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 ...
@scaler911 I noticed them too, now that you mention it. Will definitely say hi next time! I too was too busy inhaling oxygen to make any sounds other than “uuunnnnhhhhh”.
@scaler911
And remember, Delta’s aren’t really meant to stop you, they just delay the crash.
I too am new around here.
My own Number 1.
Waterford R-33. True Temper S-3 frame, Enve 1.0 Fork.
@artman Welcome! She’s a beauty. Not everyone will like the bar tape, but it kinda works for me.
@scaler911
You misspelled “bring them up to @frank’s place and build them up while testing the limits of alcohol consumption, riding, and precision mechanics.”
@EricW
Thanks!
When I first built her up, I used black tape, but if you ever see it up close, the Cinelli cork makes the gold lettering on the frame pop.
I might switch back to black Cinelli next time.
Always cleaning the drops. ;-)
@artman beyoootiful
@artman Very nice – I’m also on the fence about the bar tape – in the photo I just thought it was really dirty – but will take your word that it improves in the flesh. Overall I like the mix of black and white and I can see how a splash of something different would work.
Are they tubeless tyres – how are you getting on with them ?
Trivia trouble — there are 3 obvious faces in this gruppo, but how many others can be named? And bonus question — what frameset is the obvious rider (Del Tongo) on the left riding?
As always, some beautiful bikes posted lately. As for steel, I have three: Columbus MultiShape on my Tommasini, Columbus Genius on my Casati, and plain ol’ Thron on my De Bernardi. All have a distinct ride to them, which is of course also related to wheels, tubes, other parts. But, I enjoy riding all of them.
ChrisO – I was living in a city and a few years younger when I first saw the Brunelle city drag racing films. I though, “Wow, how cool.” I watched them a few months back and they made me ill, nervous and say, “Fuck, I’d never ride like that.” Funny how age and a wife can change things!
I actually showed for a group ride last week and exactly two others showed. One I’d met once, good rider nice guy, the other was a stranger. Aside from all the wacky shit he did for 3 hours, he constantly rode off the front. At one point he turned to ride back to join us, made eye contact and went to u-turn…at the crest of a blind roller. I watched in horror as the car cresting the hill violently jerked around him, barely missing hitting him at 50 mph.
Fuck, I don’t need to see some jackass killed in front of me. I get upset enough seeing turtles and squirrels and deer mashed, much less a person. Goddamn, that guy was one of the bigger idiots I’ve ever met on a bike. Strong, but so stupid. I hope he wises up quickly.
@Ron
Hi Ron…I’m new to the group and considering building a Tommasini Sintesi so I’m curious as to your experience with the Tommasini, especially as you would compare it to the Casati. Would appreciate anything you would care to share. Thanks much! Jeff
BSNYC had a field day with the Brunelle video.
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2013/10/fred-tectonics-continental-draft.html
@unversio
jaja, Fignon, LeMonde, Cipo, Robert Millar?, some Colombian guy.
Pinarello. Who is the other giant Del Tongo rider?
Wiscot, please name the rest.
@Gianni
Pinarello or Colnago? Looks like a Colnago to me. And Cipo is in that pic??? Where? I see LeMan and Fignon but I am sad to say that I am not sure of the others. Where’s Jaja? Is that Anderson on the left as we look at the photo?
Awesome pic! I LOVE these type of posts where we have to try to figure this stuff out. Oli was THE Master at them.
@Buck Rogers
Colnago is recognizable on the head badge — thanx. I suspect that Franco Chioccioli (Del Tongo) is sitting in (his eyebrows and nose visible) a few behind LeMond. There is a third Del Tongo rider behind the Bottecchia team rider. And Franco won this 1991 Giro d’Italia. This is the image posted for Grand Tours under “road race cycling” on wikipedia.org
Never expected to see hairnets made by UVEX (behind LeMond).
@Buck Rogers
I rescind my Jaja call. It’s some Italian with jaja’s eyebrows. I believe Cipo is on our left, in Del Tongo jersey, somehow climbing with the good guys.
@Gianni
boys, how quickly you forget.
The tall Del Tongo guy is the late Franco Ballerini, double winner of parigi- roubaix (some would say two and a half time winner).
@fignons barber
Wow, I didn’t realize what a big boy he was. He looks like he would be more comfortable on the stones than that climb.
@Gianni
It’s funny, this photo is from the “old days”, (1991 giro) when they all got fat in the winter. Its May and they all look like they need to drop a few to get to fighting weight. Unlike today, where they show up for Het Volk looking like stick figures. More human back then.
My GTAV ride
The Deacon got its first taste of racing action today. It got a lot of exposure too. Somebody in staging asked me where I got it and when I said I made it a lot of ears perked up and everybody was oohing and aahing over it. Even the announcer got into it as everytime I came by the start/finish line he would mention that I made the bike I was riding and then one time I heard people in a corner say “That guy makes those” as I went by. It was pretty satisfying. Of course I was flying the V-Colors and like a good Velominati I always took the beer hand-ups.
[dmalbum: path=”/velominati.com/wp-content/uploads/readers/Cyclops/2013.10.13.02.22.43/1/”/]
I’m a fat cow.
@Cyclops only 1 person doing hand-ups? what has the cross scene turned into out there? surely that retaining fence should be lined with arms stretched out holding a wonderful red solo cup.
but seriously, post more of your builds if the clients don’t mind…i always enjoy seeing your work
@Cyclops
Love the 3rd pic, beer in hand and a happy man. Well done.
On the topic of legends, saw Phil Anderson out riding yesterday on the good old Great Ocean Road near Lorne. Still looks good on a bike.
My N + 1 search is heating up.
That Neil Pryde I posted earlier is very nice but didnt really stir much in the way of emotion. I’d almost written off the idea of getting another bike till next year but then…
I visited my good buddy at the bike store yesterday and went over some options.
We looked at building up an S-Works frame with Dura-Ace 9000…meh.
We looked at a couple of Focus bikes that were nice but boring.
Then we looked at Bianchi…I have always wanted an Italian bike.
He has a regular Oltre that we could build up with DA9000 in standard Celeste/White/Black. Or he had a black Oltre XR frame set that is built for a Shimano electronic transmission that I would build with Ultegra di2.
Thoughts?
He’s holding the XR frame set for me till Tuesday.
@kixsand
So weird. You are like my cycling doppleganger. I have a Cervelo but what stirs my loins is an R5. However I am unsure of BB right and the super tall head tubes so I tested a Bursal Sl. Superb. Every bit as good as an R5 and the frame is almost 1.5 grand cheaper…but…but it just doesn’t stir me. And the Oltre is so beautiful…but a 5 grand frame that weighs 200 grams more…decisions decisions! But please, please don’t put a shimano drive train on that wonderful Oltre. You know it was built for Campy Electronic. Better yet get that Celeste Oltre and put the non electronic Super Record on it. Someone will say who cares if they are all made in Taiwan but I believe the Oltre like the Colnago c59 is still made in Italy, even if it’s not true it matters not. Go with the Campagnolo!
@DerHoggz
That’s hilarious! “It’s basically a gravel bike for assholes”.
@scaler911
You bastard. You rat bastard. That’s beautiful! And no, you can’t have my ’97 Trofeo.
@kixsand
Buy a Bianchi. All other bikes are shit.
And preferably Campa on an Italian frame.
@Bianchi Denti
You’re so right BD, why buy a whole bike that weighs less and runs better, and have some coin left over? Madness!
@paolo take a poop before every ride. that should make up for the 200 grams.
@piwakawaka
Exactly! That extra money would just be wasted on something frivolous and non-bike-realted anyway (education, mortgage, medication, etc). At least this way you keep the Italian decal applicators in business. You’ll also be able to find your bike more easily after a cafe stop, as it won’t be a Specialized or Giant.
So many “pros”, and not a single logical “con”…
@RedRanger
You’re not the first to point that out. @Joe said exactly the same thing. And I usually do and though it’s unconfirmed it’s probably more like 1000 grams. So probably I should get the Bianchi also eh? ( it’s not like I don’t have a few kgs to lose off myself fist anyways…)
@paolo get the bike that moves you. I ride a cdale and she moves me
@RedRanger
Moves you like that first cup of coffee in the morning? This conversation has gone rapidly down the toilet. But you started it!
@paolo emotionally moves you
That Neil Pryde frame weighs 760 grams. The Oltre XR is 895. Seems like a big difference on paper. Or at least I thought so till I hefted the oltre frame – the thing weighs fucking nothing! The fact that another frame weighs a bit less seems a bit ridiculous to me now. Even with Ultegra, an Oltre with a decent set of wheels will top out at about 16 pounds…I don’t need lighter than that!
I do a lot of photography and shoot with a Nikon D700. The D700 with no battery and no lens on the body weighs…995 grams.
I’m with you guys on an Italian bike needing an Italian drive train. I’ll bring it up with my guy when we talk on Tuesday. I think they make separate frames for campy and Shimano electronic. Maybe the non XR frame in the Celeste colour scheme is the way to go. It weighs a few grams more and isn’t quite as stiff apparently. Why does it have to be so fucking hard…money, that’s why. I’m saving about $2500 by buying the bike at end of season.
@kixsand Who cares about the weight. Which one fits better?
@RedRanger
Yes he does!!
I’m sure Neil Pryde makes a great bike, but it is not exciting. Not to mention it is a really stupid brand name.
@DerHoggz I really liked there stuff the first year they started making bikes in 2010 I want to say. that new thing isn’t very pretty.
@paolo you’re nuts. welcome to the fold.
@paolo +1 for your thoughts on Campag only for Italian frames. I could never bring myself to put anything else on something coming out of Italy, regardless of its price, weight or heritage. It would somehow feel like heresy. Which is why it bugs the shit out of me that De Rosa of all people have now spec’d their stock King RS with a Group-san.
@DerHoggz
What’s stupid about Neil Pryde as a brand name? It wouldn’t be the first time someone has used their own name as a brand name in cycling.
@Chris
Yeah, but they are usually cooler names. Stupid metric I know.
@DerHoggz
Refer my previous quote bout the “Pryde”
Anybody bothered to check the history of carbon work from the company?
Reckon their bikes should be ok, I was seriously considering one.
@Barracuda It goes beyond just carbon, they’ve been making sails ever since I can remember (and long before windsurfers) and they’ve always been very highly regarded.
@RedRanger
Thank you. Ive been here quite a long time now ( a couple years at least) but I post sporadically
Only when I am moved…not like the coffee one, the emotional one.
I don’t care for the NP name either…no reason, just dont. And yeah its pretty uninspiring looking but the Bursa SL is a great ride. 710 to 760 grams for the frame, plenty stiff where it needs it, still comfy enough for 160K ride and in the US the frame is just $3500. I say just, obviously it’s a lot but it’s about 66% of it’s rivals.
On this site we talk a lot about tradition and emotion. We espouse the aesthetic.
For me, the NeilPryde wasn’t checking the box on any of those points:
Tradition – well, they started making bikes in 2010.
Emotion – maybe if I was also a sailor.
Aesthetic – the look of their bike seems to be almost entirely “borrowed” from Cervelo.
Bianchi on the other hand doesn’t just check these boxes but checks the shit out of them, has a smoke and then comes back for another shot at the title.
For me to overlook the points I’ve made above I think there would have needed to be a significant value differential but with the year end deal I’d be getting on the Bianchi the prices are very close. I think he’s selling me the Oltre XR frame for about $3500.