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 ...
@Ron
@Ron
Ron try Pitlock skewers.I think they work great for commuters.
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/pitlock.asp
http://www.pitlock.com/to-the-shop/index.php
Campagnolo Over-Torque Crankset technology is not necessarily over thinking things.
from todays ride out near a local copper mine. I havnt posted a picture of #1 in a while. no real major changes since I got her, mostly minor upgrades for ascetics. I think she looks pretty good.
@Dan_R
Dude. Someone threw that away? Merckx have mercy on their soul.
@Deakus This…
After a brief flirtation with psychedelic colours, the blues have been removed. My #1 hangs in the background as she is understandably camera-shy after her last ‘fonging’. Before the blues are disposed of, I shall use them to flagellate myself lest I forget the black-on-black principle.
@the Engine
I am no beast, and I killed a hub in one year of riding this past summer. The metal they make the spines out of was a bit soft and I eventually wore the cogs into them and couldn’t get them back off when I went to investigate a clicking sound (which was being caused by that).
@mcsqueak
That whole thing was crazy. Never seen it before.
@mcsqueak
From recent reading, a lot of hubs use alumin(i)um for the freehub body to save weight but come at the cost of gouging the splines under repeated load. Others use steel or Ti and I understand they can be machined to minimize the weight penalty but are less prone to this kind of damage.
That said, you both are still beasts.
@RedRanger
very nicely done. Looks fast. And not humid.
@xyxax
We are just on the back end of monsoon season so its been a bit humid(30%) but the heat has been lower. My goal at this point has been to make #1 as good looking and fun to ride on a budget. you dont need a lot of cash to make your bike look good. She may not be 100% rule compliant, but feel I am pretty darn close.
@scaler911
A group of us were on a mtb trip and one of the guys simply assploded his stans hub on his 650b. He’s not a huge or particularly torque-y rider. Had a nice 3k push outta the woods. Fortunately the shop in Squamish sorted his wheel so he didn’t have to buy/rent something for rest of trip.
On second thought, yes, mcsqueak is a bit of a monster. Never mind.
@Tugman
Totally not jealous or anything. Nope.
Nice find, that’s a beauty! My vote is black bar tape with white plugs.
@ChrisO
If the above sound advice fails, ride like you stole it !
@EricW
Second that, black tape, white plugs, definately lose the zebra bar tape.
@Barracuda
seems like the bar just needs to be rotated down a bit and the hoods should be just about right.
Cane Creek 50mm tubulars for sell. Campy freehub body — Shimano free hub available if needed. Sapim X-Ray spokes. 24 hole radial front 24 hole rear, (Drive side 2 cross and non-drive side radial). Schwalbe Stelvio tires mounted with 1 spare Stelvio as well. Excellent condition. $800 or best offer. Will have to determine shipping cost. vin@28avg.com
Had the LBS swap out my 105 11-28T rear cassette for an Ultegra 12-25T today. My chain was stretched as well, so I had them put on a new Ultegra chain.
I’m riding a 50-34 compact and found it a bit superfluous to have that giant awkward looking spread of cogs adorning my ride. My motivation was more than aesthetic though…I really wanted to smooth out the shift transitions through the heart of the cassette by adding the missing 16T cog…12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23-25. Giving up the easy gears seemed like an appropriate step in HTFU training principles. Losing the 11T wasn’t the end of the world as I’m not strong enough to sprint on an 11T and we don’t have descents here in Toronto that beg for an 11T.
Took it out today for a ride and LOVED it! There was definitely a bit of a psychological shift on the big climbs I did today,knowing that there weren’t any bailout gears waiting in the wings but I managed just fine. The Ultegra chain and cassette are noticebly smoother than the 105 cassette and Tiagra chain that I had been using. And, the bike looks so much better with a PROPER cassette on the back. I found mysellf cruising on that 16T so many times today!
Went to ride the n1 on a bit of gravel at last years TDU , didnt like the “ting ting” sound of stones on the carbon, then a mate said, “nah mate, have a ride of my n3” …. needless to say by the end of the short ride I was looking for things to run over ala small cars and buses, like a monster truck. Although not rule compliant, these Fat Bikes are a hoot!
@kixsand
Yes. I (old guy) run a compact and an 11×25 right now, and there’s some non-trivial climbing around here. I think that once you’ve got some base miles in your legs and your position on the bike is dialed in enough that you’re not doing yourself injury, slightly lower cadences (as in not 90rpm but still turning something akin to circles) are not a problem. I’m built more like a little powerlifter, anyway, so turning the cranks at 70 rpm on climbs makes sense for me, even though on the flats I’m most comfortable in the mid-90s.
@Barracuda There was a guy at my local mtb race series that raced one of those single speed. Pretty hilarious to see him in rock gardens. He’d go through the smaller rocks like they weren’t there but every once in a while a big rock would bounce him a good foot or two to one side.
They are an absolute blast to ride though.
@EricW
Yep, exactly, you get a bit fearless on them. After a short time on this beast I felt like something akin to the below picture, then I had to give it back !
In the end instead of just riding it, I was looking for things to run over!
@PeakInTwoYears
I like to spin up hills at 90 rpm so I’m just going to have to work a little harder on experience what it’s like to slog up a hill at risk of falling over!
@Barracuda
Is that the Pugsley model? What are your impressions? They’re the steed of choice for winter races on snowpacked roads in the U.P. of Michigan.
@gregorio
Surly “Moonlander” i think from memory, and it was awesome fun to ride. They use them going across the Simpson Desert over here. Ouch
Reasonably happy with the look of my #1 (and only) right now.
New thin (2mm) fizik tape…first tape job I’ve done myself. I did alright and more importantly, I know what I did wrong so that I can do it perfectly next time.
New matte white CF blackburn water bottle cages…really like the look of them.
New 12-25T rear cassette.
A bit of steerectile dysfunction to be true, but I’m not in my final position on this bike yet…my flexibility has been improving as I ride more and more.
I’m not really happy with the paint that has chipped off of the seat post – any ideas on how to remedy this?
Shit balls – forgot to post the pic…
Here you go…
@kixsand
The 11T is not just for sprinting or for descending. It’s the only gear you’re supposed to use. Ever.
Glad the bike’s working out for you. All I see in the pic, though, is the vast potential for a Rule #42 violation.
@Steampunk
LOL – while I will admit to hitting the pool following a ride it is purely for the enjoyment and recuperative benefits that it provides and not in contravention of the spirit or letter of the law as laid out in Rule #42.
Minor update on my road tubeless conversion.
Doing a two day double (imperial) century. Toward the end of day one, I got the first puncture. Since I had fresh latex, the money shot was impressive, but it did seal within a couple of minutes, and remained rideable to the finish. No roadside repair! I hit it with the floor pump, and plan 100 miles on it tomorrow.
About 1500 miles on them, and was hoping to get to 2000, but I’m guessing replacement after a puncture is now mandated.
FWIW, the system works as designed.
@eightzero why is it mandated and why only 2000 miles?
Oooh, a box of Italian loveliness has just arrived at my office. A nearly full Gruppo (Record) for my new team bike.
It will be a Carbon/Black TCR Advanced SL – if the frame is the one I think it is then it’s a very matte black all over.
I’m not a big fan of the stealth look but gift horse and all that… I will put a few white accents on to lighten it up. Bar tape and cables for sure and maybe saddle should do it nicely.
Just waiting for a couple of other bits and bobs to arrive (including a BB adapter) to have it built up.
@eightzero
A flat patch for a car tire cut to size works on my MTB tubeless. I don’t see why it won’t work for you.
@Weldertron
Interesting thought. I started with Bontrager tubeless and found that the rear was a bit “leaky”. I had a few mini leaks that would not seal and I was not sure whether they were from punctures or from basic lack of integrity in the tyres. Replaced with Schwalbe at about 1250 miles / 2000 Km. The Bontrager used to lose about 10 psi over a couple of days from new then the rear was losing 20-30 psi overnight. So far after 2 weeks the Schwalbe don’t seem to lose anything. The interesting thought is that the inner surface of the Bontrager is a bit like a rubberised cloth finish and I can see that being problematic to patch internally. The Schwalbe is more of a straight rubber liner which would probably patch fine with just a normal inner tube patch – hopefully I won’t get cause to have to try but now I’ve penned this………..Velomati Fata viam invenient – maybe that should be added to the Lexicon?
@kixsand
Nail polish is good for touch ups.
@Steampunk
A summer ride shall always end near a body of ice-cold water – be it lake, pool or beer.
Took my new-to-me C’dale Flash 29er to some new-to-me trails, ended the loop at the local pool, and by closing time had cooled off enough to decide on the scenic route back via a different trail. Perfect afternoon.
@eightzero
Replacement not mandated. Once it seals, it seals for good… I’ve had an MTB for just two weeks but half the ride is accompanied by the hiss of yet another thorny puncture – until at some point it stops. If I had to replace the tyre after every puncture it’d be an expensive hobby.
I still haven’t had the chance to do road tubeless (my non-tubeless tyre stock is not depleted yet!) but I usually run sealant in the tubes. If you want to accelerate the sealing, stop by the road/trailside and turn the wheel so the puncture is at the bottom.
@tessar
If beer qualifies as water, you might want to try some non-American or Australian kinds…
@Steampunk Touche. It’s a body of water, though, that serves to hold what’s truly important.
@RedRanger it was just a target based on what I got out of clinchers.
@tessar
Ah, good to know. It appears this is the case, as the ride today showed no sign of geysers or repeats.
@eightzero ah I was just wondering. like @tesser says once it seals its stays sealed. thats the beauty of the system. my mtb has run over countless cholla cactus with ni sign of not holding air.
Gotta love Sagan…and someone else to pay for your rims…
http://youtu.be/gLDMhKHlEIA
As much as Sagan can be a little shit, I like his youthful enthusiasm. All the videos of him doing things like riding up his Audi may seem a bit childish to some, the 12 year old in me appreciates that some people still do it for the fun of it.
OK a little help if I may be so bold. Recently my N2 has started down shifting 3 at a time on the rear cassette. At first I just assumed it was cable stretch and re-indexed a couple of times with no success. I then thought it might be a bent gear hanger but it looked pretty straight so rather than cause any damage I took it to the LBS (I have a pretty good relationship with them) and they gave it a once over glance at short notice gratis.
They have diagnosed that the right lever ratchet has “gone”. It is campag centaur (2011 I think) which bemuses me because it cannot have done more than a couple of thousand kms…it is my rain bike so has seen some stiff Rule #9 conditions.
Question:
Replace or repair?….has anyone taken apart and rebuilt campy centaur levers. If this is a real nightmare for a layman to undertake I might as well replace and keep the old one for spares but I quite fancy pulling it apart and having a go if it is relatively straightforward and does not require £00’s of £ worth of Campy tools!
Any views?
@Deakus No experience with tearing down and rebuidling road gear (yet) but since it sounds like you’d have to replace it anyway, and it’s on your n-1 (see what i did there… yay math), why not take the opportunity to become more intimately acquainted with the inner workings of your steed?
I can picture it now. The gleaming metal parts and innards of your centaur laid out upon the workmat, illuminated by the warm glow of the closest incandescent bulb, partly finished Belgian BWHY resting in the V-pint on the table, and a slight furrow to your brow as you contemplate “How the fuck do I get this back together”.
Beauty
@DeKerr
You sell the vision well!
@Steampunk
Counter-intuitively, this is not actually the correct answer, children.
If you’re picking one gear, it has to be a 52×14.
I’m taking my first venture into framebuilding in the next few weeks. I will be starting with a track frame as it is a type of bike i have yet to acquire.
I will be building it with a 52×14, and then ride it until my legs can actually maintain more than 40rpm.
@frank
On a track, for an hour: sure. But I can guarandamntee that the Cannibal made sure his bike went to 11 on the road when called upon.
@Weldertron
Pretty sure it was a Peugeot.
@Steampunk
What about poo-joe?