Patience has never come naturally to me – I’m more Calvin than I am Hobbes in that regard. Yet I am meticulous and demanding of myself and those with whom I journey through life. It is a conflict that has caused its fair share of grief; my childhood is piled high with memories of incidents where I made choices and mistakes that robbed me of the satisfaction of a job well done.
One such episode involved my eagerness to have bar-mounted shifters in the early nineties. STI had just come on the market, and they were priced so high it would require disciplined saving in order for me to afford them. Rather than patiently saving, I spent my money on lower-cost options which differed in their implementation but shared in their failure to quench my thirst for STI. At one point, my father pointed out that with what I’d spent on cheaper compromises, I could have already bought what I really wanted.
Some lessons in life are easily learned, but to practice them is another thing altogether. While I have learned patience, it is often stretched to its limit as I have also become more exacting in my expectations. What the Prophet giveth, he taketh away.
I have finally reached the point in my life where I enjoy the journey as much as I do the destination. I can’t imagine buying a complete bicycle and forgoing the process of hand-picking the kit to dress it up in and embarking on the quest to source it. For me, a bicycle begins as an idea which slowly materializes through the curation of its frame and components. The process of assembling it is a ritualistic undertaking, a kind of spiritual offering to the Elders on Mount Velomis. The assembled bicycle marks the end of a journey during which we’ve already bonded.
Only as this journey comes to a close are we ready to begin a new one, one where we evolve through prolonged exposure to The V. The path to becoming a Velominatus is built on taking the time to do things correctly, and building our machines is no exception.
Vive la Vie Velominatus.
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@sthilzy
Pearl white is my choice, maybe get some metallic flakes in there as well.
@Pedale.Forchetta
Always a classic! We used to play Folsom in my band in college as well - we rocked it up and it was always a crowd pleaser. Surely I have a recording of it somewhere...
@Deakus Not to mention the caption of the photo...If its nighttime, then I suggest pounding 4 pints and then hitting the trainer for a late-night loopy interval session until you puke.
@TBONE What a cool project, the ultimate in bonding with your bike, of course. Then building your own wheels. Then assembling the frame, to put it in the order of awesomeness.
@frank
Excellent, again.
Having bought my last three steeds "off the shelf" then proceeding to change them to something that I like i.e. different wheels, different saddle, different cranks, different pedals, you would have thought that the penny would have dropped by now.
The differential between just a frameset and a complete bike is not that big a gap when you take into account the post purchase changes and cost involved.
Next steed will definitely be a frame purchase only and pick and choose parts as we go.
Surely that is the most enjoyable part, seeing it all come together, and also the thrill of the hunt for that desired part or piece of the puzzle.
Mr Baum, expect a call in the future !
Speaking for Nashvillians everywhere, I approve of the obesiance given to The Man In Black. He's the musical equivalent of The Prophet here, and our city's patron saint.
I'm also in negotiations with my VMH. I have a tradition of presenting her with my annual cycling Dream Sheet. Last year I did pretty well - new DA Group-San, wheels and a cycling camp. It is of key importance to accompany said Dream Sheet with the statement, No need to do anything special for me this Christmas. The humble assertion that one shouldn't expect to upgrade AND celebrate the holidays cuts through the resistance like a hot knife through chamois cream. We shall see if I'll be building the new gravel grinder this winter.
This is the most enjoyable way of building your steed. One piece at a time.
Since borrowing long term from my dad as a kid, a Raleigh Europa, which had Simplex parts, the the RD DT lever broke. Repaired with a garden hose heated up and pushed over the broken lever. Worked, but got in the way when wanting the smallest cog - a 14T. This was the first trip to my LBS and got some shiney new Shimano 600 EX levers. Next trip replace the steel cotter pin cranks with alloy Stronglight's, set, Kalloy bars, Kalloy pedals, 600EX RD, 600EX FD, 600EX brake levers, replaced Wienman centre pulls with Dia-Compe G's (still got them). The most exciting upgrade was replacing the 27x1 1/4 steel wheels with Mavic 700c aluminium rims and alloy hubs and 25mm tyres.
All upgrades were funded by doing paper rounds which started at 5:30am 6 days a week.
My LBS owner said I should try racing. I thought that was for when I was over 18 years old. I was 13-14 years. The next weekend I rode over to watch a local club crit. The week after I had a number on my back!
My early cycling life, my steeds were built with what I liked looking at. At times the steed may have had Campag with Shimano with Suntour with Huret with Ofmega with what ever. I worked at said LBS and some of the senior guys would upgrade their parts and I end up with their downgrade as my updgrade. Always wrenching on/off new/old parts. Enjoyed every turn of the wrench. Learned how to build wheels. When I could afford enough coin, bought the rims, hubs and spokes and built the wheels up. Great times!
Later on after some time off, the late teens, I always wanted a "off the shelf" bike. Purchased a Balance AL350 MTB and a couple months later was stolen along with my road bike - Super Record built at that time. Insurance replaced the bikes and the road bike was from another shop. All I had to do was point to one that was on the floor and it was mine. A Columbus MAX with 600/Ultegra STI. Heavy as, and still got it. That was about 15 years ago.
Now still enjoy the trill of the hunt seeking parts and wrenching around a rebuilt Moser aluminium.
@frank I love how it looks too. I want to replicate that bar wrap. What is it exactly -- please? I have also been nudged and inspired by your comment to take my MX Leader back to a traditional quill stem. Wiscot dug up a 140mm 3TTT glossy black quill stem -- incredible. So after Thanksgiving I will have transformed The Sword back to the future. Replaced the original build Record headset with a Chris King black 1 inch headset -- 10 year warranty. Now a stem -- 3TTT black. Next looking for 3TTT Competizione due or Cinell Giro 64 bars or ITM Super Italia Pro 2 bars -- 44 ctc. Thanx again Wiscot and Frank.
Johnny Cash
haunting words...