Anatomy of a Photo: V-Bank Line of Credit

Greg LeMan’s bike has a rest.

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.

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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View Comments

wiscot says:

Nov 21 2012 at 9:00 am

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.
sengelov says:

Nov 21 2012 at 10:31 am

Nice guns !
the Engine says:

Nov 21 2012 at 10:46 am

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).
wrench says:

Nov 21 2012 at 11:11 am

One could argue that the anatomy of this picture shows The V truly being lay'd down... and the bike is being picked up...
scaler911 says:

Nov 21 2012 at 11:40 am

My left knee screamed at me just looking at this photo.
marko says:

Nov 21 2012 at 11:48 am

WTF gloves are those homeboy is wearing in the background? They look like some sort of Kinco/welding mit.
strathlubnaig says:

Nov 21 2012 at 12:00 pm

Deutsche FahrrÃ¤der folgen immer Ordnungen, und Aufenthalt aufrecht.
Beers says:

Nov 21 2012 at 12:37 pm

@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...
strathlubnaig says:

Nov 21 2012 at 12:46 pm

@Beers

@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...

Like I say, the German bikes follow orders, unquestioningly and without complaint, it will stand in stoic silence unless told otherwise, jawohl !
the Engine says:

Nov 21 2012 at 1:23 pm

@strathlubnaig

@Beers

@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...

Like I say, the German bikes follow orders, unquestioningly and without complaint, it will stand in stoic silence unless told otherwise, jawohl !

Whereas my Flandrian bike just shrugs its shoulders and gets on with it in the rain