Cycling is a mighty sport with a rich and complex history. Every company, racer, piece of kit, and component has a legend, a story behind it; in many cases it also has a personal and nostalgic connection to our lives. While this particular sport is steeped in tradition, it is also fiercely modern, a fact that serves only to deepen its complexity.
All these factors combine to provide an unique atmosphere and breeds devoted and loyal disciples of our great sport. We are of a peculiar nature; we seek out the highest mountains and the roughest roads on which to worship at the altar of the Man with the Hammer. Our legs are what propel us; our minds are what drive us. We refer to our shaved legs in the third person – the legs – and speak of distance in kilometres and measure sizes in centimetres regardless of what country we are in. We adhere strictly to the Canon of Cycling’s Etiquette: The Rules.
A Velominatus is a disciple of the highest order. We spend our days poring over the very essence of what makes ours such a special sport and how that essence fits into Cycling’s colorful fabric. This is the Velominati’s raison d’être. This is where the Velominati can be ourselves. This is our agony – our badge of honor – our sin.
I have a unique way of looking at bicycles. A good bicycle and it’s components are beautiful things to me. I’m not just talking about appearance, but also how the frame and components show the dreams of those who made them.
– Gianni Bugno, Hardman and Italian cycling legend
Perhaps we are too wrapped up in the past, but the Velominati don’t believe that to be the case. After all, the greatest lessons can be learned from the past and those lessons can then be applied to the present and may then allow us to more fully experience the future.
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Velominati.com is less about the articles and more about the conversation. Those of you who read more and poster more, become an integral part of the discussion and help carry the momentum forward. There are several levels of Velominatus*:
Level 4 Velominatus: The casual observer and occasional poster.
Level 3 Velominatus: The regular reader and casual poster.
Level 2 Velominatus: The devoted reader and regular poster.
Level 1 Velominatus: The most committed of reader and poster.
Gray, Black, and Orange Order Velominatus: Once having passed Level 1, the inducted among the Order wear three color badges, based on their rank.
We strive to foster an open, fun, critical, and censure-free environment. Any criticism of our writing, spelling, grammar, or intelligence is welcome and nothing said will ever get you suspended from the site. That said, the code of conduct is governed by Rule #43 and the Piti Principle. Members consistently exhibiting behavior that falls outside these parameters will be warned to check themselves; should warnings go unheeded, we may elect to issue a suspension. The first offense will result in a one-week suspension, the second in a two week suspension, and the third in a three week suspension. A fourth offense will result in a lifetime ban.
Velominati reserves the right to edit posts with the express interest to preserve the spirit of the conversation and the community. Regarding posts that address a grammatical or typographical error, Velominati may elect to take their input, correct the error in the articles where appropriate, and editing posts that point them out. This editorial action is not to serve as a censure entity, but to preserve the spirit of the conversation. That said, we endeavor to only edit those posts that point out a minor issue and only in the event that we make the edit before the post has yielded further discussion. Furthermore, when possible, we will strive to acknowledge said poster for their correction.
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*Levels are calculated based on the previous year’s activity.
View Comments
@minion
Nothing worse than seeing your mistress whilst wearing lycra...
@Jeff in PetroMetro
I think this makes at least two Founders with pumps on their DTs. Are we undergoing a lifestyle change? Or, are the Lezyne pumps just so damn nice that they're breaking Rules one hidden hose at a time?
@Billy Scott
I crashed weight off last year on one of those low carb diets (Lighter Life if you must know) - 127kgs down to 107kgs - the weight's still coming off gradually or staying stable through regular cycling. Last winter I did circuits and boxing from the end of October as I don't like turbo training and I was ok when I got back on the road at the end of Feb.
I may look quite pro now but no-one pays me for this so I have to keep the day job as a priority. I've scheduled an event a month from March to October and that's been enough thus far to hold my interest without overdoing it.
One other top tip - as I recover from my back injury I now understand that doing regular flexibility work matters - I'd stopped aikido and karate for the summer to get more time on the bike but the reduction in movement has made me prone to injury so when I get back from holiday I'll be back at the dojo.
And finally the quality of writing and help on this site is far and away better than the stuff you get from the fannies at some other well know cycling publications. Once you've made a few contributions, learned some proper swear words and endured the comments on schoolboy howlers (like how to wear a hat) - you'll never look back and your guns will be mighty.
@the Engine Good effort on the weight loss!
I had been doing well at the no bread diet but my irish genes have pulled me back onto it again! Must try harder and focus on rule 5!
I play a lot of squash and need to be fairly flexible for this also so will find a manly yoga class or something for that.
Good to know it can be done!
To paraphrase the Hope of a Nation (Wiggins)... I'd say they are just fucking wankers. I can't be dealing with people like that, it justifies their own bone idleness. Rather than getting off their arses and doing something with their lives it's easier for them to sit in their chairs talking shit. C**ts.
...Obviously, it's workplace dependent to a degree - if you're a motor mechanic, you're golden but don't try to pull it off if you're a crown court judge.
@Billy Scott
Please follow this formula to remove Anti-V's;
My first post. Having had a year off beating cancer, it's great to be back on the bike and channelling "The V' into climbing actual mountains, rather than figurative ones. During my sabbatical, I did discover a good Latin phrase: VIVE UT VIVAS, which means "live so that you can live". The presence of all those "V"s and the obvious call to action to get on your bike and go hard, just can't be a coincidence!
@Johnny Diesel Let me just say that your first post is fucking Awesome!
Welcome back to The Peloton, Johnny Diesel! Glad to hear you can pull some turns.
@all
There appear to be some issues with the site which have spontaneously cropped up with both the main and mobile sites. Timing couldn't be worse as I'm tremendously short on time at the moment, but I am aware and working on it when I can. Thanks for your patience. If anyone has diagnostics, please post them here.