A link to this feature about Andy Hampsten and his current cycling preferences was posted to the ibob list lately:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/
(Some KOF traits, but then the Soviet-submarine-metal frame, Big-Bertha-shaft fork blades, brifters, etc...)
What seems relevant to this list is the question that someone posed regarding this quote and how common the attitude was:
"For a mountain stage I would do 23, 21, 19, 17 etc. or 25, 23, 21, 19, 17. If there was something nuts in Italy like the Tre Cime Lavaredo or the Mortirolo then I would go to a 28. I never used even-numbered climbing cogs other than the 28. Never. Not that I am superstitious; I just hate how every time I looked at even numbers for climbing cogs my palms would get sweaty. Odd only."
That's interesting to me because my favorite cluster by far has long been a Regina 23/21/19/17/15/13. I've been using it forever (and it's just as quiet coasting as while pedaling) but never guessed that there might be some kind of old racer thing about never using even-toothed cogs for climbing.
Is anyone familiar with this tradition?
Tim Victor
Greensboro, NC, US