you sexy thing

[sam]

Whilst riding, I often find my thumbs caressing these Equipe bar ends; they're pleasingly shaped and satiny smooth.

[sam]

Mmmmm, downtube shifters. More tactile pleasure.

[sam]

I don't have a rubber fetish (too bad, as it cleans so easily), but have lately been enjoying these run-of-the-mill Tektro brakes. Sublimely simple: all they do is make you stop.

[sam]

Cannondale curviness.

Have I been objectifying bicycles by concentrating on their parts?

[sam]

Unchain my heart

[sam]

Toeclips. The love that dare not speak its name

[sam]

A reward for cycling: more endorphins



we'll have no Flake envy here

[sam]

Low spoke count wheels do it for me.



Unfortunately this one is pretty far gone. It provided an excuse to have a new wheel built with this:



which the wheelbuilder fain swooned over

[sam]

Slips nicely into a saddlebag. Replaces this in mine. What's so sexy about it?



That's 24mm f/2.0 on the wide end. Fortunately the lens is coated to resist condensation from heavy breathing. And there's a cupholder hotshoe to hold my viewfinder, which qualifies for sexy thing status on its own.

Yes, I know there's a new model out, the LX5. The company was clearly so excited they got the count mixed up. This one will do me fine.

[sam]

Lovely RD2 matte black crankiness. Ordered from Japan as I couldn't find one here. The VeloSolo ring isn't bad either, though the unfortunately glossy finish scratches easily. To be attached using exorbitantly priced chainring bolts from Tokyo Fixed in London. Or perhaps the Force can keep them together, as in the photo.



Meanwhile in a galaxy far away, a brave little robot is tasked with contacting Godzilla to forge an alliance against the Galactic Empire, which controls the sale and distribution of all black bicycle parts, well known for making bikes go faster to evade the imperial fleet.

[sam]

Another black is beautiful moment. Handlebars and stem painted to make them easier on the eyes. Would've done this with the Sugino cranks above, but the silky finish is too nice.

I'll never understand why parts have to be tattooed with adverts: sooo unsexy. I've stripped away about as much as I could.

[sam]

Unexpectedly (for me at least) harmonious marriage of titanium* frame and old-fashioned headset, spotted on a fetish thread:





* The carbon rear triangle would've had me unable to hold my peace at that wedding ceremony.