Velominati Community Profile Archive

Velominatus: prowrench

Order: Level 4 Velominatus

I have been on bikes my whole life. I used to ride cross country mountain bikes until about 6 years ago when I fell head-over-heals in love with road cycling. I have worked in bicycle shops for around 10 years now as a mechanic and I love working on bicycles as much as I like to ride them.

@prowrench's activity:

Reverence: Campagnolo Tools

Exposure to religion in my youth was by way of a brief dose of sunday school at the local Unitarian church. The point there, evidently, was to learn about other religions and turtles. If a point was being made, I missed it. When Catholic friends of mine came over for the weekend I would accompany them to the closest Catholic church and we would end...

@prowrench's posts:

  1. I grew up working in a shop with a fantastic oak case clad 50th anniversary Campy Tool Kit.  Cool as hell.  As time presses on though, most of these tools are obsolete in the face of press fit everything and frames that break before they bend. »

Keepers Tour Update: Contact Point Supplier: fi’zi:k

It’s crazy to me how fast two months from peaking goes by. At Christmas time I remember thinking how distant the Keepers Tour 2012 felt and that I’d have plenty of time to train. Now that time is measured in weeks instead of months and my feelings tend more toward doubt about my form. Cycling in Northeastern Minnesota in January, Februa...

@prowrench's posts:

  1. @ChrisO I do have the matching saddle. It is a honey-top Brooks Professional with copper rails. Unlike the saddle however, the Brooks Gods do not require blood sweat and tears before they will allow you to feel good riding the tape. »

  2. @frank @eightzero @chrisO @anyoneImayhaveoffended I have decided to show my face once more with a little explanation: 1. If I came off as a dick in my post, it is because I am a total snot about bar wrap jobs. Bicycles are works of art and the bar wra… »

  3. To the wrapper of the bars in this article, Stop wrapping bars. Handlebars should be taped in such a way that the direction of the tape is planned deliberately so that the riders natural tendencies to twist the bar should cause the tape to tighten and … »

Ill Pro-ghetto: IT lives…

There’s not too much you can buy with $8 these days. A coffee and cake. A tube. Maybe a trashy tabloid magazine (certainly not the likes of Rouleur, Bike or Spoke…) How about a complete bike? For eight bucks? Are you kidding me?It can be done, and yes, I’ve done it. It helps no end that I have access to a bike shop, with a worksho...

@prowrench's posts:

  1. I thought that I would chip in on 8 dollar bikes. Working in a shop for many years has rendered a wealth of parts that sit in my garage awaiting my whim. Out of pocket costs on this bike at the time I built it were laid down only for 2 cables and a BB c… »