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

jonny_trousers

Lovely documentary. For me the Brooks saddle spoilt it, but yeah, it was his dream bike, not mine.

Also, a remarkably large pair on such a small frame. Fantastic!

spasypaddy

im glad ive just seen this thread, ive been having a bit of an email convo with rob today

i questioned quite a bit, like his choice of rims, his choice of tyres (as i thought he left with 4seasons not 4000sesssseses).

What really annoyed me was the bottle cage. REALLY REALLY annoyed me. In fact that was what made me email him. but he wont tell me why but it was used.

my emails with him:

Rob,

I watched your show last night on the BBC iPlayer and it was a fantastic watch but a few things stuck out (this is going to show me up as a proper bike geek...). When you were at continental I was worried that you had picked up 4seasons but thankfully when you had the bike built you had GP4000s on the stunning looking wheels! Out of interest why did you choose DT Swiss rims?

You mention that record is campags top group set, you forgot super record. Can I ask why you didn't put super record on that frame?

That's a minor annoyance and a personal preference just like the frame colour which I know wouldn't be to everyone's desire. But that bottle cage ruined the whole look of the bike. A cheap specialized bottle cage (It didn't look like an s-works carbon cage) ruined the lines of the frame. I know it would have been difficult to get a bottle cage that didn't ruin the lines but an elite cage or a classical shaped titanium cage would have looked a lot better.

Also that helmet needs an upgrade to match the rest of the gear you were wearing and the stunning bike (bottle cage apart) you were riding!


I look forward to your reply,

Thanks for taking the trouble to write. Delighted that you enjoyed the film. If you have a moment, and you feel inclined to comment on the film, or even on the coverage the bicycle gets on the BBC in general, please do drop them a line: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/yoursay/. Apparently this feedback does make a difference and it may be the only way to encourage them to show more programmes about bicycles.

A lot of the film ended up on the cutting room floor, and the editor - one of the best in the business - was no bike geek. In fact, where to set the 'geek radar' was an important part of the edit for the editor, the producer and the exec producer (a mountain bike fanatic): they purposefully set it very low, to make the doc inclusive. This meant a lot of explanatory info was left on the cutting room floor.

GP4000S all the way, of course.

Gravy recommended the DT Swiss rims. He's built up a lot of wheels with these: he likes the way they are extruded and thinks they are bomb proof. That fitted with the premise for the bike: a bike built to last; not the fastest or lightest or sexiest components, but the best made, and the longest lasting. I made concessions on weight all the time, in preference to strength. It's not a racing bike; it's a 'riding bike'. And it's a beaut: I've ridden it all round the Brecon Beacons where I live, all summer, and in the Pyrenees (over Tournmalet: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/567ae2da-7d1d ... abdc0.html) and in the Marmotte.

I don't think I said Campags top gruppo is Record. There are four main reasons I bought Record:
- the heritage of the Record name: the first Record gruppo went on sale in 1958. The name 'Record' runs through the entire history of cycle sport in the late 20th century. At Tullio Cmapagnolo's funeral in 1983, Merckx gave a eulogy at the funeral: ‘I tell it to you in bad Italian, maybe, but with an Italian heart because, thanks to you, there is a piece of Italy with your name on all the bicycles of the world.’ That rings true because of the quick release and because of Record.
- I've wanted a Record gruppo since I was a kid.
- the PR director at Campag told me the majority of pros riding Campag choose Record over Super Record.
- I don't think the extra cost of Super Record can be justified.

The bottle cage was a cock-up. I'll spare you the story.

The colour scheme is of course personal. That's one of the reasons why we have bespoke bikes, isn't it? You do, don't you?

Anyway, it's all in the book.

Best wishes,

Rob

Rob,

Thanks for getting back to me I really appreciate it.

I will get onto the BBC website and have my say so to speak, as I think there is a severe lack of cycling programmes. I remember seeing yours and one with that Clare Balding riding around. I have to admit I haven't watched Clare's programme yet as it doesn't quite appeal to the inner geek like yours did!

I would love to see what didn't make the final cut but I suppose I'll just have to have a read of the book!

I'm glad its being ridden, alot of times people build their custom bikes and never ride them for fear of them getting wet. I know I was like that when I got my first decent road bike, which I've been slowly upgrading over the past couple of years so its custom to me. I don't think I'll be getting a custom frame any time soon, but I am buying a new carbon frame next year and I wasn't sure what to get but Cinelli were always near the top of the list. Watching the show has actually helped inspire me to go towards the Strato. I have no doubt that this will change between now and April when I buy my new frame but if it doesn't I'll be proud to own a Cinelli.

Alot of riders in Le Tour were riding mish mash group sets, with Record chainsets and Super Record dérailleurs. I can understand why because the drop in weight can sometimes lead to a drop in stiffness. And if they came off then a Super Record chainset is a lot more to replace than a Record chainset for a minute weight saving.

At this stage I have to be honest, I really want to know the story behind the bottle cage. That was the main reason for emailing you in the first place but the inner geek came out and I had to ask the other questions.

Thanks,

Cinelli make fine frames. The Strato is a beauty. Off on hols now for three weeks. You'll have to wait for the bottle cage story.

Rob

lost_in_thought

Well, I didn't watch the documentary, but have made the choice between Super Record 11 and Record 11....

Basically, what I was told by the bike shop, and what is backed up by my research into the subject was that Record and Super Record are the same, bar that Super Record is slightly lighter. There's no difference in the mechanisms, nothing, it's just slightly different materials.

I went with Record. This is all in 2009.

always_tyred

lost_in_thought wrote:

went with Record. This is all in 2009.

What, and in a whole year you haven't made this obvious upgrade?