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 ...
@frank & @scaler911:
Curious to know what prompted the decision(s) to go with wider bars. Can’t help thinking that following in the Prophet’s path must be a good thing. More riding will tell, though, but I liked the reach while descending in the drops (which might just be the bars and not their width). What did RDV ride? Any idea? As someone who could really get down, even on the hoods, I wonder what bar width he preferred.
@scaler911
Cranked up while the bone is mending?
@itburns
I guess so. I just started following him on Twitter.
@itburns
Most likely, the biggest issue in the recovery is the stiffness & inflamation in the soft tissues that connect to the bone as well as a lack of strength in the joint.
Having the bars wrenched up like that means that he doesn’t have to reach as far & can carry the majority of his weight through his core as opposed to on the shoulder.
@Steampunk
For me, it was an accident. The new bike was outfitted with them, and as an oversight, I forgot to check that detail (sorry OCD Frank). I kinda noticed, but I’m not all that finicky about that kind of thing anymore. But after a few rides, it was just more comfortable. So I guess it begs the question, narrower is more aero, but if you’re more relaxed in your position, can you lay down more V?
Look at the sprinters from the most recent track world champs here in Melbourne.
Don’t know how wide they are but are ridiculously narrow.
Doesn’t seem to affect their ability to get the power down (granted, short effort, where aero benefits are of prime importance)
Also, read somewhere that some pros are experimenting with narrow bars.
Adam Hanson apparently rides 38’s.
I’ve certainly noticed a difference in the amount of drag on my arms between when I’m in the drops compared to on the hoods. My posi looks roughly like DeVlaeminck in that my forearms are parallel to the ground. I find that I can tuck my elbows in for a measurable benefit.
@mouse
My guess would be that for short efforts, like track sprinting, narrow bars probably give you an areo advantage but after several hours on a road bike, your back and shoulders would be cursing you for choosing too narrow a bar. Can also remember reading somewhere that too narrow a bar collapses your chest and effects breathing but don’t know how true it is….
@mouse
I read that too, Hushovd uses 38cm bars as well.
Regarding my Graeme Obree meeting.
I was shocked to learn that no-one I talked to at the Scottish Bike Show had heard of the Velominati. I of course did my level best to change that and Graeme was pretty excited by it, he’s basically very enthusiastic about cycling and as @Wiscot has already said, friendly, engaging, just a lovely person to meet. I was there holding the mic for my friend Blair (and cycling sensei) who is filming a wee promo for the event. That’s how we ended up in a room just the three of us and well, it was totally awesome to talk to him about his life and the landspeed project he’s working on at the moment. Then he took us to meet Anne and his manager regarding a future documentary that my friend wants to do.
I tried to explain what this site is about, my plan being to get a rule out of him as all you lucky KT boys got with Museeuw. With time limited I tried to encourage Graeme to visit the site and maybe leave a message but he asked me to do it for him. The closest to a rule I got comes from the underlying theme of everything he said and it’s this “Just have a go!” It’s kind of a less aggressive version of Rule #V but I can’t convey the enthusiasm he expressed when he was saying it. It’s on video though so I’ll post a clip when Blair has time to let me have one.
Another great guy I met was the Wheelsmith guy. He was building wheels during the event and here he is with his favourite nipple lube. The Obree photos weren’t taken on my phone so I don’t have them yet.
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@mouse
The Aussie sprinters were using 38 or 40 cm Scatto bars which are a sprint specific bend. The brits I think use 38 or so bars, I wanna say they’re carbon Nittos but can’t be sure. The narrow bars are for 2 reasons, one they are good for squeezing through tight gaps (don’t think you can do that by using narrow bars on your road bike. You’re not that good a bike handler – any of you) The second reason is that the motion of pulling up on your bars is very significant in a sprint on a track bike, and the narrower bars pull the plane that you pull up on using your arms, closer to the plane that your legs drive down on. (The French used standard width bars, so this theory might be true but not necessarily make you faster). Aero benefits are not really part of it, but bear in mind a sprint track bike is only meant to be ridden for about five minutes tops.
Note the enduro riders didn’t go this narrow: The GB team Sprint were using even narrower bars about 12 – 18 months ago, and have gone marginally wider (they down to 34cm bars). And while the Scatto sprint bars come in 2 sizes, I think 36 and 38 or 40, the smaller size is for women.
Don’t forget your reach will change so if you want to go longer, but the idea of using a 38cm bar on a road bike makes my shoulders ache.
@snoov
I love that Nipple Lube guy hasn’t taken his eyes off the wheel he’s building to flash the SotM.
@minion
Interesting thoughts. I was also reading this article last night, which raised some good points re. the importance of aerodynamics of position (as opposed to wheels), of which I would imagine position is key.
I started out with 44cm bars, because that’s what was specced for a 58cm bike. I never saw anything wrong with it. However, after a period on narrow (38cm?) bars on an ’80s commuting rig, my road-bike suddenly felt wide and clunky – almost like a mountain bike. Moved to 42cms, and couldn’t be happier.
Well, actually, I could. If they made 3T Ergonovas with a constant width, I’d be able to settle on my preferred size. As it is, I keep debating whether I prefer 42cm hoods or 42cm drops. In fact, this discussion reminded me that a 3T Ergonova has to be purchased for the future #1 steed. Preferably the Team in black-red.
@Adrian
I heard this too, but I’ve also read the opposite – that it doesn’t really matter. I tend to agree with the latter, since so many time-trial riders (and triathletes, myself included) ride with their elbows nearly touching – and when time-trialling, ease of breathing is as important as an aerodynamic position. In fact, among those, riding elbows-touching is as pro as a slammed stem on a road-bike.
Of course, if a pro chooses to ride with the elbows set apart, he can do so since he’s a pro – Bradley Wiggins or the British Team Pursuit squad as an example, just like Landis’ upwards-stem-with-spacers – the only way to pull of a setup that doesn’t look pro is by smashing your opponents to bits.
FWIW, I ride my TT bike with the armrests in the innermost position with a drink-bottle between my arms – perfectly comfortable and I don’t feel restricted in any way.
I believe the reason why we can tolerate narrow aerobars but not narrow road-bars is the way each bar supports our hands. With an aerobar, you have a triangular (well, trapezoidal) shape with a single unit between shoulder and the load-bearing contact-point (elbows on the armrests). Meanwhile, on a road handlebar, you have two joints – wrist and elbow – between the shoulder and contact-point, which means the muscles need to support (IE, tense up) these joints. With a wide enough bar (hands parallel to the other side, forming a quadrangle when viewed from the front), this load might be easier to carry since you eliminate (some of) the outward force on the shoulders.
I’m dabbling with the dark side… I bought a Gary Fisher Trek today. I want to see if these MTB folks are as hard as they think they are.
@eightzero
The Wolf CL is a carbon fork with a steel steerer. I have a spare one in case anyone is looking to replace their SL.
@frank
I’ve never taken recalls seriously… until now.
@Adrian
Narrow bars should also be much stiffer. This collapsed chest thing is what got me switching over. Just tried the 44’s because I generally felt a bit cramped on the 42’s. I could try going back now that I’ve gotten less fat.
@frank
You wouldn’t be able to feel the difference in stiffness between 42s and 44s, although you might be able to between 38s and 44s. The stem and steerer have much more impact on stiffness than the width of bar.
@frank
Having lost >10kg over the last 16 months, maybe that’s all the difference. The bars never bothered me, but recently I felt kind of splayed on the bike. Maybe the narrower bars will help with that.
@Oli
Absolutely, that’s what I meant. I’ve also noticed a huge impact in stiffness when switching between bolt patterns at the stem juncture; four-bolt compared to what in my opinion is the best-looking stem ever, the ITM Millenium’s two-bolt clamp. Can we say “flexy”?
@Steampunk
Marko used your diet + supplement recommendation from your Cutting Weight article, and he looked great on KT. Repeatability is a huge step. Nicely done.
@frank
I couldn’t help but notice your own Schleckian emaciation in a number of the KT shots””congratulations.
Actually, I was just commenting more on my lighter frame perhaps accounting for my initial preference for the narrower bars.
Immediately: I wish I hadn’t written that. This might be the first time in almost 40 years, I’ve ever commented on another man’s weight. It feels… wrong.
@Steampunk
It also reads soooooo wrong if you were wondering.
@Steampunk
*snif* I – I love you, man.
@Steampunk
Does my bum look big in these knicks?
Could we get back to bar width, please?
@frank
I gave it a good inspection. Darned if all my tapping on it could help me decide what it was made out of. Now i know. Thx.
@Steampunk
Don’t you mean girth?
Sorry…
@mouse
@Steampunk
See, I’m not the only one…….
@Steampunk
Does my bar width look big in these knicks?
@scaler911
Hmmmm … pretty sure Steamy knows Frank’s a bloke.
Fuck it. Nipple lube
@frank
FWIW Read an interesting factoid the other week that in addition to Tommeke getting a new bike this season, he switched from 46 cm bars to 44s. While I’m sure there are many other factors playing into his resurgence, I wonder how much this is playing a part?
i’m posting my humble steed for review:
2009 fuji roubaix pro, 64cm
ultegra:
-6700 10-speed shifters*
-6601 53-39t, 175mm cranks*
-front* & rear derailleur
zero g brakeset*
ritchey w.c.s. logic II wet black os bars*
origin 8 stem*
fizik tape*, hudz “roubaix red”*
neuvation rx sl wheels (stickers removed)*, w/ zipp skewers*
look classic pedals*
forte carbon seatpost*
specialized toupe pro carbon saddle*
specialized cages*
conti gatorskin tires 700×23*
*upgraded or replaced
@actor1
Spiffy! Although I don’t think the red bar tape is Rule #8 compliant though….
@eightzero
yeah, you’re right about noncompliance w/ Rule #8. i just added the red bits on to pick up the ones on the frame, & black tape seemed too generic…
@actor1
Beautiful bike, and well curated, too! Though @eightzero is right about the Rule #8 violation.
As a fellow tall-as-shit guy, I’d encourage you to flip that stem over and try to get a bit lower if your flexibility can handle it; you’ll notice a dramatic improvement in handling and could also very well see a marked improvement in back pain if you have any as you’ll spend much less effort in stabilizing the bike with your lower back while riding.
Cheers.
@frank
yup, rule violation duly noted. but somehow, & maybe this is harkening back to being a kid & seeing how fast a red bike looks, it’s mine & it makes me go faster: the essence of v.
as for the stem, i’m slowly adjusting it down through the spacers. i don’t know if it’s clear in the pic, but i’ve placed 1 spacer over the top of it. as my flexibility increases, i’ll drop it lower & eventually will flip it. i do prefer the 0° rise look; again, it looks faster.
we ‘vertically-blessed’ folks have a hard time w/ frame fit. i did manage to pick this bike up as a ‘milestone’ birthday gift to myself. i saved $$ for almost a year, selling off lesser quality bikes that i was riding. it has more value to me, than to be able to just walk in & buy a stock bike off the rack w/ lesser quality components. EVERY TIME i ride it, i still chuckle out loud at the sheer enjoyment of it.
@actor1
The essence of the Velominati ……..
@actor1
Nice bike! Before you lower the stem by taking spacers out though, just flip it over and you won’t have a huge stack of spacers on top of the stem, but achieve the same drop (and look better too).
Black tape/red Hudz would set it off nicely.
I made the mistake of searching ebay.
A rare BMC Cross Machine in my size is only $1,000. I hope some else snags it before 9am PDT tomorrow or I’ll have to buy it.
My wife needs a bike. Yeah, I think that’s a good reason.
@G’rilla
That’s great — you both ride the same size. She can ride your bikes !!
Gentlemen Velominatus
I am in a quandary. I am subject to Velominatus Budgetatis and cannot comply with Rule #12 at present however like G’rilla have been watching eBay and have come up against a deal I might not be able to refuse
Its an 05 Time Vx Edge – the background is than my mate has the same frame which I’ve ridden a number of times including a 110mile sportive and I fucking loved it
Problem – I only just buillt up an 07 Scott CR1 frame with SRAM Force gruppo at the end of last year which I’ve just done a week in the Alpes Maritime on and am getting on pretty well with.
French handbuilt loveliness which was only bought 3 years ago and has done sub 500 miles vs Scott mass-produced cult bike with dodgy integrated rear mech hanger??
Merci beaucoup!
@Ali Mckee
I think if you re-read the last sentence you’ll see that you pretty much answered your own question.
@brett
I was going to suggest the opposite, leave the red bar tape but replace the shifter covers with the traditional black ones.
@G’rilla
this is why I try to stay away from websites not on the way home… ain’t nothing very good at stopping the rationaliztion machine when it comes to pretty bikes w/ specific, useful uses. or even more so when an esoteric not useful… g’luck!
@paolo
Yes Paolo I think that is the key – the Time would feel more special. But it is an 05 frame supposedly that sat in the shop til 09. So has had 3 years use – apparently the seller has 15 bikes!
I would have to sell the CR1 and feel like I haven’t really given it a chance to prove itself
Just sold my electric guitar to buy new wheels so cabt think of other assets to rationalise other than my VMH??
@Ali McKee
Get the Time, built it up with the Force gruppo, see which bike you like better, sell the other.
@Nate
This.
@brett
And this. Someone just emailed in suggesting Rule #45 be amended to include a clause stating that rise more than 6 degrees is forbidden. Its an excellent point. Between the two, more spacers is preferred to a bike that looks like it has a hardon.
@actor1
That’s a major step in La Vie Velominatus: buying a frame and building it up bit by bit – there is not pleasure greater, and the only way you can feel closer to your bike is by riding through l’Enfer du Nord on it after you’ve built it using this process.
As for big dudes and frames, we’ve kicked lots of ideas around this over the years, but the gist is, frame sizing isn’t linear between body sizes. Instead, as the rider gets taller, the frame size should be relatively smaller in order to counter-act the side-effects of a rising center of mass, longer arms/legs, and the problems with longer tubes (especially the steerer). Cheers.