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 ...
@unversio
Does it really make a difference though?
Me like the Shimano platform too.
@DerHoggz
My favorite quote — “Races are won and lost on very small differences.”
@unversio I’d be interested to know what the science is behind this. It would seem to me that as long as the connection between the pedal and cleat is structurally sound, area should not be an issue. Otherwise Speedplays would be rubbish.
@Chris it’s more to do with the stiffness of your shoe. If u have a nice carbon sole, you ain’t flexing it at all. So nothing gets lost in the power transfer no matter what the platform – as long as the connection is sound. Crank Brothers anyone?
@Marcus That’s pretty much where I’m coming from, it’s the quality of the connections and the materials involved in the transfer of power that matters rather than the area of any interface.
I’ve seen the interface area being held up as a key factor, here and elsewhere but I’ve never read a coherent explanation of why it’s important. I was hoping that one of the wiser minds would explain it or confirm it’s fallacy.
On a similar topic, I was reduced to riding an exercise bike on a recent work trip. I couldn’t believe how much my feet hurt after an hour of spinning (I refuse to call it riding) in trainers and toe clips.
@Chris
Not entirely sold myself. But the science should be all about good contact to accommodate power transfer. Speedplays create a good contact to the spindle, thus power transfer. In the market of clip-less pedals and all factors being somewhat equal nowadays, a wider platform should* create a better* contact on the cleat, the shoe, the foot in the shoe, the leg attached to the foot. It also looks good or mechanically sound. Sometimes performance relies on having a better aesthetic.
If the surface area is negligible, then why not have half-sized cleats and Zoolander-sized pedals.
Can see a greater contact point reducing hot spots.
@unversio I’m not sure how the speedplay spindle comes into the equation. The only place I can see there being any benefit in size preventing hotspots is in a shoe/cleat interface and there would only be in a situation where there is a poor connection.
As for half size cleats, I don’t see mtb clip-less users combusting. Major downside to small pedals would be trickier engagement.
@Chris I am with you as we dig further into this. No access to a team of physicist to do an extreme study other than or own extreme on-the-bike study. Only mention of the spindle is that the spindle transfers* everything to the crankarm.
Comparing apples to oranges, the Mavic Race apple (pair) weighs 57g less than the Shimano R670 orange (pair) — 0.125lbs. Although I still like the fruit of Shimano and the cost. Both are Black!
@unversio
I am scratching my head here a bit. 2 important factors as i understand it- ensuring the pedal allows one to have some tilt in a crit without biting it, and then security/efficiency of pedal/ cleat interface. Either locked in to crank in effect or not. Shoe characteristcs and hotspots and sunspots are pedal independent (Assuming a quality stiff sole and functioning pedal/cleat interface). Idk, i use the look keos road and eggbeaters for cx and mtb. The stiffer the sole and newer the cleat, happier rider
@unversio
Can’t say as I agree here. I’ve never gotten hotspots in my Mavics, but I’ve had my fair share while hiking/backpacking, depending on the shoe. Based on the fact that the general contact area (with the ground) between one branded hiking boot vs another is essentially the same. More had to do with how my foot/sock/insole interacted and how much I was able to twiddle with the lacing for overall fit within the interior boot volume. Based on this, I would wholeheartedly say that hotspots are solely dependent upon your shoe/sock/fit combination and not pedal surface area. Since most cycling socks are made form the same material, we can probably take the sock equation out and we are left with shoe fitment. Since shoe manufacturers all use different lasts (and some manufacturers use more than 1), happy hunting for that one shoe that feels great.
IF, however, your pedal float is magnifying poor shoe fit, then you can blame your pedal. Maybe.
@Tartan1749 Never had hot spots with my Mavic pedals or shoes either. Only suggested a theory that maybe (maybe) a greater dispersed load would create a more stable and comfortable situation for the pedal and the legger doing the pedaling. More stress acting at the point on a smaller area (assuming force is the same) than dispersing applied stress over a broader area.
Like Forest Gump is questioning himself — “Maybe it’s both happening at the same time.”
Gonna purchase Mavic Race pedals. I have the Zero float cleats (new*) already and want to compare the Cromoly (chrome-moly) spindle versus Ti* (currently on the No. 1) that I ride now.
See Franks piece on Bonts – basically makes the whole shoe sole your power contact with the bike. Speedplays give no “hot spot” sensation that I can divine.
Now that’s out of the way the wheel situation has moved forward – either Fulcrum 3’s (sounds like a Soviet jet) with “two way rims” or an LBS build with Reynolds or DT Swiss hubs and Mavic Open Pro rims with double butted stainless steel spokes multiply laced to withstand my mighty guns/fat arse.
Also – still looking for the mini-Engine road bike progress is being made however.
Finally what about a Ridley Fladrian in alloy as a #2 bike?
@the Engine
Love my Zonda’s (basically Fulcrum 3’s) and would recommend them, I love the G3 spoke arrangement from a visual point of view, which is of equal importance. As far as the mini-engine bike, I’d check the local racing scene as the youngsters will outgrow bikes every couple of years and decent used models can be had this time of year.
@the Engine How big are you?
@Nate
In the sense of bodily dimensions 1.905 metres and 100 – 105kgs depending on the local gravitational field.
But – I have short legs and a long body – in proportion I’d touch 2 metres.
Moving away from pedals for a second, i had a very interesting ride this morning. was raining cats and dogs so i thought I would give my new TT bike its first try on the rollers. Nothing boring about the rollers today.
@the Engine I’d get the handbuilts.
@the Engine
Do you like bananas and/or picking fleas off your buddies?
@Marcus
Well – my real name used to be Dr. Horace Worblehat…
@Marcus
You have aero bars on it? I can’t imagine riding rollers in that position.
@mcsqueak
I can’t either, but let’s not forget that Australians are Fucking Amazing.
@mcsqueak @Nate
yes i did sit on the aeros – but lets just say I was pretty pleased I decided to set up in a doorway. Had about three doorway bumps over the space of an hour plus one unintended “dismount”. The doorway and a rather smartly executed click out of my pedals stopped this from being a proper fall.
All good practice for a future circus career.
And @Nate, nice capitalization.
@Cyclops
On how NOT to use frame geometry…..
Love the seat spoiler!
If you’re in Melbourne this weekend check out the first AustralianCustom Bicycle Show this 1 & 2 December by FYXO
I’ll be heading on down on Saturday.
@sthilzy I’d really love to
@Nate
Yes,
And Genius!
@sthilzy
I think they said they added 30 or more links to the chain. Insane! As comfy as I’m sure it was, it would have been hell in a rematch of the sprint against Planckaert!
So…
Does that shift in relation to KOPS engage the quads or hammies?
Any ideas on how solve the problem of the guns being different lengths? My left leg is about 2cm longer than the right, and I’m getting sore around the kneecap in that left leg.
My bike set up was done based on my right leg, so when you drop a plumb line it falls nicely from central kneecap to the pedal spindle on the right leg. On the left leg it falls about a centimetre in front of the spindle.
I’m guessing I could shift the saddle a bit, and/or shift one or both cleats.
@Brian W Go to a well-qualified fitter.
@Brian W Hi Brian, I have a similar problem, 15mm difference. My LBS put a chock between the shoe and cleat, about 7mm, which he reckons is about the max you can do. My left foot still points the heel out a bit, especially if I’m on the rivet but it has straightened me up a quite a lot.
@Brian W
Listen to @Nate. He has been right twice in a row today.
@the Engine
There’s always this option: Hillbrick Bicycles Australia
They make aluminium road and track bikes in kid sizes using 20″, 24″ and even 27.5″ (that’s 650B, for the hip kids) wheels. Suspect they may be a bit far away for you, but they could probably mail order…
@the Engine haven’t gone back through the posts, but for mini-me, we went for the Fuji kid’s road bike, he loves it and has gone from trucking round the ‘hood on his BMX at 12-15kmh to 20-25kmh overnight and riding 10kms instead of 2-3. It’s well built (little on the heavy side for my liking) but he loves it. Now trying to source some kid’s knicks and jersey for Santa to bring…
@Harminator *mmmmppphhhh*
@Marcus
What happened, you’ve become Fucking Agreeable.
@Nate near death experience of sitting on aerobars on rollers must have changed my personality.
@Brian W
All of the above – I also have a similar problem.
Some adjustment of cleat position on each foot at a bike fitting helped a lot. It wasn’t just about shifting backwards or forwards but also the angles.
I have a small insert in the shoe of my shorter leg – we thought about using a chock under the cleat but decided it wasn’t necessary in the end.
And finally, get a Brooks saddle. I know I say that to everybody but it is extra true for anyone who has a slightly asymmetrical action. Just by looking at my saddles you can tell which side is my shorter leg. It will mould to allow you slightly more height on the longer side, whereas a normal saddle stays even.
Between all those things you should be pretty close to balanced.
@Marcus You are a brave brave man.
@Brian W I have a small difference between my legs (L>R). Also, my right foot is slightly smaller than my left. I solved this by sticking an extra insole from an older cycling shoe under the insole of my current shoes.
@EricW I mean, under the insole of the right shoe only.
@the Engine If the mini Engine is spoilt he could go Italian.
http://www.daccordicicli.com/telaio-in-Alluminio/modello-Corsa_Junior/42.aspx
@mouse
Thanks for this – I’ll bear in mind for mini-Engines #2 and #3. Mini-Engine #1 is 1.72m tall and in 53 – 55cm frame territory. The issue isn’t so much size as cost. 14 year-olds being what they are enthusiasm can disappear as quickly as it arrives and I don’t want to be stitched up with an excuse for the VMH to remind me how much it cost every time she can’t afford to do something.
@Daccordi Rider
Bloody hell! I have a friend who rides a beautiful old 1980s steel Daccordi Frame, now built up as a retro bike and it is truly stunning….but the 2012 catalogue is just full of bikes that look like the cast offs from a kindergarten play and crayon session that was somewhat ruined by the addition of vodka in to the milk and rusks!
What has happened to the designer over there!?
@EricW well you wouldn’t want it in the wrong shoe, would you?