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 ...
@Oli
True enough – I use the park chain cleaner to great success. But if you want to use it as a garrotte wire, you simply don’t have a choice.
@RedRanger, @TommyTubolare
Also don’t forget to incorporate the stack height of the stems – that will change the center point of the stem and raiser/lower the bars as well.
@Oli
Funny, in MTB circles (where I learned to wrench bikes), the advice is just the opposite–use a powerlink and remove the chain for proper cleaning. I’ve always done this with my road bikes, too. Of course, my feeble starter pistols don’t pack nearly enough power to break a powerlink, much less a link in a chain.
@frank
If you are concerned about having a handy garotte wire about, why compromise your chain when you can simply stockpile old shift/brake cable?
@frank
I was wondering about that also, considering the V stem is a fatty and the 3T looks to be more traditional in design. I will for sure have to cogitate on this. its going to be a few weeks before I start piecing every thing anyway.
@frank
I don’t even use a chain cleaner, just oil and a rag. I used to believe in fully degreasing my chains but you get much better wear out of them if you wipe (or only lightly degrease) the outer links before re-lubing. Once you strip the grease/oil out of the inner links with degreaser it’s impossible to get it back in thurr, so it runs dry where it most needs to be lubed.
@ all: Oli sounds just like the SRAM guy I talked to after I popped a chain, and called the factory and talked to them about it. they asked how i cared for the chain, and they discouraged degreasing or anything, just a rag as Oli said. Which, blows my freakin mind. I just can’t seem to do that, it seems too simplified. too painless. So i still use rock-n-roll, despite their druthers, and it is a cleaner and luber. So far so good, but i don’t degrease
I went with this approach after Oli posted it somewhere else some time ago. Only lightly degrease after a Rule #9 day from Poseidon, otherwise just rag wipe and oil after each ride and light oil before next ride. Chain seems much happier.
Makes me wonder if I should swap my SRAM powerlink for an normal Ultegra link. I’ve never removed my chain to clean it, so it’s really rather pointless…
I agree with @Oli. I used to have a bad habit of degreasing my chain constantly when I was a kid, and it didn’t do me an ounce of good. A simple wipe down is all I ever do now, as well.
@Oli
Fair enough, and something I follow myself for 90% of cleanings. But sometimes a rag just doesn’t do the trick.
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I’m with Frank. Most of the time, a wipe-down and lube will be okay, but sometimes, I feel like a thorough cleaning is in order.
That being said, I probably do the thorough cleaning too often, due to the guilt associated with having a less-than-blindingly shiny drivetrain, and as a result of my afore-mentioned MTB background. @Oli and @Calmante’s posts above have done a lot to help me get past that guilt.
@frank
I’ve been riding in and out of work in the dark recently (thankfully could make out the sillhouette of some trees last night, at last) and only copped eye of my bike this morning – I am thoroughly ashamed of myself – I cleaned it last weekend and it looks like a sewage plant already – I feel like a bad owner who is neglecting his dog – no excuses
Looking forward to stripping it down this weekend and getting it thoroughly spanking
I was pondering the difference between running and swimming and cycling the other day when laying it down some in the fucking Balticness – there is no doubt, when you suffer in the pool or the run, all you have is your goggles or trainers to share the experience with – on the bike, it is you, the machine….ah, the machine….
Anyway, loving the shiny V on your stem – did you commission that specially?
@frank
I’ve wiped down chains a fuck-sight worse than those and had them come up mint – put some V into it, man!
There’s nothing wrong with using a brush and mild soapy water to get rid of sand and/or grit, but wipe as much crud of as you can first…you’re not just arguing with me now, but chain manufacturers and, most importantly, Julien de Vries.
@frank
What in Merckx’ name is that crap on your down tube? It looks like the red tendrils from War of the Worlds.
@Calmante
Fresh Pacific NW leaf jizz.
I’d like to defer to the collective knowledge bank of the Velominati hive-mind. Can I use a ten speed Shimano or SRAM crankset with a nine speed drivetrain seamlessly?
@Calmante
yes
@Oli
I’m only arguing with 10% of you. But to your point, I use the park solvent maybe once a year to get a good deep cleaning, when the thing just won’t come back from the dead. The rest of the time I use dawn dish soap and water and it works great.
What I’m after most of the time is to get the grit out from in between the links, where they rub on the cogs and chain rings, and where the cloth can’t reach. I’m not worried about the grease thats in there, especially since as soon as I get rid of it I do my best to put it back.
I’m worried about the grit wearing the system out. My chains/cassettes do last me must longer than most, so I am inclined to believe the system isn’t complete crap.
@Calmante
What @mcsqueak said. Lots of long, Rule #9 rides here in the PNW winters.
Collective q – what sort of mileage are you getting from chainrings and cassettes? I’m up to about 25k on ultegra chainrings split between 2 cassettes, just starting to experience the very, very odd bit of slip – chain checks in OK (I generally replace them at about 3k), teeth look fine to my eye. Just wondering if it’s a case of familiarity breeding contempt – I’ve seen stories on t’interweb of folk claiming they’ve worn the whole caboodle out after 1500 – 3000k, which just seems silly.
^ Slip is at the rear, btw. Never had an issue up front.
@Simon
Hm. Very pointy sharks tooth teeth on your rings are a sign to chuck it, along with severely worn/missing teeth. Not unheard of, and if you can tell that your cassette is slipping, not your front rings, (the ‘slip’ – the missing bit where your chain slips on either the rings or cassette, the slip is smaller on the rear than on the front – if your front misses you’ll know about it when you get out of the saddle) then they sound good – untill you put another chain and cessette on and it goes to custard. Use em till that happens I reckon (and you’ll know when that is)
@frank
You can’t put the grease back in once you’ve degreased it out. It’s unpossible.
Use liberal amounts of fresh lube to flush out the grit, then wipe the excess off. Of course grit will wear a chain, but you can get the grit out without recourse to degreasing, and the lack of lube deep inside the chain will do more damage in the long run.
You can use diesel and a paintbrush like the pro mechanics do – that is a sure-fire way of getting the chain fully clean without breaking up the grease/lube inside the links, but it’s certainly not very kind to the environment.
@Calmante
I used an Ultegra ten speed with a Sora nine speed before upgrading with no problems. It runs quieter with the ten speed now but I only noticed the noise on the workstand when the gear was right in front of my face, couldn’t hear it when riding.
Sounds good enoug for me. Thanks.
Also, on a random side note, has anyone noticed that the Cofidis Team Store is selling Campagnolo Record equipped team bikes for €3800? That sounds like a steal.
@Simon
mileage depends on weather conditions, track conditions, the type of rider you are, quality of equipment…
I think it s just a couple of the chainrings that are worn out – mostly one rides on the same 2-3. or the cassette is loose on the body, or your rear derailleur has to be adjusted or, if you ve been riding on dirty, sandy roads, it might well be your chain that already has to be replaced.
I just read the article on Campa in Rouleur volume 24… makes me wish I had broken down and put it on my Look. Thanks to all here for recommending Rouleur- great magazine and well worth the price.
@JC Belgium
That sounds about right, it only seems to be happening on the popular ones in the middle. Can’t see any difference in tooth profile on them though…
@all
FYI, I hit the road with the new Ultegra group today, and the shifting. was. like. butter.
@The Oracle
And with that, I finally moved from a “Level 2” to a “Level 1”! Huzzah!
Okay, cut a 3mm hole in the sidewall of my rear Specialized Roubaix Pro Clincher tyre today – luckily spotted the inner tube bulging through! How I didn’t get a blow out defats me, but I’m glad I spotted it in the garage, and not as I hoof it down a descent next week!
Can I fix this, or is it for the bin?
Just bought 2 x Vittoria Open Pave Clinchers (24) for £35 EACH on Ebay – too good to be true??? They’ll be my puppies for the Keeper’s Tour
@Dr C
It’s usually difficult but you can try using Emergency Tire Boot TB-2 from Park Tool and Shoe Goo.Tire Boot on the inside and Shoe Goo on the outside.But test it by pumping up the tire to see how it looks.You can also use a piece of an old tire and glue.Another method would be needle and thread.
However even if repaired you always run a risk of blowing out the tire.I’ve done similar repair for a friend of mine and he never had a problem until the tire was completely worn out.You will have to make a choice though.
@TommyTubolare
thanks for that – it’s quite a big hole, so, so maybe a bit risky – shame, as they only have 1000K on them so far
@Dr C
Good grief man, your a doctor. Just pony up for some new tires. (Smilies are frowned upon here aren’t they?)
ps I see Michelin pro 3 race on sale all over the place now. As little as $30.
This is my first post after lurking for some time now, so here goes! How long do people run Campagnolo 11 speed chains for? I heard that the standard practice of measuring 24 links doesn’t apply in this case? Is that true? Mine measures 12″, I’ve had no shifting problems, but have around 2,000 miles on it (from September to now, in the PNW). Is it time for a new chain or can I get some more miles out of it? I realize this is probably a question of how long is a piece of string, but I’d to hear what others do. Thanks!
@James
I can’t see why measuring the chain with a ruler wouldn’t still work – it’s not as if the frequency of the cogs has changed, and it’s the chain’s ability to mesh with the hills and valleys of a cog that determines wear.
I can’t help with a specific wear rate, but my experience is that the 11sp stuff wears pretty much the same as the 10sp kit…others may have experienced differently, of course.
@James
I got 5000 km out of my first 11s chain, replaced it when the shifting degraded and I noticed damage on an inner face plate. I oil and wipe religiously and never break a chain. I’ll probably change a bit more frequently going forward as it will probably make cogs and chainrings last longer.
@James
I just happen to change my 11 speed chain and I’ve done around 8500 km and I agree that 10 speed wear is very similar.I have Record 10 on one bike and using Centaur chain and cassette I can also do around 8500 km.I should mention that on 11 speed bike I’m running Chorus 11 chain with Chorus 11 cassette.Record 11 chain will wear faster and the same goes for Record 11 and SR 11 cassettes.
However all this numbers may be different in your case as it all depends how you care for your drivetrain,weather you are riding in plus the area where you live.If you degrease your chain often for cleaning you will cut the usage time in half.
@Oli
That’s what I thought, too, so I guess I’ll assume my chain hasn’t worn significantly yet.
@Nate
Damaging the cassette is definitely my main worry as it’s a new gruppo…
@TommyTubolare
Mine is a Chorus too. That’s impressive mileage you’ve got, as I’ve been pretty careful with keeping it clean and lubed I guess my apparent lack of wear after less than 3,500km (sorry for the earlier imperial infraction) makes sense. Now that I have bike #2 up and running I hope to do even better on wear. Good to know about degreaser too. Does that apply to simple green?
@Calmante
Wow that’s pretty great.
Just finished my reserve/training bike build because I couldn’t get the C40 insured for coming back to London. Look KG231 Credit Agricole colours with old Veloce gruppo.
115km today in -2, came off on some ice, hurts
@lucky
Nice! But I think you need another Colnago in your stable.Me too.Probably insuring it would be also a good idea!
http://www.colnago.com/colnago-celebrates-his-80th-birthday-with-a-limited-edition-bike/
@James
Simple green is not as strong but degreasers these days are very strong.Avoid them even if their smell like citrus.Use thinner oil to clean the chain and your regular lubricant after cleaning.I’ve had great results using Morgan Blue Race Oil to clean and remove dirt from my chains.I find it a bit too thin for normal riding applications,especially for rainy days,however for cleaning it’s top notch.Like that you will get a great lifespan from your components and drivetrain.
If, hypothetically, I set up a ponzi/pyramid scheme and had some money to drop on new wheels, would folks here lean towards HED Ardennes SL or Shimano RS80s? Or some other in that general kind of price range?
@Steampunk
Well first of all aren’t the Ardennes like twice the price of the RS 80’s ?
Anyhoo…forgive me keepers as I am about to sin. I would go to chainreaction ( or anywhere that they are on sale) and get myself the Dura Ace C24 clinchers. @ $847 right now, bargin. Light, 1380 grams, stiff, bullet proof, hardly ever go out of true even! I have two sets one I got for less than $700 and one at 700$ (when the pound takes a dip against the dollar the price drops) Oh and ps I’m about 180lbs on a really good day so they ain’t weak!
That’s my two cents..
@Steampunk
G’rilla has these from Revolution Wheelworks, which seem awesome from a price/weight standpoint. I looked at a number of wheels in the same price range and style (shallow rim, light weight for climbing), and I think I’ll be getting the same ones myself or a similar pair from Corsa Concepts, which is a PDX company. Haven’t quite made up my mind yet…
@Steampunk
Have HEDs, big fan of the ride. Or you could spend the coin on some rad handbuilts.
@Steampunk
What are they going to be primarily used for? Race wheels? Bomb proof pave’ riding? Climbing wheels? Training wheels? All of the above?
@Buck Rogers
They’re for looking PRO (Duh!).
I’m still rolling on the stock Shimano R500s that came with my bike and am looking for something that rolls a little faster, is a little more aerodynamic, but I don’t want to give up any of their durability. I don’t race, so this is basically everyday riding, usually solo.
@mcsqueak
Those look very, very sweet! And a nice price point. My lone reluctance over smaller companies has to do with durability, especially since I would be shipping them to Canada. But I’m sorely tempted now. Are you looking at the 22 or 27?
@paolo
Yep. My bad. I made the mistake of looking at American catalogs for one and Canadian ones for the other. I’m getting fleeced on the Canadian prices (especially given the relative parity in the dollar).
@Steampunk
have you thought about going with hand built wheels? Mavic Open Pro’s with your hub of choice?
@Steampunk
I LOVE my new HED C2 Belgium tubulars with Chris King R45 hubs. Durable as hell and not too heavy. I will probably run the 200 on 100 on them, if they survive Paris-Roubaix.