I bought this 2013 print, “The Cannibal” by Matthew Andrew Arthur, an Edinburgh-based freelance illustrator who works under the pseudonym “Magnificent Octopus”, to hang in my bike fit studio. This illustration of Eddy Merckx, ruler in jersey pocket, spirit level on the saddle and tape measure on the floor, using a pair of calipers to measure the length of his bicycle stem, was perfect for my bike fitting business.
Eddy Merckx, widely considered the greatest cyclist of all time, was as famous for his fanatical obsession with bike geometry and adjustments as he was for his dominant victories. Merckx’s obsession was not just psychological. It was driven by severe physical discomfort. In 1969, he suffered a terrible crash during an omnium track race in Blois, France, which displaced his pelvis and twisted his spine.
From that day forward, Merckx rode in persistent pain. He felt an asymmetric strain on his legs and back, causing him to constantly chase a position that would offer relief.
Merckx routinely traveled with a tape measure to check his cockpit setup, and carried a 5mm Allen key in his jersey pocket. He frequently pulled over or drifted to the back of the peloton during major races to raise or lower his saddle by a mere 1–2 millimeters.
I later added “Nicknames of the Peloton” to a wall in my bike fit studio. This 2011 print was designed by The Handmade Cyclist, which is the creative studio of independent British designer Neil Wyatt.
The print shows the sobriquets given to some of history’s greatest cyclists—some heroic, some intimidating, and others slightly less than flattering. Instead of showing the riders’ faces, the print matches the famous nickname to the iconic jersey they were most famous for wearing.
Some of the legendary cyclists on this print are “The Badger” – Bernard Hinault, “The Pirate” – Marco Pantani, “The Eagle of Toledo” – Federico Bahamontes, “El Pistolero” – Alberto Contador, “The Professor” – Laurent Fignon, “Cuddles” – Cadel Evans, and “Monsieur Chrono” – Jacques Anquetil.
These two prints moved to my study at home after I closed my bike fitting business. Since then, my biker chick has added one more cycling-related artwork to my study.
She bought this “3D” impasto technique painting in Vietnam, if I remember correctly. Impasto is the technique of applying heavily textured, raised dollops of oil or acrylic paint with a palette knife. This particular painting was among many of this motif, produced in a variety of sizes and formats.
This exact combination — minimalist palette-knife figures, no facial detail, elongated shadows, plain neutral canvas, often cyclists, runners, or businessmen with umbrellas as subjects — is a well-established genre of decorative contemporary art that’s extremely common in commercial galleries aimed at tourists and expatriates in Vietnam (Hanoi Old Quarter, Hoi An) and in Hong Kong (Hollywood Road, SOHO, Central).
The flowing cursive signature could be “Dylan” or “Duan”. Duan is a Vietnames name. However, many painters in Southeast Asian tourist hubs operate under contemporary westernized artist names, like “Dylan”, to appeal to international buyers.
