Bob Hanson wrote:
> Tom Avenia in NYC (who imported Frejus bikes, Campy components,
> etc.) would sell me 700c tires for a bike I'd brought back from France
> in 1971, and usually had 700c rims available too. BUT, he always shook
> his head when I requested a pair of 700c tires (which I always would
> tell him were just for my fictitious sister's bike) because even the
> Michelins and Clements available in the '70s were commonly heavy, wire
> bead, cotton belted, gumwalls, and everyone seriously into cycling knew
> that sew-ups were absolutely superior, and were the standard for even
> amateur racers and those who considered themselves serious cyclists, in
> the US.
Back in the mid-late 70s I did loaded touring on sew-ups. But when I built my new touring frame in 1981, I designed it to use 27" because that was what you'd find in the hardware stores out in the middle of nowhere.
Ever try to buy a sew-up in Iron Mountain MI in 1978? :-)
--
-John Thompson (john@os2.dhs.org)
Appleton WI USA