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 Open Pros Black vision has haunted me long enough — one week!
@Vin’cenza
what kind of shop is that?
So I’m out running errands today (in the car) and I pass a guy on a Cervelo P3, Ultegra and Zipp equipped. BUT it also had a MTB bar and BMX pedals. Was being ridding by a guy in jeans with a backwards hat, and smoking a cig. I was tempted to run him over, but just called the Po-Po. I’m 99.98% sure that didn’t belong to him. F’n hipster on a stolen bike.
@scaler911
Oh, that is painful just hearing about. I was just talking to someone today about how strange it is that all these hipsters ride around with $1,000 Rolf Prima front wheels…
@scaler911
+1.
@Ron
I hear ya! Missed two days and covered three time zones Weds and Thursday this week. Today’s ride was bliss… cold, windy, with some sharp climbing. Perfection!
@RedRanger
A bike shop like none other — Tim Wellborn, Aaron, Brian, Derek Everling, John Green, Clayton, Will, and various other smart ass locals. Tim gets it — knows it — shits it !! And Sean Webb too.
@RedRanger
What were you thinking ??
@Vin’cenza
I just saw the Bass Pro Shop book and didnt know what to make of it.
@Vin’cenza
Gotta love the Bass Pro Shop catalog under the wheel!
@Tartan1749
Surely being used as a drip catch or grease mat of some sort.
@Marko
Back to the Open Pros Black vision — please. Open Pro w/ Record and the BPS book wins out !!
@Vin’cenza
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/297374_912053650035_2405333_41559683_1480114093_n.jpg
Here’s my beloved SLX in a Belgian flavor. Full Dura Ace 7400 and Wobler rims. Delicious every time.
/Users/msoueidi/Desktop/297374_912053650035_2405333_41559683_1480114093_n.jpg
/Users/msoueidi/Desktop/297374_912053650035_2405333_41559683_1480114093_n.jpg
maybe now, no? Enjoy.
@msoup
Domex-Weinmann — love !!
@Skip
Shifter broke the other day, part of a continued string of parts failures on the old bike. She knows she’s being replaced so she’s putting up a fight.
@msoup
I like your style… I bet it’s smoother than oiled glass and floats like a butterfly over the rough stuff.
Campagnolo 10s cassettes. If you prefer to ride an 11/21 and want to breath new life into it — and are not finding them readily available. Always keep your eyes open and buy a 13/26 (13,14,15,16,17, 18, 19, 21,23, 26) if it is a bargain. Take the 13 off the front position and the 23/26 off the back. Push your reasonably good conditioned 11, 12, 13 on the front — back in business. Sell the 23/26 as someone always wants it — somewhere.
@Ron
“I got unlucky & posted one of my bikes…then got smashed out of the discussion by that awesome steed from Unpull. Oh well. ”
Don’t worry. I guarantee that we all appreciate every single bike photo that is posted. Most of us just don’t get time to respond to them all. So thanks, and please keep posting!
@Ron
Allow me to “pull” this bike up to the front — LOOK it’s the LOOK. And we are brothers in arms if that’s an 11/21 back there — al hail Centaur, Chorus, Record !!
@Ron
Looking for a LOOK myself. Good job — I like it.
@Ron
A bike that is mostly ‘Black’ and mostly ‘White’ and very sharp !! Nice.
Ok some advice is sought…
After slightly talking up the dramas with the current bike, I’ve received tentative permission from the treasurer to upgrade on the basis that N will not increase, it’ll just be a straight swap.
The lbs has exactly what I want hanging on their wall, a 2011 Fondriest TF3 shod in 11sp Athena at a stupid discount, but it’s their last in stock & is a 54 as opposed to the 56-58 that would fit me. They can however swing the 2012 TF3 for the same price running Ultegra instead as their order this year was only for Shimano.
Is it churlish of me to be hesitating over it, purely because I’d prefer it to be running Campa?
@Vin’cenza
Nice! Move the tire labels around to match the valve stem and you’ll be perfect! I know that Rule sounds silly, but it really makes it easier to find whatever piece of glass or whatnot in your tire that caused you to flat.
I’m sure I’ll come off like an idiot for saying this, but when you pop off your tire after you flat, find the hole in your tube, then match it to the tire and look for what ever caused you to flat. Saves time.
Honestly, nice bike tho!
@Mikael Liddy
The big question is are they both the same size? IMHO, if you pull the trigger on a great looking, and priced bike, but it’s too small (and if you ride a 56-58, 54 is way too small) it’ll be money down the drain. It may look cool, and be a great deal, but if you can’t make it fit, you’ll just be frustrated. And as far as gruppo’s go, same same. If the Shimano equipped bike is your size, then go for it. I have 9spd Ultegra that’s 15 years old, and after much abuse, still works like the day I bought it. And no one gives me grief.
@scaler911
You are looking at purchasing my bike! Very nice ride. FWIW, I went down a size compared to my other bike.
@girl
Sorry @scaler911, that was to be @Mikael Liddy. Apols.
@Mikael Liddy
The simplest way to work it out is to check the Virtual Top Tube measurement, and compare them between your current bike and the new one.
How long is the stem on your current bike?
If the difference between the Geo puts you on a 120-130mm stem, I’d suggest that it would probably be ok.
Obviously, the other main thing to consider would be the saddle to bars drop. Are you flexible? How much drop do you currently run? You would again have to try to work out the relative dimensions between the two.
What’s your current bike? I’m curious to see if I can look at the relative Geo charts to see if you’re within Cooee.
@mouse
I could be wrong but is sizing difficult with this bike because the top tube is curved hence making it difficult to give an accurate measurement.
@scaler911
I’m with @scaler911 on this. Ultegra is a sweet gruppo. The primary concern here is to get the bike that fits. If it’ll truly bother you, than maybe this deal isn’t for you and another will come along… I always loved the Lampre edition Fondriests.
@girl
@mouse is referring to the virtual top tube which is easy enough to measure, cc from the head tube parallel to the ground to the seat post.
Please post pictures of your bike!
@Mikael Liddy
As per above advice – get the frame size right first, upgrades later on are easy to get past The Financial Controller.
And yes get out the tape measure or better still take in your bike to LBS and put them side by side and measure it up and see if you can get your current measurements within the new bike. 54 does seem to be a fair way off 56-58 but with some manufacturers a 52 is my size, another it is 54. A couple of bike purchases back I took mine in and just measured everything I thought was critical and that I could fit within the specs.
Or make a big long term decision and just buy a Baum (you are in SA I think from memory) and be done with it – mine is 4 years old, I don’t bother with N+1 or “must have this years latest and greatest”. Is the the best and most financially sensible decision I have made in a long time. Is saving me a fortune. 3rd wheel set granted but same frame….. And if I get sick of the colour, well a respray is not that hard.
But to return to your question of Campa v Shimano – only you can answer that one.
I had 2 Shimano, an Ultegra, then a Dura-Ace and now 10 spd Record. Have been happy with all of them.
Hope this helps.
@Mikael Liddy
Why don’t you try test riding both the 54 and the 56? Just don’t focus on the groupset while you ride. If the 54 fits then problem solved.
If it doesn’t, the new Ultegra is great. My Cannondale runs 105/Ultegra from the last generation, the new stuff in my opinion is a big improvement. Feels much more solid and automatic. Great groupset.
A little sobbing & one of the bikes gets dug back up. Ha! Thanks for all the nice compliments. That was the first bike I ever purchased brand new. I bought the frameset & chose the parts myself, which was fun to “design” my own build. I’d also been riding a too-big, aging Al frameset with 105 around so this bike was both different & nicer. Of course, getting the size right was the biggest improvement. I do wish the red pin-striping wasn’t there, as I don’t really like black/red together, but oh well. I’ve tried to keep it simple with black/white parts.
scaler – If you look closely you’ll see those tyres have two sets of labels. I lined the labeliest labels up with the valve. Don’t despair, I ain’t Rule breaking.
@Ron
My bad (I hate that term but it applies here). That’s what happens when you A. Go for your third hard ride in a row, after a month off. B. Rehydrate with IPA(s) C. Start posting here.
Again, nice ride sir!
@girl
That’s cool. I’m an old married guy. Anytime a girl (or someone named “girl”) talks to me, I’m happy!
@Mikael Liddy
Another +1 for the current Ultegra. Sweet as a sweet, sweet, sugary sweet thing.
Get a bike that fits, too.
@frank
Frank, your stem has got me questioning that I can adapt from 110mm to a 130mm ARX. I am feeling the need to stretch out more — Merckx style. Any recommendations or warnings about moving forward over the front end (sprinting)?? If this works out, then… — thanx.
Cheers all, the shop has my current bike down in the workshop so we’ll be able to compare them although I’m not sure it’s the best template to go off as I doubt it’s the best fit.
Applying logic to it, I can’t really see why I wouldn’t go for this with mechanical as opposed to Di2…just need to convince the heart that an Italian bike w/o Campag is still acceptable.
@scaler911
I — aul’wuayz — find what causes a flat. No flat since June 2011 with no seasonal break in cycling. Anti-flat.
But the point you have made is well received and needed to be said at some point.
@Mikael Liddy
That Fondriest is hot. If you mentioning Di2 there must be some room in the budget? No harm in asking what it would cost to hang Chorus on it, for instance. When I got my Wilier it had OEM spec Ultegra on it and I had it swapped out for something like $400 US. No regrets. If the budget only allows you to go for Ultegra now I would go for it anyway. Then you can aspire later to hang some Campagnolo on it later, and Ultegra is solid stuff that will hold some value.
@Nate
That’s a negative Ghost Rider…budget at breaking point as is (new bike definitely not in this year’s purchase plans!
There are a couple of other Italian options at different shops but I’m pretty keen on these guys as they’ve looked after me well in the past, plus there’s one near home & also another right near the office (3 store chain all owned by the same family) so in terms of convenience they’re the best bet.
Pretty sure I’ll go in with my best pleading face on & see if they can order me that rather attractive looking black beast back up the page in a large & then take the Athena from last year’s model & transplant it upon said order before moving the Ultegra that bike comes with over to last year’s medium hanging on the wall. Surely there’ll be someone out there who’ll be plenty happy to take a 2011 medium with 2012 components who’s not so concerned about the Italian/Japanese mix.
@Vin’cenza
I have said it before, but that is one nice ride!
Ok…Off topic and out of my mind too….
Anyone remember a brake and lever set that came out..oh…it would have to be like 1996-1998. The brakes were a CNC Aluminum Campy Delta clone and the levers were these weird sort of Billet CNC Nipple things that mounted on the end of an aero bar and you pushed the end of the nipple down to engage the lever mech?
I would draw a picture, but I am a shite artist. I was talking with a guy I worked with at the Performance BIke Outlet with in Raleigh NC back in that timeframe and we both remembered getting in a set but neither of us can recall the brand or such. We were thinking how useless the levers were but interested in seeing if we could hunt up a set of the brakes to put on a TT bike for doing a retro goof build.
OH to be losing my memory at 44. It sucks…..
@Mikael Liddy
Sounds like a good plan.
@tomb
Sachs?
Fark!
Was just about sold on the TF3 in whatever guise it comes, before going to see one of the other bike stores here that’s known for very good deals on very nice European bikes (they’re the only stockists of the Prophet’s bikes here in Adelaide) and then I saw this:
09 Pinarello FP5 in the naked carbon set up shown above. Full carbon Athena & Fulcrum wheels for the same price as the TF3 + it’s in store, could be built & ready by the weekend…
This new bike business is bloody hard! Feeling some empathy for @King Clydesdale over his dilemmas last week.
@Mikael Liddy
I wouldn’t stress about putting Campag or Shimano on them. They’re both manufactured in Mainland China anyway.
So, in that sense, you need not obsess about the “Italian-ness” of them.
Go with what sets your world on fire.
FWIW, the Pinarello has a better pedigree than the Fondriest, though I suspect that you would be very happy either way.
Exciting times! You won’t know yourself riding a carbon frame.
@Mikael Liddy
Oh, and I’ve had a go searching for Geo charts for your Schwinn. They don’t appear to exist. Best to do just as you are and have the shop help you work out the appropriate sizing.
@mouse
Yeah after getting sized up by the shop that stocked the Pinarello this morning had me looking at a 57.5, tbh in terms of ease of purchase that one’s winning out at the moment although I’m heading back to see the guys with the Fondriest this afternoon to see what they can do.
The Schwinn was a cheap ebay purchase whilst I was dipping the toes in to the water so it was never properly fit, basically I bought it off a guy who was a similar size to me & then tinkered to make it comfy.