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 ...
@The Oracle
Yea, I often joke as I huff and puff my way to the top of a climb, “nothing a $1000 wheelset can’t cure”. Truth is, equipment is not my limiting factor. The bike(s) I ride today are much more OTT than the bike I rode in my youth when all I lacked was the discipline to train and get better.
@lucky
You’re really lucky with this Colnago.What can I say,nice!
@Ron
There’s not way to just replace the whole lot? Is the housing specific to the frame, such that you have to keep it?
@The Oracle
Not so much the frame as the rider. Those Madones are cool bikes. I also like that they’re all made in the USA. I’m slowly changing my mind about them.
I am not, on the other hand, changing my mind about Pharmstrong.
@frank
Nor would I ask you to, my friend.
Turns out it’s too risky taking my C40 back to London for the rest of my uni year, so from this coming week until May I’ll be on this..
I feel an obsession starting.
Tommy & Oracle – I’ll try some more wd-40 + pliers. I am trying to replace the whole lot, both housing & cable. Can’t get the housing off/out of the TT.
On another note – Are ya’ll using torque keys/wrenches to install Al/alloy stems/bars? Just had the #1 into the shop for some work & they are telling me that my stem was overtightened at some point because it now pulls nearly together at the pinch bolts. (I was told there should be a small gap. Got the stem used from a friend, so not sure if/when it was overtightened. Also not positive it has been. How to tell?) Don’t have the money for a really nice do-it-all one, but have seen those inexpensive Ritchey ones for just bars and posts.
Also, what are the feelings on using Deda bars with non-Deda stems? (not Rule wise, but budget/compatibility-wise) I’ve been doing it just fine. Many others seem to be doing it just fine, the LBS says I shouldn’t.
@Ron
I use a torque wrench on my Al bars/stems. Not a component area where you want to risk catastrophic failure lest you become a velominatus incapacitatus.
Some of the bar/stem mfgrs say mixing/matching voids the warranty. Also I have some vague recollection that Deda bars are 31.7 mm vs the usual 31.8 mm which might cause an issue but I may also just be hallucinating.
@lucky
Yeah, that’s really tough, having to “make do” with such a shabby ride for a few months. I don’t know how you’ll be able to ride in public on such an unworthy steed! (Seriously sarcastiic here as a former Colnago Super owner.)
@Ron
Hope you will get that cable out at some point to continue your bike build!
In terms of stems and bars I’d advise you to always use a calibrated torque wrench whether alu or carbon.Also both for carbon and alu use Tacx Dynamic Carbon Assembly Paste between the stem plate and bars.Do not use grease there,use grease on bolts before tightening them to the right torque.Tacx paste can be used both for alu and carbon and it allows you to lower the required torque by 30%.
Deda always indicate 31.7 as OS diameter measurement but you will be fine using any 31.8 stem as .1mm will make no difference.The OS standard is 1 1/4 inch which works out 31.75 mm.Deda rounds up their measurement to 31.7 rather than 31.8 like most other brands.
On top of that different manufacturers have different tolerances when it comes to clamp diameter so if you end up measuring everything precisely with caliper you can produce different measurements that varies from 31.7 to 31.9.
In terms of overtightening parts yes most people do use too much torque.If the stem manufacturer indicated max. torque of 5 Nm for their product it means that if you reach 5 Nm and the part is still not tight it indicates design or manufacturing defect or very bad tolerances.It doesn’t mean that each time you have to tighten to 5 Nm.
For that given stem 4 Nm will be plenty especially if used together with mentioned Tacx paste.
The LBS probably wants you to buy matching Deda stem however you will be fine with using different brand.If you email Deda and ask they will say something like this:’ To avoid serious injury or even death we strongly advise you to only use matching 31.7 Deda stem’.
@TommyTubolare
Great advice, to which I’d add that if your existing stem is touching when you tighten the pinch bolts that @Ron‘s LBS is right and someone has overtightened it badly at some point – there should be a nice consistent gap of a few mm.
@Oli
Although, it’s also possible the stem is closing up because the steerer (or ‘bars at that end) have been compressed badly – seen that plenty of times too! Either way, replace any compromised parts immediately to avoid sudden and violent human/earth interface.
@TommyTubolare
Are you sure about lubing up threads before installing and torquing? I was always taught that nice clean (uncorroded) threads will torque just fine and by lubing them you endanger over-tightening them. The ideal way to torque a bolt is a smooth motion. If you jerk the bolt/driver, your torque will be off.
@Ron
I run a mismatch of stem/bars/post due to a number of reaons while building up my #1 bike last Fall. Not coincidentally, none have obnoxious logos and all are consistent with a Velominatus Budgetatus.
– My bars are a carbon Stella Azzurra as I got a good deal on them off of Bonktown. Once covered with tape and cabling, there isn’t much logo to be seen anyway.
– My stem is a Syntace F99 for weight. It was priced right, doesn’t have loug logos everywhere, and looks svelte. Plus, I needed a 26mm clamp for my aforementioned bars.
– My Merckx CHM uses a larger 31mm seatpost and I wanted carbon, I found a used Campy Chorus carbon post that matches my grouppo, looks sweet, and was only $35 due to minor scuffing due to massive gun-rub while laying down the V.
@Oli
Yes Oli.Correct.I assumed and based my answer on idea that he’s getting a new stem but the cheap one hence not Deda to match the bars.I understood LBS told him to use Deda only.Clarly either the bars have dent in them or the stem is damaged.
Thank you for your addition.
@Ron
Yea, I keep a Ritchey torque key in the car in case I need an in the parking lot adjustment. It seems to match up well with my torque wrench in the controlled experiments I ran when I purchased it.
@Tartan1749
Yes I’m sure.You’ll be fine with a light coat of grease on the bolts.Plus in terms of Pursuit of Silence any annoying clicks and ticks coming from the steering area can be helped in great measure.
@GottaRideToday
If you travel with a torque wrench make sure you set it to “0” when you put it back in the case. Getting bounced around with the torque set above zero can cause the wrench to lose accuracy.
Always lube bolts on a bike- corrosion is bad, good torque is good.
Picked up the new Look 695 IPack today… pictures to follow. Quick impression of the bike after a 1 hour ride. Stiff, Stiff, Stiff, but not a jarring. You could ride this bike all day long and not get fatigued by the ride. Handling is very quick, but it isn’t twitchy… I took one hand off the bars at 75kmh and it was rock solid. Pretty light, but with Zipp 303s and Dura Ace 7900 components it was 14.4 lbs… slightly heavier than my 2009 Cervelo S2 with the same wheelset. The proprietary components (C-Stem, Headset, Zed2 Crank, and BB) all went to together very well- the components are precise and well manufactured. Overall, the finest bicycle I have ever ridden. Easy on the eyes too! Did I say it was stiff?
there it is… the 695 with a fat, middle aged guy with shaved legs…
@Anjin-san
just wow. what a beautiful bike. congrats.
@Anjin-san
A brown one! I’ve never seen a brown one. Reminds me of a brown volvo cross country. I lusted after those too. Nice bike.
@marko
Brown? Ach, I need to return it! The official color is “Light Black”, which basically means a 3k carbon weave covered with a clearcoat with some red highlights. It photographs like shit, but looks pretty good in person… Volvo, oh no. I better win some races this year or I will never live this one down!
@marko
Your nut right? where do you see brown? let me help you.
@RedRanger
Thank you.
@RedRanger
+1
@Anjin-san
Weird, on my kindle fire it looks this cool mocha brown color.
Oh wow, another LOOK in the V-Ranks. This is getting crazy. They might have to give us sponsorship cash soon.
Nice bike there!
@Anjin-san
Nice kit as well, sir.
When you ride a Look frame, is it against The Rules to use anything but Keo pedals?
Sweet bike Anjin!
@Calmante
Damn right. I made my mate Rigid get Time pedals for his Time VXR, as he was running Shimano previously, and because he also runs Campa componentry. Keep it all in house, ya can’t be mixin’ that shit up. Although, running Dura Ace on any bike allows Shimano pedals to be run…
@marko
Yes it looks a dark brown on my screen too , in the photo with Anjin-San, and I’m on a normal laptop.
It must be a trick of the light with the angle of the carbon weave. (Light black… rolls eyes).
Whatever colour it is, it looks fantastic. Nice ride.
@brett
I would call the awesomeness that is Speedplay exempt from your pairing rule.
@Anjin-san
ooooof, daddy want. Bel mezzo bro, that is a fine looking bike and 14 lbs, damn, I have to get in the game. All these Look bikes, I never knew I had such carbone for Look bikes.
@The Oracle
That’s fucking awesome, you should get the jersey of the week/coloured squid award for that. No negative associations at all about the frame! (And Disco still makes good TV…)
@mcsqueak
Well yeah, they are exempt, but still suck!
@Anjin-san
That is one sweet LOOKing bike.
If I were ever tempted to go down the Carbon route I think it would have to be a LOOK. Preferably in Mondrian(wasn’t he Dutch as well?) colours!
Just checked and as I thought, he was Dutch.
Just another example of the Dutch influence on cycling. We may never have had the most iconic cycling jersey of all time(SGs excepted of course) were it not for a Dutchman born in 1872.
If you’re fat, I am in biiiiiig trouble…
@Anjin-san
Oh yeah that looks sweet. I think maybe the red line on the top tube might be making it look brown to some. This is what I look at when I pop into my LBS, the guy in there tells me it has my name on it (586 SL) and I’m desperate to own it. The matt black looks awesome.
@Oli
I’m glad it wasn’t just me that thought that!
@Anjin-san
Sheeeeite, that is frickin bootiful – what a weapon!
Tell me you weren’t doing 75 on the flat – if you were, it’ll be cheque books at dawn
@frank
yes there is. not being able to use because your back is fucked, and the consultant doesn’t have your MRI scan images or results. you sulk a lot
@Anjin-san
Very nice, clean lines.
@snoov
Do it. You know you want to…
That looks awesome in the matt black
has anyone seen this yet. lmfao!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMCkuqL9IcM
@zalamanda
Sorry you’re a little late to that party but we were all enjoying it too.
Commiserations regarding your back. I popped out a disc yesterday morning and I’d arranged today off work to go on a ride this afternoon. On the plus side I think I got it back in straight away and today it isn’t anything like as bad as it usually is. I’m putting that down to the new stretches I’ve been doing straight out of bed. As my physio said, “you don’t see cats get up after sleeping without having a good stretch”. I also know what the problem is and am able to combat it most of the time, just got complacent.
@Chris
There’s no doubt that I want to, but it could be an S-1 situation.
@Anjin-san
I’m voting for it looking brown in the pix. Great looking bike! What are those strange looking black things on the ledge behind you though?
@wiscot
the black things on the ledge behind me are the bike cover and pouch that come with the IPACK. The bike cover is kind of neat and the case holds the pedals, bar tape, manuals, C-stem inserts, etc. I’ll have to get some better pictures. Thanks.
@Dr C
75 was coming down a pretty big hill… my guns can’t turn a gear big enough to do that on the flats!
@Gianni
Funny, I had a very similar reaction. First thing I said when I saw the estimate was “ooof, that is going to leave a mark, but daddy still wants one.”