FanPost

Questions from a Non-Racing Cycling Fan...

I've got a lot of questions that I'm just too embarrassed to ask of my local Bike Shop Guy.  I just don't know him well enough to ask him stupid questions.

On the other hand, I know the Podium Café denizens well enough to know that I can ask these same questions and get some great answers back...   so please excuse my "newbie" questions, but how else am I going to get this stuff figured out?

1.    Why does AG2r have motorcycles in most European bike races?  I'm guessing that they are not support vehicles for the AG2r riders, but what's up with that?
2.    I am pretty handy with my bike tools:  I can change a tire and adjust my seat, which is all I've ever needed to do.  But can someone please explain to me what cyclists are talking about when they talk about the numbers of gears?  What do all the different numbers mean:  49x23, 57x15, etc?  What is a triple chain ring?  Can someone explain the importance of when the front numbers go up and the second number goes down?  What, exactly, does this MEAN?  I almost went crazy during the Plan de Corones discussions during the Giro, because I could not understand the significance of the numbers meanings.  Can anyone send me a link to a diagram of a bicycle so I can learn the difference between a chainring and a bottom bracket?  (What ever the hell those things are...)
3.    The peloton gave Viacheslav Ekimov the honor of preceding Phonak on the Champs d'Elysses.  How, exactly, would something like that happen?  Would Discovery ask Phonak ahead of time if he could be recognized?  Eki said in an interview afterward that he as especially honored as "they" asked him to do it.  Who is `they?"  Is this something that the cyclists (or their Union) would initiate, or the team?
4.    How many miles per week do you ride before you should buy cycling shoes and pedals?  Do all shoes fit all pedals, or are there several types out there and you need to buy shoes that fit your pedals?  What are the top brands out there for a recreational cyclist?  I ask for my husband, who pedals about 70 miles per week.  He's happy with the pedals with the toe-clips (he's a Minimalist) but I'm thinking he'd like the cool shoes/pedals more than the toe-clips.
5.    I know the White Young Rider's Jersey in the Tour is only for cyclists 25 or under, but can they win it twice?  Didn't Pantani win it twice?  Someone told me that it's only awarded now to a cyclist once in his lifetime.
6.    I see that several different bike brands sponsor Pro Tour teams:  Time, Look, Orbea, Opera, Ridley, Trek, Scott, Cervelo, Walser, Wilier, Specialized, Bianchi, Giant, and there are probably more. What do most cyclists think about these brands?  Are there two or three more popular than others?  I know pro cyclists ride the brand that sponsors their team, but in the Real World, which brands are the most respected for quality?
7.    Why do Spanish cyclists have two last names but the announcers and teams use only one of them?
8.    Who paints the penises on the roads of the races?  I've been told that the Spanish fans are the big genital painters, as well as the Germans.  There were not many penises on the TdF course this year, did anyone else notice that?  

I'm just overflowing with questions, as you can see.  If any of you can kindly help me out, I'd really appreciate it.