I love the shape of it. Aroma of it. The way it feels to be around it. It will catch my eye from across the way; I will be powerless to resist taking in its form and perhaps allow my hand to graze its surface. The source of such beauty and harmony, it is a fountain of unspeakable happiness.

It offers me companionship when I need it, solitude when I want to be alone. It distracts me when I’m trying to focus and focuses me when I am trying not to be distracted. It inspires me to take chances, and reminds me to be patient.

It breaks me down when I’m overconfident, it builds me up when I’m insecure. It brings me pain to remind me I should become a stronger man.

I love it when it’s flawless, but I love it more when it shows signs of wear; our time together has changed us both indelibly for the better.

It is no wonder the French and Italians refer to the bicycle in the feminine form, for all these things embody what it means to be a strong woman.

Women are made to be loved, not understood. -Oscar Wilde

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.

View Comments

  • @RedRanger
    Jeee-eeesus.
    And I got a lashing from Frank for posting a picture of my parents.
    I've seen things in that video that I can't un-see. Two questions;
    1. WTF goes through people's minds to allow themselves to be filmed doing such things?
    2. Didja just have that video - you know - on your computer somewhere?

  • For me, I believe it is less the bike itself and the symbiosis of mind and body. The bike is the means through which you achieve it. The longing gaze at the bike in the corner isn't so much for the machine itself, as for the sensation and motion.

    When you have a rough day of work, you turn to the bike to settle your mind. When your girl/boyfriend breaks up with you, you turn to the bike. When you're angry, you put in your PR on your favorite route. When you're lonely, you cure it with the solitude and freedom of a ride.

    The bike offers solace and discovery. When my mind is in a knot, I find the longer I ride, the less I think, and the faster I feel right. Little is more glorious than getting off the bike after 4 or 5 or more hours and not being able to remember a single thought that was drifting through your mind.

  • @mouse
    Good Merckx no! I had the miss fortune of having a friend send me the link to the entire episode a while back. I swear on bike #1 that I have never watched or plan on watching another episode.

  • @RedRanger
    That guy is F U C K I N G C R A Z Y.

    Why do these wackos always have, 'ahem' a "certain" American accent? Does crazy town actually exist somewhere in the states?

  • @minion

    @RedRanger
    That guy is F U C K I N G C R A Z Y.

    Why do these wackos always have, 'ahem' a "certain" American accent? Does crazy town actually exist somewhere in the states?

    Each of the 50 states has one.

  • @Nate

    @minion

    @RedRanger
    That guy is F U C K I N G C R A Z Y.

    Why do these wackos always have, 'ahem' a "certain" American accent? Does crazy town actually exist somewhere in the states?

    Each of the 50 states has one.

    Agreed. But I do think (and I'll catch all kinds of hell for this from the one guy from there that doesn't watch NASCAR) there's a higher concentration of them in the south. Kentucky in particular.

    Oh, and top post Frank. If I catch you in your shop nekkid while I'm up there in a couple weeks, I'm flying Marcus out for an intervention.

  • @frank

    A sweet declaration of love but for completeness and honesty, I think you should add

    But despite all of this I will never be able to truly commit to it for there will always be other that catch my eye.

    I'm off the garage...

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