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 ...
@norm That it tight. Nice.
@DerHoggz
Gutted for you. Some years ago (but in the UK) I got full replacement against the guy that hit me. Their insurance tried to argue down for a second hand off the shelf bike but my LBS explained that it was a custom build and you could not just go out and buy a replacement. Having said that mine was only about 3-4 months old when it got totalled.
@DerHoggz Check the terms of your coverage. “Replacement cost” would be good language. Also, regardless of what the coverage says, give some pushback on the issue. Be a squeaky wheel. You are dealing with an insurance company not maintaining a bike so the Principle of Silence doesn’t apply.
It is the driver’s insurance, I’m definitely going to push for it. The shop said they advocate strongly, so hopefully they can help out.
@DerHoggz In that case don’t be shy about being a pain in their ass. From their perspective it’s not a lot of money in the scheme of things, and they’ll probably pay the extra to get you to go away.
@norm
Beautiful. Good drop, slammed, white bars and saddle. Nicely done mate.
@Simon
Yep, that sounds like Wales alright!
@DerHoggz
Check with @Mikael Liddy – he’s going through similar drama i believe
ohmygodohmygodohmygod!
Anyone have $5G they’re not using?
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/LOOK-695-Carbon-Road-Bike-25th-ANNIVERSARY-002-Bicycle-Frameset-W-Crank-/111306179454?pt=US_Bicycles_Frames&hash=item19ea5d837e&_uhb=1
@DerHoggz The obligation of the drivers insurance is probably ACV (depreciated value). Your own homeowners or renters policy should have a replacement cost provision. Check with your agent. If you were on the bike at the time, you might mention the pains in your neck or back.
@DeKerr
Keep the frame etc but ditch the stem …. aweful looking stem for such a sweet frame
@DeKerr What’s up with a ZED crankset? Anyone?
@DerHoggz
Check the actual policy document for your insurance policy, that’s what will determine what you should be paid.
My bikes are covered as general contents under my home & contents insurance as long as I’m not motor-pacing or racing, and that policy has a “new for old” clause in relation to any contents so I either get a new bike or the equivalent cash amount.
@DerHoggz
Having read this now, still check out your own policy & if you’re going to get better coverage on that, make the driver’s insurance company pay for your excess instead.
@Mikael
So that is even being on the road?
hello all new to this lovely site
question about bike posting and advice
does it have to be a road bike?
I am having a color scheme dilemma with a mountain bike and quite frankly road folks have better taste than the woods crowd when it comes to colors and combination.
@Roger If you are all bici then this is it. We all may evolve to and from the mountain bike at some point. Read this.
@Roger
As long as you are on the path towards the road then all commers are welcome! Nice to see you here, there are many mountain bikers and CX riders on the site but the conversation turns almost exclusively to the road once the dark nights of winter (northern hemisphere) have passed and the clocks change…
By all means post a pic or describe your dilemma, but a note of caution, we are a banter ridden and objectionable lot on occasions so expect frank comment…. or praise….
Enjoy! VLVV.
Thanks
i am no stranger to the asphalt but I am constantly going back and forth
this phase happens to be in the woods and more gravel grinding
my problem is I take it to extremes when going from road to woods or vise versa when it comes to the bikes when it comes to what I keep and what I off load
i will post a pic when I get proper pic that abides by the rules
thanks
Anyone familiar with pro bike supply in Newport Beach CA? Thx!
Introducing the S-1, I managed to get it unseen by the VMH into the basement before we leave for spring break tomorrow morning. My 2 sons saw it but they have learned the code of silence and I expect to be rolling a few bikes in for them in the next month or so. Note that the Group-san will be replaced shortly with my Record EPS pending arrival of the V2 internal battery setup.. The EPS black is gonna look incredible I think, got on the rollers this morning … dying for spring to get outside on this one….
@GogglesPizano
Wise words on the groupsan it currently looks like Bryan Ferry with a shell suit on! That aside, that bike is a thing of beauty. Just imagine if you removed the decals from those wheels….I suspect light space and time would actually bend around it and neither the VMH or kids would ever notice it!
@DerHoggz
Well it covers me all the time, cos I don’t race & don’t have a Mrs Merckx for a VMH that’s willing to come out & do motorpacing for me.
@norm
safe to say none of the changes have made it any less attractive!
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My son recently moved to Norway and left behind all his bike stuff figuring he would get more use out of a MT bike over there than road gear. What I got is a box of parts and two frankenbikes. The Bianchi was such an abominable mix of Campy, Shimano, and crap parts that I had to strip it right away.
I know it’s a chinese made, but I’m thinking of building up the Bianchi with the Chorus parts and ditching the other frame while working a carbon frame into the budget. My other option is to put all the newer Campy gear on my 83 Bianchi specialissima, but its currently all original and not sure I want to mess with it. Would it be wrong to change it or keep it in its classic form?
@seemunkee at ’83 it fits within L’Eroica’s classification as a heroic bike so on that ground it should be kept classic. Having said that it would be a great ride with a modern groupset. Personally I think you could do either as long as it is all one or the other and not a mix.
Odd, there was another picture there originally. These are the two frames I have to play with.
Here’s a beauty shot of Shadowfax just before yesterday’s ride. We had a great weekend together. =)
@ChrissyOne
Gneiss.
Wasn’t it beauty, yesterday? We did nice circuitous ride over to PT and back. Just lovely.
@ChrissyOne
Bel Mezzo!
@PeakInTwoYears
Too true. I did loops around South Kitsap. Bare legs both days, and almost got too hot in my windbreaker by the end of yesterday. Heaven!!
@seemunkee hmmm they look to be very different sizes even allowing for the age/geometry difference, so my guess would be the one that is the correct/best size for you. The Bianchi looks sweet but for me they have to be Celeste (wish I had kept mine even if I do seem to keep saying that).
@ChrissyOne
What I said. It felt like the first day of the new year! No work this week (spring break), and the bikes are getting their drivetrains cleaned down to the screws and springs. Ha!
@Teocalli The specialissima is just a tad large, but that was my #1 for many years, so I have no issues riding it. The red one is probably about right by older standards, not the current vogue of tiny frames.
I think the reason I never upgraded the specialissima is that I liked having it remain vintage, even if I never make it over for l’Eroica. My only hesitation with using the red frame is that I feel like I’m trying to make a silk purse from a sow’s ear.
@unversio
Don’t really trust them. The Look Zed cranks are solid carbon, one piece and immensely strong, have a 40mm spindle and wil only fit in certain compatible Look frames. The inserts for the pedals, that let you change the effective crank length, are the things I’m not 100% sure about.
@ChrissyOne
I’m not sure if I’m more envious of the bike or the green grass…
@The Oracle
It had been so long since I’d seen it, I forgot what my lawn looked like. Looks as though the ground in the pic isn’t frozen solid either.
@The Oracle
Green grass? What’s that? Here in WI we have brown thatch and rotting piles of grey and black snow. However, it’s supposed to be high 40s – even high 50s by Sunday so #2 will be getting its first canter of the year. Can’t wait!
The grass is lovely in the evergreen state. Just as long as you like moss, too. We had a fairly mild winter, so my yard is looking great, which belies the gross neglect The V inflicts upon it.
@ChrissyOne
I was in Oregon this January, visiting my family in the Willamette Valley. At one point, I commented to Mrs. KW about how I forgot how moss grows EVERYWHERE out there.
@KW
It’s true. A recent transplant asked me how we deal with it – what tools/chemicals/techniques are best for removing the moss problem. I told him the most effective method its to learn to love moss.
@ChrissyOne
Funny that it’s something I never noticed in the 25 years I lived in the PNW.
After 5 years here in Milwaukee, the novelty of snow/winter is quickly wearing off.
@Roger
Well here is my latest project, not a road bike, but it is fun
I added some small blue color accents like aluminum and ti bolts
I am going to have the Chris King hubs built back up with all black rims, the old trusty salsa rims are a little tired and they do not do the new frame justice
Bike comes in at about 20 lbs
Do you think I need to add more color or leave it as it is?
Thanks
Mango hubs!
@Weldertron
Already got 2 sets of Black King hubs
Wish I could get different color ones
But my current kings just wont die
gotta love ’em. I would throw a white logo on the downtube and call it a day.
Are you the same Roger organizing the Boston Cogal?
@Weldertron
No I am in Richmond
Wish I could go to Boston
@Velominati Bad feeling here if I don’t disclose latest stuff that I tried from Motorex — for most all other things besides the drivetrain. Silicone spray protects and renews hoods, cables, bartape, rubber — and the entire frameset! Joker440 fights water and corrosion in the forgotten places (remember to apply to forgotten places). Going to discuss Joker440 with trusted mechanic before applying it to protect the BB and headset. Preparing for an imminent rain ride (101km) this Saturday and the bike has never been so rain ready.
Actually, Motorex Wet Lube went on the drivetrain first thing.
@unversio Those cans say “oil of Switzerland.” How many Switzers do they have to render per can of that shit? Is this a renewable resource?
@PeakInTwoYears All I know is that Amy Jo Van Culin, Custom Brands Project Coordinator at Lubrication Technologies Inc. send me miscellaneous items with a smile (email).