Velominati Super Prestige:
Giro D'Italia 2013
Velominati Community Profile Archive

Velominatus: torvid

Order: Level 3 Velominatus

Location: United Kingdom

@torvid's activity:

V And V Makes VV: Haleakala Round IIV

I can’t really call it an obsession. If it was an obsession, I would have commissioned a bloke I’ve never met to build me a set of ultra-light wheels and I would have spent an outrageous amount of money to upgrade my handlebars in an identical shape from aluminum to carbon in an effort to shave a few grams off the top end of my machine...

@torvid's posts:

  1.   I thought European steak was proven to improve climbing performance? »

Guest Article: Putting the V in Rivat

I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop in the Lance affair. That is a long wait. And I’m burned out on the whole doping subject so it’s great @wiscot writes up a profile of Charlie Mottet. Here is a man whose sock height I can believe in. VLVV, Gianni…...

@torvid's posts:

  1. @frank the yellow flash on the tip of the saddle ties the whole bike together. »

The Bikes

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...

@torvid's posts:

  1. @DerHoggz I use vittoria rubino pro III for everything but they don’t have natural side walls but they have been great weekend tyres and have lasted well on the commuter (46ish Km a day) just about to switch them for another set after 10 months, won’t tem… »

  2. @DerHoggz If you had to boot it to get home then it’s time for a new tyre. »

La Ruota

Its hard to say precisely where the line lays, but I’m certain I’m well on the wrong side of it. I never notice lines as I pass over them but I can usually tell after I have because it feels suddenly liberating to leave reason, sensibility, and convention behind. I find them very restrictive – claustrophobic, almost. They force me...

@torvid's posts:

  1. @scaler911! I have to agree with this, If I’m going slow enough that people can see what I’m riding then I want to look fabulous doing it. »

Guest Article: I’ve Fallen for You

What does this have to do with the Worlds? Nothing, but it makes me laugh and includes a wicked photograph so this is the guest article today. @roadslave joined the 2012 Keepers Tour for the full week of riding and ranting and he was excellent at both. He rode at the front with a Chris Horner smile and now he admits to only riding for four years. F...

@torvid's posts:

  1. @Cyclops Me too Yellow bar tape really ??? In all seriousness glad your okay, one of the odd things about meeting a fellow cyclist for the first time is swapping stories about how you got the scars it’s like instant ice breaker. »

The Rules

We are the Keepers of the Cog.  In so being, we also maintain the sacred text wherein lie the simple truths of cycling etiquette known as The Rules. It is in our trust to maintain and endorse this list.See also The Prophet’s Prayer. Continue reading...

@torvid's posts:

  1. @ChrisO Happy Birthday @Chris Tasha Yar – the evil version. »

Velominati Super Prestige: Women’s Road Championship 2012

It seems like just weeks ago that Cav won his rainbow stripes, things were said, umbrage was taken. Luckily we have found more umbrage so we are good to go. This course is not like last year. It’s not exactly a sprinters finish. It’s a 128 km rumble in Valkenberg and the Dutch team is there for Marianne Vos. She has finished second in...

@torvid's posts:

  1. Lizzie ARMITSTEAD out off the race :( VSP PICKS: 1. Judith ARNDT 2. Marianne VOS 3. Tatiana ANTOSHINA 4. Emma POOLEY 5. Belen LOPEZ MORALES »

Velominati Super Prestige: Mens World Championship Road Race 2012

I’m quite upset about it, actually, all this racing that’s been going on in perfectly good weather. Vlaanderen, dry. Roubaix, dry. We were nearly guaranteed shit weather with the Olympics in London, but even then, only the women got to get all Rule #9 on our asses – and only for one race. Damnit, I want Epic, and if we keep insis...

@torvid's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Gerrans 2. gilbert 3. Sagan 4. Valverde 5. Chavenal »

Velominati Super Prestige: Women’s Road Championship 2012

It seems like just weeks ago that Cav won his rainbow stripes, things were said, umbrage was taken. Luckily we have found more umbrage so we are good to go. This course is not like last year. It’s not exactly a sprinters finish. It’s a 128 km rumble in Valkenberg and the Dutch team is there for Marianne Vos. She has finished second in...

@torvid's posts:

  1. @Chris http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/road/20120914_ew.pdf »

  2. @Chris link I used was http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/road/20120914_ew.pdf VSP PICKS: 1. Judith ARNDT 2. Marianne VOS 3. Tatiana ANTOSHINA 4. Lizzie ARMITSTEAD 5. Belen LOPEZ MORALES »

  3. @Chris Hopefully this works half my posts don’t seem to go though. http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/road/20120914_ew.pdf »

  4. @Chris http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/road/20120914_ew.pdf  should work »

  5. @Chris This one should work http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/road/20120914_ew.pdf »

Best Kit Ever?

What is the best pro team kit ever? I’m talking team kit only, not a leader’s jersey, national team jersey or the national champion jersey. Not the worst either, for those are legion and worthy of a much longer article than this. @wiscot and I exchanged emails about Urs Freuler and the fantastic Atala kit which led to quick discussion o...

@torvid's posts:

  1. »

  2. I’ll probably get excommunicated for this but modern kit that a really like is the rapha condor kit It’s nice and simple not many colours not to overt on the sponsors everywhere. All time kits I like the 1993 Banesto kit as worn by Big Mig. »

Velominati Super Prestige: Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal 2012

Ok, as some of you have been reminding us, this one slipped off the radar last year, and threatened to do the same again this time. Is it because it’s held in Canada? That despite a quality field and only two weeks away from the Worlds, it’s in Canada? That even though the course is a perfect template for riders who hold hopes for earni...

@torvid's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Van Avermaet 2. Gerrans 3. Peter Sagan 4. Chavanel 5. Tony Gallopin »

The Bikes

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...

@torvid's posts:

  1. @Cyclops Wow nice work, I assume you will be going down the Ford route, you can have any colour you like as long as it’s orange :) »

  2. @graham d.m. I could be wrong but I think the press fit just refers to the bearing cups which you shouldn’t need to change you just need a crank puller and your all good unless the cranks don’t engage with the other bearing cups then you would need to c… »

  3. I agree with Marcus whilst 2.5mm doesn’t seem huge it’s the switching between the two if you go for the 172.5 reassess your saddle hight but i would say if you have ‘shorter’ limbs then the 170 might be best as I think cranks are related to different limb… »

  4. god damn auto correct, switch I want to say switch »

  5. arse *which »

  6. @graham d.m. if you really want to be sure witch the 170′s on to bike #1 go for a ride, no pain, get another set of 170′s if you get pain you know that’s not the problem »

Reverence: Speedplay Pedals

I’m old as dirt. My first two race bikes employed toe clips and toe straps and that set-up was bad. For many reasons it was bad and any retro-hipster who thinks otherwise is wrong. When Lemond and Hinault started racing on the white Look clipless pedals, everyone but Sean Kelly quickly switched. Talk about a quantum improvement, it was long o...

@torvid's posts:

  1. @frank Have you thought about going down the kick starter route? Seems to be all the rage at the moment for investment revenue generation. »

Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s Olympic Road Race 2012

You can all wave “goodbye” to your Post GT Depression Syndrome, because the Men’s Olympic Road Race is only three days yonder. I don’t typically give two shits about this particular event; while contested by national teams, unlike the Worlds it appears as just another one-day race on a calendar filled with events that carry...

@torvid's posts:

  1. Uran made the mistake of not remembering his account number and when he looked for it on the left barriers it was to late and vino was gone. I have not even seen an amateur make a mistake like that in the last 500m of a race. »

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