[email protected] (bfd) wrote in message news:<
[email protected]>...
>
[email protected] (smokey) wrote in message
> news:<
[email protected]>...
> > Frank Krygowski <
[email protected]> wrote in message news:<
[email protected]>...
> > > smokey wrote, about 110/74 BCD cranks:
> > >
> > > > it seems to me that the bigger manufacturers should think about making this combo
> > > > available, both as OEM cranks for non-racing bikes and as an aftermarket accessory.
> > >
> > > I agree 100%. I just finished trying to get decent gears on a 130/74 triple. What a pain!
> >
> > is it just me, or does anyone else think many of the manufacturers play on the racing image to
> > sell their bikes? the 130 BCD cranks are one example, saddles way below the bars are another,
> > and selling light weight instead of durability. i love my lemond, but had to make modifications
> > to the gearing and bar position for comfort, and also change the saddle.
>
> Its YOU! No, seriously, bike mfrs buy into the car mfrs slogan/theme of "race on sunday, sell on
> monday"...However, "racers" now have a NEW 110bcd choice, see here (scroll down to FSA new crank
> and look at the chainrings = 50/34; 110bcd):
>
http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2003/news/apr11
>
> >if i can ever scrape the money together, my next road bike will probably be one of grant
> >rivendell's models. he now has a bike that sells for around $1400 complete. grant catches a
> >little flak for being too "retro"; i think he just builds more "common sense" bicycles.
> >
> Agree in part, Romulus/Rambo/Redwood/Atlantis/Riv custom are great bikes/frames. However, GP has
> his "quirks" that make him "retro" to most - preference for friction shifting, toe clip or no
> clips (his "clipless or step-on pedals), bar-end or dt shifters, brook saddles, shellac bar tape,
> non-aero brake levers....you get the picture - 1978, maybe 1983 at best....not really going to
> "attract" newer, younger riders who grew up on sti/ergo, clipless pedals, index shifting,
> etc......
if you visit the rivendell site, or look in their catalog, they tell you that they are not after the
mainstream bicyclist. they build a simpler bike that is more comfortable for many riders and is made
to last a lifetime. for the record, i took off my STI to go back to bar-ends because i preferred
them and they worked better. shimano bar-ends can be set to index or friction shifting with a 1/4
twist on the adjuster. brooks saddles are not retro in my book, just the best i've used. all my
others went to the swap meet and my buns thanked me for it. smokey strodtman