> From: Chuck Schmidt <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
>
> The first bike I bought as an adult was a 22.5" 1974 >Raleigh Professional Mark IV with the Blue Mink/Silver >paint. I was perfectly happy with the handling and >thought all bikes shimmied at high speeds.
>Happy that is until my friends said I needed to >experience the handling of an Italian frame.
That's a funny thing because the first time I had a bike go into a violent shimmy was on an SLX Bianchi! The Raleighs seem pretty stable to me. However the 74 Professional does indeed ride a bit on the rough side. Seems like tubulars are mandatory if you have to ride on oil and chip roads. I think I might like my 80 Competition GS the best.
Pete Geurds
Douglassville, PA