***Word to readers: I’m not right here. I’m on trip. You’re not studying this. Nothing is actual.***

Additional to yesterday’s publish, along with the Jones, I’ve additionally received this at my disposal:

Simply think about how thrilling it have to be to end second in a derailleur contest, solely to be whisked away on an unique wilderness getaway:

It’s a real Cinderella story for the Veloce.

I’ve received all of the gears I would like for skinny-tire using, although I can’t assist considering that long-cage Athena derailleur that received first prize would go nice on this bike together with with the legendary Campagnolo Racing Triple:

This crank greater than another really embodies the growing old roadie. The 52 and the 42 are each valiant bordering on delusional, after which there’s that 30 for while you come to your senses and say, “Fuck it, I surrender.”

Talking of street bikes, within the spring final 12 months, I joked that I used to be going to make bonded aluminum bikes cool once more:

See, 2022 was a a lot less complicated time, and the concept that individuals would develop nostalgic for the misplaced artwork of gluing aluminum with the intention to make bikes nonetheless appeared foolish:

Nicely, not anymore:

Now, for simply 5 thousand and 5 hundred of your Canadian Enjoyable Tickets you possibly can have your very personal modern-day Trek 2300 and/or Specialised Allez and/or Big Cadex:

Am I impugning the talents of a proficient craftsman? Completely not. Is there something mistaken with spending a bunch of cash on a customized bike? Not a rattling factor. Is shopping for a bonded crabon-and-aluminum bike from a boutique store in 2023 any sillier than shopping for a rigid-only mountain bike from Jones or a lugged metal Rivendell with friction shifters? Nicely, clearly yeah, however so what? We’re speaking about bikes right here, they don’t have to make sense.

Nonetheless, as all of the optimistic vibe retailers over on that different web site fawn over this, it’d be a dereliction of obligation on my half if I didn’t publish this:

Not solely is it like a thirteenth of the value, nevertheless it takes rim brakes and downtube shifters!

Now that’s a win/win for the glued bike fanatic.