Il Gruppo Progetto: Resurrection of a Pirate
The corollary of Rule #12 is that one focusses the bulk of their energies on upgrading Bike #1 with the result that upgraded gear typically cascades down to Bike #2 and on down through Bike #n. This is The Way of Things; Bike #1 gains the most, but in the end, they all benefit as upgrades trickle through the stable, with the oldest and most worn gear falling from the bottom where they are either discarded or await enough accumulation to justify another build.
There comes a day, however, that we find ourselves needing to inject an upgrade into the hierarchy, an upgrade which disrupts the Natural Order. This was the case when I reluctantly replaced my XL EV2 with my new Soloist frame. My EV2 holds a dear place in my heart. I built her bit by bit, from components scavenged from eBay over the course of an entire winter. She was at my side (under me, actually, if we’re going to pick nit) as I rediscovered La Vie Velominatus. She was built from scratch in homage to one of my all-time favorite cyclists, Pantani, and his elusive 1998 stallion. She was the first bike I owned that fit me the way I wanted. She was the first bike I had with compact geometry, she was the first bike that cleft my heart in two when I crashed during a crit and destroyed the frame. (I quickly replaced hers with another, identical frame, which is the one I have today.)
Suffice it to say, to have her hanging from a nail in my workshop is a dishonor to this beautiful, loyal friend who carried me back to fitness and through some of the greatest ride’s I’ve been on. Never once did she complain that I was too heavy. Never once did she cringe in agony as I pushed harder on the pedals. Never once did she point downhill when the road pointed up. She carried me through the 2003 L’Etape du Tour and up l’Alpe d’Huez on the morning of the stage. She carried me home after bonking in the heat of North Carolina. She guided my rear wheel back to safety as I was slipping to certain death under a passing semi-trailer on a rain-slicked railroad track.
We have been through a lot together; she must be resurrected. But the question is, in what form?
Bikes are meant to be ridden. I have a carbon Bike #1 and a steel Bike #2, both of which are generally ridden in good weather only, although accidents do happen and they do find their way onto wet roads occasionally. I have a sublime Alu Bike #3 which boasts an identical fit to Bike #1 and serves as my rain bike, thereby getting by far the most use. As far as road bikes go; I have the spectrum fairly well covered and I fear that adding another will mean that she lives out her life being overlooked for my daily rides and go largely unridden, a dishonor almost as great as her current state of limbo.
What I don’t have, however, is a commuter bike; a bike to ride to the cafe or farmers market. A bike to hop aboard and pedal to the office. Do I build her into a commuter which gets ridden, if not in the spirit for which she was intended? Or is this a bigger dishonor than not riding her at all? If I do build her into a commuter, do I rider her with drop bars and my old STI shifters, or do I opt for a set of commuter-friendly mustache bars which I’ve fancied ever since I spotted my first Bridgestone X0? Downtube shifters or bar-end shifters? Full funders and wide tires, I think, though how wide is possible on her tight racing geometry?
Or do I build a funeral pire and set her ablaze, allowing her noble soul to return to Merckx on Mount Velomis to be reborn to someone else’s stable?
Fellow Velominati, I submit to your input: how best to honor this noble steed?
I received from my brother in law his mid-80s Colnago. It was slightly too big for me but for years I oogled the frame … the geometry … the chromed lugs … Ave Maria!!!! I stripped it down, “fixed” it and never looked back. It begs to be ridden and never sits unused. I commute everywhere with it. Bottle cage is perfect size for coffee mug. The Pirate would want this ridden in whatever condition it was in. -The Buoy
While mustache bars look perfectly normal on a Grant Petersen Bridgestone they have NO place on a Tour-bred Bianchi. The very fact that you even considered such leaves the door open for a coup d’etat.
While I loathe the fact that Fixie Hipsters have flooded the streets with what can only be described as travesties, maybe you can be the catalyst for taking back what is rightfully ours and turn her into a drop barred fixed geared bike – sans brake caliper(s) of course.
I need to learn to type faster.
Do a commuter build; BUT do it retro cool. Campa C-Record, down tube shifters, 28h double butted spokes laced to Mavic Open Pro Ceramic rims. Then Race Blades for fenders.
I do like the mustache bars, saw a couple Bridgestone X0 in the LBS last night (very cool), but not what I’d do to your EV2.
Nice frame BTW.
FNG (Fucking New Guy) here, so although I’m not sure how much my opinion may count, I feel compelled to give it. In NO way, should you bastardize this bicycle. If you love her as much as you profess, you need to treat her the way she deserves. Build her the way she was meant to be built with a classic style. If you feel such a strong connection to her, MAKE the time to ride her appropriately. Remember, although you aspire to look and act PRO, you are not- you have a balance between life and the bike. Use bikes 1 and 2 for the V, and think of this bike as a perfect opportunity to truly experience the essence of Rule #6. I say, take her out on a beautiful Saturday afternoon with the VMH, a bottle of wine in the back pocket of your V-Kit, and find a nice field to relax in and just enjoy the melding of the two loves of your life.
@Lee
For the win!
Great post @Lee, 6 post in and I think the discussion is over!
@Lee
A-fuckin-Merckx. Build her to complete ’98 specs and use her for the long, recovery rides where the ghost of Pantani will be beside you.
@Cyclops
Let me get this straight, because I want to make sure I understand correctly: in one breath you suggest a coup d’etat, and in the other suggest I convert a road bike into a fixie? A fixed-wheel bike, if I’m to reclaim what is ours from the hipsters, can only be a track bike ridden on the road, with straight dropouts and track geometry.
@Lee
I’ve been down this path of logic as well, and the trouble with this is that the TSX is generally used for the expression of the greatest sensations of Cycling. She had to be retired because she didn’t fit quite right any more, causing me little troubles such as back and knee pains due to the differences in position in light of my position on the R3.
For the easy ride, I reach for the TSX who otherwise would suffer the same fate and go unridden. On rainy days, I reach for the Soloist in order to best match my position on the R3 and offer an easy transition between the two bikes I ride hard.
My fear is that by building her into a road bike, she will be built to fill a gap in my heart, not my stable and will nevertheless go unridden, despite any vows I may make at the time of building her.
@scaler911
I like the way you’re thinking about this.
I came to a similar pass when I owned the last of the American Klein’s; the year after Gerolsteiner used them–I forget if this was ’03 or ’04. Knowing this would never get much use from me, though I loved it dearly, I sold it to an aficionado who remarked at the condition I had kept it in despite the miles.
In the end, it is better to release an amazing specimen into the wild, where at home it isn’t much more than clutter. And I commute on my road bike (or cross, in snow or downpour) because I am a roadie, and even in casual attire, I will remain casually deliberate a-drape the drop bars. If you wish to take a more recreational pace, it stands to reason along the rules that the bike should reflect that as well, not just your dress.
You could always pass it along to another member of the order. ;-)
@frank
Get out the hacksaw.
@Cyclops
This is what a track dropout looks like, dingus.
@Colin
A noble gesture. But am I still to attached to her to part with her? Yes, I think so.
Such as one of these, from the Motherland. Indeed it seems strange to attempt to find some middle ground with the Ev2 between this and her roots that cannot be attained.
A good bike is meant to be ridden! Even if it means to the farmers market. You can best honor it’s proud history by keeping it clean and looking good, and riding it with love.
Its a rare treat here in the Bay area to see a classic bike working a day job. You know there must be stories. So yes, go ahead and build it up in the spirit that best suits it. Riding to work is a different experience than channeling the V, and its good to have a bike for each job. Savor those mornings with your old friend.
@frank
Oh yeah? Well THIS…
…is a record player
THIS…
…is a turntable
I guess I don’t have a problem with riding a frame with road geometry on the road…
Second FNG of the post, so apologies in advance.
While a bike like her should be ridden, completely re-appropriating her to something other than a thoroughbred race bike feels wrong to me. I’d rather have a bike that suits a job it doesn’t get used for often enough (technically few bikes are used enough I guess) than have a race frame with moustache bars. I’m not sure why, it just feels wrong, like the guy with his bars all wrong.
If it is the farmers market for her make sure it’s drop bars and right looking equipment. Wrong bars? Hipster. Fake-fixie? Double hipster. Then again, take this with a pinch of salt – it’s coming from a guy who uses a brooks leather saddle on his race bike.
This site’s getting depressing. Yesterday Brett’s mourning the lack of riding; today Frank’s mourning the passing of a bike. You can’t put mustache bars on this””as cool as those bars are. And fixie? Oh dear, @Cyclops! Good lord, no. Although, I think you’ve just articulated your winter progetto (not with this frame).
The lone solution: mount it in a place of pride””livingroom above the fireplace, say””where you can sip cognac and recount stories of the bike ad infinitum to visitors. That or a more revered place in the workshop. Or lend it to a sympathetic café or bike shop for display and regular reverence. But somewhere you’ll see it frequently.
@robertsexton
You should come to the city more often. You’ll be assaulted by a lot of hipster travesties but some of the messenger dudes roll around on properly kitted Italian metal.
Turn it into a bong.
Rebuilding this bike sounds like the father-son project. Have you an heir?
@Lee
Excellent opening salvo, Lee. I can’t see Frank relaxing in any field and he could be out there with two bikes.
Frank, this is indeed a great problem you describe. If you are not ready to part with it, and you are wise not to, it should be ridden. It’s a great bike and still deserves to be put into a fast corner now and again. Since you already have more beautiful race bikes than I ever will, I could see it being a very light, fast, haul-ass around Phinney Ridge bike. Maybe set up a little like Brett’s bike, which I have a considerable amount of carbone for.
Light wheels, no extra shiet, 10 or 20 speeds, if you need to bring growlers/wine/twat waffles home, chuck ’em in a knapsack. And go by every hipster at 45km/hr.
Another FNG her.
@cyclops and @frank Just to add fuel to the fire, technically it is a track fork end, not a dropout.
@Cyclops
Turn it into a milk frother so you can make more wussy Seattle drinks for Cyclops next time he is in town. Poison him with good coffee again.
The only thing to do is to let if fly. Somewhere so that it can be used for many more miles to come. Its tough but it must be done!
You cannot take a ’60’s Porsche and use it just to run to the store with.
It will be a complete injustice to chop-shop this beauty. Use her as a road bike or let her go to someone that will.
Anything else is an insult to the bike.
As for what to do with the bike, it is a difficult choice. But if a bike doesn’t fit you any more then it’s time to say thanks for the good times and pass it on to a loving new owner. I had to do this with an Italian made Lemond GAN team frame and fork that was just a few mm to low at the front to get the best out of. Broke my heart and I still feel bad but I know I would never have ridden it properly.
I think a 52/20 single speed with drop bars and 28’s if they’ll fit (or 25’s) would be suitable. That ratio would be fine for an errand down to the beer store or hill repeats in the hood. Throw a flip flop on there with a fixed 17 or 18 to work on your stroke or lay down some V around Green Lake. The drop bars would not look out of place like ‘stache bars would, and you’d ride the bike. You’d still get the feeling of your beloved old steed because you’d actually ride it and it would not begrudge you the re-purposing. All this and you could take solace in the fact that you’re not a hipster and not riding a hipster bike.
You know, the more I think about this: While I’m a modest 179cm, my son is threatening to be ungodly tall…
@fishandsteak
Whoa, there’s more than just wrong bars on that bike. Too many rule violations to count.
Fuck all that. Ghetto TT bike. drop stem, use your zipps, get a non setback seatpost or a Thompson that you can set forward and some aero bars. Hurt yourself in TTs. Stop and repeat till you buy another Cervelo.
@Steampunk
That can often signify the kid isn’t yours.
But onto more important matters – I agree with Marco. Fixify (my made up word for the day) the Bianch Frank. You will get the most use out of it this way. It’s just another frame – this is how you think when you THINK PRO.
Oh Christ, someone put me out of my misery, what exactly is a fixie hipster?? Doh!!!!
@Marko
+1. I like Marko’s idea. It would be pretty cheap the implement as well, and would render a fun errand bike as a result.
@mcsqueak
+2 Marko’s idea.
Drops and the onlly gear needed for the purpose.
Put some nice brakes on it. 28s should fit.
Ooh, gosh, setting her ablaze? Hmm, I suppose my vote goes to either putting the frameset on the wall in your shop as a badge of all the rides you’ve shared or building it up into a do everything bike. But, then you run into the dilemmas: platform pedals or mountain pedals, drops or risers, fenders or not?
And, should such a nice bike be build up for such utilitarian purposes?
One actual suggestion – do you have any friends who you could coax into road cycling by gifting them such a bike? Then it would have a second chance to turn someone into a Velominatus & provide them with hours of cycling joy.
It seems a bit of a shame to turn such a nice frameset into a proper commuter; that’s maybe better left for a less sexy frame.
And yes, mustache bars make me cringe. I do not like them on any bike, much less one with such a history.
Besides, how can a man who cannot grow decent facial hair put bars with such a name on his cherish steed? Blasphemy.
If you’re not sure what you want to do with it, why not just keep it as art in your bike cave until you do know? To me that’s less of a travesty than building it up as something it’s patently not, and it’s not as if there’s a time penalty on holding onto cool old bike gear.
@Oli
Agreed.
@Oli
Absolutely, and that’s what I intend to do. In fact, that’s entirely what this article is aimed at helping to elucidate (though it’s doing little to help me get there.)
One of the things I enjoy most about such projects is thinking about them and trying to decide what to do with a frame, how to build it, what parts to pick, what color bar tape to chose, what cables to use, even which kind of chain lube would be best for the type of use the bike ends up getting.
This is all part of the fun; I just thought it would be fun to bring the community into the thought process. The Grouppo Progetto series is there partly to share in the fun, but partly to show those who build built bikes from their LBS without much consideration for the wealth of options available when you start with a frame.
@Minion
The possibilities are endless!! Look Ergostem, and I’m off to the races. Or, perhaps a custom-welded fork with low-drop cow-horns? Or, go Superman?
@frank
I wasn’t saying for a second not to ask the question, but I’m not really sure how the thread can help you “elucidate” when you disagree with everything that is suggested anyway!?
What are the options?
*Build it up original or close to it.
*Build it up as a commuter.
*Build it up as a permanent stationary trainer bike.
*Build it up as a fixie.
*Build it up as a cyclocross bike.
*Build it up as a BMX.
*Put a motor on it.
*Weld another frame to it and build it as a tandem.
*Give it away.
*Throw it away.
*Burn it.
*Keep it hanging up.
Did I miss anything out?
@frank
I think you should find another frame laying around (I’m sure you have one) and go for something like this. The seat height is already right for you.
@Oli
I understand why you think I’m being disagreeable, but from my point of view, asking questions and probing deeper is how people come to solutions. Similarly, not following someone’s advice or recommendation is completely independent of whether it was listened to or taken into consideration.
For instance, the suggestion to make her into a fixie is simply not a practical one in Seattle because I live on top of a ridge in one of the hilliest cities in the country and I would spend my days planning routes where I could get up or down the hills in town. That said, there is a very, very good sentiment behind the suggestion of making it into a practical, easy to maintain bicycle that gets used regularly. So, while there is no way I’m making it into a fixie, the idea behind it is a good one. If I go that route, I may go with a rear derailleur and DT shifters and no front mech and wide tires. That said, I may very well not do that and load it up instead with late Nineties Campa and make a Pantani replica with a right Ergo and left DT shifters that rarely gets used because that’s a great idea, too. Every suggestion made here is a great one, and every single one of them requires further questioning and consideration.
Rarely is a suggestion or idea perfect; one has to dig into it and usually take components of an array of ideas to find the best solution. At least, that’s the way I work through problems.
@Oli
Oh, yes.
*Build it up as a TT rig (thanks Minion).
*Run it over with a steamroller.
*Tactical nuke it.
*Use it as a boat anchor.
*Saw the rear end off and make a stool out of it.
*Fold, spindle and mutilate it.
@all
At this point the mustache bars are conclusively out. Aside from that, anything is still on the table. This is going to take a good long time to work through.
Also, I have five pages of gear in my watch list on eBay with all manner of old school componentry to get a feel for what the investment might be to do a classic build on her. But, keeping in mind it’s a frame Pantani rode in 2001, I’m not convinced any of this stuff will do her more justice than commuting on her.
*sigh*
@Oli
You missed turning it into a homemade truing stand!
D’oh! What was I thinking??
@frank
It’s the only way to go brother!