Bike OCD
TheBigYin
Posts: 5,686 Member
I occasionally get comments about how "detail obsessive" I can get - yesterday I realised how out of hand it may have become.
As some of you may have heard me mention - i'm building a new bike up for the summer (if we actually have one). It's based on a Dolan Tuono sl Carbon frameset with Ultegra 6700 series gears/wheels.
Anyway - the frame is finished in gloss white over satin black. Ultegra 6700 in the dark gunmetal blue/grey, so that goes nicely.
Saddle - Fizik Arione comes in white with black detaling... check
Stem/Bars - FSA Team Issue - unidirectional carbon over Alu, with white logo/detailing... check
Tape - White Cork tape (for the moment at least - I'l get sick of having to give it the babywipe treatment after every ride)... check
Bottle Cages - Planet-X Team Carbon in Satin Clearcoat over 12k Carbon weave... check
And then we hit a problem
Headset Conical Cap and Stem Spacers - Ahhh... Gloss 12k Carbon Weave. :noway:
No - Sorry - the glossy clearcoat just looks awful against all the other satin finishes. There's just NO WAY i'd be happy looking down at that for 4 hours at a time. So - yes, this morning I've actually sanded down and satin clearcoated all the upper headset componentry (the conical top bearing cap, the stem stop-cap , and a whole bunch of assorted size spacers, so I can adjust the 'bar height before cutting down the steerer.
I think I'm going mental!
Is it just me, or does anyone else get that pathetic about the componentry of their bikes ??
As some of you may have heard me mention - i'm building a new bike up for the summer (if we actually have one). It's based on a Dolan Tuono sl Carbon frameset with Ultegra 6700 series gears/wheels.
Anyway - the frame is finished in gloss white over satin black. Ultegra 6700 in the dark gunmetal blue/grey, so that goes nicely.
Saddle - Fizik Arione comes in white with black detaling... check
Stem/Bars - FSA Team Issue - unidirectional carbon over Alu, with white logo/detailing... check
Tape - White Cork tape (for the moment at least - I'l get sick of having to give it the babywipe treatment after every ride)... check
Bottle Cages - Planet-X Team Carbon in Satin Clearcoat over 12k Carbon weave... check
And then we hit a problem
Headset Conical Cap and Stem Spacers - Ahhh... Gloss 12k Carbon Weave. :noway:
No - Sorry - the glossy clearcoat just looks awful against all the other satin finishes. There's just NO WAY i'd be happy looking down at that for 4 hours at a time. So - yes, this morning I've actually sanded down and satin clearcoated all the upper headset componentry (the conical top bearing cap, the stem stop-cap , and a whole bunch of assorted size spacers, so I can adjust the 'bar height before cutting down the steerer.
I think I'm going mental!
Is it just me, or does anyone else get that pathetic about the componentry of their bikes ??
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Replies
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It isn't OCD at all, you are just a 'keeper of the cog' and a follower of 'The Rules' :laugh:0
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My Dad's already nicknamed the new bike "The Panda" - because the frame was made in china, and EVERYTHINGS either black or white... :laugh:0
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My Dad's already nicknamed the new bike "The Panda" - because the frame was made in china, and EVERYTHINGS either black or white... :laugh:
You can't knock black and white mate
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or, for a more italian flavour, I guess...My Dad's already nicknamed the new bike "The Panda" - because the frame was made in china, and EVERYTHINGS either black or white... :laugh:
You can't knock black and white mate
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Who's original colour was pink!Early years
Historic first ever Juventus club shot, 1898
Juventus were founded as Sport Club Juventus in late 1897 by pupils from the Massimo D'Azeglio Lyceum school in Turin,[31] but were renamed as Foot-Ball Club Juventus two years later.[3] The club joined the Italian Football Championship during 1900. During this period the team wore a pink and black kit. Juventus first won the league championship in 1905 while playing at their Velodromo Umberto I ground. By this time the club colours had changed to black and white stripes, inspired by English side Notts County.[32]
There was a split at the club in 1906, after some of the staff considered moving Juve out of Turin.[3] President Alfredo **** was unhappy with this and left with some prominent players to found FBC Torino which in turn spawned the Derby della Mole.[33] Juventus spent much of this period steadily rebuilding after the split, surviving the First World War.[32]
I digress!
I'm sure it looks all mean, moody and matt now0 -
You are normal among those friends of mine who even the cable end caps need to be the exact colour they "need". Need? huh?0
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You're not allowed to be a cyclist if you're not at least a little OCD.
My Giant is carbon black and blue and most of the bottle and derailleur mounts are anodized blue to better match the bike. I wouldn't have it any other way!0 -
Hmm - cable caps - hadn't considered that - normally I cut the cable then solder the cut ends (old school approach) but I suppose if I could source some black anodised crimp caps... :bigsmile:
I will admit, that there is actually the slightest hint of red detailing on the bike - the seatpost (a Dolan Carbon Custom painted one that came with the frame) actually has red graduations at the rear for setting the saddle height - plus the Ultegra wheels have some red lettering on the rim (something to do with the road tubeless tyres iirc), so I've swapped the valve caps for red to match... And of course, there's the Red on the Cross of St.George...
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After taking about my OCD friends... just realised I have some symptoms too...
My frame is white with some black & tiny bit of red - I just looked - couldn't find anything which is not one of those colours the only exception is the frame pump which has some gold colour - subconscious I guess :bigsmile:0 -
so I've swapped the valve caps for red to match...
Valve caps*? :noway:
Rule #60 Mr. Burrows!
(*) Mine are yellow. Conti' tubes :laugh:0 -
Btw (sorry off topic) - what is the use of valve caps? I don't keep it on but noticed many people do.0
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I cheerfully admit to fitting valve caps for training rides, yep - especially at this time of the year. Purely to keep all the road crap out of the threads on the presta-valve bit.
Oh - the red valve caps came with the Planet-X innertubes that were on a special just before Christmas... so i've the even worse sin of mis-matched manufacturers bits to atone for... Conti Tyres and Tubes and PX caps :noway:0 -
I cheerfully admit to fitting valve caps for training rides, yep - especially at this time of the year. Purely to keep all the road crap out of the threads on the presta-valve bit.
Question is answered! Thank you so much!0 -
Btw (sorry off topic) - what is the use of valve caps? I don't keep it on but noticed many people do.
The extra weight slows you down on hills and the wider profile causes more aerodynamic drag.
They are a trick perpetuated by elite cyclists to keep other people slow.0 -
back in the long, long, long distant past, when I used to race I wouldn't have been seen dead on the starting line with the valve caps still fitted - frankly compared to the 30kg i'm carrying in excess fat (and the associated drag and gravity problems therein) the weight and Cd of 2 valve caps doesn't result in many sleepless nights chez Yin :laugh:0
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I love this thread so much. My Bianchi Sempre is a fiesta of red black and white and I thought it was a bit much at first but it's really grown on me...0
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