Emily, and all:
That's a super question to start the thought processess going.
How about giving us a time frame? From when to when?
This is a subject matter that could have a short book written on the topic.
If the list is interested in the real nuts and bolts about the how to, why,
and wherefor of cycling, maybe a nice thread could end up being a skein we
could all get wrapped up in.
Ted Ernst
Palos Verdes Estates
CA USA
> Over the decades, as bike construction and geometry have changed, so have
> rider positions and preferences. Some things are relatively obvious how
> they affect riding styles, such as handlebars getting lower in relation to
> the saddle. Older bikes had higher bars, and the drops were in a position
> that was more comfortable for spending lots of time in, and the brake
> hoods were not as comfortable to ride on top of. As handlebars got lower,
> the drops got usable for a smaller percentage of the time, but the brake
> hoods got bigger and more designed for holding onto from above.
>
> I'm curious about other ways that riding styles or techniques have changed
> over the years. Has thinking changed about crank length? Cadence? Seat
> tube angle? How have bikes changed or changed back to favor one style of
> riding versus another? How have riding styles changed to favor one type
> of bike design versus another?
>
> I'm just curious what you all have to throw out there, be it speculation,
> hearsay, or from refutable sources.
>
> Emily O'Brien
> Medford, MA