Responding to Andrew Gillis' comments about Garth Libre's post concerning B outique Bicycle Buying...
On Saturday I rode my new (old) Waterford fixie for a couple of hours downt own, up the greenbelt, and here and there...it is a bike that I found in a little shop in the San Francisco Mission District about a month ago while o n a road trip. It is a pounded frame once owned, I suspect by a messinger. I was wearing baggy cargo shorts, a Student Council T-shirt from the scho ol where I used to work, scruffy canvas shoes I once wore on a 7 day float on the Green River, and the bike was outfitted with $1 pedals from the Tucs on GABA swap meet. Since I live about 6 blocks from the largest university in the country, I saw some riders on $6000 mounts who looked as if they di dn't have a clue and riders on $6 garage bikes who looked like they were bo rn on a bike. Some were out hammering, some were pedalling down to the Univ ersity Library, and some were headed to one of the local watering holes, pr obably Casey Moore's. Some were dressed to the 9's, and some looked scruff ier than me. I haven't seen a wool jersey in about 15 years. My point? T here were lots of riders out that day, and everyone seemed to be enjoying t he day, enjoying the ride. In my neighborhood, nobody looks down on you for the pedals you push. Most of us just nod or raise a finger when we pass, h appy to be out in the 'hood.
Pat Moffat Tempe, Az
-----Original Message-----
>From: Andrew Gillis <apgmaa@earthlink.net>
>Sent: Apr 10, 2006 11:10 PM
>To: classicrendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Subject: [CR]Unfortunate Victims of Boutique Bicycle Buying
>
>Dear CRs:
>
>My thanks to Garth Libre for posting his nearly-unbelievable description
>of Miami's Boutique Bicycle Shops.
>
>On my ride yesterday evening (Sunday April 9) I saw some unfortunate
>results of Boutique Bicycle Buying:
>
>A 50ish year old mother and her 20ish year old son were out for a ride
>on matching Specialized road bikes: full carbon fiber frames and
>components, aero wheels, etc. ... except that the pedals on both bikes
>were $20 rat-trap mountain bike cheapies without even toe clips or
>straps.
>
>Both riders wore street clothes (baggy hiking shorts and hiking boots).
>Their baggy nylon windbreaker jackets more than negated the advantage of
>aero wheels.
>
>Neither rider carried a pump or any sort of tire repair accessories.
>
>They had much more technology than necessary for a look-at-the-sunset
>bike ride.
>
>In the meantime, I rode my 2001 Mercian with Campy NR-SR-Victory. I wore
>a wool jersey and tights. A Silca pump and a small seat bag completed my
>'kit'.
>
>I had a better looking bike, better looking clothes, and I had a better
>ride, too!
>
>Unfortunately, I find most bike shops today to be rather uninspiring,
>and often depressing, venues. Iit seems that for a lot of shops, it's
>more about making money (customer = consumer!) instead of selling the
>right bike (product).
>
>
>Andrew Gillis
>(expecting rain in Long Beach, CA)