The very first time I ever pulled a tire and tube off of a rim it made an impression on me and it still does. I’m not sure I expected to find anything other than the tube between the rim and tire but there it was, some sort of tape. The French words, “Fond de Jante” and latin “Velox”, written in blue, lightly stamped upon woven adhesive-backed cotton-canvas. It had at once both a timelessness and a retro look. Running my forefinger over it as it covered the eyelets of my rims I imagined a French bicycle mechanic of old masterfully building wheels that pro teams from the 60’s and 70’s might use.
We can still look at our machines and see flares of tradition that remain from technology which has trudged on. Round drop-bars and gleaming bits are remaining vestiges of the classic machines of our sport. These throwbacks are often obscured by contemporary things like modern materials, ergo shapes and compact geometry. But hidden between layers of rubber and aluminum, like a business suit belies fine lingerie, adheres Le Fond de Jante, literally the “base of the rim”. The true story of Fond de Jante can be found here.
You might say all this pradling on about rim tape may be much ado about nothing. However, no detail is too small nor can it be overlooked by the Velominatus. I’ve heard other companies manufacture and sell rim tape but when you’re given Rochefort 8 for your first beer there’s no use in even considering anything else. So chapeau to our friends at Velox for making the finest rim tape that’s ever protected a tube from puncture.
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@scaler911
Did frank ghostwrite that?
@scaler911
FTW!
@Chris
I arrived at the library today to do work only to find that my lock-up spot had been stolen. By a recumbent. That was foldable.
@Nate
It certainly wasn't any of this lot.
(I know it's not nice to make fun of those less fortunate than ourselves but sometimes I can't help myself)
@Ron
Do mankind a favour and donate an old D-Lock to the cause. Drop the key down the nearest drain.
@scaler911
My favorite part:
A DEDICATION TO ALL THE HIPSTER DOUCHEBAGS:
-If you shitheads had any money, you wouldn't NEED a vintage Poo-zhow to get laid. Go have an ironic mustache growing contest in front of American Apparel, so that I can continue selling $300 bikes to fatties, which is what keeps the lights on.
- Being made in the 80's may make something cool, but that doesn't automatically make something good. The reason that no one has ridden that "vintage" Murray is because it's shit. It was shit in the 80's, a trend it carried proudly through the 90's, and rallied with into the '00's. What I mean to say is, no, I can't make it work better. It's still shit, even with more air in the tires.
Heh, heh.
@Chris
RBR posters; Dopey Fuckers (note to self, must stop swearing)
@VeloVita
LOL. Serves to reason, I'd be running the Thomson gear on my MTBs (seatposts & clamps). I just do not have a flashy style preference. I like all logos to be understated, with a touch of class. I have pretty much been running the Ritchey pro logic gear on all of my road bikes, stayed away from the "wet" finish in favor of the matte finish, and insist that all of the components match (red or blue logo). My wife thinks I'm nuts, but conceeds putting up w/ a couple red bikes in the garage (s-1) is preferable to me buying a red sports car and running off w/ the secretary at the office.
I like some Ritchey stuff, such as the slick wet white stems they have. I also like some Deda stuff. However, being Italian, their gear tends to be quite a bit more expensive, such as...double.
I don't think I can toss out anyone or solely choose anyone at this point - I still need to balance what I want on my bikes with what I have in my bank account, and when you have N+1 bikes, well, you gotta compromise sometimes.
Thomson stuff - some I like, some I don't. It could even be color, black or silver which throws me off.
All of them offer nice stuff. They key is to match the bits to the bike to the bicyclist to the Casually Deliberate approach though, right?
G'rilla, that stem, bars, yellow wrapping job look the business! Nice effort, nice eye for detail.
@scaler911
hah! That was awesome! And oddly familiar. Confessions about hating people are only really appreciated by other people who work or have worked in retail.