There was a time when bicycles were lovingly handmade by artisans who themselves loved the sport more than those for whom they built the machines. Lugs were filed to become Luggs; chain and seat stays were beautifully chromed for durability despite the grams it added to the frame’s final weight; spokes were chosen for their purpose and laced to hubs and rims in a pattern that suited the specific purpose the wheel was intended to serve. Throughout the process – from building the frame to manufacturing of the components – extra care was taken to make every element of the bicycle beautiful; these bicycles, when you are in their presence, radiate La Vie Velominatus.
As was customary at the time, components would be pantographed and frames repainted and rebranded, leaving behind little evidence of their origin. But hidden in the components and frames were symbols that the manufacturers stamped into their wares to preserve their identity; Colnago their Fiore, Cinelli their C, and Campa their Shield. These symbols have come to hold great meaning within the sport and we of a certain ilk scour the photos of our heroes’ bikes for evidence of their existence.
For a variety of reasons including cost, proprietary tube-shapes, and repeatability of production, these practices have largely died away in mainstream bicycle manufacturing; in fact, nearly every element in the art of bicycle building that requires attention and skill is slowing being eliminated from the craft. Ahead-set stems have replaced the need for a carefully adjusted headset and stem, sealed-bearing bottom brackets and hubs have eliminated the subtle touch required to hold a race in place with one hand while tightening the assembly with the other. By and large, the machines and riders are stronger than the terrain they race over, leaving little practical need for the attention to detail and customization that once came as a matter of course.
There is, however, one magical week of racing where the terrain is still stronger than the riders: the cobbled classics of de Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix. This is the one week during which the Pros still require highly customized machines and we, as fans, can scour the photos of our heroes’ kit, looking for the symbols tucked away in the components to discern their origins. One such symbol is the brass badge affixed to the valve-hole on Ambrosio rims.
These rims are chosen by the Specialists for their strength on the stones regardless of what wheel sponsorship obligations might exist within the team. Their mystique is further deepened for those of us living in the States because they aren’t available here. It follows, then, that the Golden Ticket, as I call it, is something I’ve coveted for as long as I can remember (which, admittedly, isn’t very long and, upsettingly, keeps getting less long) but have never had a good enough reason to justify procuring from Europe. But Keepers Tour, Cobbled Classics 2012 provided the perfect justification to go about finding a set and I wasted no time in doing so. Upon arrival, the rims spent the better part of two weeks sitting in my living room or next to my bed, patiently waiting for me to pick them up and rub my thumb over the badge, just to reassure myself they were still there.
Not long after the rims arrived, I excitedly loaded a picture of Boonen in the 2010 Ronde and turned the laptop to show my VMH.
Frank: Hey, what do you see.
VMH: Boonen. Goddamn, he’s a stud. Don’t let me too close to him; I can’t be responsible for my actions.
Frank: What about his wheels.
VMH: What?
Frank: Don’t you see? He’s got my rims.
VMH: You can’t possibly know that.
Frank: Openly shows his exasperation by groaning audibly and rolling his eyes. Yes, I do. Check it. You can see the Golden Ticket on his back wheel. Its obvious as shit. What’s wrong with you?
VMH: Sighs, pours another glass of wine. Exits stage left. Hopefully not for good.
*Coincidentally, on the same day that this article was being written, Inrng published a similar (better) article on a related subject of hand-built wheels. Well worth the read: The Dying Art of Wheelbuilding
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View Comments
@Souleur
Building the wheels myself over the holiday break. The hubs will be hand-made lovies from England...details to follow. Another bit of kit I've been after since 1993 when Will Fotheringham mentioned getting a set for Robert Millar at the Tour.
The spokes will be three-cross, front and back. The Nemesis rims are not lightweight shoes, and the wheels are being built to carry my fat ass over the roughest roads on the calendar without breaking. Brass nipples. FMB Paris-Roubaix tubs in 25mm - good enough for Boonen, good enough for moi.
As for soldering - I'd like some advice on that. People say it makes them stronger, but on the other hand, the advice I got from Oli and Doug Steers was to go with butted spokes with the idea that it allows them to flex, and as we all know, flex is a good thing when it comes to strength.
The question is: does soldering them cut down on flex, thereby weakening the wheel, or does the practice remove the chance for a bad kind of flex and make it stronger? Ah, to ponder this - it will take me at least another few weeks to make up my mind.
@frank
Sorry, just being a meanie and pointing out what I thought was a type-o. I certainly make more than my fair share of type-o's and grammar mistakes so I'm just poking a bit of fun, ol' chap.
Hahaha! This is a great post. Love your work, Frank.
And I do love having these conversation with my VMH as well. Riding behind my VMH, I mentioned once, "your bike does not maintain the principle of silence..." She responded with "well...fix it, asshole. Otherwise harden the fuck up and ride your bike."
Swear. To. Merckx.
Frank - nice choice on the Nemesis tubies. Old school purity for sure. Good to hear that you will be building them up yourself and have been and will be putting some thought into it. Dont forget to lube those mental gears with a pint or three. Nothing will feel better than the ride you are planning on the wheelset you built with your own hands. I have a set of Ambrosio Excellight clinchers that I built up here in the States I had some old (and extremely hard to source) Hershey Racing hubs and the rear one cracked on the flange while lacing it up, but the front "naked" hub survived and is doing great. Like the 3 cross and definitely on double butted. Cheers to you!
http://hillsandheadwinds.blogspot.com/2011/12/glovey-mud.html
Aye Frank, I just caught up on a bunch of posts from yesterday that I didn't get around to reading, so I must profess that I didn't know it was such an issue. Sorry about that... promise I'll try and not be a bastard about it and keep things more on topic, starting... NOW!
3x for sure on those badboys. Weight is not their purpose, strength is.
@frank
Don't solder. Flex goes away, and it's a super bitch when something breaks. A bit of flex is like a shock absorber, and I'm thinking you'll need it on the pavè.
Nice work Frank! I'm often consumed by the desire to build another pair of wheels. Maybe a lightweight pair of tubolari...
And a note on the article, I know exactly what you're talking about. My first 'real' race bike was a "Cinelli Equipe Centurion". Only made in 1985, ...."This rare co-branded model has all Cinelli frame components: Columbus SL tubing; Cinelli chromed sloped crown and head lugs; bottom bracket shell; Campagnolo dropouts.
This bike's components were all high-end Italian-made, but not all Campagnolo. The bars and stem were Cinelli (flying C logo); derailers and shifters were Campagnolo Nuovo Record; brakeset was Universal (standard on many Cinellis); headset, bottom bracket and crankset were top-of-the-line Ofmega Mistral, beautifully made and finished to compete with Campagnolo. Freewheel was Regina CX-S; chain, Regina; hubs, Miche; rims, Fiamme; pedals, Ofmega Sintesi (composite platforms with clips and straps); seatpost, Gipiemme, and saddle, Cinelli "Volare."...."-sheldonbrown.com
Much like I've hung my head in shame about here before, about having sold off Delta brake sets, Record DT shifters, etc., I sold it to 'upgrade'. It was a beautiful bike, and I guess hindsight is always 20/20.
@RedRanger
Thinking of building a wheel this winter as well. Trying to figure out just what kind of truing stand I need for this? Can I get away with a lesser one or will going all in make it easier on a first timer?
Outstanding. My set are in queue to be built up tomorrow apparently and I've been dreaming about the Golden Ticket at night for a while now. I'll post pix when I get them; looking forward to getting out on them over rough roads this winter.