[CR]We are truly....

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Chater-Lea)

Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2007 10:49:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Tom Dalton" <tom_s_dalton@yahoo.com>
To: Jonathanadamgree@aol.com, Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]We are truly....

Johnathan wrote:

But since very few of the new (or old) bikes are used for racing I'm surprised this argument ever gets any traction.

Johnathan, I liked your post, but at this point I'm not even sure what argument the list is working on. I jumped in early, and have latched on to support John's point that modern race bikes, in races, are faster. I've probably said more than my share in support of John's point, and I am going to make this my last post today.

As apparent arguments against the superior performance of modern bikes, I have seen the following:

I live in Miami where it is flat, so light weight and integrated shifting are not helpful TO ME (a sampel size of ONE!)

I get no benefit in local TTs from the modern gear on my Trek 2300, because the TRIPLE makes the shifting pattern confusing and I'm also not able to shift both ders at once. (I'm using the wrong crank and casette and I'm not completely familiar with STI)

If you use all the newest stuff on a state of the art steel bike, it is comparable in performance to a state of the art CF bike. (Two modern bikes!)

Modern bikes fail catastrophically and aren't worth the risk (where are all these deadly bikes? The failure modes are less likely to be catastrophic than with steel. If as many poseurs in 1980 were buying inappropriately light bikes as are today, the shops would have been filled with broken bikes. The modern market for sub-20 lb bikes is THOUSANDS of times bigger than 25 years ago. Besides, what has this to do with speed?)

Modern bikes are ugly (and that makes them slower?)

My 50+ year old body is brutalized by modern racing bikes (are we talking about you, or racers?)

The difference isn't all that big (but it's there, isn't it?)

It's only the shifting (even if true, faster is faster).

It's only the weight (ditto)

It's only the wheels (and????)

The weight amounts to only about one water bottle (and you don't need that water?)

It's not the bike, it's the rider (true, but irrelevant)

Fit is paramount (true, but irrelevant)

The modern bike is not as durable (not true AND irrelevant)

The bike business is pushing the wrong bikes (no kidding)

Modern riders are buying the wrong bikes (Yes, true in the day, and a lot more of a problem today)

Tom Dalton Bethlehem, PA USA

People are buying the wrong bikes,

---------------------------------
Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV.