Julio Jimenez 'The Clock Maker of Avila'

One the best Spanish climbers of all times whose professional career spanned from 1963 to 1968. His greatest achievement was winning the King of the Mountains prize at the TdF three years in a row - 1965, 1966 and 1967. He also won the same title in the Vuelta España in three occasions. Despite his exploits at alpine stages, and leading the Giro d'Italia 1967 for nearly eleven days, he never managed to win any major Tour - he was close to win the Vuelta España 1964 but he lost to Frenchman Raymond Poulidor due to a poor performance at the crono-stage. He retired from professional racing in 1969.

Some pictures of his classic climbing style in the Pyrenees stages of the TdF of 1965 and 1967.

As usual click image if you want to see an enlarged version. 

Le Tour de France: 1966-1971

Recently I have been given a volume containing the special Tour de France issues of two French cycling magazines -Le Miroir des Sports and Mirior de Ciclisme- and covering the editions of this major race from 1966 to 1971. These were the years of the rivalry between two Frenchmen Anquetil and Poulidor, the rise of Eddy Merckx and the death of Tom Simpson. Plenty of interesting pictures like this one showing a group of domestiques refreshing and fetching water for their respective team leaders in the TdF of 1966. 

As I have a closer look to the magazines I will try to scan and upload more pictures. I think you can click on the image to see enlarged version. Enjoy!

Follow me at FB

The original purpose for which this blog was originally set up, i.e. making short entries and posting bike pics, is now much better serviced at Facebook. My profile there is Greasy Paws.

While I will continue to publish here more elaborate or relevant entries, most of my online bike-related posting activity is now done almost exclusively on FB. Au revoir good old blog!

Red Light Jumping

First time in more than twelve years that I have ever been fined for red light jumping. Today I completely agree with my friends Frog and Toad.

 

Save Herne Hill Velodrome!

On-going campaign to save Herne Hill Velodrome in London. The velodrome has been run during all these years by the VC Londres, a cycling club that has done an sterling job in promoting track racing among young people. The estate owners renew the lease of the property on yearly basis. This type of short-term lease has prevented the granting of any substantial funding either from the National Lottery or British Cycling Association to undertake the long over-due renovation works of the facilities.

Now VC Londres and all other users of the velodrome are seeking for a long-term lease which will eventually make possible the required investment to resurface the track and repair the stands of this fantastic and unique cycling venue.

Further info can be found in their face-book group 'save the velodrome'. Go there to express your support. Apart from regular training ground of many track cyclists in the South London area, the velodrome also has an off-road circuit and during the season host a series of other cycling related events like jumble sales, antique bicycles exhibitions and races and the traditional Good Friday cycling meeting, usually attended by many pro track racers from all over the UK. Further info of all activities taking place at the velodrome can be found here.

A picture of the velodrome in its height days during the 1950s, 60s and 70s.

Ninja Alleycat - Madrid, 25th of September

What a muppet!

And this time I'm talking about myself. When cycling last Friday I took a spill and landed heavily on my right shoulder with this nasty result: a grade 2 collarbone dislocation.
What this means is that I have now to wear a sling and keep my right arm immobilized for at least two weeks while the slightly strained ligaments recover and the collarbone moves a bit downward and returns to its former position. What a bummer! I was planning to build my 29er in the next two weeks and do some serious riding during August but I think that, for the time being, such plans are to be postponed until I recover completely from this stupid crash.

Repent All Ye Sinners, The End is Very Nigh!

As can be read in John 42:17 and Bike Snob NYC alerted us not long ago, the impending Armageddon of the fixed-gear world, my dear friends, is coming upon us much sooner than anyone had expected. Lo and behold this picture that have recently appeared over the interweb!

Yes, it's true, you've guess'd right: the Four Skidders of the Fixed-Gear Apocalypse are back in town! Coming down the street near you with their awfully colour-mismatched 'steeds'. Be afraid, my friend, very, very afraid!
PD: Although I haven't read Bike Snob NYC for some time, I was dead sure he couldn't have missed this story: here you go, today's entry on his blog about Mormons riding fixed.

Track Cycling Portraits

An amazing picture of former US racing cyclist Rebecca Twigg whose professional career spanned the 1980s and early 1990s. She won several US national championships and was six times world champion in what was -doubtlessly- her favourite discipline, the individual pursuit.

This portrait by Annie Leibovitz was part of a photo assignment of Olympian athletes commissioned by the magazine Vanity Fair and certainly succeeds in capturing simultaneously the beauty, dedication, sacrifice and expectations which always accompany the practice of any sport at a professional level.

A truly inspiring picture! Pity I couldn't find a better resolution image....

Specialized Epic gone, Salsa El Mariachi in!

Finally I decided to sell my Specialized Epic 2006. While its handling and performance is more than correct, I never become fully 'attached' to this bike in the same way as I am to other bikes I have built myself over the years.

There is no doubt that this is an excellent XC bike as I could regularly do almost 1/3 more kms than with my other fully rigid MTB, feeling much less tired at the end of a long ride. This is certainly down to the comfort and absorption provided by the full-sus. The downside, however, is that I don't like the way that modern suspension 'contaminates' the steering and overall handling of the bike, not to mention the extra-weight added. This bike can roll over almost anything you might find in your path, but I do miss the more precise steering and general 'alertness' about what the the bike is doing that you are required to have when riding a full-rigid. Likewise, the hydraulic brakes have a tremendous stopping power, ideal for long and abrupt descents but certainly an overkill for the kind of XC or 'single track' riding I do regularly.

The other reason which finally put me off this bike is the inability to do any mechanical maintenance of some vital parts without having to buy a whole new set of specific tools: a) the new hollow BBs have a small life-span compared to traditional tapered ones and it doesn't take too long before they start to make creaking noises once their relatively small bearings start to wear down or get dirty with sand or grit, b) the hydraulic brakes are excellent but a pain in the arse in terms of maintenance -thanks Jeebus for the new Avid BB7 mechanical system which finally got rid of all the cumbersome process of bleeding, removing air bubbles in the system, and adjusting hydraulic disc brakes, c) the front and rear suspension forks are just the same story, great to have it there for extreme MTB riding but difficult to service without buying a whole set of expensive tools and oils and following complicated owner's manual instructions.

Yeah, I know, it is just a matter of time and of trial/error to learn how to do these maintenance tasks, etc.. But for my part I was not very excited about the prospects of having to study a front suspension fork manual, spending the equivalent of a new fork in getting all the tools required to do it myself, and then take apart / put the whole thing back together only to find out that it works much worse than it originally did... So, at the end, every time I needed to have any of these things checked, the bike have ended up going to the LBS for a service. I don't like this. Neither I like to be overcharged for a bike service.

After this relative short cycling experience with the presumed major advantages afforded by modern MTB technology, I finally decided that I want to go back to basics with my new build and purchased a Salsa El Mariachi frame. The original plan is to build it first as a single speed (I already have a 26" Kona SS) and, then, if I like this 'big wheels' thing so talked about these days, will probably upgrade it to a 1x9 and perhaps fit a front suspension fork. What is certain is that all components are going to be of the best quality I can afford and serviceable by myself. The rule of thumb, in this case, will be : keep it simple!

Some pics of my former Specialized Epic can be found here in my Flickr account.

The new 'steel is real' frame I purchased at a relatively good price (ex-demo) is this:



Hopefully I will be able to source most parts in the forthcoming months to have it ready to ride for this summer!!

The BMX bike all'Italiana

Lo and behold! The Italian take on the budding BMX market of the second half of the 1980s. A wonderful Cinelli frame made of Columbus tubing, gorgeous Campagnolo anodised hubs and crankset, Clement 20" rims, and legendary Regina chains, all the big road Italian manufacturers banding together to create a truly bling-bling "motocross racing" bike, as they liked it to call this Ultima BMX. Click on the image for a larger view.

No wonders then that Cinelli is nowadays taking a similar approach to the fixed gear "hipster" market issuing limited edition frames in collaboration with riders-collective MASH or with artists like Barry McGee. At least, Campagnolo has not considered for the moment a limited edition reissue of its classic vintage track crankset in a whole array of anodised colours... That will be blasphemy, indeed!

Cycling Portraits from Barcelona.

Looking for some cycling memorabilia, I have just come across this pair of portraits dating back to the early 1900s. The dashing figure cut by these young men, dressed up with their jackets and loose fitting trousers, will not certainly look unfamiliar in any of the popular tweed runs that have taken place recently in the UK, USA or Australia.

For the first originators of these "nostalgic" rides, well before the fixed gear scene took them over, check The Tweed Cycling Club. Their motto: "Style not Speed. Elegance not Exertion"; wise words, indeed, for any would-be urban cyclist.

The Classic Italian Racer Project: 1st version

At last I have managed to complete my "winter" bike project: a pure-breed, classic racing Italian frame from the mid 80s, fully equipped with a Campagnolo Chorus groupset from the early 90s, and 4th generation Delta Brakes. A humble tribute to that fantastic machine, the steel racing bike of 8 speeds, that characterised, both in terms of the employed frame building techniques and materials, as well as the technological solutions applied to componentry, the history of ciclying race through most of the 2nd half of the 20th century. I have nicknamed it, unknowlingly turning again a blinking eye to ciclying history or legend, "La dama bianca".

Specs:

Frame: Columbus double butted CIÖCC frame. Size 55. NOS. I believe from the mid 80s.

Groupset: Campagnolo Chorus 8 speed including indexed gear shifter. Early 90s. Acquired in a relatively good nick so only a throughout disassemblage and polishing has been needed to leave it in nearly spot-on condition.

Wheelset: Campagnolo Chorus hubs laced to Mavic M40 rims. Used wheelset but the hubs are still going strong. In few months I am planning to build the hubs again, but this time laced to a Campagnolo silver tubular rim, another humble tribute to the history of ciclying and an extra bonus to get the whole "retro" experience when riding this bike.

Headset: Campagnolo Record (modern version from the mid 90s). I couldn't find the old style Campagnolo headset at an affordable price and perhaps rushed to install a modern one just to get the project going. Even if I find one now, the steerer tube is, alas, too short.

Pedals: Campagnolo Chorus pedals acquired in well-used condition: a tenatious polishing was required to leave them in relatively good-looking shape, plus the replacemente of bearing, new dust caps, cages and buttom straps. I found by chance on a LBS a pair of rare, NOS brevatto road straps, a defunct-manufacturer from the mid-80s I believe.

Brakes: 4th Generation Campagnolo Delta Brakes in nearly NOS condition. Breathtakingly beautiful set of brake calipers with astonishing manufactured finishes, above all its internal mechanism, plus a look which enlivens any frame in which they are mounted. They are, however, a minor pain in the arse to set up correctly, especially due to its top cable entry.

Steering: A 3ttt stem and handlebar, a sleaker look than a Cinelli combo I tried before on the bike. Fizik Microtex handlebar tape for that vintage look. I need to source silver bar plugs and some white electric tape for the tops.

Saddle: San Marcos Rolls and 26.8mm Campagnolo aero seatpost.

Enjoy!!












I hope to do an update with final version of the bike, once I get those tubular rims laced and deal with few other, minor improvements just to complete the whole project nicely.

What a craftmanship! Otero pista 1960s.

Just check this lovely fillet-brazed pista frame, produced by one the most reputed Spanish frame builders of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, Enrique Otero, and allegedly ridden by Federico Bahamontes, nicknamed "the eagle of Toledo", in six day events during the late 50s and early 60s.

Otero, the brand name, does not longer produce any frame in-house, all production having migrated to the Far East, but still have one of the most respected road bike shops in Madrid, where just a few of these "beauties" still hang from the top of the walls of the workshop.

More pics can be found in Classic Rendezvous's recently added entry for Otero: certainly, a great addition to this wonderful resource for all vintage bike enthusiasts. Well done!

Playing bike polo old-style

A lovely set of pictures of King George playing grass bike polo with his pals, plus a picture of an original polo bike: check out that curved seat tube, back & forth adjustable saddle position, and "circus-like" gear ratio for furious spinning and ultimate rear-wheel control.

The full set of pictures can be found here. Enjoy

Vintage MKS RX-1 Pedals

I have recently managed to get hold of this lovely pair of pedals dating back at least to the early 90s. As it can be seen from the pictures, they have been well used years ago at the velodrome by a now retired old professional rider. Despite their relatively poor cosmetic conditions (what will pass for others, including myself, as vintage charm), the pedals are still in perfect working order with bearing running smooth as silk and with no play whatsoever. Tiny NJS logo stamped on the end of the spindle and the rear pedal plate. They are going to be fitted straigh away on my fixed gear bike.

The pedals come with vintage Campagnolo steel toeclips and triple layer leather straps made by Giorni Brevettato, a toe straps manufacturer name I have never heard before that now apparently produces watch leather straps. Although these toe straps are old and worn, they are still tough as nails and hope will still withstand some skid action, no doubt helped by the superb strap retention system of the RX-1 pedals.

Here are some pics of this lovely vintage find. Enjoy.

If only all modern off-the-peg bikes were like this...

Please click the image to enlarge

For an outstanding collection of scanned vintage bike catalogues you can go here

A Beauty to Behold!

While looking at eBay for a frame to start my next bike project, I came across this stunning classic Italian road frame made by CIÖCC in Columbus double-butted Reinforced tubing. It was definitely love at first sight! This particular frame appear to be from the early or mid 1980s. It is a fine example of the great Italian frame-building tradition. The classic Italian road bike frames are primarily characterised for their stiffness, responsiveness and great handling which results in very fast, pure-breed, racing machines.

Ciöcc (pronounced “cheeoach”) was founded by builder Giovanni Pelizzoli, a former apprentice of Ugo DeRosa. Ciocc (local Val d’Aosta, Italian dialect for "poker faced" hence the Ciöcc badge of four aces in a cross formation) was his nickname as a pro rider. Although less well known than Cinelli, Colnago, DeRosa or Pinarello, the excellent craftsmanship and attention to detail evidenced in all his frames put him rightly alongside these other renowned Italian frame builders. I particularly love the painting and finishes of the frame: understated and simple yet at the same time elegant.

Check out and enjoy this truly work of art in the pics below:

At the end of the auction, alas, the frame did not sell as the reserve price was not met by any of the bidders, including myself. The other three identical frames (but of different sizes) which were also on auction by the same seller experienced a similar fate. He can definitely take his time to bring them again to the market as these "beauties" in mint condition are not likely to loose any of their value in the foreseeable future. A sound long-term investment indeed!

Wallpapers for your Desktop

I have recently found this nice artwork created by ilovedust for The Ride Journal. Enjoy!

Don't forget to have a look at The Ride Journal for more awesome pics. Sweet stuff indeed!

Few pics from the ECMC 2008 Eindhoven

What a fantastic championship we had!! Big thumbs up for the organisation who planned and ran the whole event admirably well. The race course was awesome: particularly well-thought to simulate the working conditions of messengers (minus live traffic), with some cobbled sections, lots of up and down stairs and ramps, narrow bridges, and sharp corners, which made the race a veritable "hell of the north" for all participants. Other competitions taken place over the weekend were the polo championships, skids, trackstand, rollapaluza, and a massive alleycat on the streets of Eindhoven. Beautiful fixed gear bikes all over the place, loads of fun watching the race and other competitions, and, above all, a nice vibe and sense of camaderie among all participants and spectators, .... what else can you ask for a great weekend!!

Here some pics from the event that I have picked up from the various links at the ECMC 2008 web page. Thanks to all people for sharing their pictures and let me"nick" few them for my blog.


Plus a great video of the main race, skid competition, and sprints


ECMC 2008 Eindhoven from MESSENGWEAR.com on Vimeo.

And another couple of videos I have recently found at the web channel CLTR/CTRL (Culture Control) of the main race and bike polo competion.





Well done to all you folks!! .....And see you next year at Berlin, host city of the ECMC 2009.