A new decade is here. Not the one that started Jan 1st, but the one marked by my new bike. By habit, this bike will occupy the #1 spot for 10 years, give or take, until another bike happens. That’s the way of bikes– the best ones simply happen. I don’t go shopping, or even buying. I just suddenly have a new bike. (Except that they’re always used.) It’s a strange approach, given the length of the commitment, but it’s been working so far.
In the ’90s, bike #1 was a Cannondale CAD 3 (with Suntour 7 spd). In the ’00s, bike #1 was a Cannondale R3000 (with DuraAce 9 spd). Now, I am a proud member of the modern age in my Felt F1 (with DuraAce 10 spd). The acquisition of the Felt had no premeditation, no research, no method. I was not actively looking for a new bike. (One is, of course, always passively looking for another bike.) The Cannondales were each from [different] cousins of Will Frischkorn, and both came from conversations that started, “Hey I might be able to get you a bike”.
This one has a story too. This bike comes from Danny Pate, formerly of Team Garmin, more recently of HTC, and next season of Team Sky. Frank found it, via Pate’s twitter feed, and sent me the link along with some taunt about carbon. It was late on a Wednesday night, I was full of scotch, and my lovely wife was out of town…so I joined twitter and posted a reply. I talked to Pate on the phone that weekend, sent him a check, and ba-da-bing: bike arrives the following Thursday (complete, sans wheels, as agreed). He even included a matching team kit, still in the wrapper– a gentleman and a scholar, Mr Pate.
Frank lent me some spare wheels, and I’m off to the future. The hills on our regular training lap are still higher at the top than at the bottom, but that’s about the only thing that is the same. This bike is fast.
Now I just need to “happen” some wheels for permanent use. And a flat stem, of course.
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Beautiful ride. I'm off to look for one in the near future, as my near decade ago beloved Bianchi was stolen last week. Meantime I'm riding my first real race bike, a steel mid-80's Lotus with Shimano 600. Weeeee.
Or course, if I find who stole my Bianchi I will kill and eat them.
@mcsqueak
One of Jim's ideas for the name badge is to have one made that says "Previously ridden faster by" and put it right above the Pate badge. I think that's pretty fuckin' cool.
Very nice Jim! I like how a plan comes together like that. I too agree the name badge has to stay and the "Previously ridden faster by" tag to be the perfect solution to the issue. Now be off with you and enjoy your new ride!
fasthair
@frank
Keeps the old badge while basically acknowledging that the new rider fully respects the old. Perfect solution.
Awesomeness! Good score Jimbo...
@King Clydesdale
I agree, I think that would be a perfect idea, as you could always pull the additional wording off if you wind up not liking it.
@Erik
That would best be done at a post Cogal BBQ, it'd get the message out. "Generally, we're pretty cool and will look at hardships as an opportunity to HTFU but don't fuck with the bikes!"
Great story, and bike!
I think that the name badge should stay as it is.
Bel mezzo!
It's a very special confluence of events that has brought you that bike @jim. It suggests that you have been a very good fella in a past life. Well done.
I'm with @Pedale.Forchetta
I reckon that when you do have the great good fortune to inherit a Pro team bike, you don't mess with it. Just try to honour it the best you can by smashing all that come before you. Same with the Garmin Kit. Use it, I'd suggest. There would have to be special dispensation given based on its origins.
This is a very cool acquisition indeed. Being in the museum world as I am, a good provenance is a very big deal, so by all means keep the name badge. My question is, how intact do you keep the bike? What is permissable to swap out? bars? pedals? stem? It's already got non-issue wheels. Do you just keep the frame and basic gruppo?