The Velominatus’ machine is their own manifestation of personal taste and demonstration of adherence to The Rules. We each, in our own way, meticulously maintain our bicycles and adorn them with the essential, yet minimal, accoutrement. Yes, we must Obey the Rules pertaining to bar tape, tyre selection, saddle choice, stem height, color matching and so on. But within those parameters there lies flexibility and choice.
Furthermore, this site is a refuge we turn to for brotherhood, community, and belonging. However, cyberspace is a vacuum in that we apply and practice our craft apart from one another, spread to all corners of the globe. With this in mind, I offer an experiment, Il Gruppo Progetto, inspired by Brett’s Il Progetto: Bosomworth. The intent, dare I say charge, of Il Gruppo Progetto, is for our community of Velominati to come together in designing my new build project, a Serotta Colorado AL.
I picked up the Serotta frame and fork recently to further my adherence, em, obsession over Rule #12. Although not a top shelf Serotta (think of it as Maker’s Mark as opposed to The Glenlivet), it is a platform worthy of respect, care, and craftsmanship. As fall arrived I found my foul weather steed in need of replacement and the Serotta was the perfect combination of material, style, and economics. My mind was flooded with ideas of how I might build her up. Then I thought of all of you, your experience, ideas, and of course, passion.
So as fellow Velominati, I humbly ask of your counsel for this build. The basic platform is as follows:
As you can see from the list above this worthy steed is in need of much more. Bars, stem, bar tape, saddle, seat post, possibly a fork, tires, chain, headset, and cables. Please keep in mind the following:
So there you have it. My proposition is for us to come together in a modicum of further connection than what cyberspace allows. My hope is that the finished build will be a tangible symbol of our collective wisdom and a reminder to me of what we, the Velominati represent, as I ride this bike.
Thanks in advance for playing.
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@roadslave
Is it not the DESCENT of the Galibier on the south side?? Note that the road appears to go over the ridge with a right hander at the top - suggesting that the photographer is most likely above the cafe at the top of the Lautaret? Also, there seem to be more turns than the approach from Valloire has.
If confirmed, this will give you the pleasure of being able to face the "smirks of this group of intellectual arty mother fuckers" with confirmation of the idiot nature of the artist who couldn't even identify which way the bikes were going.
Thanks, Chaps. You all rock. V grateful (appropriate or inappropriate use of V?) Shared your views in sanitised form... first time my wife has ever laughed out loud at anything to do with cycling at a) the sheer deductive analysis and attention to detail of you lot (I even got away with an 'I told you so') and b) Steampunk's comment: "Incidentally, and à propos of nothing (and wildly off-topic), is Soler the tallest dotty jumper winner in Tour history? (I know: let me google that for you)"
... whilst she thinks we are all mad, the good news is that she now knows I'm not alone in my insanity. Who knew - building bridges between her world and mine though an arty photo of the TdF would lead to a detente about TFB*?
Again, many thanks.
*That fucking bike
may I suggest Turbo II saddle, black, and given its a great US brand how about some Ritchey bars and stem...wold somehow fit the build with the wheels.
BTW currently de-anodising, polishing and building up a 84 Centurion.
Good luck!
@roadslave
I don't know if I'm depressed or gratified that wives other than my own think I'm nuts...
@Brett
Hey man, all input solicited has been well within the rules and I need new jockey wheels. Sure I could go with stock ones but why not go sealed for the rain bike.
@all
Final answer:
Fizik all black antares
Fizik microtex black tape
Cinelli 101 stem - silver
Cinelli campione del mundo bars - silver
IRD techno glide headset - silver
wippermann connex chain
black anodized sealed bearing jockey wheels
generic carbon fiber seat post I had in my shop
Just gonna slide some jagwire or shimano cable through the gore housing. It's really the only way I can support my local little limited shop.
And, I removed the decals from the bonti rims. Much sharper look and it'll be our dirty little secret.
I'll go with the gp 4-seasons but am having trouble deciding betwixed 25's and 28's. The 28's will smooth out the ride more and be better for gravelling but the 25's will roll nicer on the tarmac. Hmmm.
Thanks for all the input. I'll post pics in a week or two when all arrives and I have time to build it up.
@George
I was wondering about that myself, but the cars are definitely headed up and going in the wrong direction if that's the case. I just checked the profile, and they definitely rode from St Michel de Maurienne, so it's got to be the climb.
Unless the photog is sufficiently twattish that it's not the TDF at all but the Dauphine or some shit.
@Collin
CLIMBONE. I'll have time this weekend to add some stuff to the Lexi. You better fucking believe that's going in there. Strong work.
@ all... having checked route on Google Maps and Google Earth... I reckon he's doctored the photo.... the top half of photo is Galibier from the South Side (the riders are going up it!), but there aren't enough hairpins... so the bottom half is a different climb (or different part of the climb).... cheating bastard photographer. If so, which is the bottom half from? (the road does appear to disappear in the photo about half way up)
@frank
I couldn't see enough detail in the pop-up, but as a spectator you would drive there in such a way that you'd be pointing uphill. I have had time now to study it properly and I would bet that it's the descent.
My bet rests on:
1. The photographer is obviously a total felchbucket.
2. While the above has managed to miss out the col itself in his photo, the last bit of road we're seeing must be leading to the col. The col turns to the left on the climb. This must be the south side.
3. I have been on google earth and managed to correlate the turns with the photo pretty well from the south, but not the north.
4. Also I managed to identify the car parking area which is almost the focus of the photo - middle right hand side with a patch of dirt. I certainly don't remember any car parking or flat enough area on the north side once the hairpins start.
5. Shadow analysis. Hard to see but what shadows the cars do cast go uphill.
The only doubt I have is caused by the sponsor's "archway" over the road where all those cars are parked. I would have thought you'd only get those on the climb.
Whatever it is, there are plenty of awesome cycling-related photos - and that's not one.
@Marko
Mate, nice final spec... you nailed it.