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 ...
@RobSandy
V-Brakes sound fine, as long as you’re changing your brake levers anyway. All the rest sound like terrible ideas. 1) if a single rider on a 1 bike with 2 wheels can overheat rims on long descents, imagine what 1.5 riders can do on 1.5 bikes with 2 wheels. This is what drag brakes are for. 2) Operating front and rear brakes separately helps you modulate much better; that’s why it’s still done on bicycles and motorcycles. 3) an extra lever on the rear bars means unpredictable slowing, and possibly rear wheel lock-up. Neither of you are mind readers, so only the pilot gets to control the brakes.
My recommendation: leave the drag brake (the hub brake) mounted, and connect it to bar-end shift lever or an old bar-mounted mountain bike shifter. You can use derailleur cables here because you’re not putting a shit-ton of tension on it. Use the friction setting most preferably, indexed only if you absolutely must (the stops for shifting may be not match up with the brake’s modulation).
i was curious as to what a drag brake is, after reading this. i found this, from the Santana website, illuminating: http://santanatandems.com/Techno/UnderstandingBraking.html
@Cary
Sounds like Santana’s 10″ discs are a winner… for new tandems. For old frames where discs are impractical or impossible, sounds like V brakes for handling control 99% of the time, and a drum drag brake for long descents is still the way to go
Teocallis interpretation of my post is, alas, correct as I rather like the idea of red hot spokes.
My drag brake is operated from a standard brake lever on the stoker’s bars. I had kiddycranks fitted once velomini #1 was four, and found he was quite reliable operating the brake when asked.
On one memorable Cornish holiday I had mini #1 stoking, mini #2 on a child seat on the rack and mini #3 in the trailer behind. 1:6 descents were ok even in this configuration, though I dread to think how many rule violations that involved. Happy days.
Mrs Tall now has control back of stoking duties with mini #3 outgrowing any desire to be embarrassed, and the kiddycranks are no more.
@Verytallguy
That’s the approach I was planning to take (minus the extra tiddlers). I’m not too concerned with long descents – I don’t know of any. Stopping power is more critical and the LBS were pretty convinced I’d be fine with a decent set of V brakes.
We shall see.
Someone PLEASE buy this bike!
https://sciacallobikes.com/products/sciacallo-bacio-kiss-bicycle
So I wanted to get a bit lower at the front, so I bought a headset cover from Slam That Stem.
Fitted, there seems to be a very big gap between the top of the frame and the bottom of the cover. Is it too big? Will I trash my headset if I ride like this in wet weather?
@RobSandy
Have you tensioned it down with the top cap or is there something stopping it sitting flush in the head tube?
@chris
Tensioned down, that’s how it sits. Part of the headset stands up about 1mm from the rest, nearest the steere, and that’s what the headset cap is sitting on.
I have thought of a solution but it involves filing the hole in the headset cap slightly larger.
@RobSandy
Arrrr, which is the head set cover from STS?
headset cover from Slam That Stem?
@sthilzy
Are we talking like pirates? Cool.
Arrr, tis being yon bit referenced ‘B’. Me heartie.
@RobSandy
Some headsets need to be snapped in. That looks like one of them. Take it apart. Re-assemble the bottom race, fit the steerer through the head tube, fit the top race on, and with fork in proper position, push down on upper race cap until it clicks flush.
Also, if that is a carbon steerer tube, you have too many spacers up top (unless you have a 5 inch expander plug). The 2 stem bolts need to be grab where the expander lies in the steerer tube.
@Buck Rogers
@Buck Rogers
Perfect bike! I know you waited a long time for it. Really the one bike you would ever need.
@RobSandy
Top fucking marks! +1 Badge to you.
@fignons barber
As per @fignons barber comment, ’tis be critical! Savvy!
By th’ way, I make me owns stem covers ‘n starnut bungs t’ ‘ave th’ stem clamp on a solid, Savvy!
@sthilzy
Be it for @RobSandy
@sthilzy
Cheers, both. I got in touch with SlamThatStem and he said similar – that the compression ring is sitting too high.
Re: spacers – I only had 1 spacer previous to installing the thinner bearing cap. Obvs with the stem sitting lower more steerer protrudes out of the stem, so if/when I sort out the issue I’ll trim off the excess steerer, no doubt.
Heave ho!
@fignons barber
Thanks, man!
It only is getting better and better with time, esp the Royce hubs as they break in.
I ride her on tarmac, gravel, dirt paths, main roads, old fucking crazy steep goat paths, anything you can imagine in the mud and rain and the sun and she is just perfect on every surface and every incline.
Best cycling investment/buy that I have ever made in 30 years. Truly a gestalt cycling moment where the sum is so much greater than all the parts.
@chuckp
If you were to purchase this particular bike- you would need several things:
1. be sure of a top 3 finish in 99% of anything you sign up to do.
2. know any and all Kiss songs
3. be able to do a Gene Simmons breathing flame-thrower trick on the podium
4. have a scary-ass skin suit to match
It seems our esteemed leader needs to start saving up for this one:
http://road.cc/content/tech-news/225633-bianchi-release-pantani-edition-specialissima
@Quasar
Ooo – I keep being tempted by a NOS original that I know of but it is a bit silly money.
Anyone ever used a quill stem adaptor to convert a threaded headset to fit a modern stem and bars?
I’m going to do this, and one of my buddies gave me the adaptor. However, it doesn’t have a top cap and it doesn’t look as if the bolt included is long enough to reach anyway (it is recessed down into the stem. It just has a bung to fit at the top (like a handlebar end plug).
I don’t know how happy I am with my front end only held together with the stem bolts, and nothing compressing the stem and spacers together on top of the headset. Any thoughts?
@RobSandy
Yes I have. Your compression is from the threaded headset not the quill adapter. So you don’t have a star fanged nut etc to compress the stem. Therefore you only need a bung at the top of the quill adapter. The quill adapter will have an offset joint or a split and bung type locator in the threaded steerer. I expect the adapter will be stepped to sit on the top of the steerer tube.
Does that make sense?
@RobSandy
To be specific to your question you do not “convert a threaded headset”, You have to retain the threaded headset. The adapter merely replaces the quill with a tube to which you can clamp the stem.
@Teocalli
Kind of – I understand how the headset is held together and how the quill stem works.
I guess my question really, is it enough to have the stem held on by the stem bolts only? On a standard headset you have the top cap as a fail-safe should the stem come loose (I’m thinking very worst case scenario here).
On my set up, if the stem was loose there’d be nothing to stop it sliding off, and I’m a little concerned about that, especially as my stem will be clamped onto a shim, not onto the quill stem adaptor directly.
Also, the spacers under the stem wont be under compression and may rattle about annoyingly.
I may be worrying unnecessarily.
@Teocalli
Yes. But you knew what I meant.
@RobSandy
You are worrying unnecessarily. The stem clamp bolts are sufficient to keep the stem on. If I am more specific, if your stem comes loose you will crash well before the stem/bars come off the quill! Having said that I’d advise getting a stepped quill adapter so you don’t need a shim. They are not expensive. When I ran a setup like that I never had any issues with rattling spacers or the stem coming loose – use some locktite if you are worried.
@Teocalli
That’s all I wanted to hear!
@RobSandy
I think I have one of those adaptors – complete. Give me a shout if you want it.
@wiscot
A kind off, thanks. @Teocalli has reassured me I’m fine with what I have, however.
Project Tandem refurb is on this week, I’ll get a pic up when it’s done. It’s going to have a big stack of spaces under the stem as the frame geo is more aggressive than my race bike!
@RobSandy
No problem. I used on a (now gone) Trek 1200 winter bike but I hate to throw anything away!
@wiscot
I think that’s how I ended up being given one. I went around to one of my clubmate’s houses so he could help with a bit of tandem work (he’s a tandem nut) and was amazed by his house. I have a bike room. He has a bike house. He had at least 5 road bikes and 4 mountain bikes in one room.
He also had a 40 year old vintage tandem frame which he’d had repainted 2 YEARS AGO and not taken out of the bubble wrap yet. Anyway, I mentioned quill stem adaptors and he pulled one out of his box of stems and gave it to me.
N+1………..
Well here goes…… It took a couple of years, but with some money well spent on first bike, a crash course in road biking, and then some thoughtful appreciation of upgrading:
1. Frame: 2014/15 Time ZXRS
2. Campagnolo Super Record EPS V.3 with Stages Power meter
3. Campagnolo Bora One 50s
4. Time Expresso 10 pedals
5. Bottle cages paying respect to my LBS. :)
I use the Garmin Varia rear radar, as there is quite a bit of city riding, and the 520 is in the non-primo spot on top of the stem because for some reason its not picking up the stages date when mounted out front.
Oh mamma. Was dropped in the mail today.
@Hank
That is one sa weet lookin’ clean ride! I particularly like the two tone tyres. Is this your only bike, or are there others that may be photo worthy?
@Jamie
Thanks for the thumbs up. Indeed, I feel lucky that Vittoria makes those grey sidewalls in addition to the classic all-black or two-tone style. I really like how they roll, and here in SoCal I get good mileage out of them too. The grey goes great with the Time paint scheme – because the Sun was pretty bright in the photo you can’t see how the inside of the “Time” on the downtube is actually light grey. It took alot of nerve to post one bike, but there are others :) My VMH and I have a total of four. Hmmm…
@Hank
What a gorgeous bike. White’s just not something I’ve ever really considered for a road bike but I’ve sure seen some beauties here at v-site. And that Time’s not one you’re going to see under someone else on a group ride too. Very cool.
@frank
I’d swear that looks like an alloy frame… Painted stems are such a great little touch. At Amateur Road Nat’s in Louisville this year I saw a junior on a Don Walker bike in blue. I was thinking that that was a young man that was getting a good head start for appreciating cool bikes.
@frank
Damn, that seat tube cluster reminds me a lot of my Casati Laser. Very lovely frameset! Maybe Don chatted with the family at the NAHBS.
I tend to track my cycling purchases, in case of warranty issues, knowing how much wear I get out of parts, etc. VMH told me that the fabric on the back of my Assos bibs was too thin to wear except on the rollers. I reluctantly caved in and decided to buy a new pair. I checked the purchase date of the original pair: 2009. I’d say that’s a pretty good run, despite the initial cost.
@Ron
I’ve seen a product advertised – “Mane” – a spray-on last-ditch disguise goop to bulk up thinning hair.
Wonder if someone should develop a similar product for Lycra, to delay the ‘crack of doom’ for favourite bibs?
Looks as if “cya.com” is available…
Also: an awkward subject to raise with fellow riders, yet vital. A code phrase is needed – suggestions?
@frank
Dude. That paint job is ridiculous! What a color!
@litvi
…so my inner voice just told me my comment above may not sound the same on screen as it does in my head… To be clear, by “ridiculous!” I mean “outta sight!” followed by “What a [fan-fucking-tastic] color!”
Apologies to @frank if it sounded like anything but sheer admiration. That frame simply glows with the color V.
@litvi
Relax dude – http://www.velominati.com/reverence/brush-strokes-on-the-soul/
@richardplondon
Ha, I feel that 8 years is a worthy run, especially as I put a ton of KMs into those bibs. Plus, aside from the thinning, the compression has gone as well. If you find Assos on sale, they really aren’t that wildly priced either.
@richardplondon
Bad Moon Rising.
I see a bad moon a-rising
I see trouble on the way
I see earthquakes and lightnin’
I see bad times today
There’s a bad moon on the rise
@Rick
I still listen to Creedence. There was a great Creedence tribute band playing at L’eroica Limburg, really good evening.
@Teocalli
As is a lot of music from that era theirs is timeless. I can’t tell you what a proud papa I was when my teen aged daughter asked: “Dad, do you have any Hendrix?” That’s my girl!!!!!
I thought the bad moon rising would be a good code name for worn out bibs. It pretty much sums the situation up.
@Ron
Seems that your Assos have turned into AssShows bibs.
I have nothing to say, but I get sprint points for Post #15,000.