[CR]Bikes and Refreshments from S.O.B. (was:benotto tape timeline?

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2007)

From: <ABikie@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2003 09:17:51 EST
To: RDF1249@aol.com, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Bikes and Refreshments from S.O.B. (was:benotto tape timeline?

In a message dated 1/20/2003 4:46:15 AM Eastern Standard Time, RDF1249@aol.com writes:
>
> Anyone know when Benotto Cello tape was first made? I didn't find anything
>
> in the archives.
>
> Cheers from Sunny Seattle.
> Bob Freeman
>

couple of weeks ago I had a story about Smilin' George Mount approaching the US team car in which I'd hitched a ride at the '80 worlds and pulling several rolls out of his bag and touting it as the hottest new stuff the pros were using. He gave a package or two to a few of the occupants.

It was probably around a bit before that but probably poo-poo's by people like me who dissed it as a 'cheapo Mexican imitation' of Hunt Wiulds- the plastique of vinlyl tapes, still a poor second in popularity to Tressostar.

This is probably what happened to Dos Equis, Tecate, and Corona beer. People probably thought they were cheap Mexican imitations of Busweiser, Carling, and Pabst, but they showed us.

But Benotto was available in bold colors - and soon colors were chosen to 'pick up' decal,pinstripe, panel, and cable colors. Contrasting and complimenting tapes were swirled and woven together.

While on the subject of the Americans to our south, many owners of Benotto frames and bicycles in those days would excuse themselves after mentioning their brand -- 'my Benotto's from Italy, not Mexico'. Turned out, in the opinion of many a frame expertin cluding myself, that the (North) American ones were every bit as fine if not finer.

By the way, anything but Mexican Kahlua is imitation

Larry Black
Mt Airy, North America