Categories: Accessories and GearDefining MomentsLa Vie VelominatusNostalgia

Defining Moments: Dust Caps

Rollin' Dirty

I genuinely miss the eighties. Funny Bikes, which I say without thinking this though. Then again, time trial bikes today are basically road bikes with a position for tuned for “more speed”. In other words, switching to your TT bike today is like switching from your road bike to a slightly less comfortable road bike, with your arms sticking out. Back in the 80’s and 90’s, switching to your TT bike was roughly the same as swapping out your warmblood for a dragon.

There are many more reasons I miss the 80’s, for the record. Black shorts, off the top of my tiny brain. Also the adorable electrical tape patterns mechanics made over the valve stem hole on disc wheels, for more speed, as generously modelled by little Andy H. Also those Lycra covers on the hairnets they used to wear, also for more speed.

I don’t have to tell you that the shades back then make my heart go pitter-patter. I still have a pair of Factory Pilots/Eye Shades; I also rushed out to the store to buy a pair of Jawbreakers last week, just because they look so old school. Also because they are orange and white and I am a sucker for orange and white.

Everyone has a “shades sponsor” these days, but if you lacked one back then, it was all-in on the sweatband sponsor. “Wow! You make a double-tall sweat-band? These ‘roids make me sweat ‘double-tall’ so…YES PLEASE.”

Then there were the gears and chainsets. The first version of a “compact” was introduced in the 80’s; it was a 52/39, downgraded from the usual 52/42. Which was a downgrade from a 44 which was the smallest chainwheel my 70’s-era Raleigh’s Wiesmann crankset accepted.

But my favorite thing about the 80’s was the missing dust caps on cranksets; Andy doesn’t have one here, and I didn’t have one either. The day I realized I could shed 0.0032 grams by pulling out the dust cap was the day I became a Velominatus.

Fuck Yeah Eighties. Fuck yeah.

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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chuckp says:

Jun 1 2015 at 5:09 pm

@chuckp

Downtube not downtime. Damn spell autocorrect.
chuckp says:

Jun 1 2015 at 5:11 pm

@frank

@Teocalli

@chuckp

No dust caps. F**k yeah!

What’s the story with the left shifter/lever?

What’s the story with the left shifter/lever? It’s only the coolest artifact of the 90’s and the move to STI! In an effort to cut weight down, riders often used a dt shifter on the left for the less-frequently used front chainring and used the STI for the rear when in the mountains.

For Campa, they would often just gut the left ergo and the position on the hoods would be comfortable, but the Shimano setup looked cooler and had the benefit of being wildly awkward feeling because they were uneven.

Massive Coolness Points to @chuckp for having that rig laying around.

Thanks for the kind words. But ... yeah ... exactly. Since I built my Felt FC at the end of last season, I don't ride my Hollands as much but actually love shifting the front "by hand."
chuckp says:

Jun 1 2015 at 5:14 pm

Just like what Andy Hampsten rod eon Alpe d'Huez in 1992.
Teocalli says:

Jun 2 2015 at 12:42 am

@chuckp

@Teocalli

@Chris

@Teocalli

Non-indexed go faster leaver for the big ring was easier to trim, lighter and used so rarely it didn’t need to be cluttering up the brake lever?

Yeah and the trouble with friction levers is that from the photo they slip………….(refrains from an emoticon).

No problems with my front downtime shifter lever slipping. FWIW, I run full STI on my Felt FC carbon bike but still love being able to “manually” trim my front derailleur when I ride my Hollands.

The "leg pull icon" did not come through. The photo was obviously on the Galibier. Stunning photos though.
VeloJello says:

Jun 2 2015 at 3:31 am

@frank

On the subject of the badass Jawbreakers I picked up, I am loving them especially in the Witte jersey with a white helmet.

Unrelated but relevant, black and orange socks are for Fall, Winter, and Spring. Its summer, and its back to white.

Nice! I prefer the black/orange combo on the the original jawbones. Matching Northwave Speedster helmet optional...
frank says:

Jun 2 2015 at 7:48 am

@chuckp

Just like what Andy Hampsten rod eon Alpe d’Huez in 1992.

LOVING the fact that the rear shifter has a braze point to hold the cable and the front does not. Some framebuilder at Holland loves that setup!
Oli says:

Jun 2 2015 at 1:53 pm

@VeloJello

Sorry, but I reckon Frank's ensemble is cooler.
VeloJello says:

Jun 2 2015 at 3:08 pm

@Oli

@VeloJello

Sorry, but I reckon Frank’s ensemble is cooler.

Your welcome.
chuckp says:

Jun 3 2015 at 9:06 am

@frank

Thanks Frank. John Hollands (now retired) built the frame for me (Reynolds 653) circa 1990. Originally with downtube shifters. When I had it re-painted, I the thingie (I believe that is the correct technical term) for the rear STI cable brazed. Just a nice little custom touch on a custom frame. :-)

@chuckp

Just like what Andy Hampsten rod eon Alpe d’Huez in 1992.

LOVING the fact that the rear shifter has a braze point to hold the cable and the front does not. Some framebuilder at Holland loves that setup!
DeKerr says:

Jun 3 2015 at 9:50 am

@chuckp

That really is a gorgeous bike... and well photographed.