There was a time when bicycles were lovingly handmade by artisans who themselves loved the sport more than those for whom they built the machines. Lugs were filed to become Luggs; chain and seat stays were beautifully chromed for durability despite the grams it added to the frame’s final weight; spokes were chosen for their purpose and laced to hubs and rims in a pattern that suited the specific purpose the wheel was intended to serve. Throughout the process – from building the frame to manufacturing of the components – extra care was taken to make every element of the bicycle beautiful; these bicycles, when you are in their presence, radiate La Vie Velominatus.
As was customary at the time, components would be pantographed and frames repainted and rebranded, leaving behind little evidence of their origin. But hidden in the components and frames were symbols that the manufacturers stamped into their wares to preserve their identity; Colnago their Fiore, Cinelli their C, and Campa their Shield. These symbols have come to hold great meaning within the sport and we of a certain ilk scour the photos of our heroes’ bikes for evidence of their existence.
For a variety of reasons including cost, proprietary tube-shapes, and repeatability of production, these practices have largely died away in mainstream bicycle manufacturing; in fact, nearly every element in the art of bicycle building that requires attention and skill is slowing being eliminated from the craft. Ahead-set stems have replaced the need for a carefully adjusted headset and stem, sealed-bearing bottom brackets and hubs have eliminated the subtle touch required to hold a race in place with one hand while tightening the assembly with the other. By and large, the machines and riders are stronger than the terrain they race over, leaving little practical need for the attention to detail and customization that once came as a matter of course.
There is, however, one magical week of racing where the terrain is still stronger than the riders: the cobbled classics of de Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix. This is the one week during which the Pros still require highly customized machines and we, as fans, can scour the photos of our heroes’ kit, looking for the symbols tucked away in the components to discern their origins. One such symbol is the brass badge affixed to the valve-hole on Ambrosio rims.
These rims are chosen by the Specialists for their strength on the stones regardless of what wheel sponsorship obligations might exist within the team. Their mystique is further deepened for those of us living in the States because they aren’t available here. It follows, then, that the Golden Ticket, as I call it, is something I’ve coveted for as long as I can remember (which, admittedly, isn’t very long and, upsettingly, keeps getting less long) but have never had a good enough reason to justify procuring from Europe. But Keepers Tour, Cobbled Classics 2012 provided the perfect justification to go about finding a set and I wasted no time in doing so. Upon arrival, the rims spent the better part of two weeks sitting in my living room or next to my bed, patiently waiting for me to pick them up and rub my thumb over the badge, just to reassure myself they were still there.
Not long after the rims arrived, I excitedly loaded a picture of Boonen in the 2010 Ronde and turned the laptop to show my VMH.
Frank: Hey, what do you see.
VMH: Boonen. Goddamn, he’s a stud. Don’t let me too close to him; I can’t be responsible for my actions.
Frank: What about his wheels.
VMH: What?
Frank: Don’t you see? He’s got my rims.
VMH: You can’t possibly know that.
Frank: Openly shows his exasperation by groaning audibly and rolling his eyes. Yes, I do. Check it. You can see the Golden Ticket on his back wheel. Its obvious as shit. What’s wrong with you?
VMH: Sighs, pours another glass of wine. Exits stage left. Hopefully not for good.
*Coincidentally, on the same day that this article was being written, Inrng published a similar (better) article on a related subject of hand-built wheels. Well worth the read: The Dying Art of Wheelbuilding
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
@frank
You shoulda checked out (the famous) Fair Wheel Bikes down here in Tucson. They sell Ambrosio.
@Eightzero
I agree with everything you say; my beef with disc brakes is that they're looking to solve a problem that doesn't exist. It's not an innovation for progress, its change for the sake of change. My biggest challenge hitting the brakes hard is keeping the wheels from locking up and becoming useless. Our caliper brakes are already stronger than they need to be. Thats all. The cable is the big failure point....so caliper brakes without cables? That would be progress.
Electronic shifting, of course, is something I can detest purely for the reason that I'm an enthusiast and not a Pro. That is a system full of promise - cables are inefficient, stretch, corrode, and break. And electronic system needs to maintenance in that department and can be much more reliable.
It also kills the art of a shift, and abstracts us from our bikes by one more degree. Good for Pros, bad for people who like to be connected.
By the way, disc brakes in my experience cause at least as much - if not more - trouble with maintenance than do calipers. If the disc comes out of true, have fun stopping the rub. The tolerances in pad adjustment are non-existent, and don't start me on squeezing the brakes without the wheel in there.
@RedRanger
Where was that advice when it mattered? At least they're sold out. And more expensive than the ones I got from Italy.
@frank
+1 to that. I understand that bikes are going to progress, but e-shifting, and disc brakes on road (specifically)? Meh. I like the connection of shifting with cables, the battery pack is ugly, as are the 'skinny' wires. And disc brakes are great for 'cross/ mtb when you need clearance in the mud, but they are unneeded and ugly on the road. What's next, is the industry going to revisit Softrides? Unilateral forks?
@Tomb
The C2 are nice. But I can't wait till my Nemisis arrive. ETA Friday. I think I will be hurting myself next weekend.
@Nate
Yeah. I feel the draw of the golden tickets, but really, I live in the country. Crap roads and random beer bottles don't mix with tubs. And last time I checked I can replace 5 tubes for the price of ONE cheap Taiwanese sew up.
@frank You wouldn't be willing to share the place you got your Ambrosios would ya. I hope to get someone to special orders a set of Excursions.
Narrowly missed a Nemesis wheelset on ebay last night. And a set of rims from the same seller. Anyone turning up to the Cobbled Clasic on Nemesis rims with red Hope hubs had best have their mini pump to hand!
@frank
Fronk:
You're running sew-ups on your Ronde and P-R rides this spring? I looked into getting some of these beautiful Ambrosio Nemesis rims and now realize that they are only tubulars, no clinchers. Are you going to have an extra three or four wheelsets in the support vehicle? I cannot imagine making it the whole way, on either of those rides, without flatting at least a few times. Hell, even the cyclosportif says that you cannot start without 4 spares tubes.
I am looking into doing the June P-R cyclosportif and that is why I am asking about it.
Does anyone know of a Ambrosio Nemesis equivalent rim in clincher for the pave' rides?
@Buck Rogers
Of course I'm riding tubs; I'm not a savage, am I? Actually, the idea would be that the tubs are less likely to flat; with all the banging around, snakebites are an issue. And yes, we have spare wheels in the car, and yes, I'll have at least an extra tub (or more, they are expensive though).
I'll be riding the FMB Paris-Roubaix, which is Boonen's Choice. http://www.fmbtires.com/fmb_paris_roubaix_pro.htm
@frank
As I will be riding unsupported in June on the P-R cyclo, I do not have the chutzpah to ride tubs.
Understand the thought process of fewer flats, but I raced and trained on sew-ups for about 6 years and still had flats, and none of my races were on pave'!
Sure all the pros do, and they have a Mavic motorcycle with 5 wheels on it and a car with 5 bikes and 10 sets of wheels.
All I'll have is me and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!
Would love to run sew-ups, but doesn't work in my scenerio (just one more reason I HATE the thought of missing the Keeper''s''s'''s' Tour!!! :)
@Buck Rogers
Hey Buck, the FMB P-R are only 160 dollars a tyre....
Wouldn't need to puncture too many times at that price!!