[CR]Steher vs. Stayer

(Example: Framebuilders)

From: <Newag@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2005 22:56:23 EDT
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Steher vs. Stayer

In a recent post I made about shellac and Stayers, I made a side comment about the importance of Stayer/Steher racing in the history of track cycling. As penance for a couple of comments I made that are at best subject to debate, I offer the following clarifications and suggestions for further research.

At least one source (second one cited below) suggests that the German word and notion of "Steher" derives from the English word "Stayer," which in turn had the original meaning of a person or horse with endurance and stamina as opposed to for example a sprinter. Further to this, some sources suggest that early human-paced riders prior to the turn of the century (with e.g. tandem, 4, or 6 man pacing machines--motors came on the scene just after the turn of the century) were called "Stayers" in English.

I saw a distinction being drawn in various German language sources contrasting "Flieger" racers to "Steher" racers, especially in the 20's. But the language distinction appears not to be related in a fundamental way to whether the rider is unattached or attached to some kind of pacer but rather to the rider's endurance.

The first source below has to do with the history and evolution of track racing and terminology and how "Stehers" fit in. I'm sure there are comparable ones in English.

http://www.cycling4fans.de/index.php?id=2133

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahnradsport

Jonathan Agnew
Darien, CT