The Hardmen: Legends of the Cycling Gods

The Hardmen: Cover Art.

Today’s a big deal over here at VHQ; V-Pints are being clinked and backs are being slapped in celebration of our second book, The Hardmen, being released in the UK and Commonwealth countries today, June 1. (It is due out in the United States in the Fall as well as The Netherlands and Belgium in Spring 2018.)

I have a new appreciation for what a band might go through when faced with putting out their sophomore effort (which in our case was something of a sophomoronic effort). While I would never put forward the idea that writing our first book, The Rules, was in any way “easy”, its writing was one unencumbered by the notion that anyone might actually read it. The pressure of expectation for our second book might well have been something we placed on ourselves, but the pressure felt very real nonetheless. The irony did not go unnoticed that we had to harden the fuck up and focus on the business of writing the best book we could manage, given the book was centered around the general notion of Rule #5.

The Hardmen is just that: the tales of the most epic rides and riders in history, or at least in our collective recollection. We wrote it in the style you’ve become familiar with, (ir)reverently with a focus more on legend than on fact, and avoiding research wherever possible for the simple fact that research feels a lot like cheating. Our inclination to make words up also proved an interesting challenge for our copyeditor.

Of the variety of obstacles we encountered along the way, that of selecting the riders to include in the book figured prominently; there are so many worth including that we could hardly set about including them all. So we picked at our whim and whimsy, and we welcome you to challenge us on both our inclusions and omissions.

With that, I will retire to the patio and indulge in more celebratory pints but not before leaving you with this very flattering and possibly unjustified review on the Washing Machine Post.

Thanks to everyone here for your support as our writing slacked off over the past year while we labored to get this book done. We owe you each a debt of gratitude and look forward to enjoying your company online and back out on the roads. Vive la Vie Velominatus.

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.

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View Comments

ChrisO says:

Jun 4 2017 at 8:29 am

Anyone caught the Hammer Series events over the last few days? Interesting to see some new formats and coverage on the web from people like GCN.

The final event, a TTT, literally came down to a sprint finish between Sky and Sunweb... in fact a sprint between their fourth riders. And behind them 6 other teams were all riding in a bunch on TT bikes - insane.

Maybe it needs some tweaks but I hope it continues from a sporting as well as a politcal point of view, with teams more in control not ASO or UCI.
Rick says:

Jun 4 2017 at 11:05 am

@ChrisO

Anyone caught the Hammer Series events over the last few days? Interesting to see some new formats and coverage on the web from people like GCN.

The final event, a TTT, literally came down to a sprint finish between Sky and Sunweb… in fact a sprint between their fourth riders. And behind them 6 other teams were all riding in a bunch on TT bikes – insane.

Maybe it needs some tweaks but I hope it continues from a sporting as well as a politcal point of view, with teams more in control not ASO or UCI.

The Hammer Series was an absolute hoot to watch. Today's TTT was very exciting even if one was not rooting for either team. Seeing the judges trying to keep the six teams that were riding together from drafting on narrow roads was comical. I also enjoyed watching the GCN commentary, good job by the guys.
frank says:

Jun 4 2017 at 2:59 pm

@litvi et el

@Buck Rogers

@wiscot

@Buck Rogers

But I have to say, what the fuck is up wth the cover??? If you are going to have a silhouette with the maglia rosa, jesus fucking christ, don’t make it a full body suit, eh? Who is that silhouette anyways, Cipollini???

I’m going nuts trying to figure out who the silhouette is of! It might be Cipo. My question is: why does he have a stick of beef jerky in his right hand?

Thanks, Mate for weighing in with me! We’ll have fun in the penalty box together while we are banned from the site, eh???

I think it’s an orange kit, but that still doesn’t excuse the Rule #14 and Rule #15 violations. Now, to your tastiest point, I don’t think there’s a rule against carrying beef jerky… but there had probably ought to be one against mounting the rear derailleur on the left side of a bike.

As I was writing this, I was going to remark on the non-black bibs...but didn't. Can't remember who the rider is but I think it might be Nibbles. The shorts are orange indeed but it has to do with the graphical composition to the cover more than anything.*

*Apparently authors don't get to be as controlling over graphics on the books as they do on their own websites.
EBruner says:

Jun 4 2017 at 6:22 pm

Done. ordered.
Cary says:

Jun 5 2017 at 8:11 am

this is the cover as it appears on Amazon. Fignon, Delgado, Lemond. pretty outstanding.
Ron says:

Jun 5 2017 at 11:40 am

@Rick

@ChrisO

Anyone caught the Hammer Series events over the last few days? Interesting to see some new formats and coverage on the web from people like GCN.

The final event, a TTT, literally came down to a sprint finish between Sky and Sunweb… in fact a sprint between their fourth riders. And behind them 6 other teams were all riding in a bunch on TT bikes – insane.

Maybe it needs some tweaks but I hope it continues from a sporting as well as a politcal point of view, with teams more in control not ASO or UCI.

The Hammer Series was an absolute hoot to watch. Today’s TTT was very exciting even if one was not rooting for either team. Seeing the judges trying to keep the six teams that were riding together from drafting on narrow roads was comical. I also enjoyed watching the GCN commentary, good job by the guys.

Now ya tell me! I completely didn't bother tuning in. Sounds like I missed a good show!
Ron says:

Jun 5 2017 at 12:05 pm

And, congratulations on the book! Must feel awesome to get a second one under ye belts. Good job, Keepers!
chris says:

Jun 5 2017 at 3:28 pm

@Ron

@Rick

@ChrisO

Anyone caught the Hammer Series events over the last few days? Interesting to see some new formats and coverage on the web from people like GCN.

The final event, a TTT, literally came down to a sprint finish between Sky and Sunweb… in fact a sprint between their fourth riders. And behind them 6 other teams were all riding in a bunch on TT bikes – insane.

Maybe it needs some tweaks but I hope it continues from a sporting as well as a politcal point of view, with teams more in control not ASO or UCI.

The Hammer Series was an absolute hoot to watch. Today’s TTT was very exciting even if one was not rooting for either team. Seeing the judges trying to keep the six teams that were riding together from drafting on narrow roads was comical. I also enjoyed watching the GCN commentary, good job by the guys.

Now ya tell me! I completely didn’t bother tuning in. Sounds like I missed a good show!

https://youtu.be/qkF0wd1hQZg
Mikael Liddy says:

Jun 5 2017 at 6:25 pm

@frank

@litvi et el

@Buck Rogers

@wiscot

@Buck Rogers

But I have to say, what the fuck is up wth the cover??? If you are going to have a silhouette with the maglia rosa, jesus fucking christ, don’t make it a full body suit, eh? Who is that silhouette anyways, Cipollini???

I’m going nuts trying to figure out who the silhouette is of! It might be Cipo. My question is: why does he have a stick of beef jerky in his right hand?

Thanks, Mate for weighing in with me! We’ll have fun in the penalty box together while we are banned from the site, eh???

I think it’s an orange kit, but that still doesn’t excuse the Rule #14 and Rule #15 violations. Now, to your tastiest point, I don’t think there’s a rule against carrying beef jerky… but there had probably ought to be one against mounting the rear derailleur on the left side of a bike.

As I was writing this, I was going to remark on the non-black bibs…but didn’t. Can’t remember who the rider is but I think it might be Nibbles. The shorts are orange indeed but it has to do with the graphical composition to the cover more than anything.*

*Apparently authors don’t get to be as controlling over graphics on the books as they do on their own websites.

Nailed it...
Pete Linsley says:

Jun 6 2017 at 5:50 am

I was delighted to pick up my copy from my local bookshop here in the north of England today, if a little disappointed to discover I didn't merit my own chapter; did you not hear about my 5 hour snowbound schlepp across the north Yorkshire moors back in 2013?

I'm always happy to give a blow by blow account if you're curious?