anyone here from eastern europe?

[hERZaUSsTAHL]

Hi!

I'm new to this forum. While browsing it, i saw that most people here are from Australia, UK, America, and i was asking myself if there are any from eastern europe, like me. I'm just curious, because i'd like to know if there are people here (like me) who do this, let's call it, low-tech cycling. Let me give you a little tech info: 13 Kg, 51 crank (just one), 14-22 sprockets (5), 175 mm crank arms... Sounds like real ****, isn't it? Well, that's my "beauty", the crappiest russian bike ever made, with which i climb every hill around here, and, trust me, there are a lot of them... (14% steepest).
The most expensive "hi-tech" bike that one could (hardly) afford here is one close to what eddy merckx used to ride... To make you understand what i'm talking about, i will tell you that the minimum wage in my country is around 100$. So much for Campagnolo, Colnago, Pinarello, Trek...
I'm a cycling fan also, in fact i watch every big competition (Giro, Tour, Vuelta, WCH) live some years now (thanx to Eurosport).
I know very few people interested in cycling around here, in fact most of them categorize it as the most stupid, senseless sport that exists...
Now that i gave you a little bit of insight of the way things are done around here, i would be glad to hear from you. Any opinion about anything is welcome.

 

[less'go]

Hey there, welcome to the forum, just curious, where exactly do you live? I don't think you mentioned in your post?

I enjoyed your explanation of low-tech cycling... I think it's probably a lot more "heroic" to be climbing hills and generally getting around AND enjoying yourself, on a bike like that, than being able to brag about riding top speed on the latest and hottest 5,000$ bike w/all the accessories. Go my friend, go.

Some folks on this forum are very into the racing and competition and speed, and then someare just into the pleasure of cycling for good health, fun and transportation. Which is good, it takes all kinds.

So tell us where your from...

Sara

 

[hERZaUSsTAHL]

Originally posted by less'go
Hey there, welcome to the forum, just curious, where exactly do you live? I don't think you mentioned in your post?

I enjoyed your explanation of low-tech cycling... I think it's probably a lot more "heroic" to be climbing hills and generally getting around AND enjoying yourself, on a bike like that, than being able to brag about riding top speed on the latest and hottest 5,000$ bike w/all the accessories. Go my friend, go.

Some folks on this forum are very into the racing and competition and speed, and then someare just into the pleasure of cycling for good health, fun and transportation. Which is good, it takes all kinds.

So tell us where your from...

Sara

Well, ladies and gentlemen, i'm from... Romania, probably the last country the UCI ranking. Thanx for encouraging me, Sara

 

[less'go]

Originally posted by hERZaUSsTAHL
Well, ladies and gentlemen, i'm from... Romania, probably the last country the UCI ranking. Thanx for encouraging me, Sara

A very poor country, but full of an amazing (if sometimes frightening) history, and apparently the countryside is very beautiful. My husband went there a few years ago making a documentary film. Had very mixed feelings when he came back, said it was a harsh place for most who live there, but that the people were very hospitable, atleast those he met (but when it's for work, he is always met by and introduced to certain people, not much is up to chance).

So is biking there mostly something people do by necessity, meaning as transportation because it is cheap and reliable? I was looking at a post from one guy here from Islamabhad, Pakistan who says he can't find people to bike with because where he lives it's something you do either when you're a kid or because you can't afford another means of transportation, where as he does it for the pleasure...

Your English is incredibly good, by the way, how did you learn to write (and probably speak) so well?

Sara

 

[allgoo19]

Your post made me feel so fortunate. My bike(nearly 20 years old) is not hi-tech in today's standard, pretty close to the one Eddie Merckx rode, so it's hi-tech in your standard. Not everybody in this forum is the same who is looking for everything latest and hi-tech. I have seen some members excited by an old bicycle they found at some garage sale and restoring it. You can find all different kind of people and their background here and that's what I like about.
Welcome to the forum.

 

[hERZaUSsTAHL]

Yes, tell me about that... It's a poor country. About your history comment, I don't know. Every time I hear something about our great history, I think about a quote from an ancient historian, with which they used to brain-wash us during school. It goes something like: "The gets were the bravest among the tracs, blah blah blah" (I can't remember the whole thing, it is a while since I last heard it, but there are a lot of great things there about the gets). The thing we didn't know then, was that the quote had been truncated. It continues with something like: "They drink a lot, and they are lazy". The point is that sometimes I wonder if our whole history, as we know it, isn't a truncated, censored version of the real one. Throughout our history we used to blame someone else for our problems. Just like that game with Denmark for the Euro 2004 qualifiers, it was everyone's fault but ours. Now, the main thing to blame for the present economical situation is that we were at the confluence of the great powers of the world, and everyone just took advantage of us. But again, I don't know... There are other ex-communist countries that managed to deal with their problems. We always manage to end up last.
I heard a few days ago on the news something about a canadian that lost himself in Romania, had a panic attack and tried to commit suicide. Made me ask myself (again), what do people think about us??? That we are cannibals that live in caves? I hope that guy won't tell a story like: "They were running after me with bats in their hands, I'm sure they wanted to eat me" when he returns home...
On the other hand, a friend told me about some cyclotourists (were they from Sweden?), that came in Romania (why would they do something like that?). They mounted their tent on a field. Well, two paysants came and hit them with axes through their tent, thinking they were carrying fortunes.
There are a lot of misconceptions about us, but to be frank, I can understand that. Enough with my ramblings.

About the bike, yes, people here think too it's only a kids thing (I'm 24 next week, btw). I tell you one thing: a Romanian citizen would never ride the bike to work. A friend of mine tried to do that, but the administrator of the building he is working in has forbidden it, saying that he is leaving tyre marks on the walls... I guess they like buses, or our national car "Dacia" - I don't think you could imagine a crummier car.
There lays the difference between civilised people and us - an American would think something like "Why not create parking space for other people and reduce the pollution?" although he probably owns two cars, while a Romanian wouldn't. People here seem to care for nothing but themselves.
I've been trying for a long time to find a long-term cycling partner here in my town, but with no success. The bike here is used only for showing-off purposes ("Look at me and my bike stunts, am I cool or what?"), or at all. When I ride the bike I like to do some hard pedaling (or at least I like to think so), while my friends think that an one hour ride pushes them close to their physical limits
And about my English, again I don't know. I think I should check out my grammar at least. What's my secret? Watch a lot of american movies And we learn it in school, too. And personally I like to read a lot.
Thanks for the nice welcome, people.

Calin

 

[hERZaUSsTAHL]

Originally posted by allgoo19
Your post made me feel so fortunate. My bike(nearly 20 years old) is not hi-tech in today's standard, pretty close to the one Eddie Merckx rode, so it's hi-tech in your standard. Not everybody in this forum is the same who is looking for everything latest and hi-tech. I have seen some members excited by an old bicycle they found at some garage sale and restoring it. You can find all different kind of people and their background here and that's what I like about.
Welcome to the forum.

I forgot to mention something about my country: the roads. Everywhere you go it's pits and bumps. It's absolutely awful. You can only imagine what's riding a bike like here... Try mountain biking with a road bike if you want to get the feeling of it You can consider yourself even luckier now

 

[edlfrey]

I'm not from Eastern Europe, I'm an American, but I lived and cycled in Bulgaria during 1996-1998 and everything you have said about Rumania was the same. The mind set of the people, the roads, the equipment ... all the same. The Bulgarians thought I was crazy for riding a bicycle but then again they also thought I was crazy because I went hiking in the mountains. I think most Bulgarians believed that recreation was sitting, smoking and drinking!
I would love to join you for some rides but it will be a few more years before I can even think about getting back to Eastern Europe.