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

    Thanks for the reply. That photo is one of the only two I found of him on a track bike.Here’s what the ex-Cannondale engineer said regarding Cipo on the track:

    “This was one of many custom frames that was made for Cipollini. Cipollini did not spend a lot of time on the track, so most of the “track” frames that we built him used traditional round tubes and were ridden on the road in the off-season.  The idea was to do fixed gear training on the road that would improve his pedal stroke and efficiency.  Most of the round tube “track” frames still had mounts for a rear brake and water bottles.This aero track frame most likely saw some actual use on the track, since it was built without brake or water bottle mounts. The odds of finding pictures of this bike used in competition are probably slim.”  (how did he know?)

    I too assume he rode with Cinelli Integralter bars, but I am hoping to get more definitive word on the component specs.

    Its tempting to assume the build was just a track version of his well-photographed road rig, but that’s likely not the case.

    Thanks again for the input and photo.

  2. @George Barker

    Wow George, what a fantastic read and some handy photography too. The MKM looks fantastic; I’ve never seen a short wheelbase achieved like that. Thanks for posting, glad I found your article.

  3. @Oli

    Thanks so much for weighing in. I was hoping to loop you in to the convo! I am wondering about the DuraAce drive train. Since the rear triangle lists Campagnolo as a sponsor, but Shimano is conspicuously absent on this particular frame, I assumed a Campy crankset rather than DA. Thoughts?

    Thanks again. Much appreciation.

  4. @A.Danger

    Oh, odd! I can only ever remember seeing them with Shimano decals and kit on them – did they have a Campagnolo season, I wonder? I’m sorry, I really can’t recall that…

  5. Okay, a quick Google image search reminds me that of course they did have a few Campagnolo years at both ends of the Saeco sponsorship – if your track frame has a Campagnolo decal on it then grab yourself some Shamal track wheels, some Record track cranks and a headset, some Cinelli ‘bars and stem/integrated bar and stem and get rollin’!

  9. @chris

    @Teocalli

    Brian Holm did mention grey socks in his article. I’m not sure about them, I know I shouldn’t like then but there is something going on there.

    They do look suspiciously like a wash gone wrong unfortunately.  For me the concept looks good but not so sure on execution.  Hopefully they may come with some options.

  10. We know that you can’t wear team kit, though there is often discussion on the period of time before it becomes acceptable to pay homage to the past.

    ChampSys Aust. how have a range that honours some of the classics, updated for the hashtag generation. http://champ-sys.com.au/hidden/ftsigr

    I had to do a separate search to parse #ftsigr, but I am fully supportive of the sentiment.

  11. http://www.bespokecycling.com/blog/posts/cannondale-caad10-track-1

    Seems Cannondale has gone back into the track arena.

    Don’t know about the bike, but just going off looks makes me somewhat wish I did not pull the trigger on my TK2 so fast.

    I do remember the four bladed Spinergys getting some not so rave reviews from some riders that had them disintegrate while riding- I have a older set on an old Litespeed Blade, but not the four blade version.

  12. Question for latex tube users.

    Got my bike back from the shop, had a new wheelset built up. Some Ambrosio clinchers, Velox tape, Vredestein latex tubes and Vittoria tires. Got it home, inflated the tires, had it sitting in my office. A few hours later I heard a light pop (not really a pop, a light blurp) and the tire went flat. Pulled and inspected the tube and there is a small hole near the valve stem, at the inner seam (one seam is an over, this is the “under” seam, they’re on either side of the valve). It isn’t right at the valve hole opening at the rim, but close.

    It seems like a hole, no a burst along the seam, so I’m thinking this isn’t tube failure, but friction that caused the hole. No spokes showing, but again, it’s a bit far from the valve opening in the rim.

    Any ideas? Is it a good idea to carefully file down valve openings on new rims?

  13. Yes, that’s definitely always a good idea Ron. The wheelbuilder should have thought of it.

  14. @Ron

    Ron, while you have the rim off and you are hitting the valve opening with super fine emery paper take the wheel and if it is a dish type of wheel- shake it around and see if you hear anything.

    I have an aluminium dish type wheel that when I first got it I went through no shit over 5 tubes and hours of aggravation wondering how I was flatting out and the hole in the tube was never in the same place.

    Come to find out when the maker was drilling the spoke or valve holes, a few of the metal shavings were still inside the rim moving around and everyone once in a while one of them would, through centrifugal force while riding worm its way up against the tube and slice it. The problem did not end until while I was changing the tube I heard a small rattle inside the rim, I shook it like a madman until small shavings came out the valve hole, I then blew it out with compressed air, changed and doubled the rim tape….Holly Shit…no more flatting out.

    Good luck with your tire’s gremlin.

  17. Thanks, guys. I’ll do the rattle job, Dean. Then I’ll also try to file/sand down the opening a bit.

    Oli – That’s what I was thinking! He punctured the front tube on installation, asked me about it, but didn’t really offer to patch or replace the tube. I thought he could at least chuck a butyl tube in there for free, in order to not return it to me with a front flat. And when I inflated the rear…it punctured. So a few hundred dollars of work, and two punctured tubes. He came highly rated from a friend, and I know everyone makes mistakes, but he’s supposed to be ace.

  18. No reason to write about it and not post a pic.

    Please don’t dog-pile about the bar tape, it came to me that way along with some older yellow Time pedals which I think were all from the original owner, I have cleaned it up,a new battery in the Flightdeck 6500, new tires, oiled it up and now it was in the back of my truck to go for a fitting and new pedals. Although with the 650 wheels it looks odd with a full sized person on it it does ride very nice and one day I’d like to show up to a ITT and compete on it.

    Take care guys

    Dean

  19. And, just one more little thing about Cyfac and #1… in keeping with the spirit of Rule #57, even the decal is not acceptable, each bit of marking on the frame is hand painted via stencil.

  20. Dang, learning what can and can’t get posted. Trying to introduce myself and my #1. After 30 years riding a custom steel touring frame, I decided (in 2011) that the new DI2 was tech worthy of a new bike. USA custom carbon builders were not making anything I liked—Parlee had those funky tube junctions and would not (at the time) put a hole in the carbon for internal routing. Calfee, well, not the prettiest frames. So I then found Cyfac, with a rich history including:

    Cyfac started as a simple workshop atelier building framesets for the greatest French stars of the 1980’s.  Laurent Fignon, Thierry Marie, Thierry Clavreyolat, Charly Mottet, Marc Madiot, Richard Virenque and nearly every French pro from the 1980’s to 2000’s raced on a Cyfac painted in their team’s livery.

    So I went with Cyfac, using their premium ‘infiniti’ tubeset, with a long top tube (so I would not have to seek out the unobtanable ultra-long stem, and with slightly lengthened seat stays to allow for a 25mm tire and add just a wee-bit softer ride. Below is #1.

  22. And one final little snippet if this is your first time learning of this fabled maker:

  27. Can’t bear to look at those hex keys! I’ve been missing my 4mm for about a year now. I’m keeping the faith that it’s going to turn up in a pocket when I put on a jacket or pants that I haven’t worn lately. I will not give in and buy a single key. Arghhhh.

    Just had my mechanic work on my Delta brakes. It took him longer than expected. Why? He had to special order a 3.5mm hex, forgot the Deltas required one.

    Thanks for the replies about my new rim issue. Patched the Vredestein tube and added an extra piece of Velox tape at the valve opening. Rode it this morning and no issues. I’ll pull the tube and file over the weekend, just to be sure.

    Photos coming of my updated Tommasini. Had a friend who is a professional photographer shoot some!

  28. @Barracuda

    I’ll just leave this here,

    http://silca.cc/collections/all-silca/products/hx-one-home-and-travel-essentials

    I can respect the pumps. I wouldn’t pay for one. A Speshy airtower with the 3″ gauge and big blocky solid head is as good as anything from a utility standpoint. But I can respect and appreciate the Silca pump yes. They also sell “ultra super premium” CO friggen 2 cartridges guaran friggen teed to 15.5 to 16 g’s vs what is apparently a wildly variable 14 g to whatever un super premium cartridge that must be totally unworthy if truly want the best. That’s just friggen stupid. Must be military grade CO2. Whatev…

  29. Cyfac? Did someone mention Cyfac? To celebrate moving to windows 10 and the ability to post photos again, here’s the Fignon Tribute frame.  I have at least 10,000 miles on it now, brilliant geometry, smooth riding, durable aluminium

  30. Making up for lost time, here’s my latest project…Merckx MXL with 11 speed Athena

  32. @Teocalli

    @fignons barber

    Very nice indeed.  Personally I’d have gone with a shiny seatpost but it’s sweet nonetheless.

    Yes, on the post. I had a nice ti campag post, but sold it on ebay for a crazy price of $300. I had this old record carbon laying around, and wanted to see if I liked the bike before springing for post. I’ll probably add a nice PMP post in the future.

  33. @fignons barber

    Making up for lost time, here’s my latest project…Merckx MXL with 11 speed Athena

    @fignons barber

    Cyfac? Did someone mention Cyfac? To celebrate moving to windows 10 and the ability to post photos again, here’s the Fignon Tribute frame.  I have at least 10,000 miles on it now, brilliant geometry, smooth riding, durable aluminium

    Great frame… Love the paint. The boys in La Fuye really know their stuff.

  35. @sthilzy

    Hydraulic gears???!!

    Bleeding my tiny mind!

    I’m liking it. If you’re going to have hydraulics for disc brakes why not use it for shifting too – one complex system instead of two (assuming the alternative for shifting was electronics).

    Hydraulics PLUS electrics is asking for trouble and expense.

    It also passes my test of human power, unlike electronics.

  36. @ChrisO

    @sthilzy

    Hydraulic gears???!!

    Bleeding my tiny mind!

    I’m liking it. If you’re going to have hydraulics for disc brakes why not use it for shifting too – one complex system instead of two (assuming the alternative for shifting was electronics).

    Hydraulics PLUS electrics is asking for trouble and expense.

    It also passes my test of human power, unlike electronics.

    good looking kit too.

  37. I feel like an excited schoolgirl, so if anyone knows of one, send her over. Spent yesterday afternoon at Enigma bikes in the South Downs (http://www.enigmabikes.com) having a bike fit and meeting the guys (Joe & Max) who will be making my own custom frame. I’ve gone for Titanium because:

    1. Frames made from bits of charcoal stuck together with glue shatter into a 1000s pieces, and although Steel is Real, they need to be painted otherwise you end up with a pile of ginger dust.
    2. Cool people ride Titanium frames. FACT
    3. Titanium is hard as nails, and if I’d been riding one when The Mad Bitch drove into me last year, it would have been her crappy car that would have been in pieces, not my carbon forks, and the frame would not be bent & buckled like the steel one was.
    4. This will be my bike, made by two guys who spend their days making bikes for special people, who happen to have the same names as my two sons, so must be cool. FACT

      It will be finished off with DT RR440 rims, laced 32-spoke 3-cross with Sapim CX-Ray black spokes hand made by a lovely bloke who gives out life-time guarantees, with Ultegra Di2 groupset and of course a B17 Narrow saddle.

      Actually, if you know of 3 exited schoolgirls, send two over to Joe and Max (the bike builders, not my sons, they are more important now)

  38. I made a bit of an impulse purchase last Sunday. This is how it looks as bought. There’s a few parts I need to swap out, but pretty happy with my bargain buy.

  41. And N1’s illegitimate new pseudo-Eurotrash half brother… awaiting TRP V-brakes and a -17 degree stem… already.

  42. @Welsh Paul

    I made a bit of an impulse purchase last Sunday. This is how it looks as bought. There’s a few parts I need to swap out, but pretty happy with my bargain buy.

    Beautiful bike! I’d be broke and homeless very quickly if I made impulse purchases like that…

  44. @ChrisO

    @sthilzy

    Hydraulic gears???!!

    Bleeding my tiny mind!

    I’m liking it. If you’re going to have hydraulics for disc brakes why not use it for shifting too – one complex system instead of two (assuming the alternative for shifting was electronics).

    Hydraulics PLUS electrics is asking for trouble and expense.

    It also passes my test of human power, unlike electronics.

    I wonder why SRAM isn’t pushing their hydraulic rim brakes. All accounts I’ve heard of Magura’s TT rim brakes are positive. Cervelo and now Specialized spec them on their top TT bikes. Hydro rim brakes and shifting, now that’s something I could accept.

  47. @Welsh Paul

    Giant is making some really hot bikes lately and this one’s a beauty. Black and White is just classic. Makes me miss the ol’ Giant Shimano team kits. Cheers

  49. So is this taking things too far, is there a point or is this “just because they can”.

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/sram-red-etap-ushers-in-wireless-shifting-era/

    The devil in me though wonders whether this could be subject to abuse – your climber is just about to go for that final spurt to the line so you shift the opponent to a high gear remotely  or your sprinter is going for the line so you remotely shift the opposition to the small ring.  It can’t be that hard to hack.

  50. It is here! It is finally here!! I’m going to take my time building this!!

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