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 at present what I’m obsessive about is that this bike:
Right now 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 consequence 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 at present 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 title:
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 may have been, which might make sense, since everyone knows Paul is making an attempt to kill me.) Though it isn’t, you’ve received to admire the style through which the Italians prize type over perform in the case of the bicycle stem, regardless that it’s probably the most essential elements in the case of retaining your face off the highway floor. This method continued properly 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 do not know–however it’s to say there’s no cause for it to appear like a schlong besides somebody clearly needed 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]
After all none of this might fly right now, even from an Italian firm, so now when you insist on having a pornographic cockpit you’ve received to go to eBay:
So do they imply after the trip or throughout? As a result of if the latter that positive provides an entire new dimension to using 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 non permanent, however because it occurs they really feel nice, and along with these funky-ass Tektros the braking is pretty much as good as any rim brake highway bike I’ve ridden:
There’s additionally loads of clearance for 28s:
I do not know what sort of tubing the Faggin is created from, 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 often 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 might rub it down with moist aluminum foil or one thing, although that seems like it will make your hair get up straight. Rust apart, it’s fairly a chic fork; observe the seamless crown-to-blade factor it’s received taking place, which I’m positive there’s a correct frame-building title for that I can’t consider in the meanwhile.
And whereas it could not have the general cohesion of the Cervino what with its Tremendous Report components all the identical classic, there’s a little Ultegra theme happening:
Regardless of its ubiquity I’ve at all times favored the look of the 9-speed period Ultegra crank, which appears form of puffy, prefer it’s 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 an entire freak would need, although within the years that adopted I ultimately found crank size actually doesn’t matter all that a lot, who knew? Clearly I’ve come a great 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 appears fairly tough, nevertheless it definitely doesn’t trip that manner 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 last word Dirtbag Highway machine.
