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Velominatus: wrench

Order: Level 4 Velominatus

@wrench's activity:

On Rule #64: The Sudden Drop

The severity of a crash exists on two planes, the physical and psychological. The physical is the most obvious and one we busy ourselves with in the immediate vicinity of coming down. Our bodies need time to heal, our kits may need replacing or mending, and our bicycles may need repair work. For weeks and sometimes months, we may carry with us t...

@wrench's posts:

  1. @Gianni @Mikael Liddy @Deakus Thanks for replying. Through sites like this I’m somehow maintaining a sense of humor and trying to focus on the riding that is to come, even if I won’t be pining on a number anytime soon. Banksy pretty much says it all… »

  2. Frank- Thank you. You’ve put into words what I have yet to. On January 8th of this year I crashed while on one of my favorite rides on the planet. A classic Northern California loop out of Woodside, I wound up to and over Skyline through redwoods to the… »

Anatomy of a Photo: V-Bank Line of Credit

Economics, in its most simple form, follows the Conservation of Mass as defined in physics. Basically, everything goes according to plan so long as outflow is less than or equal to inflow. Failing that, the balance is upset and things start getting complicated. Before long, the calculus starts revolving around “imaginary numbers” (like...

@wrench's posts:

  1. One could argue that the anatomy of this picture shows The V truly being lay’d down… and the bike is being picked up… »

The New V-estament

During the birth of The Rules, just like the Big Bang, there was a flurry of new activity, too much expanding and not enough contracting; certainly not enough thinking. It’s hard to keep the throttle back when divining the Word of Merckx in real time. The interweb tubes whistled with new Rules shuttling back and forth, beers consumed, genius...

@wrench's posts:

  1. Thank you for Rule #19.. My username is Wrench. Pleased to meet you all. I gotta admit (and ask The Prophet for forgiveness) I often let my 8 and 10 year old break Rule #49.. Sometimes.. the only way to properly clean beater BMX bikes is to flip them … »

New Rules

The Rules – They were never expected to become this well known. Nor was the list ever going to get this long or be taken this seriously. The Rules were first suggested as a few basic guidelines just to keep some basic civility and decorum on the road. But we took it too far (as we do everything) and now The Rules somehow define the Velominati...

@wrench's posts:

  1. I love this place.. »

We Wish You a Merckxy Christmas, and a Coppi New Year

From the bottom of our hearts, and on behalf of everyone at Velominati, we wish you a very Happy Holidays and as such issue a temporary suspension of Rule #11.I’d like to thank everyone for coming around to our little corner of the world to spend your valuable time as part of the community; without you, none of this works. Thanks for helpi...

@wrench's posts:

  1. Very thankful to have discovered this place. Thank you for all your hard work. It’s a rare day I don’t find myself here reading and being completely entertained! »

In Memoriam: Unsafe Headgear

I appreciate my helmet. I treat it with respect. I never leave for a ride without it. I replace it after a crash or even after helplessly watching it bound down the stairwell like some kind of deformed styrofoam slinky-dink after allowing it to slip from my grasp. (This activity also typically involves some assertions questioning what it does in it...

@wrench's posts:

  1. @ChrisO The suggestion of the a new rule was in fact mine.. Said more in jest than ever expecting it to see added to the near biblical set of rules; I am a firm believer in the helmet. Working as a Paramedic Fireman long enough to be completely burnt out… »

  2. The days of old are behind us. As classic and inspirational as they are; we have moved forward for the better on some levels. May I be bold enough to suggest a Rule #88? Wear Your Helmet.. with the explanation as a direct quote from the father of @Ron? ‘a… »

Look Pro: Flandrian Best

To Look Pro is to strive to Look Fantastic and to be at our ease on a bicycle. It is to walk the line between form and function and is based entirely on the premise that the professional peloton is far more experienced in this endeavour than we shall ever be. Their lessons speak through their actions on the bike, serving as a beacon to provide us t...

@wrench's posts:

  1. @frank Thanks! »

  2. Am I in violation of Rule #21 if I wear a traditional cap the entire season? I’m bald and would like to protect myself from all the elements yet, fear breaking the rules.. »

The Seduction of Symbols

There was a time when bicycles were lovingly handmade by artisans who themselves loved the sport more than those for whom they built the machines. Lugs were filed to become Luggs; chain and seat stays were beautifully chromed for durability despite the grams it added to the frame’s final weight; spokes were chosen for their purpose and lace...

@wrench's posts:

  1. @frank I couldn’t agree with you more.. I have always believed that road bike brakes are solely meant for scrubbing speed and I ride that way. Stopping is a bonus. Lock up a brake on a bike and you’re jacked anyway you look at it.. Road bike disc brake… »

  2. Ahhh, The road bicycle wheel. Take a deep look now. Breathe it in. Imbed it in your mind’s eye.. Fall asleep to it after a long day rolling on them. I hate to say this but their pure aesthetic is all about to be completely ruined by the disc brake and the… »

La Vie Velominatus: The VVorkshop

If the road is the cathedral where we go to worship at the altar of Merckx then the workshop must surely be the rectory. The workshop of the Velominatus is semi-sacred space where one goes primarily to sharpen one’s tool of worship. In so doing, the workshop also provides a space in which to meditate on the machine, make repairs from rides go...

@wrench's posts:

  1. @brett I stand corrected.. I’m learning. »

  2. Amen »