Paris equipment

Ryan Cousineau

In article
<aa928a1d-d965-479f-9010-c33b0763edb1@m45g2000hsb.googlegroups.com>,
ilanpsi@gmail.com wrote:

> On Jun 28, 9:56*pm, Bill C <tritonri...@verizon.net> wrote:
> > On Jun 28, 2:53*pm, ilan...@gmail.com wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > I was walking around my neighborhood last night and came across a
> > > bunch of 20 something guys hanging out with their track bikes. This
> > > fashion only hit Paris this year, and as usual I am annoyed at their
> > > tall gearing. I asked them about it and most of them were riding
> > > 47x17. I pointed out that at 28kph they were pedaling something around
> > > 80rpm's or less and being inefficient. With "normal" gearing like
> > > 42x17, the bike would be much more responsive, you could easily
> > > accelerate in the saddle at typical 25-30kph and also, a track bike is
> > > supposed to be elegant and spinning is more consistent with that
> > > philosophy. They had never considered any of this, and actually didn't
> > > know too much about anything, except their bikes and equipment were
> > > pretty well though out. Actually, they were interested in track
> > > racing, and one of them had tried out La Cipale, but had a horrendous
> > > experience were all the regulars treated him with poorly. I pretty
> > > much expected as much, which is why I've never gone there.
> >
> > > None of them had any caliper brakes and they weren't wearing gloves
> > > either. I told them they could used gloves to brake but had never even
> > > heard of this technique. However, they seemed sort of interested, one
> > > guy said he would try putting on his 42 front chain ring.
> >
> > > When I got home, I actually took my track bike out of moth balls and
> > > rode out there in my 15 year old tubulars and the 50x14 gear I had
> > > left on the bike when I brought it back from the US. They were quite
> > > impressed by the bike which had pretty much all the original 1981
> > > equipment except for Speedplay pedals which I had to swap from my road
> > > bike. I felt like some old WWII veteran bringing out his old uniform.
> >
> > > Anyway, a fairly good experience.
> >
> > > -ilan- Hide quoted text -
> >
> > > - Show quoted text -
> >
> > Sweet. Good stuff Ilan. It's nice that they were receptive and
> > actually interested too.
> > *I thought I saw something about increased support for the Six Day in
> > London too in the last few days and was going to go back and read it,
> > but can't find it right now. There's so much they could do with track
> > racing and betting, like the Off Track Betting stuff they do for horse
> > races to really expand the revenue stream, and create some publicity
> > buzz around it. It's made for the modern attention span and tastes.
> > *Maybe we need Michael Ball to grab some track stuff and run with it
> > in a whole new way Like Dana White did with MMA just as it was dieing
> > out. Now it's exploding.
> > *Bill C
>
> Well, the first thing to do is to welcome all these people riding
> track bikes. Instead, this kid told me that people kept riding over
> him and scaring him to death. Obviously, no one talked to him either.
> It may be happening in other places, but certainly not here.
>
> -ilan

Well, that's just sort of mental. At our last six-day, they did multiple
events that were oriented at the couriers (and hipster alleycatters, one
is sure) who have, in the same way, found track bikes to be a gateway to
an interest in track racing.

That said, track racing is always intimidating for newbs, and most
tracks owe them a gentle intro. At our track, you can't turn a wheel
without taking the learn-to-ride-track courses.

--
Ryan Cousineau rcousine@gmail.com http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."