[CR]Old vs New

(Example: Events:Eroica)

From: "flying_scot" <flying_scot@btopenworld.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <c4.2068f96.2d1e05bd@aol.com> <009701c3cc00$f7eee240$22e0fea9@man>
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2003 00:26:59 -0000
Subject: [CR]Old vs New

PC Wrote ;
> I'd love to match two riders, perhaps on the same team, of more or less
> equal calibre, and race their up-to-date team bike against say the 1938
> Rudge Aero-Olympic Special with a Sturmey-Archer Ultra-Close ratio AR25/3
> three-speed racing hub. I am convinced the 65-year-old Rudge would not
> disgrace herself.

Nice as it would be, most team managers I'd expect would fire or at best relegate to the team coach the rider who couldn't beat the man on the 65 year-old Rudge, given the mass-produced machines weight and the slowness of the S-A gear change and the need to ease-off between shifts ! Now put Reg Harris at a similar age against a modern track rider on identical RRA's and you might have a different story... (Reg wasn't known for partaking in the odd performance-enhancing drug, unless you count a good lung-expanding draw on the briar, filled with a few ounce of his favourite mix) see http://www.flying-scot.co.uk/other_marques/baxter/hamilton.html (the last pictures on this page).

Bob Reid
Stonehaven
Scotland.