[CR] Time Trialling and humming tunes

(Example: Framebuilders:Pino Morroni)

Date: Sun, 9 May 2010 10:25:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Colin Laing" <colin_laing@yahoo.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR] Time Trialling and humming tunes


Good ride that Mr. Crump and your mention of humming " The barber of Seville", opened up my brain cells more than I would deem safe...My tune of choice was the " Camptown Races " and I can still remember going DooDah DooDAh past the time keeper at the finish line.

Most of us who were Leaugers ( at least in the North East ) also belonged to N C U clubs as 2nd claim riders and were allowed to ride timetrials,,,,BUT NOT in our BLRC jersies...

Another sordid memory regarding my BLRC licence...it was no good at all on the Continent ( not affiliated to the U C I or something) so when I went there to race, I joined a German outfit twisted my name a bit and rode Nationality Deutsch with a DBR licence....great stuff....I remember that the very best riders in Britain ( at road racing) were never chosen to ride for the country and we sent over NCU guys to the Worlds etc...In about 1958, all changed with all sides amalgamating.

Regarding the stuff we rode, generally it was all " hand me downs" from other members of the club who were only too willing to help out the youngsters...Ken Taylor gave me a pair of his racing wheels,,San Giorgio rims on Gnutti hubs...the rims decomposed due to heavy braking and holes appeared in the side walls...only the tubular tyres kept them from totally collapsing..

I totally agree with Mr Crump regarding the twiddling and remember that the early time trials of each year were Medium gear fixed 72 inches and after Higginson twins came Alfie Engers who smashed all records on fixed wheel before becoming a big gear masher later on...enough....

Colin Laing Arizona U S A