Additional to yesterday’s submit and the most recent bike I’m fussing over, Faggin continues to be very a lot a going concern:
Moreover, in contrast to the numerous storied bike manufacturers that get purchased and offered and now exist principally in identify solely, Faggin continues to be a household operation the place they’ll even welcome you in for espresso:
Jerzyluca of Jersey Cycles will verify this to be true, having had the Faggin household espresso expertise himself.
As for the bikes, you may see on their web site that they’re doing fashionable stuff:
However they’re additionally nonetheless making basic stuff:
I occur to be keen on the basic stuff, however I like that they do all of it.
It’s very comforting to know Faggin are nonetheless doing what they do, as a result of so long as they’re it means it’s additionally attainable that at some point I might order one, go there to choose it up, after which journey it round Italy for 3 weeks. I wouldn’t even pack any biking garments, both, as a result of additionally they promote gear, so I’d simply get the matching equipment and go full Faggin fanboy:
Alas, I don’t see any new bike fantasy holidays within the fast future, however within the meantime at the very least I can dream–and a few bar tape for my present bike is actually attainable:
In fact, I also needs to keep in mind that as a once-relevant semi-professional bike blogger I’ve already gotten to expertise the types of abroad biking dream escapes most individuals don’t get to take pleasure in till they’re too previous to take pleasure in them. For instance, in 2014 I obtained to participate in L’Eroica (the unique one, in Tuscany), due to the great folks at Brooks:
These had been the heady days the place you could possibly take a humble manufacturing facility employee, flip him right into a meme, and journey the wave all the best way to the Strade Bianche:
I’m fairly certain Brooks want to fake all this by no means occurred as a result of at this time they’d in all probability get torn aside on social media for the revelation that Eric “The Chamferer” leveraged his fleeting Web recognition in an effort to make the most of younger ladies, however it’s solely by acknowledging the previous that we are able to transfer ahead. Or one thing.
Anyway, sadly any “content material” I generated from the journey seems to be misplaced within the mists of time, as a result of so far as I can bear in mind I did a full-write up on it for the Brooks weblog, which not exists. My very own submit additionally appears to point I took video of the journey with a seatpost-mounted digital camera, although I do not know the place that went both. (The digital camera or the video.) Alas, all I’ve are my very own joyful reminiscences of driving an overgeared bike on grime roads and stopping in medieval villages the place I someway managed to gorge myself on bread with out breaking out in hives.
And naturally I additionally obtained to go to Switzerland for 5 days of climbing mountains, consuming lavish dinners, and sleeping in posh lodges:
Flying to Switzerland, climbing mountains, consuming lavish dinners, and sleeping in posh lodges taught me three crucial classes I’ll always remember:
I’ve been and proceed to be extraordinarily lucky
I might very very like to return to Switzerland at some point for extra climbing mountains, consuming lavish dinners, and sleeping in posh lodges
Fuck bikepacking
However whether or not I return to Switzerland subsequent yr, subsequent decade, or by no means, each time a motorcycle arrives from Traditional Cycle it turns my common routes into somewhat mini-fantasy trip, and even when I can’t journey a model new Faggin round Italy, when it comes to pure biking enjoyment, driving a beat-up one round New York is shut sufficient.
Then once more, it may be fairly robust going round right here. For instance, the Smugerati are nonetheless upset that when it rains there are puddles:
In 2021, New York Metropolis took the daring step of closing a complete lane of the Brooklyn Bridge to automobiles and turning it right into a two-way bike lane. This was an enormous deal and a significant enchancment over having to share a picket walkway with throngs of vacationers. So naturally ever since then the town’s cyclists have been complaining bitterly that it it’s typically somewhat moist after torrential rains:
I’d say “Cry me a river,” however for one factor it’s a trite expression, and for one more if somebody takes me actually it might type a puddle and we wouldn’t need that.
In the meantime, you could bear in mind “Phil Walkable,” the man who has it in for Valley Stream:
Properly, I’d want to not bear in mind him, however Twitter gained’t let me overlook, and now he’s pining for a 91% tax fee:
Cautious, Phil. Pointing at stuff randomly and attributing favorable outcomes to it’s a silly and harmful enterprise. what else we had in 1950? Legalized racial segregation. What a beautiful time!
I do see even Phil has had it with the motor scooters within the bike lane, although:
I proceed to be amazed that after all of the offended politicians and parked automobiles and acts of sabotage the factor that’s lastly going to undo New York Metropolis’s bike lane community as soon as and for all is these silly motor scooters.
Lastly, talking of feeling secure, Rivendell is taking up Large Helmet:
[Via Rivendell]
So might we see a Rivendell helmet at some point?
My principal concern is that this might result in Retrogrouch Threat Compensation, resembling leaving canvas baggage unbuckled and elevating quill stems above the minimal insertion mark.
As for whether or not threat compensation is definitely a factor, I don’t know, however it certain looks as if the individuals who do the dumbest stuff are carrying helmets:
I actually don’t get the entire descent porn factor, I actually don’t.
