that too ;-) (that's the one to the very top, Levi has the KOM on the steepest part to Flintridge) Do that 63 times for 100 miles (up and down)and its 35,125 ft of climbing. That aught to get even Levi's quads burning. (I have personally done eight repeats and was fried) I loved the interview and the insight Levi gave. Its a shame doping lost Levi his palmares and his place in cycling, and those of clean riders who couldn't compete - he is a genuinely nice guy. <em>I like that idea. I like it a <strong>lot</strong>. - FC</em> If Levi wants to do 100MON in Santa Rosa, here’s my suggestion:
Skyfarm climb is 563ft in 0.8 miles (14%) and since Stetina has the KOM, it gives Levi a chance to win that too ;-)
(that’s the one to the very top, Levi has the KOM on the steepest part to Flintridge)

Do that 63 times for 100 miles (up and down)and its 35,125 ft of climbing. That aught to get even Levi’s quads burning.
(I have personally done eight repeats and was fried)

I loved the interview and the insight Levi gave. Its a shame doping lost Levi his palmares and his place in cycling, and those of clean riders who couldn’t compete – he is a genuinely nice guy.

I like that idea. I like it a lot. – FC

]]> By: ScottR http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/comment-page-1/#comment-635816 ScottR Wed, 23 Jul 2014 00:14:28 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/#comment-635816 I thought the first half of the video was really really good stuff - both people were extremely likeable, good context/background from his experience (so the same reason I don't want to like doper Christian Vande Velde doing tour coverage, I think he has been good on camera). I wish it hadn't touched on the long term impact of doping. We really have no way to know if Levi ever had any success riding clean (his 1996 national title being stripped due to failing a drug test before he ever went pro*), so while I assume his take on the effects is completely truthful, they don't have much scale to me. * - and I don't even know if that was a true instance of doping, but I also don't believe that people stopped doping in exactly the right timeframes to keep their Olympic medals. To Levi's point where 'racing grand tours gets you in that kind of shape' - exactly. The detractors are saying 'we have no way to know if you deserved to race in those grand tours in first place, without doping'. Cheating led to other unfair advantages in my book, and as a direct result I'm amongst those who dislike the idea of him participating in any races that offer prizes for winning. While some of the blog responses go too far, I think Steve Tilford's blog offers some very valid perspective/background: http://stevetilford.com/2013/05/21/levi-retires-its-about-sharing-the-love-of-the-bike/ http://stevetilford.com/2014/07/15/levi-winning-again/ Three things I found interesting - bringing up lifetime bans for doping (sounds good to me), focusing on testing (given that these guys didn't get busted as pros via testing), and mentioning Contador in the list of clean cyclists. The last ~10 minutes when he got reflective (and the conversation got more social) he seemed very likeable again. I'm glad Fatty isn't assigning everyone minimum climbing rates for their 100MoN. In the end I still feel bad for the young pros - I wish to believe they are clean, but I honestly look at it in reference to South Park's "Simpsons did it" - It seems like everything they could possibly say is an "Armstrong said it". I really really want to believe the current young pros are clean... and I thought Cavendish's small chapter about it was well written... Here's hoping. I thought the first half of the video was really really good stuff – both people were extremely likeable, good context/background from his experience (so the same reason I don’t want to like doper Christian Vande Velde doing tour coverage, I think he has been good on camera).

I wish it hadn’t touched on the long term impact of doping. We really have no way to know if Levi ever had any success riding clean (his 1996 national title being stripped due to failing a drug test before he ever went pro*), so while I assume his take on the effects is completely truthful, they don’t have much scale to me.

* – and I don’t even know if that was a true instance of doping, but I also don’t believe that people stopped doping in exactly the right timeframes to keep their Olympic medals.

To Levi’s point where ‘racing grand tours gets you in that kind of shape’ – exactly. The detractors are saying ‘we have no way to know if you deserved to race in those grand tours in first place, without doping’. Cheating led to other unfair advantages in my book, and as a direct result I’m amongst those who dislike the idea of him participating in any races that offer prizes for winning.

While some of the blog responses go too far, I think Steve Tilford’s blog offers some very valid perspective/background:

http://stevetilford.com/2013/05/21/levi-retires-its-about-sharing-the-love-of-the-bike/

http://stevetilford.com/2014/07/15/levi-winning-again/

Three things I found interesting – bringing up lifetime bans for doping (sounds good to me), focusing on testing (given that these guys didn’t get busted as pros via testing), and mentioning Contador in the list of clean cyclists.

The last ~10 minutes when he got reflective (and the conversation got more social) he seemed very likeable again. I’m glad Fatty isn’t assigning everyone minimum climbing rates for their 100MoN.

In the end I still feel bad for the young pros – I wish to believe they are clean, but I honestly look at it in reference to South Park’s “Simpsons did it” – It seems like everything they could possibly say is an “Armstrong said it”. I really really want to believe the current young pros are clean… and I thought Cavendish’s small chapter about it was well written… Here’s hoping.

]]> By: Steve http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/comment-page-1/#comment-635804 Steve Tue, 22 Jul 2014 20:47:44 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/#comment-635804 I've been laughing all morning at the thought that Levi has signed up for the 100 Miles of Nowhere. I’ve been laughing all morning at the thought that Levi has signed up for the 100 Miles of Nowhere.

]]> By: pbrmeasap http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/comment-page-1/#comment-635796 pbrmeasap Tue, 22 Jul 2014 19:12:57 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/#comment-635796 I don't want to like Levi, but every time I hear him speak I like him more. I would like to split a 12 pack with him. I don’t want to like Levi, but every time I hear him speak I like him more. I would like to split a 12 pack with him.

]]> By: Jeff Bike http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/comment-page-1/#comment-635793 Jeff Bike Tue, 22 Jul 2014 18:24:14 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/#comment-635793 Fatty you should write the interesting stories and going forward book and tell Levi's story. Fatty you should write the interesting stories and going forward book and tell Levi’s story.

]]> By: BostonCarlos (formerly NYC) http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/comment-page-1/#comment-635785 BostonCarlos (formerly NYC) Tue, 22 Jul 2014 17:21:45 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2014/07/22/a-conversation-with-levi-leipheimer/#comment-635785 the repetitive mention of someone named Carlos was exciting. I liked pretending Levi knew who I was. the repetitive mention of someone named Carlos was exciting. I liked pretending Levi knew who I was.

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