Readying Eddy for "The Classics"

Tuesday, January 29th 2013 -- It was 58 degrees today, as I swung a leg over my ‘winter project.’   This quest began with an email from my high school bud, furniture maker, and Eddy Merckx bicycle devotee, Dan DeKoven.  Long since trashed, I recall Dan’s email went something like this:

“Fausto, check out this Eddy Merckx Team SC bike.  It won Paris Roubaix, and I like the paint job.  The Lotto Domo and 7 Eleven paint schemes are kind of loud and cheesy in my opinion.”

The frame and fork Dan found on ebay was painted gloss black with white MERCKX lettering.  Dan’s email hooked me, so I did a bit of checking on this bicycle.

The Team SC may have been the last racing design that the ‘Great One’ had a hand in before selling his bicycle company.  Indeed, as Dan said, it won Paris Roubaix not just once but in three successive years! 

In 2001, Dutchman Servais Knaven, Belgian Johan Musseuw, and Latvian Roman Vainsteins swept the podium frying the competition for Domo-Farm Frites.

In ‘02’ Museeuw piloted his ‘Frites’ Team SC to victory in Roubaix’s hallowed velodrome. 

Then in ’03,’ another Belgian, Peter Van Petegem doubled at the Tour of Flanders and then Paris Roubaix.

Other victories include Richard Virenque’s scorcher at the ‘01’ Paris-Tours race and his 2002 assault and battery of the ‘heads of state’ up Mont Ventoux in a most memorable stage at the Tour de France.

Yes, this bicycle had provenance all right, and more than one blogger has sung its praises.  Besides L’Eroica, this would be a celebration of my 65^th.   Thus began the readying of Eddy for the ‘Classics.’

My second nudge from Dan was to purchase an official Eddy Merckx seat post (or ‘seatpin’ as he called it).  Dan’s bike mechanic, Joe Hughes, found one.

Then, we began searching for wheels and components.

“Fausto, I don’t know about Sram (Apex), but I’d recommend Campy for this bike.  You can rebuild the shifters.”  Not intending to thrash and mash gears, Campagnolo and Eddy Merckx go a long way back and seemed a good choice.  Campy’s 11-speed stuff is very pricy, and I’d be locked into their chains and cassette, so I managed to find New Old Stock (NOS) Chorus 10-speed shift levers and a rear derailleur plus a lovely Record front derailleur from an internet outfit in Springfield, Illinois.

Peter Naiman collects bicycles and is a fellow participant in the Classic Rendezvous lightweight steel bicycle inter-network.  Peter recommended a pair of Planet X Ultra Light CNC brake calipers.  They are very light indeed and easy to install.  The toe-in was extremely easy.

Ron Mattson had a beautiful set of DT Swiss wheels at his Freeport Bicycle Company.   Ron gave me a sweet winter year-end price on the wheels and a pair of durable Schwalbe Durano 25C tires.  I also asked Ron if he might provide Sram’s super light XG 1090 10-speed cassette and an Italian threaded bottom bracket.

To pay for the cassette, I traded off purchasing Campagnolo's Chorus compact crankset for a FSA’s SLK model saving roughly 100 bucks and 100 grams.

Last Wednesday with much needed assistance from Bill Leibman, Eddy came together at the Freeport Bicycle Company.  Ron arrived at 5 PM just in time to help me tighten a loose headset that can plague owners of Team SCs if not properly sorted out.

Technical details aside, I was now anxious to discover how this most lauded Merckx performs.  Until today, the weather had been plenty cold and gritty, and Eddy was content to stay on the trainer.  We had a two-hour window between the rain and so pushed off at 11 AM.

How do you turn a huge grin into words?  This bike fits like soft kid gloves and moves like a silky black panther.  On the pedals, the bike begs to be ridden aggressively.  Relax, and the DT Swiss rear end emits a faint clicking unlike the annoying sound from my Madone’s Bontrager Race X Lite hub.

On the first climb, I shifted into the large cog and heard chain ticking.  While tinkering with the downtube barrel adjuster, I realized I wasn’t in the lowest front derailleur position.  Campy has five settings that allow you to trim the front as you shift up and down the gears.

Campagnolo’s shifters differ from Shimano’s two levers and Sram’s DoubleTap.  It took time to get used to the Chorus Ergopower’s thumb lever, but I like the feel of the hoods and the Deda handlebars, which are especially comfortable when you drop into the lower bars.

Another very close high school buddy, Gil Gulbrandson, purchased a Sella Anatomica for his Waterford, and I discovered that the surface leather of this saddle is made in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.

It looks like a svelte racy Brooks with a large center slot.  Check out their Butt Cam:  http://www.selleanatomica.com/design/  

Nuff said about that and my Sella Anatomica's white leather.  With the bike on the trainer, I had some comfort concerns, but outside, I found this saddle extremely agreeable and supportive.

My first two hours outdoors were the beginning of what promises to be a long and enjoyable relationship with this historic racing bike.  The Team SC is so steady and noticeably unaffected by crosswinds, which were strong today.

As I rode back along West Stephenson I flatted in front of Park Hills Golf Club.  The rain held off long enough for me to change the tube.  What better opportunity to get acquainted.

Bella Vacanza - Notes from L'Eroica

On our way to Italy, we stopped at the lovely town of Marlenheim in the Alsace region of France. Bistro food reputedly was born in Alsace, and we were not disappointed. Flowers hanging from timber framed houses and buildings abound, and the beautiful Vosges mountains are the backdrop for tidy vineyards and enchanting villages of this region. This is heavenly country for leisurely cycling, and I hope we may return one day.

Then we spent two days in picturesque Bellagio, which sits splendidly on a peninsula surrounded by Lake Como and the mountains. Our quiet hotel was an old villa tucked away in the peaceful Pescallo section of town separated from the touristy bustle by at least 500 cobble stone stairs. Our balcony commanded a magnificent view of the lake and boats with mountains rising sharply into the sky.

On our first morning, I peddled up the 6-mile stretch of the fabled Giro di Lombardia pro cycling race. My destination was the shrine and museum of Madonna del Ghisallo dedicated to Italian cyclists. In the afternoon, Linda treated us to a ride in a handsome wooden inboard around Lake Como. Our Skipper, Luca, enchanted his passengers with lakeside stories and sparkling prosecco. The Lake Como area is spectacular cycling for stronger riders who enjoy climbing hills, and the road surface, unlike what were to experience in Tuscany, was smooth tarmac.

And what can we say of Tuscany? Like Bellagio, the afternoon sunlight dazzles, and the food and wine are incomparable.  But the real enchantment are the people. We stayed at a B&B near the little village of Vagliagli roughly 8 km from L'Eroica's home base of Gaiole in Chianti.  From the deck of their lovely swimming pool, we could see a stretch of the L'Eroica's 'strade bianche' (white roads).

Our B&B hosts embraced us as family.  The first evening, we were invited to join our fellow guests from Norway for a barbecue as only Tuscans can do it.  We opened with Francesca's crostini. She and her mom, Sara, had grilled eggplant and peppers for the occasion. Papa Carlo piled on the BBQ'd pork and sausages.  Then came his enormous Val di Chiana T-bone steaks!  Did I forget the Chianti Classico from the vineyard next door and the superb bottle of Brunello di Montalcino Carlo brought out?  Then, Carlo poured out vin santo dessert wine and then his own special grappa?  Mama mia!  Linda and I packed ourselves upstairs leaving the Norwegians to party till God knows when?

L'Eroica opens with a two-day festa of vintage bici (bikes), bici parts, wool & bici leather apparel, and local foods and vini. It was remarkable to see so many younger riders and their families appreciate old bikes and the history of cycling.

At last, at '0 dark 30' on Sunday, the heroics commenced.  On my drive over to Giaole, I passed a rider on his bike in the middle of nowhere. He had a L'Eroica number on his back so I stopped.  Here was Greg, a carpenter from Seattle, on his way to the start in Gaiole, and he was riding there FROM SIENA!  Greg gratefully accepted a lift, and I had a riding buddy for the 'O dark' start.

The first 'ristoro' (rest stop) at Radi was a mad house.  I'd lost Greg in the shuffle and so continued on. The white roads were mined with chunks of smooth slate pavers and moguls of white gravel that rattled my teeth.  I prayed my dear ole Trek 760 might hang together?  I passed a few riders who flatted and wondered.

We rode in a crowd for the first 60 kilometers.  L'Eroica enrolled close to 4,000 riders, and I was surprised to see so many out for an early start on the 135 and 205 kilometer routes.  Riders bunched up on the 'strade bianche,' and we jostled for a good line with grip that wouldn't bounce us into others, or suck our front wheel into the ditch, or worse.  It was an entirely new experience for me to be riding in crowds on roads like these.  But everyone kept their cool and looked out for one another.

After 60 ‘Klicks,’ the 205 and 135 kilometer routes split, and suddenly I found myself riding alone. Was I off the course?  Not yet, as I was soon joined by other 205ers on the way up the hill to the 'mecca' of Tuscan viniculture - Montalcino.  This is a 15 by 15 section of strada bianca... 15 kilometers and gravel grades upwards of 15%.

I linked up with a landscape architect from Zurich. Alexander smiled at everything and was a delight to ride with.  We grinned our way up the big 'strada bianca' climb to Montalcino, the highest point on the 205 km route.  I was gassed but hopeful as we rolled through town over the top.

We flew off Montalcino on a wide smooth 'strada asfaltata' recovering our strength as we carved through turn after glorious turn.  The 760 was lovin it.  Alas, we entered another section of 'strada bianca,' but I was back to feeling chipper, and celebrated with a shot glass of Montalcino rosso at the Pieve a Salti 'ristoro.'  Praise Madonna; Only 100 ‘Klicks’ to go.

We rejoined the 135 riders in the medieval walled town of Buonconvento and slugged our way north over steep stabbing hills to Asciano and Pianella.  Riders were now off their bikes, and I fought for a good line with grip to get around them. "Scusa. Permesso piacere?"  Then, "Merde!" My front wheel dug in, and now I was off the bike and forced to walk up.  This was not a disgrace however, because L'Eroica is essentially a giant cyclocross course on skinny tires?

On the descents, the minefields of slate and moguls pummeled me about the neck, shoulders and arms.  I squeezed the brake levers for dear life.  As Italian hill walkers scorched the descents, I called out, "Scusa. Mi dispiace," taking care to stay out of their way and still avoid the minefields, moguls, and tire sucking bianca gravel.  At long last, we arrived at the Pianella junction and gratefully followed the setting sun and permanent L'Eroica signs up towards Vagliagli.

This was a long steady climb that flattens out as it passes close by our B&B.  Praise Madonna; it wasn't nearly as steep, but we were now joined by cars filled with Italians following their riders or out wine tasting on a fine Sunday afternoon.  The road suddenly became an 'AUTOSTRADA bianca,' as flying dust stung in my eyes and threatened asphyxiation.  I prayed yet again to the Blessed Virgin for Route 102 -- a 'strada asfaltata' leading into Vagliagli.

Linda and I had 7:30 dinner reservations at the sensational 'Taverna' in Vagliagli where we'd been on Friday evening. It was evident we wouldn't make that, so I stopped to tell them, but they were closed.  I rolled over to the pizza parlor where we had had an apertivo on Friday evening to inquire if they might call the 'Taverna' to let them know we'd be an hour late.

"Certo. Non e un problema."  The ladies at the pizza parlor and wine bar were so sweet and asked how far I was riding.  I told them, "due cento cinque kilometri."  Suddenly, everyone in the place saluted me with "Bravo!" and Bravissimo!"  My chest puffed up, and I blew them kisses and pointed my dusty but trusty 760 down the hill towards Radda in Chianti.

This was a very long and steep strada bianca descent with several tight turns.  But my Vagliagli fan club had cheered me on, and it was getting too dark now to worry about minefields and moguls.  We were on the home stretch, so I eased off the brakes and let my ole Trek roll.  Only two more big climbs remained, and they were on ‘strade asfaltate.'  I visualized an attaccare, come ‘Spartacus’ Cancellara, on the last climb up to Vertine.

But during the assent to Radda, I realized there would be no attacking today.  Legs were spent and my damned headlight flickered feebly at the dark.  Throughout the day, I'd been encouraging my trusty 760 that if it could make it, so might I.  We turned off at the top of the final climb and headed over to the sweet little village of Vertine on the last stretch of strade bianche.  Young Italian kamikazes flew by with no lights.  I wasn’t the only one juiced up for the finish.

We hung a hard left before entering Vertine and were finally on the home stretch of ‘asfaltata’ twisting and shouting our way down the darkened hill to 'Arrivo' in Gaiole.  "All hail the conquering heros!"   Three young Italian guys hugged each other at the finish. Their families cried 'Bravos.'  A couple lads my age in historic costume exchanged dopo L'Eroica notes.  I mounted the ramp, hoisted my magnificent 760 in victory for the photographer and walked down to collect my reward-- a hardbound book of fictional fantasy in Italian, a panforte, and a bottle of chianti classico.

But oh no!  I'd forgotten where we had parked the car and spent another half hour walking and shivering my dusty bicycle and reward bag around Gaiole looking for it.  Thanks once again to our Blessed Madonna and the remote key entry button for helping me find our Renault Megane.

I coaxed through the Tuscan countryside and arrived back at the B&B at 9 pm to hugs from Linda and our hosts Francesa, Mama Sara, and Papa Carlo.  After a quick shower, Linda and I headed to 'Taverna' for a later-than-planned victory supper.  That evening, as we sipped a delicious dark Nobile di Montepulciano Dei and savored the veal in chianti sauce.  Glasses were hoisted with other L'Eroica 'heros' and we capped the evening with an angelic chocolate pear torte.

We'll have no vin santo or grappa tonight, however, but pinch me!  Was this the test ride for heaven?

Wine and Mud – But Beware of the Pines and the Posts

I installed new Schwalbe Marathon tires on my Las Cruces cyclecross bike yesterday along with shifter and brake cables. For a shake down, I rode over to Trailside in Lake Carroll to pick up December's vino del mese – a bottle of 09 Pine & Post Merlot from Washington State. I arrived round 3:15PM, stuffed the bottle of vino in my backpack and headed out hoping to get home before dark.

On my way back, I decided to detour around the west and north side of the lake and hopped on Lake Carroll’s trail hoping to link up with Koch Road. Ron Mattson at Freeport Bicycle Company told me that Koch Road runs into the north end of Lake Carroll and links up with the trail. Before leaving home, I checked Google Earth and could just about make out that intersection.

Now, I’m on that trail, and the next thing I know, I'm riding down a super steep hill into the deep woods on a muddy rut with rocks as big as your fist. At the bottom was a creek, so I dismounted and hauled the bike over cyclocross style mud and all. I jumped back on and continued up the trail on the other side.

“Wait a minute,” said I to myself! “Was that farmer's lane I saw down there by the creek Koch Road?” Back down the hill I go through more mud, and up the lane. Now I'm pedaling through more ruts of soft greasy grass up a long hill for about a half mile.

At the top, I could see a house and prayed for a road. Praise the Lord! Koch Road! Needless to say I arrived home at 5PM with a big satisfied smile on my face. Wine & Mud are a great mix. Mountain bikes have their place too I’m sure, but not in my playbook.

Chilled Wine & Knotted Quads

As days shorten and cold winds blow, I return to gravel roads confiding in the image of a tough-guy.

This afternoon, the mission took us to Trailside General Store south of Lake Carroll to apprehend November’s featured special. Famous Fossil’s fruity ‘Traminette’ wine begs chilling, and an obliging wind blew like hell out of the southwest. On the outbound, we ducked alongside tree lines and traversed hillsides – anything to dodge la brezza tesa.

We beat our way west along Hershey and Loran Roads then came about on Carter and Zier Roads to Trailside. West of Route 73, Hershey Road rolls smoothly into forested hills. Then, it goes gravel and descends gently into the Val de Loran.

The low sun burned my retinas. With one hand on the bars, I used the other as a visor and squinted around my puffy glove at the surrounding views from this beautiful road. In a flash, I thought, "should we abandon the vino and cruise back home on this glorious afternoon?" But, a thirsty tough-guy shouted “press on!”

At the bottom, I turned left on Loran Road and looked up from the handlebars to a huge heat-seeking buck in hot pursuit of amour. Then a second doe flanked me, shot across my path and soared over the fence on the hill above. Freeze-frame!

I was now in earnest of expiring daylight. It was 4:00 P.M when we arrived at Trailside. I stuffed the ‘Traminette’ in my backpack and ran for home with the wind in my sails. Time trialing on a cyclocross bicycle is rare, but darkness was fast upon us.

Rather than duck back on gravel along Loran Road, I stayed on Bolton for speed’s sake praying that a sleep-deprived grain-truck driver wouldn’t collect me on his bumper. The notion of wine and broken glass exploding over cold chrome nearly conquered the knots in my quads.

At last, we arrived at the top of the hill near Chateau Chang. Greatly relieved, I looked over my left shoulder above the speckled ember tree line to the close of a magnificent sunset. An intense ribbon, orange as my Las Cruces bike and Patagonia shell, glowed against the deep clear azure heaven above.

Here was an opportunity to celebrate the sublime -- pain, fear, and nature’s blessings. Regrettably, I had the wine but not a glass and a corkscrew.

Early Monday Morning

Riding at 8:30 AM on Monday in early November is early for me (period). But Jilly used here charms to draw me out into the cool morning and the prospect of more gravel roads.

We’ve had very windy days of late, but today was still and crisp. I gently pressed the big BMX pedals on my Trek 760 happy I had gone back for my down gloves.

We met along Becker School Road and headed west along Loran to Maple Grove Road. We turned and rolled south to Butts Road and followed that west across Route 73 to Lott Road. Then, we were north on Lott to Walgren and east through Pearl City following Block Road back to Maple Grove, Loran, and Becker School Roads.

This morning, the gravel roads were kind to our skinny tires. The harvest field equipment and grain trucks have flattened them down. Now, let’s hope the township road commissioners leave them as is until spring.

Halloween into November

It’s Halloween, and I look up from my ride at burnt umber hills tufted in deep flat red—the only remaining leaves hanging on oak skeletons. For the first time in a year, the cold is biting my toes. Grey skies filter precious sunlight and long shadows. Winter is barely more than a month away, and I’m thinking of what was accomplished around our family during this cycling season.

The season began with our two grandsons, Luca and Massi (short for Massimo) learning to ride on two wheels. Massi was first—the personification of fearlessness. A week later, Luca ditched his training wheels. Our older grandson is more cautious but still fiercely competitive.

In mid-June, I picked up a vintage Trek 760 in Denver. “Back in the day,” the only feel was steel, and all were made in Waterloo, Wisconsin USofA. Joe Dadez and I overhauled it at the bike shop, and I’ve been riding it joyfully since.

In late-June, we held our Tour for Cancer and netted over $2 Grand. Abbracci to our riders from Freeport’s ChainLinkCyclists; our GOATS neighbors to the west; and the super folks with Robbie Ventura’s Vision Quest organization who again drove all the way out from Chicago to ride with us and support our Cancer Center.

November 1, 2011 – Indian Summer is back for a day. We’re in the 60s and our sunlight has returned. I soak up the vitamin D dazzled to see yesterday’s drab oak leaves sparkle like rubies.

Summer flooding in Pleasant Valley obliged us to be dazzled by gravel along new roads between Route 78 and Massbach Ridge. Yesterday, Bill Leibman joined me in another ride of discovery. We rolled north off Elizabeth Road on Route 78 and flew with the wind down the hill. At the bottom, we turned left on Old Galena Trail and continued north eight miles on this beautiful scenic road.

Neither Bill nor I had been on Old Galena Road. Thanks to the flood that closed the Plum River bridge at Bethel Road and Hwy 78, we now have a new loop in our repertoire. So far so good for November 2011.

Gravel Dazzle

Often we ride by roads and wonder where they go. A map is just a direction and a tease of what might be. The question won’t be answered until we turn off our familiar roads and explore for ourselves. In the Upper Left Hand Corner, gravel roads are plentiful, and something besides skinny tires may be helpful—especially as we tilt upwards.

I had been making a list of these roads in my head during the past couple years. Jilly Whiting introduced me to many above and around the hamlet of Loran. Last Saturday, we joined forces with Andreas Ruppert from Galena’s GOATS Cycling Club and covered 32 miles over everything from deep muddy ruts to Fiat gulping chuckholes on Hairpin Road.

This Saturday, I planned to park at Massbach Ridge Winery and ride west and north. Alas, I arrived there without my cycling sandals. VivoBarefoot shoes do not work well on Speedplay Frogs, so we aborted that plan and returned to Freeport for correct footwear.

Thereafter, nearly an hour and forty minutes behind schedule, I devised an alternate route from Loran that could take me over uncharted roads in the hills west of Pleasant Valley. From there, we’d continue west over to Hanover then return through Massbach and Pleasant Valley to Loran.

Once again, the Salsa Las Cruces cyclo-cross bike clad with Schwalbe Marathon tires seemed the only logical tool for this excursion into the unknown.

Today was sunny in the low 60s. I forgot about the delayed start and looked forward to riding into the light and shadows of late afternoon. Here is my recap of roads not yet travelled:

HEADING WEST OUT OF PLEASANT VALLEY: We turned west off Hwy 78 on Goodmiller and then left on Beck Road. The we quit the valley up a very sharp but PAVED hill, turned left at Good Hope Road and rode southwest across the high farm fields to Elizabeth Road. Along the way, I slowed to assist a young couple lost and looking for Massbach Ridge Winery.

HEER TO CURTISS TO GAMBLE HILL: We first did this leg in mid-winter over snow covered frost bitten gravel where we met a hunkered down peacock on the roof of a barn. Today, we encountered two lost souls on skinny tires at the bottom of Curtiss Hill steep and piled up with loose gravel. These pleasant lads were riding overland from Hanover to Savanna and thought the paved portion of Gamble Hill Road might offer a good short cut.

This is certainly a very scenic option. It passes by mysterious Lake Fitzgerald serenely tucked away in a valley. Although, skinny road tires are ‘pas utile’ here. I imagine they were obliged to walk the bikes up to the top of Curtiss Hill.

RETURNING FROM HANOVER: Steele Road lies just outside town as you begin a big 13% climb up Hanover Road to Rocky Water’s Vineyard. We rode north following the Apple River until Steele turned away east across the valley. Soon, we were sitting back in the saddle grinding our way up to Pleasant Hill Road. From there, we rolled leisurely on beautiful Reusch Road capped by a paved climb up to Derinda.

LIEBERT – LOVE IT OR LIEB IT: This road is paved as we descended eastbound to the creek at the valley floor. From there we jogged right and left on rude gravel willing our way up and up and up again to Massbach Road. If you have climbed up to Massbach on Skene or Bethel Roads, you can only imagine what it is like to do this on fidgety limestone.

BACK TO PLEASANT VALLEY ON THOREN, GOOD HOPE, GOODMILLER & KNAPP: The shadows were beginning to lengthen as I turned east off Massbach on Thoren Road. Thoren falls leisurely until we met a steep tight slippery hairpin left turn. We then continued north and immediately east on Thoren up the hill to the intersection with Good Hope Road. Here, we turned right on Good Hope then left on Goodmiller. Good deal!

We followed Goodmiller easterly straight into a left turn on Knapp Road. The afternoon sun shimmered across Pleasant Valley. Released from gravel’s grip, I dropped precipitously down to Route 78 on real tarmac. Here was the grand finale to our expedition this Saturday!

RETURN TO LORAN OVER HAIR’PIT’ ROAD: We followed Willow Road back to Loran via Hairpin, Goldmine, and South Loran Roads. Along HairPIT someone had scrolled the name and phone number of a guy named John. No doubt, John is the township road guy. I wonder if John is a collector of auto and bike parts which he nips off with his cavernous chuckholes.