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 ...
@ChrissyOne
Beauty. Just make sure to get a silver seatpost to match…
@ChrissyOne
Make it fixed.
I bought a new bike, bit excited. Decked out with Record Gruppo! Only done 70 k’s so far but it’s pretty awesome.
Photo, sorry, thought I was logged in..
@Daccordi Rider time for a name change then…
@Mikael Liddy
I’ll still ride the Daccordi, love that bike.This will be the race and special events bike. I think I’ve opened a can of worms though. Mrs Daccordi was seen wandering the house this morning muttering about how her bike is 5 years old and a bit heavy and maybe she will need to see if the shop has a frame in her size they really need to get rid of coz she could help them out.And she’s entering the Ladies Elite crit series this year etc. In summary, I’m fucked and the shop is in gravy!
@Daccordi Rider I can imagine Phil just rubbing his hands together with glee!
@cognition
I have it, but I think the black looks better.
@ChrissyOne !!!! Love it… And my daughter would say when racing her 24″, “I’m gonna take a spinarello on my Pinarello”. Her go to bike for getting around the neighborhood now is a little BMX bike. I could see her digging a single speed steel frame beauty like this bike. Classic cool black and chrome. I’m inspired. Cheers
@EBruner
“Jesus Christ!” (yelled like drill sergeant in Full Metal Jacket). I don’t know how that line up did not break the Velominati server. That is an amazing trio of bikes. And all Campagnolo’d up with factory wheels too. Very well done. Seriously, BADASS. If I was not such a cheap fuck, I would aspire to that line up.
@Daccordi Rider
Nice. I had a friend who had one of those, unfortunately he is no longer with us and his partner is trying to sell it but they are not well known in the UK. If anyone is interested in the UK it only has about 500 miles on it (maybe less) think it is a 54 cm. Available frame only.
@Daccordi Rider
Ha Ha! Nice.
@Teocalli
Couldn’t say enough good things about that frame, if you’re in the UK do it.
and that bike just cost me a De Rosa 888 with Chorus (finally got her off Group San)for the Mrs Daccordi, harsh week for the bank account!
@Daccordi Rider
Faaaaaark, whoever says the property market is struggling here in Adelaide needs to go see your estate agency I think!
@Gianni if only we could teach him about Rule #26, #3 out of 3 whips captured while in the not so big dog…
Now if only I had the bike room that I see in my dreams to have one of these to sit in……..
@Mikael Liddy EBruner does appear to have a predilection for poor valve placement, crank alignment, and bidons. Also I’m not to certain what’s up with the bar tape on the Carbonago.
But damn, does that man have some fine taste in bikes.
@ChrissyOne
WOW
Couldn’t resist snapping a quick pic of the bike yesterday…
@GogglesPizano
Gorgeous!!
Update:
I re-wrapped the bars in Fizik 2mm white, replaced the black 44t ring with the stock silver 46t, added new XT pedals, and Michelin Pro4 whitewalls.
Meet “Hasufel”
Got a new set of hubs to build up some nice training wheels. These are the new PMP hubs. Machined in Italy, look really nice, front is 112g and rear a pretty beefy 287g. They have a rep for being very durable, perfect for the application. They are 24/28, so I am thinking Archetypes or HED Belgiums (want Belgium Pluses but I don’t think they sell a 24 hole).
@fignons barber
they do. Ask your lbs for help
@ChrissyOne
Still needs a polished silver seatpost.
Kidding aside, it looks great. And there are very few times I think tires with anything except tan, black, or possibly the light green of the old Michelins, look great.
XT pedals on a track bike are pushing it, though…
I wasn’t sure how the whitewalls would go over, but I think it looks like a million bucks. I’m hooked on the Pro4’s ever since I put the red ones on my Cannondale.
Still need a proper bracket for my computer, but other than that I’m calling it done.
I expected to get called out on the pedals sooner. ;P
@DeKerr My valve placement is just fine, sewup valves don’t line up with the labels. :)
@EBruner
Mate its a secret privilege of The Enlightened to fight this little battle on Rule #40. You need to make sure you always have a wry smile on your face when explaining that this particular Rule doesn’t apply to you if you’re not a savage riding clinchers.
But it is still not an excuse to use a fucking emoticon.
@ChrissyOne
Fixed or single?
@dyalander Careful, your bike is growing bidon cages and spawning bidons
Both. I have three different freewheels for it and a fixed gear. It’s set up single right now.
@Teocalli
I posted that one a while back. It’s a Vitus 979 that a friend gave me decades ago. I was going to build it up but never got around to it.
@ChrissyOne
Gorgeous. Needs to be built and ridden. Classic frames, unadorned like this, always make me feel sad.
@ChrissyOne
That frame is crying out for a 7400-era GroupSan with downtube shifters. Or a 1980’s Mavic group if you want to pay homage to Sean Kelly, but that would of course clash with the Shimano sticker. I think I’ve got a set of wheels that would be almost period-correct, if that would push you over the edge of getting started.
Incoming! My winter project: a Merckx MXLEADER.
@fignons barber Chapeau! MXL tubing with geometry truly slices thru the corners. Nice chrome stays!
Too much chrome. The weight of history. All beauty.
All these frame pics and @ChrissyOne‘s photography are going to give me an aneurysm.
And @EBruner, you mistake the level of pedantry my covetousness of your stable has aroused. I referred not to Rule #40 but the strictures of Rule #26 whereby;
Yeah, I’m that much of a jackass.
@fignons barber Beautiful! Can’t wait to see it in full fig.
@DeKerr Never enough chrome! I’m having a vintage track frame and fork plated next month.
@fignons barber
Faaaaaaaccckkkkkk!
@pistard
Never enough chrome, you said it. Especially with a red Merckx lugged frame. Good god almighty!
That’s a flashy paint job for Belgium. Looks like Tomassini got hold of it.
The main problem with the Vitus frame is that it’s way too damn big (60) for me. That’s what has held me back from building it.
@chrissyone ah yes I remember now. Still worth seeing again. To misquote “And the Prophet said build it and they will come”.
@fignons barber Sweeeeeeeet.
@Gianni
Yes, I like the paint job. I’m told it is a 1996 version. I was toying with the idea of buying a modern steel frame (after all, you must have at least one carbon,one steel,one alum, one Ti.), but that will run you at least $2k, and deliver less heritage and arguably less panache. It’s a 55.5 c-c square, so it’s robustness is a bit overkill for a rider/frame my size. I am seriously thinking about next year’s Paris-Roubaix Challenge and this could be the sled*** I’m excited to get it built up. I curse the day I unloaded my alloy chorus groupo on ebay. I am debating going on a period specific hunt versus a nice Athena Silver groupo.
***Any interest in a V group to tackle 2015 Flanders sportif followed by Roubaix Challenge?
So that’s a nice cue for me to introduce my new #1 (thank’s @fignons barber):
Ritchey Logic road frame with matching carbon fork. Swapped over all parts from my old faithful Battaglin Vortex. Will play a little bit with stem height, probably loose some spacers. Also I’ll add some nice Ritchey stem and seatpost. Ultegra Groupsan with FSA Gossamer compact cranks and classic wheels built out of DA and Ultegra hubs, Sapim Laser spokes on Blackjack R1800 rims.
Was hoping for the “steel is real” feeling, and must say that it rides better than I thought.
I know the mtb pedals are rulebreaking but I’ll keep them anyway since I like the possibility to run all shoes on all 5 bikes I have in my garage. The out-of-level saddle position suits me just right, less pressure on my “touchy region”.
Ok, now that you read all my excuses, hit me with your criticism :)
@oligali
That shouldn’t be. If your saddle is uncomfortable when level (+-2deg), then you’ve got the wrong saddle for you. It takes experimentation (sometimes lots) to find your “saddlemate”, but riding with the saddle down is not the way to go: Effectively, you’re letting your body “fall forwards”, which increases loads on your arms and shoulders. A healthy cycling position involves a balance between leg, saddle and hand support.
If you’re getting numbness, maybe try a wider saddle. If it’s pressure on the, uh, central channel – then try a cut-out saddle. Try different shapes – some are curved, some flat.
That’s an enviable frame you’ve got there.
I think Pinarello might be on to something… especially since it doesn’t have that ridiculous fork of theirs.
http://www.pinarello.com/en/bike-2015/fixie/catena
New stem, Zipp SL Sprint 120mm – 12 degrees, from 3T 110mm – 6 degrees works out to about half a bar width lower, and I just gained 22 grams I’ll have to lose.
@piwakawaka
Nice. It says Zipp so it must be fast.
I’m waiting on some Zipp base bars for my TT bike. I’m expecting amazing things.
@Rom I’ve only done hill repeats on it so far! Took 2 mins off my session time and got under 1 hour, so far so good, looking forward to getting on the open road tomorrow …
@Barracuda, @Mikael Liddy, @wiscot @RedRanger, @Teocalli, @PeakInTwoYears
I would like you all to know that the deal is done, the V account drained, and I take delivery this afternoon.
The thing looks like a god-damn SR-71.
@DeKerr
Nice one! My V Account just got drained too – unfortunately by a special assessment for our Ski Condo as the unit needs a new roof. Ouch. My current project could be a bit delayed…..