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 ...
@gregorio I hope you and the Black Pearl have years of happiness together. My n2 is a 2008 Madone and I’d guess it rides very differently to this latest model. I’m interested to know how well you get on with that rear brake setup though? My simple mind can’t figure out why Trek have decided to put it in such an inaccesible position and a place that’s going to get covered in muck even more than it would on the seatstays. It’s not a TT frame, so I don’t personally see the advantage. .
@Buck Rogers £300. I’m not sure I want to swap out my groupsan that’s only 2 years old or Zipp 202s that I bought in May ha!
@RedRanger Maybe, but it’s a frame replacement, a cool opportunity and an excuse to purchase another frame if I wreck this one and they deny the warranty. No-one ever called me practical!
@Mike_P
You can never have too many wheels! Now you need a bombproof tubular pave wheelset! HED C2’s with Chris King hubs come to mind.
@Buck Rogers You’re a bad influence!
@Mike_P Get it done, just for the sake of having something different.
I have a distinctive colour combination on my Ridley – mainly gold with white second and black accents. I get a lot of comments, and people remember it. I get people who have ridden me with me once in a group a year ago coming up to say hello, and I have no idea I’ve ever met them – and I’m not flattering myself that it is my charismatic personality.
It will look especially good on a Cervelo, which are generally pretty understated in the colour department.
@DerHoggz They look to be, but that is not me…I am trying to identify the rider and give massive props!!
I sincerely hope someone sees “Baxter” out in the wild. From VeloNews Tech FAQ:
Using Di2 with SRAM
Dear Lennard,
I’m weeks away from getting a new tandem frame. It will be Di2 powered. My question is: would SRAM’s new 11-speed WiFli 11-32 cogset be compatible with an Ultegra 6800 Di2 rear derailleur?
“” Baxter
@ChrisO
You sure it isn’t the saddle, if i remember rightly you have a Brooks swallow on that bike?
@Mike_P
Paint it however you like, but unfortunately we’ll be restricting the official Velominati paint schemes. Nothing keeping you from using glorious combinations of black and orange! Have them match the orange to the new fizik orange bar tape and the black to death and you’ll have the colors right.
Good luck!
@Mike_P
Thanks much. Yes she is an entirely different beast. Much stiffer than the old school Madone, and as such demands to be ridden well, because she’s not very forgiving at higher speeds. The flip side is that this frame is making me a more disciplined and precise rider. I just finished a week long ride in CO, and was impressed by how well she climbed and the smoothness of the ride – which was achieved by moving the rear brake and eliminating the brake bridge.
Pretty much everyone is wondering about the rear brake. I ditched the bontrager brakes [which SUCK] and upgraded to DA, which are much better quality. Even so, they’re awkward to work on. I’ve not had enough wet rides to see how badly they get mucked up. I will say that the rear brake is very powerful, which is a plus for my 6-4 and 215 lbs. It IS an odd setup, though.
@frank
Black to death! I have images in mind of a custom paint artist with head to toe tats and piercings who will know exactly what shade that is!
@gregorio sounds like she’s working out just fine for you. Enjoy!
I just scored the deal of a lifetime. What did I buy for $300.00? A LOOK KG 181, lugged carbon frame mated to Shimano Dura-Ace 53/39 crank set, D-A front and rear derailleurs, Shimano Ultegra Flight Deck brifters, Shimano 105 brake set, Chris King headset, Cinelli classic bend bars, Weyless 6061 AL stem, Mavic Open Pro 32h wheels laced with Ultegra hubs and slathered with Hutchinson Tech Gold + Pro Carbon Comp rubber. A Fi’zi:k Pave saddle. Also comes with the worlds tackiest looking zebra striped bar tape only Cipo could love. I found it at a yard sale in Gary, Indiana. Ya, that Gary Indiana- Merckx be praised! I’m going to play the lottery now.
Now the question presents itself- new bar tape and what color? black cufflinks or white?
Here it is…
@Tugman You win, mate. NICE find.
@Tugman
You lucky son of a bitch!
Would look great with a white saddle and handlebars but if you’re keeping that saddle then the bars will need to match.
@Tugman while the Rule Holists will tell you that Rule #8 dictates black tape to match both the saddle & tires, I’d suggest there are enough white accents on the frame to gussy her up with some blindingly white tape.
In other news, you’re a bastard.
@Tugman
I’ll give you $350 if it’s a 56. That’s like 16% profit. Seriously though, nice.
@Mike_P
Actually, the under-the-BB position tends to accumulate less filth from the rear wheel, assuming you don’t ride into puddles deep enough to submerge your bottom bracket. I have a low-mounted brake on my TT bike – it’s a bitch to clean, but thankfully that’s not a task I have to do too often, despite serious winter mileage (goal race is in January, go figure). My road bike’s regular brake gets far dirtier in rainy weather, since it’s in direct line of fire of mud coming off the rear wheel.
My team’s sponsored Elites ride the new Madones and Speed Concepts, and have been very impressed with the brake. And, at the risk of sounding like a weenie – never underestimate aerodynamics. While the #1 aero improvement is chopping off a limb (alternatively, channel some more V and drop your head some more), a frame that’s more aero for the same weight and functionality (which the Madone is) is never a bad thing.
@Tugman
That there is the deal of the century. My Pedalwan rides the JaJa version of that frame with Chorus. Cool bike. I say white tape (white is for leaders and #1) with black cufflinks. That’s all the bike needs. Tape and links (and maybe a name badge). Very cool, enjoy.
@Deakus
True, the saddle helps – a Swift actually, with Ti rails.
I did have the beautiful honey colour but that was a bit of a problem out here as it got very discoloured by sweat. It’s now on the Roberts.
The black leather seems to stand up better.
@ChrisO
I have stored away a Swallow (not Ti sadly) and am looking for a steel steed to build up over the next year or so….
@Tugman Wow! Congrats on winning the lottery!!! What a deal!
Outstanding! So there is something good to say about Gary IN after all. To quote Monty Python:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG63OtsKC7k
@Tugman White tape. Black cufflinks. I think either a black or a white saddle would look good, or if you want to Look Really Pro, perhaps a white saddle with black accents. Congratulations on that amazing deal!
@wiscot
Yeah, I think you and I just got told. Definitively.
What a find.
@Tugman Wow, terrific find. Chapeau.
Your only problem is the use of the word, “brifters.”
@Tugman
What kind of seatpost is that? It’s pretty damn ugly, but then again, for $300 fuckin’ dollars I don’t suppose you can be too critical . . .
Good work, Mr. T. Tape, I think either would look sharp. Can’t go wrong. What is the application of this steed? If ridden in all conditions, black might be nice in terms of hiding rain riding grime.
Next, seat pillar. Then, bottle cage. Finally, but probably already swapped, a new saddle.
Slick bike, enjoy!
@Tugman Frickin’ gorgeous find! Don’t forget to fix the position of the hoods when you re-tape the drops.
I’m not letting a damn $300 LooKer from Gary overshadow a sure sign of the apocalypse. Please see Baxter’s question above.
He’s not only going to ride a tandem, but he’s deranged enough to put an electronic drivetrain on it and he has the balls to ask questions about it on the internet.
If I end up in hell my sentence will be to serve as Baxter’s stoker.
@wiscot
It’s the seat post that came with it, made by LOOK as well.
@Mark1
Was this the bike you were going to order in bits so the wife wouldn’t know? How is that going? What a killer. That frame is so beautiful. I’ve seen some press about Sarto and they should be using your photos. Bel mezzo.
@Ron
Thanks @Ron, but the post is staying. The camera I used really doesn’t do this bike justice, but I believe the post is original equipment. Cage can go, it’s a cheapy Blackburn, just put on to get me rolling for her initial road trials. The saddle stays also- I like it.
As far as a purpose- this bike will never see so much as a raindrop unless I miscalculate the weather. She’s my new #1, and lives in our living room upstairs, (much to the VMH ‘s discontent) and is lovingly massaged post-ride with a well worn white cotton t shirt, pre-misted with Lemon Pledge.
@Marko
Thanks Marko, I was thinking of going Campy with this one, as now I can justify the expenditure with the VMH. How they are enjoying theirs as much as I’m enjoying mine! Got to get a decal set along wit the cufflinks…
@DeKerr
Thanks @DeKerr, Ya they are going to be. The stem may go as well, (dare I say) it’s too long and has me stretched out too far. The guy I bought it from was at least 5 cm taller than me.
@DerHoggz
Jeeezus, even the LBS tries to make a 36% margin! – In my best generic shopkeeper voice, mumbling – ” fucking roadies, bunch o’ goddamned scavenger savages, always wanting something for nothin’…LOL
Thanks man, I’m really enjoying it.
@Mark1
Lovely stuff mate.Well done.
@Tugman
That would look so nice parked next to my black 585…luckily for my sanity, my 585 is a 61cm, so that lovely thing is too small for me.
Managed to get out on the bike this morning – no one’s getting married; no clients to meet in Mid-Nowhere and best of all my nice new DT-Swiss freehub means I actually have a #1 to ride again – oh yes.
Things to observe – the trees at the top of the Braes of Greenock are already beginning to show autumn colours; this morning was flat calm at 06.30 and the 32 tooth freehub that’s been warrantied in to replace the original 18 tooth freehub makes a pleasing sound.
Am I the only person whose guns are mighty enough (and bulk great enough) to have blown a freehub? – are DT Swiss hubs designed for Italian racing dwarves, am I unlucky or is there a conspiracy? I’d really like to know.
@the Engine
It’s presumably linked to whether or not you wear anything under your kilt in the deepest winter and we have to assume the answer is “not”.
@the Engine don’t know about the hubs, but your post made me want to say is this the time of year when you northern hemisphere dwellers and us antipodean types can actually both really appreciate the magical atmosphere and conditions? We are coming into spring and the morning rides this week have been absolutely glorious, I look at the poor misguided fools in their cars and all I can think is “you’re missing the point and you’re missing one of the most glorious experiences in life”
@Teocalli
I have little choice but to wear plaid trews rather than a kilt as otherwise my wedding tackle gets caught in the back wheel of my steed.
@the Engine
Ho Ho – though I was not necessarily meaning while you were riding. Though it does add grist to the saying “it was so steep I was hanging over the back wheel using my balls as brakes”.
@Mark1
A wet dream. Congrats, and let us know how it rides.
@Teocalli
Well in that case –
there is nothing worn under my kilt as it is all in perfect working order
Yes, it is a great time of year to be a cyclist. Even if I can’t fit in a longer ride, I still get out on the bike at sunset every night because they’ve been consistently beautiful for a few weeks now.
Not riding as much as I’d like, but getting a lot of good work done these days. And, I’ve finally managed to not feel guilty over rides missed and simply enjoy the ones I see in the near future.
Last Saturday I finally did something I’ve been wanting to do for awhile – rode for an hour, then played 1.5 hours of futbol. Damn, my body was alive with endorphins all day!
@the Engine at that point I’ll take your word for it and retire discretely to the corner.