It's your body, not the bike/ Continental Observations

A couple observations today:

For those rare velos who have ridden roadies for awhile, then gone back to mountain bikes with 175 MM cranks, just chill. It's not your cranks.

Looks like most MTB's favor 175 MM's , which produces a little more range of motion on your knees. It was a weird feeling lately, and I spent most of the day trying to swap cranks from another bike....

Oh, but wait, those are 175's also!!! Duh!!! Wassup wid dat?

It also has to do with the higher bottom bracket, to jump over stumps and crap. Sheldon Brown wrote about this, so I'm sure everyone blamed the cranks. He blamed them too.

It's not the cranks. It's your body. Just chill for a couple weeks. You'll be ok. Do not push any small rings for a while.

Stop blaming the freaking bike.

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I am so happy. I just put an old (but now new!!!) Sachs Huret Derailleur on Squeaky. Of course, this took hours of de-greasing, tweaking, but the result is a perfect shift, and I can now access the big ring!!!

I cannot even imagine climbing with an actual big ring now, I've been making due with 8 speeds for awhile. It's like an old man with Arthritis, limited range of motion...

I have also come to the conclusion that modern shifting can make you a "shift junky".

"oh, I have 7 speeds, and this gear doesn't feel exactly perfect, so I'll hit my brake-lever-shifter every two seconds...."

The old farts were right. It makes you soft. You only need ten speeds, unless you race... trust me.

As I installed the part, I started thinking about the various European bike Mfg's over the years. Call me an asshole and a bigot if you will, but here goes:

British:

Amazing, to die- for bikes, mostly known for strength and durability. British Steel is second to none, quality of chrome also excellent. The Nottingham and Carlton frames by Raleigh were awesome for many years. Hetchins also produced some very nice high-end frames with amazing lugwork. The stuff of unsinkable battleships, endless invasions..

The British, however, are not the best racers, not highly ranked in the Tour De France. They do race, locally, however, but it's more subdued.

It's depressing in the UK, rains all the time. They're more into getting to and from work on bikes. I am from British ancestry, so relate to this a lot.
I must go there. My Point: You don;t have to win World Cups to be truly great, just braze the frame coherently, and contract good parts....

French:

Completely rule the Tour De France, and other Euro races. Any bike they make is pretty amazing. (Peugeot, Motobecane, Gitane, Bobet, there are so many...)


The French bikes ride with grace, corner very well. They understood frame geometry very well also.

Peugeot is my favorite. There are many, many custom makers. Like the Italians, they are passionate, and that rocks.

Recently, I have been re-introduced to the french componentry, after succumbing like an innocent American consumer to the "Japanese invasion" for many years.

I am impressed, especially tonight, after witnessing the reincarnation of a cruddy old RD.

Italians:

What can I say , they will inherit the earth. The frames are the finest, sexiest, and quite expensive. Cinelli, Pinarello, Bianchi... I can't even begin...

To fully understand componentry, you need to study the legacy of Tulio Campagnolo, who started out making derailleurs in his basement by hand.

As a kid in the 70's , I always wondered why their stuff was so fucking expensive.....Go to Wikipedia, please....

Belgians...

Admittedly, still studying these guys, but they are tough as nails. Great wheels. Their racers have always ranked highly in the Tour. I am in awe.

Japanese:

Ok, this is where I get fuzzy. Innovators in technology, Shimano now rules the bike market in terms of componentry.

Some great bikes were also produced in the late 70's and 80's (Lotus, Bridgestone/ Kabuki, Univega, Nishiki, Shogun, etc. But they have faded from the market because of the exchange rate.

Of the above, Univega is my favorite. A dorky name, but these bikes were, and are, great value. I have never heard a bad word about Univegas.

Always great value, Araya rims are my favorite retro-alloys... But these guys need to rank in a serious race to be truly great.

Germans:

Hello? You guys make great tires (Continental) and some nice cruiser bikes, but need to get a serious team together. The technology has always rocked, but you guys need to kick it some more...

Sorry, that's the brit in me talking... I think I watched too many Audi Murphy movies as kid... but peace to you all anyway. But Please don't spit on Lance gain if he races this year....OK?

peace out

Rob