Amir,
I really enjoyed your story; I hope more CR members will share their own "best/ scary/ thrilling rides" stories, of course, on CR-era bikes.
Yours reminded me of some descents I had on a number of training rides on a fixed-gear keirin bike (a custom-made Vivalo from a friend of my bro-in-law's as I recall) with my bro-in-law in the mountains near my in-laws in Japan (Shiga Pref., in the mountains just north of Kyoto), although not nearly as thrilling as the Swiss Alps. Trying to descend 10-15% grades and hairpins on a fixie (w/ add-on brakes fortunately) is certainly an experience I'd rather not repeat, but it certainly is good for developing nerves and spinning smoothness (nothing like the threat of death to force one to learn quickly). Trying to match my brother-in-law's speed on the downhill run is something I certainly didn't try! My wife recalls him hitting 90 kmh behind her pace car on a straight section of a mountain road! Try spinning that fast sometime, with no option of freewheeling!
Anyone else?
Tim
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Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2007 08:48:11 +0200 From: Amir Avitzur <avitzur@013.net> To: Classicrendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Subject: [CR]Spectacular Downhill Rides & Schwinn Superiors Message-ID: <JJEEKLDDELHGFDGDBELBAEIEFLAA.avitzur@013.net.il> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1255 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT Precedence: list Message: 5
In 1979 I picked up a shiny black fillet brazed Schwinn Superior. It was a plug-ugly bike from the start, but had character.
I took it to a summer job in Switzerland and road it everywhere. Towards the end of the summer I rode took it on an alpine tour.
The bike had mid-range parts and brakes (center-pull Dia-Compes or Weinmans) that worked well enough in good weather, but were marginal when wet.
There is snow in the alps, even in the summer, so there is spill-off onto the road. The brakes became downright dangerous in those conditions. But heck, I thought I was a good rider and what choice did I have on the top of a mountain?
Accents and descents in the alps are often on switchback, snakepath, hairpin-turn roads, with a wall on one side and a chasm on the other. No fencing either, as guard rails catch snow and peel off the edge of the road when hit by too much snow.
So there I was freezing my ___-off on the top of a mountain when it starts to rain. A beautiful rain it was too, as parts of the sky were clear and other parts dark and cloudy. Fortunately no wind.
I start down the mountain slowly, and gradually pick up speed. I brake before the first curve, I brake harder, I use all my strength ... nothing. Not a good time to panic.
I start passing cars on there way down. The kids in the cars wave. I go faster, drivers start to beep, others, on their way up are astounded. I slow down a bit on a level patch but can't get it slow enough to bail out.
Then off I go again. More cars beep. My last day on earth, might as well enjoy it. I loosen up, pray for clean roads and good drivers. I get good at making the turns. Lucky for me, most of my time I could stay in the middle of the road.
Even luckier for me, the bike handled really, really well. the tires hugged the road, the road was clean and cars were few and far between.
I came out of this alive and healthy.
And that, my friends, is why I have nothing but praise for my no-name-straight-gauge Schwinn Superior.
Amir Avitzur Ramat-Gan, Israel
********************** Tim Potter Coordinator MSU Bikes Service Center Bessey Hall Auditorium, Lower level On the N. River Trail & 300 ft. West of the Farm Ln. Bridge 517/432-3400 bikes@msu.edu http://www.bikes.msu.edu