Re: [CR] Mike(s) Barry on fenders

(Example: Framebuilding:Technology)

Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2009 07:39:09 -0800
From: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
To: <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, James Doolittle <JDoolittle@bentwaterclub.com>
In-Reply-To: <713F6DBAD151BB49A134D0B52615A74474E468@BWCC-SRVR.bentwaterclub.com>
Subject: Re: [CR] Mike(s) Barry on fenders


I find Michael Barry's comments quite remarkable for a pro rider on a major team. Somehow I doubt the typical pro today likes to ride steel bikes with moderate angle, mudguards, and mudflaps in the off season. But I suppose growing up with a father who was one of the world's best framebuilders must have given him a different perspective than most in the peleton.

Regards,

Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA


--- On Fri, 1/30/09, James Doolittle wrote:


> From: James Doolittle <JDoolittle@bentwaterclub.com>

\r?\n> Subject: Re: [CR] Mike(s) Barry on fenders

\r?\n> To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

\r?\n> Date: Friday, January 30, 2009, 5:43 PM

\r?\n> Interesting. I love riding in the rain, especially here in

\r?\n> hot, south

\r?\n> east Texas during the summer. I find it quite odd that

\r?\n> everyone does

\r?\n> not have a rain bike. Back in the day we all had trainers

\r?\n> with heavy

\r?\n> wheels that you could throw fenders on. After training all

\r?\n> week on a

\r?\n> heavier trainer, (at one point I used a "space

\r?\n> age" Viscount), it was

\r?\n> always a thrill to race on my light Italian, sew up, silk

\r?\n> tires steed.

\r?\n> You might have ridden her once during the week, but she was

\r?\n> kept

\r?\n> pristine for race day, new tape in a light color to show

\r?\n> off how well

\r?\n> you kept her.

\r?\n>

\r?\n>

\r?\n>

\r?\n> The local group I ride with have always commented on my

\r?\n> "classic" bikes

\r?\n> but recently on a particularly cold and wet ride they were

\r?\n> all

\r?\n> attempting to be on my wheel since I didn't throw up

\r?\n> any spray.

\r?\n> Afterwards they all pounded me on the back for riding my

\r?\n> old rain bike!

\r?\n> It seems they worked out taking turns behind me to get

\r?\n> breaks from the

\r?\n> spray and I didn't even know it! There's another

\r?\n> advantage mentioned in

\r?\n> the article regarding gravel. On my big wheel bike I have

\r?\n> not a worry

\r?\n> in the world taking off down clay, caliche or gravel roads

\r?\n> through the

\r?\n> National Forest I ride through. Taking into account the

\r?\n> occasional gun

\r?\n> shots give me some minor concern (it is Texas after all),

\r?\n> it's usually

\r?\n> quite pleasant off through the woods by myself and very

\r?\n> rare that

\r?\n> there's any traffic, just me and the hawks. I wear

\r?\n> bright jersey's and

\r?\n> have been known to sing quite loud, "Please don't

\r?\n> shoot me, I'm not a

\r?\n> deer riding a bicycle through the woods!"

\r?\n>

\r?\n>

\r?\n>

\r?\n> I have an early 80's Nishiki Olympic 12 with big tires,

\r?\n> fenders and mud

\r?\n> flaps that I use as my rain bike. It was my last trainer

\r?\n> & I've kept it

\r?\n> all these years. I have a fond spot in my heart for this

\r?\n> bike as it is

\r?\n> the one I had a child carrier on the back that I took my

\r?\n> children on

\r?\n> rides with. Does anybody remember the little Bell helmets?

\r?\n> Next up the

\r?\n> grandchildren.

\r?\n>

\r?\n>

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Happy riding!

\r?\n>

\r?\n>

\r?\n>

\r?\n> James Doolittle

\r?\n>

\r?\n> Spring, Texas, in glorious sunshine & 60 degrees!, USA