As the owners of vintage racecars age, their abilty to race them does not deteriorate all that rapidly. Not that the original driver/rider needs to be at the helm, but seeing a top Can Am driver from the 70's driving a 12 cylinder Porsche would be cool; watching a bloated Merckx on race an old DeRosa might be depressing. What I'm thinking is that guys who are really entertaining to watch are actual racers, who invariably are interested in the athletic aspects of cycling and will simply want to use up-to-date equipment. I haven't ridden with anyone on this list, and I imagine that there are a handful of good riders among us, but I sure would not want to watch the likes of myself trying to race. Without enough fit and evenly-matched riders, I fear the race would be a bit fractured and boring. While it would be goofy to have correographed race reenactments, a briskly-paced parade ride might be the best way to show off our old bikes.
Jim Cole wrote:I spent the early to mid-70's racing motocross (as in motorcycles) and wrenched in shops during high school. Man, do I have the broken bones to prove it! While I have no interest in vintage motocross bikes there is certainly a bunch of folks that are into not only restoring, but racing them! I don't follow car racing, but there are a number of races held for vintage cars. Let's face it, any kind of vintage motorized vehicle is way more of a challenge to restore and use (much less race!) than a bicycle. If they can do it why not the vintage bicycle crowd? So, when is racing vintage road bikes going to come into vogue? The next Cirque maybe???
Jim Cole Memphis, TN
_______________________________________________
---------------------------------
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Finance - Get real-time stock quotes