Brian Baylis wrote:
>
(snip)
> Correction. Earlier I gave Chuck Schmidts' gearing on his fixed gear
> Mercian as 88", which as we discussed at lunch, was actually 81 gear
> inches. Chuck was really spinning on the downhill as I was going full
> bore on his wheel in 53-13.
I think you had it right when you said we made an odd couple flailing and wailing down that hill; an English trike and path racer, one rocking side to side and one bouncing up and down.
The Mercian (1959 Superlight Vigorelli) weighs around 18 pounds and is not the stiffest bike in the world, all though the catalog states: "All unnecessary ounces cut away...leaving a perfectly rigid job that responds to every ounce of effort." It felt almost like a runaway horse.
Comparing notes on the handling of these two thoroughbred steeds over lunch was priceless!
Greg Fletcher's photo of the '59 Mercian Superlight Vigorelli:
http://www.bates-lee.org/
Chuck Schmidt
South Pasadena, Southern California