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 ...
To add to that, I’m using that picture as wallpaper on my iPad.
@silkrider
Yup, it usually says US Postal on it.
@TommyTubolare
That is the beautiful Wellington Harbour, my friend, on an uncommonly sunny and calm day. On top of my RH Ergo, you’ll see a ferry that takes cars and passengers between our North & South Islands (Kiwis aren’t creative at naming stuff).
If you pop over to @Oli’s website, you’ll see many more (and better) photos of this area. He’s like our unofficial tourism marketing guru.
New Zealand; better than Old Zealand.
New Zealand; like Australia, only farther.
New Zealand; ewe should come.
New Zealand; don’t expect too much, you will love it.
New Zealand; why not?
@brett
Ha! A GREAT recent cartoon in the New Yorker showed one dude walking past another dude on the street, both with weird hairdos. One commented to the other, “Great stupid haircut!” I thought this was awesome, in light of the current coolness of making your hair look as ridiculous as possible.
On another note, does anyone have suggestions for good, solid not overly expensive skewers?
The cheap wheelset on my rain bike has horrible skewers that slip. I’d like to upgrade the skewers on my cx bike wheels (Ksyrium ELs, pretty nice wheels) and move those skewers over to the rain bike. That set is a mismatched pair of Mavic/Shimano XT skewers. Maybe some used Ultegras? It would be nice to get some black ones though, would match the wheels best.
With all the chatter recently on bar tape I finally redid mine today. First time I’ve wrapped my own bars in a long time. My son worked as a mechanic at a few LBS while in college so I made him do my maintenance. Any way I don’t think it sucks too bad. As for bike #2, the Bianchi, at this point it is almost all original, and of the parts that currently are not i.e. the seat, I have the originals stashed away. It sits in a stand looking pretty, even if it is in need of new tape and some cleaning.
Any way I submit them for your critisism
[dmalbum: path=”/velominati.com/wp-content/uploads/readers/seemunkee/2012.02.21.00.56.16/”/]
@seemunkee
Lurvely Bianchi. And having a son who can do your wrenching for you? Genius.
@seemunkee
Oooooh, Bianchi boner………….
@Bianchi Denti
Thanks, I think.
@Marcus
My son actually found me the Bianchi. The shop took it in trade and he called me as soon as it came in. Too bad he’s about 400 miles up the coast now.
@RedRanger
not a bad piece of advertising by e-harmony was it?
@mouse
@scaler911
Thanks guys. I will check both.
So the other day I removed the cage from my RD so I could take out the jockey wheels and really clean them off, as they had accumulated a bit of leaf/misc. garbage this winter and they are a PITA to clean with the chain still wrapped around them.
Question: do I need to re-lube that “sleeve bearing” (no idea what else to call it) that runs through the middle of each jockey? It had some really dirty grease on it, so I just removed that.
Do I need to put another layer of grease on? What type? Could I use “lube” (heh heh) instead? I have a few different types on hand: teflon, light chain lube, Phil’s Tenacious Oil (super thick so I never use it). I didn’t have any grease handy when I working on my ride…
@mcsqueak
Just take out the brass bushings (at least mine were brass), clean them, and re-grease with white lithium or your grease of choice, then re-insert into the jockey wheels. Those do get buggered over time! Nowadays you can get them skeletonized and with ceramic bearings, presumably sealed bearings.
@Tartan1749
White lithium you say? I’ll grab some of that then. Thanks!
As I transition form civilian to Level 4 Velominati and journey to the zen of Velominatus, I wonder if it’s a violation of Rule #5 to add removable fenders from thy trusty steed. As a rider in the Pacific Northwest, would fenders negate Rule #9?
@SuperFed
This coming from the guy who didn’t know what type of grease to use on his jockey wheels, but I use removable raceblade fenders on my bike, because my rain bike is also my main bike, so keeping it cleaner during the ride means less cleaning work for me after the ride.
When I’ve been out on rides without fenders where it has unexpectedly rained quite a bit, the amount of water that can be absorbed by the padding in your bibs being directly loaded by roadspray is fairly impressive, yet uncomfortable.
@SuperFed
Welcome, and where in the PNW are you?
And this should answer your question about fenders:
Nope. Don’t see a fender anywhere. (I live in PDX and you’d never see a fender on my bike *sarcasm*).
@scaler911
I’m in Kitsap County, WA (Ferry ride West of Seattle). I’m starting to train for my first century and will be riding ala Rule #9 often. Riding the Chilly Hilly on Bainbridge this Sun with a forcast of Snow/Rain and 37 degrees.
I’m from PDX and there often. Looking to hook up with mcsqueak for a ride sometime I’m down there – possibly after the STP.
@mcsqueak
Those the SKS blades? Heard mixed reviews.
@SuperFed
Cool. I’ve done Chilly in the past. Fun, and rolly. Let McSqueek and I know. Always fun to ride with other VM!
@mcsqueak
I think they’re SKS raceblades I have on bike #4. The wee half-length ones? Frankly I love them. If it keeps me a bit drier on cold wet days here in WI (and I’m talking temps in the 30s and wet) then I’ll happily use them. I’ve been out and come home with my bike and overshoes covered in frozen slush – however my ass and legs are dry. So if it keeps me drier and out longer and happier. It also keeps my gear in better condition too. That oily, dirty shit that gets flung up your back can be a bitch to wash out. Finally, I don’t have a mechanic and soigneur to clean my bike and clothes!
I used to work with British former Pro Matt Illingworth, and he said if you turned up for a training ride in the wet without full length fenders, you weren’t riding…
@Ron
You can’t go wrong with Shimano skewers… can get em in black too.
@SuperFed
Yeah, race blades. They are OK.
@brett
Ditto. Riding in the UK in the 80s, if you showed up for a wet winter ride sans fenders (mudguards) you were highly unpopular as no-one wanted a face-full of shite off your back wheel.
If you’re consistently going to ride with others in wet weather, it’s just plain courteous to have fenders on your bike.
@scaler911
What you WILL notice is that it’s a race and half those guys are wearing sunnies. Still can’t see shit out of sunnies when there’s that much rain, but it’s better than not.
Where’d you find the sarcasm font? Am I not good enough?
@wiscot
Considering how many bar tape articles there’s been, that white bar tape is fucken filthy
@SuperFed
Reading this site has fully inducted me into the n+1 principle. I now reserve my Look for dry days while I keep raceblades on my #2 at all times for the benefits Wiscot describes. Does it look cool to have fenders on a road bike, even my lesser #2? No. Am I grateful for them after a four hour Rule #5 slog through rain and wind? Hell yeah!
@James
This IMHO is the correct approach.
Putting mudguards on a slick piece of carbon bling is simply wrong, but turning up to a group ride in the wet and spraying on everyone like a tomcat in lycra is also wrong.
This is why people have winter training bikes – something in steel or a slightly more relaxed style with clearance for guards and maybe running 25 or 28mm tires. I prefer full mudguards because they also keep a lot of crap off the bike, not just your bum.
@ChrisO
I’ve been thinking about some wider tires on the #2 bike for next winter – we’ve had a couple of icy mornings so far this winter when the steep hill I have to ride down on my way to work has been dicey with my 23 mm tires.
On a related note, what are people’s thoughts on a good clincher? Now that I’m only running the Look in fair weather I’m less concerned about flats but still want some durability. I’m not racing (much) but want something that will do justice to my machine. I’ve really enjoyed a Vittoria Diamente pro but what do people think about other clinchers in their range? What about the Michelin Pro Race 3?
@Chris O
I rode for one full winter season on my #1 (slick carbon!) with Crud Mudguards. They did alright, but I still had to clean the heck out of the bike afterwards. I’d spend as long cleaning as I did riding. No good.
Then I picked up a nice steel DeBernardi and put some Planet Bike Cascadia fenders on there. It worked alright, but I could only fit 23mm tires and full fenders on Italian steel? No good.
Then I saw the light. A so-so cross bike with the new 10-speed 105 groupset, 28 mm tires, and the Cascadia fenders. It’s awesome. Plenty of room for all sorts of tires. A very modest bike so I don’t care if it gets dirty and banged up. And, some relaxed cross geometry since you are just putting in saddle time in the cold & rain, not gunning it.
Those first two stanzas of my last post are ChrisO’s words! Sorry, tried to quote him and cut out other stuff, didn’t work!
James – Riding 23mm tires in rain, snow, ice, winter is just crazy to me. Why bother? You are trying to 1) stay upright 2) stay warm. You aren’t racing. Race bikes are awesome, but winter training bikes are awesome too.
Vittoria Diamante Pros are okay. I stopped using Rubinos after gashing two sidewalls. Could have just been bad luck. Pro Race 3s, nice ride, poor durability, for me. I’m a big fan of Continental GP 4000S. Not so soft, but tons of kms, no flats and a decent price. I ride them on my LOOK. But…what do I know…I’ve only ridden clinchers, never tubulars. The shame & horror!
If you watch the big vendors, especially UK ones, you can get awesome deals about once a year on the tires you like. I’ve gotten GP 4000s, Vittoria Open Corsas and Veloflex Records at about half price. I just wait and watch, then buy a bunch of them.
@minion
“Considering how many bar tape articles there’s been, that white bar tape is fucken filthy.”
I find I can’t keep mine clean, either. I had Fizik tape and it was sweat stained to the point of shame after five or six months. Singapore sweating is pretty serious stuff. Salt deposits on the top tube ftw.
I just replaced the tape a couple of weeks ago with Zipp CX Service Course tape, which is great stuff. Cushy and grippy in the wet (again, even in the dry you’re wet here in Singapore). BUT it’s already picking up black smudges from my gloves, which is just shit.
Not sure what to do. Will probably just change the tape to red next time and see how it looks.
@Blah
WTF? Writing _Fizik_ is autocorrected to Fizik?
Nice change.
@Blah
Yes, been doing that for a little while, but you’re the first to pick up on it.
But why?
@scaler911
I’ll be on the early boat, resplendent in the V-Kit.
For you grumpy fockers…
@James
I love the Michelins, they have been my go-to tire for years. I’ve found the side walls fine, no problems, the tread is grippy but the rear only lasts a year but that’s why it’s grippy, ya can’t have both. I went to 25mm Pro 3s and they rule. The Michelin Optima (?) tires are rumored to be nice too. They are different widths for front and rear.
@gravity bob
Did you cover that up with black electrical tape?
@Gianni
Nope. I used a rattle can of black Krylon. Much easier than re-wrapping.
@Gianni
The Michelin 25mm tires are super smooth. Biggest drawback on the Michelin Pro series tires are the roads you ride on. If there’s a lot of debris, rocks, glass, etc… you may want to try the Continental Grand Prix 4 Seasons in 25mm. The GP4 Seasons have notably tougher sidewalls.
@Blah
I’m planning a short trip to Singapore in early May. Would love to meet up! Email boss@topfunky.com
@G’rilla
You get the award for Velominati at Large
@James
I really like Michelins. Have been using them exclusively since before the Pro Race series. I trust them.
I’m a fan of Michelins as well. I’ve got the Lition 2 tires right now, which are a perfect all-purpose type tire for a guy like me who doesn’t race much.
@The Oracle
Ugh. That would be LITHION 2.
Thanks for the tips, sounds like the Michelins really are as good as some of the reviews I’ve read.
@Gianni
Have you found greater durability on the 25mm or are there other benefits? Lower pressure?
@James
I’ve got a Michelin Krylion Carbon on the back of my bike. Great grip and according to the reviews on the Chainreaction.com site, good durability.
@Gravity Bob
Sweet! And continuing in my tire fixation, are they Vittoria open paves? Clinchers? Love the tan sidewalls.
@James
I’m another big Velominati so I now keep my tires at 100/104 psi with two main benefits, all roads are more comfortable and pinch flat issue is very much reduced. There is a slight weight penalty but data to support the notion that 25s are faster than 23s. On the balance I’m psyched with them and won’t go back.