In a message dated 3/15/2005 9:55:22 PM Eastern Standard Time, gillies@cs.ubc.ca writes:
<< I'm sorry, but i cannot disagree with John Pergolizzi more on this subject. I have a raleigh pro, 1974, 24.5, and it's a screaming hoot to ride. Every time i climb aboard it brings a big smile to my face. I have heard that the later 1970's bikes w/o fastback seat stays were terrible bikes.
I don't think it would be difficult to ride no-handed, and I often use the bike to tow a 100-lbs trailer filled with kids up some very steep hills !! >>
Hey! My friends! We are talking about bikes that were NOT made to modern standards of alignment, tracking, geometry, etc. There was a lot of, shall we say, "diversity" within these models, deviations from the set design! It is not inconceivable that two 22 1/2" Raleigh Pros from the early 70s would have different ride & steering traits!
Those of us who have stripped them to refinish them have found some "signs of the humanity which produced them." Oh boy, what signs!
Now, if we want to do a controlled study of ride characteristics of the say 1974 Raleigh Pro, we should test two identically set up bikes first.. Then put each (or should it be one at a time?) on the alignment table, and square everything up.. I think with two bikes you would have 4 different "personalities"! A & B, before and after! Blondes, brunettes and redheads!
I do like those neat old things though!!!!
Dale Brown
Greensboro, NC