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 EffectThat 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 ...
Man! This Eroica bike build stuff is FUN! I have been searching ebay and retrobike very carefully with my Eroica LVC Sensei and slowly acquiring BEAUTIFUL pieces of early 1980’s Campag SR components. Just won a near perfect 1982 Mk2 SR rear mech and picked up some spotless C Record retrofriction downtube shifters a few weeks ago like LVC used in late ’85.
Still have a ton of parts to go but it is like a treasure hunt. Tons of stuff out there but most of it has a problem here or there.
So much fun but who knew that the old SR toeclip pedals would be so expensive? They seem to be the most expensive bit so far. I have yet to see them for under $250 US dollars in really great condition. Still holding off on buying those and praying!
@Buck Rogers
Hey Duck, reminds me, @winnipegcyclechick once did a couple of stories on “the Guerciotti project”. Lots of similarities. Keep us posted and write an article about it with pictures.You might throw in some alternative facts, that what @Frank regularly does too.
@Buck Rogers
Buck, I just sent you some pics of my Campag stuff. Rear mech, front mechs (braze-on and band), and brakes. The brakes might too late 80s though – they’re the ones with the wee blue glass bits in the pivot bolt nut. Campag Cobalto? Back in the day they were pure bling!
@wiscot
You Da’MAN!
But … I just purchased a rear mech off of ebay this morning and have an offer in on a NOS FD as well!
My bad. I have always been the impatient type!
Not sure about the brakes. I’ll have to double check with Craig but I think they will be a bit too late.
Thanks so much for digging them out, though!
@Buck Rogers
It is dangerously addictive!
Just for fun -here’s a snapshot of my new wheels on my old (but still #1) steed. Just glued the tires on, won’t be able to test them out until tomorrow’s ride.
@Buck Rogers
Hey, no problem. Sorry it took so long. We’re at the end of a very busy two weeks at work – that’s why they ended up getting photographed on the hood of my car this morning.
FYI to other Velominati out there: I have a Campag SR rear mech, Campag braze-on and banded SR front mechs and a pair of Campag Cobalto brakes doing nothing. Think of me if you’re looking for such things for a retro build. I’ve a mid 80s Mavic chainset and rear mech too – the kinda clunky style ones.
@MangoDave
Drool.
And some more fun… Found this old photo of my Slim Chance I rode for a while back in the ’90’s. Never should have sold it, it was a great ride.
@MangoDave
Mr. Chance is back to building ’em again
Last of the True Temper stuff will be passing by with their exit from the biz. Maybe…
I’m guessing more than a little inventory had been accumulated when they decided to stop production. I’m also guessing that they’re still operating their steel tube facility in Mississippi (making golf club shafts and lacrosse sticks and etc) and could pretty easily get back to frame tubes?
@Buck Rogers
I’m probably telling you nothing but even among professionals of the era true Super Record pedals with titanium axles and quirky small bearings were generally reserved for time trial and climbing bikes. SR pedal axle breakages weren’t unknown… Most stuck with Superleggeri pedals with steel axles, which looked almost identical. Photos of the era show the pista version was at least as common as the “road” version. Cobalto brakes were in common usage by 1986.
@osbk67
Good advice! I heard/read something similar about the hollow ti spindled BBs too. I’m also thinking about putting together a mostly mid 80s SR gruppo to make my de Rosa Eroica compliant. So far though, it’s just an idea, I have the sum total of zero parts collected. I once possessed an immaculate SR front derailleur but I foolishly sold it. This is going to be a lengthy and expensive process, but I’m very much looking forward to it.
@MangoDave
That is a rather attractive bicycle.
@DVMR
With all due acknowledgement to the ever-reliable INRNG…
http://inrng.com/2012/08/1982-fignon/
Laurent Fignon, Blois-Chauville 1982. From INRNG as above…
@Randy C
Yes, he is back. I actually donated a little to the Kickstarter campaign to get his shop going again.
Rode an eBike today. Motor powered. Was LBS demo day at local State Park and they had a couple of ’em available. Myself, and everyone that jumped on one, had a big ol’ grin flying up the hill we were situated around. What a hoot. I could imagine a lot of different scenarios in which I could make a good case for one of these. Cheers
@osbk67
YES! I am making sure NOT to get the hollow Ti BB. I have the video somewhere of this event. It is on youtube. Le Professeur is giving it the beans and his BB explodes and he just CRUSHES his nuts and crashes. So fucking painful to watch!!!
Anyone able to give any insight into the decal ordering/delivery process?
I got a ridiculous deal on an unbadged frame and decided that some Velominati decals would be just the thing to set it off – ordered them three weeks ago, got the order confirmation but haven’t heard anything else since.
How long is it likely to take? I’m in the UK.
@Ruklaw
Mine came pretty quick – I imagine t’s just the time for Frank to put them in an envelope and take them to a post office. But it seems like he’s quite a busy dude at the moment so I’d be patient.
@Buck Rogers
Ooooh I bet that fucking hurt. Good job Le Prof was made of titanium.
@Ruklaw
Am in Switzerland and ordered decals a week before Christmas. Santa does not exist.
@osbk67
Absolutely correct! I am going with an ’85 LVC bike and they were running some of the ’86 gear on their bikes at the end of the ’85 season (from what I have heard, seen) but I am trying to play it safe and stay all ’85 (not that I am the fucking poster boy for OCD or anything!).
I just found and purchased a great set of 84/85 SR brakes, Cinelli Campione del Mondo 66-42 handlebars and a Cinelli R1 quill stem.
As for the pedals, I might very well skip the Ti axle ones and go with something a bit sturdier, but still ’85 or earlier.
Thanks all!
@Randy C
For sure. I’d quite like to get one for my wife – she’s had a lot of knee problems in the last couple of years and her work is the other side of London, about 18-19km. It adds up to a bit much on a commuter bike but an e-bike would let her do it.
Although having been passed by one going up a long climb in the Alps I can also see where they are less welcome.
@KogaLover
Did you get them yet or are you still waiting?
@Randy C
eBikes are a total hoot! Perfect for commuting and as a car substitute because so much easier to haul stuff like groceries. And in hot weather, you can ride to work without being drenched by the time you get there. Very practical.
@Buck Rogers
I believe that slight equipment malfunction led Renault Elf to switch away from Campy the following season
@Buck Rogers
The superleggera pista pedals are excellent. I use them on 4 bikes (going on 5 with current n+1) and have never had a problem. Track pedals seem aesthetically more apoealing than road pedals. I think kitting out eroica bikes brings out the ocd in all of us. I am still coming to terms with the idea of putting 2d Gen SR brakes on a 1982 frame …
@Oski Bear
I think that we would enjoy a nice cuppa together someday! Are you based on “The Continent” or elsewhere?
@Oski Bear
Mavic and Modolo, I think?
@Oli
Let me check. I have a great pic at home of Hinault starting a TT in crappy conditions. They may have switched to Simplex and Stronglight.
@wiscot
They were using Modolo brakes and Stronglight 107 cranksets. Simplex/Spidel Retrofriction shifters made an appearance – my favorite downtube shifters
There you go…
@Oski Bear
Makes sense as I don’t think Stronglight or Simplex did brakes.
@Buck Rogers
I am in the SF/Bay Area in Northern California, as I write this I have a feeling it’s not the Continent to which you are referring.
I am not sure how pristine you want your components, but I have found aluminum mag polish and 800 grit or finer sandpaper takes scratches out of non anodized bits such as seatposts. Hilary Stone seems also a good source for eroica era parts.
Man, Fignon was looking so damn good there cranking out of the saddle! Can you imagine being the guys at that company watching the race in the break room at lunch…and he snaps off his crank? Yikes.
Also, incredibly impressed with how long some of you have been involved in the sport and the depth of your race/equipment knowledge. It’s awesome!
@Ron
I got We Were Young and Carefree for Christmas – loved it. I was already a Hinault fan but knowing that Fignon and Hinault liked each other makes me like them both more. Hardmen. Badasses. Poetry on the bike.
In other news; why’s it so quiet around here? Do we need a guest article?
@RobSandy
Yes, it has been a little quiet. So posting this to give y’all a chance to ridicule me (starting with my bar tape). :-) The kit is one-of-a-kind by Verge made for PEZ for a review of Verge Strike kit PEZ did a little while back. I was lucky enough to get one of the two sets made. New Pearl Izumi PRO Leader III shoes (look for my review on PEZ in the near future). F**k timeless black or classic white! :-) And if you’re gonna wear “loud” shoes might as well go the Full Monty with socks too. I know I’m breaking all sorts of rules but WTF. Even Greg LeMan says in “Yellow Jersey Racer” that rules are meant to be broken.
Rob – it kinda just dawned on me that Fignon and Hinault were racing at the same time. I mean, I knew this, but really thought about it the other day. Crazy Fignon rode on the Badger’s team in her early days! It is too quiet around here! I’m hoping the Founders are all just busy. I’d be fucking sad to see the Community fade away.
Chuck – lookin’ good! I’m not a big feller either. After years of having to avoid getting killed by people 3x my size in ball sports, I’m thrilled that limited verticality is not a big deal in cycling.
@chuckp
P.S. The pic was taken just two days ago with it was ~70F in the DMV (DC-Maryland-Virgina). Hence wearing summer kit in winter. Gotta love global warming!
@Ron
Thanks Ron! I’m a skinny little runt. :-) When I was a kid, I loved playing (American) football as a pick-up playground sport. In high school, I actually tried out for the JV team but soon realized that my biggest asset (speed) was no longer an advantage when guys almost twice my size/weight could catch me. Didn’t take me long to find another sport. :-) I ended up playing tennis in high school and college (and for a number of years after college). Got into cycling via running.
@Ron
One of my all-time fave pics. Hinault, Fignon, and LeMond. All racing together for Renault.
@RobSandy
Yeah methinks we need to apply some self help for a while – I’ve had an idea for an article for a while so had better get my arse in gear.
@chuckp
I’m just worried about the matching saddle peeking out……….
@chuckp
Something weird going on there with the punctuation marks on your keyboard.
In the spirit of @chuckp ‘s photo, here’s one of me circa 1990. Could be an Anatomy of a Photo, or Throwback Thursday. Let’s see:
Fully rigid MTB – check.
Lemon yellow Bell V-1 Pro – check
Neon accent shorts – check
Tube socks – check
Excessive straps on waist pack – check
The keen-eyed among you will notice the drilled out crankset, chainrings and seatpost. The really keen-eyed will notice just how poorly executed the drilling was.
Here’s another one – me at the NORBA State Finals race in 1995. Notice the massive crowds.
@Ron
Oh yeah, they were buddies. Reading between the lines in both of their books, I think Hinault gained a bit of respect for Fignon because he was the only one who would stand up to Hinault, even as a young pro. There’s a famous story about dinner at an early season training camp, where the Badger had been swearing at everyone, and was out of shape and overweight, and Fignon leaned over the table and said ‘Look mate, it’d be a lot easier if you just trained a bit’.
@MangoDave
At what hight do you start to think – hmmm wonder whether it was a good idea to drill those cranks……