I recently had one of those rewarding moments. Last weekend I went to play tennis with a friend who once had a pro-level Bottechia. It was stolen years ago, and he all but stopped riding. A couple of years ago he purchased a mountain bike from Costco. He marvels at getting 21 speeds and dual suspension for $250. He has just put road tires on it, and feels fast. He has been talking about getting a real road bike, but doesn't seem to be in much of a hurry.
We rode our bikes to the tennis court, where he promptly pounded me. At 60 he still really slugs the ball hard. For the ride home I suggested that he try my Masi. The ride was punctuated entirely by expressions of wonder and recollection about how great it feels to ride a really good road bike. It was nice to have someone from outside the fraternity get it. Usually people do not understand. They understand the part about my liking to ride, but the part about my having several bikes that are over 30 years old doesn't make much sense. At least my friends tend to think it's kind of cute that I have a hobby like this. Here in Detroit, where collecting and restoring classic cars is a common pastime, it goes down easier when I explain that it is like having a '63 Corvette.
My friend is not about to join the CR list or buy a classic bike. He is too enamored with the new technology. He picks up the odd Bicycling! and tells me about how light the new bikes are. I just smile and agree that it is pretty amazing. Lots of things are.
Best regards,
Marcus Helman
Huntington Woods, MI