Every Sunday sees a plethora of vintage riders push themselves through the Grunewald (Berlins city forest, which sports a paved road through it) on their $6000+ mostly new (or virulent staight forked Colnagos) bikes. This is actually nice to watch (bike-wise), but there is a great quantity of arrogance towards those poor sops of us who haven`t had the chance to ride for 40+ years or so. Especially when you try to pass ... It is nice to study those that feel cycling is a sport and not just a method of transportation. Makes you think Darwin was right. But that wasn`t what I wanted to post; I have always deemed it very interesting to see that in the US an athlete will refrain from drinking, smoking and too much fatty food. Here that is all I see athletes indulge in. I myself play rugby and more than three quarters of my teammates smoke. This might inconvenience them in the coming years, but I have not seen any adverse effects from this in their game. In the US an athlete will be portrayed as a washboard-stomach sporting clean-shaven individual. I have worked years to get rid of the one I had never had and pad myself comfortably around the waist. Not that I regularly shave, either. It is probably not that different with the bikes. Some people consider "old" to be last years, others last centuries (or before last, at that). I`ve encountered the sentiment in Italy and Switzerland that riders must have the newest, lightest, et cetera. Here in Berlin, where every single one of it`s inhabitants statistically owns a bike (I cover two dozen myself probably. A Matrix Benotto that I am very happy with in referrence to that line), it is very much a method of transport. I see bikes like Dirk`s here every day that have been bought for little, or too much, money. People value their bikes, but don`t want them ripped of while they are in a store, movie, whatever. My Legnano looks like a piece of ****, and my lock is more of a gift wrap than a deterrent, but I know what I am riding and I guess that counts. Any Idiot can recognize a flashy DOMO Merckx, but it takes more to see the real gems. Part of the thrill ...
To quote a good friend of mine:" `nuff said!"
Kim Klakow, who is quite happy with the flex on his `79 59.5cm SL Mondial soon to be admired on the CR site. Berlin, Germany
> Well, I disagree. I have heard this argument many times and I want to
> speak
> out against it. I don't think that one needs to race to want to ride a
> great
> machine. I can't ride every day, and I fight the battle of the waistline,
> though no one has ever called me fat (there are certainly times when a few
> more pounds might tip me into that category, however). Still, I don't see
> why that is any reason not to ride the best bike I can afford, if that's
> where my interest lies. I believe that when you dig down into the reasons
> why Europeans tend to ride bikes of a certain level, you will find that it
> is related to economics and social pressures. Economic, because riders
> didn't have the disposable income to sink into the best machines. Social
> pressures, because your buds are going to be displeased with you if you
> show
> up with a much better bike than they can afford, while you are the pokiest
> rider. These statements portraying the fat Americans on their fancy
> bikes,
> while the rest of the world rides 'appropriate-to-the-task-and-rider'
> machines don't stick with me. I don't ride as fast as some, but faster
> than
> most, and when I do get the chance to ride, I want to ride a bike that
> gives
> me back what I put into it. Compared to most "toys" that guys of my age
> are
> interested in, it's a pretty cheap thrill. I can appreciate second and
> third-line components, but please forgive me for riding a full-Campy,
> handmade bike.
>
> I realize that Jerry was speaking in sweeping generalities and I
> acknowledge
> the truth in his comments, though I suspect the desire for quality
> equipment
> is as strong in Europe as here in the states, when money is available. I
> just don't think any weekend warrior needs to feel guilty about wanting to
> put a Masi between his legs.
>
> --Steve Barner, Bolton, Vermont
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> > Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 14:34:31 -0600
> > From: "jerrymoos" <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
> > To: "Fred Rafael Rednor" <fred_rednor@yahoo.com>,
> > <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> > Subject: Re: [CR]NOS Carrera frames - tubing used
> >
> > I agree, the Europeans, at least in the past, weren't such poseurs as
> we.
> > It seems particularly American for fat, out-of-shape, would-be weekend
> > athletes to insist on only the latest, trendiest, most expensive gear,
> be
> it
> > at golf, tennis, running or bicycling. As if we could spend ourselves
> into
> > shape.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Jerry Moos
> > Houston, TX, "The Fatest City in America, and Home of the upcoming Super
> > Bowl"
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
-- Kim Klakow Diplom Grafik Designer Akimbo71@gmx.net +49172-1786481
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