Re: [CR] Rene Herse Ligtweight Record Bike

(Example: Framebuilders:Bernard Carré)

In-Reply-To: <c6ff64470902091249n1de2dd5dxd76556bcef8d4d3e@mail.gmail.com>
References: <c6ff64470902091134o7e60c612qaa3eb3bbe62cfa02@mail.gmail.com> <367324.92842.qm@web82202.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2009 13:09:12 -0800
From: "Kurt Sperry" <haxixe@gmail.com>
To: Edward Albert <ealbert01@gmail.com>
Cc: fred_rednor@yahoo.com, jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net, Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR] Rene Herse Ligtweight Record Bike


2009/2/9 Edward Albert <ealbert01@gmail.com>:
> Jerry you missed my point. I will try to be more clear. You say it was the
> racers back than and Degrange who opposed innovation. It seems to me it is
> the "Steel is real" or die contingent who, today, are the ones refusing to
> even entertain the possibility of innovation. See the* irony*? (pun
> intended)
> Sorry to be so blunt.
> Edward Albert
> Chappaqua, New York, U.S.A.
>

There are probably no more low hanging technical fruit like multiple ratio gearing left to exploit. The point is most of those fruit were picked literally decades ago and the bicycle as a mature technology can only be improved- or new compromises employed- in tiny incremental developments. I feel safe saying that a bicycle 50 years from will be only marginally more functional than one from today. Or even one from 50 years ago.

Not that the marketing departments won't try to convince you otherwise.

Kurt Sperry
Bellingham, Washington
USA