I consider 2-3,000 mi./yr. to be a good year for me. At least I've been consistent with that for many years. I only own steel bikes. My most modern is an '80's Italian Cinelli built Centurion that I only recently built up w/ modern shifting. I rode it last year on Bike Virginia, a multi-day tour, only a month or so after the conversion to er** 9. I've been riding that one because it's a fun bike to ride and the shifting can spoil. That said, when I was climbing Mt. Vesuvius up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, an average slope of over 12% for 4 miles, I was thinking I'd have rather been on my 1978 RS Tourer that I usually bring. And then back down, 6 miles of switchbacks, would have felt so much more of a hoot on the Sachs. I still ride all the old bikes, but mostly the one. It was threatening rain the other day when I went out to ride. The Centurion's the beater. It's the one that got wet.
Happy trails,
Dan Artley in Parkton, Maryland
-----Original Message----- From: r garni <crispyflotilla@yahoo.com> To: Syke - Deranged Few M/C <sykerocker@yahoo.com>; Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Wed, 15 Mar 2006 08:34:57 -0800 (PST) Subject: [CR]how many miles vintage? how many miles mod?
Dear All,
A question that I am sure comes up periodically, and
one that has certainly has risen again (it's alive!)
in George's letter, is a definition of terms:
When we say 'we ride' (as in, our bikes) what number
does 'ride' constitute?
I have found that as I ride more (not a racer, not
fast, but still do ride) that I am relegating my
somewhat older bikes (bordering between 'on topic' and
KOF mid '80's?Eisentraut, Colnago, Tesch, Sachs) less,
my mod squad (Pegorettis, Litespeed) more...
It's not a 'better'/'worse' commentary?more of what
bike is appropriate for what ride. For distance, the
mods. Pretty much, always.
Which would beg (well, maybe not beg) the question: of
those of you with modern bicycles & vintage, do you
choose the vintage over the modern for rides that are
30+ miles?
And how many miles a year on vintage vs. modern?
I am, happily, at about 1000 per year vintage, 3-4,000
per year modern.
How about all youz guys?
Just curious.
Ricky in very much
Carrboro, NC