September 2007

“riding the rivet” as defined by Brian Palmer

we're a hardy lot in velo club d'ardbeg - out all winter (the line between autumn and winter is a very thin one here) in howling gales, maintaining the tradition of the sunday ride, if only to get ourselves back to debbie's cafe for one or perhaps two, double espressos and a cappuccino. our directeur sportif, the mighty dave t, enjoys his froth.

whichever way we go, it has to be at least a part way 'round loch indaal, an open sea loch that provides no shelter whatsoever from the elements, and almost always a headwind towards the coffee. with the latter being compulsory just after the sprint at bruichladdich, it's usually nose to tail, eyeballs out all the way down the strand. on the rivet, so to speak. for gentlemen of the stature of the mighty dave t, rivets are a part of his heritage; leather saddles, bamboo rims, lugged steel frames and winter heating payments. the man is a legend in his own coffee break.

just to bring the unknowledgeable up to speed: in dave t's heyday, all saddles were leather, and all riveted. under duress, pedalling took place on the nose of the saddle, where there was generally one big rivet. the rest is history.