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 ...
@il ciclista medio
That article intrigued me too, however, taking away brake choices is no good IMO. There are so many brakes, past and present, that are so classy and add (or detract) so much from one’s bike.
What I want to know is what’s with the square bar code/space invaders looking thing on the fork? I see those everywhere now and have no idea what they mean.
@RedRanger
I, too, am looking forward to seeing things once you’re done.
@drsoul
@Marko


Ha! yes. I love my bike its no Carbon rocket, so don’t get to excited. here is the first picture I took of her a few days after I got her.
She came with clipless pedals but I didn’t have the shoes to go with it. The pedals were old LOOK knock offs.
then…

In this picture you can see some LOOK keo Sprint pedals and a Fizik saddle. the stem is way to short and the tape i picked out is horrible. so are those water bottles. I have adjusted that saddle since as well.
After the next faze I will post some more pictures.
@RedRanger
Nice pedals and saddle. Nice looking bike, in general. I usually go with black and black as far as saddle and bar tape go, but there is something about this frame (and the “before” photos help with this visualization) that screams white and white for these items. I’m curious as to why you went with black. I think aesthetically the white would tie things together a touch better. My unsolicited opinion, of course.
And the white bar tape does generally require more maintenance, I suppose. It would be great to always rock white bar tape…and have SAG support and a wrench to change the tape after every ride/race. Pinch me, I’m dreaming…
Did you change the bottle cages, too? They, too, look different. Nice cycle! can’t wait for the next round of images.
@drsoul
In general I dont like white(I own one white tshirt and that is it for white clothing) the original saddle was white but was very hard to keep clean, in fact it was turning brown when I picked up the Fizik. but your right white would look better. I just have some elite bottle cages on there now. oh and the new longer stem I have on there is white, which I think looks better with the frame and its a bit less of the black.
I would describe my bike as a mutt.
@RedRanger
Mutts, generally speaking, have the most character, yes?
I hear you on the white – quite a challenge keeping clean. And as I said, Rule #8, particularly the fourth bullet-point of said rule, is one with which I’m totally comfortable and in complete agreement.
I have all the parts for my project along with a bottle of suds. wish me luck.
@RedRanger
Good luck. And the next time you post in The Bikes there better be pics!
@RedRanger
I love my white bar tape, tho it is ‘Belgian Style’. Don’t spend enough time in the drops.
@RedRanger
Good luck. I also have a progetto on the go – complete rebuild of a 1994 Bosomworth. Yesterday’s excitement – collecting the forks and steerer tube from the engineering workshop who, for a few beers and bourbon RTDs, drilled out the remains of the old quill stem. (Like I say, complete rebuild.) Full details to follow once things have progressed a little further than the engineering workshop phase …
@RedRanger
Sweet ride! I agree, I think it would look good with white bar tape. The Fizik microtex seems pretty easy to keep looking fairly good. I avoided white bar tape for a long time because I didn’t want it looking all grungy, but I’m glad I made the switch. I personally think it looks pro, and so many bikes seem to have black bar tape… almost any color would add some pop to most rides in my opinion. Post some pics after you’re done!
I too have some bike work to do… I’m about due for a new chain, and I had two damn schleckanicals on my ride tonight… I had recently adjusted my FD after a series of drops on several rides, and though I had everything dialed in, but I had a harsh shift two rides ago that I think threw things back out of alignment. Bleh.
@RedRanger
I too am going through the bike build thing. I am close to getting it all together, so thought I would give a little teaser here.
This is the pic at the moment. (not sure how to upload into the comment so will link it)
Bike project
Forgive the Brifters thing, thought it was a common term, but have since done my penance.
Oh and as for set up, that has not been finalised so barlise on the flight deck comments.
Here are few teasters now that I have found out how to upload
oh my good Merckx
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/cervelo-unveils-new-s5-aero-road-bike/179923
I’m off to get a bit of tissue paper
That S5 is the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen… and I’ve seen a lot of Cervelos.
@brett
Yep. Ugly as sin. Cervelo just keep lowering the aesthetic bar, don’t they?
…. I’ll just get my coat then…..
Yeah, I want to like it for some reason, but fuck me it’s ugly. Cervelo need to look at BTs to find some aero bikes that aren’t uglier than sin.
@Xponti
Off to a good start. Have you thought abut flipping that stem?
@brett
@Winky
That whole P4 seat tube needs to go. Ick Ick Ick. As far as the new aero road trend goes, the Specialized McLaren is where it’s at.
@brett, @Dr C
First with their taller head tube on big frames and now with this, it’s sad that I’ll probably never buy another Cervelo road bike, because their bikes are so completely awesome. But that thing is uglier than a two-week dead fish.
@Winky
Yeah, I admire the pursuit of slippery bikes, but there’s got to be some aesthetic value in there as well…that thing will stay fugly until people start winning loads of races on them. I’ll stick with my R3, thankyouverymuch.
this is like a sandwich with fresh bread and that two week old fish as a filler – interesting to see if the Cervelo boys refuse to ride the R5 as it makes them feel ill
– still not convinced about the Venge, but how beautiful is the new SL4 – yum!
So got most of the work done last night but I forgot that I needed electric tape for the brake cables. This was the state the bike was in this morning.

I needed a lot of tape to hold down those super beefy brake cable housing

but here is the finished product.

ready to lay down The V

@RedRanger
Very nice! I like the brake cables and the white bar tape, for sure. Now find the steepest hill you can and see if the brake levers work correctly!
@RedRanger
Nicely done. I especially like that your bike took priority over fixing your wall outlet. Strong work. Also happy to see you’re riding a stem with a big V on the front, like me. Those Pro stems are the tits.
@Dr C
I’m in need of a new bike (I’m in drastic violation of Rule #12), or at least a new frame, as my only steed is a slightly too-large aluminum Cannondale from the early 90s. Campag Chorus 9-Speed, which I love, but the frame is just *that* much uncomfortable no matter how much fittling I do [yes, intentional].
Point being, historically I haven’t been a Specialized fan, but their newest models: yes, please.
Aero and good looking:
Looks fast sitting still
@RedRanger
Your new shifter look rad and in really good shape. Strong work on the tape job, now slide that saddle back. You’ll have to let us know what you think of the Yokozunas. They were night and day for me riding SRAM. And yes, those brake housings are burly.
@minion
Maybe. I’d like to see it totally built up and not just a frame. That new Cervelo is just an out-and-out pig. I know at the pro level they are looking for every watt advantage possible, so I’ll excuse it in that application. But I better not see anyone out for a Sunday cruise on one.
@Marko
Seconded. Rule #49.
@mcsqueak

Different model but same idea.
@Marko
@frank
Ha, I was hoping to squeak by on Rule #49, but I will see what I can do.
Them’s the Dura Ace 9 speed shifter, they are in really good shape and they look so much better than even the Ultegra. As for the cables, I took her in to my preferred shop just to have a mech. look over my work and he was impressed just by the look of the cables. Solid suggestion Marko.
Actually now they’re side by side the Tarmac looks like it takes a few cues from the BTs – top tube shape, bulbous headtube. BTW it’s Anna Meares’ bike, I think she has an updated model now.
@mcsqueak
when I saw the picture of the new Cervelo the first thing that game to mind was from the little bit of Italian I know “ke schifo”
@minion
What the fuck are you on? That BT looks like someone took a dump and stuck two wheels on each end of it.
@brett
Said the man who’s rubbing one out nightly over a 29 inch wheeled clown bike with springs and a fucken seatpost that looks and functions more like a sex toy than something you bolt a seat to…
@brett
Yes, that.
@minion
Yes, that. Though I covet a 29er myself, I think I can safely say I’ve avoided the lure of recent Mountain Biking tech.
Is it just me, or have the advancements in mountain bike technology since the mid-90’s been focused on making it possible to crash harder?
@frank
Rule #29 “Saddle bags have no place on a road bike, and are only acceptable on mountain bikes in extreme cases.”
Not sure what extreme circumstances warranted the use of a European Posterior Man Satchel but that thing is huge! It must throw the balance for the bike right out. Those things don’t have a place in mountain biking either. Given that you don’t really want mud and faecal matter coating your bidons, a Camelbak solution for hydration. They also provide an ideal place to keep your odds and sods.
Can you swap out mountain from Rule #29 in favour of commuting. No self respecting mountain biker would be seen with one of those.
Yes the violations are rife, but much like a good wife, she’s a bit filthy and she’s not perfect but she’ll do until I can afford something newer.
Yes, Always rocking old school kit.

@frank
Bite your tongue… like anything else, mtb technology has its better and worse moments. I have a buddy who just dropped an obscene amount on one of these, with a tubeless carbon wheelset to get it under 9kg. He’s a former state mtb champ tho, so he can take advantage of the technology. Me? Not so much; I’m good with the Vassago…
Cervelo makes me very sad. I have an RS that I love and I love the R3 and R3 sl circa 2008-2010. But the newer R models and now this…It’s not even practical. Look at the rear wheel clearance. You’d have to choose your tires carefully. And how scuffed is the frame going to get when a stone sticks to the tire. It’s a fucking tri bike ffs. Well that’s that, my next bike is probably going to be Italian.
@RedRanger
The bike is looking sweet. That mutt is ready to bark and bite now, no doubt! And nice bar tape…
@paolo
Cervelo’s track bike is a p3 with track drops, I can’t look at it without thinking it would handle like an absolute pig. Enough people have been sucked in by the aero benefits argument to buy it though.
another reminder how bad this bike actually looks…

@Dr C
I find deep section aero rims to be hideous. They make the bike look cluttered and less elegant.
@marko
@marko not sure if that is the stem I will end up with, but is a spare to put on until the bike is set up and I decide what size stem to put on there. Might need a shorter one.
Had to share this little gem…

@RedRanger
Isn’t that Frankie Andreu?
@Marko
I was thinking more like Frank Strack.
@RedRanger
If you look carefully, the ‘special purpose’ line in that photo goes past the saddle and terminates at the crotch! I thought I was the only one who called it that!
@Minion
why are you checking out little Frankie’s crotch?