Anatomy of a Photo: Rules Pioneer
As surely as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, if you ride a bicycle you can bet your ass against an apple that you are going to get a flat. Not if, but when. Death and taxes, and all that.
This could be Pierre or Antonio or Jean-Michel, most likely a name that rolls off the tongue with the same ease he rolled his dead tubular from the rim. The strokes of the pump as powerful and smooth as the strokes of his guns, as precise and clean as his socks, skin tanned and polished like the shoes on his feet, tough like the gloves on his hands.
This is an ambassador of Looking Fantastic; he would never contemplate turning his steed upside down, and surely this moment was an instigator of Rule #49. And you know that the shredded tub laying there will soon be wrapped around the shoulders in full Rule #77 compliance prior to resuming to Lay Down The V.
Pierre, Antonio, whatever be your name, we salute you for pioneering the Art of Awesome and being Compliant as Fuck in those tough days of yore.
God I love this site. Where else could anyone find such an amazing photograph which is critiqued and analysed from so many viewpoints (even a more than educated estimation of the aspect ratio). Add to this inspiring, evocative, off the cuff essays about living and cycling in Belgium. Tomorrow, I will ride – whatever.
The one I have is the Prs-21 – same as the one in the picture. There is a less expensive version of it that retails for $249 – the Prs-20. I think the main difference between those two is the weight of the uniT – the 21 is light enough that you might throw it in the car with you to take To a race.
The less expensive models arent quite as robust and are designed to grab the bike by the seat post or the top tube.
All the Park Tool stands are here…
http://www.parktool.com/category/portable-repair-stands
@johnthughes ,
@Rob
Thanks lads, that’s what this site is all about. Let us have it, the full dose. I love stories of people finding their real home in another country. Especially Belgium.
@Deakus
I’ve got the PRS-20 and love it. I use it for everything from slight adjustments, routine cleaning and maintenance to complete builds. In my opinion its about as rock solid as it gets short of bolting something to the floor. Its not terribly light (I’ve never used the PRS-21 to compare), but I wouldn’t have a problem tossing it in the back of a vehicle to take to a race if that’s something you need it it do. The only downside to this type of stand is that you need to remove either the front or rear wheel to mount it so you can’t do brake adjustments on both wheels without swapping one out for the other, but that’s really a very minor quibble. The other advantage the PRS-21 would have over the -20 is that since its aluminum it won’t rust if you hose your bike off on it. That said, I’ve had mine for 3 years and there’s no rust on it.
@James
I bill out in lap dances, not coffees.
@Deakus I’ve had the PCS-9 for 5 or 6 years. The 10 looks like an updated version. Every cyclist should have a workstand. It makes working on the bike pretty straightforward but the 9 does clamp the seat post or top tube. Not ideal on the paint as it can leave faint scuff marks and I’m reluctant to clamp a carbon or light alu frame tightly but you can work away on the front wheel and brakes. It folds away small enough but is quite heavy. I like the look of this PRS-21 though. Smaller lighter and probably a little more stable especially for BB fettling.
PRS-20 weighs 20 lbs.
PRS-21 weighs 12 lbs.
@kixsand
Im probably not overly concerned about weight, it will be at home 99.9% of the time. Price will probably decide between these two. I want to avoid clamping the bike at all….even CF seat tube….
thanks for all the thoughts though….
@kixsand i have the heavy version and use it for everything. tubulars hang to dry on it as well. every now and again i get bothered about having to take a wheel off, usually front for simplcities sake, but well worth the quid, dollars, yen, won, pesos
@Rob
@Rob If I read their website it looks like you are doing la roche en ardennes…..and the Col D’Haussire! For me, not someone who has been a climber(until recently). My first try up it, during the La Chouffe Classic, left me broken, bonked, shamed, and sadly walking.
Profile here
I trained very hard this spring with only one thing in mind, riding the “small” circuit(74km) of the La Chouffe without stopping on a hill or walking. I managed to do what I set out, albeit slowly, and also missed a turn and rode the 106km. Both times, broken and triumphant, were awesome.
You are going to have a great time on that ride. Even with possible visits from the Man with the Hammer.
@PT There is always some grass nearby upon which I lay my steed, compelte with CF pedals. If not, and it’s the front, the bike will stand happily on the fork tips (beware the tipping over), if the rear, that’s when riding buddies come into play to hold her up. If all that fails, lay her down, but put said blankie not under the seat, but under the CF pedal.
@Gianni Fold over? They did not fold over the pedals as they have a steel shank in the sole. I still have my vintage Detto Pietros (not vintage when I used them in the 70s). Leather uppers and lowers. Light, comfortable, and an awesome appearance, but tough to maintain, particularly after a rain.
@Rob
Yeah, thats all very well and good, but what sort of message does that send to the children ?
The “children” being me, and “me” being very envious of whats described in both these fine posts.
Enjoy and we shall live vicariously through your eyes.
@Puffy
Thanks man. It honestly doesn’t make much sense to me ( and I’ve been riding a long time) but I’ll give it a shot next time. Mahalo.
Signed,
Semi-Reformed
Has anyone had the issue of the glue on finishing tape melting in the heat? last time I had #1 in my truck this happened. I reapplied new finishing tape(3M) but it still looks a bit like shit. on the plus side I think our 100+ degree days are done for(fingers crossed)
@RedRanger If only it would get that hot hear, but then we Brits would then moan that our roads had melted and our railways stopped functioning. So perhaps its for the best.
@johnthughes
Sadly I won’t be doing the ride this weekend. This morning I lovingly washed my bike in preparation after done a very short ride last night. Was even going to swap out the bottom bracket as I had a bit of an ugly creak last night each time I stood to climb. Unfortunately I discovered something ugly, and it wasn’t a dirty bottom bracket.
Apparently last weekend’s loving, gentle introduction to the changing seasons was instead a funeral wake with the rain falling at the demise of my first real race bike :( Please excuse the emoticon. Rather upset right now as the bike budget has been depleted with the house purchase and so I will have to search for a budget aluminum replacement so I can finish through the season.
Guess I should be glad that it didn’t happen on the Stelvio…….
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I feel like this belongs here. Wafles & Dinges pamphlet from one of their food trucks.