many years ago i was given a book about how to build your own bicycle frame, the title and author of which are not even a faint trace in the empty space above my neck. you will gather form the preceding statement that i no longer have this volume, and it it is very much a regret that this is the case: during an upstairs reshuffling in the early part of this century, much was consigned to the recycle bin, and i have a ghastly feeling that this book may have been a part of that consignment.
when still at school, i was painfully aware of my shortcomings at both woodwork and metalwork (and to be honest, i wasn't that much cop at technical drawing either), but the intrigue of perhaps someday brazing my very own lugged frame, seemed several adventurous steps north of building wheels, something that i do actually have a knack for. and the drawings, photographs and chapters in this now long-gone book gave rise to an optimism that one day...
however, that day has yet to come, and the best i can do is marvel at the skills displayed by those artists who can turn a bunch of tubes and lugs into something that looks fast when leaning against a wall. very much a case of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. this degree of marvelling gained a further boost on receiving a copy of the richard sachs dvd imperfection is perfection which made me worry less about the loss of the un-named book, because i just know that there is not a chance this side of easter island, that i could build anything like his red masterpieces.
but of course, there will be those of greater tenacity than i, perhaps possessed of fewer years and thus less inclined to persuade themselves averse to the task. there is now, as of a day or so ago, an amalgamation of some of the finest independent frame builders in the world keen to share information amongst themselves and as a fount of knowledge for the hypothetical youngster alluded to earlier. eight framebuilders from three countrues have spent the last two years creating an international organisation to be known as the framebuilders' collective, an organisation that has finally brought itself to our attention through framebuilders.org. the framebuidlers are an unimpeachable bunch: curt goodrich, sacha white (vanilla cycles), nick crumpton, dave kirk (kirk frameworks), carl strong (strong frames), dario pegoretti, darrell mcculloch (llewellyn bikes) and richard sachs. it will not be limited at this number: richard sachs says efforts are currently underway to expand the names involved to make the collective a true representation of the talent in this part of the cycle industry.
that this collective has been announced on the eve of the north american handbuilt show in indianapolis this weekend is doubtless no coincidence, but it is very encouraging that such esteemed craftsmen are ready and willing to pass on at least a portion of the expertise they have acquired over the years. visitors to the website can sign up for a newsletter while reading staments from each of the above, as well as a frequently asked questions department.
cycling just gets better and better.
photo: richard sachs framebuilding jig | i should point out that 'lugs' is a scots slang word for 'ears'
posted on friday 27 february 2009
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................scotland's endura have, rightly or wrongly, acquired a predominantly offroad reputation, maybe through their own marketing, or maybe just because, sir chris and robert millar notwithstanding, scotland has its own reputation as the sort of place you head to in order to get those knobbly tyres muddy. however, over the past year or so, it has been my privilege to test/review several items from the endura range, all of which have been quite impressive; even if i don't go much for their notion of sticking seemingly random numbers on their jerseys and shorts. it's almost a well known secret that they make rather fine road gear.
that mountain bike reputation may well be about to change, as they have now taken ownership of their very own road team, endura racing. registered as a uci continental team for 2009 the ten riders have been provided with the following aims: to build a team ethic that ensures professionalism, continuous inprovement and that they enjoy what they're doing. the team is also expected to establish a team where talent can be identified and developed and to maintain relationships with both british cycling and scottish cycling development programmes.
not so far removed from the ideals of many other british racing teams, but really the latter is the point: this is a british (scottish) racing team, adding to the growing number supported by homegrown sponsors. in this case, the title sponsor, just like another well-known british sponsor, makes cycle clothing, so those of us on bendy bars and skinny wheels not only have more british talent to support on an international stage, but can't help but benefit from the development of top quality clothing to wear in our own respective pelotons.jim mcfarlane of endura underlined his company's financial and development backing for the new team, pointing out that not only would it help provide positive publicity for endura's road cycling range but also assist with the research and development phase that precedes each new product line. the team are also supported by giant bikes, met helmets, pedal power, extreme nutrition, clif bars, training peaks and sibcas. i have no word on whether replica team kit will be available for sale, but i intend to find out.
a venture to be applauded as far as i'm concerned.
posted on thursday 26 february 2009
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................i have a notion that i said just a few weeks ago that if you want to distinguish between the sort of cycle jersey that you should acquire as a classic, and the very type of jersey that is just plain naff, keep that ready eye upon the pages of prendas ciclismo. and as if to validate that very statement, the latest, and some would say greatest jersey to grace the professional peloton has appeared as a tantalising tease, along with authentic matching casquette.
worn by the posts' hero, robert millar as well as by tour de france winner greg lemond, the z jersey is easily one of the most recognisable and minimalist uniforms that today's pro teams could learn from. every now and again the desirability of owning one of these jerseys surfaces on the world's cycle forums, but the garments have protected their exclusivity by seemingly have become as rare as hen's teeth. fortunately this impending arrival in the uk at prendas should go some way to alleviating this acquisitiveness.no indication as to the cost of the vetements z jersey as yet, but andy and mick have not been known to hit the upper reaches of of your bank balance too often, so doing without the carrot cake and espresso after the sunday ride shouldn't be a necessity just yet. in this year of the 25th anniversary of robert millar's king of the mountains title in 1984, what better way to start the celebrations?
posted on wednesday 25 february 2009
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................even as you sit there scoffing your tea, eating far too much of the wrong thing, there are armies of lawyers crowded in a cupboard here in washingmachinetowers looking into the legal aspects of infringement of intellectual property rights. actually, at least three of the legal team are figuring out whether the word intellectual can be safely applied in this case, but i'd rather you didn't tell anyone about that. imagine the consternation and aghastness that i experienced this morning, browsing to the final day of rapha rides the tour of california for a final fix of cycling's equivalent of boys' own adventure to be brought face to face with the image you see to your right.
you are correct, it is a washingmachine, and a depiction of such that compares uncannily to the black and yellow logo at the top of the browser - well, apart from the fact that it's predominantly white, opens at the opposite side, and doesn't have the letters twmp on the door. but these are matters akin to trivia: thewashingmachinepost has been my very own intellectual property for well over twelve years, and to unashamedly borrow in this manner is tanatamount to something i've not quite figured out yet.
and why, you might ask, have the rapha continental made use of such an internationally famous symbol? well, they claim to have been testing new product while cycling the length and breadth of california, product that, allegedly, will soon be available to those of us who can't even spell california. stuff such as full length zips on the lightweight jersey and a lighter version of their sportwool; pockets on the summerweight gilet, new colours on the jerseys and even a pair of cycle mitts that have leather palms but lycra backs. can you honestly condone their stealing the very bread and butter from my plate in order to highlight the above?
of course, i'm not taking this lying down: i immediately e-mailed a cease and desist order to rapha's north american general manager, who subsequently attempted to obfuscate the whole process by claiming that i only had rights to the depiction of a top loader and not the front loading machines. but i ask you, does the logo at the top of the page bear any verisimilitude to a top loading washing machine? i rest my case m'lud.
of course rapha are, at heart a british company based in london, so i contacted a representative in perren street who quite obviously had either been pre-warned or completely misunderstood the nature of my enquiry. i have based this conclusion on the fact that they seemed more intent on pointing out that they would be releasing an il campionsissimo merino shirt to celebrate the 60th anniversary of fausto coppi's winning of the giro/tour double than attending to my increasing woe. a range of legend t-shirts and a new swift sportwool jersey seemed to be of greater pre-occupation than the impending legal onslaught that is about to hit rapha right where it will hurt me most (did i get that right?).
there are apparently a truckload of other improvements to existing products, as well as new stuff that we will apparently drool over. the least they could do is offer that lovely new prototype yellow stowaway jacket as a washingmachinepost special edition.
but it's too much not soon enough - i'm inconsolable.
see the new 2009 range here.
rapha.cc | rapha continental's tour of california
posted on tuesday 24 february 2009
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................if you've watched the part four video in the rapha continental rides the tour of california series (the end of which is now leading to withdrawal symptoms - what will i do without my early morning fix now that it's all over?) you will perhaps have seen hahn and cole navigating their way to the unseen rosebowl in pasadena guided only by the headlights of the sram support vehicle. while one of the lads has a flashing red tail-light, in the rain and dark, it really doesn't quite fulfil the meaning of the word illumination
cycling at night really isn't anything new: commuters have been doing it for many a long year, early runnings of the tour de france had stages of such drastic length that there was little option but to continue through the night, and many a classic long-distance race has slipped into legend that required riders to be nocturnal for at least a portion of the course. a revival of sorts has been underway over the past year or so, by way of the increasingly popular nocturne series of races, starting with an alternative use of smithfield market in the similarly named smithfield nocturne - something that spread its wings a tad last year with the salford nocturne.
but it may have occurred to those of you who, like me, are of a more northerly residence, that both smithfield, london and salford are domiciled south of the border, leaving us bereft of darkened cycling in the home country. those of you used to predictive texting will have already garnered that this is leading towards an event that will likely keep all us scots happy in the nocturnal cycle racing department - the edinburgh nocturne.
just this minute announced by the face partnership, the edinburgh nocturne on saturday, may 30th will kick off a series of three: smithfield will follow on june 6th and blackpool on august 1st (the day before the ride of the falling rain). the edinburgh nocturne will take place around the grassmarket area, featuring a belgian style cobbled finish straight and short climb (they do know it sometimes rains in scotland don't they?). there will be a full panoply of support races including the cycling weekly race and the hugely popular folding bike race.
while edinburgh arrives too soon to be a post giro criterium, the blackpool event is being seriously proposed as a post tour criterium, hopefully attracting some of the french race's stars.
now must commence the attempt to get myself invited to take part in the folding bike event.
posted on monday 23 february 2009
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................what if you don't want to be a cyclist? or at least, what if you just want to be someone who rides a bike, someone who eschews anything remotely connected with proper cycle clothing? strangely this non-cycling mode frequently extends to being inordinately concerned with the standard, or rather the perceived standard, of equipment affixed to a bicycle that is so unfashionable it's positively trendy. chrome and polished aluminium alloy are almost de rigeur, because anodised anything would imply either modernity or showing more concern for componentry than is strictly admissable. the irony of this latter situation is that most of us who are actively involved in being cyclists will buy at a price point, the components that we believe will do justice to the standing we believe we have (or would like to have). if this means black chainsets, grey anodised levers or white carbon brake calipers (not all on the one bike, i hasten to add), then so be it.
old skool, feigning unconcerned, non-cyclists would prefer the lugged steel frame and the chrome and alloy i mentioned above: and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. i have no problem at all with standing on a drum stool, putting my hand in the air and admitting to being an obsessed cyclist; just ask mrs washingmachinepost. but i too have a penchant for the polished aluminium (less so with chrome, since the immediate climate is less than kind to such shiny metal), if for no other reason than anodising must eventually scuff, especially on the cranks. aluminium may not exit the die with a surface in which you could straighten your eyebrows, but it seems a more natural process to make it shiny rather than cover it all up with black, mid-grey or something akin to pewter. but in this respect, both the obsessed and the carefree are being ill-served at all levels.
almost the only component of the sram rival groupset that isn't black, is the bottom bracket and you can't even see that (and what's with the red frog?) campagnolo has an awful lot of black from bottom to top, though that shouldn't really come as a surprise on the carbon heavy top/mid range stuff. shimano is confusing - lot's of the pictures show shiny stuff, but the bicycle currently on test has 105 calipers and mechs all of which are black, and fsa presents a whole host of stuff all covered in black. i'd venture that if you're sitting at home thinking now is a good time to enter the bicycle component market, polished aluminium would be a unique selling point, and ensure enviable success (remember, if you follow my advice here, i'm on ten percent)
so how has this happened? do we have a situation where the groupsets that aren't carbon are having an identity crisis? is it not possible to offer options? i am aware that certain groupsets and components can be had in shiny or black, but i cannot fathom rhyme nor reason as to what goes with what: there are rear mechs in black, matched with front mechs in shiny. so for the benefit of cyclists and non cyclists alike, could we please make a pact - if it's made of metal, please offer a polished alternative to whichever colour of anodising has been deemed the coating du jour. because then when an attack of conscience forces a complete refurbishment of that mouldering italian lugged steel frame in the far corner of the bike shed, i won't have to spend hours trawling ebay and new old stock websites looking for suitable componentry that works and matches. for though the frame might be from yesteryear, having today's sprockets might keep the grupetto a behind sort of thing, rather than an 'all around and leaving me standing' sort of thing. i have my status to consider.
and did you know that sram red actually isn't?
posted on monday 23 february 2009
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................it's all about preparation: the night before i'm about to put myself through purgatory, kilometre after kilometre of pounding those pedals into a buffeting headwind, avoiding estranged sheep crossing to the wrong side of the road, navigating between fields of potholes and puddles before deciding just which seat looks the most comfortable at debbie's, it's necessary to be organised. yes, ok, so i'm being flippant, because 100km around islay is hardly the end to end or the race across america, but neither is it something to be taken too lightly at this time of year or, for that matter, at the height of what we laughingly call summer. rummaging in the cycle wardrobe for that best pair of shorts, pulling out a long-sleeved baselayer when it's short sleeves i need, finding only one winter sock are all things that should not be done at 08:30 on a sunday morning. mrs washingmachinepost does like her lie-in and a woman's scorn etc...
so the above all takes place either the afternoon or the evening before, something else that earns the degree of scorn just mentioned - in for a penny, in for a pound. bundled up in the corner of the bathroom is the racewear for the morrow, doing its very best to take account of wildly varying weather, but very definitely including both socks from the pair. however, dressing the part is only between half and threequarters the battle; there are other features to be taken care of, not least of which is nutrition and hydration.partially through laziness, partially from acquired taste, i generally fill the chris king bottle with plain old water. having recently confessed to not drinking nearly enough of this substance, the habit has also leaned towards filling the bottle considerably less than full, a habit i am now trying to rid myself of. i can down at least a carton and a half of orange juice (with bits) after the saturday ride, and close to a single carton at the behest of the velo club run on a sunday, but it is plain to see that drinking only water in the process of overheating is not doing a lot for replacing the salts that i have inadvertantly lost while i was looking the other way. and this is where zym tablets come to the aid of the naive cyclist.
zym tablets can be had in a couple of flavours: lemon and lime, and berry (the latter with a pleasantly cheerful kick of caffeine), and they rather solve a quandary that can't just be happening to me. during either london-paris or even the ride of the falling rain, it's quite difficult to find ways to carry enough stuff to top up the water bottle(s). powder in a poly-bag has a tendency to be messy and it'll upset the guys on airport security (assuming this features in your travel plans). but electrolyte replacement in tablet form is one of those particularly clever ideas that rather belies its general unavailability. let's face it, if you can make something into a powder, it can't be that hard to turn it into tablet form.
of course, carbohydrates 'r' not us - the zym tablets contain not one whit of carbs, but a veritable delectation of mineral salts, and it's the latter that prevent cramping during distance riding on either hot or cold bicycle rides. topping up a water bottle even when riding ouside of the neighbourhood isn't rocket science, and neither is slipping a tube of zym tablets in one of those rear pockets. each plastic container holds ten tablets for a recommended cost of £5.99 ($8). replacement salts may be a necessity, but you won't absorb the benefits if the stuff doesn't taste good; happily both flavours, particularly the lemon and lime are very pleasant. after moaning that i don't drink nearly enough when out on the bike, both of these tasted so fine that i managed to down an entire 500ml bottle in one three hour ride. a vast improvement.
however, one tablet in a 500ml bottle gives only a vague hint of the total experience and i'd recommend that you pop a couple in that volume of water, meaning one £5.99 ($8) tube will only last for five bottles, but if it means the difference between not drinking and cramping up, so be it. they won't replace the need to stuff your face at regular intervals, but they do make it a lot simpler to carry mineral replacement for those occasions when necessity has become the mother of absorption.
who says you can't take it with you?
posted on sunday 22 february 2009
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................possibly just a little like the proverbial london bus, you wait ages and then two of them turn up at once. in this case, substitute the word bus for cycle shoes. in the very same week, not only did i receive a pair of the first wave of mavic's new shoe range, flagged in this instance by the top of the range zxellium, but martin at dromarti sent a pair of probably the most gorgeous looking cycle shoes in the entire world. this is not to disparage the mavics, but more to differentiate; while the zxelliums are constructed using the most modern of materials and certainly amongst the most technical, the italian marresi shoes are in handmade leather - deliciously retro and the sort of items that would not look out of place sitting on thewashingmachinepost mantelpiece. the only restraint to the latter is mrs washingmachinepost's insistence that it be reserved for candles and a clock.
this review is not by way of comparison because these are such different delights that such would be rather pointless. what they both had in common was their being clipped into mavic's top of the range titanium pedals. these weigh next to nothing, attach to the cranks via an 8mm allen wrench (no pedal spanners here), and provide seven degrees of float with the supplied cleats. should you be imbued with hardman abilities and scoff at the very concept of pedal float, mavic offer zero degree cleats as an optional extra. the release tension is adjusted via a small allen bolt on the top of the pedal (being the wimp of the cleat, i left it at the lowest setting).
each pair of pedals is accompanied by a set of long and short bolts to affix cleats to shoes, and tightened with a 4mm allen key - a welcome change from those tiny allen headed bolts supplied with other pedals. these are easy to tighten when fitting, and undoubtedly will give more purchase when you have to remove them when the shoes wear out. the pedal body looks as if it has been chromed, but since it is made from aluminium alloy, it is more likely that this is just a high degree of polishing. the baseplate and rear plate are both carbon reinforced and the titanium axle rides smoothly on cartridge and needle bearings. as is often the case with new stuff, disengaging cleats when stopping wasn't quite as easy as i'd hoped, though i have to say it has eased over the course of the test. the cleats are plastic with appropriate feet to make walking a touch easier.
the mavic zxellium shoes, although also available in white, arrived in a yellow and black box and positively scream mavic in their yellowness, which makes perfect sense to me because you're not going to miss these in the photographs. if i ever have to ditch in the sea, the helicopters will have no problem finding me. the sole is full carbon fibre while the yellow bits are composed of a variety of hi-tech plastics. they are fabulously comfy to wear, even when pedalling hard, all the while holding your feet in almost immoveable suspension. opening and closing is by way of the well-tried ratchet system, accompanied by two velcro straps - very easy, very practical and to be honest, rather stylish. as it is still a long way from warm on the isle, it's difficult to tell just how cool hot tootsies will be in summer, but on visual inspection, it shouldn't be much of a problem. the zxelliums have already been tried and tested by far better than i in last year's tour de france and the olympics: if you want the very finest footwear for that competitive urge, you shouldn't have to look too much further than your nearest mavic dealer.
the marresi leather shoes are a whole different ball game. i think it unlikely that we'll see thor hushovd or mark cavendish wearing a pair of these anytime soon, but to think otherwise would be to completely miss the point. were it not for the inevitable chunky cleats on the carbon resin soles, wear a pair of these into the office and nobody would bat an eyelid. succinctly put, these are style personified. however, all the style in the world amounts to a great deal of nothing whatsoever, if the shoes don't work in the manner that one would desire. of course, you already knew the answer to this: they perform as well as they look, and in the manner of the finest brooks leather saddles, they are likely to continue to do so well into the future. unlike state of the art fabrics and materials, which hardly vary from one year to the next, a quality pair of leather shoes will live and breathe as the days pedal by, so there is every reason to believe that these will improve with age, just like their present owner.
before velcro, ratchets and dial systems, all shoes closed over the foot with good old laces, and that's exactly how the marresis operate. this may not offer the opportunity for tightening before the last 500m sprint, but i'm confident enough that i have appreciated the intended market that dromarti are likely to carve out with these, that such considerations will be surplus to requirements. there is no danger of the laces invading the space between the chain and chainring, and wandering nonchalantly into debbie's wearing such fine footwear gives the wearer airs and graces that are thoroughly deserved. these really are as good as they look, but if your riding requires not the three-point cleat fitting that this race version offers, the sportivo accepts two bolt spd cleats while the storica is for use with toeclips and allows the wearer to walk normally. road shoes for the rest of us.
fausto coppi would have bought a pair of these.
mavic race titanium pedals retail at around £140; mavic zxellium race shoes have an rrp of £199 while dromarti sell the marresi shoes at the following prices: race (as tested) £139; sportivo £149; storica £169
posted on saturday 21 february 2009
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