The Big Empty (sort of)

   Regular readers know of my frequent use of song titles for my blog entries (Stone Temple Pilots this time around), but the phrase definitely applies. The last two finished bicycles I had in stock left my shop since my last post, and I have since been devoting time to building up some of the frames that had hung in my rafters, as well as making some purchases for future projects.

   I found another Klein Stage Comp bicycle, pretty much exactly like the one I had built just over a month ago. I had plans to put a SRAM 1x10 drivetrain on that bicycle, but had my plans changed by a prospective customer. I had nearly all the parts collected for the "one by" (as the single front chainring configuration is nicknamed) assembly, so I had been on the lookout for a similar frame. I met a really nice Russian man in the Warminster area to pick up this Stage Comp twin.
   Discouraged by the availability of parts and the high prices when I could find them, I turned to the reliable strategy of buying a complete "donor" bicycle. In this case I was specifically looking for SRAM shift levers and came up with a relatively inexpensive Cannondale CAAD 9 that was in really nice condition and included a combo of Dura-Ace and SRAM parts.

   This bike will turn out to be a bit of project itself, as I plan to sell off the SRAM derailleurs and fill in the missing parts with appropriate Dura-Ace versions. In the meantime, the Klein was a fairly simple swap out of its vintage Shimano 105 components. Because the Stage Comp has plenty of clearance, I installed some gravel trail-friendly Michelin Krylion 2 Endurance 28mm tires.

   Again, I dig the color-changing Klein paint jobs, and while this Candy Blue isn't quite like the Purple Haze, and it doesn't show in the bright sun in which the photos below are taken, in low light angles it does show different hues of blue on the separate frame tubes.

   I mentioned acquiring a Francesco Moser Leader AX Evolution frameset from my customer who bought the Battaglin bicycle from me a few weeks ago. Somehow, I neglected to include a photo of the frameset in that post, but I had a very nice Campagnolo Chorus group sitting on my shelves with which to quickly finish off that project.

   Although the pro cycling season has been turned upside down by the COVID-19 outbreak, we have been treated to a truncated schedule packed full with some exiting racing. Most of us will never forget the dramatic, and somewhat heartbreaking, finish of the Tour de France, and there has been some incredible racing by young stars like Tadej Pogačar, Wout van Aert and Matthieu van der Poel.

   The moment that will stand out in my mind right now is Primož Roglič, he of the Tour de France losing time trial collapse, coming back to win the Queen of the Classics, Liège-Bastogne-Liège. It isn't quite like winning the Tour, but it is a hugely prestigious race, and a great consolation to very disappointing week for the Slovakian star.

   Much will be made of Julian Alaphilippe's premature celebration that allowed Roglič to pip the newly-crowned World Champion at the finish line, but an over-aggressive move in the sprint that nearly caused an accident had officials relegate the Frenchman to fifth place anyway. You'd think Deceuninck–Quick-Step manager Patrick Lefevere would have been all over Alaphilippe to celebrate AFTER crossing the finish line from now on, but amazingly, his team's current star nearly repeated the mistake in the next race!

   During the Flemish classic, De Brabantse Pijl, Alaphilippe counted out (of all people) the amazing van der Poel, and put his hands in the air in celebration a few meters before the finish line. He barely survived making the same mistake twice in quick succession!

   I heard that Alaphilippe joked about the incidents that he always likes to keep his fans guessing. A great line, but I doubt his coaches and sponsors will be entertained if this bad habit continues.

   I was crushed to hear that my favorite race, Paris-Roubaix, has been officially cancelled due to another coronavirus outbreak in the north of France, but the Ronde de Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) is supposed to go on as scheduled this Sunday. If you have the opportunity to watch one of cycling's "Monuments" over the cobbled climbs of Belgium, I highly recommend it!