Categories: ExportLa Vie VelominatusMusings from the V-Bunker

Winter

The Prophet gets pumped to ride. Hopefully that thing isn't going to find its way onto his bike.

As Cyclists, we are uniquely subjected to the changing of seasons. The green canopy of forest that we ride through in Summer gives way in Fall to one of orange and yellow that mimics the fire of sunset. Just as those hues give notice to the changing from day to night, so do they now signal the change from Summer to Winter.

It is also a time of transition in our riding. The rides are first wetter, then cooler. Soon, we’ll be rooting about the kit bin for gloves and a wooly hat. Shorts become three-quarters and three-quarters become fulls. There might be a shadow of trepidation in bidding the warm months adieu, but there lurks some excitement, too. Wearing long sleeve jerseys and leg warmers signals to us that the fight for peak form is behind us and our rides now have a sense of insouciance about them; it is freeing to embrace the lack of structure to our rides. We ride, once again, simply for the pleasure of riding.

There is something else. The longer days of Summer almost afford us too much liberty in our training. The sun rises early and sets late; the possibilities to train are endless; the morning ride is skipped for the likelihood of riding in the afternoon. The afternoon schedule fills up and the ride is missed and the training takes on a more frenetic nature. The shorter days of the winter offer less choices, so the rides are fought for more vigorously. Choice can lead to indecision while restriction often feeds discipline.

I embrace the coming Winter and its accompanying discipline. Besides, after the Winter come the Spring Classics, and we loves ourselves some cobbles. 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

Shemsuddin Millard says:

Oct 21 2016 at 8:06 pm

Greetings!

I, too, am thrilled about the shorter days and cooler temperatures. There is nothing more revivifying than to dismount after a long bracing ride on a cool winter morning.

Before I wax on sentimental, I should introduce myself: I am a new registrant, or perhaps more appropriately, a novice amongst your esteemed ranks.

I have just returned to riding after a 25 year hiatus. In my younger days I rode. I rode like Forrest Gump ran. I just rode. My whip was a beautiful Bianchi Nuovo Record. I loved that bike. Then I just stopped riding. I moved, got busy being, or imitating a grown up or whatever. Sold my bike along the way, don't even know what happened to everything else.

Two months ago and days before my 51rst birthday, I found myself on a friends road bike for the first time. The frame size was right, but everything else was wrong. It has these gel inserts in the frame to dampen the vibration. I hadn't ridden in many years but it just felt wrong - I coudn't feel the road. My butt hurt. My breath wheezed. I just couldn't believe how the climbs taunted and antagonized me. I was in love.

So, now I am reacquiring bike(s), gear, tools, kits, accessories, bike racks - the whole of everything. I found "The Rules" surfing about the internet and felt as though I met my kin. I keep the rules handy so I can evaluate my attitude and aesthetic, and thus give my respect to our tradition and to my colleagues on the road. I am glad to be here. Though, it did pain me a little when I took my cool stainless Lezyne hand pump off my bike. I now carry it in my jersey pocket with an inner tube and tire spoons.

Now, I am looking for winter clothing and putting together an all season steed with a hand built steel frame and gorgeous fenders from Portland Bicycle Works. Deciding on the component group and wheelset - grouppi or san, not warm on the bro yet. Probably Campangolo. We'll see.

I lived in Pennsylvania when I rode into young adulthood, so we had five months of winter. Unless the roads were iced, I was bundled, layered and ready. I always loved the transition from being cold at the beginning to not thinking about anymore unless I stopped. I look forward to experiencing this again.

Peace to all of you,

Shemsuddin
Steve Trice says:

Oct 21 2016 at 11:01 pm

Frank, I also derive great, slightly smug, satisfaction in the winter from the feeling that it's only the "proper", committed cyclists who ride as the weather worsens.
Andy says:

Oct 22 2016 at 1:42 am

I plan to make a virtue of necessity and commute on the bike over winter. I'm sure i'll feel the smugger for it.
Teocalli says:

Oct 22 2016 at 2:40 am

When was the pocketable mini-pump first "invented"?
Randy C says:

Oct 22 2016 at 4:10 am

>>> his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking <<<

That's classic.

Cheers!
Patrick says:

Oct 22 2016 at 6:30 am

I am in my late thirties and experiencing my first years of serious cycling. Before the bike was merely utilitarian. It would be in storage by this time of year.

I don't mind so much getting caught in the rain, or riding out in cold weather, but I am finding it really hard to go out when it’s been cold and raining for two days with only more of the same in store for another two.

These last days of autumn with winter looming are really testing my discipline. Any tips? Apart from quoting rules 5 & 9 that is ...
Graeme Armstrong says:

Oct 22 2016 at 6:42 am

Down here in Australia we prepare for the onslaught of summer now instead. We cherish the precious couple of months between rain and blistering heat. Each ride now is bathed in glorious sunshine yet still cool enough to warrant arm warmers. Soon the bitumen will liquefy and tyres will make an odd sucking sound when Max V is applied.
Jay says:

Oct 22 2016 at 6:55 am

A properly coordinated frame pump would have been considered entirely appropriate at that time. I still prefer a frame pump to a CO2 cartridge.
Grimpeur says:

Oct 22 2016 at 7:43 am

"Choice can lead to indecision while restriction often feeds discipline". I love this line and I can completely relate to it. I am a school teacher and I do more training during term time than during the holidays. The structure of the commute and the restricted time available means that I don't even think about when I'll train - I just do it; whereas during the holidays the training ride will happen at 'some time' and sometimes 'some time' never comes around.
Teocalli says:

Oct 22 2016 at 10:25 am

@Shemsuddin Millard

Welcome.