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:
In the present day was a heat and sunny (albeit fairly windy) day so I lastly loved a experience on the road-ified Faggin that was freed from mechanical issues and snow, though I did want to vary course at one level because of flooding:
That’s a freeway beneath 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 be 100% Italian (other than the Nishiki decals) whereas the one Italian elements on the Faggin are the saddle:
The stem:
[Start Digression]
Sure, I do know that sure Modolo stems had 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.) Though it’s not, you’ve bought to admire the style by which the Italians prize kind over operate with regards to the bicycle stem, although it’s some of the necessary parts with regards to maintaining your face off the highway floor. This method continued effectively into the threadless period, as you may see from the disconcertingly schlong-like “Mutant,” a stem I as soon as really 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 appear like a schlong besides somebody clearly wished it to appear like a schlong. And naturally excessive Italianate stem design reached its apotheosis with the Alter stem:
[Via here]
Which you might customise with scantily-clad women:
[Via here]
In fact none of this might fly right now, even from an Italian firm, so now in the event you insist on having a pornographic cockpit you’ve bought to go to eBay:
So do they imply after the experience or throughout? As a result of if the latter that positive provides a complete new dimension to using in a paceline.
[End digression]
And the brake levers:
These had been in fact made by the storied Italian biking element maker Leechi, which is Italian for milk:
I simply assumed these low cost brake levers I dug out of the elements bin can be short-term, however because it occurs they really feel nice, and along with these funky-ass Tektros the braking is nearly as good as any rim brake highway bike I’ve ridden:
There’s additionally loads of clearance for 28s:
I don’t know what sort of tubing the Faggin is constituted 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. Nevertheless, I can’t think about this makes any distinction other than weight. There’s additionally numerous chrome element on the bike:
Although it’s in fairly tough form:
Significantly the fork, which I ought to most likely attempt to clear up in some unspecified time in the future, however most likely gained’t:
I heard you might rub it down with moist aluminum foil or one thing, although that feels like it will make your hair arise straight. Rust apart, it’s fairly a sublime fork; be aware the seamless crown-to-blade factor it’s bought taking place, 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 Document elements all the identical classic, there’s a little Ultegra theme happening:
Regardless of its ubiquity I’ve at all times appreciated the look of the 9-speed period Ultegra crank, which seems to be sort 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 attainable to expertise with out resorting to electronics:
In all, the bike seems to be fairly tough, nevertheless it definitely doesn’t experience that means 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 Street machine.
