The Bikes
The Bike. It is the central tool in pursuit of our craft. A Velominatus meticulously maintains their bicycles and adorns them with the essential, yet minimal, accoutrement. The Rules specify the principles of good taste in configuration and setup of our machines, but within those principles lies almost infinite room for personal taste.
It seems in some ways like a kind of Stockholm Syndrome, the way we honor our machines. We love them to a point that lies well beyond obsession. Upon these machines upon we endure endless suffering, but also find an unending pleasure. The rhythm, the harmony between rider and machine, the outdoors, the wind in our faces and air in our lungs.
The Bikes is devoted entirely to our machines. Ours, The Keepers, and yours, the Community. It features articles devoted to our bikes, and proves a forum for uploading photos of your own machines for discussion. We will be harsh, but fair; this is a place to enforce and enhance our observation of The Rules.
If you’d like to submit an article about your own beloved bike, please feel free to send it to us and we’ll do our best to work with you to include it.
- Rule #12 and the Cascade Effect
That is a very reasonable opening salvo for the Rule about bike ownership. Three is good and certainly a minimum, and we are talking road bikes here, if there was any doubt. They naturally become ordered: the #1 is ichi-ban, top dog, go-to bike for every and all rides. #2 was the old #1, ... - Guest Article: Black Is Not The New Black@kogalover is singing my song here. Bikes are beautiful. ’nuff said. VLVV, Gianni With all those posts on riding in winter and being visible, either by putting Eyes of Sauron or other car melting devices on one’s steed, or by even considering a YJA instead of donning plain black kit, it was about time to finally get ...
- Dialing in the StableThis was going to be an article about Rule #45. It is amazing how much time is wasted and matches burned when professionals stop for that second bike change to get back on their #1. With all the jigs available to team mechanics it would seem they could set up five bikes exactly the same. And ...
- Matching the drapes to the rugAs a longtime titanium bike owner, I’ve always been jealous of a beautiful painted frame but Ti and carbon frames don’t need paint like a steel frame needs paint. But I want some painted beauty. It’s like buying a white car; I can’t do white, need some color. So between a Ti frame and a ...
- Festum Prophetae: Waiting for the HourEveryone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. – Mike Tyson The one thing everyone should always plan for is that however well-conceived a program might be, things will never go to plan. The high level plan for my Festum Prophetae Hour Ride was as follows: Have a custom Hour Bike built by Don Walker. Because reasons. Reasons like custom ...
Glad to hear you’re shaken not stirred.
Even I will admit it probably saved you from some additional scrapes and bumps, and we don’t want you going around scaring horses and small children.
@ChrisO
That’s a bit rich conning from a very tall cyclist with a shaved head.
You look like fucking skeleton.
@chris Good to see you can still construct complete sentences.
I came across some folk who repair carbon a while back. Will try to find them but carbon doesn’t like side impacts.
@Teocalli
Sentences, yes. Spelling, no.
That’s what worries me, it looks fairly innocuous but I’m no expert. Your experts details would be most appreciated.
@chris
I don’t have any experience of them but came across them when I was looking after another mate cracked a chain stay on his Scott. He ended up doing a DIY on it.
http://www.carbonbikerepair.co.uk/?gclid=CL6YqPCGxM4CFUO3GwodXCgMVw
@chris
You say the sweetest things.
xoxo
@chris
Innocuous ? Ohhh man.. that’s what ya call a stress riser/concentrator kinda defect that leads to initiation then propagation of tensile failure so to speak. I’m guessing you rode the bike home before noticing? Just me, but I’d consider yourself lucky. Someone would be willing to repair it. I suspect that the real cost will be in how much ya wanna spend to have the repair finished and repainted to match. I’ve seen some repairs simply be the sheets of fibre layered over top and cured with minimal prep. I’d trust that repair more on say a kayak then I would on a bike.
And I’d suggest that that helmet is darn good evidence of the value of a helmet! Cheers
@EBruner
@MangoDave
@Teocalli
Are you three having a laugh? Those are three of the most killer bikes I’ve seen in some time. Outstanding!
The Campy’ed up Jeagher is amazing. I can’t think of anything I would have done better, killer, monsta bike.
The Somec, in perfect, pristine shape, holy fuck balls. How is that possible? Was it in a mausoleum with a dead cyclist for the last 30 years? That is a show stopping bike if I’ve ever seen one. I’m speechless, almost.
And the Gios, gawd damn, what a repaint. What would RDV do, that would be my mantra. Fantastic job.
@chris
funny boy. That really made me laugh. Jesus, you bet that helmet did something good. That sounds like quite a nice crash.
@fignons barber
I only have a couple rides in on the new Ascender frame, but my initial impression is it is such a smooth ride. Soaks up the road just like my Jaegher built with Spirit tubes, but feels a bit stiffer, and very solid. The Royce hubs spin like magic, and the free hub sound like music. I can’t what to really get some saddle time later in the week.
-Eddie Bruner
@Randy C
@Randy C is on the money here. I would guess very repairable by sanding/grinding down the cracked area and laying up a few pieces of carbon fiber to restore strength. Making it look like new is what takes more time and thus money. The whole top tube might have to be repainted to blend it so you might lose the white detail but it’s a chance for some customization too.
@RandyC, @Gianni and @Teocalli, thanks for the input. I’ve sent a photo off to the outfit @Teocalli linked. Time to sit back and wait.
I’m very sore and knocking back the pain killers and anti inflamatories but I’ll be back on the bike this afternoon or tomorrow morning. Fortunately, I’ve got my other bike here. Angus was riding it but he can ride one of the other bikes.
@Gianni
My understanding of this from doing a bit of casual investigation a year or so back, is that there are a few key elements 1) excluding air bubbles 2) baking 3) laying up inside and out. What I gathered is that the specialists are able to do is to also lay up fibre inside the tube they then use an inflatable bladder to press that firmly into the tube internally as well as (potentially) laying up on the outside before finishing. Also using vacuum to exclude air followed by correct bake/cure.
My curiosity came about after a couple of folk I know had trashed frames and then I remembered from years ago that one of the Whitbread Round the World yachts was basically sawn in half (using a chainsaw) and extended by 6 feet then sailed through the Southern Ocean. Ok so if you can access the inside and put in new stringers a yacht may be a tad easier to lay up strengthening but it seemed to me that it should be possible not to just have to trash a damaged frame.
Holy fack, Chris! Glad you seem to be relatively okay. Heal up!!
@chris
Most important, glad you were able to come away relatively intact.
As for the top tube, my guess is you hit it with your knee during the crash. I did the same about 2 years ago. The problem is that with that type of fracture, it’s like cracking a hard boiled egg shell, with small radiating cracks on the inside. Mine was a total right off.
Best bet might be to throw yourself upon the mercy of the C-Dale crash replacement policy.
@fignons barber
Yup, that looks quite similar to what I did to my Fondriest’s top tube a few years back. LBS took one look at it & wrote it off. Thank Merckx for insurance!
Any recommendations from the class as to what to look for if I were to go shopping for a track bike (either new or 2nd hand)?
I’m just planning to ride at Newport once a week through the winter and hiring a bike from the velodrome each time will pay for a good proportion of my own bike.
I’ve even had an N+1 approval in principle from Mrs Sandy.
Some tweaking of parts for the Gios. These just arrived…….
@RobSandy
Not my field but Dolan might be worth a look.
@Teocalli
It’s one of my options, we’re sponsored by Dolan so get a discount.
@Mikael Liddy
No insurance I’m afraid. I cancelled it a while back as being too expensive. Hindsight and all that.
The good news is that I’ve just had an email back from Carbon Bike Repair. It’s repairable and I’ve got two options; repair and basic single colour finish or repair and finish in such a way that you wouldn’t know it’s been damaged. The latter is obviously more spendy.
They guarantee the work for the lifetime of ownership so they’re obviously happy to put their mouth is.
I’ll lt you know how it goes, maybe a guest article.
@Teocalli
Pretty
@chris
Bike insurance is always a quandary. I worked out some time back that you would pay for a new frame in something like 5 years so like you decided it was not worth it.
Though we do have cover built in on the home insurance so you might want to check that.
Amusingly, Mrs T was looking at quotes for new house insurance and when she put in the value for #1 the one web site just came up “Value error, please re-enter a valid amount”.
@Gianni
I’m definitely having fun! Agree with the Gios and Jaegher, they’re amazing to look at. I would seriously consider the Jaegher as a new #1 some day. I don’t have enough history on the Somec to validate your mausoleum theory, but it was coddled and pampered, probably never even ridden at all. It came with Campag tire covers to keep dirt off, FFS. Also, this is the first time I’ve ridden a bike with Delta brakes, I think they work way better than I was led to believe from what I’ve read. Certainly better than the older Super Record brakes on my other Somec.
@Teocalli
Now that’s funny!
@Teocalli
drool…
@MangoDave
Mango, you have really done it there. I don’t know how you found that but it really is a rare gem. Chapeau.
@Gianni
I’ll try not to crash it.
@Teocalli
jesus christ that bike is gorgeous.
First ride out yesterday on the new carbon wheels and FMB tubs,bit of a windy one and only a short blast but enough to feel how smooth tubs are,could get used to this;
@MangoDave
Am thinking, there must be a new expression for the lexicon here…
“How much did your n+1 cost?” “Well, it was a VEB*.” “Wow, that much?”
VEB: Value-Error Bike. Definition: new bike so expensive that you cannot get insurance for it.
@Teocalli
I haven’t changed house insurance for about 3 years now since I was able to add my bikes to the policy at “proper” replacement value. Even with that, the whole package was cheaper than specialist bike insurance (AND cheaper than my previous household policy). John Lewis Insurance are the provider.
@Steve Trice
Thanks, we’ll have a look at them.
@Steve Trice That’s definitely worth looking at. Bikes were optional with mine, to a maximum of £500. Unfortunately, I’ve just renewed.
@Fergus
Fergus, what are ye talking about? Whatever it is, I doubt it!
@chris
Yeah it was my contents insurance that came to the party, as long as you’re neither racing nor motorpacing, they’re covered Australia wide for accidental damage or loss up to $20k. No need to specify a value & no extra premium.
@Mikael Liddy
Who is that with Mikael?
@asyax
CGU – Premium Accidental Damage Cover
In what can only be described as a freak lab accident, the Redback now seems to have mutated & is beginning to show signs of redback/white tail hybrid, which in a spider would be fucking horrifying, but on a bike just equals more pretty.
Other updates include Thomson Masterpiece seat post with no setback to appropriately place the saddle compared to the previous 25mm setback post with the saddle jammed forward, new Praxis rings, KMC chain, Ultegra cassette & last but definitely not least, a Wheels MFG BB to rid her of the BBright POS that was in there previously.
Okay…something has been bugging me for awhile, finally remembering to ask about it.
I have a Park Tool floor pump. On some of my tubes, no matter how much I adjust it (all the way down on the valve stem, part way, just barely on there) the tube will leak air during inflation. It drives me crazy, as it feels like I’m in a race.
Same pump doesn’t bleed air on some of my tubes, does on others. Any ideas? Pump isn’t ace, but it’s solid. Use it on assorted tubes, from those on my commuter to my road bikes. Cheap tubes? (Doubt it, happens with some Vredestein latex ones) Unscrewing the tube cap/end too much?
I’m baffled!
@Ron
Ron, that problem goes to variances in the diameter of the valve stem and the condition of the bushing inside your pump head. Back before clinchers and the internet everyone used a Silca floor pump. When it leaked, you would simply tighten the brass cap on the air chuck to compress that internal rubber bushing a little bit more. Or replace the bushing which Silca still makes. Fixed. That won’t work with the Park et al as there’s no threaded cap – just a lever. I’m guessing your bushing inside the head is getting tired. 3 options I suggest: 1.) Replace the bushing if Park sells them – cheap. 2.) Chop the head off the thing altogether and put on a Kuwahara Hirame air chuck – expensive and worth it. This is the trackies’ gold standard. 3.) If you can find one on E-bay, the OLD BRASS Silca air chuck is the classic. Like tubular tires, it requires a little more, gives more LOL. I can also tell you that the threading on an inner tube valve stem isn’t doing that bushing any good. (Reason number whatever to ride tubulars as if we needed reasons…) Best wishes.
As an 18 year old racing in northern Italy in 84′, a Basso was one object of my lust and way out of reach on my survival budget. They’re still made entirely in Italy no-shit which puts Basso alongside Tommasini in that regard I THINK. Are those the last two names to stay truly made in Italy? Anyway, Basso has done poorly in the US and this Laguna never sold as a complete Ultegra bike in 2012. I guess Giant and Specialized are just that good… Anyway I obtained the frame and built with Dura-Ace. I also built the training wheels pictured with DA 9000 hubs and HED tubular rims – 16:8 on the rear, 24 front. Best wishes all.
@Ron
I think I have the same thing with the same pump on all my tubulars (Vittoria corsa sc and pave cg). But in my case it turns out that the leak comes from the basis of the valves, inside the tubulars. So I don’t think the pump is involved. When the tubular is under pressure, the leak disapears. Never opened a tubular yet, so I can’t understand what happens.
@Ron
I think I have the same thing with the same pump (or, at least, a same branded floor pump). Even if in my case, it turns out that the leak doesn’t come from the connection between the valve and the pump, but from the basis of the valve, inside the tubulars (on all my Vittoria tubulars, Pavé CG and Corsa SC).
When it’s a bit under pressure, there is no more leak. I’ve never opened a tubular yet, so can’t explain the reason…
@Joe
Been doing some digging on Kuwahara hirame or Silco Hiro. (Good article here btw http://www.tririg.com/articles.php?id=2014_09_Pump_Head_Shootout&page=2)
Can you put this pump head on basically any pump or is there also THE Kuwahara pump to go with it? (almost like the Hattori Hanzo sword….)
@Joe
Nice bike! Did someone say Tommasini?…
http://www.velominati.com/the-bikes/guest-article-rons-tommasini/
Good lord, Joe! That is far, far more of a thorough and detailed answer than I could have expected. Thank you for the info. on the pump issue.
I use Vredestein latex tubes. All of my previous tubes has smooth valves. Just picked up some from a U.S. dealer and…they’re threaded. I hope this isn’t a company-wide change, I like the smooth valves.
@KogaLover
Any pump. I fitted a Hirami head to my old SKS pump and it’s AWESOME.