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 ...
@Steampunk
Thanx Sigmund! Enough. You hardly know me, but if you’re happy just making smack talk, then continue punk.
Led Zeppelin time — no more foolishness from either side. Deal?
@MJ Moquin
You’ll be fine using any combination of 9 or 10 speed Ergolevers and derailleurs – on my Bianchi at the moment I am running 9sp with a 10sp rear derailleur, and I have set up the reverse several times.
@mcsqueak
My wife is a fitness trainer and Spinning instructor. She’s been great at giving me great solo workouts for the week, which no doubt has gotten me “up to speed” for group rides and races. Aerobic, Threshold, and Anaerobic intervals, leg power training, sprints, TT training, long slow distance rides…it’s all about constantly feeling the pain in your legs and changing your routines before your body can adjust. The idea that we should always ” be peaking in two months ” is a great concept for muscle confusion. One should create confusion in the legs and cardio-resp. systems before we ever peak.
@the Engine
Is this when we throw in the random sheep comment? Seems somewhat appropiate and the precedent has been set, right my Aussie/NZ/Scot V mates?
@frank
Yeah, I had bonked before but NEVER had the “true” leg cramps. My GOD, what an eye opener. The sight of the leg cramp ached for a few days afterward. Hoping that it does not happen tomorrow on my first “long” ride since the cramps.
@Buck Rogers
My riding partner commented a couple of days back after one of the woolly bastards ran out in the road in front of us – “Sheep have two objectives in life: one – to get out and two – to die”
@Oli
But would a 9sp RD shift a 10sp cassette?
@Buck Rogers
I felt some leg cramps coming on today (quads) so I did that quad stretch where you pull your foot back with your hand. Looked strange I’m sure, but relieved the pain.
@Campagnolo Vince!
That’s Mr. Steampunk to you. I’m just having trouble following anything you’re saying, which just clogs up these pages. A thought, or maybe a suggestion.
@Ron
I can’t wait for someone to come up with a definition for ‘minioning’..
Shut up Marcus.
@minion
Minioning: Like profanity, it may be difficult to define, but you know it when you see it, or are the object of it.
Have any of you among the clincherati tried Michelin Pro 4 Service Course tires?
@xyxax
Awesome. Michelin’s website graphic depicts them as being awesome. They mount and dismount awesome. Look awesome. Been riding since January — awesome. Did cr4sh running them in a crit — still awesome. Awesome today and tomorrow (50.00 per tire) !! They also offer a Pro 4 Endurance make for longer durability.
minioning: even though you know you’re talking bollocks, you still say it anyway.
@Steampunk
Don’t feel obligated to follow anything from me. “I’m not a… sstroong blogger”
@DerHoggz
Yes. Not quite as well as a 10×10 combo, but so close it makes no practical difference.
minioning: exhibiting Tourette syndrome.
YOu know…this shit is a lot funnier aftwer a few drinks of Jerhimah Weed Vodka.
@tomb
So’s your typing.
@brett
not sure we can really restrict that to only @minion, that’s pretty much par for the course around here…
@Oli
Gotcha, just clarifying.
Ha! Suck on that Bretto.
Meanwhile, a little minion waits…
@minion
Don’t celebrate too much, that wasn’t me saying you aren’t guilty of this…just that you’re not alone.
@GottaRideToday
I figured as much, not only is it unlikely that anyone would be silly enough to post their bike up here resting on a kickstand, but I’d doubt anyone selling a beautiful rig like that would allow it to be disgraced with such an accoutrement.
@Mikael Liddy
Sometimes the cheap shot (at Bretto) is the best shot you’ve got…
And to be honest, I don’t think I’m currently on the leaderboard for having keyboard tourettes…
@minion quite true, there’s some young bucks around these parts that kinda have that title sewn up at the moment.
@Campagnolo Vince!
Thanks CV. You’re awesome. I’d like to try a pair.
Anybody out there… heard the practice of removing the chain hanger from a race frame ?? Particularly Eddy Merckx frames with fastback seat stays ??
@xyxax
Worst tires ever.
Truly, truly, awful – assuming that one of your critical factors in tires is keeping them inflated.
I managed to have more flats (4) than rides (3) in the less-than-a-week that I had one of these pieces of shit on my bike. Each time it was a different cause. Painful as it was I simply binned it, so that was a total waste of 40 quid.
I think the Service Course designation means that you should only ride them on closed roads which have been swept of all debris, and preferably mopped and dried.
And ideally you should have someone driving ahead of you with an industrial vacuum to clean the street in case some stray leaf with a serrated edge falls in your path.
@ChrisO
Ouch. Thanks for that. I’ve used Conti 4000S’s and Vittoria Paves, both of which sliced up pretty quickly. The road debris here is a bit of a challenge (for one thing, the recycling garbage trucks leave piles of glass on the road every 100 meters).
My best luck has been with Maxxis ReFuse tires that I’ve used for all-around purposes, but not sure that they would be the ideal tire for Vermont, for example.
@ChrisO
@xyxax
Strange how different tire experience is. Rode 4000s tires for 1.5 yrs (4 to 5 days per week, 25 to 75 miles per ride) and never flatted. Michelin Pro 4s are proving to work well (awesome). They look fantastic. Tire reliability may depend on handling and watching the line. I will let you know when they do puncture, but since January to March (then broken collar bone) and picking back up this May — they perform well. Sorry about your Pro4 plague ChrisO.
FORKS
recommend me some.
looking at 3T funda team and Ritchey Pro UD at this point …
@smithers
I can only talk from what I’ve used, which are Deda (A MAZ ING) and Columbus muscle which is also very, very good. I can’t image going too far wrong with most aftermarket forks from a good company.
Fucking stoked!!!
Got the call this arvo & I’ll be picking up the Fondriest TF3 Mk II tomorrow morning although admittedly my shoulder is still in a state that dictates for at least a fortnight or so it’ll basically be a very expensive exercise bike sitting on the trainer doing the Indoor V & VV routine.
@Mikael Liddy
The best motivation for a quick rehab. Grats!
Great stuff, Mikael!
@Mikael Liddy
Congrats. Just being close to a machine that nice will only speed the healing. Be sure to post pics.
Did a frame up build of a SS ‘cross bike for my buddy today. I love that Raleigh did a paint job that uses the Rainer Beer font. I submit for your discussion (as opposed to approval):
The Chris King hub sounds pretty sexy I must say.
That bike should never have anything but white tape. Nicely done.
That’s also a very nice wood pile.
@scaler911
Looks really good, but what is up with the last housing on the rear brake cable?
Also, here is a neat video of Raleigh making bikes Post-WWII:
http://gizmodo.com/5909707/how-to-build-a-bike-in-postwar-britain
@DerHoggz
It’s probably a touch long, but that’s how i was taught to do it by my Dutch wrenching-sensei, so that’s how I’ve always done it.
Hi all.
Just read this by M Barry and thought I’d test out a superstition.
Here goes…
I have not had a puncture since about September last year. I just don’t get punctures. Punctures are not a problem for me because I do not get punctures.
Now we play the waiting game.
All prettied up, but nowhere to go…fuck me riding on the trainer is boring! 2 weeks til my surgeon’s appt can’t come quick enough! At least the Giro is on the laptop just out of shot.
Two questions:
1) I have a nice set of skewers from an 8-sp wheel. Trying to use them on a modern 10-s wheel. The rear skewer is a bit shorter than then one already on there. Is this a bad idea to use the shorter one? (Installed it and it does thread on & the wheel is stable when I test it in the frame by hand.) Wouldn’t want the rear wheel to come out of the frame when riding. (this is an around town/rain bike, not subject to huge stresses, but still want it to be safe.)
2) One of my bikes has developed a slight gear train rattle. The chain isn’t properly set in the gear it’s in – it is half-steppin’ between two cogs and making unwanted noise.
Is this fixed by adding cable tension or by adjusting the high/low limit screw? I’m guessing it’s a cable tension issue.
@Ron
You have a skewer for a 126mm rear. If it is on and threaded well, then all is well. Check on that little baby though, just like any skewer.
Wheel Balance.
I just happened upon a letter of the week in Cycling Weekly from a guy who had gone back to his shop to complain about his new two grand wheels. They hadn’t improved his times and he was mad after such a large investment. The guy in the shop told him there was a cheap Pro secret that he’d tell him about namely putting another magnet on the front wheel to balance it.
Something like this has occurred to me when I’ve had my bike on the work-stand and turned the cranks to get the rear wheel really moving. The whole thing shakes quite alarmingly and I’ve thought about trying out a few things to balance the wheel better. When I got my wheels I let the front settle with the bearings not too tight and then put the magnet opposite what seemed like the heaviest point. Also, I was told by Derek at Wheelsmith that where the join is on a rim is heavier than the valve even taking into account the valve hole.
Do any of you have any input on this subject as the letter writer in CW said the improvement was astounding?
@snoov
The gag was that if you put two magnets on your wheels you’ll go twice as fast – or at least your computer will think you’re going twice as fast :-)
@snoov
4 magnets work even better than 2 due to the geometric progression of the quadrilateral effect. 8 becomes simply too much due to the increase in magnetic force. Althought this effect is not as pronounced in carbon frames and is virtually eliminated with full carbon wheels.
@the Engine
No shit Captain Obvious.