Keepers Tour Update: Contact Point Supplier: fi’zi:k
It’s crazy to me how fast two months from peaking goes by. At Christmas time I remember thinking how distant the Keepers Tour 2012 felt and that I’d have plenty of time to train. Now that time is measured in weeks instead of months and my feelings tend more toward doubt about my form. Cycling in Northeastern Minnesota in January, February, and March entails a mix of trainer time and wondering how well skate skiing will translate to riding a bike fast and far. I hope those frites are fried in clenbuterol.
Of course there are myriad other ways the other Keepers and I have been preparing for the Keepers Tour. Aside from the mundane tasks of making plane reservations and figuring out train schedules from Amsterdam to Lille, there are the fun tasks of acquiring new gear for our #1 Steeds which we’ve chronicled on these pages. We’ve had numerous shouting matches that have ended with at least one of us storming out of the boardroom over t-shirt designs, Gianni’s VMH has been frantically sewing musettes (they live on Maui so how frantic could it be?), Brett has been scouring travelogues of Amsterdam’s red light district in between training and racing with Rigid in the Austral summer, and I shudder every time I think of what Frank’s to-do list is like. I’ve seen it – it’s three pages long. All this, when executed perfectly, is surely going to amount to the most rad week of drunken debauchery Flanders has ever known and that’s really saying something. There’s no way they’ll let us back there which is why we’ve also begun planning the next Keepers Tour in Italy for the Giro.
With these preparations we are excited to announce fi’zi:k as the official contact point supplier of the Keepers Tour. We’ve extolled the quality, style, and passion fizik has for cycling since we started this site. In fact, I’d say most of us in the community ride, at a minimum, their bar tape. As it happens, the good folks at fizik aren’t offended enough by what we do and are followers of the site; a partnership was the next obvious step for two groups of people so unyieldingly devoted to Cycling.
What this partnership represents to us is affirmation of our community from the broader cycling world – a community that has grown with us and continues to contribute to our identity and which challenge us to be better. fizik values what we do and have agreed to support us in doing more of it, in style, with rad gear. This partnership doesn’t mean tiles or ads cluttering up the clean look of the site any more than fizik clutters up the clean lines of their saddles and shoes with unnecessary accouterments. It does mean that you’ll see more Keepers riding with more fizik gear and consequently a few articles related to fizik products, some tweets, friendfacing, and a few embedded links (per usual). Keepers Tour attendees will also find a few fizik goodies tucked inside their Velominati Mussette. And, if you haven’t already noticed, pay attention the next time you type “f-i-z-i-k” into a post, our boy-genius programmer did something nifty there as well. We’ll also emphasize that it is our strict policy that no Reverence article will ever be written by request of a vendor and, while we may elect to continue to Revere the fizik line of products, designation of a product as Reverence-worthy is solely at the discretion of the author.
For our part, we approached fizik because we believe in their products. Reverence for the best gear available is the domain of the Velominatus and we know that while you may disagree with our specific choices, you feel the same way in principle. That’s why you’re here. fizik is one of us; have a look at their site, check out the feedzone newsletter, even subscribe to them on twitface if you’re so inclined. They do a lot of insightful and behind the scenes posting about some of our favorite teams and riders – stuff you won’t get from the usual suspects.
What it boils down to is that fizik is Rule compliant. That’s something we can all get behind.
@brett
Nice. Sorry I couldn’t make it – though would’ve fallen off the back before the first piece of grave, as reports have reached me that you guys were riding a bloc round the bays.
@Bianchi Denti
Fuck my tits, that looks like a perfect day. Is that @Brett rockin’ the full black V-Kit and Rigid in the full White? (Can’t call them Zwarte/Witte when they’re mixed like that, but my Merckx, that looks magnificent.)
Can’t wait to meet you assholes.
@brett
Hold the fucking phone – BRETT. ARE YOU WEARING WHITE SOCKS? Surely the apocalypse is near.
@frank
Those photos make me sad. Velominati has changed me. These days,whenever I see a cyclist’s photo, I don’t look at the subject, context and imagery of the shot.
My first instinct is to search for rule violations.
What have I become?
@G’phant
Well, Ricardo (Denti) was going a bloc… I was doing my best not to pop a lung before the finishing climb.
@Vin’cenza
Don’t you mean 5 mm back? Very good thesis on the subject.
@Marcus
There is a way back for you. You can start by trying to find rule compliance in every photo instead… And then you start waving at everyone, including YJA users, as an ambassador for the sport. Happiness is contagious!
@Calmante
Merckxdamnit, I hate agreeing with this guy, but yeah. Its all about Rule #2 and Rule #3 in this case. Redemption is found through guiding others to the the path to enlightenment. Lead those less fortunate, and you will be free.
@Calmante
My cleats are secured all the way back. Any adjustment that pulls my rotation away from the bottom of the pedal stroke (assumed) would require the cleat to come forward (shifting the shoe back) — to pivot and reach. Concerned that I could stand to move the cleat forward first of all. Been watching my own stroke stopped at the bottom (inline with seat tube) and the heel seems level — not lifted. Will verify my adjustments with a specialist at the bike shop — to verify.
@Vin’cenza
Good idea.
@Calmante
I’ll read the good thesis now.
@Calmante
Thanx. Biomac (Gotz Heine) Midfoot compatible shoes is worth a look — maybe a test.
Failing light on a Friday afternoon. Time to get this on the bike. Couldn’t get the height quite right; methinks tomorrow’s ride will involve multiple stops to dial in the saddle height. A la Merckx, if I may…
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@Steampunk
that’s a beaut. What does fizik do that’s not class?
@Steampunk
I don’t think you’ll need to stop with it set up like that, just push down harder.
@Chris
That sounds profoundly uncomfortable””and yet quietly brilliant. I wish I’d thought of that before I put the saddle back on.
@xyxax
Pics really don’t do it justice; it really is stunning and very light. I’ll make a point of going extremely slowly uphill in Vermont so’s everyone can admire my seatpost…
@Steampunk
Maybe that’s what @frank means when he says “slowly up with more speed” or whatever it is.
@Chris
I didn’t think there was much call for grease on carbon seatposts, but maybe I stand corrected.
@Steampunk
“Gaze upon my epic seatpost and despair!”
And the Rod of Tribulation shall go before the tribe, leading unto the Cave of Pain. And the Rod has a name, so that thy shall know the truth of thine suffering. The mark of thy despair shall be Fizik, and it is mighty and right in the eyes of the Velominati.
The final touches have been added to Il Profeta, the last ride done, now it’s time to box her up and pray to the gods of pavé.
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Nice one, Brett! Hope it’s as great a Tour as it promises to be.
@Oli
Cheers mate… oh yeah, the wheels were built by Mr Oli himself, and have been bulletproof and perfectly true for a year. And they’ll stay that way… won’t they Oli?
That’s the plan, bro!
@ Bretto Computer sensor is better on the leading edge of the fork than where you’ve got it. Think about which way the wheel rotates and if the sensor goes into your spokes.
@Steampunk
Gahhhh fuck it Merckx damn your eye(s) I got one of those before I moved to Australia. I didn’t fit it first, I took it with me to clean my bikes down before I boxed them up and packed it with my bikes, and the moving company picked them up. That was 5 weeks ago and we still don’t have a delivery date. At this point I think it’s bobbing around on a boat in the middle of the Tasman ocean, after which we’re at the mercy of customs. You’re evoking memories and feelings and shit.
@minion
It’s more aero this way! If a bit of plastic goes into the spokes, it breaks. Then it’s a V-meter.
@brett
ping pingpingping, remember that sound.
@minion
@Minion moving to Australia?
Why wasn’t I informed?
Will we be seeing you looking furtively about on your Border Patrol appearance before our good people at Australian Customs bust your ass for attempting to smuggle 4 live Kiwi Birds secreted in your trousers?
Where are you going to live?
@mouse
Because, fuck it all, we moved to Canberra. I’m not sure that’s something to brag about… (Just kidding. After Wellington this place looks like a great city to ride in – when my bikes finally arrive) And anyway, when the border controls found out I was going to the ACT, they gave me porn and fireworks so I wouldn’t feel left out.
@minion
Noice!
Combine the two and you’ll fit right in.
Presume you have a mtb to sample the fine alternative offerings?
Wahey, just procured this lovely little thing to sit atop the Fondriest’s saddle post for a ridiculous price via the ebay.
Also comes with one of the Fizik blink lights installed on it already, haven’t really been sold on the saddle on the new bike since getting aboard.
@Mikael Liddy
Very nice! Very Velominati-ish.
Having also just experienced the rush of a few online auction purchases, I’ve been thinking about the support your LBS rule (which I take very seriously). When your LBS doesn’t deal in used parts, is it kosher to go hunting for less expensive alternatives? Presumably there’s an unspoken assumption that you’re going to mount them yourself, but even in so doing, are you sullying the relationship? Saddle, obviously, not an issue, but I’m thinking about components…
@Mikael Liddy
Shvetty. I don’t think I’ve seen the black/orange combo. Loves me some ebayin.
@marko, @Steampunk If only it was actually orange, that isn’t the pic of the actual item won on ebay as those pictures were playing up. It’s actually a red stripe down the middle, as shown here
Has anyone tried the soft touch fizik tape? I have the regular microtex on my De Bernardi, which has older, narrower bars. Looking for a bit more diameter/cushiness on this bike, as its for winter kms and other assorted bad weather days.
Don’t want to go the gel route, don’t think the new rubberized tape is quite right for this bike. Thus, leaning towards the soft touch. Can’t seem to sort out if the soft touch comes in white or just black.
Also, anyone tried the fizik logo tape? Think it might add just the bit of flash the bike could use and after seeing Der Kaiser with logo tape…thinking about giving it a go.
Rocking the white logo tape on my ti Hampsten and like it a lot. Adds just the right contrast without being logo-trashy, and cleans up easily. Next time I may wrap it over something to get a bigger grip. It stretches out fairly thin when your crank on it while wrapping.
@Ron
You could double wrap parts or all of the bars instead of using gel. Never tried it myself but it’s a thought.
teleguy – care to share a photo of the steed? I haven’t seen too many with the logo tape outside the PRO peloton. Would be nice to see something beyond the highest-end, new carbon with it. Is the white logo tape soft touch or just like the regular microtex? It looks more suede-y.
Thanks for the feedback, you two. Yeah, I thought about a double wrap, but don’t want to look like my bars need to be put on a diet. Then again, these are older Deda Newtons in a quill stem so a narrow diameter to begin with. Probably would just look like modern bars if I double up. Could use the current worn out Microtex and put the white logo tape over it. Might be the ticket…
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