Categories: Anatomy of a PhotoLa Vie Velominatus

Anatomy of a Photo: Bike Love

The look, of love... Photo via Oli's Tumblr

I got new wheels last week and got them mounted with tires by the weekend. Then @Haldy had to help me with a clearance problem on Sunday (27mm FMB Paris-Roubaix’s get to be more like 29mm tires after Francois finishes his lunchtime bottle of wine). When I wasn’t looking, @Haldy put orange cable ends on all the cables. A Velominatus can’t resist doing that sort of thing, you see.

Between the new wheels and orange bits, I feel like I have a new bike. I brought her up into the dining room and have spent yesterday evening and today morning working from the dining room table so I can gaze at her while “thinking”.

I’m tempted to bring her to work today, but I’ve got a few client meetings and I’m afraid my customers might think it a bit strange if I walk into the conference room wheeling my bike. The key thing that separates us from the rest of the world is that we think its normal to stare lovingly at an inanimate object.

We are Cyclists; the rest of the world merely rides a bike. Vive la Vie Velominatus.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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Haldy says:

Apr 1 2015 at 2:18 pm

@frank

@Haldy

@frank

@Haldy

@frank

@Haldy

@PeakInTwoYears

When @frank gets back from the Keeper’s Tour we will have to wrestle his baby away from him and make that orange housing happen. I am sure it will need another thorough cleaning after crushing some souls across the fields of Flanders and Northern France.

Too much orange? Is that even possible? I’m willing to try; its only cables for fucks sake!

Too much orange..oh no, I don’t think so! I think it would look spectacular. I will order the appropriate supplies while you are laying down the V in the Holy Land.

Better be high-quality shit. I’ll bring the beers.

I’m slightly insulted you think I would put inferior quality on your steed. While I can make no guarantees about the quality of the riders to the bikes i tune..I always treat them well with quality parts!

Hey, setting expectations is not the same as flinging insults.

@KogaLover

Fortunately I have a picture of my bike as desktop wallpaper, so I can still stare at it while at work.

Btw: does anyone know where to get orange spacers to match the black V-cuffs? I tried a couple of LBS’s but none of them have them (not even in the Netherlands!). Any online site?

This is still my wallpapaer.

@max columbus

I do this all the time, which proves to be a huge distraction as well as making me late for where ever I am supposed to be. I looked up from my morning coffee a few hundred times to longingly admire my gleaming Hampsten MAX. Today is a good day…

I have it high on my list to get over to Steve’s workshop and talk custom. So in love with those bikes.

Well..if we are setting expectations...I like my beer dark...insult duly retracted...your steed has a worthy rider. I look forward to another opportunity to lay some V down with you.
Chris says:

Apr 1 2015 at 2:47 pm

Mrs Chris

Is that fucking bike in the house again?!

Often heard when I've been working from home.

She's in South Africa at the moment, though, so the bikes is getting a good spring clean tomorrow night in the comfort of my study rather tan the garage.
RobSandy says:

Apr 2 2015 at 12:36 am

@frank

@RobSandy

Before my TT a month ago I was keeping my bike in the house as I was doing a lot of turbo sessions. Since then it’s gone back in the shed and I realised I haven’t cleaned it since!

I feel bad. I mean, it’s not dirty, dirty. But I know it’s not clean and that’s just as bad.

Taking it down to the in-laws this weekend so I can give it a full clean and polish and be able to pass it off to the VMW as ‘packing’.

I’ve never done any of my bikes the indignity of putting them in the shed. Basement, garage, yes, but the shed feels like putting a dog in a dog house.

I've slightly misused the word 'shed' there. My bike 'shed' is actually a precast concrete panel garage, not a rickety garden shed. Please, I'm not a savage.

I don't call it a garage because there is no garage door. So you can't waste space by putting a car in it. .
cognition says:

Apr 2 2015 at 8:23 am

@Flatlander

No; it was designed after this one -- just with wood arms to cradle the top tubes.

I'll probably pick one of these up some day to replace the original rack. Unfortunately one of the top pieces went missing when I moved to start grad school; I gave the other pieces to an acquaintance who wanted to take a shot a making a replacement. I've now got something similar in black metal that has the benefit of being able to handle sloping top tubes -- but doesn't have as much soul behind it...
davidlhill says:

Apr 3 2015 at 8:52 am

@Barracuda

Hi,

i've just seen this bike rack at Velo House, Tunbridge Wells. Called Bull Horns - and cost £135.

David
therealpeel says:

Apr 9 2015 at 6:09 pm

@cognition

@Flatlander

No; it was designed after this one — just with wood arms to cradle the top tubes.

I’ll probably pick one of these up some day to replace the original rack. Unfortunately one of the top pieces went missing when I moved to start grad school; I gave the other pieces to an acquaintance who wanted to take a shot a making a replacement. I’ve now got something similar in black metal that has the benefit of being able to handle sloping top tubes — but doesn’t have as much soul behind it…

Had never thought very much about stands.... But it makes a lot of sense. Bikes deserve a good place to rest.
SteelCamp says:

Jun 20 2015 at 12:34 am

I miss my Raleigh. How is it I loved one of my cheapest bikes more than everything that came since?
frank says:

Jun 21 2015 at 9:18 am

@SteelCamp

I miss my Raleigh. How is it I loved one of my cheapest bikes more than everything that came since?

Wow, that looks really similar to the one I had; I wish you had a bigger photo!
SteelCamp says:

Jun 21 2015 at 12:38 pm

@frank

Well sorry to say it's not my photo. Downloaded the pic just to show what I had. Raleigh Competition Gran Sport. The last year they were made in England. The next year they were made in Japan and the price went from about $550 to $750. I bought it in 1980 or there about. Here's a clearer pic
Bespoke says:

Jun 22 2015 at 4:31 am

Does this ever happen?