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
@Buck Rogers
I applied 1 coat on wheels and tubs so far, and still have probably half a 30g tube left. For comparisons sake, it seems I am putting it on WAY to thin? I have plenty of glue so I'm not worried about running out, but when I was spreading it about, any thicker and it would have been lumpy and that didnt seem to be the desired effect?
Hello to all cobblestones enthusiasts
People who are joining the keepers tour and are hesitating about the tire width they shoud run and clincher vs tubulars.
At the risk of sounding like a sinner to the rules , i rode both Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne and Omloop het Nieuwsblad cyclosportif(some serious cobbled sections) last weekend as a warming-up for the keepers tour on my regular conti gp4000s clinchers with absolutely no problem and no flats. Same thing goes for a couple of RvR's i rode last year
However i haven't ridden the French cobblestones so i can't vouch for how the tires will hold up there.
@Belgian Cobblestones
Firstly, awesome. How nice it must be to be able to ride those roads that frequently. Secondly, how wide are your contis? 23's?
@Belgian Cobblestones
So far we are safe, Frank may lobby for an all tubular Rule eventually. Glad to hear clinchers are working in Belgium.
@marko
I don't know how I missed this but your BMC looks fantastic. It makes me feel a little guilty not to be riding some fancy 3X wheels for this trip but as I said before, if my old factory Campa wheels don't make it out of Belgium, at least they got closer to home.
I've got a tight line on some 16 spoke Shamal tubs - can't wait to stick them on the old Bianchi!
@Oli
Nice! The Columbus decal looks like it's a TSX or an SLX, or EL maybe... I had a Minimax and a EL/OS; unfortunately I cracked both. That celeste paint with chrome stays and fork is iconic. That era of Reparto Corsa frames was when I was working at the local shop. At the time my employee discount was the only way I could afford the Minimax frame and Chorus 8spd Ergo gruppo.
That's one sweet ride Oli!!
@gravity bob
Cheers! My three (greedy!) identical frames all came from my time in a Bianchi dealer LBS in the 90s. Of the three, the one above is the only one without cracks, although it was probably the one that's done the most kilometres.
My daily ride has just had a frame swap - I've been riding around for the last few years on one that had cracked around the b/b and been repaired ten years ago. The repair cracked again almost immediately in two small places, but then last week the cracks started growing so I swapped it out for another spare that also has a seemingly stable small crack. I guess I'll find out how stable over time, but it's held up for the last few hilly rides anyway, and even withstood a few efforts from my, er, powerful build...
I'm going to see if the repaired one can be re-repaired, so that I always have two built up and a frame in reserve.
@gravity bob
And good spotting, they are indeed TSX-ULs...
@Oli
I've never really been a Bianchi fan, possibly from seeing too many tossers riding badly maintained examples (not in anyway meant as a slur on your character but those who decide that it's got to be Italian for reasons that they aren't even aware of but get no further than Bianchi when googling Italian bike) but those two are damned fine. Seeing them in your shrine could force a change of attitude. Chapeaux.
Good luck with the re-repair and the cracks in the other one remaining innocuous.
Thanks, Chris. I'm still (obviously) a big Bianchi fan, but it's the ride I love not the somewhat agricultural build quality. I'm lucky to ride a lot of really nice bikes, but the TSX holds up really well against anything I've ridden in terms of geometry and ride quality - even with the cracks they are the perfect bike for me.