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 ...
well it looks like i will have to be very patient….but the anticipation is already growing.
@piwakawaka
Yeah, I know, Rule #26 and all. The Domane pic was taken in the mid-ride where I was embarrassing myself on the hills of Austin while the Crockett was behind the house after a ride. Neither of the photos are actually rule compliant at any rate.
@sthilzy
That Shiraz made hit the Submit Post before typing Campagnolo SR Mech.
Race bike Group-San, training bike Gruppo. Confusing as!
@sthilzy
Girls don’t have group…oh wait, I get it now.
I had this cool custom watchbelt made by Buckit from a gum-walled Vittoria Corsa SC (Pro Series) tubular from Team Giant-Alpecin; punctured during their participation in the Cycling, Tour Down Under this year.
I’m not receiving any kick backs or not involved in anyway other than it’s resurrected my watch that had been sitting in the drawer for 20 years unused.
Great use of recycling materials with a real story on not only how it was by why I had it made.
@kixsand
while there is much to find commendable in both, there is only one which will never turn you down, no matter how many times you ask her out…
Really?? Good grief…
@chuckp
Was wondering where you got these flags?
Barracuda – nice! I like it.
But, that ain’t a watch. Don’t you know it has to be the size of a wall clock and covered in jewels? That’s what passes for a watch today…
@Ron
Cheers, came up well,
I was in a bike shop in Cardiff last night and an old bloke came into the shop and leaned his bike against mine. It was a dirty looking black thing and he moved it sharpish as I went to leave. I had a closer look as I went past and it turned out to be this bike…
http://www.teamsky.com/teamsky/bestfit/images/master/3/2015/02/26/-1/26546/944/708/1424946220204.jpg
This is the track bicycle that I inherited from my father. I used to ride on the Lehigh Valley Velodrome with him as a kid. It’s a 1987 DeRosa with Campagnolo C-record and 3ttt bars and stem. The seat post was replaced with a campy carbon one.
@David Maver
Holy CRAP!!! This is the “Post of the Day” for me, esp being a father of five kiddos and just looking up the fact that there will be a velodrome within 30 minutes of where I will be living in Germany and I was just dreaming about going at least once a week with my Velominippers.
So your Dad looks pretty amazing there. Is/was he a known racer?
@Buck Rogers
Seconded.
@David Maver that is so unbelievably cool. Totally rocking the V.
@Teocalli
Thirded.
@Buck Rogers
My dad raced in the 80s as an amateur for Hill Cycle, mostly on the track without any noteworthy accomplishments except for being known for having shiny bicycles and shoes.
@David Maver
And fucking huge guns.
@David Maver
Nice! For a second there, I thought your dad was the legendary Gibby Hatton!
@RobSandy
Ha! And definitely this! Hope you won that half of the genetic lottery from your old man!
Help, anybody. I ordered a casquette a few weeks ago, i didn’t see the order window was closed, all i saw is that it didn’t say they were outta stock like the other products. Will my order still be excepted and do i have to wait until ship date of “middle to late may”? i tried emailing the orders manager but to no avail. Thanks!
@hudson
Ohhhhhh, you’re fucked, Mate! Frahnk has probably already drank up all of your money. He was seen staggering out of the local bar not long after your order went through. Oh well, I’ll continue to wear mine in your money’s memory.
Actually, I am full of shit, as usual.
I’m sure all will be made right. The gear around here is amazing. It might take a little while to come through but that is only b/c they have around one, count ’em Jim, one employee (and I use that word loosely) usually working all the orders, etc.
@Buck Rogers
Sweet, thanks! I can be patient I just didn’t want my order to be lost to the abiss simply because I zoned out on having a sweet Casquette and completely missed the “orders closed” written above all the products.
New bike day!!!
@Nate St. Yves Nice, especially the detailing on the tape. Now that you’ve got it home, have you been able to unpack your suitcase from under the seat?
@Mikael Liddy
Nice application of Rule #43, my friend!
@Nate St. Yves
Welcome! New Bike Day Rules!
@Teocalli
This is the maximum value the interwebs can provide.
sized down by going from my Time Vxrs ulteam to this Cervelo S3
Have we seen the Time? They’re pretty rare, so always enjoy seeing them.
@rs_sttr
That’s a pretty snug rear end on that thing! How responsive is it?
Te He …….
http://pelotonmagazine.com/goods/the-frame-pump-is-back-silca-impero/
@Ron
There you go. I already posted it before.
@wis
It’s responsive and not to harsh thanks to the thin seatstays.
Took much longer than I had hoped thanks to slow shipping, wide rims & stupidly tight Kevlar beads, but the Redback has her gumwalls & daddy is just a little pleased with the result!
@rs_sttr
Nice, fairly stretched out posish you’ve got going there based on the saddle & stem. Like the colour design they’ve used on the S3, especially the “suit lining” inside the front forks.
getting back on Challenge Strada 25 Open(s)
@Teocalli
those two better HTFU
@universo
I keep telling them that but they seem to think Rule #9 merely involves getting out from under the duvet.
Seen this?
http://twicycle.com/
@sthilzy
Well, apparantly: “if you are the person who likes exercizing outdoors, this is the product for you”.
Mine’s on pre-order already..
@sthilzy
can’t unsee it.
***gaaag***
@sthilzy
I like the idea of mounting two sharp points and a sharp spinning disk just above stem height. It will strongly discourage crashing and improve safety for everyone.
@RobSandy
I’ve read the FAQ, and appearantly it’s just as safe as a normal roadbike, and I quote: “not a chainsaw”. So it’d got that going for it..
Cervelo is making some awfully sweet bikes right now. Had a new one, an S3, show up on group ride last w/e and I was really digging it. And anything mounted on to an Ardennes + is gonna look good too.
@sthilzy
WTF? I note they don’t show him getting out of the saddle and climbing a hill. Might be a tad tricky when your bars are essentially loose. Then, of course, the other question is: what price your dignity?
Ok. It’s official. Geometry finalized. Deposit made. Should be delivered sometime during the Giro…….
@fignons barber
oooooooooooo nnnniiiiiiicccccceeeee
@fignons barber
UnBELIEVABLY GORGEOUS!!! Oh man, that is amazing! I will be needing a track bike in a few years and since I will be in Europe, De Rosa has been on my radar! This just seals the deal, eh???
@fignons barber
What a great deal of aesthetic to love in this image. Having a Giro d’Italia delivery must be a great feeling.