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 EffectRule #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 BlackGuest 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 StableDialing in the Stable
    This 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 rugMatching the drapes to the rug
    As 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 HourFestum Prophetae: Waiting for the Hour
    Everyone 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 ...

15,871 Replies to “The Bikes”

  4. @scaler911 Need verification. Tightening a seat post binder bolt to 8.6 Nm = 76 inch-pounds. Using an .25 inch drive torque wrench with inch-pound increments. Based on estimating the extra tension of 8.5 Nm. The post migrated after a year of perfect positioning. This all references the MX Leader — using a proper Campy binder bolt.

  5. @unversio

    @scaler911 Need verification. Tightening a seat post binder bolt to 8.6 Nm = 76 inch-pounds. Using an .25 inch drive torque wrench with inch-pound increments. Based on estimating the extra tension of 8.5 Nm. The post migrated after a year of perfect positioning. This all references the MX Leader “” using a proper Campy binder bolt.

    This may seem obvious, but did you use something like Fiber Grip?

  6. @scaler911 Yeah. Finish Line. There is also a beer can sleeve in there (inserted at the beginning). MXL seat tube is oval shaped as it intersects the BB

  7. I just corrected the seat post and binder bolt. Just did not instantly recollect the Nm recommended on the bolt. So it is now straight and set to 8.6Nm

  8. @PeakInTwoYears ha ha !!! I never thought of it that way, seriously though as shines new and fresh asit is I’m looking forward to the patina after a good few hard winters.

    It will always be clean but the stainless tubes will hopefully mean it won’t rot so should get nicely worn over the coming years.  

    @Teocalli

    The mudguards are painted Honjo 36mm jobbies, apparently caused Ricky’s painter no end of troubles. 

  9. @Nate I will. Last time out I had to ride through a flooded lane, got fucking soaked and covered in weird smelling shit, will get piccies next time.

  10. @piwakawaka

    @SimonH the only set of fenders that ever looked cool, well done that man!

    Looks like @SimonH is going to get a reputation for the art of mud guard fitting.  Maybe a little sideline business for him to support his local riders with?  How about FendersRoubaix?

  11. @SimonH Nice, I watched this one being made on Ricky’s instagram feed and its nice to see it finished.

    I can’t help it but whenever I see a bike with mudguards I always start signing Spinal Tap to myself:

    ‘Big Bottoms, Big Bottoms.

    Talk about mudflaps my girls got ’em’

  12. Exciting.  Just had a call from Mercian re my old frame to query a couple of points.  That means it has now got to the top of the queue and is in the workshop being worked.  Might even get it back by or over Christmas.  Better get back to polishing all the components.

  13. @Teocalli

    Exciting. Just had a call from Mercian re my old frame to query a couple of points. That means it has now got to the top of the queue and is in the workshop being worked. Might even get it back by or over Christmas. Better get back to polishing all the components.

    Ho ho ho.  Merry Christmas!!!!

  14. @Mike_P

    @piwakawaka

    @SimonH the only set of fenders that ever looked cool, well done that man!

    Looks like @SimonH is going to get a reputation for the art of mud guard fitting. Maybe a little sideline business for him to support his local riders with? How about FendersRoubaix?

    How about marketing himself as a FenderSpecialist or would that get him into trouble with a guitar maker AND a bike maker? Maybe Mudguard Master would be better and keep the lawyers away!

  15. @Mike_P

    @piwakawaka

    @SimonH the only set of fenders that ever looked cool, well done that man!

    Looks like @SimonH is going to get a reputation for the art of mud guard fitting. Maybe a little sideline business for him to support his local riders with? How about FendersRoubaix?

    That should liven things up around here again! Maybe get MS a trip across the pond?

  16. I love fenders. They are very classy and refined. Prissy, in a good way. Fenders on a bike are like wearing a jacket or blazer over a dress shirt, rather than wearing just a shirt. Looking at bikes without fenders, after looking at those with, seem naked. Not that there’s anything wrong with naked bikes.

    The fenders on SimonH’s Feather are distinguished, like a dresscoat with tails, due to their length. The front fender is particularly interesting in how its length continues beyond the perpendicular line from the road through the hub.

    I’m out of the closet on fenders. I hope they’re not like bells or some other verboten accessory.

  17. @SimonH Just fucking lovely! I have never seen fenders look so hot. And beautiful photos too.  Just one little thing, and it’s not only to maintain my jackass reputation: that 5 or 6 cm of cable sticking out of the FD looks like it could get the crimp tapping against the downtube or fender, and that pristine paint.

    I fit a set of the same Honjos (less the awesome paint) on a winter/rain bike a few years ago and I can sure appreciate the time and effort involved. Mine came nowhere near the perfect arc you’ve attained. I blame it on the track frame–rear facing ends, no eyelets–but it might have been the quantity of recovery beverages involved.

  19. @Bespoke

    I love fenders. They are very classy and refined. Prissy, in a good way. Fenders on a bike are like wearing a jacket or blazer over a dress shirt, rather than wearing just a shirt. Looking at bikes without fenders, after looking at those with, seem naked. Not that there’s anything wrong with naked bikes.

    The fenders on SimonH’s Feather are distinguished, like a dresscoat with tails, due to their length. The front fender is particularly interesting in how its length continues beyond the perpendicular line from the road through the hub.

    I’m out of the closet on fenders. I hope they’re not like bells or some other verboten accessory.

    @Bespoke

    I love fenders. They are very classy and refined. Prissy, in a good way. Fenders on a bike are like wearing a jacket or blazer over a dress shirt, rather than wearing just a shirt. Looking at bikes without fenders, after looking at those with, seem naked. Not that there’s anything wrong with naked bikes.

    The fenders on SimonH’s Feather are distinguished, like a dresscoat with tails, due to their length. The front fender is particularly interesting in how its length continues beyond the perpendicular line from the road through the hub.

    I’m out of the closet on fenders. I hope they’re not like bells or some other verboten accessory.

    +1 Those fenders are the tuxedo of mudguards.

  25. @pistard

    @Barracuda

    This is mostly conjecture, and my own biases, but consistent with what’s visible in the photo and with other Australian makers’ decals of the time (Speedwell, Malvern Star, Barb). Some of the stems of the characters look like they could be split, like a Tuscan letterform, but some don’t. I think that might have been too “Italianate” for an Irish-named builder. So maybe something gothic like so:

    The motto of clan Carroll is “Flecti Non Frangi” or “Bent not broken.”

    If you build a replica the Carroll crest would make a fine headtube badge:

    Now confirmed via a distant relative from a really old 4cm X 4cm photo, the bike is indeed a Carroll !

    You sir are a wizard.      Need me an old steel frame and some of your wizardry to make some decals !!

    Awesome effort, I think tracking down an original Carroll frame may be a stretch.

  26. @Barracuda

    That’s amazing! Post the picture if you can get a copy. Glad I could help — the deerstalker cycling cap finally found its métier.

    If you want my attempt at a Carroll decal, I can send it as postscript outlines, Happy to tweak and twerk as new evidence arises.

    I’m currently redrawing decals for two restorations. Nothing old or rare, just the commercially available ones are mediocre and the bikes deserve better. Replicating designs is easy, printing them is complicated and/or costly. Digital printing on vinyl or waterslide is cheap, and the quality is okay, unless it’s going over a dark painted frame. White and metallics in the decal mean screenprinting: crazy expensive for one set.

    Old-school sign painting is experiencing a renaissance (http://signpaintermovie.blogspot.ca) so there should be grizzled veterans or bearded children around who can freehand something like this, and line your lugs while they’re at it. (Heh, heh, he said “line your lugs.”)

  28. @SimonH Really really nice. How are you finding the Archetypes? I’m riding the SL42’s and besides being a nice head turner, they ride beautifully….

  29. @VeloJello I love the Archetypes but then I also love riding tubular tyres and my Nemesis / Royce combo in FMBs are hard to beat, these on 29mm Grand Bois are a very close second but not with fenders, so it’s 23mm Vittoria on these at present and they still run really nice, a very solid rim for sure, great to build with too.

  32. My wife me Hed for Christmas and my birthday.

    FYI it’s a TT bike, not a dirty Tri bike.

  36. @Rom

    My wife me Hed for Christmas and my birthday.

    FYI it’s a TT bike, not a dirty Tri bike.

    Anytime you get head for Christmas is a good day in my opinion.  Wait, what was it that you said you got again???

    (come on–you know that you were all thinking it!)

    Merry Fuckin Christmas ALL!!!  True peace to all of you and a joyous day!!!

  38. Hey @DerHoggz , you looking at me?

    I’m laying down the base layer so my man sculpting can peak in 2 months. You can’t have peak form all year.

  39. @Rom

    FYI it’s a TT bike, not a dirty Tri bike.

    Then what’s that cage doing behind your saddle?

  40. Holy cannoli, Simon. What a slick bike! Who said mudguards can’t look hot on a great steed. Dream bike for sure, beautiful!

    A long shot, but I’ll give it a go. I trashed the rear wheel on my CX race bike. Does anyone happen to have a rear (or set) of Ksyrium ES wheels that are just collecting dust? If not, maybe the SL version that is red/black? The ES’s are a bit harder to find than the SL’s in all black, but the red bits on the hub went nicely with the frameset. Thanks!

  43. @Rom

    @tessar

    @Rom

    FYI it’s a TT bike, not a dirty Tri bike.

    Then what’s that cage doing behind your saddle?

    Being aero

    In a location that’s illegal for TTs?

    Mind you, I run my cage the same way, but I admit to the tri-ness of it. I sometimes rock the double-cage in the back if I’m heading for a 100+km ride in the desert.

  44. @tessar

    @Rom

    @tessar

    @Rom

    FYI it’s a TT bike, not a dirty Tri bike.

    Then what’s that cage doing behind your saddle?

    Being aero

    In a location that’s illegal for TTs?

    Mind you, I run my cage the same way, but I admit to the tri-ness of it. I sometimes rock the double-cage in the back if I’m heading for a 100+km ride in the desert.

    It’s actually a twin back there. I use it for a bidon and tool box while training, and a tool box on longer TTs as I don’t fancy a 20km walk in the hills. I use a between the bars bottle while racing that my son calls my sippy cup. It gets in the way of the tech so I’m thinking of a new plan.

  45. Because I haven’t posted enough of it on the Book of Faces. Here’s the new #2.

  48. @ped   Oh dear indeed.  The old Pantani era Celeste/Yellow worked well but Celeste/Green does not seem to work.   I wish I had kept the bike below…………..

  49. The HR monitor for my CatEye V3 has given up the ghost.  I’m trying to decide if I should get a new strap or go for a whole new computer.   I know that computers are not the ideal V meter and that HR monitors are even more frowned upon, but with my health issues I like to keep an eye on my ticker.  Any thoughts on simple bike computers that have HR monitors?  I don’t really care about GPS, a slightly larger display would keep me from squinting.

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