Thanks to Ken Wehrenberg, for bringing out some of the 1994 innovations. I'd like to do a bit of snipping, to focus on one or two items:
Ken: To make the CR timeline case for Dale, 1984 marks a time of many converging changes in the cycling world, technologically and otherwise. For example, Bernard Tapie diversifies his activity and ski fixations are transferred to pedals. And it wasn't just Look's white and black PP 65, but a tidal wave: Christol/Podio, Manalo and Bouchet. Two of the grand tours were won on these systems and clipless took the sport by storm. 1984 also saw Moser using the Rythmostat and Greg Lemond using the Avocet, first small multifunctional bike computer.
Harvey: I could be wrong, but I thought the Avocet 20 was earlier, although my memory is that it was delayed years after being announced. Just checked the manual, but couldn't find a copyright date. It was made in USA, and did carry a 5 year warranty. The world evolves...
Ken: Late '83 showed the Bell V1Pro, the first helmet of its type.
Harvey: I'm not sure what "its type" means to Ken, but the Bell V1 Pro was not the first hard-shell with real foam and a good release system. But, in 1973 or 1974 I had a prototype of the MSR bike helmet, which came out within a year or so after that. I believe MSR was the first, although it used a wire suspension system and a perimeter foam band instead of a pure foam system. We also used the Australian Bailen helmets, which were full foam, before the Bell was introduced. In fact, the V1-Pro was not the first Bell to get wide use, that was the Bell Biker. I still have one, and actually took the risk of riding with it for Shawn Downing's wonderful Baltimore retro ride yesterday. As always for helmet questions, the best resource is bhsi.org. For history, it's http://www.helmets.org/
But, this is only helmet minutiae, and doesn't detract from Ken's main point that the pace of innovation (and marketing) picked up in the early 1980s.
harvey sachs
mcLean va.\