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 ...
@Xyverz
That’s bike shop speak for “You should buy a new bike off me instead”. The first project bike rarely ends up being a winner in dollar terms, but you get education and satisfaction out of it you wouldn’t otherwise get if you just bought a new bike and were done with it.
Right – advice needed again. I have a girly compact Campagnolo Centaur 50/34 12/27 (see flattering picture) and the Coast to Coast is coming up, which has some interesting grades, and then I’m off to the Pyrenees to catch Le Tour – particularly the stage from Limoux to Foix on the 15th (I’ll be the guy with the embarrassing hat, gangrenous feet and saltire flag obviously). And – a few days after – I want to try the stage myself or at least the second mountainous half which has the word “Mur” somewhere along its length.
Anyway the club and LBS have suggested kindly that that I should buy a “cheap” 12/29 block and the tools to fit it and swap blocks for both rides. I assume that this is a smart and straightforward thing for a middle aged man of moderate intelligence to do both in terms of the tool wielding skills required and and riding the alternate block?
@the Engine Can I recommend so glossy white Fizik microtex tape?
@the Engine
Um, yes. Very easy and straightforward. Sounds like an exciting summer of cycling ahead!
I’ve got this lads…stand back, give ’em some air. Yes, a cheap Veloce priced Campy cassette.
Then you will need one campy compatible lock ring removing tool, one wrench, adjustable or not, to turn said removing tool and, wait for it…a chain whip! That’s right, a chain whip that is also somewhat compatible with your 10 or 11 speed cassette. Don’t use your grandma’s chain whip.
It’s easy and fun to change your cassette, should be no blood letting, no real need for torque wrench either. Ask the LBS lads who sold you the whip how to do it, it’s no problem and as long as your cassette is the same speed, 10 or 11, you can ride out the door and up the climb.
@Gianni
Perfect time to buy one of these.
@the Engine
@Gianni
As always, Gianni is correct. The voice of reason to Frank’s headstrong youth.
One extra tip: Practice removing and replacing the cassette a few times before you leave. You do not want to be in some fucked hotel room in Europe after a day’s hard riding, swearing at your bike because you cant get the fcuking cassette off. Nor do you want to have ripped off all the skin on your knuckles because you are doing it wrong… (yes, i have done that)
Mounted 25mm tyres to turn “big ring” into an even bigger gear. And 25mm tyre sensation feels like No.1 can ride with more “severity”.
@the Engine Or… Or find a local bike shop and let them swap the cassette for you — and torque properly just under 50Nm. This coming from one that also enjoys changing a 10s cassette. And uses Campy grease — or Motorex. And whoever said “Never mind torque!” — don’t believe it. Once you own a torque 3/8″ drive you will be your own cassette master. TIP: Use a 24mm socket to torque on (cassette socket) with torque wrench. Use 24mm wrench on (cassette socket) to remove.
Sears sells the individual 24mm socket — 3/8″ drive.
Black and beautiful setup kept simple.
@RedRanger
That is fi’zi:k microtex tape following a recent foul weather chain unshipping/blasphemy incident.
Frank and others have gently explained that I need to use something called “detergent” to get it clean.
@Gianni
Will be at the LBS early next week doing precisely this. It’s not that I don’t know what a chain whip is I’ve just never (ahem) actually used one.
@versio
I will attend the LBS instruction next week briefly sounding like I know what I’m talking about
@versio
I’ll remember that next time I cross the Atlantic
@the Engine Alternatively Halfords should be able to sort you out.
Once you’ve done it a couple of times and the skin has grown back, changing a cassette is a piece of piss.
I would also submit that riding a cassette that suits the days parcours is rather pro. Switching between standard and compact cranks for proper hilly days might be taking it a bit far though.
Speaking of which, I just picked up a Cannondale SL crankset on ebay. Apart from being ridiculously stiff and light, it’s got a removable spider that allows you to run it as a standard or compact crank without the expense of having two complete cranksets. I’m going to give the whole standard thing a go when I get back from my summer holidays near the Pyreneese.
I know that yall have been sitting around and racking your skull pan thinking, “what would the fecal matter of a simian use to crush the pavement?”. Well, Rack yourself no longer. Here is my steed. You will notice that Crowbar has liberated my steed of it’s rear valve steam cover.
@Monkeyscat Grandissimo!
@Monkeyscat
Hey Ansel Adams, you might want to check to make sure your fingers aren’t over the lens before you take your picture.
@Flying Crowbar that way you know it is authentic……… oh and
Happy to report that Bike #2 is back in service after a lengthy (8 weeks!) stay at Serotta. The bike had some corrosion issues on the bottle bosses that were impacting the carbon itself. Serotta went above and beyond the call of duty. They stripped the frame of clear coat, removed and replaced every bit of metal, and then re-clear coated the bike and reapplied the stickers. Finally, they provided a brand new, un-cut, fork. Not bad service for a bike almost two years old! These guys stand behind their product. As for me, the emotions are sort of like when my kids come home from a weekend away from home… just really, really happy to have her back. Time to ride!
@Monkeyscat
Yet another photo where a finger is obscuring a part of the scene. Maybe you should enroll in a photography class.
@Monkeyscat
Beautiful Bike!!
@Monkeyscat Bell Mezzo
@Anjin-san Good looking bike. Congrats on getting it back togather. I built this up last Christams for my boy.
@marko
Thank you
@mouse
Thank you
Here’s few pics of my new #1 bike. It’s a full custom Rourke 953 in the most Glorious Steel!
Rourke Signature wrap over in bare stainless…..
And a custom head badge!
Looks especially good with the V-Kit!
@936adl That’s a cracker. Very pretty. How does it ride?
@936adl That is pure sex. The colors are sublime. We’ve been kicking around potential V-bikes in the boardroom and I must say, this, THIS, shall be considered. Well done, sire, Bel Mezzo.
@936adl
Well done mate.Really beautiful bike.Enjoy riding it.
@936adl Now that is a proper ride. I bet it is pretty light and rides like a 953 steel dream. Excellent work all around.
@936adl thats looking hot mate.
some advise needed here. this is my bike(a few changes to the cockpit since the picture)
I want to get a new saddle. the one I have I got used and will be going on a #2 soon.
Im keeping her all black and white, including the 3T stem thats not pictured and the 3T seat post that I just ordered.
should I with this?
@RedRanger
Nice bike.Because of white decals on a frame I’d forget the white bar tape is for leaders bullshit and go black saddle and black bar tape.That’s me though.Don’t listen to me or others and use what will make YOU happy and pleased.I know it’s not helping much but at the end of the day it’s your bike.
@TommyTubolare Im actually a big fan of white tape. and the more I think about it Im digging the idea of a white saddle also.
@RedRanger
That’s sorted then.If you are a white bar tape lover then white saddle is the best choice.It doesn’t have to be all white saddle but the one with white as a leading color.The one pictured looks very good.
@936adl that Hope headset is total sex alone. do you have matching Hope hubs?
@RedRanger
oh yes! Skewers to match too’
@936adl
Wow. totally awesome. I really do love me some Hope. They would be my first choice if I was having wheels built.
@RedRanger I’ve got hope hubs on my #1 mtb. pure lurve. in a somewhat noisy kind of way. you’ll never stop pedaling. they’ve got some rather nice looking carbone rims mated to their Pro 3 hubs.
@TommyTubolare
I’ve got white bars and a white stem with a black saddle – white or black tape? White just ends up grimy though.
@the Engine
As far as I can remember saddle color was the same as bar tape color .There is far too much going on in Rule #8 and I would simply say match the bar tape color to your saddle.In your case anyway there would be too much white going on so black will give it a nice balance.So black saddle and black bar tape.Hope that helps.
@936adl Stunning!
@RedRanger The white saddle with the black stripe is perfect.
@936adl
That’s a beauty.
Something about Fi’zi:k saddles that just makes a bike look more serious.
@marko
It would be an absolute honour for this to be considered a V-bikes. The whole process of the custom build, from the measure up, to the pouring over the minutiae of the final build spec has been a real pleasure. It’s not a quick process, but it’s worth every minute taken and penny spent.
The best bit though is that you’re rewarded with something truly unique. It will never be last years model, and you’ll never see another. The absolute epitome of the ‘Halo’ bike.
It rides like a dream too, i’m one happy Velominatus!
@RedRanger As an owner of that same saddle, yes, yes you should. The lettering wears off quite quickly, but it’s just as easy to keep white as fizik bartape – still gloriously white despite my seawater-soaked triathlete ass abusing it.
@RedRanger
I was looking at Cannondale bikes and found this photo with that Fizik saddle (I think) and white bar tape, just to give you a visual. Looks good.
@936adl
That’s just gorgeous. Makes me sad though. After my Raleigh met an untimely end in relation to a car door bin 84, I needed a quick frame replacement. I picked up an emerald green Brian Rourke off someone in Linwood. It was a time trial frme with appropriate tight geometry. Eventually became my winter bike. Parents moved in 93 – three years after I located Stateside – bike mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again. Parents claim no knowledge of what happened to the Rourke, Royce-hubbed TT wheels and toolbox. Sob . . . .
That’s a keeper for a lifetime there though!
@Monkeyscat That is a sweet ride! Kids always seem to do a lot better in the bike department when they have cycling addicts for parents. Currently building up a Chris Chance Buck Shaver for my aspiring 11 year old mountain bike racer… pictures to follow!
@the Engine – I was rather worried the first time I removed my cassette on #1. (Can I say #1 now even though #2 isn’t reassembled yet?) I just followed the instructions on the chain whip’s packaging (I bought the Park Tool whip) and it came off rather easily. It went back on even easier.
@Chris
That crank sounds like a who lot of awesome. Why haven’t other manufacturers done that yet (or at least advertised where this luddite can read about it)?
@Monkeyscat – Very pretty. Is that Alu or Ti?
@Anjin-san – With service like that, I’m gonna have to put them on my consideration list for future purchase…
@936adl – Wow! Very nice! I wonder if adding orange tyres would be overkill? Might look pretty sweet…
@the Engine – It’s been posted here a few times that the Fi’zi:k Microtex bar tape cleans off nicely. I’ve got some of the black suede-like Fi’zi:k tape on my #1 right now though, and it’s still looking pretty nice. Looks better than my old Bontrager white gelly cork crap did.