View Full Version : My Ride with GoGo Gogulski
Sorry I'm a little late posting this, but Wednesday afternoon I took a group ride with Todd "GoGo" Gogulski and the Bicycle John's racing team through Agoura Hills and Westlake Village.
Honestly, you couldn't ask for a more classy guy in pro cycling and now race commentary. He had some great racing stories from the 80s and 90s with LeMond, Phinney, Hampsten, and some guy named Armstrong. GoGo also gave over some training tips and discussed some deep bike tech of which I was never aware of. He loved my Serotta CdA, saying that it was good to see Ben was still building frames.
I asked him if he ever raced on a Serotta, and he said no, his team wasn't so lucky. They had Cannondales.
I also wondered why he was in SoCal and not in Spain, covering the Vuelta. He laughed - he and Steve Schlanger broadcast the race from a suite in the Four Seasons in Thousand Oaks. Modern technology, eh?
At any rate, for a 50 yr. old guy, he climbs like goat, and winded all of us on his...get this...Bicycle Fridays with Ultegra 9.
Good times, good times.
rwsaunders
09-09-2011, 01:16 PM
Great story.
I also wondered why he was in SoCal and not in Spain, covering the Vuelta. He laughed - he and Steve Schlanger broadcast the race from a suite in the Four Seasons in Thousand Oaks. Modern technology, eh?
The only part of this that surprises me in the least is that they get a suite at the Four Seasons! I knew they were around LA. The son of a good friend of mine works for Universal Sports as an editor of some sort and he's always pulling together broadcasts of events around the world and he almost never gets out of LA. And neither do most of the announcers.
-Ray
67-59
09-09-2011, 01:30 PM
Thanks for sharing. Sounds like a good guy.
I have to admit, I wasn't crazy about his commentating at first, but he really has started to grow on me. Kinda like Bobke a few years back - an acquired taste, and now one of my favorites.
I was kinda wondering if they were doing the Vuelta long distance. Seemed odd that we'd only ever see them in an enclosed studio. Now we know.
ultraman6970
09-09-2011, 02:05 PM
He got a some level that probably he was going to kick ass even with a 7 speed d/t shifters. Besides im sure he had not stopped riding a bike ever. Nice ride u got hehe :)
BumbleBeeDave
09-09-2011, 02:28 PM
. . . because it's obvious he has raced. I know Paul Sherwin also raced, but somehow when I listen to I rarely hear him refer to his own racing experience.
I have seen others denegrate Schlanger and Go-Go, but I feel they do a pretty good job--all the better considering they have to take whatever Spanish TV gives them and respond to it as best they can remotely.
BBD
FlashUNC
09-09-2011, 03:09 PM
. . . because it's obvious he has raced. I know Paul Sherwin also raced, but somehow when I listen to I rarely hear him refer to his own racing experience.
I have seen others denegrate Schlanger and Go-Go, but I feel they do a pretty good job--all the better considering they have to take whatever Spanish TV gives them and respond to it as best they can remotely.
BBS
Paul's really modest about his racing career, but the guy was British National Champ at one point.
BumbleBeeDave
09-09-2011, 04:39 PM
Paul's really modest about his racing career, but the guy was British National Champ at one point.
. . . and it makes it more puzzling to me as to why he seldom refers to his racing experience. I'm not talking about palmares.
More about explaining what it feels like at various times during the race to be a participant or why the racers are behaving the way they are. That's what Gogulski does that adds a lot.
BBD
Climb01742
09-09-2011, 05:16 PM
gogo is growing on me too. i like his blend of insider-racer knowledge and his understated demeanor. the other dude, tho, ain't growing on me. (as an aside, universal's track+field commentators are first rate, dwight stones and ato bolden.)
biker72
09-09-2011, 05:53 PM
. . .
I have seen others denegrate Schlanger and Go-Go, but I feel they do a pretty good job--all the better considering they have to take whatever Spanish TV gives them and respond to it as best they can remotely.
BBD
+1
Go Go's racing knowledge integrates well with his broadcasting abilities.
Fivethumbs
09-09-2011, 10:58 PM
I have a video of the 1990 Tour de Trump showing Gogulski (on Team Crest) on one of those Team Crest Cannondales.
mgm777
09-10-2011, 12:12 AM
I have not met Gogo in person, but I like his commentary and it doesn't surprise me that he is still in top form. I have met Bobke in person, and the camera is not kind to him. On TV, Bobke appears a bit thick and goofy. In person, he is anything but. He does possess a gregarious personality and he is still very fit.
One nice tidbit that GoGo told me about the Vuelta is when JJ Cobo took the overall lead in the mountain stage, he was riding a 34-tooth gear in the back, while everyone else suffered on 27 and 28. "He stayed on top of his spin," GoGo said, "which enabled him to take over the lead while the other guys suffered."
I guess the lesson is don't be ashamed of large tooth-count gears or compact cranks. The pros definitely use them when needed. In all, it's the easy cadence that counts.
oldpotatoe
09-10-2011, 08:14 AM
I have not met Gogo in person, but I like his commentary and it doesn't surprise me that he is still in top form. I have met Bobke in person, and the camera is kind to him. On TV, Bobke appears a bit thick and goofy. In person, he is anything but. He does possess a gregarious personality and he is still very fit.
In person does Bobke look thin and suave? Or thicker and goofier?
AngryScientist
09-10-2011, 08:16 AM
One nice tidbit that GoGo told me about the Vuelta is when JJ Cobo took the overall lead in the mountain stage, he was riding a 34-tooth gear in the back, while everyone else suffered on 27 and 28. "He stayed on top of his spin," GoGo said, "which enabled him to take over the lead while the other guys suffered."
I guess the lesson is don't be ashamed of large tooth-count gears or compact cranks. The pros definitely use them when needed. In all, it's the easy cadence that counts.
this is a great tip too, there is no reason to every be "ashamed" of the gear combo you're using, just use what works.
cool story and thanks for sharing. :beer:
sjbraun
09-10-2011, 09:09 AM
I heard Bobke speak at the Moab Century Tour last year. He was thin, but not suave.Goofy and thin seem to describe him better.
mgm777
09-10-2011, 04:50 PM
In person does Bobke look thin and suave? Or thicker and goofier?
Typo. Fixed it. Meant to say the camera is not kind to him. He is very fit and in-shape when you see him in person.
BumbleBeeDave
09-10-2011, 05:13 PM
Typo. Fixed it. Meant to say the camera is not kind to him. He is very fit and in-shape when you see him in person.
. . . as long as he doesn't suddenly appear in my shower asking if I want to go for a ride! :eek: :rolleyes:
BBD
Hawker
09-10-2011, 07:11 PM
I have not met Gogo in person, but I like his commentary and it doesn't surprise me that he is still in top form. I have met Bobke in person, and the camera is not kind to him. On TV, Bobke appears a bit thick and goofy. In person, he is anything but. He does possess a gregarious personality and he is still very fit.
Agreed. I met Bob at the CO race a couple of weeks ago and he looked very fit. I've done a little TV and what they say is true, the camera puts ten pounds on you.
I also met Ali Starnes...she looks waaay better than Bobke. :)
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