Fellow vintage lightweight enthusiasts,
I just finished re-reading Maynard Hershon's article in which he comments on Russ Fitzgerald's lovely Rivindell Reader piece concerning Lyotard Berthet pedals.
Once again Mr. Hershon has proven himself to be an enemy of all the things I hold near and dear. To compare mid-1970s Campy Record pedals to Berthets is a bit like comparing a Citroen 2cv to a mid-1950s Ferrari. CERTAINY the Ferrari was much nicer, and current Ferrari are even nicer still. But to complain about someone else's appreciation of a 2cv is ridiculous in the extreme.
The Berthet pedal is most certainly a design classic, which survived in slightly modified forms from the 30s until at least the 80s, and found devoted fans. The Campy Record pdeal was also a design classic, much copied but rarely equalled, a nearly perfect pedal in it's steel-caged form... a pedal which, barring acident, could quite possibly outlast it's user. They are both pedals, but they are not the same thing.
I though Russ' article was fun and interesting, a fan letter and a bit of history... opinions which I understand. By comparison, Maynard's letter seems more like ranting... do we hurt his feelings somehow when we enjoy things he doesn't understand?
Russ, I'd rather read your writing anytime. Keep up the excellent work.
Sometime I'll tell you why I enjoy chrome-plated Gran Sport derailleurs... or better yet, cottered cranksets!
Aldo Ross
Monroe, Ohio