I was a motorcyclist in a former life, and noticed a similar phenomenon. In the '60s, anyone capable of keeping a high performance (Street or race) bike running properly, knew what they were doing. By the '80s any kid with a job at Burger King and parents willing to co-sign could have a reliable bike, fast enough to get even an experienced rider in deep trouble.
At 8/4/2007 05:26 PM -0700, ternst wrote:
> You are not speculating.
>I have been looking at that for some time. The new bikes are faster
>and more efficient.
>Now the new crop of good athletes, bad skills syndrome has been on
>us for some time.
>The same technical courses and above circumstances are a recipe for accidents.
>One slight misjudgement or out and out mistake, and you're in orbit
>and hopefully not in obit.
>Put 175mm cranks, 11 / 12 rear cogs and 100 + testosterone loaded
>indestructible guys on the course around the corners at over 30
>miles an hour, the good times are rolling!
>Then mix aero wheels with standard spoke rim set ups, at 2 -6 inches
>apart, what happens to the coasting and braking with wheel overlap
>when inexperienced and charged guys are racing??
>In the drops, it's the lowdown from
>Ted Ernst
>Palso Verdes Estates
>CA USA
>----- Original Message ----- From: <wesoishi@aol.com>
>To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Sent: Saturday, August 04, 2007 5:10 PM
>Subject: [CR]Maybe too fast
>
>>Considering how many of the local riders/racers can't seem to ride
>>without falling (and sometimes hurting themselves, really badly),
>>maybe these new aluminum or carbon fiber bikes are too fast. In the
>>70's, we might have been slower with our DT shifters and steel
>>bikes, but I can't recall anyone being picked up in an ambulance.
>>This is in group rides at Como Street and later, Simi Valley (early 80's).
>
>Mark Stonich;
> BikeSmith Design & Fabrication
> 5349 Elliot Ave S. - Minneapolis. MN 55417
> Ph. (612) 824-2372 http://bikesmithdesign.com
> http://mnhpva.org