On Rule #12: The Bike #1 Paradox
[rule number=12/]
The only parents who proclaim to have a favorite child are the ones who have only one; all the other ones pretend they don’t have a favorite because they are each “different and special in their own way”. It’s complete bollocks, that, and we all know every parent does in fact have a favorite, but we like the lie more than we like the truth, so we all play along.
Rule #12 poses a similar conundrum, one in which we tell ourselves the same lie: we love all our bikes equally. Which we don’t, of course; we all have a favorite. A friend recently asked me how one goes about the business of judging which bike is your favorite and even as I told the usual lie, I was performing the calculus as to which actually is my favorite.
Sentimentally, I’d have to say my favorite is my first love, my Bianchi EV2 which currently hangs in disrepair in the back corner of the basement, waiting to be restored to period-correct glory. Either that or my steel Bianchi TSX with simplex downtube shifters and sexy silver Campa hubs and bits. Or my Cervelo R3 which was my first carbon steed and who loyally carried me over two Cobbled Classics Keepers Tours and currently faithfully serves as my Nine Bike. Or my Veloforma CCX which was my first custom-painted bike, gloriously flying the colors of the Velominati with a V-Lion headtube badge. Or my Veloforma Strada iR which is my go-to featherweight road steed on summer rides. Apparently I’m sentimental about any bike I’ve ever suffered on, so measure turns out not to be a helpful one.
From a utility standpoint, one might suggest the #1 would be the one you ride most often, but no bike should go unridden, and we should endeavor to ride them equally. That has that one sorted as a useless measure as well. The next obvious measure would be the one we take out on special rides, irrespective of the weather or road conditions. Or perhaps it is simply the one we spent the most money on, the one that helps us observe Rule #25, but cost seems like a silly reason to prefer one bike over another.
My Bike #1 is the one that makes me feel most free, that returns me most dearly to the reasons why I started riding a bike in the first place: my Graveur. It carries me through the backcountry forest roads in Washington State, on rides that almost always start and end accompanied by my other loyal steed, our pitbull-greyhound mutt. You can’t feel more free on a bike than that.
I’ll say it again: the road is where my heart lies, but the gravel is where I find my soul. VLVV.
And trying to keep them all happy is so hard..especially when one set of #1’s…gets replaced by a newer set…I fear of going into the garage one morning and finding the older set of twins( the blue bar tape) decided to knock the newer set( pink tape) off their hooks at the front of the line. Using your analogy of determining the #1 bike…it would have to be the newer track bike..nothing sets my soul free like being glued to the black line and flying around a velodrome!
I don’t race my #1, a Cervelo S5. I race it’s “grandfather” a carbon soloist which has been repainted a nice glossy black. They both handle remarkably similarly, though the S5 can carve turns like no other. My logic is (as I race a lot of crits) should something befall the race bike, I will cry not quite as long as should it happen to the #1 (ridden under safer circumstances). And of course should this happen, I will then get to buy another #1, promote the S5 to race rig and continue the logic, flawed though it be.
#1 is the ine I’m riding at the moment.
@Ccos
I use this logic with mine as well though it’s #3 that gets to carry my fat arse around a crit or road race. It ain’t the oldest or cheapest either, but absolutely brilliant across all facets of racing. The reality is that all are favourites however as frank noted above, while each of them is a favourite, that depends on the day, mood, conditions & so on. I made an informed decision, i.e. I convinced myself which one I could live without in the event of something untoward happening during a race, which seems the most likely place for it to happen, then #3 will be missed, mourned over but I will be able to move on with my life afterwards. As someone once said about having more than one child & having a favourite, at least the other child/ren can be used for spare parts in the event of a mishap.
Foul for christ sakes, somebody call the Pope.
[rule number=29/]
@il ciclista medio
Well written, sir Frank – and a nice photograph, that.
It’s very much ‘Horses for courses’ where my stable is concerned. ‘Base’ Training rides and longer outings in rainy weather? Alloy Giant with or without fenders. Pootling along with the missus for a sunny ride? 1982 Koga Miyata Roadspeed. 2 or more hours flat-out, mouth-foaming interval sufferfest with lots of furious climbing? Carbon Dura Ace-equipped ‘Jensen’ #1.
Have yet to cobble me a decent CCX bike together, though. And speaking of such things: you may have mentioned it here (in which case I’ve missed it, for some reason), but what became of the Nederaap? Has it been moved on to new and greener pastures?
But, for the record, I see your point about how a ‘favorite’ can gradually seem to emerge, regardless of practicalities. In my case, that would be the almost 35 year old Koga Miyata. For sentimental reasons, surely – but also because it actually IS a very nice ride – and because I – to a slightly higher degree than with the other 2, perhaps – associate it with quality time of the highest order and a care-free state of mind. (Or it’s because I’m turning into a sentimental and weak old fart, of course…)
@Mike Smith
Its a tubular tire, genius. If you’re going to try to call me out on a Rule Violation, you’re going to have try a lot fucking harder than that.
@Haldy
…and of course we anthropomorphize them shamelessly.
I can abide by it, seeing how’s my n+ is the only one I’ma gonna need.
At least until something changes my mind.
Once again well said a Frank. As parents we constantly say we gave no “favorite” but our kids know better. They know dam well who the “favorite” is. With that said I agree with you my “first” Pinarello Treviso with Athena Campy is my favorite. Reminds me why I entered our world of cycling. Now, my Love is my Merckx EMX-7 full super Record. Dosen’t get any better!!!
@frank
Rightly so..
My favorite bike is my daughter’s road race bike. Go figure. About damn near the bike I’d have built for myself. Funny how that happened hey? She’s had much success on this bike. 2(n+1) is much fun.
For a hammerfest my Parlee Z5i ,for just a solo rip through the countryside I sure love my new 40th anniversary Marinoni ,I could honestly just look at it for hours ,a modern classic without a hint of carbon on the build. Strangely the Stainless Pegoretti gets the least use of them all .
In the true spirit of n+1 my favourite is my next bike – currently that’s most likely a cargo that can handle the school run – but it’s not the bike itself, I love the process of deciding what I want next and even the waiting for the right opportunity. Perhaps when I finally get a custom road frame that will settle it, but if not, I have no qualms living my life looking forward to my next bike.
I have reached the dizzy heights of s-1 with only two bikes. Any more than that and the shares in Mr & Mrs Gilly will hit free fall. Carbon Kuota with SRAM Red for all tarmac activity and a Felt hard tail for everything else. Guess who wears the strides in my house?
@Uncle V
Methinks some photos need posting.
I couldn’t love a bike more. The frame was custom built by a good friend, and paid for by a shadowy syndicate of my best friends. It was an amazing surprise to hear I’d be getting it, and the love with which it’s imbued only enhances the superb geometry and build quality. It’s filet-brazed from Columbus Pego-Ritchie steel tubing, and built for an ex-puncheur who is sadly now far north of 100kg. I can ride it no-hands on gravel, it descends superbly, and it’s the stiffest bike of any material I’ve ever owned. It doesn’t matter what ride I’m facing this is the bike that I want to choose first.
Very nice, Frank! My time for long rides is limited these days, so any riding is awesome riding for me. Still able to commute to work daily, so been experimenting with road wheels on my cross bike, 28s on my road bikes, clipless on my platform-pedal SS, etc. Keeps things interesting, keeps every ride joyous. Been having the most fun on the lowly SS commuter.
Still, I know which bike is my favorite, and all the other bikes must know as well. For me though, it’s all about constantly tweaking the stable so that you really want to ride one bike over the other. A longer stem, a new saddle, different tires, etc. Then you don’t have to choose based on love, you can go with needing to do some R&D ridin’…
Oli – goddamn, my man! You surely know how to kit-out a nice frameset. Lovely bike! And I don’t even like bikes for tall lads!
Posted this in the article on the bike, but hey, a few dog photos deserve another…I run mine by bike if I can’t fit in a good hike with them. (though not on my Tommasini, this was a special photo op). Both rescue dogs, the smaller one was supposed to grow! She hasn’t, damnit, and has small dog yippie tendencies, but she is smart as hell and determined. One left by hunters in the woods, one found roaming the city streets.
I couldn’t agree more. In fact, I’ll see your Graveur and raise you an adventure bike. Once I bought my fatbike last winter a little lightbulb went off. Super fun and had me riding in the dead of winter over lakes and trails that were formerly inaccessible on two wheels. But the white hot light of a thousand suns shown down on me when I put 29+ carbon hoops, 3″ tires, and drop bars on the thing. A whole new world opened up. Load it with packs and go to the mountains, get lost in the 100 mile swamp, roll fast on gravel, single-track – why not. This bike has been my go-to this summer. So bloody fun. And although I’d never tell my C40 – ssshhhhh – I think it’s number 1.
Variety is the spice of life, so I have a #1 Carbon, a #1 9 bike, a #1 Vintage and a #1 modern Steel, each is #1 as the mood takes me.
@Teocalli
I like this line of thinking.
@Marko
That’s gotta happen. Looks like so much fun! But I still cannot abide the EPMS.
@Uncle V
That really surprise me. My Peg is my #1 and I rarely want to ride anything else. Why is yours the least used?
@frank
A #1 Graveur would however be nice.
@MangoDave
I just find that the bike does most everything well but does not shine in any one department ,like a jack of all trades and master of none. Its really just kinda boring. If I were to choose between my lugged steel Marinoni which is a gorgeous frame at a fraction of the cost of the Peg to take me on a Zen like trip. Hands down the Marinoni wins. To me Pepe (Mr Marinoni) can still deliver the magic into every one of his frames, more so than the iconic Dario Pegoretti .
@frank “If you’re going to try to call me out on a Rule Violation, you’re going to have try harder than that.”
Just trying: Rule #52 Bidons are to be small in size. 500ml maximum.
@Marko
That thing looks pretty awesome but you would appear to have put the drive train on back to front.
@Marko
While in context of the Cognoscenti the Rules Violations on this steed abound, however; viewed on its own for what it is, it is a thing thing of beauty.
That said, the current EPMS (while arguably necessary on such a rig) still looks like an unnecessary testicle. I humbly suggest something that tucks up closer to the saddle, thereby interfering less with the otherwise smooth lines.
@Oli gorgeous bike, the photo of which is diminished by the presence of dishwashing paraphernalia on the counter.
@chris
Classic!
@KogaLover
There, that’s better. There’s an unwritten bylaw, however, that would state you can go to big bidon’s when you’re doing 160km solo rides through the wilderness in the heat.
@frank
When are you going to pay a visit to Steve Hampsten and see about getting yourself a proper custom bike? Until then, I will have to paraphrase Yoda and say “what know you favorite?”
@DeKerr
Haha, thanks! I was just trying to portray the escape from domestic drudgery a bike ride entails …
@Ron
Thanks man!
@frank
That’s funny stuff right there…
@Nate
Steve and I are talking about it constantly, but to be honest I’m scared because I know I’m walking out of that meeting having ordered an unapproved bike and I’m wondering whether I’m getting close to the S in S-1.
@Oli that is super cool.
@frank
Thanks, so I guess the Rule #41 violation is another unwritten bylaw which stipulates that it’s OK to put front skewer into aero position if chased by a wild dog on a 160km solo ride through the wilderness in the heat. I think this calls for a new book: “the By-rules”?
I only have one road bike. Obviously, I have 2 other bikes to conform with the most basic stipulations of Rule #12 (mountain bike and commuter).
But obviously I love the road bike the most.
But when I think about it I don’t love it for what it is, what it’s made of; aluminium tubes, cables and some rubber, I love it for what it provides – the freedom and escape when I swing my leg over the top tube.
I bought it a year ago without having really done much road riding and it is definitely the best thing I’ve bought,
@Nate
Cheers!
@frank
Odd, I could have sworn the unwritten bylaw about 160km solo rides through the wilderness in the heat was that a third bidon stowed in the jersey’s middle pocket was acceptable.
@DeKerr
@frank speaking of dangling testicular protuberances, how about The Unsullied as a new lexicon entry for those who take care to pack only the barest essentials no matter what the duration or magnitude of a ride might be so as not to defile their bikes or weigh down their jerseys?
@chris
@KogaLover
@frank
Sometimes my testicular protuberances are quite large. It’s an adventure bike so on some level we’re talking apples and oranges. This thing goes where there are no roads. Roads, even unimproved ones, could be miles and miles away. I’ve forded streams, been up to my nuts in bogs, hiked up thousands of feet of single track, ridden through grass and weeds up to my shoulders, been followed by hordes of flies, waved it at moose and bear to scare them out of my way. I’ll be damned if I’m going to carry an extra 3″ X 29″ tube, tire boots, CO2, lube, large multi-tool, rain cape, extra layer, and 4000 extra calories in my fucking jersey and I’m slogging along at 9k/hr for hours on end. If it’s all about looking pro, look no further than these dudes for inspiration on this type of bike. Then go out and try it with your jersey stuffed. When you do, report back and let me know how it went for you. I’ve already declared 2015 the year of the EPMS.
@Marko
Guess I m glad the cycling season and year 2015 is over then.
But the real question remains: What is worse: EPMS or jersey-sag. My view: EPMS is worse as there is a clear Rule again that. Jersey-sag is only one of the by-rules that only @Frank is familiar with.
I had a few hours to spare on Saturday and with a big ride planned on Sunday, I decided that rather than head out on #1, it would be a good idea to get #2 into shape for the winter.
The #2 had only been demoted from its tip dog status in June when, in a moment of madness that hasn’t been repeated, Mrs Chris agreed that I needed a second bike. It’d been languishing at the back of the garage since the end of August when we’d come back from holiday (I’d taken int to France for my brother in law to ride as he’d flown down so couldn’t take his bike).
The wheels didn’t need much attention as they’d been on my #1 since I gashed the rear tubular on the #1’s carbon wheels whilst lost in France and taking a dirt track back to out village). The rest of the bike got a good strip down, clean and grease where required.
It was a blissfully relaxing way to while away a couple of hours and made Sunday’s 132 km on the #2 that much sweeter. Apart from trying to shift Shimano like it was Sram and the front brake being on the wrong side, the #2 did a great job of reminding me what a fine bike it is.
@KogaLover
I’ll take an EPMS over jersey sag on the adventure bike any day. For a couple reasons; I’ve lost things out of my jersey pockets while hike-a-bikeing and shouldering and it’s just uncomfortable on rough terrain bouncing around and sometimes even leaving scrapes and bruises on my lower back. Plus, there’s a tendency to fall more and falling on a loaded jersey sucks. It’s all about necessity. I’ve tried both. My first inclination as a Keeper was to ride without but I learned after a couple rides that it just wasn’t practical.
@Marko
Apart from the gentle dig about your drive chain, my comments weren’t aimed at you. As long you keep the adventure bike miles and miles away from roads (even unimproved ones) I reckon it is exempt from a lot of the rules.
Fucking off into the wild blue yonder like that must be awesome. Unfortunately, the closest I can manage is the fens; rather than being eaten by a bear, it’s more likely that I’d be sodomised and eaten by some inbred.
Neither am I advocating anything that results in Fat Arsed Jersey Syndrome on the road.
@frank
Good news then. It is a fun process you may as well drag it out!
@Uncle V
Interesting perspective. I’d hardly call mine boring. It’s a much older model than yours, I wonder if that matters. Sadly, I doubt I’ll ever have a chance to ride a Marinoni. It all goes to remind me that there are so many good bike choices out there it’s impossible to experience them all. .
@Marko
That weird thing is pretty freeking awesome Marko. It might not be a road bike but it looks to be a well thought out machine for tackling the bonkers shit you must ride up there in the great north woods.
I think you are going to destroy the plastic clip-thing on that EPMS in short order, however. I had one of those back before I discovered these hallowed pages and it only took a couple rides on rough roads to break the plastic.
@Marko
I’m not sure all that awesome you’re talking about justifies such a tiny EPMS, most crucially, that it justifies leaving it on for the photo (masturbation principle FFS!) The bike camping looks wickedly cool. The small EPMS does not. The giant EMPSes look like necessary baggage to carry all that Awesome.
The question is, are the speed low enough that you can bring your dog?
This looks pretty cool:
http://findyourfast.tumblr.com/post/120318470739/a-week-ago-dave-and-i-along-with-a-solid-crew-of
@Nate
This.
@MangoDave
It could just be the tires on the Peg ,they,re vittoria 25c corsa tubulars with the tan sidewall ,Unlike most I just can,t get on the bandwagon in favour of 25c,s . They look hideous when looking down on the tire while riding, they mush up and down when climbing out of the saddle , much more so than a 23c . They don,t seem to smooth out the pave a whole lot better than 23,s . They look slow and feel slow . Will get some 23,s on the Peg it could very well take the word boring out of the whole equation..