Categories: CyclotourismDefining MomentsLa Vie VelominatusNostalgiaThe Rules

On Rule #12: The Luxury of Passion

No Graveur needed here.

Rule #12 is a luxury of passion; the #1 for good weather and epic rides or races, the Nine Bike for bad weather, the Graveur (which is neither a cross bike nor a road bike), a ‘Cross bike, a mountain bike, a townie, a track bike, a time trial bike. Add in steel, carbon, titanium – a bike for each material and a material for each bike. The only logical conclusion is that we all need – need – a bare minimum of somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 bikes. Columbo couldn’t poke a hole in that case.

On the other hand, there is something to be said for just riding your bike wherever you happen to point it, in whatever weather you happen to be riding in, on whatever kind of road you happen to have at your disposal.

We should collect as many bikes as we can love, but we should also remember that bikes were meant to be ridden, not pampered. Vive la Vie Velominatus.

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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the Engine says:

Jan 31 2015 at 11:09 am

@Chris

@the Engine

I'm not known as a bike pamperer

Ivor, we're not tri-athletes, comfort stops are allowed.

...and I promise not to shit myself on the KT
frank says:

Jan 31 2015 at 12:31 pm

@the Engine

The V-Bike can take much more than a 32mm tire. Its a fucking CX bike, you git. Can't wait to smack you upside the head in Lille for not bringing a road bike on Keepers Tour!
Chris says:

Jan 31 2015 at 12:37 pm

@frank

How was twelve my magic number? Didn't I say 25? Also, I made that number up because doing math is harder than choosing a random number.

You may well have said 25, but I said 12 as making things up is easier than actually reading your articles properly.
Chris says:

Jan 31 2015 at 1:21 pm

@the Engine

@Chris

@the Engine

I'm not known as a bike pamperer

Ivor, we're not tri-athletes, comfort stops are allowed.

...and I promise not to shit myself on the KT

No, but Museeuw will if you turn up to ride with him on fat tyres and cross sized rings.

@frank is right the KT isn't about comfort bikes
Lynn Pauly says:

Jan 31 2015 at 2:16 pm

Well this pampered little princess is actually RIDDEN since she is only one of two... Yes, I'm looking to ADD; perhaps an INFINITO CV lies in my future... MAYBE. But it has to be the right color, of course.This sweet little greenie is known in these parts as The Duchess. No interloper will ever rank higher OR get more attention. .. believe me. She takes me wherever I want to go.. whenever. Rain or shine.
Oli says:

Jan 31 2015 at 2:48 pm

@Lynn Pauly

Well this pampered little princess is actually RIDDEN since she is only one of two... Yes, I'm looking to ADD; perhaps an INFINITO CV lies in my future... MAYBE. But it has to be the right color, of course.This sweet little greenie is known in these parts as The Duchess. No interloper will ever rank higher OR get more attention. .. believe me. She takes me wherever I want to go.. whenever. Rain or shine.

Nice, Lynn! As you may be aware, I too love the Celeste.
Oli says:

Jan 31 2015 at 2:49 pm

And yet, there's no evidence of that...
Oli says:

Jan 31 2015 at 2:52 pm

@Oli

And yet, there's no evidence of that...
Lynn Pauly says:

Jan 31 2015 at 3:19 pm

@Oli

Well, I wouldn't say that!! And look how the beauteous water background accentuates!
Oli says:

Jan 31 2015 at 3:51 pm

Sorry, that comment was because the photos didn't come through when I initially tried to post them.