Usually just lurk here, but felt I had to add some humble opinions:
"Moos, Jerry" <jmoos@urc.com> wrote:
<snip>
> Frames: New frames are lighter, but much uglier, lack eyelets or clearance
> for racks or mudguards, the typical TIGed ones can't be repaired, and the
> aluminum ones don't last nearly as long as the old steel ones. Old is
> better.
I don't like TIG either, but there are some nice fillet brazers out there,
i.e. Bilenky and others. Good Ti welds (Moots, Ibis) can also be a thing of
beauty. I hear TIG Al and Ti _can_ be repaired, though I don't know anyone
who has had it done and wouldn't think its worth it for Al. Old is better,
but there is nice new. Just wish everything still had eyelets and enough
clearance as standard... I think that's a decision forced on us by Marketing
and Manufacturing and not by Product Developers and real users.
> Wheels: The one component where weight matters the most, the rim, is now
> much heavier in order to withstand the greater dish of a 10 speed rear.
Old
> is better.
Not to mention the additional imbalance of going from 120/126 to 130.
> Shifters and Derailleurs: Modern marketing hype at its worst. This year's
> Campy is not only incompatible with Shimano, but also with last year's
> Campy. Can you say "planned obsolesence"? No compatibility, no
> interchangeability, damn few replacement parts. The user must buy a new
> drivetrain when one part wears out - marketing Nirvana. Easier to shift
for
> an absolute novice, but hardly worth the tradeoffs. Old is better.
While Shimano takes a lot of heat for their constant innovation, at least their derailleurs maintain a lot of backward compatibility (you can use a 9spd rd over a 7spd cassette). Also, if you stick to friction shifting, I don't believe compatibility is much of an issue.
<snip>
> Pedals: Clipless pedals are more efficient, but less versatile. They also
> can malfunction. Anyone watch Paris-Roubaix on OLN on Easter and see the
> Telecom rider Wesemans trying to stay in the lead break with a pedal that
> kept releasing every km or two because of mud? With toe clips he might
have
> won the race. New is better if you never get off the bike in the middle of
> a ride or encounter mud, otherwise I vote for old.
I read that Weseman's cleat had come undone. This can happen also happen with old, but at least you can try to cinch down with the straps. I think mud can jam up old cleats better than new cleats/pedals. I doubt Weseman could have won the race from three Domo's, be real.
---
Bill Canilang
ridgewood.nj.usa
'99 Ibis Sonoma (Ancotech Ti), 34/46, 11x23
'95 Trek 970 (Easton CrMo), 24/36/46, 12x28
'91 Trek 2300 (TreTubi Carbon), 39/52, 12x23
'84 Bianchi Sport SX (Ishiwata Magny), 42x16