The same transformation has occurred in Charlotte. Some of my "old" school shops have sold out or closed. The new space has Trek/Specialized/Cannondale with the ubiquitous Shimano Ultegra. Now there's nothing wrong with the new stuff. But I do miss guys that can ride. You know a paceline that goes straight and even. Anymore I seem to be caught up in a pack of squirrels darting all over the place with somebody trying to blast off the front when their pull comes round. Or better yet your setting a decent 20+ pace and somebody blast around from the back to ride off the front. Every organized group ride seems have turned into a race. I try to have an easy spin and stay in the saddle to work on my technique and people blast by yelling encouragement. Telling me not to give up. You can make it etc...... And am I missing something or is everybody's seat pointed to the ground? And I have a fair sized seat bag for Brevets and that really gets some comments. Ride with a little Campagnolo and everyone assumes you're just into bling. I ride it 'cause there was no Shimano back in the day. I like it and the heritage. It rolls good!!!!!! Well I'm sounding like a retro grouch but the sport sure feels different.
Anyway there is one "old" school hold out up in Greensboro.
Rob Dayton Charlotte, NC USA
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Bianca Pratorius Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 8:11 PM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]Unfortunate, un- aesthetic occurrence at LBS
Miami is undergoing a LBS transformation that started about ten years ago. Old shops are closing and shop owners are giving up the ghost. Miami had so many more shops years ago that fit into the cozy, dark, secretive category. Old bikes used to line the walls, and boxes of odds and end goodies from the 80's hid in corners awaiting an afficianado with a sensible middle class budget. A few of those shops still exist, and while I try to spread my meager business among them, I doubt one well meaning man is keeping them going. They survive courtesy of guts and the blessing of the Gods. However,the newer bicycle boutiques are making their presence known. "Bike Tech" is a chain of shops (3 or 4 now) that resembles upscale women's shoe stores that I remember from New York City. Good looking young men with European manners and multi-lingual capabilities and clean fingernails strut their stuff on classy carpet, amid the sparse displays. One may choose between the low rent $100 helmets or ride uptown to the $200 plus models. Road bikes are featured with just a hint here and there of the entry levelers but with a strong emphasis on $2,000 to $5000 Specialized and Lightspeeds. Proudly displayed is a Specialized S works, sans pedals hanging from a fish scale that reads out a shade over 14 lbs. A small tag unapologetically reads: $5,400 and one must walk around the bike mobile to avoid a collision with one's head. One can gaze at glass display cases with high end saddles and cranks and Keos as if he were in New York's diamond district. Something interesting is being done with the ambient lighting as everyone who walks in is instantly aglow.
Today an attractive blond woman is sitting down on a nicely padded chair as she ponders a couple of near $200 shoes. A police officer asks her a few probing questions and she offers her story. "My trainer insists that I begin road biking, but I'm just getting my feet wet, so he found me an old steel Italian bike that they had to upgrade here. The whole thing is costing me almost as much as I would have spent for one of these real bikes. If I take to it, I'll just have to come back and buy one of these anyway." I have had enough and although I can't blame the cop for continuing to flirt, I question the morality of the staff at Bike Tech for not having taught her a bit more respect for a classic Italian bike. If I took my Dino Ferrari into the local dealership, they certainly wouldn't try to trade me up to a real Ferrari would they? (I don't have one - damn... but if I did...)
Garth Libre in morally challenged Miami Fl.