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 ...
@Steve Trice
Define ‘bargain’?
My commuter will fit a 32mm tyre. Seems to be more to do with the clearance of the brakes than the frame.
@RobSandy
Depends on the frame/forks, I have 2 where the frame/fork limits are lower than the brake arch limits.
@Teocalli
Believe. The brake arches on my commuter seem to be particularly high, however.
@Teocalli
On my #1 I ride Michelin Pro 4 Endurance tires. The clearance cannot be measured by conventional means. Two “old school” measurements can be used instead: fag paper, or baw hair.
@wiscot
Oh, I forgot. I ride 25mms on #1. Anything larger would rub (ooh err missus.)
@Steve Trice
I was really tempted to go with a pair of Veloflex this time, but heard that they don’t last very long. What’s been your experience? My set of Vittoria CXIII’s that I’m replacing lasted less than a year. They still had tread left, but cuts and holes killed them.
@wiscot
25mm fit on my #1, but just. Apparently, Sir Dario claims that racing bikes have no need for anything bigger than 23mm. You lost me with your old school measurement devices.
@RobSandy
I was thinking £50.00 posted.
@MangoDave
The Veloflex do get a few small nicks here and there, but nothing that knackers the tyre. I don’t get any more p***tures in the Veloflex than any other best bike tyre I’ve used – although they do get less wet weather use than the Conti 4 Seasons etc on my other bikes.
@Cary
With a couple of 60 minute commutes under my belt on them, I have to say that I really like the 25mm 4 Seasons. They roll really well, better than I expected. Now just need to try them in rain and on some dirtier roads or tracks.
@RobSandy
It was the front brake, and it only rubbed the tyre at one point, so something isn’t perfectly circular. Now I have the 25mm on, there still seems ample clearance, way more than 3mm, so it’s a bit strange. That said, a mate of mine told me that as tyres age, and the outer case becomes more supple, they will expand a little further than when they’re new. So if the clearance is tight now, a few months down the line I could have a rubbing problem again that can only be solved by replacing the tyres. My other thought is that, with the 5mm or more of clearance between tyre and fork I have now, I’m going to get bugged less by mud and leaves etc getting stuck in the gap on shitty weather days or dirty roads/ tracks.
@Steve Trice
Interested.
@Steve Trice
I find this with GP4000’s too – I’ve work through several sets but never got anywhere near obliterating the TWI holes. They just seem to accumulate little cuts and nicks.
I haven’t found a reason to use anything other than Conti tyres though. I have GP 4000’s on my race wheels, Gatorksins on my training wheels (not a single p****ure in at least a year of crappy weather riding) and Ultra Sports on my commuter tyres (again, not a single problem and they feel lovely too).
The GP4000’s are noticeably and probably measurably fastest out of the bunch though.
@RobSandy
That’s great Rob. Does the messaging work on here? I’ll try it out.
@MangoDave
Mango. Back in the glory days of the British TT scene, frame clearances were built so tight, the back tire almost touched the seat tube and the front tire came very close to the down tube. It was all about making the wheelbase as short as possible and the bike overall as responsive as possible. The clearances were so small, that it was said that the gap was only big enough to slip a cigarette (fag, in British colloquial speech) paper in. A baw hair is a Scottish term for a very, very small measurement.
@wiscot
A Rizzla even
I have been lurking around for some time and decided to post my new build, and ask a question. I have had black and white, or white and black frames going on 5 years now. This color may not be for everyone but when I saw it, I had to order it. It is SUPER bright. Its listed as neon. My crappy pics I snapped at work as I took delivery do not do it justice. I dropped her off at the shop as I wanted them to reinstall the bottom bracket to make sure its installed proper with loctite. I love Caad’s. I have put many of miles on these frames. So I am excited to get her built. This one is getting a full Brolectric build.
I wanted some opinions on wheels as I plan on having some alloys built for her. Am I nuts to go singles for year round use? I have Boyd carbon tubs atm that I ride mostly in the summer months. I was thinking of maybe some HED C2’s laced to either Wi t-11’s or C-king’s in mango. I live in Nor Cal and there are some pretty big sustained climbs where I am in the Bay Area. Maybe its my overly cautions brain telling me that tubs are safer for my porky body to descend on. Overkill maybe? I would love some opinions from those that run alloy singles. Or those that prefer clinchers and think this is a terrible idea.
@RobSandy
I’m exclusively Conti and have been for years. Yes, they do seem to pick up nicks but no major issues with the GP4000’s 25mm and 28mm on 3 season bikes and GP 4 Season 28’s on the winter bike. Run at slightly lower temperatures the confidence and grip on wet corners makes their relative lack of high mileage durability worth the cost. When a tyre starts to pick up a few punctures easily or has a flatter profile then it’s time for the bin. There I’ve written the p word. Let’s see what happens to me on tomorrows ride…
@Hapsmo
LOVE that frame. And especially the orange! And tomorrow I’ll be riding my new CAAD12 for first time because I am a complete sucker for an inexpensive alloy CAAD and some 17 models still remain and are priced very well. The Maviks with the goofy name that came with the bike never saw more than the shop floor and are on sale.
So, I’m going to run clincher DA C24’s and C35’s on mine depending on occasion. And just for a little change of scenery from my CAAD10 because I’ve been riding and racing HEDs, Ardennes and Jet4’s (the +s), on that bike for years. And oyear round no matter the occasion. I just swap tires and wheel set depending on my mood… all the time. Rides, races, summer, winter, pavement, dirt, whatev… HEDs are flat out great wheels for all occasions and I love the wide concept. You can’t go wrong.
What exactly do you mean by alloy singles ?
I’m not hot on carbon clinchers for rim brakes. Yea yea yea everyone rides ’em now… The good ones are $$$. Modern alloy wheels are great and the right cost. Just like the alloy framesets.
As for the BB30… The other week I finally swapped out the crank on my CAAD10, installed a new Shimano Ultegra crank and a proper Wheels Mnfg BB. We tried an adapter and that lasted maybe 200 miles. You’ll get tired of servicing the BB30.
What a flat out gorgeous frame set you have ! Can’t wait to see it built up. I’m going to post pic’s of mine soon. Super cheers.
@Randy C
Thanks Randy. When I mentioned singles I meant tubulars. I was thinking of building some up as I have never had a set of alloy tubs.
I just finished putting on the E-Tap tonight. The bar tape should come tomorrow and I will go for a test run. Its odd having a bike with some color, The flat orange is amazing. I have been staring at it for an hour thinking of what shiny new bits with orange trim I could get without being tacky haha.
I love these Caad’s as well. I’ve had a few Caad 10’s and 12’s. I have a high mod with Record 11 but I probably average 80% of my time on the Caad’s.I like to feel the road a bit and these are the ticket.
I hear you on the deals. My shop always has deals going it’s hard to resist..
I wanted to run my Sl cranks. I just splurged for a fancy sisl2 chain ring but it hits the front derailleur on this build.
Sorry about the troubles with your BB. I thought praxis made a quality adaptor? Not sure I haven’t ran shimano in years. Its too smooth for me lol.
Post up some pics would love to see it.
@Hapsmo
Welcome.
I fitted a Praxis on my Pinarello. Not had any creaking since so really happy with it. Don’t think I’d ever buy a press fit again.
I run Tubs on my vintage bikes but clinchers on the others. #1 has Open Corsa G+ but with Latex tubes. I think that gives a pretty good equivalent to tubs in ride quality. I run Gruppo Shamal Twin Fit wheels as I intended running tubeless originally but found I picked up punctures that would not seal too frequently so switched to latex tubes.
One thing I have found it that with the twin fit rims the tyre seats so firmly that when I have punctured on them the tyre stays firmly seated (so far) which seems to be a safety plus too.
As for running year round, I guess that depends on where you live. Here we get a lot of rain run off from the fields onto the lanes than brings with it a lot of small stones that grind into razor sharpe shards and so winter does tend to result in an increased puncture risk which would be a real pain on tubs.
@Teocalli
I had a BB30 on my #1. No end of creaking, adjusting, greasing. I hate a bike that is not silent. The guys at Eriks in Whitefish Bay (Milwaukee) did the research and fitted a Wheels Mgfg external bearing BB. Ok, I had to get new cranks, but it rides silently now. A bike that is noisy will ruin your ride and (if you have more than one bike) gather dust. I’d never buy a bike with press fit bearings again.
@wiscot
I thought the Wheels MFG failed, but the only thing that failed was my comprehension …
@Teocalli
Thanks for the welcome and reply. I really want to run tubs but I also want to make sure I understand what I am getting into. I live in a pretty urban area. My typical rides take me from the burbs to the country. The road crown is good and the roads mostly have drainage ditches. I rarely flat but when I do its mostly at night in the rain on the expressway, typically small wires or class.
It just seems that things have come a long way since I last looked into swapping over to tubes as a primary. Such as Orange Seal looks super good for rad side repairs. So I was thinking the down time to fix a flat is about the same as a clincher. I would think that any tear in a sidewall or major gash in the tire would ruin either a clincher or a tube. So the price seems to play in here. Although I see tubs for around the same price as decent clinchers. So I was thinking of running something cheap on alloy tubs through the winter. I guess one advantage that I can see with clinchers is if you did gash the sidewall or tread you can shore it up with a dollar bill or whatever. Although carrying an extra tube would work too right?
Anyway. I may be overthinking this, and like you said, a good set of clinchers with latex tubes do ride rather nice. The main reason for the consideration was they opened a road near me, less then 5 miles from my front door, that is such a great climb. It is short and super steep so descending in the summer months got me thinking.
As sure as the sun comes up I can’t resist a cool CAAD and it’s black…
And who doesn’t love spider rings ?
The story on this bike is the size. After always riding 58 cm bikes I couldn’t pass up the deal on the remaining ’17s to finally try out a 56 cm bike. So, yesterday I rode a 58cm bike with 44 bars and 175 cranks with 28’s mounted on the wheels and today I’m on a 56cm with 42 bars and 172.5 cranks and 23’s. I played around with some different stems and also tried today for first time a cool Fabric saddle. And loved the change of scenery. I’m gonna have some mucho fun thrashing this little thoroughbred over the winter. And now that I know the 56 bike is gonna be fine I’m awfully tempted to check in to that super orange frame set that @Hapsmo has posted. Love that. I’m such a sucker for cool CAADs. Cheers all
@Hapsmo
Singles ? Is that term not about right ? I just can’t imagine gluing tires on to wheels and being stuck with that single tire forever until it wears out. It’s a goofy prospect in today’s world of premium clinchers. I swap out tires and wheels all the time and for every occasion and mood. cheers
@Randy C
Looks nice..
I just finished up with mine. Still need to glue the tires but you get the idea..
@Hapsmo
Grandissimo!
@Hapsmo
That’s cool. What a super CAAD. And for the season ?? Grab a pumpkin and a long black cape and take off down the street… That’s not the first gorgeous orange bike posted here. @Kogalover has a beaut too that’s been posted.
@Randy C
I’ll look for his pics. I like that, seasonal bikes. Frame colors for every season. Everyone’s wife can relate to that, right?
I live in the SF Bay Area so I’ve gotten the “must be a Giants fan eh”…
@Hapsmo
Sublime!
Etap? That’s my next n+1. Any good?
@Randy C
Singles – that’s how I grew up with being told what one is (80’s). As a juvenile going to juniors, changing to singles was one of the biggest steps known to a developing cyclist. Clement 12’s was what was prescribed to ride on back in my day. One race I thought I’d be fancy and rock up to a road race with silks on. It was raining. Silks and rain don’t mix! No “cheat” tape, but gum glue was to be used. Allow to dry on each layer before glueing together. Repairing a punctured single, either you had to hand them over to the club veteran to repair, or you watched over his shoulder while repairing then go home and practice yourself. Get a sewing awl and practice away! Always carry a spare single with a bit of glue on the tape out training, but IMHO ride heavy clincher wheels training and keep the singles for race day!
@Hapsmo
Nice. Love the orange.
What’s the issue with the Etap FD and the SISL2 crank. Mines got green/white Red 10spd from my SuperSix on it at the moment but once the SuperSix is fixed I’d like to go with the Etap on the CAAD12.
If your going to go alloy tubulars for winter, surely the only choice would be Ambrosio Nemesis?
@chris
I couldn’t get the Sl to work with the SiSL2 spider. The crank arm hits the derailleur cage. My take is the spider is too flat. There is hardly any offset. It worked with some praxis mid compact rings just not the SiSL2. The arms are somewhat flat as well. The red cranks bolted right on and worked great. Now I am unsure if the arms on the SiSL2 cranks are any different, if they are more curved it would work. I suppose I could have shimmed the arm out a half a millimeter. I didn’t want to keep messing with it. The cranks will go to another bike anyway so I swapped them out.
Thanks for the advice on the hoops. I am unsure on what direction I want to go. I think its going to boil down to tires. Looks like there are decent tires out there in the $50-60 dollar range I could run through the winter. I just dont see too much wrong with tubs if you dont mind the setup. I am looking into tape vs glue now. Havent had much interest in tape for years but things get better with time so we’ll see.
@Hapsmo
Do you mean the regular spider or are you referring to the fancy pants Spiderings?
I’ve no experience of tape but a few people I trust have said they would never use it for road use. Not even for time trialing when the only real lateral stress is at the roundabout at the halfway point.
I run tubular and clinchers. If it wasn’t for the faff of getting tubs repaired when they do puncture I wouldn’t buy another clincher wheelset.
The Nemesis are pretty bombproof and have a certain level of class but I haven’t used any other Aluminium tubular rims. I’ve also got a set shallow section carbon Vision hoops that will go on the CAAD as soon as I’ve glued some tubs back onto them.
@chris
I suppose the fancy version.
The tape I came across is this stuff. Seems like it works. Although I am only seeing the upside of cleanup when changing tires. To be honest I don’t mind glueing. Gets you a nice buzz and gives some kinda satisfaction. :P
@Randy C
I swap out tires and wheels frequently, too. The difference for me is that they’re still glued together! N+1 is a useful guide for wheels, not just bikes.
@Hapsmo
A spare tub and some sealant should get you out of trouble. Since you mention Orange Seal, my only experience with that didn’t go too well. I put some in latex tubes with a set of clinchers. It fixed the puncture, but a few days later the sealant had permeated out through the tube and sidewalls of my tire, leaving sticky orange residue on the outside. It was a mess. Stan’s has been my go-to if I need sealant.
@chris
They’re talking through their arses.
If anyone can show me some evidence that tape is less effective than glue then please do, and I don’t mean anecdotes. For every tub that’s rolled off a taped rim there’s one that’s come off a glued one too. It’s just one of those annoying “We’ve always done it that way” things.
I use tape (Tufo) on my race wheels and they’ve managed to stay on through road races and circuit crits both in the UK and in Dubai. And a bit of time trialling too.
@ChrisO
So you’ve got hard data that shows that “For every tub that’s rolled off a taped rim there’s one that’s come off a glued one too.”? Otherwise it’s just an opinion, albeit one that is backed up by your experience.
There’s always going to be an element of “We’ve always done it that way” especially when you are asking others for their views on something that you have no experience of.
When you started out using tubulars did you run two sets, one glued and one taped to work out which was best or did you base your choice on information from others whether it was word of mouth or from some form of cycling media? I spoke to a few people I rode with and that was their view. The other factor was that it seemed to me to be easier to use a pre-glued tubular as a spare than a taped one. Which might also be bollocks but that was the impression I got.
If everything posted on this site had to be backed up by real data there’d be even less going on than there is now. It would certainly be a lot less interesting.
@chris
Just gone out to get some popcorn……..
@sthilzy
We were here once upon a time….
@sthilzy
…..and here
@sthilzy
Glued singles to 303’s like this a couple of years ago, sticks like shit to a blanket!
Oh, and carry a spare with glue on base tape. Don’t train on singles! Mate did that and doubled punctured! His Mrs didn’t enjoy the 80km drive out and back!
@sthilzy
Oh, happy days. A great thread, up there with the helmet wars.
@chris
Just ride clinchers and stop making such a bloody fuss.
@chris
That was an example of anecdote.
And no I don’t have hard data, but then I’m not going around saying stupid shite like “I wouldn’t use a taped rim in a time trial.”
Did I say I wouldn’t use glue… no.
Did I say tape was better than glue… no.
Did I say glue was better than tape… no.
Opinions are fine… assertions without facts are tripe.
@ChrisO
Aren’t most TTs in a straight line bar 1 roundabout?
@Teocalli
In an ideal world, yes. But then only likely for a 10 mile one. In the west of Scotland in the 1980s I TT’d a lot on courses designated “Glasgow District.” The two fastest 10 courses turned at roundabouts but went through others out and back. One 25 mile course involved encountering roundabouts 14 times! And it wasn’t flat either. As for the 50 course, you just don’t want to know how convoluted it as . . .
So I guess its a sticky topic, no pun intended.
Thanks for the responses and advice with links to some good reading.
I know what I am going to do, at least somewhat so. I am going full throttle for singles. What the hell. People moan and complain about them but I think a lot of those people seem to have never used them. I bet they are the same people that take their car to the shop to have the tire pressure checked.
So what if it takes a day to get your tires straight. That just solidifies my new opinion you just need more wheel sets ready to go. And what better way to scare my daughters would be sissy boy men away then gluing tires in the garage with 12 Kostritzer’s down, listening to super gespielt polka. They will think I am mad if nothing else, which makes me happy.