Re: [CR]geometry, materials or the power of suggestion...

(Example: Racing:Roger de Vlaeminck)

From: <Wolfman231@aol.com>
Date: Sun, 25 May 2003 20:38:33 EDT
Subject: Re: [CR]geometry, materials or the power of suggestion...
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


In a message dated 5/25/03 2:50:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time, aphillips9@mindspring.com writes:

<< uber-geek >>

Awesome phrase, Ann. <g> It would be relevant to know the seat tube, top tube, chainstay and stem lengths, etc. of the two bikes. Like many list members, I ride quite a few bikes of different tubing gauges, sizes, angles, etc., and they are all good. Good at different things, but good. In my limited experience, a person who complains that a criterium bike is squirrelly on centuries, or a touring bike isn't nimble climbing is just not appreciating the compromises of design and materials. A bike that is squirrelly at 15 mph is often responsive at 25 mph, or with a smoother rider. A while back, an astute listmember commented that Cannondales got a bad reputation as being harsh and unforgiving because so many were built with steep angles, stiff forks and criterium geometry, not because of frame material. My engagement present to my wife was the premier 1982 Cannondale touring bike. (The only way I could afford it at the time was that it was a leftover hanging in the shop basement because the wheels had been scavanged from it..she didn't get it reincarnated until 1986, and the shop owner/my employer had a heart as big as Dale's and sold the almost complete $600 bike to me for $125.) That bike is smoother riding and more shock absorbing than many of my steel bikes. To this day, it is one of the few bikes I wouldn't consider parting with. My point is, as the custom builders will express better than I can, that the ride characteristics of a bike are a marriage of dimensions and tubes and components. Changes of angles can't be made without changes in chainstay length, toeclip/wheel overlap, toptube length, etc. If you have found a bike or two that fit really well, you are better than most...enjoy the ride.

Hope this was a little helpful,
Ed Kasper
Detroit MI