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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@Dr C
God LORD! Damn two of those plus two spares and that's the round trip airfare from TX to France!
But, on a slightly unrelated topic, the VMH asked what NON-CYCLING item she could get me for my birthday which is just after New Year's (guess she doesn't see that cycling is all-encompassing). I told her about the Harris Tweed shop that I found about here on the V site and she just ordered me a jacket and trousers from them!
I guess if it cannot be a cycling item, Harris Tweed will do! :)
@Buck Rogers
will the trousers have a built in chamois?
I'm riding clinchers, and with the money I'm saving, planning on paying the pro's to give me their wheels, stop and fix mine, then catch up, and whilst I am taking a leak, form the huge volumes of fluid they are constantly handing me, pop mine back in (my wheel).....should save me a lot of fingernails and still have change for some Belgian Ale (which might happen earlier than planned, as no doubt they will drop me when they suss my plan!)
Actually, I'm thinking of going with Conti 4S, but some reviews not so good....what are you going to use on the pave? (or are you a tubs coonvert?)
@Dr C
I'm currently planning on riding Vittoria Open Pave Evo CG's. I have only heard great things about them and that they are pretty much bomb-proof.
Now trying to get a bombproof wheelset and that's why I am looking for the Ambrosio Nemesis equivalent in clincher form (yeah, yeah Fronk, I know, their IS NO equivalent to the Nemesis in clincher form)
Might have to alter the trousers without the VMH knowing about it.
@Dr C
the beauty of getting them from Europe without VAT; they're "only" about $120 through my guy. But still, that's one pricy tire.
I assume they come with a lifetime warranty.
@Dr C
The GP4000S (which I assume is what you meant) is my go-to tire for sure. Not sure what could be said negatively about them, though I've certainly never seen a Pro riding them on the Pavé.
@Buck Rogers
The only reason I stopped riding Vittoria's is they their rubber is too soft for riding over debris; I'd be very concerned about riding them over bad roads like that, though based on their prominence in the peloton for this purpose, they can't be that bad. But then you've got your 15-car suppor model from above to destroy any hypothesis about the quality of any product ever used by a Pro.
We're probably better off just buying diapers and hoping for the best.
@Dr C
I purchased a Conti 4 season 28mm to make sure it would fit my bike and it did easily, more like 26mm, grrrr. The bigger the better to avoid pinch flats with clinchers. Those might be my primary clinchers, with sealant in the innertube. I'm still worrying about it in the middle of the night as I was the king of pinch flats until I switched to 25mm tires for regular Hawaii roads.
@frank
I'm sure that my choice is also a bit nostalgic as I always ran Vittoria sew-ups "back in the day" and, ideally, would love to run sew-ups on the pave'.
Good thoughts, though. Fortunately, I have some time to think about it and I currently have a set of the Vit Open Pave's at home that I bought on sale and will install shortly to get a feel and see how tough they really are.
Still looking for someone to weigh in on the clincher rim of choice for a non-supported ride on the P-R cyclo. Maybe it has already been addressed in the Keepers Tour thread. I need to go look there a bit.
@frank
the Conti 4 Season Clincher seems to be a slightly heavier duty version of the GP4000
Are there inner tubes that are more resistant to pinching that might reduce the pave flats a bit??
@j.king
@jaja
Alright, seems like I have proved that I am an idiot once again.
The clincher versions are right here on this thread. So does the quality of Ambrosio clincher rims increase from the Evolution to Excursion to Excellence to Excellight SSC? Which is the best one to use on building a bomb-proof wheel in all of your knowledged opinions? Is the Excellight not great for Pave'?
@Dr C
Latex might be worth considering, as they're more suple and probably won't flat as easily, but be careful, some of them are too light and thin and tear at the valve. Vittorias seem to be the best ones. I have no experience with the 4 seasons.
@Buck Rogers
Would the wider HED rims or Velocity A23s be a good idea? Hed Ardennes I think are 22mm wide, and to my eye appear relatively deep. Could be a good way to get some comfort without tubs.