U.S. bike makers aim to dominate Europe: 'Armstrong effect' gives them a boost

[Heinz Getzler]

Tim McNamara <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "Edward Dike, III" <edd(2+1)[email protected]> writes:
>
> > "Jason Spaceman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >
> > | From the article:
> > | ----------------------------------------
> > |
> > | When Lance Armstrong won his fifth Tour de France in July, it was not the only cycling
> > | victory for an American. As he rolled across the finish line in Paris, he rode a bicycle made
> > | in the United States by Trek............
> >
> > When did Lance's bikes become Treks made by Trek, rather than rebadged Litespeeds?
>
> Oh, 1999 or so. Postal has always ridden standard Trek OCLV frames.
>
> Armstrong rode a Lightspeed Ti frame painted in Merckx (or Caloi?) team colors to win the World
> Championship road race in Oslo. He rode a Lightspeed Blade repainted as a Trek in time trials,
> until Trek built him a TT bike.

Not certain, but I think Armstrong was riding Litespeeds in his first TDF I believe. I believe it
was in 1994 or 1995.

 

[A Muzi]

>>>"David L. Johnson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>>news:<[email protected]>...
>>>>(snipped) On the other hand; so what? People complain about how we will lose all these
>>>>manufacturing jobs, but this has been going on basically since WWII. If these jobs are really
>>>>lost, then how come we don't have massive unemployment?
-snip-

>>[email protected] (JP) writes:
>>>The damage to American society resulting from the loss of solid middle class blue collar jobs is
>>>incalculable. All these jobs lost, that allowed families to have very comfortable livings with
>>>only one breadwinner, replaced with two low-paying unskilled jobs and kids growing up in daycare.

> Tim McNamara <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>>Oh ********. The quality of life of the average American family is far higher than it was 40 years
>>ago when one-earner families were the norm. That's why two-earner families are more common now.
>>That Americans stupidly squander their earning power on credit card interest payments is a
>>significant problem, but that has nothing whatsoever to do with the "loss of solid middle class
>>blue collar jobs."

JP wrote:
> You're don't know what you're talking about. The loss of middle class blue collar jobs is well
> documented along with its effect on families. It is widely acknowledged that two-wage earner
> families are the result of widespread decreased earning power in the lower middle class.
-snip, snip, snip more similar exchange-

Yes, if only we had a government program to support the half-million farriers who were redundant.
Oh, how they must pine for those good jobs now gone.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[Carl Fogel]

A Muzi <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

[snip]

> Yes, if only we had a government program to support the half-million farriers who were redundant.
> Oh, how they must pine for those good jobs now gone.

Dear Andrew,

Well, it would make things easier for Anonymous, that yokel Longfellow, and me when we prattle
about clothemerys, smithies, and the drayhorse's sandals. Who's going to write poems about
indexed shifters?

G.M. Hopkins

FELIX RANDAL the farrier, O he is dead then? my duty all ended, Who have watched his mould of man,
big-boned and hardy-handsome Pining, pining, till time when reason rambled in it and some Fatal four
disorders, fleshed there, all contended?

Sickness broke him. Impatient he cursed at first, but mended Being anointed and all; though a
heavenlier heart began some Months earlier, since I had our sweet reprieve and ransom Tendered to
him. Ah well, God rest him all road ever he offended!

This seeing the sick endears them to us, us too it endears. My tongue had taught thee comfort, touch
had quenched thy tears, Thy tears that touched my heart, child, Felix, poor Felix Randal;

How far from then forethought of, all thy more boisterous years, When thou at the random grim forge,
powerful amidst peers, Didst fettle for the great grey drayhorse his bright and battering sandal!

ANONYMOUS (1100-1945) Swarte Smekyd Smethes

1 Swarte smekyd smethes, smateryd wyth smoke, 2 Dryue me to deth wyth den of here dyntes. 3 Swech
noys on nyghtes ne herd men neuer. 4 What knauene cry and clateryng of knockes! 5 The cammede
kongons cryen after "col, col!" 6 And blowen here bellewys, that al here brayn brestes. 7 "Huf,
puf!" seyth that on; "haf, paf!" that other. 8 Thei spytten and spraulyn and spellyn many spelles.
9 Thei gnauen and gnacchen, thei gronys togydere 10 And holdyn hem hote wyth here hard hamers. 11
Of a bole hyde ben here barm-fellys. 12 Here schankes ben schakeled for the fere-flunderys. 13 Heuy
hamerys thei han, that hard ben handled. 14 Stark strokes thei stryken on a stelyd stokke. 15 Lus,
bus! las, das! rowtyn be rowe. 16 Swech dolful a dreme the deuyl it todryue! 17 The mayster longith
a lityl, and lascheth a lesse, 18 Twyneth hem tweyn, and towchith a treble. 19 Tik, tak! hic, hac!
tiket, taket! tyk, tak! 20 Lus, bus! lus, das! Swych lyf thei ledyn, 21 Alle clothemerys, Cryst hem
gyue sorwe! 22 May no man for brenwaterys on nyght han hys rest!

Notes

1] Translated freely,

Swart, reeking smiths, besmirched with smoke, Are the death of me with the din of their blows. Such
night-time racket none ever heard of. What shouting of servants, and clatter of blows! The bent-over
runts call out, "coal! coal!" And blow their bellows to burst their brains. "Huff! puff!" says that
one, "Haff! paff!" that other. They spit and throw themselves about and say many things. They gnaw,
they gnash their teeth, they groan together And heat themselves up with their hard hammers. Their
apron-skins are a bull's hide. Their legs are armored against the fire-sparks. They have heavy, hard-to-
wield hammers. They strike heavy strokes on a steely anvil. Luss, buss! luss, dass! they crash, all
in a row. The devil take it, so awful a noise! The master lengthens one small piece, and smashes a
smaller, Fuses the two of them, and lays on a third time. Tick, tack! hick, hack! ticket, tacket!
tick, tack! Luss, buss! luss, dass! They lead such a life, Christ give them grief, all horse-
dressers! None has a night's rest because of these water-burners!

 

[Tim McNamara]

[email protected] (Carl Fogel) writes:

> Well, it would make things easier for Anonymous, that yokel Longfellow, and me when we prattle
> about clothemerys, smithies, and the drayhorse's sandals. Who's going to write poems about indexed
> shifters?

None, for indexed shifters are not worthy of poetics. But friction shifters, aye, there's something
worth a song or two! And, lo, one is already to hand, courtesy of Rivendell:

"The most ancient part we offer Is this shifter we call "silver" It fits either on the downtube
Where some cyclers still prefer it Even tho' it's less convenient Makes it harder to shift often But
that to us, please believe it Is not even such a bad thing Because down there it's not distracting
Doesn't call out to us 'shift now! Shift now that the wind has picked up Even just by two miles an
hour Shift because the slope has steepened Every slightly, hard to tell it Don't pedal any harder
now Heavens, that would almost kill you Let's all laugh hard at the folks who Still ride bikes with
downtube shifters!'

Or fits into the bar-end And of this type is the best one With its power-ratchet action That feels
smooth as buffalo fat Smooth as fish-skin, smooth as birch bark So that children shift it easy No
white knuckles will you suffer Just a light click and a swift shift"

Grant Petersen. (2003). Hiawathan Holidays 2 Walnut Creek, CA: Rivendell Bicycle Works

 

[Carl Fogel]

Tim McNamara <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> [email protected] (Carl Fogel) writes:
>
> > Well, it would make things easier for Anonymous, that yokel Longfellow, and me when we prattle
> > about clothemerys, smithies, and the drayhorse's sandals. Who's going to write poems about
> > indexed shifters?
>
> None, for indexed shifters are not worthy of poetics. But friction shifters, aye, there's
> something worth a song or two! And, lo, one is already to hand, courtesy of Rivendell:
>
> "The most ancient part we offer Is this shifter we call "silver" It fits either on the downtube
> Where some cyclers still prefer it Even tho' it's less convenient Makes it harder to shift often
> But that to us, please believe it Is not even such a bad thing Because down there it's not
> distracting Doesn't call out to us 'shift now! Shift now that the wind has picked up Even just by
> two miles an hour Shift because the slope has steepened Every slightly, hard to tell it Don't
> pedal any harder now Heavens, that would almost kill you Let's all laugh hard at the folks who
> Still ride bikes with downtube shifters!'
>
> Or fits into the bar-end And of this type is the best one With its power-ratchet action That feels
> smooth as buffalo fat Smooth as fish-skin, smooth as birch bark So that children shift it easy No
> white knuckles will you suffer Just a light click and a swift shift"
>
> Grant Petersen. (2003). Hiawathan Holidays 2 Walnut Creek, CA: Rivendell Bicycle Works

Dear Tim,

This was on an oily slip of paper that fell out of the index to my tricycle manual.

Carl Fogel

Ode Upon An Indexed Shifter

Click! Click! Click! Oh, no, it's started to stick!

The two major brands infallible Are completely incompatible . . .

. . . internally, that is. Outside,
They're a breeze to mix and ride,

As endless posters timidly inquiring Are re-assured about indexed wiring.

Q: Is indexed shifting swift and certain, Or with ambiguity are we flirtin'?

R: There are no ifs, ands, or buts, As long as we grease those tiny guts.

S: Will my Campy thirteen-speed shifter Work with Shimano's fixed-gear brifter?

T: Of course they'll work! Of course! Just like different halters upon a horse!

U: Should I adjust it if I am able? Or should I try a newer cable?

V: Well, that depends on Your pre-existing ten-sion.

W: On my Ergo can I fit an STI lever, Or is that something I-should-never?

X: A lever with a longer throw May make it easier-to-go.

Y: Will adapting an Italian ramp-and-pin Stifle a Japanese chain-saw's din?

Z: Mix-and-match is half the battle In soothing gears that like to rattle.

Z: If I use a ten-speed link of master, Will my bike shift any faster?

Z: Perhaps--but mix eight-speed and nine And your chain may start to bind.

Z: Dare I blame my worn sprocket-fangs For how often my indexed shifter hangs?

Z: Grinding off your gear's over-bite Will not make your shifter right.

Adjust the barrel, re-bend the cable, Try anything to make it stable . . .

Click! Click! Click! Oh no, it's started to stick!

 

[Jp]

A Muzi <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> JP wrote:
> > You're don't know what you're talking about. The loss of middle class blue collar jobs is well
> > documented along with its effect on families. It is widely acknowledged that two-wage earner
> > families are the result of widespread decreased earning power in the lower middle class.
> -snip, snip, snip more similar exchange-
>
> Yes, if only we had a government program to support the half-million farriers who were redundant.
> Oh, how they must pine for those good jobs now gone.

Maybe all we need is a program to insure that Mexican horses are at least as well shod as American
ones (which is not to say that American horses are always that well shod either) if they're gonna be
crossing the border hauling stuff made in factories that pay a dollar an hour for sixty hours a week
with no OT, throw up clouds of choking effluvia and use the Gulf of Mexico for a toilet.

JP

 

[Mike Jacoubowsk]

> Maybe all we need is a program to insure that Mexican horses are at least as well shod as American
> ones (which is not to say that American horses are always that well shod either) if they're gonna
> be crossing the border hauling stuff made in factories that pay a dollar an hour for sixty hours a
> week with no OT, throw up clouds of choking effluvia and use the Gulf of Mexico for a toilet.

True enough. But the American Revolution would never have gotten off the ground if a more
enlightened country had come along and said that we couldn't exploit our workers, we couldn't
pollute our air, we couldn't use the waterways as our sewers, we couldn't clear out the native
population when they got in the way, etc. There's a mild amount of arrogance that goes on when we
tell the latest emerging country that they should have to work with our present standards and ignore
what got us to where we are today.

I'm not suggesting that we should allow Mexico or China or Vietnam or wherever to turn their own
countries (and neighbors) into stinking cesspools, and their children into slaves. I'm just pointing
out the moral ambiguity that exists in an area that many seem to see as black & white.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"JP" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> A Muzi <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>
> > JP wrote:
> > > You're don't know what you're talking about. The loss of middle class blue collar jobs is well
> > > documented along with its effect on families. It is widely acknowledged that two-wage earner
> > > families are the result of widespread decreased earning power in the lower middle class.
> > -snip, snip, snip more similar exchange-
> >
> > Yes, if only we had a government program to support the half-million farriers who were
> > redundant. Oh, how they must pine for those good jobs now gone.
>
> Maybe all we need is a program to insure that Mexican horses are at least as well shod as American
> ones (which is not to say that American horses are always that well shod either) if they're gonna
> be crossing the border hauling stuff made in factories that pay a dollar an hour for sixty hours a
> week with no OT, throw up clouds of choking effluvia and use the Gulf of Mexico for a toilet.
>
> JP

 

[Matt O'Toole]

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:

>> Maybe all we need is a program to insure that Mexican horses are at least as well shod as
>> American ones (which is not to say that American horses are always that well shod either) if
>> they're gonna be crossing the border hauling stuff made in factories that pay a dollar an hour
>> for sixty hours a week with no OT, throw up clouds of choking effluvia and use the Gulf of Mexico
>> for a toilet.
>
> True enough. But the American Revolution would never have gotten off the ground if a more
> enlightened country had come along and said that we couldn't exploit our workers, we couldn't
> pollute our air, we couldn't use the waterways as our sewers, we couldn't clear out the native
> population when they got in the way, etc. There's a mild amount of arrogance that goes on when we
> tell the latest emerging country that they should have to work with our present standards and
> ignore what got us to where we are today.
>
> I'm not suggesting that we should allow Mexico or China or Vietnam or wherever to turn their own
> countries (and neighbors) into stinking cesspools, and their children into slaves. I'm just
> pointing out the moral ambiguity that exists in an area that many seem to see as black & white.

Well said, Mike. This is why we have to lead by example, rather than preaching. Also, it's important
for us to develop clean technologies, so the developing world may adopt them and skip over a century
or so of extreme pollution. The Chinese, etc., are not stupid -- they understand all of this. They
know what got us where we are. But they also understand the long term costs. If clean technologies
are available for them to adopt at a cost they can afford, they'll adopt them.

Matt O.

 

[David Damerell]

Zog The Undeniable <[email protected]> wrote:
>True, but as the article said, the hardcore British cyclists will ride custom steel frames from Bob
>Jackson/Dave Yates/Chas Roberts etc.

Unfortunately this doesn't lead to many sales, because the things last _forever_.
--
David Damerell <[email protected]> Kill the tomato!

 

[Charles Hizark]

A Muzi <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> > "MSeries" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >>Lance Armstrong. Undoubtedly though their use in Le Tour has raised their profile in the public
> >>eye, exaclty like it did when Armstrong used a Caloi
> >>!! Who'd ever heard of Caloi before then ?
>
> Carl Sundquist wrote:
> > Caloi are a Brazilian brand. There is/was a US distributor, but I think most of the dealers were
> > in Florida. IIRC, the Calois were rebadged Merckxs.
>
> We tried to sell Caloi. At one time, the cheapest mountain bike in the house. I remember well
> talking with a gentleman who mentioned he was Brazilian. I showed him a row of them. "Caloi", he
> excalained, " I know that bike. I used to have one. They're just awful".
>
> Indeed. Although they were passable, an Caloi aluminum mountain bike was well past thirty pounds.
> And rode like it. OTOH they were nearly indestructible. We kept some in rental over ten years (
> three is a usual rental life)

There used to be some Mexican manufacturers like Benotto USA or Winsdor bikes. I was always a bit
suprised that some of the bike companies did not acquire some or start bike factories in Mexico.