La Vie Velominatus, Part I: Finding the V-Locus

De Vlaeminck races Belgian-Style in 1975

Arms draped casually over the bars, wrists canted inward, knees tucked in neatly towards the top tube, bottom perched on the saddle’s rivet, chin dropped low to the stem. During maximum effort, all the elements of the rider seem to converge toward one point, an invisible spot on the machine where we may worship at the altar of the Man with the Hammer but elude his hammer’s vicious blow.

To the Velominati, this spot is known as the V-Locus, the sacred point where rider and machine are able to maximally channel The V. Where this point lies precisely differs from machine to machine and rider to rider, and can only be ascertained though careful and lengthy meditation. It is commonly found somewhere along the centerline of the frame, just shy of the head tube.

Take a moment to study this photo of de Vlaemicnk, pictured here having found the V-Locus. As your effort increases and you begin to channel the V, your body will naturally move towards this point. The elbows bend slightly at first. Your hands might slip from the hoods to the drops or from the drops to the hoods, but in either case, your wrists will roll inwards. As the effort further increases, your bottom will slip forward along the saddle until it comes to rest on the rivet. Shoulders arch inward, forcing your elbows down and out, crossing into the your leg’s airspace. To accomodate, your knees tuck inward at the top of each pedal stroke. Your head rolls downward, chin to the bars; you should be mindful to look down the road, though in this state of blurred vision your eyes serve limited purpose.

Locating the V-Locus takes time and mediation. As stated, it differs from bike to bike and from rider to rider, particularly among hand-built machines. After many long hours and kilometers spent in the saddle, you will start to become one with the machine, and the V-Locus will slowly begin to reveal itself to you. You will find that each of your bikes, however similarly built, has a different locus. Perhaps there is one that helps you channel the V more effectively than the others, but the V-Locus is always a fundamental variable of a bike’s personality. Take time to discover and understand it, and the V will grow within you. Vive la Vie Velominatus.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

G'phant says:

May 30 2011 at 3:20 pm

@Alpin
C'est une tres belle photo. Chapeau. Hey, Pedale.Forchettta, you've got competition. Or a team-mate.
Alpin says:

May 30 2011 at 3:27 pm

Another photos from today from this classic Climb...

La Meije-La Grave 1450m alt.

the Route of the Col du Galibier

the lasts corners at 12-13%

thanks for the comments ..but, hey! i still don't know if and how you can correct your posts...??
jnunberg says:

May 30 2011 at 3:32 pm

I enjoyed your article; while watching Giro again to cure my hunger for cycling on the TV.
Oli says:

May 30 2011 at 3:49 pm

Alpin, you can't correct posts once posted.
Marko says:

May 30 2011 at 7:20 pm

@Alpin

You really know how to make an entrance. The Galibier, two BMC's, and The Radioshack Chauffeur. I love that he's riding a Pinarello and not a Trek. Classy looking dude and I've been thinking of a fitting Lexicon entry for Radioshack Chauffeur. Who's with me? Those pics are gorgeous and what better time to ride le Galibier than a limited opening. Chapeau.
Marko says:

May 30 2011 at 7:41 pm

@Alpin
Fantastic entrance! Le Galibier, two BMC's, and the Radioshack Chauffeur. I'm thinking the Radioshack Chauffeur needs a Lexicon entry but can't quite think of one that befits the video of that totally PRO dude the the RS gillet and Pinarello. Chapeau!
Ron says:

May 30 2011 at 9:25 pm

Ah! Crocs have even made it to PRO children handle bar riders. Those darn things.

Nice post, Frank! Just what I needed to ease the non-Giro phase.
frank says:

May 30 2011 at 10:16 pm

@G'phant

I can't speak (and wouldn't dare try to speak) for RDV. But I am pretty sure that, when he was channeling V-max at the V-Locus, he wasn't thinking 'Ooh, my bottom is getting a wee bit hurty'. I think it more likely that he was thinking 'F*ck, my arse hurts almost as much as my f*cking guns'.

I can't, for the life of me, understand why on Earth you've gone from a mention of a bottom straight to "hurt". That one's on you, mate.

When you move into the V-Locus, the only pain you have the capacity to feel is that in your guns and a sensation more akin to "searing" than "pain" in your lungs.
G'phant says:

May 30 2011 at 10:46 pm

@frank
Have just raised my seat and shifted it back quite significantly. Glutes and hams are now doing much more work, and are regularly letting me know. So that's a possible explanation. Boarding school, of course, is another, I suppose.
Alpin says:

May 31 2011 at 12:44 am

With the past effort, cold wings and altitude, some descents must be taken in the foetal position, who could well be an aerodynamically compliant V-Locus...

video : the Galibier Road

video : the Summit at North

video : the Summit at South

In the last video you can still see the Radioshack Chauffeur photographying not his Pinarello or himself but his RadioShack Bidon in front of the Col du Galibier road sign...

by the way , yes it's a pro Bike from the Radioshack Team, but as we talked he told me that he preferred his old Trek from Astana... he tolds me the name of the rider but there i lost it... as he says to me this Radioshack member was also rding to the Galibier summit...

Jani Brajkovic

Team First ! Now that's PRO...)