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
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@frank, @Calmante
I had this in mind when I made my comment about the shoulders
@Chris
@frank
Those two pictures are perfect examples. I'd ride the crown on frank's stretch of road, and the shoulder on Chris's.
@frank
Just made that pic my screenshot. What a pic!
Also, FINALLY rode my HED C2 Belgium wheels with the Vittoria Pave' tubulars on them to work today. Raining and dense fog with a real crappy road surface. Just felt AWESOME. Even if the amazing feel and grippiness and contact with the road on tubluars vs clinchers is all imagined (which I do not think that it is) it was still stirring to me when I was riding in, knowing that I was on wheels that I had taken hours to clean, prep and meticuloulsy glued and fretted over for days. Just something a bit beyond when riding tubulars.
Also a plus was when the Army Post gate guard, some ex-infantry contactor dude, looked at me when checking my ID and said, with a firm head nod, "You're a Man with a Plan, Sir" and then the front desk clerk at work said, "You rode in THIS weather???" What a way to start a day.
@frank
Alas the lure of the golden ticket was too strong.
Even riding those cobbles last weekend and proving i could very well bounce on my 23's a little anoying question keeps popping up in my head how good a ride would i have on those ominously named nemesis.
Thus a slight detour was made from the morning ride. And in a moment of weakeness i caved in and went on spluging myself on some rims and dtswiss hubbs.
Now how to sole those hoops? fmb roubaix, vittoria pave ...
@Belgian Cobblestones
Now THAT is an impressive splurge right there!!! Hope you're not married b/c those rims are hard to hide!
@Marko
Beauty in the form of a bike. How do the Pave tires ride? Are they appropriate to use as training tires?
@Oli, @Frank, This was my holy grail of Bianchi frames from the '90s; the Ti Mega Tube.
I found this for sale in a cycling forum and picked it up around 2004. The celeste decals were pretty beat up so I spent hours hand repainting them. Amazingly Bianchi USA had touch up paint that matched the decal color almost perfectly; from a few feet away you couldn't see the minor difference in shade. I built it up and rode it; Record/Chorus 10spd gruppo, Ouzo Pro fork, and Nucleon tubulars... what a ride! Ultimately I could never get comfortable on the frame. It's a size 55 and I need 57 for Bianchi. I sold it a few years ago and would grab another in my size if I could find one.
Another unique thing about this frame is that it's 1 of 100 produced. In 1997 Bianchi could not supply the demand for Ti Mega Tube frames in the US. So Bianchi Italy authorized Bianchi USA to go to Litespeed and have them make 100 Ti Mega Tube frames. That's why it has a natural ti finish with celeste decals, not the standard celeste paint with dark blue decals. My team at the time was sponsored by Bianchi USA (and the president of Bianchi USA was a member) so we had several of these in our ranks. When these came out I was "stuck" with my EL/OS as a replacement for my Minimax. I never heard of or saw any problems with this version of the Ti Mega Tube.
Probably the Bianchi frame Oli and I should have been using rather than torturing lightweight nivacrom steel frames with our svelte statures...
@Anjin-san
Not sure what Marko thinks but I have mine sitting next to me on my bike from this mornings commute and they ride amazingly well and I am using them for training and the two "rough road" races that I have coming up in the next 4 months. Also, I am running the 27 Vit Pave' as I bought my wheels specifically for rough rides.
@Buck Rogers
Thank you. We have quite a few gravel roads where I live and I have been anxious to find a "do it all" road tire that could take the punishment, but still perform well on pavement. Perhaps I will give the Pave a try. 27mm, hmm, got to measure, I am not sure they will fit! Thanks again.