Re: [CR]Older Riders, New and Classic Bikes

(Example: Framebuilders:Masi)

Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2006 20:33:58 -0800
From: "Chuck Schmidt" <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
To: CLASSIC RENDEZVOUS <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: Re: [CR]Older Riders, New and Classic Bikes
References: <70e14d4c0603111357w62875e48r5ba9daf3ae9293b4@mail.gmail.com> <003101c64581$d20ad1e0$5e390fd8@D36MSL71>


Peter Kohler wrote:
>
> Yikes.. Chuck Schimdt and I agree on a topic!
>
> "Old guys" ride great. Best pick up road race I had last year was an "old"
> (and I'm 48) guy on a cutting modern bike and I was riding my '73 Cinelli.
> And when I stop to talk to old "geezers" they are amazed a "younger" guy is
> riding stuff they still own but are somehow ashamed to ride. It's one thing
> to be 63 but to ride a bike you owned aged 17 is just too revealing!

Peter, geezers aren't "somehow ashamed to ride" their old bikes. If asked they'd probably say, "been there and done that." They probably enjoy the benefit that 46 years of progress in bike design have brought about. They're probably amazed that a young guy like you wouldn't have at least one current superbike to enjoy.

I was surprised when you wrote you have never used cleats with your toe clips and straps. Early in the last century they were found to generate more pedaling power; just the thing for those impromptu races with geezers on modern bikes.

Chuck "does geezerdom start at 62 or 63" Schmidt South Pasadena, Southern California

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