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
I thought it was Fi’zi:k tape but on “cleaning” it it says 4ZA right through it like a stick of Blackpool rock which is probably why it won’t clean up.
@the Engine Makes sense since 4ZA seems to be Ridleys house brand. Kinda what Bontrager is to Trek.
Bought a bike last fall with a BB30 bottom bracket. It seemed like a good idea until it started creaking and I looked up the tools I need to do maintenance:
So almost $200 just to remove the bearings? Yikes.
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/bb30-bearing-system-installation-and-removal
@G’rilla what bike is that?
@the Engine
Cannondale cranks ain’t cheap, and I suspect other cranks in the same or similar price bracket also have an interchangable spider (lightning cranks, I think have one) and the new Durrrraaa Ahhcchhee cranks IIRC will have a 110 BCD with chainrings that will go up to 55. Trickle down shimano groups might have this in a couple years.
@minion your right about that. Merckx! Saw some used on eBay a while back for north of 700 USD. I wish Shimano would jump on the BB30 wagon. Then again I could always get an adapter if I really wanted it.
I think reliability and interchagability are mantras of Shimano, they don’t change standards without having a very good reason because of their market share. Cannondale cranks are super nice, but they’ve got the flexibility through being a much smaller producer to go down these avenues. The fact Shimano left BB30 on the shelf didn’t surprise me, since it’s been around since 2000.
@RedRanger The bike in question is a Van Dessel Gin & Trombones cyclocross bike. I love the bike but didn’t realize I would need new tools.
On the other hand, the Park HHP-2 headset press is a sexy piece of metal.
@minion, @RedRanger The cannondale cranks can be a bit expensive but there are alot of cheaper ones about. I picked mine up for about £120. They were absolutely filthy but look fine cleaned up.
Certainly cheaper than going for new Dura Ace with big rings. I presume they found out how to stop them flexing too much.
Okay, I’m doing away with the abominations that are my SPDs and associated footwear. Looking for some opinions on pedal choice. I’m thinking of Speedplay Zeros, but I hear they can be a bit of a hassle. Thoughts?
@ten B I’ve got the Speedplay Zeros. There’s a small amount of care required with them in terms of making sure that the cleats and pedals are clean and lubed but it’s not a hassle. Just a quick wipe down and squirt with the spray lube after the ride.
I’ve spent plenty of time using SPD’s on my mountain bike and a bit of time with Shimano road pedals. The zeros are fantastic in terms of ease of entry and the feel of the float (quite loose but the extent of it is adjustable). They’re also very gentle ton my ancient fucked up knees. I won’t be going back.
@ten B
I got sold Speedplays with the new bike to replace Le Man era Look pedals that I salvaged in the late ’80’s and had used ever since.
Once you’re used to them they’re great – the action for getting out of them felt a little “just so” at the start and I had one spectacular falling over in a lay-by 5kms in to my first ride with them and one jammed on a club ride to the extent that I had to take my shoe off to get off the bike. Once lubed properly they work well and they’re easy to get in to.
Compared to my hat, bar tape and over tensioned shoe issues they may be one of the few things I’ve actually got right.
Here’s a picture of some being used:
Also notice the pristine white bar tape and properly tensioned shoes – he took a fall as his hat brim was turned up. Fortunately you can’t see that in this picture.
And yes, I know, many things are easy to get in to once properly lubed – just ask @minion and @marcus…
@the Engine @Chris Thanks for the advice. I’m sure I have a few clipstacks in my future, but I thought I’d try to protect my knees as much as possible. The photo brings back some memories, only my spectacular crash didn’t involve pave, just a Holden Barina, and a broken neck. As for unclipping, it didn’t happen until I had imparted enough energy to the bike to launch it about 10 metres downrange. Good times.
@ten B Time iClic’s are the duck’s nut IMO. Brett wrote a great reverence piece previously on them. The easiest pedals for entry and exit. Cleats can be a tad expensive but make sure you get the 2nd generation which ensures more durability of both the cleat and the pedal.
@ten B The Speedplay Zeros were strongly recommended to me when I bought my bike. I really like them and found that I got used to them very quickly. Most assuredly, I will put them on any “+1s” that I add to my “n.”
@Anjin-san
@the Engine
Notice how easily he was able to unclip. That’s one of the features I like about my Speedplays.
Good insight on the hat brim’s contribution to the crash, btw!
@Xyverz both the Serrotta and the litespeed are ti. The Litespeed is the best road bike I have ridden thus far. it is a much better bike than I am a rider.
I have noticed that a solid impact with the road or a tree will always aid you in getting your foot uncliped.
@ten B – While everybody else is trying to sell you on Speedplay pedals, I’ll toss my 2c in regarding my Look Keo2Max.
Love ’em!
They offer 3 cleats – black (zero float), grey (4.5 deg float) and red (9 deg float). I’m currently running a set of red cleats and don’t like ’em too much – they offer too much float. I’m going to switch back to the grey ones when the red ones wear out, or when I decide to plunk the $20 down for a new set. Yeah, I’m a cheap bastard like that.
… And speaking of being a cheap bastard… Got my Raleigh’s frame cleaned up. Cleaned up the cups for the old-school BB, and spent a whole lot of time trying to clean the cage bearings. Not sure if I’m going to try to reuse ’em (they’re actually in good shape – just gunked up) or go lazy and get a new set. I did get a set of cage bearings to replace the lose bearings in the headset though. I’m thinking I’ll have the BB reassembled and the forks put on this evening after work. If I use the (FUCKING HEAVY) wheels that came with the bike, I can be back up and running by next weekend.
I’m having fun with this project. Thank you guys for your inspiration!
@Xyverz I have the same pedals. If those are the non carbon ones. I have some Keo Sprints also. Like em a lot. I only upgraded pedals for the bigger platform.
@ten B
Another vote for speedplays. I love mine. But they were the first clipless pedal system I went with when stepping up to a “real” bike, so I have no opinions/experience with other systems.
Things I like:
Things that are annoying:
@mcsqueak
I’ve taken to keeping my Speedplay cafe covers in my jersey pocket all the time. My famous jammed shoe incident (in front of 10 other club members including the LBS owner) was probably a dirt related problem.
@the Engine
Yeah I use to carry the cleat covers as well but stopped as I don’t often walk far or over dirt surfaces. The sand thing was the first time I’ve really clogged them up. Cumulative wear over thousands of kms of starting and stopping in urban riding conditions is pretty hard on them I think.
@RedRanger – Yeah, I have the non-carbon ones. Mine are white, and they look fantastic with my #1. I’ll probably put black ones on the Raleigh.
@the Engine – Mmmm, cleat covers…
@mcsqueak – I rode an imperial century with a buddy back in April. It was a muddy day. He had speedplays and no cleat covers. By Lunchtime, he was having extreme difficulties clipping in and out. I normally have my cleat covers with me, but had forgotten them that day. After the ride, I needed a new set of cleats for my looks; I’d banged them all to hell trying to get mud out of them. :-(
I’ve also had a speedplay jam on me when I had to fix my broken chain on muddy conditions. Since then I put some dry lube on them almost every ride and never had another problem (I hadn’t ever lubed them at that point). They also require grease to be injected into them every few months to keep the bearings nice, takes five minutes or so with a grease gun I got for just over a tenner.
Oh, and I love them, the podium at last years tour can’t be wrong can it?
year’s
@the Engine
keep that pocket room for something like food or water balloons. ive gotten in the habit of putting the covers inside my bib leg, atop the thigh. super easy to grab, doest take up jersey room, and you’ll never notice they are there
@roger
I’m pretty sure I’d notice but so long as I’m not going to suffer a repeat of the “hat brim faux pas” I’ll give it a try.
I’ve got iClic Racers, the first generation ones. Right when they rolled out the new models, the old models could be had for ridiculously low prices. I like ’em a lot. Easy entry and exit. Good float. Have about 2000km on them and the bearings are still like new. @il ciclista medio is right, though, make sure you get a set with the updated cleats, cause the original ones were liable to break.
Shimano road have a 3 degree float cleat now and are very easy to clear of dirt. I like that the cleat is just a piece of plastic with nothing to maintain. One thing I have noticed – to maximize ease of unclipping, make sure your shoe is shimmed so that your foot is level with the pedal. Trying to unclip shimano’s with your foot/shoe at an angle fights against the pedal mechanism.
@minion
Rotor cranks have it too – I have the tool (but not the cranks) to remove the spider, which you can then replace with a 110bcd spider, or a power-metering one.
The new Trek Madone puts the rear brake UNDER the bottom bracket, and features a clip of Andy Schleck descending.
If it can do that, it must really be amazing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-p3uqTEEbs&feature=youtu.be
@G’rilla in the drops no less!
@RedRanger
Wait, I thought the Freres Schleck ran 15 cm of handlebar drop so they never had to even think about getting in the drops.
@Nate
ha. I actually always wondered about that, I had no idea it was intentional. maybe they got a new fit guy on the team who has straightened them out.
@The Oracle
Another vote for the iClics, they’re the business.
@ten B
@ten B
Speedplays are great on the knees, I’ve been using them for a while now and I really love the adjustable float. Kind on the osteoarthritis!
The unclipping problem can be due to dirt and muck but can also be due to overtorqueing the four screws of the main cleat to the shoe adapter plate. If you overtorque these screws beyond the 2.25 N-m specified, this traps the c-clip (spring) between the top plate and the spring housing, preventing full movement and this means difficult clip/unclipping. Use a torque wrench to make up these four screws exactly to the specs or have a shop mechanic do it for you. Also make sure you use a blue type locktight thread compound on the same screws otherwise they have a habit of working loose over time due to the low torque setting. If you loose any of the screws while riding, its broom wagon time.
Only maintenance is lube the c-clip spring after every ride and every 6 months I take the cleats off and clean all the components with degreaser. Finally the pedals need greasing every 1000 kms or so. You can either buy an expensive grease gun or I often use a large medical syringe. Fits the grease port perfectly.
This all may sound a lot but its all really straight forward and the pedals are superb if maintained occasionally.
I also carry the cafe covers on all rides as others have suggested, which helps keep the cleats clean.
All worth it to protect your knees……….and they look damn sexy on a bike and can be colour co-ordinated with the rest of the bike’s colour scheme.
@G’rilla
Interesting, the shots in what looks like a ribbed vault near the end were taken in the Milwaukee Art Museum (designed by Ssantiago Calatrava).
@wiscot
Well, they are just down the road in Waterloo!
As an aside, I wonder what Trek is going to do with their front lobby if Pharmstrong gets stripped of all his titles. Right now, the lobby displays all of the Trek tour-winning bikes. But if he loses his titles, obviously, they are no longer “tour winners.”
Look Keos for me, love them. Cheap cleats, work great, different float depending on cleat colour. In easy, rock solid etc.
Would like try speedplays, love the idea of some green ones but can’t bringmyself to part with the money for 2 bikes and 2 pairs of shoes worth.
Incidentally, happened on the V symbol in the work bike rack, anyone reading own a pinarello in team sky colors and live in Perth WA? Seems we have the same employer…
I must pitch Mavic Race pedals (Silver) with Ti spindles or (Black) with CroMoly spindles. Provided with long and short 5mm hardware for optional Zero float cleats.
(Mavic) Good platform to transfer energy to the road.
@G’rilla
I thought the opening footage of Andy was in slow motion but then I realized it was just time trial coverage.
Anyone hear of Torelli?
http://tucson.craigslist.org/bik/3104105376.html
@RedRanger – Never heard of it, but very very pretty.
@Xyverz it may be bIg for me but I’m gonna have a look at it.