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 bought 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 affirm 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 trendy 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 doable that in the future I might order one, go there to select it up, after which trip 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 package and go full Faggin fanboy:
Alas, I don’t see any new bike fantasy holidays within the rapid future, however within the meantime at the very least I can dream–and a few bar tape for my present bike is definitely attainable:
In fact, I must also keep in mind 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 get pleasure from till they’re too previous to get pleasure from them. For instance, in 2014 I bought to participate in L’Eroica (the unique one, in Tuscany), due to the nice individuals at Brooks:
These had been the heady days the place you might take a humble manufacturing unit employee, flip him right into a meme, and trip the wave all the best way to the Strade Bianche:
I’m fairly positive Brooks wish to faux all this by no means occurred as a result of as we speak they’d in all probability get torn aside on social media for the revelation that Eric “The Chamferer” leveraged his fleeting Web recognition with a view to benefit from younger ladies, nevertheless it’s solely by acknowledging the previous that we will transfer ahead. Or one thing.
Anyway, sadly any “content material” I generated from the trip 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 now not exists. My very own submit additionally appears to point I took video of the trip 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 completely happy reminiscences of driving an overgeared bike on grime roads and stopping in medieval villages the place I one way or the other 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 inns:
Flying to Switzerland, climbing mountains, consuming lavish dinners, and sleeping in posh inns taught me three crucial classes I’ll always remember:
- I’ve been and proceed to be extraordinarily lucky
- I might very very similar to to return to Switzerland in the future for extra climbing mountains, consuming lavish dinners, and sleeping in posh inns
- 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 slightly mini-fantasy trip, and even when I can’t trip 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 slightly 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 kind a puddle and we wouldn’t need that.
In the meantime, chances are you’ll 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 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 recognize what else we had in 1950? Legalized racial segregation. What an exquisite 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 Huge Helmet:
So might we see a Rivendell helmet in the future?
My essential 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 danger compensation is definitely a factor, I don’t know, nevertheless it positive looks like the individuals who do the dumbest stuff are carrying helmets:
I actually don’t get the entire descent porn factor, I actually don’t.
