I have a friend who is borderline OCD. He’ll sometimes wash his hands dozens of times a day, doesn’t like sticky stuff, cats drive him to antihistamine hell and there is a place for everything, with everything in its place. This can be annoying, not only for those around him, but especially for himself. It’s not a great place to be.
The upside is his bikes are always meticulously maintained, fully Rule compliant, or they are in a state of tear-down having last week’s grease freshened up and each ball bearing individually polished. He’s gotten it under control quite admirably these days, and while a chip in the duco of his beautiful steel frame will still understandably piss him off, there’s not the slightest hint of sending it back to Italy to be re-sprayed by the 78 year old artisan who originally painted it, who inconveniently happened to retire in 1984. But you can rest assured the touch-up job he’ll do himself is of paintshop standard.
But I’ve never seen him muck around with his seatpost height. Not once it’s set, anyway.
This poses the question: did The Prophet have OCD? To this observer it seems so, if numerous viewings of Le Course En Tete and A Sunday in Hell are any reliable indicator. The guy was constantly fiddling with his seatpost height. His mechanic must’ve been ready to throw his hands in the air proclaiming “Merde, Eddy! I’ve measured it three times already! Why do you not trust me?”
It seemed to matter little to Eddy that poor Charly had adhered to the numbers scribbled on the lid of his toolbox, taken the slide rule and spirit level to every possible surface and angle, and used his impeccable line of sight to position the saddle just right, exactly where it was requested to be. “How’s that Eddy?” “Is perfect.” “Then why are you borrowing a spanner from RDV’s team car? Hmmm?”
If he wasn’t adjusting his saddle, he was adjusting his stem. If he wasn’t adjusting his stem, he was squirting water from his bidon onto his brakes. If he wasn’t doing that, he was simply laying down the law. The law of The Prophet.
Obsessive? Yes. Compulsive? For sure. Did it affect his ability to waste all comers? Not likely.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/brettok@velominati.com/merckx terryn/”/]
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View Comments
@frank
Interesting about long femurs. I'm long of femur, and used to prefer big setback, but I've been moving the saddle forward (1) to get better quad/ham balance and (2) improve bike handling by getting more weight on the front wheel. My knees haven't complained at all and it seems to be working. Also, I tend more to spinning than mashing, always have.
As you say: fucked.
Looks like Eddy don't shave the stems no mo'.
@Calmante
Methinks he's earned the right to do whatever he wants. He is a god, after all. A-Merckx.
@Calmante, Oli, Frank
thanks guys, that does at least alleviate my worry that I am off base.
I will look at the Lemond measures again
I just looked at the Eddy fit measurements and I probably like it the best but will see
It does seem a bit screwed, the whole notion of these 'measurements' and then you buy into it, and they say..ok...now go measure it this way...and it isn't what YOU JUST MEASURED!
Thats why I was asking about the whole femur/tibia deal, because mine is all jacked up given my current measurements as compared to what some fit calculators will give me to ride.
There seems to be alot of opinion on this
in the spirit of a great cowboy who said, 'we do not at present educate people to think but, rather, to have opinions, and that is something altogether different'
at least we are all thinking about all the opinions that are out there on this
thanks guys
@teleguy57
I have been dealing with something similar - bulging cervical disc and associated pain. Have not had an MRI yet and have been able to deal with it mostly with chiro, which has been pretty effective. Just getting back on the bike now after a month off because of this issue. May have to raise my bars to allow for less extension of my neck while riding.
Let me know what the MRI result is.
@Marcus
Q Factor. X Factor is a talent show hosted by Simon Cowell.
@Calmante
Or, a moderately successful X-Men comic book spinoff from the 90's.
Damn. I think my nerd is showing again.
@frank
I agree. I am a long shanked rider and when I want to put down some power on the flats or rollers, trying to contain an attack by Bretto or Bianchi Denchi, I automatically shift back in the seat and let the long levers engage.I try to visualize Indurain's riding style.However riding up a steep hill I slip to the front of the seat, climbing in a more MTB like way at a higher cadence which allows more staying power.
A Giraffe may look ungainly bending down to drink, but have you seen one run - pure grace..
@SimonH I sort of dig MtB #2 and am in the market for a singlespeed utility bike like that. What more can you tell me about it?
@The Oracle
Better to show that than an appreciation for shit "reality" tv.