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”

  1. @Gianni

    Waaaay back then it was all about getting the lightest stuff! So jealous when my Cycling Sensai got a Vitus and hung a Huret Jubilee with Ofmega levers.

  2. oooeerrr – n+1 – looks like I’m going to have to start chewing gum………..

  3. @Gianni

    Pink (or yellow or red) bikes with matching accents is a relatively new thing – we can probably credit Cipollini with starting the trend, but certainly it was a late 90s thing not an 80s thing like those derailleurs. Also as far as I know Ofmega stuff was never used in the top pro teams, although perhaps some of the tiny Italian regional teams may have been forced to.

  5. @Oli

    @Gianni

    Pink (or yellow or red) bikes with matching accents is a relatively new thing – we can probably credit Cipollini with starting the trend, but certainly it was a late 90s thing not an 80s thing like those derailleurs. Also as far as I know Ofmega stuff was never used in the top pro teams, although perhaps some of the tiny Italian regional teams may have been forced to.

    Atala used it. Someone will be able to find a pic of Bugno or Freuler with it on their jersey.

  7. @Teocalli

    At your service……

    Thank you kind sir. 99% of the pro peloton, please look at the way Mr. Bugno is dressed. Take full notes in longhand. Mr. Bugno got an A+ on his exam, most of you are barely getting a passing grade.

  8. Well, I’d completely forgetten about Atala – odd, seeing as I was a fan of Bugno, Freuler and Rosola! Thanks @wiscot and @Teocalli…I do note however that there is no sign of the plastic derailleur in any of the images I could find.

  10. @Oli

    Well, I’d completely forgetten about Atala – odd, seeing as I was a fan of Bugno, Freuler and Rosola! Thanks @wiscot and @Teocalli…I do note however that there is no sign of the plastic derailleur in any of the images I could find.

    I guess even pros have standards and even though Atala were an Italian team, no-one wanted a pink rear derailleur that looked like some kind of steampunk sex toy on their bike. And one that really didn’t do the job either!

  11. fignon’s barber – Thanks for the info. on the brake pads and thanks for answering my question before I answered it! Yep, have some Vittoria Corsas in 25mm on my Casati. They seem like genuine 25s and look pretty big. Put some Veloflex Masters in 25mm on my Tommasini and they looked like…23s. Didn’t measure, but they sure as heck are not as big as the Vittoria. Thanks for confirming what my eye thought.

    Now…if someone can explain why I’ve had 4 Vredestein latex tubes blow out at the seam, I’d love to know. Not puncture from glass, but at the “over” seam they develop little “peaks” that then blow out. All four happened at the “over” seam, but inspecting them shows a “peak” in the latex also forming at the “inner” seam. Two different rims, both pairs of wheels were fine for a few months, now suddenly a rash of blow outs. The “peaks” form on either side of the valve, a few cms from the valve, right along the seam. Spokes are not poking through, rim tape is in good shape. I’m confused.

    Bad batch of tubes? Any ideas?

  12. @Teocalli

    oooeerrr – n+1 – looks like I’m going to have to start chewing gum………..

    Collecting Weds evening………….

  13. @DVMR

    @fenlander

    @fenlander

    Updated Graham Weigh after little shake-down run this morning.

    Cinelli bars and stem added plus Fabric saddle(adjusted since) and spd pedals( this will get used as a commuter and that sometimes means walking about and using the train).

    Think that’s it at the mo although a more in keeping cage(Arundel?)and some tan-walled Veloflex masters would be nice.

    Hopefully a proper run on it tomorrow.

    Well Veloflexes ordered and I’ve bagged a metal cage for all of £2.

    Congrats on pulling the trigger on the veloflexes (master 25s?). You won’t regret it. Been riding them for a couple of years now and they are superb.

    As it happens, I’ve been pondering on buying an old GW frameset made of Reynolds 731 OS, with 531 forks. Not a builder or a tubeset I’m overly familiar with, but an interesting frame nonetheless. Unfortunately, the original paint is in slightly poor condition.

    Well I’ve opted for 23’s,thought they’d be the best choice on some old Mavics;didn’t realise they came up so small,still will be proper old school(or something).

    Not a lot of info about on Weigh bikes and apparently they didn’t keep records so it won’t even help with a serial no(which I couldn’t find on mine).Various builders did frames for them including Dolan and Paul Donohu.

    Still no closer to finding out what mine is despite loads of t’internet searching,probably never will but for £25 not that bothered although it’s now ended up costing way more than I initially budgeted for.

  14. @fenlander

    although it’s now ended up costing way more than I initially budgeted for.

    Fundamental rule of refurb right there!

  15. Who knew, the Italian Stallion Bugno was born in Switzerland. Hmph. Also, who can tell me how tall he is? I thought he was on the shorter side, for some reason, but looking at his frame/head tube…thinking I might be wrong.

  16. @Ron

    Who knew, the Italian Stallion Bugno was born in Switzerland. Hmph. Also, who can tell me how tall he is? I thought he was on the shorter side, for some reason, but looking at his frame/head tube…thinking I might be wrong.

    I dug around the interwebs for a bit – nada on his height, but from that publicity picture and looking at the amount of head tube and seat post, I’d reckon on upper 5′ maybe almost 6′ (upper end of the 180cm range).

  17. @wiscot

    @Ron

    Who knew, the Italian Stallion Bugno was born in Switzerland. Hmph. Also, who can tell me how tall he is? I thought he was on the shorter side, for some reason, but looking at his frame/head tube…thinking I might be wrong.

    I dug around the interwebs for a bit – nada on his height, but from that publicity picture and looking at the amount of head tube and seat post, I’d reckon on upper 5′ maybe almost 6′ (upper end of the 180cm range).

    From an astrology site of all places…….

    Born: February 14, 1964, 12:00 PM (unknown)
    In: Brugg (Switzerland)
    Sun: 24°47′ Aquarius
    Moon: 6°03′ Pisces
    Dominants: Aquarius, Pisces, Virgo
    Moon, Pluto, Uranus
    Air, Water / Fixed
    Chinese Astrology: Wood Dragon
    Numerology: Birthpath 9
    Height: Gianni Bugno is 5′ 9½” (1m77) tall

  18. @Teocalli

    @wiscot

    @Ron

    Who knew, the Italian Stallion Bugno was born in Switzerland. Hmph. Also, who can tell me how tall he is? I thought he was on the shorter side, for some reason, but looking at his frame/head tube…thinking I might be wrong.

    I dug around the interwebs for a bit – nada on his height, but from that publicity picture and looking at the amount of head tube and seat post, I’d reckon on upper 5′ maybe almost 6′ (upper end of the 180cm range).

    From an astrology site of all places…….

    Born:
    February 14, 1964, 12:00 PM (unknown)

    In:
    Brugg (Switzerland)

    Sun:
    24°47′ Aquarius

    Moon:
    6°03′ Pisces

    Dominants:
    Aquarius, Pisces, Virgo
    Moon, Pluto, Uranus
    Air, Water / Fixed

    Chinese Astrology:
    Wood Dragon

    Numerology:
    Birthpath 9

    Height:
    Gianni Bugno is 5′ 9½” (1m77) tall

    An astrology site? Well, whatever it takes. You must have a better browser than I do! 1M 77cm tall? I was a bit off, but then all you need to do is look at my VSP picks and see that that’s nothing unusual.

    Bit worried about the “Fixed” dominant though . . .

  19. @Mikael Liddy

    @smithers

    @KogaLover

    My god man, that should come with an R18+ rating, and this comes from someone who owns that same bike!

    Talk me through the details, not much of that looks stock…


    @Mikael Liddy

    I put the Ardennes and the fsa cockpit on my tcr and sold it which helped a lot .

    enve SES 3.4 CK 45s ….

    zipp service course sl beyond black finishing kit – just prefer the look and feel or this alloy kit specially upfront – stiffer and safer and a third the price of carbon…

    came with da di2 groupsan

    my end game bike. Sensational ride quick as shit and great to race on.

  20. Chewing Gum anybody?

    N+1 seems to have been satisfied for another year or so……..1977 or maybe ’78 but need to check in detail.  To build up over the next year for L’eroica events and general fun riding.

  22. @Teocalli

    Ahh, I thought that was what you were cryptically hinting at. Very nice. Condition looks mint. Restored? Or NOS maybe?

  23. Those forks are in fantastic condition. It’s so uncommon to see it nowadays that I forget how beautiful polished chrome can be.

  25. @DVMR

    @Teocalli

    Ahh, I thought that was what you were cryptically hinting at. Very nice. Condition looks mint. Restored? Or NOS maybe?

    Restored.  Would have been fun to have got it done myself but price and availability balanced out.

  26. @Oli

    I just finished my collection of Bianchi (Bianchii?) so here they are.

    Nice bit of Celeste there without a doubt.

  27. @Steve Trice

    Rechromed.  The one thing I had decided was that N+1 had to have chrome forks then it was between Gios, Bianchi or Colnago.  Gios came up trumps.

  28. @Teocalli

    @Steve Trice

    Rechromed. The one thing I had decided was that N+1 had to have chrome forks then it was between Gios, Bianchi or Colnago. Gios came up trumps.

    Chrome forks + chrome rear triangle = veloswoon

    The Gios frame is a lovely start to a project – have fun.

  29. @Oli

    Much respect. Someday I’ll have a bike in celeste and a Fender in sea foam green. I love the color and those bikes. Cheers

  30. @Teocalli

    Chewing Gum anybody?

    N+1 seems to have been satisfied for another year or so……..1977 or maybe ’78 but need to check in detail. To build up over the next year for L’eroica events and general fun riding.

    Beuatiful Gios!  Those mid 70s Super Records are my favorites.

  31.  

    Took a picture of the #1 this week. Taken on the PCH during a father-son trip down the PCH with my old man.

     

    She looks good with her new shoes on!

  34. @Teocalli

    @DVMR

    @Teocalli

    Ahh, I thought that was what you were cryptically hinting at. Very nice. Condition looks mint. Restored? Or NOS maybe?

    Restored. Would have been fun to have got it done myself but price and availability balanced out.

    Well you may wear, as they say around these parts. I presume you’re going for the full campy SR build for L’Eroica then?

    My own Rosie could do with a bit of a refurb too, come to think of it. Think a full strip down and serious chrome polish is in order this winter.

     

  35. @Oli

    I just finished my collection of Bianchi (Bianchii?) so here they are.

    I wonder what is the collective noun for Bianchii. A squadra perhaps?

    Oh yeah, and I hate you!

  36. @DVMR

    Yup period Campy but may go to a Stronglight chainset to give me gearing I can get up a hill at my age!

    Anyone got a spare Campy 4001 rear mech they’d like to relocate?  (The one with the black insert as it takes a larger rear free hub).

  37. @Teocalli

    Chewing Gum anybody?

    N+1 seems to have been satisfied for another year or so……..1977 or maybe ’78 but need to check in detail. To build up over the next year for L’eroica events and general fun riding.

    I think 1977 was the last year before the white panels appeared.

  38. Well I might actually be done with this;Exage callipers to match the levers,proper ISO BB for the Stronglight cranks,Evans bottle cage and the Veloflexes with latex tubes,only other thing may be some fresh brake pads.

    The tyres went on easier than I thought and they come up at about 22mm on the Mavics.

    No ride yet,so may need a few tweaks here and there.

     

     

     

     

  41. @Oli

    I just finished my collection of Bianchi (Bianchii?) so here they are.

    That’s quite a set you got there…also, gorgeous bikes!

    Anyway, can I inquire about the varying handlebar angles? Obviously the purpose is comfort, but I’m curious about why they’re so varied.

  42. I don’t own this bike.

    I have a 2014 Cervelo R3 that I love. More recently, I got a 2015 Focus Mares CX that I’ve been using for gravel and will ride in my first ever cross races this fall. It’s great, too. Both are tons of fun. Many adventures.

    But, really, I want one of these Corsa Extras.

    I used to drool over photos of them in the back of the Colorado Cyclist catalog and painstakingly calculate how much a specific build would set me back, then how long it would take to save that much from my earnings as an after school life guard.

    It wasn’t to be. Maybe one day.

  43. @SamV

    The two on either end are as close as possible to being the same as each other considering they’re different brands and bar shapes, and are both set up for my usual position – the middle one is set up for me temporarily to compensate for a lumbar injury. I’ll drop the step and roll the bars back once I’m repaired.

  44. @Gianni

    @roger

    not finding much time to post lately, but wanted to share with the community a bike born from this shit-encrusted site.

    she’s about 75% there

    cheers, hope you all have been well!

    Sweet baby jesus! At least you have been up to no good while you’ve been away. That is some damn paint job, my brother. Damn, I say gawd damn. Very nice and unusual.

    That paint job was run over by a dump truck full of awesome!

  45. Okay… I can’t resist… I’ve posted snapshots of the young lady of the house’s bike before and after a weekend of racing, one day in rain, the bike got some TLC this a.m. So? That means a snapshot is in order. And notably on this snapshot is the G+ tires in graphite. No, not the tan sidewalls. This bike calls for graphite and looks about perfect. For fun, we also fitted the tires with frilly pink underpants. I don’t recall who on this site came up with that thought but it cracks me up. Cheers all for happy traitor day (a tee-shirt that had me laughing, referencing ungrateful colonialists, this time last year when family was in London) here in the US of A. After NI and the Scots rejoin the EU we can come full circle and Little England can accept statehood!

     

     

  46. And another snapshot of a bike that I’ve posted before. The CAAD10. Today however? With the proper tan sidewalls it had waited so patiently all these years for and I had no clue was missing. Thank goodness for the shared wisdom here. The HED+ wheel set has always had a fantastic hummm thru the air. Coupled with some cotton casings and latex tubes? Nice.

  47. @Randy C

    Very nice. I do like Cannondales – I’d probably consider a CAAD10 if I needed to replace the TCR.

    Why the setback seatpost?

    And… steal the cages from your daughter’s bike.

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