Re: [CR] Eugene A. Sloane

There is no doubt that Sloane had enormous influence on American cycling. As I recall the biographies published during his lifetime and after his recent death, when he first started writing about bikes, he was basically a journalist, with no real deep technical knowledge of bicycles. But he would become deeply involved in cycling and cycling issues for the rest of his life.

Even given his less technical background than say someone like Fred Delong, Sloane had, IMHO opinion, remarkable perception and sound judgment. The real aficionados might differ with his praise of 531, but I think he did briefly mention that Columbus, Vitus and Falck were also good quality. As to MAFAC's I personally think they are every bit as good as Campy SP's, and were IMHO a much better value for the money.

Sloane was the right person at the right time. His task was not to split hairs with the aficionados, but to explain quality bicycles to an American public to whom derailleurs were a mystery, and who regarded a Schwinn Varsity as the height of sophistication. He did his job extraordinarily well. If one knew nothing about quality bicycles, but wanted to learn, and could only read one book on the subject, his would have been the book to read.

Regards,

Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA