Ride of My Life: The Story of the Bicycle Tuesday 27 July

PeteinSQ

I thought the bike looked quite good. I wondered if this was filmed before Super Record was launched? It's only been available for two years hasn't it?

I found the most perplexing thing his choice of hubs; he went with Shimano Ultegra. He could have used Chris King hubs or Phil Wood hubs or even Campag Record ones.

el_presidente

I think he had thought of a good idea for a book and TV show and had to use a variety of components so he could fly round the world. Therefore the variety was more important than the actual quality.

The less charitable interpretation is that he was a newbie who didn't really know what he was doing.

TimeEventParadox

I thought it was a good prog, very enjoyable. It did amuse me that he didn't even mention Shimano by name or any other groupset maker apart from campy.
The piece about the ageing mountain bikers was most entertaining.

I also watched the Britain by Bike prog that was on just before, with Claire Balding riding around, and stopping a lot to interview folks, it was a bit like "Wainwrights Walks" but on a bike. If you ever have any doubt that cycling keeps you fit and healthy watch it on a repeat and keep an eye open for the 92year old lady, nought wrong with her mind.

Have not as yet watched all the Tom Simpson story, but what I did see was tragic.

stickman

I would have got two components that would have required free trips to Taiwan and Japan.

tomgth

That bike had fantastic components...............shame that when put together it ended up a monstrosity. WTF were those bars on that frame for? He bowed to the miserable Italians attitude that conveyed “I don’t care who you are, these are all I have available, get out of my factory”

And as a friend pointed out, it’s always good to have pointed out that the reason for the resurgence of the bike in popularity is in part due to the recession and the astronomical cost of running a car.............by someone from Rapha.

Have you seen the cost of running a pair of Rapha Shorts?

Good Programe though - should have gone for the Bianchi Blue paint!

asprilla

I thought it interesting that he went to Portland to speak to Rapha as well.

PeteinSQ

And as a friend pointed out, it’s always good to have pointed out that the reason for the resurgence of the bike in popularity is in part due to the recession and the astronomical cost of running a car.............by someone from Rapha.

That really made me smile. I also found it a bit irritating that he gives Boris any credit for the popularity of cycling in London and then went on to quote some stats that ended measurement in 2007... one year prior to his election to Mayor. Ken had far more impact on cycling in London than Boris has achieved.

SmellTheGlove

tomgth wrote:

WTF were those bars on that frame for? !

+1 a true abomination.
I liked the well-mannered MTBers; I remember spending half my childhood trying to get bikes to go broady like them.
And the host wasn't even that irritating - great!

wizzlebanger

I really enjoyed it and as he pointed out at the beginning it wasn't about creating the best bike the world had ever seen or using the most expensive / super light components. It was about building his dream bike with components that mattered to him for what they add to his vision of what a bike should be for him.

Who cares if he had carbon bars on a steel frame? I hope it gives him years and years of pleasure!!!!

And as pointed out earlier the surprise inclusion of boobies. Brilliant.

WesternWay

rjsterry wrote:

It might be just me, but I found the Tom Simpson documentary pretty tragic. It might have been largely self-inflicted, but someone basically riding themselves to death is still difficult to watch even in grainy black and white footage. Most of his contemporaries still seemed to find it difficult to talk about over 40 years later.

It was awful I thought, even 40 years later the film was basically of a man dying. Very, very sad indeed.

On a lighter note, the bikes looked gorgeous, so much prettier than the bikes on today's tour.

tailwindhome

WesternWay wrote:

On a lighter note, the bikes looked gorgeous, so much prettier than the bikes on today's tour.

When I look at old pictures/ footage of cyclists from that era I always think their bikes look far too big for them.

Is it just me? Or has there been a change in geometry, size standard?

PeteinSQ

I wrote to Rob Penn about his bike asking why he didn't use Super Record or more upmarket hubs. Apparently the Campag people told him that most of the pros still choose Record over Super Record and he feels that Record has a longer heritage (which I suppose it does really). He also says that he used Royce hubs not Ultegra - maybe I need my eyes testing?

Was nice of him to reply I thought.

jonginge

PeteinSQ wrote:

I wrote to Rob Penn about his bike asking why he didn't use Super Record or more upmarket hubs. Apparently the Campag people told him that most of the pros still choose Record over Super Record and he feels that Record has a longer heritage (which I suppose it does really). He also says that he used Royce hubs not Ultegra - maybe I need my eyes testing?

Was nice of him to reply I thought.

Fair enough. My eyes also saw Ultegra hubs, though...

wizzlebanger

Snap.

Norky

TailWindHome wrote:

Is it just me? Or has there been a change in geometry, size standard?

I believe that modern road bikes are made in the "compact" geometry as opposed to "traditional" geometry. Compact geometry is a recent trend in bicycle manufacture.

jonginge

JonGinge wrote:

PeteinSQ wrote:

I wrote to Rob Penn about his bike asking why he didn't use Super Record or more upmarket hubs. Apparently the Campag people told him that most of the pros still choose Record over Super Record and he feels that Record has a longer heritage (which I suppose it does really). He also says that he used Royce hubs not Ultegra - maybe I need my eyes testing?

Was nice of him to reply I thought.

Fair enough. My eyes also saw Ultegra hubs, though...

Odd. Just replayed the wheel-building segment on iplayer and all I can see are Royce hubs. Most strange.

asprilla

JonGinge wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

PeteinSQ wrote:

I wrote to Rob Penn about his bike asking why he didn't use Super Record or more upmarket hubs. Apparently the Campag people told him that most of the pros still choose Record over Super Record and he feels that Record has a longer heritage (which I suppose it does really). He also says that he used Royce hubs not Ultegra - maybe I need my eyes testing?

Was nice of him to reply I thought.

Fair enough. My eyes also saw Ultegra hubs, though...

Odd. Just replayed the wheel-building segment on iplayer and all I can see are Royce hubs. Most strange.

I think the wheel builder users an Ultegra QR skewer and so people assumed it was an Ultegra hub. I did.

jonginge

Asprilla wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

PeteinSQ wrote:

I wrote to Rob Penn about his bike asking why he didn't use Super Record or more upmarket hubs. Apparently the Campag people told him that most of the pros still choose Record over Super Record and he feels that Record has a longer heritage (which I suppose it does really). He also says that he used Royce hubs not Ultegra - maybe I need my eyes testing?

Was nice of him to reply I thought.

Fair enough. My eyes also saw Ultegra hubs, though...

Odd. Just replayed the wheel-building segment on iplayer and all I can see are Royce hubs. Most strange.

I think the wheel builder users an Ultegra QR skewer and so people assumed it was an Ultegra hub. I did.

Ah. That makes sense.

prj45

jonginge

Better a bike geek than a hippie

Monkeypump

I thought the large "R" on the hubs was fairly visible, but only becuase I was intrigued by his not-particularly-special wheelset and was looking out for a clue what the hubs were!

I'm surprised Rob Penn described the project as his 'dream' bike. A very nice 'best bike' (despite the lovely frame being ruined by some of the components!), but the stuff of dreams? I don't think so...

A great program, and the other half actually sat and watched with me (although she did throw me a "WTF?" look when I tried to explain the thumbies on his t-shirt!)

benno68

Just one other observation, anyone notice when he was riding the new bike towards the end, he had the front wheel the wrong way around :roll:

That said I really enjoyed the program - it was a lovely bike but I'd have thought he'd have gone for a Ti frame, as he mentioned that it would be the bike to last out his cycling days.

the_hundredth_idiot

My man's dream bike is another man's BSO? Well, not quite but an awful lot is down to taste.

I thought Rob Penn's bike was sweet - a handmade steel frame with a custom paint job (I liked the blue and orange), a Brooks saddle and Campag Record groupset. Nice in my book. The only thing I wasn't keen on was the Cinelli bars which I thought didn't match the style of the rest of the bike.

always_tyred

TailWindHome wrote:

WesternWay wrote:

On a lighter note, the bikes looked gorgeous, so much prettier than the bikes on today's tour.

When I look at old pictures/ footage of cyclists from that era I always think their bikes look far too big for them.

Is it just me? Or has there been a change in geometry, size standard?

No, people were just smaller back then.

nicklouse

Sorry

ellieb

Out of interest. Why does it matter if the front QR is on one side or the other?

benno68

ellieb wrote:

Out of interest. Why does it matter if the front QR is on one side or the other?

I don't think it really makes a difference unless you have a directional tread tyre fitted, but it just doesn't look right to me!

With the rear wheel you wouldn't want it on the drive side with the gear cable in the way etc.

nielsamd

ellieb wrote:

Out of interest. Why does it matter if the front QR is on one side or the other?

An old chestnut.
Long ago, when I used to race, it was suggested to us by a coach that we put our quick release lever on the side that the probable person who might have to change your wheel in a hurry -whoever that may be- i.e. you or the coach in the `pits' or support car, would find most convenient. This was almost always the left side if someone else was doing it. But on the front I would find it easier, if doing it myself, to be straddling the bike, facing forwards, and so my right hand would prefer the lever on the right side.

simon_e

WesternWay wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

It might be just me, but I found the Tom Simpson documentary pretty tragic. It might have been largely self-inflicted, but someone basically riding themselves to death is still difficult to watch even in grainy black and white footage. Most of his contemporaries still seemed to find it difficult to talk about over 40 years later.

It was awful I thought, even 40 years later the film was basically of a man dying. Very, very sad indeed.

Sad but it put the significance of Tom's death in perspective as part of pro cycling in the 1960s. I watched it having read Fotheringham's book. I thought the doc was good, and perhaps better conveyed his impact on the sport and its followers -both that of his death and as a rider/personality. I think it illuminated characters from an age I was too young to recall so despite being genuinely tragic it was also a huge event for the sport. The book naturally tells a more detailed story and would recommend it.

I caught up with Rob Penn's bike prog last night. I quite liked the blue & orange paint - it was distinctive if nothing else. Can't say I noticed the hubs but then I'm not a real bike geek. Disappointed to see no mention of the bike on his website, I'd hoped for a listing and some photos. Can't say I liked the Cinelli bars, too tarty for a classic geometry custom steel bike like the Rourke, but it seemed like the factory boss chose them. And one wonders whether Rob was building his dream bike or one that allowed him to visit notable factories and meet willing interviewees. Usually more to organising such things than meets the eye. Disappointing that Campag appeared somewhat uncooperative, perhaps Big S would have done likewise. It was great to see the Conti factory at work, and the talk of artisan/craftsman builders holding their own. Makes me like the idea of buying a CK headset, though it will probably go no further than that - a Brooks saddle is more likely. I liked the fact that he paid for it all, he didn't appear to exploit the old "You get on TV, I get a freebie" trick. And bear in mind the programme would be made to get across to non-geeks and non-cyclists too.

dondare

Benno68 wrote:

Just one other observation, anyone notice when he was riding the new bike towards the end, he had the front wheel the wrong way around :roll:

You could see which way the spokes were laced?