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 ...
@Nate @DerHoggz So this happened.
While the budget for the DA group comes in, I thought I’d build up the 3Rensho with the Colnago’s drivetrain as it’s a more versatile bike and the drivetrain colors matched the bike better. Not normally a fan of white tape, but the white/red/black combo turned out real purrty.
@EricW interesting eclectic and bold build. I feel like there is a light -dark imbalance amongst cockpit saddle and wheels that might be improved with some skin wall tires (easy fix) or silver rims (less so). I could lend you some used Corsa SC it though they are not great winter tires. You know how to find me.
Also are you running a prehistoric ISP?
@Nate Nope, just a perfectly color matched seatpost. Thanks for the offer on the tires. I think I’d go skinwall if I built up a set of TB14s or Golden Tickets, but for now I’m digging the hipster-ish vibe. I take another picture tomorrow when I’m out. It looks more balanced in person.
I might splurge for a set of Open Paves soon though. The rear tire is nearing the end of its service life.
The white tape and saddle are inspired by the Japanese need for cleanliness. On work trips to Japan, I was fascinated by how many people white cloth or knit gloves when going about their jobs. It seemed right, then, that the contact points on a Japanese frame be white.
@EricW
See you’ve got the SRAM red black yellow crankset. Nice
@EricW That is quite gorgeous…
@PeakInTwoYears
Ha! That sounds more like West Country pronunciation that Woostershire pronunciation. Good old Zumerrrrrzett folk.
@VeloJello
Indeed. I’m being seriously tempted by a very similar frame in about that colour I have seen for sale second hand to update to a similar config. That just makes the temptation worse! I wonder as I seem to have just about sold an old rigid mtb to take me to n-1 whether that would justify me going back to n (ignoring the price difference of course).
@Teocalli
Interesting timing, this was first cab off the rank last night at beer o’clock.
@EricW nice. Cool storty on the white. open paves are a great winter tire here.
@Rom @VeloJello @Teocalli Thanks! I’m taking it out on its maiden voyage today, will report on how it rides. Initial parking lot test last night shows that the steep head angle makes it feels like a geared track bike.
I caught the neo-retrro bug with the Colnago and haven’t looked back since. Obviously everyone has their own taste, but I feel that life’s too short to ride boring bikes and vintage steel+modern bits and a splash of carbon is what appeals to me. Be careful, @Teocalli, I suspect you’ll be bitten by it too.
@Mikael Liddy
Hey I’ve seen that (in friend’s NZ travel pics). Been curious about it ever since. Any way to get that in the states?
@Nate
The wheels look very dark because the brake track has not worn through to silver yet. give it a few weeks, or one ride in the rain.
@Weldertron I unnderstand that, I was suggesting all-silver rims. But having seen the BroNago in the flesh I am sure @EricW’s aesthetic here is very cool and unique.
@EricW
Awesome, was going to say something about the yellow cranks, but that matched up with the logos nicely. Serendipitous.
@EricW
@EricW, I already am if you have seen my 1967 Claud Butler rebuild project that is currently in the respray shop. That will be pure vintage but I’m interested in a steel / modern build out too…….I love my carbon Pina but I’d like a “cruiser with class” too.
@Teocalli Oh I’d forgotten about the CB. That frame is awesome. Love the subdued green. You’re going period correct? What build are you thinking?
@Weldertron @Nate The brake tracks are already showing a little wear in the form of silver rings where pieces of grit have cut through the ano. It’s cool that the wheel develops a unique patina from riding. I dig that.
@EricW
Yup I’ve been hunting eBay (and a few other places) for early 70s Nuovo Record Gruppo parts, period Stronglight chainset (to replace the Suntour I put on in the 70s). Probably paid well over the odds for a few bits but given that I’ve had the bike from new I felt it was worth it. So now have all the parts ready for the frame to come back. 6-8 week wait as they are pretty busy up at Mercian but will be worth it as they are pretty sure they can get as original decals. Be nice to get her back together for Christmas.
@EricW
that’s a beauty, Eric. Love the frame color and build. You’ve got it all going on over in the Bay area, you and Nate.
I count 3 violations so far. Better find a hill to do repeats on!
@EricW
I have a set of wheels built up with Open Pro CD rims with ~20k kms on them. The anodizing has worn off the brake tracks, and it does look cool. OTOH, the Wolber Super Champions on my ’87 Centurion Ironman still have the anodizing intact, due to the fact that it’s a sunny-day-only bike and I’ve only put about 3k kms on it. I’m the third owner; the bike still had the original front tire when I got it, so there aren’t that many kms on the bike.
@Weldertron Sir, yes sir!
@revchuck How is the wear life on the mavic ceramics? Do you have to use special brake pads? I remember lusting after those a while back, but never pulling the trigger.
@xyxax Thanks! With the number of rule violations I see on a daily basis around here, @Nate and I are just trying to hold the line.
@EricW
Barbarians at the golden gate!
“ENVE” envy of a fellow Fuji brothers ride this morning !!
@Barracuda I need those wheels!!!
@Barracuda and I thought my bike was heavily branded…
@EricW their website lists these guys as the US distributors. I’d say it was definitely worth the effort.
http://www.sheltonbrothers.com/
@Mikael Liddy
Looks pretty amazing in the flesh, makes my Fuji SST with the C24’s look like it should have training wheels !!
@Barracuda no doubt, wasn’t a negative comment. Will we be seeing it in action in February?
@Mikael Liddy
Reckon so ! May even be 3 SST’s in action. theres about 4 of differing model years getting round these parts.
Having said that they were thin on the ground on sundays AMy’s ride. Plently of phat lawyers on Pinnarello’s though!
@Barracuda yeah noticed that the first time I did it. Fine carbon racing steeds carrying loads more akin to those a clydesdale would be used to…
Well, the bad news is that I have just gone n-2 selling a rigid mtb and a hard tail mtb but the good news is that Comptroller Finance has cleared budget to seek out a winter/training bike. Plan is for a classy steel frame to rig with modern Groupo or possibly a steel CX frame. Budget will not go to a Feather CX custom build that I rather fancy so I might wait on the CX.
@VeloJello
Nice colors……take some more pictures!
@Teocalli
I am upgrading the group set on one of my bikes and the logical thing is a trickle down effect of group sets from each bike. this will leave me with a late 90’s record/chorus mix groupo So I am now in the market for a similar setup. I am leaning towards a nice steel frame for mixed riding duties. I am also holding off on a CX bike until end of summer this next year.
@DCR
I was at that point about 4 months ago. I ended up a steel Lemond Poprad, simultaneously solving my CX problem while also giving me a wet weather/winter’gravel bike. Dug an old Veloce gruppo out, slapped a Campy 42t triple middle ring on the outside, and it works great.
@EricW
after the recent Lemond and velominati shock I have been looking at lots of older lemond bikes. I would love to have a ride that bares that name or that of Merckx!
@DCR My suggestion regarding bikes by LeMan is to check the paint quality in person. My Poprad has excellent paint, but I owned a Chambery with paint that peeled off if you look at it wrong.
Do we have any resident track racers? I’ve got questions about hubs and cranks for the frame i’m building up.
@Teocalli
Rats – the bike I was going to buy was involved in some sort of wee prang today and unsure now whether it is in a sellable state. Waiting for the seller to get over it (seemingly fortunately they were not hurt which is the main thing) before finding whether it is a salvageable project. Shame as it was a stunning frame. Might be back to the longer term CX plan if I can’t find another nice frame before savings build up.
@Weldertron What you want to ask? Done a little bit, coach a little bit.
1. general consensus on the SRAM Omnium GXP crankset. I don’t really like Shimano stuff, and would rather not run campy as the shell i’m putting in is BSA.
2. Hubs. Once again, everyone says Dura Ace is the best for the money. Any recommendations on something with a good dollar value.
The frame is a project to keep me busy during the cold winter months. I’m building it as a real track bike, not a hipster fixie, so i’d like to do it with proper components to occasionally race the local ‘drome.
However, most people here will probably hate it as i’m building it with a 6cm top tube drop from front to back.
@Weldertron 1. I’ver heard stories of GXP BB’s failing on Omniums. Some theorize it’s because of the additional stresses of skidding/trick-riding that it wasn’t designed for. I used to run it on an old track bike commuter and never had an issue. Of course, I had a front brake. Silly hipsters.
2. I think since track hubs are so much cheaper than road hubs, going DA really isn’t a bad idea.
@RManneck Cheers man. More to come once a bit more rule compliant… :)
@Weldertron
1. I have Omniums on a track bike I ride on the road. I’ve replaced the GXP BB (stock SRAM “Team,” i.e. Force/Rival) twice in three years and it’s ready for another. From what I’ve heard, this is not unusual. But the BBs are cheap enough… Front brake, no skidding, but I do ride it year ’round so wet and grit are factors.
The Omniums are kind of fat and bulbous, so they look good on a fat-tubed alloy or carbon frame; not so much on steel. I stick with Campy, DA or Sugino for a more classic look.
2. Dura Ace track hubs are indeed awesome. I have some of the high flange 7600s, which I don’t think Shimano makes any longer. Both they and the low flange 7710s are loose ball, so a bit of maintenance is required, but you’d be hard pressed to find that kind of workmanship and finish short of Campy.
For quality bargain track hubs check out Miche Primato: Italian*, sealed bearings, look good, decent finish. Axles are not chromed so keep them well greased in wet climates. The Primato crankset is worth a look too. *Company is Italian, hubs are made in eastern Europe.
@Teocalli
Just a thought…steel is great – I love mine – but might not be the best material for a winter/training bike. Riding a steel frame in the wet usually requires you to remove the stem and seat post to drain it to prevent rust. Aluminum is more practical, albeit not as classy. I’m using a 2009 CAAD9 for mine; it’s a worthy road frame and doesn’t rust. It lacks the panache of a nice steel frame, but it does the job well.
@revchuck Wouldn’t packing the steerer tube and seatpost out with grease prevent that on a steel frame? I once saw a great “top tip” for reusing an old innertube as a weather sheath too….