I'm in agreement with Jim Thill and Robert Zeidler on this. There's
been an interesting thread going on the Classics Rendezvous Google
Group ("Doing things the old fashioned way... -
http://groups.google.com/group/classic-rendezvous-lightweight-vintage-bicycles/browse_thread/thread/a0388964638f7ad3/4571c40974ec8067)
with some very active participation by some who have been builders and
designers of bikes since the 1970's (Jim Merz, Richard Sachs). I
would characterize those posts as bicycle design progress did not
"freeze" either with the classic Campy NR/SR racing bike era or the
French Constructeur touring bike.
I find some of the various modern Constructeur bikes, built with
French components from the 1960-1970's (e.g. Mafac brakes, Simplex
derailleurs, T.A. or Rene Herse modern manufacture cranks), to be a
little strange. Richard Sachs once characterized the modern
infatuation with the French Constructeur era bike, as the end-point of
touring bike design, as being in the vein of Civil War enactors. He
also made the point that most of the riders in the top finishing group
of classic brevets, such as the P-B-P are not riding bikes that evoke
the Rene Herse or Alex Singer randonneur bikes of the past - they're
riding modern carbon fiber frame bikes. I think this was a valid
observation.
Jim Cloud
Tucson, AZ
On Aug 6, 8:51 am, robert zeidler <zeidler.rob...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Well said Jim.
>
> I think BQ is an excellent publication, particularly the accounts of
> rides/events.
>
> I enjoy the product reviews-sometimes. But the rest? Sometimes I don't know.
>
> He seems to have gotten away from the "everything not made by the
> classic French builders-which by the way you probably never get your
> hands on-is somehow/way inferior" thing, but the various tests of tire
> rolling resistance, etc., are akin to a high school science project
> while others have the appearance of being self-serving whether they
> are or not.
>
> For example, there was a recent custom build for a 6'4" rider. He was
> put on a 59cm w/ 171mm cranks? Sorry, I'm not buying it.
>
> Or the endless opinion that fatter tires are every bit as fast as
> skinny tires. No way. More comfortable? Absolutely. Better on dirt?
> For sure. Not faster. If that were the case, does anyone believe
> that the entire bicycle, and tire industry would not jump at the task
> to supply the entire racing/fast recreational community with new
> frames and rubber? Come on all you anti-corporate people out there,
> of course they would!
>
> Lastly, a bike with a big square box-shaped bag is more aero than a
> non-bag equipped bike? Maybe if Cadel evans had installed one in the
> Tour, he would've narrowed the gap in that crucial time trial.
>
> Again, a great publication that I look fwd to each and every month.
>
> RGZ
>
> On Mon, Aug 6, 2012 at 10:41 AM, Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <thill....@gmail.com> wrote:
> > I commend Jan for following his passion and making a very welcome business
> > out of it. I'd urge every interested person to read his blog and his paper
> > publication and carefully consider what he and his contributors have
> > written.
>
> > But after that, take what has been written with a grain of salt. I promise
> > that every one of Jan's opinions is perfectly true - for Jan, for today.
> > Some others may share aspects of Jan's body type, riding style,
> > personality, or general preferences, and some chords may ring true. But for
> > others, there's no need to wear Jan's clothes if they don't fit.
>
> > I'm thinking of commuters and recreational riders who ride 6000+ miles per
> > year on, say, a tire that Jan didn't review favorably or on a bike that
> > doesn't have Jan's optimal steering geometry (i.e. most bikes). I'm
> > thinking of people who ride relatively slowly for an hour or two most days
> > taking pictures, but would never think PBP, or even a 200k, sounds like a
> > good time.
>
> > Jan is a sort of like a famous wine connoisseur. If he says Wine X is good
> > but Wine Y is swill, and you try both and find your preferences are the
> > exact opposite, then his opinion is worthless to you, and you shouldn't
> > lose sleep worrying that you're not tasting your wines correctly.
>
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