Bicycles and Cycling

Here is another bike on stamps that arrived in the mail today from Portugal.  It is commemorating the 2008 Summer Olympic games.



What I found interesting were the perfs on the sides.  There is a half cross shape cutout from each side.  You can't really see them in this image, but they are clear on the photos of more recent  Portugal stamps in Scott's catalog.

I'm sure everyone else knows this, but they are called syncopated perforations.  I had to look up what that was, but couldn't find a common consensus.  One source said they were added to coil stamps for added strength and another said they are added as an anti-counterfeiting measure.  I'm wondering if they aren't just a design feature.

Very nice stamp Steve. Nicest used example of this series that I've ever seen. Most of the used copies I've come across have been rather tattered and grungy.

Just got back from our morning ride and stumbled across this topic - how fun. Love this thematic. I am trying really hard to NOT start another collection, but --- very tempting! Nice pics!

We're not long distance road cyclists, just retiree sidewalk exercise cyclists. We ride 5-12 mile routes. Our favorite is a 10 mile loop that includes two trips over "mount interstate". The only way to get a hill is to cross over I-95 --- Florida is very very very FLAT!
I ride a Gary Fisher hybrid that I've tweaked a bit.

Go on!   Philatelia, just  get an envelope, and write "Cycling Thematic" and  put it aside,
when coming across cycle stamps, plop one inside, how hard is that  ? 

Like Froggie says, we do come across wildlife in the bush,  but it's not all rush and tear,
we have ages from 20 -80 y.o.
It's all in the fun, and great for kicking diabetes in the butt.

Have been a bit of a wuss, lately, no cycling for 4 weeks,  (freezing cold and damp)   usually do about 350 Km a month. 
Tour de France starts on 5th July...ergo no sleep for 3 weeks

Here are a few more bicycles on stamps that I've run across recently.

The first three are from Australia and are included in my July 19th Anniversary Auction Lot #2 of Australia stamps.

1.  Australia - 1989 Issue - SC# 1109B.





2.  Australia - 1992 Issue for the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Barcelona.  SC# 1268





3.  Australia - 1985 Issue for the District Nursing Service Centenary.  SC# 946





4.  Bahamas - 1976 Issue for the Montreal Olympics.  SC# 388





5.  And last, this international priority stamp from the Netherlands that was on an envelope I received.  I only have a 2011 Scott's catalog, so I don't have the SC number for this one.

I won't be around much,  in the next three weeks            (Great! I hear you say   )

The boys come out to play tonight

Tour De France 2014 Live Stage 1: Stage 1: Leeds to Harrogate - The 2014 Tour de France is shaping up as one of the most challenging and exciting in recent years. The race departs from Leeds, Yorkshire for three stages through the United Kingdom then goes to Belgium for a special departure from the cobblestone streets of Ypres in Stage 5 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War One. As the riders work their way south into France, the endurance test begins as they climb six mountain stages for five mountaintop finishes across a gruelling three ranges of the Vosges, the Alps, and the Pyranees. The only time trial for the 2014 race, a team time trial, is positioned at the second last stage, setting this year's contenders up for a battle for victory all the way to the finish line in Paris. (Live) (Cycling) CC

Rod: Don't stay away too much -- I think at best we could only issue you a 48-hour pass.

Jack: I heard something this morning on the radio about this. Apparently the last few years the custom has been to start in another country.

Blast.  I would prefer a race with 40% mountain stages, 40% individual time trials and 20% "regular" stuff, the ride-around-for-five-hours-and-then-the-freaks-sprint type of race.  I've always been far less interested in the sprint stages.

And they should catch up to 1995 and put transponders on the bikes and use them for proper finish times.  Forget this finishing behind 150 other people but still getting the same time!  Bah and humbug, and both at the same time.  ha ha

Ryan

Nice little error, the chain drive is on the incorrect side of the bike.
Nice stamp though, not seen it before.

Is the chappie on the LHS smoking ?

I too am an avid cyclist, but sadly am unable to clock as many kms as Rod. Time doesn't allow. (I'm coming up to a forced 3 month layoff from work. The bicycle is among the many things I plan to catch up on)

1957 Colombia airmail celebrating the Seventh Bicycle Tour of Colombia

Was going to head out this morning, but woke up to rain (wasn't supposed to start until this afternoon).

Week or so ago I passed a farmers field to see a deer laying there watching me. Stopped to gawk back, and as I stumbled with my cell phone camera, it calmly got up and strolled away. Obviously not impressed with my technical prowess.

What a week for us bikers in Florida. Hubby got hit by a car while riding last Thursday, poor guy.    He's ok and - what a trooper - back on the bike! We did 5 miles yesterday and took the dogs to the park. We pull our dogs in a little cart.

The insurance claim will pay for a new bike, etc. He's actually looking at 3 wheeled recumbent bikes.

We have a nice network of bike paths in Calgary (red marks the purpose-built bike & walking paths, blue are city streets shared with autos), but the people who ride on them go a million miles an hour all the time - a while back a senior died after being run over by a guy on inline skates.  Just yesterday the paths were in the news because they've started painting double yellow lines at corners and intersections, and there are $100 fines for passing in those areas now.

Ryan

I plan on riding (with my daughter) in next year's Enbridge Ride for Cancer which is a two day ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls (200+km) to raise money for cancer research. What I've taken to calling the C-Monster!
Stay tuned, I'll be posting a request for donations soon!