Mr Strack, Mr Merckx and The Rules
How did we get to here? Here is Frank, the founder of Velominati, standing next to Eddy Merckx. Eddy is looking at The Rules, in Rouleur’s book-zine format. Frank is in his best button down sweater, trying to keep his shit together. And it is not easy for him to do this as Rouleur has invited him to London and now he is showing The Rules to Eddy Merckx.
The first time I met Frank he was wearing a Rouleur cycling cap (in a pre-Rules world, so no foul). The Velominati website is directly inspired by Rouleur magazine. Rouleur is a big, dense tome (or book-zine) of the best cycling writing and photography one can buy. It’s not cheap but why should excellence come cheap?
That Frank (or Velominati-The Rules, his billing on the invite) was invited to London to partake in this festivus is due to his persistence and unfiltered love of all things Cycling. A less persistent person would have told all of us to sod off and stopped paying the site’s hosting bills years ago. That Velominati is still here is because there are enough cycling fanatics out there who participate on the site and are not put off by everyone else’s dickish comments. We are amused by each other’s dickish comments. Personally I live for them. The Rules might be what gets the site notoriety but for those that enjoy the site frequently, it’s the daily surprises and humor that keep us coming back.
We should all take pride and pleasure that Frank is over there, representing all of us, having a laugh with Cipo, Fabian, David Millar and especially Eddy. Viva La Vie Velominatus.
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
He's bound to flip through it on the plane or back home over Xmas - a wry smile here and there before he nods off in front of the fire remembering various exploits brought back to him by the tome.
@Al__S
The sound wasn't great at times on Friday either. The mic didn't seem to work particularly well when Frank diverted on of Ned Boultings questions in my direction.
@frank
Rock star!
@frank
Well, I heard it from one of the organisers who provided me with my ticket... but as you say, even then i might have just believed it because I wanted to :) All adds to the legend, anyway.
A great event though, not like a normal bike show.
Wow, That is seriously cool Frank. Hope you caught up with @theEngine!
One day the story of David Millar describing his EPMS to @frank will be told - one day...
@edster99
This has got to be about Cipo then...
Chapeau, Frank. And a humble Thank you to you and to all the Keepers for the community you've started and kept. And for The Rules.
@the Engine
That I would have love to have been present for. I take it DM was deliberately trying to wind up @frank?
I spoke to DM on the Friday, very down to earth. Nice bloke.
Here is a video of Matt Stephens and me speaking on Stage 4 of the Rouleur Classic. Thanks heaps to @the Engine for videoing it and sharing it with me. Although I do observe that the bane of mobile phone videos is people's irresistible urge to hold the camera upright.