[CR]Spectacular Downhill Rides & Schwinn Superiors

(Example: Framebuilding:Technology)

Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2007 08:48:11 +0200
From: "Amir Avitzur" <avitzur@013.net>
To: Classicrendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]Spectacular Downhill Rides & Schwinn Superiors

In 1979 I picked up a shiny black fillet brazed Schwinn Superior. It was a plug-ugly bike from the start, but had character.

I took it to a summer job in Switzerland and road it everywhere. Towards the end of the summer I rode took it on an alpine tour.

The bike had mid-range parts and brakes (center-pull Dia-Compes or Weinmans) that worked well enough in good weather, but were marginal when wet.

There is snow in the alps, even in the summer, so there is spill-off onto the road. The brakes became downright dangerous in those conditions. But heck, I thought I was a good rider and what choice did I have on the top of a mountain?

Accents and descents in the alps are often on switchback, snakepath, hairpin-turn roads, with a wall on one side and a chasm on the other. No fencing either, as guard rails catch snow and peel off the edge of the road when hit by too much snow.

So there I was freezing my ___-off on the top of a mountain when it starts to rain. A beautiful rain it was too, as parts of the sky were clear and other parts dark and cloudy. Fortunately no wind.

I start down the mountain slowly, and gradually pick up speed. I brake before the first curve, I brake harder, I use all my strength ... nothing. Not a good time to panic.

I start passing cars on there way down. The kids in the cars wave. I go faster, drivers start to beep, others, on their way up are astounded. I slow down a bit on a level patch but can't get it slow enough to bail out.

Then off I go again. More cars beep. My last day on earth, might as well enjoy it. I loosen up, pray for clean roads and good drivers. I get good at making the turns. Lucky for me, most of my time I could stay in the middle of the road.

Even luckier for me, the bike handled really, really well. the tires hugged the road, the road was clean and cars were few and far between.

I came out of this alive and healthy.

And that, my friends, is why I have nothing but praise for my no-name-straight-gauge Schwinn Superior.

Amir Avitzur
Ramat-Gan, Israel