Fixated – Bike Snob NYC


One of many worst issues about this weblog for you, the reader, is that I, the blogger, go on for days on finish about no matter it’s I occur to be obsessive about in the meanwhile–and presently what I’m obsessive about is that this bike:

As we speak was a heat and sunny (albeit fairly windy) day so I lastly loved a trip on the road-ified Faggin that was freed from mechanical issues and snow, though I did want to alter course at one level as a result of flooding:

That’s a freeway underneath all that water.

As I rode, I contemplated the similarities and variations between it and the Cervino, which is the opposite basic lugged Italian bicycle presently in my possession:

Whereas the Cervino hides its true nature coyly between its legs:

The Faggin is loud and proud, and from headtube to dropout there’s scarcely a tube on the body that doesn’t bear its identify:

The Cervino can also be 100% Italian (other than the Nishiki decals) whereas the one Italian components on the Faggin are the saddle:

The stem:

[Start Digression]

Sure, I do know that sure Modolo stems have been recalled. No, this isn’t a type of stems. (Although the stem on the Vengeance Bike might have been, which might make sense, since everyone knows Paul is making an attempt to kill me.) Despite the fact that it isn’t, you’ve obtained to admire the style wherein the Italians prize type over perform in terms of the bicycle stem, despite the fact that it’s one of the vital essential parts in terms of protecting your face off the street floor. This strategy continued nicely into the threadless period, as you possibly can see from the disconcertingly schlong-like “Mutant,” a stem I as soon as truly owned:

[Via here]

This isn’t to say the Mutant is unsafe–I don’t know–however it’s to say there’s no motive for it to seem like a schlong besides somebody clearly needed it to seem like a schlong. And naturally excessive Italianate stem design reached its apotheosis with the Alter stem:

[Via here]

Which you can customise with scantily-clad girls:

[Via here]

In fact none of this is able to fly right this moment, even from an Italian firm, so now in case you insist on having a pornographic cockpit you’ve obtained to go to eBay:

So do they imply after the trip or throughout? As a result of if the latter that positive provides a complete new dimension to driving in a paceline.

[End digression]

And the brake levers:

These have been after all made by the storied Italian biking part maker Leechi, which is Italian for milk:

I simply assumed these low cost brake levers I dug out of the components bin can be short-term, however because it occurs they really feel nice, and together with these funky-ass Tektros the braking is nearly as good as any rim brake street bike I’ve ridden:

There’s additionally loads of clearance for 28s:

I don’t know what sort of tubing the Faggin is comprised of, as there was no decal even earlier than I utilized my very own:

I’m assuming it’s Columbus. I’m additionally assuming it’s not fancy Columbus as a result of the bike takes a 26.8 seatpost, and as I perceive it the fancier stuff normally takes a 27.2. Nonetheless, I can’t think about this makes any distinction other than weight. There’s additionally a lot of chrome element on the bike:

Although it’s in fairly tough form:

Significantly the fork, which I ought to in all probability attempt to clear up in some unspecified time in the future, however in all probability received’t:

I heard you can rub it down with moist aluminum foil or one thing, although that feels like it might make your hair arise straight. Rust apart, it’s fairly a sublime fork; word the seamless crown-to-blade factor it’s obtained occurring, which I’m positive there’s a correct frame-building identify for that I can’t consider in the meanwhile.

And whereas it might not have the general cohesion of the Cervino what with its Tremendous Report components all the identical classic, there’s a little Ultegra theme occurring:

Regardless of its ubiquity I’ve at all times appreciated the look of the 9-speed period Ultegra crank, which appears to be like form of puffy, like its having an allergic response to one thing:

I purchased this crank years in the past for subsequent to nothing because it’s a 165mm with 53/42 rings, which is a configuration solely a whole freak would need, although within the years that adopted I finally found crank size actually doesn’t matter all that a lot, who knew? Clearly I’ve come a good distance from the Fred who used to bolt a 130mm schlong to his bike.

For the second I’m utilizing toe clips and straps:

They’re the pedals from the Univega I owned for about 48 hours:

And naturally I’m utilizing them with the Jobst Brandt bowling sneakers:

The wheels are on their second freehub and the edges are rising disconcertingly concave:

And the shifters are Rivendell Silver, which along with a Hyperglide cassette yield the smoothest shifting it’s potential to expertise with out resorting to electronics:

In all, the bike appears to be like fairly tough, however it actually doesn’t trip that method even within the slightest. If I needed to decide two adjectives to explain it I’d decide “elegant” and “refined,” and if I needed to decide three I’d additionally decide “cattywampus,” however solely as a result of it’s a humorous phrase.

It might simply be the final word Dirtbag Highway machine.

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