Additional to yesterday’s publish 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 largely in title 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 possibly can see on their web site that they’re doing fashionable stuff:
However they’re additionally nonetheless making basic stuff:
I occur to be a fan of 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 potential that someday I might order one, go there to select it up, after which journey it round Italy for 3 weeks. I wouldn’t even pack any biking garments, both, as a result of in addition 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 a minimum of I can dream–and a few bar tape for my present bike is definitely attainable:
In fact, I also needs to do not forget that as a once-relevant semi-professional bike blogger I’ve already gotten to expertise the kinds of abroad biking dream escapes most individuals don’t get to take pleasure in till they’re too outdated to take pleasure in them. For instance, in 2014 I bought to participate in L’Eroica (the unique one, in Tuscany), because of the great individuals at Brooks:
These have been the heady days the place you may 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 positive Brooks want to fake all this by no means occurred as a result of right now they’d most likely get torn aside on social media for the revelation that Eric “The Chamferer” leveraged his fleeting Web reputation as a way to make the most of younger ladies, nevertheless 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 keep in mind I did a full-write up on it for the Brooks weblog, which now not exists. My very own publish additionally appears to point I took video of the journey with a seatpost-mounted digital camera, although I don’t know the place that went both. (The digital camera or the video.) Alas, all I’ve are my very own joyful recollections of driving an overgeared bike on filth 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 bought to go to Switzerland for 5 days of climbing mountains, consuming lavish dinners, and sleeping in posh accommodations:
Flying to Switzerland, climbing mountains, consuming lavish dinners, and sleeping in posh accommodations 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 someday for extra climbing mountains, consuming lavish dinners, and sleeping in posh accommodations
- Fuck bikepacking
However whether or not I return to Switzerland subsequent yr, subsequent decade, or by no means, each time a motorbike arrives from Basic Cycle it turns my common routes into a little bit 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 powerful 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 whole lane of the Brooklyn Bridge to vehicles and turning it right into a two-way bike lane. This was an enormous deal and a significant enchancment over having to share a wood walkway with throngs of vacationers. So naturally ever since then town’s cyclists have been complaining bitterly that it it’s generally a little bit 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, it’s possible you’ll keep in mind “Phil Walkable,” the man who has it in for Valley Stream:
Properly, I’d favor to not keep in mind him, however Twitter gained’t let me neglect, and now he’s pining for a 91% tax price:
Cautious, Phil. Pointing at stuff randomly and attributing favorable outcomes to it’s a silly and harmful enterprise. You realize 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 vehicles 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 protected, Rivendell is taking over Massive Helmet:
So might we see a Rivendell helmet someday?
My predominant concern is that this might result in Retrogrouch Danger Compensation, equivalent to leaving canvas baggage unbuckled and elevating quill stems above the minimal insertion mark.
As for whether or not danger compensation is definitely a factor, I don’t know, nevertheless it positive 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.
Your posts always provide me with a new perspective and encourage me to look at things differently Thank you for broadening my horizons