Anatomy of a Photo: V-Bank Line of Credit
Economics, in its most simple form, follows the Conservation of Mass as defined in physics. Basically, everything goes according to plan so long as outflow is less than or equal to inflow. Failing that, the balance is upset and things start getting complicated. Before long, the calculus starts revolving around “imaginary numbers” (like eleven-teen and thirty-twelve) and people making statements like “less is more”.
Similarly, the problem with having a line of credit on the V-Bank is that when you go on a spending spree, your bike will occasionally need to lay down for a rest.
Awesome picture!. Doesn’t look like a good place to take a rest – especially when you have De Vlaeminck, Vandenbroucke and one of the Planckaert boys breathing down your neck!
Love the optical illusion that Vandenbroucke’s wheels are banana shaped.
Nice guns !
Clearly LeMan’s bike has tried to think through the concept of imaginary numbers started to work itself up in to complex numbers and lost the will to live.
As a general rule I confine my bike to simple arithmetic and only allow it to meditate on the conservation of mass if it promises not to consider General Relativity.
This being agreed before the start of any ride me and Charlene get along just fine (usually).
One could argue that the anatomy of this picture shows The V truly being lay’d down… and the bike is being picked up…
My left knee screamed at me just looking at this photo.
WTF gloves are those homeboy is wearing in the background? They look like some sort of Kinco/welding mit.
Deutsche Fahrräder folgen immer Ordnungen, und Aufenthalt aufrecht.
@strathlubnaig Wo, is that bike hovering there, all by itself???
My 2yo loves eleven-teen and thirty-twelve! He also has the uncanny ability to trip up, and recover from unseemingly recoverable body angles of attack relative to the floor. Perhaps these two elements are related, as Le-Man is displaying…
@Beers
Like I say, the German bikes follow orders, unquestioningly and without complaint, it will stand in stoic silence unless told otherwise, jawohl !
@strathlubnaig
Whereas my Flandrian bike just shrugs its shoulders and gets on with it in the rain
@the Engine
So, we shall see you out on the roads tomorrow then huh ?
@strathlubnaig
Saturday 09.30 – Duke’s Pass ant-clockwise…tomorrow I shall be mostly a taxi service for a teenager
Nice, simply nice!
Le Man looks as if, “what the hell? Get up bike, you ain’t hurt….yet.”
Perhaps that is what it is to ride Gangnam style.
His face does not show thr emotion of a man about to crash. It almost seems as though he expects to leverage the bicycle back up with his massive guns. More of an expression that says “alright, now what?”instead of “oh shit! Crash time!”
Perhaps another example of Casually Deliberate?
Or, casually undeliberate?
@Duende
Nailed it. No further comment required!
@strathlubnaig Deutsche Fahrad auch allein farhren ohne Reiter. Das ist ein Focus, na? Schone auf yeden Fall.
@marko
I think they’re just arm warmers pushed down.
Fantastic photograph. Somehow he still looks in control – though the next few seconds wouldn’t have been pretty.
I’m going to go against the flow here and say that this has got nothing to do with the bike saying “enough with the V” and wanting a lie down; Leman’s left hand is refusing to carry on with a bike that is not adorned in Leader’s tape and has simply let go.
@minion
Ja, es ist ein Focus. Good enough bike for me. No rider, as shitey phone camera has no timer.
@strathlubnaig
Although it does have an anti-gravity setting which is really cool
@frank Off topic, mate, but I’m kind of getting bored of the blatant commercialism of you folk at Velominati… every time I open bike porn, there you are, ahem, knocking me off my stride: first, the column and then ‘agony aunt Q&A’ in Cyclist #1 and #3; and then the advert for the Keepers Tour 2013 in Rouleur #36 (which, by the way, has a photo that has me in it… if you look really, really, carefully… under bright lights… with a scanning electron microscope… SO exciting… always told my friends – both of them – that one day I’d look pro enough to be in Rouleur).
Chapeau, old friend…. but don’t go jumping the shark, or nuking the fridge, or whatever it is called these days… soon, you’ll be having to change your address from ‘Velominati Centre for World Domination’ to ‘Velominati, Global Seat of Power’.
this has nothing to do with this article, but remember get out and burn off the 2.5billion Kcal’s tomorrow.
@scaler911 Mmmmmmmm……..Turkey roasted over a plywood fire…Don’t know if its the tryptophan or the glue making me sleepy. Love the rotisserie. Happy Thanksgiving all.
@the Engine
That would be handy on the hills, no?
to the American V, happy Thanksgiving. And Easter will come soon enough…cobble cobble cobble
What an amazing photograph! Wait, that’s LeMan? Hardly recognized him but then again, I should have known it was him based on those staggering Guns he has on display.
@Duende
I have no idea what this means & I couldn’t be happier about it! I know it’s some ‘net crazy but I’m overjoyed at my ignorance. I like being out of touch with what’s in, when we aren’t talkin’ ’bout bikes.
Those Guns. Wow.
@roadslave525
You are finally in Rouler! Congratulations. That should impress the wife. You can blame that ad on the Pavé boys. We didn’t have the imagination for that sort of heads up business acumen. We are still busy floundering in the red. World domination is still a ways off. Maybe Frank is going to do this on his own, he would be wise to cut us off. Soon he will appear on Oprah, jumping up and down on the couch, giggling about the Rules.
@Gianni
Frank giggles?
Unrelated, but I came across an interview with Brad McGee about Jens:
http://www.ridemedia.com.au/?p=7621
@The Grande Fondue
That is the quintessence of Rule #6.
@Ron
Allow me to enlighten. Er actually I think that is the wrong word. Explain for you. Gangnam is an area/district of Seoul. It is south of the Han river and is one of the most exclusive areas of the city full of party places and bars. In Korea there is a culture for the uber rich and professionals to “pay for company”, not necessarily sexual but a bit like paying for a best buddy by the hour in some of the bars and meeting places. Gangnam style is an extension/marketing trick to get people to buy a crap record from a person (I cannot bring myself to use the word artist) who cannot sing, has no talent and hails from another country where people think differently about friendship and socialising (it is just and extension of business).
The whole thing will pass within a few weeks and never be heard of again if we are lucky. Actually my dad said that when I put my Prince Purple Rain poster on my bedroom wall in 1984…I think his words were “He is small and wears high heels and sings like a muppet…he will be gone by Christmas!”…..go figure….
@The Grande Fondue
Personally I think Jens is probably descended from this dude!
@Deakus
Alright, so I skipped that first paragraph but in the second one…ya got me listenin’! I love Prince, I love the color purple, I have a purple bicycle named Purple Rain, as it was my rain bike, and Prince and I share the same birth date, June 7th. He’s incredible. I always tell people that he packs more style, talent, & sexual energy into a 165 cm body than anyone who has ever walked the Earth.
Wow, I haven’t been riding enough lately & now on the road for the turkey day festivities. Just decided to watch Paris-Nice Stage 6 finish with Jens & LL after reading the above about him talking to himself.
All I need to do to restore my passion for being on a bike & turning the cranks is watch a few minutes of PROs riding so smoothly and awesomely. “GOD! I want to be back on a bike! I want to be back in top form so I can ride my best!” It’s incredible how easily that passion and those feelings return!
Work on your Italian!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdhQurmhvZU&feature=relmfu
Hope all the Yanks are happily stuffed!
On my way to our feed we went to a part of the Catskills mountains I had never been and we were driving on an unbelievably beautiful road, curvey, short sharp rollers and a surface like glass, plus the day was crystal clear, warm and there was a stuning setting sun. I was just thinking to myself that I wished I could be on the bike instead of driving to the pig trough… and what do you know coming the other direction a guy in immaculate Pro kit looking like he was having the best time. It was like a knife in the back and I had to keep my mouth shut, didn’t even point him out!
And since I am completely off topic I will leave with a quote I just ran across –
“As you know, Phil, it is difficult for one Dutchman to outfox another Dutchman”
Paul Sherwin
Time for a ride. All this glycogen is burning a hole in my guns.
@Rob
Further off topic, this video reminded me of your national road race days, though a bit before your time.
http://youtu.be/6puGAwjdhoM
@xyxax you make it sound like I was a regular on the national circuit, sadly just once at the nationals and on the course in Milwaukee shown in the vid. 4 years later… Brought back memories of being way out of my depth and getting droped from the eventual winning break on the second lap! Toe clips, hairnets and steel – life was simple.
Thanks for the memories.
brlliant point, tapping the V-bank, & i’ll add the ole man with the Hammer is the repo man to make sure we pay in full & on time
All I have to say about that photo is pain A will shortly be replaced by pain B, followed by recovery C. Ouch.