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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wiscot says:

Jan 30 2015 at 5:57 am

Tour of Ireland 1986 I think. I love the look on Sean Yates's face: C'mon Greg, can't you go any faster, I'm getting pretty bored back here!" Frank Hoste behind him just looks worried.

Kimmage and Timmis behind Hoste I think.

Crazy fact of the day: the 1976 Tour of Ireland was won by none other than a certain Pat McQuaid, later purveyor of sterling services to cycling via the UCI.
Ron says:

Jan 30 2015 at 6:45 am

I've got a big heart, so I can love a big stable.

Right now I'm set on bikes, I just want to perfect a few to my liking. Would like a new wheelset for my Casati but I'm having trouble setting on rims. Right now it has mismatched Open Pros, one black, one white, with black Record hubs (not my doing, was purchased used). I'd like to use the hubs and go with low profile alloy rims, but not easy to find 32h rims. I'd love to go with the white/silver DT 465s, but they were only made in 28s. It's a silver frameset with white and silver parts, so I'd like to stay away from black rims.

Oli, great bike and great photo! I love seeing shots of New Zealand.
Ron says:

Jan 30 2015 at 7:09 am

Has LeMan's computer rattled off or is it just so slim that it's hard to make out?
wiscot says:

Jan 30 2015 at 8:39 am

@Ron

Looks like it's just plain missing. It would have been an early Avocet I think and likely brightly colored. Note the clean cockpit of Yates. He used the mental V meter.
ChrissyOne says:

Jan 30 2015 at 9:33 am

And then you need a sport tourer, a dual sport adventure, a super bike for the track, a cruiser, a cafe racer, a motocross bike...
Ron says:

Jan 30 2015 at 11:41 am

Was the foam at the top of LeMan's Oakley's replaceable? Removable and washable? Seems like it would get pretty malodorous rather quickly with brow sweat and road muck.

I guess the trick was to motor along fast enough that all scents were heaved up the riders sucking your wheel.
Teocalli says:

Jan 30 2015 at 12:43 pm

@Ron

Was the foam at the top of LeMan's Oakley's replaceable? Removable and washable? Seems like it would get pretty malodorous rather quickly with brow sweat and road muck.

I guess the trick was to motor along fast enough that all scents were heaved up the riders sucking your wheel.

Or have a sponsor. Hey Mr Oakley, my glasses are dirty. That's OK sir, here's a new pair.
Bruce Lee says:

Jan 30 2015 at 1:29 pm

I, for one, agree that one should have a quiver of bikes to use for the adventure at hand. But I have to admit there seems to be a ratio between ones income, number of bikes, and time to ride. When I made very little money I had lots of time to ride, and just one bike (a great one, was the old Merckx). Now, I can afford that selection of bikes for whatever purpose, but the time to ride has been surrendered to the job for the money. I love having a selection of bikes in my garage but sometimes I'd rather have the time I had as a kid to roll the miles on just one good bici.
DeKerr says:

Jan 30 2015 at 1:39 pm

On the first ride of 2015 I found myself on unfamiliar roads riding the n1 (The Blackbird) when the tarmac turned to aggregate. There was a brief moment of "oh no, I'm on the wrong bike!" but it was only brief.

5km of beautiful flat gravel and all that mattered was that I was on a bike and I could ride as hard as I wanted.

So I agree, sometimes... most times, you just have to go for it.
PeakInTwoYears says:

Jan 30 2015 at 1:59 pm

@rfreese888

@pistard

Yes in my 'weaker' moments I was rolling in desire for bikes instead if observing the truth of suffering - but after a number of obsessive N+1 hours I could see quite clearly, 'This is Dukkha' - so I now have some level of equanimity with Rule #12.

Also it was cheaper for me to sit than daily life 'on the outside' so in good shape for N+1 transactions :-)

Well played!