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 ...
Now that I’m growing mostly grey hair I decided to get the old kit back out on
the road for days when I feel like leaving the CAAD10 at home and going Tempo Adagio.
Breaking a couple of rules but I like the old cotton Tressostar handlebar tape in white.
@Chipomarc
Deltas and Shamals!
@RedRanger
I stand corrected, Oli has it with Sugino but bugger me if I know which type, Alpina maybe? or some type of the XD??? I’m thinking the chainring is no Sugino but don’t know for sure. If you do find anything stamped on the inside of the crank, this is what I could find on the Sugino codes…..Good luck with the CSI mission
Sugino has used at least six codes for their cranks. The codes appear on the inside face of each crank arm.
Why does Sugino have so many codes? Is it a result of Sugino subcontracting out the manufacture of some crank models at various times? The subcontractors may have used their own dating systems, as changing to a standardized Sugino system would add extra cost and perhaps confusion at the subcontractor’s plant.
Beginning in the early 80s, a stamped code of the form LN or LNN was used, where L is a letter and N is a number. We believe the letter is the year code, where A is 1981 (or 1982 or perhaps 1980), B is the next year, and so on. The N or NN is a number from 1 to 12, representing the month. This system was used on model AT cranks, commonly used by Trek in the early 80s.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
In the 70s and perhaps earlier, a stamped code of the form NN-N or NN-NN was used. We believe the initial NN is a year code with 46 = 1971. The number after the dash is a month code. This code was used on Mighty Comp models. Andrew Chadwick reports having a Sugino Maxy crankset with a variation of this code: “The dates are stamped “49.5” on the inside of the right crank arm, and “49-5″ on the inside of the left. The former is definitely a period/full stop/decimal point, and the latter is definitely a hyphen.” The right hand (crank maker) does not know what the left hand is doing?
Tom Marshall provides this description of the NN-NN Japanese codes: “The Sugino codes with format NN-NN appear to be based on the Japanese Imperial Calendar. Whenever a new emperor took the throne, a new era was officially declared. On December 25, 1926 Emperor Hirohito ascended to the throne and chose the the name Showa (radiant peace) for his era. It ended on January 07 1989 when Akihito took the throne and the Heisei (peaceful accomplishment) era began. Thus 1926 is year 01 of the Showa era, 1927 is year 02, up to 1989, which was Showa year 64 and Heisei year 01.”
“I stumbled across this when I was trying to decipher the 47-12 and 48-1 codes on the Sugino crankarms from a mid-70’s CCM Mistral. It seemed pretty obvious that it was a YY-MM (year- month) format, but the years were skewed. A little investigation into Japanese culture turned up the logic in the preceding paragraph and when applied to my cranks, the manufacturing dates became December 1972 & January 1973. This was a perfect fit for the Mistral and seemed to apply to all the Sugino cranks I examined thereafter. The Japanese Imperial Calendar may well be the basis for date codes on other Japanese components.”
A third set of codes (or no date code at all) was used on at least some GT and VX cranks. There is a round mold mark with three numbers in it. There also may be a cast-in code of a number and perhaps two letters.
Mike Marro reports an April 1985 Nishiki Sport (made in Taiwan) with a SUGINO VT Crank.
Here is what is stamped on each arm:
Left Arm: VT (in circle) / 532 (in circle with one dot) / Sugino Japan 2 / 170
Right Arm: 524 (in circle with four dots) / Sugino Japan 1 / 170
Could the 5 mean 1985? Any ideas?
A forth code method was reported by Mike Swantak. His ’83 Centurion Le Mans 12 has a Sugino GT crankset, with the two letter code GC. This would appear to follow the method used by Shimano, where the G indicates 1982 and the C indicates March. This is supported by Dan Carlsson of Sweden, who writes: “I have a Sugino GS crankset with the codes “GC” stamped on the inside. This seems right, 82 March; I believe the crankset is from an 1983 year roadbike.”
Mike Marro reports on the Sugino GT crank on his April 1983 (Serial # verified) Fuji Royale II. Each arm is marked with a GC 2. I think it odd that all three Code 4 reports are apparently March of 82. In the GC 2 case, could the 2 indicate 1982? More data needed.
The code has these characteristics:
Information supporting these characteristics is given below.
@RedRanger Beautiful bike by the way…..
@Oli
i agree. Branding is a powerful thing.
All this Sugino talk takes me back to my very first road bike, a Bridgestone Radac 2000. I was 13yrs old and loved that thing, going everywhere with it. Used to scrounge parts wherever I could and it became a frankenstein bike eventually and at one point did have a sugino crank. Kept it up to 2007 when my uncle who was renting my house asked if he could clean out the junk in the barn and threw out the bike by mistake. I miss that bike….
@RedRanger
Just to throw another option out there on the name plate issue, I seem to remember Marko getting a custom yellow set of decals for his rain bike with a pretty similar colour scheme.
OK, it’s not totally sorted yet but (1) I love me some show and tell (2) the man who built this may have also built the Big Mig Banesto machine @frank posted above and (3) skin wall or black wall tires?
[dmalbum: path=”/velominati.com/wp-content/uploads/readers/Nate/2012.06.30.03.27.38/”/]
Unbelieveably, the bike has basically not been ridden although it must be 8 years old. I’ve already replaced the bars with Rotundos this evening. A proper crankset should arrive tomorrow and will promptly be fitted. After the Bay Area Cogal is complete I will depart on a journey to cast the Record Triple (really? WTF??) into the bowels of Mt. Velomis. On the lookout for a shortcage rear mech. It needs new tires — I reckon the Spesh it came with are also original — note the “made in france” tag on them. The Pedalwan has already tested the suppleness of the bottom bracket; he rightly insisted I put it in the 53×12 for this operation. Otherwise, can’t wait to ride the piss out of it.
I overestimated @frank’s album code, thereby burying the lede. Here it is:
@Nate Very nice! You’ve gotta love people who buy Pegorettis and kindly store them away for you like a vintage wine!
Great stuff, Nate! Looks grouse, and will look even betterer once you’ve de3ed it.
@Oli
Thanks for the technical consults! Can’t wait to ride it.
De nada, mi amigo.
@Mikael Liddy Frank is hooking me up with a yellow one.
@Nate very nice!
My good mate Karl has been wanting to dust off his old Atala to sell it for ages. Yesterday we pulled it out and cleaned her up. Columbus SL frame, 8 speed Dura Ace, Campa rims on DA hubs, 3T bar and stem. Just needs a decent post and saddle. After we’d got her sparkling, Karl stood and stared for a bit, rode her up the street, and now looks like he might keep it. It’s a beautiful bike.
@Chipomarc Hot diggity damn. Looks sharp.
@Nate
I just felt some blood move into the tip a little. You will never need another bike. Jensus! Bel Mezzo.
@brett Fuck yeah! Cool rigs like that don’t come along every day, and he’ll regret getting rid of it if he does…
@Oli
Seatpost diameter link.
@Nate
Beautiful bike! Personally, I’d go with black wall tires. Skin wall tires just seem to me to go with silver rims.
@versio Good old Sheldon (RIP) – should have thought of him first, cheers Versio.
@brett
Holy fuck! That Atala is beautiful!!
@Oli
I think he’s thinking that too. Maybe me barking ‘Keep it’ at him for two hours had some effect.
He also has a Bianchi Veloce with Veloce gruppo. Do you think that stuff would do the Bozzie justice? In really good nick (the parts, the frame has a possible crack at the seatstay/seat tube junction).
@brett great looking bike.
Peg updated: standard crank fitted, 8 year old tires/tubes and weird plastic rim strips replaced, chain lubed. Tomorrow we ride.
@Nate
Nice! enjoy the ride. Ill be riding to work tomorrow. At 10am I expect it to be around 30 degrees, which means Ill be getting there a sweaty mess. but on the upside I planned ahead and took water a snacks to leave in my desk today so I wont need to carry anything with me, except what can fit in my pockets and a repair kit.
@brett Veloce is good stuff – it’ll be great.
@Nate
Sheeeit, that is a hell of a find. It’s good it came with a triple, it knocked $1000 off the price. Are all these frames steel? And what the hell does the paint job mean? Is that Osama on the top tube?
Regardless, that is a bel mezzo. Outstanding work.
@brett
That sounds like a perfect set for the Bossie – it’d be really nice riding bike once she’s up and running again.
Is this God we’re talking about? (Karl’s nickname)
@minion
Not God, Ratas.
The only thing with the Veloce is it’s Ergo, but I really wanted downtube shifters. Which I probably wouldn’t after using them…
@RedRanger
Planning forward for your ride to work as you’re describing is definitely the way to go. I manage to ride to and from work all of 3.5 days a week, with a fast group ride on Tuesday nights and a mtb dirt crit on Thursday nights. As I’m a bit of a fanatic about riding without having to carry shit, I pack 3 days of work clothes on Monday so that I can change there. I just bring it all back on Friday night for the big laundry sesh.
Good times.
@brett
Oh yup. Go for it I reckon, if it’s a good deal that wouldn’t be good enough of a reason to turn it down.
Ratas still got his s works?
@Oli
Veloce and Centaur also got Campagnolo upgrades, since Athena and Chorus went 11 speed.
@RedRanger, @Gianni
65 km this morning. Here is what I have to say:
Alfredo, Tulio, Gino,
Fausto, Felice, Marco,
Madonna del Ghisallo
CHE BEL MEZZO!
@the Engine
Definitely female.
@Gianni
Most of his are steel but this is alloy. The ride is nothing like any other alu bike I’ve ever ridden though. It’s solid with a bit of spring and not harsh. The frame is probably lighter than my Wilier. Best I can tell that is Osama on the middle of the top tube. Haven’t ID’d any of the other faces. The model name is Cocaine Can’t Kill My Pain. The thing exudes loads of V, naturally.
@Nate
That’s funny. I looked up CCKMP on the interwebs and came up with that Stevie Earl song but I thought, naww, that’s can’t be right. Glad to hear it’s light and comfortable. Great find.
@Gianni
Pegoretti likes to name his bikes after songs he fancies. I need to download that one from iTunes.
@Nate I did 24 on my way to work. Had a few issues. Mainly trail closers I didn’t know about that cause me to do some backtracking. Didnt get to work tO sweaty. Ride home tonight will be more straight forward.
@marko
Heh heh. Great line! The Cyclist’s Lie. Always feels like the truth when spoken though.
Truly great ride though Nate..
@Monty, @marko
It’s great but I’m sure there will be more.
I am very happy today….
A few weeks ago I started getting really bad pain in my left knee. Really, really bad.
I have had a lifetime of back pain and whether it’s that or just little niggles and sore spots I usually just grit my teeth and ride through. But this was worse – it was right in behind my knee and had me wincing on every downstroke.
It was the sort of pain that made me question whether I could even face riding, and would mean that at best I might ride a couple of times a week and take it easy with the old folks up the back. Not good.
It was generally OK off the bike, so it was clearly related to something I was doing, but I couldn’t work out what. I hadn’t made any changes lately.
I thought I would take a bit of time off – I was away on a business trip for a week anyway so I had 10 days off the bike, thinking that if it was just some inflammation it would ease off and I would be OK.
But I got back on the bike on Monday and it immediately started again – as if I’d had no time off at all. I was actually pretty depressed after that ride.
Thinking back I remembered I had made my saddle a little higher several months ago. It was some time before the pain started so I didn’t think there would be a connection. And when I say a little higher I mean a little – I swapped a 2mm spacer in my seat stack (integrated) for a 4mm spacer. I doubted it would make a difference but I swapped it back and got up this morning prepared for the worst.
But Allahamdullah, it was fine. A tiny residual twinge but no pain at all. I’m amazed that 2mm could make such an enormous difference, but also mightily relieved that I won’t have to hang up my casquette quite yet.
…and I’m kind of excited. In 1999 I bought a clapped out road bike at the local Cash Converters to start riding to work. Little did I know that this would re-ignite a 5 year dormant passion for cycling. Well the sands of time turned or ran out whatever the metaphor. And the bike eventually got sold to a mate as his commuter/rain bike. Two days ago, he told me that the bike was destined for the farm, having started to have a number of almost fatal problems with moving parts. I mentioned I was looking for a new project and lo and behold, she’s come home. The frame is ok but dinged up a bit – but nothing a powder coat won’t remedy. After that it’s a blank canvas, it’s not even that great a frame but it fits me pretty damn well. So now I have n+1 where the one is my “first”.
I have a feeling this might be a futile labour of love, but…. I may never need another bike…..
@ChrisO
That really is a fine line between pleasure and pain! Glad to hear it’s sorted now.
@Giles
Everything was going so well until that last sentence…you’ll always need another bike!
Congrats on the ‘new’ acquisition.
@ChrisO
I was in a similar boat — my right knee was all out of dish for most of June, my miles and motivation were bad, and all that as the Cogal I’ve organized approaches. Not good, then out of the blue a new bike came into my life. It seemed to fit great, and indeed after 2 good rides and a roller session my knee and legs feel terrific.
I was just heading out for the club run, turned onto the main road after a wee climb and twang, a noise like a stone hitting a spoke but louder. I looked down to see that the wheel was way out of true so I’m guessing I’ve broken a spoke but the spokes are all still there and seem fairly taught.
I’m guessing that a spoke or two have stripped the tread on a nipple or two. Would you guys agree?
Disappointingly after buying these Sram S30 Race wheels (which have been great so far) I’ve seen a lot of folks saying the spokes break and yes to my shame I got them brand new online (at a major bargain price) so I guess I’ll have to fix them myself.
Any advice on how to proceed would be appreciated.
Of course I’m assuming it would not be safe to just tighten them up again.
@snoov
Get with your bike shop and they’ll contact a SRAM rep. They will most likely want the opportunity to take care of it and build a good name for SRAM. Or find your way to deal with SRAM directly.
@versio
I’ll go and see the LBS tomorrow, they stock Sram, thanks.
came to a stop next to a courier who was riding a Lemmy Merckx today.