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 ...
@RedRanger
Understood – I just replaced the EV2’s frame, so I moved all that stuff over. Trying to minimize the investment. When the time comes to go ‘Cross, I may move the DA over there and get some Campa for the Soloist. One step at a time…Got a great deal on the frame on eBay, and it’s in absolutely phenomenal shape.
When I got it, I looked at the BB and said to myself, “The owner never even dropped the chain on this baby.” I promptly dropped the chain today, so that can’t be said of her anymore.
@frank
She is a beauty! Matte black bikes are sex as hell.
Why did you retire the EV2, Frank?
@Oli
Couple reasons (and a full article will be coming on the subject), including position relative to the R3 and softness in the frame.
But the deciding factor in the end was that I’ll be racing again next year, and racing the EV2 was the reason I stopped racing…I had to replace the frame twice because the tubes were so thin it couldn’t handle a fat guy crashing it and I couldn’t afford to keep buying them. One of those “designed for a 120 pound Italian climber, not a fat Dutch guy things…
I’m also afraid of racing the R3 right from the start as I’m expecting it to take me at least a season to get back into the swing of things and stop crashing all the time. The Soloist has a reputation for being bomb proof, the geometry is identical to the R3 in every important sense, and the price was right.
But it breaks my heart on the other hand, because I loved the EV2. She was my first true love when it comes to a bike. The first bike that I really built up from scratch exactly the way I wanted it. She carried me back into the sport. I’ll never forget her for that.
I’ll be posting an article in the near future to ask the community how best to honor her. I’m either going to rebuild her or build a shrine. We’ll put it to the community when the time is right.
@frank
Is that the aluminum Soloist? And this is bike #2? So is it also the rain bike? ‘Cause if it’s the aluminum one, that is a great choice for the bad weather bike. Totally bullet proof. I’m looking for an aluminum 54cm Soloist for my bad weather bike. Yours looks fantastic!
Feeling spunky tonight, so I thought I’d throw my rides up and see where the chips fell.
Training/ wet weather ride (built for me by Mr. Ritchey and still my favorite):
“Business Bike”: 6.6K with the Carbone Tubs. Stiff, light and not flashy, nice:
@scaler911
And the flashy one just in shot bottom right corner?
WHAT. THE. FUCK. ARE. THOSE. CRANKS.
I don’t even need to quote who I’m talking about. He knows.
@Minion
Are those cranks, or some form of medieval torture device?
@scaler911
What kind of wheels do you have on that Blue bike?
Big Dutch Monkey…what in the fuck?!
You got a new bike?
I think I had a dream last night wondering how long you’d sit on the Bianchi, Bianchi, and Cervelo. And now…a new Cervelo?
Damn, we sure do need an explanation.
scaler: Hell yeah, tell us more about the neon rimmed whip!
@Jeff in PetroMetro
Technically it’s bike #3…and yeah, it’s an ’08 Al Soloist. Shocked at how smoove the ride is, really expected less subtlety to the ride. Posish isn’t perfect, but close. Need to tweak the saddle setback, I think I’ve got it too far back right now. They’re hard to find, but set up an eBay search to warn you when they come online and you’ll be within a chance…
@Minion
They’re those fucked up loose cranks! Notice the left one is dangling down…that’ll teach you pedal round!
You are a massocist, Scaler. I know about them, but don’t know anyone who had them…RESPECT.
Jeff: Goddamnit, I’m also looking for a new rain/winter bike. I spent 5 hours last week fitting fenders onto my current rain bike, but I had to toss out my 28mm tires for 23s. No reason to ride 23s in the winter and rain. But, not that excited to have to work out something new.
Not easy to figure out one bike for winter/rain/lockup bike. Sonofabitch, not easy.
I want full fenders, don’t want to go with the SKS Race Blades. And not easy to know about whether fenders will fit or not until you get things set up.
I guess this is the n+1 cycle…
Also interested in your return to racing, Frank.
I thought cross racing was going to be the perfect medium for me, allowing me to ride & train hard, push myself, but also have fun & avoid the insanity of hopped up roadies.
But, I’ve been doing some cross training with a group & I’m not sure it’s for me. Too much competing, too much drama, too much discussion of weight & max heart rate. Ugh, that’s the reason I stopped doing group road rides/races/training rides.
I think I’m just plain burned out on the kill ’em all mentality after years of serious sporting competition. I simply haven’t had the time to ride enough this July & August so I know my form is off. Head to cx training and I can’t keep up. No shit. I wondered why I was spending my two hours of Wednesday riding suffering and cussing my form when I knew I wasn’t in form and could have just done a road training ride on my own.
@Blah
Little dude’s #2 bike. A bit flashy, but when grandpa brings you a bike, you ride it!
And Frank, that action shot is SWEET AS! Love it. Awesomeness. Clearly out having a badarse time in the autumn weather.
Nice!!
(My club didn’t get enough for the minimum kit order this fall. Eph ’em, leaves me with money for the V-Kit! Very nice! And I just picked up some less-than-Oakley expensive shades for fall & cross riding. Three lenses, not as expensive, not as nervous about them. The last three months of 2011 are going to be great!)
@Minion
Ya. here’s the thing about those: a friend and teammate of mine has been insisting for the last year that I needed to get a pair. Swears it was the one thing in a big arsenal of stuff that actually made him faster. They’re spendy, and hard to find. I got ’em on the cheap off Craigslist, and here we are. I started riding them about a week ago, and the first trip out I could go about 28K at about 25Kph. At the end, total leg failure. But it seems to be working.
Just ask Cuddles, Basso (who rode them the entire time he was off on his ‘drug vacation’), Sammy Sanchez, and rumors of Pharmstrong. Thought I’d commute on ’em this winter, and see what happened.
@RedRanger
Offset Reynolds on White Industry hubs. TUFO S3 Lites (<195g). Crank 'em up to 150psi and grip the bars a little hard going around tight crit corners.
@Ron
Is that how ‘cross rolls in the east (you do live out in New Vermont or something right?)? It’s not like that at all here in the PNW. Sure the CatI/Pro’s are all focused and whatnot, but everyone else is there for the fun of racing, and the beer/ burger (tofu,this is Portland), and chillaxin’. Surprised to hear your experience is different. Don’t get me wrong, folks here are strong and love to race, but this is the general attitude:
@scaler911
Is this not the fundamental east coast – west coast dichotomy?
I mean no offense to @Ron or anyone else on the east coast of North America, but sometimes you can be so INTENSE. I loved it when I moved from Toronto to Vancouver. Just a much better vibe, in my experience.
Re cross racing. It’s supposed to hurt. But you know that. It’s way more intense than most other bike racing I can think of. In my youth cross season started about 6 weeks after the road season finished. I used to stop training when the road season ended and delude myself that I could carry the fitness over. That’s a recipe for an unpleasant experience that for whatever reason, I kept coming back to.
I’ve started racing cross again here in Aus this year, and I’ve never loved it more.
@scaler911
I live in the East, and from every account I’ve heard that racing in the East is plain old intense. I recently read an article online that talked about cross, don’t remember where, but apparently cross on the west coast is fun and giggles, while the east coast is about making people cry.
@scaler911
You mean that photo’s not Fronk?
Good work on the power cranks, they’re a fairly controversial bit of kit. They’re not what you’d call conventionally pretty are they?
There’s more than a little bit of nine speed kit on here isn’t there? I’ve just chucked some 9 speed ultegra on the rain bike and it hits the sweet spot in a lot of ways…quiet, shifts well, not spectacularly cheap but better than 10sp.
Thanks for the feedback, lads.
As a New Yorker, yeah, I might just be a bit intense. Hence, “Ronning” it over the VSP! I’m now in NC though.
I love riding cross with a few friends. And I love riding it solo as well, tons of fun, GREAT to go into the woods when it is rush hour & I don’t feel like dealing with cars.
Twice a week there is a local group training session. It splits into A’s and B’s. I know many of the A’s and ride with them on the road. Since I’m very new to cross, can’t ride with them off the road. Thus, I ride with the B’s. It can be fun, but many of them are not in form and/or poor bike handlers. This makes crashes likely. So, I’m kind of ignored by the A’s, who act like the B’s are lepers, and the B’s make me nervous.
But, I guess it’s also my attitude. Despite saying I’m just in it for fun, my competitive streak does kick in and I get kind of annoyed I’m not better at it. But, I’ve done only a handful of proper rides. I think I just need to make sure I’m having fun doing it, not take it too seriously, and be happy with my development.
And mouse, you’re right, it is going to hurt sometimes. But, hurting is the only way to get stronger and faster.
@Ron
I was sexting Marko pictures of the ride on the way up Interlaken, one of my favorite rides, and actually rode into the ditch. Pretty funny.
@Ron
‘Cross is a different kind of effort, but no less easy or competitive. Brutal stuff.
Start with road racing, then take away the road. Add obstacles, sand traps, and water hazards, throw in steep hills, and add lots of mud. Nothing about that sounds “easy”.
@mouse
So true. I work in a company with teams all over the country (and world) and every single group I work with the world over always works with each other on what time to schedule calls for.
EXCEPT PEOPLE ON THE EAST COAST. They simply insist on having calls early in the morning, and won’t accomodate anything after 9am E. Which means that most days, I’m on the phone at fucking 6am.
Most companies in Seattle act like you’re on speed if you show up to work before 10am.
So intense. Chill the fuck out, dooooods.
@Minion
I love the stuff. Don’t own any 10spd Shimano. I never liked the ergonomics of it, but I like the 9spd just fine. Also, for a bike that gets grungy, I’d say the fewer gears, the better. Which reminds me…
@G’rilla
I’d consider something other than Campa for a ‘Cross bike? Interested to hear other opinions. My Campa shifts phenomenally, but it is a refined bit of kit and definitely requires care and feeding to keep it happy. Shimano 9spd or SRAM 10spd seems like more of a drag-it-through-the-dirt kinda groupset.
What are others putting on their cross bikes?
@G’rilla
I’d consider something other than Campa for a ‘Cross bike? Interested to hear other opinions. My Campa shifts phenomenally, but it is a refined bit of kit and definitely requires care and feeding to keep it happy. Shimano 9spd or SRAM 10spd seems like more of a drag-it-through-the-dirt kinda groupset.
What are others putting on their cross bikes?
I’m seeing lots of SRAM Rival and Force for Cross even some Apex as well. I don’t ‘see’ a lot of Shimano ’cause i’m not wired that way.
I’d even think 8 speed for a cross bike with the agricultural shifting and cheap, wide chains that would eat mud and crap.
I thought the point of cross was to put a 180degree corner at the bottom of an impossibly steep muddy chute, and that if you’re not skidding down it on your face you’re doing it wrong. If that’s not it I have no idea what you’re talking about.
@Minion
Yep, that’s the one.
Oh, and add the sensation that you’re going to vomit at the end of the race, that pretty much sums it up.
Some recent races we’ve had in Melbourne (though I didn’t do them) also had lots of hecklers (Hipsters no less) spraying beer at the competitors each lap. Good times.
@scaler911 @Ron
The biggest complaint I’ve heard about ‘cross in in the NW is that it has become so crazy popular that some of the bigger races (such as the Cross Crusades) can have way too many people, making it easy to get bottle-necked and not place decent, even if you’re fast. This is according to a guy who races for the club I ride with some times, I have yet to dip my toe in.
Here I am on my ride today, trying to do my best Frank impression (except not grinning at the camera like a crazy Dutch monkey):
Speaking of on-bike pictures, the new iOS 5 update will allow iPhone owners to FINALLY use a volume key to take a picture, rather than pressing a button on the screen. That should result in much better on-bike photography.
@frank
I grew up near the capital district of New York, directly between NYC, Boston, and Montreal. You are correct sir. We are generally fast drivers, big complainers, and hardcore competitors. I’m surprised so few competitive cyclists come from the East Coast. And if you ever met me you would probably see the influence.
However I want to live on the West Coast. I like the weather out there more (I know, crazy right?), the cleaner air, and the more relaxed culture.
Just don’t expect me to drive slow for a few years.
Currently the girlfriend however is obsessed with NYC. She’s on her way to a successful career in architectural lighting or just architecture, and so she’s probably going to have more say than I will as to where we live. I feel like the West Coast would be a great place to do those sorts of things, but I’m being insisted that this is not the case. A compromise that keeps popping up is Colorado. I’d be cool with that. Maybe I could get back into Alpine Skiing again.
@King Clydesdale
Oy, fuck man. I was out in Boston in early September, and experienced the most terrifying driving EVER, riding in a turbo Subaru in downtown, friday-afternoon rush hour with a native of the area, trying to get across downtown to pick up his VMH, and we were running 30 mins late.
Every time there was an opening, he would gun the car and whip around. And lanes were just suggestions, for everyone.
It was the first time I’ve ever actually used the “oh shit” handle in a car for something besides hanging a dress shirt. I honestly though we were going to get into an accident several times.
We (well he) was also pulled over at one point for flying down a back alley. The cop didn’t cite him, though. The cop did start the conversation by saying (in his Boston accent): “what, are you late to the Red Sox game or something’?”
People like to think the west coast is more laid back than the east coast. True to an extent, but I live in the Bay Area and here at least the culture features loads of silly serious passive aggressiveness, as compared to the in-your-face competitiveness of NY. If you want to get truly laid back go to the middle of the country (which is where I grew up).
Since it seems this is the place to post our bikes, I’m going to do the same.
My 2008 Cannondale Caad 9 with 105/Ultegra mix. This was taken right after I got it. I now has blue handlebar tape, which turns out does not look great, however I’m not spending the money on new tape until it’s needed. I’ve also been fit since then so saddle height and such are not current. Also the rear wheel is a pain in the ass to replace spokes for, so it was replaced by a much heavier training wheel. Once I get to a safe weight I’m going to get a new rear that is much lighter.
@mcsqueak
Sounds like every day for me. And my god if you thought that was bad, go to New Jersey. Compared to those people your friend and I are “defensive” drivers. It’s like giving cars and a kilos of coke to blind people with no common sense. You might as well drive into a tree and do yourself in then try to drive on the Garden State Parkway.
@King Clydesdale
Yeah, I’m impressed with anyone who can put up with that. And the cyclists were brave as shit to deal with that sort of stuff as well.
I already have a limited capacity to deal with driving (I have a *little* temper, and I’ve mostly got that under control but driving just frustrates me mostly). If I lived in a large metro area with a subway I’d probably give the car up.
@King Clydesdale
Welcome to the Cannondale camp
Cross Crusade fields at the last event (Alpenrose) were all over 100 participants.
@King Clydesdale
That’s a great bike, hope you enjoy it. I have frequent C’dale envy, and now also Treks are looking nice. It is quite significant the Lance effect and it’s opposite corollory effect.
@King Clydesdale
Hmm. It’s fair to say that I know a little bit about the Architecture industry.
New York Architects like to subscribe to the idea that they’re the centre of the world. That’s debatable. West coast has equal if not more progressive things going on. And hey, if your compromise position is Colorado, for Merckx sake man, just do it.
The lesson that I’ve learned is that to a degree, it doesn’t matter where you work, but it does matter where you LIVE.
@Ron
I see your dilemma. It sounds as though you need to hone your off road skills. I’m guessing you don’t have a mountain bike so your only option is to do it on your CX bike. Practice, practice is the only thing that’s going to help. Find any kind of squirrily surface you can, including ice (snrk snrk), and just go for it. Eventually you’ll work out what does and doesn’t work. My suggestion is that you ride with the A group. If you train with them on the road, unless they’re complete C*nts they will help you along, give you tips and make you stronger.
I’m thinking that perhaps it is your attitude that’s holding you back. You won’t get successful at something if you think you suck, ’cause you will. I think your thoughts about easing into it with a more open attitude will pay much greater dividends in the future.
And hey man, ‘Cross hurts ALL the time. Why do you think I love it so much?
@Ron
I have to agree with mouse, when i started riding on the road the local club only had really dedicated riders who race all over the country, but they were really understanding and helped me in a vast range of area’s. Just go out with the A’s mostly i think our kind of people are just happy that more people are picking up the sport we love.
Also has anybody ever used Shimano Ultegra wheels? lookin to upgrade to something to race crits and RR’s on
@michael
masters 35+C: 217 racers. Brutal.
Thanks again for the feedback!
G’rilla – My cross bike is a G&T with Force, plus Ritchey stem, FSA post, Ksyrium wheels. We can discuss further if you’d like. Force is okay, but I have Campa on three road bikes and wish I had it on my cx bike.
@Ron
Sounds like what I ordered last Friday night!
Campy, Ritchey, disc brakes. Ordering a Van Dessel G&T tomorrow morning…they just came out with a disc-brake compatible model for 2012.