Not conned by CF or spontaneous exploding forks.
Anton Berlin
we've all been conned but I've ridden for 44 years + now in one
fashion or another and I think cycling is easier and more accessible
than it's ever been.
I've had a number of bikes and still have some of the earliest ones,
my $200 Gitane painted in appliance white, my first Shimano 600 bike,
then Campy SR, Nivacrom and titanium - etc.
I now have (as well as all of the old bikes) 2 cf Ridleys that are
comprised of only 'asymmetrical' tubes and equipped with reasonable
SRAM Rival gruppos.
And without a doubt these are the finest bikes I've ever ridden. Sure
- I'm a fred, even a FM RBR Fred - the worst type possible.
But I don't feel conned in the least. I had $2000 bikes in the 80s
(my money out of pocket) and these amount to $3000 bikes more or less
but I think $2000 in 1984 money is closer to $4-5k today.
I think these bikes are a bargain and I doubt I'd ride as much on the
bikes that my younger more resilient body could put 100 miles on.
I can't think of a part of the modern bike and cycling that isn't
vastly improved over 20 years ago.
The seats no longer smash the pudendal nerve, the frames absorb road
vibrations while still being stiff and reliable, tire compounds,
casings etc are better - I can ride for 1000's of miles without
flatting where I used to have several flats a week and it was a part
of the sport. (My flat changing ability has suffered - I used to be
able to do it in a few minutes)
The clothes are better, I can ride in any type of weather and stay
cool or warm and dry. In 1988 I suffered hypothermia, frostbite and
heat exhaustion within a 4 month period.
I have yet to pop out of a Look Keo and Sidi cleat combination and
knee problems are a thing of the past with floating cleats and the RAD
procedure. We used to do these by progressively tightening the cleat
while riding and hoping for the best. Twice in my career early season
intervals and misaligned cleats made my knees swell like
cantaloupes.
Besides, I don't walk that much when riding a bike. A few toes down
and the occasional run into a QT to grab some fluids on the long
rides. Cleats last 2 years or so in my experience and can be replaced
for $20.
Lighting is better, there are at least a hundred instances I can
recall where I should have been run over for riding at night. But
today I would expect that a driver would have a very tough case
proving he didn't see me with 500 lumens front and rear when I am out
riding solo.
Then there's the little things. Back in the day there was always
something going wrong with the bike, bolts and nuts stripped or broke,
spokes snapped, wheels had to be trued, frames creaked and cracked,
subtle design flaws (like the internally lugged crowns well addressed
by Jobst http://yarchive.net/bike/fork_failures.html ) Parts broke
all the time - failures that I experienced include broken pedals,
crankarms, bb spindles, (cups seem to wear and pit all the time) same
with headset races, broken seatrails, posts, stems bars that never
stopped squeaking no matter how much locktite was applied or never
really locked in place or locked in place because of sweat. The
list goes on and on.
Cycling is better now in every way except for two things - my aging
body and motherfuckers texting while driving.
A. Dumas
Excellent, excellent Kunich spoof. Speaking of which, I hope he is still
alive and (relatively) well.
Pete
> It's a nice sentiment that cycling has gotten ridiculous and that
> we've all been conned but I've ridden for 44 years + now in one
> fashion or another and I think cycling is easier and more accessible
> than it's ever been.
*snip*
> Cycling is better now in every way except for two things - my aging
> body and motherfuckers texting while driving.
Wow. A rare moment of lucidity. Excellent.
raamman
> It's a nice sentiment that cycling has gotten ridiculous and that
> we've all been conned but I've ridden for 44 years + now in one
> fashion or another and I think cycling is easier and more accessible
> than it's ever been.
>
giving up (the sport) is actually winning
RicodJour
> vastly improved over 20 years ago.
>
> The seats no longer smash the pudendal nerve, the frames absorb road
More info on your nerve smashing and related ailments.
http://www.toilet-related-ailments.com/pudendal-nerve.html
R
--D-y
> all the time - failures that I experienced include broken pedals,
> crankarms, bb spindles, (cups seem to wear and pit all the time) same
> with headset races, broken seatrails, posts, stems bars that never
> stopped squeaking no matter how much locktite was applied or never
> really locked in place or locked in place because of sweat. The
> list goes on and on.
>
> Cycling is better now in every way except for two things - my aging
> body and motherfuckers texting while driving.
Good job. All should go without saying but silence is taken as
acquiescence.
I still have a favorite old ride, an early-90's Tommasini Prestige
SLX. Pretty bike (blue/yellow), carves corners delightfully, but
definitely thumps on bumps more than my Ti bikes (carbon, someday!)
and one day members of my cohort took turns hefting it at a store
stop.
Then went back to riding their 17lb modern bikes, happy.
--D-y
--D-y
rms
This more than negates all the improvements.
rms
Anton Berlin
Agreed - and the whole SUV and boys with small dicks-large trucks
thing - in the 80s cyclists tended to roll onto the hood and
windshield when hit.
Not they get mangled underneath.
Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.
wrote:
> > all the time - failures that I experienced include broken pedals,
> > crankarms, bb spindles, (cups seem to wear and pit all the time) same
> > with headset races, broken seatrails, posts, stems bars that never
> > stopped squeaking no matter how much locktite was applied or never
> > really locked in place or locked in place because of sweat. The
> > list goes on and on.
>
> > Cycling is better now in every way except for two things - my aging
> > body and motherfuckers texting while driving.
>
> Excellent, excellent Kunich spoof. Speaking of which, I hope he is still
> alive and (relatively) well.
Dutch Dumbass -
TK actually made a post here a few weeks ago.
thanks,
Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.
Anton Berlin
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Tiny-tim-dickens.jpg