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 some ways like a kind of Stockholm Syndrome, the way we honor our machines. We love them to a point that lies well beyond obsession. Upon these machines upon we endure endless suffering, but also find an unending pleasure. The rhythm, the harmony between rider and machine, the outdoors, the wind in our faces and air in our lungs.

The Bikes is devoted entirely to our machines. Ours, The Keepers, and yours, the Community. It features articles devoted to our bikes, and proves a forum for uploading photos of your own machines for discussion. We will be harsh, but fair; this is a place to enforce and enhance our observation of The Rules.

If you’d like to submit an article about your own beloved bike, please feel free to send it to us and we’ll do our best to work with you to include it.

  • Rule #12 and the Cascade EffectRule #12 and the Cascade Effect
    That is a very reasonable opening salvo for the Rule about bike ownership. Three is good and certainly a minimum, and we are talking road bikes here, if there was any doubt. They naturally become ordered: the #1 is ichi-ban, top dog, go-to bike for every and all rides. #2 was the old #1, ...
  • Guest Article: Black Is Not The New BlackGuest Article: Black Is Not The New Black
     @kogalover is singing my song here. Bikes are beautiful. ’nuff said. VLVV, Gianni With all those posts on riding in winter and being visible, either by putting Eyes of Sauron or other car melting devices on one’s steed, or by even considering a YJA instead of donning plain black kit, it was about time to finally get ...
  • Dialing in the StableDialing in the Stable
    This was going to be an article about Rule #45. It is amazing how much time is wasted and matches burned when professionals stop for that second bike change to get back on their #1. With all the jigs available to team mechanics it would seem they could set up five bikes exactly the same. And ...
  • Matching the drapes to the rugMatching the drapes to the rug
    As a longtime titanium bike owner, I’ve always been jealous of a beautiful painted frame but Ti and carbon frames don’t need paint like a steel frame needs paint. But I want some painted beauty. It’s like buying a white car; I can’t do white, need some color. So between a Ti frame and a ...
  • Festum Prophetae: Waiting for the HourFestum Prophetae: Waiting for the Hour
    Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. – Mike Tyson The one thing everyone should always plan for is that however well-conceived a program might be, things will never go to plan. The high level plan for my Festum Prophetae Hour Ride was as follows: Have a custom Hour Bike built by Don Walker. Because reasons. Reasons like custom ...

15,871 Replies to “The Bikes”

  1. @frank

    @Nate

    @frank @cognition

    What a cute little bijou mountain compared to its namesake.

    I wasn’t consulted on the naming, but I would be willing to bet that’s why they called it, “little”.

    How about Isengaard, is that in Washington too?  I always thought is was in N Zed.

  2. @Ron

    I’m going to give the Shimano CX70 brakes a shot.  They actually do come in the “Ultegra Grey” to match the GroupSan.

    If they suck then I’ll have a future project to work on – and that’s something to look forward to!

  3. @Mikael Liddy

    @GalleySlave

    I’ll go out on a limb here, but I’m guessing you’re a fan of Williers? Lovely stable btw.

    No kidding about that ! Gorgeous bikes. Where in the world you find these Wiliers w/that collection of bro-sets beats me but dang… very cool.

  4. @wilburrox

    The LBS was a Wilier dealer here in Basel.Sadly the shop is gone now.

    The owner was the Kaiser’s team mechanic back in the Telecom days.

    Very cool old Italian guy….

  5. @kixsand

    WOW. Gorgeous. The black on the bars/tape, stem, saddle and post are just right. What’s the story with the fork? That’s unique hey?

  6. @wilburrox

    @kixsand

    WOW. Gorgeous. The black on the bars/tape, stem, saddle and post are just right. What’s the story with the fork? That’s unique hey?

    I wish I knew what the story with the fork was!  As nice as the fine people at Marinoni have been, their website blows donkeys.  They don’t even have this bike listed on their site.  The standard Fango with smaller diameter tubing is said to have a Cadence AX carbon fork but it looks nothing like this one in the pic.  Some of their bikes have Columbus front forks?  I honestly don’t know which this is and I wasn’t sure that I loved the look of it when I first saw it.  Hearing positive comments about it here makes me feel better but I would like to know who makes it.  I may have to send my guy there a note to ask.

  7. @kixsand

    that’s gorgeous! Nice move getting such a pretty bike for cross too, you’ll have no choice but to spend much time cleaning her after each race just to do that colour scheme justice.

  8. Apologies for returning to an older post, but I knew there was something I’d read recently re untraceable noises.

    I will now cross my fingers and hope to fix issue before ride home tonight. But am not optimistic.

    One third in to Saturday’s group ride and a shocking click starts emanating from BB region, a loud click nearly every rotation. Nothing while allowing freewheel to activate (we wouldn’t coast would we), soft shoeing it and it’s still there, out of seat still there, tried one legged pedalling LHS gone, one legged pedalling RHS also gone ???

    Not sure if group believed my dropping off on last climb was to save them from the annoyance.

    @Welsh Paul

    @Beers

    @VeloJello

    @RobSandy

    NEW AND UNSETTLING BIKE NOISE HELP NEEDED

    Clicking/pinging/clanking noise which occurs when I am pushing hard on the pedals (i.e. climbing) in the inner or outer ring. Noise coincides with the downstroke of my left leg, when my pedal is at its lowest.

    I’ve had a look and can’t see anything obviously loose, wondering if it might be something inside the body of the pedal?

    And it’s definately not the end of a cable hitting the crank, before anyone suggests it.

    Strip the chain rings off, thoroughly clean them and the chainring bolts. Strip your cassette off. Thoroughly clean this, and your chain. I find 99% of annoying noises in my experience are from the drive train. Even if it feels like its from the pedal. If that doesn’t succeed, strip and service pedals. If it still persists then move on to the crank arms/bottom bracket.

    Good luck!

    I too had the most annoying clicking noise in my bike, which seemed to coincide with powering on the pedals. Turns out it was mainly when I rocked the bike side to side under power. Had the crank out, regreased, chainring bolts tightened etc.

    And it turns out it was a slightly loosely tightened front quick release, that is all!

    Hi Everyone,

    I’ve been lurking in the shadows of this great site for a while, but felt compelled to sign up and say a massive thankyou to @Beers for this gold nugget of sanity-saving info.

    I too, had this pinking noise, which appeared to come from the cranks/bottom bracket area. No amount of stripping, cleaning, re-greasing, tightening, etc, would get rid of this noise. It was driving me absolutely bonkers!

    So I happened upon this thread the other night, and at my wits end, was prepared to try anything……but surely it can’t be the quick release! A 2 minute fiddle later, and the noise has disappeared!

    And now everything in my world is complete again!

  9. @ChrisO

    @kixsand

    Really looks great… and compliant too. I agree with @wilburrox, the black is a nice offset. Not trying too hard.

    How’s the ride?

    I took it out last night for a 90 minute thrashing in the rain no the mud and it was sublime.  So smooth, so comfortable!  It just soaks up the road like nothing I’ve ever experienced.  And yet it’s plenty stiff when you stand on the pedals.  Easiest bike I’ve ever had to ride with no hands.  It felt just perfect.  The Ultegra group set is pretty slick, I must say…really nice to use.  Happy with the 46/36 – 11/32 with long cage dérailleur I chose.

    The brakes need some work though…squealing and grabby, they go from being ineffectual to full lock up and make entering corners at speed a bit of an adventure presently.  I don’t see any simple toe in adjustment on them so it may take some mucking about to resolve.

  10. kixsand – what a lovely bike! I’d just be reluctantly to actual use it for cross riding and get it muddy or crash on it.

  11. @markpa

    @markpa

    Apologies for returning to an older post, but I knew there was something I’d read recently re untraceable noises.

    I will now cross my fingers and hope to fix issue before ride home tonight. But am not optimistic.

    One third in to Saturday’s group ride and a shocking click starts emanating from BB region, a loud click nearly every rotation. Nothing while allowing freewheel to activate (we wouldn’t coast would we), soft shoeing it and it’s still there, out of seat still there, tried one legged pedalling LHS gone, one legged pedalling RHS also gone ???

    Not sure if group believed my dropping off on last climb was to save them from the annoyance.

    @Welsh Paul

    @Beers

    @VeloJello

    @RobSandy

    NEW AND UNSETTLING BIKE NOISE HELP NEEDED

    Clicking/pinging/clanking noise which occurs when I am pushing hard on the pedals (i.e. climbing) in the inner or outer ring. Noise coincides with the downstroke of my left leg, when my pedal is at its lowest.

    I’ve had a look and can’t see anything obviously loose, wondering if it might be something inside the body of the pedal?

    And it’s definately not the end of a cable hitting the crank, before anyone suggests it.

    Strip the chain rings off, thoroughly clean them and the chainring bolts. Strip your cassette off. Thoroughly clean this, and your chain. I find 99% of annoying noises in my experience are from the drive train. Even if it feels like its from the pedal. If that doesn’t succeed, strip and service pedals. If it still persists then move on to the crank arms/bottom bracket.

    Good luck!

    I too had the most annoying clicking noise in my bike, which seemed to coincide with powering on the pedals. Turns out it was mainly when I rocked the bike side to side under power. Had the crank out, regreased, chainring bolts tightened etc.

    And it turns out it was a slightly loosely tightened front quick release, that is all!

    Hi Everyone,

    I’ve been lurking in the shadows of this great site for a while, but felt compelled to sign up and say a massive thankyou to @Beers for this gold nugget of sanity-saving info.

    I too, had this pinking noise, which appeared to come from the cranks/bottom bracket area. No amount of stripping, cleaning, re-greasing, tightening, etc, would get rid of this noise. It was driving me absolutely bonkers!

    So I happened upon this thread the other night, and at my wits end, was prepared to try anything……but surely it can’t be the quick release! A 2 minute fiddle later, and the noise has disappeared!

    And now everything in my world is complete again!

    I had a similar issue. Tightened/lubed everything to no avail. Overhauled the BB (crank off, bearings out, cleaned, relubed) and that fixed it.

  12. @markpa

    Apologies for returning to an older post, but I knew there was something I’d read recently re untraceable noises.

    I will now cross my fingers and hope to fix issue before ride home tonight. But am not optimistic.

    One third in to Saturday’s group ride and a shocking click starts emanating from BB region, a loud click nearly every rotation. Nothing while allowing freewheel to activate (we wouldn’t coast would we), soft shoeing it and it’s still there, out of seat still there, tried one legged pedalling LHS gone, one legged pedalling RHS also gone ???

    Not sure if group believed my dropping off on last climb was to save them from the annoyance.

    @Welsh Paul

    @Beers

    @VeloJello

    @RobSandy

    NEW AND UNSETTLING BIKE NOISE HELP NEEDED

    Clicking/pinging/clanking noise which occurs when I am pushing hard on the pedals (i.e. climbing) in the inner or outer ring. Noise coincides with the downstroke of my left leg, when my pedal is at its lowest.

    I’ve had a look and can’t see anything obviously loose, wondering if it might be something inside the body of the pedal?

    And it’s definately not the end of a cable hitting the crank, before anyone suggests it.

    Strip the chain rings off, thoroughly clean them and the chainring bolts. Strip your cassette off. Thoroughly clean this, and your chain. I find 99% of annoying noises in my experience are from the drive train. Even if it feels like its from the pedal. If that doesn’t succeed, strip and service pedals. If it still persists then move on to the crank arms/bottom bracket.

    Good luck!

    I too had the most annoying clicking noise in my bike, which seemed to coincide with powering on the pedals. Turns out it was mainly when I rocked the bike side to side under power. Had the crank out, regreased, chainring bolts tightened etc.

    And it turns out it was a slightly loosely tightened front quick release, that is all!

    Hi Everyone,

    I’ve been lurking in the shadows of this great site for a while, but felt compelled to sign up and say a massive thankyou to @Beers for this gold nugget of sanity-saving info.

    I too, had this pinking noise, which appeared to come from the cranks/bottom bracket area. No amount of stripping, cleaning, re-greasing, tightening, etc, would get rid of this noise. It was driving me absolutely bonkers!

    So I happened upon this thread the other night, and at my wits end, was prepared to try anything……but surely it can’t be the quick release! A 2 minute fiddle later, and the noise has disappeared!

    And now everything in my world is complete again!

    I had a problem like this.  It was an extra hidden bolt inside my shoe, that is there for some obscure bolt pattern.  The bolt was in a slot and slid back and forth, making a clicking sound.  I found the sound by shaking my shoe.  Under the insole I found a perforation in the footbed, and cut through it to access and extract the offending superfluous fastener.

  13. Chain catchers: has there been a discussion on these? This a good place to discuss under bikes? I ordered four of them after I witnessed recent spill from a bike.

    So the individual is cross changed little to little and rides over a speed table in road, chain drops off little ring and as she pedals there’s the jam as chain is wedged between frame and crank, her left foot pops from pedal and momentum carries her off the bike and down. I’m guessing little ring to little cog is kinda sorta position of lowest tension on chain? Or at least the derailleur is having to take up the most slack yes? I was riding alongside her and saw the whole thing in that slo-mo kinda way accidents are witnessed. She was okay other than some road rash, ruined bibs (new ones, ughh)  and bar tape.

    Anywho, I figured such a simple little device to have on the bike to prevent an issue so why not? What’s it hurt? I especially thought of my daughter’s bike being first one in need. Until now however I just never considered a chain catcher as something I wanted. But I have ’em now. Though haven’t installed yet I plan to do so soon.

  14. @wilburrox

    Well the pro’s do fit them on the Pave and CX bikes often use them but there are other lessons here re using gears correctly vs trying to equip around bad technique.  Little to little is not a great idea for the very reasons you mention that you will be pretty much at the limit of the ability of the rear mech to take up the chain slack even on a new chain.  So add some chain stretch for some wear and tear and everything will be pretty slack.  It may only take a bit of a back pedal to cross up on the jockey wheel and hey presto you’ve trashed the rear mech and hanger.  Just because you can go big-big and little-little does not mean that you should.

  15. Noobs don’t know about cross-chaining unless someone tells them. There are so many duplicated gears on a bike that there’s no need to go anywhere nearer than about 3 or 4 cogs away from big-big or small-small.

    Also, some chain devices can prevent these things, but I’ve also seen some truly hideous and expensive carnage from chains getting caught up in chain devices!

  16. @Oli

    Also, some chain devices can prevent these things, but I’ve also seen some truly hideous and expensive carnage from chains getting caught up in chain devices!

    I used one for one seasom of cross country mtb’ing back in the 90’s. I trashed it as soon as the season ended!

  17. @Oli

    Noobs don’t know about cross-chaining unless someone tells them. There are so many duplicated gears on a bike that there’s no need to go anywhere nearer than about 3 or 4 cogs away from big-big or small-small.

    Also, some chain devices can prevent these things, but I’ve also seen some truly hideous and expensive carnage from chains getting caught up in chain devices!

    We all know about cross chaining. Yes. And just me, maybe no one else here I suppose, but I still manage to find myself cross chained every now and then for no particular reason other maybe than finding myself on redline and focused on a wheel or simply just being careless. With the auto trim on the Di2, it’s easy to get in and out of cross chain quickly and w/o thinking much about it. The classic cross chain for me is 53-25 when hitting a climb or steep pitch that catches me by surprise. Little to little is kinda rare I’d guess as I presume most folks jump back to big ring asap. Still, I’ve done it. And this young lady, in no stretch considered a noob, did learn a lesson I suppose. And I know why in little ring in this particular instance as we’d stopped to regroup a little down road and then took off quickly. A lotta times when group is coming to a regrouping point I’ll drop in to little ring for convenience. And then take off down the road… that’s another classic time to find oneself quickly cross chained and exactly what happened here.

    Anyways, I’m gonna be sure to carefully set this thing up. Good point on them creating other issues of chain hang ups. Your point is that yes, they are not w/o issues. thx

  18. @wilburrox

    @Oli

    Noobs don’t know about cross-chaining unless someone tells them. There are so many duplicated gears on a bike that there’s no need to go anywhere nearer than about 3 or 4 cogs away from big-big or small-small.

    Also, some chain devices can prevent these things, but I’ve also seen some truly hideous and expensive carnage from chains getting caught up in chain devices!

    We all know about cross chaining. Yes. And just me, maybe no one else here I suppose, but I still manage to find myself cross chained every now and then for no particular reason other maybe than finding myself on redline and focused on a wheel or simply just being careless. With the auto trim on the Di2, it’s easy to get in and out of cross chain quickly and w/o thinking much about it. The classic cross chain for me is 53-25 when hitting a climb or steep pitch that catches me by surprise. Little to little is kinda rare I’d guess as I presume most folks jump back to big ring asap. Still, I’ve done it. And this young lady, in no stretch considered a noob, did learn a lesson I suppose. And I know why in little ring in this particular instance as we’d stopped to regroup a little down road and then took off quickly. A lotta times when group is coming to a regrouping point I’ll drop in to little ring for convenience. And then take off down the road… that’s another classic time to find oneself quickly cross chained and exactly what happened here.

    Anyways, I’m gonna be sure to carefully set this thing up. Good point on them creating other issues of chain hang ups. Your point is that yes, they are not w/o issues. thx

    On the subject of other issues… My chain keeper is set just a couple millimeters from the little ring. Somehow or another during transport to the Sunday ride my chain had found its way off the chainrings… to the inside of the little ring… underneath the chain keeper. I have no idea how it happened, but it did, and man was it a motherfucker to fix. Had to take the damn thing nearly all the way off, luckily I was plenty early for the ride, but it made me miss my pre-ride espresso.

  19. That doesn’t sound like a fun morning.

    I have a Deda Dog Fang on my LOOK that has a clamp-on FD and use a K-Edge like one on my Casati, which has a braze-on FD.

  20. @Teocalli

    Considering the size and variety of kit in the bike bazaar it’s remarkably restrained of me only to buy a shiny seat binder bolt.  This is just a small sample of the stalls………………..

    That lonely looking one wheeled Merckx is going to give me sleepless nights…

  21. For those of you that were wondering about the Fork on my Marinoni – they got back to me with the details.

    It’s  actually manufactured by Deda.  They call it the Cross F-75…high modulus carbon.  410 grams.

  22. @VeloJello

    @Teocalli

    Considering the size and variety of kit in the bike bazaar it’s remarkably restrained of me only to buy a shiny seat binder bolt.  This is just a small sample of the stalls………………..

    That lonely looking one wheeled Merckx is going to give me sleepless nights…

    I’n not sure whether its one-wheeledness is more disturbing than it being defiled by mudguards.

  23. doesn’t really belong here… tech question, (is a tech section a bad idea?)

    Rear mech D-A 7800, will it work with a 105(9 speed) gear changer?

    I guess so, but maybe someone knows better?

    Regards

    peter

  24. @Ron

    That doesn’t sound like a fun morning.

    I have a Deda Dog Fang on my LOOK that has a clamp-on FD and use a K-Edge like one on my Casati, which has a braze-on FD.

    Dog Fangs are the only catchers that haven’t caused me more headaches than they saved. I’ve got one on my race bike and never had a problem with it, nor a chain-drop.

    My K-Edge on the TT bike is never actually called into action (because I keep my gears tuned, duh) except when I take the rear wheel off, which is when the chain decides to jump under it. Bugger to get it out again.

  25. @Chris

    @Teocalli

    Interesting idea to get kids up and rolling……………http://shop-eu.jyrobike.com/

    WTF?

    I was under the distinct impression that kids learn’t to ride their bikes as a direct result not of staying upright but falling off and losing skin!

    This foretells the end of civilisation as we know it.

    I await the “Kid Kick Lite TM” Kickstarter, which takes the need of swinging your leg out of kicking a ball, with bated breath…

  26. @VeloJello

    @Chris

    @Teocalli

    Interesting idea to get kids up and rolling……………http://shop-eu.jyrobike.com/

    WTF?

    I was under the distinct impression that kids learn’t to ride their bikes as a direct result not of staying upright but falling off and losing skin!

    This foretells the end of civilisation as we know it.

    I await the “Kid Kick Lite TM” Kickstarter, which takes the need of swinging your leg out of kicking a ball, with bated breath…

    …and trees with trampolines around them.

    That gyro thing is just the sort of thing for the excellent get in the sea

  27. @Teocalli

    Interesting idea to get kids up and rolling……………http://shop-eu.jyrobike.com/

    Mmm I sort of see the point for kids with problems but otherwise…

    The CEO guy who said his best memories were on his BMX – I’m thinking that probably had to do with a sense of thrill and danger which he is now trying to engineer out.

    Like the Get In The Sea link @Chris. They have one idea and they’re doing it well.

  28. @Chris

    @Teocalli

    Interesting idea to get kids up and rolling……………http://shop-eu.jyrobike.com/

    WTF?

    I was under the distinct impression that kids learn’t to ride their bikes as a direct result not of staying upright but falling off and losing skin!

    Yeah but in the current nanny world that is not longer allowed?

    I do like the concept though for some categories of disability (ok not the real remit of this site but something I have been involved with).   It did strike me though that if it takes an hour to get up and running the thing could be somewhat a victim of it’s own success.

  29. @WindDrifter

    Google Leonard Zinn.

    He actually tests these weird gear tech hacks,so you can rely on his opinions.

    ive got some weird combinations on my bikepacking rigs and all the tech info was from Zinn.

    it all works great!

  30. @GalleySlave

    My Ritchey Breakaway has a SRAM Force 11 chainset,KMC 11 chain,XTR 9 rear mech,Ultegra 10 front mech,XT 11-36 cassette and Ultegra 10 brifters.And it shifts smooth as butta…

  31. Going to replace the Vittoria Rubino Slicks that came with my bike with Conti GP4000’s. I’m happy they will be a bettet all round tyre, but will they be faster?

  32. @RobSandy

    Going to replace the Vittoria Rubino Slicks that came with my bike with Conti GP4000’s. I’m happy they will be a bettet all round tyre, but will they be faster?

    Depends on how hard you plan on pushing the pedals.

  33. @Teocalli

    @Chris

    @Teocalli

    Interesting idea to get kids up and rolling……………http://shop-eu.jyrobike.com/

    WTF?

    I was under the distinct impression that kids learn’t to ride their bikes as a direct result not of staying upright but falling off and losing skin!

    Yeah but in the current nanny world that is not longer allowed?

    I do like the concept though for some categories of disability (ok not the real remit of this site but something I have been involved with).   It did strike me though that if it takes an hour to get up and running the thing could be somewhat a victim of it’s own success.

    Anti V moment of 2015 right there, it shouldn’t take more than half an hour to learn how to ride a bike any way, FFS what’s the point of a bike that balances for you, good grief I despair,(first world problems).

  34. @kixsand

    @RobSandy

    Going to replace the Vittoria Rubino Slicks that came with my bike with Conti GP4000’s. I’m happy they will be a bettet all round tyre, but will they be faster?

    Depends on how hard you plan on pushing the pedals.

    Assuming I will be pushing equally hard on the pedals whichever set of tyres I use, smartarse.

  35. @GalleySlave

    @WindDrifter

    Google Leonard Zinn.

    He actually tests these weird gear tech hacks,so you can rely on his opinions.

    ive got some weird combinations on my bikepacking rigs and all the tech info was from Zinn.

    it all works great!

    Thanks!  It’s not soo weird. The rear mech on the old #9 bike is falling apart, and I happen to have a left over D-A. I’ll get busy with goggle!

  36. @RobSandy

    @kixsand

    @RobSandy

    Going to replace the Vittoria Rubino Slicks that came with my bike with Conti GP4000’s. I’m happy they will be a bettet all round tyre, but will they be faster?

    Depends on how hard you plan on pushing the pedals.

    Assuming I will be pushing equally hard on the pedals whichever set of tyres I use, smartarse.

    It’s a strack-fact that upgraded tires are always faster, especially if they are skinwalls (or tubulars)

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