Re: Re: [CR] To ride or not

(Example: Events:Eroica)

From: "J.Dunn" <bikehunter@icehouse.net>
To: "Steven L. Sheffield" <stevens@veloworks.com>, <tom_s_dalton@yahoo.com>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <20020906222557.15598.qmail@veloworks.com>
Subject: Re: Re: [CR] To ride or not
Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2002 16:46:49 -0800

Steven wrote:
> Problem is that many new "BOB" types are rejecting the new stuff in favour of the old stuff without ever having tried the new stuff ...
>

Who is it a problem for? I'm a "new Bob" and I have new stuff. Carbon fiber, STI, clipless, blah, blah. Doesn't keep me from liking the old stuff. Sometimes more. What exactly is a "new Bob" anyway. Is there a CR cutoff?


>" I appreciate the vintage stuff from an aesthetic standpoint. But when it comes down to it, the newer stuff works better, is lighter, and is often less expensive"

So What? What does that have to do with appreciating the old stuff whether you used it when it was "current"? " (unless all you're buying is dumpster-reject thrift-store gaspipe crap).'

I'm not, tho' I have a few of those and proud of it. We're not going to get into a snob thing here again, are we? ;-)
>
> John Dunn in Boise,
>
> --------
> On
> Fri, 6 Sep 2002 15:56:18 -0800 J.Dunn wrote:
>
> Tom Dalton wrote: "What I really don't get is "BOB" types, some of whom are
> just getting into riding, but who long to buy and use retro gear that they
> never even knew about when it was current. I don't accept the whole
> servicability/durabilty/versatility thing. Why pay more, and spend all that
> time searching for stuff that doesn't work as well as the new stuff. Yeah
> It's not all interchangable, but the old stuff had its limitations, it's
> just that expectations were lower. "
>
> Why restore a '32 Ford when a Toyota Camry works so much better, parts
> never have to be searched for and it's oh, so much cheaper? You don't have
> to have owned and driven a '32 Ford, when they were "current", to have a
> longing to buy, appreciate and drive one.
>
> John Dunn in Boise
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Tom Dalton
> To:
> Sent: Friday, September 06, 2002 9:24 AM
> Subject: Re: [CR] To ride or not
>
>
> >
> > It's sad but true Greg. I actually believe that my new 9-spped STI
> equipped bike is more enjoyable to ride than my 6-speed friction equipped
> bikes. The gears are both more closely spaced and of wider range. I can
> select any one of them while seated or standing and never miss a shift. The
> clincher wheels are not as sweet riding as hand made sliks, but they are
> about as nice as the budget tubulars I used to ride, and much more reliable.
> My Time pedals and shoes are far more comfortable on my feet than my Duegi
> or Addidas with SLs. I consider myself to be conservative when it comes to
> bike equipment, I didn't make the clipless or the index change until 1992.
> I just went to STI. But the stuff simply works better, at least with the
> maniacal level care I give my bikes.
> > ...then would you want to be a CR list member?
> >
> > Because I like old bikes. I like the stuff that I used to ride. I think
> the racing gear that's older than late 70's is really interesting, but
> things like pre-war track bikes don't resonate with me, at least not enough
> to bring me to collect them. What I really don't get is "BOB" types, some
> of whom are just getting into riding, but who long to buy and use retro gear
> that they never even knew about when it was current. I don't accept the
> whole servicability/durabilty/versatility thing. Why pay more, and spend
> all that time searching for stuff that doesn't work as well as the new
> stuff. Yeah It's not all interchangable, but the old stuff had its
> limitations, it's just that expectations were lower.
> >
> > "....let folks work their way up to the higher-performance
> pedals-with-toeclips setup..."
> >
> > Yeah still the choice among some track sprinters, but fewer and fewer all
> the time. For road riding, which is what I do, clipless is the better
> performer.
> >
> > I take pride in knowing how to set up cleated shoes and pedals, friction
> drivetrains and tubulars, and I take pride in knowing how to correctly
> operate that old stuff, but not to the degree that drives me display it to
> the larger cycling world. It would be largely lost on them anyway. As for
> personal satisfaction, it's enough for me to know that I could deal with
> that stuff if I needed to.
> >
> > Tom Dalton
> >
> > Bethlehem, PA
> >
> >
> > GPVB1@cs.com wrote:
> > In a message dated 9/6/02 10:11:14 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Tom Dalton
> wrote
> > (in part):
> >
> >
> > > Personally, I don't feel much desire to ride my older bikes. I should
> drag
> > > them out and tool around once in a while, but I don't. I own only two
> > > "vintage" bikes and neither is old enough yet to really be a novelty on
> the
> > > road. In another couple of decades, it might become more of an "event"
> to
> > > ride them. Right now I just think of them as cool old bikes that don't
> > > work as well as my new bikes. Someday though, six-speed friction and
> > > toeclips will be more than out-dated, it will be interesting. For
> serious
> > > riding though, the newer stuff will probably always be my choice.
> > > Tom Dalton
> > > Bethlehem, PA
> > >
> >
> > Yikes! Are you sure that's what you wanted to say?
> >
> > If the above is true, why then would you want to be a CR list member?
> >
> > Cheers and it's not all that bad, really,
> >
> > Greg "chief retrogrouch" Parker
> > A2 MI USA
> >
> > Where six-speed friction and toeclips still work just fine on "serious"
> > rides, and
> >
> > where the new (Detroit-area) velodrome requires only "familiarity with
> > clipless pedals" because they "let folks work their way up to the
> > higher-performance pedals-with-toeclips setup...."
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> >
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> _______________________________________________
>
>
> Steven L. Sheffield
> stevens at veloworks dot com
> veloworks at mac dot com
> aitch tea tee pea colon double-slash double-ewe double-you double-yew dot veloworks dot com