What Gianni humbly omitted from his last article is that once he finishes ranting about sock color (actually, the lack of need for any color other than than white), he recovers quickly and we wrap up the Keepers executive board meeting with him tearing our legs off on the ride home from the bar with his magnificent stroke. Because after all, he is Rule #72.
But I digress. All the chit-chat Gianni’s article generated, and the timing of it with a new shoe purchase on my end, has me ruminating on Rule #8. Matching saddle, handlebar tape, and tires is, for the Velominatus at least, quite the no-brainer as it were. The only really poignant question I recall ever being raised is whether Vittoria Open Pave’s have an exemption because they are awesome and scream hardman tire (I think they are acceptable).
But what of shoes? They are the one piece of kit that most often throws a rider’s coordination out of sync. Of course this has traditionally been fine as shoes are such a personal matter that expecting one to match one’s shoes with the rest of one’s kit is hopeful at best. That being said, I wonder if shoes are less kit and more equipment. They transfer power directly from rider to bike and thus they are mechanical, they are engineered by smart people using fancy computers, and they render the machine virtually unrideable without them. In fact, I’ve often wondered why retailers list them under “clothing” and why online review forums don’t put them under “drivetrain” instead of “clothing and accessories”.
So if you don’t accept my premise, at least humor me here. If shoes are equipment and not kit, why would anyone buy a pair that didn’t match the rest of their bike? Surely, with the abundance of shoe choices on the market these days I would think one could make every effort to find a pair that fits, has the features and performance characteristics sought, falls within price range, and matches the rest of the bike.
I happened upon this concept casually deliberately this week. You see, I’ve been sporting considerable carbone over Fi’zi:k’s new shoe line ever since they were introduced (you might say I have a thing for shoes). So when a new pair of R3’s fell into my lap for number 1 I was forced to shift the Yellow Princesses over to number 3. The yellow decals and accents on the Serotta look awesome with the YP’s and the new R3’s are oh so sublime with the BMC. Splendid, indeed.
So I’ll put it to you, the Velominati. Does Rule #8 need amending? Are shoes equipment and not clothing? Do we, perhaps, need a new rule pertaining to shoe/bike matching (I think not but a suggestion might be in order). These are the things that keep the Keepers up at night.
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View Comments
@Nof Landrien
Ha! I didn't realize what boat anchors they were, not unlike ski bots in stiffness and weight, until I bought Specialized S-Works shoes. But, wearing my first pair was a revelation too, perfect snug fit and wickedly stiff. I was in love.
@Oli
Thank you
@Marko
Beauty
@ itburns @mcsqueak
I was thinking more like not wearing booties when it's cold because they cover up the kicks. Or a particular set of bibs that will remain nameless whose straps dig into the shoulders and yet they still aren't "Goldielocks".
@Oli
Lets dig deeper, I'm sure we disagree! We also agreed on the valvestem nut thingie Rule; this situation needs to be remedied immediately!
@Marko
Done and done.
@frank
No it doesn't!
@scaler911
I have to assume that refrigerator is stocked to the hilt with IPA.
Except with good beer.
@Oli
YES IT DOES!
@itburns
Agreed completely - form follows function. But, when considering form, there is nothing wrong with making it purdy. If, for example, I were buying new Sidi Ergo 2's, I'd get the color that best suited my fancy.
@Marko
Italian Baby Kangaroos are called Kangabambinos.
@frank
I never meant to imply form didn't matter - once function is not compromised, form should be the most awe inspiring version that money allows. I do have a Mandible bidon cage, after all. We are cyclists, not barbarians.
Time for some Lake Kangabambinos.
I have black and white shoes, with red trims which goes with my black and white bike with red trims, but who cares anyway about my set up, I'm only saying it as an excuse to share with you my glorious day
Today was my birthday, an event which I normally ignore, but today I think I might just have had the most awesomest one ever
Today, I did my first ever Horse Category climb
I did 1200m straight climbing, betwixt 3-10% (never saw 11% on my Rule 74 thingy) up into the mountains of Andalucia in Southern Spain
Big deal I hear you mutter under your breath (admittedly nothing compared to Haleakala), but I'm fucking blowing my trumpetto about this, coz I'm fucking pleased with myself
What's more, I feel as if I have just discovered a whole new existence, having dismantled my rear derailleur, and wiped all the shit gathered in it from 7 months of thrashing Irish Bogtarmac - today I ascended in complete silence, probably rather slowly, but what struck me was not just the extra 3 teeth on my biggest sprocket I suddenly had by virtue of this overdue maintenance, but the extraordinary peace I felt
I have a job that entails my listening to good and sadly also rather indifferent folk, for 9 hours a day - my head was fucked - I needed this trip
I was suffering appropriately I reckon, when suddenly, half way up, everything changed. This wierd sense of almost floating began - I was climbing at 20% more speed for the gradient than I normally can, with no pain - surreal, and rather emotional, for one who only got my first road bike 9 months ago - I wanted it never to stop (just as well, as I still had another 600 metres to climb)
Was it the heat (descending from a pretty chilly top, into the warm air of the coast was such a beautiful thing) - was it the sound of silence I now have achieved - was it the new adherence to Rule #33?
All I know is my bibshorts are permanently deformed due to the prolonged climbone I had, and the equally proportioned descentbone I had for the entire 14 mile full chat descend (apart from a couple of photo stops...) of what felt like a hundred corners (90 degree bends, no hairpins, it was like a perfect fresh powder day)
Apologies for the self indulgence, but for me, today, and emotional day, with my first HC conquest, was a very very special day - I returned to my hotel to find a bottle of champagne in ice courtesy of the DOB prompt on the hotel puta....seemed rather appropriate!!
Thanks to @all for getting me to this day, I now feel like a real Velominatus