When I started the Something Something Spirit Of Gravel Lube Contest, little did I know I’d be facing one of the most difficult decisions of my entire life. See, the caliber of the entries I’ve received to date is beyond what I could have possibly imagined, and picking a winner (or two) is like choosing a favorite child, or standing before the self-serve soda fountain at Chipotle and deciding on a beverage. Consider this submission, which I present to you in slideshow form:
And this is but one example! Whom will I anoint with the sacred Dumonde?!? Dear Lob, I pray for your guidance.
Then again, I’m no stranger to difficult decision-making. For example, each day I must choose which of my [intern, go count the bikes] bicycles to ride, and I can assure you it’s not easy. In fact, as much as I detest the weather we’re currently experiencing, it’s been a relief not to have think about which bicycle to ride every day–because there’s only one choice, and it’s the bike with the fenders:
Since first receiving the Homer nearly six years ago now, it has evolved from something of a twee fop chariot…
…into a true workhorse:
To be sure, its fundamental character is as refined as ever, but just because a bike has pretty paint and curlicue lugs does not mean it wants to be coddled.
Bicycle selection will also be a bit easier once the weather improves, for after something like a year and a half I am finally returning George Plimpton’s Y-Foil to Classic Cycle:
That bike also evolved a bit during its time with me. The photo above is what it looked like when it first arrived. However, riding a Y-Foil made me feel self-conscious enough, and the Tri Spokes were too much for me, so I changed them for a set of normal wheels–and you know a bike’s ridiculous when you consider Rolfs “normal:”
Then of course Paul sent me the Rock Shox fork for which the Y-Foil was designed:
Obviously what endeared me most to the Y-Foil was the Plimpton connection:
But as an inveterate contrarian I began to take pleasure in riding a bike so many people actively revile. Plus, it’s quite fast, and the beam really does soften the ride. Add a suspension fork and it’s like riding a head-(and arguably stomach-) turning vortex of velocity and comfort. In fact, if it weren’t George Plimpton’s bike I’d probably have named it the Velvet Tornado:
That’s the AI’s take on “The Velvet Tornado,” and it’s as vaginal as anything Georgia O’Keeffe ever painted.
I even wrote about it for Outside:
Anyway, the smooth-rolling, wind-cheating, breakfast-regurgitating Y-Foil remains a testament to the extreme engineering lengths late-20th century bicycle makers were willing to go to achieve the same effect as simply putting a pair of 30mm tires on a normal road bike.
Farewell, Y-Foil. We salute you.
Well, I do, anyway.
And soon to follow the Y-Foil on its journey westward will be the AMP Research B3:
Or, if you prefer, the precursor to the Trek CheckOUT:
The AMP is a lot of fun to ride–it’s light and it’s nimble, and in some alternate reality where I didn’t have too many bicycles I’d even keep it as my representative vintage mountain bike, because I really enjoy riding it on the Trails Behind The Mall. But I do, and so I won’t. However, it is for sale, so if you want it let me know now and I’ll direct the box to you instead of Classic Cycle.
It may be an old mountain bike, but as a gravel bike it’s positively cutting edge.