Categories: Anatomy of a PhotoLook ProThe Hardmen

Anatomy of a Photo: Looking Fantastic

Roger de Leginck riding in a Flemish Mirror. Photo: CorVos/Pez

Steel Gazelles, check. Monster fork rake, check. Hairnets, check. North European monsoon, check. Flemish Mirror, check. Chain welded to the Big Ring, check. WTF Leggins affixed to Our Hero, check.

Roger de Vlaeminck does his part to remind us that while Looking Pro isn’t synonymous with Looking Fantastic, being a Level V Badass can make even the most jacked gear look the business.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

Next Guest Article: Just give me something - something I can use »

Previous « The Seduction of Symbols

View Comments

Ron says:

Dec 9 2011 at 5:56 am

Awesome photo, definitely Looking The Business.

I can't believe the size of the guns on the guy who isn't Roger dV. His thighs are bigger than his waist. Damn powerful looking.

And I know it was just how it was & you don't know the difference if you've only ridden that way, but whenever I get on an older bike I can't believe how far down the hoods are/were. It feels strange reaching that far. Makes the jacked up hoods some folks ride today seem crazy. I guess you held your hands & wrists in a different position.
RedRanger says:

Dec 9 2011 at 6:28 am

@RedRanger

I'll have to wait till I get home to look at the picture, the iPhone does not do it justice. But Roger DV has by far one of the coolest names in the sport, second to Merckx. I'll see if I can hunt down a photo of them two talking.
mblume says:

Dec 9 2011 at 6:28 am

That looks like the picture they placed next to the definition of Rule 9..unless they decided to use this one...
RedRanger says:

Dec 9 2011 at 6:34 am

One of my favorite photos:
Steve Wilson says:

Dec 9 2011 at 7:39 am

Love the old bikes. Love the old wheels. Love the bad-assedness. A bad day on the bike is better than a good day doing almost anything else.

http://hillsandheadwinds.blogspot.com/2011/11/horsing-around-about-lost.html
cutters79 says:

Dec 9 2011 at 7:42 am

Lest we forget Roger's smallest gear is probably 42-19!
Souleur says:

Dec 9 2011 at 7:48 am

I agree frank, whereas we have deep seeded concerns about the shin guards worn by a legend, it is totally negated by his total obliteration of the elements by his sheer WILL.

Note: the cap, bill up...casually deliberate, and this off-sets much of the concerns we share. Also note the diesel up front pulling like a frieghtliner...cap backward...not casual but because he is at work, yet as if he needs the aerodynamics, right...maybe it helps his ears as he pinned them back too??

I love the attitude that permeates the photo. Neitehr give a damn that it is cold, wet and nasty. Put it in the 53t please, and knock the rear down to at least a 15t because he can and they are riding home fast.
Marko says:

Dec 9 2011 at 9:05 am

Marko's obligatory nobody's-position-on-a-bike-has-ever-or-will-ever-be-as-cool-as RdV's post.
jimmy says:

Dec 9 2011 at 9:50 am

@Marko

Marko's obligatory nobody's-position-on-a-bike-has-ever-or-will-ever-be-as-cool-as RdV's post.

The position works for RdV as his femurs are Rockette worthy long, which explains the leggings from his night gig as a caberet dancer. It's not even raining in the photo, the sobbing tears the fat kid on the front is producing for having been cut from the chorus line might help lose some water weight in addition to what that plastic sweat jacket is doing. All the while RdV is screaming that he can't see around fatty's ass to the echelon from which they've been dropped.
DerHoggz says:

Dec 9 2011 at 10:29 am

@Marko

I swear he had a straight up 90degree bend in his back.

What is the alt key or whatever for degrees?