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 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 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 StableThis 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 rugAs 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 HourEveryone 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 ...
@Buck Rogers
Mercian are best over the phone. They can be a bit of a bugger to get hold of as they are often “in the workshop”.
Here’s an interesting bit on 753 – might not be so critical these days http://www.reillycycleworks.com/blogs/news/145008903-reynolds-753-holdsworth
So you could try Reilly and another possibility might be Shand.
@Teocalli
I saw that. Not sure if they will do a frame if I ship them the 753 set or if they only do their own in-house stuff and sell it.
I think that I will call Steve Goff this week to see if he is able and willing and then try to call Mercian. We’ll see. I am a bit bummed that Dave Yeats said that he could not do it as Big Al himself told me that Dave Yeats was the man for the job!
@Steve
Nice, very.
There is still hope for all of us………how about this for the V-Moment of the year?
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/videos/watch/french-rider-goes-for-new-hour-record-just-months-after-his-105th-birthday
Teocalli,
note the Ardechoise jersey – he has a col named after him on the course, which he first did aged 88, and completed a dozen times in total (!)
The Ardechoise sportif is the most French and utterly bonkers event I’ve ever done. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/L'Ard%C3%A9choise
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Marchand_(cyclisme)
@Teocalli
I love it! And someone commented >>>… 105 is the new 85 <<< Exactly what I’ve been saying about 50 is new 30 ! What a major dude this gentleman is.
@Teocalli
Yep, it’s the 2017 moment for sure. I saw it on Dutch news yesterday also and thought it would have to be mentioned on this site but you were ahead of me. He started cycling when he was 67… They even added a new age-category above 100 years so that he could compete. Apparently he did some 22kms during this hour.
@Teocalli
Gets my vote. Chapeau to the gentleman!
Agreed – the absolute definition of Magnificent Effort.
@Teocalli
Waitwaitwait: I just registered for the 160kms Eroica in Limburg, so keep your cellphone ready then to see me coughing up the Dutch mountains.
I could not yet pay though, I only got a registration code. I think it’s number 00099!
@Buck Rogers: ya in?
@KogaLover
Ahhhh FUCK! That’s less than two hours from my house!
No way I’ll have my Eroica bike built up by then. But I will be riding this puppy 2018!!!
Do you need a place to crash the night before/after??? I have a large guest-bed that is all yours if you want it. Google maps says it is 1 hour 42 min from my house to Limburg.
Strike that! Apparently it starts in Valkenberg with is 2 hours and 50 minutes form my house. You can still stay with me if you want to, though!
@KogaLover
I’m sure I paid ages ago – I’d better check!
@KogaLover
Yup paid a while back – did not look at my registration but I seem to have 00002 now that I have checked! Though I think that last year the numbers were alphabetical order on the day – but I could be wrong.
@Buck Rogers
Wanna borrow a spare – probably a tad small for you but you could always have a Frankesque amount of seat post and I could fit a longer stem.
@Teocalli
Ohhhhhh! What is that about putting me in the way of temptation??? I am already building two, yes TWO (with the new Eroica build) bikes this year alone and ditching my wife and five kids to ride the RVV.
It will be a miracle if my saintly VMH does not lock me out of the house as it is!
I think that I will pass this year.
Next year I will ride it on my 1985 LVC Hinault and do the Strade Bianchi cyclo as well!
And you are welcome to stay at my place as well if you need a place to crash and my place is closer than yours (I cannot remember where you and KogaLover live?)
@Buck Rogers
Ha Ha!
I’m south UK. Thanks for the offer but we’ll be staying in Valkenburg as it will also be a weekend away for the VMW and we will make a long weekend of it.. Plus the 160K starts at the crack of dawn so take another 3 hrs off that and I’d be losing my sense of humour!
Just came across this elsewhere……
@Teocalli
Couldn’t resist this pedantic comment (professional flaw): this makes a year of 366 days then!
Reminds me of the fact that there are 3 different kinds of people: those that can count and those who cannot.
or
There are 10 different kinds of people: those who understand binary numbers and those who do not.
@KogaLover
It’s to cater for Leap Years………and yes I am in the computer industry.
@KogaLover
It’s a bitch when you have to work a 111 day week.
@Ron and others with nippers and so need an excuse to spend time on the turbo. The perfect excuse “I was just teaching _______(Insert name here)”.
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/fisher-price-created-turbo-trainer-three-year-old-305653?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social
@Teocalli
And even worse, the year has 110100 weeks then.
Some days a great ride is greeted on arrival home by “Get straight in the shower and don’t bother undressing first” rides then there are the “Hose yourself and your kit with the bike before you come anywhere near the house” rides. Today was the latter.
@Teocalli
I like it! Instead of hoping and praying I can fit in 2 hour road rides around baby nap times…I’ve pulled out the rollers and fit in short blasts whenever I can. I rode 20 minutes this morning at dawn, first thing out of bed. It was awesome. I’m a high energy guy and I’ve felt great all day. Combine that with over and hour of commuting, and I’ll have some respectable saddle time on a daily basis. Can’t complain about that!
For general mockery and piss-taking, I thought I’d finally post a pic of my Nr#2. It’s just come back from a complete overhaul and thorough clean by my friendly local mech, and it’s like a new bike.
It’s not much of a bike really but it’s what got me into road riding, so to me it’s kind of special.
@RobSandy
No worries mait, seems fine to me. It’s a commuter after all. As long as you do not try this at home:
Trying like hell to get some work done, but I’ve got a shiny new frame at home. Ugh. I think the clock is actually going backwards.
@Oracle
People just don’t realise that dreaming of shiny new bikes is serious work.
@Teocalli
Ain’t that the truth !!!
@Teocalli
Dreaming you can at least combine with a bit of sleeping. Actually looking at it physically, is even worse. Then you indeed need to cramp 1000 hours into an 8 hour working day.
@KogaLover
My commuter bike was in the workshop (see post above) so for the past few weeks I’ve been commuting on my Nr#1. I just couldn’t keep on top of the cleaning due to the constant coating of leaf mould and mud blasted onto each day.
After getting my commuter back the first thing I did was give the Nr#1 a proper, PROPER clean and lube everything up. Hanging it up in the bike room, properly clean for the first time in weeks was a palpable, physical relief. It’s getting a new chain over the weekend to say sorry.
@Teocalli
It’s hard work too … exhausting!
RobSandy – Oh man, when I ride one of my road bikes to work, I’m always amazed at how “dirty” it gets, since I keep them crystal clean. What I stand for on my commuter bikes vs. my road bikes is incredible.
How is this for a Friday morning commute. Leave the house in a steady rain. Sit on my saddle, it moves. Back inside for a wrench. Leave the house a second time. Pinch flat as I jump a curb to cross a parking lot. Ugh. I think the last time I pinch flatted was 2002, not kidding.
Spent most of last night prepping for my daughter’s birthday party today, so I only had enough time to strip the parts from my old frame and get it cleaned up for Ebay. It’s amazing how much dirt and sweat hides on a frame underneath bottle cages, brakes, etc. It’s also amazing how many little nicks and scratches I found that I didn’t even know were there. The saddest part was having to remove the “Obey the Rules” decal from the seat stay (featured in my avatar). I snapped the pics for ebay, then pressed in the bottom bracket on the new frame, and had to call it quits for the night, since I need my beauty sleep.
Long story short, I’m still dreaming of putting together that shiny new frame. But, at least now I have the weekend to take my time in putting it together.
@Teocalli
…or shiny OLD bikes for that matter.
@DVMR
That’s meditation.
Got around to snapping some camera photos of the young lady’s SuperSix. After sprouting up 6″ from last season she needed new frames for her bikes. When we saw that this was the frame-set being offered by Cannondale for the ’17 season we knew immediately this could be built up with a nod to classic lines. Just a gorgeous bike. As built here it’s right at 15.4lbs/6.98kgs.
The 14-28 cassette provides jr’s gearing with the 50/36 rings and the black/silver of the group san 9700 is just right
A subtle C and a bit of the two tone black/charcoal. Combined with the silver Cannondale and trim (seen here in the stays), and polished silver post, stem and bars and white tape and saddle… just an all time classic and I really dig it.
The young lady had a chance to hit it in competition for first time at a local event where 13 of Birmingham’s toughest climbs are tackled:
So, the missus of the house has a nicer vehicle than I and the young lady of the house has a nicer bike! This has to pay off for me in the long run… Cheers all
@Randy C
this is just the greatest thing ever! congrats!
So uhhhh, this >>> “It’s the biggest improvement I’ve seen in my career” says the Belgian <<< answers the question re: disc brakes once and for all yes?
That mean he never made the switch from steel and alloy bikes to C ? Okay, so likely never rode friction shifter but still, moved to index and STI ? Or going to 10 then 11 sp ? Or mech to Di2 ? Zipp 303s at Roubaix? SRAM Red? Zertz inserts ? (I’m half joking there).
None of those were bigger improvement than going to disc brakes? Seriously? Well, there ya have it.
And no surprise. They’re better in cars, motorcycles, mtn bikes, CX bikes and now… road bikes.
How ’bout them apples? Or… How ’bout that marketing (?)
@Randy C
Yup, Tommeke cashing in before he cashes out of the sport.
Still hope he manages a RVV or P-R win this Spring!!!
@Randy C
Your girl looks like she has that situation under control. No doubt in part due to that slick machine. The dude in the middle, on the other hand, looks cooked.
Last year at some point I determined to become a Randonneur. I had been doing brevets on and off with the local Audax folks for some time and decided it was more my thing than steaming along at the back of a peleton hoping not to crash.
As with all new cycling endeavours, an appropriate velocipede was required and thus was my Giant Defy acquired. This is the model with carbon wheels, hydro disc brakes and Di2, all modern conveniences very much appreciated during a long day (or days) in the saddle. It is a very smooth relaxed ride quite capable of confidently slowing ample ballast down big hills. Disc brakes are definitely the business. As is often the case, there can be no going back after acquiring a taste for these refinements.
The heritage fleet now comprises an Orbea Opal. Harking from 2003, nicely up to date with the last of Shimano’s 10 speed drivetrains and bespoke wheels, this is a sharp looking and responsive ride. It better suits a different frame of mind when the road beckons and is just superb, despite its now great age (in bike terms). It also gathers
admiringcomments when out on the road (are you really still riding that old thing?) to which I casually respond with a suitable look. Philistines.I’m still looking for a steelie to replace my long departed Rossin. I live in hope that I may find another one day.
In their natural environment. Looking awesome outside coffee shops.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/boonen-everything-is-going-in-the-right-direction/
Must have been the disc brakes.
But the article says that he has 9 Monument victories. Correct me if I am wrong but doesn’t he have “only” 7 (3 RVV and 4 PR)? He does have 13 Monument podiums but not 9 victories?
@Buck Rogers
Correct, there can be no other reason. ;)
@Buck Rogers
Is that just classic or what? Earlier in day gets press on the bike and brakes and then wins. Speshy thinking cha ching ? We’ll see how many Venge disc brakes bikes are lining up at master’s crit fields this season. I’m sure those bikes would be a blast to race.
What are chances he drives one of those over the PR cobbles? Or will it be the bike with the spring in the steerer tube? Just thinking about it… I love the spring classics. Bring ’em on!
And just a reminder that they’re so close to kicking off and that the Spring Classics are in fact for BADASSES
@Buck Rogers
Hey Buck. Did you get the pix of the 1985 La Vie Claire bike I sent you yet? Let me know.
@Randy C
Oh MAN!!! I cannot wait! Esp as I am doing the full RVV cyclo!!! Just over two months to that puppy!
Here’s to hoping that Tommeke can pull of one more Monument before he rides off into the pave’d sunset!
@wiscot
Right! Got them and just replied! Thanks, mate!
@Buck Rogers
New old bike day for the new guy. Stole the parts from another bike sonas is natural a panto Moser stem is incoming from Bay and a Voloce group is being considered to make everything pretty, silver and of course Campy.
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