Velominati Community Profile Archive

Velominatus: frank

Order: Keeper of the Cog

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A lifelong Velominatus, the history and culture within cycling fascinates Frank (pronounced in Dutch and Flemish as “Fränk”) and, if given even the vaguest of excuses, will discuss it ad nausium. A devoted cycling aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Question? Email me.

@frank's activity:

Twiggo is dreaming of a Giro-Tour double. He has sent out mixed messages about his Tour ambitions. Will he use the Giro as the ultimate Tour preparation or will be burn all his matches in May and hope he can find another pack for July? He has abandoned his successful 2012 Tour run-up strategy of winning every stage race he entered the previous spri...

@frank's posts:

  1. @brett …Says the guy with the lantern. If this was the Tour, we wouldn’t have had a reason to watch after the first weekend…even a bad Giro like this one stays interesting until the last few days. »

  2. @ChrisO The team of climbing domestiques were also quite strong collectively the day after the rest day… On the other hand, I’m looking forward to the various excusing which should be forthcoming from Cuddles any minute… »

  3. Yikes, Nibbles on a monster. Too bad any suspense in this year’s race is gone. He’s racing like a 2006 Basso. Interesting commentary on my (and I presume others) view on our culture; I considered him clean at Liquigas, and his move to Astana (which I don… »

The Bike. It is the central tool in pursuit of our craft. A Velominatus meticulously maintains their bicycles and adorns them with the essential, yet minimal, accoutrement. The Rules specify the principles of good taste in configuration and setup of our machines, but within those principles lies almost infinite room for personal taste.It seems in s...

@frank's posts:

  1. @Steampunk This. »

Rule #31 was conceived out of necessity, aesthetics and plain good taste.  Seeing an oversized saddle bag hanging limply by velcro under a Flite, Arione or Regal just isn’t right.  Frame pumps, while they undoubtedly do the finest job of inflating a tube, add nothing but bulk and clutter to the lines of a frame (and aren’t compatibl...

@frank's posts:

  1. @RedRanger, @G’rilla I’ve got the new ones (both sizes), they’re also very good, though not as easy to get stuff in and out of. They are 100% water proof now, though. »

We close out the 6 Days of the Giro with our sixth and final installment.A body at rest, stays at rest. A body in motion, stays in motion. Things get a bit more ambiguous when it comes to a body on a bicycle tearing down a twisty mountain descent at speed, particularly in the rain. But it is here, on the boundary between clarity and ambiguity, wher...

@frank's posts:

  1. @piwakawaka Me and the mouse in my pocket. Why, did you post it? »

In most situations, silence is an ominous thing that signals impending doom. Having never been in any danger myself, I base this largely on my experience watching box-office movies. As a general rule, I use Hollywood as the principal source of information on all subjects as they relate to doom and politics, principally because I’m loath t...

@frank's posts:

  1. @scaler911 They come lose. Massive. V. @Blah It’s called the “Sound” of “Silence”. Get it? »

  2. @strathlubnaig I’m filled with equal parts pride and shame at how many times this joke was made before I finished reading the thread. We are a sick lot. »

  3. @G’rilla You might have noticed that creaking when I dropped you the other day, were it not for the bend in space/time it caused. In fact, it has been reported that Google bought a quantum computer in order to measure the rate of V being sucked from you… »

  4. @Steampunk Shimano is so crappy, it doesn’t even require unnecessary maintenance or precautions! »

We close out the 6 Days of the Giro with our sixth and final installment.A body at rest, stays at rest. A body in motion, stays in motion. Things get a bit more ambiguous when it comes to a body on a bicycle tearing down a twisty mountain descent at speed, particularly in the rain. But it is here, on the boundary between clarity and ambiguity, wher...

@frank's posts:

  1. @Steampunk Did you get an ear infection on the way down? »

  2. @Steampunk Ah, there he is. »

In most situations, silence is an ominous thing that signals impending doom. Having never been in any danger myself, I base this largely on my experience watching box-office movies. As a general rule, I use Hollywood as the principal source of information on all subjects as they relate to doom and politics, principally because I’m loath t...

@frank's posts:

  1. @scaler911 You apparently need to learn how to push on the pedals. Fabian and I can show you how to do that after I show him how to snap the pawls off the Zipp freehub body. Admittedly, laying down massive wattage is not likely to be the Squeaker’s is… »

We close out the 6 Days of the Giro with our sixth and final installment.A body at rest, stays at rest. A body in motion, stays in motion. Things get a bit more ambiguous when it comes to a body on a bicycle tearing down a twisty mountain descent at speed, particularly in the rain. But it is here, on the boundary between clarity and ambiguity, wher...

@frank's posts:

  1. HOW DID WE MISS THIS ONE? BRR EVEN POSTED IT FOR US. V demerits all around. »

  2. @Beers First day of rain here in a while, roads slick with diesel and other nasty things. Started a long twisting descent with a yellow school bus behind me. I barely – BARELY – dropped it. I descended like a Wiggins for sure. Roads can be fucked when… »

In most situations, silence is an ominous thing that signals impending doom. Having never been in any danger myself, I base this largely on my experience watching box-office movies. As a general rule, I use Hollywood as the principal source of information on all subjects as they relate to doom and politics, principally because I’m loath t...

@frank's posts:

  1. @eightzero Yeah, and I’ve been wanting to say that the better clincher tires also have a great sound, and that if you pair them to some nice wheels, you’re on your way. Supple clinchers on 3x box section rims is a great sound. Carbon clincher will give… »

  2. @mcsqueak AND GREASE THE SPACERS. And you might want to drop a bit of triflo on the rivets of the spiders on the bigger cogs, assuming your cassette has them. Wipe it down afterwards, you want lube IN there, not on the outside. Grease the spacers whet… »

  3. @VeloVita If that’s what it is, then I suggest a regimen of Rule #5 adherence and exhibiting some fucking self control. »

  4. @wiscot To be fair, I brought cliff bars and shots, but didn’t want to use them unless I had to. I wouldn’t normally do that, but for a long winter training ride, it is a great way to lose weight. Wouldn’t dream of that in the summer. People disagree … »

  5. @mcsqueak Only when pedaling? Take the cassette off, clean it, grease all the spacers, and put it back on, tight. Oh, and whatever you try, just try ONE THING AT A TIME. Don’t change too many variables at once. »

  6. @Chris This is correct; hub noise is not included, though it can be annoying. I happen to like the nice, crisp click of a hub, and both my Royce and Hope hubs have this characteristic. I base this on spinning the wheel in the VVorkshop, as I don’t sto… »

  7. @Bespoke I’ve never stopped pedaling, so I’ve never noticed the sound of my freehub. »

  8. @the Engine Start with solid foods, but as you carry on, you can switch to gels. Find some with less sugar but not chewing helps a lot. Plus, on a ride that long, chewing starts to be too energy-intensive anyway. I’ve been so burned that chewing caused… »

  9. @ChrisO Spot on, replenish afterwards but consuming muscle is, in my opinion, a modern myth by hobby nutritionists. I’m sure at some point you can start to consume muscle, but not so long as you are fit enough that you body knows HOW to burn fat and tha… »

  10. @Blah And what about the kid in the jump suit? Re-posting because it got buried. I have a feeling blue pants has some sweet shades on. »