Merckxy Christmas
To each and every one of you in our community, we’d like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support and involvement in our community.
Velominati is a project born of passion more than planning, and the fact that we’ve managed to gain your support means the world to us; over the years I’ve come to consider many of you friends, despite never (or rarely) having met any of you in person. Our Cogals are a testament to how our community straddles the physical and virtual worlds and it continues to amaze me; when I founded Velominati in 2009 and Bretto jumped on board soon after, I never imagined where this would go. Thanks to each of you for the gift you give us Keepers by being part of the community and letting your voice be heard (even when that voice is telling us we’re a bunch of idiots – you’re not wrong.)
In the spirit of the community, we are also excited to hint at a major refresh of the site to be launched later this week. Our site’s design, done by KRX-10 in 2009, has aged better than most, but design and technology has evolved considerably and it’s time for an update. The first step is a ground-up rebuild of the site with some exciting new features including basic social networking features including friending and following fellow community members, as well as the ability to privately message each other. We feel this will greatly enhance the sense of community. Consider that our Christmas gift to you for 2015, but more features will follow throughout 2015, so buckle your seatbelts!
Thanks go to each and every one of you for your contribution and loyalty; we wish you a Merckxy Christmas, one and all!
Yours for ever in Cycling,
– Frank, Brett, Gianni, Marko, and Jim
Merckxy Christmas and a Festivus New Year for all. And may Cancellara crush the youth one last time in the Spring Classics.
And a merry Christmas and happy New Year back to you Keepers, and to all the other Velominai.
I hope your trees are laden with Velogifts.
I’m still waiting for mine – it’s 0342 in London and I’m wide awake, having just flown back from Dubai yesterday.
Bloody time zones.
Merry Christmas to all, and may all your climbs in the New Year be taken on the Big Ring.
A bike waiting by the tree for Christmas morning… cheers all
Keepers and Velominati; Have a great Christmas.
If you’ve laid down enough V there may be something in his sack for you.
A very Merck Christmas to you all too
Merry Christmas to you all and to those that you love.
@ChrisO
Are you hoping one of @frank’s gifts will be an edit function on posts? Hope the time zones work in your favour at some point.
Merckxy good times to you all, as the 25th comes to an end down in these parts.
Thanks to everyone who makes this more than just a fun thing to do…
A Velo Mellow Christmas to all. May all your New Year kilometers be smooth and V – unless they are on cobbles. In which case may they be crushing ones.
@girl Ha, I didn’t notice… maybe I wasn’t as wide awake as I thought !
And yes an edit function would be almost as welcome as V-casquettes.
Happy Christmas all. May your V-estivities be on the big ring.
Happy Christmas to all – be sure to fill it with family, good times and (hopefully) riding bikes. Excited to see what changes are on the way for the website.
Auguri my friends!
Merckxy Christmas and happy, safe New Year to The Keepers and fellow Velominati!
@gettingthere
Well said good sir! I happily have a VMH who understands our affliction with 2 wheels and just spent a couple of glorious hours laying down some V to prepare for the racing season ahead.
May the Prophet shine upon all your festivities today. :-)
Merckxy Christmas one and all.
@wilburrox
There was a saddle and seat post under the tree for Angus. At first he though it was because he’d been complaining about how uncomfortable his mtb saddle was. Then he realised…
Shouldn’t that read “buck your helmet straps” and/or “cycling shoes”
Excited to see the new website, and all the features.
Merckxy Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
@Kevin
Brett portends to be an “editor” but all he really does is drink beer and pee on things. He’s more gnome than elf that way.
@frank
“buck” x2 should be “buckle”
Patiently awaiting an edit function…
Happy holidays to all!
Excited to see the site and gear-related changes.
Merry Xmas to you all.
Anyone get some good cycling loot from Santa ?
I was hoping for a reason to upgrade my ride to an Infinito CV, but despite my headset crapping out, it was nothing a new set of bearings could not fix. I had to make do with a new set of carbon bars ( 3T Ergonova Ltd) and a spiffy new pair of shoes, Diadora something- or-others, both half price on-line. ANd before anyone starts bleating about THAT rule, after my recent shop experiences for both cycling and paddling, I wish I could buy EVERYTHING from wiggle.
Merry Christmas, Frank, Keepers and Velominati!
Merry Christmas to one and all
Is it just me or is the gingerbreadvelominatus in the main photo snarling ?
Slightly belated (I write as I ride) Merry Christmas and huge thanks to the keepers and all velominati for this year’s enterlightenment. Let the multi-sensei experience roll on, surely to be enhanced by the new look and feel (RIP old design – I work on the web and you were a good’un).
@rockkk
I think it’s his V face imagining he’s crushing the cobbles. Though it could be the worry that the result could be crumbs…….
Christmas goodies. Shiny new bidon cage for the Steel Pinarello buildup.
Its the whole mad, crazy and informative community that keeps me coming back for more. Updates sound great and bring on 2015 with as much vigor as 2014.
Thanks go to the lads and lass’s and also the keepers. V Pint glass coming my may soon. Xmas cash gonna be put to good use.
@Chris
Is there a category beyond causally deliberate ?? As in like perfectly causally deliberate? ‘Cause this young man would nail it if there is. I love the red. Christmas bikes, remembered for a lifetime. Sweet.
If the day goes as planned, the young lady and I’ll join the club for a group ride today. When the ride’s described as a “reasonable Christmas pace” it sounds like a good opportunity for her to set a new distance mark. Regret we’ve had a little too much rain of late to hit the trails on her new mtn bike.
Cheers
@Ken Ho
I gave her a three-hour professional bike fit, so all in all I think I came off cheaper…
New pedals for my wife and me! Her first pair of clipless. I’m ridiculously excited to go help her pick out shoes today and get out for a ride.
Festive greetings to all for a belated Dec 2V. I was fortunate enough to spend most of the Holiday organizing the velo-vault aka tinkering in the garage. Nothing like “found” tools to make your day.
Mercxy Christmas and a Coppi Chukkah
I know it’s not V approved, but my wife and I got this for for the holidays. It came two days before my shoulder surgery so all I had time for was to get it out of the box and a quick assembly. First ride will have to wait another month or so.
@seemunkee Let me try that again Coppi Chanukkah. When is that edit function coming?
How could a tandem not be V-approved ?
I saw a couple whiz past on a tandem MTB yesterday, which admittedly confused me, but it made me wonder if I should look into a tandem roadie for me and my VMH. She had a nice roadie, but had some bad experiences with traffic and sold it.
Keepers of the Cog!
@Velojello
@tessar
Yes, unless that had a nice jersey and a set of Assos in it, I think you got punked.
As usual late to the party… But happy Boxing Day for those that swing that way!
@Frank and the V boys in the V bunker this site is Christmas every day and now you say it’s going to get better! In another couple of years Buck and I as well as legions of others are going to form a VA group – hi my names Rob and I have a problem…
But until then I am happy to drink the V-aid with all of you any time, any where on 2 wheels.
May every mothers son and daughter keep the rubber down and stay safe through the holidays and on into the whole year.
oh, will there be an edit alcohol funktion?
Tandems are V as fuck. I ride them a lot, even race them from time to time and there is not better way to enter the cave but hit some big steep hills on a tandem. Go for it Ken, I know a few guys that had nervous wives so they got a tandem and the VMH loves it. They can join in without worrying about traffic or being dropped.
@Daccordi Rider
Deon (Pro-Lite guy) in Mackay has one. HIs auntie comes out as stoker for him. They are fast enough on the flats, but she busts his ass on the hills, doesn’t really pull her weight, and he’s a fly-weight. Maybe I can get it cheap form him. He’s running for state parliament in the next election, so he will be too busy to ride soon. There are some guys who race track on one at Nerang too. The stoker is blind. I imagine it would be a buzz for him, smashing around the banking just pumping away, not knowing what is ahead.
Planning the New Year Bacchanal – soon the Keepers Tour will be later this year.
Testing out the new format…
So my Christmas swag was a nice Rapha Belgian winter hat, a merino base layer and a t-shirt.
Slightly worried that my wife bought everything in Large or XL. I had to say Thanks Very Much but can we change them for a smaller size please (apart from the hat).
OK… so how does the Friends and Follow work? What’s the difference?
Merckxy Christmas to you lot!
My kiddies got new bikes and we are going to ride them today.
Eff yeah Velominati 2.0!
@frank one immediate though ton the new format: I’m not sure that I like is that the Recent Posts and Articles pane doesn’t show what article people have commented on.
Otherthan, that are we now the facebook of cycling?
@ChrisO
Friending lets you private message each other; following will just let you see people’s activity in your activity feed –
More updates coming; pushing out the code with such a massive release really fucked things up and I was up until about 3am just even getting the basic bits and pieces working – I’ll put up a full explanation (hopefully) tomorrow if I (incha merckx) get it all working.
@Chris
The article link somehow has gone missing. It is intended to be there and will come back eventually.
So far so good on 2.0. I like it!
@frank
Your labor is deeply and sincerely appreciated! I have a question or two but will wait until things are a bit more settled.
@pistard
I know what you mean but as long as it doesn’t hide comments or cause a lessening of public activity then it should be OK.
A private messaging system is welcome. I’m sure we’ll get used to the features.
Let’s see what the full suite and then tell Frank how much he fucked up… (still no smileys though?)
@ChrisO
Of course…change is good. But we have a history and lexicon to draw from before borrowing from existing social media. I’d rather draft (or even wheelsuck) than follow.