In article <[email hidden]>, Simon Brooke [email hidden] says...
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I don't think it's the upwrong manufacturers. They just want to sell bikes and if the market shifted to demanding different shaped bikes they'd supply that demand.
The problem is the UCI.
The problem is public perception, which is influenced by the UCI and others. How many people actually race a 'racer', or do serious off-road on an ATB? I suspect the only type of bike that is widely used for its nominal purpose is the audax machine.
In article <17330537-9404-48ff-acea- [email hidden]>, PhilD [email hidden] says...
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Rob Morley said:
I suspect the only type of bike that is widely used for its nominal purpose is the audax machine.
... and "utility" bikes. I suspect most riders of such are merely pottering about their daily lives on them.
(You were probably only referring to "sports" bikes, though, weren't you?).
Actually I completely forgot about city bikes, probably the best example of fit-for-purpose marketing - I guess that just shows my personal bias as someone who has raced his racing bike, off-roaded his ATB, gone camping-touring on his touring bike ... :-)
In article <17330537-9404-48ff-acea- [email hidden]>, PhilD
says... On Nov 30 said:
Quoted message said:
I suspect the only type of bike that is widely used for its nominal purpose is the audax machine.
Quoted message said:
... and "utility" bikes. I suspect most riders of such are merely pottering about their daily lives on them.
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(You were probably only referring to "sports" bikes, though, weren't you?).
Actually I completely forgot about city bikes, probably the best example of fit-for-purpose marketing - I guess that just shows my personal bias as someone who has raced his racing bike, off-roaded his ATB, gone camping-touring on his touring bike ... :-)
Folders too - people buy them because they need a bike that folds.
Folders too - people buy them because they need a bike that folds.
I don't /need/ one, but I do appreciate having it.
Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
Folders too - people buy them because they need a bike that folds.
I don't /need/ one, but I do appreciate having it.
I do need one since I cannot walk-however I have got three. I am building number 4. The sit up and beg roadster is the bike of utility mass transport. Tam
In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...
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Folders too - people buy them because they need a bike that folds.
I don't /need/ one, but I do appreciate having it.
I need one as otherwise I couldn't take a bike into London on peak hours trains nor would most of the train travel I do be convenient with all the bike booking problems. That's my story and I'm sticking to it ;-)
-- Tony
"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" George Bernard Shaw
In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...
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tam said:
One thing is absolutely not in doubt. I am pretty unfit-but-tomorrow I can get on my trike-cycle for 31/2 hours non stop and not have a numb bum. This will not apply to the upwrong rider.
I'm not super fit and do not have NB after cycling for 3 1/2 hours on my upright bike.
You should remember that it's not just about fashion and money. Not everyone has the space, or wants to make the space, to park a bent at home. And not everyone wants to have to climb hills at lower speed.
And bents can be buggers to push if you need to get off and push.
-- Tony
"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" George Bernard Shaw
">> The sit up and beg roadster is the bike of utility mass transport.
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Yeah right - made by Pashley and bought by ladies in Laura Ashley frocks to go picnicing.
I see you have led a sheltered life.
Just make your way to any big station in Northern Europe and you will see what I mean. Mountain bikes-straight bar bikes-droop handlebar bikes-not mass transit. We are looking at hub gears-back pedal brakes-dynamo hubs-encased chains and fat tyres here. Tam
To the unintiated this problem of winching up hill seems insurmountable-but-as you know if you climb-eventually you must descend.
Not if you live in Escher you don't ;-)
You seem to have miss-spelt Bristol, where we do have roads that go uphill in opposite directions.
There is also an Escheresque spatial discontinuity in Bristol. You can start off on Queen's Rd and cycle flat along Whiteladies Road, Tyndall's Park Rd and Woodland Rd before doing a steep fast downhill on Elton Rd back to the start.
-- Tony
"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" George Bernard Shaw
In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...
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In message <[email hidden]>
Rob Morley said:
I bet the majority of folders are seldom folded.
Define folded!
I fold mine in half frequently;
You're probably not representative of folder owners - I'm betting that most have them because of the frame style or wheel size or the notion that foldability is useful although they never do it or they were the only hub-geared bikes available at the time ...
In article <[email hidden]>, tam [email hidden] says...
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I bet the majority of folders are seldom folded.
An interesting point that.
How often its folded is not relevant-the point is it can fold.
I suppose it's irrelevant that someone uses a dual slalom bike as a commuter, because the point is that they could compete in downhill races if they wanted to.
">> The sit up and beg roadster is the bike of utility mass transport.
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> Yeah right - made by Pashley and bought by ladies in Laura Ashley frocks to go picnicing.
I see you have led a sheltered life.
Just make your way to any big station in Northern Europe and you will see what I mean.
This being UK.rec.cycling I'm referring to UK cycling culture. I lived in Munich for a while, and obviously it's very different there.
Must admit I know very little about the UK "typical bike". I suspect in sheer number terms London has the biggest "mass" cycle transport numbers. However when you can see the bulk of bikes at the station have hub gears-"sit up and beg" riding style etc you will know that utility mass transport via bikes has arrived. Tam
