Origin of the phrase "a** hatchet

[sjbraun]

We're having one of those meaningless arguments here in Tucson, probably due to the rising temps.

Does know the origin of the phrase ass hatchet?

A little internet digging suggests it refers to the shape of Brooks saddles after they been ridden in the rain. I've only known the phrase to refer to new, uber thin, carbon fiber, no padding wonder saddles.

Steve, who rides both depending on the bike

[eddief]

don't ya think?

[maunahaole]

I think it is a term that Cannondale used with their early frame efforts.

[A.L.Breguet]

Never heard it.

Ass Hat?

[regularguy412]

I think it is a term that Cannondale used with their early frame efforts.

+1 on this

Mike in AR:beer:

[dave thompson]

A skinny saddle that doesn't fit my wide butt = ass hatchet. At least it feels like one.

[eddief]

hard to define, but ya knows it when ya sees it:

Selle Optima Tecknologica

[rwsaunders]

Here's one...only $800.

[BumbleBeeDave]

I think both were originally used in the Disney movie "Thong of the South" . . .

BBD

[sc53]

Al Gore invented it.

[thinpin]

A little internet digging suggests it refers to the shape of Brooks saddles after they been ridden in the rain. I've only known the phrase to refer to new, uber thin, carbon fiber, no padding wonder saddles.


We used to call these "pile drivers"

[MMM]

First time I heard it was in reference to finding the right saddle for each individual. Phrase was something like "One man's Laz-Boy is another's A** Hatchet".

[cadence231]

Maybe it has something to do with liz hatch?

[A.L.Breguet]

Maybe it has something to do with liz hatch?
Ouch, that's gonna leave a mark!

[Kevan]

no:
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/catalog/medium/40FI12.jpg

yes:
http://www.on-one.co.uk/images/pagemaster/fizik01.jpg

[rustychisel]

I first saw the term in an article by Jobst Brandt, who [may] have a reputation for being slightly grumpy. I took the view that he came up with it and have used it sparingly myself, since it perfectly described the sensations associated with using some saddles.

[Birddog]

Maybe it has something to do with liz hatch?

I saw Liz yesterday. She is very easy on the eyes as is most of the Vanderkitten team. She can also race a little, which is a nice bonus. On second thought,to say she is easy on the eyes is perhaps an understatement. She can be an eyefull.

Birddog

[William]

That term originally came from Miguel Indurain during stage 9 of the 1995 Tour de France from Le Grand Borrand to La Plagne over three class 1 climbs, a distance of 160km (the first mountain stage). His DC talked him into trying a new narrower Flite saddle with the then state-of-the-art Ti rails.
The stage started out fine but things gradually went down hill…

The stage was dominated by the performance of two riders: Alex Zuelle and Miguel Indurain. Zuelle, especially, showed enormous amounts of class in a race that saw most of the favorites melt in the summer heat.
He broke away on the first class 1 climb of the day with the TVM rider Bo Hamburger. The duo chased Munoz, who was first to the top, and caught him in the long descent. The field, led by Banesto obviously, didn't spend much effort chasing the three riders as there was still some 90km to go to the finish. By the time the front three had reached the valley again they had a lead of 1'20" over the field and 30" over a chasing Lance Armstrong. As they hit the flats they worked commitedly and even though the gap was not great, Armstrong was not able to catch them. At the feed station the gap was still 30" but the field had slipped to 2'00".
As the next climb is reached Zuelle sets the pace and the others fade, Hamburger hangs on to his wheel but Munoz drops back to Armstrong. The field, meanwhile, is riding along at a comfortable pace. Either Indurain doesn't want to use up his helpers too early on a chase, or he doesn't take Zuelle's attack all that seriously (actually his butt just really hurt). Whatever the reason, the pace remains low and the gap widens - it's now a little over 3 minutes. There are two Banesto helpers leading the field now, which is down to about 40 riders including most of the favorites, Bugno is conspicuously abscent.
In the second half of this climb come further surprises. Berzin suddenly has a 20m gap between himself and the field, at first it seems he had a mechanical defect, but despite help from Cenghialta the gap widens. Soon, he loses contact completly. At about the same time Munoz and Armstrong are caught again. The field shrinks further and by the time they reach a hydro lake near the summit there's only 25 of them left. Zuelle leads by 3'35" and Berzin falls back 50".
The temperature has all of them working with the exception of Indurain who sweats, and bares his teeth occasionaly but otherwise looks relativly comfortable (having a good poker face is a must). Rominger, on the other hand, doesn't look good at all. As the field climbs up, away from the lake, the last of the leading Banesto helpers fades. Once again its Gerard Rue who comes to the front for his captain, but the pace is still not all that high. This allows Zuelle to extend his lead even more, and now has 4 minutes. Rue leads for a while but tires near the top and falls back quickly, leaving Indurain with only one more rider for support.
As the field passes the summit Zuelle has streched the lead to 5 minutes. The swiss rider is turning on one of the best rides of his life and is now the virtual tour leader. Perhaps Indurain was expecting Zuelle to collapse on the final climb to La Plagne but 'till this point he'd made no signs of weakening.
In the descent Indurain leads the field personally, but at very slow speed. He only freewheels down the mountain ( because his azz is red and throbbing by this point) and as a result Zuelle's lead grows to 5'20". It seems as though Indurain is not willing to use his last helper (Aparicio) to lead all the way to the finish. The slow speed allows Rue to catch the field again, and immediatly the frenchman takes the lead again with Indurain behind him. As the flat is reached again Zuelle's lead is still over 5 minutes.
On the flat it's a long-distance pursuit race between Zuelle and Rue - one that ended in a draw. As the final climb is reached Zuelle still has just under 5 minutes advantage. After only a few hundred meters of the climb Rue quits and falls back to ride the last 15km by himself. Indurain must now use his last help and Apricio goes to the front. Tonkov attacks and comes clear without the slightest reaction from the field. Indurain looks somewhat exposed now, with only the one helper, but the remaining riders doen't seem to have any interest in an attack at all.
Zuelle still has 4 1/2 minutes (over Tonkov, 5 min. on the field) as Aparicio tires and Indurain must take over the lead himself. It's still enough for him (Zuelle) to be dangerous to Indurain in G.C even though it seems he won't get the yellow jersey. He's starting to fight now, but is still riding fast.
As Indurain takes the lead riders start to go off the back. Rominger doesn't look good and there is only 12 other riders in the group now. Suddenly Indurain raises the pace. The group is immediatly stretched to breaking point. One rider after another sprints onto Indurains wheel, realizes what a speed the Spaniard is riding, sits back in the saddle, and falls back to ride his own tempo up the mountain. Within minutes the field is destroyed and Indurain is alone chasing Tonkov and Zuelle. Pantani builds a first group with Gotti and Lafranchi. Rominger is further back and Riis can't be seen.
Indurain catches Tonkov and is now 4'03" down on Zuelle. Tonkov hangs on for a while but Indurain is not holdable today. He powers into, and out of, the corners. He doesn't even get out of the saddle, too delirious with the pain eminating from his backside to do anything else. Tonkov soon quits this pace and rides on alone. He'd hung on to Indurain for almost 2 1/2 minutes - longer than anyone else. Zuelle now had 3'50".
The race order was now: Zuelle, Indurain, Tonkov, Pantani - Gotti - Lafranchi, Rominger - Chaippuci - Dufaux - Virenque - Escartin. Escartin was giving it all he could to keep Rominger in the race.
With 5km to go Zuelle is giving it all he's got. He's fighting but still riding fantasticly. Even with the speed that Indurain was riding he wasn't going to catch the Once rider today. He still had 3'09" and the win looked safe, the only remaining question was how close would he get to Indurain in G.C. Indurain keeps up the pace and reaches the red flag at about the same time Zuelle crosses the line. He finishes 2'02" later. Tonkov arrives another 2 minutes later, followed by Pantani and Gotti. Romingers group arrives 6'00" after Zuelle. After Indurain crosses the line, he throws his big Pinarrelo over the barrier and yells at his DS to get rid of those “Effin Ass-Hatchets”. After which he retired to his motor coach with a jar of Assos chami cream.
The times show that, despite a 70km break over 2 passes, Zuelle was still able to put time on almost all the other riders in the last climb. A truly fantastic effort. Whether he can recover from this enormous effort and challenge Indurain for the overall lead remains to be seen. One must hope that he can because he is now the sole remaining challenger to Indurains record equalling 5th tour win.
Tomorrow is another day, but if the weather remains hot, and the copious amounts of Assos Chami cream has helped, then the opponents of Indurain had better resign themselves to another hard day. Indurain is riding as never before and it's time for him to win a stage other than a time trial. He was beaten on Saturday but tomorrow the Alp d'Huez could be what he's looking for.


Anyway, that’s the story I heard. :confused:

William