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. @Calmante

    When you ride a Look frame, is it against The Rules to use anything but Keo pedals?

    If you buy a 2011 IPACK they include a set of KEO Blade pedals. they eliminated that in 2012 (no pedals come with the IPACK).

  2. @Minion

    @The Oracle

    @Minion
    @Marko
    I came by that frame last summer, and believe me, I didn’t buy it because of any Pharmstrong nostalgia. I had been on the Velominatus Budgetatus trail for a few years to replace my old aluminum frame, and last summer through the VMH’s triathlon club I got in touch with a guy who runs a place called Dream Bikes in Milwaukee. Dream Bikes is a nonprofit shop that takes in donated bikes, spiffs them up and re-sells them to low-income clients. The shop also trains inner-city kids to wrench on bikes (and keeps them off the streets). It’s a real neat place with a cause that I can get behind.
    Anyway, Dream Bikes is sponsored by Trek, so every once in a while they get shipments of stuff from Trek’s warehouses that they sell for dirt cheap. Trek had that frame (an ’06 Team Madone 5.2) sitting around in its original packaging as a warranty replacement, and sent it to Dream Bikes. I was able to pick it up for a song (while still feeling good that every dollar I paid went to a good cause), and here I am. Although it was six years old, the frame was in factory-new condition when I bought it. It even came with the original documentation (prominently featuring, of course, LA himself).
    So, I was in the right place at the right time, and I came away with a terrific frame for less than a new basic aluminum frame would have cost. As such, I can easily overlook the negative associations that come with a Discovery Team Trek frame. Anyway, since I live in Trek’s back yard, maybe 2/3 of road riders are on Madones, so the anti-Trek bias that is more prevalent elsewhere just doesn’t really exist here.

    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…)

    That’s kind of rough treatment of the LBS kit, but I don’t disagree. I wore it for them since it was their first Look delivery after becoming a dealer. I’ll get some pictures wearing proper V-Kit!

  3. @snoov
    Go for it Snoov. Sweet rides! They are making some excellent deals on 2011 models as the 2012s start rolling in.

  4. @Anjin-san

    I wondered if you shopped “Liberty Cycles” when you said you were from Asheville. I’m not sure if I can keep up with you, but Blue Ridge Pkwy has been on my list for awhile, I may be able to swing a trip over that way in the near future. I’m in the shadow of Cumberland Gap, so Asheville is very accessible to me. Do they still ride track bikes on the old stock car track?

  5. @GottaRideToday

    @Anjin-san
    I wondered if you shopped “Liberty Cycles” when you said you were from Asheville. I’m not sure if I can keep up with you, but Blue Ridge Pkwy has been on my list for awhile, I may be able to swing a trip over that way in the near future. I’m in the shadow of Cumberland Gap, so Asheville is very accessible to me. Do they still ride track bikes on the old stock car track?

    Come on up… always looking for someone to ride with. Liberty is one of best shops in an area with a lot of LBSs. The track series is still on. We run a crit on the track (geared bikes) every other weds evening in a series called the Ring of Fire beginning in March. On the alternating Weds evenings there is a true Track Bike race series- very cool stuff indeed.

  6. @Anjin-san
    Que? Your kit looks good, I was referring to the Oracle’s purchasing a bike though a community co – op, there’s a little rider of the week V-jersey symbol that goes next to your name in your posts – I had it once, but it was cruelly, cruelly taken away.

  7. Ok. Here is my… Giant. I am also working on restoring my Columbus SL Pinarello, but that’s not ready for photos.

  8. @Calmante

    Dude, that is a totally sweet ride. My only comment would be to change the bar tape (just my personal opinion, I’m just not a big fan of colored tapes outside of black or white).

  9. @Calmante
    I like the bar tape as it is – just my opinion too, @mcsqueak. The frame is very, very yellow so the tape matches it well. If there was more black going on in the frame the balance would tip to black tape, but not in this case.

  12. I go back and forth. It’s only been yellow for the past two weeks. Nothing but black or yellow, though.

    Violations?

    I’ll have to post a different angle so any visible rule violations can be spotted… ;-)

  13. @Calmante

    Nice ride Calmante. I like the yellow tape. I dare say there are more violations on my bike right now. (I tried hard not to use the European man bag in Summer but in Winter I find it essential..my pockets get full of knee warmers and arm warmers, gilets and such…thats what you get in a climate that can be 40 in the early am and 80 at Noon.) The guys on this site Cal don’t have a stick up there ass about the rules ya’know. It’s all good…well…nearly all.

  14. @Minion

    @Anjin-san
    Que? Your kit looks good, I was referring to the Oracle’s purchasing a bike though a community co – op, there’s a little rider of the week V-jersey symbol that goes next to your name in your posts – I had it once, but it was cruelly, cruelly taken away.

    Ooops. My bad. I do have some V-kit that I will wear when posting a better picture. No where to put a V-sticker…. hmmm any suggestions?

  15. @Calmante

    I go back and forth. It’s only been yellow for the past two weeks. Nothing but black or yellow, though.
    Violations?
    I’ll have to post a different angle so any visible rule violations can be spotted… ;-)

    Nice ride- looks fast. I’d stick with the yellow… throw some black tape on there and it may start to look like a bumblebee.

  16. @paolo

    @Calmante
    Nice ride Calmante. I like the yellow tape. I dare say there are more violations on my bike right now. (I tried hard not to use the European man bag in Summer but in Winter I find it essential..my pockets get full of knee warmers and arm warmers, gilets and such…thats what you get in a climate that can be 40 in the early am and 80 at Noon.) The guys on this site Cal don’t have a stick up there ass about the rules ya’know. It’s all good…well…nearly all.

    If you run out of space in the pockets I use a water bottle… take an old wide mouthed water bottle and you can fit all manner of things in it. Then just put it in cage #2. After all, in the cooler months you can usually get by with one bottle anyway. Plus the bottle is waterproof for those nasty fall and spring rides. Use a solid color bottle, as opposed to a clear or opaque one so all your extra kit doesn’t show… gotta look pro.

  17. @Anjin-san

    @paolo

    @Calmante
    Nice ride Calmante. I like the yellow tape. I dare say there are more violations on my bike right now. (I tried hard not to use the European man bag in Summer but in Winter I find it essential..my pockets get full of knee warmers and arm warmers, gilets and such…thats what you get in a climate that can be 40 in the early am and 80 at Noon.) The guys on this site Cal don’t have a stick up there ass about the rules ya’know. It’s all good…well…nearly all.

    If you run out of space in the pockets I use a water bottle… take an old wide mouthed water bottle and you can fit all manner of things in it. Then just put it in cage #2. After all, in the cooler months you can usually get by with one bottle anyway. Plus the bottle is waterproof for those nasty fall and spring rides. Use a solid color bottle, as opposed to a clear or opaque one so all your extra kit doesn’t show… gotta look pro.

    I don’t do this, but you’ve got me thinking.
    If the temp is rising through the ride and you have to shed arm and knee warmers, maybe they can go in the first bottle once it’s drained? Worth a look at what can fit in an empty bottle…?

  18. I know of a couple of violations, and one can be seen more clearly in this photo. I wish I could slam the stem, but I’m not flexible enough to have a 7″ drop! At the time I bought this frame, the M/L size was not an option, and the L was not aggressive enough for me. This left me with the M, which has its pluses and minuses.

    The other issue(?) I have with it is that it’s outboard Ultegra… Ugh. I’d love to upgrade that, but I just can’t justify it right now.

    @Anjin-san
    Look frames are a favorite of mine for the same reason that Time, Cervelo, & Giant are… They are all designed and built in-house. I love your 695.

  19. @Anjin-san

    @paolo
    If you run out of space in the pockets I use a water bottle… take an old wide mouthed water bottle and you can fit all manner of things in it. Then just put it in cage #2. After all, in the cooler months you can usually get by with one bottle anyway. Plus the bottle is waterproof for those nasty fall and spring rides. Use a solid color bottle, as opposed to a clear or opaque one so all your extra kit doesn’t show… gotta look pro.

    Only problem w/ that idea I use both water bottles over a 62km ride. I don’t have any gas stations to go in for a refill and I’m generally adverse to walking up to someone’s house out here in the country to request a refill.

  20. @Calmante
    Baller! My most recent bike purchase has yellow bar tape. I think yours looks fantastic and is coherent with the rest of the frame and tires.

    And I think you deserve the “most improved” award from your first post until now! Great story about your father.

  21. @GottaRideToday

    @Anjin-san

    @paolo
    If you run out of space in the pockets I use a water bottle… take an old wide mouthed water bottle and you can fit all manner of things in it. Then just put it in cage #2. After all, in the cooler months you can usually get by with one bottle anyway. Plus the bottle is waterproof for those nasty fall and spring rides. Use a solid color bottle, as opposed to a clear or opaque one so all your extra kit doesn’t show… gotta look pro.

    Only problem w/ that idea I use both water bottles over a 62km ride. I don’t have any gas stations to go in for a refill and I’m generally adverse to walking up to someone’s house out here in the country to request a refill.

    Went down the ‘old-school’ cut the water bottle path. Had nothing covering the opening and got caught in the rain and the water stayed in the cut bottle. Valve was open on the tube and the water crept into the tube and patch kit + tools. So I went EPMS and hated it! A little while ago ended up walking past a unknown bike shop and found me ‘The POD!’ Lives in the 2nd cage – fully loaded.


    @GottaRideToday
    Maybe use a larger water bottle? Just don’t break Rule #32!

  24. @sthilzy, @Anjin-san

    Rule #31 compliant but I can’t help feeling that it clashes somewhat with Rule #78 and if it’s not well packed it will run the risk of seriously messing with the Principle of Silence. Not sure what’s in the box but it look like it’d go in a single pocket with some gels and when you shed an arm warmer, wrap the whole lot up in it.

  25. @Calmante

    Looks good to me-probably more rule-compliant than mine (I’m shocked that nobody noticed the oversized Ritchey MTB stem I have on there right now). If I were to nitpick, the only pecadillo I would point out is that the bidon cage doesn’t match the rest of the bike.

  26. OK- these are the last photos I will post of this bike, but I wanted to set the record straight that it in no way resembles a brown Volvo like was implied by a fellow Velominatus who shall, for the sake of his own safety, remain nameless. Rocking the V-kit on a cold, windy day in the mountains of Western NC.

    [dmalbum: path=”/velominati.com/wp-content/uploads/readers/Anjin-san/2012.01.27.20.43.33/”/]

  27. @Anjin-san
    Hey now (Rule #44) I sort of apologized as it (Rule #44) looks that color (Rule #44) on the small screen (Rule #44) of my kindle (Rule #44). Awesome kit btw. Rule #44

  28. @Marko
    Hey, I wasn’t going to name names (Rule #44), but since you sort of outed yourself (Rule #44)I have to ask, don’t you think it looks much better in these pics (Rule #44)? Yes, the figgin’ bars are too high, but one of the downsides of the proprietary stem is that it is a real project to adjust and I just haven’t had time to do it. I’ll slam it proper soon enough! I did average 28kmh for 1:47 today while climbing over 700 meters in the wind… this bike feels so good when (trying to go) going fast!

  31. @Anjin-san

    That bike matches the V-kit perfectly, doesn’t it? Why the scowl, though?

    @The Oracle

    Your Madone Is one of my favorites. The top tube design reminds me of a hot rodded American muscle car. I did notice your stem, but assumed you were some kind of superhuman beast that required a heavy duty piece. Your saddle is a little far forward, though. Where does your knee fall at 3 o’clock?

  32. @Calmante
    Actually, the stem and the saddle are related. The bike has a longer top tube than my last frame, and my short term fix was to scoots the saddle forward. The stem is temporary to see if the length (90mm)will work.so I can move the saddle back. Still a work in progress.

  33. @RedRanger

    @Anjin-san
    that my friend is a fuckton of carbon. dare I say this is the ultimate bike? congrats again and enjoy the fuck out of it.

    I’d call it more like a fuck7kgs of carbon rather than a fuckton, but I’m just guessing.

  34. @Calmante

    @Anjin-san
    That bike matches The V-Kit perfectly, doesn’t it? Why the scowl, though?

    Why the scowl? Some redneck is reversing a dirty great big Ford truck over his lovely bike!

  35. @RedRanger
    Agree on the Garmin… the K-wing bars make it tough, especially with the Look stem… it’s four inches square(!) so I can’t get the mounting straps around it.

  36. @Calmante

    @Anjin-san
    That bike matches The V-Kit perfectly, doesn’t it? Why the scowl, though?
    @The Oracle
    Your Madone Is one of my favorites. The top tube design reminds me of a hot rodded American muscle car. I did notice your stem, but assumed you were some kind of superhuman beast that required a heavy duty piece. Your saddle is a little far forward, though. Where does your knee fall at 3 o’clock?

    Actually, I was just testing the camera shot (doing it by myself because if I ask mu wife to do it she’ll make fun of me to no end), but I kind of liked the way the angles all came together so I used it regardless of the scowl. I don’t look much better with a smile anyway…

  37. @Blah

    @Calmante

    @Anjin-san
    That bike matches The V-Kit perfectly, doesn’t it? Why the scowl, though?

    Why the scowl? Some redneck is reversing a dirty great big Ford truck over his lovely bike!

    +1… hey wait, that redneck is me! And I refer to that vehicle as my Tennessee Cadillac.

  38. @Anjin-san
    That’s a seriously nice garage door, seriously. The cobbled sector leading up to it looks a little soft though.

    @all
    As there’s a little K-wing love being bandied about in this thread, I’ve got a pair for sale (k-force stem too if you want the set). The wings are 44’s and the stem is a 130. Lemme know. marko@velominati.com

  39. @Marko
    I remodeled my kitchen two years ago and I wish I had the foresight to import some kinderkoppen as the backsplash.

    Maybe the bathroom floor. It needs to be retiled.

  40. @Anjin-san
    Seriously hot bike mate. But yeah, the Garmin needs to be on the stem, coz that’s a big lump of carbon that begs to be covered up! I love how industrial the cranks are too.

  41. @Chris

    @sthilzy, @Anjin-san
    Rule #31 compliant but I can’t help feeling that it clashes somewhat with Rule #78 and if it’s not well packed it will run the risk of seriously messing with The Principle of Silence. Not sure what’s in the box but it look like it’d go in a single pocket with some gels and when you shed an arm warmer, wrap the whole lot up in it.

    Rule #78 – Yeah, back in the day I was a skinny kid and hardly drank, so no 2nd cage. Now riding steed to work, ‘The POD’ lives in 2nd cage and I use a 750ml bottle – emptying it each ride!
    ‘The POD’ is packed well so no disturbance to The Principle of Silence.
    What’s in the box? Everything below the tube and levers. Chucked in a pair of latex gloves after one time a freshly lubed chain broke and f*cked up a pair of gloves and tape as the lube was on my hands getting the chain back together! Tried to rub lube off with dirt and water and ended up f*cking up my bar tape!
    Yeah, can pack in pocket, but prefer the weight off my back.

  42. Why do Look make their stems like that – really large and ungainly looking? I mean it’s a nice bike but man, those stems.

  43. @Anjin-san
    God Damn. That bike actually makes me think about going carbon in the future. Never have been a carbon fan but this has me thinking….

  44. @Marko

    @Anjin-sanThat’s a seriously nice garage door, seriously. The cobbled sector leading up to it looks a little soft though.

    It looks like you have a little European style villa going on in Asheville. Very cool!

  47. I took my crankset apart to clean it and it said Sugino 42 Japan on the little ring. It does make me feel a little better about all those times I used it when I “shouldn’t” have. My (6spd) cassette goes 14-31 (bike is a light touring get-up) but I usually go no lower than the 22, the 26 is my bail-out gear.

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