My wife got me a DVD of the 1973 Tour d'Italia won by non other than the great Merckx. On the same DVD was "The Impossible Hour", or the unsuccessful attempt to break Merckx's Mexico City record. Let me tell you about the bike clasique from my wife's eyes....
Look how beautiful the bikes were! Look how simple and elegant the clothes were... black shorts that say only only thing on them... shirts with an understated sponsor for a sausage company instead of a bank or a cell phone giant. The 1973 tour went through her home town of Koln (Cologne) to boot.
I can't help thinking that along with modern garishness comes a certain human insensitivity to good taste and grace.
To all a happy holiday.
Garth Libre in Miami Fl.