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 ...
@RedRanger
Red Kite Prayer has had some reviews of their stuff in the past.
This is the kind of bike no one wants to see. Sorry for hijacking the thread, but I’m goddamn pissed off. Roger Lippman was killed last Friday by a hit-and-run drunk driver, who was caught shortly after when he crashed into a fence. The scumbag who killed Lippman had 19 previous contacts with law enforcement, ranging from minor equipment violations to DUI to driving with a suspended driver’s license to failure to appear. This is on the same route that myself (and hundreds of other cyclists in Southern California) ride on any given day. I didn’t know Lippman personally, but two of the guys I rode with on Monday had ridden with him before.
Thanks for letting me vent……..fuck……….
@Nate
I checked it out. It was really nice. Gonna pick it up on Friday if it’s still available. I’ll actually have a Campa equipped bike.
@G’rilla
I feel like every new bike intro says the same thing, “fastest bike in the world, stiffer, lighter, wind tunnel, Kamm profiles, CFD, FEA, blah blah blah…”
@DerHoggz Same thing for bike reviews: “Stiffer than before, light, speedy…”
@doubleR
Sad news indeed, condolences to his family and friends!
A local rider was killed here last weekend and again the cycling community mourns! Thats 3 people in 2 years.
Pray everyone stays safe!
Respect to the fallen.
@doubleR
@Adrian
@Oli
Very sad news indeed. :-(
On one of my routes, I pass a similar display that’s been there for a few years. There’s no plaque, but every time I pass with a friend of mine, he does the cross thing (that the catholics and episcopals do), in observance.
The poor guy who was killed, Roger Lippman, was a roadie who had a very distinct blue metalflake paint scheme on his bike. In the media coverage, you could see his mangled bike, and his body covered with a sheet. In talking to the guys I rode with on Monday, as soon as they saw the pictures on the news, they remembered the bike and riding with Lippman.
When I was done taking the photos of the memorial, I got back in my car and drove home. I passed several cyclists, and I was shocked at how close I passed by to them (not intentionally, just keeping in my lane at 60 MPH). When I’m riding the bike in the same area, you kind of put it our of your mind, but driving I can see how one moment of distraction in a car (phone, texting, changind the radio station) can lead to tragic consequences for the cyclists.
Unfortunately, living in an urban area, cars and bikes sharing the roads are a fact of life. You just hope that you’re not in the wrong place at the wrong time, completely at random and unavoidable.
@RedRanger
I just picked up a new to me bike last night — need to get a few things sorted on it and will post some photos soon.
@Nate she will be mine tomorrow at 930 in the morning. I won’t be doing to many changes just yet since its gonna be my get to class and get to work on the weekends bike.
@RedRanger
I started looking at a replacement for my #2/rain/commuter when I cracked the frame at the BB shell two weeks ago. That frame is now getting replaced by warranty but I found something quite cool at a good price and pursuant to Rule #12 and having an upcoming birthday and the means I was compelled to acquire it.
@Nate I would totally at some point upgrade to some 8speed Campa shifters but I dot really want to have to buy new wheels. It’s gonna be fun running with down tube shifters.
@RedRanger– It’ll be interesting running with the bar-end shifters on the Raleigh when I get her all put back together.
… and speaking of “her” … is it wrong to assign a gender to a bike?
@Xyverz
I dont know, but Im not the kinda of guy to give it a males name. anyway, I have always referred to my bikes that way.
@RedRanger
I’m not calling my bike Bruce, if that’s what you’re getting at.
Charlene – the same as one’s rifle…
@RedRanger
My new bike is named after a song. I don’t know what gender it is.
@Nate
There’s a gag in here somewhere but I’ll have to think about it.
@minion
@the Engine
Let us know if you find it.
@Nate
I thought it was @Scaler911 that had the gender identification issues?
Pretty sure we now know what James Bond would step aboard if he ever took up riding.
http://www.factorbikes.com/astonmartin/index.html
@Mikael Liddy
Oh dear
@Nate
Still thinking…
@the Engine
Please admit that you do a quick mouth-guitar solo when you climb onto your bike.
@versio
Thanks to my present back problem I squeeze out a noise like a cat being fucked as I put my leg over my mighty steed. Obviously I do a mouth guitar solo when uninjured.
@the Engine
Also dealing with a back “gimp”, but thankfully the back pinch is not too much of an issue when on the bike. It is trouble when time comes for getting off the bike.
@Mikael Liddy
I’m referring to a bicycle, not a human being — reckon that’s a little less problematic.
Just brought “her” home. had to adjust the cables as the were to tight. already replaced the saddle with my old fizik(new one is on its way for #1). gonna leave it like this for now(maybe a new longer seat post at some point, anyone know what diameter post they used in the 80’s?)
Only thing left to decide is what color name badge, black or white?
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@RedRanger
Re: diameter – take your bike to school and use a pair of digital calipers to measure. You guys probably have those I imagine. Or maybe Oli will chime in.
Re: namebadge color – I think white would look nice against the blue.
@mcsqueak Great idea. Didnt have school on my mind cause I have all of next week off. and White it is.
@RedRanger 26.8, but then again you must verify this on your own.
@RedRanger
Mmm, vintage Ambrosio rims.
@Nate
that was a fun surprise cause I hadnt noticed them till I got her home and was having a closer look.
gonna ride her to work on sunday.
@RedRanger Most likely 27.2 but, as others have stated, you need to check it out with a set of vernier calipers to be sure. Very cool bicycle – good score!
@RedRanger
Good score mate! Looks great. Interesting mix of components – looks like a Shimano crankset with Campa drivetrain? Great look with the yellow bars/cables. Very oldschool. Its just screaming for a yellow turbo saddle.
I don’t believe that is a Shimano chainset, but I’m not sure what it is – maybe Suntour or Sugino?
@frank that would be a great saddle. ill have to keep that in mind.
@Oli @frank
There is nothing on the crank for me to determine that. for now I’m just looking for it to work. I have no idea what the hubs are either but they work.
When I was mounting a light for the return trip home on Sunday I discovered that the bars are ITM.
Speaking of Turbo saddles – Big Mig’s saddle of choice, if I’m not mistaken – Spotted this tied up outside the local grocery store. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Team Banesto, which I believe is a Pinarello.
The frame’s big enough that I half looked around to see if Miguel himself was using it to pick up some brews.
@Oli
Those were my other thoughts – it’s not Campa and its not from the era of the drivetrain, but its hard to say.
@RedRanger
Awesome! Old-school ITMs and fantastic sandals. Don’t let the Aussies see them.
I was thinking about that when I posted those pictures, but Ive been rocking these for years. they are getting harder and harder to buy at a store.
@Marcus
You’d like to throw a leg over Bruce for a couple of hours? WHAT?
Fucken Scaler’s got a lot to answer for.
@Oli
Oli, my guess would be more likely Suntour than Sugino as the supports where the large chain ring bolts to the crank are asymmetrical, although picture is quite blurry. Could also be Sakae?
@Adrian
@frank
@Oli
slightly better pictures of the crank and crank arm.
@RedRanger Sugino, definitely.
It might have more info on the back of the crankarm…
@RedRanger
I’m stumped. No clue.
@Oli @RedRanger
Looked it up within 1 min. Torelli 26.8 — or — just remove the existing post and you very well may see what it is.
@versio Link please?