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

  • @brett

    @ChrisO
    I think you need a different bike then. I could sit and stare at my bike for hours.

    Glad I'm not the only one who thinks this way.

  • Well done! I've only found/joined this community recently. But I'm glad I did for moments like these posts. It helps me feel less insane as I realize there are others out there who have crazy love affairs with their bikes. What a cool place this is!

  • @graham d.m.

    Well done! I've only found/joined this community recently. But I'm glad I did for moments like these posts. It helps me feel less insane as I realize there are others out there who have crazy love affairs with their bikes. What a cool place this is!

    Welcome to the fold...

  • @brett

    I don't think it would make a difference TBH - as I said, I appreciate the beauty of certain design. My Ridley is a beautiful fast thing, my Colnago Master is a beautiful classic thing and my Roberts is a beautiful handmade thing. I sometimes look at other bikes and think how beautiful they are.

    But do I love it/them ? I love what it allows me to do and I love some of the experiences I have on it. But the experiences are mine and I have them on it, not with it, and I could probably have them with another 'it'.

    I love cycling, not bikes.

  • This year has been a test of my love of the bike. Instead of riding in the Master's class like a fat old cow should I have been getting my ass handed to me by the Cat 4's. Three weekends in a row of being cast down in "off the back" shame had me feeling rather indifferent toward la bicyclette.

    After taking almost two weeks off the bike I spent the weekend getting rained and hailed on whilst slogging up 14% grades and watching my buddy's wheel disappear in the mist. But I had a big smile on my face that not even a crotchety, rain-soaked drive train could remove. The muscles are sore from thousands of meters of climbing but the mind is refreshed. I can't wait for the next race.

  • @RedRanger
    Dude. Needs. An. Intervention. (and a woman (or man))

    @thelastkilometer
    Great photos!

    @scaler911

    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.

    Obviously, you've never been to Berkeley, CA. Lots of wackos in that town. (@Nate excluded!) But if you want wacky rednecks, go just about anywhere in the central valley - the farming towns out there are full of 'em. (I should know - I had the misfortune of growing up in Modesto!)

  • @Cyclops
    Beautiful! I'm really hoping you provide an end-of-season reflection on the experience. Best wishes on the inevitable improving results!

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