Cycling is a mighty sport with a rich and complex history. Every company, racer, piece of kit, and component has a legend, a story behind it; in many cases it also has a personal and nostalgic connection to our lives. While this particular sport is steeped in tradition, it is also fiercely modern, a fact that serves only to deepen its complexity.
All these factors combine to provide an unique atmosphere and breeds devoted and loyal disciples of our great sport. We are of a peculiar nature; we seek out the highest mountains and the roughest roads on which to worship at the altar of the Man with the Hammer. Our legs are what propel us; our minds are what drive us. We refer to our shaved legs in the third person – the legs – and speak of distance in kilometres and measure sizes in centimetres regardless of what country we are in. We adhere strictly to the Canon of Cycling’s Etiquette: The Rules.
A Velominatus is a disciple of the highest order. We spend our days poring over the very essence of what makes ours such a special sport and how that essence fits into Cycling’s colorful fabric. This is the Velominati’s raison d’être. This is where the Velominati can be ourselves. This is our agony – our badge of honor – our sin.
I have a unique way of looking at bicycles. A good bicycle and it’s components are beautiful things to me. I’m not just talking about appearance, but also how the frame and components show the dreams of those who made them.
– Gianni Bugno, Hardman and Italian cycling legend
Perhaps we are too wrapped up in the past, but the Velominati don’t believe that to be the case. After all, the greatest lessons can be learned from the past and those lessons can then be applied to the present and may then allow us to more fully experience the future.
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Velominati.com is less about the articles and more about the conversation. Those of you who read more and poster more, become an integral part of the discussion and help carry the momentum forward. There are several levels of Velominatus*:
Level 4 Velominatus: The casual observer and occasional poster.
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Velominati reserves the right to edit posts with the express interest to preserve the spirit of the conversation and the community. Regarding posts that address a grammatical or typographical error, Velominati may elect to take their input, correct the error in the articles where appropriate, and editing posts that point them out. This editorial action is not to serve as a censure entity, but to preserve the spirit of the conversation. That said, we endeavor to only edit those posts that point out a minor issue and only in the event that we make the edit before the post has yielded further discussion. Furthermore, when possible, we will strive to acknowledge said poster for their correction.
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View Comments
@Chris
Excellent - can't remember where I booked, by don't remember booking anywhere different after flicking the Monastery booking
70 miles.....good effort - I can only assume your parents live somewhere North East of your house....it's been a windy winter so far
I'm delighted you are going in March, as I suspect, all due respect, that unless Wheelsucking comes to be regarded as a celebratable skill, we may be keeping each other company on the Roubaix run... HNY til ye
Happy New Year indeed!
My parents are almost exactly due north, I'm just outside Huntingdon and they're in Horncastle. Wind was over my shoulder for most of the ride. certainly helped with the speed but I had to work harder on keeping out from under the lorries. Declined to ride back yesterday, felt like a bit of a cop out until I was driving, the disco was being knocked about all over the place and I couldn't see through the water that was being blown sideways off the bonnet (hood for our North American brethren). Not so much a failure to man up and get some Rule 9 in but a realisation that I haven't got the kit to stay warm in that sort of weather and my lights would not penetrate that sort of soup.
The B & B is called the Avondrust or something like that. We should do an email address exchange through fronk as we're likely to have some transfers that'll be unsupported by the tour organisers.
Wheelsucking? Rule 5, mate, we've three months to peak and I've got to get into a 30" kilt by Burns night! Lots of miles, lots of hills, lots of reps, no booze, no food, stack of weight loss pills, bit of EPO and some cortisone and we'll be sorted! Starting on Sunday or Monday of course!
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2012 from Aotearoa...
Happy New Years to every one! Most of you have it behind you, and we're just getting to it here in the States. Thanks for everyone's help with making Velominati special. Here's to 2012!
Interesting read, by the way, on a proposed calendar and clock that would have us all celebrating at the same time!
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/12/rational-calendar/
Everyone - have a Campy New Year! And for 2012: la vie Velominatus!
Happy new years. I hope every one wakes up early for the first ride of the year tomorrow. I know I will.
@RedRanger
I officially start training for Haleakala, Keepers Tour, and racing as of tomorrow. No more of these sissy 200km rides in the cold and rain.
Also, Haleakala is much better enjoyed in smaller portions, so going faster just makes sense. I feel like I've gained a Schelcklette in the last week, so I've got my work cut out for me.
@Oli
Aotearoa! Ever since visiting Hawaii, I'm even more excited about making my way to Kiwiland!
@frank
Yeah, I hear you. I think that I have gained three kilos in the last two weeks. Although I started training today as opposed to tomorrow to send this year out with a bang. Did a solo 165 k in the wind with over 1300 meters of climbing. I realize that's not a lot, esp as I am training for the 200 on 100 ride, but hey, it's something!
Happy New Years everyone!!!
@frank
So you're doing longer than 200km or shorter and faster?
Last week I discovered that I go faster if I keep it in the big ring. Took 3 minutes off my record of 33 around Mercer Island.
Well I started the year in Velominatus style... a metric double-century to inaugurate the sacred garments.
Doing it solo makes me realise how easy riding in a pack really is.
I wanted to do 205km so it could be CCV but as I got home the thought of heading back down the road for an extra 3km was more than I could face. I figured I had applied enough Rule 5 by then.